How To Save Your Pipes From Freezing

Tip #1: Keep the Heat On

4 Ways Heat Could Be Escaping Your Home

Insulate the attic. Is there insulation in your attic? If so, how much? The existence and amount of insulation that is there is crucial to your home’s ability to hold in the rising warm air. If checking your attic insulation status is not something that you can easily do, contact a local contractor or insulation installer for an in-home evaluation.
Insulate your walls. Some older homes have very little insulation in their walls. The minimum that usually suggested for exterior walls is 6” thick. But, some have only four inches. Removing your walls to add more fiberglass insulation is all but impossible and can be a very involved home repair. Blown-in insulation is an easier and more efficient option. The amount of insulation in your walls can be increased quickly and easily by using it. If you think that some of your home’s heat loss could be attributed to the lack of insulation in your walls, then consider adding some blown-in insulation.
Replacement windows. Ill-fitting, warped, old windows can certainly be a contributing factor to your heat loss. Old wood windows with single pane glass are a far cry from the double pane insulated glass windows of today. Vinyl replacement windows are custom made to fit and are composed of the highest quality vinyl. These windows will add beauty while making your home more energy efficient.
Replace your doors. Entrance doors can be the focus of the exterior of your home. They can easily add character, color, and style to set your house apart. Unfortunately, if these doors are old, they very well could be allowing cold air into your home and hot air out. Replacing your doors with a new replacement fiberglass or steel door can stop this unwanted air exchange.
If you have any HVAC or plumbing questions call Green Apple toll-free at 888-611-7191

These Are Your Top 5 Fall Plumbing Musts

Fall is here and it is time to start thinking about taking care of your plumbing before heading into the winter months.  Many of us are still drying out from our recent rains, but it is never too early to prepare your plumbing for the changing seasons.

1. Store your garden hoses before temperatures drop

As temperatures drop, you’ll want to make sure your hoses make it through the colder weather. Start by disconnecting each hose and draining it, ensuring any leftover water has been removed. If any water is left inside the hose when it gets really cold, it will freeze and can potentially break it.

2. Cover your outdoor faucets with Styrofoam

To protect your outdoor faucets from freezing temperatures, invest in a very affordable foam faucet cover. It looks like half an igloo and basically acts as an insulation to keep the outside cold out. Save your faucets from freezing with this very simple and quick solution.

3. If you’re away for an extended period, shut off valves

If you’re not home for an extended period of time, it’s a good idea to shut off water valves as temperatures begin to drop. Some water meters are located inside, while some are located outside. Look for a round, wheel-type handle and turn it all the way to the right, clockwise. To check whether it’s shut off, test each faucet by turning it on to its highest level. The water should eventually drain and no longer flow.

4. Clear out your home’s gutters

If you have a ladder handy, carefully use it to inspect the gutters around the exterior of your home. Clear out any leaves or debris that could block water from flowing and draining.

5. Check your water heater settings

During the colder months, your water heater has to work harder to deliver warm water when you need it. As temperatures drop, make sure your water heater is set to 120 degrees to ensure it’s prepared to perform at its best.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your plumbing or HVAC needs call Green Apple toll-free at 888-611-7191

2 Major Reasons You Must Schedule An Annual Furnace Inspection

Reduce Repairs

Having a technician check your furnace significantly reduces the number of furnace repairs that you could have possibly done. Some heating problems can easily be averted through checkups. This is because the checkups include cleaning the furnace as well as fixing any small problems before they turn into major problems. Remember, your furnace works overtime during fall and winter due to the enormous demand of warming the home and this eventually results in system failure if a checkup is not done on time.

Saves time

Getting your furnace checked before winter is not only convenient but it will also save you on time and inconvenience. A furnace checkup will definitely save you from sitting in the cold as you wait for the technician to come. Besides, when done at the right time the charges are bound to be more affordable.
Green Apple 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 888-611-7191

Don’t Ignore These Furnace Sounds

When Not To Hesitate To Call A Plumber

After the clogged drain, the water leak is the most common and persistent trouble affecting home plumbing. Leaks in pipes and valves create water damage, lowers water pressure throughout a plumbing system, wastes water, and can even create unhealthy conditions. For example, you don’t want leaks in sewer lines allowing bacteria and other contaminants into your house, and even fresh water leaks can create the growth of harmful molds.
This list of leaky plumbing problems is one of the reasons you should never wait to call a professional Green Apple plumber to fix a leak. Any plumber will tell you that there’s no such thing as a “minor” leak. A leak can be small, but the accumulation of water still causes plenty of damage. Small leaks often get the opportunity to create problems because people brush them off and delay calling for a pro to fix them.
Green Apple 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 at 888-611-7191

How To Keep Your Furnace Fresh With New Filters

You don’t see your furnace filters often so many people don’t think of them often. When you have a clean furnace filter in place, your furnace will run optimally, keeping your home at an ideal temperature. A dirty filter will inhibit the performance of your furnace. It may even cause your furnace to fail.

What Kind?

There are so many different kinds of furnaces, and each has its own unique filter size, shape, and life cycle. Know your furnace filter size. As a homeowner it’s important to always have a few on hand. Use a marker and write the date on it when you put it in place. When you mark the date on your furnace filter you will know how long it’s been in place, and get a better idea of when it’s time to replace it. A good habit to get into would be to check it monthly.

When?

The disposable, inexpensive furnace filters will typically need to be replaced every 4 to 6 weeks, or whenever they get too dirty to function properly, or according to manufacturers recommendation. How can you tell if it is too dirty? Take the filter out and hold it up to the light. If you can mostly see through it, it’s still clean enough to function properly. If you can’t see through it, it’s time to change it.

Which Way?

Do you know what direction the air is flowing through your furnace? If you’re not sure, ask your Green Apple HVAC technician to show you. Mark your furnace with an arrow and write “Air Flow”. Inexpensive filters may also have an arrow or “Air Flow” marked on it. Make sure to place the filter in the proper orientation.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free at 888-611-7191

4 Tips To Keep Your Pipes Clean & Clear

1. Maintain Your Sinks

To keep your drain clear after you clean it out in this manner, from time to time pour a little bleach into the sink. Let it sit overnight or for at least an hour before you run water down the drain again.

2. Ditch the Grease

Grease build-up in your kitchen sink drain can be remedied with liquid dish detergent and a large volume of boiling water. Put a big pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Squirt a generous amount of dish liquid (at least a tablespoon) directly into your drain and pour the boiling water into the drain, a little at a time. The rapidly boiling water will melt grease deposits while the detergent helps to dissolve grease and oil and allow the boiling water to flush it away. You may want to repeat this process two to three times if the grease build-up is substantial.

3. Hotter Than Usual Water

It may seem obvious, but simply putting hot water down your kitchen and bathroom sink drains at least weekly can go a long way to keeping them clean and clear. For the kitchen sink, hot water will help to melt and flush away light grease deposits. Bathroom drains also benefit from very hot water since you normally wouldn’t use such hot water for washing your hands or face.

4. Use Cold Water Wisely

Conversely, when running your garbage disposal, run copious amounts of COLD water down the drain, not hot. Cold water will keep oils and grease in a solid state so they can be broken up by the disposal, whereas hot water will melt and soften grease and encourage it to coat the inside of your drain. Only use hot water after you have already run the disposal to help remove any grease deposits that may have formed when you were washing pots and pans.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call Green Apple toll-free @ 888-611-7191

How Not To Make Your Furnace Work Too Hard

What Is The Average Life Span Of A Furnace?

While some furnaces can last over 40 years (extremely rare), the average lifespan of a typical gas furnace is around 15-30 years. As long as you have scheduled yearly furnace maintenance, your furnace should easily last over 15 years.
Here are some factors that will affect how long your furnace will last:

• Make and model of the furnace (newer systems have longer lifespans than older units).
• Frequency and quality of furnace maintenance. In order to maintain manufacturer’s warranties and keep your system clean and efficient, schedule fall furnace maintenance every year with a licensed Green Apple technician that also fully cleans your system. Learn more about professional furnace tune-ups.
• Moisture levels and proper ventilation. Too much moisture can cause heater components to rust and premature breakdowns. Moisture is especially harmful to heat exchangers.
• Proper installation. According to Energy Star, over half of all new HVAC systems are improperly installed. As a result, rated efficiency levels can be reduced as much as 30% and can lead to premature breakdowns, comfort problem, and insufficient air distribution and dehumidification. The most important day of your furnace’s life is the day it is installed.

As you can see, many factors play a role in how long your furnace will last. No one thing will be able to tell you how long your furnace will last (age, tune-ups, humidity levels, installation). If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-611-7191