Posts Tagged ‘comfort’
May 13, 2013
You should get your furnace and AC serviced annually to make sure they’re operating safely and efficiently. And we find it’s best to do that with a regular service agreement. Hopefully this will prevent problems before they happen. Some things a technician will check as we go into the cooling season are:
Evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils. Dirty coils reduce the system’s ability to cool your home and cause the system to run longer,
Refrigerant level: Too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less efficient increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
Blower components should be cleaned and adjusted to provide proper system airflow for greater comfort levels. Airflow problems can reduce your system’s efficiency by up to 15 percent.
These fixes are part a good service visit, but is it’s a good idea to inspect and change air filters on a monthly basis and that is something you can do.
Most of our locations offer our service agreement customers a discount on both service and replacement since we can schedule them before the busy season. An ounce of prevention can help your system run better and help you stay cool.
Thanks,
Jason
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Tags:air conditioning, comfort, service agreement, spring, spring cleaning, tune-up
Posted in Air Conditioning, Heating & Cooling Tips, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
February 18, 2013
As we look to improve our homes and the air in it, taking control of the airways are very important. Come wintertime, we often struggle with comfort in more ways that just staying warm. Sometimes it gets dry too. People tend to be comfortable with humidity levels a little higher than what is ideal to prevent condensation issues and mold growth.
Winter brings dryer air and a home that is more porous than it should be brings that air inside. Keep in mind that our homes are like chimneys. They are smoke stacks drawing from low and exhausting out high. When exceptionally dry air is brought into our homes it tends to make us uncomfortable. The quick fix solution is to slap a humidifier on the duct work. Voila! Comfort!
This can come with a price, maintenance for one. If you don’t keep that unit clean it can become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. Just the sort of thing you don’t want attached to the air distribution system in your home, sort of like building over a stinky damp crawlspace.
Sealing up air leaks in your home will help control moisture by reducing much of the dry air entering in the first place. If you still need humidification then keep the unit clean and monitor humidity levels. Excessive condensation on windows, and mold growth in wintertime are signs that you might have too much moisture in the air. Take control of your airways and manage moisture too!
Thanks,
Jason
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Tags:air-sealing, comfort, dehumidifiers, dry air, furnace, humidity, winter air
Posted in Air-Sealing, Furnaces, Health / Safety / Indoor Air, Heating & Cooling Tips | Leave a Comment »
November 26, 2012
Maybe you have a great HVAC company that services your equipment. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, and kudos if you’ve found a good one. With a good provider I like service agreements because you know your equipment is taken care of and in a cost effective way. But a good HVAC contractor should consider the whole house when thinking of heating and cooling systems not just the box in the basement or the attic.
From the Building Performance Institute
As we go into fall and colder weather, it’s time for tune ups, and service calls, but what about the rest of your home as well. Who is paying attention to that? A heart works well when we take care of the rest of our body. We eat well, exercise and get good sleep, but also protect ourselves from the cold. Put on a cap, coat and boots before going outside or you’ll get sick right?
Is your HVAC company’s solution to comfort a bigger “heart”, more ducts, more baseboard, more cooling, or does it consider a better house so that heart “fits” well and works as it should? Keep in mind that the heart is a very important part, but it is part of the whole. Taking care of the whole house can really make a difference, as they say, “Home is where the Heart is!”
Thanks,
Jason
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Tags:air conditioner, air conditioning, boiler, BPI, comfort, energy-efficiency, furnace, have a heart, home improvement, service agreement
Posted in Air Conditioning, Air-Sealing, Boilers, Heating & Cooling Tips | Leave a Comment »
November 16, 2012
In New England it is easy to see the seasons change. It’s a time of harvest and preparation for our comfort through the coldest part of the year. There’s plenty to do outside the home never mind on the inside.
For one thing it is time to tune up the furnace or boiler before the heating season begins. Preventative maintenance is a good thing and worth the minor expense to ward of a major one in the middle of the heating season. With a contractor you trust, that clean and tune may be part of a service agreement and can save you even more.
Your heating system is not the only thing that should get a tune up though. For many of us, it’s the home too! Even with the cleanest running furnace or boiler in your home, it is important to consider how well the building is insulated, resists air leakage, deals with moisture and provides indoor air quality.
Since heating systems and buildings interact with each other, it’s a great idea to consider treating them together. Seek out certified and experienced heating and cooling technicians, and the same for your home. Consider a BPI accredited contractor that will look at your home as a system and help you prepare for the coming season making it healthier, safer and more energy efficient.
Thanks,
Jason
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Tags:air conditioning, boiler, clean and tune, comfort, energy-efficiency, fall, furnace, home energy, oil prices, tune-up
Posted in Air Conditioning, Boilers, Efficiency, Electricity Use, Energy / Efficiency / Renewables, Furnaces, Health / Safety / Indoor Air, Oil / Coal / Natural Gas | Leave a Comment »
November 5, 2012
It’s nice to be recognized. This is the third year in a row in fact. The EPA and the DOE have recognized GreenHomes America – Syracuse with the Century Club Award. An award that goes to the contractor that has improved the energy efficiency of more than 100 homes in the past year through Home Performance with ENERGY STAR. Home Performance with ENERGY STAR offers homeowners a comprehensive whole house approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort while saving money on utility bills and helping to protect the environment.
Our Syracuse location, a leading contractor in central New York and part of the national GreenHomes America network, improved well over 400 homes last year!
Congratulations to Syracuse! It is great to know that as a network we are charging along across the country in states that participate in the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program as well as states that don’t. Look for a GreenHomes America location near you!
Thanks,
Jason
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Tags:award, Century Club, comfort, Department of Energy, DOE, energy, environment, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, GreenHomes America, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, homeowner, improving energy efficiency, New York, Syracuse
Posted in Efficiency, Energy / Efficiency / Renewables, Energy Audits, Environment, Green, GreenHomes America, Health / Safety / Indoor Air, Home, Homeowners, News, Utility Bills | Leave a Comment »
June 19, 2012
Our advisors and installation crews spend a lot of time in houses. We use ladders and power tools and crawl around underneath and above homes, especially attics. We look for air leaks, low insulation levels, electrical concerns, and other hazards. Safety is a great concern, and occasionally we come across the unexpected; such as sharks.
Sharks: A major safety concern in attics
I’m sure that air leakage from the electrical box is providing plenty of nice indoor air smells, steak cooking, people sleeping. Seal those leaks and I’m guessing the sharks won’t be so interested. More insulation in this space is needed too. Summertime air conditioners have to work twice as hard when there’s so little insulation and air sealing in your attic. When you want to keep the conditioned air conditioned, hot or cold, putting a good cap on your home is a great start. What shark would stick around after that? No good indoor smells, no cool air, not a great place to hang out.
What’s for dinner?
If you have sharks in your attic consider a home performance assessment, it’s a great way to take a bite out of your high energy bills and make a home more comfortable and safe.
Thanks,
Jason
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Tags:air leaks, attic, comfort, energy, home comfort, insulation, safety, sharks, summer
Posted in Air-Sealing, Energy Audits, Energy Loss, Environment, Green, GreenHomes America, Home, Homeowners, Insulation, Uncategorized, Utility Bills, Wild Stuff | Leave a Comment »
May 21, 2012
Recently Fox News had an interesting piece on energy audits. It asks an excellent question; are they worth the cost? As homeowners we can identify some issues in our homes, but it often takes and expert to pull it all together, and catch some of the bigger issues affecting our utility bills.
The article points out that not all auditors are created equal. It mentions that blower door tests, Infrared imaging, as well as duct testing, are important for and auditor to perform. And we agree. In fact, we spend numerous hours training individuals to use the equipment, as well as getting them certified with the Building Performance Institute (BPI). BPI’s focus is not on just energy efficiency, but also health and safety, and that in my mind is more important that just saving money.
It is important that our advisors have ongoing training and support, because homes—and the building science behind them—are complicated. If I relate this to the medical profession, would you want an intern performing surgery while figuring it out on their own? Or, would you rather have an experienced doctor teaching the intern?
One thing not pointed out in the article is that saving energy is only part of it. Don’t forget comfort, the reason we heat and cool our homes in the first place. Acting on the recommendations in an energy audit can make our homes a more comfortable place.
Is it worth the cost? If you take action, absolutely! An audit isn’t worth anything if you don’t fix the problems, which is why it is so important to identify them—and provide cost-conscious improvements—making your home more energy efficient, healthy and comfortable. You can learn more in our learning center.
Thanks,
Jason
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Tags:BPI, comfort, energy, energy assessments, energy audits, Fox News, health, home, home improvement, utility bills
Posted in Efficiency, Energy / Efficiency / Renewables, Energy Audits, Energy Loss, Environment, Green, GreenHomes America, Health / Safety / Indoor Air, Home, Homeowners, News, Utility Bills | 2 Comments »
May 11, 2012
The Alliance to Save Energy posted this graphic comparing some common costs for U.S. homeowners.
As Benjamin Franklin said in 1817 “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” seems to me energy bills should replace taxes.
I’m guessing things are more comfortable in your home than they were for Mr. Franklin and I’m certain you want to keep it that way. But addressing energy efficiency issues in the home can keep you comfortable and Ben Franklin honest, and save you more than a few of those bills with his face on it.
Thanks,
Jason
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Tags:Benjamin Franklin, comfort, Costs, efficiency, energy, green, GreenHomes, home, Insurance, money, save energy, Tax
Posted in Efficiency, Energy / Efficiency / Renewables, Energy Audits, Green, GreenHomes America, Home, Homeowners, News, Utility Bills | Leave a Comment »
May 2, 2012
Many Americans love their TVs, and it must be “love” otherwise why would we spend so much on something that takes up so much real estate on the living room wall! Until recently they used a lot of energy too.
According to a recent posting from the NYT, “Incorporating LED and laser technology has helped slash the energy consumption of new TV models by nearly 50 percent within the last three years.” But really it’s not efficiency claims selling these sets in some parts of the country, its “technology” or “better picture quality”.
What sets these TVs apart is the Energy Forward label which identifies a small group of the most efficient Energy Star appliances. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, a utility supported non-profit organization based in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, is behind the label and they have taken an interesting approach. Since TV watchers are prone to “geek out” by wanting the best set, it seems leveraging this “weakness” and making the best sets energy efficient is a win-win situation.
Collectively, small savings add up when everyone tunes in to the evening news on a high efficiency TV. The important shift recognized here is that comfort and efficiency don’t have to conflict. We fix homes to make them more comfortable. It just so happens that is a wonderful side effect of reducing energy usage as well!
Peace,
Jason
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Tags:comfort, efficiency, energy, Energy Star, geek, home, home comfort, LED, savings, technology, television, TV
Posted in Efficiency, Energy / Efficiency / Renewables, Energy Geeks / Energy Policy, Green, GreenHomes America, Technology, Uncategorized, Utility Bills | Leave a Comment »
April 12, 2012
The offender in many folks’ minds when it comes to pollution is the automobile, not our homes. It seems to be ingrained in our heads that automobiles are the worst offenders; I won’t discourage alternatives. But, in fact, we generate twice as much carbon dioxide emissions as we consume coal, oil, and natural gas—directly or indirectly—in our homes.
Imagine what happens if we cut the energy use in our homes by half? The scale might balance out for sure, but there are definitely more benefits, saving money for one. We do this on a daily basis. Improving their home’s insulation and air tightness, heating and cooling systems, and more, will typically save our customers at least 25%, but often much more.
It all starts with a comprehensive home assessment which helps drive pollution and energy cost reduction in the home. But the biggest impact we hear about from our customers is how comfortable that drive can be! The end result we sometimes forget about is the level of comfort revealed after the job is done.
Thanks,
Jason
Image from the DOE’s home energy saver website
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Tags:air-sealing, carbon dioxide, comfort, energy assessment, energy audit, energy savings, energy use, energy-efficiency, insulation, saving money
Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Energy / Efficiency / Renewables, Energy Audits, Environment, Green, GreenHomes America, Health / Safety / Indoor Air, Insulation, Oil / Coal / Natural Gas, Utility Bills | 1 Comment »
You should get your furnace and AC serviced annually to make sure they’re operating safely and efficiently. And we find it’s best to do that with a regular service agreement. Hopefully this will prevent problems before they happen. Some things a technician will check as we go into the cooling season are:
