Any time is better than never, but spring is the ideal time to budget for an air conditioning tune-up North Port. Early air conditioner maintenance can prevent many small problems from becoming more expensive problems later on. Furthermore, if your air conditioner check up is scheduled for spring, you'll also beat the long waits and higher prices that come with peak season HVAC repair visits.
Reasons to Schedule an Air Conditioner Check Up North Port
There are two main reasons to schedule annual air conditioner maintenance with your local HVAC contractor: saving money and saving money (no that isn't a typo). For starters, you greatly increase the chances that your A/C technician will catch small problems before they become big ones by schedules regular check ups. Repairing a small refrigerant leak shouldn't cost much more than the service call. Buying a new compressor when low refrigerant levels burn your current one out, however, can cost a thousand dollars or more. The other way an annual check up saves you money is by ensuring that your A/C unit is working at optimal efficiency. When your A/C is running well it uses less energy to cool your house, and lower energy use means bigger savings for you on your monthly utility bills.
Scheduling an Air Conditioner Check Up
An air conditioner check up is easy to schedule. All you have to do is contact a local HVAC technician North Port about coming out to perform basic air conditioner maintenance. As mentioned before, the best time to do this is in the spring or early summer, before everyone else turns on their air conditioner and realizes it needs to be worked on. If you call early enough, an HVAC contractor will be able to come out when it's most convenient to you in order to make sure your unit has been serviced and is running properly. Wait until later in the summer, however, and you'll find all of the pros are booked, and if need them desperately, it'll cost you..
Air Conditioner Check Up 101
An air conditioner check up is an important part of making sure you get long lasting, and efficient performance from your air conditioner, as is knowing which services to insist on when your technician arrives. Here's a short checklist of common maintenance procedures your HVAC contractor should include with a routine maintenance call:
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Clean Your Air Ducts and Vents!
Duct cleaning North Port is one of those tasks that it's easy to forget about. Since ducts and vents are often overlooked, many homeowners might not even remember the last time they had them attended to. The fact is, however, that duct and vent cleaning may have health advantages, and might even reduce your energy bills and extend the life of your forced air system.
Vent and Duct Cleaning and Indoor Air Quality
One thing to consider when you're thinking about vent and duct cleaning North Port is the fact that indoor air quality is decreasing. This is due in part to the popularity of high-efficiency windows, doors, and increased insulation that reduce the amount of air transfer between inside and outside. Though these fixtures are great when it comes to reducing energy costs and making a room more comfortable, they are often not supplemented with any additional ventilation, causing pollutants that enter the home to remain inside instead of leaking out through drafty windows and gaps.
The verdict still isn't in on whether or not duct and vent cleaning is going to improve indoor air quality in every situation. Though there is literature out there to support either side of the debate, we do know that in certain cases, duct cleaning is likely to find and remove harmful molds, fungus, and/or microbes from an infected system. At the very least, duct and vent cleaning is not going to do your home any harm, and there is a chance that it will actually increase the quality of your indoor air.
How Duct and Vent Cleaning Works
There are two ways of duct and vent cleaning North Port. One system is connected into the ducting to provide suction. A high-pressure air hose is passed through the ducting to remove the particles from the interior. The other system uses a large specialized vacuum attached to a hose and a brushing system that is run through the ducting. Both systems are effective when operated by properly trained personnel.
A proper cleaning should include the following: cleaning of all registers, inside the ducting, and the interior of the heating and ventilating system.
The furnace fan must be cleaned, and if you have air conditioning or a heat pump, the coils inside the system must also be thoroughly cleaned. Finally, a disinfectant can be fogged through the cleaned system to eliminate any mold, bacteria, and dust mites that might remain.
Proper cleaning of a home should take a minimum of three to five hours, depending on the size of the house. If the home has more than one heating and cooling system, or the system is located on the roof, it can take longer. Most duct cleaning companies base their price upon square footage and/or the number of registers, systems, and levels to be cleaned and charge between $90 and $125 per hour to properly clean a duct system.
Vent and Duct Cleaning and Indoor Air Quality
One thing to consider when you're thinking about vent and duct cleaning North Port is the fact that indoor air quality is decreasing. This is due in part to the popularity of high-efficiency windows, doors, and increased insulation that reduce the amount of air transfer between inside and outside. Though these fixtures are great when it comes to reducing energy costs and making a room more comfortable, they are often not supplemented with any additional ventilation, causing pollutants that enter the home to remain inside instead of leaking out through drafty windows and gaps.
The verdict still isn't in on whether or not duct and vent cleaning is going to improve indoor air quality in every situation. Though there is literature out there to support either side of the debate, we do know that in certain cases, duct cleaning is likely to find and remove harmful molds, fungus, and/or microbes from an infected system. At the very least, duct and vent cleaning is not going to do your home any harm, and there is a chance that it will actually increase the quality of your indoor air.
How Duct and Vent Cleaning Works
There are two ways of duct and vent cleaning North Port. One system is connected into the ducting to provide suction. A high-pressure air hose is passed through the ducting to remove the particles from the interior. The other system uses a large specialized vacuum attached to a hose and a brushing system that is run through the ducting. Both systems are effective when operated by properly trained personnel.
A proper cleaning should include the following: cleaning of all registers, inside the ducting, and the interior of the heating and ventilating system.
The furnace fan must be cleaned, and if you have air conditioning or a heat pump, the coils inside the system must also be thoroughly cleaned. Finally, a disinfectant can be fogged through the cleaned system to eliminate any mold, bacteria, and dust mites that might remain.
Proper cleaning of a home should take a minimum of three to five hours, depending on the size of the house. If the home has more than one heating and cooling system, or the system is located on the roof, it can take longer. Most duct cleaning companies base their price upon square footage and/or the number of registers, systems, and levels to be cleaned and charge between $90 and $125 per hour to properly clean a duct system.
Can You Afford to Freeze When Your Furnace Breaks?
When your furnace goes out, having it immediately replaced may seem like a foregone conclusion, but some homeowners would do well to consider the current condition of their home and the long-term possibilities—not to mention a weather forecast—before plopping down $10,000 or more on a new furnace. It may sound crazy, and you certainly don't want to make your home improvement decisions based on the groundhog's shadow, but taking unusual steps to get through the last blast of winter may pay off in the end.
The Advantages of Delaying
The advantages of waiting until spring to install a new furnace or heating system North Port are pretty straightforward, but they're also frequently underestimated. The cost of installing a furnace in the middle of winter is higher than needs be simply because HVAC companies have to pay employees overtime to keep pace with the surge of furnace repairs and replacement. Meanwhile, manufacturers have cut prices due to the current recession, creating a perfect storm for homeowners to complete installation of a high-quality heating system at a reasonable cost. In fact, more than an evaluation of the eventual benefits, the logistics of riding out the remaining weeks of winter without central heating will likely determine the relative wisdom of this choice.
Have a Strategy and Observe Safety Precautions
You can't just say, "It's March 3rd, it's supposed to warm for the next few days, I'll be fine." Space heaters will almost surely be part of your plan to survive without central heating, but you'll need to make sure you're using an extension cord with a sufficient load-bearing capacity. Nor can you simply drag a space heater around the house with you: If you don't have properly insulated plumbing, your pipes can freeze and burst. Of course, this is something that might need to be done whether your home heating North Port is working or not. If the temperature gets too cold, you may need to shut off the water and find some place to stay for the night. Yet, one or two nights at a cheap hotel may be well worth it on the back end, and you can treat it like a miniature get-away for you and your family.
Energy-Star Furnaces, Geothermal, and Photovoltaic Systems
If you're going to take this road, then there should probably be a prize at the end of it. A standard, reliable furnace doesn't need to take weeks to find and install. Investing that something extra, however, can take a bit more work. For homeowners looking to make an investment in their home and promote sustainable living, the question isn't whether to go greenýbut how green to go?
A new gas furnace with an Annual Fuel Use Efficiency rating of 95 or higher might cost an extra $2,000 or $4,000. An air-source heat pump system might cost an extra $3,000 or $6,000. Truly, renewable heating solutions, like geothermal heat pumps and photovoltaic energy systems might cost an additional $10,000-$20,000, but these systems also enable homeowners to receive tax credits of $2,000 or more. Thus, even after these tax breaks, you're probably still going to be paying more than a run-of-the-mill heating system, but if you wait till spring and take advantage of these tax credits, lower utility bills can recoup the extra expense in
The Advantages of Delaying
The advantages of waiting until spring to install a new furnace or heating system North Port are pretty straightforward, but they're also frequently underestimated. The cost of installing a furnace in the middle of winter is higher than needs be simply because HVAC companies have to pay employees overtime to keep pace with the surge of furnace repairs and replacement. Meanwhile, manufacturers have cut prices due to the current recession, creating a perfect storm for homeowners to complete installation of a high-quality heating system at a reasonable cost. In fact, more than an evaluation of the eventual benefits, the logistics of riding out the remaining weeks of winter without central heating will likely determine the relative wisdom of this choice.
Have a Strategy and Observe Safety Precautions
You can't just say, "It's March 3rd, it's supposed to warm for the next few days, I'll be fine." Space heaters will almost surely be part of your plan to survive without central heating, but you'll need to make sure you're using an extension cord with a sufficient load-bearing capacity. Nor can you simply drag a space heater around the house with you: If you don't have properly insulated plumbing, your pipes can freeze and burst. Of course, this is something that might need to be done whether your home heating North Port is working or not. If the temperature gets too cold, you may need to shut off the water and find some place to stay for the night. Yet, one or two nights at a cheap hotel may be well worth it on the back end, and you can treat it like a miniature get-away for you and your family.
Energy-Star Furnaces, Geothermal, and Photovoltaic Systems
If you're going to take this road, then there should probably be a prize at the end of it. A standard, reliable furnace doesn't need to take weeks to find and install. Investing that something extra, however, can take a bit more work. For homeowners looking to make an investment in their home and promote sustainable living, the question isn't whether to go greenýbut how green to go?
A new gas furnace with an Annual Fuel Use Efficiency rating of 95 or higher might cost an extra $2,000 or $4,000. An air-source heat pump system might cost an extra $3,000 or $6,000. Truly, renewable heating solutions, like geothermal heat pumps and photovoltaic energy systems might cost an additional $10,000-$20,000, but these systems also enable homeowners to receive tax credits of $2,000 or more. Thus, even after these tax breaks, you're probably still going to be paying more than a run-of-the-mill heating system, but if you wait till spring and take advantage of these tax credits, lower utility bills can recoup the extra expense in
Monday, April 5, 2010
When to Call a Plumber
No one is an expert at everything, and if you were, you probably wouldn’t be reading this. You wouldn’t diagnose a family member’s ailment and prescribe a remedy, and it’s the same with some plumbing situations Middle Island. If it were easy then everyone would do it and the “P” section in the phone book would be much thinner.
Gas Lines
Work on gas lines is one of the biggest jobs that should be left to licensed plumbers. A lot of cities require a licensed person to work on gas lines by code. This is due mostly to the danger inherent in working with gas. Small leaks may not be detected by odor alone. A licensed plumber Middle Island should always have the proper pressure-testing equipment to ensure that there are no leaks in the line.
Another concern with gas lines is the threading of the pipe and fitting of joints. The equipment to do this is expensive to own (and impractical for the average home owner). Improperly threaded pipe could leave connections with leaks small enough to be over looked by the average home owner. The same holds true for tightening on fittings. Believe it or not, over-tightening a fitting can cause as much trouble and an under-tightened fitting. Again, any plumber worth his weight will always pressure test the lines before leaving the job.
Mainlines (Water and Sewer)
Work with any of your mainlines (water and sewer) is also best left to the pros. Just the process of turning the water off at the street ( “curb box” in plumbing lingo) -requires special equipment. A long rod with a special tip, called a street key, is used to shut off service to the line.
As for the main sewer lines, snaking can be done by a confident home owner. For around $50 you can rent a sewer snake for four hours, which should be enough time to clean tree roots from the line, but it doesn’t guarantee that everything will be fine in the line. If the line continues to back up calling a plumber in Middle Island is the only choice, as it means that there is something else wrong with the line. It could be broken or back pitched and a licensed plumber should be able to detect the problem and suggest a solution.
Gas Lines
Work on gas lines is one of the biggest jobs that should be left to licensed plumbers. A lot of cities require a licensed person to work on gas lines by code. This is due mostly to the danger inherent in working with gas. Small leaks may not be detected by odor alone. A licensed plumber Middle Island should always have the proper pressure-testing equipment to ensure that there are no leaks in the line.
Another concern with gas lines is the threading of the pipe and fitting of joints. The equipment to do this is expensive to own (and impractical for the average home owner). Improperly threaded pipe could leave connections with leaks small enough to be over looked by the average home owner. The same holds true for tightening on fittings. Believe it or not, over-tightening a fitting can cause as much trouble and an under-tightened fitting. Again, any plumber worth his weight will always pressure test the lines before leaving the job.
Mainlines (Water and Sewer)
Work with any of your mainlines (water and sewer) is also best left to the pros. Just the process of turning the water off at the street ( “curb box” in plumbing lingo) -requires special equipment. A long rod with a special tip, called a street key, is used to shut off service to the line.
As for the main sewer lines, snaking can be done by a confident home owner. For around $50 you can rent a sewer snake for four hours, which should be enough time to clean tree roots from the line, but it doesn’t guarantee that everything will be fine in the line. If the line continues to back up calling a plumber in Middle Island is the only choice, as it means that there is something else wrong with the line. It could be broken or back pitched and a licensed plumber should be able to detect the problem and suggest a solution.
Maintenance Checklist for Your Plumbing System
As a homeowner, keeping up with home maintenance can sometimes feel like a full-time job. There are many things that need to be done to a home in order to keep it running smoothly. Plumbing Middle Island is just one of the many aspects of your home that you have to keep up throughout the year. Below you will find a helpful checklist that will help you to look for plumbing problems as well as potential plumbing problems Middle Island that should be addressed before they become a real issue. Going line-by-line on the checklist will help you with preventative care and maintenance of your home’s plumbing.
When thinking about your plumbing system Middle Island, you need to first realize the number of appliances and pipes that are included in the system. This doesn’t only cover the plumbing system that operates toilets, sinks, showers, and bathtubs in your home, it also covers laundry facilities in your home for your washer, utility sinks, and drains that may be installed.
❏ Look for signs of leaks in exposed pipes, where pipes run through the walls or the foundation of your home. Signs of a leak include puddles of water and watermarks.
❏ Look for signs of corrosion. Corrosion of pipes can cause leaks and bad pipe connections if not corrected. A sign of corrosion is green stains around brass and copper fittings and on shutoff valves.
❏ Test water pressure. Water pressure is with how much force the water comes out of sink faucets and showerheads. Low water pressure can be a sign of sediment build up in the faucet or shower head. It may also be a sign of a problem with the water line.
❏ Remove the showerhead to look for any sediment that may have collected in it. This may be a cause of lower the water pressure.
When thinking about your plumbing system Middle Island, you need to first realize the number of appliances and pipes that are included in the system. This doesn’t only cover the plumbing system that operates toilets, sinks, showers, and bathtubs in your home, it also covers laundry facilities in your home for your washer, utility sinks, and drains that may be installed.
❏ Look for signs of leaks in exposed pipes, where pipes run through the walls or the foundation of your home. Signs of a leak include puddles of water and watermarks.
❏ Look for signs of corrosion. Corrosion of pipes can cause leaks and bad pipe connections if not corrected. A sign of corrosion is green stains around brass and copper fittings and on shutoff valves.
❏ Test water pressure. Water pressure is with how much force the water comes out of sink faucets and showerheads. Low water pressure can be a sign of sediment build up in the faucet or shower head. It may also be a sign of a problem with the water line.
❏ Remove the showerhead to look for any sediment that may have collected in it. This may be a cause of lower the water pressure.
Tips on How to Hire a Plumber
Even if you are a do-it-yourselfer, there may come a time where you have a need to hire a plumber in Middle Island. After all, some jobs are simply too tough to do yourself or may even be unsafe for you to do without the help of a professional. If you have never hired a plumber before, however, you may need some guidance in how to find a plumber, what you should pay, and when you may need to hire one. Remember, plumbers are professionals and you are going to pay for their services, but there are ways you can still get the plumbing service you need and save money while doing it.
Decide on Ability
While many plumbers in Middle Island charge an hourly rate, finding the cheapest rate per hour is not the best way to decide on a plumber. It is better to choose a plumber or a plumbing company based on customer satisfaction and reputation rather than on costs alone. Ask friends and family for referrals for plumbers they have used and find out if they were satisfied with the service they received. Chances are that, if they had a good experience with the plumber, you will also.
Take Preventative Measures
Of course, the best way to save money on plumbing is to never have to hire a plumber in the first place. Therefore, the preventative care is key to saving money on your plumbing. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take in order to maintain your plumbing and reduce the need for hiring a professional. So, here are some things you can do to take care of and maintain good “pipe health.”
Clogged drains tend to be the most common plumbing problems for homeowners. Drains usually get clogged by grease or by hair. Grease clogged drains can be prevented by treating your drains periodically with products designed to reduce grease buildups. A home-remedy option to avoid grease build-up, on the other hand, is to pour boiling hot sudsy water down the drain periodically to reduce grease buildup. You should also take steps to avoid pouring grease down your drain in the first place.
In order to avoid hair clogged drains, try to clean the screen or drain cover after each shower. This will help to avoid the build-up of hair in your drain and can prevent it from getting clogged. If the drain does get clogged, there are commercial drain clog products that can help to resolve the problem. In the end, if one of these products does not fix the problem then you may have to call a plumber in Middle Island.
Decide on Ability
While many plumbers in Middle Island charge an hourly rate, finding the cheapest rate per hour is not the best way to decide on a plumber. It is better to choose a plumber or a plumbing company based on customer satisfaction and reputation rather than on costs alone. Ask friends and family for referrals for plumbers they have used and find out if they were satisfied with the service they received. Chances are that, if they had a good experience with the plumber, you will also.
Take Preventative Measures
Of course, the best way to save money on plumbing is to never have to hire a plumber in the first place. Therefore, the preventative care is key to saving money on your plumbing. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take in order to maintain your plumbing and reduce the need for hiring a professional. So, here are some things you can do to take care of and maintain good “pipe health.”
Clogged drains tend to be the most common plumbing problems for homeowners. Drains usually get clogged by grease or by hair. Grease clogged drains can be prevented by treating your drains periodically with products designed to reduce grease buildups. A home-remedy option to avoid grease build-up, on the other hand, is to pour boiling hot sudsy water down the drain periodically to reduce grease buildup. You should also take steps to avoid pouring grease down your drain in the first place.
In order to avoid hair clogged drains, try to clean the screen or drain cover after each shower. This will help to avoid the build-up of hair in your drain and can prevent it from getting clogged. If the drain does get clogged, there are commercial drain clog products that can help to resolve the problem. In the end, if one of these products does not fix the problem then you may have to call a plumber in Middle Island.
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