Trusted Plumbers in Springfield, IL

Very likely. The newer air conditioners should not be that expensive to run. They come with Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratings (SEER) of 13 as a minimum and can go higher depending on the unit. The older machines had ratings down around 6 or even lower. Newer units correctly sized, installed, and maintained, differ greatly; the higher the SEER number, the more efficient the unit. If your energy bill has skyrocketed there is likely a problem somewhere in the system. On installation a new air conditioner must be tested and have the refrigerant charge accurately adjusted. The factory does not preset these as every job site has different conditions. A study by researchers at Texas A & M University found that a refrigerant undercharge of 23% results in a 52% efficiency loss. North Carolina Alternative Energy Corp. found that 90% of the units they tested exhibited some sort of energy wasting problem, 50% had an improper refrigerant charge and 40% had inadequate airflow. Proper installation of the air conditioner and testing of the system as a whole, as well as correct periodic maintenance, are crucial to performance and energy savings.

Yes. As it is with anything mechanical, most certainly. We suggest that if you have a combination heating and cooling system you have us come out and do a tune-up on the system at the beginning of the heating season and again at the beginning of the cooling season. Keeping the system clean is the name of the game. As the coils and blower wheels begin to get dirty the efficiency of the system plummets, your energy bill climbs, and your comfort level drops. Regular tune-ups also extend equipment life and help to prevent mechanical breakdowns. If you can change a filter on your own without difficulty, we certainly recommend you do that periodically. If not, call us.

It depends on the type of job performed. Our minimum guarantee on new construction is for one year. This applies to all materials and workmanship on the product(s) we install. We outline our guarantees in initial discussions, so you know from the outset what you are getting. Additionally, at the completion of the project, a formal, written guarantee is provided. Our repair service has a conditional guarantee on the workmanship, and various manufacturer guarantees on most repair parts.

Automatic fire sprinklers are individually heat-activated and attached to a network of piping with water under pressure. When the heat of a fire raises the sprinkler temperature to its operating temperature (usually 155-165 degrees F), a solder link will melt or a tiny liquid-filled glass bulb will shatter to open that exact sprinkler, releasing water and sounding an alarm. By acting automatically at the origin of a fire, sprinklers prevent a fire from growing to a dangerous size.

It is possible for a sprinkler to discharge accidentally, but this is an extremely rare occurrence in systems that are properly maintained. Records indicate that only 1 in 16,000,000 sprinklers per year will open accidentally.