by admin | Dec 31, 2016 | Uncategorized
How Ordering Online Can Save You Money
Whether you just need one replacement piece in your HVAC system, or are going to do a whole building overhaul, ordering what you need online can save you a considerable amount of money, time, and headache. These are some of the biggest benefits to ordering online, and ill share a few quick explanations for why they happen.
Shopping online allows you to quickly compare search by keywords to find out which product you need. You won’t have to have a long conversation with someone whose only goal is to upsell you or get you something that you don’t need. Additionally, the cost of employing salespeople and having a showroom floor means that the overhead for brick and mortar stores is much higher than their online counterparts. These savings mean that you can save hundreds of dollars by quickly and easily determining what it is you need and buying it for yourself. If an installation is fairly easy and can be done without extensive training, why pay extra? Just get the experience of doing it yourself, and save yourself a lot of money in the long run and the short run.
You also save yourself time and energy. Ordering from the comfort of your own home allows you to fit your repairs into your schedule. You don’t need to take several hours and make a trip where you will need to keep focused and deal with salespeople. Just wait till you have a moment at the end of your day, on your lunch break, or whenever you want to get it done. You won’t have to worry about finding a way to transport it either, since many services offer free home delivery. This can save you the headache of loading it into your truck, or even having to borrow or rent a truck to get it back to your house. It makes a lot of sense to avoid that hassle. After some quick installation, your HVAC system will be up and running, keeping you comfortable and healthy year-round.
These savings will be especially applicable if buying in bulk. If you need a lot of systems installed. Finding someone to install them will be easy, but you can save a lot of money by ordering all of your systems online. The savings will go straight into your pocket. Getting one large shipment delivered at once will also beat trying to scrounge around and make multiple orders.
by admin | Dec 27, 2016 | Home Temperature Control, HVAC
Keeping your house at the optimal temperature is the reason you use and HVAC system. You want to get the best bang for your buck and not spend too much. Here are some ways you can save money and relieve some of the stress on your HVAC system.
The most effective ways to block heat from entering your home are insulation, reflective barriers and shading. Insulating, caulking and weatherstripping are essential to keeping your home warm in cold climates, but they also help keep your home cool in hot weather. The attics of most homes absorb heat through the roof, and insulating the attic floor will keep this heat from radiating down into the house. Fiberglass insulation, at least R-30, is easy to install. The cost will be recouped quickly in lower energy bills throughout the year. Caulking and weatherstripping doors and windows will also prevent warmer outside air from seeping into your home. The cost of these materials is very low and application is simple.
Reflective barriers also help. An important consideration in passive cooling is house color. Dark-colored home exteriors absorb 70% to 90% of the radiant energy from the sun that strikes the home’s surfaces. Some of this absorbed energy is transferred into your home by way of conduction, resulting in heat gain. In contrast, light-colored surfaces effectively reflect most of the heat away from your home.
Another method for reflecting incoming heat is to install a radiant barrier. This foil-faced paper can be stapled to the roof rafters on the underside of your roof. To install, start by placing a few planks over the ceiling joists, which are the ‘floor’ of the attic; these serve as foot-boards to stand on while stapling the foil to the rafters above. You’ll have to move the foot-boards as you progress. Be careful not to step between the ceiling joists or you may fall through the ceiling; also be careful to not step near the ends of the foot boards or they’ll flip up. When stapling the foil to the rafters, space the staples about 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) apart to prevent air circulation from loosening or detaching the radiant barrier.
Shading: Shading is the simplest, most effective way to cool your home and reduce energy consumption. Up to 40% of the costs of cooling can be saved by shading techniques such as landscaping, and working the drapes and blinds.
Hopefully this information is helpful and will provide you with money saving practices.
by admin | Dec 16, 2016 | Heating System, HVAC
Winter is here and it is not going away for at least a few months. That means high heating costs for a lot of us, but there are ways to make sure those bills stay as low as possible this winter. Here are some mistakes homeowners commonly make when heating their homes, and how you can avoid these pitfalls in the coming months.
When coming home to a cold house, it might be tempting to turn the heater up into the 80s to try to heat it faster. But thermostats don’t work like an accelerator on a car, as the Telegraph reports, and turning the heat up to blistering levels won’t warm your home faster. So just be patient and it will save you money.
It’s best to avoid extremes with your thermostat. If you let the temperature in your house fall dramatically overnight, it’s going to require a lot of work from your heating system to warm the home in the morning. That could really cost you when the heating bill arrives.
If you want the house to be 70 degrees and your thermostat is only reaching 66 degrees, turning the thermostat up to 74 degrees in an attempt to make up the difference could be a huge mistake. The furnace could be forced to work beyond its capability. Instead, find out what’s causing the problem and fix it. Heat could be escaping somewhere in your home, or you may need to replace a faulty furnace.
In this day and age of controlling everything from a phone app, one of the easiest ways to save money is to install a system that can be adjusted remotely. Heating an empty home is one of the easiest ways to waste money, so a programmable thermostat can save hundreds of dollars every year. Giving your thermostat a break every day – but don’t overdo it; see No. 2 – can also be beneficial to a longer life for your heating system.
In the summer, it’s common for homeowners to have a constant tango between opening the windows and keeping them closed to let the air conditioner do the hard work of keeping a home cool. It’s understandable if you forgot to lock those windows up before the cold weather arrives, but take the time now to ensure all windows are locked and sealed to keep warm air from escaping.
Avoid doing these things and you will stay happy and warm during winter.
by admin | Dec 13, 2016 | Uncategorized
When it gets cold outside we often like to stay in and close all the doors and winders. You home is built to be as energy efficient as possible by holding in heat during the winter months when temperatures can drop below zero. Keeping all the windows closed all winter long may prove to be detrimental to your home. Sealing yourself in without any sort of fresh air circulation is not good for you or your family. Fresh air is needed in your home so it is important to keep your air clean during the winter months.
When the summer leaves and fall passes winter comes knocking. All the things left over from fall and summer is still in your home so it is important to do some seasonal cleaning. This is to get any seasonal allergens left over out of your home so they do not get sealed inside. Pollen that is left over should be cleaned form the home so as not to pollute the air.
Pets also build up dander in the home. This is sometimes not noticed but should be cleaned regularly. Pets spend more time inside the more we spend time inside. Their dander will build much a lot more inside the home and without proper air filtration can cause discomfort.
It is advised that you keep air circulating regulating even in winter time. It may be nice to always have you house at the optimal temperature but letting some new air in every now and then is good for you and home. It prevents the buildup of these air pollutants mentioned before.
Another thing you can do to help keep the air quality in your home during the winter is to have you HVAC system cleaned or inspected. Do regular winter maintenance if you need to. This will keep the air in your house clean and circulating. It will also help you spend less money constantly letting hot air out of your house. While proper air circulation is recommended, having a clean and function HVAC system will lessen the burden on opening the windows.
As you can see proper air maintenance during the cold winter months is important. You want to stay warm but staying healthy is just as important. Make sure your HVAC is ready for the cold weather so you that you can be ready and save money at the same time.
by admin | Dec 6, 2016 | Uncategorized
Keeping everything in your home clean is important but some things need more care than others. Making sure to have your air ducts and other heating and cooling appliances inspected periodically is important. Making sure your duct system is clean will insure you and your family live happy and healthy. It is also good for your finances. Dirty ducts can lead to full HVAC replacement if not cared for properly. Dirt and other nasty things can build up in your duct system. This causes the whole system to run less efficiently and can cost you more money. Dirty air reduces the quality of air in your house which is not comfortable or healthy for your family or office.
When dust is in the air duct it will start circulating in your house. Dust builds up form pet hair, dead skin and other things. Having this in your ventilation is not good for people with asthma or allergies. Do not torture your family with dust have your ducts cleaned.
Mold can also build in the ducts if moisture is allowed to get in unchecked. This is very detrimental as mold can cause a number of health problems. Headaches, nausea and neurological damage can come from mold spore inhalation. Breathing too much of it can have lasting effects on the body.
Fiberglass and asbestos are also common things that build up in your ducts if they are not kept up properly. Fiberglass may find its way in if it becomes damaged and seeps into the duct. This can cause eye irritation and itching of the skin. Too much of this and it can have detrimental health deficits. Inspecting your wall as well as your air duct is a way to get ahead of this. Asbestos can also live in the duct if not checked. This is not as common but very series and should not be left un-handled.
It is clear that you should keep your ducts clean. It will save you time and money. In addition it will keep you and your family or coworkers safe. Especially in an office setting regular inspections are required. Homes need regular inspections as well to make sure you and your families are happy and healthy.
