Thursday 20 March 2014

How to Make Air Conditioners Eco Friendly and Save Energy?



Air conditioners are the ultimate luxury appliances invented ever - this is my feeling when I come home from the busy roads in hot weather. The fatigue caused by traveling by public transport and the work stress during the day takes a toll on the temperament but the cooling system at home really makes for a soothing atmosphere. I was wondering how the eco friendly versions of cooling and heating systems work and found out the following.

  • Proper Appliance Installation: The most important energy saver tip while choosing an air conditioner is to consider the room size and the appliance’s capacity. These two factors are very important to have effective cooling or heating and as a result it cuts down energy consumption too. Consider this - a furnace in a metal extraction plant is meant to function for a certain mass at a particular temperature. If you think you can maximize the output of the furnace by increasing its temperature and extracting other components from the crude ore, then you are mistaken. The furnace will not only consume extra energy but might ill function sooner than it’s meant to.

  • Energy Star Certification: By choosing energy star rated air conditioner you ensure that the technology is in sync with delivering eco friendly output. The numbers of stars vary from brand to brand, technology used and also the price range of the appliance. Although the price is generally more for more number of stars allotted to a product, the first time investment (of buying) will save your forthcoming energy bills.

  • Proper Insulation: Just like an undersized air conditioner would use more energy, an oversized temperature control appliance will draw extra energy to cool an uninsulated room. Depending on the general weather conditions and number of other electrical appliances being used in the room the experts would suggest the right size needed for your device as well as the kind of insulation that would boost its performance.

  • Appliance Maintenance: It goes without saying that an air conditioner needs regular servicing and that is not because it tends to dysfunction but because the filters inside it need to be cleaned. Clogged or unclean filters stop the airflow which in turn can cause damage to the device apart from being inefficient.

  • Thermostat Settings: This point is the most novice like used factor with commercial as well as residential users. It is beneficial to understand that a furnace or a cooling appliance is meant to function at its optimum best when used under specific circumstances and temperature. Yes, it is correct that you have a remote control for changing the temperature settings according to the weather but keep it as high or low as comfortably possible depending on the nearest room temperature.

  • Heat Pumps: These are devices that help circulate the air around the room. A cheaper option of this would be a ceiling fan, though this can be applicable only in residential spaces considering the reasonable roof heights. In commercial buildings and industries heat pumps substantially reduce the energy consumption.

Thursday 6 February 2014

5 Tips to Keep Your Heating & Cooling Budget Energy-Efficient



Statistics indicate U.S. uses more than 50% energy in heating and cooling systems and machines. The prime reason of science, especially technology has been to make things easier and convenient for man but with time and mushrooming luxury gadgets technology has induced the need to produce eco friendly machines. The topmost factor necessary to establish this is making energy efficient gadgets. Industrial or residential air conditioners, furnaces and other such heating structures need to be maintained for retaining its energy efficiency characteristics. Here are top five tips for keeping your bills low for heating and cooling purpose.

Top Five Tips to Save Power Bills

These top five tips for conserving energy will definitely curb your electricity bills from mounting. Give it a shot and see for yourself.

Tip 1: Optimum Temperature Setting
Most air conditioning machines have programmable thermostats and the trick to use it for keeping your bills low is, setting the temperature as close to your surroundings. For example, keep the temperature setting as low as comfortably possible for you so that it doesn’t have to work more trying to match the environment’s temperature. Similarly set it as close as possible to the room temperature in winters.

Tip 2: Placement of Air Conditioners
The placement of air conditioner and heater matters a lot for proper circulation in the room. For example, if you place the air conditioner right in front of a metal cupboard it is likely to absorb the coolness and thus slowing the room cooling.

Tip 3: Insulation
It is important to properly insulate the place for cooling and heating to take place efficiently. This avoids the chances of leaking from openings like windows and doors. The insulation materials would differ for different environments and the temperature needed to be maintained.

Tip 4: Clean, Replace Filters
Regularly clean the filters in air conditioners so that dirt does not become an obstruction in its performance as dirt blocks the filter pores. Regular cleaning and replacing the filters on time helps avoid the air conditioner to draw more energy.

Tip 5: Buy Energy-Efficient Products
Air conditioners, heaters and other cooling and heating machines come with energy saver ratings. For example, higher the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings the better it is. Check those in the product information and check for technical as well as consumer reviews and feedback from the salespersons about efficiency results.

Managing money is essential for everyone and when there are ways to save and conserve why waste it unnecessarily. After all, saving the planet becomes our responsibility when we use technology for altering the natural temperature conditions. Don’t you think so? Contact heating contractors in Barrie for local energy efficient heating and cooling systems.

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Kinds of Heating and Cooling Services



Air conditioning is a blessing to the humankind and especially those who live in the desert regions or the other extreme geographical areas, the snow prone regions. People who visit such places as tourists have a different outlook and charm for this place but ask them who reside there and have to face the nature’s unkind ways. Well, air conditioning machines are still a thing for the rich and wealthy in some parts of the world but flourishing business of heating contractors in Barrie definitely do not represent such class of people.
Barrie is an industrial hub in Ontario which makes it a good business place for heating companies in Barrie. The need for furnace increases manifold in industrial and production hubs than in any other. The requirements for furnace and fireplace in industrial or residential purposes vary distinctly. It is thus best to rely on the professionals for selecting and installing the suitable ones for your need.

These are different services involved in heating and cooling and accordingly the apparatus required varies too. So when you plan to have any of the either services you can plan your budget for buying the same.

Heating Services: Fireplace installation is a must for cold regions and it can be done up in a variety of designs. Many even engage a home decor specialist to design for them. Radiant in-floor heating installation is another type of fireplace variety that is popular in Barrie. Boiler, water heaters, etc. all come under the heating services.

Cooling Services: These services are customized according to your home or office size, the climate and few other things. Some types include central air conditioning, ductless and split air conditioner, air handler, high velocity air conditioner, etc.

Gas Lines Services: Barbeques are more than just a medium for cooking; it is a must have for party lovers and hosts. Cook in the open and call your friends and family to enjoy a lovely weather in your home. Other services in this category include generators, stoves, dryers, garage heaters.

Exhausts and drying vents form a part of the general heating contractors in Barrie. You can call in these professionals to have a look at your office and give a free quote along with the list of heating and cooling services required. Maintenance is the most important affair when it comes to domestic or professional gadgets. Make sure you strike a good deal for after sales free servicing and replacement of parts in case of damage within the warranty period. Hope this article helped you in getting information about the heating and cooling services offered by heating contractors in Barrie and generic information about the variety of apparatuses needed for it.

Friday 17 January 2014

Reasons why good indoor air is necessary for a healthy life



We do not usually pay a lot of attention to the air quality in our homes, little realizing how important it is. Poor indoor air quality could prove detrimental not only for you, but for other members of the family as well, especially children and the elderly, or those prone to asthma or respiratory allergies. Though often blatantly ignored, poor ventilation could also be the reason behind your headaches and the occasional spells of drowsiness that catch you unawares.
The headaches and drowsiness stated above are just two of the observable pitfalls of poor ventilation in homes, the others being eye irritations, a constant feeling of fatigue, the throat running dry, a feeling of nausea, etc. Besides this, it also leaves the ever looming threat of lung or other respiratory diseases afflicting you in the long run. Yet, so carelessly do we overlook air quality that it’s been speculated that the air quality inside homes is almost 70 times worse than the air quality outside. Incidentally, or rather fortunately, the solution to this problem is not very hard to achieve, and getting a good air cleansing system from trusted air conditioningcontractors in Barrie is enough to do the trick.
Newer ventilators that have been designed in the past decade or so have proven adept at getting rid of stale air, pollutants, harmful fumes, excess moisture and even odors thanks to the balanced ventilation technologies they incorporate aside from the dual airflow design that does not allow the fresh air being pumped into the house to mix with the stale one being ejected. Not only does this ensure good health for you and your family, but also means that there is lesser damage to your home by nefarious elements like moulds and fungus during the warmer months of the year. Due to these factors, it makes a lot of sense to include ventilators along with your other Barrie heating and cooling equipments, especially since they aren’t very expensive and neither do they need a lot of maintenance.
Considering we’re already discussing air quality in homes, it’s also worth mentioning that a major source of indoor air pollution is a defective furnace, which can be overcome by either getting a good quality furnace repair in Barrie from a reliable service provider who specializes in heating and cooling equipments, or by going all out and getting a new furnace altogether. Either way, if you’re using a furnace that is old and dilapidated, you ought to deal with it promptly. Remember that good air is as crucial for good health as a healthy diet; if you’ve been neglecting it so far, today would be a good time to start making the necessary amends.

Advantages of newer heating and cooling equipments



The thing we desire most on a cold winter’s evening is comfort and warmth, supplemented by the coziness of home. The problem arises when you home’s heating equipment starts acting up, and you’re left frustrated and, quite literally, out in the cold. Change the setting to a hot summer’s afternoon, where the sweat and heat are taking a toll on your patience and the mercury just continues to rise without showing any signs of abating. You really want to sit at home with a glass of chilled beer and an air conditioner fanning you; but, your air conditioner doesn’t work.
The above scenario may be a hypothetically created one, but it’s a very real state of affairs for millions of people who suffer as a result of poor heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. “Too hot in summers and too cold in winters,” is a common complaint heard a little too often; but are there solutions to this problem? Apparently yes, with the current flock of heating contractors in Barrie, nearby areas can breathe a sigh of relief and sail through the chilly winter months as though in a tropical paradise.
A good heating and cooling system is not only one which can be adjusted as per the weather outside, but also one which can promise good ventilation around the house. Good ventilation is essential since the lack of it could lead to an increased susceptibility to headaches, allergies and asthma, and you’d want to take a special note of this if you have children at home. Indoor air quality is an often compromised paradigm, as a result of which it is speculated that air inside homes is almost 70 times worse than the air outside. A good HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) system will ensure that you stay warm at home and breathe fresh air. The difference will be seen immediately, and you will no longer get that familiar lazy and drowsy feeling at home; you will instead be active and rejuvenated at all times.
Another big ‘feat’, if it may be called so, that heating companies in Barrie have achieved is that they have been able to come up with heating and cooling systems that consume only a small fraction of the energy their predecessors guzzled. While this may sound pretty innocuous, keep in mind that almost half of the total energy that is used around your house is spent on heating and cooling equipment alone; this means that installing one of the newer systems is going to give rise to a sharp decline in your bill.
Besides the smaller electricity bills, new HVAC systems come with warranties and there are stores that will help in the upkeep of your equipment under a fixed maintenance plan. Most good stores are also adept at repairing your old equipment and/or suggesting which new equipment will suit your house the best; they will also offer extended warranty periods and a maintenance plan that seems the most fitting. All this goes a long way in heating Barrie and making it a more comfortable and cozy place for its each and every resident.