DIY Plumbing System Maintenance

Water and sewer pipes are an important part of our home. Though often invisible, it contributes largely to the functionality of every household. It is responsible for delivering hot and cold water and eliminating waste to keep our homes clean and safe. To prolong its life, paying regular attention to it won’t hurt. In addition, proper plumbing care can help prevent leaks and save us from costly repairs.

Clogged drain quick fix

• Pour ½ cup of salt down the sink followed by boiling water 
• Flush with very hot water until clog is clear

Dripping Faucet

• Make sure to shut off the valve under the sink
• Plug the sink
• Unscrew aerator from end of faucet
• Scrub aerator parts and rinse after
• Reassemble the aerator and re-attach

Prevent future clogging

Watch what goes down your drains. Backed-up water adds pressure to the wastepipes, stressing them and shortening their lifespan. Always remember to prevent food scraps from going down the sink, keep hair out of bathroom drains and never flush tissue and other materials down toilets.

Installing screens over drains in showers and tubs can also prevent buildup. Scrape food before doing dishes to prevent liquid grease from going down the drain. Grease is only liquid when it’s hot. But when it pours down the drain, it cools and solidifies causing clogs.

However, there are instances where we are pre-occupied and we sometimes neglect our plumbing systems. In cases of clogged drains, you can opt for the DIY quick fixes provided earlier, but make sure to call a professional in cases of severe plumbing problems. Call Flame. They also offer furnace and air condition repair in Detroit. Feel free to visit this website for an overview of our services. http://www.flamefurnace.com/

Air duct Cleaning Expert Tips

Many households in Detroit have tried hiring professionals to perform the daunting task of air duct cleaning. Homeowners report that this action has been more than just satisfying--it demonstrated the long-term effectiveness of maintenance and its significant benefits. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommends air duct cleaning every three to five years.

When to clean air ducts

Experts recommend scheduling regular inspection of air ducts. But it doesn’t mean that cleaning is always needed during inspection. It is best to perform cleaning only when:

• There are mold growth and dirt in your air duct
• A vermin infestation is noticed in some areas of your home
• You see insects coming out of your air ducts
• There’s a visible poof of dust when the air is exiting the vents

In addition, if you notice black debris circling the outside of the vents, it means that pollutants have been recycling through the system over and over again. That’s a sign of a dirty HVAC system. Don’t forget to look inside the system when changing your filters. If there’s a dust build up, you urgently need intensive cleaning.

Hiring a professional cleaning company

No one wants to spend his days-off doing a complicated task like air duct cleaning. You’ll certainly need the help of professional cleaners who have the skills and knowledge necessary for inspecting your HVAC system. Flame is staffed with highly-trained technicians and has been helping the Detroit residents for years. For inquiries and questions about furnace cleaning in Detroit, dial (888) 234-2340 or visit our website. http://www.flamefurnace.com/

Maintaining your Commercial Plumbing System to Avoid Serious Issues

Compared to a homeowner’s plumbing system, a commercial building’s plumbing is harder to maintain, and develops issues that may be harder to solve and may affect more people. Though it’s an inevitable part of operating a building, this does not mean that you have to wait until plumbing issues manifest itself on your property and wreak havoc among occupants. No one wants to deal with a faulty plumbing, so take it upon yourself to ensure that your property’s plumbing system is working well, lest you suffer from its devastating effects. Whatever business you may be in, be it a hotel, a restaurant, or an apartment building, you shouldn’t ignore your property’s plumbing system. Not only will you need plumbing professionals to solve your plumbing woes, but you’ll also need them for preventive maintenance to ensure that your commercial plumbing system is working properly.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/maintaining-your-commercial-plumbing-system-to-avoid-serious-issues/

Home Backup Generator: A Sound Investment amid Blackouts in Detroit

Last June saw over 19,000 DTE Energy customers literally powerless after a blackout that lasted for days due to heavy rains and gusty winds that swept through Detroit and other areas in southeast Michigan. Though customers have been assured that the company did everything they could to restore power as soon as possible, it still took them almost three to four days to fully restore their services to every homeowner in the area. Even a few hours of power outages can cause a degree of inconvenience among homeowners, and families have to stumble in the dark looking for ways to get by when they don’t have electricity. No one knows when an area’s electricity supply will be shut down and when it will be restored, but you can rely on a backup generator to help your family get by a blackout. Avoid instances of uncharged cellphones or spoiling food when you can have a home backup generator to avoid inconveniences caused by power outages.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/home-backup-generator-a-sound-investment-amid-blackouts-in-detroit/

Buying Heaters and Other Tips on How to Ready Your Office for Winter

If you’ve got offices in Warren, Michigan, winter may not exactly be at the top of your mind right now. However, with the harsh Michigan winters, purchasing the best heaters on the market and prepping your office for the coming cold is a reasonable and cost-efficient thing to do. Heating your office during the winter months is a special concern because a business’ energy bills are often its biggest expense during the colder parts of the year. Proper heating and preparation can help a lot in reducing this expense. Here are some of the things you can do. Have the Right Equipment One of the best things you can do is have the best possible heating system installed that is within your budget. Local heating experts like Flame Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electrical can offer you a wide array of choices on how to heat your office. If you own the building, having an efficient HVAC system installed should be easy to do.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/buying-heaters-and-other-tips-on-how-to-ready-your-office-for-winter/

When Boiler Repair is No Longer Enough

The water heater is integral to a household’s comings and goings. From showers to cleaning, we depend on consistent access to hot water. As such, keeping the water heater maintained and functioning smoothly should be a priority. Unfortunately, even with constant care, there will come a time when you’ll need to replace the unit altogether. When do you stop mending and start replacing? Here are some signs to indicate that it’s time to retire your old unit.

A leaking tank

Your average water heater holds 40-80 gallons of water at any given time, and it’s a bad idea to risk an accident once you notice the main tank is springing some leaks. This means that the rubber lining is already worn away, and it’s probably time to spring for a new unit. The constant pressure that builds with all that hot water is just a disaster waiting to happen!

A lingering stink

All water heaters have an anode rod that leeches ions which cause rust—which, as you’d imagine, is quite important to a machine that processes water. The anode rod essentially takes the corrosion that’s meant for the rest of the device onto itself. While the rods are replaceable, the rest of the machine will get corroded more and more over time, resulting in a distinct smell that’s a definite sign that replacing the anode rod isn’t doing the trick anymore.

Something wrong with the water

This one should be a no-brainer—if the water has a definite odor, or if it’s brackish, or if the water takes too long to heat up, there might be something wrong that a quick fix can’t handle. Make a thorough inspection of the unit and determine the problem ASAP. Some locations’ water supplies contain larger traces of harmful minerals which can be tough on water heaters, and can lead to them breaking down far sooner than expected.

When it comes to the water you use, take no risks with boiler repair. Call Flame Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical for expert assistance on your water heater.

Air Duct Cleaning and Other HVAC Services Ensure Efficient Operation

Michigan homeowners may not be so concerned about their heating systems for now since it’s the height of summer, but it’s actually the ideal time to do all of the maintenance requirements for your furnace and HVAC system. Ranging from air duct cleaning to your furnace’s annual inspection, having these done during the part of the year when you don’t need them that much is a good choice. Here are a few of the things you can do to ensure that your HVAC system is in top shape when winter rolls around. Air Duct Cleaning Air duct cleaning is necessary if you want to have the hot air produced by your furnace delivered to all parts of your home efficiently. Dirt in the ducts can make it difficult for the air to travel in them; additionally, heat loss is a serious problem making your furnace work harder for the same results. Heating isn’t the only thing that dirt air ducts can affect.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/air-duct-cleaning-and-other-hvac-services-ensure-efficient-operation/

Saving on Energy Costs with Your Home’s Heating and Cooling Systems

Your heating and cooling systems are among the most important additions in your home, but these may also be the cause of your high energy bills. Believe it or not, the amount of energy your home uses is easily dictated by how you use your home’s heating and cooling system. Sometimes, high energy bills may be caused by your system’s current condition, especially if it is not properly maintained. To save on energy costs, the first step you should take is to ensure that you’re using your heating and cooling systems as efficiently as possible. You can make things easier by treating both your heating and cooling systems as one big system. Heating and cooling professionals suggest doing these simple tips to ensure that your systems work efficiently, both in terms of performance and cost.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/saving-on-energy-costs-with-your-homes-heating-and-cooling-systems/

Plumbing Tips: Clogged Drain Pipe? Here’s What You Can Do to Fix It

It can happen to each and every Michigan homeowner at some point: you run water in the sink, or take a shower, or flush a toilet, and suddenly, it happens—the water doesn’t drain. Instead, it backs up and begins to accumulate, then eventually it overflows. By that point, it’s quite obvious that you have a seriously clogged drain in your hands. There a few basic repairs you can try to do that may solve the problem. Don’t try to tackle the problem yourself if it extends beyond your ability to repair—it may only lead to more repairs and added expenses in the end. Also, it’s important that you don’t ignore the problem too long as drainage problems tend to escalate the more you leave them alone.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/plumbing-tips-clogged-drain-pipe-heres-what-you-can-do-to-fix-it/

Dehumidifying Tips from Flame Furnace Detroit!

There are few feelings worse than that gross stickiness on your skin when the humidity is up—worse if your home is in a state of perpetual clamminess! Having high amounts of water in the air is quite uncomfortable, but it can also make breathing a chore and also promote the spread of mold. Fortunately, there are some highly effective ways to dehumidify your living space.

Improve ventilation

Nothing banishes clamminess like ample ventilation. If the weather’s nice, crack open a window (or two, or all of them) and let a breeze in. A ceiling fan can also work wonders in a pinch. Just get the air in your house moving!

Place desiccants around the house

Lots of substances naturally absorb moisture, such as charcoal, silica gel, chalk, uncooked rice, and baking soda. The trick is choosing the right places where they won’t disrupt your home’s ambience while they absorb as much moisture as they can.

Plug in a dehumidifier

If the DIY methods don’t cut it, it becomes all the more important to go out of your way to purchase a dehumidifier. Aprilaire dehumidifiers can pull a whopping 70 pints of moisture each day! Flame Furnace Detroit has partnered with Aprilaire to make your home even more comfortable.

Common Office Plumbing Issues that Affects Your Business and Employees

At the very least, home plumbing problems only create minor inconveniences for homeowners. For local businesses in Warren, MI, however, even the most minor of setbacks in plumbing can mean sales going down, employees getting sick, and reputations being placed at risk. This is why it’s highly important that any problem with plumbing is immediately reported to expert repairmen like those from Flame Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electrical, in order to prevent any backlash to your business’s performance.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/common-office-plumbing-issues-that-affects-your-business-and-employees/

Building a Home-Office? Make Sure You Only Hire Good Electricians

"Working from home is undoubtedly a great convenience; however this also raises the risks of having more problems in your work. For one, when you’re in the office, you have a ready team of IT experts that could address any problems right on the spot, however with home offices you only have yourself. Data back-up is also automatic for most offices, but at home, only you are in charge of this task. When a garbage truck hit a power pole in California back in April, for example, 900 customers lost their power. What if this happened while you were nearing the final pages of your report, or was in the middle of a video call with your boss? These types of accidents are not always acceptable reasons for not finishing the job; simply put: if you choose to work at home, you must be ready with a contingency plan. "
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/building-a-home-office-make-sure-you-only-hire-good-electricians/

Cost-Saving Tips: Start Preparing your Heating System Ahead of Time

Prepping your home for winter may be the last thing on your mind while summer is in full swing in Warren. However, planning ahead of time will help make sure that you are fully ready once the cold seasons start. It could be very tempting to turn on your heaters at full power during winter, but unless you want to freeze up when the bill comes, this is discouraged. You can win the potentially costly battle against the cold by starting your preparations early, and by following some pointers below.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/cost-saving-tips-start-preparing-your-heating-system-ahead-of-time/

Grid Inspection, Air Duct Cleaning to Ensure a HVAC’s Peak Performance

"When you’re hunkered down at home in the middle of summer, with the HVAC system in full operation, what more can you ask for? A simple problem in the ductwork, however, could ruin all that comfort. In fact, ductwork issues can’t be labeled as “simple” since they affect your entire HVAC. A situation like that often requires cleaning the entire grid, according to a HouseLogic article by Dave Toht. Grid Inspection A full inspection of the HVAC grid with an air duct cleaning company will help pinpoint affected sections of the ductwork. If the inspection reveals material, such as rodent droppings and molds, be alarmed, Toht says. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends replacing the ducts, as rodents and molds are signs that the ductwork insulation may have been compromised."
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/grid-inspection-air-duct-cleaning-to-ensure-a-hvacs-peak-performance/

Heating and Cooling Experts Offer Solutions for Thermostat Problems

"The thermostat in every heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system controls the system’s operations. It works by reading the temperature of the room and setting off the process of producing air with the desired temperature. Thermostat malfunctions can, therefore, cause major problems with the system’s output. Michigan usually packs moderately hot summers and drearily cold winters. Such situations may have an effect on the household’s utility bills if the thermostat is not able to read the actual room temperature the first time. If the problem with your system lies on the thermostat, entrust the solution to technicians who know heating and cooling in Warren, MI and other places in the state. "
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/heating-and-cooling-experts-offer-solutions-for-thermostat-problems/

Trust Top Plumbers in Michigan to Solve Persistent Sump Pump Noises

"In any home with a basement, a sump pump typically serves as the prime defense against flooding down below. Sump pumps operate at maximum power to churn the floodwater to an outside drain. Yet what if the sump pump keeps on running in the absence of flooding in the basement? The decision to install a new sump pump or replace an old one is something many Michigan residents will have to make, particularly those who had to endure heavy rainfall and flood alerts this summer. Dundee Village in Monroe County, for example, was at a standstill in late June 2015 when heavy rains caused the River Raisin to spill and flood the entire area for two days. When your sump pump has kept running after a wet episode, you can count on a Michigan plumbing contractor like FLAME Heating, Plumbing, Cooling and Electrical to fix or replace it for you. "
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/trust-top-plumbers-in-michigan-to-solve-persistent-sump-pump-noises/

Power Outage Emergency Kit

We cannot function well without electricity. Everything that runs our lives are power-dependent that any emergency interruption can ruin scheduled tasks. The best way is to prepare for power outages that might occur any time of the day is to have reliable equipment that will save us from being unproductive. In the meanwhile, it’s important to set in our minds the must-do and must-haves when an unexpected outage happens.

During the power outage, make sure to inspect the neighborhood to check if their power’s still on. Notify your electric provider as soon as possible and ask for the cause of the interruption. Turn off the lights and all electronic equipment to easily restore the power on the electrical system. You may want to consider leaving the outside lights on so that the crews will know when the power has been restored. Let the fridge’s door closed unless necessary. It can still preserve your food for 24 to 36 hours when the door remains closed. Avoid using charcoal, camping heating equipment and generators indoors because these are carbon monoxide emitting tools that can cause life-threatening health conditions.

Another basic reminder during power outage is to not leave candles unattended and keep these out of reach for children. Use a proper candle holder and make sure to extinguish the fire before going to bed. Always prepare a battery-powered radio to stay tuned with the latest news and updates on the outage. Purchasing a home generator for power backup is the most convenient way to stay at ease during power interruption. There might be urgent situations when you’ll need electric power for your health, work, or your kids’ demands, so it’s advisable to have equipment that can support your home whenever electric power is needed.

A natural gas home standby generator is an effective tool to supply immediate action for your electric needs. Consult your residential generator provider like Flame Furnace to inquire for the best backup generator that suits your needs. The company has been delivering quality air condition, furnace and boiler repair service in Detroit. Visit http://www.flamefurnace.com/residential-services/generators/ for more info.

Saving the Earth Starts at Home

Manifestations of the effects of global warming have been apparent in the previous disasters and calamities around the globe. Scientists have learned several reasons for global warming, and humans are responsible for emitting greenhouse gases in various ways.

Joining the green community is a heroic act in today’s era. The easiest way we can help save our environment is by practicing energy efficiency at home.

Basic Energy Saving Tips

There are 101 ways to reduce energy usage at home and majority are surely aware of these practices. This will not only save the earth from the hazardous effects of global warming but also save you from costly electric bills. Following these unconventional energy saving tips at home will help you save money while living in a healthy, cost-effective environment.

1. Use the sun as a source of light and heat. Choose the right window treatments that will allow natural light to enter your home whenever needed.
2. Set up a programmable thermostat. It will save you almost 10 percent in heating and cooling costs every year.
3. Choose energy-efficient appliances, fans and electronics. There are several brands acknowledged by the Department of Energy that produce environment-friendly products, which will automatically save the homeowners nearly $750 over the lifetime of the appliances.
4. Opt for energy-efficient lighting. Replace 5 of your home’s most used lights with energy-efficient bulbs. It could save you great amount of energy costs.
5. Use an electric power strip for electronic equipment. It helps reduce phantom loads by plugging electronic devices into power strips and turning it off when not in use.
6. Reduce energy consumption used for water heating. This is just like following simple water-saving steps such as lowering the temperature of water heater and installing low-flow showerheads.
7. Hire a professional to maintain your heating and cooling system. Let them check your air filters regularly and change everything that’s needed to be replaced.

Home Energy Efficiency Test

The only element that we consume for free is air; there’s no business or company that ensures its quality for us. That is why we should make sure that we breathe in safe and clean air, especially at home. It is advisable to get a regular and proper inspection for your home from the professionals who can check your air conditioner and furnace in Detroit. Choose a heating and cooling company like Flame Furnace, which has exemplary expertise in home inspection, aiming to build an energy-efficient community by converting houses into energy-efficient homes.

Plumbing in Warren: Considerations when Getting a Freestanding Bathtub

Who doesn’t love a bathtub? People sometimes would rather take a dip rather than take a shower, and a bathtub gives them that opportunity. They can just fill it with water, jump in, and get soaked for as long as they want (or until they are all pruned). In case you’d like to freshen up your bathroom, why not consider a freestanding one? Freestanding bathtubs have feet and that elegant, sophisticated feel reminiscent of the old Victorian baths. These are becoming popular because of the design statement that they make and the variety of shapes and sizes they come in, from classic to contemporary. Its presence definitely adds a distinct look to the bathroom and it can complement its style.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/plumbing-in-warren-considerations-when-getting-a-freestanding-bathtub/

Invest in a Home Backup Generator in Detroit for Electricity Outage

In the home, some of the basic necessities are powered by electricity, for example: refrigerators, heating and air-conditioning, electric stoves, and of course, the lights. When there is an unexpected power outage, people lose all of these, and it can create more problems. For example, if the refrigerator loses power, the stored food that it is can be spoiled in a matter of time. A solution to this is to have a home backup generator in Detroit. A home generator ensures that the homeowner has power even in the event that electricity is out for whatever reason. There are portable and whole house generators available, but the latter is much better even if it costs more. Whole house generators are able to supply much more power than the portable versions and it will activate automatically when the house loses power. It will also shut off by itself when electricity comes back.
http://www.flamefurnace.com/info-articles/invest-in-a-home-backup-generator-in-detroit-for-electricity-outage/