Having air conditioner is important for comfort

I live in a state that has a mostly tropical climate which means, we have gotten lots of hurricanes throughout the years.

And recently, we had a major hurricane cross through the state.

By now, we are used to hurricanes and many of us choose to ride out most of these storms, however, for those who live in the coastal areas, it’s best to evacuate because those areas are prone to flooding. And in fact, it’s estimated that this hurricane caused billions of dollars in damages and might go down in history as one of the worst hurricanes. Besides the flooding, there are many people with no power, even weeks after the storm. And the power companies are unable to predict when the electricity will be restored. A few years ago, I lost power for almost a week, and I ended up booking a hotel room. The weather was blistering outside and it was uncomfortable sitting in my apartment that felt like a furnace. And my family had no power either, nor did they have a generator. So, I decided that I needed to have an air conditioner and the only place that I could think of was a hotel. And I was happy that I chose to stay at the hotel because having that air conditioner made a whole lot of difference. Ever since that storm, I decided that I will always get a hotel room if I lose power and have no air conditioner for more than a day. I hope the people in my state get their power back soon, so that their lives can return to some form of normalcy.

boiler

A nice lady in my town received a free HVAC unit

There are some people who deserve to have good things happen to them.

  • For instance, there is a nice lady named Mrs Hayes in the small town that I live in who feeds the less fortunate every weekend.

She does it from a small kitchen that she owns with her late husband. After he passed away, the entire community came together to help her to feed the needy. I have helped out a few times when I wasn’t busy or traveling for work. Additionally, I brought my kids so that they could help as well and it was a great experience for them. Shortly after our last visit, I discovered that the air conditioner of the kitchen broke down and Mrs. Hayes was unable to continue her operation. The air conditioner was over 25 years old so I assume that it had reached its expiration date. In fact, most HVAC systems are built to last between 15 and 25 years. Thankfully, someone with connections within the community was able to get her a new HVAC system with no extra cost to her. Apparently, this happened through a program at one of the major HVAC companies in the state. I am glad that Mrs Hayes qualified for a new HVAC unit because I am sure that she didn’t have the $10,000 that it would have cost to buy and install a new unit. The best news is she was only closed for about a week when this happened, so the needy people that she fed weren’t impacted too much by the broken HVAC unit.

local hvac

The school board finally approved a new heating and cooling system

After months of going back and forth in numerous meetings, the school board finally decided to approve the upgrade of the heating and cooling system for my kids’ school.

The board has been discussing this issue for over a year and the delay was due to two reasons.

The first being the funding for this upgrade. The money was pulled from the relief fund that was given by the government. However, the delay came when they couldn’t agree on the final cost of the new heating and cooling system. The second issue was that the commercial HVAC company needed to figure out how to retrofit the new heating and cooling system around the old outdated system that was in place. The HVAC company finally figured out how to perform the install and the company also decided to place the new unit on the roof of the building. Considering that the old heating and cooling system barrel worked, I am just happy that they are finally installing a new one. According to the correspondent that I received from the school, the install will take a couple of days. And it will be done over a weekend. The kids will be out of school for one day to allow for testing to make sure that the new heating and cooling system has no glitches. I plan on taking the day off from work and perhaps take the kids to the park on that day. I can’t say they are as excited about the new HVAC system as I am, they’re just looking forward to their day off from school.

portable space heater

Businesses should guarantee the comfort of their employees and patrons

A few days ago, I visited my friend Kelly who lives in a tiny town with her husband and kids.

She wanted me to spend the weekend with her because she had the house to herself.

Her husband took the kids to his brother’s house and she just wanted some company. Typically, she would come to see me because I live in the city where there is tons to do. The town that Kelly lives in is so small that there are only a handful of places for us to go. For instance, if we wanted to grab breakfast, there is only one restaurant available for that. And there are no major gas stations in this town. In fact, the breakfast place is also the place where you would get gas. Well, she bragged about this new restaurant that she wanted us to go to. Naturally, I went online to read the reviews and I found one person complaining about the air conditioning inside the restaurant. The person was upset that the workers as well as the patrons needed air conditioning in order to be comfortable. Now, I don’t know if the restaurant had no A/C or if it was broken. That wasn’t made clear in the complaint. But I agree that restaurants as well as all businesses should make sure that their employees aren’t working in uncomfortable spaces. Happy to report that not only was the food good at this restaurant, but there was air conditioning and it seemed to be working just fine. Perhaps the A/C wasn’t working properly for just one day.
cooling products

Is it better to use a space heater than the central heating unit?

I finally decided to purchase a space heater for my home after I had a conversation with my brother last year.

It was a chilly day outside and while he was at my house, he was confused why I didn’t have my central heat turned on. I had to explain to him that I get hot when the heat is on for too long and I end up adjusting the temperature too many times during the day. At first, he suggested that I purchase a Smart thermostat because I would be able to adjust the temperature from my phone. I objected to that idea because I didn’t think that was an investment I needed to make. My logic was based on the fact that I don’t use the heat, so a new thermostat would be extra money that I wouldn’t need to spend. Perhaps the thermostat would be good for the Summer months, but in the Winter, I don’t see the need for it. Then he suggested that I get a space heater. At first, I didn’t think that a space heater was a good idea but he made a valid point about just using it in my bedroom or living room on colder days. After some back and forth and some research on the internet, I discovered that using a space heater is cost efficient in the Winter. As long as you’re not trying to heat an entire house. I live alone so a space heater would be beneficial to me, especially when I am in my bedroom on those cold Winter nights. I just hope that I don’t see a significant increase in my energy bill when I start using it.

 

heater

There’s a rebate program for new HVAC systems

Last week, while I was watching videos online, I saw a commercial that piqued my interest.

But in this age where people are consistently getting scammed, it’s always best to do research before jumping on the “next best thing.” Well, this commercial boasted that the power companies in coordination with the government are trying to get more homes to become energy efficient.

So, the goal is to replace all old appliances that are not energy efficient with more highly rated ones. For instance, if you have an old HVAC unit like I do, they will provide either tax breaks, incentives or rebates, when you purchase a new ENERGY STAR system in your home. Additionally, they would provide the same incentives for new roofs and the installation of solar panels. Under this plan, a homeowner can qualify for up to $10,000 in rebates and tax breaks. Plus, according to the person in the commercial, these energy efficient upgrades can save homeowners up to $220 on their energy bill. So, if your HVAC system is old, you might qualify for this program. At first, I thought this offer was too good to be true, but after some research, I realized that this green effort was part of a plan that was recently rolled out by the current administration. I also went to the website of my power company and they too have some aspects of this plan on their website. I believe I would qualify for the tax break because my current HVAC unit is about 5 years old. And even though it still works, I am sure that it’s not as efficient as it once was. So, it would be nice to receive some help in getting a new HVAC unit installed. I plan on applying for the program to see if I qualify.

temperature control

Are space heaters dangerous?

Spring is my favorite season because the weather is so pleasant outside and everything comes back to life after the Winter months.

Spring is filled with colors and it’s such a vibrant season, the birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing and the butterflies are fluttering around in the wind.

But one of the main reasons why I enjoy the Spring is that I use less energy during those weeks. My power bill is the lowest because I am not using my central air conditioning or heating. Therefore, over the years, I look forward to seeing that savings on my utility bill. And although sometimes the weather is a bit chilly outside, I use a space heater instead of turning on my central heating. Space heaters have such a bad reputation because they are known for causing so many house fires. In fact, according to research done by the Consumer Product Safety Commission approximately 1,200 fires are caused each year by portable electric space heaters. So, of course this is concerning especially because I use a space heater as a way to save money on my energy bill. But in defense of space heaters, they come with strict guidelines that should be followed. For instance, you should never leave your space heater unattended. Meaning if you’re leaving the room or going to sleep you should turn it off. Additionally, you should always keep the space heater in an open space away from furniture or fabric. This could be the difference between life and death. At times, fires are started because of negligence and knowing how to properly use a space heater can prevent major issues.

thermostat

How to prepare for the colder season?

Now that the Fall season is upon us, it’s a great time to start getting our homes prepared for the colder months. And just like in the Spring when you get ready for the Summer, there are certain home maintenance that most homeowners will do. For instance, during this time of year, I check all my smoke detectors and change out the batteries. When I lived in an apartment that had a battery operated thermostat, I used to change the batteries during the Fall. Currently, I have a standard thermostat that doesn’t require batteries, so there is no need to replace anything. But what I do replace is my HVAC filter. I make it part of my yearly maintenance checklist to replace the filter in the Spring and then again in the Fall. Replacing the air filter can improve the performance of the HVAC system. In fact, if the filter is clogged, it can cause the HVAC unit to malfunction or work harder to keep your house comfortable. In addition to replacing the air filter, I always clean out the debris from the outside condenser unit. Removing the debris can improve the airflow of the HVAC unit which will help in its efficiency. Additionally, I clean my vents and remove any dust or debris that might be present. Performing these simple maintenance tasks on your HVAC system can extend the life of the unit. And because I didn’t have my unit serviced this year, the last thing I will do this Fall is to schedule maintenance with my HVAC technician. With all this preparation for the Winter, I expect my HVAC system to perform optimally.
oil furnace

I barely use my HVAC system during the Fall

I love living in the Southern part of the country.

Obviously, the weather is great year-round, but I must admit that I do wish we experienced the beauty of the other seasons.

For instance, in the Northern states, during the Fall, the trees all change colors and the leaves are always so vibrant and beautiful. Additionally, the weather changes and people get to wear warmer clothing like sweaters, boots, and scarves that I simply adore. Yes, there are times when we can wear those items as well, but that only last for about a week or so during the Winter. But as much as I envy the people in the North, they are already complaining about how cold it is already and the Fall just began. And while they’re complaining about the weather, I get to sit outside because it’s a lovely 78 degrees down here. And at nights, it’s even more comfortable, where the temperature drops into the 60s. This means, I am not using my HVAC system as much. In fact, I haven’t used it in over a week. Once the weather got cooler outside, I increased the temperature on my thermostat, so the HVAC system barely cycles on. My house is so comfortable because I open the windows to allow that cool air to circulate inside and I have been using a ceiling fan to circulate the air around the room. MY HVAC system needed a break because during the Summer, it was running consistently every day. I probably won’t need to use my HVAC system again until the weather changes and gets a bit colder. Or if it goes the opposite way and warms up again. The weather can be so unpredictable.

a/c rep

My neighbor’s air conditioner disturbs my peace

And you don’t realize how loud those HVAC units are until you have to sit and listen to them cycle on and off all day long

Working from home has been a huge advantage for me. Not only do I get to avoid that horrible commute to work, but I also have extra time in my day to dedicate to other things. When I worked in the office, I used to spend 2 hours and sometimes 3 hours in the car commuting to work. At times, the traffic was so bad that I would sit in line watching the stop light go from green to red and I only moved about 10 feet from my original spot. Needless to say, it became extremely frustrating. And by the time I got home, I had no motivation to do anything. But now that I am working from home all that has been removed from my space. In fact, I feel more at peace, especially now that I set up my office space outside. It’s great to sit and listen to the birds chirping while I work. There is just something so relaxing about it. The only thing that drives me crazy is hearing my neighbors HVAC system cycle on and off. When I am inside, I don’t hear the HVAC units at all, but because the units are in the backyards, I can hear them all day long. And you don’t realize how loud those HVAC units are until you have to sit and listen to them cycle on and off all day long. I wish my neighbors did what I did and increase the temperature on their thermostats. Now that the weather is cooler, it is certainly a good time to readjust the inside temperature settings on our thermostats.

 

gas furnace