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 Thu, Jan 28, 2010
$1500 Income Tax Credit on Energy-Efficient Home Improvements
Lorain County residents still have time to cash in on the government’s new energy tax credit. The federal government is offering up to a $1500 income tax credit on the purchase and installation of certain energy-efficient appliances. While many Lorain County residents worried that they had missed the boat and that the program had expired at the end of last year, we want to reassure folks that’s there’s still plenty of time to take advantage of this money-saving program. Federal income tax credits on the purchase and installation of energy-efficient furnaces, central air conditioners, water heaters, heat pumps, boilers, circulating fans and other Energy Star rated appliances will continue all year long through December 31, 2010 (2016 for heat pumps). Click here to download a free information packet about the $1500 tax credit.
Save Money on your Utility Bill
While Lorain County residents have all year to take advantage of the government’s tax credit offer, there are important reasons to make the switch now. Why wait? The sooner you start using energy-efficient Energy Star appliances in your home, the sooner you start saving energy and cash on your monthly utility bills. Using Energy Star appliances in your Lorain County home can reduce your monthly utility bill by as much as 30%. The sooner you switch the more you save.
But if you’re considering replacing your furnace or central air conditioner, you should definitely make your move now. Until February 28, 2019, Raymond Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning will give you a brand new, energy-efficient Puron air conditioner with the purchase and professional installation of an Energy Star Carrier Infinity high-efficiency furnace. Our Go Green this Winter is a deal that just can’t be beat. Not only do you get a top-rated energy-efficient furnace packed with top-of-the-line features, but you get a free super energy-efficient air conditioner and you can collect on the fed’s tax credit for both appliances.
You just can’t beat this offer. The time to act is now!
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!
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 21, 2010
Prevent Frozen Water Pipes
Frozen pipes can create serious problems for Lorain County homeowners during extended cold spells. When water freezes it expands. Trapped inside a water pipe, water has nowhere to go. As frozen water continues expanding, ever-increasing pressure -- more than 2,000 pounds of pressure per square inch -- builds up inside water pipes. Eventually, the force of the pressure ruptures the pipe.
When a water pipe ruptures, there’s nothing left to hold back the flow of water into your home from the main water line out in the street. Your water meter will start spinning as hundreds of gallons of water per hour start flowing into your house. Not only will the water do thousands of dollars of damage to your home and possessions, you’ll be stuck with a whopping water bill!
There are several things you can do to help prevent frozen water pipes:
- If you’re traveling, it’s OK to lower the thermostat, just don’t lower it below about 50 degrees in Lorain County. Arrange for a neighbor to check on your home, particularly if the mercury dips or the power goes out.
- Pipes along outside walls are more apt to freeze. One of the biggest culprits in frozen pipe disasters is forgetting to disconnect hoses from outdoor faucets and neglecting to turn off water to those exterior faucets.
- Automatic sprinkler systems should be purged of water every fall using compressed air and the water lines shut down for the winter.
Despite precautions, extended cold weather can cause indoor water lines to freeze. Run faucets daily to promote water flow. If flow stops, turn off water into the house at the water main to minimize potential damage. Call a licensed Lorain County plumber immediately. An experienced plumber can locate and unthaw frozen pipes before they burst and damage your home.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Jan 20, 2010
Start Saving Water Now Before we are Forced to Choose Between Driking Water and Using it for Santitation
“No Loo? No I do.” is the catchy, chuckle-inducing jingle that is responsible for the construction of 1.4 million toilets in India. But a lot of young men aren’t chuckling. In rural India, new brides are refusing to walk down the aisle unless the groom promises them a toilet. “No Toilet, No Bride” is the slogan of a women’s rights campaign geared to bring indoor plumbing to rural India where half the population – nearly 665 million people – still lacks access to private toilets.
Community toilets and latrines or the open fields are often the only lavatory option in the small villages that dot India’s countryside. Lack of modern sanitary facilities is more than a lack of convenience. Poor sanitation can spread diseases like typhoid, diarrhea and malaria. Women are driving change with new-found social power. They want bathrooms with modern toilets and it looks like they’re going to get them. As one love-struck 22-year-old recently commented to The Washington Post, “I will have to work hard to afford a toilet. We won’t get any bride if we don’t have one now.”
India’s privy plight might bring a chuckle, but it should also make us appreciate what we have. Of course, climatologists warn that if we don’t start conserving our water supply, the day may come when we don’t have enough water to flush our nice, modern toilets. Last summer, severe drought in California, Georgia and the Southwest had some folks catching shower, bath and dirty dish water in buckets and using it to flush their toilets. Some fear that climate change will force us to eventually choose between drinking water and using it for sanitation. Scientists are urging people to start saving water now before we reach a crisis point.
Find out what you can do! Water conservation tips you can implement at home.
Water saving toilets qualify for the energy-efficient tax credit. Save substantially on your monthly energy bills and help the environment at the same time!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jan 15, 2010
Ohio’s Cash for Appliance Clunkers Rebate Program
Energy hogging appliances are about to get the Cash for Clunkers treatment. Instead of gas-guzzling autos, this time the Clunkers program will be directed at energy-wasting appliances. When the program goes into effect sometime this quarter, Lorain County residents will be eligible for money-saving rebates when they replace out-dated, energy-consuming water heaters with new, energy-efficient Energy Star water heaters. Refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers are among the other appliances included in the new Cash for Clunkers program.
Install Energy-Efficient Appliances in Your Home to Qualify
To encourage consumers to install energy-efficient appliances in their homes, last summer the U.S. Department of Energy set aside $300 million in federal stimulus money to provide rebates for the purchase of Energy Star appliances. At a news conference announcing the program, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, “Appliances consume a huge amount of our electricity, so there’s enormous potential to both save energy and save families money every month.”
To Qualify Your Water Heater Must Carry the Energy Star Label
Ohio’s application for federal stimulus funds to finance an appliance clunkers program was approved in December. The state will receive $11 million to distribute nearly 90,000 rebates to Ohio residents who purchase qualifying energy-efficient water heaters, refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers from Ohio retailers. To qualify for a rebate, the purchased water heater or other appliance must carry an Energy Star label. Depending on the type of appliance, rebates will range from $100 to $250. Rebates will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are gone. The Ohio Department of Development is in the process of notifying water heater installers and appliance dealers about program specifics. Ohio’s Cash for Appliance Clunkers rebate program is expected to launch within the next few months.
Lorain County residents who want more information about the energy-efficient Energy Star rated water heaters that will be eligible for Ohio’s Cash for Appliance Clunkers rebate program, should contact Raymond Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.
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, Jan 11, 2010
Installation of an Energy-Efficient Furnace can Drastically Reduce Home Heating Bills
It’s mighty cold out there and frigid arctic air will be sticking around for a while. In heavy heating areas like Lorain County, installation of an energy-efficient furnace can drastically reduce home heating bills. To reduce energy use, last year the government introduced the Federal Stimulus Tax Credit to encourage the purchase of energy-efficient home heating and air conditioning equipment.
Under the stimulus plan, Lorain County residents can receive up to a $1500 credit on their 2009 and/or 2010 income taxes with installation of a qualified energy-efficient gas furnace or air conditioner. Through 2016, federal income tax credits will also be available on alternative energy geothermal heat pumps . (Click here to download a summary of energy-efficiency Federal Stimulus Tax Credit.) Additional information is available on the EPA website.
Furnace manufacturers have lowered prices on range-rated furnaces or brought new qualifying models in the mix spurring sales over furnaces with higher efficiency ratings. Lorain County residents who took advantage of the stimulus plan in 2009 quite likely could have afforded to make the switch without stimulus money. But we wonder about Lorain County residents living on fixed incomes due to retirement, unemployment or disability. Lorain County has been hard hit by the recession and collapse of the auto industry. Many of the folks struggling with decreased incomes are most in need of money-saving energy-efficient home heating and cooling systems. Shouldn’t there be a way these folks can take advantage of the energy-efficiency stimulus plan? Contact your Congress member and let him/her know how you feel.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Jan 08, 2010
It was recently reported that there have been significant finds of natural gas in shale deposits. Due to advances in drilling technology it’s now easier to remove these natural gas deposits, and it’s speculated that they could provide gas supply for the next 90 years.
While this discovery definitely effects the current energy debate throughout the nation – there’s another, equally important question about our energy use.
Will the U.S. Conserve Natural Gas or are we Energy Gluttons?
Americans are 5% of the global population, but consume 25% of the resources. Gas prices are the lowest they have been in seven years. Why upgrade to high efficiency heating equipment when you are saving 40% over last year without the investment in new equipment? In fact, crank up the thermostat! You can keep your house warmer and still pay less then you did last year – this is the U.S. mindset.
The U.S. population will not conserve energy when energy is cheap.
The 90-year supply will dwindle down as more industry; electric generation and homeowners consume gas like the quarter-pounder value-meals they line up for at lunch. When the costs start to rise because of dwindling supply they will call a foul and ask the government for help in curbing their energy consuming bellies.
The power companies aren’t waiting for Washington to “jump on the gas bandwagon” as it were. Moreover, with the impending energy legislation, calculating cost has changed dramatically, “coal may still be cheaper, but natural gas emits half as much carbon” – so what? We need to curb the national energy appetites before we switch to a ‘low-carb’ plan.
What’s the best way for you to lower your energy usage today?
For more information on natural gas prices and energy conservation click here.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jan 07, 2010
Healthy Indoor Air Requires Proper Ventilation
Energy efficiency is a good thing. It saves money while protecting the environment. But there are times when energy efficiency can go a little too far. There have been cases of new energy-efficient homes that were sealed so tightly against outdoor air that they became germ factories or “sick” homes. Homeowners traded off low fuel bills for high doctor bills. What researchers discovered is that healthy homes require a certain amount of air exchange – fresh air replacing used, stale air – to maintain the health of their occupants. When a home is too tightly sealed against air exchange, air is circulated over and over, constantly reused, spreading germs, mold and other unhealthful qualities. Healthy indoor air requires proper ventilation.
To solve the problem, the heating and cooling industry has developed energy efficient ventilators that bring fresh air into your home without any loss of energy. Performance Heat Recovery Ventilators introduce necessary outdoor air into your home during the long heating season. These energy-efficient ventilators replace stale, germ-laden, recirculated indoor air with fresh, clean outdoor air. Bringing fresh air into your winter home also replaces some of the humidity forced air heat removes from your home. Higher humidity is easier on stressed winter sinuses, making breathing easier and actually protecting delicate sinuses from infection. Proper winter ventilation boosts indoor air quality and creates a healthier indoor environment for your family.
During the summer cooling season, Performance Energy Recovery Ventilators perform the same service. When you operate your air conditioner, these high efficiency energy recovery ventilators guarantee that the air you breathe is healthy while you are indoors escaping from summer’s heat. Ventilators that work with your air conditioner not only provide a healthy exchange of air that reduces indoor air pollutants, they reduce humidity as well. In summer, reducing humidity increases indoor comfort for your family.
Making a ventilator part of your home comfort system is like being able to open a window in every room even on the hottest or coldest days ... without the drafts, the humidity or the high energy costs. Its literally a breath of fresh air. For proper sizing and operation, Performance Ventilators should be installed by a heating and cooling professional. If you live in Northeast Ohio, contact Raymond Plumbing.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, Jan 05, 2010
Winter roared into Lorain County with a vengeance this weekend as temperatures plummeted into the single digits and wind chills fell well below zero. Indoors your furnace may be keeping you warm and toasty but forced air heat can take a toll on skin and sinuses, causing considerable discomfort. Itchy skin, stuffy noses, frequent nosebleeds and more frequent colds can all be signs that you need to improve the indoor air quality of your Lorain County home.
During Lorain County’s cold winters the air outdoors becomes extremely dry. Forced air heat makes it even drier, causing indoor air to suck moisture from our bodies. Your skin can become papery feeling and itchy from lack of moisture. Constant application of external moisturizers can help but are only a temporary stopgap and will not alleviate the problem. Just as dry air dries out the surface of your skin, it can dry out the sinus tissues inside your nose. As sinus passages become increasingly irritated, they swell, causing your nose to feel stuffy. Constant irritation can even cause frequent nosebleeds. Healthy sinus tissues require moisture. Dry indoor air makes your already struggling sinuses less able to fight off germs and more susceptible to winter colds.
Having your Lorain County heating professional install a humidifier on your furnace will immediately improve the indoor air quality of your Lorain County home. Humidifiers increase the amount of moisture in your home’s air by adding water to the air every time your furnace turns on. More effective and efficient than small room humidifiers, professionally-installed furnace humidifiers spread necessary moisture evenly throughout every room in your home. You can even save money on your monthly energy bills by installing a furnace humidifier. Humidity affects the way our bodies feel heat. The more humid the air, the warmer we feel which means you’ll be able to turn the thermostat down a notch or two and still feel comfortable.
Learn more about how to save on your energy bills this winter!