Helpful Notes | melroys

Your FAQ's and Helpful Notes

We would like to save you money and offer you a few solutions that might allow you to fix your problem yourself. If not give us a call and we will help you!

Why won't my cooling system work?

check the following:

is the electricity on?, is the thermostat turned to cooling?, is the house warmer then the thermostat setting?, and does the indoor and outdoor fans run?
turn your fan switch to on, if it runs but the air is warm, the problem may be in the out door unit
check the outdoor units main power breaker/fuse
if both fans run, the compressor may be off; check for a high pressure switch trip

What does Carbon monoxide do to you?

Too much carbon monoxide in your blood will kill you. Most of us know to try and avoid this. Less well known is the fact that low-level exposure to this gas also endangers your health. One of the imperfections of our human bodies is that, given a choice between carbon monoxide and oxygen, the protein hemoglobin in our blood will always latch on to carbon monoxide and ignore the life-giving oxygen. Because of this natural chemical affinity, our bodies in effect replace oxygen with carbon monoxide in our bloodstream, causing greater or lesser levels of cell suffocation depending on the intensity of duration of exposure. The side-effects that can result from this low-level exposure include permanent organ and brain damage. Infants and the elderly are more susceptible than healthy adults, as are those with anemia or heart disease. The symptoms of low-level carbon monoxide poisoning are so easily mistaken for those of the common cold, flu, or exhaustion, that proper diagnosis can be delayed. Because of this, be sure to see your physician about persistent, flu-like symptoms, chronic fatigue or generalized depression. If blood levels of carbon monoxide are found to be high, treatment is important. Meanwhile, it makes good sense to put heating system inspection and maintenance on your annual get-ready-for-winter list. Prevention is the best cure.

What is a Heat Pump?

A heat pump is exactly what its name implies. It pumps heat...into the house in winter...out of the house in summer. Your refrigerator/freezer are heat pumps. There is a substantial amount of heat in winter air. In fact the air at 0°F. contains about 82% of the heat that is available in air at 100°F. It is this heat which is used by the heat pump. A typical heat pump system consists of two sections. It has an outside unit which houses the outside coil, compressor and other essential components. It also has an inside unit which houses the indoor coil, fan and electric resistance heaters. Refrigerant in the outdoor coil absorbs heat from the air, is compressed and pumped to the indoor coil. As air is passed across the indoor coil the refrigerant give up its heat to the conditioned space. The heating cycle then continues in this manner as long as there is a heating requirement. During the summer months a simple manual adjustment to the thermostat's automatic controls, the heat pump will reverse itself to remove the heat from the house to provide proper summer comfort conditioning. In summer, therefore, it performs as a standard central air conditioning system which dehumidifies the air as it cools. For maximum energy savings, a thermostat setting of 78°F. or higher is recommended.

What are water heater common problems and fixes?

1) The water heater is not hot enough

Check the thermostat on the water heater, simply adjusting the temperature can help adjust the water temperature

2) The water is too cold or too hot

check to see is the gas thermocouple (heating element) is working; if it is not working it needs to be replaced and will also fix your water is too cold because of too hot

3) The tank makes noises and the water is smelly

Noises could be caused by build-up of sediment within your tank being burned by the heating element; Also noise can be caused by the heating element burning out and needing to be replaced

4) The water heater is leaking

Water heater must be replaced if it is leaking

Note: A water heater will spend its life unnoticed until a problem arises. Its highly recommended to give a little time for the maintenance so that the water heater will have a longer life span essentially saving you money in the long hall.

Can I buy parts from Melroy?

If we have it in stock, we can sell it to you. Just give us a call or send an email inquiring about the part you need. If we do not have it in stock we can order it for you from one of our trusted vendors.

The Facts About Drain Cleaning Sewer Pipes

NO ONE likes to do it. It can be a dirty disgusting job. We come when no ones happy about it, and often at odd hours. Some people lie about what was put down the pipe, some out of embarrassment, some forgetful, some were told a lie themselves and didn’t realize they were repeating a lie. Some don’t even know and neither will we. Some people secretly don’t want to pay the bill, especially renters or employees.

We leave with the smelly dirty cables and rags in our vehicles and have to clean them later. Some machines can rip a mans arm off. And they are heavy. 120’ of 1¼” spring steel wound cable; it weighs a lot, and not to mention the machine.

It stinks, it leaves a smell and stain on your person and the things that we find in pipes can be contagious, infectious and dangerous. Some chemicals can blind us if we are not careful. Some odors can make us gag. Bleach is our friend.

For some strange reason most drain cleaning personnel never get an infection.

We have found body parts,( in the morgue and in the abortion clinics), vomit, paint, acids, grease, lots of grease, and grease soap mixture which hardens and is often described as like concrete. (To remove this we replace the pipe.)

We have found numerous toys, pens, pencils, balls, sunglasses and hair. They tell me they find jewelry too but I have yet to see any. We have found roof tar, shingles, wood bits, gravel, broken glass, rocks and wire. (From those hangers in the bowl you clean your bowl with.) We have found sunglasses, towels, bed sheets, paper towels. Yes whole bed sheets. It’s amazing what a nursing home patient can do with all that time.

We have found tampons, “we call them sewer mice”, we have found dirt, roots, bottles caps, cans, whole sandwiches, condoms.

We have found pipes sagged and full of water like a trap which collects sludge and waste.

WE have found pipes corroded, with holes, cracked, and collapsed or separated.

We have found pipes with other pipes piercing through them such as gas mains, fence posts, wire conduit. (Directional underground boring and pipe driving does this.)

We have found toilets filled to the brim with feces. We have found tubs filled with feces.

We have found whole basements filled to the ceiling with sewage. We call in the pumper truck.

When you call your local drain expert, you might wonder why he keeps smiling when he arrives. Don’t pay him for doing this dirty job and you will never see him again. Would you blame him? If anyone deserves their pay, it is the Drain pipe cleaner.

The one thing we can’t seem to find is more people who want to do the job. Go figure.

Camera Sewer

High pressure gas main bored through a sanitary sewer that explains the continuous "backups". Note the black protective covering has been worn away by drain clean cables. A rupture here would have been catastrophic.
A most important piece of equipment in the MELROY service; the video camera;
determines the reason for reoccurring stoppages, cleaning procedures and techniques
for repair. The information collected and documented can be used later to compare
with changing future conditions. On screen digital footage display and corresponding
fault defects allows monitoring of problem areas. An electronic recording, “video
log” is available to the customer when needed. Coupled with advance electronic
sensors we can pin point the location to a much higher degree of accuracy than most
“educated guesses”. This will minimize disturbance of the land to a minimum when
excavating; or allow us to make alternate repair decisions such as pipe bursting or
removal, saving you money and time.
Some companies would easily have been able to start a pipe bursting job here, but the
results would have been a catastrophic fire and explosion after ripping through this
gas main. The camera helps us inform the utility and have the intrusion safely
removed prior to repair.
With all work above or below ground safety comes first.

07

Why can smoke alarms go into alarm when no smoke is present?

Any of these situations can cause unwanted alarms:

Cover or Sensor Chamber is Covered by Dust or Dirt. Alarms may look clean, but dust can accumulate inside the cover, especially in newly built homes. Gently vacuum smoke alarms regularly using the soft brush attachment. Be sure electricians install the provided dust cover to keep alarm clean during construction.
Insects Covered or Clogged the Sensor Chamber. Clean the smoke alarm with the soft brush attachment on your vacuum.
Alarm was Triggered from Another Part of the Home.In a system of interconnected AC or AC/DC alarms, the unit triggering the alarm is in another part of the home - smoke may be present, but you can't see it.
Power Interruptions to AC/DC Smoke Alarms. Smoke alarms may alarm briefly when power is interrupted, then restored. Power interruptions are common in areas where utility companies switch grids in the early hours of the morning.
A Loose Electrical Connection on AC or AC/DC Smoke Alarms. In AC or AC/DC smoke alarms, a loose hot wire connection can intermittently disconnect power to the smoke alarm. The effect is the same as a power failure. When power is restored, the units may alarm briefly. Note: A loose or disconnected neutral wire may cause the alarm to chirp or go into alarm. For residential applications, connecting stranded 18 AWG wire from the smoke alarm to solid 14 AWG wire can be difficult. Be sure wire is making a reliable connection.
When the Furnace is Turned on for First Use:
- Oil and residue is present on and in furnaces and ductwork from the factory to protect the metal surfaces. This can cause smoke to be emitted for a period of time and possibly set off smoke alarms.
- Dirt, drywall dust and construction debris is often present in ductwork. First use of the furnace can cause fine particles to be blown through the house possibly causing nuisance alarms. This is why the homeowner may be in the house for several months without incident and why nuisance alarms tend to increase during the Fall.
Humidity. Ionization smoke alarms are more susceptible to nuisance alarms when placed near a bathroom or other potentially high humidity area.
Near Cold Air Returns. Smoke alarms placed near a cold air return are more susceptible to nuisance alarms because dusty air can be blown through the alarm sensing chamber.
Smoke Alarm May Need to be Relocated. If possible, install smoke alarms at least 20 feet from appliances like furnaces and ovens, which produce combustion particles. Alarms should be at least 10 feet from high humidity areas like showers and laundry rooms, and at least 3 feet from heat/AC vents and fluorescent lights whenever possible. In areas where a 20-foot (6 meter) distance is not possible – in modular, mobile, or smaller homes, for example – it is recommended the Smoke Alarm be placed as far from these fuel-burning sources as possible. The placement recommendations are intended to keep these Alarms at a reasonable distance from a fuel-burning source, and thus reduce “unwanted” alarms. Unwanted alarms can occur if a Smoke Alarm is placed directly next to a fuel-burning source. Ventilate these areas as much as possible.

07

​Why can smoke alarms go into alarm when no smoke is present?

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Why can smoke alarms go into alarm when no smoke is present?