what to expect from a house energy audit
the first step to take towards a more energy effective house is to have a skilled energy audit performed. an energy audit is an assessment of how energy is used (or wasted) within the house. there are several factors that can contribute to wasted energy, but the top three causes of energy loose are air leaks, lack of insulation, and inefficient appliances. the pro will use a couple methods for determining where in your house you have the most trouble.
energy use and your family
the way that your family consumes energy is another critical factor that your auditor will take into consideration. if there are areas where you are being unnecessarily wasteful, your auditor will be able to offer advice that will make saving energy instead of wasting energy easier on the whole family. he may suggest anything from installing a programmable thermostat to plugging appliances into easily turned off power strips. applying any one of his suggestions in your house will help you save even more.
air leaks and insulation assessment
the combination of a blower entryway test and a thermographic scan is the best way to detect air leaks in the house. air leaks can be found all over the house and in several places that you may not expect. these leaks could be costing you extra to heat and cool your house every month. the air from outside could be getting into the house, and the conditioned air inside could be leaking out as well depending on where the air leak is located.
- blower entryway test: a blower entryway test will create a pressure imbalance between the indoors and outdoors. by lowering the pressure inside the house, the auditor is able to see where the high pressure from the outdoors is leaking in.
- thermographic scan: the thermographic scan helps the auditor see these leaks. the temperature difference between the air inside and the air outside will appear on the scan, and therefore highlight the leaks.
the thermographic scan also shows the auditor areas that lack insulation. during the winter, cold areas will appear blue or black on the scan, and areas that are heated will appear red or white. when scanning the inside of the house, blue areas may indicate an air leak or a lack of insulation. once a cold region is found, the auditor will figure out which areas are in the most need of upgrade.
energy efficiency assessment
the house hold appliances in your house use a lot of the energy that you pay for every month. the heating and cooling system alone can account for up to half of the energy use. so, it is critical that these units are effective. your auditor should assess their efficiency, and make recommendations for replacements where necessary. the refrigerator, warm water tank, washer, dryer, and dishwasher are all common appliances checked by energy audits.
the verdict
once all data is collected, the auditor will then prioritize the repairs your house needs to improve its energy efficiency. with this list you will be able to apply your budget more effectively to the areas that need the most help. performing a high priority correction or two could save you big bucks on your energy bills, so find an energy auditor today!
24 hour furance also recommends this great site: HEPA Air Duct Cleaning experts
spring maintenance of of your heating, ventalation, and cooling system
as spring approaches, we will all bust out our brooms, mops, pick up pans, and maintenance of supplies to give our homes a good scrub down. as we all begin to wash away our winter blues, there is one part of the house than many property owner will forget to maintaning. it is the heating, ventalation, and cooling system, and having it cleaned properly by a skilled could make all the difference in your house during the upcoming seasons. the cooling system, the heating filter, and the air ducts all effort to keep you comfortable and keep your air maintaning, and neglecting any one of them could lead to disaster when the real summer heat hits.
the pros know best
only a skilled will have the proper skills and system to maintaning your heating, ventalation, and cooling system without causing any damage. some property owners attempt to maintaning these components of the system on their own and end up with major problems on their hands. to prevent this from happening, call a local correction technician that you trust and he will do a thorough maintenance of and inspection of:
- the heating filter: whether you have disposable of permanent filters in the unit, you need to maintaning or replace them regularly. not doing so could lead to restricted air movement through the heating, ventalation, and cooling system. this will drastically reduce your enjoyable environment and could even cause your heating or cooling system to break down.
- the cooling system: the outdoor condensing unit has been through a lot this past winter. odds are yours is full of debris and other particles that could seriously impede performance come the summer season. your serviceman will know how to navigate maintenance of the condenser without harming any of the internal components.
- the heating: property owners that stay on top of their heating, ventalation, and cooling routine repair probably had the heating cleaned during the fall. however, the blower motor has probably taken a beating this past winter season. it is a good idea to have your correction technician maintaning this part also, so that you can have guaranteed air circulation all warmer weather long.
- the air ducts: spring means the return of pollen and other allergens that can make this season a nightmare for allergy sufferers. maintenance of the air ducts out will help eliminate the presence of these particles in your house, and combining this service with a new air maintenance of system will drastically improve your home’s interhome air quality all annually round.
don’t forget to maintaning your heating, ventalation, and cooling system this spring, and you are sure to have a beautiful season ahead of you.
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Furnace preventative maintenance
Carbon Monoxide and your Furnace
Carbon Monoxide / Gas Furnace Repair, now is not to late to start thinking about having preventative maintenance on your furnace or having it replaced before winter. Seasonal furnace maintenance is essential to make sure your furnace is running efficiently.
Furnaces keep your home warm in the winter, and serve as an important part of your air conditioning system in the summer. In a furnace a heat source is used to heat air before pushing it throughout your home. Frequently these heat sources are gas or oil which can produce Carbon Monoxide.
The mechanics of a furnace is that it takes in cold air, cleans it with an air filter, heats it up with a gas burner using a steel heat exchanger, it distributes the warm air with a blower motor through your home’s duct work. The heated air is forced through your registers in your home’s various rooms pushing the unconditioned (cool Air) back to the returns and back to the furnace to complete another heating loop.
Preventative maintenance is very important for your furnace. Carbon monoxide leakage can occur in your home without your knowledge. Carbon monoxide is a harmful odorless gas that can be lethal. By changing the filters and scheduling proper furnace maintenance you can detect problems early.
To read more about this topic or others like it, check out our HVACR web blog.
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the source removal standard
if you have never had the air ducts cleaned in your house, shine a flashlight down one of your vents and get a good look at the mess that lies in your floors, walls, and ceilings. dirt, dust and debris becomes caked on to the inside of your air ducts over the years, and hiring the wrong air duct system maintenance of business could bring that mess out of the ducts and into the living areas of your house. duct cleaners that make this mistake do not abide by nadca standards of source removal, and the effects of their mistake could make the air quality problem in your house exponentially worse.
what is source removal?
source removal is the process of taking contaminants from the air ducts and getting them out of the house without allowing them to enter main living areas. this requires creating negative pressure in the duct system through the use of a grand vacuum attached to the supply and return ends of the air ducts. the serviceman should make sure that all other vents in the house are sealed during maintenance of. a skilled duct cleaner will also have other tools that they use to kick up the particles in the ducts so that all debris is collected. in the end, your ducts should be virtually debris free, and the main region of your house should not have been disturbed in any way.
why is source removal so critical?
buisnesses that do not abide by strict source removal techniques could cause major problems in your house. releasing grand amounts of the particles from your ducts into the main living areas of the house can:
- destroy interhome air quality: odds are the contaminants in your ducts are already present in your breathing air. however, when the particles in the ducts are agitated and not collected properly, the amounts of these particles in the air increases dramatically.
- cause a mold problem: not all ducts have mold present in them, but if yours do and your duct cleaner doesn’t use source removal techniques, the mold problem in your ducts could become a mold problem all over the house. mold has been known to cause health problems especially in those that have allergies, asthma, or other respiratory problems.
- cause a dust mite problem: dust mites feast of dead skin cells, and these cells make up a grand portion of the dust in your house. as a result, many people have these microscopic critters in their duct systems, and when they are released by poor air duct system maintenance of practices, many people will knowledge an adverse skin reaction or other allergy symptoms.
these are disgusting problems you defiantly don’t want in your house! make sure that your air duct system maintenance of business is a member of nadca, and that they use proper source removal techniques in their air duct system maintenance of procedures. if not, you could end up with a much bigger mess on your hands than you ever had before.
24 hour furance also recommends this great site: Chicago Heating and Cooling
Reduce your gas bill
How to improve your home comfort without raising your gas bill
Choose a system with automatic, precision control.
The newest technology will automatically provide just the right amount of heat and airflow to keep your home perfectly comfortable, regardless of the temperature outside. Lennox developed the new G71MPP gas furnace with innovated Precise Comfort technology to make automatic adjustments-in increments as small as 1%-for the ultimate temperature control. Custom settings can be selected for effortless year-round comfort.
Take advantage of dual-fuel options
You can enjoy even better efficiency with a gas furnace that’s designed to be paired with an electric heat pump. Dual-fuel systems seamlessly alternate between heating with electricity when temperatures are above freezing, and heating with more efficient gas when it’s colder outdoors.
The simplest advice: turn it down
Saving energy on your home’s heating can be as simple as turning down your thermostat at night or while you’re away during the day. Using a programmable thermostat makes it easy. Keeping your thermostat between 68-72 degrees F while your at home-and lower while your asleep or away-can help reduce your heating bill dramatically.
Chicago Energy Efficiency Rebates
The Chicagoland Natural Gas Savings Program offers rebates to encourage customers to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes, apartment buildings and businesses.
Energy Efficiency Rebates
Non-Residential customers on Service Classification 2 are eligible for rebates on energy-efficient furnaces, boilers, water heaters, commercial kitchen equipment, boiler controls, insulation and other measures purchased between now and September 30, 2010.
To qualify, equipment must meet efficiency and installation requirements and be installed by professional contractors. Rebate amounts vary from $0.15 per square foot (for roof/ceiling insulation) to $6.00 per MBTUH (for high efficiency space heating boilers).
To see a full list of eligible equpiment and learn how to apply, visit Chicagoland Natural Gas Savings Program or call 866-964-7345. Applications must be made no later than 60 days after the purchase or by October 31, 2010, whichever comes first.
hazards of going without heat
when the heating or boiler goes out in the dead of winter, you may be surprised by how fast the cold can creep in. within hours the temperature inside the house will mirror the outdoors, and if you don’t act fast, you, your family, and your house may be at risk. having a 24 hour heating, ventalation, and cooling correction technician, like your local correction technician, to rely upon is a good way to quickly restore enjoyable environment and protection to your family and your house. your local correction technician is aware of the potential risks caused by drastically cold temperatures, and we have made it our goal to be there for our home owners when they need us the most. night and day your local correction technician is here to protect you from:
- hazards to your health: young children, the elderly, and those that are ill are more susceptible to health problems caused by the cold that those of us who are healthy adults. hypothermia is just one of the complications that can be caused by freezing temperatures, and the only way to prevent these problems is by repairing the heating to keep these people warm.
- hazards to your protection: a heating system breakdown often forces people to turn to alternative methods to heat their homes. region heaters need to be used with extreme caution according to the manufacturer’s regulations, and there is also a potential for carbon monoxide (co) exposure if a set on fire heater is not properly vented. ovens are another heating alternative that many people turn to that can cause fire and carbon monoxide (co) exposure.
- hazards to your home’s protection: besides the fire hazard posed by alternative heating devices, frozen pipes are another major concern for property owners to consider when the heat stops working. frozen pipes can crack and burst spewing gallons of water into the house. the water spots or leaks can become astronomical if you don’t have a skilled on hand to help you out.
- loss of enjoyable environment: our homes are supposed to be our sanctuaries of protection and enjoyable environment, and when the heat is out both of these operates are diminished greatly. luckily, you have your local correction technician on hand as your house enjoyable environment specialist. we know how critical your family’s enjoyable environment and protection are to you, and we are here to get your unit back up and running when you need us most.
24 hour furance also recommends this great site: Chicato Heating Cooling
Finding HVAC Testimonials and Referrals
One of the things you most often hear when it comes to choosing any company to do work in your home is to seek a testimonial or referral. Sometimes that is easier said then done. Where do you go to get a testimonial? Will a company provide references? What about online review sites?
When it comes to choosing a heating and cooling contractor many people go with the company that first installed their furnace or air conditioning unit. When you have that past experience with a company that can be very helpful. If the company that did the installation has done a good job you are more likely to seek them out in the future or refer them to your friends and family. If you know someone who has just had a new furnace installed in the last couple of years you may want to get their opinion on whether or not you should contact that HVAC contractor.
If you call any heating or air conditioning company they should be able to point you to testimonials on their website or a consumer review site online with testimonials. Even if you see a negative review online remember that the anonymity behind customer reviews makes them harder to validate and nearly every review site gives companies the ability to work with customers to solve any issues. If you see a review keep in mind that any complaints should be relevant to tangible things such as details about service or installation and not about vague issues.
24 Hour Solution
You can always count on things going wrong at the least convenient time, at least that’s what it seem like sometimes. When your air conditioning goes out, it may not happen at 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday. Sometimes it happens at 9:00 p.m. on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Why is timing important? Well for one you’ll need to know how quickly someone can come to your home to repair your AC. Secondly, you don’t want to pay more for just because it happens late at night or on a weekend. What you need is a 24 hour solution.
It’s great to find a heating and cooling company that will come to your home at any hour of the day any day of the week. But it is also good to know you won’t pay more for that convenience. Choose your HVAC company wisely and look for a company that is a member of the Better Business Bureau. Even though it may seem like an emergency, take the time to search out a qualified air conditioning repair company. When it comes to 24 hour emergency repair not all companies may deliver the same results.
plants improve interhome air quality
you have probably heard a lot about improving the air quality in your house through the use of air purifiers, air cleaners, duct cleanings, or heating filters. however, you may not have considered one easy, and beautiful, way to improve your home’s interhome air quality. filling your house with houseplants is actually a very effective and safe way to remove certain volatile organic compounds from the air in your house. these compounds or vocs can build up in grand quantities within the house, and cause health problems if the issue is not combated in some way. homes that are very well sealed against air leaks are especially vulnerable because of the lack of ventilation. ventilation with the outdoors helps to dilute the amount of vocs inside your house, but since air leaks are bad for energy efficiency, many property owners have their homes sealed tight. these are some common and harmful organic compounds that are found in homes:
- formaldehyde
- ammonia
- benzene
- trichloroethylene
- carbon monoxide (co)
plants naturally absorb these chemicals and use them to grow and make their food. nasa performed a study to compare the abilities of different plants to remove these compounds from the air. they found that some plants are better than others at removing formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and benzene from the air. they also believe that any houseplant or flowering plant could absorb these chemicals. some of the plants they found to be most effective were:
- peace lily
- spider plant
- golden pothos
- snake plant
- chinese evergreen
- weeping fig
- pot mum
- english ivy
these are just some of the houseplants you may want to consider placing in your house, but you may also want to consider using another air filtering device to collect the particles that plants don’t absorb. using this combination will ensure that you and your family are breathing the cleanest air possible.
24 hour furance also recommends this great site: Central Air Repair Contractors