According to Energy Star, approximately 45% of a typical home’s energy consumption is relegated to heating and cooling - roughly $2,100 to $2,500 per annum. Not exactly chump change. Suffice to say, some of that energy, in the form of hot or cold air, gets lost in the cracks, literally. That is, tempered air escapes through gaps around door jambs and window sills, via roofs and floors, heating or cooling unoccupied areas, etc. There’s no shortage of ways for air to escape, an

When Old Man Winter touches down, accompanied by arctic gusts, freezing temps, and snow, most of us are primarily concerned with the interior state of our HVAC system. That is, as long as toasty air is blasting indoors, and we can go about in relative comfort, all is well with the HVAC unit. The condition of the exterior portion of the system rarely gets a second thought. However, this is no time to get complacent about the outdoor elements of your heating system; especially

Sleigh bells are ringing, Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, and you are freezing your behind off! Unless you’re literally sitting in a snowbank, this means the heater ain’t working. So, after you put on a couple extra sweaters, but before you call the HVAC professional, there is a host of usual suspects to check off the list of probable malfunction causes. Troubleshooting and fixing some common problems regarding the furnace is not out of the realm of possibility; it’s not

An old, temperamental heating and cooling system can be a pain in the neck on so many levels. It’s inherently inefficient which puts a hurt on your wallet. It’s an inconvenience, in that one minute you feel on the verge of hypothermia, and the next minute you swear you’ve been relocated to a sweat lodge. These old units, with their “bangs” and “clangs,” are jarring. They can also be tremendous space hogs where square footage is coveted. The best way to overcome all these issu

Now that Autumn is in full swing, and crisp, cooler temps are the norm it’s time to devote some TLC to your air conditioner. In less than an hour you can fully prep your outdoor air handler so it can easily withstand harsh winter weather; not only will it be shielded from snow and ice, it will also thwart potential rust and corrosion. Here are some simple steps that anybody can undertake to safeguard their HVAC investment. First, hit the kill switch on the exterior power to t

For millions of Americans, pets are part of the family; they help transform a house into a home. However, most pet owners are probably unaware of the extra strain that their lively little pug or beloved Burmese cat can incur on the home HVAC unit. Indoor air quality can be compromised and system efficiency may be impaired by these friendly furballs. Here are some simple methods to make sure a house’s heating and cooling aren’t hampered by pets. Maintenance Check your HVAC fil

For some homeowners, most unfinished attics receive the “out of sight, out of mind” treatment. Besides storing holiday decorations, old college textbooks, and grandmother’s antique steamer trunk, an attic tends to get a good leaving alone. As long as the roof hasn’t sprung a leak and there are no critters running roughshod up there, some people figure if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. However, the attic does play a pivotal role in terms of HVAC efficiency and home comfort. To

Imagine if every light bulb within your home was operated using only one switch. This might be a nice scenario when it’s bedtime, but during the evening it would be impractical and play out as a giant waste of electricity with every bulb illuminated. This “one switch” example is a metaphor that gets bandied about by HVAC professionals when differentiating between central and zoned HVAC systems. Central A.C. is the all-lights-on approach, whereas a zoned system is the procedur

If you’re in the market for a new car, one of your primary concerns is a vehicle’s MPG, or Miles per Gallon. This is perhaps the best gauge of fuel economy for an automobile; in other words, it’s a useful indicator of efficiency: for every one gallon of gas, you can drive for approximately X miles. Now, when it comes to air conditioners, the standard way to designate the efficiency of a certain unit is by its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER. SEER is calculated by ta