At A.J. Perri we send out our heartfelt thoughts to all those who have suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy.
Tip of the Month
The holidays are almost upon us; a time when many of us are already thinking and/or planning our holiday decorations. Before you start putting up those holiday lights consider these important safety tips to help keep you and your family out of harm’s way this holiday season.
- Check all light strands for cracked or broken plugs, frayed insulation, or bare wires. Worn cords can cause fires. Discard damaged sets of lights.
- Route cords inside your home so that they won’t trip anyone. Don’t place them under rugs, furniture, or other appliances. If covered, cords can overheat or become frayed and cause a fire.
- Follow the manufacturer’s limits for the number of light strings that you can safely connect together.
- Don’t plug more than three standard-sized sets of lights into a single extension cord. It puts too much of an electrical load on the cord, posing a fire risk. If you use a lot of lights for your decorations you should consider adding additional outlets.
- Make sure lights used to decorate the outside of the house are approved for outdoor use. The same applies to indoor lights; make sure they are approved for indoor use.
- Always turn off decorative indoor and outdoor lights when leaving the house and before going to bed.
Go online to A.J. Perri (ajperri.com) and schedule your heating tune-up today. We’ll keep your system running safely all year long, with your satisfaction guaranteed!
Q&A’s – HVAC & Plumbing
Q: Should a thermostat be set to “auto” or “on”?
A: Although the “auto” setting is the most used setting, the fan will only operate when the temperature requires it. There are advantages, however, to using the “on” setting. In this setting, indoor air is constantly filtered through your unit’s air filter, resulting in cleaner air and a more comfortable home. Many of today’s “modern” furnaces have a motor designed to do this at the operational equivalent cost of a 75 watt light bulb. There are also after market motors available through your local heating and cooling contractor that will provide the same benefits.
For more details, visit the A.J. Perri website…ajperri.com.
Q: What are Some Easy Ways to Lower My Water Bill?
A: We’re all looking for ways to conserve resources in an effort to save money. One of the easiest ways to do this is cut back on water use. There are a few simple things you can do around your home. Aerators on sink faucets are a great first step, as well as low flow showerheads. A lower GPF (gallons per flush) toilet is another fantastic upgrade. Upgrading your hot water heater can also help to reduce wasted water, as newer tankless systems don’t require a standing supply of hot water at all times like traditional tank–style systems.
Q: Is there some way to keep the air inside my home healthy, especially during the holiday season when it seems like everyone is getting sick?
A: The air inside your home can be making you sick. Unsterilized air can spread disease and cause upper respiratory problems, as well as aggravate asthma and other breathing ailments–especially in children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. This is the last thing you want with the upcoming holidays and the seasonal visits from friends and loved ones. Adding a germicidal UV lamp to your climate control system will give you the cleanest air in town.
Germicidal UV lamps have been killing microorganisms in hospitals, food processing, and water purification facilities for decades and have been adapted for residential use in recent years. It’s as simple as a lamp with a specific UV spectrum, installed directly in your climate control system and working silently 24 hours a day. This lamp is able to break down the very DNA of germs, mold, and bacteria, eliminating them from your system and therefore the air in your home. Contact A.J. Perri at ajperri.com for more details.
If you have more questions, feel free to go to our Ask-an-Expert page online. Fill out the form and we’ll get back to you right away!
Energy Saving Tips
Making your home more energy efficient can save you money while helping conserve natural resources. Most of us are willing to perform energy efficient practices, we just don’t always know which ones can actually make the biggest difference. Below is a list of problem areas around your home and solutions that can have a huge affect on the energy efficiency of your home.
Cooling and heating costs are wasted by drafts at door and windows. Apply weather stripping or replace weather stripping that is worn out. If you cannot weather strip for whatever reason, at least try to block off the drafts as best you can. Heavy drapes at all windows and the patio door can help. Also add blockers such as the bean bag snakes at the bottom of exterior doors.
Lack of maintenance on your heating and cooling system. If you are not having your heating and cooling system maintained and cleaned by a professional at least once a year you are wasting energy. Your system can work up to 40% less efficiently when it is not serviced. This not only wastes energy, but costs you more in higher utility bills.
Replace standard bulbs with fluorescent ones. Although these are more expensive than regular ones, they use less energy and last longer, so over time they will more than pay for themselves.
Water heaters in most homes are set too high. This is not only unnecessary, but can pose a hazard in homes where there are young children. Having tap water delivered that is scalding hot wastes energy – twice. First, the energy needed to bring the water to temperature is wasted, because it is too hot. Then, before it can be used for baths or showers, cold water has to be added to cool it down. Although some manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140ºF, most households only require them set at 120ºF.
Check your attic insulation, especially if you have an older home. Insulation products of today have greatly improved over what they were 20 to 30 years ago. You should check to see not only what type of insulation is present but also how much there is. If it is not adequate, replace or supplement it.
Programmable thermostatsare a good investment. These can be programmed to adjust the temperature setting in your home to conserve energy when you are asleep or away from home. Then, before you return home, they adjust the setting again to make sure that when you arrive back home you arrive to comfortable temperatures.
How you use your energy is also important. Turn lights off when you are leaving a room, whether you are going out of the room or leaving for the evening. Don’t run partial loads of dishes or clothing. Skip the preheat cycle on the oven, except where food requires it. In the winter, put on socks or a sweater instead of raising the thermostat, and in the summer, use fans for additional cooling.
We have been serving the New Jersey area for 40+ years, one satisfied customer at a time. We look forward to hearing from you if you need additional information on our products and services, or a suggestion about how we may better serve you.
To Visit or Contact our Office:
A.J. Perri
1138 Pine Brook Rd.
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Telephone
1-800-554-1827
Fax
(732) 982-8717
Office Hours:
- Monday-Friday 7AM-11PM
- Saturday/Sunday 7AM-7PM
- 24 Hour Emergency Service – 365 days a year
To reach a specific department, please click one of the links below:
General Information
Ask an Expert (Plumbing / HVAC)
To Schedule Service Online
In Home Estimate Service
