Start the New Year Off Right

During the December holiday season we tend to get lost in hustle and bustle of the season.  But with December’s celebrations the New Year looms. The New Year is the perfect time to check a few things around your house.

The first thing you should check is your furnace filters. A clogged or dirty air filter is a detriment to your heating and air conditioning system and your health; therefore it’s well worth what little time it takes to make sure the filter is clean all year round. With a little planning and forethought, you can keep your HVAC system working as efficiently as possible while decreasing your electric bill, reducing allergy and asthma symptoms, and keeping you cool and comfortable during those hot summer days and warm and cozy all winter long.

The second thing is your smoke detector batteries. In standard type battery powered smoke alarms, the batteries need to be replaced at least once per year and the whole unit should be replaced every 8-10 years.

Next if you have a carbon monoxide detector, please press the test button to insure that it is working. Also replace the batteries in the unit as well. This may save your life.

The last thing you should replace is your water filters on your tap water and in your refrigerator.  There are quite a few benefits to changing your water filter. Changing your water filter more frequently will help avoid cloudy ice, a funny-taste, unpleasant odor, discoloration and floating particles. It can also save you from expensive repairs to water fixtures, because ineffective filters allow sediment build-up causing fittings to break, fixtures to leak and reduced water pressure. Not changing your filter frequently enough can also result in “filtered” water containing more bacteria than the original water source. Water contaminants can be trapped in the filter, resulting in bacteria growth.

Have a safe and Joyous New Year and remember, if you need emergency service during the season, our staff is here and waiting to help you.

More About HVAC Systems

Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems help to regulate the climate and maintain the indoor air quality of homes and commercial buildings. While sophisticated and reliable HVAC systems have become common in daily modern life, they have not always been so widespread. However, the principles that these systems operate on have long been known to scientists and engineers. Even though advances in the reliability and cost effectiveness of HVAC systems continue to improve, we enjoy very mature technology from the industry today. Manufacturers have continued to develop quality products that have greatly improved efficiencies and reliability.

The modern air conditioning system has been in continual development since its invention in 1902 by Willis Haviland Carrier. The system that Carrier invented was used in a printing plant to regulate the temperature and humidity of the air, thus causing the process used there to operate more consistently and reliably. Thereafter, the demand for commercial air conditioning exploded and Carrier formed his own company. It was not until the 1950s, however, that residential air conditioning became wide spread. As the modern time of large offices and facilities has grown, the need for HVAC systems has increased.

With increasing costs for energy a primary focus, continued research today is improving the energy economy of HVAC systems. In an effort to reduce the ecological impact of new and existing building design, the U.S. Green Building Council promotes adherence to a set of guidelines known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Energy efficient HVAC systems are an important component to the success of the implementation of LEED standards

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Today we enjoy safe, efficient, and reliable HVAC technology. As an essential part of our daily lives, these systems will continue to be adapted to our changing needs by today's scientists and engineers. These systems are brought to you locally by quality HVAC dealers, here at Ambient Edge we are proud to be your local HVAC dealer! If you have questions or comments please call us today!

What is Energy Star?

Over the holidays many of you will get new appliances for around your home. One of the things you will see when you are shopping is the Energy Star Ratings. We have many people ask us what this is, so we thought we would explain it to you.

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. ENERGY STAR is the trusted, government-backed symbol for energy efficiency helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices. ENERGY STAR products are the same or better than standard products, only they use less energy. 

To earn the ENERGY STAR, they must meet strict energy efficiency criteria set by the US Environmental Protection Agency or the US Department of Energy. Since they use less energy, these products save you money on your electricity bill and help protect the environment by causing fewer harmful emissions from power plants. And you get the features and quality you expect.

We hope this helps you as you shop this holiday season. As always if you have any questions please give us a call!

Save more, spend less.

It's easy to get shocked with a big energy bill during the cold winter months. There are a number of steps that can be taken to help keep those costs down to improve heating efficiency. Although some steps may require the assistance of us here at Kappl, many others can be done easily and quickly by any do-it-yourselfer.

Your home's heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system is the most obvious place to start, since this is probably the largest power draw, and the greatest source of energy loss as well. Get your HVAC systems serviced regularly and change the filters on your heating unit. A dirty filter can dramatically decrease heating efficiency, yet it only costs a few dollars and takes only a few minutes to replace. Our experts here can help you in determining what filter you may need. Feel free to call us!

Sealing your duct system is also an easy way to save energy. A duct system that has leaks will take in unheated air and blow it into your home. Seal the leaks with duct mastic, instead of duct tape. The attic is also a common source of drafts, so you should make sure to seal the air spaces in the attic. Holes or tunnels for plumbing or wiring, if left open, may cause cold air to move inside the walls throughout the entire house.

By doing these two things you can decrease the amount of energy you use and in turn decrease your costs! If you have questions please call us and we will help you in any way we can.

Indoor Air Pollution More of a Problem

Indoor air pollution in offices and homes is becoming more and more of a recognized problem, for a couple reasons. One, we seal our buildings up tighter than we used to in order to increase energy efficiency, and two, we are filling them up with more and more toxic products that get in our air.

In some homes, indoor air pollution is 100 times higher than outdoors!

Ways to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution

You can reduce indoor air pollution by removing as much as possible the following types of products from your home:

• Artificially scented beauty and personal care products and candles
• Cleaning products made from synthetic chemicals
• Air fresheners (which only add more chemicals to cover up smells)
• Plastics
• Pesticides
• Synthetic fibers, fabrics and materials, as well as added toxins like flame retardants and stain resistant chemicals in carpets, clothes and furnishings
• Building materials and furnishings made from formaldehyde and other toxins

You can also reduce indoor air pollution by increasing ventilation. In good weather, keep your windows open as much as possible and use fans to increase air flow. In the winter, you may want to consider an air-to-air heat exchanger (for more info, contact us here.) Houseplants such as aloe vera, elephant ear philodendron and English ivy can also help to clean the air.

For more information about how we can help you improve your air quality, please call us today!

Choosing a New Furnace

Choosing a new furnace is not like choosing a President.  In light of this week’s election, we would like to share with you how to “elect” a new furnace for your home. When replacing or installing a new furnace, it is important to consider the energy efficiency. The efficiency of a gas or oil furnace is determined by its AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) – the oil or gas furnace's efficiency in converting fuel to energy. The higher the AFUE, the more energy efficient the furnace is and the more money you can save on your heating bills.

For example, a gas furnace with an 80% AFUE rating means for every dollar spent on heat energy, 80 cents goes toward heating your home. Meanwhile, a gas or oil furnace with a 95% AFUE rating means that 95 cents of every $1.00 goes toward actually heating your home. Therefore, installing a furnace with a 95% AFUE is more energy efficient and wastes less energy than a new furnace with an 80% AFUE. Contact us today for your new energy efficient furnace!

Furnace Installation

If you need a new furnace installed, look no further than our furnace services! We will install your furnace correctly the first time so there is minimal disruption to your home’s heating. If you’re not sure what you need, we can help you choose the best kind of furnace for your home and then we’ll get it up and running in no time! Call us today to set up your furnace installation appointment.

Furnace Service

If you’ve had your furnace for several years and it isn’t running well anymore, call us for a furnace service! We’ll come inspect your current furnace to see if a furnace replacement is the best option for your home. If it is, our furnace service experts will install it in no time so you can make your home comfortable again! If your furnace can be repaired, we will provide you with an estimate and complete the job to your satisfaction!

Winterize? It’s Time to Think About It.

Winterization is something every home owner needs to consider.  Getting your home ready for winter is important no matter where you live, whether you need to prepare for heavy rains and wind storms or freezing temperatures and feet of snow. Keeping your home safe and comfortable for your family is made easier by paying attention to key features that are susceptible to winter weather changes. 

When the storms and foul weather of winter arrive, you’ll want to know that your home is prepped to meet any challenge. Winterizing will prevent problems and improve efficiency, saving you time and money all season long.

There are specific areas of your home you need to look at.

Exterior: Check your gutters, siding, roof and chimney. Clean your gutters, check your siding and roof for obvious areas of repair and have your chimney cleaned by a professional.

Plumbing: Check your outdoor spigots and pipes. Make sure they are insulated properly.

Drafts: Check your seals around doors and windows. Replace any that are worn to prevent air leakage and an increase in heating cost.