Bob Mims Heating & Air Conditioning Blog

Why Is My Boiler Making Strange Sounds?

November 5th, 2018

shocked-by-loud-noiseOctober is over, but we want to mention something about “haunted houses”—most hauntings are really noises coming from pipes and plumbing. These noises can be pretty startling sometimes, and they can be more frightening when you know where they’re really coming from.

For example, what if you find your boiler making bizarre sounds you’ve never heard from it before? It’ll probably cause you to worry that something is wrong with it, or that it might burst.

You shouldn’t panic over boiler noises—bursting is extremely rare—but you should be concerned. Call for boiler repair in Staten Island, NY to have the problem investigated and any necessary fixes performed.

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Busting Myths About Tankless Water Heaters

October 22nd, 2018

showerhead-dripping-close-upWe’re experienced with water heater repair in Staten Island, NY as well as taking the next big step: installing new water heaters when old ones fail. Our team knows all about the standard storage tank water heater; that’s the most common type of unit in the area. But they’re also familiar with the newer tankless water heaters, which are growing in popularity each year.

Are you hesitant about making the switch to tankless? It’s true not all homes and budgets are a good match for a tankless system. But many are. Because of numerous misunderstandings about tankless water heaters, some homeowner back away from what might be their best choice for a new water heater. We’d like to address some of these myths about tankless systems so you can have a clearer idea about your water heater installation decisions.

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3 Big Rewards of Heating Maintenance

October 8th, 2018

technician-looking-at-gas-furnaceThere is no better time than October to schedule heating maintenance in Staten Island, NY. We’re in the ideal balancing point of fall, when weather is often still warm and the true cold hasn’t hit. HVAC technicians have fewer emergency calls to handle, making it more convenient to arrange for a time for heating maintenance with them.

But you may wonder if it’s worth it to schedule heating maintenance this year. Are you thinking maybe you can skip it, since you had it done last year? We want to change your mind about this! Every HVAC technician, as well as the US Department of Energy, recommends annual professional inspections and tune-ups for residential central heaters. This includes furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps. Maintenance helps a household avoid many different troubles with their heating during the winter. The benefits far outweigh the small cost of scheduling this job. Here are three of the biggest rewards of having your heater maintained:

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Taking Good Care of an Old AC: Some Tips

September 24th, 2018
old-air-conditioner

This one might be TOO old

We’re tempted to make this blog post a single sentence long: “The best way to take care of an old AC is to replace it with a new one.” Done. Bob Mims out.

But that’s not quite fair to “old” air conditioning systems—and what do we really mean by old, anyway? We don’t want you to replace your home’s cooling system years before you should. There are still Staten Island, NY, AC repair jobs to help keep an older air conditioner working for a few more years before replacing it. The tricky part is to know when it’s no longer worth the cost to keep repairing the air conditioner and instead replace it.

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September Can Be an Awful Time for an Air Conditioner

September 10th, 2018

autumn-backgroundWe aren’t asking you to show pity for your air conditioner: it is, after all, a piece of machinery. It doesn’t have feelings. But when your air conditioner has an awful time, it can mean an awful time for you as well. It’s important for us to let you know how much September can turn into a dreadful time for your central air conditioning system.

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Warning Signs You Need Water Heater Repair

August 27th, 2018

technician-servicing-hot-water-heaterDo you know how much work your home’s water heater does? It takes on much far more work than your furnace or other comfort system, because it must heat water for use in the house almost every day of the year. Heat wave or cold snap, the hot water must flow.

All this work places immense strain on a water heater. Although it contains few moving parts, a water heater will eventually need repair work to keep it running. Ignoring the signs a water heater is malfunctioning may lead to it breaking down and a shortening of its service life.

To help you know when you need to call for water heater repair in Staten Island, NY from our trained plumbers, we’ve compiled a list of the major warnings you have a water heater in need of professional fixes. (Emphasis on professional; amateurs should never attempt to fix a water heater.)

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How to Cure the Mid-Season Air Conditioner Replacement Blues

August 13th, 2018

woman-in-front-of-fanThe second half of the summer is when the heat can get brutal. Unfortunately, this is also the time when you’re likely to have the blues with your air conditioner. Considering all the stress that the early summer months place on an older AC, now is the time when the cooling system might start to fall behind—or even crash completely and leave you without any cooling at all.

So, is it time to replace your home air conditioner? That may be the cure to your air conditioner blues—and we’d like to help make it as easy for you as possible.

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If You Forgot AC Maintenance—It’s Still Not Too Late

July 30th, 2018

air-conditioning-manometer-pressure-refrigerantDid you forget to arrange for AC maintenance in Staten Island, NY this spring? Lots of people forget about this important regular service for their HVAC equipment unless they get reminders. With so much going on to take care of a home after winter subsides, calling up from AC maintenance from a dependable contractor can sometimes fall off the list of priorities and never get back on the list.

But if you did miss spring maintenance for your air conditioner, don’t decide that you can just “let it slide” for a year. It’s extremely important for the health of the HVAC system, your budget, and your household’s general comfort to have this inspection and tune-up work done once a year—even if it ends up done in the middle of summer.

Let’s look at some reasons why Midsummer Maintenance is still a good idea.

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The Stronger Air Filter May Not Be the Best Air Filter

July 16th, 2018

pleated-air-filterAir quality in homes is a growing concern today. Government studies have found that the air inside buildings, including residential ones, can be three to four times worse than the air outside. This goes against what most people think of when they think of “air pollution.” The reason for this spike in indoor air pollutants is that homes aren’t designed today for sufficient circulation of outdoor air. This helps to keep homes energy efficient (less heat gain in hot weather, less heat loss in cold weather), but it ends up trapping numerous pollutants generated indoors from household products, paint, varnish, cleaning supplies, and plain o’ dust and lint.

What can you do about this air quality trouble in your house? Air filters are a great start. And why not go out and get the strongest air filters to do the best job?

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AC Tripping the Circuit Breaker? Let’s See What’s Up

July 2nd, 2018

electrical-panel-repairsYou’ve probably had the experience of plugging in a new appliance or turning on a powerful one and suddenly losing power. That’s the circuit breaker box doing its job: protecting the electrical system from a harmful voltage overload. Fixing a tripped breaker is easy, you only have to reset it. But a tripped breaker is something to pay attention to since it often means something is wrong with the appliance (or the home needs a wiring upgrade).

Has this tripped breaker problem affected your air conditioning system? The compressor tries to come on, but instead the power to the AC shuts off—and you have to reset the breaker to get the cooling system working again. If this happens once, it may not be a serious problem. Voltage overloads can sometimes occur. But if your air conditioner is tripping the breaker repeatedly, it means the system is overheating and causing the motors to put too much electrical demand on the system.

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