Sump Pump Check Up

                Sump pumps, much like the furnace, air conditioner, and hot water heater, need to be maintained regularly to prevent problems especially if you have a basement that is prone to flood waters. An operational checkup and cleaning can be quickly and affordably performed by a plumber, or you could always check the operation of the system on your own. Simply pour water into the sump pit until it reaches the float switch. If the system turns on and drains out the water, everything is working properly. If nothing happens, there is a problem that will need repairs. A plumber will be able to investigate the issue and either repair or replace the system.

Upgrading Your Pumps Capacity

If everything appears to work fine and you still experience a flood, your sump pump may not have the power or the capacity needed to get water away from your home fast enough to prevent a flood. In this case, now is the time to upgrade. Many old homes are still relying on a sump pump that may be nearly 20 years old! Sump pumps these days are much more powerful and have the ability to remove a greater capacity of water all while using less electricity than an older pump. Upgrade today to protect your basement from damage. The longer you wait, the greater the chance you will miss your chance to prevent a flood.

Tub and Shower Caulking

Mold growth isn’t good anywhere in the home, so it is best to nip the problem in the butt as soon as it is spotted. Caulk in moisture exposed areas like the tub and shower is a prime target for mold. Take the time to remove any moldy caulk and replace it with fresh clean lines. If your caulk is cracked and missing in places, you need to replace your caulk immediately. Moldy caulk is one thing, but a moldy sub-floor and walls behind tiles is another. When caulk isn’t there to keep water from getting into areas beneath the tub, water damage results and mold growth ensues. If you allow your caulk problem to go this far you could be looking at a much heftier repair that required professional help. Handle the job while you still can do it yourself and protect your home from the unnecessary problem.

Window Caulking

Another area to check the status of your caulk is around the windows. Cracked or missing caulk in this area could be costing you every month on your energy bills! Leaks around the windows will allow for heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer and this will lead to increased costs and wasted energy. Seal around the windows the same way you seal around the tub and protect your wallet all year round.

• Improper Installation: If the air conditioner was tilted into the home instead of tiled back out of the home, leaking water may be a problem. Condensation is created during the removal of humidity from the air your air conditioner is cooling, and it needs to be safely directed out of the unit. When the unit is tilted forward instead of back, water will pour into the home and could cause damage if the problem is not quickly addressed.
• Condensation inside the Home: If you have air leaks around your window or through the wall air conditioner, you may notice condensation formation on the inside of the home. As the warm air leaks in it mixes with the cold air being produced by the air conditioner and the moisture in the hot air condenses to make the condensation that you see. Seal these leaks with insulation materials and you will eliminate this condensation and increase the efficiency of your air conditioner.
• Ice Buildup: Any ice build up on the air conditioner could be caused by any number of malfunctions within the system. The majority of these problems are not “do it yourself” repairs and will require professional help. If you see ice, call a pro!
• Water Not Draining Properly: If water begins to pool within your air conditioner or if it is pouring out the front or back of the system in large quantities, you probably have a clog within a drain line and it will need to be cleared by a pro. Many homeowners try to clear theses drains on their own and end up damage the coils or another valuable component of the system. This is another repair you should trust to the professionals.

Don’t Ignore Your Leak!

Address air conditioner problems early on to prevent major problems down the line. Water is corrosive and if it doesn’t damage the air conditioner odds are it will damage your floors or window frames instead. Act fast to ensure their protection and to restore comfort to your home this summer.

• Screen Repair or Replacement: Children, pets, and neighborhood kids playing baseball can do some real damage to the screens in the windows of your home. Take this time to replace the screens with new, more durable screen materials.

• Window Cleaning: Window leaves a layer of grime on the outside of all of your windows, and curious fingers leave their marks on inside. Now is the time to arm yourself with a bottle of glass cleaner and a rag, and get to work bringing shine back to your windows.

• Weather Stripping: A low cost way to improve energy efficiency this summer is to replace the weather stripping and caulk around all of your windows.

• Frame Refinishing: Rain and the sun can really weather the appearance of your window frames. A fresh coat of paint or stain could do wonders for the appearance of your windows inside and out.

• Window Replacement: If you have a larger budget and your windows are in bad shape, take advantage of the nice weather and replace your windows with new high efficiency models. These will save you money and look great!

Increase Beauty and Energy Efficiency

The windows are a major component of both the exterior and interior of our homes, so they should look their best. Start tackling these projects on your own or track down a local handyman to give you some help. Either way, improving the appearance and energy efficiency of the windows does wonder for the entire home!

The Scarcity of R22

Your current air conditioner probably uses R22, a type of refrigerant that is no longer produced, and is therefore much more expensive than the new R410A refrigerant that is used in newer high efficiency air conditioners. The only R22 left out there is refrigerant that was produced years ago or has been reclaimed from old air conditioning units. The cost of this refrigerant has doubled over the past year and the prices are only going to continue to rise.

A Good Reason to Upgrade

One of the more common air conditioner problems are leaks. Leaks in the system allow refrigerant to leak out and if enough escapes, the system will not work properly. Refilling an R22 system will cost you a pretty penny and investing that much money in a unit that will probably only last a few more years is clearly a waste. Invest that money instead in a new air conditioning unit. R410a is much cheaper to replace down the line, and the energy savings will make the investment well worth the trouble. Make every penny count this summer and upgrade to a R410a air conditioning system.

What is the Nest?

The creators of the Nest have broken the traditional mold of the programmable thermostat and created a unit that can learn from the way you use it and intuitively adjust temperatures to maximize comfort and savings. Simply install the thermostat and adjust the temperature to your desired levels throughout the day for about a week. After three days the thermostat already begins to learn your schedule and your preferences, and will begin to automatically adjust the temperature for you. After that first week, you will rarely if ever have to mess with the thermostat.

Additional Benefits

The Nest also addresses many of the technology gaps left by traditional thermostats. One way it does this is by connecting to the home’s wifi network. When connected, you can remotely control the thermostat from your smart phone, even when you are away. Another clever innovation is the unit’s ability to sense the presence of people within the home. For example, you divert from your normal schedule and leave the home empty at a time it is normally occupied. You forget to turn down the thermostat to save money while you are away, but the Nest takes care of it for you. The thermostat is able to sense the presence of people within the home and will drop down the temperature, or raise it in the summer, to an energy saving level after a couple hours.

These are just a few of the benefits that come with this amazing thermostat, and it could literally transform the way you save money on the heating and cooling cost in your home.

Air Conditioners Remove Heat from the Air

Contrary to what you may think, air conditioners don’t actually generate cold air for the home. Instead, they remove heat from the air that passes through the system. As air passes over the coils, heat is transferred to the refrigerant in the system and the cooled down air is returned to circulation within the home. So, if the coils aren’t functioning properly, heat will not be removed effectively or efficiently from the air.

Air Conditioner Coil Conundrums   

The biggest problems for coils to overcome are dirt buildup and leaks. Both of these problems are potentially caused by a lack of yearly maintenance on the system. When the coils aren’t cleaned, years worth of debris, dust, and dirt become caked onto the coils. They loose their ability to transfer heat to the refrigerant, and as your energy bills go up, your comfort goes down. With time this debris will eventually be the cause of leaks and cracks in the coils that allow the precious refrigerant to escape the system all together. This is a very pricey repair and often requires replacement of the entire system.

Coil Damage Prevention and Repair

Prevent these problems in your air conditioner by having a trusted heating and cooling contractor out to your home every year to clean and maintain your air conditioner. If your coils are already showing signs of damage, a thorough coil cleaning may be needed to get the system back in shape. Either way, you must have the system professionally inspected before the true heat of summer arrives.

Don’t Learn the Value of Maintenance the Hard Way

Poorly cared for air conditioners often break down frequently and the need for maintenance becomes very obvious. However, there are some homeowners that have air conditioners that continue to cool the home despite the lack of maintenance. These units may cool the house down, but they are not problem-free. An air conditioner can still run with dirty, rusted fan blades, clattering bearings, and a worn down compressor, but it can’t run quietly and it cannot run efficiently. Keep your air conditioner well maintained to prevent your air conditioner from becoming a menace to your neighbors and your wallet.

The Pros make it Look Easy

Despite the desire to make home improvements, homeowners still want to keep within a budget and for many of us that translates into “do it yourself” projects rather than hiring a professional. These TV shows make everything from installing hard wood floors to repairing or replacing electrical components look easy. However, there is a big difference between watching the pro complete the project on television and actually attempting the job on your own without any experience.

Hiring a Qualified Contractor Could Save You Money

Before you dig up old tools and purchase hundreds of dollars worth of supplies, look at the project rationally. Is this really something that you should be taking on, or should you leave the job to the real pros? Sure there are some things that can be completed by following a good set of instructions, but for the bigger jobs, you are better off trusting the pros that have the skill set, the tools, and the time to get the job done right. The spring and summer seasons are only a few months long, and that leaves you with a small window for mistakes to be made. Hire a qualified contractor and get your project done so that you can actually enjoy the results before the next winter season is upon us.

How to Check for Phantom Leaks

Phantom leaks can occur almost anywhere in the home without your knowledge. The toilet, for example, is often the culprit of water loss, but dripping sinks or leaking pipes hidden in a crawl space are other sources of this problems well. The only way to truly know if your home is loosing water to a phantom leak is to check your meter. Gather the family and instruct them to not use any water during one night. Then mark down the reading on the water meter before you all go to bed. During the night, no water should be lost because no one should be using the toilets, sinks, or any other plumbing appliance. In the morning, recheck the meter, and if you find the number has changed significantly, you are loosing water somewhere in the system.

Isolating Leaks with Professional Help

Finding the leak is the real problem. Unless you know for a fact that there is a dripping faucet or a running toilet, you are probably not going to find the leak on your own. Have a professional plumber come and do a full assessment of your plumbing system. This kind of services is what your plumbing system needs in order to maintain proper function all year round. Don’t waste any more of your money to phantom leaks and find a reliable plumber as soon as possible!

• Clean and Repairing Gutters: The gutters on your roof are the first line of defense against flooding. If they are packed with leaves or if they have insufficient downspouts, you could be saturating the ground around your home with every rainfall. Have your gutters cleaned and inspected for problems or weaknesses. A few nails and a few hours spent getting the gutters empties could be all that is needed to protect your home.
• Sump Pump Assessment and Repair: How’s your sump pump working? The sump pump is a system that is usually rarely cared for. Many homeowners still have the original sump pump that was installed when the home was built and that could mean that the pump is over 20 years old. This pump is most likely insufficient for the water removal needs of the home. Have your sump pump inspected for problems and replaced if necessary.

Get the Help Your Home Needs

Don’t let a flooded basement disturb your home this spring. Call in a basement sealing company for a little extra help and you could save yourself countless hours of cleanup and the hefty cost of replacing expensive equipment.

Thermostat in the Wrong Place

If the thermostat is exposed to some other factor that can affect the way it reads the temperature it could cause the thermostat to turn off the heating and cooling systems inaccurately. Direct sunlight, being installed on an exterior wall or being placed too close to a supply vent can all affect the way your thermostat controls the heating and cooling units. Check the position of your thermostat and if you feel it is being exposed to any factors that can add extra heat or cold to the thermostat, have the unit moved!

Resetting the Differential

If the thermostat is in the right spot, you may just have a problem with the settings. The differential on the thermostat is often set too high causing huge temperature swings in between cycles. The temperature differential is either set at one, two, or three degrees. This means that when the furnace is on, the home can heat up to three degrees above the set temperature before the thermostat will shut the unit down. The furnace will then not turn back on until the temperature in the home drops three degrees below the set temperature. This is what causes the discomfort and it can be fixed with a simple adjustment. Not many of us are HVAC experts and if you are having trouble getting to the bottom of your thermostat problems, contact your favorite pro for some help.

Frequently Asked Window Contractor Questions:

• How much will this cost and what is included?

Many contractors will quote one price at the beginning and by the end the price has gone way up. Add on services and fees that should be included in the quote are left out so that they can make their pricing seem more attractive. Make sure you ask what services are included in the price, and realize that a company that doesn’t clean up after the job is probably not worth your money.

• How long will this project take?

Depending on the type and number of windows you are having installed, the time period may vary, but make sure that your contractor gives you a schedule and then sticks to it. Include guarantees in the contract if possible, and if things start taking longer than planned, hold them to it by requesting a discount or other refund.

• What kind of training do the installers have?

Some companies don’t bother to find out where their techs learned to perform installations. They take them at their word and you get stuck with the sub-par results. You want a company that is licensed, bonded, and insured, and that has factory trained technicians. These types of technicians are experts in the windows that they install and are protected should things go wrong.

• Who will fix a problem?

Ask your contractor who to call if problems occur and what kind of guarantees they will make you.

By asking these questions you will weed out the contractors that are just looking to make a quick buck without delivering a quality product.

The Simplicity of a Whole House Air Cleaner

The easiest and most affordable way to do this is to upgrade your standard furnace filter to a whole house air cleaner. These systems do not add to the energy costs of the home and when their use is maximized, you really can reduce the amount of dust in your home. These units are installed inside the duct work down near the furnace. There it is able to come in contact with all of the air in the home that circulates through the ducts. However, the only time air circulates through the ducts is when the furnace or air conditioner is on because it uses the blower motor to bring air into these units.

Vacuuming to Reduce Dust

In order to maximize use without adding to your energy costs, turn the blower motor, also know as the “fan,” on while vacuuming and for an hour afterwards. The vacuum will kick up any dust that may have settled into the carpets of the home and it will be caught by the circulating air. This effectively reduces the amount of dust that will settle on surfaces of the home and therefore reduces the number of times you will have to dust. It truly is that simple and all it takes is a quick call to your local HVAC contractor to get started.

Consumer Review Scams

Consumer review websites are usually where your internet searches will land you, but can you truly trust what they say. For some sites, the majority of the reviews are made by real customers, but at times you will find that this isn’t always the case. The free sites that don’t require membership are especially susceptible. A company could flood the site with good review in order to boost their rating and you would not even know it.

True Consumer Review Sites

That is why you should find a consumer review site that guarantees the authenticity of their reviews. These sites require paid membership in most cases and have strict rules and screening processes that will help eliminate company bias. What you end up with is an honest rating of a company as determined by people all over your city. Don’t just take one persons word for it, and see what the majority of customers have to say about a particular HVAC company before you schedule them out to your home.

Developing Problems Over the Years

Many homes develop water problems in their basements over the years. Originally the home may not have had any issues in this area, but time is cruel to the foundation of your home. What may be a small crack that doesn’t extend through the foundation can develop into a significant leak if given time. Rain water gets into these cracks and washes away layer after layer of concrete until suddenly water is seeping into the home. For other homes, simply being built in a low lying part of town is enough to give them 2 feet of water in their basement. Luckily, you can divert this water with the proper tools.

A Sump Pump is Essential

Some homes come with sump pumps installed and others require installation after the fact. Either way, making sure there is a functioning sump pump in the home that can handle the water load put on the home is the first step towards making your basement dry once more. Before the showers of spring arrive, take the time to assess your basement and have a sump pump installed or tested today!

Solving Your Air Hammer Problems

When there is not adequate ventilation within your pipe system, abruptly shutting off the flow of water will cause backlash throughout the plumbing system. This reverberation is what causes the hammering noise and it can cause real damage to your pipes if not taken care of quickly.

• Older Homes with Water Hammer: Older homes with water hammer have probably had sufficient air flow from their air chambers in the past, but these air chambers can easily become clogged with sediment or waterlogged. When this happens, they cannot work properly and water hammer results. Have a pro clean out your plumbing system and empty your air chambers. This will eliminate your water hammer problems. Remember to have your plumbing system checked every couple years to prevent the return of this issue.
• Newer Homes with Water Hammer: Newer homes should not experience water hammer unless something want not built properly. Your plumbing system probably doesn’t have enough air chambers to handle the demands of the home, but luckily a plumber can locate the areas that can use more cushion and install air chambers as necessary.

Trial and Error Diagnosing

Telephone conversations and internet searches are not even close to what a trained technician can tell by actually physically looking at your furnace. Many companies won’t even give you a diagnosis over the phone because they know they cannot be sure. The last thing they want is for you to run out, buy the wrong part, install it, and find out that it wasn’t the solution to your furnace problem. Furnace parts can be very expensive and the whole point of doing the repair yourself is to save money. Don’t throw your money away on the wrong parts or cause more damage to the furnace than there already is.

Not All Pros Price Gouge Their Customers

Leave your furnace in the hands of a pro, and you could actually save more money than you could waste in the trial and error process of locating the problem on your own. The last thing you want to do is make the problem more extensive and therefore more expensive to fix. Find a pro that doesn’t price gouge and stick with them.

Ductless Mini Split Systems

A ductless mini split system is the answer to all these problems and could even lower your heating and cooling bills. These systems are often less expensive to run than the window units and space heaters, and they are also virtually free of sound. Today’s heat pump options are able to heat your home when temperatures are below zero. There is no need for costly and difficult installation because these units a hung on the wall and as their name suggests, they do not require the use of duct work.

Savings Space and Money

The indoor part of the system is small and can blend well into any room. The wireless technology allows the home owner to control all the indoor units from the comfort of their couch. The systems typically take less than one day to install and would eliminate window units, space heaters, and their issues forever while lowering your utility bills.

Upgrading Your Filter

So, you go out of your way and spend more on a fancy filter that should last you 3 to 6 months instead of just one. You check on it after 30 days just to see how everything is working only to find that the filter is filthy and already needs to be replaced. Is there something wrong with that filter or could there be bigger indoor air quality issues at hand?

Help Your Filters Keep Up

The real problem may be located within your HVAC system, more specifically the duct work. Over the years layer after layer of dust and debris settle within your duct work, and unless you have them professionally cleaned this mess will remain inside your filters, your furnace, and your home. The reason why your upgraded filters can’t keep up is because there is way too much debris flowing through it with every cycle of the system. Clean out these ducts and you will get the most out of your upgraded filters.