The Best HEPA Air Purifiers

My brother Harry has been smoking since he was a teenager, and although I have tried many times to get him to quit, he has ignored all of my efforts. He has always doubled down and claimed that it’s his life and he can live it the way he sees fit. And of course, he’s right, it’s his life and he can do what he pleases. So, I have always just left him alone and just showed him love, even though I didn’t agree with his actions. Anyway, recently, he needed a place to stay because his HVAC system broke in his home, and it was going to take a few days for it to get fixed. Well, of course, I wanted to help my brother, but only under one condition, that he did not smoke inside my house or around my children. I have been to Harry’s house, and it smells like cigarette smoke, and I didn’t want him to have my house smelling like that for the 3 days that he would be staying here. We all know that cigarette smoke can linger, and it can get pulled into the HVAC system. The particles from the cigarette smoke can get pulled into the filter and cause the house to smell like smoke if the filter isn’t changed regularly. My brother has an air purifier that he uses inside his home, but it doesn’t fully purify the air because it still smells like smoke inside his home. Anyway, Harry decided not to stay with me for those 3 days, I guess he would rather be hot than give up smoking for a comfortable place to stay.

 

 

Steam boiler

Is it weird that I like reading online reviews before I go to a restaurant? If a restaurant doesn’t have a 4 star or above rating, I will not consider eating there. And for those restaurants that have a 4-star rating, I will read the bad reviews just to get an idea why those customers didn’t like the place. If it’s something that I agree with or that I could possibly relate to, oftentimes I skip the restaurant. Of course, some disgruntled customers can exaggerate a situation and in some of those cases, I make my decision based on how management responds to the negative review. There is a method to my madness, but it has worked for me thus far. And it has also worked for me in other ways. When I wanted to find a new HVAC company in my area, I went online and found the companies with the highest rating. Once I confirmed the HVAC company was registered and licensed, I narrowed my choices down. I found a company that had a 4.9-rating with over 500 customer reviews. This meant that there was perhaps one or two disgruntled customers. Well, I immediately searched for the lowest rating and indeed one customer gave the HVAC company a low rating because the technician was late for the appointment. I decided to give that company my business because lateness is something that can be overlooked if that person understood the nature of the HVAC industry. Anyway, it has been 5 years later, and John has been the best HVAC technician that I have ever had. And best of all, he has never been late for any of his appointments.

 

hvac products for sale

Over the years, space heaters have gotten some really bad reviews.

And of course, the studies have shown that some space heaters can be dangerous when they are left unattended or if they are used incorrectly.

While some space heaters have a bad wrap, they can be used to safely heat small spaces in your home. For example, my mom uses a space heater in her bathroom during the Winter months because her bathroom is always cold even with the heat on inside the house. And the heater works great for that space because it’s only running for a short period of time and it is not left unattended. She also keeps it away from any fabric or flammable materials, so she is using the space heater as it was intended. On the other hand, if she was trying to use that space heater to warm her entire house or if she were to leave it unattended at night, then she would be taking a risk with the heater. Most modern heaters are built with cutoff switches, so if they are knocked over, they turn themselves off. Additionally, some of the new heaters have a remote control so that you can better access the equipment. There is also a switch in place just in case the equipment overheats. With all these modern safety features, space heaters are certainly safer than they were a few years ago. But just because these safety features are in place, it is always best to follow the instructions on how to properly use a space heater in your home.

 

air conditioner tune-up

Last week, my daughter called me and asked me if she should purchase an HVAC service agreement.

I was caught off-guard because she had only been living in her home for about a year now, and the HVAC unit is about 10 years old.

And she has never mentioned having any issues with the HVAC system. I have never purchased a service agreement, but depending on what is being offered and the age of the HVAC unit, some service agreements can be beneficial to the homeowner. For instance, some companies offer supplies like air filters and lubricants as part of their service agreement. In addition, labor cost for yearly inspections and tune-ups, small parts like screws and fuses, and of course, 24-hour emergency service. Furthermore, having a service agreement can extend the life of an HVAC system and it can also prevent any unforeseen malfunctions. Of course, if the agreement costs too much money, a significant amount more than what you would be paying for service during the year, then perhaps purchasing a service agreement is not worth it. As for my daughter, it could be beneficial for her to purchase a service agreement because her HVAC unit is approaching the 10-year mark. Most modern HVAC units are built to last between 15 and 25 years depending on use and maintenance over the years. If the unit is showing signs of decline, she should decide between a service agreement or purchasing a new unit. I honestly didn’t have a solid answer for her, as it will take a bit more research to make this decision.

Air conditioner tune-up

Ever since I can remember, my childhood friend Jason has always loved building things.

He enjoyed playing with LEGOs and forced me to play with them even when I had no interest. He also used to build houses out of cardboard boxes in his yard. That was a simpler time when life was fun and all we did was play all day. Anyway, being that Jason was always into building things, it’s no surprise that he decided to become a carpenter, so now he builds things for a living. His last project was the most adorable tiny house that I have ever seen. Over the years, tiny houses have become popular so it’s not uncommon to see them around town. And when Jason built his, he received so much attention because it was a well-built tiny home. He painted it blue as it’s his favorite color and he built it on a piece of property on the outskirts of town that he owns. He plans to eventually place this tiny home on a vacation rental site once he gets the heating and air conditioning unit installed. When he showed me the house, I was completely impressed with the layout. And best of all, I didn’t feel like I was in a tiny home. Anyway, he plans on installing a mini split HVAC unit because they are easy to install, and they provide both cooling and heating for year-round comfort. Additionally, the mini-split HVAC unit requires no ductwork, and they are built to keep small spaces like a tiny home comfortable. Jason is so excited about getting his tiny home listed on the vacation rental site and I am sure that many people will rent it especially since the inside will be comfortable year-round.

Cooling and heating business

Fall is finally here, and I am so excited about it.

Now that the weather is cooler, I will be spending more time outdoors doing the things that I love.

I enjoy going to the parks as well as to farmers markets, outdoor festivals, concerts, and more. Fall is the perfect time of year to enjoy the gorgeous weather before the Winter months creep in. Fall is also the time where many of us adjust our thermostats by increasing the temperature on them. Since the weather changed, I adjusted my thermostat by 4 degrees and I have not lost any comfort in my home. On the other hand, my job is still running the A/C like it is still 95 degrees outside. So, when I get to work, it’s always freezing in the office. I have a sweater that I keep at my desk that I wear every day so that I can keep warm. Currently, the temperature is set at 68 degrees and yesterday morning while I was driving in, the outdoor temperature was teetering between 58 and 60 degrees. With the temperature being so pleasant outside, surely, it would make sense to increase the temperature on the thermostat, but nobody seems to understand that. And unfortunately, I can’t change the setting on the thermostat because it is controlled solely by the maintenance manager, who believes the thermostat is fine where it is. Well, after I complained a few times about the A/C, I finally gave up and I have decided to purchase a space heater for my office. At least that will keep me warm until the maintenance manager decides to increase the temperature on the thermostat.

 

 

Geothermal heat pump

On the other hand, if a homeowner has a newer unit, then getting it serviced once per year is enough to keep it running efficiently

The short answer is yes. Once per year, we go to our doctor or to the dentist for a yearly checkup or we take our cars to the dealership to get maintenance and oil changes, so we should also get our HVAC units serviced. While most homeowners don’t give much attention to their HVAC units until something goes wrong, and we prefer not to spend the money to service the unit, it is beneficial to do so because getting the unit serviced can identify unforeseen problems that could become costly if left unchecked. Additionally, having the unit tuned up will improve the energy efficiency, which will then improve the comfort of our homes. Personally, I get my HVAC unit checked twice per year, once before the Summer and the other before the Winter months. Though most HVAC companies recommend only one maintenance per year, I believe that getting my unit checked twice will further extend the life of my HVAC unit. And now that my unit is approaching 10 years old, it will begin to lose efficiency, so I believe it’s safer to get it checked more frequently. This will for sure improve the life of the unit as well as provide a more comfortable indoor environment. On the other hand, if a homeowner has a newer unit, then getting it serviced once per year is enough to keep it running efficiently. If you’re a homeowner who doesn’t get your HVAC unit serviced frequently, if you see a spike in your energy bill, or you hear weird noises from your unit or the air flow is limited, perhaps it’s time you schedule maintenance with your HVAC provider before it’s too late.

 

air conditioning repair service

It baffles me when people argue over situations that make no sense.

My dad and my brother are always arguing for no reason at all.

I am annoyed every time they argue and try to pull me into the mess to choose a side. At times, I have no clue what they are even arguing about. The last time they argued, it was because my dad got his air ducts cleaned and my brother didn’t think it was a necessary expense. My brother Kevin tried to get me to explain to my dad why getting the HVAC ductwork cleaned makes no sense. Now, I have never gotten my ductwork cleaned, but that’s because my HVAC technician has never suggested it to me. According to Kevin, cleaning the ductwork should only happen on an as needed basis. He explained that unless there is a dead animal or excess build-up of mold or debris, then there is no need to spend money cleaning out ductwork. I stayed out of that argument because at the time I knew nothing about ductwork cleaning. However, that evening, I did some research, and it turns out my brother was right. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, homeowners should only clean air ducts if mold is detected or if there is an infestation or dead animals in the air ducts or if there is a buildup of excessive dirt and debris. I honestly don’t see the harm in my dad getting the air ducts cleaned because I did see that there are some benefits to it. Cleaning the ducts can improve indoor air quality by reducing pollutants and it can also improve the efficiency of the HVAC unit.

duct sealing

While shopping around for a new A/C unit for my dad, I came across an ad for a heat pump.

The ad highlighted that this brand of heat pump was highly efficient during extremely hot or cold temperatures.

While most houses in the country have some form of heating and cooling unit, not many of them use heat pumps, but these units have become more appealing over the years. Especially since the manufacturers have improved the technology of the units. And now that more people are concerned about fossil fuel and its impact on the climate, heat pumps have become a better option. The units are more energy efficient and more environmentally friendly, so they have become more attractive to homeowners. As with any equipment, there will be both advantages and disadvantages, and of course, the heat pump is no different. One major disadvantage of the unit is that they cost a few thousand dollars more than a central A/C. Additionally, some experts believe that heat pumps can be less efficient in extreme climates. However, the advantages include, these units are environmentally friendly, they are less noisy, and they produce both heating and cooling, so they can be used year-round. Heat pumps are not the best choice for all households, especially if the home already has some form of cooling or heating device. Meaning, if you have a working furnace installed in your home, but you need a cooling device, then getting a heat pump would be a waste of money. In my dad’s case, he already has a furnace, so the heat pump would not be a good option for him.

boiler

I grew up in a major city where all the buildings were constructed in the early 1900s.

The buildings were all gorgeous and each of them on my block looked different from one another.

I loved living in the city because I had a bunch of friends that I hung out with outside during the warmer months. While being outside, you could tell what apartments and homes had air conditioners because you could see the A/Cs from all the windows. Surprisingly, there were less apartments with window A/Cs than the ones that had them. If you happened to be standing under one of those window A/Cs while it was on, guaranteed you’ll have water falling on top of your head. We were fortunate enough to have 2 window A/Cs in my house and although they kept us cool in the Summer months, they were noisy units that froze all the time. And they weren’t very aesthetically pleasing, they also blocked the window, and there were only two knobs to control the unit. Thankfully, the technology for window A/Cs have improved over the years. Many of the new units use remote control and there are more options for control as well as a built-in digital thermostat to increase comfort. And best of all, some manufacturers have even improved in design, so that the consumer has access to their windows. Of course, this makes those units more marketable to the consumers. While the technology for window A/Cs are not perfect, the units have improved a lot over the years and I assume that the manufacturers will continue to make these units more appealing to the consumers.

boiler repair