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 Fri, Jul 23, 2010
Solar Energy On The Rise In Ohio
West of Lorain County, in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, rows of solar panels line what used to be cornfields in the biggest solar energy project yet in Ohio. The 80-acre solar complex being financed by American Municipal Power is expected to produce 12 megawatts of power. The Columbus-based non-profit utility company has plans to grow this initial investment 25 fold, within the next few years creating the nation’s largest solar power grid with a capacity to produce 300 megawatts of electricity across several states.
Solar energy is experiencing a tremendous growth spurt. AMP, which provides power for many municipalities in Ohio and neighboring states, is just one of the players jumping on the solar band wagon. AMP is focusing on creating alternative power sources to serve peak demand periods such as the summer air conditioning season when electrical use – and expense to consumers – skyrockets. By creating cheaper solar power to handle critical use periods, AMP expects to bring down the cost of electrical power for its consumers.
Solar energy engineers say the idea is definitely doable. Ohio receives an average 4 kilowatt-hours (kwh) of sun per day, ample to effectively power photovoltaic panels, particularly in the summer. According to the Department of Energy, the average U.S. household uses 11,040 kwh of electricity per year, or about 30 kwh per day. At that rate, about 80 square feet of solar panels would be required to power one Lorain County home for a year. However, meeting the needs of summer peak use and using the higher kilowatt-hour output of the summer sun would require fewer solar panels.
Try Out A Solar Water Heater
Solar water heaters now available to Lorain County residents require only a minor solar panel installation to provide year-round hot water. Professional installation is required for these complex systems, but they easily pay for themselves within 7 years after which all of your hot water is free!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Jul 19, 2010
Still Time To Get Cash For Clunkers
If you’ve been putting off purchasing a new energy-efficient home appliance, you’re in luck! There’s still money available in Ohio’s Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program and the state is anxious to hand that cash out to qualifying Lorain County residents. Of the $11 million originally set aside for Ohio’s cash for clunker appliances program, $9.8 million has been distributed since the program began in March. Fortunately for procrastinators, nearly $250,000 is still left in the fund and available to Ohio residents who decide to upgrade their energy-gobbling home appliances to new energy-sipping Energy Star appliances.
Save Money With Rebates
Lorain County residents can get Ohio rebates on energy-efficient refrigerators, clothes washers, dishwashers, electric heat pump water heaters and high-efficiency gas storage water heaters. Rebates range from $100 to $250 and vary by appliance. Details can be obtained from the state website at www.OhioApplianceRebate.com or by calling 1-888-686-8896. To obtain a rebate, Lorain County residents must reserve a rebate online or via phone, purchase an energy-efficient appliance within three days, recycle their old appliance and submit required information to the rebate center. Eight to 10 weeks later they’ll receive their rebate check.
Combine Rebate With Your Tax Credit
By the beginning of July, the state had mailed out 51,481 rebate checks to energy-savvy Ohio residents. Many Lorain County residents who are purchasing high-efficiency gas water heaters and heat pump water headers are combining their Ohio rebate with the Federal Stimulus Tax Credit to maximize their savings. Of course, the money these energy-efficient appliances will save them on their monthly energy bills stands to at least triple their savings!
If you’re ready to start saving energy – and cash – the energy experts at Raymond Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning can answer your questions and help you select the energy-efficient appliances that will best meet your needs. Give us a call today for a free installation estimate!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Jun 23, 2010
You’ve probably heart the horrific story of a desperate Connecticut man who attempted to amputate his arm to free it from a broken furnace. The West Hartford man’s arm became trapped while he was attempting to replace the boiler fins in his furnace. After two days, Jonathan Metz began to smell rotting flesh. In an act of desperation, Metz tried to cut off his arm to free himself. Still trapped, Metz was rescued by firemen a day later. Firemen had to dissemble the furnace to free Metz. Doctors credited Metz’ attempted self-amputation with saving his life by preventing gangrenous infection in his arm from spreading through his body. Metz is expected to survive.
Why Raymond Plumbing Shared This Story
We do not share this story to shock or upset our Lorain County readers, but to point out the real dangers that can occur when homeowners attempt to repair complex home equipment. We tend to take equipment that is part of our everyday lives for granted. When our usual interaction with a piece of equipment is limited to turning a switch or pushing a button, it’s easy to forget that we’re actually dealing with a complex machine that may contain potentially dangerous operating parts, hazardous chemicals, open flames, perilous temperatures, high voltage electricity or explosive pressures.
Installation and Repairs Can Be Risky Without A Professional
We don’t think of the home comfort equipment in our Lorain County basements as a potentially hazardous safety risk; and when it is properly installed and maintained by an experienced Lorain County plumbing, heating and air conditioning professional, it is not. But these complex systems can present a very real danger when inexperienced homeowners attempt installation or repair. Professional plumbers and HVAC technicians undergo years of specialized training and apprenticeship to learn to install and repair home comfort systems correctly and safely.
Call Raymond Plumbing for Professional Assistance
If you have a plumbing, heating or air conditioning problem in your Lorain County home or business, don’t place yourself or your family at risk. Call the experts at Raymond Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Jun 14, 2010
Don't Go Without Backflow!
Last time we talked about the value of having your Lorain County plumbing professional install a backflow prevention device in your Lorain County home or business. Installation of a backflow prevention system protects your home or business water supply from contamination and pollution. The pressure at which your water company pumps water from holding tanks through water mains and into your Lorain County home or business keeps water flowing from the main toward sewage outlets. If a disruption occurs – a water main break, severe flooding, a frozen pipe, unusual demand on the community water system – water pressure plummets and, like a siphon, water starts flowing backwards. The change in pressure can cause contaminated ground water or sewage to be drawn into your home or business plumbing system, contaminating your water supply and placing your family and customers at risk. Each year more than 10,000 cases of backflow contamination are reported in the U.S. Backflow contamination can cause serious illness if people ingest polluted water and, in some cases, has been fatal.
What Lorain County Thinks About Backflow
Backflow prevention valves prevent potentially hazardous backflows from occurring, ensuring that your water supply will remain safe and pure in case of an emergency. Backflow devices are complicated pieces of plumbing having test cocks and shut-off valves that must all work properly and in synchronization to be effective in protecting Lorain County water supplies. Many Lorain county municipalities are now requiring commercial customers to install backflow prevention devices and have them inspected and tested annually. These devices should also be inspected and tested by a certified Lorain County plumbing professional whenever they are installed, relocated or repaired. Because backflow prevention devices guard the healthy quality of the water supply they protect and are linked to community water supplies, proper installation, maintenance and repair by a qualified Lorain County plumbing professional is essential.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jun 10, 2010
Earlier this week we recognized World Oceans Day. First celebrated in 2008, the United Nations proclaimed June 8 a day to celebrate the diversity of life in our planet’s oceans and focus on conserving this essential natural resource. Celebration of World Oceans Day is particularly poignant this year as devastation caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill spreads across the Gulf of Mexico and threatens to seep into the Atlantic Ocean. The path of the spreading oil has destroyed thousands of miles of American shoreline, killing hundreds of birds and sea creatures and decimating marine and tourist industries.
The Gulf oil disaster serves as an example of what can happen when we fail to act as responsible stewards of our oceans, lakes and rivers. Lorain County may not sit on an ocean, but we share stewardship for Lake Erie, part of the largest freshwater lake system in the world. The Great Lakes hold 20% of the world’s surface fresh water and supply drinking water for millions of people. Protecting this essential water supply from contamination and pollution is the responsibility of all of us who live and work in Lorain County.
Prevent Pollution and Water Supply Contamination with a Backflow Prevention Device
Installation of a backflow prevention device at your Lorain County home or business can help prevent pollution and protect your home water supply from contamination. The water that runs through the plumbing system of your Lorain County home or business is maintained by the supplier at sufficient pressure to allow it to flow from the main, through interior plumbing and out through faucets, showers, toilets etc. However, should water pressure fail, as it can if a water main breaks or a pipe freezes and bursts, a siphoning effect can be created, drawing contaminated ground or sewer water into your home plumbing system and into the main. Asking your Lorain County plumbing professional to add a backflow prevention device to your plumbing system prevents pollution and keeps drinking water safe.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Apr 02, 2010
Beat the Heat with an A/C Peformance Check
In Lorain County we’ve been looking forward to the first warm days of spring for months. Now that they’re finally here, it’s time to think about calling your Lorain County air conditioning professional to schedule your annual A/C Performance Check. Spring doesn’t last long in northern Ohio and the hot, steamy days of summer will be here before you know it. An annual air conditional performance check ensures that your air conditioner will keep you and your family cool and comfortable all year round.
Getting your cooling system checked annually is important. That is why each month we are giving away two FREE A/C Performance Checks! Sign-up to win.
Install a Carrier UV Lamp on your Air Conditioner
Lorain County residents who schedule their A/C Performance Check early before our crews get busy with break downs and air conditioner replacements can save $20 off our regular price. Instead of $98.50, if you schedule your A/C Performance Check with Raymond online, you’ll only pay $78.50. While our technician is at your home, consider having him install a Carrier UV Lamp on your air conditioning unit. Ultraviolet light kills the bacteria and mold that is apt to grow on your air conditioner components during Lorain County’s muggy summers. Installing a UV Lamp on your air conditioner improves air quality and guarantees a healthier indoor environment for you and your family.
Purchasing an Energy-Efficient Air Conditioner May Qualify for a Tax Credit
If your air conditioner uses Freon refrigerant or is nearing the end of its useful life, this is a good year to consider replacing it with an energy-efficient Carrier air conditioner that uses environmentally friendly Puron. Freon in being phased out by the EPA which means that Freon-charged air conditioners are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain. The federal government’s Tax Credit program for energy-efficient home improvements makes this an excellent year to replace your old, polluting air conditioner. Under the Tax Credit program, you may be eligible for a 30% income tax credit up to $1,500 on your 2010 taxes if you replace your air conditioner with an energy-efficient model. Raymond will be happy to provide you with a free estimate.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Mar 26, 2010
The State of Ohio and the Federal Government are Offering Financial Incentives Right Now When You Purchase and Install Energy-Efficient Equipment!
There’s a wealth of tax credits, rebates and special deals available right now for Lorain County homeowners who want to increase the energy efficiency of their home comfort appliances. The federal government is offering up to a $1500 income tax credit for the installation of qualifying energy-efficient Energy Star home comfort appliances. Ohio is offering its own limited-time appliance rebate to encourage residents to replace and recycle outdated water heaters with energy-efficient water heaters and heat pumps. To help Lorain County residents take advantage of these rebates and get the biggest bang for their energy buck, Raymond Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning is introducing a free estimate service to help Lorain County homeowners find the most energy-efficient and cost-effective home comfort solutions to meet their family’s specific needs.
Lower Energy Bills When You Purchase and Install Energy-Efficient Equipment
Energy-efficient air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, hot water tanks and geothermal appliances reduce energy use which results in lower energy bills and more cash in your pocket every month. New energy-efficient home appliances feature technological advances that not only increase appliance efficiency and reliability but noticeably improve indoor air quality and comfort. Replacing your old home appliances with energy-efficient Energy Star-rated air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps and hot water heaters is good for your family’s health and comfort and good for the environment. Every energy-efficient appliance you install in your Lorain County home reduces your family’s carbon footprint and makes the world a healthier place to live in.
Now is the Perfect Time to Have a FREE Estimate on Installing Energy-Efficient Equipment
With both Ohio and the federal government offering financial incentives to buy and install energy-efficient home comfort appliances, this is the perfect time to take advantage of Raymond’s free estimate service. Our experienced air conditioning and heating professionals can visit your Lorain County home, assess your family’s home comfort energy needs and pinpoint the energy-efficient appliances that will best meet those needs.
Click here now to schedule your free estimate for installation of energy-efficient home comfort equipment in your Lorain County home.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Jan 25, 2010
Reduce Your Heating Bills up to 70% by Installing a Geothermal Heat Pump
Geothermal heat pumps tap into the power of nature to heat and cool your Lorain County home efficiently. Geothermal heat pumps provide comfortable even temperatures throughout your home in both winter and summer, With the Federal Stimulus Tax Credit providing up to a 30% income tax credit on the cost of installing geothermal heat pumps, this is an excellent time to have your Lorain County heating and cooling professional install a heat pump in your home. In Lorain County, energy-efficient geothermal heat pumps can cut your heating bills by 50% to 70% and air conditioning bills by 40%. If you add a hot water assist to your heat pump system, you can recycle hot water created during system operation and enjoy virtually free hot water all summer long.
Their superior efficiency and reliability has made geothermal heat pumps the heat pump system of choice in Lorain County and throughout the country. Geothermal heat pumps tap into the ability of ground water to absorb and retain heat at a constant temperature. At a depth of 30 feet, ground water maintains a constant temperature that varies by less than a single degree throughout the year. Geothermal heat pumps reticulate water via a sealed, non-polluting water system that is never exposed to the atmosphere.
Rather than creating heat like furnaces, heat pumps transfer heat between the ground water and your home. In the winter they pull heat absorbed and stored in ground water into your home. In the summer they pump heat collecting inside your home out into ground water. The fairly constant and more temperate temperature of ground water throughout the year allows geothermal heat pumps to work efficiently all year round.
Find out how you can qualify for the federal stimulus tax credit!