Identifying Plumbing Problems Before They Become Major Problems

By identifying small plumbing problems before they become larger, you can often prevent expensive repairs.

Here are some common symptoms of plumbing problems that can cause significant damage if they goes undetected.

Water Leaks - An unnoticed water leak or drip can cause hidden mold and rot problems. Enclosed spaces like crawl spaces should be inspected for water spots or mold, which can indicate a leak.

Screeching Faucets - This could indicate that the air "bleed-off" system is not working right.

Low Water Pressure - This can be caused by a clogged,leaking, or pipe that is too narrow for a particular application.

Rattling Pipes - This can indicate air is trapped in the pipes.

Backed Up Toilet - This may indicate a damaged or clogged sewer line.

Water Heater Rust - If you see brown water coming out of your faucets, your water heater may need replacing.

If your old furnace or water heater are in need of replacement, replacing them with new, energy efficient units will save you money every month through the heating season. Chicago area residents can also save money on the purchase cost of new systems by taking advantage of 2011 federal tax credits on new, energy efficient furnaces and water heaters. The rebates vary depending on the type and efficiency of the unit, but can cover 10% of cost up to $500 or a specific amount from $50 - $300.  

To quality for these savings you must purchase your new furnace or water heater before December 31, 2011. For more information on federal energy tax credits for new, energy efficient furnaces, visit:http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index.

2011 Changes to Federal Tax Credits

Federal tax credits on qualifying, high-efficiency HVAC equipment have been modified and extended through December 31, 2011 by the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. This program differs from the program effective in 2009-2010 in the following ways:

The maximum amount an eligible homeowner may receive in tax credits for purchasing qualifying products, whether those purchases are in the form of upgraded insulation, windows, HVAC equipment or other eligible improvements, will be reduced from $1,500 to $500.

The $500 cap is reduced by the total amount of residential energy property credits a homeowner has claimed for purchases between 2006 and 2010. If you have already claimed credits of $500 or more from improvements made prior to 2011, you will be unable to claim new credits for improvements made during 2011.

All furnaces and boilers, whether natural gas, propane or oil, must have an AFUE of 95 or above to be eligible for the credit.
The credit is no longer 30% of qualified residential energy property costs (including labor), but is now equal to an amount not to exceed:

The State of Illinois is not offering  energy efficiency rebates for home heating or water heaters at this time.

ENERGY STAR® Rated Home Heating Systems

Natural gas, propane and oil furnace style home furnaces can qualify with an AFUE greater or equal to 95. AFUE. AFUE stand for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Indicated as a percentage, your furnace's AFUE tells you how much energy is being converted to heat. For example, an AFUE of 90 means that 90% of the fuel is being used to warm your home, while the other 10% escapes as exhaust with the combustion gases. The Carrier Performance 95, 96 and Infinity Series furnaces all have a AFUE greater than 95.

ENERGY STAR® Rated Water Heaters

With water heating  accounting for 14%–25% of the energy consumed in the average Chicago area home, choosing an efficient model can have a significant impact on your energy costs.
Gas, oil, propane and electric heat pump water heaters with an Energy Factor greater or equal to  0.82 OR a thermal efficiency of at least 90% can quality for a $300 tax credit.

Remember, the most important day in the life of your furnace or water heater is the day it's  installed. Your ABC Home Comfort Specialist will help you choose right energy efficient furnace or water heater for your family's needs and budget. With a profesional installation and the ABC Worry Free Guarantee, you will be comfortable in knowing that your new furnace or water heater will provide years of efficient, trouble free service.

How Much Can You Save With An Annual Tune-Up of Your Home's Air Conditioner?

Every 3,000 miles I take my car over to the neighborhood car dealer to have the oil changed and routine maintenance performed.  As I was waiting for my car to be serviced, I thought to myself “Do I really need to have my car serviced this often?”  Then it occurred to me that my customers probably wonder the same thing about their annual home air conditioner tune-up. How many of my customers, friends and neighbors even bother to have their air conditioning unit tune up?

To find out, I checked with the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, other HVAC trade organizations and fellow heating and cooling companies. With a little research (thank you Internet!), I found over 55% of homeowners don’t schedule regular maintenance on their home air conditioning system – yet over half of all AC users express “dissatisfaction with the performance of their air conditioner and its cost to operate.”

So…55% of homeowners don’t get their AC tune up and their not happy with their Air Conditioning unit's performance?  

Here are some additional air conditioning maintenance facts I found:

1. According to several studies 9 out of every 10 Air conditioning breakdowns occur due to nothing more than “a dirty unit.”
2. According to a 2001 Louisiana State University study, the average homeowner spends $32.76 more a month on their energy bills by not have their heating and cooling unit maintained.
3. Your Air Conditioning life span will be significantly reduced without maintaining your AC.

So how much can you save with an annual tune up of your home’s air conditioner?  Just like with your oil change, a lot more than a couple bucks.  Now when I go to have my oil changed, I will have a greater appreciation for the efforts I am taking to increase my car’s performance.  

Look for more information on this topic in our next blog where we will continue the discussion and address the local impact on the Chicago area.