Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Aug 04, 2010 @ 07:01 PM
This time of year in Lubbock is usually very hot and humid. Here are some tips on what to expect from your residential or commercial air conditioning system, because major problems can be prevented by following some of these tips.
1. High energy bills
Again, this time of year is usually very hot and humid, so expect higher than usual bills from your energy company. If you can, try to set your thermostat higher when no one is home or look into buying a programmable thermostat. During really hot months, a programmable thermostat can usually pay for itself!
2. Condensation Leaks
With high humidity expect your air conditioning system to create a lot of condensation (water). The water created from your air conditioning unit exits through the PVC pipe at the bottom of your evaporator coil. If there is a small amount of build-up in that line, a leak may occur. So if you haven't looked at your furnace or air handler in a long time, this would be the month to look it over to make sure it is not leaking water.
3. Dirty Filters
With all of the summer vacations and extended periods of time outside, one can easily miss replacing an air filter. Not having a clean air filter can cause your system to ice-up and not cool properly. Either one is not a good situation when it is 100 degrees outside with high humidity. It is also a very inexpensive repair that can save you tons of money in the long run, so change your filter(s).
If any of these problems are occurring with your air conditioning system, schedule a call today. I hope that these tips help you know what to expect this month from your air conditioning system. Sometimes giving your unit a quick visual inspection can save you from a disaster. Feel free to leave any questions or comments.
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
Here are the latest plumbing tips from Beth Sinclair:
I bought lunch for our office-staff today and I learned something new about kitchen drains. We were having spaghetti, lasagna, and salad. The salad dressing that came with the meal had too much oil in the dressing so I poured the oil down the drain. Did you know that pouring grease down your drain is a BIG plumbing no-no? Well, I at least knew that much, but this is what I learned. If you should ever pour grease down a disposal, run COLD water with it. Cold water will coagulate the grease and flush it away. Hot water on grease only coats the sides of the pipes!
My son has written about this product before but we have a drain cleaning product called Bio-clean. This is a biodegradable and chemical free way to treat your drains and keep them clear. Tom and I use this product at home and our office on a regular basis. It is one of the better products out there, if you are looking for a good drain cleaning product that works. If you want more information about Bio-clean, read this article or ask a question and we will get you an answer ASAP. Again, I am reminded that I am never too old to learn something new!!
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Posted by Charlotte McDonald on Thu, Nov 12, 2009 @ 06:30 PM
From time to time, we get questions and we would like to pass along to you some of these with our answers. Perhaps we can help answer some of your questions, too. If you have a question that you would like for us to address, please let us know.
CUSTOMER QUESTION: If my drain is clogged, should I use a chemical cleaner before I call a plumber?
Our residential plumbers do not recommend this for several reasons; most drain chemicals are very toxic in nature, not a good thing to keep around the home if you have children or pets. The toxic chemicals can also have a negative effect on your piping as well. Over time these chemicals may deteriorate your pipes from the inside out. When this happens, the drain line(s) will have to be replaced.
A safe alternative that you might try before calling a plumber is Bio-Clean. Bio-Clean is a multipurpose, earth friendly product. It can be used in all household drains to keep them running free: tubs, showers, sinks, and garbage disposals. It’s the best septic product on the market and can even restore failing systems.
Bio-Clean is marketed and sold as a drain cleaner but can be used in many other situations. It carries no warning labels on the can and it is 100% safe for people, pets and the environment. Be careful of bargains and cheaper products that claim to be environmentally safe and effective. If a product has warning labels on it, can it really be safe?
Bio-Clean can be purchased by calling or coming by our office at 6501 Upland Avenue Lubbock, Tx (806-749-COOL 2665). We hope this information will help you keep the pipes at your place running smoothly!
Have more questions? What types of chemical cleaners do you use? Send us a comment. Enter Sinclair's recipe sweepstakes!
Photo by David Blackwell