Getting Your Home Ready for the Holidays

Decorating, entertaining, food, and family likely are among the activities that first come to mind when looking ahead to the holiday season in Linwood, New Jersey.

While you prepare for the festivities to come, remember to include your plumbing, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system on your to-do list. Well-maintained heating and plumbing systems go hand-in-hand with a comfortable home and worry-free celebration.

Our qualified technicians at Broadley’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning can quickly pare your pre-celebration task list. Let us take care of your home comfort system while you concentrate on other holiday preparations. We recommend starting with a thorough furnace, boiler, or heat pump tune-up.

Holiday Plumbing Tips

Clogged drains are the number one problem we deal with the day after Thanksgiving. Don’t ruin your holidays waiting for a plumber—call ahead to schedule a drain cleaning.

• Give your water heater tank a little TLC as the outdoor temperature drops. Insulate the tank to help your heater work efficiently. One of our expert plumbers can do that for you.

• If hot water runs out quickly and feels lukewarm, or you hear odd noises from the tank, your heater may need repair. Call us if you notice something wrong with your hot water supply.

• Dripping faucets and running toilets waste water, hike your utility bills, and inconvenience you and your holiday guests. We can correct these issues before they interfere with your holiday plans.

But don’t forget your drains! Address drain and fixture problems now, before holiday celebrations start. If your drains are slow, consider having them cleaned. You will avoid unsightly, smelly backups and overflows during a holiday gathering.

Heating System Maintenance

A heating system inspection can discover if your gas-burning furnace contains worn, dirty, or malfunctioning parts that could lead to carbon monoxide (CO) leaks.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says carbon monoxide poisoning sends more than 100,000 people to hospital emergency rooms nationwide annually. At least 420 people die from accidental CO inhalation.

A professional inspection also guards against the risk of fire.

Heating equipment is the leading cause of fires in U.S. homes, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Nearly half of all home heating fires happened from December through February.

An annual tune-up checks electrical connections and wiring to prevent potential fires and improve system performance. One of our professionals at Broadley’s can identify and repair minor mechanical and electrical problems before they cause a breakdown.

A maintained heating system contributes less dust and dirt to your home. You will notice better indoor air quality (IAQ) if you tune up your system and replace its dirty air filters.

Prepping for the Holidays

Keep these tips in mind as you begin preparing your home for the holidays:

• Avoid placing anything in front of air duct vents. Congregating in front of an air supply vent may sound like a great way to warm up quickly, but people and pets can block air vents and restrict airflow just as easily as drapery, furniture, or holiday decorations can.
  
  Restricted airflow causes your heating system to work harder. It needlessly stresses your equipment and can lead to easily avoidable repairs.

• Check your HVAC air filter and replace it if it is dirty. We recommend a new air filter at least every three months. A dirty air filter can block airflow.

• Re-read your garbage disposal user manual. Note what your disposal can grind and what will cause problems. Avoid clogging it with too much food at once. Never put shellfish shells, oil, grease, or fat in the disposal.

Make Broadley’s Your Holiday Helper

Let Broadley’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning help prepare your Linwood, NJ, home for the holidays. We will ensure your heating system and plumbing keep you comfortable all winter. Call us at 609-257-2748 or request service online.