5 Things You Can Do to Get Ready for Winter

By the time the cold winds start to blow, it is too late to worry about whether or not your home is ready for the cold winter ahead. What’s done is done, and what’s not done – well, it could cost you hundreds of dollars in home repair. Luckily there’s no time like the present to make sure you’re prepared before your hindsight kicks in…

1. Have your heating system cleaned and tuned. A pre-season tune-up is a good investment as it reduces the chances of breakdowns in the middle of winter, improves safety and pays for itself through more energy efficient operation.
2. Test your system for hazardous carbon monoxide, which can be produced by a dirty or malfunctioning furnace or water heater. We can also install a low level carbon monoxide alarm.
3. Have your duct system tested for air leaks. Many think that windows and doors are the major causes of a home’s air leaks. But according to recent research by the U.S. Department of Energy, gaps and cracks in the typical home’s duct system are much more significant. The typical duct system loses 25 to 40 percent of the energy put out by the central furnace, heat or air conditioner.
4. Get your home’s air checked to find out if the air you breathe is unhealthy. Your indoor air can be up to 12 times more polluted than what is outside, and with all the time spent indoors during the winter, you’ll want to ensure your family’s health, safety and comfort. For free tips on keeping your air clean and your home healthy, visit our website.
5. Consider replacing your old furnace or heat pump. Just like a car, heating equipment doesn't last forever. If your system is more than 12 years-old, and you are planning to stay in your home more than a few years, it is wise to consider replacing it before it fails permanently. A new system is safer, more dependable and can pay for itself through energy savings as it is up to twice as energy efficient.

Schedule an appointment or learn more about us here.

The Value of a Secret

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?”

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.

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.

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.

Who Else Wants to Save Money?

We've been working with several customers this week on a pretty smart deal. Yep, it's so smart, it's like this deal just graduated with highest honors from the School of Cool.

What could it be? Drum roll, please… it's our Maintenance Agreement Program.

This is something we created a few years ago that's worked out great for our customers. That's because it gives you a tuned-up system for the cooling season (and later for the heating season), plus repair discounts, priority service and improved energy efficiency from a system that's properly maintained.

Helping you figure out the smart way to take care of your home comfort and energy usage is just one of the ways we like to look out for the people who are very important to us. So, the next time we're in your home, I hope you'll give us a chance to show you how joining a year-round program that puts your comfort on our priority list would be a big advantage.

In the meantime, to learn more about making routine maintenance a regular part of your household plan, take a look at this info, Here Is a Method that Is Helping Homeowners Save More Energy with Better Comfort.

The Hidden Danger of Breathing

These are the kind of statistics that really make you catch your breath:

• Indoor air is said to be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air – and in some cases, it can be 100 times more polluted!
• Whether we are asleep, working, going to school or staying in for the evening, we spend about 90 percent of our time indoors.
• The EPA estimates that the home is the place where the average person gets 72 percent of his/her exposure to chemicals. In other words, nearly three-fourths of chemical exposure is taking place right at home.

So, poor indoor air quality can be a problem – and a big problem if anyone in your family has a sensitive respiratory system or is prone to allergies and asthma. But how do you know if it's a problem at your house?

Well, you can start here. If you want to learn more about seeing, feeling and smelling the signs, take a look at this info, What Are Your Lungs Telling You About Your Home.