Emergency Shut Off

When Disaster Strikes, Here’s How to Strike Back

By observing a few simple emergency shut-off procedures, you can help protect your and your family during a natural disaster.

When Mother Nature comes calling with anything other than sweet sunshine and balmy temperatures, you have cause for concern. Especially when “she” decides to send the extreme stuff, like an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, and other such pleasantries.

So what’s a homeowner to do? Well, as your preferred plumbing resource, Rapid Service would like to offer a few ideas on how, when and why to turn off your main water and power supplies.

Water Shut-Off Procedures

Following a natural disaster, conduct a visual inspection for leaks in your various plumbing systems. Also, check your water supply lines by turning water faucets on and off. If the cold water stops running, runs very slowly after a few seconds, or is dirty, you most likely have a leak.

In that event, you’ll want to shut off your main water supply. There are two basic means:

· Turn off the water where it enters the house…in many homes, there’s a valve just below your main outdoor faucet;
· Or, you can shut down your water supply by turning the valve attached to your water meter.

Water valves either have round or lever-type handles. With a lever, you only have to make a one-quarter turn to shut off your water. Round handles are typically harder to turn, so you may have to give it a few tries. To turn off your water, turn the handle clockwise. And if you don’t have a main water shut off, you should have one installed.

Power Shut-Off Procedures

In the immediate aftermath of a major disaster, do not turn lights on or off or use matches if you have gas heat! Instead, use flashlights to check for gas leaks to prevent an explosion or fire. If you do hear or smell a leak, shut off your gas valve and immediately open your doors and windows to vent the accumulated gas.



Also, if you hear sparking sounds or see or smell smoke, then you need to turn off your electrical power. If your house has fuses, you’ll find a knife switch or pull-out fuse that should be marked “Main.” If you have a circuit breaker, turn off the small breakers first, and then the “Main” breaker. But whatever you do, never remove the metal cover.

Want to Know More?

For more information on how to protect your home following a natural disaster, call us today.

Visit our website at rapidservicellc.com for a $25 coupon that can be used toward any repair work or new installation.

Rapid Service LLC. We’re great to have: “Around the House.”

Switching to Circuit Breakers

There’s Life in the Old Fuse Box Yet.
However…


…is it still giving you all the electrical power you need? Here’s a look at why it might be time to switch from a fuse box to a circuit breaker panel.

For starters, fuses and circuit breakers are designed for the exact same purpose: to help prevent electrical fires caused by an excess of current running through a circuit.

Fuses stop the excess flow of electricity in its tracks, and then have to be replaced. Conversely, too much electrical current causes a circuit breaker to shut off automatically. Then, all you have to do is pull a lever, and on again comes the power.

So is that it? As in, is there no other advantage to a circuit breaker than the relative convenience of switching power back on vs. buying and replacing a fuse? The answer is a simple “no.” There are, in fact, additional reasons why you might want to consider upgrading to a circuit breaker system, no matter how long that old fuse box has safely and surely served your household power demands.

To make the best possible decision, start by taking a fresh look at your fuse box, especially if you’ve recently purchased your home. If your home has 60 amp power or less, and all you see are 30 or 20 amp fuses, chances are the original fuses were blowing frequently, and the previous owners opted to replace them with heavier fuses than are recommended or safe. There’s a case where you definitely need to upgrade to a circuit breaker system.

What’s more, circuit breakers offer double the protection of fuses. A fuse receiving too much power is designed to blow, thereby shutting down the current. But a breaker is designed to trip, and if that fails, there’s a "fuse-like" strip inside that will burn out.

Finally, fuse box systems were not designed to provide adequate power for today’s high tech home environment, especially larger homes with every kind of electronic gadget known to man. There are four basic types of circuit breaker installations, all of which provide a steadier and more reliable flow of power for your family’s growing needs. The first two are used for 220-volt service. One is double width and provides two wire connections. The other looks like a normal 110-volt breaker, although it’s actually two 110-volt breakers in one system with a connector so both wires are tripped together. The other two types are for 110V.

Bottom line, if you’ve been thinking about upgrading your current electrical system, there are many possible solutions. Which one is right for you? That’s what the professionals at Rapid Service are here to answer.

Visit our website at rapidservicellc.com for a $25 coupon that can be used toward any repair work or new installation.

Thanks for sharing a few minutes with us…“Around the House.”

Hard Water

“All water is not created equal.”

Here’s some information on a common water problem that exists in 85% of the households in the United States. What to look for and how to make it go away.

There are plenty of problems commonly associated with well and city water supplies. Too many to properly address in this issue of “Around the House.” Instead, we will focus on the most common water problem our customers currently face: Hard Water.

What is hard water? Water is considered hard if it contains high levels of calcium and magnesium. If you’ve ever seen drinking glasses washed in hard water, you’ve probably noticed the milky haze that won’t rinse away. Or you’ve seen the whitish scale deposits on your faucets, shower doors or tea kettle. That’s because hard water reacts with soap and causes scale to form on all surfaces in contact with the water. What’s worse is the damage the hard water can inflict by causing scale to build up inside pipes, faucets and appliances such as water heaters, washing machines and dish washers.

The problems caused by hard water are not limited to plumbing and appliances. Hard water affects laundry with increased detergent use, faster fading of colors or yellowing of whites and shortened fabric life. Bathing and showering in hard water will dry out and dull skin and hair.

The waste hard water creates each year cost many hundreds of dollars in appliance and plumbing repairs, extra laundry detergent, fabric softeners, fabrics that lose their usefulness, household cleansers, soaps, shampoos and conditioners, etc…

But now, Rapid Service can help rid of your home of hard water problems with a brand new and highly effective water softener. New technology has made today’s water softeners more efficient and compact than their predecessors. They require little if any maintenance and provide many years of dependable service. In fact, a water softener will pay for itself many times over with all the savings it will generate. One of the immediate benefits you will notice is how soft and smooth your skin and hair will feel. Once you live with soft water you’ll wonder how you ever did without it.

Visit our website at rapidservicellc.com for a $25 coupon that can be used toward any repair work or new installation.

“Around the House,” it’s just one more way Rapid Service can help.

Child Safety

A Few Words About Child Safety!

There are many ways to protect your children from electric shock…some obvious, and some not so obvious. We hope the following information helps.

The proper and safe use of electricity is indispensable to our daily lives. But the truth is, an electric shock CAN KILL YOU. And a small flow of electricity is enough to stop your heart.

Adults have the good sense and knowledge to take all necessary precautions. For our children, we need to be especially cautious.

So if you have young ones around the house, a good place to start is with electric outlet covers….before your children start to explore them with outreached hands!

Here’s a list of additional safety precautions we hope you find useful…from the professionals at Rapid Service:

· Teach older children to pull out a plug by the plug, not the cord;

· Teach all children that power tools are not toys;

· Unplug seldom used appliances when not in use;

· Always use a transformer when using electric cords outside;

· Never remove the third grounding prong from electrical plugs;

· Ensure your home has a current electrical safety Certificate of Compliance;

· Replace any damaged or frayed cords;

· Don't run power cords under carpeting;

· Extension cords should be heavy enough to handle an appliance;


· Teach your child to wait until a light bulb is cool before touching it;



· Teach your child not to touch any appliance with wet hands.

As you look for ways to childproof your house, how about calling Rapid Service for an in-home electrical safety inspection! You’ll sleep better at night knowing your home and your children are as safe as can be.

Visit our website at rapidservicellc.com for a $25 coupon that can be used toward any repair work or new installation.

Just one more way we’re able to assist you “Around the House.”

Ask for Credentials

Put Up, or…Don’t Bother Coming In!

In these crazy times, a little bit of caution can go a long, long way. That’s why we urge you to ask every single contractor – including us – for proper identification before allowing a company technician into your home.

Usually, we like to talk about accomplishments and capabilities, and how we can best put them to use on your behalf. After all, to earn your business, we have to give you all the right reasons.

Well, that includes our ability to demonstrate not just our workmanship and quality products, but our hiring and on-the-job practices. You have a right to know. More than that, its’ your right to demand from us the highest of professional standards.

So with nothing but your family’s wellbeing in mind, we encourage you to observe the following screening measures:

• When interviewing prospective contractors, pay attention to how they answer your questions. A good contractor will listen carefully and not rush you into decisions.

• Are they licensed and insured? Demand proof! And if you’re still in doubt, check with the Better Business Bureau.

• How well experienced are they, and what do they have for references? Don’t be afraid to ask…it will help to eliminate potential problems down the road.

• When a service technician shows up at your door, don’t allow anyone inside that you’re not expecting. And even if you are expecting someone, ask the contractor for the name of the technician first, and then ask for proper identification when he or she arrives.

• Before the credibility of a field technician even becomes an issue, ask your contractor to explain their hiring practices. At Rapid Service, for example, we run thorough background checks on every individual we consider for employment.

• Always get an up-front cost estimate. For us, that’s standard practice. Plus, we honor every approved estimate, even if the job is more involved or takes more time than we anticipated.

All pretty common sense ideas…but often times, many of us are too focused on the end result to pay proper attention to the process that will lead us there.

We hope you’ve found this information useful.

Visit our website at rapidservicellc.com for a $25 coupon that can be used toward any repair work or new installation.

We hope to see you again soon…“Around the House.”

Garbage Disposal Upkeep

The Care and Feeding of Your Garbage Disposal.

Garbage disposals are designed to last only about 10 years. But here’s information on how you can forestall its inevitable demise!There are a number of events that signal the end of a garbage disposal. Here’s one of the more common: it rusts out on the bottom, and water starts spewing underneath your sink and onto the kitchen floor every time you turn it on.

Can rust be avoided in the first place? Absolutely, and simply by running the disposal every time you put food in it. Otherwise, the acid and oils from standing food will eventually eat through the seals. Also, when you run the disposal, always use cold water. Hot water dissolves fats and grease, but then it deposits them in your drainpipes where it accumulates before causing a clog.

Here are some additional tips for maintaining your disposal:

· Run cold water for 30 seconds or more after turning the disposal off to thoroughly wash ground-up food down the drain.

· You can grind almost any food waste, but don't try to grind really fibrous foods like onion skins, celery stalks or asparagus.


On the other hand, ice and eggshells can actually help clean the disposal.

· If the disposal won’t run, check the circuit breaker or fuse and replace or reset as necessary. Also check to see if the overload switch has tripped. Find the reset button at the bottom of the disposal unit and push it.

· If the motor hums but the disposal doesn't run, you may have a jammed impeller, and that’s a repairable problem.

· If the disposal runs intermittently, the switch or stopper may be defective…if so, you’ll need to replace it.

· A leaky garbage disposal isn’t necessarily a sign of rust. The cause might be as simple as a loose connection, which can readily be tightened.

· How about that all-too-familiar racket a disposal can sometimes make? When you hear it, chances are you’re trying to grind up something your disposal wishes you wouldn’t. The result could be a damaged blade, impeller or motor. But don’t be too quick to repair, since it’s highly likely that it would cost less to replace..

Bottom line, once a disposal stops doing a good job of grinding, or starts to leak, that's usually the ball game. Give it a little loving care, however, and you might get a few extra innings.

In the meantime, the professionals at Rapid Service are available for any kitchen plumbing repair job. Visit our website at rapidservicellc.com for a $25 coupon that can be used toward any repair work or new installation.

Just one more way we’re helping to make life a little easier, “Around the House.”

Your House as a System - It's Alive!

A house is sort of like the human body. It’s made up of multiple components that together create an ultimate living environment.

Take your water heater, home cooling and heating systems, for example. These are your most obvious “comfort keepers.” But even with the most modern and energy efficient of equipment, you still have other things to consider before you can realize maximum indoor comfort and energy savings.

Here are two examples that help illustrate the point:

· Your high-efficiency furnace won't run at peak performance without adequate weather-stripping around windows and doors. Same goes for the insulation in your walls and attic.

· High-efficiency windows won't solve your home's condensation problems if they weren’t properly sealed or insulated. Home condensation also depends on fine tuning the humidifier in your furnace, and the proper venting of bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans.

The fact is, we keep making changes to our homes. We install new furnaces, cooling systems, exhaust fans, and the air ducts these systems require to move warm or cool air from one point to another. The cleaner your ducts, the smoother the air flow. Later, we buy new and improved washers and dryers, dishwashers, computers, extra bathrooms, and even hot tubs and aquariums. These produce moisture and heat that most houses are not designed to remove.

The point is, all these increasingly common household conveniences interact with each other, and sometimes in ways that can cause serious problems. Mold and moisture damage, carbon monoxide poisoning, large energy losses, long-term health effects, and malfunctioning equipment are just a few examples of what can go wrong.

That’s why the professionals at Rapid Service take a holistic approach to providing for your family’s year-round indoor comfort. Recommending a new or replacement heating or cooling system isn’t just about the system itself. It’s about your home, everything in it, and how you and your family occupy your time indoors.

So with a change of seasons just around the corner, perhaps this is the perfect time to determine just how efficient your home “system” is running. To that end, we invite you to contact Rapid Service for:

· A thorough inspection of your heating or cooling system; or,

· A replacement heating or cooling system; or,

· A replacement water heater.

Visit our website at rapidservicellc.com for a $25 coupon that can be used toward any repair work or new installation.

Rapid Service “Around the House,” we’re at the top of our game.

Power Surges: They Can Zap More than Your Patience!

By paying a little attention to surge suppression now, you can avoid major headaches later on.

Of all the things that can go wrong in your home, power surges are not the most dangerous, costly, or harrowing. That’s the good news.

But on the flip side, power surges can be downright annoying…and costly! And if the holiday season brought brand new electronic – and expensive! – “toys” to your home, then you could be especially vulnerable.

A power surge is a relatively long burst of high voltage that can cause substantial damage to sensitive electronic equipment and even major appliances like your refrigerator or dishwasher. There are several external factors that can trigger the start of a power surge, including: lightning, downed trees, neighbors using heavy duty power equipment…even squirrels doing their “high wire” acrobatics.

Of course, stuff like this happens all the time, so why aren’t there more power surges? Because lots of folks (and we hope you’re among them) have taken the proper precautions. Fact is, you’re far less likely to experience a power surge if your wiring is up to code and major appliances are properly grounded.

Next, you can greatly enhance your home defenses with surge protectors. There are basically two types:

• Exterior Surge Protector – is installed between your outside meter and your home and provides around-the-clock protection against high-voltage spikes before they can do damage.

• Interior Surge Protector - is installed inside your home to provide added protection for your more sensitive electronic equipment….think of it as a second line of defense for phones, answering systems, computers, AV equipment, and more. We can match each such diverter to the equipment and the pathway you need to protect.

Of course, like anything else, not just any surge protector will do. That’s why Rapid Service recommends you insist on these minimum requirements:

• Joule Rating of 500 or Higher – This is the energy dissipation rate. The higher the rating, the better the protection.

• Response Time of 5 Nanoseconds or Less – Response time is literally that…the amount of time it takes a surge protector to react to the power surge. Anything at or under 5 nanoseconds should be sufficient.

• Surge Protection Rating: UL 1449

• EMI/RFI Noise Filtration

How well wired is your home? If you’re even a little unsure, we encourage you to call Rapid Service today for a complete in-home wiring inspection. That way, we can take corrective action if and where needed, and before a major problem occurs.

Visit our website at rapidservicellc.com for a $25 coupon that can be used toward any repair work or new installation.

Just one more way we can assist you “Around the House.”