If you’re like most Americans, you use anywhere from 65-70 gallons of hot water every day in your shower, sinks, and appliances. That’s quite a workout for your water heater. It’s no wonder, then, that the average traditional water heater (one with a storage tank) only lasts about 8-10 years (tankless water heaters can last twice that long).
Here are some signs you need a water heater upgrade:

1. Diminishing performance. Once your water heater hits its 10th birthday, it may not work as well as it used to. Maybe you notice an uptick in your energy bills – or in unexpected cold showers (invigorating, but not much fun). Replacing your 10-year-old water heater makes more sense than repairing it – especially when you consider the potential energy savings of a today’s high-efficiency models.
   Want to know how old your heater is? Here’s a trick: look for the serial number on the manufacturer’s sticker. The first letter in the serial number corresponds to its month of production; the first two numbers its year of production. For example, in the serial number G082738598, “G”, the seventh letter in the alphabet, corresponds to July, the seventh month. The number “07” represents the year. The water heater was produced in June 2007.
2. Hard Water. What do ugly stains on your flatware, dull clothing and itchy skin have in common? Well, besides the fact that they’re all annoying, they’re also common signs of hard water (water that contains calcium, magnesium, and other minerals) in your home. This highly mineralized water (we have a lot of it here in PA, which is a great reason to consider a water softener – contact us to learn more) can cause lime build up, which can reduce efficiency and shorten the lifespan of your water heater.
3. Rust. If you find rusty water in the tank, it’s a good bet your water heater is rotting on the inside – a problem that could lead to a costly tank failure in the (possibly near) future.
4. Leaks. A leak usually indicates that your tank’s structure has been compromised. If you spot a leak, turn off the tank’s water supply and get your water heater inspected immediately.
5. Unusual sounds. If you hear rumbling noises in your storage tank, don’t call Ghostbusters – call a plumber. These noises are a common sign of efficiency-robbing sediment buildup in your tank – a problem that, if left unattended, can shorten the lifespan of your water heater.

Don’t wait for an unexpected cold shower – contact Ace-Robbins today to learn about water heater options that meet your family’s needs and your budget!

There’s no shortage of sparkling drink options to complement your chocolate covered strawberries this Valentine’s Day – from Champagne, Prosecco, and Asti to Cava, Spumante, and Rosé, you’re sure to find something to celebrate that special day with your special someone.
But if you really want to make a great impression with your Valentine, you have to serve your fizzy treat of choice at just the right temperature –somewhere in the mid to upper 40-degree range (a few degrees up or down could mean the difference between things heating up and getting left flat).
The best way to make sure your bubbly beverage is served up right? Invest in a wine cooler from Ace-Robbins.
We offer freestanding or built-in wine storage solutions from Whirlpool and KitchenAid with capacities ranging from 25 to 60 bottles. Our models sport high-tech features like multi-zone cooling, LED lighting, UV-protected thermal glass, and more – everything you need to make sure you present the perfect potable.
Make your Valentine’s day extra special with a perfectly chilled beverage from your new wine cooler – contact us today to learn more!

You probably know that propane is one of the most versatile ways to power your home, able to power everything from your furnace to your fireplace. But did you know it was also one of the greenest?
That’s because propane is among the cleanest-burning fuels around, which can be a big advantage compared to other fuels – especially electricity.
Compared to electricity, propane:

• Cuts emissions – Propane’s greenhouse gas emissions are significantly lower than coal (which produces more than half of our electricity) and comparable to natural gas (without the hassle or expense of having an external hookup). Compared to electric water heaters, for example, a propane furnace or water heater can reduce home greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent.
• Improves efficiency – Because propane can reach higher temperatures more efficiently than electricity, appliances use less of it to operate. Less fuel means less impact on the planet (and on your heating bill, where propane can cut your bills by 25 percent or more).

Want another “clean” propane advantage? How about this: It doesn’t spill, pool, or leave a residue, which means that in the event of a leak, propane will vaporize and dissipate into the atmosphere rather than potentially damaging your home and property.
Propane – the clean, green fuel alternative! Contact us today to learn more about making the switch in your Pennsylvania home.

Planning on getting a tax refund this year? Why not invest it in your home comfort and peace of mind?
Buying an appliance may not seem like the sexiest thing you can do with your hard earned money, but think of all the ways that it can improve your quality of life at home! Upgrade your home comfort equipment and you’ll enjoy:

• Longer showers – Replace your traditional water heater with a high-efficiency tankless water heater and you’ll get unlimited hot water – and pay less to heat it, too (think about that the next time your teenager takes a 30-minute shower).
• A better – and longer – outdoor entertainment season – Propane can turn your patio and outdoor space into your family’s favorite room – complete with kitchen, a hearth, and gaslights. Add a propane pool heater and propane space heaters and you’ll extend your outdoor season by a month or more, too.
• Happier kids – Besides the whole heated pool thing, your kids will be happy to know that the propane-powered furnace or boiler you bought doesn’t produce greenhouse gasses, so they’ll have cleaner air to breathe when they get older (they’ll thank you for that one day).
• Longer-lasting clothes – Today’s high-tech washing machines and clothes dryers work faster, use less energy, and cause less wear and tear on your favorite duds.
• More peace of mind – When you replace your old air conditioner or heating system with a new model, you’ll not only get better performance – you’ll also get updated warrantee coverage that ensures you’ll enjoy worry-free operation for years to come.
• More money in your pocket every month – Because today’s high-efficiency equipment cost significantly less to operate than older models, you’ll spend less on monthly bills – leaving you more money for other things.

Ready for a quality of life upgrade for your Pennsylvania home? Contact us today to learn about ways to save hundreds of dollars on new equipment!

Early 2018 has been a weather adventure so far, with snow, ice, and 30-degree temperature shifts combining to keep things interesting for your family (and for us).
That kind of “Interesting” keeps us busy as we work day and night to deliver the propane and heating oil that keeps you warm and safe – but to keep those deliveries efficient so everyone gets their fuel when they need it most, we need your help.
Here are the three most important things you can do to help us keep the fuel deliveries coming this winter:

• Clear a path to your fill pipe – If it snows, please try to keep a minimum 12-inch path to your fill pipe clear so we can access it quickly and safely.
• Clear your driveway – One of your biggest obstacles to getting to your fill pipe is navigating our fuel trucks on steep driveways. Safety codes prohibit us from parking a fuel truck on an incline unless it is clear of snow and ice and wheel chocks (the wedges we put under the tires so the truck doesn’t roll back) can be applied safely.
• Don’t wait until the last minute – When fuel is in high demand, our routes get quite busy – which means it’s harder for us to accommodate instant delivery requests. Please call when your tank is no less than a quarter full – or avoid the hassle of calling altogether by signing up for FREE Automatic Delivery.

Did you know that we speed up our delivery schedule when severe weather is forecast so we can get extra delivery runs in ahead of the storm? It’s just one more way we deliver for you. Contact us today to schedule a heating oil or propane delivery, or to join the Ace-Robbins family of satisfied customers!

Last week’s record-setting weather here in Pennsylvania was a great reminder of why it’s so important to have a reliable boiler or furnace – and to know what to do if your heat stops working.
The first part of that equation is mostly about prevention: if you get your heating equipment serviced every year, change your HVAC filters regularly, and replace your heating equipment when it’s sensible to do so, you should be OK even during an extreme weather event like the one we just experienced.
If your equipment doesn’t quite make it through the rigors of an radical cold snap like we just had, however, you’ll need specialists standing by who can handle your heating repairs quickly and safely – and a team that can reliably deliver your heating oil or propane when the demand for fuel Is as extreme as the weather.
If you’re an Ace-Robbins customer, you’ve got that team behind you.

Please troubleshoot before you call

If you find yourself in a no-heat emergency, don’t worry: we’re here round the clock to keep your family safe. But before you contact us, it pays to take a few minutes to troubleshoot your system and potentially save yourself the cost of a house call.
If your heating system isn’t working, try these four things before calling for service:

1. Make sure your tank is at least 1/8 full
2. Make sure all emergency valves or switches are in their “on” or “start” positions.
3. Check the fuse or circuit breaker that controls your heating system; look for a blown fuse or a tripped breaker and replace / reset as needed.
4. Confirm that your thermostat is set at least five degrees above the current room temperature and that the “heat” setting is engaged. Please note: For warm air systems, if you adjust the thermostat and the fan doesn’t start, it could indicate that your burner is not igniting. Press the reset button on the burner only once; if it does not reset, contact us for service.

If you do all of the above and your heat still doesn’t work, contact us right away and we’ll send a technician to get your system up and running as quickly as possible.
Let Ace-Robbins keep your family safe and warm this winter with expert service – including 24/7 emergency repairs. Contact us today to learn more about our services for your PA home!

A heating system upgrade can reduce your annual energy bill by 30-40% – which means it could pay for itself in just a few short years.
Now you can make that payback come even quicker, thanks to Upgrade & Save PA.
With the Upgrade & Save Pennsylvania Energy Efficiency and Safety Rebate program, you could get:

• Up to $500 when you replace or upgrade an existing oil-fired furnace or boiler to a higher-efficiency model*
• Up to $250 when you replace an existing aboveground heating oil tank with a new aboveground model*

Upgrade & Save PA rebates are available on a first-come, first-served basis and for a limited time only, so don’t put off your heating equipment one more day! Contact Ace Robbins and make your upgrade happen today!
*Two rebates per household. Maximum value $750. Other restrictions may apply.

The holidays are upon us, and as we prepare to close the book on 2017, we here at Ace-Robbins wanted to take a moment to thank you for trusting us to keep your family safe and comfortable this year.
We would also like to remind you that – as always – we’re here to serve you this holiday season. Whether you need a delivery of heating oil or propane, repairs for your furnace or boiler, or any other service we offer, just call and we’ll be there!
Thanks again for choosing Ace-Robbins. We wish your family joy, health and success this holiday season and in the year ahead!

If you’re in the market for a propane supplier, you may find there are many options to choose from. The question is, how do you separate the legitimate candidates from the also-rans?
Here are four questions to help you separate the wheat from the chaff among your propane supplier choices.

1. Do you have any fees or incentives for new customers?
   All propane dealers are required to collect surcharges for certain aspects of propane delivery, but some suppliers tack on as much as five or six times as much as they need to when they deliver your propane. Some discounters go the other direction and offer great introductory prices at first, only to raise their prices once you’re a committed customer. Ace-Robbins offers fair, competitive prices and low surcharges on every gallon of propane we sell you from day one on, plus delivery discounts – a big reason why we keep 95 percent of our customers every year.
2. What other services do you provide besides propane delivery?
   A propane discounter may offer low prices on propane. But do they offer the exceptional support you need to keep your family safe and comfortable all year long – or convenient ways to make your bill paying easier and less stressful? We do. From economical preventative maintenance plans that help keep your equipment running at peak efficiency and minimize costly repairs to our EZ Pay Plan, which makes bill paying more predictable and budget planning a breeze, Ace-Robbins delivers more value to you every day.
3. Will you help me manage my propane usage?
   Your life is busy enough without having to worry about keeping an eye on your propane fuel gauge or remembering to schedule a propane gas delivery – but many propane suppliers offer no remedy for those burdens. They’ll simply come when you call – except when you don’t, at which point you’ll pay for emergency delivery and a propane system re-start. You can avoid all of those hassles as an Ace-Robbins customer by signing up for FREE automatic delivery, which monitors your propane usage and schedules your propane delivery as soon as you need it.
4. How will you help me have peace of mind?
   This is probably the most important question to ask your potential propane supplier. To us, peace of mind is all about making your life easier and more predictable – something we work hard to do for all our customers. With Ace-Robbins, you’ll rest easy knowing that:
   • We have an ample supply of propane on hand and available for you.
   • Your propane will be delivered by a highly trained team of professionals who put your safety first, using a fleet of well-maintained trucks that stay on the road in any weather.
   • Your propane deliveries and heating system are backed by a team of professionals that offer safe deliveries, expert maintenance and 24/7/365 emergency service.
   • You have convenient, flexible options and services such as EZ Pay and automatic delivery to help make managing your heating bills and fuel deliveries easy.
   • You’re part of the Ace-Robbins family.

Looking for more reasons to become an Ace-Robbins propane customer? Call us and ask – we’re happy to talk with you about joining the Ace-Robbins family.

You can learn a lot about a retailer by the brands they carry.
Take us, for example: one of the major brands we sell is Whirlpool – a company born and raised in Benton Harbor, Michigan, right in the heart of the USA.
Why do we choose Whirlpool? Well, for starters, it’s a brand that we can relate to – one that has been synonymous with quality, service, and fair pricing since Louis Upton and his uncle Emory opened its doors (or at least the doors of what would become the Whirlpool Corporation) in 1911.
Since then it’s done pretty well for itself – so well, in fact, that it has become the world’s largest home appliance maker. Perhaps more importantly for us, it’s done all of that while retaining its headquarters in Benton Harbor. And it has done it while staying true to the values of its founders: the company has been named by Fortune Magazine as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies for seven consecutive years.
Chances are, you have a Whirlpool product somewhere in your home right now (if you don’t, we can help you with that!) under one of its North American brands –  including Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Gladiator and others. That’s a good thing: most of those products come from one of the company’s nine U.S. manufacturing plants, where 28,000 employees work every day to the products that make your life easier and better.
The bottom line: if you want to buy a quality, American-made appliances for your home, you can’t do much better than Whirlpool – expertly installed by the pros at Ace-Robbins, of course.
Get top-quality, high efficiency home appliances from Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag and more from Wyoming County’s leader in expert in home appliance installation: Ace-Robbins. Contact us today to learn more.