Outside Plumbing

INCREASE YOUR CENTRAL AIR’S EFFICIENCY

CHECK OUT YOUR FURNACE

People tend to take their furnace for granted. It’s just that beast of a machine that takes up lots of basement space and blows hot air into the house when it’s cold. That’s all well and good, until it goes bad and suddenly you’re freezing in the winter! Do you really need to have your furnace checked every fall season? Yes, you do. Here’s why a fall furnace checkup is so necessary, and what your technician will do.
Annual Inspections
Every furnace manufacturer and HVAC technician recommends an annual inspection, maintenance and cleaning appointment for your furnace. A fall furnace checkup isn’t just to cost you money; it’s to keep your furnace in good working order. In fact, many manufacturers include wording that failure to maintain your furnace every year may void its warranty, or at very least, damage caused by failure to perform regular maintenance will not be covered.
Inspection and Tune-Up
Your technician will come in once a year and perform an inspection on your furnace to make sure everything is working properly and no repairs need to be made. The cost for this inspection varies from technician to technician but shouldn’t be more than a couple hundred dollars, assuming your system is working properly.
Each contractor will provide different services, but should be willing to outline what they do, why they do it, and what it will cost.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC needs please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll free at 888-611-7191
 

YOUR CENTRAL AIR MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

Maintain your equipment to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance by having a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups. Contractors get busy once summer and winter come, so it’s best to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall. To remember, you might plan the check-ups around the time changes in the spring and fall.

A typical maintenance check-up should include the following.

• Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling and heating system keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are away.
• Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.
• Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increases the amount of electricity you use.
• Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels.
• Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly.

Cooling Specific

• Clean evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils. Dirty coils reduce the system’s ability to cool your home and cause the system to run longer, increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
• Check your central air conditioner’s refrigerant level and adjust if necessary. Too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less efficient increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
• Clean and adjust blower components to provide proper system airflow for greater comfort levels. Airflow problems can reduce your system’s efficiency by up to 15 percent.

Heating Specific

• Check all gas (or oil) connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and heat exchanger. Improperly operating gas (or oil) connections are a fire hazard and can contribute to health problems. A dirty burner or cracked heat exchanger causes improper burner operation. Either can cause the equipment to operate less safely and efficiently.

Actions To Do Yourself

• Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump. Your contractor can show you how to do this. A dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage your equipment, leading to early failure.
• If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC needs please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical toll free at 888-611-7191

THE BEST WAYS TO KEEP YOUR CENTRAL AIR OPERATING

When temperatures rise into the high 20’s and 30’s your air conditioner and HVAC system has to work even harder to maintain your specific temperature setting. Keeping your air conditioner and HVAC system is good working order is the best way to make sure it works when you need it to. There’s nothing worse than sitting through a heat wave while waiting for an HVAC professional to come and fix your air conditioner. Remember lots of people have air conditioners that break during heat waves so most HVAC companies, especially reputable ones like Green Apple Mechanical NJ, get booked up much quicker than they normally do.

4 Ways To Keep Your Air Conditioner Running

1. Professional Air Conditioner Maintenance:  It’s important to have your air conditioner and HVAC system tuned up by a professional. It might not seem like a big deal, but it’s essential to have specific things done by a professional so your system is running as efficiently as possible. Some parts can be damaged if not cleaned properly, which is why a professional from a reputable company like Green Apple Mechanical NJ should be tasked with your air conditioner maintenance.
2. Replace Your Air Filters: Your air conditioner and HVAC system might have one or more air filters that need to be changed or cleaned on a regular basis. This is one of the easiest things that you can do to maintain the efficiency of your air conditioner and HVAC system. Replacing the filter also helps to reduce the amount of dust, pollen and other allergens in your home. Overall, a clean HVAC filter ensures that all the internal parts of your system are dust free and clean.
3. Stop Tinkering With Your Thermostat: Find a comfortable temperature for your home and then leave your thermostat alone. Once you find that temperature it’s important to set it for times during the day when you’re actually home. When you’re not home set your thermostat to maintain a higher temperature so it uses less energy. A programmable thermostat should only be adjusted if your habits change and you find yourself home during an irregular time. Overall, once you set it the less you tamper with it means that your air conditioner and HVAC system will run more efficiently.
4. Cover Your Windows: Blinds, shades, curtains or any other type of window covering help keep the sun out during the day when it’s very hot. When the sun shines through a window it turns your home into a fishbowl and super-heats the air. As a result your air conditioner has to work extra hard to cool your home. Planting trees and other foliage in your yard to block the sun can also help.

For more information about how to keep your air conditioner working efficiently or to book a maintenance or repair appointment contact Green Apple Mechanical NJ today toll free at 888-611-7191.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CENTRAL AIR WON’T WORK

Is your AC not working? If your central air conditioner is not cooling right, save money, time, and get comfortable again with these expert DIY air conditioning troubleshooting and repair techniques.
In brief:

If your AC is not working at all:

1. Be sure it is receiving power at the electrical panel.
2. Reset the equipment’s switches and/or overloads. 
3. Check the thermostat settings.
4. Check the condensate overflow switch.

If your AC is not cooling but runs:

1. Turn off the power.
2. Clean or change the filter.
3. Look to see if ice has formed on the coils and, if it has, turn on the power and the fan to melt it.
4. Clean the condensate drain.
5. Check and clean the outdoor compressor.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC needs please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll free at 888-611-7191

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON CENTRAL AIR

BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR CENTRAL AIR THIS SUMMER

Who wants cool air indoors on hot days this spring and summer?
You do?
Good, then you’re in the right place.
The last thing you want is your AC to break down on a hot, sweltering day.
To prevent that, do these 4 things:
1) Check the air filter monthly
The air filter is supposed to protect your heating and cooling system from dust and other particles. But if the filter it gets too dirty, it can cause costly damage.
Here’s how.
When running, your AC is constantly pulling in air via the return grille (where the air filter is located).
But if the air filter is dirty, it acts like a barrier, reducing airflow over the evaporator coil (the part that cools the air) causing it to freeze. Operating your AC like this for too long can destroy the outdoor unit’s compressor.
If the compressor breaks and it’s not under warranty, you want to consider buying a new outdoor unit. The compressor is the main component of your AC system and very expensive.
Check the air filter once a month.
2) Clean the outside air conditioning unit
Your central air conditioner has 2 units: the inside and outside unit. If you don’t clean the outside unit, your air conditioner will run inefficiently—and possibly break down.
How?
Well, it helps to know how an AC works.
But here’s what you need to know in a nutshell:
Your air conditioner’s indoor unit absorbs heat from the indoor air (making it cool) using refrigerant. That refrigerant travels to the outside unit where it releases heat with the help of the compressor and fan.
But here’s the problem: If dirt, grass, dust, leaves or limbs are covering the outside unit, it has a trouble dispersing the heat from the refrigerant. That means your AC will work longer to cool your home because it’s struggling to meet your home’s temperature.
A blower running full speed, 24/7 increases the chance that it’ll break down.
Solution: Have an AC professional clean your coils with specially designed coil cleaner chemicals.
3) Don’t close air vents
You may think that closing vents in unused rooms saves you money, but it actually increases energy bills and can cause damage to the AC.
Here’s how.
Closing air vents increases pressure in your air duct system. That’s bad new for your system’s blower, which is designed to deliver air against a particular pressure. Closing vents will force the blower to move less air, decreasing airflow over the evaporator coil.
So it’s kind of like having a dirty air filter: the reduced airflow will cause the compressor to break.
So keep those air vents open!
4) Get professional preventative maintenance
Your air conditioner needs professional maintenance just like your car does.
Maintenance helps catch small problems before they become larger—more expensive— problems.
According to ENERGY STAR, you need to, “Maintain your equipment to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance by having a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups.”
By “pre-season” they mean spring for air conditioners and fall for furnaces.
If your air conditioner has not had maintenance in a year or more, schedule an air conditioner maintenance visit with the professionals at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll free at 888-611-7191

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR HEATING UNIT DURING THE SUMMER

Summer means no more heater running during the day. This also means you need to get some maintenance done on your heater before the summer months. There are a few things you can do to get your heater ready for summer and then for the next fall/winter to come in. Here are a few things to consider when summer hits to help your heater run its best. You do not want to wait until winter to find out something is wrong.
Clean It
After a long winter your heater can build up dust and debris from the cold months. Take this time to clean out the unit and get it ready for a settled in summer. You can easily clean your boiler, furnace or central heater vents while the heat is off. This is a great time to do this because your heater is not needed during the summer.
Maintenance
Be sure to have regular maintenance or repairs done on your heater during the summer. You will typically get a better price on the repairs and you will have a readily supply of furnace technicians. This is also a great time to replace your unit if needed. Since this is not a hopping time for furnace or heater technicians, you can get a great deal on a new unit or get your heater problem fixed fairly quickly. This is important because you do not want to be in the middle of the cold season without a heater. Take time to have your maintenance run on your heater then so you are not worried about it come winter.
Covers
Some choose to place covers on their heating units when not in use. This is easy to do if you want to. You can keep the unit from getting dirt, debris and other items in the way. Check into covers for your heating unit and see if it is advised for your particular heater.
Change Filters
You want to make sure your filters are cleaned out or replaced in the summer as well. That way you will be ready for the winter months when they hit. If you replace them early then when it does get cold you don’t have to worry about grabbing a filter or blowing soot into your home.
These are just a few things to keep in mind when getting your heater ready for summer.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll free at 888-611-7191

THE BEST WAYS TO CARE FOR YOUR CENTRAL AIR

Save some money and stay cool on these hot summer nights.
 
The outside portion of your AC is responsible for throwing off the heat from inside your home.  It does this by using refrigerant in copper tubes connecting the inside cooling coil (typically attached to the furnace) to the outside condenser.
It is important to keep the outside portion of your AC away from grass, leaves, brush and debris for it to work the best it can. It needs a good amount of air to do its job of getting the refrigerant cooled off when it cycles through the condensing unit part of the AC. Nothing should block the vents of the outside AC unit and it is best to have it clear two feet around the unit. When you sweep, cut weeds, or mow make sure that none of that debris goes into the condenser.
Aside from keeping things clear around the outside unit sometimes the inside or the outside coils can get dirty, diminishing the cooling capability, increasing the cooling cost by making the unit work harder.  You can help keep the inside coils clean by regularly changing your filters or having the furnace serviced with a company that tests the AC, cleans it and changes the filter.  The dirty coils can be professionally cleaned if needed for top performance.  Some people try to clean the coils themselves but it has been our experience since the coils are delicate, we along with other heating and AC contractors are often called in to fix the damage from home coil cleanings.
A cool condenser doesn’t have to work as hard as a hot condenser.  Keeping the unit shaded is helpful in reducing the energy costs and the units tend to last a little longer.  The Department of Energy suggests shading your condensing unit to save up to 10% on your cooling bill.  Take care not to plant a tree where the leaves fall into the condenser so it stays clean.
Programmable thermostats can help your AC reach the ideal temperature when you get home.  Some people turn their AC on and off putting a lot of wear on the unit and the room warms up again fairly quickly. This is mainly because the air did not have a chance to mix with warmer air in the home and certainly it did not have the time needed to cool the objects in the room.
 
Some newer units are learning systems – they actually take measurements and learn how long (or short) the period of time is to cool or heat your home.  When the unit is turned off and on when you have a learning piece of equipment it defeats the energy efficient purpose that the unit is trying to accomplish.  On very hot days, any unit will need several hours to cool the space.  At times we hear of customers that are looking for a 20 degree temperature drop in a very short period of time.  This is an unreasonable expectation.  A consistent temperature is the best way to make sure that your home is cool when you get home.  So on very hot days many of our customers tend to leave the AC on a temperature such as 75 or 80 to prevent the home from overheating.  This makes it easier for the AC to get a comfortable living temperature when the occupants return or try to sleep.
Even after you checked to be sure that the condenser area is clear and clean plus the filter was changed it’s prudent to have a spring tune up for your AC.  A Green Apple Mechanical NJ professional technician can tell you if the refrigerant should be recharged or if there is an issue that needs to be addressed.  Energy efficiency and peace of mind on those dog days of summer certainly make up for the tune up charge for your AC.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC needs please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll free at 888-611-7191

HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR CENTRAL AIR

Your central air-conditioning system needs to work at its best in the hottest weather. Here are some tips to get more savings and comfort out of your air conditioning.
Block sunlight. The sun’s heat can increase the indoor temperature significantly, said Harvey Sachs of the non-profit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy in Washington.
Close window coverings on the sunny sides of the house during the day, Sachs said. Longer term, consider adding awnings or planting trees for shade.
Leave it on. People sometimes turn the central air conditioning on only at night to save money. That’s fine when the weather isn’t too hot, but it’s a bad idea when the temperature reaches 90 or so.
Turning off the A/C in extreme heat lets heat and moisture build up in the house, he said. The unit can’t eliminate them quickly enough to make the house comfortable at night, and it uses a lot of electricity trying.
Clear the condenser. The outdoor condensing unit needs a supply of outside air to blow across the heated refrigerant. Make sure the condenser has enough space around it to permit good air flow. Trim plants that are growing close to the unit, and make sure no mulch, grass or debris is blocking the bottom openings.
Energy auditor Karl Bella recommends a clearance of at least 8 inches all around.
Check the air filter. In almost every forced-air system, the furnace filter also is the air-conditioning filter. A clogged filter reduces air flow. Change or clean it as often as the manufacturer recommends, usually every one to three months.
Set the fan on automatic. Conventional wisdom used to dictate running the fan on an air-conditioning system constantly to keep air moving throughout the house. Newer research suggests otherwise, Bella said.
Leaving the fan running increases the stack effect, a house’s tendency to draw outside air to replace air that rises and escapes through openings high in the building. The more hot outside air comes in, the harder the air conditioner has to work, he said.
Sachs said that when the fan runs non-stop, the moving air picks up moisture from the saturated coils when the compressor isn’t running. That defeats the unit’s purpose of drying the air.
Mind the registers. Central air conditioning works best if air can flow through the house freely. Make sure nothing is blocking supply registers or cold-air returns, Bella said.
Don’t be tempted to block air returns. It might seem logical that they’ll keep the cooled air in a room, but they just keep the air from returning to the central unit.
Be careful when closing supply registers in unoccupied rooms. Overdoing it un balances air flow throughout the house and results in cool and hot spots, the American Council for an Energy- Efficient Economy says.
Leave the oven off. Even when closed, a hot oven adds as much heat to the air as an air conditioner can take out in the same amount of time, Foraker said. Try not to cook indoors on the hottest days.
Turn out the lights. Incandescent light bulbs turn only 10 percent of electricity into light. The rest becomes heat. Turn off unneeded lights or switch to cooler compact fluorescent bulbs.
Use ceiling fans. A ceiling fan moves air over the skin, evaporating perspiration and making you feel cooler. Running one even when the air conditioning is on will increase your comfort.
The fans also help move air around the room, but it’s not enough of a benefit to justify leaving a ceiling fan on in an unoccupied room, the Alliance to Save Energy says.
Minimize humidity. Don’t add more moisture to the air than is necessary. Run exhaust fans when you shower, and run hot-water appliances — dishwashers and clothes washers —in the evening, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy recommends.
Check the duct dampers. In a house with more than one floor, adjusting the balancing dampers helps to send the cool air where you want it.
A damper is essentially a little door in the duct that directs more or less air to a particular part of the house. A lever on the outside of the duct controls the damper.
Look for the dampers in the supply ducts somewhere near the furnace.
In winter, you want to direct most of the heated air to the lower level, because warm air rises. In summer, you want to direct most of the cool air to the upper level.
Once you find those positions, mark them with a W for winter and an S for summer. You might even note in your calendar to change the dampers in spring and fall.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC needs please feel free to contact your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll free at 888-611-7191