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, Jul 21, 2010 @ 07:22 PM
Water heater replacement is something that Sinclair Heating Cooling and Plumbing specializes in! If you have a water heater in your home or place of business you know that it is a matter of time until you will need to replace it. If you have a tank water heater, I wanted to give some tips on what to look for but also what to expect if you have Sinclair plumbers change-out your water heater.
If your water heater tank is in a closet inside your home, business, or garage always check the copper lines going into the tank. If you see corrosion or water sitting on top of the inlets, this is a sign of a leak! Also, check the bottom of your water heater monthly (especially if it is old) for rust, corrosion, or dripping water. This tip is especially important because the bottom of the tank could bust open and leak up 75 gallons of water, depending on the size of your tank. Not good! All of these problems would usually lead to your water heater needing to be replaced.
After you call or schedule Sinclair to replace your water heater, we would get approval from you to do the work. Then our plumbers would start to drain the water heater so they can remove it. After most of the water has been drained the plumbers would remove the old water heater and bring in the new one. Before setting the new tank, the plumber will set an aluminum drain pan in order to keep water from leaking. After setting the drain pan the new water heater is lifted-up and set into place. A new water shut-off valve is set on the copper supply lines and everything for the supply lines is welded together. Water is added to the tank and after it is full, electricity is hooked up or gas. The plumber would then turn the unit on and set the temperature at your preferred setting. It takes a couple of hours for water to heat-up to the set temperature.
I hope that these tips have helped you to be able to spot a leak and know what to expect when you have Sinclair come out and replace your water heater. By the way, I am working on a Tankless Water-heater blog that will posted soon. Any questions or comments?
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Get $20 off your next service repair! Hurry, coupon expires July 30, 2010!
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 @ 04:30 PM
If you are building a new home or remodeling your kitchen, there are some decisions that you need to make very carefully. Several of them involve big investments and some that you will live with for a long time. Some big decisions you are going to have to make about your kitchen sink is what kind of sink you should purchase and what type of faucet will fit with the sink. Here are a few ideas on this subject that I would like to share with you, from my experience.
When Tom and I were building our home, I had an important decision to make about a sink for the kitchen, and that was whether to get a cast iron or stainless steel sink. I thought that I should get stainless steel because my other appliances are stainless. I got the stainless steel sink for that one reason and that was a BIG mistake. I am constantly wiping it down to get rid of hard water spots! If you live in Lubbock you know what I am talking about with the hard water. Also, the sink never looks “polished” and it looks like I just finished using it and didn’t clean up after myself. Using Lemi-shine helps but overall I wish I would have chosen the cast-iron sink instead. With a cast iron sink, a good swipe of Comet makes it look like new! Even with Lubbock's hard water, a cast iron sink seems to be a better choice. The other important tip to consider is the depth. 7" is too shallow (lots of splash) for a kitchen sink, try 9" at least, double bowl. You want the sink to be deep enough so when you wash big pots and pans you will have room.
The last tip includes the type of faucet you should buy. Daniel (my son) wrote an article about choosing the right faucet back in May, check it out.
Remember: DO YOUR RESEARCH and ask your friends! Think before you buy! Any comments or questions?
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, May 12, 2010 @ 02:00 PM
This article was posted back in October of last year and it is one of our most read articles! I thought I would repost it and add more information since there is so much interest. Another reason why I am reposting this article is because of all of the allergy related illnesses going around right now. This Purifier is the perfect remedy!
"The Perfect Air Purifier": This purifier provides efficient removal of airborne pollutants by keeping your system operating cleaner than ever before. It uses patented germicidal technology to capture and kill airborne pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and mold. All you have to do is change the filter! Usually the homeowner has to change this filter once a year! It's not like the conventional 1" filters that have to be replaced monthly. This 4" pleated filter has a MERV 15 rating! A MERV of 15 means that this filter can catch the smallest of particles, which means you are not breathing them. The Perfect Air Purifier is ideal for home-owners with allergy concerns and those sensitive to the effects of pollen, pets, and more. At this time of year in West Texas the spread of disease is rampant. If you would like a demonstration or estimate of The Perfect Air Purifier let us know by commenting or go to the contact page.
Sinclair is also the only Healthy Air Specialist in Lubbock. What does that mean to you? First, a dealer must be a Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer. That means the dealer has met Bryant's high standards for superior skills, superior service, superior products, and a superior promise in writing for 100% satisfaction, guaranteed. Second, the dealer must have at least half of their service technicians certified through the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) program. It's the leading certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilating and air conditioning industry, and is the only test supported by the entire industry. And finally, extra training and testing is required in the field of indoor air quality including theory, application, product knowledge, and identifying the best package of solutions to fit your needs and lifestyle.
I hope that this has answered more questions about what the Perfect Air Purifier does and what an Healthy Air Specialist does. If you have more questions please leave a comment and I will get back to you!
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Fri, Jan 08, 2010 @ 03:43 PM
CUSTOMER QUESTION: The water doesn’t flow well from my kitchen sink and shower heads. What can I do to get more water flow?
If you live in Lubbock, Texas you know how hard our water is. I have 2 shower heads in my shower that are almost 2 years old and I have already had to clean them 3 times! I said to myself, "If I am having this problem, so would everyone else that lives in and around Lubbock."
I suggest that you remove the aerator from the sink faucet and soak it in white vinegar for several hours. You will be able to see the hard water particles release from it. The length of time depends on how much blockage has occurred. You might, in addition, use an old toothbrush to loosen the particles.
Instead of removing the shower head to soak it, a really good way to clean it is to put the vinegar in a plastic sandwich bag, slip it over the shower head, and secure it with string or a small wire. Soaking it overnight will open the holes for smoother air flow. Again, an old toothbrush comes in handy here too.
Do you have more helpful tips with cleaning faucets or other plumbing fixtures? Do you have an air conditioning or plumbing question you want answered?
Photo by
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Thu, Dec 24, 2009 @ 04:34 PM
Merry Christmas! From all of us at Sinclair Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing, we want to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas. With all of the bad weather in Lubbock, we would like to encourage you to be careful out on the roads.
If you are kicking yourself because you didn't get your furnace or heating unit checked before it got too cold, it's not too late! Sinclair is still offering you a chance to have it serviced, and for a limited time we are offering our twice a year maintenance contract at a special price! So don't delay and sign up for our maintence contract or schedule a call today.
By the way, our website has a new page! Click on the News link on the menu bar and that will send you to a new area for the website. This page is still new but has several articles that will help you with trouble shooting problems for residential thermostats as well as information about tankless water heaters. Feel free to comment about these articles or rate them as good or bad. If you have some good ideas for articles or want to know more about plumbing, furnaces, Bryant's Perfect Air Purifier, etc..., please let us know and we will post helpful articles to help keep you informed about the latest in HVAC and Plumbing industry.
Photo by Angelo
What are you doing for the Holiday's? Did you miss our newsletter?
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Tue, Nov 24, 2009 @ 06:30 PM
I know we are all so busy this time of the year, but it always makes me feel better to do something for someone else. It does not have to be a big thing because every little thing is appreciated by those who need just a little help.
Have you said, “I know there are so many people who need help during the year, but I do not know how to help or who to call”? Now you can stop wondering how you can help someone during the upcoming holidays.
Let us offer just a few suggestions with which some of our employees have been involved:
• Be a Santa to a Senior—Lubbock Meals on Wheels
• Shoes for Orphan Souls—Buckner Children’s Home
• Canned Food Drive—South Plains Food Bank
• Toys for Tots—United States Marine Corps
• Operation Christmas Child—Samaritan’s Purse (Mardel’s)
• Angel Tree—Gifts for children of parents in prison (Ashley Furniture)
These are just a few of the ideas our staff has shared. Make someone else’s holiday just a little happier. Have any other ideas or charities to give back to?
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
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Thu, Nov 05, 2009 @ 06:00 PM
At Sinclair air conditioning and plumbing I am excited about our new recipe sweepstakes! Follow this link and fill out the form to be entered in the sweepstakes for $25 to United Supermarkets and a one-time Fall service and check on your residential furnace (if you live in the Lubbock County area). I have been sharing my recipes with you and I would like to give you the opportunity to share yours. What do you have to lose, sign up today!
What kind of residential air conditioning or residential plumbing articles would you be interested in reading about? Are there plumbing tips that you would find helpful?
Become a Fan!
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Fri, Oct 02, 2009 @ 02:50 AM
Winter is almost here! Fortunately in West Texas the winter months are not severe, but there are days when it does get very cold.
Here are a few tips from Sinclair to help you stay warm this winter:
1. Make sure you have your heating system checked out by our technicians before it gets too cold. This is very important because when the hard freeze hits Lubbock you don't want to be at the end of a very long list!
2. CHANGE YOUR FILTER(S). "I have a filter?!" Yes, every system needs some type of air filtration system. This is important because clogged air filters can cause a furnace to quit operating. Changing your filter is a quick and easy fix can save you a lot of money in the long run.
3. Insulate outside faucets or pipes. This tip can save you money and is very cost effective. Broken pipes are not cost effective.
Image from: Plumbmax Plumbing Service LLC.
Did I miss any tips? Let me know by commenting below.