Tips & How-To's

HVAC Tips

1. Change your air filter every 1–3 months

A clogged filter is the single most common cause of HVAC breakdowns. Set a phone reminder for the first of every month, check the filter, and swap it when it looks gray. If you have pets or allergies, lean toward every 30 days; otherwise 60–90 days is fine.

2. Keep the outdoor condenser clear

Your outdoor AC unit needs about two feet of breathing room on every side. Trim back shrubs, clear leaves and grass clippings from the top, and gently rinse the fins with a garden hose (power off at the disconnect first) once a season.

3. Set the thermostat strategically

Every degree you nudge your thermostat toward the outdoor temperature saves roughly 3% on your energy bill. A programmable or smart thermostat can pay for itself in one summer — set it 7–10 degrees warmer when no one is home in the summer, cooler in the winter.

4. Schedule seasonal tune-ups

Book heating maintenance in the fall and cooling maintenance in the spring. A 30-minute tune-up catches worn parts, low refrigerant, and dirty coils before they turn into a breakdown on the hottest day of the year.

Electrical Tips

1. Test your GFCI and AFCI outlets monthly

Press the TEST button on the outlets in your kitchen, bathrooms, garage, and outdoors. The outlet should click off. Press RESET to restore power. If nothing happens, or the outlet won’t reset, the protection is failing and needs to be replaced — this is a safety device, don’t ignore it.

2. Never overload a power strip

Power strips are rated for 15 amps total. Space heaters, microwaves, air fryers, and hair dryers pull 10–15 amps on their own and should plug directly into a wall outlet, never a strip or extension cord. Overloaded strips are a leading cause of home electrical fires.

3. Watch for warning signs

Flickering lights, warm outlets, burning smells, breakers that trip repeatedly, or a fuse box that’s more than 25 years old all signal that it’s time for an inspection. Older homes in the Greater Philadelphia area often have panels that can’t keep up with modern appliances.

4. Know where your main shutoff is

In a flood, fire, or water leak near electrical equipment, you need to kill the main breaker fast. Walk down to your panel today and label the main disconnect with a bright sticker so anyone in the house can find it.

Generator Tips

1. Run a monthly self-test

Most standby generators automatically exercise themselves once a week or once a month. Listen for it — if you haven’t heard it run recently, something may be wrong with the controller or battery. Don’t wait for the next storm to find out.

2. Keep the area around the generator clear

Standby generators need five feet of clearance on every side for ventilation and service access. Keep mulch, firewood, and lawn equipment away from the unit year-round, and clear snow from the intake vents during winter storms.

3. Never run a portable generator in a garage or basement

Portable generators produce carbon monoxide that’s lethal in minutes. Always run them outside, at least 20 feet from any window, door, or vent — even if the garage door is open. Install battery-backed CO detectors on every level of your home.

4. Service after every extended run

If your standby generator runs continuously for more than 24 hours during an outage, schedule an oil change and inspection when the power comes back. It’s cheap insurance for the next storm.