Are you ready for the change of seasons? Stay ahead of the weather with seasonal advice from your local home service experts!

Change of Seasons Reminders

As we relish warmer weather and longer days, thoughts turn toward the summer and all the joys it brings. While daydreaming about sand between your toes and salty waves crashing against the shoreline, don’t forget that the heat that makes these things so enjoyable can also wreak havoc on your home comfort systems. This summer, you can help out your air conditioning equipment and cut down on utility bill woes with a couple of these easy energy-savers …
 

• Cook with your microwave or grill as much as possible; unlike your oven, they don’t add heat to your home.
• Run your bathroom fans when showering to keep excess heat and moisture out of your house.
• Close blinds and drapes during the day to reduce solar heat gain.
• Wash dishes and laundry at night or in the early morning when your air conditioner has excess cooling capacity
• Turn off electronics (i.e., computers, printers, monitors, stereos, tv’s) when not in use. They are heat generators!
 

To maintain your HVAC system, remember: when mowing your lawn this, and every season, approach your outdoor unit so that grass clippings and other yard debris are directed away from it, leaving it unclogged and running at peak efficiency.

If water usage is a concern try these tips:

• Use less water by installing low-flow faucets, showerheads and toilets; they will automatically cut down on your water usage.
• Repair leaky or dripping faucets promptly. Over even a short period of time a constant slow drip can waste many gallons of water.
• Take a good look at your water heater: if your thermostat is set above 115° F you are probably wasting valuable and costly energy. Furthermore, if your water heater is over 7 years old, you may want to start looking at newer, more efficient models. While most water heaters will last longer than 7 years, a periodic once over will help keep you apprised of how your heater is aging.

Basically, even the small things can make a difference in your family’s energy consumption – translating into savings for you and for the environment over the long term!

Last but not least, think about scheduling your plumbing dewinterization or next maintenance check ASAP, especially if you’ll be working around renters this coming season to ensure the most convenient appointment possible. (And don’t forget: Daylight Savings is back in full force so restock, wash or change your filters and replace the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors!)
 

As always, at Custom Mechanical we are happy to answer any questions you may have about electrical, heating, air conditioning and plumbing related issues.  Our Retail Store offers heating, air conditioning, electrical and plumbing parts and supplies as well as answers to your product or pricing queries.  Our Comfort Advisors are available for free estimates and information about financing.  Finally, our website offers more homeowner tips like these as well as on-line scheduling and more detailed information about Custom Mechanical, the people that make us great and the services we offer.  Contact us anytime!  Locally, 302-539-5177.  Toll free, 800-233-5177.  Or on the web, www.custommechanical.com.

P.S. 2011 marks our 30th anniversary and all year we’ll be celebrating 30 years of growing with our community, 2 generations of family ownership and 3 decades of service with special promotions. So, keep in touch and take COMFORT, CUSTOM is here to help!

As seen in the Delmarva Parent & Sussex County Woman. For more homeowner tips like these, see our Archives!