Muccia Plumbing, Heating and AC has already begun to get calls to schedule a heating system startup. It makes sense and it’s worth spending a few moments understanding what we do and why you should care.

Understanding the complex heating system and why it needs an annual startup

Your heating system is a complex machine. It includes a variety of devices that check for fuel pressure, water level, water pressure, valves, zones, pumps and more. These devices and indicators are specific to your system, and are meant to take care of each part of your home or business with a unique “zone”. Simply put, a zone is an area of your home or business that is getting heat (or not) based on the thermostat that is relaying information back to the main system. Whether time-based (start the heat at 6 AM) and/or temperature based (Don’t let it drop below 65 degrees), each zone is an independent place and based on use, will require more or less heat than another room.

Heating system startups save money

For example, let’s say you have a large family room say 30 x 30 feet square. This may be the place where on a holiday morning kids, adults and family gather to open gifts. Once that fun is over, everyone goes back to another room – kids go out or to their bedrooms, parents set about doing laundry, cooking, or any other planned activity. To maintain that 30 X 30 heat at a comfortable 72 with no occupants is simply a waste of money. Today’s efficient boilers and hot water systems produce heat rapidly so that if it’s needed, it takes a very short time to regain that heat level from the earlier time of day.

Likewise, there are two other times where lowering the heat can save money. One, of course, is when everyone is sleeping. While we don’t want to freeze everyone under the covers of their bed, it is much more comfortable to sleep in the 60s than in the high 70s or low 80s. The bedcovers are designed to hold in body heat and what feels comfortable above the covers, is likely unbearable when you have 2 inches of down covers on top of you.

The second should be equally obvious. If everyone in the family is off to school or work, there is no good reason to pump high 70s low 80s into an entire house. Remember the heating system’s primary job is to keep people warm. And if you have pets, worry not. Unless the temps drop way down into the 40s or 50s, the natural fur on cats and dogs insulates them from that small differential in room temperature.

How a heating system startup is done

Now that we’ve explained why the basics of a heating system, let’s talk about what’s involved in having Muccia Plumbing do a startup inspection. As mentioned earlier, the heating system is a complex system with multiple indicators built into the system to permit a trained plumber to determine efficiency and manufacturers recommended positions. Let’s begin with water pressure. There is a delicate balance between too much and too little water entering and exiting the system on demand. An early indicator of a failure is a water drip behind the system. Along with all the technology, there are built-in relief valves to avoid excess water from being distributed on your floor or too little which can cause a complete failure.

In point of fact, the first part of the startup inspection is a detailed visual look around for anything out of the ordinary. Since this is likely the first time since May that the system has been turned on, the plumbing/heating tech will look for drips around the system to find any parts which may have exceeded their usefulness. Often these include the water pressure gauge, the water inlet pump, and the thermal expansion tank. These three parts are interrelated, and it’s often best to replace all three rather than guess which one is prepared to fail.

Startup testing

The tech will next begin a series of tests between zones and their equivalent thermostat. This is to ensure that the heat which is called for is acting on a request from the correct thermostat. Since each hot water pump is controlled electronically by the appropriate thermostat, it is imperative that the two are working in tandem.

Finally, if so appropriate, the tech will replace all filters (typically on hot air systems) that were replaced last year. Clogged filters, whether for Air Conditioning or Heater systems are the #1 loss of energy and comfort. After replacing the filters, the last step is ensuring that the performance of the system is at its peak. Techs are uniquely trained to listen for water flows, responses to thermostats and a host of other sounds to instill confidence that the startup has put the system in readiness for winter. And in case you were wondering, it is not necessary to request and schedule a startup inspection in the winter. Anytime between the end of September and the end of October is usually perfect, though if you want to get your system scheduled when you want, the earlier the better.

Heating system startups make us both happy

Thank you for taking the time to read this latest in Mike’s Tips. Our goals at Muccia Plumbing, Heating and AC have not changed in our 40 years of doing business in Bergen County. We will never sell you parts you don’t need, and you’ll know exactly what fees will be involved. No surprises. Just delighted customers. You can reach Muccia Plumbing at 201-343-1414 or visit our website at www.mucciaplumbing.com

How Muccia Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning does a Tune-Up aka air conditioning Start-Up:

For Muccia Plumbing, it’s that time of the year. Or should I say that OTHER time of the year? Living and working in the NorthEast, we truly pay attention to two seasons – winter, when we need to make sure our heating system is working as designed. And summer, when brutally hot and humid days and nights can make living in New Jersey and the tri-state area clearly painful.

This edition of Mike’s Tips, we focus on what we, as trained air conditioning techs, do to ensure that your air conditioning and ventilation system is keeping you comfortable without surprises. Let’s focus on the starting point which is the assumption that you have a central air conditioning system, a compressor outside your premises, and the airbox which takes the cooled air and distributes it throughout your home. Here’s where annual maintenance will help you avoid surprises when the outside temp is 95 and the inside temp is a comfortable 72.

how-to-troubleshoot-a-central-air-conditioning-system-1 However, beyond relying on your air conditioning system working when you need it, there are other things we do which reduce the costs of the energy used to run your air conditioning system. We also know which parts can be serviced to extend their life and the life of the entire system.

Coils:

The coils are the central part of the system and when not, clean they reduce the ability and efficiency of the unit to cool your home. What do coils do? Coils are used for evaporation and condensation purposes. When Team Muccia is done cleaning coils, it permits the conductive properties to do their job. Or to think of it another way, dirty coils force the system to work harder to circulate and handle evaporation and condensation. Working harder equals higher energy costs and generally reduces the life of the system.>

Refrigerant:

Our next step is to check the refrigerant level. While there is an owners view of the refrigerator level, Team Muccia brings tools that inspect the refrigerant level. Since it’s a sealed system, if there is a significant loss of refrigerant, it tells us there is a leak somewhere. If such a leak is discovered, our techs will initiate the repair and refill the refrigerant level to it exact point on the gauge per manufacturers instructions.

Often we find that homeowners, in an effort to get a quick fix and avoid a service call, will add refrigerant. Very often this creates a new problem as too much refrigerant is equally as bad as too little. It actually can eat away at the system components and significantly shorten the system lifespan.

Air Filters:

As the name suggests, these filters allow warm air from inside the home to literally be sucked into the airbox where it gets cooled and redistributed.
Changing an air filter is often not a difficult job, and can be done by most homeowners as long as they are physically able to balance themselves on a stool or ladder to open the filter cover.

Airflow_Arrow The only other step is to ensure that the airflow is going in the right direction. On the sides of the filter will be an arrow indicating which way the filter should be placed. If the filter is going into a trap it should fit snugly and the air flow should go in the direction of the AC unit. If you have a question, make a note of the direction the arrow is pointing when you begin to pull it out. If you are still unsure, call Muccia Plumbing to help guide you. BUT remember safety first. It’s not worth a few dollars to have a trained tech do the filter exchange and not fall off a stool or ladder. Filters should be changed once a month. Depending on the size of your home, you may have several filters to change.
Conclusion. Just like a dirty oil or engine air filter can cause an automobile to run poorly and consume excessive gasoline, a dirty air conditioner filter can drive up costs, and premature failure.

Air Flow:

Just like a clean air filter is important to providing warm air in to let cool air out of the air conditioning system, the Muccia Inspection includes inspecting the system’s airflow parts.
When you pull out the filter, dust, pollen, dirt, and debris can pass thru and clog the flow of air. Muccia Plumbing trained techs will do an end to end inspection of the airflow vents. It’s often amazing how much dirt and dust can get past the filter, especially one that hasn’t been changed in quite some time, or exceptionally low-cost filters that don’t do the job properly.

Thermostat(s):

One of the simplest items to service yourself is replacing the batteries in your thermostats. We have all heard the expression to change smoke detectors twice a year – when you move the clock back an hour and when you move the clock forward an hour BUT do you do the same with the batteries in your thermostats. You may have separate ones for different “zones” or heat and cool on separate thermostats. Here’s an easy one, since thermostats don’t require getting on a ladder. They are usually 2 AA batteries, and as long as you have them go back in the way they came out, there won’t be a problem.

Summary:

Let’s face it. Regardless if these heat waves are man-made or natural, summer in NJ has gotten progressively hotter, and the humidity on top of it makes us feel like we are living in the desert. If you have medical issues such as Asthma or COPD or you require medically ordered oxygen, being uncomfortable in your own home is risky, and frankly unnecessary. Muccia Plumbing, serving Bergen County for more than 40 years, is your trusted advisor on what you need to avoid breakdowns and enjoy the summer. Our service book for AC tune-ups fills up quickly this time of year, so we encourage you to get your appointment scheduled ASAP. We want you to have a happy, comfortable and worry-free summer.
Call us TODAY at 201-343-1414 or visit our website at www.mucciaplumbing.com
PS. If you visit our website www.mucciaplumbing.com/coupon there is a $25 off coupon which good for the AC tune-up. Place your trust in us and we will not disappoint you.

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Every year we get the same calls from people who turned on the heating system, and nothing was hot. Only in May, it’s “I turned my air conditioning, and it’s not blowing or it’s blowing hot air or it’s very low on pressure”.

Getting a pro to start up your air conditioning and heating system at the beginning of every heating and cooling season avoids problems. This past winter has been especially tough on outdoor equipment. These ultra-low negative temperature spikes, along with the extended times below freezing, can affect your home air conditioning system’s Spring startup. But with a few checks and a little effort, you can help to ensure a trouble-free summer cooling season. Call a pro at Muccia Plumbing at 201-343-1414

Spring HVAC Startup Checklist: Here are eight important things Muccia Plumbing techs check BEFORE switching the wall thermostat to cool.

First, we start with the outdoor unit:

1. We inspect the outdoor unit panels: These panels are designed to enclose the electrical connections and must be in place to help protect both you and the system. If you are missing a panel (possibly due to wind) or if the panel is misaligned, this could cause potential risks for both you and the operation of the equipment. If the panel covering the electrical connections is missing or out of place you can rely on Muccia to take care of it BEFORE before starting your system.

2. Our qualified techs remove any condenser covers, coil blankets or lids: If we find the outdoor coil covered in order to protect it during the winter months, we’ll remove the cover before starting the system. These covers protect and insulate the coil, but also limit any heat transfer. Starting the system with any of these covers in place, even for a short time, could severely damage your system. Many people forget to remove their covers every year, often resulting in major repairs or even replacement of the whole system.

3. We will inspect, repair or replace any damaged pipe insulation. The suction line (the larger copper pipe on the outdoor unit) helps to supply cool refrigerant back to the compressor in the outdoor unit. If the system’s suction pipe has damaged insulation, this could cause a loss of required cooling for the outdoor unit which could damage your system and may also cause you to lose energy as well. Damage to the foam insulation can be caused by sun rot, freezing water trapped in the foam or winter animals looking for shelter or food. The insulation should be intact to maintain system cooling. If the insulation needs replacing, we do so before starting the unit. We ensure that the insulation is the correct size for the pipe size (5/8, 3/4, 7/8, etc.). As with all our parts, we purchase ours from plumbing supply houses that exceed the quality of the kind you’d find in a home improvement center or a local hardware store :

4. Depending on where you live or what side of the house your system is located on, we will look for any debris that may have landed against the coil. The system coils are designed to transfer heat, and any debris limits this effect. To get the best possible performance from your system, our technicians will remove this debris from the coil and surrounding area. Also, while mulching in the spring, take care to not pack mulch around the base of the unit.

Next, we’ll move to inspect the indoor unit:

5. Change the air filters: Now we’ll replace your indoor air filters. This winter has probably caused your furnace to run a lot more than previous winters. It’s likely that your indoor air filter will have gathered a lot more debris and dust than normal, so we’ll automatically change the interior filter, sure the airflow is going in the correct direction.

6. We next check the coil drainage hose: This hose (usually plastic) can also be called the “condensate line”. Since the coil’s temperature is lower than the ambient air, water will condense on the coil and drip into the tray below. This condensate needs to flow to a drain or the tray will fill up and flood the unit or potentially spill water into your basement. With the amount of time spent indoors this past winter due to the Nor’Easters affecting most of Bergen County, it’s possible the line may have moved. We check to make sure the line is in the proper place, attached, and will drain to the appropriate location.

7. Clean the supply vents and return grills: We’ll make sure that both the supply and return air grills and vents are open and free of debris. Some houses have separate winter and summer supply grills, or house zoning and some even have separate systems – one for heating and one for cooling. If you have a system like this you might have put extra plastic material over the AC vents to prevent drafts during the cold winter months. If so, it is important to remove these before you turn on the AC or you will not have proper air flow back through the system and this could cause severe damage. In general, cleaning all grills at the beginning of every season is a part of our complete startup.

8. Turn it on and make sure it works: Wait for a nice, hot day when you have some time to check the air coming out of the indoor vents for the first few minutes after starting it, and then every few hours throughout the day. After the first few minutes, you should feel cool air coming out of the registers. If no air is coming out, or if the air coming out does not feel cool, then something is wrong and you should immediately turn the system off at the thermostat. Contact Muccia Plumbing immediately. we’ll do an in-depth inspection and diagnose the problem which likely didn’t present itself during out startup inspection. Remember to turn it off. Leaving the system turned on when it’s not running properly can do a lot of expensive damage.

In summary, a brief inspection of your system now could help keep your system running worry free through the heat of the summer and fall and is especially important for older systems. While performing this general inspection, take note of the overall system health in order to assess the likelihood of a problem. Whether your system is old or new, it can endure a particularly harsh season. A qualified technician from Muccia Plumbing is trained to do a more thorough spring technical inspection to avoid a system failure in the hottest months of the year. Summer is just around the corner and no one knows your house better than you. If air conditioning is a necessity due to your lifestyle or geographical location, then be sure to get a professional’s opinion before time runs out.

NJSLOMP

Our Final Checklist:

Outdoor Inspection:

1. Inspect outdoor unit panels – make sure they are all in place
2. Remove any unit covers or coil blankets from the outdoor unit
3. Repair or replace damaged or missing pipe insulation
4. Remove any leaves or debris from the outdoor unit coils

Indoor Inspection:

5. Change the indoor air filters
6. Check the indoor drainage hose
7. Clean the supply vents and air return grills
8. Make sure your system is working properly on startup and throughout the first day (and turn it off immediately if it is not working!)

Please don’t wait for July or even June. Now is the time to run our complete tests and replace and parts that need replacing. Get it scheduled by calling Muccia Plumbing at 201-343-1414

Category: startup

Heating System Startup

Muccia Plumbing, Heating and AC has already begun to get calls to schedule a heating system startup. It makes sense and it’s worth spending a few moments understanding what we do and why you should care.

Understanding the complex heating system and why it needs an annual startup

Heating system startups save money

How a heating system startup is done

Startup testing

Heating system startups make us both happy

The Muccia Plumbing AC tune up

How Muccia Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning does a Tune-Up aka air conditioning Start-Up:

Coils:

Refrigerant:

Air Filters:

Air Flow:

Thermostat(s):

Summary:

Mike’s Tip – Time to get your A/C ready

Recent Tips

Getting Ready for Winter

Heating System Startup

PEX and the Home Inspection

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