Repairing your HVAC System: Things That Can Go Wrong

It’s official; winter’s on its way. Autumn’s already taking its bitter toll, and temperatures are about to plummet further. While you might not want to think about upcoming snow, turning your attention to HVAC maintenance now is the best chance you have at staying snug. Having somewhere warm to hide can make an otherwise bleak winter feel cozy, but that’s never going to happen if you don’t put proper prep in place to keep your heating running smoothly. Fall behind here, and you’ll be the desperate soul trying to contact a repair company in the cold depths of winter. Avoid that cool reality by taking care of these winter HVAC maintenance tips while you have the chance. #1 - Schedule an annual inspection An annual HVAC inspection is vital for winter health. After a summer of disuse, you can’t simply start your heating system and expect it to run like clockwork. Instead, every homeowner should schedule an inspection once autumn rolls around. While this process can cost you about $200, it also ensures your HVAC lasts the full fifteen years, thus saving you money in the long-run. During an inspection, professionals will service and check your systems, as well as booting everything up to ensure smooth running. That way, you’ll be able to turn everything on without once worrying about a last-minute lack of heat. #2 - Replace your filters Like oil in a car, filters in an HVAC need replacing. While neglecting this won’t necessarily stop your heating from working, it can cause your HVAC to run harder, thus damaging those systems and ultimately increasing bills. Replacing filters is a simple process that can make a massive difference to the efficiency and therefore the heat your HVAC can produce. #3 - Conduct an annual clean We’ve all heard of spring cleaning, but winter HVAC clean should also be a priority. Dust and grime always build in unused heating vents. Like outdated filters, this can impact efficiency. Excessive dust could even damage your systems on startup. Make sure it doesn’t happen by doing a thorough clean before you boot your heating the first time. A simple case of dusting and wiping down should make all the difference. #4 - Check your thermostat Now is also the ideal time to check your thermostat. If you don’t have a programmable option, then it’s highly recommended you get one installed for increased winter efficiency. If you already have a programmable thermostat, you’re going to want to consider when you do and don’t set it. Setting your thermostat for critical times like early evening and first thing in the morning is vital, while you’ll want to make sure you turn it off when you’re at work etc. This will both help your HVAC to function and ensure that you can always enjoy decent heat without breaking the bank. Whatever you do, don’t leave HVAC maintenance until the last minute. Take care of these tips now to ensure a warm winter that you can enjoy.

With warm weather upon us, many of us will be reaching for the AC controls. If you have air conditioning at home, when was the last time you had your system inspected? If it’s been more than a year, we strongly recommend booking an inspection and making it an annual tradition. There are so many advantages to be gained from ensuring that your AC units are checked on a regular basis. Why is an annual AC inspection so important? AC inspections are important for a number of reasons. The most important is to check that your system is functioning as it should be. When the heat of the summer months descends, and your AC system is working overtime to keep your home nice and cool, it can succumb to general wear and tear. Having an annual inspection enables engineers to spot signs of damage and to act before any existing problems get worse. Inspections flag up issues and potential red flags, and they can also improve the efficiency of your units. If your AC is working perfectly, you’ll reap the rewards in terms of enjoying a pleasant home environment and saving money on your energy bills. Another reason to make sure you schedule an annual AC check is saving money on AC maintenance and repairs. If there are problems that are identified during a routine service, they can be addressed and remedied before they develop into issues that are costly to fix. There’s also a much lower risk of faults that could affect the function of your system and leave you sweltering and sweating at home. Keeping up with general maintenance and routine inspections can also help to prolong the life expectancy of your AC units, which will save you money in the long-term. What happens during an AC inspection? When you have your air conditioning units checked, experienced engineers will go through a list of tasks and jobs to test the function of each unit and identify any potential problems. If the unit has a clean bill of health, you probably won’t need to do anything until your next inspection. If there are issues, which require attention, your engineer will explain exactly what they’ve found and provide you with information about what can be done to eliminate faults, improve efficiency and functionality and save you money in the future. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask away. You’ll be given a quote and a timeframe for the work. In cases where there are major issues, or the unit is damaged beyond repair, you may be advised to consider investing in a new AC unit. If this is the best option, your engineer will be able to discuss your options with you and make recommendations based on your requirements and your budget. If you’re due an AC inspection, or you have any questions about your air conditioning system or the benefits of having regular routine services and checks, we’re here to help. Call F.G Lees & Son today!

HVAC Maintenance: Preventative Care That You Can Take To The Bank Imagine for a minute having to work in an office that didn’t have a working HVAC system in place. During the winter, temperatures would drop below freezing, and in the summer, you could be roasting in your cubicle with light from the sun beating down on your head. It doesn’t bear thinking. That’s why it’s so important that organizations that use HVAC systems do preventive care. When your heating and cooling systems work, you don’t think about them. But when they stop doing their job, it’s hard to focus on anything else. The Financial Case For Preventive HVAC Maintenance The case for performing preventive maintenance on your HVAC system is similar to the case for maintenance on your vehicles or equipment. A small expenditure today can prevent a significant outlay in the future. Let’s say, for instance, that your HVAC system cost $5,000 to install and that with a maintenance cost of $200 every five years, it will last fifteen years. Your heating and cooling costs are, therefore, $5,400 for the period. Now suppose that you spend nothing on maintenance and your HVAC system lasts seven and a half years. Over the same fifteen year interval, you’ll end up paying $10,000, a massive $4,600 more than if you’d done some preventive maintenance. Preventive Care Priorities When it comes to preventive care for HVAC systems, where should your focus lie? Change the oil. Like cars, HVAC systems have moving parts which require lubrication. Change the filters. Filters can become clogged with dust, forcing the motor to work harder. Changing the filters improves air quality while ensuring that the machinery continues to work within accepted tolerances. Change the belts. Some models of HVAC systems use belts that can wear out and cause damage if they fail. Annual cleaning of boilers. Boilers can attract soot which reduces efficiency. Fire testing. Fire testing ensures that the boiler remains safe. Clean air coils. Clean air coils help to facilitate better heat transfer. As you can see, performing these preventing care measures is inexpensive but can have a substantial knock-on effect on your overall maintenance bill. Organizations that perform preventive care can save a lot of money. Create A Preventive Care Schedule Keeping track of what needs to be done and when can be a challenge. But if you create a schedule, you can stay abreast of tasks that need doing once per month, once per quarter and once per year. Create Digital Records Most professionals recommend that you keep a schedule and maintenance history on a computer. Doing so eliminates the chance of losing paper copies of work that needs to be done. Analyse Data For Patterns Keeping a record of your HVAC maintenance history allows you to analyze it for patterns to see where problems are most likely to emerge. Put Stickers On Your Equipment Putting stickers on HVAC equipment keeps maintenance professionals up to date about when it was last serviced.

There are two typical methods for heating the home. A furnace heats air by using fuel (usually gas) to heat up its coils, and then a blower motor moves the warmed air through the home's duct system, distributing it through the vents. A boiler is a heating system that generates heat by using water. Boilers can run on electricity, gas, oil, or alternative fuels like wood pellets. They work one of two ways: The boiler heats the water, which in a hydroponic system, circulates in the combustion chamber of the boiler, then flows through a network of small hot water pipes in the home. In a steam system, the water is converted to steam and sent through the pipes to be distributed throughout the house via the radiators. Boilers and Furnaces: efficiency comparisons Both heating methods can be efficient, but in order to check your system, look at your heater's AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating, which tells you how much fuel is converted to heat. If the rating is high, the unit is more efficient. For example, a furnace with an AFUE of 70 converts 70% of the fuel to heat and loses 30% during combustion. There are pros and cons to both home heating methods. Boiler heat is often more steady and consistent in temperature while furnaces use warm air, blowing it around aimlessly which creates a drafty environment. Other Differences Another difference is in the temperature from one room to another. If the house is heated with a boiler system, room temperature may vary, as the system works with the radiators in each room. Furnaces by contrast, typically heat your whole home at one time, so each room is around the same temperature. Budget Considerations When debating which type of heating system to install, consider also your budget. Installing a boiler system is more expensive than using the air conditioning ductwork to heat the home by adding a furnace, but using a boiler has a few advantages over a furnace. Hydronic heating systems don't blow dust and allergens throughout the house, drying out the air like furnaces tend to do. Boilers provide a more gentle and comfortable heat. Maintenance of Boilers and Furnaces Another difference between these systems is the type of maintenance required for each heating system. Furnace systems can be easily maintained by checking the water level from time to time, and replacing the filters which require frequent changing: Once a season at least, ideally every 1-2 months. Boilers, by contrast, typically only need to be serviced annually. Cast iron gas boilers, however, can run for years with minimal maintenance. Closing Thoughts If you are in the market to get a new heating system for your home, consider the pros and cons of both methods. Contact one of the qualified HVAC technicians at FG Lees & Sons to help you decide whether a boiler or furnace is ideal for your home. Servicing both furnace and boiler systems, FG Lee’s and Sons is a highly rated local provider of heating and cooling services.

During the spring and summer months, there are plenty of projects and activities around the house to keep us busy. People spend quite a bit of time landscaping their lawns or even repainting the exteriors of their homes during this warm and pleasant time of year. While projects like this are important to accomplish during the warm season, they can also distract homeowners like you from thinking ahead about what you can be doing to guarantee a more comfortable winter. There’s nothing worse than waking up in the middle of a frigid winter night and feeling especially cold, the kind of cold that all the blankets and pairs of socks in your house can’t fix. This situation only becomes worse when you find out that the problem is the result of a boiler that isn’t functioning properly. Before you know it, you’re on the phone with a local repair company in the middle of the night, praying that someone answers the phone and they have a functioning 24-hour emergency line. This may seem like a strange picture to paint for you at this time of year when the weather outside is far from frightful (unless you count the sometimes stifling humidity). But this is a scenario our team at F.G. Lees and Sons are all too familiar with. While this is a call we are always available to answer, let’s be honest; this is a situation you do not want to find yourselves in this winter. An emergency boiler repair, particularly in the dead of winter and at an unusual hour of the day, is only going to cause you significant anxiety and expense. That’s why, when you are spending your summer season tending your garden or simply lounging on your patio on a quiet Saturday afternoon, take a little time to prepare for the cold months ahead. Having the experts from F.G. Lees and Sons repair or simply clean your boiler today will allow us to either give your system a clean bill of health or diagnose a minor problem that could become serious in the future. Trust us, your wallet (especially during the holiday season) will thank you. When the weather outside is this warm, it seems hard to believe the fall and winter seasons will be here before you know it. Perhaps we don’t want to remember that colder temperatures are just around the corner! But being proactive now and repairing your boiler during the non-winter months we are currently enjoying, will save you time, stress, and expense in the future. Schedule your summer boiler appointment today with us by calling 401-421-1358 .

While the holidays are in full swing, and cold winter weather continues to come our way, we can’t forget to remember our plumbing. The plumbing in your home can take a real beating during the winter, which can lead to costly repair bills and headaches down the line. Lucky for you, F.G. Lees & Sons has a few tips to help prevent frozen pipes this winter. Where the Trouble Begins Think about the layout of your home. It would make sense that some pipes are going to be more prone to freezing than others because of the location within your home. The pipes that are at the biggest risk of freezing are: Exposed pipes in unheated areas of your home Pipes located in your exterior walls Any plumbing that’s on the exterior of your home Outside Plumbing If your outside plumbing freezes, it can do some major damage to your interior pipes, and the last thing you want is a burst pipe. As part of your regular seasonal maintenance, all of your garden hoses should be disconnected, drained, and stored in a safe spot before the first hard freeze. The same goes for sprinkler systems, and if you’re unsure of how to blow out your sprinkler, there are lawn care companies that can help. Exposed Interior Plumbing While you don’t need to worry about the pipes in your basement freezing, other pipes in unheated areas of your home, such as your attic, crawl space, or garage, are at risk. For these pipes, we recommend purchasing inexpensive foam pipe insulation, which is enough for moderately cold climates. If you’re in an area with severe weather conditions, you can opt for wrapping pipes with thermostatically controlled heat tape, which will turn on at certain minimum temperatures. Under Insulated Walls If you have pipes that travel through exterior walls, and have frozen in the past, you’ll probably need to open up the wall and add to the insulation. Pipes that show signs of water damage, mold, and moisture build-up have probably frozen because of inadequate or improperly installed insulation, so it’s worth the money to add more. If you’re worried about any of the plumbing in your home freezing this winter, please don’t hesitate to call F.G. Lees & Sons Inc. with any questions or concerns. Give us a call today at 401-421-1358, or visit our website for a full list of plumbing services.

There are a few occasions, like a refreshing summer rainstorm, when the dripping sound of water is a welcome sound. But more often than not, if you hear water dripping excessively, particularly in your home, that is a noise that is not music to your ears. When you hear that unpleasant sound in your bathroom, one word immediately springs to mind: leak. Bathroom leaks, at the very least, mean an inconvenience to the homeowner. At the most, a bathroom leak means a lengthy and expensive repair. While we at F.G. Lee & Sons are always a phone call away to examine and repair common bathroom leaks, there are simple signs that you can watch for to make sure these pesky bathroom leaks are quickly resolved. Here are a few simple steps that can prevent future bathroom leaks or minimize their damage. Learn to Recognize Signs for Damage Has your water bill been unusually high lately? Have you seen water spots forming on the ceiling in your bathroom? Do you hear a noise that sounds like pipes banging together when you turn your shower off? These little clues may be signs to damage in your homes plumbing system. If you are noticing any of these things, locate the source of the issue immediately before it becomes a greater (and more expensive) problem for you. Pay Close Attention to your Bathroom Toilet To prevent future leaks from forming around your toilet, examine the caulking around it and make sure it is properly sealed. If the caulking is doing what it is supposed to do, water won’t trickle down to the floor if the dreaded toilet overflow does occur. Don’t Ignore the Bathtub and Shower Frequently examine your bathtub and shower for signs of potential damage or vulnerable spots.

At one point or another, everyone will have to deal with a plumbing problem. While some plumbing issues may seem minor, always approach a do-it-yourself repair with caution. Simple problems, such as a leaky faucet or a slow-moving drain, can have a deeper source hidden beneath the surface. If you are unsure of the origin of the problem, or if simple repair efforts do not resolve the issue, it’s always best to call a professional plumber to avoid unintended damage to your plumbing system or home’s structure. Why Call a Professional? Plumbing problems, if left unchecked, can quickly run up a water bill, result in hidden water damage to floorboards, under sinks, and in walls, and even cause health problems through the spread of mold and bacteria. Putting off a plumbing repair, no matter how minor it seems, can end up costing more money on the back end as additional damage accumulates. Likewise, many pipes and plumbing finishes on sinks, faucets, and bathtubs systems have been unnecessarily damaged by botched home repairs. Clogs and Leaks While some repairs, such as a leaky faucet or slow drain, can be solved quickly and inexpensively on a do-it-yourself basis, if simply tightening a washer or using a storebought drain cleaner fails to work, avoid digging deeper into the problem yourself. Many modern faucets can be easily scratched with improper repair procedures, and trying to dislodge a deep clog within your plumbing could result in damage to the pipes. Remodeling Projects Anytime a remodeling project involves installation of new pipes or plumbing fixtures, it’s best to call a professional. Not only will you protect the structure and resale value of your home, your plumbing contractor can obtain all the necessary permits and make sure your project meets the building codes of your municipality. Water Damage Visible signs of water damage, such as water or mold stains on walls and ceilings, should always be handled by water restoration specialists. Mold, mildew, and other spores can present health hazards that licensed professionals have the equipment and training to handle. Because of the importance of achieving full resolution of the problem, as well as complete restoration of the damaged area, it’s best to leave this situation to the experts. Frozen Pipes Thawing of pipes needs to be handled carefully by professionals. Improper thawing can lead to cracked or burst pipes, doing more harm than good. No job is too big or too small for F. G. Lees & Son, who have been serving our Rhode Island area customers since 1889. Our experienced and licensed professionals specialize in handling both residential and commercial plumbing emergencies 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. To learn more about us or schedule a free estimate, please visit our website or call (401) 421-1358!