HVAC 4 u

Insulate Areas that Seem Out of Reach

KMiller — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:16 +0000

Are you looking for a way to save money without spending a lot of money? Improving the insulation in your home is a great way to invest a little and get a big return. However, if your old home is lacking insulation in areas besides the attic and crawl space, you may find is more costly to install more traditional forms of insulation in the finished walls of the home. These areas can’t be neglected but they also can’t be torn down and rebuilt at a reasonable cost. You need to look into blown-in insulation instead. Ease of installation and flexibility are what this type of insulation has over the traditional batts and rolls.

Leaky House Loses

Blown-in insulation can be installed quickly into nearly any space. A fresh layer can be spread over old batts and rolls in the attic or crawl space. Leaky walls can be packed full within a matter of a couple hours and the results will last for years and years. You will eliminate leaks and drafts that are common in homes that suffer from heat loss in the winter and heat gain during the summer. This could help you conserve the heat and cooling that you pay so much for every month and with the savings you will recoup the lost cost of the insulation installation within a couple of seasons. Don’t let a leaky house hold you back from saving big bucks

Hot Water Tank Maintenance Tips

KMiller — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:59 +0000

When was the last time you had your hot water tank cleaned? Do you hear a popping noise? Do you seem to run out of hot water faster than before? Does your water seem to not be as hot? These can all be symptoms of a hot water tank in need of a cleaning. It is also possible that your hot water tank needs to be flushed. Hot water tanks are usually very durable and have a long life expectancy. However, just like your furnace, your hot water tank needs to be maintained. So when you are calling in to have your furnace cleaned also ask about having your hot water tank cleaned as well. Spending a little money now, can save you a large repair or replacement bill. Don’t wait until you have a problem or a leak.

Steps to Maintenance:

Turn Tank Off
Replace Anode- The anode protects the tank from corrosion and it should be changed every 4 to 7 years
Check for Leaks- Leaks at the bottom of the tank typically mean that the tank has corroded through and needs to be replaced. Other leaks may be solved by tightening valves or having a pro take a look.
Drain Water Heater- Over the years, sediment builds up inside the water tank and can obscure the burners. This is what could be causing your insufficient heat problems and it can be solved by a simple draining once a year.
Refill
Check Temperature- The temperature level of the hot water tank can either save or waste your money. Try setting the temperature back to 120 degrees. Odds are you won’t notice the difference.

Remember the Pros

These steps will help you protect your tank for the coming years and increase your energy efficiency. If at any time you feel that you need help or don’t feel comfortable messing with this appliance, call in a professional. They have the tools and knowledge needed to get the job done yet and get things back up and running when something goes wrong.

Go Green with this Winter’s Savings

KMiller — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:39 +0000

Though the snow may be falling now, so far this winter has been very mild by comparison to years past. This has left many homeowners with much fuller pockets than usual and that money needs to be put to good use. That means that we need to find good investments to ensure that this money is well spent. Investing this money in your home is a great place to start and spending it in improving the homes energy efficiency is even better! Going green has many benefits for the environment and for your wallet. Take a moment to look at your last energy bill. Odds are the cost was much lower than you were paying at the same time last year. How would you like to pay that much on your energy bills every year! Making energy efficient upgrade could make that possible!

3 Wise Energy Efficient Investments:

HVAC Replacement: Replacing the furnace and air conditioner could be your best bet at this time. Air conditioners are out of season and therefore at amazingly low prices, and if your furnace and air conditioner are in bad shape, replacing them could be all that your home needs to make low energy bills a common occurrence in your home.
Adding Insulation: For other homes, the furnace and air conditioner are in great shape but the home is lacking in insulation. Older homes were not made as air tight as newer models and therefore lose a lot of heat during the winter months and gain a lot of heat during the summer. A few inches of insulation in the attics and walls could be just what your home needs to increase its energy efficiency.
New Windows and Doors: Leaky doors and windows are just as bad as a home that is lacking in insulation. However, investing in new windows and doors can become costly. If this is a repair that you desperately need in your home, why not have it completed while you have a little extra money to spend? Now is the time to buy, so don’t pass up this opportunity.

Mild winters give us all a break from the discomfort caused by the frigid temperatures. Give your home and your energy bills a permanent break from the harshness of winter and make energy efficient improvements today!

Cheap Ways to Improve Comfort and Circulation

KMiller — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:00:59 +0000

Circulation problems within the home are an all too common problem. They also often lead to temperature variances from room to room. This can disturb comfort and tracking down the problem could be difficult. What if there was a way to improve your problem without spending much if any money? Well, there is! These three simply steps could drastically improve the circulation and comfort in your home. Try at least one in your home and see if you notice a difference.

How to Boost Comfort this Winter:

Ceiling Fans: Reversing the direction of your ceiling fan can help improve the comfort in your home. By having the fan pushing air clockwise, hot air that rises to the ceiling during each heating cycles will be pushed down back into the room. This will make the room feel warmer to its occupants and help eliminate temperature variances from room to room.
Furnace Circulating Fan: The fan that circulates heated air from the furnace throughout the home can also be used to improve comfort and circulation. By placing the fan on “on” instead of “auto,” the fan will run continuously and be better able to circulate air through the home. This will also lead to improved indoor air quality because the air will have more circulations through the air filter.
Insulation and Weather Stripping: The final piece of the puzzle involves filling in the gaps that cause drafts in the home. Drafts could be the true source of your temperature inconsistencies within the home. Add weather stripping around doors and windows, and if you want to spend a little bit more, you could add insulation to attics and walls that may be lacking in insulation.

These three steps should vastly improve if not solve your comfort problems in the home.

Pros Have the Time You Don’t Have

KMiller — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:35 +0000

Many of us lead very busy lives. Between work, family, taking care of the home, and finding time to spend with friends, some things just have to wait. Far too often, the things that get thrown on the backburner are repairs and maintenance that need to be performed in the home. Ignoring these problems or letting them go for long periods of time often leaves you with a much bigger problem than you originally had. Clogged sinks won’t unclog themselves and cracked drywall won’t reseal without someone taking the time to perform these repairs. Many of us don’t have the time it takes to make these kinds of repairs, and that is where the pros come in handy. They can take care of those jobs you have been putting off for far too long.

Don’t Avoid the Pros

Many people like to avoid calling in the professionals at all costs. They automatically assume that the cost will be outrageous and therefore think that they would be better off attempting the repair on their own. In some cases this may be true, but many repairs are outside the talents of the typical handyman. The average homeowner attempting a repair that is beyond their reach could end up costing more than it would have to simply have the job done right the first time by a professional.

If you don’t have time to complete the necessary repairs or if you know the repair is beyond your area of expertise, trust a professional from the start. Don’t waste what little time you may have or any extra money and make the right decision from the start.

Green HVAC Made Affordable

KMiller — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:00:08 +0000

When going green first became popular, everything that was made to be more energy efficient also cost the consumer more money. Much of the technology was new and not many people were taking advantage of the long term savings that could be had with an energy efficient upgrade. As time has passed, however, going green has become the standard. Nearly every homeowner is doing something to make their home more energy efficient and as a result, going green has become more affordable for those of us that operate on a tight budget. Now you don’t have to invest as much initially to save more in the long run, and the best part is that this fact now applies to the purchase of HVAC systems as well!

High Efficiency on a Budget

Many HVAC manufacturers like Lennox Home Comfort Systems have created furnaces that can reach impressive energy efficiency levels while still fitting into a budget. The Lennox G43 is one such system. This unit falls under the lowest price level for heating systems from Lennox, yet it still carries an AFUE rating of 92.1%. This unit is also Energy Star rated and can save you hundreds every year on your natural gas bills. The unit may not have every fancy technology that the high end units have, but when it comes to going green, the amount of fuel that the unit consumes is what is truly most important.

You Can Go Green Too!

You can go green too! Saving money on your energy bills is no longer unattainable just because you spend on a budget. Contact your favorite HVAC contractor to find out if they have an affordable energy efficient system for you!

Three Very Good Reasons to Replace Your Old Boiler

KMiller — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:51 +0000

Boilers have been known to last much longer than the average furnace, but this isn’t necessarily something to take pride in. Sure, it is great to get the most out of your investment, but when the unit is going on 30 or 40 years of age, you may be pushing your luck. You could be heading for a very inconvenient breakdown or even a home disaster. At the very least you are probably overspending by hundreds every year on your energy bills just to operate that ancient artifact! Now may be the time to replace that boiler on your terms instead of waiting for the worst!

Plan Your Boiler Replacement Now!

Energy Inefficiency: Modern boilers are required to be over 80% energy efficient with the fuel that they use. This has been a somewhat recent requirement, and your old boiler probably has no hope of every reaching this level of efficiency even with the best maintenance. Older units are usually somewhere around 50-60 % efficient with the fuel they use and that is a huge waste. Think of the money you could save by simply upgrading to the new minimum! The higher the rating the bigger the savings and the faster you earn your money back!
Safety Concerns: The older the boiler gets the greater the likelihood that the unit will experience a disastrous malfunction. With age, the most common problem occurs with the heat exchanger. The part becomes cracked and rusted and will begin to leak the poisonous gas carbon monoxide into the home if you are not careful.
Inevitable Breakdowns: The longer you wait to replace the boiler, the greater the likely the boiler will choose when for you. This may sound like the way to go initially, but consider this. It is the dead of winter and its 2 am. The boiler goes out permanently! You are now faced with the decision to either move into a hotel until you can afford the replacement or somehow finding the way to cough up the funds right on the spot unexpectedly. If you can’t afford the replacement right now, start saving and cross your finger that the boiler will be able to last until you can replace it on your terms.

Protecting Your Family from Carbon Monoxide

KMiller — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:00:51 +0000

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas, which is totally odorless, tasteless, and colorless. Many of us have probably heard the horror stories of exposure, but you probably think that something like this could never happen to you and your family. Unfortunately, it is this type of thinking that leads to carbon monoxide exposure disasters. Homeowners that aren’t on the lookout for the signs or that haven’t taken the necessary precautions to prevent an accident are the most vulnerable to this type of problem in their home. You first must know how to recognize the signs and second, you must have defenses in place to protect your home and your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Symptoms of CO Exposure

disorientation
nausea
headache
dizziness
flu-like symptoms
fatigue
chest tightness

Depending upon a person’s overall health, age, and the length and concentration of CO exposure, the effects can vary markedly from one person to another.

Where Does CO Come From?

CO gas is formed from incomplete combustion of fuels, such as gasoline, natural gas, coal, and propane. Incomplete combustion occurs when not enough oxygen is available for clean burning of the fuel. Age of an appliance, improper adjustment, worn components, or vent blockages can all contribute to CO in the home. Furnaces, water heaters, stoves, gas dryers, or fireplaces can all be suspect as CO producers, and should be inspected regularly for proper, clean combustion.

The best defense against carbon monoxide is a CO detector

CO detectors range from battery powered units to plug-in units to hard-wired units, with battery back-up. They can be equipped with an audible alarm or a visual indicator, which will sound or change color when carbon monoxide is detected in the home.

Steps you can take to ensure your family’s well-being:

Service your fuel-burning appliances regularly, before there is a problem.
Inspect your appliance vents, and vent terminations, for proper flow and free of obstructions. (birds can build nests inside an open termination)
Make sure your mechanical rooms are supplied with the properly sized combustion air intakes.
Equip your home with CO detectors, preferably professionally installed.

Following the above steps will help ensure your family’s continued good health, and that your home should never have a CO problem.

Protect Your Home While You are Away

KMiller — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:00:46 +0000

The winter season is a popular time to go on vacation with the family. You pack up your belongings, head to where it’s warmer, and leave the winter chill behind! You lock up your home and assume that all will remain safe, but you make one disastrous mistake. You shut off the furnace. Many homeowners do this to conserve a little energy and save some money on their energy bills. However, doing this will leave your home vulnerable in the icy cold weather. All you need is one extra cold night and you could experience an expensive home disaster.

Water Damage from Burst Pipes

When the furnace is off, there is nothing stopping the temperature in the home from dipping below freezing. When this happens, the plumbing system is at risk of freezing. Even one frozen pipe and be a major problem. This is due to the fact that once a pipe is frozen, it may burst! The pipe is forced to expand by the presence of the ice, but as the ice begins to thaw, the water pressure will burst through the pipe and cause a major water leak. If you are out of town, there is nothing there to stop the water from flowing into your home and causing major water damage.

55 Degree Standard

Instead of saving money, you will be forced to shovel out major bucks on water damage repairs. Luckily, you can still save money while you are away. Simply set the thermostat back to 55 degrees. At this temperature the home will stay warm enough to prevent pipe freezing, and for a little extra protection, spend some time insulating the pipes in your home as well. Doing these things will give you peace of mind while you are away and save you money too!

Protecting Your Children from Hot Water Burns

KMiller — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:00:39 +0000

Ensuring the safety of your children is not an easy task. When they are small children every inch of their bodies is susceptible to harm, but there are steps you can take to protect them from some of the worst dangers in the home. One of these dangers involves the temperature of the water in the home. Children can become easily scalded by water that may not even feel intolerably hot to the skin of an adult. That is why every parent must take certain steps to protect their children from this type of injury, and it all starts with a good look at your hot water tank.

Set the Tank Back

The first step is to turn the water tank back to 120 degrees. This is the lowest temperature where you can still get hot enough water when needed without allowing the tank to grow bacteria. Many homes have the tank set at high as 150 degrees. At this temperature an adult’s skin can burn in 2 to 3 seconds. Place a child in that water and it could cause serious damage instantly. Every degree you set the tank back is a degree safer for the members of your family, but as an added bonus, every 10 degree difference will translate into a 4% savings on the water heating portion of your energy bills!

Anti-Scald Devices

For those of us that don’t have access to the thermostat on the hot water tank, you could install anti-scald devises. These will prevent the water in the home from getting over 120 degrees no matter how hot the dial is set. Every homeowner that has young children in the home needs to take this precaution against injury. The results of a scald can leave the child’s skin permanently damaged.

If you are unsure of the security of the hot water in your home, contact a professional to do an assessment of areas of the home that may be at risk. Also have him lower the hot water tank temperature if you are not sure how to do this on your own. This inspection will give you real peace of mind every time your child gets into a bath or washes their hands.

Energy Saving Made Simple

KMiller — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:00:19 +0000

With the rising cost of energy, it is very important and practical to conserve electricity as much as possible. Conserving energy not only helps us lower our electric bills, but it also helps in protecting our natural resources. There are a lot of ways to conserve energy, but you have to choose the ways that are easiest and best for your family and your home. Most of them are simple. So simple that even your kids can participate in making your home greener this winter season. Here are some of them the easy ways you can start saving.

Five Ways to Conserve Energy:

1. Turn off the lights when leaving a room. Electrical lights consume a large amount of energy. This is especially true if you are using incandescent lights because these lights are extremely energy inefficient. Make it a habit to turn the lights off and see how much you could save on your electricity bills.

2. Unplug your appliances when you’re not using them. Appliances that are plugged still consume energy even if they are turned off. So, to avoid this from happening, unplug everything that is not in use.

3. Avoid opening your refrigerator if you’re not getting anything out of it. Many people like to gaze into the refrigerator without any clear goal in mind and it is a huge waste of energy! The longer the refrigerator stands open, the more energy is lost, and the more it will cost for the unit to re-cool once you finally find what you are looking for. Have a goal in mind when you open the fridge and get your family to break this habit too!

4. Turn down the water heater! Set the water heater back to 120 degrees, only wash dishes and clothes with cold water, and try only using the warm water for showers. This will save loads of energy

5. Install solar panels in your home. Solar panels utilize energy from the sun and convert it to electricity that could be utilized by your appliances and other electronic gadgets. It could cost you a lot to set up one in your house but it will help you save a lot of money from your electric bills in the long run. This may sound intimidating but it is a good goal to set for the future.

These are only some ways on how to conserve electricity. These tips can help you reduce your electricity bills by around 10-40% or maybe even more! Not bad right? So what are you waiting for? Start conserving electricity today.

Exhaust Fan and Ventilation Performance

KMiller — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:00:19 +0000

This chilly winter season is likely to be full of piping hot showers and home cooked meals to bring some warmth and comfort into our homes. However, if your exhaust fans and ventilation systems aren’t working their best, you may be inviting mold growth and nasty odors into your home as well. Now is the time to test these fans and to educate your family members about the importance of flipping that switch when they are cooking and showering. Not doing so could cost you big time.

Test Your Fan’s Strength

The exhaust fan and its ventilation system can be quite easily tested. You can use what we like to call the tissue test in order to determine whether or not your exhaust fan has sufficient power to remove moisture and bad odors. Simply hold a tissue up to the exhaust fan, and let go. If the tissue sticks to the grate protecting the motor, you probably have enough power. If not, you defiantly need to have this fan either replaced or repaired. The problem may not be with the fan itself, but the duct work that leads out the roof of the home may have an obstruction that is preventing the fan from doing its job.

Big Costs Down the Road

If the fan passes the tissue test, it is also important to monitor the function of the fan for a few days. Turn on the fan during the morning showers and after giving it some time to push out the moist air, check the walls and ceiling for sweat. If this is present, the fan is probably not powerful enough for the size of your bathroom. Now is the time to have this fan replaced. Sure it may cost a bit up front, but allowing moisture to take hold of the bathrooms in your home is not a better option. You could find yourself paying much more down the line for mold removal and repairs if you do not act early. Test your fan today and confront these problems now!

Increase Comfort Control with a Zoning System

KMiller — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:00:14 +0000

Having a working furnace and thermostat doesn’t mean that you have control over the comfort level in the home. These are the most basic components of a heating system, but just because the thermostat says its 72 degrees in the home, doesn’t mean that the entire home is actually at that temperature. All your thermostat does is read the temperature in the room that it is located in and that is it. That is why other rooms in the home may feel cooler or warmer than the temperature that the thermostat claims it to be. High ceilings and lots of windows, among other things, can contribute to temperature variances from room to room. Before you raise the temperature on the thermostat to compensate for that one chilly room, consider whether or not your home could benefit from a zoning system.

What a Zoning System can Do for Your Home

When a zoning system is installed in your home, you now have multiple thermostats that control different parts of the home. The one furnace still operates as normal, but the duct system is now full of dampers that will regulate the amount of air allowed into a particular part of the home. This will each area of the home is warmed to the temperature set on the thermostat. Rooms that aren’t used very frequently can be set at very low temperatures, and areas of the home that need more heat can be warmed without having to use more energy. This conserves energy because you only heat the rooms that need it, and therefore the furnace can run less frequently.

Ultimate Comfort Control

In time you will notice substantial savings on your energy bills but more importantly you will notice increased comfort throughout the home. Every family member can adjust their part of the home to their desired temperature and be comfortable without disturbing the comfort of others within the home. This is the perfect system for any homeowner that is looking to save money and increase comfort. HVAC companies can install these systems easily within one visit, so find your local contractor today and get more control on your home comfort.

Added Benefits of Variable Speed Furnaces

KMiller — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:01 +0000

Are you in the market for a new furnace? If so, you will quickly find that there are a number of choices and options to choose from when finding the perfect unit for your home. When you have to keep a budget in mind, there are some options you may be tempted to go without, however, there are some that shouldn’t be left behind. Choosing a furnace that has a variable speed motor is one such option that should not be overlooked. These units may be slightly pricier, but they will often save you more down the line.

AFUE Ratings Aren’t Enough

Most HVAC salesmen will push AFUE ratings as the selling point of any furnace. Sure AFUE is important, but it doesn’t take into account the amount of electricity the furnace will use as well. AFUE ratings are simply a measurement of natural gas use efficiency, but when you consider that electricity is more expensive than gas in most areas of the country, it is important to consider this cost as well.

Electricity Savings with Variable Speeds

The blower motor is the part of the furnace that circulates air throughout the home. It is also the one part of the furnace that uses the most electricity, and if you run the fan around the clock, you should want a fan that uses the least amount of electricity possible. Variable speed motors are that fan! Where the standard motor has one speed, a variable speed motor can adjust itself to the demands of the weather. When the temperatures plummet and it becomes more difficult to heat the home, the furnace will run at high speed, but on milder days, the furnace can run at lower speeds and still maintain temperature. Ask your salesmen about variable speeds and choose a furnace that is equipped with this energy saving and comfort improving feature.

Winter Air Conditioner Protection

KMiller — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:00:54 +0000

This may be the season for giving, but it is also the season for stealing, stealing air conditioners that is. You may have thought that your air conditioner worries ended with the summer season, but the truth is that the winter is the best time for thieves to take advantage of the easy access they have to your air conditioner. Everyone is spending their time indoors and there are far fewer eyes on your air conditioner this time of year. You need to take certain steps to keep your unit safe. This is a crime that is growing in popularity and if you did nothing to prevent it this past summer, you were one of the lucky ones. Don’t let another season go by without getting your air conditioner protected.

Send a Message to Potential Thieves

Protecting the air conditioner requires doing something that sends a clear message to potential thieves. The message should be that they need to move on to another home and leave your unit alone! There are two ways to do this. Either move the air conditioner to the roof or encase it in a security cage. The first option could cost you tons and is likely not possible in all situations. So, for the majority of us, a security cage is the way to go.

Security Cage Criteria

If you are looking into a security cage for your air conditioner, you have to make sure that you purchase one that meets certain criteria. First of all, the cage must fit your air conditioner! Not all air conditioners are the same size and you will need to find a company that offers customized cages. Also, make sure that the cage allows the air conditioner to breathe! If your cage is too restrictive, it could cause damage to your air conditioner and if this happens, you might as well let the thieves take it because the unit will be useless. Finally, make sure that the cage actually protects the unit. There are far too many cage manufacturers that create a product to simply intimidate and not protect. This will not work on all thieves and is quick frankly a waste of your money. Find a cage that will truly protect your air conditioner, and get it installed as soon as possible.