Serving the Community Since 1939

Does the air in your Albany, New York, home always feel dry during the winter months? Do you wonder if a humidifier would help? Are you worried that the dry air is affecting your family’s health? Dry air in your home may be more of an issue than you realize.

During the summer, the warmer air holds moisture but during the winter months cold dry outside air infiltrates the house and couple that with the fact that we heat our homes causing hot air to rise and the dry colder air to settle into the lower areas of your house.  This is what causes the house to feel so dry. Read more »

The winter is all about staying cozy indoors while the snow and frigid temps continue to wreak havoc outside of your window. We do our best to keep our homes tightly closed to keep the cool air out.

However, in our efforts to keep the warm air in, we begin to feel the effects of dry and stale air during the winter season.

Unlike cooking odors, many contaminants are odorless and go undetected by the human nose yet are affecting your indoor air quality. We readily adapt to smells, so your nose isn’t a very reliable indicator of indoor air quality. Read more »

Now that winter is here it’s a good time to be aware of the most common problems with your heating system or furnace.

You know the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That’s true for most things, but not for your HVAC system.   It pays to have your furnace or boiler serviced each year.

By the time you contact a qualified HVAC company like Crisafulli Bros. for a “simple” repair, there may be significant unseen damage to your system which may have been prevented. Here are 5 most common heating and furnace problems we uncover during a routine repair or service call. Read more »

Depending on the internal quality of parts in water heater and whether you have followed maintenance schedule of draining and flushing the tank every year.  You can expect a hot water heater to last between 8 to12 years

Water heater problems normally become self-evident: A hot water faucet fails to summon hot water, you see dripping or puddles near the water heater, or the tank emits strange gurgling or popping sounds. These are a few warning signs telling you when your hot water heater needs replacing. Read more »

Jack Frost is nipping at your wallet: prices to keep your home warm this winter will be higher. In some areas, it will approach up to $200 more than last year.

Forecasters have determined that New Yorkers will be seeing winter conditions very similar to last year, including below-freezing temperatures and massive snowstorms.  So, why is it that even though the weather conditions will be similar, the amount of your heating bill won’t be? Read more »

When winter falls on New York, it’s important to ensure your heating system can handle it. It’s time to schedule your residential or commercial heating system tune-up.

Similar to getting routine oil changes and tire rotations for your car, your heating system is a machine that needs to be maintained in order to run properly. For your heating system to function properly, you should schedule a routine tune-up service once a year to reduce utility costs and to extend the life of your heating system. It’s best to schedule a tune-up prior to significant weather changes, like fall to winter. Read more »

Its called Crisafulli Brothers Plumbing and Heating, but the head of the company is a woman. [From News Channel 13, WNYT]

The fall season in New York is beautiful. The leaves start turning, the cooler temperatures make walking the streets enjoyable, and the holiday spirit is in the air and in the shop windows reflect the season. Nothing beats a crisp, fall day in New York.

What health problems can be caused by indoor mold?

However, with this welcome change of season comes not-so-pleasant elements that bring upon indoor mold and increased allergens.  The presence of mold in the air is normal. On the other hand, one should not let mold grow and multiply indoors. When this happens there is an increasing risk of potential health problems. Read more »

Your heating system is a warming system that provides heat to your home or business from a primary heating appliance, typically a furnace or boiler often located in the basement or utility room. The heat is then distributed to other locations in the building through a network of pipes, tubing or ducts.

While central heating systems date back to the Roman Empire where they used what was called a “hypocost” which pushed warm air from furnaces throughout empty space under floors and through pipes in walls, today the most common types of central heating systems are “Dry Central Heating” (or “Forced Air”) and “Wet Central Heating” (or “Hydronic”). Read more »

Preventing frozen pipes is of course much easier than dealing with them after the fact!   When pipes freeze, the water inside expands and the expansion leaves them at risk of bursting. This is of particular concern for those that winter in the warmer climates or are away for an extended amount of time.

Here are some steps to help prevent pipes from freezing during the winter months, especially if you are traveling.

1. If you are planning to be out of town for an extended period of time, to prevent pipes from freezing be sure to turn off the main shut-off valve to your water supply and drain your faucets. If your home has separate shut-off valves for each outdoor faucet, do not forget to turn each one off as well as the main supply valve.  Remember to turn your hot water heater off before turning of the main water valve however.
2. Another good rule of thumb to prevent pipes from freezing is Read more »