How To Change Central Air Conditioner Filter: Tips And Troubleshooting

October 9, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • Austin

Air conditioners require regular maintenance to keep them running efficiently. Performing routine checks also helps keep your energy costs down and enables you to spot problems early on, which can avoid costly repairs. One of the quickest and easiest ways to keep your unit running at peak efficiency is to regularly change your filter. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “Replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5 percent to 15 percent.”

How to Change Central Air Conditioner Filter

When you weigh the energy savings of having a clean filter against the low cost of a new filter, replacing your filter seems like a no-brainer. Remembering when and how to perform this simple task, however, is another matter. Even if you think you know how often you should change your filter, you may not understand what a filter actually does for … Read Full Post »

Clogged Filter? Furnace Filter Symptoms Of Heating Problems

October 4, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • San Antonio

Clogged Filter Furnace and Filter Symptoms

Remembering to change your furnace filter can be a tall order since it isn’t something you see or notice. The adage “out of sight, out of mind” seems well-suited for this routine task.

But clogged furnace air filters can spell big problems not only for your electric bill but for your furnace itself.

We know what you might be thinking. “What? There’s another filter in my home?”

Well, it depends. Here in Texas, the filter that’s working during the winter months is typically just your air duct return air filter, the same one you regularly change for your air conditioner. What you might not realize is that it is just as important to change this filter when you turn on the heater in your home as during the summer months.

In colder parts of the country, some homes may have a warm air furnace. In these units, a dedicated furnace filter is typically … Read Full Post »

Should I Upgrade My Electrical Panel?

September 21, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Electrical • San Antonio

Do I need to upgrade my electrical panel

Owning a home has many benefits. Unfortunately, one of the disadvantages is that things break. Sometimes, you have no clue why something isn’t working. Diagnosing the problem is only half the battle. When it comes to electrical issues, most homeowners have little idea what exactly the problem is, much less how to fix it.

If you’ve had trouble with electricity or appliances working properly, this post will shed some light on if you need to upgrade your electrical panel, how to determine your panel’s capacity and why hiring an electrician is the best way to go if you are thinking about how you can change your electrical panel yourself.

What Is a Breaker Panel?

Before we discuss how and why your electrical panel might not be working, let’s talk about the breaker panel itself. An electrical panel is the central point that connects the wires from outside to the wires inside your home … Read Full Post »

Winter Heater Temperature Settings: A Complete Guide

September 18, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • Corpus Christi

Cooler temperatures mean warmer clothes, chilly nights and maybe even a fire in the fireplace. When the temperature finally drops to the point where we can turn on our heaters, remembering the most energy-efficient thermostat setting can be as perplexing as remembering why you walked into the room.

In this post, we’ll discuss the best temperature to set your thermostat in winter, find out what the experts have to say about it, learn what impacts average house temperatures in winter, talk about programming your thermostat, discuss whether smart thermostats are worth the investment and suggest other ways to reduce energy costs.

What’s the Best Temperature to Set the Thermostat in Winter?

We all just want to be comfortable in our home. Fighting over the thermostat can be an area of contention in a family. Many homeowners seek to balance comfort with affordable heating and cooling bills.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners can save as much … Read Full Post »

Common Plumbing Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

September 11, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Plumbing • Austin

We’ve all been there: something gets dropped down the toilet, your disposal or toilet gets clogged, your bathroom sink gets backed up or the hot water heater starts leaking. Your first thought may be to call a plumber. Immediately, you may find yourself thinking, “That’s expensive. Maybe I can fix it.”

Some plumbing fixes are more difficult than others. If you decide to take on a plumbing repair yourself, you’ll want to make sure you avoid the most common plumbing mistakes so you don’t cause more problems than you solve.

Common Plumbing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Before you start looking online for how-to videos, you may wonder which problems you can fix yourself and when to call a plumber. Many home DIY projects can be pretty straightforward—and even satisfying—as you learn something new.

But, then there is plumbing.

How easy is it to fix your own plumbing? Which fixes are manageable … Read Full Post »

Common Air Conditioner Problems: Not Cooling

August 8, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • San Antonio

Naturally, when the temperatures climb, we tend to stay indoors, enjoying the benefits of our air conditioned homes. But what happens when your air conditioning isn’t working to your satisfaction? What if it appears to be working but it simply isn’t cooling your home? Where do you go to spend the day? How will you fix it? Unfortunately, air conditioners can sometimes stop cooling. So when it does, it’s best to be prepared.

Common Air Conditioner Problems: Not Cooling

In this post, we’ll discuss what might be happening if your air conditioner isn’t cooling your home to your satisfaction. We’ll also provide an explanation for how an air conditioner unit works and what you need to know to ensure it’s working properly. Finally, we’ll dive a bit deeper to examine what steps you can take to fix it at home and what steps are best left to the professionals.

Central Air Conditioner Problems: … Read Full Post »

Air Conditioner Problems And Solutions To Keep Your Cool

August 7, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • San Antonio

Air conditioning repair needs seem to crop up at the most unexpected times for homeowners—particularly if you skip out on your routine maintenance appointment. Following our air conditioner maintenance checklist is important because periodic checks performed by a professional is the number one way to ensure that your cooling system runs as effectively and efficiently as it should for as long as it should.

Otherwise, you could find yourself on one of the hottest days in midsummer with a malfunctioning system. Of course, even if you do invest in maintenance as often as you should (once a year, or twice a year if you have a heat pump), there is still a chance that you will need summer AC repairs. Fortunately, the majority of these are usually relatively minor—as long as they are taken care of right away.

Delaying the summer months, when your system is working at full steam, AC repairs can … Read Full Post »

Toilet Auger vs. Snake: Which Tool to Use and Why

March 29, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Plumbing • San Antonio

Have you ever walked into your bathroom to find a clogged toilet? If you have, we’re sure you’d prefer not to have to experience that again. If you haven’t, we hate to break it to you, but you probably will at some point. You’ll want to be ready to know what to do when you have to deal with a clogged toilet and which tools are best for the job. Two of the more common tools homeowners use for basic plumbing repairs are toilet augers and snakes.

Toilet Auger vs. Snake

When do you need a toilet auger and in what situations is a snake the right tool for the job? Read on to find out.

The Toilet Auger

One of the most common tools for unclogging a toilet is the toilet auger. Also known as a water closet auger or plumbing snake, this device is designed to move through the drain of the toilet … Read Full Post »

Eggshells in Garbage Disposal and Other Common Questions Answered

February 16, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Plumbing • Corpus Christi

One of the kitchen appliances we often take for granted is our garbage disposal. We don’t think much about the mechanics behind the device that allows us to scrape our dinner dishes into the sink without having to worry about clogging up our drains. When’s the last time you thought about what you’re putting down your garbage disposal?

Eggshells in Garbage Disposal and Other Common Questions Answered

Below we’ll take a look at how this workhorse appliance does its job, and how to make sure it keeps working into the future.

How Do Garbage Disposals Work?

To understand the care and “feeding” of our garbage disposals, we need to have a better understanding of how they work. In most cases, the units consist of a metal canister that has rotating blades or impellers. Some have additional grinding mechanisms for additional functionality. When food enters the unit, the blades spin rapidly to crush/grind … Read Full Post »

Common Plumbing Problems

January 20, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Plumbing • Corpus Christi

Despite it being an essential aspect of your home’s ability to function correctly, plumbing isn’t something that we think about a lot. Each day, we simply expect our toilets to flush, the sink disposal to drain and the shower pressure to remain steady. It’s only when our plumbing system stops working that our home’s pipes become a top priority.

Common Plumbing Problems: What They Are and How to Fix Them

As a homeowner, it’s best to be prepared for anything—including an unexpected plumbing problem. Below we’ll discuss the most common plumbing problems we see, how to detect the onset of a problem and how to fix it.

Leaky Pipes

Most homes are equipped with an underground plumbing system. If your home has a basement, many pipes can also be found there. And while most pipes last for decades, many begin to leak when that time is up.

If you’re living in an older … Read Full Post »