Arlinghaus offers tips for getting your home ready for warmer weather

You’ve probably noticed Arlinghaus Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning’s blue and pink vans, or the pink shirts of its technicians in your neighborhood. They’re pretty hard to miss.

But that pink color also has a meaning.

“What sets us apart from our competition is also the reason we wear pink,” says Brian Arlinghaus, owner and founder of the company. “We hire on character, and we train in the Arlinghaus system. That means working together as a team, providing the best quality solutions and always delivering a five-star experience for our customers.”

It’s been a formula for success for this Erlanger-based company, which is family-owned and operated by Brian Arlinghaus and his wife, Heather. Since its inception in 2008, Arlinghaus has serviced the entire Greater Cincinnati area including up to 20 miles north of the Interstate 275 loop as well as all of Northern Kentucky. It now employs over 85 associates.

“But that will probably grow up to 100 by summer,” Arlinghaus says. “We provide heating and cooling products and services that create even temperatures, clean air and humidity control throughout your home. We also assist homeowners with maintenance and upkeep of their plumbing systems, including water heater replacement.”

Now that warmer weather is just around the corner, it’s a great time to assess the impact winter has had on the plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems of your home. Naturally, Arlinghaus offers some common-sense advice on getting your home prepared for the warmer weather.

“The most common mistake homeowners make with air conditioning is to procrastinate, which is something we all do,” says Arlinghaus. “But if you wait until the last minute when the weather is already hot, all HVAC companies are very busy. They may not be able to get out there as quickly, because they have on-demand calls.”

That’s when homeowners can make bad decisions in terms of the service and repair of their air conditioning system, Arlinghaus notes.

“Remember, the busiest part of our season is always the first heat wave,” says Arlinghaus. “That’s why we always recommend that you have us come out before you turn the system back on.”

If a heat wave hits and you find that your air conditioning system is not working properly, you might not be able to get the contractor that you want. Or you may not be able to get the same degree of service.

“You’re putting yourself in a position where you do not have as many choices,” says Arlinghaus, “especially if you remember having issues last summer that you may have forgotten about over the winter. And there is still a lot of wear and tear on air conditioners even when they have just been sitting there all winter.

“We’re going through things like the refrigerant levels and electrical controls. We’re making sure the coils are clean and are able to keep the system cool while it’s running. If you have dirty filters, dirty coils or electrical parts that are failing, it can also cause a lot of wear and tear on the entire system and eventually wear out the compressor.”

There are some homeowners who are exceptionally handy who might be able do the small amount of maintenance needed, Arlinghaus admits.

“But we also get calls from people who attempt to service a system and make common mistakes,” he adds. “People may fry electrical boards when trying to replace a thermostats, or they may have a filter that is jammed up into the system.”

Aside from keeping the system up and running a licensed HVAC professional can often spot trouble before it causes a system wide failure.

“The easiest way to put this in understandable terms is to compare it to getting the oil changed in your car,” says Arlinghaus. “You change the oil to prolong the life of the engine. That way your car is working for you not against you. And you get the best return on investment.

“It’s exactly the same with a heating and air conditioning system. You want to get the best return on your investment. Regular maintenance actually pays for itself because it prevents less costly repairs, and you will also realize savings on your energy bills.”

While the air conditioning system is the most obvious item to check with warmer weather around the corner, it’s also a good time to check plumbing, sump pumps and hot water heaters, says Arlinghaus.

“In spring, the ground is always very saturated, especially if we have a lot of rain. If you have water coming into your house, or a sump pump is failing, it can cause a lot of water damage, especially if you have a finished basement,” says Arlinghaus. “In winter, people tend to use a lot more hot water. So we also see a lot of water heater replacements coming out of the winter season.”

Replacing a water heater can be a tricky operation, especially if you have a gas heater.

“Depending on the house, and how the flue is hooked up, sometimes you can get a backwards flow where you have carbon monoxide drafting back into the home,” Arlinghaus explains. “So you need to make sure you have the proper draft and flue sizing, because it is a health and safety issue.”

While Arlinghaus performs a lot of water heater replacements in spring, the problem is often not that severe.

“A lot of times we’ll come out and simply flush the tank to remove sediments,” Arlinghaus says. “Then the system will work just fine. But if you have done servicing and flushing, and are still not getting hot water, you may have a larger problem.”

Spring is also a good time to check your outdoor plumbing fixtures, which may have been damaged by the cold weather.

“As homeowners hook up hoses to outside faucets to wash their cars or water their lawns, they may notice that the faucet is cracked and leaking,” says Arlinghouse.

Which can once again cause water to leak in and around the foundation of your home, which can actually lead to structural failure of the foundation.