Did you know that most home plumbing leaks are found in the toilet tank?
These leaks are usually caused by worn parts or improper alignment of the flushing mechanism – and they could be costing you more water usage than you think over the course of a year.
Toilet leaks typically occur om two ways – the most common of which is one caused by a worn-out or defective flush valve or flapper at the bottom of the toilet tank. If the flapper or ball valve does not form a water-tight seal, water will leak into the toilet bowl – often without making a sound.
Here’s an easy way to check for a flush valve leak: Remove the tank lid and flush, then wait for the flapper/tank ball to drop and the toilet tank to refill. Once it does, add several drops of dark food coloring, then wait at least 20 minutes. If the coloring appears in the toilet bowl, there is a leak.
The second most common type of leak is caused by a poorly adjusted or broken fill valve. If the float is set too high or the shut-off valve doesn’t close, water will continue to enter the tank and flow into the overflow tube. You can see this type of leak simply by taking the tank top off and watching to see if the water enters the overflow tube once the tank is full.
If one or both of these problems is happening with your toilet, you’re flushing money down the drain every month. Take care of the problem by calling a licensed, professional plumber today!
Did you know that Williams Energy offers a full line of professional plumbing services, including leak repairs, clogged drain service, spigot installs, and more? Contact us today to schedule service with one of our licensed master plumbers in the South Shore!
Spring barbecue season is in full swing here in Massachusetts – time to fire up your propane grill for some outdoor cooking.
Just remember to grill healthy! Here are four ways to do it.
Keep your propane grill fired up all season long with TANKS TO YOU bottle exchange at Williams Energy!
Here’s how it works:
If you prefer, bring your tank to us at our Braintree (39 Adam Street) or Marshfield (717 Plain Street) location during regular business hours for fast and easy propane cylinder refills.
Grill healthy all season long with Tanks To You propane cylinder exchange from Williams Energy. Contact us today to learn more!
Heat pump units get a lot of great press these days, and for good reason: they’re a versatile and efficient year-round solution to managing the climate in your home.
But what exactly allows a ductless heat pump to do its job so well? Let’s take a look.
A ductless heat pump combines the virtues of a ductless mini-split system with the benefits of a heat pump.
All mini-split system includes two components – an air handler (the indoor unit) and a condenser (the outdoor unit), connected by a thin pipe installed through an exterior wall. A single condenser can operate up to four air handlers, creating an efficient zone heating and cooling system in your home.
A ductless heat pump system works by using heat exchanger coils to move warm air from one location to another. During winter, for example, your heat pump draws warm air from outside your home to increase temperatures inside; during the summer, the heat pump reverses the process, shipping out warm air from your home.
Mini-split heat pumps are a big step up from portable space heaters and window A/Cs, providing economical comfort that can be targeted to specific spaces in your home. But the benefits of a mini-split heat pump aren’t limited to energy savings. Ductless heat pump systems are also:
Want to keep your heating and cooling bills low while staying as comfortable as possible? Consider upgrading your space heaters and window A/Cs to a multi-function ductless mini-split heat pump system. Contact us today to learn more about ductless heat pump installations in Braintree and Plymouth, MA!
Ready or not, Spring 2021 has arrived – and with spring comes a pile of to-do lists. When you’re writing yours in the coming weeks, don’t forget to include an important but often overlooked system in your Massachusetts home: the plumbing.
Here’s a spring plumbing checklist to make things a little easier for you.
☐ Check for leaks on all faucets; take care of any plumbing repairs immediately.
☐ Install drain strainers in all sinks to prevent clogging.
☐ Inspect your toilet tank and bowl for cracks or leaks.
☐ Make sure toilets flush properly. If a toilet doesn’t flush correctly, it probably means that some parts are worn out from use; contact us for plumbing service.
☐ Check toilets for hidden leaks by adding a few drops of food coloring to the toilet tank; if the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes.
☐ Remove mineral deposits from showerheads and aerators (the screw-on tips of your faucets) by unscrewing each and soaking them in vinegar overnight; gently scrub them in the morning with an old toothbrush.
☐ Check the thermostat on your water heater; make sure it is set at no higher than 120°F to get the best balance of energy efficiency and performance (the U.S. Department of Energy recommends 115-120°F).
☐ Drain several gallons from the water heater tank to flush out efficiency-reducing sediment, carefully following manufacturer’s instructions for doing so – or get professional water heater maintenance from Williams Energy and let us do it for you.
☐ Consider replacing your water heater if your unit is more than 10 or 12 years old; the energy efficiency improvements alone will more than likely pay for the investment in just a few years.
☐ Check appliance hoses for bulges, leaks, or cracks, repairing or replacing them as needed.
☐ Snake slow drains – especially flood drains in your basement.
☐ Test run your sump pump in advance of spring storms.
☐ Check under-sink pipes for leaks and repair as needed.
☐ Look for slow leaks in your home by taking a reading on your water meter before bedtime; check the meter again then next morning after not using water overnight. If the reading has changed you have a leak that should be repaired.
☐ Clear outdoor drains, gutters, downspouts, and plumbing vent pipes.
☐ Turn on outdoor water; check faucets and hoses to make sure water flows correctly.
Stay on top of leaks and other plumbing issues with professional plumbing service from Williams energy. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our plumbing experts!
If you’re in the market for a new water heater, you probably know that there are lots of options available to you. Making a smart choice is important since heating water can account for nearly 20 percent of your home energy bill.
So what matters when shopping for a water heater? Here are some water heater basics that will help you ask smart questions to narrow your field of options.
While there are several broad categories of water heating appliances, the two most common are:
In general, conventional water heaters cost less upfront but are less efficient than tankless heaters, so your monthly bills will be higher. Tankless heaters are extremely efficient, offer unlimited hot water on demand, and are much smaller, which means you have more options for placement. They do cost more than conventional water heaters (in many cases double or more), but they will also last longer (about 18 years on average, compared to 10-12 for conventional water heaters).
The fuel you use to heat your water will affect how much it costs – sometimes dramatically. Williams Energy sells and installs both gas- and oil-fired water heaters –both of which offer next-level performance compared to an electric water heater. Contact us to learn more about what we offer.
You need enough heating capacity to meet your family’s need for hot water at peak demand, but not so much that you’re heating (and re-heating) water you won’t use. Matching the capacity of a water heater to your home’s water heating load can get a little tricky – contact us for some expert guidance.
The factory efficiency of a water heater is important, but it doesn’t tell the whole story: proper size matching, installation, and maintenance will have just as much of an impact on your water heating bills. Always have your equipment installed and maintained by pros!
Make sure you compare all factors that influence the true cost of a water heater – including the cost of fuel, the life expectancy of the unit, and more. Need help? Contact us.
Ready for a water heater upgrade? We can help! Contact Williams Energy today for a FREE estimate on high-efficiency water heating installation in Plymouth and Hingham, MA.
Williams Energy has seen a lot of changes since the company was founded by George A. Williams, in 1919.
Our selection of fuels has grown and evolved. Our equipment service has expanded. And we’ve done this while keeping our commitment to our customers to provide dependable, courteous service.
We’re keeping that commitment by upgrading the Williams Energy website. Our focus in this upgrade is taking advantage of today’s technology to make using this site even easier for you. Here’s a rundown of our improvements:
Bookmark our home page so that you can easily come here often to manage your account, get updates on our products and services, find out about new opportunities to save money, contact us and more!
How do you like the new Williams Energy site? Get in touch with us to give feedback and suggestions!
One of the advantages of today’s technology is that it can make our lives easier.
At Williams Energy, we’re using our website to do that with your account. How? With services like online bill pay and Auto Pay!
Here’s how they work.
Thanks to our online account, you can pay your Williams Energy bill 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You don’t have to call us during regular business hours. And you don’t have to hunt down your bill, your checkbook and a stamp. Just go into your account and pay your bill right there. Easy-peasy!
Autopay is the ultimate in easy. Enroll, and your work is done! Your bill is automatically deducted from your checking account or charged to your credit card each month. You never have to worry again about whether your payment gets in on time! And if your credit card has a points-based reward system, using it for your Williams Energy bill will get you those rewards faster!
Like the ease and convenience of online bill pay and Autopay? Contact us today to get started!
Are you searching for a new furnace this winter? Or are you unsure about what type of furnace you even own? Maybe you have never even heard of the terms “single-speed” or “variable speed” for furnaces. You might be wondering what the difference between the two types are, as well as which one is better than the other.
Either way, you will want to find the best furnace for your house that will keep you warm throughout the winter. The last thing you want is to purchase a furnace, only to find yourself freezing throughout the winter months!
In this article, we will explain the difference between the two types of furnaces while also discussing the pros and cons of each of them.
Both of these terms refer to the blower motor. A blower motor simply pushes heated air through the furnace’s vents.
Older systems are typically single-speed, meaning that they run at the same heat capacity at all times. Newer systems run at variable speeds, so there are a number of blower motor speed settings users can choose from.
Single-speed furnaces tend to be cheaper than variable speed systems. They are also easier to set up and can be installed in almost any setting. Because most traditional furnaces are single-speed, technicians tend to have more experience performing repair work and maintenance on them.
That being said, their lifespan is much shorter than variable speed furnaces. They usually last for 15 years. Plus, they aren’t as efficient as variable speed furnaces, as they run at full capacity.
Users can adjust a variable speed furnace’s settings so that it only runs at high capacity during the coldest parts of the winter. Their motors can also be used to remove excess humidity from the air when the temperature cools down. Compared to single speed, variable speed furnaces require six times less energy. They also last from 15 to 20 years.
So which one is better for you? It all boils down to your budget and your individual needs. If you want to save energy, a variable speed furnace may be a better fit for you. However, for those dealing with a tighter budget, single-speed furnaces are just as efficient as variable speed.
Deciding on a furnace shouldn’t become time-consuming. With the information in this article, as well as advice from our experts at Williams Energy, you can find the perfect furnace for your home. Contact our team today!
Regardless of the season, maintaining proper electricity usage practices is essential to ensuring that your home remains safe at all times. However, this commitment to safety can be challenging when your household’s electrical needs outstrip your living space’s built-in power outlet supply.
Power strips were designed to circumvent this problem, but that doesn’t mean that every instance of their use is entirely safe. In fact, there are a handful of common household items that you should never plug into a power strip. Doing so risks a chance of the power strip overheating or sparking, leading to a fire. While you review your home’s electrical usage practices, ensure that the following 5 items are never plugged into a power strip:
Slow Cookers/Crock Pots
Due to the nature of their intermittent use to prepare meals, you might feel compelled to plug your Crock Pot or slow cooker into a power strip to preserve your regular kitchen set up.
But such a practice should be avoided entirely because power strips can overheat due to overuse and spark a fire during the slow cooker’s extended operational period.
Microwave
Depending on the countertop arrangement in your home or apartment’s kitchen, you may feel it is necessary to plug your microwave into a power strip. Don’t do this! Power strips can’t provide enough power for a standard microwave.
Using a power strip can make them malfunction without notice, putting your microwave, and more alarmingly, your kitchen, at risk.
Coffee Makers
Coffee makers are the 9-5 worker’s best friend, but they are certainly not buddies with a household power strip.
Most coffee makers require a high volume of energy to successfully convert grounds and water into piping-hot coffee, so you should always plug your coffee maker into an in-line outlet to ensure it can complete its job successfully.
Sump Pumps
Sump pumps play a critical role in keeping your basement dry when flooding threatens your home. But of course, a sump pump cannot do its job if the power strip it is plugged into gets wet while your basement takes on water. Instead, plug your sump pump into a proper GFCI outlet that is placed on a wall well above the expected flood level.
Another Power Strip
Despite their appearance, power strips are not designed to interface with one another in order to transfer your in-line electricity over an unlimited distance.
This practice of “daisy-chaining” can quickly overload your home’s electrical grid, which is why it is outlawed under most residential fire codes. As an alternative, consider purchasing a purpose-built extension cord to meet your long distance power distribution needs.
The Bottom Line
All in all, one of the best ways to prevent accidental electrical damage to your home is to avoid plugging any of the appliances described above into a power strip.
If you still have questions about what you can and cannot plug into a power strip, leave us a comment or send us a message! And if you need an electrical expert for any reason, Williams Energy is the place to call!
There’s nothing more frustrating than experiencing central heating system problems in the dead of winter.
But if wear and tear is making itself known in your home, identifying the issue and solving the problem is the safest, most efficient thing to do so that your heating system can be up and running as soon as possible.
Perform these quick tests first before determining whether you’re dealing with something more serious:
Otherwise, you could be dealing with something more involved.
Heat loss is an obvious sign that you’re dealing with a central heating system issue. Even if you have partial heat, that’s still an indicator. Heat loss could be a result of dirty or clogged filters, an airlock, or mechanical problems.
Some possible solutions include checking the following:
Are you dealing with leaking pipes? This is a sure indication of a central heating issue.
One temporary solution is tightening the pipe joint by turning it a quarter turn at a time, to make sure it’s not damaged in the process.
After you do this, if you’re still having the same issue, use sealant on the pipe.
However, keep in mind that these are only temporary solutions. The pipe should be replaced as soon as possible to avoid further leaking.
Hearing strange sounds coming from your central heating system? That hissing, banging, gushing, creaking or popping isn’t normal. It could be a sign of something serious such as overheating.
Here are some things you can do:
Are you or a family member complaining about cold patches on the radiator this winter? It’s time to do some digging.
First, figure where the cold patches are. If they’re on the top of the radiator, that means air has gotten into your heating system and it needs to be removed.
If cold patches pop up on the bottom of the radiator, there’s probably a blockage like rust or sludge. Depending on your system, pipes might need to be flushed.
Is your system shutting off and on erratically — and frequently? If so, it could be shutting off because of the following reasons:
In this case, it’s best to call in an expert.
If you’re dealing with central heating system problems and are ready for a team of dedicated experts to solve your problem, contact Williams Energy today!