Tip of the Month
Stay cool this summer and save money. Follow these easy tips to save money on your utility bills this summer.
(1) Make sure your cooling system has been tuned-up. Regular maintenance saves energy and money and ensures that your system lasts years longer. Plus, your chances of an untimely breakdown significantly decrease with regular maintenance.
(2) Change or clean your air filters regularly, especially during high usage seasons like summer. Dirty filters cost you in overworked equipment, lower efficiencies and higher energy usage, as well as decreased indoor air quality.
(3) Install a programmable thermostat (or start utilizing the one you have!). A programmable thermostat can be programmed to automatically turn up the temperature when you are away from home and resume preferred temperatures before you arrive back home, reducing your energy usage and saving you money, all while ensuring a comfortable home environment.
(4) If you need to replace your cooling equipment, install Energy Star rated equipment. These higher efficiency systems will lower your energy usage while providing the same (or better) comfort. And with the money you save on your utility bills, you’ll experience a faster payback on your new equipment.
Schedule maintenance online today!
For more details, visit the A.J. Perri website…ajperri.com.
Q&A’s – HVAC & Plumbing
Q: What causes your air conditioning unit to frost over?
A: Air conditioners work by moving warm air over the cooling coil, also known as the evaporator coil. This process removes moisture from the air (which accumulates in the collector pan) and is key to maintaining a comfortable home environment in the summer.
If the air moves too slowly over the evaporator coils or if the refrigerant in your system is low, you run the risk of the coil developing frost and icing over. A frozen unit will not be able to cool your home properly.
A frozen unit can be the result of low refrigerant or a dirty filter or coils. You can help avoid these problems by scheduling annual maintenance and changing or cleaning your air filter on a regular basis. During a maintenance check-up your technician will clean dirty coils, check proper charge of refrigerant, and change or clean your filter ensuring proper airflow through your system. If you suspect that your refrigerant is low, this could be an indication that you have a leak. Contact A.J. Perri to check for proper refrigerant levels and leaks.
Q: What should I do in case of a plumbing emergency, like water dripping from my ceiling?
A: The first thing you should remember is that safety comes first. If there are any electrical appliances nearby, turn the electricity off at the main breaker. Then, turn off your main water shut off valve. It’s a must to know where this is before trouble hits! Did you know that a broken pipe or washing machine hose could flood your home with more than ten gallons of water a minute? Once the immediate water flow is stopped, call A.J. Perri to have a plumbing technician promptly sent to your home.
Q: Should I get my ducts cleaned?
A: Cleaning your ducts offers homeowners many benefits including increased heating/cooling system efficiency, improved air quality, and a reduction in the dust in your home.
Duct cleaning includes the cleansing of various heating and cooling components of forced air systems including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grills and diffusers, heat exchangers and cooling coils, which improves your systems efficiency.
Whole house duct cleaning decreases the spread of contaminates, such as germs and bacteria, and is recommended by both doctors and allergists. Duct cleaning also helps remove dust in your home, making your home smell clean and fresh.
If you have more questions, feel free to go to our Ask-an-Expert page online. Fill out the form and we’ll get back to you right away!
Energy Saving Tips
Making your home more energy efficient can save you money while helping conserve natural resources. Most of us are willing to perform energy efficient practices, we just don’t always know which ones can actually make the biggest difference. Below is a list of problem areas around your home and solutions that can have a huge affect on the energy efficiency of your home.
Cooling and heating costs are wasted by drafts at door and windows. Apply weather stripping or replace weather stripping that is worn out. If you cannot weather strip for whatever reason, at least try to block off the drafts as best you can. Heavy drapes at all windows and the patio door can help. Also add blockers such as the bean bag snakes at the bottom of exterior doors.
Lack of maintenance on your heating and cooling system. If you are not having your heating and cooling system maintained and cleaned by a professional at least once a year you are wasting energy. Your system can work up to 40% less efficiently when it is not serviced. This not only wastes energy, but costs you more in higher utility bills.
Replace standard bulbs with fluorescent ones. Although these are more expensive than regular ones, they use less energy and last longer, so over time they will more than pay for themselves.
Water heaters in most homes are set too high. This is not only unnecessary, but can pose a hazard in homes where there are young children. Having tap water delivered that is scalding hot wastes energy – twice. First, the energy needed to bring the water to temperature is wasted, because it is too hot. Then, before it can be used for baths or showers, cold water has to be added to cool it down. Although some manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140ºF, most households only require them set at 120ºF.
Check your attic insulation, especially if you have an older home. Insulation products of today have greatly improved over what they were 20 to 30 years ago. You should check to see not only what type of insulation is present but also how much there is. If it is not adequate, replace or supplement it.
Programmable thermostatsare a good investment. These can be programmed to adjust the temperature setting in your home to conserve energy when you are asleep or away from home. Then, before you return home, they adjust the setting again to make sure that when you arrive back home you arrive to comfortable temperatures.
How you use your energy is also important. Turn lights off when you are leaving a room, whether you are going out of the room or leaving for the evening. Don’t run partial loads of dishes or clothing. Skip the preheat cycle on the oven, except where food requires it. In the winter, put on socks or a sweater instead of raising the thermostat, and in the summer, use fans for additional cooling.
We have been serving the New Jersey area for 40+ years, one satisfied customer at a time. We look forward to hearing from you if you need additional information on our products and services, or a suggestion about how we may better serve you.
To Visit or Contact our Office:
A.J. Perri
1138 Pine Brook Rd.
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Telephone
1-800-554-1827
Fax
(732) 982-8717
Office Hours:
- Monday-Friday 7AM-11PM
- Saturday/Sunday 7AM-7PM
- 24 Hour Emergency Service – 365 days a year
To reach a specific department, please click one of the links below:
General Information
Ask an Expert (Plumbing / HVAC)
To Schedule Service Online
In Home Estimate Service
