Is Your Air Conditioner Trying to Hit the Snooze Button?
After a long hibernation, most of us would wake up slowly. Your air conditioning system could be feeling the same way. In fact, it could sputter in protest at the first sign of a warm day. But basically, 
all it’s probably trying to tell you is that it just needs a little care after all those months of neglect.
These “wake up” calls are the most important services we provide to customers – because that’s how we get you ready and prepared for those warm summer days. If your air conditioner could say “thank you” for the service, it probably would, but you’ll just have to feel the gratitude in the smooth cooling it provides.
In the meantime, if you’ve been wondering what’s on your air conditioner’s mind, this brief, helpful letter could make it pretty clear.
How to Shine a Little Light on a Dark Night
Spring storms aren’t always predictable. You don’t exactly know when you’ll lose power and not be able to cook, keep your refrigerator working, stay comfortable or find your way in the dark. That’s why a lot of homeowners create a backup plan. They make the fairly small investment in a home generator to save themselves a lot of trouble later on.
Have you wondered about getting a generator for your home? If so, how do you decide which one is right for you? And how do you safely operate a generator? These are big questions, and we can help you get started on the answers.
If you’d like to learn more about selecting and operating home generators, take a look at our free report, “Power Outages to Come?”
Is Your Home Trying to Tell You Something?
Sometimes you can hear little noises that tell you your home has a concern to address. You know, something like the drip, drip, drip of a faucet that says “fix me.” or the sound of wind that’scoming through a crack that should be patched.
Spring is a good time to walk through your home just to “look and listen” to the maintenance issues that cropped up over the winter months. That way you’ll know what needs tending to.
Along those same lines, be sure to add your home comfort system to your maintenace list. Routine maintenance is one of the most practical ways you can preserve the life of your system and preserve you pockebook at the same time. Maintained systems run more efficiently, which saves you money.
What else should your maintenance tour include?
With the wrapped-up winter months now ending, give your home a checkup to make sure all is well inside and out. For example:
• Inspect your roof’s shingles for signs of damage from winter weather. Clean out gutters of leaves and debris, and check to see that downspouts are directed away from the foundation.
• Check the foundation for cracks and imperfections. Also, are there low yard levels near the foundation that will collect rainwater? If so, fill them with compacted soil.
• If you have a backyard deck, check the area that connects to the house for water stains; consistent water leakage could decay the wood and weaken the structure of the deck. You may also wish to use a pressure washer to rid the deck of moss and mold.
• Check your doors and windows for leaks. In particular, look for peeling or chipping paint, which could be a sign of water intrusion. Seal any leaks.
• Check your plumbing for signs of leaks, including your water heater as well as your faucets. Look for sweating pipes and clogged drains. Check your washing machine hoses to detect bulges, cracks or dampness.
Additionally, be sure to give your air conditioning system a bit of maintenance and care, especially since it’s got a pretty strenuous road ahead for the summer months. Keep these tips in mind:
• Before you turn on your unit, check the condensing unit outside. Make sure it’s not covered up by leaves, shrubs or debris.
• Before you really need your air conditioner, give it a test run. Don’t wait until the summer heat hits to find your air conditioner forgot how to work.
Dirty Air Conditioner
• Change your filters regularly. It’s a small task that makes a big difference. Dirty filters restrict airflow, which reduces efficiency.
• Schedule a system tune-up. To prepare your air conditioning system for the hot summer months and to prepare for your utility bills, schedule a spring tune-up. Regular professional maintenance on your air conditioner is important to keep it operating as it should. Schedule your spring tune-up today.
Service Your Air Conditioner For Summer Comfort
We all know that we can pay our auto mechanics a little now for routine service, or pay them a lot later for a major repair. The same idea holds true for your air conditioner or heat pump. If you don’t service your air conditioner or heat pump regularly, you’ll find yourself uncomfortable and broke.
In this article the term air conditioner will apply to a heat pump or a standard air conditioner. Both benefit equally from annual service tune-ups.
An air conditioner is a very tough piece of equipment. It is engineered to withstand all sorts of abuse and keep on running. This is great in most respects, but it can lead to complacency about maintenance. Like a car, air conditioners need regular tune-ups to run properly.
Without regular maintenance an air conditioner loses about 5% of its original efficiency for each year of operation. This means that the 10 SEER units that you bought just a few years ago may be functioning like a 7 SEER unit today! The good news is that you can recover most of that lost efficiency through regular maintenance. Studies show that with regular tune-ups a unit will maintain up to 95% of its original efficiency. This means that the cost of an annual tune-up is recovered very quickly in savings on your monthly electric bill and reduced repair costs. A properly serviced air conditioner will also do a better job of dehumidifying your home.
Huntington Heating & Cooling is offering a special preseason tune-up for $79 which is that is a $10 savings to schedule a tune-up now rather than wait. We also offer an annual service program that insures that you will be reminded of the need to service the unit at the beginning of the cooling and heating seasons. The annual program offers an even deeper discount on the service and gives you priority service and a 15% discount on any needed repairs.
The service check includes cleaning the condensing unit coils, checking the amp draw of the compressor, oiling the fan motors, checking that belts are well adjusted, and checking the system operating pressures and temperatures against the manufacturer’s specifications. One of the most important items to check is the coolant level (commonly known as Freon) in the air conditioner. A system that is only 10% low on coolant will cost about 20% more to operate! The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) recommends that coolant levels be checked every year.
If your unit is low on coolant, and more must be added, there are new laws governing its use. Freon is a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) that will damage the Earth’s protective ozone layer if released into the atmosphere. The laws governing CFC’s now do not allow us to add Freon to a leaky system. They are first required to find and fix the leak in the system. Don’t ask them to violate this law as they may lose their license if they are caught doing this.
The cost of R-22 refrigerant has sky rocketed over the past several months due to the forced reduction by manufacturers. So if your system is leaking or needs additional refrigerant you can expect to pay triple the cost for having it added to your system. If your system requires additional refrigerant it may make sense to look at a new system that will be leak free and uses R410-a refrigerant which is ozone safe and much less costly.
There are some things in addition to yearly tune-ups that you can do to help ensure a high level of comfort and proper system operation. First, buy good filters and change them regularly. Next, keep bushes and other materials away from the outside unit of your air conditioner. Another good idea is to avoid closing supply air outlets in your house. In almost all cases, closing supply outlets is harmful to the operation of the overall system.
All equipment, even the most reliable, needs routine maintenance. Complicated equipment like today’s air conditioners benefit in many ways from annual service. They recover much of their lost efficiency, they are less likely to suffer a major break down, they have a longer life span, they increase your comfort, and they operate for less money.
Furnace Maintenance Not the Do-It-Yourself Approach
Furnace Repair – How Regular Maintenance of Your Heating System Can Help You Save Money
Winters can be troublesome in Indiana, and such climatic conditions make heating systems an absolute necessity in our lives.
Regardless of what heating system is being employed in your house, it can become a big problem if your heating unit breaks down or does not function in the way you expect it to. This is where our NATE certified technicians come in play. These professionals undertake regular maintenance and even emergency repairs of heating and cooling units. Emergency repairs can prove to be expensive, and worst, can be very uncomfortable if your heater decides to break down in the winter months. Thus regular maintenance and repairs are cheaper alternatives, and also help to keep the system running longer.
How Regular Furnace Maintenance Can Save You Money?
Most people tend to ignore the upkeep and maintenance activities of their heating systems. While the system keeps running and does its job, there are not many people who are concerned about its regular maintenance and repair plans. However, is it doing it as efficiently as possible? Would you drive your car for 1 year or two years without maintenance? If you did, the repair bills could be enormous from the lack of maintenance, and your gas mileage would suffer. The same is true for your heating and cooling system. Dirty filters, dirty blower motors and dirty burners can substantially reduce the efficiency of your furnace costing you hundreds of dollars in extra utility costs.
Furnace Maintenance Services
Fortunately, it is not very difficult to stay away from these grave issues. The inconvenience and discomfort caused by a broken heating system can be effectively avoided only if you follow a regular maintenance plan. These small repairs ensure that all the components of your unit are running efficiently and safely. In addition to ensuring optimal output from your unit, regular maintenance can also help increase the life of the system. Furthermore, defected or damaged units are potentially very dangerous, and pose serious life threats to the occupants of a house.
Why You Should Avoid a Do-It-Yourself Approach to Faulty Heating Systems
Furnace maintenance is not for the do-it-yourself approach. Furnaces and other heating systems have a complex structure, and should best be left in the hands of a skilled technician. Heating systems have a variety of components, and it does take a considerable amount of knowledge and expertise to determine the fault. Adequate tools are also required for proper maintenance. Our professional technicians are trained on all of the latest equipment and have the tools required to properly servicing your heating and cooling system. They understand the importance of setting the gas pressure correctly, taking OHM readings of an ignitor, checking amp draw of electrical parts to ensure you family’s safety. Instead, opting for regular maintenance plans will keep the costs under control and also keep your heating system functioning optimally.
Remember that any fossil fuel furnace is a controlled explosion in your home, trust it to a professional. Don’t do it yourself and don’t put it off, get your system a maintenance check-up every year. Print the coupon below and put it on your furnace or refrigerator to save money on your next service call, maintenance call or new installation of heating and cooling equipment.
Grocery Shopping Tips
Grocery shopping can be time consuming and a hassle. Take a little time before going grocery shopping and make a complete list of your needs.
Clip coupons or go on line to http://www.couponmom.com/ to get your favorite coupons.
This will not only save time but it will also save you money because you’re not likely to impulse buy.
Always Us A List: This is the easiest way to start saving on groceries. And we’ve made it easier for you by providing you with printable grocery lists. The trick, of course, is to stick to your list. Don’t buy anything that isn’t on it — no ifs, ands or buts. And be sure to check to see what you have on hand so you don’t buy duplicates. This idea alone could be a challenge for anyone who is accustomed to no-holds-barred spending at the grocery store.
There are apps for pantry control of your staple items also you may want to use your smart phone and look at these apps. “out of milk Shopping list” or “grocery list”.
If you would like a list of common items you can just check off, here you go.Master_Grocery_List
Home Energy Saving Tips
WATER HEATING
- Set your water heater temperature no higher than 120 F.
- Drain 2 gallons of water every year from your water heater to reduce sediment build-up.
- Insulate exposed hot water lines.
- Limit shower time to 5 minutes.
- Install low flow shower heads.
- Fix dripping faucets.
- Don’t let water run while shaving.
- Don’t let water run while brushing your teeth.
LAUNDRY
- Wash clothes in cold water. Use hot water only for very dirty loads.
- Do only full loads of laundry.
- If you must do smaller loads of laundry, adjust the water level to match the load size.
- Always use cold water rinse.
- Use bath towels at least twice before washing them.
- Clean your dryers lint trap before each load.
- Make sure the outside dryer vent exhaust door closes when the dryer shuts off.
- Make sure your dryer vent hose is not kinked or clogged.
- Dry consecutive loads to harvest remaining heat in dryer.
- Consider using a “solar-powered” clothes dryer, an old fashion clothes line.
KITCHEN
- UAE your refrigerators ant-sweat feature only if necessary.
- Switch your refrigerators power-saver to “ON” if available.
- Clean refrigerators coil annually.
- Asset the refrigerator temperature to 34 – 37 F
- Set the freezer temperature to 0-5F.
- Ensure gaskets around door seal Thornton.
- Unplug unused refrigerators or freezers.
- Use a microwave for cooking when possible.
- When cooking on the range, use pot lids to help food cook faster.
- If you are heating water, use hot tap water instead of cold.
- Remember to use the kitchen exhaust fan when cooking and turn it off when done.
- Let hot food cool before storing in the refrigerator.
- Rinse dishes with cold water before putting them in the dishwasher.
- Use cold water for the garbage disposal.
- Only run the dishwasher when full.
- Use air-dry cycle instead of heat-dry cycle to dry dishes.
LIGHTING
- Replace any light bulb that burns more than one hour per day with a compact fluorescent bulb.
- Turn off unnecessary lighting.
- Replace outdoor lighting with an outdoor rated compact fluorescent bulb.
- Use fixtures with electronic ballasts and T-8′ 32-Watt fluorescent lamps.
- Use outdoor security lights with a photocell and/ or motion detector.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Turn computers and monitors off when not in use.
- Make sure electric blankets are turned off in the morning.
- Turn waterbed heater off when not needed.
- Turn large screen TV’s off completely when not in use.
- Turn off stereo’s when not on use.
- Remember to turn off hair curling irons and hot rollers.
- Turn off coffee makers when not in use.
- Turn off pool pump and/or heater when not needed.
- Verify livestock heaters are off when not needed.
- Make sure heat tapes are off when not needed.
- Unplug battery chargers when not needed.
- Ensure all new appliances you purchase are Energy Star approved.
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