Jun 4, 2019 | Maintenance
It’s that time of the year when the temps get unbearable and just setting foot outside causes you to sweat uncontrollably.
We can’t change the weather (unfortunately!), but we can help with some proven tips and tricks to keep your home cool while still being energy conscious:
- Turn off lights in your home. This is a easy step to take, but often over-looked. Keeping your lights off when not in use can help lower the warmth of a room, especially if the bulbs are incandescent. Another great tip, switch all your bulbs to LED!
- Reduce sunlight. Keeping out direct sunlight will help keep the temperature down. Install blinds or curtains and keep them drawn. Don’t forget to check your windows for any damage and think about replacing them if needed.
- Keep cooking to a minimum. Easier said than done, of course. But on those really hot days, opt to make cold foods (salad), grill out or use appliances that don’t heat up your kitchen so much.
- Set ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise. Reversing the rotation of the blades will help push hot air up towards the ceiling, helping you feel cooler.
- Use heat-emanating appliances at the cooler part of the day (night). Running your dryer at night when it’s cooler will help keep the temp down in your home.
- Open windows at night. If you live in a state that has much cooler nighttime temperatures, use it to your advantage and open your windows. Keep safety in mind and only keep upper windows open through the night.
Keeping up with the maintenance on your home will also play a role in keeping it cool and lowering energy costs with constant running A/C.
Replacing air filters, repairs to weather-stripping on doors & windows and regular HVAC tune-ups are all important steps to take.
Our Repairs & Maintenance Team can take care of all the maintenance needs of your home or business, while you sit back and relax in the cool, A/C air! Request a quote today!
Mar 21, 2018 | News
Thinking about going ‘tankless’ and wondering what the benefits might be? Tankless water heaters (also known as “demand-type” or “on-demand” water heaters) are rising in popularity for energy-conscious home and business owners – and for good reason!
Not only are they smaller than regular water-heaters, their main benefit is an unlimited supply of hot water (who doesn’t want to take a nice long HOT shower?).
The Pros:
- Energy efficient
- Compact size
- Endless supply of hot water
- Longevity
- Less chances of flooding
- Rebate/tax credit on your purchase
- Increase your home value
Energy Efficient: Tankless water heaters use much less energy over the course of a year. On average, you may be able to cut your water heating energy costs by 10-15%. This can end up adding to a savings of $100 or more a year!
Compact Size: Tankless units are mounted to the wall and take up far less space than the over-sized systems we are used to.
Unlimited Hot Water: One of the main selling points of the tankless system is its endless supply of hot water. Never running out of hot water, especially with a large family or lots of house guests, can be a life-saver!
Longevity: Tankless water heaters have a longer life-span, usually lasting for 20+ years instead of 10 years of a standard water heater.
Flooding: Flooding from traditional water heaters can be a major cause of home and/or business destruction. Tankless water heaters don’t store a large amount of water, therefore flooding issues aren’t a problem. This is especially crucial for multi-family communities, where flooding can cause severe damage to multiple homes and belongings.
Tax Rebate: According to Turbo-Tax, you can possibly receive up to a $300 tax credit on your purchase of a tankless water heater.
Home Value: Tankless systems appeal to new home buyers for all of the above reasons, therefore your home’s value can increase if it contains a tankless water heater.
The Cons:
- Upfront cost
- Flow-rate limit
- Venting requirements
Upfront Cost: The average cost of a tankless water heater plus installation can be around $3000. This price can fluctuate depending on what model you choose, and whether your home/business needs retrofitting for the new unit.
Flow-Rate Limit: Sometimes even the largest system cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous, multiple uses in large households. For example; taking a long, hot shower and running the dishwasher at the same time can stretch a tankless system to its limit.
Venting Requirements: Tankless units have high-powered burners which require a dedicated, sealed vent system that must be installed professionally.
To summarize; adding a tankless water heater to your home or business is, in general, a great choice. From energy savings to endless supplies of hot-water, you can’t really go wrong when going ‘tankless’! If you are interested in having P&R quote or install your new Tankless Water Heating system – head over to our REQUEST A QUOTE page today!
