Ask the Experts!

"Question: How can we compete with the large contractors that sell every brand of equipment and have huge advertising budgets?

Mike Treas: Well, the thing about the large contractors: A lot of people see them as being more expensive as well. Not that a smaller contractor wouldn’t be charging the same amounts, and I really hope and believe they absolutely should be, but I think sometimes people look at the smaller guy and think they might get a better deal. As far as selling every brand of equipment, I truly believe that you don’t want to sell on brand. I want somebody to come out there because I trust them and I don’t care what they sell. We all know in the industry that every system now has a Copeland scroll compressor and a Honeywell gas valve and a GE motor. They’re really the same thing in a different box. It’s what we do with it."

To continue reading, please click the link below! 
https://www.egia.org/ask-the-experts-competing-with-big-companies-budgets/

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from our family to yours! 

Common Heating Repairs

"There are literally hundreds of reasons that a home furnace or heating system will need to be repaired or replaced, several of which are extremely common among home or office owners and can cause your system to break down. Whether you are keeping your home or office warm during the winter or preparing it for the cold weather season, the secret to avoiding costly repair bills and keeping your system operating properly is preventative maintenance. Additionally, identifying or spotting the more common heating problems can save you a considerable amount of money in the long run.

• Air flow problems - one of the more common heating repair problems, improper air flow results from worn out bearings, belts, and fan motors. A good indication of these issues is a furnace that is overheating or improper heating controls.


• Basic mechanical wear and tear - there are a number of essential mechanical components that the operation of your furnace and heating system relies on. Your unit's performance can be negatively impacted by normal wear and tear of these different components. This will result in poor air flow, furnace overheating, and improper heating controls.


• Clogged or dirty air filters - one issue that causes more heating problems than any other is having a clogged or dirty air filters and not changing them on a regular basis. Ironically, this is the cheapest issue to fix. Regular replacement of your air filters should be done on a monthly basis in order to improve the efficiency and extend the life of your furnace or heating system. A dirty filter can severely restrict the flow of air so the system must work considerably harder to keep warm air circulating throughout the home. You will not be as comfortable and your system will not work efficiently and properly."

To continue reading, please click the link below! 

http://hvactips.net/heating-repair/how-to-spot-common-heating-repair-problems/

Forced Air Systems

"Forced air systems are those that use air to distribute the heat throughout the building. The system uses a series of ducts to carry the heated air to vents placed in individual rooms or other areas of your home. A thermostat activates or deactivates the system to maintain a desired, preset temperature. If the temperature drops below the setting, the thermostat activates the system until reaching the temperature, at which point it deactivates the system. The difference between most forced air delivery systems is the method used to heat the air. The most common types are gas or electric furnaces, heat pumps and central air conditioning systems utilizing electrical resistance heating elements."

Please click the link below to continue reading about the advantages and disadvantages! 

https://modernize.com/hvac/heating-repair-installation

Energy Saving Tips!

"One of the issues that many of us are constantly concerned with today are ways to lower our monthly utility bills especially the cost of our air conditioning during warm weather. Our comfort is extremely important to us, but it seems highly improbable that we could actually stay cooler during the hot weather months without breaking the bank in the process. With record setting heat waves becoming more common every summer, even cheapskates aren’t left with much of choice where cranking up the air conditioning is concerned.

Cutting Utility Bill Costs Without Suffering In The Process

When you do need to run your air conditioning more frequently to keep the house cooler, the following tips could help you reduce those inflated A/C costs on your monthly utility bills while not sacrificing any comfort in the process:

• If your A/C unit is an older model, replace it - older A/C units should be replaced with newer, energy-efficient models. These are labeled with an Energy Star rating and will consume up to 50% less energy compared to those models that were manufactured during the 1990’s. Despite the size of the initial investment involved with replacing an older unit, the cost can easily be recouped as a result of the savings that are realized during your first year of utility bills."

To continue reading, please click the link below! 

http://hvactips.net/money-savers/tips-for-reducing-ac-costs-on-your-electric-bill/

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey Time!

"Turkey, a Thanksgiving staple so ubiquitous it has become all but synonymous with the holiday, may or may not have been on offer when the Pilgrims hosted the inaugural feast in 1621. Today, however, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the bird—whether roasted, baked or deep-fried—on Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. Other traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate.

Parades have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the United States. Presented by Macy’s department store since 1924, New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest and most famous, attracting some 2 to 3 million spectators along its 2.5-mile route and drawing an enormous television audience. It typically features marching bands, performers, elaborate floats conveying various celebrities and giant balloons shaped like cartoon characters."

 

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

TrueDRY™ DR65 Dehumidification System

"Remove 65 pints of moisture per day with this whole-house dehumidifier

Moisture leads to humidity, which leads to being uncomfortable in your own home. Our TrueDRY™ DR65 Dehumidification System can help. It’s a whole-house dehumidifier that can remove up to 65 pints of moisture per day from the air and replaces it with fresh, filtered air. You can dehumidify the whole house or a certain area. Everything about the dehumidifier makes it homeowner-friendly. Unlike portable units, it’s not out in the open. It’s also super quiet and efficient. Maintenance? Minimal. The dehumidifier drains automatically.

• Removes up to 65 pints of moisture per day
• Minimal maintenance
• Increased comfort and energy savings
• Remove excess moisture from the air, delivering fresh, filtered air in the home
• Less moisture in the home reduces the strain on your air conditioner and also allows you to set your thermostat higher to run your air conditioner less
• Can remove moisture evenly throughout the entire home or focus specifically on problem areas that can lead to costly renovations
• Unlike portable units, Honeywell whole-house dehumidifiers provide unobtrusive, quiet and efficient operation
• Professional installation"

Filter Changes

"The filters in your HVAC system are the first and most effective measure in protecting your heating and cooling system. Any HVAC specialist or home improvement guru will tell you, change your filters often. Keeping your system in fresh filters will greatly extend its life expectancy and this small bit of preventative maintenance can save you money on repairs down the road, not to mention help keep up the air quality in your home.

Although some products claim to be effective for ninety days or even longer, most industry experts recommend changing your filters every thirty days. In any case, you should inspect your filters regularly, as often as once a week, as the age of your HVAC system and the level of usage will determine how much wear and tear a filter suffers.

You know it is time to change your filters when it is coated in thick dust, usually gray or black. When a filter is clogged up like that, not only is it no longer doing its job, it is decreasing the efficiency of your heating system as the trapped dust absorbs heat. Plus, it also creates a serious fire hazard."

To continue reading, please click the link below! 

http://hvactips.net/air-ducts/have-your-hvacs-back-and-change-those-filters/