New Year’s Resolutions for your HVAC and Plumbing Systems

Happy New Year! It’s officially the start of 2014, and we here at Cabrillo know that many of you have New Year’s resolutions on your mind. We want to help ensure that your plumbing and HVAC systems work great this year, so today we’re providing you with six New Year’s resolutions that will help make you do just that!

6 New Year’s resolutions for your plumbing and HVAC systems in 2014

• 1. Schedule annual maintenance for your HVAC systems. The best thing you can do to ensure that your furnace and air conditioner work great all year long is schedule annual tune-ups. You should schedule a tune-up for your air conditioner this spring and for your furnace this fall. Tune-ups will increase the efficiency of both your systems and help avoid performance problems and breakdowns later on in the year.
• 2. Change your air filter throughout the year. Changing your air filter is the most important maintenance task you need to perform on your HVAC system throughout the year. By checking and/or changing your filter every month, you can help avoid major efficiency problems and keep your furnace and air conditioner running strong.
• 3. Use your programmable thermostat wisely. If you aren’t already taking advantage of aprogrammable thermostat, make it a priority this year. By telling your programmable thermostat what times of day there is less of a demand for heating and cooling, you can cut down your energy bills and ease the load on your HVAC system throughout the year.
• 4. Schedule annual maintenance for your water heater. Your HVAC systems aren’t the only ones that require annual maintenance. You should also schedule a tune-up for your water heater sometime this year to bring it up to its peak operating efficiency and performance levels.
• 5. Watch what you put down your drains. The best way to avoid drain clogs is to be careful of what you put down your pipes. Make sure to clear your plates into the garbage before you rinse them in your kitchen sink and use drain traps to catch problematic items in your sinks and tubs. In addition, never pour grease or oils down your drains because they can easily lead to clogs.
• 6. Don’t use your toilet as a wastebasket. Your toilet should only be used for toilet paper and human waste. Everything else (such as paper towels, cotton balls, floss and personal hygiene products) should be tossed in the trash. By following these rules, you can greatly reduce the chance of clogging your toilets in 2014.

If you have any questions about these New Year’s resolutions, or if you’d like a plumbing or HVAC system serviced or installed in your home, contact Cabrillo, your Bay Area plumbing, heating and air conditioning contractor.