FAQs

When deciding if you need to replace your home’s aging wiring, our electrical contractors recommend watching for these signs:

• You have bad wiring connections.
• You notice the lights dimming or brightening periodically.
• You notice the lights flickering.
• You notice the odor of burning plastic.
• You see sparks, flames, or smoke.
• You notice the wires start to overheat.
• You notice scorching around or behind the faceplate.

Are you running out of hot water faster than usual? This can be due to several reasons, including:

• Multiple appliances are using hot water at the same time.
• There is sediment building up in the unit.
• The dip tube is broken. This allows cold water to move to the bottom of the tank to be heated.
• Your water heater is nearing the end of its lifespan.
• Your unit’s thermostat is not working properly.

If your water pressure is lower than normal, it can indicate there’s a problem with your plumbing system. Some potential reasons can include:

• Too many plumbing fixtures running at the same time.
• Faulty fixtures, like showerheads or faucets.
• A broken pressure regulator. These are meant to stabilize the water pressure in your home.
• Closed valves that are preventing your water supply from traveling through them.
• Clogged pipes are disrupting the water flow through the pipes.

Call our plumbers to inspect the system and diagnose the problem.

If you smell burning plastic when your heater is running, it can signal there’s an object in the heater – such as a wrapper, debris, or even a household item (like your kids’ toys). This will melt while the furnace runs, causing a burning smell. Our technicians recommend shutting off the system and trying to remove the object. You should also call for professional services.

Motion sensor lights are essential to protecting your house or building. Installing them in dark areas, by all doors and windows, and near the garage can help deter intruders, and also provide light in convenient areas to help prevent slips and falls.

There are key signs to watch for that can indicate you need generator repairs. Our electricians recommend watching for:

• If there are signs of a leak.
• If it is low in coolant.
• If there is no fuel, or if fuel is leaking.
• If the battery is dead or malfunctioning.
• If the unit is not turning on correctly.

It’s a device that changes the voltage. In most home usage, it reduces the voltage for use on low-voltage equipment, such as thermostats, doorbells and low-voltage outdoor lighting.

It’s a safety device that shuts off the power if a wire in an outlet develops a leak that could electrocute someone. This hazard is so serious that the National Electrical Code requires all new homes be equipped with them in the bathroom, kitchen, workroom, outdoor, basement, garage and swimming pool circuits.

The floodlight will have a broader light pattern, while a spotlight will focus on a more narrow area.

Usually the problem is simply an overload and you only need to run fewer appliances on the circuit. However, if it is not overloaded and it keeps tripping, you should suspect a short. Also, look for a defective cord, socket or plug.

No, the third prong is the grounding prong. If you cut it off or use a plug adapter that is not grounded, you will disable a feature that is designed to protect against electrical shock.

Not necessarily. You may just have a loose fitting or a leak in the oil line. We will be happy to come out and assess the situation.

We recommend that you schedule your join our Preventative Maintenance Program. That way your system is all set for the upcoming winter.

To ensure optimum performance of your heating equipment, we recommend that you have the unit cleaned and tuned every year. Customers burning more than 1300 gallons should have the unit serviced every 9-10 months. At E.F. Winslow Home Services we make it easy for you when you join our Preventative Maintenance Program.

All are safe and dependable. Fuel prices vary with world events; call us for a price comparison. Natural gas is often cheapest but is only available in communities with buried gas lines. Further out, trucks deliver heating oil and propane (LPG). If you are happy with your oil or LPG deliveries, or are connected to urban natural gas, you should probably keep the system you have; but we can switch the fuel choice when you upgrade your system.

To remove dry water spots, use warm water and a soft, damp cloth. Never use cleansers that contain abrasives, harsh chemicals, alcohol or other solvents. To maintain the luster of your decorator faucet, occasionally apply a high quality automotive wax – making sure that it does not contain abrasives.

choose a faucet you can depend on for years of trouble-free service, plus styling that complements your home decor. Make sure your new faucet meets the following standards (all faucets supplied by E.F.Winslow do!):

One-piece washer less cartridge construction.

Well-engineered operational features, including responsive on-off controls, and temperature “memory” (on single handle faucet designs) that remembers your previous setting.

Water and energy saving features such as water-saving aerators and shower head flow control.

Leaks occur when seals inside the faucet become dirty or worn. You may choose to replace worn parts, however a new faucet can upgrade the look of your kitchen, bathroom or tub/shower and avoid further repair problems.

Your blockage (plug-up) is usually hair, dirt, and grease. The best remedies for unplugging a stopped up bathroom sink drain would be using an electric snake machine. E.F. Winslow is available to provide this service to you.

Knowing how to shut off the water supply can prevent severe flooding and damage that usually occurs when pipes burst. Having every member of your household understand this information is important.

To determine where your shutoff valve is, locate the outside water line that leads to your home. The water line usually flows directly from the water meter to a location inside the residence.

The most likely places for the valve to be located are on the internal pipes near your outside walls or where the water enters the structure.

A UV system installed on the return will optimize air stream disinfection and inhibit biological contamination in the HVAC unit. Ultraviolet light is nature’s way of controlling microorganisms. Outdoors, the ultraviolet light from the sun naturally regulates germs. As air circulates through the system it is automatically disinfected, reducing allergens and the possibility of infection from airborne bacteria and viruses.

A window unit is a packaged system, which means that the indoor and outdoor fan coils and compressor are contained in the same housing unit. This type air-conditioning system must be positioned so that the back half sticks outside and the front half inside. This is important to allow the physics of proper evaporation and condensation to take place. Typically a window unit is mounted in a window or can be mounted into a hole cut into the exterior wall of a building. Window units are very popular because they provide an inexpensive means for room cooling. The drawbacks include the loss of a window and the vibration and noise that the system can produce. Most of the noise occurs by the compressor, or refrigerant pump, which is so close to your living space.

With ductless mini split, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, which houses the compressor, are separated. Then you don’t lose a window because the indoor unit mounts high on your wall and the outdoor unit is placed far enough away from your room that you never hear the compressor. Both indoor and outdoor units are designed for quiet operation so even if the outdoor unit is placed outside your room you will not hear it running.

A hydronic heating system uses water to transport the heat rather than air. The thermal energy produced by the heat source (a boiler) is transported by hot water to the living space. Typically this is seen in the form of baseboard or cast iron radiators.

QUIETER AND CLEANER OPERATION
A properly designed hydronic heating system is quiet, comfortable and non-intrusive.

ZONE CONTROL
By using different thermostats and pumps (or zone valves) to break up a home into separately controlled segments.

Domestic Hot Water Provides Hot Water for bathing, washing dishes and clothes, etc.

EXTENDED SYSTEM LIFE
Hot water boilers will out-last their hot air counterparts.

Leave the building (home or business) immediately, taking everyone with you (including pets), and leave all doors and windows open behind you. Don’t re-enter the home to open doors and windows.

Do not:

Carbon monoxide can be an invisible threat to your family’s health and safety. Though more commonly associated with fires and automobile emissions, carbon monoxide poisoning can accumulate in any home unless certain precautions are taken. It is our opinion that installing a good carbon monoxide detector in your home is a wise decision. Certainly you should have your heating equipment checked periodically to insure it is running at optimum efficiency. At E.F. Winslow, we have over thirty years of experience in providing such maintenance.

Just as your car requires routine maintenance, so does your home heating equipment. The benefits of preventive maintenance extend the life of your equipment by keeping it running efficiently and smoothly. (Heating systems that run inefficiently can cost significantly more to operate.) Another benefit of preventive maintenance is the savings homeowners realize as they eliminate the costs associated with repairs – (repairs that were avoided because their equipment was properly maintained).

Regular service protects your warranty E.F. Winslow takes time to thoroughly examine and adjust your system to ensure it runs smooth, clean and efficient – all year long.

We hate humidity in summer, but really need it in winter. Many homes can become drier than the Sahara Desert! That can crack your furniture and woodwork and cause static electricity. It can cause irritated nasal passages, and allows germs, dust and other light materials to float through the air. Plus, the too-dry air feels colder, so you raise the thermostat, costing you money. A central air humidifier will increase your health, reduce your heating bills, and keep your furniture, and you, in much better condition.

Traditional heat pumps may experience reduced efficiency and performance in cold climates, as they rely on extracting heat from the outdoor air.

Mitsubishi Hyper Heat ductless mini-splits are specifically designed to provide efficient heating even in very cold temperatures.

Sure you can. In fact, separate heating and cooling systems really make the most sense. Radiant floor heating keeps the heat near the floor where it does the most good; and air conditioning ductwork is placed only where it is needed to cool your home. The result is optimal comfort and efficiency all year ’round.

Some houses are heated with water pipes and others with air ducts; what’s the benefit of each?

Central heating systems use either a furnace with hot air ducts, or a boiler with hot water (“hydronic”) pipes and radiators (including radiant under floor heat). An air system can also be used to supply central air conditioning and air cleaning. Homes with hot water systems typically have window AC units. We work on all of these systems, call us to discuss the pros and cons of each system.

Radiant floor heating is a comfortable and efficient form of heating where warm water circulates through flexible, specially designed tubing (PEX) installed under the floor. The heat radiates evenly up through the floor warming people and objects in the room and providing more comfort for less money.

Furnaces are rated by their Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). The AFUE is a calculation of the percent of heat produced for every dollar of fuel consumed. The higher the AFUE rating, the lower your fuel costs. All furnaces manufactured now must have at least a 78% AFUE

If your furnace is 20 years old or more, it probably has an AFUE of just 50 to 60%. By 1990, the typical efficiency had risen to 80%. Some models today have an efficiencies of 95% or higher!

If your furnace is old and you are thinking of replacing it, going for the highest efficiency can be a good financial decision. The ENERGY STAR logo will help you quickly find furnaces with an AFUE of at least 90%. The highest efficiency models can cost a little more up front, but you’ll save on fuel bills.

Example: Let’s say you are currently spending $500 per year on gas, heating with a 65% furnace. Replacing it with a 95% efficient model instead of a less efficient 78% efficient model will save you around $75 / year in gas costs. The higher installation cost can often be paid off in just a few years as a result of the fuel savings. Furthermore, over the next 20 years, the high-efficiency model will result in 30,000 pounds less carbon dioxide (CO 2) getting dumped in our atmosphere.