FAQ · Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I have my equipment serviced?
It’s best to have your heating and air conditioning equipment serviced once a year, right before they are put to regular use. This means service your heating system in the fall and your air conditioning in the spring. The goal is to eliminate any current or potential problems and assure that all units are running at peak efficiency. This will prolong the life of your equipment and will reduce the chance of any parts breaking down.

What maintenance can I do myself?
Be sure to change your filters regularly (every 30 days for best performance) and keep foliage away from condensers so that airflow is not restricted.

Why does my drain get clogged?
The biggest reason for clogged drains is neglect. Almost every kitchen drain comes with a strainer to keep waste from falling into the pipes. In the bathroom sink, hair, gels, pastes and other items can build up and cause drain problems.

Why does my faucet drip?
You probably need to replace one of the washers which seals against the valve seats. You can extend the life of your washers by turning off your faucets gently rather than forcefully.

What should I do if my water heater is leaking?
You need to have your water heater serviced immediately. Leaks are usually caused by significant rust at the bottom of the tank. Most likely a new water heater is in your future.

What can I put in my garbage disposal?
Most biodegradable food waste can be put into your disposal. Never grind corn husks, clam and oyster shells or any high-fiber content. Non-food items such as glass, plastics or metals should under no circumstances enter a disposer. Even aluminum foil can clog or break your disposer. Always run cold water when grinding to help the waste move along the drain lines. Hot water can dissolve fats and grease, causing accumulation in the drain line, and should not be used. While your disposer is largely self-cleaning, grinding eggshells or ice actually helps scrape away deposits, citric acid and pulp.

Tips

Tips To Save On Your Heating Bill

Turn the thermostat down at night/away times. Programmable thermostats can make it easy to use less heat on days/hours when you don’t need it.
Keep the doors/ windows closed. Appropriate weather stripping and caulking can help keep that heat indoors. And don’t forget to close the chimney flu when not in use!
Clean your air filter. A dirty air filter will slow down the air flow—thus decreasing the efficiency.
Keep your mechanical equipment clean. Regularly scheduled tune-ups or cleaning of your furnace can help it run more efficiently.
Is your furnace on it’s last leg?? Yes, it may still work after 20 years, but at what cost? High efficiency furnace, heat pumps, and boilers are available that will cost LESS to run than your current old furnace! Not to mention better on the environment.

Tip of the Month

Dim, Dim, Out Go the Lights!

Do your lights dim or flicker when your A/C Unit starts? If all your electrical connections are tight and the electrical service is adequately sized, then the installation of a “Hard Start Kit” may solve the problem.

How? A “Hard start kit” momentarily staggers the start and run winding current to provide maximum starting torque. This reduces the amount of time the compressor pulls high amperage or “locked rotor amperage”. When the compressor starts, winding resistance is the only current limiting factor until the compressor begins to rotate.

During the “locked rotor” state, the amperage draw by the compressor is considerably higher than normal. The length of time the compressor is drawing “locked rotor amperage” can be reduced through the installation of a hard start kit, if one is not already installed.

Installation is simple and the results can make a nuisance light flicker a thing of the past.