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 Mon, Aug 09, 2010
The Number One Factor People Go Green
What motivates most companies – and people -- to go green? Interestingly, for most Americans, the No. 1 factor in adopting energy-efficient, sustainable products and practices is not a desire to improve the planet or halt global warming, it’s money! Yep, business owners and ordinary folks in Lorain County go green to save green!
A whopping 97% of American businesses ranked saving money as their primary reason for investing in energy-efficient appliances, products and systems, according to a nationwide survey of corporate energy decision-makers conducted by Johnson Controls. Other decision-making factors paled in importance to saving money when energy use was on the line. In a close tie for a distant second place were:
- Enhancing their public image or brand motivated 63% of U.S. companies to go green.
- Government and utility company rebates and incentives were cited as a motivating factor by 62% of the firms surveyed. (As many noted, another way to save money.)
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions motivated 62% of survey participants.
How Energy-efficient Home Comfort Appliances Save Money
Individual Lorain County citizens are more likely than their corporate counterparts to go green as a matter of conscience, but saving money clearly provides an undeniably huge incentive to save energy whether you’re an individual or a huge conglomerate. Federal tax credits and Ohio rebates have spurred Lorain County sales of energy-efficient heat and cooling systems, heat pumps and hot water heaters. Lorain County consumers concerned about the initial cost of investing in energy-efficient home comfort appliances will be glad to hear that investment costs are generally recouped within a few years at most. After that, energy costs plummet to zero which means that once you’ve recouped your investment, energy use is free! You can’t beat that for saving money!
Reserve Your Rebate Today
Note to Lorain County consumers: If you’ve been thinking about taking advantage of Ohio’s appliance rebate program to install an energy-efficient water heater, stop dragging your feet. The Ohio Department of Development which oversees the rebate program is considering reassigning funds earmarked for water heaters to other appliances like refrigerators and clothes washers. Don’t lose out! Reserve your Ohio rebate today and contact Raymond Plumbing to schedule installation of an energy-efficient water heater.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Aug 02, 2010
Solar power is the ultimate green resource. It creates clean energy from the sun’s rays without producing harmful byproducts or emissions. No wonder Ohio is rushing to turn itself into a solar power Mecca. Forward-thinking Lorain County homeowners, business owners and property owners are exploring the power of solar energy for they know the cost-benefit ratio will only improve over time.
Solar Energy Offers Significant Benefits And Savings
Large scale solar energy projects are still relatively new, generating the usual uncertainty among those who have yet to become converts. If the experience of Pennsylvania real estate developer L.A. Davis is any indication, putting aside those fears and embracing solar energy use in homes, commercial buildings and multi-family properties offers significant benefits – and savings -- to both property owners and their tenants.
Davis, who has been developing real estate for two decades, has spent the last four years retrofitting properties in Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. to improve energy efficiency. Installation of solar panels to help power heating and cooling systems and generate hot water has brought down not only his energy bills as a property owner, but dramatically decreased the monthly utility bills of his low-income tenants.
Davis’ actions go against the main stream. Because tenants usually pay their own utility bills, most property owners are not motivated to reduce energy costs or improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Davis calls this short-sighted thinking. Davis said providing more affordable housing for his tenants has resulted in a greater number of long-term tenants, fewer costly evictions and utility reconnections and decreased legal fees. He says his investment in energy-efficient solar energy has paid off financially and in improved tenant relations. Davis shares his experience, know-how and advice with other landlords on www.SolarLandlord.com.
Get Started With An Energy Saving Solar Water Heater
Lorain County homeowners who are ready to embrace solar power can get started with an energy-saving solar water heater. Call your Lorain County plumbing professional to discuss installation of a solar water heater today.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jul 16, 2010
Solar Water Heaters In Lorain County
Solar water heaters are among the new green appliances available to increase energy efficiency in Lorain County homes. Lorain County provides plenty of sunshine to make solar water heaters a smart, money-saving investment for Northeast Ohio homeowners.
Leave Installation To The Pros
Several different types of solar water heaters are being marketed. All require installation by a Lorain County plumbing professional experienced in the installation of complex systems such as geothermal heat pumps, backflow devices, radiant floor installations and HVAC systems.
All solar water heaters have two basic components:
- Solar collectors to capture the sun’s energy and heat water.
- Well-insulated storage tanks to store the hot water for use.
Active Solar Water Heater Systems
Transfer of the sun’s heat to household water is accomplished either through “passive” systems using direct heat transfer or via “active” systems that rely on circulating pumps and controls. In climates where the temperatures rarely plummet below freezing, active systems employ direct circulation to pump household water through solar collectors and into the home. However, in climates like ours, active systems that employ indirect circulation work best. In these systems, non-freezing fluid is pumped through the solar collectors and a heat exchanger to transfer heat to household water.
Passive Solar Water Heater Systems
Passive solar water heaters are less efficient than active systems but are somewhat cheaper because they lack the pumps and controls of active systems. Integral collector-storage systems are typical in warmer areas, but in Lorain County thermosyphon systems are more productive. These systems rely on the natural rising of warm water and sinking of cool water to function. Solar collectors are installed below the storage tank, allowing warm water to rise into the tank.
If you’re ready to save money and enjoy unlimited hot water courtesy of the sun, contact an experienced Raymond Plumbing professional today.
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, Feb 18, 2010
Smart-Grid Technology Can Lower Your Air Conditioning Bill
In our last blog post we introduced the smart-grid and how it addresses some of the problems of the current grid infrastructure. The last point we made was that you might be paying for the high cost of “peak-demand” electricity even when you didn’t benefit from it at all.
However, with the smart-grid, the electric company will know that you were not using your electricity the day of the heat wave when wholesale energy prices went thru the roof. In fact you only used your air conditioner during non-peak hours or times when there was little demand for electricity. The cost of electricity during those non-peak hours is lower, and as a result your monthly bill will exactly reflect the true cost of electricity when you used it. Not only will the electric company know when you were using your air conditioner (and charge you accordingly), you will also be able to see the current energy pricing and decide whether or not you want to use more or less electricity. This will clearly provide major cost-savings to folks that use the pricing info the smart-grid provides them.
Some utilities are already working with appliance manufacturers to develop air conditioners, washing machines, etc. that will “talk” to the smart-grid. When there is peak-demand, appliances will go into a snooze mode (when possible). When there is drop in energy prices, like in the middle of the night, the smart-grid will inform the appliances that it’s an optimal time to “do the dishes”. Other systems will connect your HVAC to the smart-grid and will help regulate temperatures and timing based on energy costs. Additionally, if an appliance is malfunctioning and using too much energy, the smart-grid will pick up on this and inform you.
Of course, the environment also benefits in a big way. If people and businesses become more energy-efficient due to the smart-grid, the demand for energy will remain stable and there won’t be as much need to build more coal-burning power plants.
This all might sound like science-fiction, but several cities in the US are already involved in pilots with many of these smart-grid features.
Whether or not this is likely to be implemented here in Northern Ohio in the near-term, it’s clear that we are headed in that direction. Now is the time to begin your research and find out more about the smart-grid and energy-efficient appliances and HVAC systems. Are you looking to by a new energy-efficient air conditioner this spring? It may qualify for a tax credit. Download our Free Get the Facts document now.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Feb 17, 2010
Save Money and Manage Energy More Efficiently with the Smart-Grid
With all the talk about energy-efficiency you might have heard the term “smart-grid” being thrown around. You might have even heard that it’s supposed to save you money and be good for the environment. Before we describe what a smart-grid is and how it might affect you, let’s take a quick look at the current power grid that delivers electricity to our homes and businesses.
We’ll start with the basics. At the heart of the power-grid are power plants that produce energy for our use, from a variety of sources. The most common fuels they use are natural gas and coal (with coal-burning power plants being major polluters). Other cleaner, greener and more sustainable fuel sources include solar and wind power. Solar energy is generated by solar panel farms in sunny places like Arizona or California. Wind farms in windy places like North Dakota, use massive wind-turbines to generate clean electricity.
Whatever the source, electricity cannot be stored so right after production; it begins its journey to your home via power stations and various above-ground or underground power lines.
With the current grid it’s difficult to monitor how much electricity is being used by you and when. The electric utility needs to send a technician just to read the meter, as well as to disconnect or re-connect the electricity as needed. With a smart grid, it is possible to see how much electricity is being used by the hour and even by which appliance. Additionally, there is no need for technicians to read meters or connect/disconnect electricity. These monitoring and “remote-control” features will allow the electric company to immediately see when your electricity is down. They will then be able to fix it or reconnect without any delay.
Another potential benefit of this enhanced monitoring come from the fact that local utilities buy wholesale electricity with different costs. They then sell it to you for a fixed price (depending on the locale you are in). Let’s say for example, during a one day heat-wave there is more demand for electricity. As a result more power plants need to be fully operational and with the higher-demand and higher production costs, the price of electricity goes up for that one day. That month, whether or not you were home that day using your air conditioner, your monthly electric bill will reflect a higher average price, as it includes the one-day surge in electricity price. Not really that fair.
In our next blog post we’ll see how the smart-grid will right these wrongs. We will explain how energy-efficient appliances will connect to the smart-grid, save energy, reduce costs and increase reliability.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Nov 18, 2009
Conserve Energy and Decrease Your Gas Use
A bumper acorn crop has naturalists predicting a harsh winter from the Midwest through the Northeast. The reasoning goes that more acorns mean fatter squirrels; and when squirrels start packing in the calories, it’s a sure sign of a cold winter coming. Whether you subscribe to the acorn theory of weather prediction or hail from the wooly caterpillar school of meteorology, you’d better prepare for a cold, snowy winter this year. From the venerable Farmers’ Almanac to the statistics-driven scientists at the National Weather Service, meteorologists are warning that while weather conditions may be warm and dry across America’s western states, Midwesterners should prepare for frigid temperatures and plenty of snow this winter.
Heat Your Home for Less this Winter
The good news is that it should cost you considerably less to heat your home this coming winter. Compared to last year, natural gas prices have dropped considerably and are expected to remain low all winter. According to the American Gas Association, plentiful domestic natural gas supplies and lower wellhead prices have driven down the cost of natural gas in the U.S. Consumer suppliers have taken advantage of decreasing market prices to increase winter storage quantities. Consumers are expected to benefit from lower fuel bills all winter, a welcome relief for cash-strapped Ohioans.
Even though gas bills are expected to be lower this winter, heating costs can still take a big bite out of your budget. Follow these tips to conserve energy and decrease your gas use:
- Schedule a thorough furnace inspection and cleaning with your heating/cooling professional. Annual inspections ensure that your furnace will run efficiently and safely all through the heating season.
- To boost efficient operation, have your heating professional set your furnace’s internal thermostat for the longest and, therefore, fewest number of cycles. This simple adjustment can decrease energy use (and increase savings on your gas bill) by as much as 15%.
Reduce your winter heating costs with a heating performance check.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Nov 09, 2009
Energy efficient heat pumps are an effective alternative to furnaces and air conditioners that save you money while saving energy. Heat pumps use electricity to move heat from cold areas to warm ones, just like a refrigerator. As heat is transferred, cold areas become colder as heat is removed and warm areas become warmer as heat is added. In the winter, heat pumps move warm air from the colder outdoors into your warm house. In the summer, warm air from inside your cooler home is transferred into the warmer outdoors. Because they work by transferring heat, not generating it, heat pumps can heat or air condition a home using only one-quarter of the energy required by a standard furnace/air conditioning system that operates by generating heat or cooled air.
Air-source heat pumps are the most common type of heat pump. They work by exchanging air between your home and the outdoors. If you currently have electric heat, adding an energy efficient heat pump can decrease your winter electric heating bill by as much as 40%. Heat pumps also decrease summer energy use because they are more effective at removing humidity from the air than standard air conditioners. Humidity decreases heat tolerance, encouraging us to run the A/C more often and at lower temperatures. When humidity is removed from the air, we feel more comfortable even at higher temperatures.
Air-source heat pumps are a good choice for temperate climates where winters are mild. As winter temperatures plummet into the teens and below, air-source heat pumps rapidly lose efficiency, making them ineffective as a heat source in cold regions. Raymond Plumbing offers several heat pumps including the Carrier Infinity Series Heat Pump with heating and cooling efficiency ratings of 7 out of 7, the best and most advanced heat pump on the market. Heat pumps should be installed by an experienced plumbing, heating and cooling professional to ensure proper sizing and operation.
Are you ready for the winter? Schedule a heating performance check today.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jul 16, 2009
To our valued customers,
Raymond Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning has done a great deal of research on the best available rates for natural gas and have just completed a special arrangement with a company called Consumer Choice Marketing (CCM).
CCM specializes in getting low rates for both residential and commercial users of natural gas.
Currently if you were to compare rates with your neighbors, you would find a variety of gas rates being charged by various suppliers. Now as an added benefit for our valued customers, you are eligible for the lowest rates that we have found.
In order to lower your gas bill, just call our energy consultant, Bill Gibb at 440-986-2655 or e-mail a copy of your bill to billgibb@hotmail.com and he will contact you with the potential savings and take care of the entire change over for you.
The change is easy, your utility company will continue to bill you, read your meter and service your account. By making this change you are only changing the supplier of the actual gas, which is what makes the savings possible. There is no hook up fee, no contract to sign and no risk. If at any point you are unsatisfied with the savings you can change at no cost at any time with a 30-day notice.
Raymond Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning is working to help our customers save money in these challenging times!
If you have any questions about this opportunity please feel free to contact Bill Gibb, this CCM Energy Consultant at (440) 225-9266 or email him at billgibb@hotmail.com.