Furnace Filter

Have you changed your furnace filter lately? If you haven’t, it would be a good time to do it or get it done.

Depending on who you talk to, it’s recommended to change the filter every six months or as often as every month. I have found that it does vary depending on the house, amount of dust, animal hair, type of filter, etc.

The true way to tell is by looking at the filter when you change it. If it is heavy with dust, etc, then it might be a good idea to change it more often.

If the filter is obstructed, the furnace will not work as well and it will cost you more to operate.

Filters themselves vary in cost from fifty-cents on up. Some of the more expensive ones do work better and may last longer. Depending on what you want to accomplish, such as pollen filtering and allergy reduction the more expensive may be what you want. For those you may be looking at ten to fifteen dollars. Of course you can spend way more than that if you want to.

Some furnaces make filter changing very easy; others can be a little more complicated. I will be glad to help you decide on what you need and if it is a job that you can do yourself. Give me a call and you will breathe easier.

Philip

Washing Machine Hose Failure

Washing machine fill hose failure could flood your house and cause thousands of dollars in damage. State Farm says about 150 million dollars damage in the US and Canada every year.

Do you know the condition of the hoses behind your washing machine? Many people don’t and have never thought about it. If your hoses are the old black rubber type or are more than five years old, it’s time to get some new ones. Inspect them regularly for leaking, bulging or cracking. Also make sure there are no kinks.

You can get a new set of braided stainless steel hoses for around twenty dollars. It’s usually easy to replace them.

For very little cost, you will gain peace of mind. Imagine what it would be like to come home and find water spraying from the back of your washer. Think about the damage it would cause. New hoses installed properly will make those thoughts unnecessary.

If you need new hoses or are not sure, give me a call and I will be glad to help you.

Philip
303-232-3347

Fluidmaster Duo Flush

I saw a product recently that promised to save up to 15,000 gallons of water a year. It is a retrofit flush valve for a toilet that allows two flush modes - one for liquid and one for solids – if you get what I’m saying. Lift the handle for liquid and push down for solids.

I had installed a similar valve by a different company in our home toilet a couple of years ago. It was somewhat difficult to adjust to get a proper flush. I didn’t feel I could recommend it to my customers.

When I saw the Fluidmaster Duo Flush I contacted the company and they sent me the Duo Flush System to try out. The system has the Duo Flush valve and a ballcock with some water saving features of its own.

The installation was fairly simple for someone used to installing toilet parts. As I always say, having the right tools always makes a job easier. Taking out the old parts and installing the new took about 30 minutes. The adjustment to get the proper flush on both liquids and solids was easy.

I am very happy with how the system works. It’s especially nice for old style toilets that use much more water per flush than the new ones.

Well, sad news to report. The product didn't pass long term testing. The handle became hard to use. The company sent out a replacement and after a month or so, the new one started sticking open - wasting more water than it would save. So, I can't recommend this product. Hopefully these problems can be worked out in the future.

Philip
TheHandymenOnline.com