The drain line of your air conditioner moves waste water from the inside of the unit to the outside of the building. This movement of moisture can lead to mold or mildew buildup, which can eventually form a clog. Regular application of a bleach treatment will prevent this buildup, and the use of a pump sprayer will remove any clogs present in the line.

Instructions

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Five year olds love it, plants can’t live without it, and you’re breathing it in every day. Not just breathing it in—you’re paying to inhale the largest cause of your home’s dust and allergy problems.

How do you know when you should repair or replace your central air conditioning system? It is a common question in any home when household appliances begin to show their age.  Should you repair or replace them?  The average life expectancy of a central heating and air conditioning system depends considerably on where the system is located and if the system has had proper maintenance.

Generally speaking, if your air conditioning system is still under manufacturer warranty and is less than 5 years old, it is more economical to repair the system.  However; if your system is not covered under the manufacturer parts warranty and you are beginning to experience multiple costly breakdowns, there will be a couple of things for you to consider before jumping the gun on a costly repair.  Below are a couple of questions to ask yourself when faced with a decision to repair or replace:

1. Has your system had proper maintenance performed semi-annually? – It is a well proven and documented fact that proper maintenance prolongs the life of the equipment, results in fewer emergency repairs, keeps the equipment cleaner, and increases cooling and heating efficiency.
2. Do you live near the ocean? – Systems that are located on or near the ocean tend to have more break downs and a shorter average life span due to high salt content.
3. What is the age of the system? – The average life span of air conditioning and heating equipment is 8-12 years.  At this point, replacement parts can be more difficult to find and are not covered under the manufacturer warranty resulting in higher repair costs.
4. What is the operating SEER rating on the system? – As a system ages, it loses operating efficiency and new technology has enabled the creation of air conditioning systems that use far less energy than older models.  By upgrading to a higher efficiency unit, the amount of money that can be saved on costly repairs, monthly heating and cooling expenses, and available tax credits will pay for the investment in a short period of time.
5. Is the system noisy? – Noisy equipment may indicate an inefficient heating and cooling system.
6. Do you notice excessive dust or areas of your home that are more warm or cool than others? – Excessive dust and hot spots can be easily corrected and are indicators of an inefficient system.  Higher efficiency systems with variable speed motors can help eliminate the inconvenience of having rooms that are more warm or cool than other areas of your home.
7. Does you system run constantly or cycle on and off frequently? – If your system is having a difficult time cooling or heating your home to your desired temperature and is using an excessive amount of energy, it could be time to consider the savings and increased comfort of a new system.

As a general rule of thumb, continuing to repair is recommend if your system is under 10 years old, performing to your expectations, has been properly maintained, on/off cycling is not excessive, and only minor repairs are needed.  On the contrary, if your system is over 10 years old, has had repeat problems, excessive on/off cycling, is not performing to your expectations, and costly repairs are needed, I would strongly consider upgrading to a new heating and cooling system.

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If The Better Business Bureau Doesn’t Have Any Complaints Against The Contractor, He Must Be Qualified.

This is a common and often costly misconception. In fact, just because a contractor doesn’t have any complaints with the BBB, does not mean you’re working with someone who is a reputable professional. You need to investigate the company further. Many contractors, though they have no BBB complaints, do not do a satisfactory job (much less, a superior job). To ensure you’re dealing with a reputable professional, use the BBB as a starting place, not the only place.

Also keep in mind, the BBB is not a government agency and it does not keep a record on every contractor in town. There are several very reputable contractors the BBB has no record of at all. To truly gain perspective on a contractor’s credibility, research beyond the BBB.

Going With The Lowest Price Saves You Money.

NO, not necessarily! Everyone tends to look for the lowest price. On a low estimate, you must ask yourself what is being left out or what shortcut is being taken. Let me explain…

One roofer had his re-roof job $300 cheaper than anyone else. The homeowner wanted to save money and accepted his proposal. After the job was completed, the old shingles and nails were still lying around the yard and the homeowner was upset. The contractor told them that he had not figured the clean-up in his proposal and that was why he could do the job so much cheaper than anyone else could.  When comparing quotes for a new air conditioning system for you home, make sure they are comparable in equipment brand, size, features, accessories, and warranties.

One of the most common signs of trouble ahead is someone offering to do work for much less money than others. Like anything else, you can’t get something for nothing. Be careful of choosing your contractor based upon the lowest price.

Doing It Yourself Saves Money.

Sometimes the “weekend warrior” can undertake small projects like painting, hanging wallpaper, routine repairs, etc. But beware of undertaking larger, more complicated projects. What starts out as an attempt to save money can turn into a costly mess. All too often, the job is botched and it costs more to have a reputable professional come in and fix what’s been done. According to an article in the Baltimore Sun, less than 20% of these do-it-yourself jobs work out – mostly due to lack of experience on the part of the homeowner. If you want to be assured your project will turn out the way you want it, call an experienced, reputable professional.

If A Person Claims To Have Many Years Of Experience, They Must Do Quality Work.

I can’t tell you how many people receive bad workmanship from contractors who’ve claimed to be in business or the trade for twenty years. Take experience claims with a grain of salt. Just because a contractor claims to have twenty years experience, does not mean you’ll get what you want. He could have done a poor job for twenty years. Remember that technology is always improving and when it comes to air conditioning and heating equipment, ongoing education about new equipment concepts and energy saving technology is key.  Investigate further to ensure you’re dealing with a qualified professional that is dedicated to continuing education in their field of expertise.

For more information, visit Star Quality Air Conditioning

The EPA ranks poor indoor air quality among the top five environmental risks to public health (American Lung Association). The damp environment inside your air conditioning equipment can be an ideal breeding ground for biological contaminants and micro-organisms that can then be distributed throughout your home through your duct system.

The most common pollutants that are often found inside the home include pollen, dust, dirt, pet dander, dust mites, mold spores, bacteria, fungi, smoke, pesticides, etc.  These pollutants can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms.  One solution is to introduce an anti-microbial sanitizer spray into the duct system.  This process, known as duct fogging, eliminates microorganisms associated with mold, mildew, and odor causing bacteria by destroying the organisms at their origin.

An added benefit of this product is its low toxicity and safety rating from the EPA.  It contains no alcohol or perfumes and leaves no residue.  The disinfectant does not mask odors, it eliminates them without your family having to leave the home and without using environmentally damaging or flammable ingredients.

It is recommended that as a part of a proper air conditioning system maintenance program that you sanitize, deodorize, and disinfect your system and ducts to ensure the quality of your indoor air.

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Buying an air conditioning system, especially for your first time, can be very stressful. You want to make sure that the heating and cooling system that you buy is the most efficient and provides the highest return on your investment.

I bet you’re asking yourself, how do I know if I’m buying the most efficient system?  The energy efficiency of a heating and cooling system is measured by SEER ratings.  When shopping for an air conditioning system, you need to find out the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficient Rating) of the system. The higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient the unit will be and will save you more money over time as it takes less fuel to cool your home. If your home was built in 2005 or earlier, most likely your SEER rating is 6.0 to 12.0.  In 2006, the government standard on air conditioning systems was increased to a minimum SEER rating of 13.0.

Another important factor when choosing the right air conditioning unit is choosing the correct size.  Each system is measured by tonnage and each ton equals 12,000 cooling BTUs (British Thermal Units).  As a basic estimation, you need 12,000-13,500 BTUs for every 400-500 square feet of living space. Keep in mind though, that bigger is not always better. If you purchased a larger unit that has more BTUs than needed for your living space, the unit will turn off more quickly which could leave room for mold to grow because the unit won’t have a chance to dehumidify the air.

For more information, visit Star Quality Air Conditioning

Household furnaces produce heat by burning fuel, usually natural gas, in a contained space and then transferring the heat via an intermediary medium. Specifically, a furnace that uses water as the intermediary is more commonly known as a boiler. There are other types of furnaces that use forced-air as the intermediary and, believe it or not, they also suffer from furnace leaking.

Aside from the obviously disconnected pipe that delivers water to the system, there are several other possibilities for that puddle of water underneath your furnace.

Many furnaces are part of a consolidated heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, system. All cooling, heating and humidifying are delivered via the same ductwork and, as such, the air conditioner, heater and humidifier are all located near each other. Usually, the AC unit is installed above the furnace with the humidifier located below. Furnace leaking can originate from any of these components. Here are a few tips on isolating the problem.

1. Start with the obvious and check the pipes again for any obvious signs of leaking. If found, disconnecting and properly replacing a poorly made connection should remedy this problem.
2. Next, examine the evaporator coil in the AC unit. There is just no preventing the condensation that will occur while this unit is functioning. Clean the drain pan and make sure that the drain is unclogged and that it is directed into the external drain in the floor.
3. Malfunctioning humidifiers are a prime cause of large leaks. If the humidistat, the device that measures and controls the humidity, is malfunctioning, excessive amounts of water will be delivered to the system. This excess water will condense on the AC coils and result in a leak below the furnace.
4. The heat of a high-efficiency furnace creates a remarkable amount of condensation and can cause pooling below the furnace if the drain is clogged. If the liquid has a noticeably oily feel, then this is your problem. This leak is particularly troubling as the condensate is highly corrosive and should be remedied immediately by cleaning and unclogging the drain pipe.

Each of these problems requires some time and energy to solve but a tenacity will pay off. As a first step, concentrate on narrowing down the possibilities as the actual problems are not that difficult to fix once you have isolated the problem. If you’re still uncertain as to where the leak is coming or even if you have found the leak but unable to repair yourself it is best to call a heating contractor to remedy the furnace leaking before it starts to do damage to your heating system.

For more information, visit Emergency Response

How to Detect a Gas Leak!

The smell of natural gas should always be unsettling to a homeowner. It represents a significant and potentially lethal problem. Natural gas, itself, has no odor. It is the potentially dangerous nature of a natural gas leak that has prompted utility companies to add merchantman or other equally noxious compounds to the gas mixture. It is these compound that consumers actually smell. 

If you smell a gas leak our first and most important recommendation is to LEAVE your home and call your local gas company to come out to check the source of the leak.  All gas companies have a hotline number for this type of emergency.

This article addressses the smell of a small localized gas leak that a good do-it-yourselfer may be able to identify however our recommendation is still to always leave your home and call your local gas company to come out to find the source of the leak and then call a professional plumber to come out to repair it.

Here are some basic steps to identify a localized gas leak.

• If the smell of gas is detected, turn off the source immediately and air out all affected areas. This process will lessen the immediate danger and will aid in localizing the leak. While waiting for the air to clear, prepare a solution of dish soap and water; a cup of water with an ounce of soap will suffice.

• Next, turn the gas back on. Then use your nose and follow the smell to the source of the leak. Once you’re in the right vicinity, simply spray or paint the soap solution on every gas joint you can see. The leak will cause numerous soap bubbles to form.

• Go ahead and check the other joints anyway as some stress has caused this leak and may, very well, have caused others. Now, that you have found the leak or leaks, it is a simple matter to repair or replace the damaged joints.

REMEMBER: A gas leak can kill in several ways; by asphyxiation, fire or explosion.

When you first detect the smell, remember these five points about all gas leaks.

1. The first step is always to turn the gas off at the main.
2. Do not enter the affected areas until the air has been refreshed.
3. It is imperative that the leak be found and repaired immediately.
4. Localize the leak and then conduct a joint by joint search for the leak using soap and water.
5. After you have had a professional plumber repair the gas leak, turn on the gas, but don’t use any gas appliances. Wait at least twenty minutes to confirm that the leak has been adequately repaired.

Repairing a gas leak is not particularly difficult but it is extremely important that it be completed correctly. Therefore you shouldn’t hesitate to contact your local gas company and then a professional plumber who has a the proper tools and expertise to detect and fix the leak.

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For too many people, there is nothing worse than waking up on a cold morning to find that their heat has stopped working. The idea that the boiler needs a repair leaves most homeowners wanting to crawl back into bed. The very first question homeowners ask, “Is this going to be an easy fix that I can do myself or will I need to call a heating contractor?” So, here is some basic information about boilers so you can decide for yourself if your ready to take on the heating repair or not.

Boilers primarily supply heat to homes but they can also be the appliance that heats your hot water. There are several components to a boiler and each has a highly specific function.

Heating the Home

There are two types of boilers used for heating homes. Older boilers are usually steam boilers and more modern boilers are usually hydronic boilers. Both types use water to create heat throughout the home.

In a steam boiler, a water heating tank creates steam when heated, then the steam passes through pipes to “radiators”. Radiators release the heat throughout each room of the home. The steam boiler also requires an exhaust vent.

A hydronic boiler uses the water itself as the heat conducting medium. A series of pipes conduct the heated water into the living spaces where the heat is transferred to the space through convection. Incidentally, the appliances in the room are also typically called “radiators” however the heat is only radiated in a colloquial sense and the term is technically incorrect. Radiators are sometimes also called “baseboard.”

Hot Water

The process is quite simple. A large tank holds a quantity of water at pressure that is heated to a set temperature. When a faucet is opened the water begins to flow. In many instances, there is unheated water in the pipes that must be evacuated before the hot water reaches the tap. The size of the tank is determined by the size of the household and is usually adequate for most purposes.

Maintenance

While boilers are durable and designed to last for decades, proper maintenance and repairs must be performed in a timely manner. To keep your boiler working at peak efficiency, have it check it two times per year by a local heating contractor.

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Boilers come in two distinct varieties, the electrically heated type and the gas fired. The electrical ones can get their power from the utility grid, from a geothermal source or from solar power but, in the end, still heat the water in the same manner. The fossil fuel ones almost always use natural gas.

The choice of which boiler system to use is dependent on several factors. First and foremost, you must decide whether or not you want a dedicated water heater and heating boiler or if a combination water heater/ boiler will better serve your needs.

The combination system works particularly well in warm weather climates. When a hot water tap is turned on, the entire energy of the system is used to provide hot water and the heating system will necessarily diminish its heating output. In colder climates, separate, dedicated units will work best as the settings on each can be customized to best suit the needs of the homeowner.

Next, there are a combination of factors that will determine the best boiler for your home including:

• Number of people in the household

• Type of fuel to be used

• Availability of space for the boiler

• The AFUE or energy rating

• Maintenance aspects

Each factor has a cost benefit and drawback. Obviously, the more people in the household, the more robust that the system should be. Oil and gas fired units are typically the least expensive to operate. Higher efficiency units cost more initially but will generally pay for themselves given sufficient time. Lastly, all boilers must be adequately maintained to operate quietly, efficiently and with maximum performance.

In summation, the choice of the proper boiler for a homeowner is dependent on their lifestyle. Consider your needs, your desire for comfort and your ability to deal with minor inconveniences before purchasing a boiler and always err on the side of caution. If your still having a hard time deciding, we would recommend calling your local heating contractor for some tips and advice.

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