Chicago Plumber Tips #3

Toilets are greedy for water at their best, but if there’s a leak, it will really cost you. When you do your spring cleaning, check your toilet’s overall health. If there’s a problem you’re not comfortable fixing yourself, call a Scottish Plumber expert to your Chicago area home.

First, try to wiggle the toilet to make sure it doesn’t move. Check for cracked or crumbling caulking around the base of the toilet, and if necessary, scrape it off and re-caulk. Lift the lid and look inside the tank for any parts that appear rusty or broken. Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank and let it sit for half an hour. If the color shows up in the bowl, your tank has a leak. Flush the toilet. If you have to hold the handle down to get a full flush or jiggle the handle to get the flap to seat, it’s time to replace the tank parts.

Finally, check the hoses and valves for moisture on your fingers, and if you see wetness on the floor behind the toilet, you probably have a leak. A Scottish Plumber expert can help you with any necessary repairs to keep your toilet working properly and save on your water bills.

Saturday, March 19th, 2011 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chicago Plumber Tips #2

Spring cleaning time is as good a time as any to check every faucet in your Chicago area home. Drips are the most obvious thing: they waste water and cost you money.

Look for leaks when you turn the faucet on or off. Check for wetness, puddles, corrosion or mildew where the faucet connects to the supply hoses: this may mean it’s time to replace the faucet. Run all faucets to be sure the water flows strongly. A slow faucet with low water pressure may have a build-up of sediment within the faucet, or something wrong with the water line. Check outdoor faucets for strong water pressure, dripping and leaks where the pipe passes through the exterior wall of your home. A leak may indicate a cracked pipe that needs to be replaced.

Maintaining your faucets is an easy way to save money on water, prevent damage to surrounding walls and floors faucets and generally make the faucets work better. If you’re not comfortable replacing a faucet, call in a Scottish Plumber expert to do it for you.

Thursday, March 17th, 2011 Tags: , , , , ,

Winter Sump Pump Coupon

Scottish_Plumber 888-451-6137

Print this coupon and present it at the time of service for a FREE sump pump inspection, plus $25 off any sump pump repair or $35 off any sump pump replacement! Serving Chicago Metro area.

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 Tags: ,

Water Heaters “cash for clunkers” program

Most homeshowerheadowners don’t start thinking about their water heater until it suddenly stops working; which means they don’t have much time to shop around for the best deal and the most energy efficient model on the market.  When there’s no hot water in your home and you’re aching for a nice hot shower, you’ll take any water heater you can get as long as it’s working, right?

Between 13% and 17% of residential energy consumption in the United States comes from water heaters- that’s a pretty big portion of our energy usage.  And like the “cash for clunkers” government program is urging motorists (with generous tax incentives) to upgrade their gas-guzzling vehicles for more efficient cars, the Federal Government is also about to unveil a “cash for clunkers appliances” program that provides tax rebates for upgrading energy-sucking appliances like water heaters, dishwashers, refrigerators and washer/dryers for units with better EnergyStar ratings.  Some retailers will even be able to give a discount up to 25% of the appliance cost right there at the cash register!

So does this mean homeowners should just hope that if their water heater is going to fail soon, it dies in 2010 so they can take advantage of the program?  No!  Upgrading your old water heater now can save you even more money.  Not only does it mean you get to take part in the limited time tax incentive program, but a more energy efficient water heater can save you $200-$300 a year in energy costs on your gas or electric bill.  That means that if you buy a water heater during this “cash for clunkers appliances” program, your investment could pay itself off in the first year or two; then just continue to save you more money than you are spending now to keep your old water heater going.

Here is an article in the Chicago Sun-Times covering the news of the program; and here is a detailed article with more information on water heaters and energy factors from the US Department of Energy.  Contact The Scottish Plumber if you’re thinking about taking part in this program to save some money on a new water heater, and we’re going to keep our ears to the tracks for when the program begins.  We can take a look at your current water heater and calculate about how much more efficient several options of newer models will be and how much money you could save.

It’s much less stressful to pick out a new water heater while your current water heater is still working, so you’re not worried where your next hot shower is going to come from!

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Tax Credits For Energy Efficient Home Upgrades

To encourage homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which came out in February of this year, has a provision that offers tax credits for energy efficient upgrades to homes. Most projects can claim credits for 30% of the materials cost up to $1,500, and include things like new windows, doors, roofs, insulation, water heaters, heating and cooling systems, and biomass stoves.

moneyThrough the years 2009 and 2010, homeowners can claim their tax credit for qualifying upgrades, which is different from a tax deduction. A tax credit lowers the bill by the full amount, while a tax deduction depends on your individual tax bracket. For instance, a $1,000 tax credit will get you $1,000 back; while a $1,000 tax deduction will get you $250 back if your tax bracket is 25%.

Check this Energy Star page for a chart on the requirements of the upgrades. If your project meets the qualifications, you can fill out the forms on that page with the IRS and claim your tax credit. 2009 and 2010 are good years to make upgrades you’ve been meaning to make- they’re a little cheaper this year!

Also, some projects that are much larger can qualify for an uncapped tax credit to eliminate your year’s tax burden altogether- and through the year 2016. These projects include geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, and small wind-energy systems.

Bookmark this website, which is a large database by state of all kinds of incentives for renewable efficiency and energy efficiency: www.dsireusa.org and check it for financial incentives whenever you’re planning a new home project.

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009