Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, Aug 24, 2010
It’s hayfever season. For allergy sufferers, hayfever season is a misery of running, sneezy noses, itchy, watering eyes and scratchy throats. Fall flowering plants and weeds like goldenrod and ragweed waft pollen into the air, creating havoc with the sinus systems of hayfever sufferers. The simple act of taking a breath fills their sinus cavities with pollen-laced air, triggering an allergic reaction that causes sinus tissues to swell and itch, making breathing difficult. In defense, the body produces copious amounts of mucous in an attempt to wash away the offending pollens, causing constant sniffling, sneezing and nose blowing. For hayfever sufferers, the misery lasts through the first frost when the cold kills the offending plants, halting pollen production.
Pollen counts in Lorain County have ranged from moderately to extremely high since the start of hayfever season at the beginning of August. Unfortunately for Lorain County hayfever sufferers, weather forecasters expect pollen counts to remain in the very high range for the duration of the hayfever season. Pollen production is affected by weather, and our higher than normal summer temperatures, coupled with strong winds have created ideal conditions for pollen production and distribution in Lorain County.
Installation of a Carrier Infinity Air Purifier is the Most Efficient Way to Remove Pollen from the Air
The only effective way to alleviate hayfever symptoms is to remove pollen particles from the air. Installation of a Carrier Infinity Air Purifier by your Lorain County heating and air conditioning professional is the most effective and most efficient way to remove pollen particulate from the air and create a healthy, breathable environment for Lorain County allergy sufferers. Adding an air purifier to the HVAC system in your Lorain County home is far more effective in cleaning pollen from the air than purchasing a portable room air purifier as it removes pollen from your entire home, not just a single room. Click here to find out more.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Aug 18, 2010
Pollen counts have been abnormally high since spring which doesn’t bode well for hay fever sufferers. Lorain County allergy sufferers are already stocking up on Kleenex and Benadryl in preparation for the sneezing fits, watery eyes and itchy noses that bedevil them in August and September until frost brings relief.
Prolific Greenhouse Gas Emissions Have Increased the Amount of Carbon Dioxide in the Air
Allergists say the warmer than usual winter and heavy spring rains encouraged explosive plant growth in Lorain County, allowing the pollen-bearing weeds and flowers that bother allergy sufferers to cover the landscape. As these plants go to seed in the fall, they are releasing copious quantities of pollen into the air. The problem is exacerbated by global warming, say environmentalists. Prolific greenhouse gas emissions have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, spurring plant growth and pollen production and fungal spores. The bad news for allergy sufferers is that if left unchecked, rising carbon dioxide levels could increase air-borne allergens threefold within the next 30 years.
Install an Air Cleaner on Your Heating and Cooling System to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Home comfort appliances that trap or kill pollen, mold spores and other allergens from indoor air can make a significant difference in the lives of allergy sufferers. Today’s energy-efficient air conditioners are equipped with highly efficient filters that trap and remove allergens from indoor air. Allergy sufferers will profit from constantly running the air conditioner fan. This keeps air circulating through A/C filters, continuously removing newly introduced allergens from the air.
A particularly successful way to improve indoor air quality is to have your Lorain County heating and air conditioning professional install an electronic air cleaner on your heating and cooling system. Standard fiberglass mesh furnace filters trap only 15% of problematic air particles. Energy-efficient electric air cleaners can trap up to 95% of airborne allergens and other particles, including smoke, grease, bacteria and many viruses. Contact your Lorain County heating and cooling professional today about installing an air cleaner and start breathing easy!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Jul 28, 2010
Increasing Global Temperatures Mean Colder Winters and Hotter Summers
If you think this year’s sweltering summer temperatures are an aberration, think again. The intense summer heat wave that has descended on the Northern Hemisphere and sent temperatures soaring into the 90s for weeks at a time is expected to become commonplace in our lifetime, warn climate researchers at Stanford University. Residents from unusually moderate Lorain County to typically cool Fairbanks, Alaska and Moscow, Russia should prepare to cope with increasingly hot summers and weeks of extreme heat.
Within 30 years, average global temperatures are expected to be 3.6 degrees higher than during the mid-1800s when regular temperature tracking was initiated. Global temperature change doesn’t equate directly into local temperatures; the effect is more far-reaching. Increasing global temperatures mean more severe weather on both ends of the temperature scale -- colder winters, hotter summers, longer droughts and more violent storms. Long heat waves are expected to occur 5 times more frequently in the 2020s than at any time during the past 60 years.
Green Energy is Key to Maintaining Your Comfort and Controlling Energy Costs
Sure dire climate predictions mean that Lorain County homeowners can expect to be running their air conditioners a lot more frequently this summer and into the foreseeable future. Ohio rebates on energy-efficient appliances and the federal tax credit for installation of energy star appliances make this an excellent year to replace your aging air conditioner with a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. As energy use goes up, Lorain County residents can expect their cooling bills to climb – and it looks like it’s just going to get worse. Moving to cheap, green, energy efficient air conditioning now is key to maintaining your family’s comfort and controlling your home energy costs in the future.
Looking to purchase energy-efficient equipment? Schedule a FREE estimate now on all installation projects
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jul 22, 2010
With another heat wave toasting the Midwest, Lorain County homeowners are struggling to balance air conditioner use against household budgets. Family budgets are already straining to keep up with rising air conditioning costs as the U.S. roasts through yet another week of 90-degree temperatures. For Lorain County homeowners, it’s a perennial summer conundrum: How do you keep your home from baking without burning up all your hard-earned cash on A/C bills?
Cut Costs With These Air Conditioning Tips
Lorain County air conditioning experts offer the following tips for reining in air conditioning costs while staying cool this summer:
- Replace your old A/C unit with a new, energy-efficient air conditioner. Energy Star-rated Carrier air conditioners use only a tiny fraction of energy needed to run older A/C systems and cool your home far more effectively – and they use new, environmentally-friendly, green coolants. You and your family stay cool, save money and protect the environment.
- Schedule a Raymond Air Conditioner Performance Check immediately. Become a Raymond Facebook fan and you could evenly win a free A/C Performance Check! Scheduling annual inspections of your air conditioning system with your certified Lorain County air conditioner service professional ensures that your air conditioner will work safely and efficiently all season long.
- Clean or change A/C air filters monthly to promote unobstructed air flow.
- Close drapes and blinds to keep sunlight from heating up your home.
- Keep windows and doors closed to keep cool air inside.
- Run your furnace fan and ceiling fans to promote even air flow and eliminate hot spots.
- Fire up the grill to keep cooking heat outdoors.
- Use a dehumidifier to decrease humidity levels inside your home.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Jul 12, 2010
Heat Wave In Lorain County
Whew! Temperatures have been flirting with triple digits in Lorain County this week as Ohio swelters under a record-setting heat wave that has blanketed the entire eastern third of the U.S. Daytime temperatures in Lorain County are expected to languish in the mid to high 90s all week. With nighttime temperatures dropping barely into the 70s, there’s no relief from the oppressive heat and Lorain County residents are suffering. Temperatures haven’t been this high since 2001 when a similar heat wave killed more than a dozen people in metropolitan areas.
Heat Versus Humidity
The moist Gulf Coast air that’s expected to send humidity levels soaring toward the end of the week will make it feel even hotter. Sweat is the human body’s cooling mechanism. High humidity robs sweat of its effectiveness. When air is too moisture-laden to evaporate our sweat, our bodies can’t cool themselves and feel even hotter than the actual air temperature. Weathercasters refer to this as the Heat Index, or the apparent temperature. The heat index is a measure of how hot it feels when relative humidity is added to the actual air temperature. The heat index equation is complex, but basically 90 degrees feels like 100 degrees at 50% humidity; becomes a sauna-like 109 at 75% humidity and soars to a very crispy 132 degrees at 100% humidity! It’s the reason that you feel cooler even when your air conditioner thermostat is set to a relatively high temperature. Just removing the humidity from the air has a cooling effect on our bodies.
Consider Air Conditioner Installation Now
Electrical companies that serve Lorain County have braced for record energy demands as air conditioners are cranked up on high to combat the heat. Lorain County consumers may be dreading next month’s utility bill, but it’s just too hot to click off the A/C, even at night. If there was ever a time to consider installation of an energy-efficient air conditioner, this is it.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, Jul 06, 2010
Save Money, Energy, and Benefit The Environment
Lorain County homeowners can save a nice chunk of change on their utility bills if they take a few moments to click off and unplug appliances before leaving on vacation. There’s no need to spend energy on unused appliances while you’re away from home this summer. Not only will you save energy – and money – but you’ll also cut down on the amount of polluting carbon dioxide your utility company would be creating to keep your appliances fired up in your absence.
Before leaving on vacation, take these energy-saving steps:
- Shut off the air conditioner. If it’s impossible to shut it off completely, raise the thermostat to 85 degrees or higher to prevent the A/C from running and switch the fan to automatic. For every degree you raise your thermostat setting, you’ll save 2% to 3% on your Lorain County electric bill. Use that extra cash for a little vacation splurge.
- Turn off your water heater at the circuit breaker. There’s no need to keep water hot when you won’t be using it and you’ll save $4 to $10 on your monthly bill.
- Set your refrigerator to a slightly higher temperature. With no one opening the door to let out the cold air, it takes less energy to keep food cold. If you’re planning to be gone for a month or more, clean out the fridge and unplug it. Remember to prop the doors open to prevent mold growth.
- Turn off all except security lights. Use timers and motion detectors on security lights to minimize their use.
- Unless you’re taping a favorite TV show while you’re gone, unplug the TV and DVD player. Ditto cell chargers, computers, microwaves, printers, alarm clocks. Unless unplugged, these electronic appliances continue to draw standby power which can add up to 10% of your electric bill.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jul 01, 2010
Climate Change Predicts Longer, More Severe Allergies
Climate changes spell more misery for allergy and asthma sufferers in Lorain County, Ohio. Climatologists are predicting ever-increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the air we breathe. Lorain County allergists say this will mean longer and more severe allergy seasons for their patients. Increased carbon dioxide is good for plants, promoting faster growth and more pollen output. Unfortunately, that’s bad for allergy sufferers. It’s plant pollen that is most responsible for the sneezing, watery eyes and itchy sinus tissues that plague allergy sufferers. Adding insult to injury, researchers at the University of Maryland say elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide increase production of fungal spores, another significant cause of allergy reactions.
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
High pollen and mold counts like those we’ve been having lately in Lorain County send allergy sufferers fleeing indoors to give their aching sinuses a rest. Energy-efficient air conditioners which filter out allergens and pollutants while circulating indoor air provide much needed relief to Lorain County allergy and asthma sufferers. Lorain County residents who have allergies or asthma should use allergen-reducing HEPA filters on their air conditioner and furnace. These fine-grained filters ensure that even small grains of pollen, mold spores and pollutants are trapped and removed from indoor air.
Call Raymond Plumbing For All Your Needs
Asking your Lorain County air conditioning professional to install a Carrier air cleaner can further filter and purify indoor air. Air cleaners are known to greatly increase breathing comfort for allergy and asthma sufferers. If you have problems with mold, you may also want to have your Lorain County heating and air conditioning professional install a Carrier UV Lamp on the indoor coil of your furnace/air conditioner. UV lamps kill dangerous mold spores and harmful bacterial, making your home a healthier, safer environment for the entire family.
Your trusted Lorain County plumbing, heating and air conditioning contractor can perform an AirAdvice Indoor Air Analysis to measure and pinpoint the allergens in your Lorain County home.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jun 17, 2010
Use These Top 5 Energy-saving Summer Tips
Summer in Lorain County has already reached “sizzle” and it’s only June! Record hot and humid weather is predicted this summer which has energy-conscious Lorain County home and business owners thinking SMART.
SMART is the energy industry’s helpful way to remember its top five energy-saving summer tips. Using these tips to save energy in your Lorain County home is guaranteed to take the sizzle out of summer and cool off your wallet too!
- S – Set your A/C thermostat to the highest comfortable setting.
- M – Move air in occupied rooms with ceiling fans.
- A – Adjust your water heater to a lower temperature.
- R – Repair “hot spots.”
- T – Turn on the outdoor grill and take the heat out of the kitchen.
Air conditioners typically use more energy than any other appliance in Lorain County homes. Setting your A/C thermostat to 78 degrees maximizes energy savings. For every degree above 78 you set your thermostat, you’ll reduce air conditioning costs by 3% to 5%. Switching from a manual to a programmable thermostat saves you money too, as much as $180 a year.
The gentle breeze created by a ceiling fan can make your body feel several degrees cooler for a fraction of the cost it takes to power your air conditioner. If you don’t have ceiling fans, use floor fans to help circulate the air. To save energy, turn fans off when you leave the room.
Set the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees. Decreasing hot water temperature from 140 to 120 degrees saves up to $85 in energy costs annually.
Do what you can to reduce any “hot spots” in your home by installing high-performance, energy-efficient windows and repairing window and door caulk.
Give the kitchen a break this summer. Outdoor cooking is a welcome change in the summer, and grilling outdoors doesn’t heat up the kitchen.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, Jun 08, 2010
Lorain County home improvement stores are showcasing supplies for summer projects, and homeowners have started to make to-do lists. With the cost of energy going up each year, it just makes sense to add increasing the energy efficiency of your Lorain County home to your summer to-do list. Reducing your home’s energy consumption will not only reduce your family’s carbon footprint (good for the environment), it will decrease your monthly utility bills (good for your family budget).
There are many home comfort appliances on the market today that are built to minimize energy use while maximizing energy output. Federal income tax rebates and Ohio appliance clunker programs make this an excellent year to upgrade old energy-guzzling appliances with new energy-efficient models. Consider the energy-efficient options below, then call your Lorain County plumbing, heating and air conditioning expert to schedule a free installation estimate. Knowledgeable Raymond professionals can discuss your family’s energy needs and recommend energy-efficient appliances that will reduce energy use while improving home comfort.
- Energy-efficient central air conditioners use eco-safe Puron refrigerant that won’t damage the ozone. Carrier’s two-speed air conditioners save 50% energy by running on low speed 80% of the time. The high-speed cycle is used only to bring your Lorain County home down to a comfortable temperature. Superior air circulation eliminates hot spots, providing even cooling throughout your home.
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Enter Raymond’s Facebook contest to win a FREE A/C Performance Check to keep your current A/C system running smoothly. While he’s there, ask your Raymond A/C professional to evaluate your cooling system and recommend energy-efficient improvements.
- Heat pumps harness the Earth’s natural temperature regulating ability to maintain a comfortable, even temperature in your home year round.
- Geothermal heat pumps provide free hot water all summer while improving heating and cooling comfort.
- Programmable thermostats save energy by cooling your house only when you’re home.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jun 04, 2010
Sounds like this summer in Lorain County is going to be a real scorcher. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which predicted 2010 to be one of the hottest summers on record, released first quarter temperature profiles indicating that its scientists are right on the money. January through April was the warmest quarter on record since reliable temperature records were begun in the late 1800s. The Earth’s surface temperature average was 58.1 degrees in April, 1.35 degrees warmer than the 20th century average. The planet hasn’t been this hot since 1998!
Brace for the Climate Change This Summer
One degree might not sound like much, but when you’re talking global temperature; scientists say it’s huge. Global warming means that everything on the planet got a little hotter -- oceans, land masses, air – and stayed hotter. But the bad news isn’t over for Lorain County home and business owners. The National Center for Atmospheric Research just warned the country to brace for what could be one of the worst hurricane seasons since 2005 when Katrina inundated New Orleans.
Meteorologists say wind patterns and warmer ocean temperatures are creating a perfect storm for hurricane development. They expect 15 to 20 major named storms to develop between now and the end of November. Even worse, storms are expected to incubate in the southeast Atlantic, home of 90% of the Category 4 and 100% of the Category 5 hurricanes that have battered the U.S. Just because Lorain County is hundreds of miles from the ocean doesn’t mean we’re in the clear. Hurricanes moving up from the Gulf or Atlantic blanket Loraine County with rain and insufferable humidity. This summer we could fry in our own juices!
There’s never been a better reason to schedule an A/C Performance Check with your Lorain County air conditioning professional and you might want to invest in an energy-efficient air conditioner since it sounds like we’re going to be cranking the A/C all summer.