What To Do If Your Pipes Freeze
What if your pipes still freeze, despite your best preventive measures? First step: Don’t panic. Just because they’re frozen doesn’t mean they’ve already burst. Here’s what you can do:
- If you turn on your faucets and nothing comes out, leave the faucets turned on and call a Green Apple plumber.
- Do not use electrical appliances in areas of standing water. You could be electrocuted.
- Never try to thaw a pipe with a torch or other open flame because it could cause a fire hazard. Water damage is preferable to burning down your house!
- You may be able to thaw a frozen pipe using a hairdryer. Start by warming the pipe as close to the faucet as possible, working toward the coldest section of pipe.
- If your water pipes have already burst, turn off the water at the main shutoff valve in the house; leave the water faucets turned on. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the water shutoff valve is and how to open and close it.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing problems please call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical toll-free at 888-611-7191
Furnace Myth Debunked
Myth: Setting the furnace at the highest temperature will heat your house faster.
Furnaces heat spaces at the same rate, regardless of the temperature on the thermostat. If you set the temperature to the highest setting, the only thing you will do is have a warmer home.
Instead of turning off the furnace before you leave your home or go to bed and then cranking up the heat later, which wastes energy, set the temperature a few degrees cooler. Doing so keeps your furnace from working harder to warm your home.
If you are having any difficulty with your home HVAC system or plumbing system be sure to contact your friends at Green Apple toll-free at 888-611-7191
Why You Should Fix That Leak ASAP
When you hear the annoying drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet, you are literally listening to money going down the drain. We should also not forget that only 1% of the water on the earth’s surface is usable for human consumption, so it’s important not to waste it. So how bad can a leaky faucet really be? Well, a slow drip can waste about 7-10 gallons of water per day, adding up to more than 3,600 gallons of water per year.
This simple small leak can cost you about $20 per year. A more significant faucet leak can produce 30 to hundreds of gallons of wastewater per day. The average costs of these fast dripping faucets will end up costing you $60 to $200 per year. If every American household had a leaky faucet dripping at just one drop per second, we would waste 928,000,000 gallons of water per day.
We know you don’t want to waste water or money for that matter so that’s why it’s so important to have any small leaks repaired as soon as possible. Repairing these small problems in a time efficient matter will save you lots of time and money. It’s especially important because slow leaks can cause costly unseen water damage.
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 toll-free at 888-611-7191
Freezing Temps Tonight. How To Prepare
There are freezing temperatures predicted tonight in the New Jersey area. The last thing you want to have happen is for your furnace to give out and you and your family to be stuck in a cold home with a broken furnace. It’s always best to be proactive and schedule an annual furnace inspection.
Our trained professionals will make sure that all of your furnace filters are clear and circulating clean air. We will give your HVAC a full and thorough inspection. It’s especially important this time of year to make sure there are no small problems that can turn into much larger and more expensive problems down the line if left unchecked.
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. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call your friends at Green Apple toll-free at 888-611-7191
Hot Plumbing Tips For The Cold
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Outside water valves
To protect your pipes and keep them from freezing in the severe cold, turn off the valve that controls the tap for your garden hose. This will avoid water entering the hose and freezing, causing the pipes to burst.
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Know the location of your home’s main water valve
In case of a major incident – such as a pipe bursting – when you might need to immediately shut off all of the water in the home, it’s critical to know where the main water valve is located. This valve is usually located next to the water meter and should be kept in good condition. To maintain your home’s main water valve and keep it in working order, open and close it once a year.
- We are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the New Jersey area for years with professionalism and expertise. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs please feel to call your friends at Green Apple toll-free at 888-611-7191
How To Keep Your Home Warm While The Snow Builds
There is snow predicted for the New Jersey area this weekend which means it’s extra important to make sure your furnace is operating at its full potential. The last thing you want to for your HVAC system is too not be operating at it’s optimum while it’s snowing and bitterly cold outside.
One of the best ways to ensure your furnace will be reliable for the full winter season is by scheduling an annual furnace inspection. Our trained professionals will make sure the filters are changed so that your home air quality is the best that it can be. We will also ensure that there are no small problems with your furnace that could possibly turn into a much larger and more expensive problem down the road.
We are the experts 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. 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 toll-free at 888-611-7191
Two Simple Ways To Prevent Heat Loss
2- Curtains are excellent for preventing heat loss. You can buy heavy-duty curtains, or thermal lining for your existing ones, for extra insulation. But try not to let your curtains hang over any radiators, as this can stop the heat from warming the room.
2- Insulating your home is one of the best ways to reduce your energy bills and make your house warmer and more comfortable. Warm air can escape from your home in all directions – including the roof, walls, floor, windows, and doors – meaning lots of the energy you pay for can go to waste.
If you don’t think your furnace is operating the way that it should be then please call your friends at Green Apple with any questions or concerns you might have regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs toll-free at 888-611-7191
Best Way To Protect Your Plumbing During The Winter
- Green Apple recommends Insulating pipes in unheated areas, such as attics, crawl spaces and basements.
- When below-freezing weather is forecast, open cupboard doors in the kitchen and bathrooms. This allows these pipes to get more heat from inside your home.
- If you leave home for several days, put your furnace on a low setting. This may not prevent freezing pipes but it can help.
- Let a slight drip of water run when temperatures dip below freezing. Use cold water to avoid water heating charges.
- If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs feel free to call your friends at Green Apple toll-free at 888-611-7191
How To Extend The Life Of Your HVAC System
The most common reason a heating and air conditioning system breaks down is because of a dirty filter. As dirt accumulates, air can’t pass, or worse, the system overheats. The motor then has to work harder. In a best-case scenario, your unit will need to be repaired. In the worst case, if your unit is older, not replacing filters could put it over the edge and require you to buy a new one. Replacing the filter is an easy way to lengthen the life of your heating system.
Another way to stay on top of your furnace’s needs is to make sure you schedule an annual furnace inspection to make sure your furnace is operating to its full potential and that there aren’t any small problems that can turn into much larger and more expensive problems down the road. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs please call your friends at Green Apple toll-free at 888-611-7191
How To Stop A Running Toilet
Try to keep adjusting the float until the water shuts off at the proper level. The water level in the tank is controlled by an adjustable float. A float that’s set too low produces a weak flush; if it’s set too high, water spills into the overflow tube and the fill valve won’t shut off.
If this doesn’t work and your toilet continues to run then make sure to call your local Green Apple professional. We have been serving the New Jersey 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 please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple toll-free at 888-611-7191