Household Plants Give New Meaning to "Going Green"

Improving indoor air quality is one of the hottest topics for homeowners today...for lots of reasons. These days, we spend more hours indoors than ever before. And as a result, we are subject to a growing array of toxins, pollutants, allergens and irritants...everything from carbon monoxide to pollen to cigarette smoke to chemicals. All of which can be harmful to your health (not to mention your furniture, floors and walls).

Today, our friend Mark Highland of West Chester, PA-based Organic Mechanics Soil appeared on ABC-TV's Good Morning America to talk about how certain indoor plants can not only make your house look great, they can significantly improve your indoor air quality by actually drawing pollutants out of the air and replenishing with fresh, clean, breathable oxygen.








According to Mark, here are some common plants that you can find at your neighborhood florist or home store that are particularly good at improving indoor air quality:

• Peace Lillies: Remove benzene, a chemical found in tobacco smoke.
• Ferns: Removes toulene from the air, a chemical found in printer and copier inks and glues.
• Anthuriums: Help remove the ammonia and other harmful chemicals produced by cleaning products from the air.
• Dieffenbachia: Helps remove formaldehyde from the air. (Be careful -- the leaves from these plants are poisonous to children and pets!).
• Sansevieria: Remove acetone from the air, often found in nail polish, paints and paint removers.

One way that you can be sure that you're getting an indoor-friendly plant is to look for the O2 For You label. These plants have been identified for their IAQ and oxygen-generating abilities.

Filling your house with these plants has other benefits. They're inexpensive. They work better than many commercial air filters and indoor air quality products on the market. And they make your house look fantastic!


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To Call a Plumber or Not to Call a Plumber. That is The Question!

Plumbing repair is certainly not for the faint of heart, but how do you know if that leaky faucet or other plumbing repair job is something you can fix yourself or if it requires the golden wrench of an experienced plumber? Here are some suggestions the plumbing technicians at Horizon Services recommend to help you make the decision whether to call a plumber or try to take on the plumbing job yourself.

If you have a damaged gas line, don’t even try to work on it yourself. You are putting yourself at a major risk for worsening the leak or even triggering an explosion. A professional plumber has the specialized tools needed to contend with serious issues like this.

If your house is severely flooded, you should have called a plumber an hour ago! If you didn’t, call a plumber NOW! If the water back-up is being caused by a clogged drain that you’ve tried unsuccessfully to dislodge, a plumber can access places in the pipe work you wouldn’t think to check and get to the root of the plumbing or drain problem.

If your plumbing issue lies in the water or sewer lines connected to your home, don’t go it alone. These systems are complicated and repairs require the work of a plumbing or water line/sewer line professional. A reputable plumbing or water line/service line contractor will know how to obtain the appropriate city or county permits that may be needed to tackle this kind of project.

If you think your pipes have frozen or that you have a leak caused by a cracked pipe, call a plumber immediately. Cold weather is one of the biggest threats to your home’s plumbing system and can cause serious damage; a plumbing professional will be able to thaw frozen pipes and seal or repair cracks before things get worse.

If you have raw sewage backed up into your yard or basement, you need professional help. Septic leaks can contaminate ground water and wells, not to mention cause embarrassing and messy spills. The area around the septic tank may have to be excavated to find the source of the problem and repair it. This is not something you want to have anything to do with.

If you suspect a problem with your water pump, call a licensed plumber. You might need replacement parts or a whole new pump; the average weekend warrior doesn’t have the right tools for this kind of job. And pump system replacement requires a specialized set of plumbing skills that can only come from years experience and training.

If your water heater is not functioning properly and you’ve tried simple fixes like adjusting the thermostat and checking the pilot light, hire a plumbing professional. You could have a bigger problem like tank corrosion or electrical system malfunction, neither of which you want to try to fix on your own.

If you have any doubts about your ability to fix even the simplest plumbing problem, don’t hesitate to call in a plumber. You could end up causing even more damage to your home and plumbing system by pushing ahead with the plumbing repair yourself.

Bottom Line: Do-it yourself plumbing can be a real crap-shoot. Home-gamers need to ask themselves if the reward of saving some bucks is worth the risk of making the plumbing problem worse and costlier down the line. These days, we all need to watch every penny, but when it comes to your home’s plumbing, spending a little more now can save so much more in the long run.



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Add Some Style to Your Home Decor and HVAC System!

Many homeowners spend hundreds and thousands of dollars remodeling, revamping, updating, and upgrading their homes. Between the paint, wallpaper, floor coverings, lighting and plumbing fixtures, furniture, and draperies not a single element is left untouched. Except, of course, the sad beige or gray aluminum floor vents scattered around the home. For those of us with an eye for even the smallest detail, there are now more options than ever to improve the look of your HVAC system floor registers and return vents.

Believe it or not, floor registers are available in a wide variety of colors, styles, and materials. Wood registers add charm and simple sophistication to newer homes, while those made of cast iron, copper, bronze, brass, or nickel lend character and whimsy to older homes. If you’ve chosen granite tile floors or countertops, there are even granite registers that can be custom-matched to your tile or counters. Use other elements in your home for inspiration. What kind of hardware is on your kitchen cabinets? What do your light fixtures look like? What color are your faucets and plumbing fixtures? Matching your vent registers to the dominant style elements in your home will ensure a consistent, uniform look.

Floor registers and return vents also come in a variety of designs and styles. Registers made from metals like nickel, brass, bronze, copper, and iron can be forged into nearly any design, from the simple and elegant to the ornate and bold. The most popular metal designs mimic antique metalwork like that of classic opera grills or decorative wrought iron. These kinds of designs are perfect for remodeled older homes trying to recapture some of the original appeal. There are also wooden and metal registers in more modern, streamlined designs that are perfect for contemporary homes.

Of course, the true design connoisseur will want to consider the many extras that vent and register companies now offer. These include things like louvered or non-louvered models, and filtered registers. Louvered vents let you close them if you want to, which many people believe saves energy and money. In reality, studies have shown that closing vents rarely saves a significant amount of either and might actually damage your heating and air conditioning system. The only time closing a vent might be really beneficial is if several vents are closed off in a large area of a home—like the entire basement or second floor—when it’s not in use. If this is possible in your home, you’ll want to consider louvered vents and registers.

And why stop with floor registers? Cold air returns in the ceiling can be matched to the registers on the floor. For a truly put-together look, shop around for collections that include floor and ceiling registers in corresponding sets.

An HVAC equipment retailer or your HVAC contractor can help you find the styles, colors, and options that are right for you and your home, helping you bring together form and function to create a beautiful space. Also check home stores like Home Depot and Lowe's.


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Seven Plumbing Supplies, You Absolutely, Positively Must Have on Hand At All Times!

• A Plumbing Repair Kit: Most home improvement, hardware stores, and plumbing supply retailers carry especially designed plumbing repair kits that will provide the tools and equipment you need to fix many common plumbing problems. Toilet and sink repair kits include all the basic parts and materials required to repair most simple issues. Having these on hand will leave you much better prepared to deal with a dripping faucet, a running toilet, water that won’t shut off and many other common plumbing problems.



• Plumber’s Putty: This substance is a temporary cure-all for a variety of common household plumbing problems. Though it’s not meant to provide a permanent solution, plumber’s putty is perfect for sealing minor leaks and minimizing water damage until you can get a plumber to take a look at the problem, or perform more permanent plumbing repairs yourself. Plumber’s putty is sold at most hardware and home improvement stores.



• Pipe Epoxy: Similar to putty, pipe epoxy will temporarily plug holes in pipes and hoses until a more permanent plumbing repair can be done. The difference between putty and epoxy is that the latter can generally be used on wet or dry surfaces, and the bond it forms is more secure. Epoxy can be difficult to remove, though, so it should be used sparingly and with care.



• Pipe Wrench: Sometimes a leaky faucet is caused by something as simple as a loosened nut or bolt. A pipe wrench lets you get at hard-to-reach places, and is long enough to reach and hold those distant pipes located at the back of your cabinets or walls.



• Nuts, Bolts, and Washers: Perhaps the most inexpensive piece of plumbing equipment ever, it’s almost insane not to have extra fasteners on hand for plumbing and household emergencies. Small and easy to store, nuts, bolts, and washers are plumbing essentials that you can never have too many of.



• A Drain Snake: Clogged drains and plugged toilets can bring a household to a stand-still. A drain snake is the quickest and most effective way to eliminate clogs without the use of harsh chemicals or dissolving agents. Untreated clogs can lead to more serious drain and plumbing problems, which can cost thousands to repair. A decent snake won’t cost you more than $20 or so; compact packaging means you can keep the snake wrapped up and tucked away until you need it.



• A Fully-Equipped Toolbox: Having all your plumbing supplies in one place can save tons of hassle when you need to repair a leaky toilet in the middle of the night. Be sure to have the basic tools, too. Screwdrivers, both Phillips head and flat, wrenches of varying sizes, screws, hammers, a level, tape measure, etc. Keeping everything together in a toolbox will ensure you have the right plumbing tool handy when you need it most.

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Selecting the RIGHT Heating and Cooling Equipment and Systems for Maximum Energy Efficiency!

If you’ve done all you can to improve the energy and cost efficiency of your home’s current HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Cooling) system, but nothing seems to work, it may be time for an upgrade. If your system is more than 15 years old, it’s probably time to replace it with a newer, more efficient model. Today's state-of-the-art HVAC systems offer far superior heating and cooling performance and cost much less to operate than the heaters and air conditioners of 10, 20 and 30 years ago.

Before you commit to such a significant investment in your home, make sure you understand the different types of HVAC systems out there and do your research to find the one that’s right for your home.

• Furnaces: Furnaces are probably the most common type of residential heating system. Most furnaces are gas-powered, but they can run on oil, propane, or electricity. Heat is delivered to the different areas of the home through a series of ducts, vents, and registers. Energy-efficient furnaces usually use blower motors—either electronically commutated motors or some other type of air circulating fan.

• Boilers: A boiler produces heat by burning propane, oil, or gas to heat steam or water. The hot water then circulates through pipes in baseboards, radiators, or radiant heat flooring instead of ducts. Energy Star rated boilers have several features that help improve their energy efficiency including electronic ignition switches (which eliminates the need of a constantly-burning pilot light), and other features that extract a greater amount of heat by using the same amount of fuel.

• Central Air Conditioners: Most residential air conditioning systems are split systems: There is an outdoor unit that houses a condenser and compressor, and an indoor component that has an evaporator coil. Both of these components must be replaced at the same time, or you’ll end up with low efficiency and possible system failure. There are two measurements most commonly used to determine efficiency. Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) measures how efficiently an air conditioner will operate through an entire season; Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) measures how efficiently a system will operate when the outdoor temperature is 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Some experts recommend replacing your furnace at the same time as your air conditioning system, as they both use the same blower motor and ductwork.

• Heat Pumps: Heat pumps produce both warm and cool air in a single integrated unit. Two types to consider:
  
  Electric air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) are often used in moderate climate regions, and take the difference between outdoor air and indoor air temperatures to determine appropriate levels of heating and cooling inside the home. ASHPs have higher SEER and EER ratings than other models, and rank higher on the Heating and Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF), which measures overall heating efficiency.
  
  Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) use natural heat from the ground to warm the air inside your home. Because GHPs use a completely natural heat source, they are the most efficient heating system available. The initial cost of these systems can be significantly higher than that of other units, but the savings they produce on energy costs is substantial. Most units pay for themselves in less than a year. GHPs require ducts and are most often installed in new residential construction.

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When It's Hot, It's Hot. And When It's Not, It's Really Not!

Has this ever happened to you? You step into the tub or stall for your morning shower. The water comes out nice and hot and steamy. You lather up, luxuriating in the soothing warmth. And then it happens. The water suddenly turns ice cold. And you almost break your neck as you hit the ceiling from the sheer shock of being sprayed with water that feels like it was piped in from Alaskan tundra!

This arctic shower blast takes place in thousands of bathrooms every day. And while it's a great way to wake yourself up, it's not something you really want to subject your nervous system to everyday. Here are some of the many things that can cause your shower's hot water to do a sudden U-turn and turn into a river of shivers!


Water Heater Trouble:
Check all the sinks and plumbing fixtures in the house to make determine if your cold shower is a singular problem or an indication that something more serious is going on. If you don’t get hot water anywhere, the problem is likely with your hot water heater. Check the unit’s temperature settings and fuses. If your water heater runs on gas, the pilot light may have gone out.

Another possibility is that your water heater's dip tube has broken off. This is a tube that forces incoming water to the bottom of the water tank so that hot water will be drawn off of the top. When the dip tube breaks, cold water enters the tank, mixes with the hot water and cools it down. This can occur in both gas and electric models.

If you have an electric water heater, the problem could be due to a bad heating element or a thermostat malfunction. If so, the problem should be evaluated by a plumbing technician.

Other possible water heater problems/issues include a blockage in the flue, a broken part, leaks or sediment accumulation in the water tank. You should always contact an experienced plumbing professional if you suspect one of these more complex problems.


Isolated Incidents
If the other fixtures in your house seem to be working fine, your cold shower is likely an isolated problem. In newer homes, there’s usually no need to replace the pipes; copper pipes don’t corrode and rarely back up, so it is not generally an issue with the pipes that’s preventing hot water from coming through. Find the hot water shut off valve and check to see if it’s closed. If so, opening the valve will usually fix the problem. If your home is older and has steel pipes or if adjusting the shut off valve doesn’t help, you may need to consult a professional about a possible broken shower valve.


Remove, Rinse, Replace
Over time the rubber parts in most shower valves can wear down and become distorted. This can cause improper sealing or swelling that can block the flow of water. The distortion gets worse as hot water travels through the valves, and sometimes the rubber parts can break off inside the valves and pipes. This debris often travels through pipes and valves, causing obstructions. In order to fix the problem, you’ll have to remove the damaged part and flush out the valve to remove any broken pieces. If you have some experience with bathroom plumbing, it’s not that difficult to take apart the fixture and rinse out the hot water screen. Just be sure to lay a cloth over the drain to catch any small parts that may come out when the valve is flushed.


Faucet Guards
Your shower or tub may have scaled faucet guards installed as a regulator to prevent water from reaching scalding levels. These guards can be adjusted to the temperature you desire by removing the faucet handle and turning the adjusting ring to the hotter or colder setting. This can be a complex repair job and is best left in the hands of an experienced plumbing technician.


Risk vs. Reward
Bathroom plumbing is a highly specialized trade and even simple do-it-yourself projects can get complicated quickly. Though diagnosing hot water problems is generally easy, actually fixing those problems is not always so simple. Most shower valve parts are behind walls, making them inaccessible to those without the right tools or experience. These are also sophisticated systems that may require special skills to work with—the last thing you want to do is go through the hassle and expense of opening up a wall, only to find that you have no idea what you’re looking at. If you aren’t confident that you can fix the problem on your own, trust your instincts. The risk of doing more damage usually far outweighs the cost of hiring a professional. However, doing some of the diagnostic legwork on your own first will make it easier and more efficient to work with a professional plumber to repair the problem.


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A humidifier and dehumidifier are essential components of any home HVAC system. Proper humidification is necessary to maintain ideal moisture levels in both summer and winter months to achieve healthy indoor air quality. Humidifiers and dehumidifiers also help your furnaces and air conditioners work more efficiently.

Below is a quick list of some of the major types of humidifiers and dehumidifiers in use today.

• Ultrasonic Humidifier: These units employ a high-frequency energy source that breaks water up into miniscule droplets that are circulated through the air in your home by a small fan. Ultrasonic humidifiers are desirable because they’re quiet and use very little energy. However, using hard water in the machine can leave a sticky white film all over your house so it’s best to use filtered or distilled water for best results.
  


• Evaporative Humidifier: Using a honeycomb wick made of cellulose paper partially submerged in water and a high-volume fan these humidifiers distribute moisture into the air. They can be noisy and the wicks must be replaced regularly to maintain functionality, but evaporative humidifiers are very easy to clean and use little energy.
  


• Impeller Humidifier: This type of unit sprays tiny droplets of water directly into the air. Perfect for small spaces or single-room humidification, impeller devices are inexpensive and portable. Because the water enters the room directly, though, be sure to use distilled water or demineralizing tablets to ensure that hard water deposits won’t damage furniture and flooring.
  


• Floor Vent Humidifier: The floor vent humidifier is a device that fits in the space where a standard floor vent register would normally go. The units have a water chamber that holds liquid, which then passes through a filter and into the air when the home’s heating system cycles on. They use no energy and are much more portable than traditional plug-in units, making floor vent humidifiers a great option for single-room humidification.
  


• Furnace-Mounted Humidifier: Furnace-mounted humidifiers connect directly to your home’s water supply, so the foam element that mounts on the furnace is automatically refilled as needed. As dry air from the heating system is forced through the foam, it collects moisture and distributes it throughout the house. Some furnace-mounted humidifiers even come equipped with an automatic reset humidistat that adjusts moisture according to changes in the weather.
  


• Warm Mist Device: A warm mist humidifier contains a heating element that warms water to near boiling before it passes through a cooling fan that distributes the moisture into the air. The returned moisture is slightly warmer that the air in the room, making warm mist devices desirable for nurseries or children’s rooms. Tap water can be used in these units, though they do consume more energy than other models and some are quite noisy.
  


• Evaporative Cooler: These machines use ice and cold water to put moisture back in the air. Ice and water are mounted on top of the device and as the ice melts the water flows over a wick. A fan then blows cool mist into the air. Evaporative coolers use very little energy and pose almost no risk from harsh chemicals or pollutants.
  


• Dehumidifier: Humid air passes over and through coils inside the unit which cool the air and condense moisture. The water is then collected in a basin inside the dehumidifier; most devices will shut off automatically when the basin is full. Because of the automatic shut-off feature, these machines have to be checked regularly and the basins must be emptied as needed so the dehumidifier keeps working properly.

To find out what kind of humidification/dehumidification system is best for your home, speak to a Horizon Services Comfort Consultant or HVAC Service Technician!


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We all want to save money during these challenging economic times, and making green plumbing improvements is one of the best money-saving changes you can make. But in addition to saving you a lot of green in your wallet, green plumbing solutions around the home are some of the most effective and easy things you can do to reduce energy consumption, to improve your health and to help the environment.


Green Plumbing and Energy Reduction
When it comes to your energy bills, most people focus on their furnaces or air conditioners. But your plumbing system also has a big impact on how much energy you consume.

• Unprotected pipes, especially ones in exterior walls, are responsible for a huge amount of heat loss as water flows from your hot water tank to a faucet. Insulating pipes keeps more of this heat in, significantly cutting into your energy usage and saving you money on your utility bill.

• If you are considering a plumbing remodel, upgrade or new home construction, keeping pipes out of exterior walls altogether will eliminate unnecessary heat loss. Instead, run pipes through insulated and interior spaces where temperature is more regulated.

• Invest in an on-demand hot water pump. These devices send hot water to fixtures in seconds, eliminating costs that arise when hot water is left to sit unused in your pipes and reducing water usage overall.

• Hot water heaters constitute up to 15 percent of your home’s total energy usage. A new, energy-efficient water heater can cut a big chunk out of high utility bills.

Green Plumbing and Your Health
It’s true-—improving the efficiency of your home’s plumbing can have a positive impact on the health of everyone in your household.

• Request a copy of your town’s most recent water report or hire an independent tester to analyze your water. Before you can do anything, you need to know what kinds of substances may be in your water.

• Install a chlorine filter on your showerheads. Eliminating chlorine from your water can ease symptoms of chlorine sensitivity, which include dry skin, itchiness, flaking, rashes and tightness.

• Look into a whole house filtration system that will get rid of chemicals, heavy metals and micro organisms that may be present in the water you use for cooking, bathing, cleaning and drinking. A comprehensive filtration system will also prevent staining and corrosion caused by hard water, and will extend the life of appliances that use water.

• If you live in an area with particularly poor water quality, install an activated charcoal filter or reverse osmosis system. These water purifiers filter out contaminants and make water safer to use.

Green Plumbing and the Environment
Many of us are looking for ways to reduce our impact on the environment. Green plumbing solutions help you do just that. Coincidentally, many of these initiatives can save you money, too.

• Install low-flow fixtures, which can reduce your water consumption by about 60 percent.

• Low-flush toilets are also a great way to restrict unnecessary water usage, saving about 28 gallons of water per person every day.

• Purchase a leak monitoring device that will notify you of leaky faucets, pipes and toilets so you can have the problem taken care of before too much water is wasted.

• Faucet flow reducers are easy to install and can cut water usage by more than 40 percent.

• Replace old appliances with energy efficient models. Dishwashers and washing machines with an Energy Star rating can reduce water use by more than 50 percent.

• Energy-Efficient, Green Plumbing Services for the 21st Century and Today’s Economy