Tag: homeowners

Eco-Friendly Appliances and Fixtures Homeowners Should Install for Earth Month

Make Plumbing More Eco Friendly This Earth Day

This Earth day, homeowners should be focusing on getting and using eco-friendly and energy-efficient appliances. Although plumbing mainly deals with water and water conservation, it also has a connection with electricity since the water needs to be heated and used. Thankfully there are water-saving appliances, energy-efficient fixtures, and unique pipe materials to help save water and energy. 

toilet

Look for Water-Saving Appliances

Water-saving appliances are a favorite for many homeowners because they help the environment and save them money each month! A popular water-saving appliance at the moment is the smart washer.

There are washing machines that use smart technology and are often connected to Bluetooth or the internet. It works to ensure that the right amount of water is used for the size of a load of laundry and no more is being wasted. It also requires less energy than standard non-smart washing machines.

An eco-friendly toilet is also a great water-saving appliance as it saves water with each flush since it requires less water to flush the toilet. An example of an eco-friendly toilet is a dual flush toilet.

Touch faucets have a motion sensor that senses a person’s hand and only then starts the water. This ensures that the water is not overused. When a homeowner does not need the water, it automatically turns off and waits for the sensor to be tripped again.

Energy-Efficiency Fixtures and Appliances

water heater

Some other appliances and fixtures also related to plumbing focus on energy efficiency instead of water conservation. For example, water heaters that are energy-efficient use minimal electricity to work. One such water heater is a tankless water heater.

Other energy-efficient appliances are water-saving toilets and showerheads. The water-saving toilets don’t use a lot of energy if any at all. The water-saving showerheads are personalized so that homeowners can get creative with their features, and they also use less energy with hot water as they change pressure and longevity. 

Pipe Materials 

One eco-friendly plumbing option that is often forgotten is pipe insulation. These materials wrap around a pipe to keep the hot and cold temperatures insulated. While a stainless steel pipe is best at not corroding, it does leak a lot of heat, forcing the electricity and the water to work harder.

The best thing about carefully choosing pipe materials is that they each have different benefits. Professional plumbers are likely to recommend a foam-like material to homeowners. This material does a great job at insulating and is often used in locations where it reaches freezing temperatures during the winter. This insulating material keeps the pipe safe from breaking, bursting, and cracking and traps the temperature inside.

About Heidler, Inc.

Heidler, Inc. is a family-owned and operated company serving the Annapolis area since its founding in 1947. They provide flat-rate pricing, so clients know exactly how much they will spend with no surprise charges. Let their reliable, expert team help with plumbing solutions in Annapolis, MD.

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Signs of Heater Malfunction Homeowners Should Never Ignore

Solve These Heater Issues Quickly

Winter is almost here, whether people like it or not. The days are getting shorter, and the temperatures are getting colder. Homeowners need to prepare themselves and their homes for the coming months. As the fall turns into winter, now is the best time to make sure everything is running as it should to keep the home comfortable throughout the winter. 

The heater is one of the most significant components of the HVAC system and is used constantly during the winter. It’s critical to inspect the home’s heater to make sure it’s ready to take on the responsibility of keeping the house cozy indoors when the temperature drops below freezing. Homeowners should also keep a close eye out for the common signs of heater malfunction. 

Heater Blowing Cold Air

The purpose of the heater is to produce and distribute warm air through the house. Therefore, if the heater can no longer do this and starts blowing cold air instead of warm air, this is a clear sign of heater malfunction. There are a few things homeowners should check when this happens. 

  • Take a look at the thermostat. If it’s set too low, cold air will start blowing instead of warm air. Luckily, this is an easy one to fix.
  • See if the air filters need changing. If the air filters are too dirty, this could be preventing warm air from being distributed throughout the house.
  • Check the pilot light. If the pilot light is broken or has a yellow flame instead of a blue flame, this could be causing the cold air as well. 

Odd Noisesfrightened man

When the heater is experiencing a problem, it’s great at communicating that problem to the homeowner. If it isn’t blowing cold air to tell the homeowner that something is wrong, it might start making loud, unusual noises instead.

  • Scraping and grinding noises typically signal that something is wrong with the blower wheel. Old age or wear and tear may be causing the component to malfunction, and it likely needs replacing.
  • For gas furnaces, banging noises are another typical sound of heater malfunction. When the gas burner is too dirty, it delays the ignition. All of that gas starts to build up over time, and when the burners finally ignite, it results in a loud bang.
  • Screeching noises can signal a problem with several heater components: the blower motor, the blower belt, or the shaft bearings. Poor maintenance and lack of oiling and lubrication are common causes for this type of breakdown.

Pilot Light Turns Yellowyellow pilot light

In a normal heater, the pilot light burns blue. Blue is the natural color of a flame when it has adequate oxygen. But if this oxygen is restricted, the pilot light can turn from blue to yellow. As a result, the flame is not as hot and can go out frequently, causing the gas supply to shut off. 

Additionally, since the yellow flame is weaker, it can’t eliminate all the carbon monoxide that the blue light can burn. This puts the health of homeowners and their families at risk as the poisonous can start leaking into the rest of the house. 

The most common reason for this problem is the buildup of dirt on the air intake valve. This is why it’s so critical for homeowners to have their heater checked. A maintenance check could identify this buildup of dirt and resolve this problem before turning the heat on.

About Heidler, Inc.

Heidler, Inc. has been leading the way in plumbing and heating innovation since 1947. Their team of experts continuously keeps up to date on the plumbing and heating industry’s latest advancements. By staying educated on new trends and technologies, they can provide the quality heater repair services Annapolis homeowners deserve.

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