Helter Swelter: How to Stay Cool When the AC Conks Out
Life happens. Sometimes appliances – including air conditioners – just conk out for no rhyme or reason. Whether it’s a power grid outage, a faulty wire connection, or a plummeting meteorite just happened to crush your outdoor condenser unit. The reason why an air conditioner stops running in the middle of a heatwave matters little; what does matter is finding a way to alleviate the discomfort that sweltering temps bring. When hot spells roll in, HVAC companies get swamped wit
Central A.C. Explained with Words We All Understand
Have you ever stopped and pondered all the conveniences we utilize every day, seemingly with the touch of a button? You turn on the faucet and instantly water appears. You tap a few keys on your laptop and suddenly your video conferencing with someone on the other side of the globe. With a turn of the ignition, a car can transport you distances in one day that 200 years ago might’ve taken weeks. And then there’s air conditioning; without it, places like Las Vegas or Phoenix m
Spring storm season is upon us. Are you ready for a tornado?
Tornado season arrived right on cue this year. Sadly, the first deadly tornado of 2019 touched down on March 3rd in Alabama. History shows that peak tornado season begins in March and ramps up through July. But tornadoes have been recorded literally every month of the year and in almost every state. According to NOAA statistics, an average of about 1,200 tornadoes each year spawn in the U.S. While you can’t be absolutely certain one will spawn near you, it’s a good idea to be
Joining the Workout from Home Movement? A Few Tips!
If you’re considering dumping your gym and working out at home, you’re part of a growing movement. With the explosion of online fitness platforms, streaming workouts, remote coaching, professional-quality home gym equipment, exercise apps and wearable technology, a home gym makes getting into shape and staying in shape easier than ever. Whether you’re planning on creating the perfect space for yoga, barre, Pilates, weight lifting, treadmill running or a fancy connected exerci
What’s the Right Temperature for Yoga at Om? I Mean Home!
If you’re like me, maybe you don’t have time to jet to a yoga class. I have a jam-packed schedule and have to plan my laptop-based yoga sessions around it. For the best workout, I require two things: the absence of family members pointing and laughing at me and a temperature that doesn’t leave me so cold that I hurt myself. Not to mention (but I’m completely mentioning), it’s a bummer when I get to Shavasana and I’m too chilly to fully relax. The argument for warmth in yoga i
October is Bat Appreciation Month
Bat-proof your home to protect yourself and our winged friends. Does the sight of a bat send shivers down your spine? Or are you thrilled knowing that a single brown bat, one the most common bat species in North America, devours 1,200 insects an hour? Hopefully, you’re in the second category. Be a bat lover! Bats get a bad rap. Not one of them has ever actually been found to be Dracula. And our only flying mammals eat so many insects that they’re essential to controlling the
After the Storm Blows Over: Assessing HVAC Flood Damage
Conventional wisdom by HVAC experts dictates replacing an HVAC system after damage from a flood. But conventional wisdom doesn’t know your situation or budget. The main factor to consider for most people is cost - as in, I really don’t have an extra five to twenty-grand burning a hole in my pocket type of cost.
The potentially good news for those affected by the recent floods is there might be federal assistance to make the decision easier. Money or low-interest loans ar
When brushing snow off your car this winter - do yourself and your wallet a favor - brush off the ou
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
Why Isn’t My Heater Heating?
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
“You're hot then you're cold, You're yes then you're no, You're in then you'
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
