More About Plumbing and Heating, and Furnace

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More About Plumbing and Heating, and Furnace
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Synopsis

1. Searching for the Best Plumbing and Heating
   Services
2. How to Maintain Your Heating and Cooling System
3. Types of Heating and Cooling Systems
4. How to Know When You Need Furnace Repairs or
   Replacement
5. Which Furnace Repairs Are Right for You?
6. Do You Need a Furnace Inspection?
7. Tips for Furnace Maintenance
8. Helpful Furnace Inspection Tips

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Searching for the Best Plumbing and Heating
Services

• When it comes to plumbing, its best for a
  professional plumber to evaluate your current
  system to see exactly which changes need to be
  made. You may need to have a new pipe installed
  or repaired, or there may be a specific appliance
  like the bathtub or toilet that needs to be
  fixed. Your hot water heaters function can also
  affect the way your plumbing system works, so ask
  the plumber to check this as well to see if there
  are leakage or malfunctions that need to be fixed
  right away to avoid any further damage. Its best
  to have your hot water heater checked a month or
  two before the cold season begins in your area,
  so that you and your family will be comfortable
  during the winter.
• Cleaning your sewer and drainage systems is
  another very important part of plumbing. If
  wastes is not properly being flushed through the
  piping in your home, this could cause buildup
  that could lead to leakages and damages in your
  home and even problems with your lawn and the
  plants and trees that youre growing in the front
  or back yard. There are also times when your
  entire sewer system needs to be replaced so that
  moisture and waste collection goes through a
  proper system so that your property wont be
  ruined.

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How to Maintain Your Heating and Cooling System

• There are a few tools youll need to get the job
  done, including a flashlight, pliers,
  screwdrivers, wrenches and a hammer you may even
  need washcloths and a vacuum cleaner to clean up
  any debris. If youre taking care of the
  maintenance yourself, duct tape or refractory
  cement may be necessary. You can get most of the
  materials you need at a home improvement store.
• If your heating and cooling system isnt working
  well, theres usually a problem with either the
  distribution system, thermostat or heat/cold
  source. If the air conditioner or furnace isnt
  running, your nit may have lost power. Theres
  also a chance that fuel may not be getting to the
  unit, or the fuel may not be lighting if its oil
  or gas. If the furnace turns on or the air
  conditioner comes on but the air doesnt reach
  all areas of your home, your distribution system
  or blower needs attention. If the thermostat
  doesnt work, your unit could turn on and off
  without warning. Observe the way your heating and
  cooling system is performing so that you can
  properly assess the problem.

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How to Maintain Your Heating and Cooling System

• Be sure that your unit is getting enough power so
  you can rule this issue out if its not the
  problem. Search the unit for fuses that are blown
  or circuit breakers that are positioned at the
  entrance panel. There are some furnaces that have
  a separate power entrance near the principle
  entrance panel, or you may find a fuse on the
  unit. If you see a reset button, wait about half
  an hour so the motor can cool off completely,
  then press the reset button. If your unit doesnt
  start, wait another half hour then press the
  reset button again. You may have to do this one
  more time, but if you have to reset any more than
  this, its probably time to call a professional.
• Check your thermostat to make sure its set
  properly. If you need the air to be warmer, raise
  the temperature by five degrees for the air
  conditioner, lower the temperature by five
  degrees. This could prompt your heating and
  cooling system to function more efficiently. If
  your unit is a gas unit, make sure the supply is
  turned on and check the pilot light to make sure
  its lit. If the unit is an oil unit, there
  should be enough oil to keep the heating system
  working well.

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Types of Heating and Cooling Systems

• These days, mot air conditioning systems are
  central cooling systems. This involves supply and
  return ducts to move air from the unit to the
  inside of a home or residential building. Supply
  ducts are utilized to pour cold air into a room
  or home, and the return ducts collect the air
  that is in the room. This process is repeated
  until the room reaches the desired temperature.
  There are generally two types of cooking system
  packaged units or split systems.
• Split systems are on the outside of a home or
  building or on the roof where the condenser and
  compressor are. The heat pump and evaporator is
  often positioned on the inside of the building.
  Packaging central cooling systems are the systems
  in which the evaporator, compressor and condenser
  are installed together and all positioned on the
  buildings exterior. In the fall and winter, the
  systems use electric heat with electric coals.
  The air that is collected and heated or cooled
  travels down the ducts and ends up in the home or
  building. The benefits of a central air
  conditioning system include efficiency and less
  noise. These systems are also easy to manage.
• You should also know about VRF and VRV air
  conditioning systems. VRF stands for variable
  refrigerator flow and VRV is variable refrigerant
  volume. For the most part, these cooling systems
  are found in large commercial buildings like
  hotels, hospitals and office spaces. This type of
  system can cool large areas easily and are
  energy-efficient.

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How to Know When You Need Furnace Repairs or
Replacement

• One of the first things youll need to consider
  when it comes to furnace repairs is the age of
  the furnace. Getting a furnace repaired or
  replaced could cost anywhere between 2,500 and
  5,500, so before you get a totally new furnace,
  there are a few things youll need to keep in
  mind. As a general rule of thumb, if your furnace
  is 12 years or older, it may be time to seriously
  consider replacing it. When a furnace reaches
  this age, it is often not as efficient and could
  make your home unsafe.
• You also need to evaluate your furnace so you can
  see if you its using too much energy. This can
  not only make your utility bills higher, but
  older furnaces are often oversized, which means
  that the furnace often comes on and turns off
  more than it should. When you upgrade to a
  furnace that is more suitable for your home in
  terms of size. A more modern furnace can also
  make the temperature in your home more
  comfortable and will save you on utility bills.
  Furnaces have an AFUE number, and the higher this
  number is, the more efficient the unit is, so you
  should have your furnace evaluated to see how it
  is rated on the AFUE scale the government
  requires that your furnaces AFUE number be 80 or
  higher. The correct size of furnace for your
  home will depend on the square footage of your
  house, and youll also need to consider the
  climate in your area.

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Which Furnace Repairs Are Right for You?

• To make sure that you dont have to pay too much
  for furnace repairs, have your furnace maintained
  on a regular basis. The furnace should be looked
  at once a year and thoroughly inspected by an
  HVAC contractor. This will allow you to see any
  breakdowns or issues in the furnace before they
  get so severe that you have to spend thousands of
  dollars to get a new furnace. In addition to
  purchasing a furnace, youll also have to hire
  contractors to install the furnace for you and
  make sure its compatible with your heating
  system.
• Keep your furnace working well by cleaning the
  filters. When the filters are filled with dirt
  and debris, your furnace has to work harder to
  supply your home with heat. Dirty filters also
  make it harder for heat to evenly circulate
  through the home. In many cases, if you simply
  get a new filter, you can delay getting the
  furnace replaced and can keep your heating unit
  working well for a few months to a few more
  years.
• Check the furnace for normal wear and tear, which
  happens after youve been using the furnace for a
  few years. Fixing a small component of the
  furnace or properly repositioning it can make a
  huge difference in the way it functions. Ask your
  HVAC technician to check the pilot or ignition of
  the water heater as well, since this has to be
  working well in order for the unit to function
  well.

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Do You Need a Furnace Inspection?

• When you have your furnace inspected, youll know
  if there are openings in the unit that could leak
  carbon monoxide. Its hard to detect this gas
  because carbon monoxide has no odor or color.
  When the gas has accumulated in your home, it can
  cause dizziness, nausea, severe headaches, and
  even death in extreme cases. About 15,000 people
  end up in the emergency room every year due to
  being exposed to carbon monoxide, and about 500
  people lose their lives annually after inhaling
  too much of the gas.
• Of course, youll also need to consider how much
  a furnace inspection will cost. If you call an
  HVAC company in your area and only want them to
  do an inspection, you may have to pay a
  transportation fee and a service fee. If you find
  that you need to have work done after the
  inspection, you can ask that the inspection
  amount be deducted from the total cost of your
  bill. In most cases, if youre only getting an
  inspection, you can pay up to 85.

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Tips for Furnace Maintenance

• Any time your furnace is not working well, there
  are usually three components that are causing the
  problem your heat or cold source, your
  thermostat or the air distribution system. If
  your heat isnt coming on, the problem is at the
  source this could also be a sign that theres no
  power for the furnace to run properly. Theres
  also a chance a chance the fuel is not getting to
  the unit. If your furnace runs on oil or gas,
  its possible that the furnace may not be
  lighting. If the furnace turns on but you dont
  feel any warm air, your blower or distribution
  system is probably not working well. A thermostat
  of faulty control may also keep your heating
  system from turning on, or this could make the
  furnace turn on and off over and over without
  your control.
• If you find that a fuse has blown or the circuit
  is tripping over and over when you turn the
  furnace on, you have an issue with your
  electrical system. If this is the case, dont try
  to fix the furnace on your own. Call a
  professional who is experienced with repairing
  HVAC units.
• If you have a furnace that runs on gas and you
  start to smell gas in your house, dont attempt
  to shut off the gas and dont operate any of the
  lights on the furnace. Get out of the house right
  away, and make sure you leave the doors open.
  Call your gas company immediately and report a
  gas leak, and dont go back into your home until
  the leak has been repaired.

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Helpful Furnace Inspection Tips

• According to HVAC professionals, using a
  programmable thermostat is a great way to
  conserve energy. This can save you about 10 on
  your energy bills, so if you turn it down to
  seven or eight degrees lower than the regular
  temperature. The U.S. Department of Energy also
  recommends that you keep the thermostat at 68
  degrees for about eight hours out of the day,
  even if those eight hours are during the night.
  If your furnace is properly maintained and you
  keep the thermostat low, you can end up saving up
  to 30 on your energy bill.
• Its also important to note that new furnaces
  need to be maintained as well this rule doesnt
  just apply to a furnace youve had for a few
  years. Most people think that when they get a new
  furnace or heating system, maintenance is not
  necessary. If theres a warranty claim on your
  furnace unit, the manufacture can ask you for
  service records to make sure the warranty should
  be honoured if you make a claim. This helps to
  ensure that you will be protected if something
  goes wrong with your furnace.

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The End

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