Tankless water heaters are known for being efficient and small in terms of their overall size and for that reason they are quite popular among most homeowners. Tank-style water heaters, on the other hand, will cost you much less than tankless water heaters and are easier to operate. Both have their benefits and drawbacks, but one might suit your home better than the other.
Your furnace is a hard-working appliance. Like any other appliance, its parts will wear down over time. However, there are a few steps you can take to make sure your furnace lasts as long as possible.
You finally get home after a long, chilly day. As soon as you come inside, you crank up the thermostat hoping to knock some of the chill out of your bones. But instead of being greeted with a warm, gentle breeze from the furnace, you’re startled by the sound of an earsplitting, hair-raising screech.
Your first thought is probably, “That sounds expensive.”
A screeching heater is unnerving. However, most of the time, it’s a simple fix that requires a bit of expert knowledge and skilled hands to repair. It’s not a sound that you want to turn up the TV and ignore, though—the longer your heater screeches, the more you risk costly damage.
Let’s take a look at the most common causes of a screeching or squealing heater.
Your furnace clicks on and the blower motor is running, but the air coming from the vents is cold or cool instead of hot. Or maybe the air starts off hot, then turns cool before the furnace shuts down.
Let’s look at some of the solutions to this common furnace problem.
Gas fired appliances like furnaces, boilers and water heaters create gases as a byproduct of the combustion process. In order for these appliances to work safely, they must be vented properly and maintain a proper draft to make sure the gases exit your home. Gas leaks, high carbon monoxide levels, and improper drafting can all be dangerous if not addressed.
If you need to turn off your home’s gas or water due to a needed repair or a weather issue, first you have to know where the water and gas shut off valves are located. Ideally, you’ll want to locate the main or master shut offs, as well as the supply shut offs, before an emergency happens.
SAFETY NOTE: If you suspect a gas leak, do not try to turn off the gas to your home. Get outside, move away from the house, and then call the gas company.
If you have a water leak, your municipal water supplier may have an emergency number you can call to report it.
Does your toilet require lengthy instructions to guests on how to flush it? Is it worn out to the point where no amount of cleaning can make it presentable, and you hope guests don’t ask to use it in the first place? Why haven’t you replaced that old toilet already?
Oh, fantastic. You’re sweltering on a hot day and no matter how low you set the thermostat, your air conditioning system just can’t seem to cool the house. Or maybe you feel warm-ish air coming out of the vents instead of nice cold air. What could be going on?
Do you know the differences between residential HVAC and commercial HVAC? Knowing the differences can help you choose the right contractor for your routine maintenance, repairs and HVAC replacements.
“Do you know how old your sump pump is?”
I love to ask people this when I get the chance. Unless they recently had a flooded basement, they don’t remember. Nobody does.
That’s not surprising. There’s a lot to remember these days … passwords, websites, birthdays, anniversaries (especially that last one!). After awhile, it’s hard enough to remember your own age, let alone the age of your sump pump. Plus, it’s down in the basement where you never go if you can help it. Even if you do look at the sump pump, it’s not like there’s a tag on it that clearly tells you the age.
Here’s the thing. Even though forgetting your sump pump’s birthday is understandable, it can lead to problems (and not because you didn’t get it a gift…).
