The Advantages Of A Permanent Home Generator
Never Feel Powerless Again With a Safe, Reliable Residential Standby GeneratorWith an aging power infrastructure and increasing severe weather related to climate change, many Chicago area homeowners are discovering the benefits of a standby generators to keep their homes safe and comfortable during prolonged periods without power.
Today's backup generators are quiet, efficient and reliable. They offer the convenience of auto start and practically indefinite run time. When the power fails, a standby generator switches on - automatically - powering your home 24/7. With a standby generator you can maintain everyday necessities like heating, cooling, refrigeration and lighting and more.
Permanent or Portable Generator?
A portable generator needs to be rolled out from the storage, filled with gas or hooked up to a natural gas line, manually started, and connected to your loads. In contrast, a permanent generator starts automatically because it's connected to both the house wiring and your home's gas line. It can detect a power outage, isolate your designated circuits from the grid, and start powering your home instantly.
Whole house standby generators offer power levels greater than portable generators, ranging from 5 kilowatts up into hundreds of kilowatts. This makes them a good choice for sustained power outages. While the initial cost of a permanent generator is higher than a portable generator, a whole house generator will increase your home's value.
When the power is restored, portable generators need to be turned off manually. A permanent generator will connect you back to the utility power and turn itself off automatically. You don't even have to be home.
This recent installation of a Kohler natural gas standby generator shows how clean and compact today's home generators are. Like a central air conditioner they are installed on a slab near the utility hook up and take up very little space.
Choosing a Residential Generator
Aside from wattage, consider the duration of time you may need emergency power and the fuel source. By selecting which appliances and lighting you want to maintain during a power outage, you can estimate the power requirements of the backup circuits and select a generator that will maintain the wattage for your needs.
Residential generators can run on both natural gas and LP (propane). Your installer will do a simple field adjustment to convert the unit to your available fuel source. A whole house generator will be permanently installed in a location that provides easy access to your home's electric and fuel supply and that minimizes the risk of exhaust fumes entering the home.
Have backup power generator questions? The experts at M/R Plumbing can help you select the best residential generator to fit your family's needs.
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M/R Plumbing Mart Earns Coveted Angie’s List Super Service AwardThank You! To All Our Customers For Giving Us The Opportunity To Serve You in 2011.
 M/R Plumbing Mart has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service and health providers.
On behalf of our family and all of the employees of M/R Plumbing Mart, Inc., I personally would like to thank all of our customers for their business over the last forty years. Throughout the years relationships and friendships have developed that are irreplaceable. It has been our pleasure to serve you in the past and we are at your service for the future.
– Bob Smith
Only a fraction of the businesses rated on Angie’s List can claim the sterling service record of being a Super Service Award winner because we set a high bar,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “The fact that M/R Plumbing Mart can claim Super Service Award status speaks volumes about its dedication to consumers.”
Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their clients and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.
Ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List, but members can find the 2011 Super Service Award logo next to business names in search results on AngiesList.com.
Angie’s List collects consumer reviews on local contractors and doctors in more than 500 service categories. Currently, more than 2 million consumers across the U.S. rely on Angie’s List to help them make the best hiring decisions. Members get unlimited access to local ratings via Internet or phone, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine and help from the Angie’s List complaint resolution service.
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What Causes Low Water Pressure and How To Fix ItLow water pressure can have a wide variety of causes, from simple to complex. Here are some tips to diagnose and cure some common causes of reduced water flow. Clean Your Faucet and Shower Aerator ScreensMineral deposits can often cause faucet aerators to become dirty and eventually reduce the flow of water. By regularly dissembling and cleaning aerator screens you can keep the water flowing freely. White vinegar can be used to dissolve the mineral deposits on faucets and shower heads. Simply soak them for several hours.
Change Your Shower HeadYou can find inexpensive, high-pressure shower heads at your local home center, and that may be all you need to make your shower flow better. If your current shower head has a low-flow head in place, try swapping it out with a regular shower head to increase water pressure.
Check the Valves In Your HomeIf someone in your home has turned off and then turned on a water valve in your home, it may not have been returned to the fully opened position.
Professional Solutions For Low Water Pressure
Once you've tried the methods above to increase your home's water pressure with little to no success, we can help with more problematic water pressure conditions.
One solution is a water pressure booster. A water pressure booster is a water pump that works with your home's existing water supply to increase water pressure.
M/R Plumbing can also help find more serious causes of low water pressure problems. If you have just a single pipe that is leaking, it will affect the water pressure in your house significantly (and raise your utility bill). Try turning off the water supply both inside and outside your home, and then check your water meter. Check the water meter once more a few hour later, and then determine if the water usage has increased. If so, you probably have a leak that needs to be found and repaired.
Another option is to increase the size of the main pipe supplying water to your house. See if you can determine what type of water pipes you have in the home and running to your water meter. Pipe size is an important factor in the amount of water pressure you'll get in your home. The larger the pipes, the more the water pressure, so you may want to consider increasing the size of the main pipe servicing the house.
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2011 Federal Tax Credits For Energy Efficient, Energy Star® Water Heaters
If your old water heater is in need of replacement, replacing them with a new, energy efficient conventional or tankless water heater unit will save you money every month throughout the year. Chicago area residents can also save money on the purchase cost of new water heater systems by taking advantage of 2011 federal tax credits on new, energy efficient water heaters. The rebates vary depending on the type and efficiency of the unit, but can cover 10% of cost up to $500 or a specific amount from $50 - $300.
To quality for these savings you must purchase your new water heater before December 31, 2011. For more information on federal energy tax credits for new, energy efficient furnaces, visit:http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index.
2011 Changes to Federal Tax CreditsFederal tax credits on qualifying water heating equipment have been modified and extended through December 31, 2011 by the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. This program differs from the program effective in 2009-2010 in the following ways:
The maximum amount an eligible homeowner may receive in tax credits for purchasing qualifying products, whether those purchases are in the form of upgraded insulation, windows, HVAC, water heaters equipment or other eligible improvements, will be reduced from $1,500 to $500.
The $500 cap is reduced by the total amount of residential energy property credits a homeowner has claimed for purchases between 2006 and 2010. If you have already claimed credits of $500 or more from improvements made prior to 2011, you will be unable to claim new credits for improvements made during 2011.
The credit is no longer 30% of qualified residential energy property costs (including labor), but is now equal to an amount not to exceed:
The State of Illinois is not offering energy efficiency rebates for home heating or water heaters at this time.
ENERGY STAR® Rated Water HeatersWith water heating accounting for 14%–25% of the energy consumed in the average Chicago area home, choosing an efficient model can have a significant impact on your energy costs.
Gas, oil, propane and electric heat pump water heaters with an Energy Factor greater or equal to 0.82 OR a thermal efficiency of at least 90% can quality for a $300 tax credit.
Remember, the most important day in the life of your furnace or water heater is the day it's installed. M/R Plumbing will help you choose right energy efficient furnace or water heater for your family's needs and budget. With a professional installation you will be comfortable in knowing that your new furnace or water heater will provide years of efficient, trouble free service.
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Remodeling your Kitchen doesn't have to be hard. With planning and the help of the right professionals, you can have a kitchen that fits your style and family's needs. Simply follow these 5 steps to success: 1. Plan your kitchen around your home and lifestyle. Visit M/R Plumbing Mart and browse remodeling websites and magazines to get an idea of the type of kitchen you would like in your home.
2. Have a designer to draw a design to scale, incorporating the way your kitchen is currently used.3. Order your kitchen cabinets, appliances, flooring, lighting, plumbing fixtures, tile, trim and paint in advance so they are onsite.4. Obtain any necessary permits.5. Get your remodeling crew together. You may need an electrician, plumber, HVAC contractor, drywaller, painter, flooring and / or tile installer, demolition crew. |
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