Happy New Year to everyone here on Sanibel and Captiva Islands! I thought it would be nice to share with you a selection of misalliance tips that I have put together and use in my own home. I hope that they can be of use to you.
- When you leave your home for more than a day or two, turn off the main water to your home. The damage that a leaking pipe or bursting hot water heater can do to a home can be devastating. Please note: when turning the water off in preparation for your departure, make sure to turn the breaker that feeds the water heater off, if the tank drains down and the heater is left on, it could result in damage to the heating element.
- Clean those fridge coils. Doing this will cut down on energy use, cut down on heat added to your home and extend the life of your appliance. This should be done every couple of months. For more information, please check out YouTube, where you’ll find some good videos on how to do this.
- Regularly clean your air conditioning filters. An a/c filter should be cleaned or replaced monthly during the heavy use times and less frequently when only used occasionally. To help you determine whether it’s time to change it or not, hold the filter up to the light. If you can’t see through it, then it’s time. This will cut down on energy bills and wear and tear on your equipment.
- Electrical breakers: We frequently receive calls that something isn’t working. We always ask, “Have you checked your breakers?” The answer is always “yes.” But, lo and behold, we show up at the house and the breaker is tripped. A service call may have been avoided by following this simple procedure. Go to your electrical panel, physically turn off and then back on each single breaker. Then go back and check the power in the area in question and see if that didn’t fix the problem, More times than not a breaker will look fine when in fact has been tripped. Please make sure to power off any computers that may have programs open before doing this.
- Last but not least, have your air conditioning serviced. Even newer systems need some tlc. Most people are under the impression that because a system is new that no service is required. This is a mechanical device, with moving parts that need regular routine service. You wouldn’t think of neglecting the service on that new car, so the same thing holds true for your home’s comfort system.
Thanks for reading,
Bryan
Bryan Hayes, along with his brother Todd, is a co-owner of a Sanibel Air Conditioning company on Sanibel, FL. They also own and operate an island-based electrical service company Sanctuary Island Electric, Inc. Bryan can be reached at Bryan@Sanibelair.com
