Tag: Jefferson

Your Martinsburg HVAC System’s Condensate Drain Line

Posted on by Larry & Sons

There are a lot of components involved in a properly working Martinsburg HVAC system. One component that many people overlook is the drain line for the air conditioning system. Your air conditioning system has condenser coils that sweat the water drawn from the air in your home as it is cooled by your AC unit. These coils produce a significant volume of water, especially when it humidity is high, so a condensate drain pan is installed to capture the moisture and keep it from damaging your home.

A drain line from the drain pain out of your home is required to transfer all that extra water, but it can easily become clogged by debris in the area or simply from heavy condensation. If this happens, the drain line might need to be cleared or even replaced.

Inspecting your Condensate Drain Line

Full inspection of your drain line involves checking quite a few components, so I will point you to Inspectapedia for a thorough rundown of what you should look for (and some pictures to show you what you don’t want to see). But, in short, you want to look for evidence that your condensate drain is overflowing or that the liquid in your drain pan is backing up into the air handler.

You may also notice that there is no liquid coming out of the condenser – a sign that there may be a major problem in the system that needs immediate inspection. If this happens, make sure you check for blockages and if nothing is present, call a Martinsburg air conditioning contractor.

Cleaning Your Drain Line

Each year, it is recommended that you clean your drain line to make sure it is clear and ready for the summer’s heavy cooling and high humidity. The simplest way to do this is to disconnect the drain line and attach a hose to blow the line clear. This can get a little messy, so make sure you dress for the occasion. Another option if you have a wet/dry vac is to attach the hose to the end of the drain line and suck free any moisture still in there. Most wet/dry systems have attachments for drain line clearing or you can order one.

If your drain line is not clearing properly or you think there may be structural damage suffered during the winter, call Larry & Sons for a more thorough inspection. If you have regular maintenance done on your AC system each spring, this should be part of the process so make sure you write down any questions you have for when the contractor visits your home.

Hiring a Jefferson Plumber: What to Look for

Posted on by Larry & Sons

There are plenty of situations in which you will need the services of a professional plumber in your Jefferson home. And when you have a plumbing emergency, you really need it to be addressed as quickly as possible. But how do you know which plumber to call? It is likely that all of them can get the job done, but you want to make sure you do not have to pay too much and that the work is done right so that the same problem does not recur in the near future.

Since an emergency repair needs to be done quickly, it is a good idea to come up with a list of possible plumbers ahead of time. Of course, if you are hiring a plumber to work on a new construction installation or home remodeling project, you will have more time to research your options. But it is important to note that, while all plumbers can likely perform repairs, it is better to get someone who specializes in that type of work you need to have done.

When you are evaluating your plumber options, one of the first things to check is whether or not they have all necessary state certifications and licenses. Even if these licenses are not legally required for a plumber to work in your area, it is better to hire someone who has them because you can have greater confidence that they are aware of all of the local codes and restrictions.

If you are hiring a plumber for a home renovation or installation job, be sure to have them come out to examine your house and give you a detailed estimate for the materials and costs involved in the process. You may even want to get several estimates from different plumbers before you make your final decision.

And do not forget one of the greatest resources you have when searching for a plumber – your family and friends. Gathering recommendations from someone who has used a particular plumber before is an excellent way for you to narrow down the potential options and find a Jefferson plumber you can have confidence in. Our motto is “Where Our Customers Send Their Friends” for a reason, so ask around and then give Larry & Sons a call today!

Hedgesville Heat Pump Guide: What to Do About Ice and Snow

Posted on by Larry & Sons

It’s very common for heat pumps in Hedgesville to ice over in the winter time. It can be due to freezing temperatures and icing outside or it could be due to constant running of the heat pump or excess moisture on the coils. However, while a bit of ice on the heat pump is relatively normal, the entire unit should never be covered in ice – such a thing is not only hard on the machinery; it can result in no heat for your home.

How to Handle Ice and Snow on the Heat Pump

Should your heat pump become covered in ice or snow in the winter time, there are a few things you can do and some things you should not do. First, check to make sure the problem isn’t related to a broken defrost cycle timer. The heat pump should go into a defrost cycle every 30-90 minutes to keep excess ice from building up. If this doesn’t happen, it should be inspected for a thermostat or sensor problem.

To actually remove the ice from the unit, never use a sharp object to pick the ice clear. You can easily damage the coils or another part of the unit and leave it permanently broken. The best way to remove ice from your heat pump is to rinse it off with a hose – even cold water will remove ice. Just be sure the defrost cycle is ready to come back on so the water used to rinse away the ice doesn’t freeze.

Remember to check your emergency heating source and make sure it is switched on while this is happening. Your heat pump likely won’t work properly while iced over and if it is left in the on position, excess stress on the device will cause damage.

To avoid this kind of damage, turn off the heat pump and turn on your emergency heating source, then clear away the ice and check the defrost timer. If everything works properly, turn the heat pump back on, but if you find any problems, call a professional to do a more thorough inspection of the device before you use it again.

Question from Jefferson: How Much Water Does a Leaky Faucet Waste?

Posted on by Larry & Sons

A leaky faucet in your Jefferson home is obnoxious for more than one reason. It is incessant, it represents a problem that will probably only grow worse, and it can cost you money on your water bill. Beyond all of that, it wastes a lot of water, putting undue stress on the environment. But, how much water does a leaky faucet actually waste? It may not seem like much, but when added up over a period of time, that leaky faucet’s impact can be fairly substantial.

Okay, so a single drip every couple seconds may not seem like a lot of water. But, think about it this way. If you let your faucet drip every day, twenty four hours a day, it is definitely going to add up. Imagine what would happen if every faucet in your home was dripping or every faucet in your neighbourhood. It would not seem like such a small amount of water anymore.

In terms of how much water is actually wasted, it is impossible to tell for certain. After all, every drop of water from a faucet is a different size and falls at a different rate. But, for the most part the water coming from a faucet (according to the US Geological Survey) is between 1/5 and 1/3 of one milliliter. Using those calculations and 1/4 of a milliliter as an average, the USGS estimates that roughly 15,140 drips from a faucet equals one gallon of water.

It may not seem like much. After all, fifteen thousand drops is a LOT of drops. But, if your faucet dripped once every second every day, all day, it would only take four and a half hours to reach one gallon. Every day you would waste 5 gallons of water or 2,082 gallons per year. That is 10% of the average water used by a standard 3.5 gpf toilet on a daily basis. Now, imagine what happens if you have more than one drippy faucet, or if your bathtub leaks which will drip more water at a time or if the leak is larger than the average size.

In short, the cost of a leaky faucet may not seem like much, but as time passes, it can really add up and if it is not taken care of, the cost will only grow as the leak gets bigger and potentially new leaks start in other faucets of your Jefferson home. Do not let it drip forever – take action now and cut down on the environmental impact you have, as well as your bill.