Act Like Your Life Depends on It; IT DOES!

Here's story our friend Lincoln Stubbs tells about his experience with a Massachusetts homeowner and her broken furnace. This life-threatening situation carries an important message to all who heat their homes and water with natural gas, oil or propane.

"Last month, a Plymouth (MA) customer called because her furnace wasn't working properly. I soon found a cracked heat exchanger. I immediately opened doors and windows throughout the home. Deadly carbon monoxide gas had been escaping into the home. We installed a new furnace.

"When I asked the homeowner if she had carbon monoxide detectors, she reported that they had in fact gone off a few days earlier so had been unplugged to stop the noise. But nothing was checked!

"When I asked if she had been having any health issues, the homeowner said that she had experienced headaches and dizziness and had even visited the hospital emergency room one day."

THIS HOMEOWNER AND HER FAMILY WERE SLOWLY BEING POISONED. 
THE DOCTORS MISDIAGNOSED, AND SENT HER BACK TO THE HOME!

Here's what you should do whenever your carbon monoxide detector sounds:

1. GET FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY! Open doors and windows.
2. THEN LEAVE THE HOME, AND CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. They'll check for carbon monoxide. If they detect it, they'll turn off all fuel burning appliances. That will include your fireplace, oil or gas-burning furnaces, water heater, generator, stove, oven, space heater, etc.
3. GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM AND REPORT THAT YOU SUSPECT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. THIS IS IMPORTANT! The emergency room medical team that treated Lincoln's customer did not diagnose carbon monoxide poisoning and sent them home. That's not unusual. Such symptoms are often mistaken for those of flu, food poisoning or other common respiratory ilnesses. It is critical that you tell them that your carbon monoxide detector went off!
4. CALL YOUR STAN PERKOSKI'S PROFESSIONALS TO CHECK YOUR FUEL-BURNING APPLIANCES BEFORE RETURNING THEM TO SERVICE.

​Carbon monoxide poisoining is serious business.

It's the leading cause of poisoning deaths in the U.S. This silent killer is colorless and odorless. At high levels, it can kill within minutes. Even low levels can cause shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and headaches and may have long-term effects on health. 

PREVENTION IS THE KEY!

Of course your best protection lies in prevention

1. EQUIP YOUR HOME WITH A WORKING CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR. NEVER disconnect its power supply, and ALWAYS check batteries. (We send all newsletter readers email reminders twice a year. Let us know about friends and loved ones you'd like us to include.)
2. SCHEDULE ANNUAL HEATER MAINTENANCE SERVICE. Had this homeowner followed this recommendation, Lincoln's team would have detected the problem well before her heat exchanger failed.

If you have not yet had your heater inspected this season, schedule now. If your home does not have a working carbon monoxide detector, contact us. Ours detect low level contamination that standard store-bought detectors miss. If you have not checked your detector's batteries in the last six months, do so immediately.

Please take this advice seriously. It can save your life and the lives of those you most love.

Stan

Click on link for latest seasonal savings tips and offers: http://conta.cc/YWCOGS

Finally -- Constant Pressure No Matter How Many Taps Are Open

Sudden water flow changes happen because your water system (either private well or utility) does not have enough pressure. You'll never have to coordinate your showers with others' activities again after we install a variable speed constant pressure pump.

If your water source is a private well, you have a single speed pump that directs flow into your home. If your demand exceeds the pump's capacity, pressure and hence flow drops dramatically. Your system has a pressure tank designed to keep extra gallons on reserve for small demands. (You don't want the pump to switch on every time you want a glass of water.) However, this reserve cannot compensate for flow greater than the pump's capacity.

If you water comes though a utility pipeline, your location and the age of the system can impact water pressure.

If our check determines that your system is working properly but that pressure is a problem, then a variable speed pump is your answer. It monitors pressure and adjusts the pump's rate to meet demand. The result is a constant pressure at all times -- even during peak demand.

If you're experiencing pressure problems, call or schedule an evaluation of your system by your Stan's professional today.

Here's the good news: Today's tighter home save energy.

Here's the bad news: Such construction methods contribute to a growing list of family health problems including:

• Allergies
• Sinus problems
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Chronic fatigue
• Missed school and work days.

Today's tighter home construction has limited the exchange of indoor and outdoor air leading to a dangerous build-up of contaminants inside the home. Even if yours is an older home, it has likely been tightened over the years with the addition of energy-efficient doors, windows, insulation and weather-stripping.

According to the American Lung Association, "nearly 75% of Americans live with someone who has allergies, asthma, emphysema or another respiratory illness." Asthma alone takes an enormous toll. It "accounts for an estimated three million lost workdays for adults and 10.1 million lost school days for children.

There are many pollutants inside your home.

Dust, cooking and tobacco smoke, mold spores, pollen, pet dander, dust mite feces and chemical from aerosols, pesticides, cleaning products and "air fresheners" all contribute to the problem. In addition are the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in carpeting, upholstery, paints and in the engineered materials used in most modern cabinets, furniture and flooring. All contain resins and chemicals that over time release noxious gases into the air.

The air care units offered in stores and catalogs are inefficient and costly to operate. The most effective and economical solutions are those that treat the entire home -- not just a single room. We offer a host of solutions including:

•  AccuClean(TM): This system uses a revolutionary 3-stage capture technology to remove an amazing 98.98% of allergens from your home's airstream, and
• active TEK(TM): Installed in your ductwork or plenum, uses the same technology developed by NASA scientist to safely scrub the air AND surfaces in spacecraft. This system is proven effective against bacteria & viruses, pet & cooking odors, mold spores, tobacco smoke, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Learn more about these and other healthy air solutions Stan recommends.

Experts are calling the 2014 spring allergy season "the worst in decades." Here are a few tips to bring relief to the allergy sufferers in your family:

1. Control your home's humidity 
   and with it some of the most virulent allergens.
   
   Mold & Mildew. Although generally confined to damp areas like basements, crawl spaces and bathrooms, their spores are dispersed in the air and can infect your entire home.
   
   Dust mites. These microscopic creepy-crawlies thrive in high humidity. They live in mattresses, upholstery, carpets and other home fabrics. Their waste products and dead body parts are among the most irritating triggers to allergy and asthma.
   
   Frequent vacuuming; weekly washing of bed linens and mattress covers in hot water; and replacement of heavy drapery, rugs and carpets with hard surface window treatments and flooring will control dust mites, but by far the best solution is to control your home's humidity. Where humidity is kept below 50%, these creatures dessicate and die.
   
   Stan has high humidity solutions including advanced air conditioners and heat pumps with built-in humidity controls as well as professional dehumidifiers that can either operate as stand-alones or be incorporated into your home comfort system. These offer triple the performance of standard dehumidifiers with less than two-thirds the operating cost.
    
2. Keep doors and windows closed even on the most inviting spring day.
   Rather let your air conditioner continue to run even when temperatures are moderate.
   
   Nothing is more natural than the desire to throw open windows after a long cold winter. But for the allergy sufferers in your life, this just means more red noses, scratchy throats, wheezing and labored breathing. Keeping your air conditioner running will circulate your home's air through its air filter. With the spring's moderate temps, the cost will not be burdensome.
   
   Those with high efficiency systems have the added advantage of a two-speed compressor and variable speed blower. In spring, these systems run at lower more energy-efficient speeds. And because of the efficiency of their DC powered blowers, fan can be set to run continually even when the compressor is not cooling for maximum air circulation and filtration.
   
   ALWAYS CHECK YOUR FILTER EACH MONTH AND CHANGE IT WHEN DIRTY. This will not only keep your homes air clean, but it keep your system running efficiently. If you have not done so already, sign up for Stan's FREE monthly reminders.
    
3. Consider upgrading your air filter.
   
   This is NEVER SOMETHING YOU SHOULD DO YOURSELF! The "high efficiency" filters sold in home centers and hardware stores WILL obstruct the airflow so critical to your comfort and to your system's energy-efficiency. The consequences are grave including damage to expensive compressors and fan motors. 
   
   Stan has solutions designed to have minimal impact on airflow. These include 95% efficient media filters and the revolutionary AccuClean^TM which captures 99.98% of allergens including dust, pollen, pet dander, dust mite allergens, mold spores, cooking grease, and tobacco smoke as well as the activTek activTek^TM air purifier.
    
4. Keep pets away from allergy sufferers. As much as you love them, pets bring in plenty of outdoor allergens -- especially this time of year. Their dander is also an irritant. Obviously the best solution is to keep them out doors, but if that's not possible, you should maintain at least one pet-free room (preferably a bedroom) where your allergy sufferer can find relief.
    
5. Change clothes and shower when you come in from outdoor activities. This time of year, even a short walk or time spent in the yard can cover you with allergens. These can then be tracked through the home and deposited on furniture.

These are just a few tips from your friends at Stan Perkoski's home services. To learn more, schedule a No-Pressure No-Obligation Consultation with your Stan Perkoski's professional.

With the coming of spring, it will soon be time for car washing and lawn watering. This is a good time to check your outside hose bibs (spigots) for leaking. A leaky hose bib is not only an annoyance, it can waste quite a bit of water. It may leak from the handle when the water is turned on, or the faucet may not shut off completely and leak constantly regardless of how tight you shut it down.

If you've shut off supply to prevent winter freezing, you'll need to return the supply by opening the water shutoff valve(s) inside your basement, crawl space or utility room. There will be one for each outside faucet. Before opening this valve, make sure you have closed the outside spigots which you should have left open when you drained them last winter.

If your lines have bleeder valves that you loosened to allow the line to drain, don't forget to tighten them to prevent leaks.

Turn on the spigots, and make sure they work properly before connecting the garden hose. Low pressure may be a sign of blockage in the line or worse, a leak that may be causing water to run into your walls. If pressure is low, shut off the supply line and call your Stan Perkoski's professional.

Whether it's low pressure or a leak, give us a call. Spring is a good time to replace older hose bibs with today's freeze-resistant models. These will save you the hassle of having to drain the lines next winter.

• 67% had improper air flow.
• 53% had dirty or clogged coils
• 40% had dirty, clogged or missing filters.
• 27% had refrigerant that was overcharged.
• 27% had refrigerant that was undercharged.
• 20% had a refrigerant leak.
• 93% had duct leakage greater than the recommended maximum.

The study concluded that most of these problems were the result of improper installation, neglected maintenance, or service by either unqualified or unscrupulous technicians who failed to take sufficient time to diagnose or repair problems. 

Stan considers our seasonal heating/cooling maintenance the most important service we perform. We take all the time necessary to assure that the job is done right. We never cut corners. 

Here are just a few important benefits you'll enjoy with Stan's precision AC tune-up and cleaning.

1. BEAT THE RUSH! The most likely time for your air conditioner to fail is when the hot weather first hits. That's when our phones ring off the hook. Scheduling early both assures you uninterrupted comfort and scheduling at your convenience. 
2. SAVE MONEY! An clogged or out-of-balance
   system, a low refrigerant level, a loose electrical connection, a part needing lubrication -- these are just some of the conditions that will run up your summer bills. The sooner you service -- the lower your electric bills, the less chance of an expensive inconvenient summer breakdown, the longer your unit will last, and the more likely your manufacturer's warranty will be honored if you do have a problem.
3. MAXIMIZE FAMILY COMFORT! A room that never cools? Large temperature swings? Cold clammy air? All are symptoms of a neglected system. Why suffer this summer? A good cleaning and tune-up resolves most problems.
4. GET ALLERGY RELIEF! Although you can greatly enhance air quality with advanced filtration and special air cleansers (discussed below), allergy relief begins with a clean well-tuned unit and sound duct work. Duct leaks not only waste energy but can draw dust and contaminants into the air stream that then circulates throughout your home.

Schedule your precision cleaning and maintenance service now.

Just read what Phyllis Sheppard of New Castle, Delaware had to say about her new Noritz(R) on demand heater:

"I have all the hot water I need, whenever I need it."

Instead of paying to keep 75 gallons of hot water on hand, Ms. Sheppard's new water heater heats only the water she needs to exactly the temperature she desires exactly when she needs it. She'll not only never run short, she'll be saving up to 40% per year on her water heating costs. With a life expectancy of 20 years (vs. the 10-12 years expected from a standard tank water heater), Ms. Sheppard's new water heater will more than pay for itself.

"My biggest fear was that I would have 75 gallons of water in my otherwise very dry basement."

No more fear of flooding! Not only is there no storage tank but the new heater's pressure release overflow is directly connected to her sump pump well. "What a relief that is," write Ms. Sheppard.

"The new heater is small and wall mounted, so I have reclaimed a good bit of space in my basement."

Ms. Sheppard is not the only one happy. Our entire team is grateful to have customers like her -- customers who recognize our commitment to giving our customers the absolute best in technical and customer service:

"There was no question who I would call when my traditional water heater was leaking . . . . I guess the most important reason I call on you exclusively is because I TRUST you to do the right thing every time I need you. I have never been disappointed.

"Nick M. is phenomenal. He really knows what he is doing, how to do it efficiently and how to do it right. I always feel that everyone I deal with at Stan Perkoski's is doing everything possible on my behalf. I always get the impression from everyone that they consider me a valued customer. This is so refreshing."

Thank you Ms. Sheppard.