Boilers Archives - Emerald City Plumbing & Heating

Our Unmatched Services

There are many service providers out there, but how do you know which one is right for you? At our company, we pride ourselves on providing top-quality services that meet the specific needs of our clients. We understand that each client is unique, and we work hard to provide customized solutions that will help them achieve their desired results.

Emerald City Plumbing is your go-to source for all your plumbing needs. From simple repairs to brand new installation, our team of experienced professionals can handle any job, big or small. We’re proud to offer a wide range of services, including

1. Boiler Repairs/Installations

Emerald Plumbing is your go-to plumbing company for all your repair and installation needs, big or small. We understand that a broken boiler can be a major inconvenience, which is why we offer 24/7 emergency services. We will come to your home or business as soon as possible to assess the situation and get your boiler up and running again.

2. Oil/ Gas/ Propane Piping and Burners Steam boilers

Our certified technicians will come to your home or business to evaluate your needs and recommend the best options for you. We offer a wide range of boiler services, including oil/gas/propane piping and burners, steam boilers, and hot water boilers.

3. Slab Leaks Repairs / Plumbing Leaks

One of the most common and disruptive problems that a homeowner can face is a plumbing leak. Not only can leaks lead to costly damage, but they can also be difficult to repair.

Fortunately, our team of experienced plumbers is equipped to handle all types of leaks, from small drips to major slab leaks.

4. And Many More……Talk To Us!

We’re your one-stop shop when it comes to plumbing! From taps and leaks to full system maintenance, we have you covered. We also specialize in septic tanks, blocked drains, and gas installations.

No job is too big or small for our team of experienced plumbers. So if you’re in need of a reliable plumbing service, look no further than us! We’re here to help 24/7. Contact us today for all your plumbing needs!

Boilers, Fuel Savings, Plumbing, Water Heaters

Emerald City Plumbing and Heating Launches New Website

In the spirit of improving your experience anytime you contact us, we are taking on a new exciting look. Say hello to our new web design that makes navigation easy, precise, and fun. And we did not stop there. We now have a new logo that matches our adventurous spirit and represents our quality and efficiency.

Our new logo is our new symbol of identity setting us apart from the rest. The design portrays Emerald City Plumbing and Heating’s creative minds while taking into account the image we portray to you. That is why we have switched to an image that best represents our relationship.

Emerald City Plumbing and Heating Launches New Website

Our new website is designed to focus on our specialties. Visiting our website gives you access to an overview of our plumbing services. Furthermore, the website has several resources to get more information about our company.

The website has also incorporated a photo gallery to help you identify the services you are looking for. The images also portray the quality of services and equipment used in the processes. All this is to provide visual aids for you and help you with decision-making.

At the bottom of the page is a section providing answers to the common questions customers have. For instance, if you want to know how you can reduce your electricity bills or when to replace your boiler, you get a professional answer. Clicking on the answer will open a new post with detailed explanations.

Last but not least, if you are seeking personalized help from an expert, the bottom right of the website is a button labeled “chat.” Clicking on the button allows you to chat with an Emerald City Plumbing and Heating expert in real-time. Check out our new website today and enjoy a new exciting experience.

Boilers, Fuel Savings, Water Heaters

How To Reduce My Fuel Bills?

Have you just filled up your oil tank recently, or checked your latest gas bill this winter? Like me, your jaw probably dropped when you saw the price. The price of fuel to heat your home has risen exponentially this year and taken a toll on us all. So what can you do? There must be a way to make that gallon of home heating oil last longer then it currently does. Well fortunately, there are some things that you can do in your home that do not require much time or upfront cost. Here are a few tips.

First, I would start by updating the thermostat in your home. Some older style thermostats actually use a small mercury ball to measure the indoor temperature in the room. Kind of a scary thought. Updating to a digital thermostat or even a “Smart” thermostat is a great low cost option to help lower your annual fuel costs. Digital thermostats often are more accurate and have options to set a schedule in your home. I find A lot of customers of mine do not like the heat to be set so high over night while they sleep, or during the time that they leave the house to go to work. A digital thermostat will give them an option to automatically turn the temperature down at selected times. A “smart” thermostat, depending on which brand, can even adjust and learn your schedule or sense when you are home to turn the heat on and off accordingly.

Another thing you can look for are the condition of your baseboard heaters. More often then not, when I get a complaint from a customer that the heat just does not seem to be keeping up, I find at least one of three things before I even make it to the boiler room. Couches and furniture pushed right up against the baseboard. Baseboards actually work by drawing the cold air in the room from the floor, then producing warmer air out of the upper openings. Furniture has to be at least 18 inches away from the baseboard in order for it to work properly. Also, if you have rugs in your home, make sure the rugs do not come up too high and block the pathway for air to move. Something else that every home owner should be periodically checking is the condition of the metal fins of the baseboard. The metal fins that sit behind the cover love to attract dust and pet hair. A quick run of the vacuum will unclog that pathway that air wants to take and actually help produce more heat. These are three quick things to check that do not even require a call to a plumbing and heating contractor! In some cases you might notice that the metal fins are crushed and warped or even missing due to age or past leak repairs. If you notice this in your home, it may be a better option to consider replacing with new High Efficiency baseboard heaters.

Lastly, to seriously cut your fuel costs, you can consider installing an “Outdoor Reset Control” to your current equipment. If your home uses a boiler to heat your home, (you have either baseboard heaters or radiators, or possibly even radiantly heated floors), installing these features can see fuel savings of up to 30%. That’s huge! So what is an “Outdoor Reset Control”? It is a control strategy that adjusts the heat output of your boiler based on the current outdoor temperature. In a nut shell, as it is now, your heating equipment is (or should be if installed properly) designed to be able to heat your home on the coldest day of the year. For those of us living on Long Island N.Y., that coldest day of the year is about 15 degrees. At 15 degrees, your equipment is putting out 100% capacity. But what about when it is only 40 degrees outside. It is still putting out 100% capacity. That is a waste of fuel! An “Outdoor Reset Control” would reduce the output of your equipment to match the outside temperature and still keep you warm. A good analogy that was taught to me is to think of it as your car. While driving your car on main street, if you hit a stop sign or a red light every 20 feet, you will use more gas. The goal is to get on the expressway (not during rush hour of course) so that you can just coast leisurely at a steady 55MPH. That is what we want to do with your heating equipment. We want it to leisurely produce heat at a steady rate, as apposed to turning on then off constantly for short periods of time.

If you would like an assessment of your current heating equipment, please feel free to call today to see how you can reduce your fuel bills.

Boilers

SHOULD I REPLACE MY BOILER??

It is a thought that has been in the back of your mind probably for years…..”Should I replace my heating system?”. Winter is here, and for many Long Islanders, their boiler is quietly (or maybe not so quietly) chugging along providing our homes with heat. Like many of us, we hear the baseboard crackle and pop as it heats up and that 180 degree water flows through the pipes, and that’s all we need to know. The heat works and we are happy. But is it working as best as it really should be? Maybe it has been a while since a heating contractor has done a tune-up and cleaned it out, or maybe age is slowly catching up to it making it less efficient every year. Either way, this could be costing you money either in emergency repairs or in your fuel bills.

So you are here and you are asking yourself, “Is it time to replace my boiler?”…You’ve probably been saying it for years, just hoping it lasts one more winter. I’ve said the same about the boiler in my own house. It is understandable, the hesitation in wanting to replace such an expensive piece of equipment. With so many options in equipment and brands, fuel sources, and hot water production, it can seam a little daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. That is why is it so important to hire qualified plumbing and heating contractors and to get multiple quotes before spending any money. Think of this as an investment. A new heating system will save you money, it wont cost you. When hiring a reputable contractor, your new equipment will be registered for the manufactures warranties, and most contractors will offer a warranty as well. So the piece of mind is there. This doesn’t have to be a stressful process when you hire the right people.

When a customer calls us to get an estimate on a replacement, I go through a couple of steps before presenting any options. Step1)..First, I start with how much heat does your home need for you to be comfortable on the coldest day of the year. After doing a quick inspection of the home and doing some measurements, I can determine what size boiler you will need. This is the most important step. Too big of a boiler and you will spend more in fuel, and too small of a boiler and it will have a hard time keeping up on those cold nights…Step2) We talk about hot water production. Are you currently happy with the way your home makes hot water, or will this be the time to make some changes to your system. This is an important conversation to have because this may effect the size of the boiler as well, or what type of boiler….Step3) The last step is to design a system that will fit your home and your budget. We don’t always need to break the bank, or completely change your house to fit a new system. A common misconception is that the only way to save money on fuel, is to switch to a high efficiency gas boiler. This is simply not true. There are great oil fired boilers and piping designs out there that can save you money each and every year. It is not always necessary to go through the trouble of an oil to gas conversion. However, if switching to gas is something that you are interested in, we are here to make that a stress free experience for you.

Bottom line is that a new boiler is an investment for your home and your health. You deserve a safe and healthy heating system. If you would like any more information or have any questions, please feel free to call today! 631-255-0287