Category: FAQ

When purchasing an air conditioner, furnace or heat pump, always ask about its efficiency rating. This rating will tell you how efficiently the unit uses fuel (gas, electricity or oil). The most common efficiency ratings are: SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio): This ratio tells you the amount of cooling your system will deliver per dollar…

Temperature differences of up to three degrees from room to room are not uncommon, but often one or several rooms are uncomfortably warm or cold.  This condition could be caused by a number of factors within your home including inadequate insulation, air leakage, poor duct system design, duct leakage, unwanted heating by the sun in…

Insulating pipes and ducts that run through unheated space will result in a significant savings in your energy bill. Making sure conditioned air isn’t leaking out of your ductwork can save you on your utility bills and keep your system from running too hard. Heat escapes from bare hot-water pipes causing the water sitting in…

Start with your utility company; they can help a great deal. How do you know how much is “too much”? Comparing previous bills isn’t always a good measure, as the weather is never exactly the same month to month. Instead, if you take your energy bill and divide it by the square footage of livable…

Having water spots on dishes is a common problem. Your dishwasher is most likely doing all that it can, but the problem isn’t the appliance. The problem is the water. Water spots are created from droplets of water that remain on the dishes and are “baked” to the dishes from the heated dry cycle. The…

Furnaces are rated by the Annual Fuel Utilization (AFUE) ratio, which is a percent of heat produced for every dollar of fuel consumed. Like the miles per gallon rating on your car, the higher the AFUE rating, the lower your fuel costs. All furnaces manufactured must meet at least 78 percent AFUE. AFUE tells you…

Various factors drive operating costs for your heating and cooling system.  The local climate, your area's electric (or gas) rates, even how often doors and windows are opened and shut affect the costs to run your heating & cooling system. Know the factors, so you can save money on electric bills and maintenance. Of course,…

Make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient by improving ventilation. Here are few “around the house” tips to boost ventilation:  Vent moisture to the outside from the bathroom and laundry room. The bathroom produces more moisture than any other room in your house. If you cannot vent the bathroom to the outside, install a vent…

Regular filter replacement helps your heating and cooling system operate at peak levels and improves indoor air quality.  It is important to change filters regularly to ensure proper air flow and to keep your home free from dust, allergens and germs.  Depending upon the type of filter you have, you may require monthly or less…

This depends greatly upon how well it is maintained but in general the average life of a furnace is 15 years. But I can’t stress enough that the better maintained your furnace is, by having seasonal check-ups performed every fall, the longer you can expect it to last. My rule of thumb is when your…