Go Green with a New Air Conditioner and Help From the Government |
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| The stimulus plan helps homeowners replace worn heating and air conditioning equipment while lowering utility bills and promoting green energy. The plan has set aside $300 million for rebates that could be used for home improvement projects.
When Chris Smith’s 10-year-old air conditioning system started acting up, he knew he needed to replace it. Concerned about the economy, Chris was waiting to replace his home’s heating and air conditioning system. The new stimulus package changed his plans. Chris and his wife, Michele, 38, said it made more sense to buy the more-efficient system to cut down utility bills and qualify for the stimulus tax credit. “Since we plan on staying in our house, we need to get the better indoor air quality and energy savings,” he said. Under the stimulus plan, homeowners can receive up to a $1,500 tax credit if they buy a new, energy-efficient air conditioner and furnace. Jimmy Gibson manages Green Heating and Cooling. He recommends changing your heating and air conditioning system about every 10 to 12 years. Gibson said the stimulus bill should encourage homeowners to upgrade their home’s comfort systems and lower utility costs. “You are looking at 10-30 percent off the cost for a new system, so it makes since to make the change now,” Gibson said. Gibson said homeowners should start seeing the savings on their electric bills. “You’re probably going to save 30 to 60 percent on actual cooling portion of bill,” Gibson said, “combined with improved indoor air quality and comfort”. Smith said he is not only getting cleaner air at a better price, but he’s also happy he’s going to be receiving lower electric bills. For more information about the tax credits you can go to www.energystar.gov/taxcredits. # # # |
Posted in Affordable Heating and Air, Air Conditioning, Commercial HVAC, Compressor change-outs, Cooling, Furnace, HVAC, HVAC Ccontractor, Heating, Heating and Air, Heating and air service, Residential HVAC, Sacramento A/C, Sacramento HVAC, Sacramento air conditioning, Sacramento heating, Sacramento heating and air, boilers, central heat, furnace installation, heating contractor, heating repairs, heating systems, programmable thermostats, sacrament heating repair, sacramento furnace, sacramento furnace repair, water heaters | Tagged Furnace, Sacramento heating, Sacramento heating and air, Sacramento HVAC, service calls | Comments Off
Sacramento Heating Danger
There is a hidden killer which lurks in our homes and businesses that is responsible for the deaths of thousands annually in the US. Here are steps you can take to avoid unnecessary tragedy.
There is a hidden killer which lurks in our homes and businesses, which is responsible for the deaths of thousands annually in the US. Virtually impossible for humans to detect, it has no color, no taste or smell, and can leave its victims sick, impaired, brain-damaged, or even dead – all without a trace. Although it can be present year-round, it becomes especially dangerous during the winter months when heaters and furnaces are turned on and houses are sealed up for the winter. The name of this hidden, silent killer? Carbon Monoxide.
Carbon Monoxide is a odorless, colorless gas that is produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels or wood products. It is one of the leading killers whenever there is a structural fire of an inhabited building as the volume of carbon monoxide can quickly build to lethal levels in a building fire. However, it is the insidious nature of carbon monoxide’s less obvious sources that can often lead to unnecessary tragedy.
“Whenever gas, oil, coal and wood is burned—as with boilers, engines, oil burners, gas fires, water heaters, fireplaces, etc.–the production of carbon monoxide is always a hidden danger,” says Joe Bertolucci, owner of Affordable Heating and Air located in Sacramento, California. “Although carbon monoxide leakage is always a situation to carefully monitor, the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning becomes especially prevalent during the winter months because of the increased use of heating sources and the decreased use of ventilation.”
As a heating and air professional who has performed literally thousands of furnace and heating repairs throughout the Sacramento Valley, Bertolucci continually runs across potentially dangerous situations when it comes to furnaces or other heating systems that could be potential sources of carbon monoxide.
“If a furnace or heater is not operating properly, it can very easily produce carbon monoxide gas,” says Bertolucci. “In Sacramento, natural gas is one of the primary sources of heat. If a gas furnace is old or not working properly, then that furnace could easily be producing carbon monoxide. This is why it is important to have older furnaces inspected, repaired, or replaced in order to be safe.”
A carbon monoxide producing furnace (or other fuel-based heating system or appliance) can often go long undetected because the early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning can mimic other maladies or illnesses. Early symptoms of CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning, such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue, are often mistaken for the flu. If you or your family tend to feel better when away from the home (or business), carbon monoxide could be a possible cause.
In addition to having your furnace or heating system inspected, Bertolucci also recommends that every household install one or more carbon monoxide detectors. Proper placement of a carbon monoxide detector is important. If you are installing only one carbon monoxide detector, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends it be located near the sleeping area, where it can wake you if you are asleep. Additional detectors on every level and in every bedroom of a home provides extra protection.
Bertolucci has the following suggestions to help avoid possible problems with carbon monoxide:
–If you notice you feel better when away from home, be suspicious. Headaches, nausea, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms that manifest in the home, and lessen or disappear when away from the home could be symptoms of CO poisoning. In addition to having your home heating system inspected, check with you doctor.
–Many Sacramento area residents own a fireplace, and those who do should check the flue to ensure it is not blocked or obstructed. Plants, birds, small animals and the like can cause smoke and carbon monoxide to back up into the home by nesting in or blocking the chimney. Do this every year before lighting the first fire of the season.
–If your furnace is older, needs constant repair, or is costing you money in heating bills, consider installing a new super high efficiency furnace or central heating system. It will save in the long run, will be well worth it and the danger from possible CO poisoning will be virtually eliminated.
–And most importantly, get one or more carbon monoxide detectors and place them strategically around the home.
Bertolucci says that although they are a heating and air company, Affordable Heating and Air is more than happy to inspect any Sacramento area resident’s home or business for carbon monoxide leaks.
“We routinely do carbon monoxide inspections whenever we do heating repairs or furnace installations,” he says, “But we are more than happy to inspect a customer’s home or business for potential problems with carbon monoxide as a separate service if they are concerned. We will come out and inspect for carbon monoxide problems and install carbon monoxide detectors if they would like. It is such a deadly but silent home health hazard, and at the same time just so preventable—we just want the public to be alert to the problem and be protected against unnecessary tragedy.”
For more information please contact Joe Bertolucci at 916-922-2775 or email him at joe@sacramentoheatingandair.com.
Posted in Affordable Heating and Air, Air Conditioning, Commercial HVAC, Compressor change-outs, Cooling, Furnace, HVAC, HVAC Ccontractor, Heating, Heating and Air, Heating and air service, Residential HVAC, Sacramento A/C, Sacramento HVAC, Sacramento air conditioning, Sacramento heating, Sacramento heating and air, central heat, furnace installation, heating contractor, heating repairs, heating systems, programmable thermostats, sacrament heating repair, sacramento furnace, sacramento furnace repair, water heaters | Tagged Furnace, Sacramento heating, Sacramento heating and air, Sacramento HVAC | Leave a Comment »
"Affordable Joe" Bertolucci
Reducing Heating Cost in Sacramento
With many experts predicting unstable and unpredictable heating and energy costs, it is more important than ever to find ways to heat your home or business at a cost-effective manner. A Sacramento heating and air expert offers some suggestions on how to stay warm at a reasonable cost.
With a little preparation, and a little foresight, there are many ways in which Sacramento area residents can save money and cut costs when it comes to heating their homes and keeping warm. This includes taking such actions as properly sealing doorways and windows, having your ducts sealed, changing air filters, getting your heating system tuned up, or even replacing your old heating system with a high efficiency system that can save you a lot of money in the long run.
“Many people don’t realize it, but heating and energy cost can consume a considerable amount of money,” says “Affordable. Joe” Bertolucci, President and owner of Affordable Heating and Air (www.SacramentoHeatingandAir.com). “Given the unpredictable state of affairs with respect to the price of oil, it’s really hard to say how much it is going to cost us to warm our homes in the future. Fortunately, there are many actions that people can take to be proactive in an effort to keep their energy costs as low as possible.”
Indeed, only a few short months ago, the federal government was projecting record-setting home heating costs for the coming winter. With the price for a barrel of oil topping. $140, there were very real concerns about how many Americans are going to be able to afford to keep warm in the winter. And although the cost of oil has dropped dramatically in recent weeks, we all know too well. Just how rapidly that situation could change.
It is Bertolucci’s recommendation to be proactive, and to take action now, rather than waiting to see what happens.
According to Bertolucci, one of the easiest and most cost-effective heating solutions is to replace your old thermostat with a new programmable one.
A thermostat is that device that most of us use to control the temperature of a house or a room, and when our furnace or heating system should turn on or turn off. Most thermostats are rather simple in operation. You set the temperature and the furnace or heating system turns on, whenever the environment goes below that temperature. Unfortunately, that ‘simple system’ can be very inefficient and costly.
“The source of many heating problems is the thermostat,” explains Bertolucci. “Older models have a tendency to malfunction and be inaccurate,” he says. “And in many instances, they are located in the wrong place. Placing the thermostat in the wrong area of a room or the wrong area of the house or office can mean that the thermostat is warm and cozy, while the occupants are freezing.”
Most older or more basic thermostats also don’t take into consideration that there are temperature fluctuations that take place in an enclosed environment throughout the day. With the advent of microchip technology, however, modern programmable thermostats are quite sophisticated. They can be set to include a number of variables, resulting in a much more controlled, even-temperature environment that is comfortable to be in.
“One of the big advantages of programmable thermostats, is the ability to set it so that they heating system is not on when there isn’t anyone in the home,” says Affordable Joe. “The same principle applies to an office or office building. It doesn’t do much good in terms of trying to save money on heating costs to seek an home or office. When no one is there. Conversely, a programmable thermostat can be set to warm-up a home or office, just prior to the time when people are due to arrive. In this way, you can walk into a preheated room without having to go through the usual ritual of being cold, all having to wait until the room heats up.”
Programmable Thermostat Features
As with many devices, high-tech, programmable thermostats have a wide variety of features.
In general, however, a programmable thermostat is going to be dealing with the variables of dates (or days of the week), time, and temperature. It is the manner in which you are able to control these variables that tends to differentiate the various make and models of the various programmable thermostats available in the heating and air-conditioning market.
Among the different types of features available in programmable thermostats are:
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Digital, displays
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Touch pad screen programming
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Voice phone programming
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Vacation features
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Alerts which tell you when it’s time to change air filters
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Alerts that indicate potential heating systems malfunctions
- Control features that sense the amount of time it will take to reach the next set-point temperature, and reach desired temperatures by the set time
And, for those who simply must have the latest and greatest cutting-edge technology, it may be possible to get a programmable thermostat that can be accessed or controlled through the Internet from a remote location.
Which Is Best?
Deciding which programmable thermostat is best for you is, in part, a matter of taste. Most professional heating and air specialist recommend that you base your decision upon the type of schedule that you can to keep in your household.
“Decide what model might be best for you, think about the kind of schedule and how often you’re away from home for regular periods of time” says Bertolucci. “Seven-day programmable models are best if your daily schedule tends to change fairly often. Seven-day programmable models give you the most flexibility, and let you set different programs for each day of the week, with several possible temperature settings per day.”
The other two general choices are the 5+2 – day model, and the 5+1+1 – one models. The 5+ 2-D models use the same schedule every weekday, and another for the weekends. The 5+1+1 models are best if you tend to keep one’s schedule Monday through Friday, and another schedule on Saturday, and Sunday.
“Actually, one of the most important factors is ease of use,” notes Affordable Joe. “The truth of the matter is, some models are much, much easier to use than others. I make it a point to explain to the customer the pros and cons of particular model. I find it very important to match the customer with the right programmable thermostat so that the customer gets the maximum benefit from the device.”
The ideal programmable thermostat, should be easy to see, easy to program, with clear intuitive instructions on how to set the date, time, and temperatures. A Google search, giving a side-by-side comparison of the different programmable thermostat models will give insight into what models might be best for you. Or, get in touch with a heating and air professional to see if a programmable thermostat is right for you.
This is the first in series of articles on how Sacramento area residents can save money on heating and energy cost.
For more information about programmable thermostats, heating, or about this article, pleas call Joe Bertolucci at 916-922-2775 or email him at joe@sacramentoheatingandair.com. Or visit the website at www.sacramentoheatingandair.com.
Posted in Sacramento heating and air | Leave a Comment »
Sacramento’s Leading Heating and Air Company
Affordable Heating and Air is one of Sacramento’s leading heating and air conditioning companies. Servicing the Greater Sacramento Area and beyond, we are now entering our third decade of delivering a full range of heating and cooling solutions to Northern California.
At Affordable Heating and Air, we pride ourselves in offering the highest quality work at a price that won’t break the bank with flat rate pricing.
Our philosophy is complete customer satisfaction with jobs that are done right.
We offer fast response times and our heating and air technicians are always polite.
Affordable Heating and Air Services Include:
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Residential heating and air conditioning equipment replacement
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Commercial heating and air conditioning equipment replacement
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Design and build services
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Special pricing for property management organizations.
For the month of November we are offering a complete preventive maintenance inspection special of only $35.00
Please contact us by
Phone: 916-922-2775
Fax: 916-244-2709
E-mail: affordableaircare@yahoo.com
Web site: www.sacramentoheatingandair.com
Posted in Affordable Heating and Air, HVAC, Heating, Heating and Air, Residential HVAC, Sacramento A/C, Sacramento HVAC, Sacramento air conditioning, Sacramento heating, Sacramento heating and air | Tagged Furnace, heatng, Sacramento heating, Sacramento heating and air, service calls | Leave a Comment »
It’s that time of year again. While the Sacramento Valley is still experiencing the last investigates of summer’s daytime heat, the nights are starting to reflect the cooler climate of the Autumn chill. Due to the high cost of energy, Sacramento’s leading heating and air company, Affordable Heating & Air, recommends that homeowners take proactive steps to keep their homes warm and cost down now before the truly cold weather hits.
During these tough economic times, your home, as one of your most important investments, should follow a regular program of maintenance and repair in order to keep that valuable asset in good condition.
The following are some examples of what you can do for the fall to avoid the most common and costly problems before they occur.
At Affordable Heating & Air, we recommend:
- You clean or replace your furnace filters on a monthly basis during the time that you use your furnace.
- Every two years, have your furnace or heating system serviced by a qualified HVAC service company.
- If heating bills have been high in the past, consider replacing your old system with a modern high efficiency system that will save you money.
- Replace your thermostat with a modern programmable one that can be set for maximum energy savings.
- Vacuum out your electric heaters before using them to remove dirt and dust.
- Clean dust and dirt from heating vents.
- Vacuum and clean out dust and dirt from central heating and air conditioning ducts.
- Ensure that all windows and doors seal properly when shut and do not allow leaks of cold air to enter the house due to poor sealing.
- If you own a fireplace, ensure that the flue shuts properly when not in use so as not to let cold air into the house.
- As water heaters can be a hidden source of high energy cost, ensure your water heater is in good working order, high efficiency, and well insulated.
Don’t wait until the cold weather hits to protect yourself against the cold.
For more information, contact Affordable Heating & Air at 916-922-2775 or click here to visit their website.
Posted in Affordable Heating and Air, HVAC, Heating, Heating and Air, Heating and air service, Residential HVAC, Sacramento A/C, Sacramento HVAC, Sacramento air conditioning, Sacramento heating, Sacramento heating and air, water heaters | Tagged Furnace, Heating, Heating and Air, Sacramento heating, Sacramento heating and air, Sacramento HVAC | Leave a Comment »
