July 2009 Archives

Here's an exercise that could show you how to save money with your central air conditioning this summer:  tie a dirty rag over your face and go for a nice long jog!

I'm not being serious, of course, but I am making a serious point: when you run your central air conditioning with a dirty compressor and evaporator coils, this can strangle the air flow to your system, making it run a lot less efficiently--like trying to run a race with a dirty rag over your face.

So one of the simplest things you can do to cut your cooling (and heating) energy usage is to keep your system clean.  This is good for your pocketbook and good for the planet.

According to John Schulte, executive director of NADCA (the HVAC Inspection, Maintenance and Restoration Association), "The American home accounts for almost a quarter of the world's energy usage, and heating and cooling make up as much as half of the energy cost in our homes.  When we talk about easy ways to increase energy efficiency, it only makes sense to start with the easiest fixes to the biggest costs.  That's why HVAC cleaning makes so much sense not only for our homes, but also for the planet."

So the next time you go for a run (if you're into that), remember to also keep your home heating and cooling system running smoothly by keeping it clean.  This will help win the race for more efficient energy usage.
And if your system needs a cleaning, give us a call!

If you're doing new construction with central air conditioning--or if your current central A/C isn't keeping your home cool enough--you should spend some time drinking a soda through a straw.  It could help you make the right decision about what to do.

If you've ever tried to drink through one of those skinny straws (like the Crazy Straws we had when I was a kid), you know that you have to suck a lot harder.  You could wear out your jaws before you quench your thirst!
Something similar often happens with new A/C installations.  Some contractors install  central air with air ducts that are too small.  For example, they might install 16" air ducts when the system requires 18" air ducts.
Does that 2" make a difference?  You better believe it does!  You could end up with a system that just can't keep your house cool.  And, because the system has to work harder to push the air through the smaller ducts--like you trying to suck soda through a skinny straw--your equipment could wear out or break down prematurely.

This actually happens more often than you might think.  Undersized air ducts is one of the leading causes of central A/C equipment failure.  So if your system isn't doing the job, the problem may not be the equipment--it may simply be the size of the air ducts!   

So before you install a new central A/C system--or before you have someone do expensive repairs to your equipment because your house isn't staying cool--ask your contractor if he is sure that the air ducts are the right size.  If they are not...this could be the last straw!

And if you would like for us to check your air ducts, just give us a call.

How well I remember those hot summer days in our house back in the time B.C.A.C. (Before Central Air Conditioning).  

You could work up a sweat just sitting there!  Your skin stuck to furniture--which was just as well because you didn't feel like getting up and doing anything anyway.  You felt like a slug stuck to a hot sidewalk.  You felt like a pile of spaghetti that had been under the warming lights too long at the all-you-can-eat buffet.  

And then there were the hot, cranky kids who were starting to sound like the AFLAC duck on speed (but who could blame them for being cranky?).  Have you tried having quality family time under those conditions?

Sort of makes you wonder how many family arguments across America occur because of the lack of central air.  Talk about an energy drain!  

Everything has its cost, of course, including central air.  But AC is also, to my mind, a wonderful, worthwhile investment in quality of life...and quality of family life.
Which is why I want to remind you, in case you are in the market, that this year you can get a federal tax credit of up to $1,500 for approved, energy-efficient upgrades to your home--and that can include an efficient central air conditioning system.  

Check it out.  Because the tax credit just might make this the right time for you to move from B.C.A.C. to A.C.A.C.