We have finally hit summer!  Has anyone else been jonesing for some sun like I have?  I stepped outside a little bit earlier today and could feel my Vitamin D stores replenishing.  However, with the glorious heat also comes a lot of danger if you aren’t careful.  We consulted the Regional Public Information Network  (www.rpin.org) for some safety tips from the Red Cross to keep you and your loved ones safe in the next week.   If you don’t have air conditioning or a heat pump, you will especially want to pay attention to the following list.

How to Prevent Heat-Related Illness

• Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing (light colors reflect away some of the sun’s energy) and plenty of sunscreen. Wear a hat or use an umbrella to help shield you from the sun.
• Carry water or juice and drink frequently, even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body. Make sure to check on youth and elderly to make sure they have enough fluids.
• Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increases metabolic heat.
• Avoid using salt tablets unless directed by a physician.
• Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do something physically demanding, try to do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually between 4:00 and 7:00 a.m. Take regular breaks to cool off.
• Stay indoors as much as possible.
• Be vigilant about water safety if headed to a pool or beach. Never leave a child unattended near water and keep lifesaving gear handy.
• Watch for signs of life-threatening heat stroke. The person’s temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly.
• Signals of heat stroke include hot, red, and usually dry skin, changes in consciousness, rapid, weak pulse and rapid, shallow breathing.
• If you or someone you know experience symptoms, call 9-1-1 or your local EMS number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body by wrapping wet sheets around the body and fan it. If you have ice packs or cold packs, place them on each of the victim’s wrists and ankles, in the armpits and on the neck to cool the large blood vessels. Watch for signals of breathing problems and make sure the airway is clear. Keep the person lying down.
• Don’t forget to protect your pets.
• Limit exercise to the coolest part of the day, typically early in the morning. Even in the coolest part of the day, watch for signs of trouble. Glassy eyes and frantic panting indicate a dog needs help.
• Make sure your pet has constant access to shade and an endless supply of cool, clean water.
• Never leave a pet in a car – even for a few minutes.
• Be vigilant for signs of heat stroke, which is deadly for pets. Symptoms include sluggish and non-responsive demeanor, bright red and/or dry tongue and gums, vomiting or diarrhea and/or unusual breathing patter, heavy panting, or high heart rate.  If your pet displays these symptoms, get emergency medical attention.

Coming up later this week… Air Conditioning and whether it is right for you.

A Walla Walla, WA elementary school recently was found with exceptionally high levels of radon in the air.  The radon was especially present after hours and on the weekends when the heating & cooling system was shut off.  The school decided to keep the units running constantly to keep the naturally occurring radioactive gas from reaching dangerous levels until a permanent solution could be found.

While homeowners won’t have to necessarily worry about high levels of radon in their houses, this story does bring a message about the power of your furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner.  A good filter on your system will collect dust and other allergens, and allow your family to breathe well.  We strongly recommend talking to a heating or cooling company about your filtration options to ensure that the air inside of your home is healthy for you and your family.  You can always call us at 253-630-9224 and we would be happy to answer any questions over the phone for you.

Because AAA Heating & Air Conditioning cares about helping our customers save money and improve the environment, we wanted to help you make sense of the ENERGY STAR® program and what it means for your heating or cooling system.  This is Part 2 of a 9 part series on the subject that is published every other Thursday.  If you missed our previous posts, you can find them here: AAA Heating & Air Conditioning ENERGY STAR blog posts

Dirt and neglect are the top causes of heating and cooling system inefficiencies and failures, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Performing routine maintenance is key to ensuring that your heating or cooling system runs efficiently at a lower cost to you, as well as extending the life of the unit.

We agree with the EPA and strongly recommend changing your filter on a regular basis, approximately every 2 months.  We also agree that having a trained technician perform maintenance on your heating system once a year and cooling system once a year is also crucial to the health and efficiency of your units.

The EPA recommends the following checklist for the overall system maintenance.  At AAA Heating & Air Conditioning, we do all of this and more:

• Check thermostat settings
• Tighten all electrical connectiosn and measure voltage and current on motors
• Lubricate moving parts
• Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioniner, furnace, and/or heat pump
• Check system controls to ensure proper and safe operation
• Inspect, clean, or change the air filter
• Inspect the flue piping
• Check all gas connections, gas pressure, burner combustion, and heat exchanger
• Clean indoor and outdoor coils
• Check refrigerant charges and adjust as necessary
• Clean and adjust blower components to provide proper system airflow

Give us a call at 253-630-9224 if you want more information on the importance of maintaining your system or to schedule an appointment with one of our specially trained technicians.

Next week in our series on ENERGY STAR: Sealing Duct Work

Source: www.energystar.gov

Can you believe this weather?  This January we have seen some record breaking highs in temperature.  We’ve seen temps in the 50’s and even saw it reach 60 degrees!  According to Cliff Mass, a University of Washington Professor of Meterology, we are set to have the warmest January on record.    The whole western half of the country is also experiencing record low pressures, and Washington has certainly received its fair share.  What a crazy winter we have here!  If you have been holding off on doing a Precision Tune Up on your furnace or heat pump, now is definitely the time to get that taken care of.  Heating companies, ourselves included, are slower than normal this January due to the weather, so you would be able to take advantage of special pricing and get your yearly tune up done quickly.  Call us at 253-630-9224 if you want to get that scheduled.

Because AAA Heating & Air Conditioning cares about helping our customers save money and improve the environment, we wanted to help you make sense of the ENERGY STAR® program and what it means for your heating or cooling system.  This is Part 1 of a 9 part series on the subject that will be published every Thursday.

Did you know that the average household spends more than $2200 a year on energy bills?  And almost half of that is going towards your heating and cooling costs!  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has created the ENERGY STAR program to help consumers make smart decisions about their heating and air conditioning systems that will help save energy costs, improve overall comfort at home, and help fight global warming.

Here’s another shocking fact for you:  The energy used in the average house is responsible for twice as many greenhouse gas emissions as the average car.

You CAN make an impact to bring down the amount of greenhouse gas emissions your household creates.  You might consider making a change if any of the following statements apply to you:

• Some of your rooms are too hot or cold.
• Your home has humidity problems, excessive dust, or rooms that never seem to get comfortable.
• Your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up.
• Your heating and cooling equipment is more than 10 years old.
• You leave your thermostat set at one constant temperature.

Stay tuned for upcoming articles about changes you can make to save your family money, increase your comfort, and do your part to help the environment.

Next week in our ENERGY STAR series: Maintaining Your Equipment

Source: www.energystar.gov

As the temperatures fall, you need to be aware of possible sources of Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning.  It is produced whenever any fuel, such as gas, wood, or charcoal, is burned.  Your gas furnace is one source of CO that you really need to watch.  The heat exchanger, which contains the CO within the furnace, can develop cracks over time and leak the gas into your home.  CO is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that can have deadly results if allowed to accumulate.   In fact, just a few days ago an Oregon man died and a woman went to the hospital as a result of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

What are the symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), CO poisoning can produce headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.  Inhaling high levels of the gas can lead to loss of consciousness and death.

How can you prevent Carbon Monoxide poisoning?
The CDC recommends getting your furnace serviced by a qualified heating company every year.  This will ensure the unit is running properly and the technician will be able to check for any cracks in your heat exchanger.  You should also install a Carbon Monoxide detector on each level of your home to warn you if any leaks into your home.

If you would like more information from the Centers for Disease Control, you can click this link.

Give us a call at 253-630-9224 if you would like to have us inspect your gas furnace for your safety or if have any questions.

We are approaching the holidays, which can mean lots of fun with parties, food, and gift giving.  Sometimes we know exactly what to get everyone on our list, but more often than not, we have a person or two that stump us.  Since men are notoriously hard to shop for, we wanted to help you out.  We asked some of our technicians for their wish lists and compiled their ideas into a great list for you.  Hopefully it will give you some ideas for the man in your life!

AAA Heating & Air Conditioning Technician Wish List

1. Magnetic Nut Driver Set
2. Hand or foot warmers
3. Gift card for Lowe’s or Home Depot
4. Satellite radio
5. SkewDriver (allows you to reach the hard to reach places)
6. Carbon Monoxide Detector
7. Wool socks
8. GPS
9. Carhartt jacket
10. Sunglasses
11. Starbucks gift card
12. Programmable Thermostat
13. Cordless Sawzall
14. Knives
15. Slippers
16. iPod
17. Thermal Underwear (no joke!)
18. A round of golf
19. A box of specialty meats
20. An Easy Button!

Is your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner not working? Check these three things before calling for service and you might be able to fix it on your own!

1. Is your thermostat set with the proper settings? In the winter it should be in Heat or Auto mode. If you have cooling in the summer, it should be in Cool or Auto mode.

2. When was the last time you changed your filters? If it wasn’t within the past 3 months, a clogged filter might be tripping the safety switch and shutting off the unit. You can test to see if the filter is the source of your problem by taking the filter out and cycling on the system. If it turns on and runs normally, a clogged filter might have been your problem.  If the filter was indeed clogged, the furnace may be in similar shape, so call to schedule a Precision Tune Up ASAP.

3. Do you have power to the unit? Check the breakers to make sure they haven’t tripped for any reason.  A tripped breaker may have been caused by a faulty part, so call us after resetting it for further instruction.

If you have gone through these checks and your unit still isn’t working, give us a call and we can schedule a technician out to your house to perform a thorough diagnostic check on your system.

Make sure to change or clean your furnace air filters every 2-3 months to ensure proper air flow within the furnace itself. Dirty filters will restrict air movement, which can cause your unit to overheat and shut itself off.