Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, May 12, 2010
Tired of thermostat wars? Install a zoned cooling & heating system in your home
Thermostat wars seem to be as old as the invention of whole house furnaces and air conditioners. There doesn’t seem to be a setting on the thermostat that will keep everyone in the family comfortable. If your teen turns down the A/C because it’s hot in his bedroom, his sibling is certain to flick it back up when the family room turns into a deep freeze. It’s difficult to maintain an even temperature through every room in a large house, particularly two or three story homes. The problem is you’re working against the laws of physics. Hot air rises and cold air sinks. Then you have to factor in sun exposure. The natural heating ability of the sun means that rooms that face the sun will always feel several degrees hotter than rooms without sun exposure. Running the furnace fan and ceiling fans, if you have them, can help even out the temperature in your Lorain County home, but you’ll still experience hot and cold spots.
If you’re tired of the thermostat wars, consider having your Lorain County cooling and heating professional install a zoned system in your home. Zoned heating and cooling systems are particularly effective in multi-level homes. Independently operating thermostats allow different temperature settings to be programmed for each level. Sophisticated zoning systems employ automatic dampers inside the ducts that are governed by programmable electronic thermostats. This allows you to program a different series of temperatures at different times of the day for each room or group of rooms, called zones, in your Lorain County house.
A zoned heating and cooling system can result in huge energy savings. Rooms can be programmed to be heated or cooled only when they are in use. If you’re ready to end the thermostat wars and especially if you’re having a new energy efficient air conditioner or gas furnace installed this year, consider adding zoned thermostats to your system.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, May 06, 2010
Decrease Your Home Energy Use and Lower Energy Bills By 40%
Buildings, particularly residential homes built more than 25 years ago, account for 40% of the energy used in the U.S., according to U.S. Department of Energy statistics. If Lorain County homeowners installed energy-efficient furnaces and air conditioners and implemented other energy-saving measures such as using low flow toilets and shower heads and replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving CFL lamps, they could decrease their home energy use – and utility bills -- by 40% or more, Department of Energy experts say. Using energy-efficient home appliances just makes good dollars-and-cents business sense. The more energy-saving appliances and practices you add to your daily life, the greater your savings. Some energy-savvy homeowners have managed to squeeze their utility costs down to a measly $10 to $20 a month!
In an article on rehabbing older homes to increase energy savings, Andrew McCoy, a building construction professor at Virginia Tech, told the Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch, “In the future people will worry less about how their house looks and more about how it performs.” McCoy is one of many predicting a “green revolution” in the construction industry. About the green building market, McCoy said, “It’s just exploding right now – engineering solutions, products and materials. We know the market’s there.”
The Department of Energy estimates that retrofitting residential and commercial buildings in Lorain County and across the United States with currently existing Energy Star furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps and using energy-efficient tools and techniques available today could cut national energy bills by $40 billion a year, that’s $130 for each and every American.
Federal tax credits and Ohio state rebates make this an excellent time to upgrade your Lorain County heating and cooling system to an energy-efficient furnace and air conditioner. The sooner you switch, the more you’ll save.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Mar 15, 2010
Lower Home Energy Rating Scores Mean Greater Energy Efficiency
Newly constructed homes come with many energy-efficient features. Energy-saving furnaces and air conditioners, energy-maximizing heat pumps and water heaters, energy-conserving insulation and building materials all contribute to a new home’s HERS rating. A building’s HERS, or home energy rating is a measure of the building’s total energy efficiency from construction materials and techniques to the appliances used to run it. Lower HERS scores mean greater energy efficiency.
The government is now attempting to develop a home energy rating system that could be applied to all homes. Like the miles per hour standard for cars, a universal energy formula would allow consumers to instantly understand the energy consumption of a home. A universal HERS rating would let you know if your home was a Prius or a Hummer and might encourage you to retrofit the more energy-consuming components of your home with energy-efficient products, at least that’s the government’s goal.
Pilot testing of a HERS home energy labeling program is planned for this summer with national launch by the U.S. Department of Energy planned for fall. The program is a joint effort of the U.S. Department of Energy, the White House and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. One DOE official suggested that HERS ratings could be tied to the President’s proposed HomeStar program, also known as Cash for Caulkers. If HomeStar received Congressional approval, the program would provide cash rebates for the purchase and installation of energy-efficient home materials like weatherizing, windows and insulation.
The non-profit Earth Advantage Institute in Oregon has already teamed up with realtors to provide energy-efficient ratings for new and used homes. The Institute’s Energy Performance Score (EPS) takes into account both a home’s energy use and its carbon emissions. Whichever rating system eventually becomes the national standard, your home’s energy-efficient rating is likely to pay a role in its future resale value.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, Mar 02, 2010
Energy watchers call it “the SnackWell Effect.” SnackWells are tasty low-fat, low-sugar cookies made by Nabisco that are a boon to dieters seeking low-cal treats. The problem comes when dieters over-indulge on the sweet confections, rationalizing that they can eat more because each cookie has fewer calories. Instead of losing weight, dieters started gaining. You, of course, see the problem. You can’t lose weight if you eat more, even if what you’re eating has fewer calories. Math wins every time!
Do You Have an Energy-Efficient Furnace or Air Conditioner? Using More Enegy Cancels Out the Savings
The same rebound effect can occur when a Lorain County resident has an energy-efficient furnace or air conditioner or heat pump installed in his home. Lulled by the fact that they’re saving energy, the family can easily slip into high consumption habits that all too quickly negate the energy savings provided by the energy-efficient appliance. It’s the SnackWell Effect. Even when your home is powered by energy-efficient appliances, using more energy cancels out the savings.
Reducing your carbon footprint is an ongoing daily commitment.
Recent studies have found that when people buy energy efficient appliances they feel less guilty about using them more often. In one study, people with energy-efficient furnaces lost 10% to 30% of their expected monthly energy savings because they cranked up the heat. Another study found that people who used energy-efficient light bulbs lost between 5% and 12% of their anticipated monthly energy savings because they stopped turning out the lights when they left a room. To realize the maximum potential energy savings on their monthly bills, Lorain County residents must continue energy-efficient practices even after installing energy-efficient furnaces, air conditioners and other appliances. The fight to decrease energy consumption doesn’t stop with the purchase of an energy-efficient appliance. Reducing your carbon footprint is an ongoing daily commitment. When properly used, energy-efficient appliances do allow us to save more energy, but we have to do our part.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Feb 25, 2010
It's Not to Early to Schedule Your Annual Air Conditioner Performance Check
Hard to believe, but in just a few short months summer will be here. If this winter is any indication, it could be a scorcher. Climatologists say global warming will continue to drive more extreme weather patterns across Lorain County. That means colder, snowier winters and hotter, more humid summers. If summer treats us to the same extreme weather we’ve had to endure this winter, you’ll definitely want your Lorain County air conditioner to be in peak operating condition.
Scheduling an annual air conditioner performance check with your Lorain County heating and air conditioning professional is the best way to make certain that your air conditioner will operate at peak efficiency all summer long. Schedule your inspection early to make certain your air conditioner is working well before the first heat wave rolls in.
Maximize Savings by Installing an Energy-Efficient Furnace or Air Conditioner
With the Environmental Protection Agency ordering a phase-out of R-22 refrigerant (Freon) by 2020, you may want to consider replacing your air conditioning system with one of Carrier’s new energy-efficient Puron air conditioners. Eco-friendly Puron is an innovative new refrigerant that does not harm the ozone. Installing an energy efficient air conditioner this year will not only decrease your monthly utility costs, it will also quality you to take advantage of the federal tax credit program for energy-efficient appliances.
In fact, you may want to maximize your home’s energy efficiency and your savings by installing an energy-efficient Infinity gas furnace in your Lorain County home.
Through February 28, 2010, we’ll give you a free Puron air conditioner with the purchase and installation of an Infinity furnace. Offers like this make choosing energy efficient heating and cooling appliances a good choice for the planet – and your wallet!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, Feb 23, 2010
Free Air Conditioner With Purchase and Installation of Gas Furnace
Time is running out for Northeast Ohio residents to take advantage of Raymond’s FREE air conditioner offer. Until February 28, 2010 we will give you a FREE energy-efficient Puron air conditioner with the purchase and installation of an energy-efficient Infinity gas furnace. This is an offer too good to pass up. Not only do you save by getting two superior energy-efficient home comfort appliances for the price of one, but lower energy bills mean you’ll enjoy continued savings all year round – and both the furnace and air conditioner quality for federal tax credit on your 2010 income taxes.
Made by Carrier, the nation’s leader in the manufacture of quality heating and cooling appliances, Infinity gas furnaces and Puron air conditioners use the latest green technology to provide state-of-the-art energy-efficient indoor comfort in the winter and summer.
Carrier’s Infinity 96 gas furnace has the highest energy efficiency rating on the market today, providing cost savings up to 96.6% AFUE. Featuring Carrier’s ComfortHeat technology and IdealHumidity coupled with a high efficiency air filtration cabinet, the Infinity 96 gas furnace uses signature Infinity intelligence to maintain a comfortable, clean, even indoor environment in every room of your home. ComfortFan technology and a superior nose reduction system keep appliances in the background where they belong. Carrier heating and cooling appliances are so quiet; you’ll never even know they’re there.
Carrier’s sealed combustion system and pilot-free PowerHeat ignition assure safe, efficient long-term operation. Among the most reliable furnaces on the market, the Infinity 96 energy-efficient gas furnace features a lifetime heat exchanger limited warranty and 10-year parts limited warranty.
Carrier’s environmentally-friendly Puron air conditioners enjoy the same high energy-efficient ratings as their gas furnaces. Quiet and durable, Carrier Puron air conditioners provide superior humidity control to improve indoor air quality all summer long. These superior air conditioners use eco-friendly Puron refrigerant that won’t hurt the environment or damage the Earth’s ozone layer.
Time is running out! Offer expires February 28, 2010.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jan 29, 2010
While some Northern Ohio furnaces run on heating oil, most U.S. homes are heated by natural gas-burning furnaces.
How Gas Furnaces Work
Here’s how gas furnaces work. Hot gases created by the burning gas pass through curved metal tubing called a heat exchanger, then exit your home through a vent pipe. At the same time, the air circulating through your home is directed over the heat exchanger where it absorbs the heat from the hot metal. This warmed air is then circulated through your home by the furnace fan.
Why does gas smell like rotting eggs? The natural gas used to run your furnace is an odorless, colorless, highly-flammable gas. Because natural gas can be highly dangerous, particularly in enclosed spaces like your home, a minute amount (less than 1%) of ethyl mercaptan is added to serve as a warning should a gas leak develop. This stinky additive creates the distinctive sulfuric smell associated with natural gas.
Natural Gas can be Dangerous to your Health
Why is gas dangerous? Natural gas is an asphyxiant that can cause suffocation and death. As natural gas leaks into the air, it displaces the air’s oxygen content. When the oxygen level drops below 19.5%, suffocation gradually occurs. Asphyxiation progresses through several stages. At first breathing and pulse rates increase. Headache, nausea and drowsiness develop. Vision problems may be experienced with dizziness and confusion. As the level of gas increases, muscle coordination fails. Muscles feel weak and develop tremors. As oxygen levels fall below 8%, unconsciousness (narcosis) occurs. Extremities become numb and turn bluish (cyanosis) from lack of oxygen in the blood. The central nervous system is permanently damaged and death follows. If oxygen levels continue to decrease below 6.5% to 3.8%, the gas ignites.
A tragic scenario and one that can be avoided with an annual Heating Performance Check by a licensed home heating professional. It is not to late to have a heating performance check. Schedule today!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jan 22, 2010
Improve the Performance of your Furnace with a Heating Performance Check
Auto repair experts say the single most important thing you can do to improve the performance and reliability of your car is to get the oil checked regularly. It’s a simple, inexpensive maintenance chore that can add years of life to your vehicle and save you thousands of dollars in repair bills down the line. That’s the same reason home heating professionals recommend you schedule an annual Heating Performance Check with a licensed Lorain County heating professional.
Save Money on Your Heating Bill with a Heating Perfomance Check
An annual furnace inspection can pinpoint potential problems before they become tragic disasters. Not only does an annual Heating Performance Check ensure that your home furnace is working at peak efficiency, but an experienced heating professional will also check for gas or carbon monoxide leaks to ensure the safety of your family. Tragically, deadly carbon monoxide fumes from improperly working furnaces kill families in their sleep every year. The best way to protect your family against this odorless silent killer is to have your furnace inspected by a licensed heating professional every year.
A properly running furnace burns less fuel, saving you money on your heating bill. And with Lorain County temperatures regularly dropping into the double and single digits during the winter, an annual Heating Performance Check will protect your family from a chilly middle-of-the-night breakdown. Annual furnace inspections catch small problems while they’re easy and inexpensive to fix.
It's Not too Late to have a Heating Performance Check
In Lorain County, the best time of year to schedule your annual Heating Performance Check is in late summer before you fire up your furnace in the fall. However, it’s never too late in the season to make sure your furnace is operating safely. It’s also important to schedule your annual Heating Performance Check with a licensed Lorain County heating professional with the knowledge and experience to recognize potential problems and fix them before they cause disaster.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jan 14, 2010
Save Money and Energy
If you thought the government's energy-efficient appliance stimulus plan was good, you're going to be blown away by the new Go Green This Winter promotion being offered by Raymond Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning in Lorain County, Ohio. Buy the Infinity gas furnace and pay for installation and Raymond will give you the Puron air conditioner -- FREE! And you thought Santa only came at Christmas!
The new Go Green This Winter program is Raymond's unique way of helping Lorain County residents save money while they conserve energy. Here's how the program works:
- BUY a Carrier Infinity 96 gas furnace from Raymond before February 28, 2010 and pay to have your new furnace installed by Raymond's heating system experts. We'll install in your Lorain County home Carrier's Infinity gas furnace, the ultimate in innovative heat technology and superior comfort control. Energy Star rated, this top-of-the-line gas furnace offers superior energy efficiency and cost savings of up to 96.6% AFUE. ComfortFan technology distributes heat evenly and efficiently throughout your home while IdealHumidity technology keeps air comfortably humidified for maximum personal comfort all winter long. And with Carrier's QuieTech noise reduction system, you'll barely know your new furnace is running.
- Raymond will GIVE you a FREE energy-efficient Puron air conditioner when you purchase an Infinity gas furnace by February 28. Discount savings will be applied at the close of sale.
You don't want to miss out on Raymond's exceptional Go Green This Winter offer. Get your FREE Puron air conditioner when you purchase a Carrier Infinity gas furnace from Raymond Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning in Lorain County, Ohio. This offer expires February 28, 2010. Go green today!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Dec 21, 2009
Humidity Inside Your Home?
Static electricity can make cold weather shocking in Lorain County, Ohio, and the rest of the northern tier of states. Children love to scuff their feet across the living room carpet in the winter, then reach out and give their siblings a jolt. Dry winter air makes it easy to create an electric charge, but when indoor air becomes too dry inadvertent static electricity can give you an uncomfortable shock when you least expect it; for instance, when you reach to flip on a light switch or sit down to give the dog a pat.
Static electricity is just one of the annoying consequences of Lorain County’s dry winter air. Our bodies don’t respond well to dry air. Our skin starts to flake and itch as the humidity in the air drops. Our noses feel uncomfortably stuffy as dry, irritated sinus passages swell. Allergy sufferers, asthmatics and those with pulmonary diseases find it harder to breathe comfortably. The lack of moisture in the air makes us more susceptible to sinusitis and bronchitis. We suffer unpredictable nose bleeds as sinus passages fissure from breathing in dry air. The lack of humidity inside our homes causes our hair to dry out and frizzy hair days become the norm.
The same thing happens to your furniture during Lorain County’s long winters. Dry air absorbs moisture from the structural and decorative wood in your furniture causing wood fibers to contract creating minute cracks. Over time, lack of humidity can cause finishes to crack and furniture to become brittle.
Humidifiers Provide Comfort
Fortunately, these problems can be easily solved by raising the humidity inside your home. Your Lorain County heating professional can install a furnace humidifier that will immediately increase indoor humidity and improve the air quality inside your home. Carrier humidifiers provide whole house humidification with advanced moisture control allowing you to raise or lower humidity levels inside your northeastern Ohio home to provide maximum winter comfort.