2 Things You Need To Be Aware Of With Your Furnace
Rumbling, squeaking, and rattles aren’t normal. The sounds may indicate a mechanical problem, airflow reductions or a clogged burner.
Sometimes a furnace may be running fine, but loudly. If you can tell the noise is a result of the air running through the ductwork, one solution may be to insulate your ductwork to cut down on the noise.
If the actual furnace system is making odd noises, this can occur when the pilot light is improperly adjusted or the blower motor lubrication ports need oiling. There may also be an issue with the belts or even the burner.
What are the different noises coming from your furnace?
a. Pinging or popping sounds – could be thermal expansion- the ductwork expanding and contracting as it heats and cools.
b. Rattling noises – loose panels may need to be tightened.
c. Squealing noises – could be a belt that connects the motor to the fan slipped. Or the belt needs replacement.
d. Grinding sounds – probably time to call a furnace repair technician. The motor bearings need repair.
Clean Leaves and Debris from Heat Pumps or Intake and Exhaust Vents
“If you have a furnace that vents out the side of the house, make sure nothing is blocking the intake or exhaust. If either of the pipes is covered with screen mesh (like a window screen), replace it with 1/2-in.-mesh hardware cloth.
If ice is clogging one of the pipes, you have a bigger problem somewhere in the system. Clear it off and call a Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ technician to find out why it’s happening.
If you have a heat pump, clear away grass and leaves from the fins of the outdoor compressor unit. Before heating season starts, hose it down gently from the top to rinse dirt and debris out of the housing.”
Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564
When Is The Right Time To Replace Your Toilet?
There’s no denying that your toilets are a vital part of the house. We need toilets to properly, well, you know. So having a functional toilet is absolutely imperative. However, toilets don’t actually last forever. There’s a lot that can go wrong with a toilet, and if you miss one of these signs, you may find yourself with a non-functioning toilet after all.
First, check for any cracks. Puddles of water don’t miraculously happen. If you’re noticing water build up around your toilet, check to see where it’s leaking. If it’s coming from a crack in the toilet, you are in need of repair. If you’re noticing water, be sure to call a Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical plumber as soon as possible.
Next, your toilet should not be a rocking chair. If it wobbles or rocks around, you need to consider replacing it. However, if it’s just the toilet seat that wobbles, you can easily tighten the seat with a screwdriver for an easy fix. But if the whole thing moves when you sit down, it may be time to let it go.
Lastly, consider the age of your toilet. Do you know how old your toilet is? Although some plumbers would say a toilet could last up to 50 years, federal law actually states that any toilets built before 1994 that holds more than 1.6 gallons per flush must get replaced.
So there you have it. If your toilet has cracks that are impossible to repair, if it wobbles like crazy, or if it’s a toilet that’s older than you, it may be time to swap out the bowl. Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564
How Cleaning Can Preserve Your Furnace
Do you need your furnace to keep working all winter?
Just like your AC system, unless you perform regular maintenance it may fail. But unless you are a heating professional, this can seem like a pretty daunting prospect.
We are here to help. Read on for 3 furnace maintenance tips to help you keep on top of things.
1. Check Your Thermostat
Make sure that you’re checking your thermostat. Shut off the power and open the furnace doors. Give the furnace wires a little tug to ensure they’re tight and fitted right.
Then check the batteries in the thermostat and replace them if needed. If your thermostat is electro-mechanical then open the panel to give the coils and contact plates a light dusting. Make sure to use something small and soft, like a paintbrush to avoid damaging it. Make sure no strong sunlight hits the thermometer and there aren’t things like lamps near it. This can cause false readings.
2. Change Your Furnace Filter
Replacing the furnace filter helps keep your system efficient. When it gets clogged with dirt and dust it means your system has to work twice as hard. This, in turn, drives up your energy costs and increases your carbon footprint.
Changing it is quick and easy. If your filter is disposable, you can pick up a new one. If it’s reusable, then follow the care instructions to clean and dry it. There will be markings that tell you which side of the filter should be facing the furnace.
Follow this guide and slide the filter back in. If there is a cover, make sure you replace it. A handy tip is to keep a record of the date you changed it, you can mark it on a calendar or in a diary. This way you know when you need to change or clean it again.
3. Vacuum
Dust, debris, and dirt don’t only clog up the filters, they can damage the furnace as a whole. No matter how good your filters, over time dirt, dust and other debris will find its way into your furnace.
Like all electrical equipment, your furnace works best when it is clean. A covering of dust acts to insulate the electrical components, making them heat up above their operating temperature. As components become worn, you reduce the efficiency of your furnace and increase the risk of poor combustion.
While you can certainly keep the outside of your furnace free of debris, it is essential to have a Green Apple professional to take care of the inside of your furnace.
3. Clean Your Vents
When cleaning up your furnace it is easy to overlook your vents. If they become blocked, it can become a fire a hazard.
After removing your vent covers, let them soak in warm, soapy water. You can then rinse them clean and set them to dry. Most metal covers are also dishwasher safe.
Using a long, flexible brush (special dryer vent brushes are excellent) give the walls of the ducts a hard scrub. This will dislodge any compacted dust.
After this, you can use your vacuum to remove the dust that the brushing loosened. A long flexible hose with a brush attachment is best for this. Repeat this process for all of your accessible ducts.
Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564
Easy Ways To Avoid Plumbing Mistakes
A Leaky Faucet Isn’t a Cause for Concern
This is by far the most problematic home plumbing myth out there. The leak which results in costing you a huge amount of money the average leakage rate per faucet stands at around 10,000 liters globally. That’s 270 laundry loads, give or take.
The EPA also gives some unflattering facts as to the extent of damage leaky faucets can cause, including the fact that you can save almost 10 percent on your water bill, simply by fixing a leaky faucet.
Save money, and help the planet by fixing that leaky faucet as soon as possible.
If Everything is Going Down the Drain, There’s No Problem!
Another no to this. There are many problems that may be lurking inside the drainage system which aren’t immediately visible, but they might cause huge problems later.
Out of sight, out of mind doesn’t really apply to the plumbing world. Even if you can’t see it, food like pasta and rice will bloat in pipes causing clogs, blocking the passage for other waste to peacefully pass through the pipes. Without the proper amount of water to rinse it down, waste builds up in the pipes and makes drainage inefficient.
Most Plumbing Fixes are D-I-Y Jobs
This statement is most commonly made by people who end up adding the plumber to speed dial after an out-of-control plumbing situation. Do not fall for this myth.
A certified plumber is essential to most non-trivial plumbing tasks. While fixing a leaky faucet or cleaning the pipes is not that hard to get right, anything more does require at least professional oversight if not professional skills.
Always consult a trustworthy and qualified Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical plumber before going in for any repairs yourself. You’ll save yourself a whole lot of trouble before getting into situations you neither have the tools nor the skills, to get yourself out of.
Water Flushes in The Opposite Direction in The Southern Hemisphere
As much as you might have heard about the Coriolis Effect, the toilets do not flush in the other direction in the southern hemisphere. The Coriolis Effect is responsible for cyclones rotating in opposite directions in the Northern and Southern hemispheres however, this effect is only applicable to larger water bodies. There is simply not enough water in the toilets for the effect to appear in the first place.
Also, the direction of water in the toilet is determined by the water jets, which are common across the world exceptions always exist, however.
Putting a Brick in the Toilet Tank Saves Water
The origins of this frankly ridiculous myth are unknown, nor is there any proof to back this up. There are many, many ways to save water in toilets using water-saver flushes and faucets, fixing leaky flushes and faucets, and many more ways. This, however, does nothing to better the water situation in your toilet.
Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564
How Safe Is Your Furnace?
Routine Maintenance
As with anything in your home, the more proactive you are, the better off your equipment will be. You can stay on top of routine furnace maintenance by doing a number of things. The most common (and most often overlooked) maintenance you can do is to change the filters. This should be done every two to three months in average households. In homes with more than three occupants and/or multiple pets, filters should be changed once every thirty days and every three to six months in seldom used vacation/seasonal homes.
If you live alone in a small condo or apartment and don’t have any pets, then you may only need to change the filters once every three or four months. It really just depends on your home and lifestyle. Although, it’s recommended to remain cautious and change them out every two to three months. It’s also smart to buy a one year supply every May or November (before the start of heavy usage seasons such as summer and winter). You can typically buy a four or six-pack for about $50 to $100 at your local home improvement supply store but you should make note of the size of the air filters your unit requires by writing down the dimensions before you go to the store. There are few things more annoying than buying air filters, bringing them home and then realizing you actually needed 20”x25”x1” and not 20”x20”x1”.
Frequent Test Runs
Another thing you can do is test your system every few months. For instance, if it’s the middle of July, then you most likely already know that your air conditioning is working fine, but your heat probably hasn’t been turned on in a few months and winter is just around the corner. Therefore, it’s usually good to check your heating at least once per summer and your air conditioning at least once per winter; run each for about ten minutes at a time. That way you can avoid any unhappy surprises when it comes time to switch over the thermostat. It also helps to burn off some of the dust which has collected on the heating coils which tend to make for one unpleasant afternoon in December when eight months of dust is burning off at one time.
If you have a unit with a lot of different settings (various levels of heat and cool air, five fan settings, energy efficiency mode, timers, etc) then it’s also a good idea to go through each of the settings to test them one at a time. It may sound tedious, and it sort of is, but you’ll be happy if you discover a problem five months before you would ever be bothered by it. Not only is this good for staying on top of maintenance but it also helps you budget for any work that does need to be done. It’s much easier to save up for five months to get your heater fixed rather than desperately needing someone to come out tomorrow because it’s only twelve degrees outside.
Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564
Happy Thanksgiving From Green Apple!
Don’t put that down the drain!
Indoor plumbing is an amazing invention, and your kitchen sink can make cleanup a breeze. Pour in liquids or use the disposal to grind up scraps. Then, turn on the water, and it’s all magically swept away. That is, except when it gets stuck in the pipes.
Yes, the No. 1 culprit for plumbing problems after Thanksgiving is homeowners trying to use their sink or garbage disposal as a garbage can, resulting in clogged pipes.
Keep the water flowing smoothly by remembering that these things (many of them Thanksgiving staples) should never go down your sink, even if you run them through a garbage disposal:
- Fats
- Cooking oils
- Potato and onion peels
- Fibrous vegetables like celery and pumpkin
- Bones
- Skin from poultry
In the bathroom, remember that cotton balls, swabs, cleansing cloths, dental floss, and similar items need to go into the trash, not get flushed down the toilet. This includes wipes that are labeled “flushable.” Don’t believe the hype. Toss ’em.
Check What You Can And Can’t Flush
- Sanitary napkins/feminine products
- Flushable wipes
- Cleaning wipes
- Facial Cleansing Pads
- Cotton Balls & Swabs
- Paper towel
Throw Greasy Food In The Trash
Dispose of oily, greasy or fatty foods or liquids in the trash. Take a paper towel and wipe the food and grease into the garbage before washing it in the sink or placing it in the dishwasher. The fat and grease will solidify and can cause clogs. Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564
Your Thanksgiving Plumbing Checklist
Did you know that Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers? While you are enjoying a good meal with your family, watching relatives doze off before the pumpkin pie is served or watching the football game, plumbers are hard at work at homes all over the country.
The Disposal
The garbage disposal will be the origination of most Thanksgiving and holiday plumbing problems. The problem is during the hours and hours of cooking, either too much waste gets thrown down the disposal or items are discarded that cannot be broken down. No matter what the reason, if you call an emergency plumber during the holidays, they will likely head straight into the kitchen without needing to know the exact reason for your call.
Here are some tips: First, even if you aren’t going to be the actual cook for this meal (we know how pushy your mother-in-law can be), make sure that everyone who is going to be using the disposal knows what shouldn’t be put in there:
- No corn husks
- No grease
- No bones
- No potato skins
- No eggshells
- No lettuce
- No metal, of course
Second, don’t stuff too much down the disposal at once. Do a little at a time. If you see a problem, pay to have a Green Apple plumber fix the disposal before you find yourself standing in a flooded kitchen.
It can be a tricky hoop to jump through since this meal is often a group effort, but you either need to marshal everything that will go in the disposal or put out a mandate of how to use it. Everyone will, of course, feel insulted, but it is better to be safe than to have your kitchen flood just as everyone sits down to eat.
So Many Guests
On a typical Thanksgiving, a normal household of 4-5 people can swell to more than 20, what with both sides of the family and all their kids. So consider that there might be 4-5 times the amount of hands being washed, glasses of water to fill, and trips to the bathroom, which is going to distress your plumbing in general.
While there is nothing you can do to force people to use the bathroom less or cook less, you can make sure that everyone (mainly the kids) knows what can and can’t be flushed to avoid paying for toilet bowl repair during the holidays. You might even say to your guests the plumbing has been acting up so keep a close eye on it. This will ensure your guests are mindful when they use the garbage disposal or visit the bathroom, and it might just keep your plumber off your guest list. Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always your number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your plumbing or HVAC needs call toll-free @888-315-5564
Is Your Furnace Ready For Thanksgiving?
HVAC Winter Maintenance
Schedule a routine maintenance check for your HVAC system each fall to check for loose belts in the blower, measure the pressure of the gas, and check for cracks in the heat exchanger.
Loose belts mean your system has to work harder to pump out the desired amount of air. Cracks in the heat exchanger can cause problems with the pilot light as well as soot buildup from improper combustion, leading to a host of fire concerns.
Inspect Your Ducts
Have a licensed Green Apple professional inspect and clean your ducts to make sure you have a clean, energy-efficient holiday season. If you have leaks in your ducts, you will raise your heating bill as your heating system pushes out more heat to make up for what’s lost in the leaks.
To reduce worry about cleaning ducts and to minimize home heating during the winter, you should also consider a ductless heating pump. By eliminating ducts you also eliminate the chance of heat escaping through cracks or improperly sealed ducts.
Prevent Heating System Fires
The overwhelming majority of home heating system fires occur in the months of December, January, and February. While there are many causes of home heating fires, clogged or dirty equipment is the most common. You should get your heating system checked by a Green Apple professional technician every year before you turn the system to heat, but if you let it slip, make sure to get a check-up before holiday get-togethers.
Make sure your filters and vents are clean and free of debris because dust is extremely flammable and in large quantities can cause fires to spread. Dust can also accumulate above the furnace and cause a fire within if the debris falls down into the heat exchanger.
You also want to make sure to keep anything flammable away from heating devices, especially blankets, boxes of holiday decorations, and packages. During the holidays the house can get crazy, but it’s important not to forget home heating safety.
Check Your Fire and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
A natural byproduct of gas furnaces is carbon dioxide, an odorless, colorless gas that is usually safely combusted and vented away from the home. If your heating system’s venting is dirty or clogged, the carbon monoxide can build up and leak into the home with potentially deadly effects.
You may also want to be careful if you have an older, smaller house without updated ventilation. If several appliances are running and competing for a limited amount of fresh air, it can lead to a carbon dioxide buildup.
If you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector in your home, we highly recommend you purchase enough to place one near or in each separate sleeping area. Additionally, we recommend you place an additional carbon monoxide alarm at least 15-20 feet away from the furnace or any fuel-burning heating systems.
Make Use of Your
Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats are great for the holidays because you can set them and forget them. You can set preferable temperatures for up to four times a day, making sweltering dinner times and freezing breakfasts non-existent.
If you are hosting holiday parties, set it for a slightly cooler temperature the day everyone is scheduled to come over. With that many warm bodies and the oven going, it can get hot inside pretty quick. Put out some blankets on the couch so that the family can stay warm even after the kitchen has cooled down.
Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564
Don’t Wait to Call A Plumber When This Happens
You Have No Water in the House
In instances when water stops flowing within your house, it is localized around one area, such as a bathroom sink or shower. But rarely will water stop flowing to your entire house.
Check all water outlets within the house to confirm that none of them are receiving water. Be sure to check both the hot and cold water supplies. Often, if there is a problem with the hot water heater and hot water is no longer being delivered, the cold side is still operable.
If you still cannot get the water to run, you may have a serious problem. It is possible that the buried water pipe leading from the streetside water meter to your house has burst or has been severed, diverting water intended for your house. Or the leak may be centered around the water meter.
You Have a Rapid Drainage Line Leak
If your kitchen sink or bathroom sink leaks from the trap directly below the counter, that is a fairly common issue that most homeowners can fix with simple tools and materials. Simply turn off the water, get under the sink, and replace the trap. In kitchens, the leak may be emanating from the garbage disposal. In this case, fix or replace your garbage disposal.
But drainage lines extend far beyond the sink cabinets and are not always so accessible. When a drainage line is actively leaking and is sealed up behind a wall or under a floor, you need to take immediate action. Calling a Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ plumber is the most expedient way to fix this problem and prevent further damage to the drywall, paint, subfloor, or floor covering. Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564
How Water Quality Affects Your Plumbing
Hard Water Is a Big Issue
If you were hoping for something really dramatic, such as information about water quality so bad that it will burn through copper pipes like acid, then we’re sorry to disappoint. And honestly, if you ever do encounter a problem like that, maybe a plumber is not the first person that you should call. While hard water may not be quite as exciting as that made-up scenario, it is what we’re going to talk about today.
There are a lot of issues that you may encounter with your water quality that may not result in problems with your plumbing itself but could pose health threats. Hard water is the exact opposite type of problem, though. While hard water is characterized by its high levels of mineral content, including magnesium and calcium, it is not a health risk. It is, however, something that can prove very problematic for your plumbing system.
As hard water travels through your pipes, it can leave deposits within those pipes. When that happens, the pipe is basically getting narrower and narrower. That’s a problem because constricting the flow of water through the pipes like that can result in increased pressure within those pipes. It’s not all about that ugly buildup that you see on fixtures in homes where hard water is an issue. This is a more serious problem than that!
But You Can Solve It!
How? With the use of a whole-house water softener. It’s just that easy. A water softener swaps out the minerals in the water causing hardness with sodium ions, and it treats all of the water running into your home. You don’t have to worry about hard water deposits restricting water flow through your pipes, nor do you need to worry about deposits building up on your water heater’s heating elements, in your washing machine, etc. Contact Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ today. Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564