The Pump Products Home Holiday Checklist

Get on point to keep your home warm, comfortable and dry.
Get on point to keep your home warm, comfortable and dry.

It’s time to talk turkey. And wreaths. And Christmas presents. Ready or not, the holidays are just a few weeks away. Whether you’re hosting a holiday party or spending quality time with your nearest and dearest, you’ll want to stay comfortable and keep energy costs down. Pump Products staff suggest you check off a few basic home maintenance tasks before you start celebrating:

Check Your Furnace Inspect and tune up your furnace now to ensure it is running smoothly when your guests arrive. Change the oil filter, clean dust and oil from the burner motor, check the master switch and electrical cable and, if someone asks you what you want for Christmas, a Suntech Oil Burner Pump would be a good suggestion as some models can reduce oil consumption up to 20%.

Keep Air Vents Clear Make sure curtains, furniture, suitcases or coats aren’t blocking your heating vents. Stifling the air supply can cause your furnace or heat pump to work harder, waste more energy and incur more wear.

Check Your Circulator Pump Circulator pumps move hot water through your home so keeping these pumps operational is essential to maintaining comfort and the normal functioning of your plumbing and/or heating system. If you aren’t sure what to look for and live in an area that’s prone to freezing temperatures, call a professional.

Avoid Using Space Heaters Portable heating units can be dangerous if used improperly or negligently. If certain rooms in your home are colder than others, make a note to have your air flow system checked or think about installing a zoning system in the New Year. Having an individual thermostat control for each room in your home saves energy by allowing you to fine-tune the temperature in rooms that are heavily used and limiting heat in rooms that are not.

Pace Showers If you have a traditional tank water heater and plan to have a house full of guests, spacing out showers will help to prevent your hot water from running out. You might also consider installing a recirculating pump by Laing, Armstrong, Grundfos, Taco or Bell & Gossett to ensure that warmed water is immediately available at every outlet in your home.  With the right model for your system you will never run out of hot water and can reduce energy costs year-round.

Tune Up the Toilet An overflowing, constantly running or sweating toilet can be a holiday downer. Take care of poor flushing action or a toilet that acts up well in advance of a holiday get-together. While most plumbing problems are relatively easy to fix, major problems, such as back-ups into the home require the attention of a trained tech.  Homeowners experiencing chronic sewage ejector pump clogging might consider installing a grinder pump. Zoeller’s Shark Model 800 Grinder Pump is designed to provide maximum efficiency and grinding power in a residential-grade unit that can be plugged directly into a standard residential 115-volt outlet, eliminating the wiring problems encountered when installing a 2HP grinder pump in a home.

Observe the 24 Hour Rule If you plan to be away from home for more than 24 hours, set your home thermostat to at least 65 degrees. A lower temperature may not keep pipes from freezing if you live in a very cold area. And how about texting your sump pit to find out what the water level is while you’re away? Or getting an IM when the power goes out during a blizzard? Blue Angel’s BCPA1 Sump Pump Alarm will text you real time updates on the status of your sump pit while you’re away from home. Now is the time to add one to your holiday wish list.

It’s good to have confidence in your home whether you’re celebrating in it or away from it. Taking these and other common sense measures will help you enjoy the holidays with peace of mind.

To speak with a Pump Products expert about any of our hydronic plumbing or heating products, call: 1-800-429-0800