Our plumbing and HVAC experts tackle your FAQs!

Your 3 most common questions – answered!

Got a question? You aren’t alone! We get asked lot of the same questions from customers and are sharing the answers here to help you stay proactive with your home maintenance. If we don’t answer it here, though, please call us and we are happy to help

1. What’s wrong with my water heater?

This is a multi-pronged question since there could be several reasons your water heater isn’t working properly. What have you noticed lately? Based on the most commonly occurring symptoms we’ll help you asses the problem.

• I’m not getting enough hot water.
  • Don’t panic — more often than not, this can be remedied with a quick tweak to your temperature settings. Try turning up the temperature slightly and allow 24 hours for it to adjust. Don’t turn it up too high, though, as you will risk releasing water at a dangerous temperature. It’s best to keep it set at 120 degrees fahrenheit.
• I’m not getting any hot water.
  • Chances are, this is being caused by one of two things: a faulty pilot control valve or a faulty thermocouple. While these aren’t major repairs, we recommend calling a trained plumbing professional to take care of them.
• My water smells like rotten eggs.
  • Somehow a trace of bacteria may have entered into your tank. While we recommend calling us to flush the tank out, with a strong level of comfort and the help of a step-by-step guide, you could fix it yourself. Please call us if you need assistance.
• My water heater is making strange sounds
  • Do you hear popping, cracking or rumbling? There may be some built up mineral deposits in your heater. A periodic flush can fix this, but if you continue to hear these sounds, it may be time for a new heater.
• There’s water puddling up around my tank
  • Your tank is most likely leaking and this is an issue you don’t want to mess around with. Call us at the first sign of a leak. We are available around the clock 24/7.

2. Why are my shower drains always clogged?

As many of you could guess, hair is the most common culprit of a clogged drain. When showering, try your best to clean out the drain grate every day to prevent the loose hair from slipping down it. If you are struggling with a stubborn clog, we offer hydro-jetting, video inspection and rooter services that are sure to get the job done.

3. How can I save on my energy bill?

With winter right around the corner, there are several ways to keep your costs down even during the coldest months. The first tip we recommend is staying on track with routine HVAC maintenance and checkups. If your system isn’t performing efficiently, we can offer a solution to save you money in the long run.

Other quick tips:

• Turn down your home’s temperature when you leave. Why spend money on heating a home you aren’t even in to enjoy? If your thermostat allows for scheduling, time your system to heat appropriately throughout the day based on when you are home.
• Keep your filters clean and fresh. When dirt builds up in the filter, it makes it difficult for warm air to flow into your home and your system has to work even harder than usual.
• Although this may sound counter intuitive, run your ceiling fans clockwise during the winter. Since warm air rises, you will be able to circulate the air that’s already been heated back down to ground level. If you can’t find the switch on your fan, just give us a call.

Have another question we didn’t answer? Give us a call – we’re happy to help! Call 919-325-0180 for around the clock emergency service or to discuss any issues.

 

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