HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical Blog

5 Liquids to NOT Put Down Your Sink

September 25th, 2023

It’s often easy for people to think of the sink drains in their homes as similar to the trash: you can put anything you don’t want down them and it will simply disappear. But sinks and the drains connected to them are not designed to handle just any type of liquid. There are several liquids that we recommend you never put down your sink.

We offer drain cleaning in Bergen, NY and have extensive experience with the proper care of sinks and drain pipes. Below is our list of five liquids you should never put down any sink in your home.

Understanding AC Efficiency Ratings

September 11th, 2023

Once upon a time, people who purchased central air conditioning systems for their homes didn’t think much about efficiency. They expected to pay a lot for cooling—and they did. Older systems were inefficient and people didn’t expect much better.

That’s changed thanks to improved technology and people in general having a greater awareness of the importance of energy efficiency, not only as a way to lower utility costs but also as a way to benefit the environment.

If you’re currently looking to purchase a new central cooling system for your home, energy efficiency will likely be on your mind. We’re experts on AC efficiency in Rochester, NY, and in this post we’ll help you better understand how energy efficiency is measured and what to look for so you can make an informed decision about your next AC.

Common Ductless System Myths

September 4th, 2023

More homes today are looking for ductless AC service in Rochester, NY, and we’re busy helping them out. Although ductless mini split heat pumps aren’t necessarily new technology—they’ve been used for several decades in Japan and Europe—they’re new to many local homeowners. In the US, people tend to think of central heating and cooling as using ducts, and making the adjustment to ductless systems requires rethinking HVAC in general. This makes it easy for misunderstandings to start, and quite a few myths about ductless systems have circulated.

Today we’re going to debunk the most common ductless system myths we encounter. We hope this helps you to better understand the potential of using ductless HVAC systems.

The Benefits of Repairing Your Sewer With Trenchless Technology

August 28th, 2023

Trenchless technology has existed since the 1930s, when it was originally used as a lateral boring technique for mining. In the 1970s, it emerged in civil engineering as a way to put in underground pipes and electrical conduits without ripping up streets, walkways, asphalt lots, landscaping, etc.

Now, trenchless technology is available for residential work—and one of the best ways to put trenchless technology to use for your home is to take care of repairs to your sewer line, including full replacement.

You can’t do this work on your own: you’ll need to call the experts to handle it. We offer trenchless technology in Rochester, NY for a range of plumbing needs, such as sewer line repairs. If you’re interested in knowing why trenchless technology is superior to the older method of excavation to reach the buried sewer line, we have a list of trenchless sewer line repair benefits:

What Are Pinhole Leaks?

August 14th, 2023

Many plumbing leaks in your home can go unnoticed for weeks or even months. The most insidious of these hidden leaks are pinhole leaks. These tiny leaks can seem to spring up out of nowhere—and even though they’re small by definition, they can cause a slow accumulation of water that will do enormous damage to building materials.

Where do these pinhole leaks come from, and what can you do to find them and prevent them in the future?

How Cool Can My AC Make My Home?

August 7th, 2023

When the summer heat rises, do you rush to your thermostat and crank it down low? This seems like the natural reaction, but we don’t recommend pushing the thermostat setting down too far: it leads to unnecessary energy waste and it pushes the limits of your AC, possibly leading it to freeze. Our recommended energy-saving temperature setting is 78°F during the day when people are home and never setting it lower than 68°F.

This does bring up a good question: what are the cooling limitations of an AC? How cool can you make your home with your air conditioning system? We’ll get into your AC’s limits and how you can stay within them to avoid air conditioning repair in Rochester, NY.

Air Conditioning Considerations For Older Homes

July 17th, 2023

We’re going to have an intensely hot summer this year—and certainly next year as well. Homeowners need to rely heavily on their central air conditioning systems in order to get through the heat in both comfort and safety.

Older homes face different challenges when it comes to air conditioning systems. Today we’re going to examine some of the common issues that vintage homes have to deal with, along with tips for AC upgrades and AC repair in Bergen, NY that will help you ensure that your older home stays both cool and energy efficient when the outside temperature rises into the red.

Gas vs. Electric Water Heaters

July 10th, 2023

You’re on the market for a new water heater installation in Rochester, NY. This may not seem like an exciting journey, but water heaters are absolute necessities for modern homes. You want to make the best possible choice about which water heater you get.

There are a range of types of water heaters available, both tank and tankless. One of the key questions about water heater models is the source of energy they use. Although you can find oil and propane-powered water heaters, in most cases you’ll face a choice between a natural gas water heater or an electric water heater.

Let’s take a closer look at these two options and balance their pros and cons…

Do You Need to Upgrade Your Electrical Panel?

July 3rd, 2023

How often do you think about the electrical panel in your home? If you’re like most people, you only pay attention to it when a circuit breaker trips and you need to go reset it.

However, it pays to think more about the panel: it’s not only an essential part of your home’s electrical system, it won’t last forever. It’s important to know when you need to have the panel replaced. Our licensed electricians can help you with this job, as well handle all types of electrical replacements and electrical repairs in Rochester, NY.

Below we’ll look over several situations where we recommend upgrading your panel.

One of the Most Common AC Troubles: Short Cycling

June 19th, 2023

As summer truly gets underway and you start to frequently use your air conditioning system for the heat, it’s a good time to address some of the more frequent problems that ACs can run into. In this post, we’re going to address one of the more common: short-cycling. Sometimes this is a minor issue you can correct with troubleshooting. But often it means you need to call on our experts for air conditioning repair in Rochester, NY from our dedicated and highly trained HVAC professionals.