Will You be in Hot Water in 2015?

You may be in 2015 since the Department of Energy’s new water heater efficiency rules go into effect on April 16^th, 2015. Most customers in this area have a gas fired hot water heater. A few have an electric hot water heater where natural gas is not available in their home. Both types will be affected. Check out our 99+ energy saving tips here.

A Side Note for Customer’s who had basements flooded

All manufactures strongly recommend you replace any water heater, furnace or boiler that has sustained flood water to any of the controls or moving parts. If the water level do not reach controls but did enter some part of the unit, there may be issues with mold. An immediate inspection by a qualified technician should be done.

New Gas Hot Water Heater Standards for 2015

Let’s first take a look at the new standards for gas hot water heaters since it will have the biggest effect on a home in the Metro Detroit area. These rules also apply to propane fired hot water heaters for those who do not have a natural gas option. The old rule stated that a gas-fired hot water heater between 20 gallons and 100 gallons of storage capacity must have an energy factor of .67. All residential heaters and residential units used in commercial applications have been meeting this standard for a number of years. The new rules breakdown those heaters into two classifications. The first classification is 20 to 55 gallon storage capacity and the other is over 55 to 100 gallon storage capacity. The 20 to 55 category efficiency has increased slightly from .67 to .675. This will have little if any effect on the average home with a 40 or 50 gallon hot water heater. On large homes, homeowners who have a whirlpool tub with a large capacity, or small commercial applications there is a major change in the energy factor. It moves from .67 to .8012. This will require a much more expensive tank with the need for an electrical circuit and a condensate drain. Standard residential tanks of 65 gallons to 100 gallons will no longer be available. Residential heaters used for commercial applications will be far more expensive and there may be issues with venting since a conventional flue pipe system will not work with the new tanks.

New Tankless Gas Water Heater Standards for 2015

You may be thinking I’ll just install one of those tankless water heaters and then I won’t have a problem. Well, there are changes with tankless water heaters also. The rules require all new tankless water heaters to have an energy factor of .82 which was raised from .62. These will also be more expensive for the unit and for installation. Dozens of energy saving tips here.

New Electric Hot Water Heater Standards for 2015

Now let’s check out the electric water heater changes. Once again the old standard for residential tank type water heaters was an energy factor of .97 for any residential electric tank with a storage capacity from 20 gallons to 120 gallons. The new standard breaks down the storage sizes to 20 to 55 gallons and over 55 to 120 gallons. The energy factor for the 20 to 55 gallon tanks actually drops from .97 to .96 energy factor. Really nothing will change for these sizes. But for tanks greater than 55 gallons of storage capacity the energy factor increased to 2.057. This will require a heat pump type of water heater or perhaps a solar powered water heater to meet these requirements. These are far more expensive than a standard tank type of electric water heater. The heat pump heaters may also create a noise issue since they have a compressor and fans in them.

Suggestions for Consumers

If your hot water heater is more than 8 years old, you should look into replacing it before the new standard takes effect April 16^th, 2015. Don’t wait too long because the supply of today’s standard tanks may be scarce as we approach the deadline for the changeover. You can also expect the price of those tanks without significant changes to go up to help manufacturers spread the cost of design, engineering, testing, and production of the higher efficient tanks. Get an ebook with 99+ energy saving tips here.

Contact us today if you have questions.

It’s a good time of year to have our trained experienced air conditioning Technicians solve your cooling problems whether you live on Grosse Ilse, in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Melvindale, Wyandotte, or Lincoln Park.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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Urgent Setback Thermostat Recall

 

Important Recall for a popular thermostat

Below is the information to determine if your setback thermostat is included in this recall. If you have questions, please contact us.

 

 

 

We are always concerned about our customer’s safety. We are ready to answer your questions so feel free to call us.

 

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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20 Spring Tips for your home’s plumbing, heating, cooling

With a brutal winter coming to an end, spring is here. Although it is early to do some of these things, the list will help you prepare for summer and much warmer weather. Here are several tips to safe energy and unexpected surprises from your plumbing, heating, and air conditioning systems.

Your Heating & Cooling System

 As the snow melts away and you can again see that air conditioning unit in your backyard, clean debris, weeds, leaves, and branches   from around the unit.

        If you have a cover on your unit, be sure to remove it, wash it and store for next winter use.

     As the temperatures warm, use a car polish and wax on the painted surfaces of your air conditioning unit to keep the finish from deteriorating.

3.      If the unit is out of level, gently level it so it will operate properly.

4.      If you shut the unit off, energize it by turning on the circuit breaker or replacing the fuse block. Don’t immediately start the unit up but allow a day for the system to “warm up”.

5.      Replace the filter in your furnace. When you are in air conditioning mode, the blower will be operating at a higher speed and needs to move more air to cool your home. A dirty filter is one of the issues that can quickly cause unit failure.

6.      Reset the humidifier for warmer temperatures. Check your owner’s manual for instructions.

7.      If you have a pump for condensate from the inside air conditioning coil, be sure it is plugged in.

8.      Check the point where the refrigerant lines enter the home for openings that may need to be caulked to prevent critters or outside air into the house. If you have a high efficiency furnace that vents to the side of your home, also check here for openings that may need caulking.

9.      If you have not reset your setback thermostat for daylight saving time, put out the manual and do it now.

       Finally the most important tip to assure you air conditioning system is in tiptop operating condition, call us today and schedule a spring tune-up by a qualified technician.

Your Plumbing System

1.      Turn the water back on to outside spigots and careful check for any damage to the waterlines from freezing.

2.      Remove the cover of your sump pump pit (if you have a sump pump) and check to be sure debris or sand are not interfering with the pump intake.

3.      Also check the piping from the pump to the outside of your home for damage.

4.      Check the piping from your sump pump to be sure it wasn’t damaged from snow, ice or shoveling during the winter.

5.      Run your backup sump pump system to be sure it will operate properly if needed.

6.      Consider adding a backup sump pump system to your existing system if you don’t have one. With lots of melting snow this is an important item.

7.      Make sure your down spouts are set to put melting snow from your roof or spring rain away from the home so the sump pump will not have to operate as often.

8.      Check the point where the sump pump line leaves the home for openings that may need to be caulked to prevent critters or outside air into the house.  Also check for openings around the outside spigots that may need caulking.

9.      Call us to schedule your plumbing repairs or a complete system inspection and evaluation.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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Pros & Cons of a Tankless Water Heater

There has been a lot of hype in the last few years about replacing

Which Saves you Money?

a home’s tank type water heater with a tankless style heater. For many homes and homeowners it is a great alternative. They are compact and they can provide continuous hot water for those using a lot of water. There is little energy loss from a tank filled with hot water. Many are very energy efficient during operation. Perhaps the reason many get them is it’s the newest and greatest (at least by the advertising hype).

Let’s take a look at things to consider when you need to replace your existing tank or decide to replace your existing tank.

Installation Cost

Most tankless heaters require a natural gas line to them as does your tank type heater. The difference is the tankless requires a supply of gas about 6 times that of your tank type of heater in order to provide a continuous supply of hot water. That does not mean it uses 6 times as much gas it just uses it over a shorted time. This being the case, often the piping from the gas meter to the tankless heater must be increased in size which requires much more in materials and labor.

The high efficiency tankless heaters vent the flue gases out through plastic piping not through the chimney. In some cases, especially condominiums, there is not a practical way to do this. If it can be done once again additional labor and materials are required.

Older tank type heaters do not require an electrical power supply. The tankless type heater will require an electrical power supply which may add cost.

Installed cost will typically be 3-5 times the cost of a tank type water heater. It could easily take 20+ years to overcome the installation costs and receive a payback.

Instantaneous Hot Water

Tankless Installation

The burners of a tankless water heater come on in seconds of the call for hot water. There is hot water leaving the tank but that does not mean instant hot water at the faucet. If the faucet is a distance away from the tankless heater, you will still have a wait for hot water. This can be overcome with a tankless or tank type water heater by installing a recirculation system. This is an additional expense to either water heating system.

If you turn on a faucet at a very low hot water flow, a tankless heater may not sense it and cause the unit to fire providing hot water as needed.

Maintenance

Tank type water heaters require very little maintenance over a life of 6- 12 years. Ever those with power vent units are quite simple. A tankless heater has some sophisticated controls and systems inside of the unit which could be very costly to repair.

Another issue can come into play with the heat exchanger of a tankless heater. The passages for the water to flow through can be narrow. Mineral build up in these passages can cause them to malfunction and require extensive service. This is especially true in areas with hard water conditions or other mineral content in the water supply.

Uniqueness

Each home and family is unique. Their needs are unique. We install a variety of hot water heating systems to meet these unique needs. We can help you decide which system will best meet your family’s needs.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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An unwanted surprise coming?

Resolution Time

Ouch! Is That Your Utility Bill?

With the cold snap or should I say cold couple of months, you may have been surprised by your gas and electric bill. If you have upgraded your furnace or boiler in the last year or so to a high efficiency unit, your bills have probably been a surprise at how much smaller they were than what you had expected. If you opened the gas and electric bill and you have not upgraded your furnace or boiler in a number of years or not at all, you were probably shocked at how expensive it was to heat your home with that old unit.

Some will say just turn down the thermostat to say 60 or 65 degrees and deal with it. Wrap up in two or three more layers and just look like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. There are those that choose to do this or are forced by economic changes, but for most of us, it is truly a reduction in comfort and standard of living.

When the first and second generation of high efficiency furnaces and boilers hit the market, we were all excited about the energy savings. What we were not ready for was the high cost of repairs in these newly designed systems. Fortunately, the models available from quality manufactures today have reduced this problem for consumer and we even have longer term warranties available if something does occur.

Many furnace and boiler models today can reduce the electrical energy consumption by over fifty percent with super-efficient motors. Unit operating noise has been reduced to “whisper quiet”. Equipment comfort levels have been increase by reducing temperature swing with the occupied spaces. Many furnace cabinets are insulated to save additional energy and reduce noise.

Additionally, comfort today can be increased by high efficiency humidifiers which add moisture to the air to give your home a better environment for your family. Specialty air filtering can be added to remove, dust, pollen, spores, and pet dander from the air in your home. Ultraviolet lights can be used to reduce bacteria and germs in the air.

Even if you are on a tight budget, we can install a new high efficiency furnace or boiler which will save on both your gas and electric usage….saving you money. For many homes this added comfort and energy savings can be achieved for less than $5.00 a day. Contact us for details of the financing plans, terms and to see if you qualify for this financing.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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Resolution Time

Resolution Time!

 We all make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, to get fit, to stop a bad habit, or some other “life changing” promise to ourselves. Here are some activities to put on your calendar that will save you money and improve your health!

Your heating and air conditioning system heats, colds, humidifies, cleans, and moves air around your home. With some simple steps you can have a cleaner, more comfortable, safer, home and save money. These are always good resolutions to add to your list. Here is a simple tip on an easy way to accomplish these resolutions.

On that new calendar or on that new tablet or smart phone calendar do the following:

·        Put in a task to once a month check the filter on your furnace. If it is dirty, change it out every month. If it is clean check it again the following month. A dirty filter can cause your increase your furnace blower motor to work harder thus using more electricity..

·        Put in a task to check and clean the humidifier once a month during the heating season. Soak the pad in a 50% vinegar/water solution overnight and rinse with water. Replace the pad at least once during the heating season. The build-up of minerals will decrease the effectiveness of the humidifier. This reduces comfort and causes more hours of humidifier operation which costs you money. Also open the humidifier bypass damper at the beginning of the heating season along with the water supply valve. At the beginning of the cooling season close the humidifier bypass and shutoff the water supply to the humidifier. If you have UV light check it for proper operation.

·        While you are doing the things mentioned above, be sure no “stuff” is stored within a foot of the furnace or water heater. If there are flammables nearby, be sure to get them out of the house! A malfunction of the furnace or water heater can quickly cause a major fire if flammables or combustibles are nearby.

·        Mark April to call for a service call by a professional to safety and operational check your air conditioner before the season of hot weather is here. When your system is properly adjusted, it saves you money and provides better comfort.

·        Mark August to schedule a fall safety and operational check on your furnace. Every fall hundreds of people are hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning from poorly operating furnaces.

·        Put in a task to check the air conditioning unit monthly during the warm months for weeds, leaves, cottonwood or other debris that can partially clog the intake of the air conditioning unit and reduce efficiency and the life of the unit.

·        Put a task on the first day of spring and the first day of fall to replace the batteries on your smoke detectors and your carbon monoxide detector. Also check for operation. If they are more than 10 years old, they should be replaced.

·        While you are changing out batteries on your smoke detectors, also change out the batteries on your thermostat if needed. Check the manual for instructions. Also remember the clock on the thermostat may need to be changed when we “spring ahead” or “fall back” to be sure you have you program operating properly on your thermostat.

That new smart phone or tablet can be used for more than just games. It can remind you of the simple tasks needed to assure comfort, safety and energy saving in your home this coming year.

Happy New Year for all of us to you and your family!

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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Cider Time?

Ouch! It’s Too Hot!

There is no easy answer to the how hot your water should be. It depends. It depends on the makeup of the family, the usage of the family, and safety for the family.

When I say safety, this is a two way street. If you look at the chart below, you can see it does not take a high temperature to cause burns especially for the elderly and the young. On the other hand water that is too cool can cause Legionnaire’s disease to form in the water. When a person is exposed to the vapor or water droplets the disease can form in their lungs as pneumonia. Each of these consequences are dire for a family. So what is the best option for the average family?

Let’s look at what the maximum temperature at a faucet where a child, an elderly individual or an adult may be scalded. These would be shower, bathtub, and combination bathtub/shower faucets. Very few faucets with separate hot and cold handles can be set for a maximum temperature so the solution for these would be to replace the faucet with a single handle faucet with a temperature limit built into it. The temperature limit must be set for each home since the incoming water temperature to the faucet can vary. The maximum temperature should be set below 120° F, preferably at 115° F. The faucet should also have at least a pressure balance feature. This feature reduces the flow of hot water when it senses a reduction of flow from the cold water supply. This could be caused by a toilet flush, a faucet turned on to cold, or a sprinkler operating.

Sinks do not require a maximum temperature on residential applications since higher temperatures may be desired and the thought is that a person could quickly remove their hands from the flow of water if it was extremely hot. In commercial application the code requires a maximum temperature of 120° F at sinks to protect handicap individuals. If you have a concern or a need to control the hot water temperature at a sink, there are controls which can be installed at individual sinks.

If you keep your water heater at 130° F or lower you are increasing the chances of Legionnaire’s Disease developing within the tank or piping. A water heater set at 120° F can have water inside of it as low as 100° F. The Department of Energy recommends 120° F set point but OSHA recommends 140° F to minimize the formation of the Legionnaire’s Disease bacteria.

Table of Hot Water Scalding Temperatures & Times
Water Temperature Setting	Exposure Time	Effects of Exposure to Hot water at These Temperatures
Water at 100°   F or below	See safety   note.	Most   water heaters are unlikely to scald an adult occupant;
Water at 120°   F	5 minutes	2nd & 3rd   degree burns on adult skin
Water at 130°   F	30 seconds	2nd & 3rd   degree burns on adult skin
Water at 140°   F	5 seconds	2nd & 3rd   degree burns on adult skin
Water at 150°   F	1 1/2 seconds	2nd & 3rd   degree burns on adult skin
Water at 160°   F	1/2 second	2nd & 3rd   degree burns on adult skin
Safety Note:   Hot Water Scald Burn Warning for Infants, Children, Elderly: great care must be taken when   exposing infants or children to warm or hot water as they can be badly burned   quickly and at shorter exposure times.
Source: A.O. Smith

Our recommendation is to set you tank at a temperature no higher than 140° F also be sure your shower and bathtub faucets are set at 115° F as the maximum temperature. This will provide reasonable protection from scalding and Legionnaire’s Disease. As stated above, if you still have concerns about sink faucet temperatures, a control can be added to the sinks in your home.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com. Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

Am I in Trouble Now?

There are a lot of scary things we must do in life. Some of these include going to the dentist, getting a shot, starting a new job, or having a stranger in the house! When you call for service on your furnace or air conditioning system, you may be calling a stranger to come into your home. Day in and day out there is an article, a television sting, a report on customers being taken advantage of by poorly trained, unethical heating, air conditioning, plumbing or electrical service technicians. Before you have a company into your home you always want to find out some keep things about the company and the Technician that is coming out.

Here are some of the things you should check on:

• Does the company have liability and workers comp insurance
• What are their customers saying about them
• Have they been in business for a number of years
• Do they list an address for their place of business
• What do your friends or neighbors say about the company
• What does the web say about them
• Are their trucks well marked
• Do the Technicians go through drug testing and background checks
• Can I get information about the Technician coming to my home before hand

That last item brings up some interesting facts that you should know. Plumbers and Electricians are licensed by the State of Michigan and are required to have a journeyman’s level of expertise for most work but there is no classification for a Journeyman Heating or Air Conditioning Technician. The leaders within the industry recognized this and set up the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) program.

NATE is a testing program which requires a Technician to have a substantial amount of classroom and field experience to become certified in an area of the heating and air conditioning industry. There are about a dozen different classifications in which a Technician can become certified. The certification is only good for five years then the Technician must retest or have at least 60 hours of approved training. This is to assure the Technician is competent in the newer technologies since the changes have been coming rapidly in these fields. The need for higher efficiency furnaces and air conditioning equipment,  the greater need for indoor air quality measures, the protection of the environment from refrigerants, and the use of electronic controls within the equipment and system controls has made the simple heating and cooling of a home far more complicated than just 10 years ago.

So you want to be sure the Technician coming to your home to service your heating or air conditioning system or installing a new system has the NATE certification. We provide information about the Technicians we are sending to your home in a variety of ways. Our Customer Service Department can provide that over the telephone. We can email information to you before the Technician arrives. We also have information about our Technicians on our website for you to review. We are constantly training our Technicians and upgrading their customer service and technical skills so you don’t need to be scared of who is coming into your home.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com. Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

11 Warm Weather Energy Saving Tips

With warmer weather there are several things every homeowner should do to prepare their home’s plumbing and air conditioning system for the spring and summer seasons. These are activities that will help to assume proper operation of the systems, prevent damage and save energy costs.

1. Remove the cover you may have put on your air conditioning unit. Be sure the power is on to the outdoor air conditioning unit. This will allow the oil to warm up and freely flow when you need to turn the unit on.
2. Carefully clean weeds and plants that may interfere with airflow to the outdoor air conditioning unit. Clean any debris around the unit. Don’t let the weed-wacker near the unit’s coil as it might damage the unit.
3. Use some car polish to clean the cabinet of your air conditioner. It will not be an eyesore in your yard.
4. Install a new filter in your furnace for the cooling season. A dirty filter is often the reason for a service call that could have been prevented.
5. Turn off the water supply to your humidifier and if there is a damper for the humidifier be sure to put it in the summer mode. It’s also a good time to clean the humidifier removing the calcium buildup and replace the media to be ready for fall.
6. If you have a setback thermostat, now is the time to set the cooling setbacks and check to see if you changed the time for daylight savings.
7. Check the insulation on the air conditioner piping from the outdoor unit to the point it enters the wall of your home. This insulation helps save energy by not allowing the refrigerant to operate properly.
8. Check to be sure that the ground around your outdoor air conditioning unit has not shifted and caused the unit to lean. This can cause the unit to fail prematurely.
9. Turn the water on to the outside faucets. Check inside the basement and the faucets themselves for any leaks. Also it’s time to start-up the sprinkler system and check for leaks at piping or at the sprinkler heads.
10. Check the outlet of the sump pump to assure free flow for the water to discharge at least 5 feet from the house.
11. Our trained technicians can check the mechanical portion of your air conditioning system to assure efficient operation to save you operating costs and continuous operation when you need it. Every manufacturer recommends semi-annual checks by qualified technicians on your heating and air conditioning system.

Call us early for preseason savings on system checks! If your system is 10 years or older it may be time to consider replacing it with a quiet high efficient unit. Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com. Home Service Corporation Celebrating our 32^nd year serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs.

An Unwanted Surprise Coming?

We are experiencing low temperatures and wind chills we have not had in our area for several years. If you haven’t noticed, your furnace or boiler has been running more often and for longer times than it has in at least two heating seasons. There will be surprises in the next several months when you open that gas bill. Hopefully your system has been running effectively without interruption. Here are a few tips to assure better running efficiency and safety.

• Be sure the filter is clean. A dirty filter can reduce the airflow causing less comfort and higher heating costs.
• Check the humidifier for operation. Proper humidity in a home creates more comfort and can save heating costs.
• Remove any clutter around the furnace to avoid the possibility of a fire.
• If you have not had maintenance on your furnace or boiler in the last year or longer, a precision tune-up can cut operating costs and provide better comfort.
• Many homes have attached garages. Be sure to keep the garage door closed to hold in as much heat as possible. DO NOT start the car with the door closed or any other engine such as a snow blower. Carbon monoxide is deadly!
• Close doors tightly and drapes or blinds to keep drafts from forming but be careful that ice does not form on the inside of the windows with the drapes closed.
• If the heat is uneven in your home, you can turn the furnace fan to “on” which will cause the fan to run constantly and often even the temperature throughout the home. That setting is on your thermostat.
• If you have a boiler, be sure to clean the baseboard units. Dust and dirt impede the airflow which reduces the output of the unit and increases your heating bill. Also check that the dampers on the baseboard units are open.
• If your furnace or boiler acts erratically, call us at once. With the stress on units, we are very busy. The sooner you call the sooner we can be at your home and assure you have heat.
• There are no “magic” heating units that you can just plug in and heat your home comfortably. They operate on electricity which is more expensive than natural gas and they do not have the capacity to heat an entire home.

Another money saving thought

Congress included a tax credit for replacement of a furnace or boiler at the end of last year for 2013. The utility companies have substantial rebate programs in effect, our furnace and boiler manufacturers have rebates, and we are ready to give you our lowest prices of the season if you choose to replace that old furnace or boiler with a new energy saving unit. We replace your unit in one day and don’t leave until the heat is back on. We have low cost financing plans available and what better way to use your tax return money than to invest in saving your family money in the years to come.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation

Celebrating our 32^nd year serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs.