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Why Your Gas Water Heater Is Not Hot Enough

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Gas water heater not hot enough

Many homeowners have experienced that same unfortunate situation: You’ve been waiting for the shower to heat up for ten minutes and it’s still lukewarm. No one else has used the shower recently, and no one is doing the dishes or otherwise using up all the hot water. What is the issue? Is your gas water heater not hot enough?

If you find yourself in this situation, there are usually three common culprits: a broken dip tube, a buildup of sediment in your tank or a malfunctioning heating system.

Broken Dip Tube

The dip tube is the part of your water heating system where cold water enters the heating tank. Usually, your dip tube will deliver cold water to the bottom of your tank where it can be easily and quickly heated for your use. If your dip tube is broken, cold water will stay at the top of your tank and will not … Read Full Post »

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What Causes An Air Conditioner To Freeze Up?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
What causes an air conditioner to freeze up

After a long day of working, running errands or playing outside on a hot day, nothing feels better than that blast of cool air from the AC—until it freezes up. It seems impossible for anything to freeze as the temperature climbs, but this is actually a common occurrence. What causes an air conditioner to freeze up even when it’s hot out?

There are a number of possibilities.

Refrigerant Could Be Low

Refrigerant is the substance that keeps your air conditioner’s evaporator coils cool and transforms your indoor air from humid and hot to dry and cool. When this compound leaks, it results in lower pressure in the evaporator coils. The lower the pressure, the lower the temperature, which eventually causes a frozen coil and AC unit. Due to the potential health risks for you, as well as other members of your household, if you suspect you could have leaking refrigerant, it’s best to … Read Full Post »

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How To Reduce Humidity In A House In Summer

. Posted by in • Austin
how to reduce humidity in house in summer

Recently you’ve been trying to escape the heat and humidity by heading inside, only to experience the same muggy feeling. With that in mind, you are probably wondering how to reduce humidity in a house in summer. What can you do to create a cool, comfortable sanctuary that will keep your family, pets and guests happy?

A humid indoor environment is a warning sign that your air conditioner is not working properly. What most homeowners don’t realize is that your AC system not only circulates cool air, but also dehumidifies incoming air. If it’s uncomfortably damp inside, you may have an oversized unit, leaks in your ductwork, insufficient refrigerant or a mechanical problem in your system.

In very humid climates, your system could have a hard time reaching an ideal level of humidity, even if it has no other underlying issues. In those situations, while buying a dehumidifier is an option, your … Read Full Post »

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Why Is My Air Conditioner Turning On And Off Repeatedly?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Air Conditioner Turning On And Off Repeatedly

Our air conditioners are complicated appliances which serve a vital function in our homes. When they are working properly, we hardly think about them at all. When they aren’t, we realize how much we take our cool, comfortable living spaces for granted. When you notice your air conditioner turning on and off repeatedly, you probably realize something is wrong, but you likely have little clue as to why this is happening, much less what to do about it.

There are a few reasons your air conditioner could be cycling on and off. The first and most likely is that your AC unit is too large for your home. When it comes to choosing an air conditioner, you may have fallen victim to a common misconception: the bigger the better. Unfortunately, unscrupulous contractors have an incentive to add extra capacity “just to be safe”, even when you really don’t need it, since … Read Full Post »

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AC Unit Fan Not Spinning: What Should I Do?

. Posted by in • Austin
AC Unit Fan Not Spinning

Air conditioning is a way of life in the southern parts of the U.S. for at least half the year. The price we pay for our mild winters is that we basically skip spring and head straight into summer. That’s why it is so troubling to come home and be hit with a blast of lukewarm air, especially when upon closer inspection, you discover your AC unit fan is not spinning.

Your air conditioner’s fan is usually located in your outside unit. The fan pulls in hot air and delivers it over your condenser coil, where the air cools to your desired temperature and can then be pumped into your home. While your fan can stop spinning for a number of reasons, in most cases, the resolution is not a simple DIY fix. Because of the complexity of air conditioning systems, the dangers of working with electricity and the simple fact … Read Full Post »

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Why Does My Toilet Flush Twice? Advice From The Pros

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Why does my toilet flush twice

Many homeowners have experienced it before: They use the bathroom, press the handle on the toilet to flush and after the first, expected flush, the toilet spontaneously flushes itself a second time. If this is happening in your bathroom, you might wonder, “Why does my toilet flush twice?”

There are several reasons why this might happen, along with some do-it-yourself ways that homeowners can troubleshoot and address the problem. In many cases, however, it is wise to hire a professional plumber for a proper diagnosis of the issue, along with any parts installation or repairs that might be needed.

The two most common issues with a twice flushing toilet are a toilet flapper that is staying up too long or a toilet fill valve that needs to be adjusted.

If the toilet flapper stays up for too long, this is usually because your toilet has been fitted with a generic or universal flapper … Read Full Post »

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Outside AC Unit Not Running But Inside Is: What’s Going On?

. Posted by in • Austin
Outside AC unit not running but inside is

Maybe you finally bit the bullet and turned your air conditioner on, or maybe you’ve been running your AC for weeks now. Either way, to your surprise, something is not quite right. Despite hearing the sound of the AC turning on, your house is not cooling down as it used to. After some investigating, you determine that your outside AC unit isn’t running but the inside is.

Typically, this means one of two things: your outside AC hums but the fan doesn’t spin or the entire outside AC unit isn’t working at all. What could be causing either of these problems, and, more importantly, what can you do about it? In this post, we’ll go into detail about some scenarios you may run across with your air conditioner and how your components work together to create a comfortable, cool indoor living environment.

Air Conditioner Outside Unit Fan Not Working

Maybe you notice that … Read Full Post »

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How Many Tons of AC Per Square Foot Do I Need?

. Posted by in • San Antonio

As temperatures begin to climb higher and higher, some homeowners realize that the time has come to purchase a new air conditioner. If you have added to your square footage in recent years or had ongoing heating and cooling issues, you may ask yourself: How many tons of AC per square foot do you need to keep your home comfortable and your energy bills low? Buying the right size AC unit for your space is critical for anyone who wants a unit that will work efficiently and last for years. If you install an AC that’s too small, it won’t be powerful enough to cool your living space effectively. This will run up your electricity bill and could potentially burn out the motor and other components as the unit stays on for prolonged periods of time, churning out cool air in vain.

If you install an AC unit that’s too large, … Read Full Post »

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How Long Do Garbage Disposals Last: Appliance Repair 101

. Posted by in , • Austin
how long do garbage disposals last

Garbage disposals are the backbone of your kitchen. These electric powerhouses shred away food waste within a matter of seconds, making clean up a much easier-to-complete task. But if these machines are so important, why do many of us go blank when someone asks “how long do garbage disposals last?” And what should we do if we wake up one morning to find puddles of water under the sink? Or perhaps even worse, what if our garbage disposal was not working with no noise at all indicating that you flipped the switch to the “On” position?

While garbage disposals are part of our daily routine, their operation remains foreign to many of us. This not only makes garbage disposal troubleshooting difficult, but also can make it harder to know how to properly care for and maintain this important kitchen appliance.

If you came to this post to find out how long disposals last, … Read Full Post »

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Water Heater Making A Popping Noise? What You Can Do

. Posted by in • San Antonio
water heater making popping noise

One of the last sounds you want to hear when you’re in the garage or laundry room is your water heater making a popping noise. While anything audible coming from your unit is a cause for concern, you should know that this sound often indicates a sediment buildup in your tank—something you’ll want to take care of sooner, rather than later. Once you troubleshoot what your issue is, you’ll be faced with a decision: whether to try to fix the problem on your own, or call in a professional.

Similar to when you take your car in for a suspicious sound and a mechanic asks you to describe it, you’ll discover as you do your homework that different noises can indicate different problems. Maybe you’ve noticed your water heater making a noise like running water, or you hear something coming from your water heater only when the hot water is turned … Read Full Post »

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