Sign #1: You hear running water

If you hear running water and you don’t know where it’s coming from, it’s probably the toilet. (Of course, you should be absolutely sure that all faucets, showers, and outside water hoses/sprinklers are turned off.) This type of toilet problem can lead to a significant waste of water.

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The underlying issue could be the flapper, flush lever assembly, fill valve, or the tank ball. These components are all located inside the tank at the top of the toilet. You can easily check them by removing the lid from the tank. Be especially careful with older toilets because the lid can become fragile over time. Some newer flush valves may look different from what you’re expecting. For the most part, though, the components of a toilet haven’t changed much over the years.

Sign #2: It takes multiple flushes

If you have to flush more than once to clear the toilet, that means that not enough water is traveling through the system. This could be caused by a blockage in the drain. It could also be a restriction or clogging of the small holes under the toilet rim. Iron or hard water will cause these holes to gradually accumulate buildup. The buildup will result in less water coming out every time you flush. It’s not really a matter of keeping the toilet rim clean, either. The buildup will occur in the small channels in the inside of the toilet regardless of how clean the toilet is.

Sign #3: Water is seeping under the toilet

Water seepage underneath the toilet is an indicator that the wax ring has failed. This type of problem won’t usually lead to a major leak. However, the liquid seeping from underneath the toilet is unsanitary. The problem should be addressed by a qualified professional as soon as possible.

What if an old toilet seems to have a weak flush?

People have become accustomed to the greater flushing power of newer toilets. You may have an old toilet that works perfectly fine, but it was never designed to have the flushing power of a newer toilet. Whenever the time comes for a replacement, we will install a new toilet that meets the current code. These toilets do a great job of flushing effectively while also conserving water.

Can you make the problem worse?

It’s not likely, but it is possible. The issue will probably just cause a lot of aggravation. After making multiple trips to the hardware store you may still be unsuccessful. If you’re extremely careless, you may cause additional damage. The bottom line is, it’s a good idea to contact a qualified professional if you have any doubts. You’ll probably end up saving yourself a headache.

If you’ve spotted one of the three common signs that something’s wrong with your toilet, give us a call today or contact us online so we can get it fixed.

The average lifespan of a water heater is about 10 to 12 years. Proper water heater maintenance can dramatically increase the life of the system and also keep operating costs as low as possible. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t have the same awareness for water heater maintenance as they do for furnaces and air conditioners. Here’s what you can do to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your investment.

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First of all, the quality of the water entering your water heater is going to make a huge difference. If you have hard or acidic water, it’s going to drastically reduce the life of your water heater. Regardless of whether it uses electricity or gas, there’s going to be an anode rod in the tank. This anode, often made of magnesium, is designed to corrode so that the lining of the tank is preserved. It’s a sacrificial anode, meaning that the corrosive properties of the water are going to eat away at the anode instead of the tank. The anode should be checked on a regular basis to ensure that there’s still enough material left to deal with the corrosive properties of the water.

Next is the T&P valve, which stands for Temperature & Pressure valve. The T&P valve is there to make sure that the water heater doesn’t explode. There’s a metal pipe that runs down the side of the tank. (Sometimes you might see a little bit of water dripping out of it.) The T&P valve is located at the top of that pipe. The pipe runs down to the floor because pressurized hot water should be forced downward instead of potentially towards people or walls. When we go out to your home, we’re going to open up the T&P valve to make sure it’s relieving pressure properly. The manufacturer of the valve and water heater say that it should be inspected and opened annually.

Unfortunately, most people don’t even think about the danger of having a 40 to 80 gallon tank that is full of pressure. Keep in mind, as it heats up, pressure builds up as well. If there’s no way to relieve excessive pressure, the consequences could be disastrous. The water heater could explode and become a missile that flies right through the roof of the house. In fact, a personal friend of mine had that happen to him close to 15 years ago. He was standing near the water heater at the time. It blew him across the room, and he was fortunate that he wasn’t badly injured. It ended up causing $93,000 of damage to his home.

There are subtle signs you may be ignoring that are warning you that the water heater needs attention. Maybe your operating costs are increasing or the amount of hot water being produced is decreasing. As a family, you’ll see that you need to take shorter showers. Maybe you can’t do the laundry and the dishes at the same time. If you’re having to compensate because of diminishing capacity that should be a clear sign that something in the water heater needs attention. You might also be seeing a slowly rising utility bill. Because there are so many variables that could cause this, it might be hard to pinpoint the cause at your water heater.

If sediment has built up in the bottom of the water heater tank, it can harden over time and eventually become similar to clay or concrete. It would be nearly impossible to flush the water heater at this point. If you instead flush the tank on a regular basis, the sediment won’t have a chance to build up and cause problems. Think about what would happen if there was nearly a foot of sediment buildup in the water heater. It functions very closely to a teapot, especially if it’s a gas water heater. All of that sediment has to heat up first before the water will reach the proper temperature. Aside from increasing your utility bill, imagine how much more stress this puts on the tank itself. When we check your water heater we’ll also be looking at those heating elements to make sure that they are operating within spec.

Remember, don’t wait until you find yourself facing a major water heater problem. Take care of your investment with preventative maintenance. Give us a call or contact us online today. For complete peace of mind, we suggest joining our TotalCare Plan.

Most people have heard of tankless water heaters before, but might not know too much about how they work. Homeowners need to be aware of the trade offs that result from choosing this kind of system. Of course, it really depends on your personal use case. Here are some of the pros and cons of tankless water heaters.

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The main difference between a tankless water heater and a tanked water heater is the fact that a tanked water heater is constantly heating as much as 80 gallons of water. The system will cycle on and off during the day to maintain the water at the temperature that you’ve set. Even overnight when you’re asleep, it’s going to be working to keep that water hot and ready to use.

A tankless water heater doesn’t have a large storage tank. Instead, it senses when you’ve called for hot water and the burners are then turned on. The downside is that the tankless water heater has a slightly longer delay to get hot water out of the faucet. Since you don’t have hot water sitting in a tank waiting to be used, you’ll have to wait until the system delivers hot water.

Although tankless water heaters have a higher BTU burner than tanked water heaters, they don’t run as often. There are some fuel savings that come along with the reduced running time. These savings aren’t the whole picture, however. There are other important factors to consider that may sway your decision one way or the other.

One of the pros of a tankless water heater is the fact that you’ll never run out of hot water. That being said, if several appliances are all calling for hot water at the same time, the flow of hot water will be reduced. This is necessary so the system can continue to send hot water to every appliance. You may be in a situation where someone is doing laundry, another person is washing dishes, and two bathroom showers are being used at the same time. You’ll end up seeing reduced water flow in that case.

We size tankless water heaters based on the number of people and the number of bathrooms in the home. If there’s one or more garden tubs, that can be a deciding factor as well. In terms of cost savings on your utility bill, it’s interesting how things turn out. You would probably take a faster shower if running out of hot water was on the back of your mind. Because you never have to worry about using all the hot water, the potential savings from increased efficiency might end up cancelling out.

If you’ve ever seen a water heater tank rupture, you know how disastrous it can be. All of a sudden, 50 gallons of water are dumped onto the floor. Water continues to gush as the tank tries to refill itself. It can end up becoming a huge mess. That kind of situation is much less likely with a tankless water heater. If you have a vacation home or weekend home, you won’t have to worry about draining the water heater or turning it on and off. (Remember, the tankless water heater will not run unless there’s a call for hot water.)

Of course, just like any other mechanical appliance, tankless water heaters require regular maintenance. The burners need to be cleaned regularly. Additionally, hard/acidic water could result in buildup of calcium or magnesium in the water pipes in the water heater. In that case, it must be flushed on a regular basis.

Give us a call or contact us online if you’d like to know if a tankless water heater is right for your home.

If you don’t want to be without your air conditioner during the hot summer months, there are a few steps you can take. Let’s talk about some of the warning signs that something’s wrong, what you can do to keep your system working properly, and what to do to make sure you’re not stuck in the heat if things do go wrong.

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Inadequate Cooling

If your system is no longer able to keep up with properly cooling your home, that could be a sign that it’s reaching the end of its useful life. It could certainly also be an indication that there’s a problem that needs addressing. (For example, maybe it’s low on refrigerant). You’ll tend to see a reduction in performance and output of the system along with increased operating costs.

AC Freeze-ups

An AC freeze-up is when the coil inside the system basically becomes a block of ice. The main reason this usually happens is because the system has become low on refrigerant. It’s a sealed system, but a small amount of refrigerant is lost every time the system is checked. Of course, it would take many years before enough refrigerant is lost from these checks to actually cause the system to freeze up. For this reason, it’s more likely that the problem lies elsewhere. It might be due to a leak that drained refrigerant out of the system.

Maintaining Proper Airflow

The most critical factor that contributes to proper operation and longevity of the system is good airflow. If the airflow in a system is reduced, it has to work harder. The homeowner can take care of this very easily: make sure the filter is changed on a regular basis. You should have spare filters on-hand that are made specifically for your system. Depending on the type of filter, it may need to be replaced as often as once a month or as rarely as once a quarter.

Not only does regular filter changing lead to adequate airflow, but it also prevents dirt from entering the system. Once dirt begins to accumulate, it becomes more difficult for the system to work efficiently. You can think of it like changing the oil in your car. We all know that oil changes need to be done regularly to keep a car’s engine working properly. The exact same thing applies to your air conditioner. It’s easy to underestimate how important this practice is to keeping the system functioning

Lifespan and Efficiency

If your system is approaching the end of its useful life, it might be time to make sure that it’s not going to break down when you need it most. The average lifespan for the cooling system is 10 to 12 years, and the furnace lasts around 12 to 15 years. That’s dramatically shorter than the lifespan of systems that were manufactured many years ago.

For those of us who are a bit older, we remember furnaces that were built like tanks. It took two or three people to bring it into the house. It weighed 800 pounds and the metal was 1/4” thick. That was great for longevity, but it wasn’t so great for fuel efficiency. Now that we’re in the days of mandated fuel efficiency, manufacturers are making the metals thinner. The manufacturing changes have resulted in superior heat transfer at the sacrifice of longevity.

Gas furnace efficiency is rated by percentage. If the rating is 90% efficiency, that means that 90% of the fuel cost is actually going into heating the home. Only 10% is going up the chimney. A heat pump will be rated similarly to an air conditioner, so it will have a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)

Test Early!

If your HVAC system isn’t working properly, we’ll usually be able to come to your home the same day. There are some exceptions, however. During the first excessive heat spell or unusually long hot stretch, most of the HVAC companies have full schedules to the point that they have a waiting list. That’s why it’s very important that you turn on your air conditioner right when it gets warm.

Once you have that first 75 degree day, turn on the system to make sure it can cool the home to temperature in a reasonable time. That’ll mean that it’s very likely it’s going to be able to face the hot season to come. If you wait until the first 95 degree day to turn the unit on, what will happen if it’s not working properly? It’s likely that you’re not going to be the only one who’s having that problem. You’ll be one of the many people on a long waiting list.

Remember, the most important step you can take as a homeowner is to have a system that’s operating efficiently for as long as possible. That means that you have to have it maintained regularly. Your best bet is our TotalCare Plan, where we come out to your home twice a year (spring and fall). We’ll do a complete tuneup to make sure everything is operating in spec as efficiently as possible. If something like a capacitor, contact, or igniter is starting to get out of spec, we’ll change those components out proactively while the repair is still inexpensive. If you’d wait until those parts were to fail, it would probably result in a very expensive situation.

Give us a call or contact us online today if you want to make sure that your HVAC will work reliably throughout the summer months.

 

Your heating and cooling bill typically comprises about 50 percent of your total energy costs for your home (energy.gov).  While changing the air filter is one of the simplest things you can do to keep your air conditioner working, a regular maintenance routine with an air conditioning technician will keep your unit from malfunctioning during the hottest days of the summer.

Quick Tips for Solving Common Air Conditioning Problems

• Check and/or replace your air filters every month. Set calendar and phone reminders and always have backups available. Consider using HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters for better indoor air quality. Changing your air filters improves comfort, lowers energy costs, and extends the life of your unit.
• Have annual system maintenance service performed at least once a year, preferably before the start of each heating and cooling season.
• Keep your outdoor condensing unit (heat pump) free of lawn clippings, twigs, and other debris. You want to make sure that your outdoor A/C unit has proper airflow to work efficiently.
• Maintain a minimum 24-inch clearance around the unit and ensure easy access for your local HVAC technician.
• Bent condensing unit fins can be straightened out with a fin comb. You can use a flathead screwdriver or butter knife, however, we recommend investing in a professional fin comb. For best results, call Boulden Brothers to clean and maintain your outdoor heat pump for maximum efficiency.

Common Air Conditioning Problems and How to Fix Them 

Problem #1: Water leaking into the floors, walls, or ceilings

• Your A/C unit should never be leaking water. Address the problem immediately and call for an air conditioner repair tech. A/C units don’t just cool the air, they dehumidify it also, but where does all that condensate go? For most homes, the water goes outside through a pipe.
• The problem is almost always due to a clogged condensation drain. Inspect your drain line and make sure condensation can drain freely.
• This can be done by calling in a professional, or you can try to DIY it by hooking up a wet/dry vac to the outside end of the pipe.
• Read this how-to guide from energyvanguard.com to learn how to clear your A/C drain pipe:

Besides renting or purchasing a wet/dry vac, you will also need some plumbing fittings:

After getting an airtight seal and turn on the vacuum, you’ll probably end up with something like this:

Watch this video for a more thorough step-by-step guide for clearing your A/C condensate line:

Problem #2: Air conditioning unit short cycles (cycles on and off)

• Your air conditioning unit is meant to turn on and off in order to maintain a cool and comfortable home, however, sometimes systems go through unusually fast and frequent cycles due to a variety of causes.
• One of the most common causes is an improperly sized HVAC system. Unfortunately, over half of all new HVAC systems are improperly installed, mostly due to installing the wrong-sized unit.
• Another common culprit is iced-over evaporator coils. This will cause your unit to turn off shortly after it has turned on.

Source: energyvanguard.com

• You may be able to fix the problem yourself by replacing your dirty A/C filter. There are several reasons why an evaporator coil might freeze over, one of the biggest ones being a dirty or improperly installed air filter.
• Because it is hard to tell what exactly is causing your A/C evaporator coil to freeze, it’s best to turn your air conditioner unit off (to thaw the evaporator coil) and call in an expert to diagnose the issue.
• These common air conditioning problems require the skill of a professional. Call your local HVAC technician to inspect your HVAC system and do the necessary cleanings and/or repairs.

Problem #3: Air conditioner doesn’t make air cold enough

• Change your air filter.
• Clear and clean area around outdoor condensing unit for proper airflow.
• Consider creating shade for your outdoor heat pump. This will help you unit run more efficiently and lower your utility bills.
• Find and seal air leaks in your ductwork and around your home.
• Replace any aging or deteriorating insulation.
• Learn how to install refrigeration piping insulation here. This DIY project requires several tools and products that you may not have and careful application. For properly installed A/C insulation guaranteed, call Boulden Brothers.

Watch our very own Dan the Answer Man talk about Common Air Conditioning Problems:

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More pro tips on combatting common air conditioning problems:

• Air Conditioning FAQ
• 7 Ways to Beat the Heat this Summer
• What You Don’t Know About Air Conditioning Efficiency
• Keep Your Home Cool Without Blasting the A/C
• How to Maintain Your Air Conditioner in the Summer

Your complete satisfaction with our heating and air conditioning services is 100% guaranteed. Our on-time guarantee is the best in the country, and backed by heating and air technicians that are trained, skilled and ready to exceed your expectations and needs.

Give us a call at (302) 368-3848 for any of your Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania home service needs — plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and more!

Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer any questions you might have.

For more expert tips on maintaining a safe and efficient home, visit us on our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Replacing your HVAC system is one of the more expensive projects that you’ll need to do for your home. Even though you’ll eventually have to replace your roof, windows, and water heater, your HVAC system needs attention more frequently. It usually lasts around 15 years on average. Once it comes time for you to look at a new HVAC system, Boulden Brothers are here to help. We’ll take the headache out of figuring out the best option for your home, and that all begins with determining the ideal efficiency and size of the system.

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The size of the air conditioner is based on tonnage, and the size of the furnace is based on BTU output. There’s also a broad range of efficiency in our area for air conditioning. We use a rating unit called Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER for short. SEER is calculated by dividing the cooling output during a typical cooling season by the total energy input that the system uses during this same period. The higher the unit’s SEER rating, the more efficient it is. We’re federally mandated to have a minimum of 14 SEER, but we can even go as high as 25 SEER.

We try to walk you through the decision so you can choose something that meets your criteria for cost/energy savings. Keep in mind, the investment in the system does increase as the efficiency increases. The question is, is it a good long-term decision to choose a system based solely off of energy savings? Are you going to recoup the investment in a reasonable time period? If you’re looking for energy savings, you don’t want to assume that choosing a more efficient system will save a certain amount of money over the system’s lifespan.

There are also HVAC systems that have more than one stage. With two stages, the system can run at a high/low setting. A variable system that has several stages can ramp up or down depending on the heating/cooling needs of the home. That can certainly have a big impact on comfort. It’s important to note that the longer a system is able to run at a very low speed, the more consistent the temperature will be in the house.

When it comes to determining a properly sized unit for the home, we take all the guesswork out of the equation and make the decision for you. We’ll do a complete engineering analysis on the physical structure of the house. That includes the type of walls, the amount of insulation, ceilings, roof pitch, window dimensions, number of doors, and which cardinal direction the structure is facing. All of these factors will determine how much heat the house will absorb in the summer and how much heat will be lost in the wintertime. We’ll enter this data into a computer, which will accurately illustrate the heat loss or heat gain for the home.

Of course, there’s a bit of wiggle room depending on the type of system being installed. You might want a larger multistage or variable system, depending on the circumstances. However, we certainly never want to install less than what the home would need. The homeowner just isn’t equipped to make this decision, since it’s based upon so many factors. That’s why Boulden Brothers is here to make sure this important process is handled correctly.

If you were to have a heating/cooling contractor that just assumed that the old system was the correct size, it could lead to trouble. If the system isn’t ideally sized for the home, you’re not going to have optimal comfort and/or the lowest possible operating cost. The system would either end up short-cycling because it’s too large or it would work too hard because it’s too small. Neither of those cases are good for your home. Your comfort would suffer or you’d see additional cost and fuel/energy consumption.

Get the job done right when it comes to getting a new HVAC system. Give us a call today or contact us online so we can help you get started.

HVAC systems are one of the largest investments you can make in your home. There are a few simple things you can do to help you maximize the life of your home’s HVAC system and keep it working optimally. First and foremost, it’s extremely important to perform routine preventative maintenance at least once a year. When a qualified professional from Boulden Brothers looks at your system, we’ll address these important areas:

• Make sure the coils on the air conditioner are cleaned
• Make sure the proper refrigerant charge is in place
• Check that all electrical components are operating in the proper range
• Inspect components of the furnace

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The last thing that a homeowner would want is for a relatively inexpensive component like a capacitor to fail, causing a much more expensive component to need replacement. A thorough inspection where we make sure that all electrical components are working properly will prevent potentially disastrous issues from occurring.

If your home’s HVAC system uses a traditional gas furnace, we’ll make sure that the heat exchanger doesn’t have any signs of cracking or failure. Any compromise of this part would allow carbon monoxide to enter the home. Even in small quantities, carbon monoxide is extremely hazardous to your health.

If your home uses a heat pump, it’s very important that we make a home visit twice a year. Since it’s basically just an air conditioner that operates in reverse during the wintertime, it’s running twice as long as someone that has a traditional gas furnace. Systems with a heat pump obviously don’t pose a carbon monoxide risk. However, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have any other appliances in your home that use gas (like a gas stove or gas fireplace log).

Of course, the inspections performed during preventative maintenance should only be done by a qualified professional. Newer refrigerants are contained at an extremely high pressure, so we have to take extensive safety precautions. In the meantime, there are some steps you can take as a homeowner.

The main one is to make sure that weeds aren’t growing on, around, or into the unit itself. Also, make sure there’s no debris in the unit to ensure adequate airflow. It’s very common for leaves to accumulate if you’re in an area with one or more trees. Filters are another often neglected area that can really impact airflow in the system. It’s very important that filters are changed on a regular basis.

The best way to have a negative impact on your system is to leave the same dirty filter installed. Once the filter gets restricted to the point that it’s significantly decreased the airflow, the whole system has to work harder. The furnace tends to overheat because it’s not moving as much air as it should. The air conditioner’s compressor also has to work much harder to overcome the dirty filter. It can potentially damage many of the components and dramatically reduce the lifespan of the system.

Finally, you should make sure that you regularly check the air ducts to make sure air is flowing properly throughout the system. If any of the returns or supplies are obstructed, you’re reducing the intended airflow.

If you’d like to protect your home’s investments with maximum value, we recommend enrolling in our BAM Club TotalCare Plan. We’ll come to your home twice a year to do regular maintenance on your HVAC system. Every other year we’ll do a plumbing safety inspection and flush the water heater. On the third year, we’ll do an Electrical Panel Rejuvenation with Electrical Safety Inspection on your home’s electrical components.

To learn more about the BAM Club and how you can maximize your HVAC system’s lifespan, contact us online or give us a call today.