Putting HVAC cooling savings plan to work

Okay so this year, I’m really going to do it.

No more halfway and then blow it off for me when it comes to saving on the air conditioning.

Every spring, I say the same thing but it’s been nothing more than just talk until now. Actually, it wasn’t even talk as much as it was just whining. I’d spout off about how this summer we were making some changes around here when it came to HVAC cooling. But I never actually did anything about it. Well, that’s not entirely true. Every spring, I have the HVAC professional do the air conditioning tune-up on which is essential to saving money on summer HVAC cooling. A tuned up heat pump means that it’s running at peak efficiency which is a big deal when it comes to saving. But this year, I went deeper. I actually went online and got a great check list on prepping my house for the summer heat. The biggest thing I had to do was replace all the weather stripping around all entrances. I could see daylight around the edges of the doors the weather stipping was so cooked by the sun. Sealing the house continued with plugging all the gaps and cracks on the outside of the house as well. But the big thing was the thermostat. This year, I learned how to program the digital thermostat. So then inside of the house will never be more than 15 degrees cooler than outside during the peak heating hours. I can’t wait to see just how much we save.

 

 

cooling technician

Got a crazy price selling our home thanks to HVAC technology

The price we got for the family home was remarkable

When the realtor first came out to talk to my wife and I about listing the house, I really appreciated her approach. I had heard so many horror stories when it came to other friends who had sold the family home once the kids were gone. So once we were empty nesters, I was sort of resistant to selling the house. That changed as just the heating and cooling costs alone were ridiculous for just two people. We had to get rid of the house and get into something much smaller for just the two us. Plus, we just weren’t up to all the upkeep with a big home and property. That finally convinced me that it was time to speak with a realtor and see where we were to go from there. And the realtor who was recommended to us was awesome. She came in and sat down with us first. The fact that she acknowledged that this was our family home and she respected that went a long way. This lady was nice and respectful when it came to pointing out the shortcoming of our home that needed to be improved. The HVAC equipment really needed an upgrade even though it probably had another decade left in it. HVAC technology with the latest in residential HVAC was a big deal in the market in our area. She showed us the different things that we should consider when replacing the heating and cooling equipment. Our HVAC company did the rest. We chose the best of the best when it came to HVAC equipment and man did it ever pay off. The price we got for the family home was remarkable. Much of it thanks to the new quality heating and air.

hydronic heating

Family is loving air conditioned sunroom

I grew up in a house that was very, very basic.

  • We were lucky to even have residential HVAC.

My mom had to raise my sister and I by herself. That was made even tougher by the times and her lack of education. But that lady went to night school and worked a full time and a part time job to provide for us. So, I’ve always been a bit careful when it comes to complaining about household amenities. My family and I share a nice sized home but nothing elaborate. Still, everyone had their own room and we have the latest in HVAC technology to go with great HVAC equipment. There is nothing to complain about for sure. That said, it seemed like we needed a bit more room to sort of spread out. This was never more apparent than during the pandemic. So instead of move, I had a large sunroom added to the back of the house. It’s just awesome to have this additional space. And I love the feeling that I’m outside. Enjoying the morning coffee sitting in the sunshine is awesome. Thanks to the ductless heat pump, we can enjoy quality heating and air no matter the season. Our winters are pretty mild but it’s nice to have the ductless mini split knock the chill out of the air as the sun is rising. But the really great part is the summer. With all that air conditioning from the ductless heat pump, we get all the HVAC cooling we need out there to be super comfortable.

 

Cooling install

Geo heat pump is our last HVAC unit

When we built this house, we wanted it to be the last home we built. We’d been living in a condo for a few years since we sold the family home. Selling that big house was important but it was such a hard thing to do. It was tough physically and logistically with all the improvement projects. We upgraded stuff like the HVAC equipment, the kitchen and other area the realtor suggested that we pay attention to. But I think it was even more tough emotionally for me. It was so, so tough to say goodbye to the place where we had raised a great family. There were so many memories. Shoot, I was sad just saying goodbye to the old HVAC unit. Yet, that house wasn’t sustainable for just my wife and I and it really needed a family. I’m so glad that the new owners are a young couple with a growing family. Once we got in the condo, we had time to figure out what our next move would be. And we decided against moving down south to all that air conditioning and sunshine. Instead, we’d stay local but on a piece of property in a small custom home. And we got just that. Our new place is awesome and we loved being a part of the design. Our quality heating and air comes from a geothermal heat pump. Not only is it the most efficient and cost effective heating and cooling, this HVAC unit will probably outlive us. We’re going to benefit from the cost savings that come from the geo heat pump for more than 30 years no problem.

ductwork cleaning

Can’t imagine a summer without HVAC cooling

It’s coming soon but I’m just focused on how perfect it is outside right now.

Of course, I’m referencing the heat.

When you live where I do, the heat season is never too far from one’s consciousness. Our summers are nothing short of a wet broiler. The levels of heat and humidity are insane. I’m a native and while I can deal with the heat okay, I sure like to be inside the air conditioning when the peak heating hours arrive. Getting outside is a big part of my life and that is a big part of enjoying this region. Our weather is just about perfect for 8 months of the year. And so I’m outside doing my thing as much or whenever I want during those 8 months. But once the heat fully settles in about June, I have to get outside early if I’m getting outside at all. I’m always home by noon and inside the HVAC cooling until the sun is low on the horizon. That’s the point that I can venture back out for a stroll in the evening. But I think about what it must have been like way back for like my grandparents. They lived without the heat pump or any other sort of residential HVAC. Once the peak heating hours hit, there wasn’t much to do but stay still and hope for a breeze. I try to remember that when I’m whining along about August about just how hot it is. Of course, I’m whining about the heat while I enjoy modern HVAC technology inside cool crisp air conditioning in my house.
heating and air conditioning

I may have bad luck with heaters

I’m not sure if it is just because I have bad luck, or if it’s because I do not take proper care of my heating and cooling systems but if there’s one thing I do know it is that I have been struggling with having a heater that breaks down all the time.

I first had an average central heating system.

I had it for only one year before it was completely broken. It needed to be replaced. I had a new one installed from my local heating and AC company and I figured everything would go right this time. Unfortunately, I was wrong. This new heater did well for quite a while but then after 3 years it too broke down and needed to be replaced. On the third heater, which was an electric furnace that I had gotten on sale, it lasted me the longest, a whole five years. Unlike the first two heaters however, this one did not entirely break down and instead just needed multiple repairs throughout its life. It lasted 10 years before I need to replace it, and it is my most recent replacement. I was telling some of my family members about this problem I was having with all my heaters breaking down and they noticed a pattern. All these heating systems were purchased from the same HVAC business and we all found out a bit odd. After doing a bit of research and some digging I discovered that this particular Heating and cooling business was known for selling low quality HVAC systems. When I purchased a proper heating and AC system from a business that was not of a poor quality I noticed a great improvement. It was a relief to know that I was not the problem but the quality of the HVAC units was the issue.

 

tankless water heater installation

The space heater kept us warm through the winter

My whole life I have lived in a cold climate.

  • I grew up here in the cold and wintery north and so you would think that with me living here for close to 30 years that I would long be used to it by now.

Unfortunately this is not the case, I suppose you could say that when it comes to the cold I just don’t have the thickest skin. Anybody that lives in the cold like this knows that it is very important to be well prepared when it comes to your heating system, and I am no exception to this, I have an excellent electric furnace heater that always keeps me nice and warm through the cold and frosty months of the year. My heater has been servicing me and providing me with warm heat for over ten years now, and I always make sure that I take good care of it. I regularly provide it with maintenance and all the heating and cooling tune-ups it needs. However, this winter my furnace treated me a little bit differently, I was sitting in my nice and cozy home passing some free time by watching some reruns of my favorite TV shows, when all of the sudden the house started to feel cold. I was surprised and as a result I got up to check the thermostat to see if it was working correctly, but it wouldn’t respond. It was at this moment that I knew something was wrong and the house was quickly cooling down. Luckily I had an emergency space heater and I quickly got it out and plugged it in. The space heater kept me warm and stopped me from freezing until the HVAC professionals could make their way out here.

tankless hot water heater service

It is good to see representation in the roofing industry

I work for a medium-sized construction company.

At our highest, we had around 600 employees on board.

This was a few years ago when construction was booming but now because of the pandemic we have scaled down our crew a lot. Things are getting better now so we are ramping up again and we have a few major projects that we are executing right now. One of which is a new residential subdivision that we are building here in town. I work in the office, but once in a while, I get to visit our local job sites. I enjoy seeing the sites prior to construction and then seeing the finished project. Last week, I had to drop off some drawings to one of our Superintendents that he left in my office by mistake. While on the jobsite I saw a woman who was wearing her full PPE and was standing next to a truck that had a roofing contractor branded on it. I found out that she is the licensed roofing contractor for this project, and that made me feel great to see women being represented in the roofing business. That is not something that is common on construction sites where I live, so I was curious and did some research. I discovered that women make up less than 1% of the roofing industry. I was shocked to see that the number was so low, but I also found that 9% of women are roofing contractors. It’s good to have representation in the roofing industry and there are support groups for women who are interested in pursuing a career in roofing.

 

roofing contractor

Duct cleaning is necessary

The whole process was completed within a couple of hours, but although the repair was rather expensive, the improvement was honestly worth it; My house is more comfortable, smells better and stays cleaner.

When I observed an increase in the amount of dust blowing from the supply vents, I blamed the furnace, and i called a local Heating and A/C company and scheduled repair for the furnace; The professional ended up testing the performance of the duct system, he found that the source of the dust was a considerable buildup inside the air duct. He genuinely found pollen, bugs, construction debris, decomposing rodents and mold growth inside the ducts. This accumulation was restricting airflow through the pipes, causing the furnaces to run for longer cycles. The added wear and tear could unquestionably lead to expensive repairs or even shortened repair life. The longer heating cycles were using up a good deal of energy and costing more in energy costs, but plus, every time the furnace started up, there was a risk of those contaminants becoming airborne, getting spread throughout the house and creating a health risk. The professional proposed professional duct cleaning. I wasn’t sure how he was going to access the pipes. They are mostly concealed inside of the walls and ceilings. He brought in a machine that looked similar to an industrial sized vacuum cleaner. The machine included an severely long hose with a brush connectment. The brush is inserted into the duct plan and used to dislodge stubborn pollutants that then get sucked up into the hose. The whole process was completed within a couple of hours, but although the repair was rather expensive, the improvement was honestly worth it; My house is more comfortable, smells better and stays cleaner. I don’t need to vacuum or dust as often. My teenagers and hubby have fewer complaints with sneezing, coughing and headaches. I’ve also seen a considerable reduction in the cost of our heating bills.

Heating dealership

Different types of temperature control features

It took myself and others quite a while to choose a current temperature control.

There are so multiple makes and models of smart temperature controls on the market, with each 1 offering weird benefits.

Today’s generation of temperature controls are available in a variety of shapes and sizes and include touchscreen displays that are absolutely simple to navigate. Some of them allow the display to be customizable. They can upload family pictures, change the color of the background and display all sorts of information, such as the weather forecast, temperature or humidity levels. Smart temperature controls are wireless, which allows access to the programs, adjustments and alerts through an app on a smartphone. It’s no longer necessary to walk to the temperature control and make manual changes; Whether I’m tucked into bed, sitting on the couch, at toil or away on a getaway, I can keep in touch with the temperature control and check up on things. Some models send out reminders when it’s time to replace air filters or schedule professional service. There are temperature controls that text alerts in the event of a power outage, temperature change or any issues with the heating or cooling system. There are displays that automatically light up as you approach and those that respond to voice commands, and one of the more well-known temperature controls includes studying capability… For the first 7 afternoons after upgrade, the unit keeps track of every adjustment and builds a personalized schedule. It then automatically raises and lowers temperature according to the household habits and preferences. There are models that feature geofencing, using GPS to track the location of each family member’s smartphone and adjust the heating and cooling plan accordingly.

air conditioning technician