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).
Do you know what’s exciting? Stumbling across the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s website filled with facts about the usage of energy in each individual state. Oh wait, it’s just me who is happy at the discovery? Admittedly, I am a bit of an information nerd, so sites filled with facts fill me with joy. Let me synthesize the info on Washington State for you so that you can find the same thrill that I have in my heart.
- Power to us for our massive amount of renewable resources! (Get the pun?) Washington state is the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the nation. And get this– In November 2006, Washington adopted a renewable energy standard that requires all utilities serving at least 25,000 people to produce 15 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.
- If you’re thinking of leaving on a jet plane, you’re not the first. Washington is among the highest users of jet fuel, mostly due to the military bases in the area.
- Your South King County heat pump might just be run on power from the Columbia Generating System, which generates 1/10th of the state’s power. And you might also have a gas furnace like 1/3 of the state who uses gas as their primary source of home heating.
While I have provided you with some scintillating facts, I’m sure that you will want to read even more yourself. Head on over to the U.S. Energy Website for more thrills.
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
KOMOnews.com is reporting that Puget Sound Energy has been granted a rate increase by state regulators. KOMO’s website reports:
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission announced the approval of the increases on Friday. The decision will allow PSE to raise electric rates by 2.8 percent and natural gas rates by 0.8 percent. The new rates will kick in on Wednesday. PSE’s basic charge for electric service will also go up a quarter to $7.25 a month. The basic charge for natural gas service will remain the same, at $10 a month.
If you’re concerned about how the rate increase might affect your heating or cooling bills, you might want to consider a heat pump. Much more efficient than an electric or gas furnace, a heat pump will lower your energy bills and bring you year round comfort. If you are interested in finding out how much energy you can save with a heat pump, call our Kent Heating and Air Conditioning office at 253-630-9224 to get a free analysis for your home.
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
Did you know that heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires each year? You can prevent them by following these tips from the National Fire Protection Agency:
- Portable space heaters need to have a 36-inch clearance between them and anything that can burn. They also need to be turned off every time you leave the room or go to bed.
- Only use a licensed heating contractor to install new furnaces or heat pumps in your home. They will be able to install them with the correct ventilation according to code, which will prevent fires.
- Do not use your oven to heat your home
- Have your wood & coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, and furnace or heat pump inspected annually by a professional, and cleaned as often as is suggested.
- If your power goes out, avoid using candles. Use flashlights instead.
- Make sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room.
- Test your smoke alarms monthly and install a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside of each sleeping area.
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 3 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
Ductwork is what distributes the heated or cooled air from your furnace throughout the rest of the house. In a typical house, 20% of that air is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts. Inefficient heating or cooling systems, high utility bills, and difficulty keeping the house comfortable are the result.
If you feel comfortable enough, you can seal leaks by yourself with a mastic sealant or a foil tape. You will also want to ensure that the connections at the vents and registers are well-sealed where they meet the floors, walls, and ceiling.
However, many homeowners choose to hire a professional Heating and Cooling Contractor to perform an inspection on the duct work and to make any repairs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends looking for a contractor who will:
- Inspect the whole duct system, including the attic, basement, and crawlspace
- Evaluate the system’s supply and return air balance. Many systems have air return ducts that are too small
- Repair or replace damaged, disconnected, or undersized ducts and straighten out flexible ducts that are tangled or crushed
- Seal leaks and connections
- Seal gaps behind registers and grills where the duct meets the floor, wall, or ceiling
- Insulate ducts in unconditioned areas
- Use diagnostic tools to evaluate air flow after repairs are completed
AAA Heating & Air Conditioning has trained specialists who can perform these checks and repairs for you. Give us a call at 253-630-9224 to schedule an appointment.
Next time in our series on ENERGY STAR: Using Programmable Thermostats
Source: www.energystar.gov
