Are you running out of hot water too soon?

There are several causes that could be to blame for running low on hot water. If the dishwasher and the washing machine have been going full blast, you should give the water heater a little ‘recovery’ time. If your water heater is only 30 gallons, next time you replace it you should go for a larger tank such as 40 gallons or more. Sometimes the temperature setting is too low and should be turned up. Or maybe someone else in your family has just taken a one hour shower and tried to make the bathroom into a steam room. But there could also be a more technical problem caused by the dip tube in the water heater being deteriorated. The dip tube carries your incoming cold water to the bottom of the heater tank. This allows for the hot water to be drawn from the top of the tank - remember heat rises! If the dip tube breaks or has stopped functioning properly, it allows cold water to mix with the hot water at the top, thus cooling it off and ruining your plans for a nice long shower. This problem can occur in both electric and gas water heaters. Another factor can that can occur if you have an electric unit is the lower tank heating element or thermostat may not be operating properly and only heating the upper half of the tank. This issue should only be evaluated by a qualified technician.

Free HVAC maintenance you can do yourself!

With the proper maintenance and care, your equipment will operate economically and dependably. There are a few simple, routine maintenance operations you can do to help ensure the best performance and comfort from your system.

How to find the cause of flickering/dimming lights.

Lights may flicker or dim due to the startup of an appliance or some motor driven equipment. Central air conditioning units and heat pump condensers may also cause a noticeable and slight dimming on start up. You should check to see if any of your appliances or your heating and cooling system are the source of the problem. You can also check with the local utility company for possible defects in the supply source or to check and see if the utility is switching to other utilities for supply. If none of these sources reveal the cause of the problem you should call a licensed electrician to check into further more technical causes as to why your lights are flickering.

How to make your home more comfortable.

The four biggest factors in your home's comfort are:

Temperature – To most people, temperature is both the beginning and the end of any discussion involving comfort. Simple temperature management is only the beginning. To achieve superior indoor comfort, you've got to start with the basics – heating or cooling – as the foundation for your system. We offer four main product families for heating and cooling.

Cleanliness/Freshness of Air – Dusty, dirty homes at any temperature can cause feelings of discomfort to many people, especially allergy sufferers. And, the air in today's tightly-sealed, well-insulated and energy-efficient homes can become stale as the same indoor air is circulated and re-circulated. The fact is, with dust, pollen, pet dander, mold, skin flakes, chemical fumes, cigarette smoke, Radon gas and more, the air inside your home can be even more polluted than the air outside. Advantage Service Company can alleviate these problems and therefore add another level of comfort with the following products.

Humidity - Humidity is a funny thing. In the winter, dry air can cause static electricity, itchy skin, damage to home furnishings and more. Adding humidity is a good thing because it makes the air feel warmer and more comfortable while minimizing damage to furnishings. In the summer, it is preferable to remove humidity so indoor air feels cooler and less sticky. Improve your comfort through humidity control with:

System Control - Some of the most common comfort complaints from homeowners include: inconsistent temperatures from one room to the next, up and down temperature swings, constantly adjusting the thermostat, and more. System controls of varying degrees of sophistication can help with these issues, offering straight temperature control, programmability that allows setting a "comfort schedule," temperature and humidity control combined, and dividing the home into zones which can be controlled separately. This kind of control can be found with the following products:

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