Heat Pumps Help the Energy Efficiency of Your Home

Keeping your home warm enough in the winter and cool enough in the summer might be a challenge. Heat pumps are a tool that you might find very helpful in this endeavor. There are a few different types of heat pumps that can be used. One type is a ground source system that is geothermal and pulls warm air from the ground putting it into your home. Another type brings heat in during the winter and takes it out in the summer. These pumps are called air-source. Another type is an absorption pump that uses fuel to run rather than electricity.

If you find one of these options attractive then you should begin searching for one that might work for your home. It is important to find the right business to provide and install a pump in your home.

As you consider the various businesses that sell and install, make sure to find one that offers a money back guarantee on the product and service. Also look for a company that is known for doing good work in good time. Affordability is also important as you look for the right company and technicians to help you.

A guarantee on both products and services is important. You should never be charged until the job is done right. If it is never done correctly then you should get your money back.

The reputation of a company is also important. Look for companies that are known around the city for doing good work. On top of that, look for one that works quickly. The faster they work, the less you will have to pay out for the job. They should never charge you for working overtime because they are responsible for their own time to do the work quickly and competently.

It is important to make sure that the price is right when you look at a company. The product itself should not be much more or less than any other retail location. Do price comparisons to find out. The charge per hour should be average when you compare other places that also do similar hourly work.

After considering these areas, hopefully you will be able to find a company that will offer you what you need as you consider heat pumps. They should be able to give you an idea of what type you need for your home as well. In the end, you will hopefully have a warmer house in the winter and a cooler one in the summer.

Water Heater Shopping - Choosing the Most Efficient Product   

Your Air Conditioning and What You Should Know

90% of the time, you probably don't give your air conditioning a second thought. As long as it is keeping your house nice and cool, what's to think about? Most people only give their system consideration at one of two times: when the electric bill comes and when it breaks down. While you shouldn't have to spend a great deal of time performing A/C maintenance, it doesn't hurt to know a bit more about one of man's greatest gifts. This information can help you get more efficiency from your system, know when to replace it, and maybe even keep your bills at a manageable level.

When to Replace the System

If your air conditioning system breaks down, you'll be confronted with a choice. Do you pay to have it repaired or do you bite the bullet and buy a replacement? This is a difficult decision for many homeowners, but it should be guided by the age of the system. If you've owned your system for less than ten years, it probably has a decent amount of life left in it. As long as the repair isn't going to cost more than 50% of a new system, go ahead and get it fixed. If it's an older system, however, it may be time to see what else is out there.

Humidity

If you don't feel as though your air conditioning is keeping your house as cool as it should be (or if the number on the thermostat doesn't match your actual comfort), you could have a humidity problem. While the A/C system itself is designed to take a great deal of the humidity out of the air, you may need more help in certain areas of the country. Consider purchasing a dedicated dehumidifier for the house. The lower the humidity, the less likely it is that you will feel uncomfortable when the thermometer says you shouldn't.

Filters

One of the best things you can do for the continued health and efficiency of your air conditioning system is also one of the easiest: change the filter on a regular basis. Some experts advise changing the filter once a season, while others recommend doing it on a monthly basis. Let your own experiences guide you here. If you change it out in the summer and it is clogged to the point of being completely opaque, it might be a sign that you need to do it more often. Changing the filter regularly not only will help you house cool down more quickly, it will cut down on the number of allergens circling in the atmosphere.

Water Heater Shopping - Choosing the Most Efficient Product   

Heat Pumps Help the Energy Efficiency of Your Home

Keeping your home warm enough in the winter and cool enough in the summer might be a challenge. Heat pumps are a tool that you might find very helpful in this endeavor. There are a few different types of heat pumps that can be used. One type is a ground source system that is geothermal and pulls warm air from the ground putting it into your home. Another type brings heat in during the winter and takes it out in the summer. These pumps are called air-source. Another type is an absorption pump that uses fuel to run rather than electricity.

If you find one of these options attractive then you should begin searching for one that might work for your home. It is important to find the right business to provide and install a pump in your home.

As you consider the various businesses that sell and install, make sure to find one that offers a money back guarantee on the product and service. Also look for a company that is known for doing good work in good time. Affordability is also important as you look for the right company and technicians to help you.

A guarantee on both products and services is important. You should never be charged until the job is done right. If it is never done correctly then you should get your money back.

The reputation of a company is also important. Look for companies that are known around the city for doing good work. On top of that, look for one that works quickly. The faster they work, the less you will have to pay out for the job. They should never charge you for working overtime because they are responsible for their own time to do the work quickly and competently.

It is important to make sure that the price is right when you look at a company. The product itself should not be much more or less than any other retail location. Do price comparisons to find out. The charge per hour should be average when you compare other places that also do similar hourly work.

After considering these areas, hopefully you will be able to find a company that will offer you what you need as you consider heat pumps. They should be able to give you an idea of what type you need for your home as well. In the end, you will hopefully have a warmer house in the winter and a cooler one in the summer.

Water Heater Shopping - Choosing the Most Efficient Product   

Heat Pumps Help the Energy Efficiency of Your Home

Keeping your home warm enough in the winter and cool enough in the summer might be a challenge. Heat pumps are a tool that you might find very helpful in this endeavor. There are a few different types of heat pumps that can be used. One type is a ground source system that is geothermal and pulls warm air from the ground putting it into your home. Another type brings heat in during the winter and takes it out in the summer. These pumps are called air-source. Another type is an absorption pump that uses fuel to run rather than electricity.

If you find one of these options attractive then you should begin searching for one that might work for your home. It is important to find the right business to provide and install a pump in your home.

As you consider the various businesses that sell and install, make sure to find one that offers a money back guarantee on the product and service. Also look for a company that is known for doing good work in good time. Affordability is also important as you look for the right company and technicians to help you.

A guarantee on both products and services is important. You should never be charged until the job is done right. If it is never done correctly then you should get your money back.

The reputation of a company is also important. Look for companies that are known around the city for doing good work. On top of that, look for one that works quickly. The faster they work, the less you will have to pay out for the job. They should never charge you for working overtime because they are responsible for their own time to do the work quickly and competently.

It is important to make sure that the price is right when you look at a company. The product itself should not be much more or less than any other retail location. Do price comparisons to find out. The charge per hour should be average when you compare other places that also do similar hourly work.

After considering these areas, hopefully you will be able to find a company that will offer you what you need as you consider heat pumps. They should be able to give you an idea of what type you need for your home as well. In the end, you will hopefully have a warmer house in the winter and a cooler one in the summer.

Water Heater Shopping - Choosing the Most Efficient Product   

Water Heater Shopping - Choosing the Most Efficient Product

It can be frustrating to get that power bill in the mail and realize how much you're spending on electricity. While your water heater is likely not the primary source of energy usage (this falls to the air conditioner in most homes), an inefficient product can certainly add waste to your bill. Thankfully, if you're shopping for a new one, the government has seen to it that you have all the information you need when it comes to efficiency. The Energy Guide label, required by federal regulations, gives consumers the numbers they need to make clear comparisons between various manufacturers and their products. Here's a look at various types of heaters and how you can compare them.

Conventional The most prominent type of water heater, the conventional model involves using either gas or electricity to heat the water, storing a certain amount of it in a tank. This way, it is ready to flow through the faucet or showerhead on demand. The average Energy Factor for these models is 0.64, though you'll see models both above and below that number. While popular, these models are hardly the most efficient type on the market because energy is constantly being used to keep the stored water warm.

Tankless The tankless water heater has gotten a lot of attention over the last decade. Instead of storing it and consistently warming it for use, the tankless model waits until the consumer demands the heat (by turning on the faucet, shower, or appliance) to start the warming process. These models often have a much better Energy Factor rating, though there are disadvantages. For instance, if you are the impatient type, you may not care to wait around for the water to heat up when you want to take a shower immediately. Still, the electricity savings can be substantial.

Heat Pump Available only for those who use standard electricity (as opposed to gas), the heat pump water heater uses heat from the atmosphere to warm the water. As with conventional models, a storage tank is used in these types, though they have a substantially better Energy Factor rating than either conventional or tankless models.

Increasing Efficiency Getting more efficiency out of your existing water heater may be just as important to saving money as buying a better model. Ensuring that any and all leaks have been patched up, implementing an insulation blanket, and having your unit professionally inspected and maintained can lead to better efficiency and lower bills.

Water Heater Shopping - Choosing the Most Efficient Product   

Your Air Conditioning and What You Should Know

90% of the time, you probably don't give your air conditioning a second thought. As long as it is keeping your house nice and cool, what's to think about? Most people only give their system consideration at one of two times: when the electric bill comes and when it breaks down. While you shouldn't have to spend a great deal of time performing A/C maintenance, it doesn't hurt to know a bit more about one of man's greatest gifts. This information can help you get more efficiency from your system, know when to replace it, and maybe even keep your bills at a manageable level.

When to Replace the System

If your air conditioning system breaks down, you'll be confronted with a choice. Do you pay to have it repaired or do you bite the bullet and buy a replacement? This is a difficult decision for many homeowners, but it should be guided by the age of the system. If you've owned your system for less than ten years, it probably has a decent amount of life left in it. As long as the repair isn't going to cost more than 50% of a new system, go ahead and get it fixed. If it's an older system, however, it may be time to see what else is out there.

Humidity

If you don't feel as though your air conditioning is keeping your house as cool as it should be (or if the number on the thermostat doesn't match your actual comfort), you could have a humidity problem. While the A/C system itself is designed to take a great deal of the humidity out of the air, you may need more help in certain areas of the country. Consider purchasing a dedicated dehumidifier for the house. The lower the humidity, the less likely it is that you will feel uncomfortable when the thermometer says you shouldn't.

Filters

One of the best things you can do for the continued health and efficiency of your air conditioning system is also one of the easiest: change the filter on a regular basis. Some experts advise changing the filter once a season, while others recommend doing it on a monthly basis. Let your own experiences guide you here. If you change it out in the summer and it is clogged to the point of being completely opaque, it might be a sign that you need to do it more often. Changing the filter regularly not only will help you house cool down more quickly, it will cut down on the number of allergens circling in the atmosphere.

Water Heater Shopping - Choosing the Most Efficient Product