Secrets are tricky things, aren't they? Depending on the
subject (surprise party vs. hazardous waste) and who it is about (relative vs.
major corporation), a secret can be a fun event bonding people together or it
can go to the other extreme where a bit of information left untold has the
potential to be dangerous to your health.
Everyone has secrets both big and small and we are no
exception. Don’t be too alarmed. Our secret is not as scary as hazardous waste;
and one thing is for sure… Whether we are referring to people or companies, the
truth will come out eventually.
Why, then, do so many companies leave out information their
customers need to know in order to make informed decisions? Money, of course,
and maybe power and definitely a concern for their reputation.
We are just not interested in being a company with secrets.
To learn more about a big secret the heating and air conditioning industry has
been keeping, read “Have You Heard the Dark and Dirty Secret…about Your Home Comfort System?”
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Me, Me, Pay Attention to Me
With all the things that scream out for our attention, it is
no wonder we neglect certain things until we absolutely have to fix them. We have to mow the lawn and trim the shrubs or
our yards will look more like fields.
We have to pay our bills or we won’t have any water, electricity or gas.
We have to go grocery shopping, do our laundry and put gas in the car because if we don’t… we won’t be able to drive anywhere, eat anything or have anything to wear.
It makes sense that we do these things automatically because there are immediate (undesirable) consequences if we don’t.
There is something else that has an undesirable consequence for neglecting it… our home cooling system. When we use it year after year without giving it even a little bit of attention, it starts to break down, parts get loose dirt and grime start to build up and it takes more and more energy to keep us cool (which means our energy bills go up).
It also means our repairs bills are likely to increase. Instead of a minor repair, we will end up with a large, costly repair.
Read Taking Care of Business to learn more about how a yearly tune-up can save you money on energy bills, costly repairs and help your unit run more smoothly.
We have to pay our bills or we won’t have any water, electricity or gas.
We have to go grocery shopping, do our laundry and put gas in the car because if we don’t… we won’t be able to drive anywhere, eat anything or have anything to wear.
It makes sense that we do these things automatically because there are immediate (undesirable) consequences if we don’t.
There is something else that has an undesirable consequence for neglecting it… our home cooling system. When we use it year after year without giving it even a little bit of attention, it starts to break down, parts get loose dirt and grime start to build up and it takes more and more energy to keep us cool (which means our energy bills go up).
It also means our repairs bills are likely to increase. Instead of a minor repair, we will end up with a large, costly repair.
Read Taking Care of Business to learn more about how a yearly tune-up can save you money on energy bills, costly repairs and help your unit run more smoothly.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Clearing Out & Cleaning Up
It hits everyone around this time of year that things have accumulated, piled up, been neglected and generally overlooked. The warm weather inspires us to wipe away the cobwebs that formed in the previous months and get our homes ready to fully enjoy during the long summer days.
Clearing out winter and spring growth and grime and de-cluttering your rooms and outdoors so you can enjoy your living spaces just makes you feel good. A lot of homeowners even have their pressure washers out and are cleaning off their concrete and siding. This is also the perfect time to have your home’s cooling system cleaned and serviced.
Think about it. You have not turned your air conditioner on since last year and it has just been sitting there, outside, in all the winter weather and muck. Just sitting there accumulating dirt and dust and parts rusting and getting loose. It seems a little absurd to wash away dirt from your driveway and walkways, but not clean the unit that is blowing air into your home.
No one expects a car that has been sitting for months, unused, to crank right up and run efficiently, but that is exactly what we think should happen every year with our home cooling system.
In order to really get our homes running efficiently during these long, hot days of summer, we need to have a professional service our air conditioning system. To learn more about what routine maintenance your system needs, read "A Little TLC Goes a Long Way".
Clearing out winter and spring growth and grime and de-cluttering your rooms and outdoors so you can enjoy your living spaces just makes you feel good. A lot of homeowners even have their pressure washers out and are cleaning off their concrete and siding. This is also the perfect time to have your home’s cooling system cleaned and serviced.
Think about it. You have not turned your air conditioner on since last year and it has just been sitting there, outside, in all the winter weather and muck. Just sitting there accumulating dirt and dust and parts rusting and getting loose. It seems a little absurd to wash away dirt from your driveway and walkways, but not clean the unit that is blowing air into your home.
No one expects a car that has been sitting for months, unused, to crank right up and run efficiently, but that is exactly what we think should happen every year with our home cooling system.
In order to really get our homes running efficiently during these long, hot days of summer, we need to have a professional service our air conditioning system. To learn more about what routine maintenance your system needs, read "A Little TLC Goes a Long Way".
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Are We Too Busy to Care?
Ever see trash on the road, in the lake, floating down streams and feel sad? What are we so busy doing that we cannot make sure our trash gets into a trash can and then on to the appropriate places?
I am not suggesting we all suddenly transform into “Save the Planet” activists. But, really, there is probably more we could be doing to help preserve what we have even from the comforts of our very own homes.
Wouldn't it be great if there was something we could do to help save us money while also helping to protect the planet?
Well, there is one very important thing we can do and that is to have our home cooling systems serviced each and every year so they are running efficiently and not using unnecessary energy which, in turn, means we are paying more money to use them than we should.
Read “Just Living or Really Helping” to help you discover more ways to save money on your energy bills (while still using your air conditioner) + get the added bonus of how you can help out Earth.
I am not suggesting we all suddenly transform into “Save the Planet” activists. But, really, there is probably more we could be doing to help preserve what we have even from the comforts of our very own homes.
Wouldn't it be great if there was something we could do to help save us money while also helping to protect the planet?
Well, there is one very important thing we can do and that is to have our home cooling systems serviced each and every year so they are running efficiently and not using unnecessary energy which, in turn, means we are paying more money to use them than we should.
Read “Just Living or Really Helping” to help you discover more ways to save money on your energy bills (while still using your air conditioner) + get the added bonus of how you can help out Earth.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
How Do You Know If It's Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner?
Sometimes it seems like our homes are a moving target. Just as soon as you get one part of the house just like you want it, something needs tending to in another area. So, for most of us, we're always on the lookout for the next big thing that's going to show up – invited or not – on our "home maintenance" to-do list.
Now, when "air conditioning system replacement" comes up on that list, that's quite a significant situation. Home comfort systems are a sizeable part of your home investment, so it's never something to take lightly. But when it's time, three things should be on your evaluation list:
System Age – If your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old, you could save up to 20 percent on cooling and heating costs if you replaced it with a unit that has earned the Energy Star label.
Repair/Energy Costs – A home comfort system has what's called "operational" costs. If your system is racking up repair bills and guzzling up your energy dollars, you may be overdue for an efficiency upgrade.
Uncomfortable Environment – A home comfort system is supposed to create a comfortable home environment, right? Well, if you're not comfortable, take note. Are some rooms too hot or too cold? Does your home have humidity problems? This could be a sign of poor or improper equipment operation.
To learn more about improving energy efficiency in your home, take a look at this info, What Does Heat Have to Do with Cold.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
How a 1987 Treaty Changed Air Conditioning in 2010
Ever heard of the Montreal Protocol? Like many things that happen among and between nations, even if you haven't heard of it, we're talking about an event that could affect your life – or, in this case, your home comfort.
Offered up in 1987 for nations to sign and adopt, the Montreal Protocol was an international treaty that focused on a concern for how chemicals and other things in the atmosphere were depleting the ozone layer that was protecting life as we know it on earth. The treaty was amended in 1992 to set a timetable for phasing out chemicals known as HCFCs – which includes in this list a refrigerant that has been used in air conditioning systems since the early '70s.
Now, fast forward to today and what this means in practical terms for you: Air conditioners manufactured after 2010 can no longer use the refrigerant R-22 (also known by the brand name Freon) as the coolant of choice. While this refrigerant can still be produced and used to service existing equipment for the time being, in 2020, the production and import of R-22 will end, and it will only be available through recycled and reclaimed processes.
That means simply this: any air conditioning that uses R-22 is looking at a time limit. As you face repairs with any pre-2010 system, we'll be glad to talk with you about the best ways to extend the life of the equipment (hint: regular maintenance!), and when the time is right for replacement, we'll give you our best guidance there too.
In the meantime, to learn more about what's going on, take a look at this info, What Every Homeowner Should Know: Government to Take A/C Refrigerant Off Market.
Offered up in 1987 for nations to sign and adopt, the Montreal Protocol was an international treaty that focused on a concern for how chemicals and other things in the atmosphere were depleting the ozone layer that was protecting life as we know it on earth. The treaty was amended in 1992 to set a timetable for phasing out chemicals known as HCFCs – which includes in this list a refrigerant that has been used in air conditioning systems since the early '70s.
Now, fast forward to today and what this means in practical terms for you: Air conditioners manufactured after 2010 can no longer use the refrigerant R-22 (also known by the brand name Freon) as the coolant of choice. While this refrigerant can still be produced and used to service existing equipment for the time being, in 2020, the production and import of R-22 will end, and it will only be available through recycled and reclaimed processes.
That means simply this: any air conditioning that uses R-22 is looking at a time limit. As you face repairs with any pre-2010 system, we'll be glad to talk with you about the best ways to extend the life of the equipment (hint: regular maintenance!), and when the time is right for replacement, we'll give you our best guidance there too.
In the meantime, to learn more about what's going on, take a look at this info, What Every Homeowner Should Know: Government to Take A/C Refrigerant Off Market.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The Once a Year Step for Everyday Comfort
You've probably heard of Poor Richard's Almanac even if you have never read it. This was a work by Ben Franklin back when the country was young, and it had a calendar, weather predictions and some wise sayings.
Well, if Ben Franklin were writing weather predictions for Texas, he'd say, "It's going to be hot this summer." Seems to me, it happens every year around that time, and this year, we'll be true to the calendar again.
Yet, if only Franklin had had central air conditioning, I think he could have added some updated helpful advice like this:
"If you want something to last, you take care of it. If you want something to do its job, you make sure it's running well. If you want something to protect you in the night, you make sure it doesn't have any hidden dangers."
Why do I think that? Because here's what Franklin actually did say: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
You've heard it, I've heard it, and we all know it's true.
So what ounce of prevention can you bring to your home comfort this spring? One simple step of a preseason checkup on your system can make a world of difference in your comfort all summer long. To learn more about the value of routine maintenance, take a look at this info, The Nutty Way to Solve a Problem Before It Happens.
Well, if Ben Franklin were writing weather predictions for Texas, he'd say, "It's going to be hot this summer." Seems to me, it happens every year around that time, and this year, we'll be true to the calendar again.
Yet, if only Franklin had had central air conditioning, I think he could have added some updated helpful advice like this:
"If you want something to last, you take care of it. If you want something to do its job, you make sure it's running well. If you want something to protect you in the night, you make sure it doesn't have any hidden dangers."
Why do I think that? Because here's what Franklin actually did say: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
You've heard it, I've heard it, and we all know it's true.
So what ounce of prevention can you bring to your home comfort this spring? One simple step of a preseason checkup on your system can make a world of difference in your comfort all summer long. To learn more about the value of routine maintenance, take a look at this info, The Nutty Way to Solve a Problem Before It Happens.
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