Wisler Plumbing and Air

Serving Roanoke and surrounding areas.

Menu
Schedule Online
or call (540) 483-9382

5-item Quarterly Heating & Cooling Checklist

Diamond Club

by

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | Google Podcasts | RSS

Here’s a 5-item checklist everyone can use for heating and cooling each quarter of the year:

Replace indoor air filters.

Everyone’s HVAC system has an air filter somewhere inside the home. It may be behind your return grille, it may be a whole house air filter that’s next to the HVAC unit, or it could be an air filter that’s just right on top of the unit. It’s so important that those filters are changed and maintained. One point I would like to mention about filters is that it’s easy to go to a big box store or hardware store and find filters marketed as being able to trap allergens. You need to be very careful with those types of products because they have very fine filtration, which can get stopped up really easily. Yes, they do catch a lot of stuff, but they’re not going to last anywhere nearly as long as a normal fiberglass filter. If you do get one of these types of products, you’ll have to replace them more often.

Clean and clear outside units.

Most people in our area have heat pumps, which have a unit outside of the house. Generally, it’s located along the outside wall of the house somewhere. In the fall, it’s a good idea to make sure there are no leaves near the unit. In the winter when we may have snow for a long period of time, make sure that there isn’t any snow buildup on or around the unit. Pollen or other debris should also be removed before it has a chance to build up. Additionally, you should make sure not to set objects like water hoses on top of the unit.

Keep indoor floors clean.

The floor around the inside unit—regardless of whether it’s a gas furnace or even an air handler—should be kept clean. This is where the unit draws in air, and sometimes there are leaks around the return air. If this area is really dusty or it has a lot of pet dander, it can get sucked up into the system. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep the floor around the return air grille clean. The filter blocks these things from getting into the system for the most part, but not around the unit.

Turn off water to humidifiers during summer.

The humidifier is an indoor item that isn’t needed during the summer. You wouldn’t want it dripping water, and you also wouldn’t want anything within the unit to malfunction. That’s why turning off the water to the humidifier during this season is a good idea.

Keep an eye on the condensate drain.

Most indoor units have a condensate line. Some units (like gas furnaces) will condensate year-round, while others (like heat pumps or air handlers) will just condensate in the summer. Just make sure that you’re keeping an eye on it because sometimes the condensate drains or the inside pan can get stopped up. If you see any water around the unit, you’ll definitely want to get it checked out before a flood or water damage occurs inside the house.

For homeowners who want an easy way to keep their heating and cooling systems well-maintained, we offer a Diamond Club membership. Included with the membership is one free annual plumbing visit where a technician flushes the water heater and inspects the plumbing. It also includes two free maintenance checks for the HVAC: one for the heating and one for the cooling. This is an ideal plan to check the system and make sure it won’t encounter problems in the future. If you have any questions, contact us, or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

☐ ☑ ☒

by

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | Google Podcasts | RSS

When it comes to choosing a new heating and air system, I think it would be wise to pay attention to three main priorities: comfort, safety, and money savings. Here are some questions to ask as a good starting point.

Comfort

Improving airflow goes a long way toward improving a home’s overall comfort level. Someone might decide to replace the heating and air system because they always have to bundle up with a blanket on the couch, or because a bedroom or basement is much colder than the rest of the house. But before taking out an existing system just to put the exact same thing back in, you might want to ask the question, can the issue be solved by redesigning the ductwork or putting in an extra return instead? In many homes, the original design of the heating and air system isn’t very good. You’ll want to optimize the airflow (out of the vents and through the return) in bigger rooms and/or rooms with high heat loss.

There could also be issues with the sizing of the actual system itself, especially in tract homes or contractor-built homes where they try to skimp on the size of the unit. The basement might be colder than the rest of the house because the thermostat is upstairs and there’s no way to regulate the temperature (which we fix by using zones). The bottom line is, you should focus on comfort. On a hot or cold day, ask yourself, is there anywhere in the home that I’m not comfortable? The question could be explored by a consultant or professional.

 

Safety

When it comes to safety, air quality is a relevant consideration for every system. It’s pretty rare for a heating and air system to have mold inside of it simply because of the sheer amount of airflow. But if the system hasn’t been working properly, the filters haven’t been changed, or the vents have all been shut off, airflow will be drastically reduced. This can cause condensation and lead to moisture buildup, which is the perfect environment for mold growth when combined with a warm area. Mold is definitely a safety concern for the health of the individuals in the home.

 

For natural gas units, LP (liquid propane) gas units, oil-fired systems, or maybe even diesel units (if the system is extremely old), it’s important not to minimize the concern for safety. A good question to ask is, Do I have a gas system? From there, you might want to ask, is it vented properly? Is it up to code? Maybe have the flames tested to see if they burn clean. Those issues can influence carbon monoxide, which could actually go into your duct system and be dispersed throughout the home.

Money Savings

How much it costs for a heating and cooling system to do its job can result in overpayment. You’ll want to ask, how old is my system? What is the current SEER rating? Is hot or cold air being wasted from leaks as it travels through the ductwork? The current SEER rating gives you an idea of whether or not the system is as efficient as necessary. Technology has come a long way over the last 20 years, so if you have a system around that age, it’s probably largely inefficient and costing you extra money each month to heat or cool your home.

We offer both heat and cool checks, depending on the time of year. These checks are free right now, so if you call in and get it scheduled, we’ll uncover any issues when it comes to comfort, safety, and money savings. Contact us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

by

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | Google Podcasts | RSS

 

Plumbing is a part of the home that sometimes gets forgotten, but I would say that its integrity is just as important as the safety of an electrical system. Once water gets into a material like wood, the two won’t interact very well with each other. The resulting water damage can be extremely traumatic to a home. You’ll end up having to rip out and replace all the affected surfaces. Being able to prevent unnecessary emergencies like these is one of the main reasons why a plumbing inspection is important. Nobody will be able to prevent everything bad from happening, but you can definitely go a long way.

 

It’s a best practice to maintain the systems that you’re responsible for. We commonly recognize that certain things need to be maintained, like our bodies, our cars, or even the painted walls in our rooms. (Most of us know better than to use a car without ever maintaining it.) Other items that also need to be maintained might sometimes get neglected, maybe because we don’t really see or notice them on a daily basis. Plumbing tends to be one of those things—if/how you maintain it will determine how much money it ends up costing you. For instance, if you don’t flush your water heater, sediment buildup will cause you to pay more on your utility bill.

 

You’ll want to make sure that you’re doing maintenance a little bit at a time so you won’t suddenly be surprised by an emergency issue or an unnecessarily high utility bill. We offer a Diamond Club membership that includes maintenance visits for plumbing, heating, and air. Clients with a membership just need to reach out to us and schedule their inspections. Current Diamond Club members get two free HVAC visits per year (one for cooling and one for heating), and one free plumbing visit per year. For more information, contact us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

by

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | Google Podcasts | RSS

 

The Diamond Club is a very special program we have within Wisler Plumbing. We’re extremely proud of the great service we provide to members on an annual basis. Diamond Club members can get a total of 3 free visits every year, including one annual visit for plumbing and two visits for HVAC. These visits are significant when it comes to keeping your home in good working order.

 

For the plumbing visit, we do maintenance of the water heater, which includes flushing the heater and checking its safety devices. We also have a checklist with about 175 points, which involves going around the entire house, working the valves, making sure everything is working properly, and dye testing the toilets to make sure you’re not wasting any water. If there happens to be something like a leak under the sink that you don’t know about, we’ll catch it and let you know. We call this plumbing visit our maintenance and safety inspection, and it’s invaluable in making sure that we’ll detect any potential problems before they turn into a sudden emergency that surprises you out of nowhere.

 

For the two HVAC visits, you’ll get a heat check or a cool check, depending on the time of year.  (During the cooler months you’ll get the heat check, and during the summer months you’ll get the cool check. We do charge for any maintenance that might need to be done.) In each HVAC visit, we’ll check the levels and see how the HVAC system is working. Our checklist has about 100 points, depending on how many systems you have.

 

Another key benefit that Diamond Club Members receive is preferred service. Sometimes an extremely urgent situation will come up when you least expect it. It might happen during a time when it seems like everyone else has a need as well. If a Diamond Club member calls in to our company with a need—even if we’re fully booked—we’ll bump non-members back in the schedule to provide our Diamond Club members with priority service.

 

Members also receive a much longer warranty on most repairs. If we repair a toilet, for instance, and we replace the fuel valve, it normally comes with a 1 year warranty. As a Diamond Club member, you’ll get a 2 year warranty instead. If we replace a fixture (like a toilet, faucet, sink, etc.) and you’re a current member, you’ll get a lifetime warranty on the component as long as you keep your Diamond Club membership active. This is a huge benefit for someone who buys a fixture like a toilet because it means that you’ll never have to worry about it again as long as you’re an active member.

 

Diamond Club members also get discounts, including a 10% discount on service and repairs done in your home. As a member, you’ll have this discount applied even if you get a replacement. Depending on what kind of work we do, you’ll probably get back somewhere from 10 to 15 times the value of what you paid for the program within one year of membership. It’s kind of a no-brainer for homeowners who are concerned about their home and its longevity.

 

It’s easy to sign up for the Diamond Club. You can do it right over the phone without even having anyone come over to your house. However, if you do have a service call set up, whoever comes to your home would be happy to sign you up. If you have any questions, contact us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

 

by

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | Google Podcasts | RSS

How hard could it be to remove a toilet, really? After all, don’t you just pull it right up? It might not be as simple as you think. Here are 3 things not to do while removing a toilet. (For today’s purpose, we’re not going to get into putting the toilet back on.)

1. Turn off the Water.

I have literally seen people not turn off/disconnect the water from the toilet before removing it from the floor. Luckily, most people do get this part taken care of. However, when you remove a toilet, you also need to empty the water from the tank and bowl. Otherwise, when you pull the toilet up, it’s going to pour all that water all over the floor. Always remember, don’t leave any water in the toilet.

2. Cutting the Caulk .

I’ve seen someone pull the toilet up and caulk that’s still stuck to the linoleum or laminate floor will actually pull the floor covering right off with the toilet itself. If it’s old, it can also crack and ruin the floor covering. Always make sure to get the caulk completely loose from the floor.

3.  Inspect the flange.

Any time you pull a toilet, you should take the wax off of the flange, remove the old bolts, make sure the toilet flange is in good working order, and make sure it’s at the correct height before setting the toilet back. One of the most common mistakes people make is they pull the toilet up, do work like installing a new floor, and then set the toilet right back—without replacing the wax or bolts, and without adjusting the height of the flange. This often happens with flooring contractors who are not plumbers and are just worried about getting the new floor installed. They just put the toilet right back, which is a big no-no because sewer gas can get into the house and leaks can rot the floor right around the flange.

In these kinds of situations, it might be a wise idea to get a professional to take a look before the toilet gets put back. If someone has the right tools and experience, they might be able to remove a toilet by themselves. Otherwise, it’s probably a good idea to reach out to someone like the team at Wisler Plumbing. Contact us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

 

by

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | Google Podcasts | RSS

Exciting News

We have some very exciting news involving how our organization will change starting in 2020: We’re going to be offering HVAC services to all of our clients and the community at large! Right now we’re extremely busy at work to recruit competent people who fit into our organization and allow us to bring the HVAC trade onboard. Once we ramp up all of our systems and procedures, residential owner-occupied homes can come to us as a one-stop shop for water treatment, plumbing, drain cleaning, and HVAC as well.

Our Goals

One of the areas we’ll be working on over the next four to six months is our installs (both plumbing and HVAC) to make sure we do a better job with lead times for our clients. For instance, if one of our plumbers goes out for a leaky pipe and they find that all the pipes are in rough shape, they may recommend a re-pipe of the home. Sometimes the job might take 3 to 5 days to complete, in addition to getting put on a schedule with a wait time of two or even three weeks. We want to be able to shorten that lead time so we’re more responsive for these kinds of larger projects.

Continuing to Grow

This is a huge change for 2020, and we’re definitely going to continue to grow. We anticipate 15% growth next year, and along with that growth comes more new people and more business. We’re on track to run our first HVAC calls at the end of this year, so by the time January rolls around we should be well in the groove of things.

 

If you have any questions about HVAC or plumbing, contact us online or give us a call at 540-483-9382.

Diamond Club

Our Ads

Jobs

Blog