Tag: Plumbing

Why Not To Ignore Your Ductwork & Outside Compressor

Pay Attention to the Duct Work

Even the ductwork in new homes can be dirty, as construction debris and dust naturally collects inside them. If rodents have visited your home, then your ducts may also have a coating of droppings and nesting materials inside them. When the air turns on, fine particulates drift into the home and lower your indoor air quality. They also drift back through your air conditioner system on the return air side and start to hamper air flow. Have the ducts professionally cleaned to improve indoor air quality and make your system more energy efficient.

Clean the Outside Compressor

One of the most important central air efficiency tips is to keep your compressor and condenser coils clean. However, the coils can get dirty, which means they will struggle to absorb heat effectively. You can clean the evaporator and condenser coils with a garden hose, but be careful to not get any electrical connections wet. When cleaning coils, inspect the fins as they are delicate and bend easily. If you notice any bent fins, simply straighten them out using a fin comb. In addition, you should remove any grass, weeds or old leaves from the winter that accumulate near your air conditioner, and avoid landscaping within two feet of the unit. Items should not be stored near the exterior compressor, because anything blocking air flow makes the system less energy efficient.

Save Up to Buy a New Air Conditioner

If you are wondering how to make your air conditioning more efficient while you drag along an elderly unit that is decades old, it’s nearly certain that the most effective way to bring your cooling bills down is to invest in a new air conditioner altogether. Look for a unit that bears the Energy Star label so you know that you’re purchasing one of the most efficient models on the market. It’s a large amount of cash to shell out in one go, but you’ll thank yourself later with the savings you experience over time, not to mention all the future breakdowns and repairs that you avoid.

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

Why You Should Always Keep An Eye On Your Plumbing

Taking care of your home’s plumbing is essential to keeping the clean water flowing in and flushing your home’s waste out. Most people don’t think about their plumbing until a problem arises. By then, however, they are left with a huge mess and, ultimately, a large bill.

This can be avoided. Plumbing maintenance is something you should do regularly to catch small problems that can turn into large, expensive problems later. Maintenance also helps you conserve water and save on energy bills.

Not only could faulty-working plumbing parts cause more expensive issues later, but they can also waste money in the meantime. One small leak can waste a lot of water. As the water comes out drip by drip, it adds up. One drip per minute from just one faucet in your home adds up to about 1, 440 drips per day and 34 gallons per year!

Maintaining your home’s plumbing system means checking for small leaks periodically. It also involves performing some seasonal plumbing maintenance to catch problems and repair them as soon as possible. With seasonal plumbing maintenance, you should be inspecting and maintaining your septic system, as well as servicing your water-using appliances — water heaters, washing machine, and dishwasher.

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 at 888-315-5564

Make Your HVAC System Last With A Little Checkup

• Reliably and safety: During routine annual maintenance, your Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical technician performs a variety of tasks to ensure that your equipment stays working reliably and safely throughout the heating and cooling seasons when it’s under the heaviest workload. A service visit is also an opportunity to identify any minor issues while they’re easy and less costly to fix, which helps you avoid more expensive repairs in the future.
• You’ll pay lower energy bills: If it’s not inspected regularly, your HVAC system’s efficiency can gradually erode due to dirty cooling coils, low refrigerant levels, clogged air filters, low furnace gas pressure, poor combustion efficiency, and other issues. When these and other issues are addressed during twice-yearly maintenance, your heating and cooling equipment is able to run at maximum efficiency, and you’ll save on energy and operating costs.
• You’ll enjoy a more comfortable home: A clean, well-maintained air conditioner, heat pump or furnace can provide ample airflow and more effective temperature and humidity control so that it’s easier to keep your home comfortable whether it’s heating or cooling season.
• Your HVAC equipment is less likely to fail prematurely: Your HVAC system components are just like any other type of mechanical equipment; they not only perform better but they last longer when they’re well maintained. With regular preventive care, your equipment should meet, or even exceed, its expected service life.
• 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

3 Signs Of A Failing Garbage Disposal

1. Abnormal Noises

If you’ve ever had a piece of silverware slip into your garbage disposal unnoticed, you know just how loud disposals can be. When a new noise occurs, especially any metal-sounding noise, use your hand and a light to check for an obvious source like a lost spoon.

If there doesn’t seem to be anything blocking the blades, the disposal components may be misaligned so that they grind together when you run the appliance. In most cases, a quick adjustment can resolve the problem. It’s important to address new disposal noises as soon as possible because obstructions damage the motor.

2. Frequent Resets

The reset button on your garbage disposal is intended to help the appliance recover from unusual situations, like large loads or clogs. But if your garbage disposal is in good shape, you shouldn’t need to use the reset button very often.

If you have to reset the disposal frequently, or even every time you switch it on, your garbage disposal maybe aging out. Another common cause of frequent resets is loose wiring which you will need a plumber or electrician to resolve safely.

3. Inexplicable Clogs

You know that you should wash food particles down the drain in small amounts to avoid clogging the garbage disposal. But if you start to notice that no matter how small your loads are they always seem to jam the appliance, the problem may not be with your cleaning habits.

In some cases, clogs can indicate that you simply need a higher capacity model. In other situations, these clogs may indicate a malfunction in the device. Garbage disposals on average last for about 15 years.

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

Reasons Why Central Air Is Just Common Sense

1. Comfort. Perhaps that best feature of central air is that it keeps all of your rooms cool and comfortable, not just the ones that have a window unit. With central air, you won’t have one room that’s hot and steamy while another room is almost chilly.

2. Energy efficiency. A central air system can be more efficient than having multiple small window units. This is especially true if you use a heat pump system to cool your home. Heat pumps use the naturally-cooled air from the ground surrounding your home and funnel it into the interior,

3. Better air quality. Another major benefit to central air is that by running all of your indoor air through a central unit, the air gets filtered more efficiently, resulting in fewer allergens, pet hair, and allergens in the air that circulate via your ductwork system. In addition, by having your windows closed and secured, less dirt will be blown in via the cracks around a window unit.

4. Quieter. Window air conditioning units make a lot of noise. Making the switch to central air will make your home more peaceful.

5. Less hassle. Another disadvantage to window units is that you have to take them in and out of the windows in the spring and fall. Often, you also have to fit wood or other pieces around the unit so it will fit snugly in the window opening and not allow bugs to enter. Once the units are out of the window, you have to find a place to store them for the offseason.

6. Security. Having your windows partially open to allow for the window air conditioning units can make it a lot easier for burglars and vandals to enter your home. Even if you nail the windows in the open position, they are much less secure than being closed and locked.

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

One Way To Maximize Your Central Air

Maximize Air Flow With Fans

Positioning several different kinds of fans throughout your home can make a huge difference in the comfort and feel of the air inside. You have a couple of different options here: ceiling fans, tabletop fans, and floor fans.

Some of the best things you can have throughout your house are ceiling fans. Make sure your ceiling fans are set to rotate clockwise during the summer. This way, the air can flow downward, preventing excess heat from rising up into the higher levels of your home and making your air conditioner have to pick up the slack. When the weather begins to cool off again, you can reverse your ceiling fan to spin the other direction.

Additionally, you should have other types of smaller fans throughout your rooms in order to maximize the cool air that runs through your house. Smaller tabletop fans and floor fans are easily moved from room to room and cool extremely effectively.

There are also many other ways to keep your home cool without having to make your air conditioner work too hard. Green Apple Plumbing and 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

Prevent A Plumbing Disaster

1. Check your basement pipes. Make sure any exposed pipes in the basement, under sinks, or outside, are free from cracks or damage from freezing. A leak in the basement can easily go unnoticed and cause hundreds to thousands of dollars in damage to your home.
2. Check your faucets. Look for any drips or leaks that may need repairs. Make sure all drains are clean and not clogged. Inspect the toilet and tank for any hidden leaks or cracks and make sure your toilet is not running, which could run up your water bill.
3. Check your water heater. The temperature should be set no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit or you will notice higher utility costs. Also, consider replacing it if it is over 15 years old or you run the risk of it breaking down when you need it most.
4. Check out your appliances. Look for any leaks around your dishwasher, washing machine, and ice maker to prevent costly damage to your appliances.
5. Install flood alarms. Just like a smoke alarm, a flood alarm will sound when it meets water. This can help avoid the potential for flooding and save you the costs of damages to your home and belongings.
6. Check your water pressure. If you’re experiencing low water pressure, this could be the sign of a water leak. A water leak you do not see is one that can cost you the most money. It is best to get it checked out before it does irreversible damage.
7. 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 Long Does A Normal Central Air Unit Last?

It should come as no surprise that one of the most important elements that affect the lifespan of an A/C unit, like any appliance, is how often it is used. An A/C unit in a region where frequent use is required on average can last 10 to 15 years, while one that is used less frequently may continue operating for 20 or even 25 years (all other variables held constant).

In order to extend the life of your unit, consider turning the thermostat up a couple of degrees so there is less strain put on the unit. In most cases, this will not result in much impact on your comfort level, but it can have a significant impact on the performance of your system over time.

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 Frequently Should My Central Air Be Serviced?

How often should your central air conditioning unit be serviced if there is no problem? Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ recommends that our qualified heating and air conditioning professional should inspect your A/C system at least once each year, as regular service of your A/C unit can help ensure its efficiency.

Even if you don’t suspect any problems with your air conditioning unit, heating, and cooling experts know that it’s a good idea to have it inspected, serviced and cleaned once a year to ensure it operates at peak energy efficiency and is ready to cool your house during the months when you need it most.

As your HVAC system runs, it accumulates dust and dirt in key areas that affect its efficiency, like the condensing coils and air filters. Left unchecked, your A/C system can lose 5 percent of its operating efficiency each year because of this buildup, meaning it can’t cool your house as well as it could if it were clean.

At Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ we offer low-priced, preventative maintenance service contracts and we’ll check and service your HVAC unit. We will provide preferred scheduling to preventive maintenance customers, should an issue arise during our busy season. Give us a call today, and we will help you find an HVAC maintenance plan that is right for your needs and your family’s comfort all year long!

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 To Extend The Life Of Your Garbage Disposal

• 1. Grind ice cubes to help maintain your unit. Grinding a few ice cubes once a month will help sharpen your unit’s blades and clear away waste that’s stuck on the walls of your disposal.
• 2. Don’t use drain cleaners on your disposal. The chemicals in drain cleaners can damage your disposal. If you have a clog, give a Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ plumber a call or try the step below to fix it instead.
• 3. Hand-crank the disposal to break up jams. One of the best ways to fix disposal jams to stick an Allen wrench in the slot at the bottom of your unit and manually crank the blades to free it up.
• 4. Don’t forget about the reset button. If your disposal is acting up, check and see if the reset button at the bottom of the unit has tripped. If it’s popped out, press it back down and try running it again.
• 5. Exercise caution when retrieving something from your disposal. If you accidentally drop something down your disposal, be very careful when trying to retrieve it. Make sure your unit is unplugged before attempting anything and try grabbing the object with pliers or a bent coat hanger instead of your hand.
• 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