Cold Weather

Top 2 Signs Your Furnace Could Be Breaking Down

1) Your furnace is more than 15 years old
According to Consumer Reports, the average life expectancy for a gas furnace is 18 years.
However, according to EnergyStar.com, you should replace a furnace that’s over 15 years old with an ENERGY STAR rated furnace, which is 15% more energy efficient than other furnaces on the market.
To learn more about how much money you can save by upgrading to a new energy efficient furnace, read up on EnergyStar ratings, which measures furnace energy efficiency.
2) Your heating bill increased
A variety of problems could be causing this. But if you have repaired your furnace by a reputable heating company and had your air ducts properly sealed your energy bill shouldn’t increase dramatically.
A sudden increase in your heating bill from the years before may mean that your furnace is on its last legs. As internal parts wear out, your gas and electric bill may go up.
The extra money you’re paying in gas and electricity could go towards buying a new furnace.
If you have any questions or concerns  regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-611-7191

What To Do If Your Toilet Won’t Stop Running

1. Be sure to check the fill height: Any toilet includes a float that’s connected to the fill valve. This float may be set too high, which means the water will just run and run. Or it may be set too low, which means your toilet won’t flush very well. The water should stop about an inch short of the overflow tube’s rim. If it doesn’t, adjust the float. If the float continues to be a problem, it may be time for a replacement — which you can get at any hardware store.
2. If you still have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs then make sure to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-611-7191. We are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the NJ area for years with professionalism and expertise.

Why You Should Clean Up Your Furnace

Regardless of what type of furnace you have, performing regular maintenance is the key for efficient out comings and money savings. Since dirt is the biggest enemy of your furnace, as it wastes fuel and considerably lowers your furnace’s efficiency, you can save you a lot of money on heating costs as well as avoid expensive repairs in the future simply by keeping your furnace clean.
Because dirt affects all three basic components of your furnace: the filter system, the blower and the motor, your furnace filter should be replaced or cleaned at the beginning of the heating season and about once a month during periods of continuous in order to keep your home cleaner and to prevent dirt and debris from getting into your blower and damaging it.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-611-7191

Keep Your Garbage Disposal In Working Order

• Don’t use hot water while grinding food. It’s perfectly acceptable to run hot water down the drain after you’ve used the disposal. However, it is even more important that only cold water be used during the food grinding process.
• Don’t put grease, fat or items of this type in the disposal. These will cause the drain line to clog. Simply get rid of these items by putting them in the trash.
• Don’t feed the garbage disposal handfuls of vegetable peels all at once. The garbage disposal has a tough time with vegetable and fruit peels. Keep the cuttings in a separate container and feed them slowly into the grinder while running plenty of cold water.
• These are just a few of the ways that you can keep your garbage disposal operating but if you are still experiencing troubles with your garbage disposal make sure to call Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-611-7191

Experiencing Low Water Pressure?

The cause of dribbling sinks and showers isn’t always easy to pinpoint. Pipe obstructions, city supply issues and poor pipe design can all play a part in low-pressure fixtures.

If you have any questions regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing issues please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical toll-free at 888-611-7191. We are the professionals you can trust. We have been serving the New Jersey area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority.

Best Ways To Keep Your Furnace Running

• 1. Get a professional tune-up. By far, the best thing you can do to ensure that your furnace performs to the best of its ability is to schedule a professional tune-up every year. During a tune-up, our Green Apple technicians will inspect your furnace for any operational problems and perform a number of maintenance tasks (like cleaning your system) that will help avoid future breakdowns, improve efficiency levels and make sure that your system is running safely.
• 2. Keep your air filter clean. You’d be surprised at the number of furnace breakdowns we encounter that could have been prevented if the homeowner would have changed their air filter. A dirty filter will cause all sorts of performance and efficiency problems.
• 3. Test your CO detectors. CO detectors will warn you if your furnace develops a carbon monoxide leak, which could potentially be life-threatening to the people in your home. Make sure that your CO detectors are working and that they have a fresh set of batteries during the heating season.
• 4. Allow your air registers to breathe. If any of your air registers are closed or blocked off by furniture, your furnace will have a hard time heating your home evenly and effectively.
• 5. Check the pilot light in older furnaces. If you have an older furnace with a pilot light, check to ensure that the flame is burning bright blue. If it’s a different color, it is likely burning inefficiently and you should contact Green Apple Mechanical NJ at 888-611-7191 so we can investigate the problem.

7 Tips To Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing

1. If it is extremely cold outside, keep one or two faucets running slowly at all times. Water moving through the system should prevent the line from freezing.
2. Often times, the pipes that freeze are located near an outside wall or a window, so be sure to direct warm air to any colder areas of your home. (Start in your basement and look for any pipes near the exterior of the home.)
3. If your kitchen sink is on an outside wall (it usually is), be sure to leave cabinet doors open to allow warm air into the cabinet. Your kitchen faucet is usually a good faucet to leave on during extremely cold weather.
4. Be sure to disconnect your hose from the outside faucet. If you leave your hose connected, water is not able to drain out of your hose bib and will likely freeze and break the device.
5. There is a product called heat tape that can be installed and will warm pipes as needed during cold weather. While you could do this yourself, you may want to consult with a Green Apple NJ plumber to learn some good practices.
6. Seal leaks that allow cold air into your home where pipes are located. Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and pipes. Use caulk or insulation to keep the cold out. With severe cold, even a tiny opening can let in enough cold air to cause a pipe to freeze.
7. If you still have concerns about your system, call a licensed Green Apple NJ plumber toll-free at 888-611-7191 and ask them to come to your home and advise you about how to prevent pipes from freezing.

How To Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing

1. Insulate Water Pipes Whenever Possible: One major step in preventing frozen pipes is to ensure your pipes have some type of insulation. You can purchase foam pipe insulation covers from any hardware store. You can also wrap old blankets or even newspaper around the pipes. As an added bonus, insulating your pipes properly will also help cut energy costs for heating water overall.
2. Disconnect All Outside Hoses and Water Lines: This is especially important for people who live in a country setting and have multiple sources of water around their property. Generally, you aren’t going to be using very many hoses during winter. Shut off outside water lines that won’t be used until spring. Don’t forget to empty out the hoses as well.
Also, even if you don’t have outside water lines to worry about, at least know how to shut off the water line in your home. This will be important if a pipe does burst in your home.
3. Keep House Warm Even If You’re Away: It is usually recommended to drop your house’s temp if you’re away for the holidays during winter. Doing so helps your electric bill but can spell disaster for areas that freeze. The last thing you want is for your pipes to freeze and possibly burst when you aren’t even home to deal with it. Try to keep your house at a minimum of 68 F when you are away.
4. Keep Cupboards Open for Air Circulation: Another tip that works when you are home or away is keeping open bathroom and kitchen cupboards if possible. Doing this will help warm air in your home reach the pipes easier.
If you have any other questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-315-5564

Do You Have A Rising Heating Bill?

To be sure, there are multiple reasons why your bill could be going up. Whether you use gas, propane, or oil, the price fluctuates daily. A particularly cold winter or a drafty house could also drive up your bill. Still, the loss of your furnace’s efficiency could be a major cause of the increased bill. If your furnace is aging and your heating costs are going up, replacement may be your best option.
Experts recommend having a furnace inspection done once a year. Green Apple Mechanical can make sure your furnace is up to date and everything is operating as it should be. It’s much better to catch a small problem and fix it now than to wait until it becomes a much larger and more expensive situation.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-611-7191

How To Safely Thaw Frozen Pipes

• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame devices.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed Green Apple Mechanical NJ plumber.
• If you still have difficulty or have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical toll-free at 888-611-7191