Plumbing

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 Get 100% From Your Furnace

The most important thing is to make sure your system is running at peak efficiency.  This means annual routine maintenance once a year. A professional tune-up performed by a Green Apple Technician involves both the efficiency and safety of the system.  A trained technician can clean the internal components, tighten anything that may have become loose, and check for any larger issues waiting to strike. A small thing like a loose bolt can create a lot of wear and tear on the furnace as a whole. Not only does maintenance help reduce the risk of a breakdown later, but it keeps the furnace running efficiently, which helps lower your monthly bills.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing concerns please feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-611-7191

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

A New Year! A New Furnace?

We often get asked how long does a furnace usually last? Generally speaking, a furnace can be expected to last between 15 and 20 years. This average varies, of course, based on the quality of the unit, how it’s used and whether it has been properly maintained. It can also depend on the specific type of unit, with forced air systems with a heat pump at the lower end of the range (at around 15 years), and gas- or oil-fueled models coming in at around 18 years. If your model is more than 25 years old, it’s probably very near the end of its useful life, and it’s time to start planning to replace it.
If you are experiencing problems with your furnace it’s a good idea to have a Green Apple Mechanical technician look at it. Experts agree that your furnace should be inspected at least once a year to make sure there are no underlying problems that could turn into something more significant if left unchecked.
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

Here’s How To Stop Your Plumbing From Freezing

• Keep your garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.
• If you have any more 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

How To Fight The Freezing Temps In New Jersey

New Jersey is experiencing a deep freeze and hopefully, your home furnace is operating properly and to its full potential. This time of year it’s more important than ever to have a furnace that is up to date and working at it’s best. Make sure that the filters are clear so as much heat as possible can get through.
Green Apple recommends changing the furnace filters at least once a month. This way the air circulating throughout the home is as clean as possible and your furnace doesn’t have to work as hard to push the air through. Experts recommend having an annual furnace inspection done once a year to ensure that there are no small problems that can turn into much larger and more expensive problems if left unchecked.
We are the experts you can trust. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing concerns call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-611-7191

Make Sure Your Furnace Is Always Ready To Go

By having regular maintenance performed on your furnace you are ensuring that your furnace will operate smoothly when you need it the most. As the weather gets colder the last thing you want is for your furnace to give out at the most inopportune time. HVAC experts all recommend having your furnace inspected once a year. A certified technician will inspect your furnace and make sure all the filters are clear and that there are no small problems that could 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 feel free to call your friends at Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-611-7191

What To Do If Your Pipes Bursts

1. Stop the water
The very first thing you will want to do is call a certified technician from Green Apple Mechanical NJ toll-free at 888-611-7191. Then make sure you turn off the water flow when you suspect a pipe has broken, even if you don’t know where the water’s coming from. You’ll find the stop tap on the water main. It is typically located under the kitchen sink or where the main service pipe connects to your house. Every family member should know the location of the water shut-off stopcock for emergencies.
Once the main water switch is off, you’ll need to drain the pipes. To do this, run the cold water on all the faucets. Be sure to flush each toilet at least once. Shut off the hot water heater. Once the hot water system is off, go back to each faucet and run the hot water to drain that supply. When there is no more running tap water, the leak will stop.
If you experience a plumbing emergency or 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