New Years Resolution: Prevent catastrophic events from happening to your Colorado plumbing & heating systems
As we start the New Year in this tough economic environment, it is essential that you do all you can to prevent the unforeseen and catastrophic events from happening to the plumbing and heating systems in your home or office.
First, pay attention to any little problem that you may see or hear about because it may become bigger very quickly if ignored. Start first by looking for plumbing related problems. If you have a spot on the ceiling downstairs from the bathroom upstairs, it could be something very simple like a leaking shower door or your kids splashing water outside the tub. But it may also be something more serious such as a cracked or broken drain line. As you check around your home, make note of what you find and check it out. Ask questions of the household member to determine when the problem started or how regular the problem occurs. If you do not know what questions to ask, give me a call because the advice I give you is free for the asking (303-952-8668 or 970.328.6001 ). (This is the part of the trade that I really like.)
In my previous blogs, I gave you tips on how to prevent frozen and broken pipes as we continue with the cold Colorado winter weather. Just following these simple tips will during the extremely cold days and nights will prevent a costly catastrophe from happening in your home or office. Don’t let down your guard while these temperatures exist and remember that at night the temps will fall and cause a pipe to burst and you could return to a flooded home if the temperatures moderate while you are out during the day. If you think this may happen, be sure to turn off the main water shutoff valve before you go out and turn it on when you come back. But remember when you turn the water back on, listen for possible water running from a frozen line that has thawed and burst.
As far as your heating system is concerned, make note of cold spots in your home. Many times you can even out the temperatures in your home simply by turning on the “fan” switch on your thermostat. This is very efficient using just a small amount of electricity .The fan will move around the heated and cooler air in all parts of your home and average out the temperatures. Warm air wants to stay in the ceiling and particularly the second floor ceilings, so by leaving the fan on, you can move that warm air around your home using the heating ductwork already in your walls. Remember to keep the heat set on the normal temperature you desire and then the burners will come on when there is a call for heat. This little trick really works!
Don’t forget to change your filter halfway through the winter months. You are moving around the dirt and dust in your house and ducts and it all seems to collect in the filter at the furnace. The replacement filter should be the same size as the duct, not larger or smaller so that air does not leak out and affect the overall performance of your furnace. Remember to buy only “pleated” filters unless you have a special air filter system.
And finally, remember that a little preventative maintenance on a regular basis can prevent a big problem later or will minimize the damage at least. Keep this blog handy as a reminder of what to be aware of when it comes to your plumbing and heating systems so that disasters can be prevented. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call to discuss plumbing, heating, air conditioning or solar questions you may have (303-952-8668 or 970.328.6001 ).
Tom D’Agostino, Service Manger, Kimmel Mechanical, Inc., Denver, Summit County and Eagle County Colorado