Tips on Saving Money and Avoiding Problems with your Air Conditioning and Plumbing
Air Conditioning Tips
- A filter that is dirty or too dense can cause problems with your air conditioning system by over-working the blower motor and the condenser or gas/electric furnace. Plus, it raises your energy cost.
- If the filter is too pourous, it will allow particles to pass through and clog the evaporator coils inside your unit. Dirty coils have the same effect as a dirty filter. Follow the specifications from the manufacturer of the unit and check your filters regularly.
- To save energy, consider replacing your existing unit with a new high-efficiency heat pump. They can often pay for themselves in three to five years in energy savings.
- If your home is not in use for several hours, consider raising the temperature a couple of degrees during times when the house is empty in warm weather. In cold weather, it is often possible to turn the unit completely off or set the temperature to about 60 degrees F. Both settings are more easily managed with a programmable thermostat. If you don’t have one, we can put one in for you usually for less than $150. Call 866-576-0976 for more information. Your monthly savings can be substantial.
- Check seals on doors and windows. Closing curtains in unused rooms can help hold down cooling or heating costs.
- Warm, humid weather can cause a build-up of algae in the drain system of your air conditioner. Special inexpensive tablets can be purchased at your home store to place in the pan to keep the algae in check. This precaution can prevent damage to ceilings and floors if the pan were to overflow due to algae blockage.
Plumbing Tips
- Roots can be a major problem for older drain pipes under your lawn if you have trees. It is much less expensive to have these pipes checked and cleaned than to back sewage or water up into your home or to replace the drain pipe which is usually three or four feet under ground
- An improperly drained garbage disposer can cause drain water to enter a dishwasher that is connected to the same drain pipe.
- Do you think you may have a water leak somewhere on your property? Here’s what to do: remove the cover from your water meter, which is usually located outside near the street where the main water line enters your property. A special key can be purchased at a hardware store. It is handy to keep one around. After you remove the lid, you should see the dial of the water meter below. There may be some mud, dirt or debris over it. Make sure all faucets and running water is turned off inside and no toilets are in use. If the dial on the meter is moving any at all, it means water is being used. If everything is off, it could mean you have a leak in a water line. Dallas Plumbing & Air Conditioning can detect such leaks using special equipment with sensors. Give us a call and tell us your situation. 866-576-0976
- Check overflow valves in toilets to make sure the level in the tank is not too low or too high.
- Consider replacing older toilets with new 1.5 gallon flush toilets to save on water without losing performance of the toilet.
- Allow the water to run for a few moments after using your garbage disposer, to make sure the material passes into the main drain to help avoid clogs.
- Avoid putting shell fish into your garbage disposer.
- Get free advice from our Kithchens and Baths showroom plumbing experts before you replace faucets and fixtures. Buying the wrong product for your location can be costly, especially if you are remodelling.
