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Imagine how cool it would be to have X-ray vision? You could see all sorts of cool things, like the insides of people’s houses or even your own skeletal system! And while those things are super neat, we can bet that most plumbers would use this power to peer inside drain pipes and see minor clogs before they cause MAJOR problems.
But, until we stumble across some radioactive waste or a rare spider, we’ll settle for video pipe inspection, a technology used to get inside access to your plumbing system. In fact, there are plenty of reasons why you should consider scheduling these services, and below, we have highlighted them for you. All you have to do is keep reading to find out more, and of course, remember to call us for your plumbing in Orlando, FL.
Video camera inspection, in theory, is quite simple. Basically, plumbers use a flexible rod setup that is easily fed into your drain and/or sewer lines. At the tip of the rod sits a small video camera, which sends a live feed of images back to a monitor that your plumber will be able to review in real-time.
Just because this task sounds pretty simple, doesn’t mean that the job itself is an easy one to handle. Only professional plumbers know how to use this equipment properly and navigate your plumbing system successfully. Additionally, only a professional plumber has the knowledge necessary to understand what exactly it is they are looking at.
There are plenty of benefits of investing in video camera inspection services. For one, video camera inspection allows plumbers to peer into your drain and sewer system in order to accurately diagnose any issue that you may be experiencing. Secondly, your plumber will not only be able to pinpoint the exact location of the problem, but they can also use the equipment after the initial service is completed to see if they’ve achieved a job well done. This way, you’ll never have to worry about the problem recurring, which as you may know, can be quite annoying.
The best part about video camera inspection is that it can be used both proactively and reactively. Therefore, these services can be scheduled when you’ve got a problem or as part of your annual maintenance services.
Remember, it is important to schedule these services with a professional plumber. Only a professional has the training, experience, and expertise to accurately use this equipment to diagnose and repair complex plumbing issues. Furthermore, it is important that you schedule ALL your plumbing services with a pro! Sure, there may be plenty of amateurs willing to service your system, however, an attempt to save money could end up costing you much more in the long run. It is always better to contact a professional and get the job done right the first time around.
Ready to schedule your video pipe inspection services? Great! Contact the team at Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc. today!
This post first appeared on https://www.modernpi.com
Cleaning your drain when it’s starting to get clogged can be a rough experience. Nobody wants to come home from a long day of work, especially if it’s a bad day, and roll up their sleeves to get their hands dirty unclogging a drain. It’s an obnoxious process, and unless you’re a plumber, it can involve a lot of online searches and disheartening experiences.
So, what we can tell you here is that there are some solutions (tried and tested by plumbers) and that you don’t have to search very far for them. In fact, one of them is contacting a professional plumber from our team, if you’d like the comprehensive care you’ve grown to expect. Plumbing in Caldwell, NJ doesn’t have to be a bad experience, and if you’re dealing with a clogged drain, just remember that there are some steps you can take and professionals willing to help.
Clogged drains can be a pain, and we’re invested in keeping you sane as well as keeping your plumbing functioning correctly. Especially with stay at home orders and communities being cooped up in their houses, having your drain start to clog can really take a toll on your happiness. So, let’s see what we can do about that.
We promise that your frustrations will be gone instantaneously if you call a professional plumber for your plumbing woes.
Call the team at MarGo Plumbing Heating Cooling Inc. for professional help with your drains.
This post first appeared on https://margoplumbing.com
It is important to work with a plumbing service that takes the time to invest in the latest technology. When plumbing companies invest in the latest equipment in the field; this is a reflection of their dedication to their clients. One of the latest tools on the market is video camera services, such as the DrainVision Inspection Camera. There are a few points to keep in mind when it comes to these advanced cameras.
These inspection cameras are advanced tools that can be used to take a look at the inside of pipes. Often, when there is an issue with the pipes, it is difficult to identify the exact issue. This camera can go inside the pipes in a CCTV manner, looking for the plumbing issue. This can help people figure out why their plumbing system might not be functioning properly.
One of the first benefits of these CCTV cameras is that they can identify blocks in the pipes that might otherwise be missed. If the blockage is not at the level of the drain, it is can be hard to find. If the drain is running slowly, the blockage might be further down. These video camera services can find these blockages. Sometimes, the culprit might be tree roots that are growing deep in the pipes. Video camera services can find the clog. Debris can also get caught at junctions between the pipes and at sharp turns. CCTV cameras can find these as well.
In addition, one of the other common plumbing problems that people might have is a break in the line. If the line is broken, this can cause sewage to leak into the yard or the foundation of the building. This is a serious issue that can lead to significant property damage. Sometimes, these breaks can be hard to find. This is where video camera services can be helpful. A video camera can snake through the pipe and find the break. Then, it can be repaired.
These are a few of the most prominent examples of how video camera services can be helpful for a plumbing system. If you are having problems with your plumbing system, call A to Z Statewide Plumbing today. Our professionals are always willing to leverage our resources to help you.
This post first appeared on http://www.atozstatewideplumbing.com
From burst pipes to overflowing toilets, plumbing emergencies can give you a headache and be a source of financial stress. The trick to beating plumbing problems is to keep them from happening in the first place. A few smart moves can help you stop plumbing emergencies before they start, protecting your home and your wallet. It’s also a good idea to have the number of a plumbing installation contractor in Pittsburgh, PA handy so that you know who to call anytime you have a question about your home’s pipes.
The list of things that should go down the drain in your home is very short: water and other liquids. But people have the tendency to send all kinds of things down the drain. While rinsing bits of food, coffee grounds or oils down the drain won’t cause much of a problem at first, over time, those solids can build up, leading to a clog.
Depending the severity of the clog, it can cause water to back up into the sink or tub and potentially overflow.
If you have a garbage disposal attached to your sink, it’s important to remember that it’s not a free pass t put anything down the drain. Some foods, such as pasta, keep expanding when exposed to water. They are likely to gum up the works of the garbage disposal and clog the pipes if you don’t throw them in the trash. It’s also important to only run food through your garbage disposal. Non-edible items, such as paper, plastic and aluminum foil shouldn’t go into the disposal, as they won’t break down properly.
Along with paying attention to what you rinse down the drain of a sink or tub, it’s also important to be careful about what you flush in the toilet. Certain things, such as tissues, paper towels, cotton balls and feminine hygiene products shouldn’t be flushed, as they’re likely to get caught in the pipes, leading to a clog.
It might go without saying, but items such as toys and crayons also shouldn’t be flushed. If you have young children, it’s best not to leave them alone in the bathroom, as they might throw objects into the toilet. Teach them from a young age not to put their toys and other items in the toilet.
In addition to keeping an eye on what goes down the drains, another way to avoid a plumbing emergency and the need for plumbing repair in Pittsburgh, PA is to clean your drains from time to time. If you have long hair, check the drain after every shower and lift away any stray hairs, to keep them from forming a mass and causing a clog. Placing a drain-saver over the opening of the drain will make it easier to collect hairs or any larger objects.
You can also rinse your drains with hot water from time to time, to help break up any clogs or to rinse away residue buildup. If you’ve rinsed the drain with hot water and it’s still running slow, your next option is to call for plumbing services in Pittsburgh, PA, and have a professional come out to take a look at your pipes.
A few drips here and there from a pipe or faucet might not seem like something to be concerned about. Over time, though, there is the chance that those drips will cause significant damage. A slow leak can suddenly turn into a flood, for example.
If you notice a leak, or hear the sound of dripping, your best option is to trace where it is coming from. Once you’ve found the source of the leak, assess the situation. Is the water coming out of a faucet or is it leaking out of a loose connector? It might be that the pipe has started to fail and the water is seeping out of a hole or hairline crack.
In any case, don’t wait to fix a leak. Once you’ve found it, call in a plumbing professional to take a look and repair the problem.
Depending on where your pipes are located in the home, they can be regularly exposed to freezing temperatures during the winter months. The cold temperatures can cause the water inside the pipes to freeze and expand. The expansion can create pressure in the line, leading to cracks and fissures, particularly in weaker areas of the pipe. After repeated freezes, there’s a risk of the pipe bursting, releasing gallons and gallons of water into your home.
Luckily, there are several things you can do to protect your pipes from extreme cold. If parts of your plumbing system are located in uninsulated areas of your home, add insulation to your pipes by wrapping them in heat tape or foam insulating tubes. You can also open sink cabinets to let warm air circulate to the pipes. If possible, keep the heat in your home turned on and don’t turn your thermostat below 55 degrees.
If you’re in the process of building your home or are remodeling it, it can be worthwhile to discuss pipe placement with your plumber. When working with a company that offers plumbing installation services in Pittsburgh, PA, ask about the best place to situate certain pipes to minimize their exposure to very cold temperatures and reduce the risk of freezing.
If a leak does become a flood or if a toilet does start to overflow uncontrollably, what should you do? The first course of action is to switch off the flow of water. Turning off the water will keep it from causing a significant amount of damage.
During a calm period, go through your home and locate the shut-off valves for each fixture. You’re likely to find the valves to turn off the water to your sinks under the sink cabinet and the valves to turn off the water to the toilets on the floor to one side. There might also be shut-off valves in the pipework at particular branches.
Along with locating those valves, test them to make sure they work. Being able to quickly turn off the water will keep a plumbing problem from turning into a plumbing catastrophe.
Finally, knowing who to call in the event of a plumbing issue or emergency can make all the difference. Stahl Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning offers bathroom and kitchen plumbing repair in Pittsburgh, PA. If you’ve got questions about your pipes or about what you can do to prevent an emergency, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help you out.
The post Essential Ways to Stop Plumbing Emergencies appeared first on Stahl Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.
Professional plumbers come across many odd situations. We once got a call from a woman who tried to flush an entire turkey carcass down her toilet. Why? Because she didn’t have a garbage disposal! So to say we’ve seen it all is an understatement. But thanks to today’s hottest toy fad, more of our colleagues are being called to undo the damage wrought by Orbeez® balls.
If you don’t have young children or grandchildren, you may not be familiar with these colorful, yet insidious objects. And if you do, this is what you need to know should a jar full of Orbeez wind up where they don’t belong. However, as you’ll soon learn, it isn’t only kids who can cause major trouble with them.
Orbeez is the brand name of brightly colored polymer gel beads that can absorb a tremendous amount of water, quickly expanding to more than 100 times their original size. Fiendishly designed to be irresistible to kids, they’re sold in a variety of containers and sets. While they have a practical use – originally invented for agricultural purposes, to help soil retain moisture – youngsters and pranksters have taken them over.
By now, you’ve figured out the potential for disaster that thousands of these tiny gel-filled orbs represent once they make contact with the water in toilets, sinks and tubs. Not to mention swimming pools, outdoor water features, etc. A basic jar contains 50,000 beads.
The most extreme case involved a young man in France who decided to “experiment” with Orbeez and record the results for social media. He filled his bathtub with water and poured in several jars of Orbeez. After the entertainment value of a tub filled to the brim with colorful gel beads wore off, he pulled the drain plug, assuming they would simply go down the drain and out of his life.
He was wrong. They backed up into his toilet and sink, as well, overflowing both. At some point, he poured table salt into his bathroom sink in an attempt to dissolve them. It worked just well enough to allow sewerage to spew up. The Orbeez then made their way into the neighborhood sewer lines before bursting out in an unsanitary mess. One person’s idea of a clever stunt damaged the plumbing of his neighbors and caused a hazardous situation requiring an expensive clean-up and extensive repairs.
According to the company, Orbeez are 100-percent biodegradable and non-toxic. However, as we’ve often noted in our blog, most brands of baby wipes claim to be flushable, but they really aren’t, and should never be flushed, no matter what the circumstance. Read our blog post –“It’s 4 O’ Clog! Here Are The Top 4 Causes of Clogged Toilets” – to see what baby wipes can do to a sewer pipe.
What we’re getting at here is just because Orbeez are biodegradable doesn’t mean they break down quickly. If they did, they wouldn’t be reusable. Like baby wipes, Orbeez will do a great job of clogging pipes, and need to be kept out of them.
Should members of your household who lack the ability to reason (which covers a wide age range) get Orbeez into a situation that clogs your pipes, our colleagues across the pond at Plumbcare offer the following DIY procedures to dislodge them.
If the Orbeez are clogging a sink, take apart the pipes underneath. These will often be push fittings, so they’ll come apart easily. Place a bowl or bucket underneath to catch water that will come out and pull the S bend apart, manually removing all the beads that are trapped there.
If the beads have worked their way further round the pipes, you may need to put something down the pipes that will dissolve the beads or dry up the water they’ve absorbed. Salt will help to draw the liquid out, and substances like bleach or a combination of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda will cause a chemical reaction to dissolve them (this is generally a good sink cleaner that you can use any time). You may need some patience and keep reapplying these, as it dissolves a layer at a time.
If these methods fail to unclog the pipe, it’s time to call a pro! Delaying a professional repair will not end well. However, while some plumbmergencies can’t be avoided, this is among those that can. Today, it is especially important to be proactive in preventing plumbing emergencies.
In these challenging times, children are now at home instead of school for the better part of the day, and are more likely to get bored and into mischief – especially since they can’t enjoy their usual social activities. If you have Orbeez in your house, be sure to supervise your kids’ playtime with them.
First, you don’t want the expense of an emergency call to the plumber should the DIY fixes fail. Second, while we are still here for you as an essential service and follow required safety measures, avoiding contact with others as much as possible is highly advisable. We all need to take extra care and consider the possible consequences of our actions. Our Adams and Son Plumbing family wants your family to stay safe.
We truly are a family-owned business, with over 50 years in plumbing service. A state-certified plumbing contractor, we have over three generations of master plumbing experience. Contact us for prompt, courteous service. We’re in this together!
The post Have You Clogged Your Drains With Water Beads? appeared first on Adams and Son Plumbing Services.
We put it right in our name: The Trusted Plumber. We’ve gained a reputation for reliability with our excellent service and 100% satisfaction guarantee. And if you’ve come to this page today, it’s likely because you have suspicions about other plumbers in Peoria, AZ you’re thinking of hiring. Perhaps you’re concerned that your current plumber isn’t a trustworthy one.
We can help you out with some of the warning signs to watch for that the plumbers you’re considering for your next installation or for an important plumbing repair aren’t ones you can trust.
The first thing to check with any plumbing contractor is if they have a license. The license number should be right on their website. (Our license number is ROC 276768.) Don’t hire plumbers without a license, and don’t let them tell you that it isn’t that big of a deal to have one. Can an unlicensed plumber be skilled? Yes—but you won’t have any protection in case they aren’t or something goes wrong. No license means no guarantee on insurance, and you may end up liable for damage done to your house or for injuries a worker sustains on the job site. It’s not worth it!
Any professional worth hiring for any service—from a doctor to an electrician—won’t discourage you from finding a second opinion or doing a bit of shopping around. Be wary of any plumber who tries to “hard sell” you, because it often means they know there are other people out there offering superior service at fair prices.
It’s important for our plumbers when they’re on the job to explain to customers in easy to grasp language what sort of work they plan to do. This way customers understand the extent of the service and what they can expect it to cost. An untrustworthy plumber will attempt to keep customers out of the loop and then spring surprises on them with a service they didn’t authorize—and make them pay more for it.
This is a general category that covers a lot of behavior you shouldn’t receive from a plumber. The plumber doesn’t show up at the scheduled time, arriving hours late instead. The plumber doesn’t take special precautions to protect the rest of the home during the work. The plumber doesn’t clean up the mess they made after a job. The plumber looks (and smells) like they just crawled from the sewer pipe. You deserve much better than that.
Plumbers who won’t back up their own work with satisfaction guarantees are probably used to having unsatisfied customers. You want to put your trust in a plumber who shows confidence about doing the job right.
We are a licensed plumbing contractor with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and an aim to exceed expectations. We are also members of both the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association and Quality Service Contractors. We’re the Trusted Plumber for many good reasons.
The Trusted Plumber—we’re the real deal. Call us when you need a plumber you can trust.
This post first appeared on https://www.thetrustedplumber.com
At the end of 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) started to declare that there would be an incoming medical emergency in the form of a novel coronavirus. Soon, the threat of COVID-19 had spread throughout the world, halting multiple industries, unsettling the stock market, and putting millions of people out of work. As of April 2020, the number of people affected continues to skyrocket.
In Canada, the spread of the novel coronavirus has upset immigration, the food supply, healthcare, and much more. Although the number of cases in Canada is much less than those in America and other countries around the world, global issues affect every country some way. This is true for businesses, namely small businesses, as well.
Since most plumbing contractors are considered independent contractors or small business owners, the impact on the economy and stay at home ordinances are going to be tremendous blow to the industry. Furthermore, are plumbers to be considered essential workers and businesses? How do these individuals stay safe when visiting the homes of clients who could potentially be infected with a highly contagious virus?
While there are still numerous questions about the transmissibility of COVID-19, there are a couple things we know for sure:
With all this in mind, it is obvious that plumbing professionals, who deal with sewage and other forms of waste on a daily basis, are putting themselves at risk of contracting COVID-19 every time they answer a call.
Now, let’s look at some concerns and changes that are happening within the plumbing industry as a result of the coronavirus pandemic:
COVID-19 is challenging numerous small businesses to rethink how they handle day-to-day operations. The plumbing industry is seeing a rapid increase in home calls, because more and more people are being forced to stay indoors during social distancing practices. However, depending on the situation, it may mean that the plumber cannot immediately be dispatched to a residence. Sometimes, they may even have to alter the way they provide assistance.
For instance, some plumbers are turning to voice and video chat applications, such as Skype and FaceTime, to meet with customers and help them navigate their plumbing problems. These virtual diagnostics help keep the plumbers safer, because they can enter less homes.
When customers truly need a plumber at their home, more preparation is required. For areas where the COVID-19 outbreak is high, professionals are wearing more protective equipment. Gloves, shoe covers, and masks have been refitted to ensure complete protection so that the professionals and clients are both confident about their safety.
More businesses are adopting distancing practices as well. While the plumbers are doing everything in their power to solve problems, provide plumbing maintenance and inspections, or doing emergency repairs and replacements, they are also using all recommended personal protective equipment, keeping distance from customers, avoiding unnecessary contact, and washing their hands regularly.
But are there any areas where plumbers have seen a decrease in business? Of course. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly decreased the call volume in some regions. Customers have canceled or postponed previously scheduled maintenance work. For some, this spells trouble, especially for residences that have older plumbing systems that need routine maintenance. In the end, postponing such vital work to the plumbing system might cause a larger, more expensive problem for the homeowner.
The plumbing industry as a whole, ranging from the educational providers, insurance companies, suppliers, and beyond, are feeling the effects of COVID-19. The executive vice president of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), Pete DeMarco, stated this:
“The IAPMO Group sends its best wishes to plumbers everywhere as we work in concert with the global efforts to defeat COVID-19. We urge all plumbers to take extreme precautions while providing essential services. Remember to wear all PPE properly and to keep tools and PPE clean, and avoid sharing of tools with coworkers. By carefully following excellent workplace and personal hygiene practices, we can help contain the spread of the virus. Remember, plumbers protect the health of the planet!”
Additionally, for those who worried about remaining certified or getting a thorough education during this time, the CEO of the IAPMO Group, Russ Chaney, said that rescheduling, extended deadlines, and online courses are being added for professional certification and testing.
Other groups, like Armstrong and Aquatherm, are stepping up measures to keep their employees safe while maintaining reliable business operations. For example, Armstrong has any person entering the company grounds undergo a body scan for their temperature. Any employees with elevated body temperature or symptoms are sent home and asked to self-isolate as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Aquatherm is limiting travel and has established a protocol for those visiting the place of business.
President of Uponor North America, Billy Gray, said, “All Uponor employees who can work from home are doing so… New policies are in place to restrict in-person meetings, non-employee visits to our campuses and travel… While taking special precautions to keep employees safe through social distancing, deep cleaning and more, we are building up inventory of primary products to meet customers’ demand today and into the future.”
By the time the novel coronavirus is under our control, the way people conduct business is bound to have changed, including the plumbing industry. These days, plumbers, manufacturers, and educational institutions are being forced to think of new ways to maintain relationships with customers while serving them the best and safest way possible. Surely, this will open new avenues for how certain plumbing issues are solved in the future, as well as the future plumbing professionals receive education and interact with one another and customers.
The post How COVID-19 Affects The Plumbing Industry. appeared first on The Irish Plumber.
Wash your hands. Practice social distancing. Wear a face mask when you’re out doing errands and sanitize your hands frequently. Although most of us have heard similar precautions for the coronavirus pandemic, we are learning every single day that there is another part of transmission. Research continues to help us learn more about how the novel coronavirus, also called COVID-19, is transmitted from person to person.
Now, you have to wonder, “Can COVID-19 be transmitted through a plumbing system?”
According to research agencies like the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 is not present in drinking water. This is good news. It means that disinfection and filtration can remove the virus from water.
Now, let’s discuss the not-so good and bad news.
Similar to other highly contagious viruses, like SARS, COVID-19 has been detected in fecal matter and sewage. In 2003 during the SARS outbreak, transmission through sewage aerosols was detected. Furthermore, SARS was found to remain in untreated sewage for “up to 14 days.” That said, transmission of coronavirus through sewage has not been recorded and it thought to be low risk.
This doesn’t mean that you can be lax when dealing with plumbing problems during this coronavirus pandemic, however. If you live in a multi-tenant building, such as an apartment or assisted living, you are going to want to take extra precautions.
Aside from observing current guidelines for limiting transmission, such as washing your hands frequently and practicing excellent hygiene, here are some other tips:
If you are concerned about COVID-19 transmission after swimming in a community pool or water parks, don’t worry. Aside from regular person to person transmission, there has been no evidence of coronavirus being transmitted through pool water or any similar places. It is thought that proper sterilization and disinfection with bromine or chlorine inactivates COVID-19.
Even after over a million confirmed cases of coronavirus throughout the world, there is no evidence of the virus spreading via plumbing. However, there have been suspicions surrounding an apartment complex in Hong Kong. In February 2020, two tenants caught coronavirus, and the complex with partially evacuated. However, three more cases were soon reported. Interestingly, the original COVID-19 patients lived in apartments that were vertically aligned but 10 stories apart. The toilet discharge pipes were also linked.
Experts pondered the connection. Pathogens can definitely be transmitted, particularly in old buildings that have self-refitted exhaust fans and pipes, old water traps (U-traps), faulty plumbing systems, and so on.
After an investigation of the building in Hong Kong, it was said that the U-trap might have contributed to the spread of COVID-19. The U-trap should always have a small amount of water, because it acts as a plug that stops contaminants from rising back through the pipes and into the air.
The transmission of coronavirus through air particles is still being studied, but most scientists believe there is some risk. If COVID-19 acts like SARS, which can be carried on air particles, then it is certainly possible that coronavirus, when present in fecal matter, could contaminate the air should the U-trap in the plumbing system be defunct.
With all this talk of excrement, we need to get to the bottom of it all—pun intended. Plumbers handle all kinds of unsanitary conditions, so this is important to know. If coronavirus can be washed off with water or inactivated by disinfectants like chlorine and the chance of it being present in air particles is relatively low, then how much of a risk is feces?
The CDC and research published in Popular Science both stated that COVID-19 “can be transmitted through contact with infected feces,” but there is also some skepticism. The CDC states that “the amount of virus released from the body in stool, how long the virus is shed, and whether the virus in stool is infectious” is not yet known.
What we do know is that droplets of the virus are spread through coughing and sneezing. Fecal-oral transmission could then be possible. While the notion is certainly gross, this takes us back to the reason washing your hands is so important to limiting contamination. Whenever you touch a doorknob, toilet seat, lavatory door, or somewhere that could potentially have fecal matter, you could be at risk.
In short, while COVID-19 is highly contagious, there is still a lot of things we do not know about the virus. Preliminary research has found that water transmission of the novel coronavirus isn’t possible, but fecal and fecal-oral transmission is certainly possible. That is why it is important to keep maintaining your plumbing system to stop clogs and overflows before they start. Avoid any contact with untreated sewage, wear protective gear (mask and gloves) when necessary, and keep washing your hands.
In the event you run into a plumbing problem during social distancing, find a professional who is trained to handle these kinds of emergencies. Stay safe. Stay healthy!
The post Can You Get COVID-19 Through Your Plumbing? appeared first on The Irish Plumber.
Running an air conditioner can dramatically increase your electric bill but, for many people, it’s a necessary cost for escaping the Texas heat. While you may not have much of a choice if you want to stay comfortable, you can lower your electric bill using these methods to improve your air conditioner’s efficiency.
If your house isn’t properly sealed or insulated, your air conditioner will have to work overtime to make up for the constant loss of cold air. Air conditioners work best in well-sealed and well-insulated homes since they don’t have to work as hard to produce cold air.
Poor sealing and insulation are most common in older homes (at least 10-20 years old). If you live an older home, check both your insulation and the seals around your windows and doors. In some cases, replacing old seals pays for itself after a short amount of time.
There’s little use in running your air conditioner if nobody’s home to enjoy it!
Turning off your air conditioner before leaving the house can dramatically reduce your electricity bills, especially if you would normally run the AC during the day. If you’re worried about coming home to a hothouse, consider air conditioners with timers or keep your house well-shaded while you’re away.
Also, consider turning off your air conditioner at night. You likely won’t notice the difference while sleeping, and you may be able to enjoy the same cool air through open windows and cross-breezes.
Before modern air conditioning, people kept their houses cool by using curtains to block the daytime sun. The resulting shade would help trap cold air from the night prior, keeping the home’s interior cool and comfortable.
Today, shading remains an effective tool for not only fighting the daytime heat but also for lowering your electricity bill. By keeping your home interior naturally cool, your air conditioner won’t need as much electricity to maintain comfortable temperatures.
Shading is especially useful if you turn off your air conditioner during the day, as you won’t need to wait as long to enjoy a comfortable temperature after returning home.
Blocked air conditioner vents can not only prevent conditioned air from entering the room but may also be a sign of underlying problems. Air conditioner vents often become blocked through debris or, more commonly, frozen evaporator coils.
As air conditioners only measure the temperature inside the room, those with blocked air vents will keep trying to produce cold air with no results. As a result, the air conditioner will continuously work overtime in a desperate attempt to cool the room, consuming massive amounts of electricity in the process. Imagine if you left your air conditioner operating this way throughout the day!
Air conditioners can only last so long before they break down or need repairs. With regular air conditioning repair and maintenance, however, your air conditioner can cool your home efficiently for years to come.
Even so, efficiency often declines over time, raising your electric bill in the process. For a complete evaluation and to find out if it’s time for air conditioning replacement or repairs, call our air conditioning contractor team at 281-994-6698.
The post Improving Comfort While Lowering Energy Costs for Your AC System appeared first on Met Plumbing.