Just remember to check your filter often and replace when necessary. And remember we are here when you need us – with the same flat rate 7 days a week. We are also offering a $59 HVAC system inspection now.

• Maintain records.
• Check all flue pipes and vents for leaks, rust and loose connections.
• Check the system for any noticeable and visible leaks
• Check the steam gauge. You should have, if you haven’t already, get your contractor to mark the normal range.
• Check the water level every month. The normal range should be marked on a sight glass.
• Make sure the radiators slope slightly toward the steam inlet pipe. This will help keep the pipe from knocking or pounding.
• Make sure the vents on the radiators are operating; otherwise, radiators may be cold.

Note: Turn off power to the unit before inspection or maintenance.
If you experience any issues or problems that you cannot correct or repair on your own call a qualified contractor to come out and service your steam heating system.

• Maintain records. Have a professional service your system before winter and summer to ensure your equipment is operating efficiently and safely.
• Change your filter as required – often every other month.
• Check all flue pipes and vents for rust, water leaks and loose connections.
• Lubricate the fan motor and fan bearing with a few drops of oil twice per year. (This is only required on certain units)
• Check the belt to make sure it’s not cracked or loose. (This is only required with belt-driven fans)
• Listen to the furnace operate and follow up on any strange sounds.
• Check drain lines to make sure they are clear and draining properly.
• Look for water leaks or changes in the system.

Note: Turn off power to the unit before inspection or maintenance.
If you experience any issues or problems that you cannot correct or repair on your own call a qualified contractor to come out and service your steam heating system.

Visit johncflood.com/diy-how-to for helpful articles, videos, Podcasts and more

Can mold cause health problems? Absolutely.
Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing (in the case above, it’s the evaporator coil). Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins). Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common and the reactions can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.

Keeping your HVAC system clean
Getting your HVAC system inspected twice a year is the ideal situation for most people. This will allow for two important things to occur:

1) This will make sure your system is running effectively and efficiently and that no issues are apparent thus ensuring your system will work when needed.
2) It will ensure your system is clean of debris and in this case, mold/mildew formations and thus avoiding any of the potential health risks associated with mold/mildew.
3) Installing an air purification system into your HVAC system (like the TopTech Air Knight) will greatly reduce, if not completely eliminate up to 99.99% of Mold, bacteria, odors, viruses, smoke and VOCs – leaving behind clean, fresh and odor free air. See the following video on the TopTech Air Knight system and how it works.

http://www.toptechparts.com/iaq/airKnight.html

The reason that many water pipes burst is due to both the weather and the tempurature. Water expands as it freezes and if this expansion occurs in a closed environment, such as a water pipe, there could be substantial pressure placed on the inner walls of the pipe material. Whether the pipes are made out of copper, iron, lead, or CPVC plastic, it does not matter. Even if a pipe is strong enough to handle the occasional stress of frozen water, the cumulative effect can weaken the structural integrity of the pipe and eventually, it will burst as the pipe thaws.

Good news for homeowners is that most pipes are protected from bursting because they are either covered with insulation or are located in places that very rarely reach the freezing tempurature of water. However, there may be sections of pipe that are often exposed to freezing tempuratures or have issues because of insulation failure. The frozen water within the pipes causes blockage, which combined with water pressure and backup, can cause weakened pipes to burst without warning.

We, as professionals here at John C. Flood, highly recommend that you keep water flowing through pipes during cold weather (leave a trickle of water flowing through home faucets during a cold weather event). Also, if you have been having issues with this already, it can prove necessary to shut off your main water supply immediately to minimize any future damage.

Upon discovery of a burst water pipe, please call As Soon As Possible to find the leak and repair the damage.

Some precautionary measures you can take are:

• Turn off outside faucets. Disconnect the hose. If you are going to be away for the winter, turn off the water from inside your house and drain the pipe.
• Never completely shut off the heat when you are away. If you are planning to leave your home for an extended period of time and you don’t drain your pipes, lower the thermostat, but never shut it off. The lack of heat can freeze the pipes in the walls and basement. Freezing bursts the pipes and, when the house warms up, the thawing water will cause flooding and significant damage.
• Patch any cracks and holes in doors, windows, and walls near pipes. When the temperature drops to near zero, a high wind blowing through a small opening can freeze a nearby pipe, even though the temperature in the room is 70°F.
• Insulate water meters, pipes, and faucets in unheated areas. Wrap pipes with pipe-insulating material, which is available at hardware stores.

On the cold stretches we tend to get slammed with calls for heating system repairs and replacements so your wait times will be longer. This coming weekend temperatures are supposed to get back up to the 50′s so it’s a great time to plan your inspections. We have technicians ready to come out to you and make sure your system is working properly. Call today to schedule your appointment – you’ll be glad you did

Your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems air filters should be changed not when they’re dirty but on frequently planned intervals. During peak seasons (summer and winter) your system is working much harder and therefore your air filter will need to be checked and replaced more often. It’s a fairly simple and basic concept, the dirtier your air filter is the harder your system will need to work to heat or cool your home. Not only will it need to work harder, it will perform less efficiently and the added strain on your system will shorten its life expectancy considerably.

Benefits of changing your air filter:

• Healthier indoor air. An air filter’s job is to keep the air in your home clear of dusts, molds, pollens and other contaminants, which can worsen allergies and can cause diseases. By changing out your filter on a regular basis you insure you are not re-circulating dust, molds, pollens and other contaminants back through your system and into your home.

• Increase efficiency & save money. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make your system work harder to keep you warm or cool — wasting energy and decreasing the efficiency of your system. When your system is not working as efficiently as it should, it is using more energy, which means you will be paying more to heat or cool your home.

• Increase longevity of your heating & cooling system. An air filter’s job is also to keep the interior of your HVAC system clean. According to Energy Star, a joint venture of the EPA and US Dept. of Energy, “Dirt and neglect are the #1 causes of heating and cooling system failure.” A clean filter will prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system — leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure.

• Environmentally conscious. When filters aren’t clean, it makes your system work harder to give you cooler (or warmer) air. This means more energy is used and wasted energy means more pollution. The more electricity you consume, the more carbon dioxide and other green house gases you release in the air. We all need to do our part to help the environment when and wherever we can – our motto at John C. Flood “Think Green, We Do!”

Filters should always be changed or cleaned based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. It’s probably the easiest thing to do to keep your HVAC system clean, running efficiently, reduce your maintenance costs and extend the overall life of your system.

The two John C. Floods were indeed one company over a decade ago and broke apart for the very simple reason, a very different view on how to treat customers and the level of service you provide. Listen, we are no strangers to the laws of the service industry and the mantra “You can’t please everyone all the time, only some of the people some of the time.”

We strive to meet and exceed your expectations on every job and that has been our creed for over 100 years. We work hard to make every job, big or small, a success for our customers and occasionally we do not meet your expectations. It’s with this in mind that we work hard to correct any outstanding issues so that our customers walk away with a positive experience.

Happy customers are our best referrals and we always want to make things right.

With over 30,000 jobs performed each year we can still say we have many more pleased customers than displeased. With that said, we don’t like to hear the level of service we strive to provide was not maintained and the result, an unhappy customer.

John C. Flood has been around for a long time, serving the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland areas with plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical, water mains, sewer drains, and bath remodeling services.

We just wanted to let all our current and potential customers know the story and hope we can continue to provide dependable and quality service.

If you have any questions, concerns, kudos or if you were unhappy with our service we want to hear from you. You can email us at service@johncflood.com.

We are proud to have been named The Best of Service Alley Winner in 2011 in Heating & Cooling.

LaVar is currently the host of The LaVar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes weekdays from 2-7 PM on 106.7 The Fan.

John C. Flood has been providing plumbing, air conditioning, heating, electrical, Kitchen & Bath Remodelingservices to the Metro DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland areas for over 100 years. We are excited about this arrangement with LaVar Arrington and we are looking forward to providing excellent plumbing, HVAC & Remodeling services.

For more on The LaVar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes visit 106.7 The Fan.

For more information on all the services John C. Flood offers as well as current promotions and specials visit John C. Flood.

All of us at John C. Flood realize the plight and severity of the homeless problem, especially in and around the Metro DC area. It’s for this reason we have teamed up with Carpenter’s Shelter based in Alexandria, Virginia to provide regular necessities such as food items, volunteer time and plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical services to their shelter for the homeless.

We had a chance to visit the shelter recently and we were moved by the quality of care provided to their clients before, during and even after their stay at the shelter. It’s shelters like the Carpenter’s Shelter that are sorely needed within the Washington DC Metro Area and throughout the country.

For the Thanksgiving holiday John C. Flood will be donating 30 turkey’s and a variety of items needed to provide their holiday meal. On an on-going basis we will provide in-kind donations as well as provide plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical service work to the shelter.

The Carpenter’s Shelter is an award-winning homeless program based in Northern Virginia, dedicated to offering housing and hope through respect, responsibility and results. Over the past 24 years, Carpenter’s Shelter has grown to a full center of learning, and helps children, families and adults stabilize thier lives and overcome homelessness.

We are happy to be teaming up with Carpenter’s Shelter and they are always looking for in-kind donations and volunteers.  Visit Carpenter’s Shelter