Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, May 20, 2010
Beat Ready for the Summer Heat with an Air Conditioner Performance Check
Many Lorain County residents have already turned on their air conditioning for a day or two this season. Freaky weather patterns have given northern Ohio residents a few early samples of the humid, summer heat that doesn’t usually descend on Lorain County until early August. With tornado-driven storms marching across the Midwest, weather forecasters say more unseasonably hot and humid days are on the way. Lorain County residents are urged to schedule their annual air conditioner performance check now so they’ll be ready.
Having Your A/C Performance Check Will Protect Your System and Save You Money
Having your air conditioner checked by a Lorain County plumbing, heating and air conditioning professional before you switch it on will protect your system from possible damage and ensure that your air conditioner runs at peak efficiency all summer long. Air conditioners that have developed a leak in their coolant system over the winter can be permanently damaged if operated without sufficient coolant. If that happens, Lorain County homeowners are looking at an expensive air conditioner replacement instead of affordable scheduled maintenance. Raymond Plumbing Facebook Fans can even win a FREE A/C Performance Check just by becoming a Raymond Plumbing Facebook fan.
While you’re having your air conditioner checked, consider having your Lorain County A/C professional install a programmable thermostat. Programmable digital thermostats can be programmed to automatically adjust the temperature inside your Lorain County home so your air conditioning unit runs less frequently. With a programmable thermostat you can match temperature settings to your daily activities. For example, you can set a programmable thermostat to a cooler temperature in the early morning and evening when you’re home and a higher temperature during the day when you’re at work. Don’t waste money cooling an empty house. Programmable thermostats save energy and reduce utility bills.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Apr 26, 2010
Air ducts that leak can cost Lorain County homeowners in both comfort and cash. Energy loss from leaking air ducts can add up to higher cooling bills in summer and higher heating bills in winter, taking a bigger chunk out of your household budget than is necessary. Air duct leaks can also result in the uneven cooling or heating of your home. When cooled or heated air leaks out of air ducts instead of being continuously circulated through your home, uncomfortable cold and hot spots can develop. Because indoor air is not being efficiently circulated, temperatures can vary widely from floor to floor and even room to room.
Annual performance checks of your cooling and heating systems can discover air duct leaks and problems before they start to cost you money. When your Lorain County air conditioning professional visits to perform the annual A/C Performance Check of your cooling system (and again, when he returns in the fall to inspect your furnace), he will carefully inspect your air ducts for obvious holes and cracks and ductwork joins that are starting to separate.
Over time, ductwork sections can become lose and separate, allowing significant air flow to escape into your basement. If your basement is abnormally hot in winter or cold in summer, there’s a good chance you’ve got some leaky ducts. Having your Lorain County air conditioner professional inspect your ductwork for leaks twice a year is a good way to discover leaks before they can start costing you money. Maintaining your air duct system in good repair with annual spring and fall performance checks helps to ensure that your air conditioner and furnace will work efficiently all season long.
Sign-up for your chance to win a FREE A/C Performance Check this summer!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Apr 02, 2010
Beat the Heat with an A/C Peformance Check
In Lorain County we’ve been looking forward to the first warm days of spring for months. Now that they’re finally here, it’s time to think about calling your Lorain County air conditioning professional to schedule your annual A/C Performance Check. Spring doesn’t last long in northern Ohio and the hot, steamy days of summer will be here before you know it. An annual air conditional performance check ensures that your air conditioner will keep you and your family cool and comfortable all year round.
Getting your cooling system checked annually is important. That is why each month we are giving away two FREE A/C Performance Checks! Sign-up to win.
Install a Carrier UV Lamp on your Air Conditioner
Lorain County residents who schedule their A/C Performance Check early before our crews get busy with break downs and air conditioner replacements can save $20 off our regular price. Instead of $98.50, if you schedule your A/C Performance Check with Raymond online, you’ll only pay $78.50. While our technician is at your home, consider having him install a Carrier UV Lamp on your air conditioning unit. Ultraviolet light kills the bacteria and mold that is apt to grow on your air conditioner components during Lorain County’s muggy summers. Installing a UV Lamp on your air conditioner improves air quality and guarantees a healthier indoor environment for you and your family.
Purchasing an Energy-Efficient Air Conditioner May Qualify for a Tax Credit
If your air conditioner uses Freon refrigerant or is nearing the end of its useful life, this is a good year to consider replacing it with an energy-efficient Carrier air conditioner that uses environmentally friendly Puron. Freon in being phased out by the EPA which means that Freon-charged air conditioners are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain. The federal government’s Tax Credit program for energy-efficient home improvements makes this an excellent year to replace your old, polluting air conditioner. Under the Tax Credit program, you may be eligible for a 30% income tax credit up to $1,500 on your 2010 taxes if you replace your air conditioner with an energy-efficient model. Raymond will be happy to provide you with a free estimate.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jan 22, 2010
Improve the Performance of your Furnace with a Heating Performance Check
Auto repair experts say the single most important thing you can do to improve the performance and reliability of your car is to get the oil checked regularly. It’s a simple, inexpensive maintenance chore that can add years of life to your vehicle and save you thousands of dollars in repair bills down the line. That’s the same reason home heating professionals recommend you schedule an annual Heating Performance Check with a licensed Lorain County heating professional.
Save Money on Your Heating Bill with a Heating Perfomance Check
An annual furnace inspection can pinpoint potential problems before they become tragic disasters. Not only does an annual Heating Performance Check ensure that your home furnace is working at peak efficiency, but an experienced heating professional will also check for gas or carbon monoxide leaks to ensure the safety of your family. Tragically, deadly carbon monoxide fumes from improperly working furnaces kill families in their sleep every year. The best way to protect your family against this odorless silent killer is to have your furnace inspected by a licensed heating professional every year.
A properly running furnace burns less fuel, saving you money on your heating bill. And with Lorain County temperatures regularly dropping into the double and single digits during the winter, an annual Heating Performance Check will protect your family from a chilly middle-of-the-night breakdown. Annual furnace inspections catch small problems while they’re easy and inexpensive to fix.
It's Not too Late to have a Heating Performance Check
In Lorain County, the best time of year to schedule your annual Heating Performance Check is in late summer before you fire up your furnace in the fall. However, it’s never too late in the season to make sure your furnace is operating safely. It’s also important to schedule your annual Heating Performance Check with a licensed Lorain County heating professional with the knowledge and experience to recognize potential problems and fix them before they cause disaster.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Dec 02, 2009
Have Your Heating System Checked Every Year
Every year carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty furnaces kills people while they sleep in their beds. Called the silent killer, carbon monoxide (CO) is odorless and colorless, giving little warning before it kills. CO poisoning can cause dizziness, light-headedness and nausea. Unfortunately, people often mistake these symptoms for tiredness or illness and fail to exit their home before fumes overcome them. Too often CO kills at night before a problem is even identified.
The most important thing you can do to protect your family against fatal carbon monoxide poisoning is to have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil or coal-burning appliances checked and serviced annually by a qualified heating and plumbing professional, recommends the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also recommends installation of a battery-operated CO detector near the furnace. If your CO detector sounds or you experience any of the symptoms of CO poisoning, gather your family and pets, exit your home immediately, and call 911. Do not re-enter your home until it has been thoroughly inspected by an experienced heating professional and the problem corrected.
The CDC offers the following additional recommendations to keep your family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning:
- Do not operate a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove or other gasoline or charcoal device inside your home, basement, garage or near a window. CO fumes can be drawn indoors.
- Do not run a car, truck or other vehicle inside an attached garage. Even with the garage door fully open, CO fumes can enter your home.
- Do not burn anything in a stove or fireplace that is not properly vented to the outdoors.
- Do not try to heat your home with a gas oven.
Have you had your heating system checked? Schedule your FREE estimate!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Nov 20, 2009
These days we’re all watching our budgets. No one wants an unnecessary repair bill; but as we mentioned in our last post, there are times when trying to repair it yourself can actually cost more. Plumbing is one of those home repair areas where homeowners often overestimate their skills. Delaying a call to the plumber can allow a small problem to become a big and much more expensive problem. There are a number of things, however, that homeowners can do to keep their plumbing system working efficiently and minimize the need for plumbing repairs.
Backups cause most plumbing emergencies. If your sink or tub drain backs up, grease or hair are the most likely culprits. Limit potential problems by preventing these materials from entering drains.
- In the kitchen, strain grease into an empty soup can or allow it to congeal before disposing of it in the trash.
- If grease does get poured down the drain, you can minimize potential damage by pouring a cup of vinegar, a squirt of liquid detergent and boiling water down the drain.
- In the bathroom, use mesh or plastic strainers from the hardware store to catch hair before it goes down the drain.
- Every few days, remove the tub/shower drain cap and pull loose hair out of the drain. Fringe the ends of a plastic straw and use it to hook loose hair.
- Once a month use a drain cleaning product to keep drains clean.
Toilet clogs are another source of emergency plumbing calls. Keep a plunger by each toilet, and plunge vigorously at the first sign of clogging. Never flush sanitary napkins, disposable diapers or disposable wipes down a toilet, even if the box labels them “flushable.” They aren’t. Keep objects away from toilet tanks and keep toilet lids closed to prevent inadvertently flushing toys or air fresheners. If you can’t remove the clog, it’s time to call Raymond Plumbing.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Nov 13, 2009
Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Who doesn’t want to be environmentally friendly? We want to save energy, but the reality is we can’t afford to chuck a water heater that’s still working or replace a furnace with a few good years left in it for a super-efficient Energy Star appliance. The recession took a toll on everyone forcing most of us to take a piecemeal approach to energy conservation. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to make your home more energy efficient without breaking the bank.
Use these tips to start saving on your energy bill today:
- Replace furnace filters once a month. Vacuum cobwebs and dust from access panels regularly. Have your furnace inspected by an experienced heating/cooling professional at the start of each heating season to ensure it is running effectively and safely. Air conditioners should be inspected by an A/C pro in late spring before use.
- Insulate your hot water heater. You can buy an insulating jacket at most home improvement stores to keep heat from escaping. Or make your own by wrapping fiberglass-batt wall insulation (paper vapor barrier to outside) around the sides and top of your water heater. Cover with construction foil to block heat loss. Slide tubular foam insulation over the pipes at tank top.
- Install a programmable thermostat to regulate your home’s temperature on a pre-set schedule. By setting the thermostat to keep your home cooler when you’re at work and while you sleep, you can cut energy use by 15%. For every degree you lower your thermostat during heating season, you decrease energy use by 3%.
- Disconnect appliances and electronics when not in use. Typically, 75% of the energy used to power home electronics is consumed while appliances are off.
- Caulk and weather strip windows, doors, electrical sockets and cable outlets.
- Close the fireplace damper when not in use.
What are you doing to make your home more energy efficient?
Reduce your heating costs without an expensive new furnace!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Aug 14, 2009
Find out how to unclog your sink drain in under 90 seconds with the experts at Raymond Plumbing.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Jul 22, 2009
You already know that central A/C is cooler than you think because it protects your home, improves air quality and saves you money.
Do you know all of this would not be possible without duct work?
Most air conditioning and heating systems require some form of duct work to channel the air to places in your home where the conditioned air is needed.
With the help of air ducts, cool or warm air can be channeled and evenly dispersed among zones in your home, reducing your cost.
Make sure it’s installed properly, by licensed technicians. Improper installation results in poor performance, bad air flow, leaky duct work systems, and higher utility bills.
Duct cleaning should be a part of your maintenance schedule.
When it comes time for cleaning (and it always comes too soon), the National Air Duct Cleaner Association (NADCA) recommends you follow these steps:
- Check the joints for leaks. If leaks exist, seal them.
- Make sure there is no moisture in your vent system. If there is, try to locate the source so that you can prevent future moisture.
- Clean HVAC registers & filters. Empty drain pans.
- Loosen contaminants in ducts by thoroughly cleansing/scrubbing ducts.
- Use a high powered vacuum to eliminate contaminants from duct system
- Use biocide to prevent bacteria from growing
Ductwork cleaning is not there to make the metal shine. By having your ducts cleaned you rid human and pet hair, dust, construction debris, human and pet dander, dust particles, and the occasional coins, marbles and toy that children find fascinating to throw down the registers. Do you want to think of these particulates blowing into the air you breath or the places you rest and sleep? Keeping your duct system clean will keep your system operating efficiently and effectively.