Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Sep 03, 2010
A new energy-saving program aimed at improving the energy efficiency of Lorain County homes has recently been launched by Columbia Gas and Raymond Plumbing is here to help you take full advantage of the program. The program will take advantage of multiple rebates and federal tax credits now being offered for energy-efficient home improvements. Many of these money-saving rebates expire at the end of the year, so Lorain County residents are urged to sign up for the Home Performance Solutions program fast.
The Home Performance Solutions program begins with an energy audit to identify where your home is wasting energy – and your hard-earned money – and target improvement areas. Lorain County homeowners will receive a detailed energy use report that specifies energy-saving tips along with estimated energy savings and applicable rebates for implementing recommended energy-efficient home improvements. Owners of gas-heated homes who use 1,000 Ccf of natural gas or more per year will profit most from this program.
For a limited time, Columbia Gas is offering Lorain County residents a complete home energy audit for just $50, a fraction of its $500 value. Generous energy efficient home improvement rebates and tax credits available through December 31, 2010, can save Lorain County homeowners as much as 70% off the cost of installing recommended home improvements.
But the savings don’t stop there. Installation of energy-efficient gas furnaces and other home improvements can reduce your natural gas use by as much as 30%, a savings you will continue to enjoy year after year. Now is the time to take advantage of multiple money-saving offers to cut your energy use and your gas bill. Contact Raymond Plumbing today for more information.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, Aug 31, 2010
The power of solar energy to change the world is being demonstrated in Portugal and could serve as a model for Lorain County and the U.S. Just five years ago, this small Mediterranean nation sandwiched between Spain and the Atlantic Ocean began a concerted nationwide effort to convert the majority of its energy supplies from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Today, solar, wind and hydropower provide 45% of the electricity used in the country’s homes, offices, retail centers and factories. In a country where electricity costs twice as much as we pay in Lorain County, solar arrays are now providing cheap electric power to major metropolitan areas like Lisbon, as well as small, remote mountain villages.
How Portugal Became a “Go Green” Country
In order to accomplish such a major national energy makeover in such a short time, Portugal had to restructure energy utilities to create a dependable power grid suited to renewable energy sources. New transmission lines were built to bring solar and wind energy from remote areas to city centers. Government subsidies, long-term contracts with price protections, and financial incentives were used to lure private firms to Portugal’s growing renewable energy industry. A complex computer system was created that tracks the weather systems that fuel much of the country’s renewable energy. The system constantly adjusts the flow of electricity from myriad energy sources, directing electricity where it is needed most.
Oil Spill Pushes U.S. Towards Using Renewable Energy
The incentive to replace fossil fuel consumption with renewable energy sources is admittedly higher in Europe where countries like Portugal have few fossil fuel natural resources. The disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has emphasized the risk of relying on fossil fuels and may encourage U.S. and Lorain County government officials to do more to develop sustainable power sources. Lorain County residents can take a personal stand and cut their personal energy bill by nearly 50% by installing an energy-efficient solar water heater.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Aug 27, 2010
August may be coming to a close but summer’s heat will be with us for a while longer, warn Lorain County weather forecasters. If you haven’t converted your energy-guzzling air conditioner to a new, energy-efficient Carrier air conditioning system, there’s still time to make the change and cash in on Uncle Sam’s Tax Credit for Energy-Efficient Home Improvements. Investing in an Energy Star-rated home comfort appliance is an excellent way to put a little of that federal stimulus money into your own pocket for a change. Click here to get Raymond’s free tax credit facts sheet.
Investing in an energy-efficient Carrier Infinity, Performance or Comfort air conditioner will do more than save money on next April’s federal income taxes. An energy-efficient A/C costs less to operate than older, less efficient models. When your Lorain County air conditioning professional installs an energy-sipping air conditioner in your home or business, you’ll begin to realize significant savings on your monthly utility bill immediately. And those savings will continue for the life of the unit. In just a few years, your new air conditioner will pay for itself.
The savings generated by energy-efficient air conditioners are not just monetary. When you use energy-efficient appliances, you reduce your carbon footprint and help save the environment. All Carrier energy-efficient air conditioners use eco-friendly Puron refrigerant, not the ozone-damaging Freon used by older A/C units. With global warming increasing, record-breaking heat waves are predicted to become the summertime norm in Lorain County. Reducing your personal carbon footprint is one of the most productive personal actions you can take to protect the environment.
Energy-efficient appliances save money and save the environment. Sounds like a win-win for Lorain County residents!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Aug 25, 2010
Want to instantly cut your annual hot water costs in half? Ask your Lorain County plumbing professional to install a solar water heater in your home or business. It’s that easy.
Improve Your Carbon Footprint with a Solar Water Heater
Solar water heaters are one of the exciting, new green-energy appliances coming onto the market today. Powered by the sun, Energy Star-qualified solar water heating systems are an eco-conscious way to reduce your carbon footprint and help protect the environment. And because sunshine is free, solar water heaters are as budget-friendly as they are eco-friendly. According to statistics posted on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Star website, installing a solar water heater can cut your Lorain County water bills by 50% or more.
Despite what you may think, Lorain County gets plenty of sunshine to make installation of a solar water heater cost effective. Our gloomy winters do mean that you’ll need a backup gas or electric water heater, but the savings are still considerable. According to the Department of Energy, a typical 4-person family will save $190 annually by combining a solar water heater with a backup gas-storage water heater. Backup your solar water heater with an electric water heater and you’ll save $250 per year. Larger families that use more than the average amount of water will realize even greater savings. Over the average 20-year life of a solar water heating system, you’ll save thousands of dollars on your energy bills!
Solar Water Heaters Qualify for the Federal Tax Credit
The purchase of a solar water heating system pays for itself in 7 to 10 years. Lorain County home and business owners can recoup their investment even faster by taking advantage of Federal tax credits.
While the monetary savings are a powerful incentive to purchase a solar water heater, many Lorain County residents invest in solar power to protect the environment. Use of an energy-efficient solar-powered water heating system can cut carbon dioxide emissions in half, reducing your carbon footprint by 4,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually. That’s like garaging your car for 4 months!
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 Fri, Aug 20, 2010
Do you have Thermostat Wars in Your Home?
Every person feels heat and cold differently. Setting your air conditioner’s thermostat at an energy-saving 75 degrees may feel pleasantly comfortable to you when you’re sitting in your Lorain County family room watching the game, but it can feel overly warm when you start running the vacuum and absolutely freezing to your visiting granny. Thermostat wars are the stuff of family legends. Who doesn’t have a grandmother who keeps cranking the heat up to 86 when she visits or an overweight Uncle Ray who sends the house into the deep freeze when he stops by? Lorain County parents are forever nagging at their kids to keep their hands off the thermostat. Hormonally-charged teens who believe in instant comfort are forever bumping the controls up or down as they go from hot to cold in what parents swear are 10 minute intervals.
Programmable Thermostats Decreases Home Energy Use, Saves You Money and Restores Peace in your Home!
Thermostat wars have been known to upset family harmony and spark more than a few unpleasant family disagreements. Programmable thermostats can put an end to your family’s thermostat wars and allow peace to reign in your Lorain County home. If you have your Lorain County heating and air conditioning professional install a programmable thermostat to regain control of your home’s temperature controls, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that installing a programmable thermostat also decreases home energy use which lowers monthly utility bills and saves you money -- a pretty nice bonus for restoring peace to your home!
Programmable thermostats allow you to set specific temperatures during different hours of the day. To save on heating bills, set the thermostat to a cooler nighttime temperature while you sleep. Save on air conditioning bills by setting the thermostat to a higher temperature when you’re away from home at work or away for the weekend. Programmable thermostats put you back in control of your home’s temperature and end thermostat wars.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Aug 13, 2010
Northern Ohio is Becoming a Mecca for Green Energy Initiatives
Less than 10% of America’s energy needs are supplied by renewable resources, but a growing number of Lorain County heating, cooling and plumbing professionals, home builders, individual residents and newly-minted alternative energy companies are working to increase that figure. Northern Ohio is becoming a Mecca for the state’s green energy initiatives. A solar cell power grid is replacing corn in farm fields near Upper Sandusky. Wind turbines are rising along Lake Erie’s shores to catch the winds crossing the lake. The state’s energy-efficient appliance rebate program has encouraged countless Lorain County residents to invest in Energy Star air conditioners and furnaces, heat pumps and solar-powered water heaters.
A Green House has Sprouted at the Ohio State Fair
Showcasing many of the new energy-efficient technologies and products now available to Lorain County residents, a “green” house has sprouted at this year’s Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Constructed from 21-inch thick earthen blocks that provide natural insulation, the home was designed to minimize heating and cooling requirements. Solar panels adorn the building’s roof to provide electricity. A radiant heat system was built into the floor to keep the home warm in winter while reducing furnace use. And those are just a few of the fascinating technologies on display at the green house.
After the fair, the green house is slated to become a permanent site fixture on the fairgrounds that will be used to promote renewable energy sources and eco-friendly products. In its current demonstration mode (some wall and floor areas have been exposed to reveal the energy-saving technology behind them) the home may not be move-in ready, but add few energy-efficient appliances like an Energy Star air conditioner and a solar-powered hot water heater and it could create a cozy home for a Lorain County family.
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 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 Wed, Jul 07, 2010
Don't Forget About Water Conservation
Located near the shore of Lake Erie, part of the largest fresh water lake system on the planet, people in Lorain County don’t spend much mental energy on dwindling fresh water supplies. We may suffer a few weeks of high temperatures and a touch of drought from time to time here in northern Ohio, but with millions of gallons of water sitting right in our backyard, Lorain County folks don’t get overly concerned. Perhaps we should.
Climate Change Plays A Big Role In Water Supply
Political analysts warn that the next great wars won’t be fought over ethnic or political boundaries but over water rights. The world’s population continues to grow. Global warming is melting the glaciers that hold the bulk of the world’s fresh water. Annual glacial melt fills the streams and rivers that supply drinking water to the majority of Earth’s peoples. When the glaciers dry up, so will their water supply. Climatologists say global warming is changing weather patterns, causing increasingly severe weather including long-term drought. A glimmer of what the future holds has been playing out in California and the U.S. Southwest for the past few years. Before this spring’s torrential rains, five years of unrelenting drought had forced California to shut off water to agricultural fields and ration water use in homes and businesses. California and Southwestern states already import most of their water from states east of the Rocky Mountains. In the last five years they came perilously close to running out of water. Another drought could be a death knell.
Help Conserve Water With Lorain County
Water conservation is a worldwide problem and must be a worldwide effort. Even people who live in areas like Lorain County where water is still plentiful need to start preparing for the future. Water conservation is everyone’s responsibility. Your Lorain County plumbing professional offers many state-of-the-art plumbing products that can help you start saving water today. Give us a call.
Next time: How much water do you use?