Air Conditioning Need Replacement? Think Plumbing!!
By · CommentsOne of the toughest parts of the process of replacing your central air conditioning is deciding which licensed contractor to hire. There are hundreds of companies that say they service and install HVAC equipment. This includes individuals who work out of their garage and have just started installing due to the economy.
A couple of the easiest ways to search for contractors who install a/c equipment is too look in the yellow pages or do a search online. You will see a bunch of HVAC companies that say “Heating and Air” or “Heating and Cooling” at the end of their name. The object is for you to think that they are experts at air conditioning since they have the words in their name.
Plumbing companies also service and install heating and cooling equipment. In fact, plumbing companies can have much more experience than any heating and cooling company. Many plumbing companies like Minneapolis SaintPaul Plumbing Heating Air have been servicing and replacing heating equipment since the early 1900’s or earlier. That was back when hot water heat was the only way to go and air conditioning was controlled by mother nature or a fan blowing over a block of ice.
Back in the early days, heating was also considered plumbing since it involved water. People would look up “Plumbing” in the phone book instead of heating for their hot water boiler systems. Plumbing companies would add “Heating” at the end of their name for the benefit of the customer as time moved on.
As technology changed and people started using forced air heating, plumbing companies updated their knowledge and continued to help the customer. The company would continue to use the same name due to customer recognition.
The next time you are looking for air conditioning replacement, think plumbing for the most experience and the comfort of knowing you are using the same company you trust for plumbing.
Garbage disposals are a wonderful thing. You turn on a switch and all the extra food and scraps are ground up into small pieces to go down the kitchen waste drain. Sometimes I wish TV news and opinion pieces could be disposed of so easily.
The basic design of a garbage disposal, also known as waste disposal, is pretty straight forward. I won’t go into details on how it works since it is not important. The idea is that you put waste into a hole in your sink. You run water into the hole as you turn on a switch. Blades inside turn around until the waste is gone from being chewed up and flushed away. Many homes do this numerous times a day and it works great.
However, as the garbage disposal ages, the blades dull, the motor wears down and some blades disappear. This causes bigger chunks of food to be flushed down the drain. This may cause your drain to clog up over time or immediately resulting in the need to contact a drain cleaning company. The extra pressure on your pipes may even cause plumbing leaks under your sink.
Garbage disposal technology has come a long way. Insinkerator has a great disposal that we install. I have one in my home that I really like. Love is such a strong word. It is very quiet, especially compared to my previous one. I was shocked at how quiet it was. I had to put something in it to make sure it was working. It chops up the food quickly and thoroughly.
Keeping your garbage disposal working correctly or getting a new one is key to keeping your pipes healthy and leak free. Below are some things to look for in a new garbage disposal:
- Garbage Disposal size – The size is important. We sell and install 3/4 hp disposals. That is one size less than commercial size. This will ensure that it will not clog up on you.
- Noise Level – Make sure you get a quiet unit. The high quality built ones will whisper quiet.
- Warranty – This will make sure you don’t need to replace it anytime in the new future. Look for a 6 year warranty.
- Garbage Disposal Installation – Look for a plumber that installs a particular brand. They will put their name behind it. This will mean they will put the most reliable equipment in.
The next time you are having problems with your pipes in the kitchen such as clogging and leaking, look at your garbage disposal and see if it is working properly. Call your local plumber like Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air when you would like at getting a new garbage disposal.
Why Is My Basement Colder Than My Upstairs?
By · CommentsIf you live in a home in Minnesota and it is a split level home, you have probably experienced the difference in the temperature from floor to floor of your home. It almost feels like you are heating the upstairs and air conditioning between the lower levels due to the temperature differences. While this can happen with traditional multilevel homes, it is more common with split level homes due to the open area of the stairwell.
The cause of the different temperature is actually very simple. Warm air goes up and cold air goes down. You can feel the difference in the air temperature moving up and down your stairs by crawling up the stairs. Cold air will hit you in the face as you crawl up the stairs.
Now that you know why it happens, what is the cure? Well, that is not as simple. Although it does not have to be expensive. It may even involve a simple flip of a switch. Fan switch that is.
We know that cold air is heavier than warm air. Cold air will work its way down until it finds the lowest level of the home or a room that it can not go any further. This leaves the warm air to move up and occupy the upper levels. In a 3 level split, the middle level gets the pressure from the bottom and the top. You could say it may even be the happy medium of comfort. The key to a larger home comfort is to mix the air up and get a turn over effect. Here are some tips on how to make that happen.
- Leave Furnace Fan In “On” Mode. – This will move the air in your house creating a movement that will force cool air up and warm air down. Return air ducts in the lower level will suck in the cooler air and dispatch it to the warmer area of the house. The return air ducts will always be sucking warm air from the upper levels and mixing it with the cooler air in the lower levels.
- Use a Ceiling Fan – This will force the movement of air causing warm air to go down and cool air up. This is a way to move the air in an open floor plan and stairwell situation. This is a quiet and more energy efficient way to move air. You can set the fan for quicker cooling or a nice steady flow movement.
- Close Off a Lower Room – A house may have a level that can be closed off by a door. This will hold up the cooler air from going further down. A return vent in that room will still allow cooler air to escape into the furnace return to circulate to the upper levels.
- Put a Box Fan in Stairwell - This is not the best option, but is an option. Be careful about bringing too much damp air from the basement into your living area.
The option of leaving your furnace fan on is the best option if you have a high efficiency furnace with a variable speed fan. This would allow for a very low flow of continuous air that would not be heard but yet keep the flow of air going. The variable speed would be very efficient and save you money in comparison to a 80 percent furnace with a regular 2 stage fan.
Remember to check your supply vents to make sure they are open and supplying air from the furnace. It is common to open the vents in the lower levels and close the vents in the upper level during the heating season. Leaving your vents like with would cause the air conditioned air to go to the lower levels. Opening the supply vents in the upper levels of the home and closing them in the bottom levels during the cooling season will push the cold air up to the heat where it is needed.
These tips are designed to help when your forced air system is sized correctly for your home. Contact Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air to learn more about your system and to learn what we can do to help you experience the most comfort in your home.
Do You Need Plumbing Service? Don’t Be Fooled By A Name.
By · CommentsThe internet is a wonderful thing. I know, I am not breaking any new ground with this statement. The resources available to you now for searching for services is amazing. A company like ours can now get so much more information to the homeowner about what is available and what services we can provide you.
However, with every great advancement in convenience, a price is paid. The price to be paid with the internet and search engines is the confusion of do you have who you want or you think you are dealing with to service your home?
Have you ever done a search on Google, Yahoo or Bing on a term such as plumbing service, plumbing leak, or pipe repair? The options that come up are mind boggling. To fine tune your search for where you live, you can put in the name of your city like, “St Paul, MN”. This is where it starts to get confusing.
We used to be known as St Paul Plumbing and Heating Co and Minneapolis Plumbing and Heating Co. The St Paul Plumbing and Heating name goes back to 1918. The Minneapolis Plumbing and Heating Co name goes back to the early 90’s. To make things easier for everybody we combined the name to Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air.
Plumbing companies in the cities here like to put “St Paul Plumbing” or “Minneapolis Plumbing” in their websites or somewhere prominent including the name they present. There are legitimate reasons for listing cities in the website to make sure that your site comes up when somebody types, “Plumbing Service St Paul, MN. However, listing the name of the city like St Paul or Minneapolis before the term “plumbing” is more of an attempt to direct the homeowner away from their true destination. Homeowners like yourself may not know who you are dealing with until it is too late or you have wasted time talking to the wrong company.
Remember to look for the “Since 1918″ on any website you visit to make sure you are learning about the correct company for the following services:
- Plumbing Leak Repair
- Hot Water Heaters
- Toilet Repair and Installation
- Frozen Pipe Thawing
- Drain Cleaning
- Plumbing Fixture Installs and Repair
Everybody here at Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air are ready to help guide you through the inconvenience of plumbing leaks or just having your house checked over. We will continue to try to make contacting us and help prevent you from arriving at the wrong destination on your journey through the World Wide Web.
Adding an addition to the home can involve a lot of decisions and headaches. You have decisions like how big of a room to add on, who will do the work and is it worth the cost. How to heat and cool the new room is easier then ever.
In the past you needed to extend the ducts for the furnace and air conditioner or hot water lines if you had a boiler. That could add thousands of dollars and require the possible increase in size of the boiler, furnace and/or air conditioner. You may have needed to open ceilings, floors or walls to add the necessary ducts to heat or cool the new area.
The advent of ductless cooling and heating systems, also known as mini-split has reduced the amount of time and expense involved now. Below are some advantages to going with a mini-split system.
- Lines run on outside of house – This means little demoing of walls. You only need to have a hole where the line comes from the outside to the inside of the home where the head or warm or cold air come out.
- Independent Heat and Cool Settings - You can have the room set at a different temperature then other rooms. This means you don’t have to have a patio heated or cooled at all times. Enjoy the room at the right temperature and then turn it off.
- Keep your current furnace or air conditioner – This comes in handy if you just replaced them and don’t need new ones except that they are not the right size for the new addition.
- Floor space is not needed for venting – The unit providing air will be mounted on the wall so you don’t have to worry about where to put the ducts and vents.
In addition to cooling and heating a new room, mini-splits are great for those rooms that stay too cold or too hot. The rooms may be at the end of a venting run from the furnace. Rather than buying new hvac equipment or have the ducts redone, you can install a ductless system that will take care of those rooms.
Once you research mini splits you will find there are many situations that they will come in handy. Both for new rooms and existing rooms. You can call Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air once you are ready for a free in home estimate or would like to learn more.
Pro Series PS-C33
A sump pump is a great piece of equipment to have in your basement. Water that is drained from around the outside of your basement walls flows into the sump pit which is usually in a corner of your basement. The sump pump then pumps the water out of the sump pit out of your home via plumbing pipes. Without it, you would either flood your basement or have your walls fall in.
However, your sump can only help you if the electrical power is on to your house. It can be very stressful and scary when you see water coming out of the sump pit and your electricity is out. This commonly happens during storms which involve large amounts of rain and lightning.
The great news is that there is a solution. Battery Backup Sump Pumps will be there for you when your electricity abandons you.
Battery backup sump pumps like the Pro Series PS-C33 pictured on the left are designed to work when the power goes out. They are equipped with a battery that will power the pump just like if the electricity is still on. The amount of time that the pump will run without electricity depends on the type of battery that is attached.
Not all battery backup sump pumps are the same. We have installed a number of different brands including a brand that is run by water pressure and not batteries. Here are some tips on choosing the right one.
- Sump pump efficiency – There are some very efficient models now. An example is the PS-C33 which pumps 3x more water for the electricity used than the average pump.
- Warranty – There are 1, 3 and 5 year warranties available. Choose the one you are most comfortable with.
- Sump Foot – This is what you put the sump pump on to keep it out of the debris so it does not get clogged up.
- Double Float – This will make sure that if one float gets stuck the other one will still allow the pump to work.
- Power Out Alarm – This alarm will let you know when the electricity is out and the battery is being used. This is helpful when a breaker goes out and the power to the whole house is not out.
- Battery Low Alarm - You will be notified when the battery may be getting old or is not being charged for some reason.
As with every piece of equipment, the installation is critical to insure that everything works correctly. The plumbing of the piping that runs from your sump to the outside of your house is very important. The improper pitch or location of the discharge pipe will impact the operation of the sump pump.
A quality plumbing company like Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air will be able to talk to you, review your application and install your sump pump.
It seems like bad things happen at the worst time. Central air conditioner breaking or needing replacement are no exception. It seems like they need to be replaced at the most inconvenient time. That would be when you want to spend the money on something else or when it is hot.
Right now, when the temperature is in the 90’s, is not a good time to start looking for a new air conditioner. You are in a stressful situation due to the heat which in turn motivates you to make a quick decision for instant comfort. However, your quick decision may result in years of regret.
While you may be uncomfortable for a couple of days, it is very important to do your research and due diligence to help you enjoy your new air conditioner that you will hopefully be using for up to 15 years.
Below are suggestions regarding steps you should make before you make a decision:
- Check the BBB – This will provide you with the rating on the HVAC contractor. It is important to make sure the contractor you choose is a reputable one.
- License – Check to make sure the contractor has a license to operate in your city or town. That is the only way that a permit can be pulled and an inspection by the city inspector can be done. This is a great way to make sure the install was done correctly.
- Air Conditioner Quotes – Get more than one quote. As tempting as it is to just sign and install. Getting at least one more quote could save you money. You may also see a different option for the air conditioner.
- Ask Questions – There are HVAC contractors who will think that an a/c replacement estimate for a customer who has a dead a/c in hot weather is quick and easy. They will not take the time to answer all your questions and also won’t ask the questions needed to make sure you are making the right decision. They call it a lay down sale. Make sure the company that is giving you the estimate is taking the time to answer your questions and asks you if you have questions about the equipment.
- Think Long Term Comfort – Consider what you are looking for long term not just what will make you comfortable today. Buying an air conditioner is a big purchase. Make sure it will provide you with lasting comfort for years to come and changes that you are planing.
Of course, one way to avoid the stress of last minute heated decisions is to plan ahead. Having your air conditioner checked yearly will allow you to know what is going on with your a/c unit and how much life there is left in it. You will then be able to take your time to find the right equipment, the right HVAC contractor and the right price.
Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air provides yearly checks with our Service Partner Plans.
We are currently offering our customers free Plumbing, Heating and Cooling system checks. Our customer service representatives are calling our customers to inform them of this opportunity and scheduling their appointment.
A common question they receive from our customer is “Why would I need this?”. This is a very good question since we have all been told over and over that nothing in life is free.
Having a system check for your plumbing, heating and cooling is like having a physical. There are a lot of different activities that go on in you body to operate day to day. Having a physical or periodic check helps you find out if something small is going on that may develop into something bigger if left alone. You can save a lot of time and money if you identify a problem early before it become a life affecting issue.
Your plumbing, heating and cooling is a lot like your body. The plumbing in your house is like your veins. Your plumbing pipes are hidden behind walls and are only thought of when they leak or stop supplying water. The furnace or boiler are what keep you warm in your house. It can be considered the heart of your home which only gets noticed when it does not work or makes too much noise. Your air conditioner is what cools your home like how your body sweats to cool down.
The plumbing, heating and air gets taken for granted just like most people take their body for granted. We just all assume it will always work when we want it to. Unfortunately ignoring your body or your house does not mean a problem will not occur. As with your body, finding a potential problem early will save time and money. There is also proactive things that you can do with your house, like your body to prevent problems in the future and help you feel better.
Our free home system check covers the following:
- Faucets - We will check to see if there is a leak around the faucet or under the faucet that may be leaking into the cabinet or floor.
- Toilets - We will check to see if your toilet is working correctly. Are there leaks at the base that may be damaging the floor or ceiling below. Would you like to save water and money?
- Water Heater – Is it leaking or is it old enough that it may start? Is there signs of problems? It is also a great time to discuss Tankless Water Heaters.
- Shut Off Valves – These can start leaking or not working at the most inconvenient time. Having them checked will help make sure they will work when you need them or they won’t leak and cause damage to your home.
- Washer Hoses - These can get brittle over time if they are made of rubber. Bulges can be evidence of a pending break.
- Furnace or Boiler - Checking these will help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. You can also see if they can be cleaned to help them become more efficient and last longer.
- Humidifier - Many home have whole house humidifiers. These can leak and cause damage if the filter is old and clogged of it may not work when you need it to.
- Air Conditioning - A quick visual check to see if it is clogged from leaves or shows signs that it will give you problems when you need it most to keep you cool.
These are just a few of the items we look at when we inspect our customers plumbing, heating and air conditioning. If you are interested in how your home operates and if it is operating properly, you can schedule an appointment online or give us a call.
You can count on Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air to help you keep you and your home safe and comfortable.
It can be very frustrating when you turn your central air conditioner on for the first time or when you get home and it is 90 degrees in your home and it does not work. Thoughts of why now, when will it be fixed, what can it be, and how much will it cost all come flooding into your head.
The good news is that not every problem is an expensive problem. In fact some of the solutions can be performed by you the homeowner. Below is a list of some common air conditioner repairs.
- Tripped Breaker – This is one of the number one reasons why your a/c does not turn on. It is common for homeowners to turn the breaker off in the winter to prevent it from starting accidentally. Check your breaker box and see if the switch labeled A/C is off. This is usually a big switch. Flip it on and see if your a/c will turn on. Be patient as it sometimes takes a while to start once this switch is turned back on.
- Dirty Filter – The filter in your furnace has a huge impact on the effectiveness and operation of your air conditioner. This filter being plugged will reduce the amount of air flow thus freezing up the coil in the duct work. Your a/c will stop cooling even though the fan is running. You will need to shut your a/c off and let the fan run for a couple of hours if you find your filter is plugged. Make sure you replace the filter.
- Switch Turned Off – Some units have what looks like a light switch attached to the furnace. This sometimes gets bumped and turned to the off position. Flip the switch to the up position and your unit should start.
- Thermostat – Most thermostats have a heat/cool switch. Check to make sure your system has been switched to cool.
- Clogged Drain Line – Air Conditioners pull moisture out of humid air while lowering the temperature. This process results in water dripping into a pan that then goes out a tube that leads to a drain. This drain may become plugged over time and will either drain into your furnace or shut down your system. Clearing out this line is usually done during a clean and tune of your furnace or air conditioner.
These are some of the very basic problems that may occur that prevent your central air conditioner from operating correctly. Other problems such as Refrigerant Leak, Contactor, Dirty Evaporator Coil, Dirty Condenser Coil and Duct Leaks will require a service visit from your favorite HVAC contractor.
Scheduling a spring air conditioner check is a smart money and comfort decision. Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air has flexible maintenance plans and air conditioner checks to keep you cool and save you money.
In one word, Yes!!
Spring in Minnesota has been amazing this year. We all hope that it will translate into a great summer of hot weather and sunny skies. At least people in the HVAC business do.
When you are from Minnesota, the first sign of warm weather brings the desire to get outside and rake the lawn, plant flowers, open the cabin or camper for the season and get the air conditioner ready for the summer. Just as it is too early to plant it is too early to have your a/c worked on. The reason for both has to do with temperature, although different directions.
With plants, you worry it will get too cold and they will freeze. With your air conditioner, you worry that it will not get warm enough.
Central Air Conditioners use refrigerant also know as R22, R410A or Puron. Refrigerant does not flow well in cold weather. Specifically weather lower than 68 degrees.What this means is that it is very hard to get a good pressure reading on your a/c to see if it has enough refrigerant when it is too cold. A low reading may result in extra refrigerant being put into your system. Then when the weather warms up the refrigerant expands and causes too much pressure in your system. This will result in the freezing up of your system and a service call.
My best advice is to enjoy the warm weather of spring and not worry about your air conditioner for a few more weeks. Wait until the weather is above 65 degrees during the early morning and through the day and then schedule your air conditioner service check.
Minneapolis Saint Paul Plumbing Heating Air has been servicing the Twin Cities area since 1918. We have seen the changes from year to year and we are here to help homeowners whenever the time comes for servicing your home.