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.
When was the last time that you looked in your dryer vent? A lot of people don’t think to ever take a peek and unknowingly let the lint quietly build up until it becomes a safety hazard. One of our technicians was talking today about how he sees this problem a lot and wanted me to share with you the best ways of cleaning it out. I fully agree with him that this is such an important home safety issue that it needs to be talked about. You need to be checking your vent every few months to prevent fires from starting.
So here’s what you have to do:
- Detach the dryer vent from the dryer
- Use an electric leaf blower or a shop vac set in reverse to blow through the tubing. All of the gunk that is in there will come out of your house on the other side. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do NOT use a gas leaf blower inside your home because the fumes are toxic and can cause some serious health risks, even death
- Check the vent outside of your house and clear out all of the remaining debris
Another thing to take a look at is how close the vent is to your heat pump or air conditioner. Often they are installed close together and lint from the dryer vent gets in the coils of your outdoor unit. You will want to examine the unit to see if there is any buildup. If you find any lint, have a reputable HVAC company do a professional tune up and cleaning on the system to ensure that there is no damage to the unit. They will also be able to talk with you about ways to prevent the lint from collecting on the coils (in fact, my technician said he recommends a solution involving pantyhose). If you want more information or to schedule a cleaning for your unit call me, Angie, at 253-630-9224.
If I haven’t convinced you yet to take a look at your dryer vent, check out this news story about a family in Kent who suffered a tragic fire because of a clogged dryer vent. Please don’t let this happen to you! http://www.kirotv.com/video/9914544/
Even though our weather is abysmal and dreary right now, we are about to head into the most glorious of seasons in Western Washington– the summer. Soon we will have some hot weather coming our way and you will want to be prepared. And I mean more than just rolling out the lemonade. I’m talking about air conditioning. We’ll discuss it more as the warm weather starts to arrive, but for the moment I wanted to pass on a fact I found interesting. So many people in our area have the perception that air conditioning is rare in homes, but the U.S. Energy Administration reports that in reality, the percentage of homes with central air-conditioning has more than doubled since 1980, with nearly 60% of homes having a central system. Some food for thought as you are pondering “To A.C. or not to A.C.” (I know, sometimes I make really lame jokes. Wait, you didn’t think it was funny? It was, I promise).
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 7 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
Replacing your old heating and cooling equipment with new energy-efficient equipment is guaranteed to save you money on your utility bills. However, you need to make sure that the company that is installing your new equipment is doing it properly. Improper installation can reduce system efficiency by up to 30%! Make sure you ask the following questions before committing to a company:
- How did you size the equipment for my home? If the system is too big or too small, it will work harder than it should and shorten the length of its life. You want to make sure that a heat loss calculation has been performed on the house by your contractor to determine exactly what the right size of equipment is for you.
- Do I have any leaks in the duct system? The contractor should evaluate the duct system to identify leaks and then seal them.
- How do you ensure a proper refrigerant charge? If your cooling system has an improper refrigerant charge, it can cause failure of components, which results in costly repairs.
- Do you have a Quality Installation Checklist? A contractor that has a checklist to ensure that the installers are doing the install correctly is definitely a company you should look for.
Next week in our series on ENERGY STAR: Rebates and Tax Credits
Source: www.energystar.gov
It’s about time for Spring Cleaning again this year. It can be a daunting task (and not always the most fun one either) so we wanted to give you some suggestions to help you organize your cleaning so you can finish it quickly and feel great about the results.
- Make a list of each room and what needs to be done in it. You will feel great checking things off as you go along.
- Add to your list anything that might not reside in a specific room—changing your furnace filter, sweeping your porch, changing the batteries in your smoke alarms, etc.
- Make sure you have all your cleaning supplies on hand. There is nothing worse than starting a project and then having to run to the store for something you forgot!
- Listen to upbeat music as you clean. You’ll go faster and can dance along as you’re scrubbing. Trust us, it makes it much more fun.
- Tackle one room at a time and work first on the room that will make you feel the best once it’s done. Work from top to bottom in each room to ensure maximum cleanliness.
We hoped this helped get you jump started on your spring cleaning. In a few weeks, we’ll also share some simple homemade cleaners you can make to replace the toxic ones you have in your cupboards.
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 5 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
If you have tried all of the other steps shown in our previous posts and you still continue to experience problems, or if your heating or cooling system is over 10 years old or not working, you might want to consider replacing your equipment with a high-efficiency unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR. Here are some facts to help you in your decision making.
Furnaces
Furnaces are the most commonly used heating system in the United States. Those that have earned the ENERGY STAR have a higher AFUE rating, which is the measure of the efficiency. Most furnaces that can qualify for the ENERGY STAR will be the condensing furnaces where the transfer of heat is so thorough that water or condensate is a byproduct of combustion. Systems that are over 90% efficient have earned this distinction.
Central Air Conditioners
Most residential central air conditioners are called split-systems because they have an outdoor component and an indoor component. It’s very important to replace both of these units at the same time to maximize efficiency and prevent premature failure of the system. ENERGY STAR qualified central air conditioners have a higher SEER rating, which is the measurement of efficiency.
Heat Pumps
Heat Pumps provide both heating and cooling in one integrated system. They use the difference between the oudoor and indoor air temperatures to cool and heat. ENERGY STAR qualified heat pumps have higher SEER ratings than conventional models. They also have a higher Heating and Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF), which measures the heating efficiency of the heat pump.
Next week in our series on ENERGY STAR: Working With A Heating & Cooling Contractor
Source: www.energystar.gov
Here at AAA Heating & Air Conditioning, we are running a mid-winter special on Precision Tune Ups so that you can make sure your furnace is in the best working condition this season. It is important to get Precision Tune Ups performed once (heating only) or twice (heating & cooling systems) a year to increase the longevity of your equipment, reduce utility bills, and help prevent future breakdowns.
Right now, we are offering $188 of Services for only $93! If you call and schedule by February 28, 2010, you will get:
- 23 Point Precision Tune Up that will fully clean, adjust, and reset your system to factory specs
- Complete Carbon Monoxide Test
- Free High Efficient Air Filter
- 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed—if you don’t think you’ve gotten an excellent value, you don’t pay us!
Call us at 253-630-9224 today to schedule your Precision Tune Up for only $93. However, make sure you call us before February 28, 2010 or our offer will have expired.
P.S. Don’t just take our word for it that you need annual Precision Tune Ups. Your utility company, The Center for Disease Control, and all heating & cooling manufacturers will also tell you how important it is.
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
If you have a heat pump or air conditioner, make sure that you keep the area around it free from debris like grass and bushes. If vegetation is allowed to grow too close to the unit, it can impede its operation.
In the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) world, sometimes it’s easy to get confused about what all of those abbreviations mean. You hear them bandied about in the media, but it’s hard to always know what they are talking about. Below you will find some common abbreviations that we think are important for you to know.
SEER- Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating. This is applied to any unit that has cooling. All Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners have a SEER number, and the higher the number, the more efficient the unit.
HSPF- Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. All Heat Pumps have this rating, and again, the higher the number, the more efficient the unit.
AFUE- Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Gas Furnaces carry this rating and just like the rest of them, the higher the number, the more efficient the unit.
If you’re curious about what ratings your heating or cooling units carry, give us a call at 253-630-9224 and we can give you that info.
