Friday, March 18, 2011

Some like it hot

We're getting some warmer days lately, and they'll seem almost hot compared to the last few months.  It's a good time to test you central a/c system.  It'll probably work fine and that's a relief.  However for some, it won't work and you'll have a chance to have it checked out before you really need it.  If your system doesn't seem to run right, use the checklist in the Helpful Hints section of our website to do a little troubleshooting yourself and determine what to do next.  Click here to read it.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Assault on batteries

Daylight savings time means not only changing your clocks, but also changing the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.   Write the date on the batteries too so you'll know how old they are when you check next time.
(The previous post talks about replacing units after a certain age since they lose their reliability.)

Friday, March 4, 2011

Are smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors important?

Are seat belts important?  When was the last time you used them?   I talk about how important it is to replace smoke detectors every 10 years, but what about carbon monoxide (CO) detectors?  They have a similar issue.  They lose sensitivity over time.  Manufacturers recommend replacing them every 5 years.  (Some now have ones that last 7 years.)  Our web site's Helpful Hints section has more detail, but why would you not replace them?  And when you do, write the date on them for when they should be replaced, eg: "Replace March 2016".  Safety sometimes means doing small things to avoid big risks.