Should I Repair My Appliance or Replace It?

We have all been confronted with an appliance that still works but that is clearly on the fritz. The question then becomes when is it time to call an appliance repair company?

Given that we live in the modern era where most appliances have more circuit boards and electronic components that ever before this question tends to be tricky.

We are happy to tell you that more often than not it is a great idea to have your appliance checked by a trained and certified technician. A technician will be able to provide you with the exact repair price needed to make your appliance operational.

CJ Velasquez, a service representative for Sobellas Home Services  in El Paso, says the amount to repair a broken unit tends to almost always be less than the cost of purchasing a new unit. "A technician will be at your home in no time and have your unit up and running like new for a great rate," CJ says.  "The unit will be running and you will also get a 5-year warranty on your new parts and even a 1-year labor warranty that comes with your parts."

Have knowledge concerning the lifespan of your appliances.

The lifespan of your appliance will consist of various factors. Some of those factors depend on how often you use your appliance a well as how well you maintain them. Our program the customer care club provides our customers with free diagnostic trips should an appliance appear to have an issue. In addition, we also provide a 15% discount towards any repairs. Its programs such as these that will help you extend the life of your appliances. 

The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (interNACHI) gives the following life expectancy years per appliances:

Air Conditioner (window)	5 to 7
Compactor (trash)	6
Dehumidifier	8
Dishwasher	9
Disposal (food waste)	12
Dryer Vent  (plastic)	5
Dryer Vent  (steel)	20
Dryer (clothes)	13
Exhaust Fans	10
Freezer	10 to 20
Gas Oven	10 to 18
Hand Dryer	10 to 12
Humidifier (portable)	8
Microwave Oven	9
Range/Oven Hood	14
Electric Range	13 to 15
Gas Range	15 to 17
Refrigerator	9 to 13
Swamp Cooler	5 to 15
Washing Machine	5 to 15
Whole-House Vacuum System	20

     

If you are still not sure give us a call us at 1-800-617-6235 or visit us at sobellas.com

Does Installing Refrigerated Air Increase the Value of My Home?

As an appliance repair and HVAC company, we receive calls on a daily basis from real estate agents and homeowners looking to increase the chances of selling or renting their properties. In our Texas market, it is evident that most new homeowners or renters are looking for a way to beat the heat and there is no better way than with a central air system.

First off we will examine why central air is outperforming traditional evaporative coolers in El Paso, Las Cruces, and San Antonio. The major factor is that humidity and rising temperatures have made traditional swamp coolers less effective than ever before. For many people, the heat is just too unbearable to deal with and it has made central cooling the industry standard.

Swamp Cooler vs Refrigerated Air

One way that central air systems can also benefit you is by making it friendlier for people that suffer from allergies. With traditional swamp coolers, you are relying on outside influences such as the weather. Refrigerated air, on the other hand, is not affected by outside weather or humidity. In fact, refrigerated air does not pull outside air.

Based on our experience we are confident that there is an excellent chance that not only will refrigerated air increase your home's value but it will also make it easier to sell. Give us a call at your earliest convenience and we will make sure to get you all of the information that you need.

4 TIPS TO GET YOU BACK IN THE GYM AFTER THE HOLIDAYS

The holidays are a beautiful time in the season where many of us gather with our families in celebration. There are gift exchanges, games, and delicious food at our holiday parties. The weather is cold and nothing seems better than drinking hot chocolate with your family while watching a holiday favorite such as (Home Alone, It's a Wonderful Life). It is through all of this excitement and comfort that many of us may get off our exercise routine. In fact according to various studies the average American can gain as much as 20 pounds during the holiday season, Yikes!

Even just a few gained pounds can be a cause for concern for an individual.

The question then becomes how does one get back on track with their fitness?

Let's face it as your humble writer knows it is not easy to get into the gym frequently for a killer workout. Work and family obligations can make saving an hour out of one's day for working out seem like Mission Impossible at times.

Going to the gym is a big commitment and when you take time off of it the tendency to put it on the backburner tends to be very tempting. Some of you may think that you will just start your routine again after New Years and although a tempting proposition it often results in a fail. We are here to give you tips on how to stay on track because you deserve it! 

Tip 1: Carry Your Gym Bag in Your Car

Don't make your gym trip any more difficult that it has to be. If you are always prepared for a workout you will be more likely to get to the gym. There is nothing more time consuming that having to drive to your home to change especially if you live a good distance away from your gym. The guys in the yellow booties recommend that you always carry your headphones as well. There is no bigger disappointment that using the treadmill without something to listen to. 

Tip 2: Don't Lay Down After Work    

Yours truly recommends you going to the gym right after work. I personally have found that if you start to get comfortable after work that it starts to get too easy to avoid the gym. Make it a point to keep your energy level high leading up to the workout. We recommend a pre-workout shake to get you ready for a workout. 

Tip: 3 Get a Training Partner

At times it can be very difficult to motivate yourself. It's especially true if you don't have anyone to answer to. Some people need encouragement to get them on the right path. For me, it helped greatly when I had to prepare for my friend's wedding since I was a groomsman. My friend and I would meet each other at the gym every Friday after work and it did wonders for us.We both lost a lot of weight and got ourselves into great shape. After the wedding, we stopped working out and we are no longer in great shape but we are trying again :)  

Tip: 4  Start Off Slow and Work Your Way Back Up

We live in a time when people want instant results. Unfortunately trying to do too much at one time is often what causes people to get hurt or lose interest. Another thing to watch our for is working out so hard that you end up getting sore the next day. If you get very sore the next day it could dissuade yours from working out. 

Those are the top tips that have helped your appliance repair pros stay fit. Remember if you have any issues with your appliances or HVAC system not cooling call the guys in the yellow booties today. We are available 24/7 on 1-800-617-6235 or online at www.sobellas.com 

Top 5 Reasons Why Your Furnace Is Not Working Correctly

Below the guys in the yellow booties are providing you with the top 5 reasons why your furnace might not be operating correctly and some helpful tips on how you may avoid them from happening.

When the winter hits and the temperature begin to freeze we receive thousands of calls at SoBellas Home Services  It is during the season that our service calls can range from major repairs to simple issues that have a quick fix. We encourage you to read our blogs often so that you may be able to take preventative measures to prevent repairs.

1. No Maintenance: The first and Foremost reason why furnaces have issues are because of a lack of seasonal maintenance. Not maintaining your furnace can also result in costly breakdowns and additionally it also assures that your unit will not be working at optimal levels.We recommend that you select a trained and certified technician to perform your seasonal maintenance. Our customer care club provides our customers with 2 annual inspections along with several discounts that they can take advantage 
2. There is not enough air: If you are not getting enough quality air then this may be because your filters may need to be replaced. Replacing your filters is extremely important because if they are dirty or clogged they will restrict the air that you are able to receive. 
3. The furnace is making a loud noise: When a furnace is making a loud noise that may be indicative of a mechanical malfunction that needs to be checked by a technician. A loud noise could also be indicative of a blower wheel that has stopped working. When this situation occurs it is important to schedule an appointment immediately as this is a major issue.         
4.  Help! My furnace won't turn on: Although this may sound like the worst situation it may actually turn out to be a simple repair. This situation can occur when something is wrong with the thermostat. We recommend checking to see if the batteries are still working. Another thing that you can try is checking the thermostat for debris or dust.       
5. Why are some of my rooms not heating?: This tends to be a common concern that we receive during the winter. We can tell you with confidence that more than likely this is occurring due to your air ducts. It may be possible that you have leaking ducts which could potentially run up your energy bill.

If you are located in El Paso, Las Cruces or San Antonio make sure to call up the guys in the yellow booties for help.

The Origins of the Air Conditioner: Was Willis Carrier a Superhero?

Was William Carrier a Superhero

The origins of air conditioning actually started when a young electrical engineer named Willis Carrier (Sound familiar?) was attempting to solve a humidity problem that a publishing company was encountering. Can you imagine that the A/C was invented by someone trying to solve something completely different? Must be nice to invent something that will revolutionize the world in such a manner. Well, enough of my pondering and back to the story.

In order to fix the moisture, Willis Carrier chilled the air inside the building by blowing it inside chilled pipes. That's it folks that explain's the origins of modern air conditioning. It was a superhero type beginning for a heroic invention. I mean can you imagine not having an A/C living out in the desert.

Now for the fun stuff. Let's now compare how Willis Carrier compares to most modern day superheroes. We will evaluate the following criteria based on the origin story, super power, heroic attributes and most importantly legacy.

Origin Story:

We would say that the origin story does comply with most superhero origins. For one thing, we have the people in distress AKA the printing company in New York, A man transcending from being a normal electrical engineer to establishing himself as a legend

Super Power:

In this case, the people in crisis were printing and lithography professionals. The issue they were experiencing was that humidity created chaos with their color register from printing. Willis clearly had the power of super-intelligence. His design was so innovative and super that it changed the landscape of the world in many ways and its resounding effects are still in effect today.

Heroic Attributes:  

Willis took an opportunity and maximized it. Regardless of his mentality at the time his hard work and dedication have provided the majority of the world with a more comfortable and healthy life.

Legacy:

His legacy speaks for itself the name Carrier is legendary and stands for innovation.
If you are having any issues with your air conditioner or heater visit us at SoBellas.com  

4 Fun Things You Can Do With Your Family on Thanksgiving

A lot goes into a great Thanksgiving.

Tracing a Turkey With Your Hands

A fun activity to do on Thanksgiving and probably the easiest is to have the family trace their hands in the form of a turkey. We assume a lot of you may have experience on this festive activity but just in case we are adding the directions.

1. Make sure you have a sheet of paper. You can be creative with the color and also have some colored pencils or markers handy.
2. Trace your hand onto the paper with your palm down and your fingers spread apart.

Placing your completed turkeys in a scrapbook could be a great way of remembering the day.   

You Can Have A Cookie Decorating Contest 

One of the most entertaining activities that you can partake in this Thanksgiving is a cookie contest. Once you bake your cookies you just need to ensure that you have the following items:

1. Cookie Cutters
2. Color's
3. Painting Brush

Have a blast! and make sure to have prizes for the winners. 

Board Games are Always a Blast

There are several board games that we recommend for you and your family. The best part about board games is that they bring the family together in a competitive and fun way. You will also be sharing a ton of laughs and depending on the game almost all of the ages can participate in one way or another. Some of the guys in the yellow booties favorite games are the following:

1. Monopoly
2. Clue
3. Jenga
4. Life

Arts and Crafts are always a Great Time!

Kids love to be creative and arts and crafts not only provides them with a fun activity but it is also a tremendous learning opportunity. Just because it is arts and crafts does not mean that it has to be something very complicated and time-consuming. There are many great resources online and you can also make it a library trip for you and the kids. 

Remember if you sense any issues with your oven or kitchen appliances do not hesitate to contact your friends over at SoBellas. If you mention that you read this blog on your next call we will make sure to add a discount for you.  

5 Great Ways to Keep Healthy On Halloween

One of the most exciting times of the year for many people is Halloween and who can blame them. A holiday where one can dress up as their favorite superhero as well as eat their favorite candies sounds like a pretty good deal for us. In fact, it is amazing to think that over the years the holiday has started to become embraced by adults just as much as it is by children. Due to the amount of our customers that celebrate Halloween we have come up with 5 great ways to keep healthy during Halloween.

Think to Yourself Do You Really Need to Eat This? 

Keep in mind that a lot of candies can include a high amount of calories. Make sure to read the labels and to most importantly limit your candy consumption. It is also a good idea to purchase low-calorie candies or to supplement them with healthier snack options. There are many fat-free candies that one can choose from. 

Purchase your Goodies a Few Days before Halloween 

Let's face it the earlier you buy your Halloween treats the better chance that you will end up having to make a second trip to buy more. At SoBellas we recommend that you purchase your candies a few days out from Halloween to reduce the temptation that the holiday brings.

If your Kids are Trick or Treating Joining them makes for Great Cardio and a Safer Experience 

Nothing like burning extra calories while getting free treats

Nowadays there are many alternatives to neighborhood trick or treating. There are malls and bazaars that provide fun-filled entertainment for the entire family. If your children are going trick or treating in a neighborhood we suggest that you accompany your child at all times. Not only will you be ensuring their safety but you will also be burning calories at the same time.

Use the Treats as an Opportunity to educate your children on Healthy Eating  

After a fun filled day of trick or treating a fun activity can be to go through every candy that you received. Not only is this a must to make sure that the candy is safe but it can also allow you an opportunity to teach children about the content of each candy. As appliance repair and HVAC experts, we know that there is no substitute for learning opportunities.

The Last Tip That we Have is actually a Series of Tips from our Staff!

Joanna Castaneda (Office Manager) - "Make sure to check your children's candy before they eat them."

Carlos Bernal (Comfort Specialist) - "Stay safe and try not to overeat."

CJ (Office Staff) - "Drive safe!"