REPOST: Preparing for cold weather

North American Precis Syndicate stresses the need to prepare the heating system, among others, for the coming of colder weather.

You may care to give a warm welcome to these ideas that can help ensure that your home heating system is in tip-top shape to handle the stress that cold weather can place on a home.

Start first by scheduling a clean-and-check service call by a qualified technician. Not only will this preventative maintenance help keep your system operating optimally when you need it most, it can help restore lost efficiency, lower utility bills, minimize repairs, improve capacity and extend the life of your heating equipment. No matter how energy efficient your furnace or heat pump was when it was installed, proper maintenance is needed to keep it that way.

A professional heating system technician can help you keep your home comfortable and your heating bills affordable. Image source:scoopsandiego.com

Expert’s Advice

“When looking for a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning [HVAC] contractor, it’s important to ensure they have the proper credentials,” explains Tom Archer, heating product manager, Carrier.

Leading residential contractors gain their certification from three principal organizations: the North American Technician Excellence program (NATE), the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) or the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA).

“If the contractor you’ve found is certified by one or more of these organizations, you’ve found a reputable business,” continues Archer. “In addition, ask your friends and neighbors who they’ve worked with in the past and how they fared with the experience.”

Understanding he Inspection

Once you’ve selected a reputable contractor, schedule an appointment to have your home comfort system inspected. This inspection should include checks to ensure that airflow and drainage are unobstructed and monitors and electrical connections are functioning properly. A qualified contractor will also check all components of the equipment, and inspect the ignition mechanism, the flue draft and indoor airflow for maximum efficiency and the burner assembly and heat exchangers to ensure all heating components are working to capacity. Lastly, the technician will clean and lubricate all necessary parts.

Following the furnace inspection, the technician will also inspect any indoor air quality components you may have, including air purifiers or humidifiers and ventilators. The contractor will then test the thermostat calibration and conduct start-and-run testing to be sure your system is responding properly to what your house needs. Once testing is complete, the technician will confirm that the safety controls are working and effective.

The final step of the visit should be the replacement of the furnace filter, as needed. Filter replacement is a key factor in ensuring efficient furnace operation. Not only does your furnace need clean air to function correctly, the filter is an important part of cleaning the air going into your home. Plus, a dirty filter can restrict airflow and could cause the furnace to overheat and shut down.

How Often Should You Change Your Filter?

“Well, that depends,” says Archer. “For instance, thick, highly pleated filters can trap particles and contaminants for a longer period of time than thinner filters; similarly, furnaces with air filters may only need to be changed once or twice a year. However, if you use your furnace fan all year long to circulate air or if you have pet hair and dander in your home, then you may need to change the filter more frequently. Your technician will be able to assess the type of filter in your system and outline a schedule for you to check and replace it throughout the year.”

There is a lot to consider when preparing for the cold, but with the help of a credentialed, qualified technician, it can be a simple, straightforward process, and one that can keep your home comfort system running efficiently and properly throughout the year.

More on preparing HVAC systems can be accessed from the Hobson Air website.

YouTube: How It Works: Air Conditioners

This free troubleshooting video provides information on how an air conditioner works and the common problem associated with air conditioners. Gaining an understanding on how the air conditioner works and knowing which parts fail is the first step in the troubleshooting process.

REPOST: New York Power Authority issues guidelines for achieving energy cost savings at K-12 schools

One of the advantages of clean ducts is the amount of energy they save in the operation of an HVAC system. The Niagara Wheatfield Tribune reports the New York Power Authority’s suggestion of improving the energy efficiency of schools in the area, which includes upgrading HVAC systems.

A new report by the New York Power Authority on best practices for achieving energy cost savings at New York schools highlights significant economic and environmental benefits from increased investments in energy efficiency and clean energy technologies at public and private K-12 schools. The accelerated energy efficiency initiatives highlighted in the best practices report would complement Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's Build Smart NY initiative to reduce energy use in state facilities by 20 percent by 2020.

Image Source: www.archnews.com

"The New York Power Authority looks forward to continuing to support the statewide efforts under Gov. Cuomo to lower the energy bills and carbon footprint of schools through investments in energy efficiency and clean energy technologies," said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO. "We hope that our newly issued best practices report reaches those school districts that have yet to take advantage of our energy efficiency program for schools. We are ready to work with them."

Since its inception in 1991, NYPA's Energy Services for Schools Program has benefited nearly 1,300 schools in 33 counties, which represent about 30 percent of public K-12 facilities statewide. The program, has reduced the peak energy demand of schools by more than 70 megawatts, and eliminated nearly 180,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year. (One MW is enough electricity to meet the needs of 800 to 1,000 typical homes.)

Moreover, the program has saved school districts roughly $37 million in energy costs annually.

The more than 650 projects that NYPA has financed and implemented, to date, at primary and secondary school facilities account for more than $400 million in capital expenditure improvements.

Image Source: www.appanet.org

Installations include new lighting and sensors; energy-efficient chillers, boilers and controls; heating, ventilation and air-conditioning modernization; energy management systems; on-site solar photovoltaic arrays; and replacement of coal boilers with dual-fueled clean heating systems that burn natural gas and No. 2 fuel oil.

The goal of The Best Practices for Energy Cost Savings in New York State Schools report is to provide a high-level overview of the achievable energy efficiency potential in K-12 facilities across the state. The report states that, even with the achievements of NYPA's Energy Services for Schools Program, the remaining potential for increased energy savings is nearly five times the level of what has been achieved to date.

The report notes that, by maximizing the economic energy efficiency potential at schools, more than 18,000 jobs would be created by 2030 in energy-related products and services industries. It would also reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions - a cause of climate change - by 1.4 million metric tons, or the equivalent of taking about 300,000 cars off the road each year.

In its undertaking of energy efficiency upgrades, NYPA recovers the project costs through the savings over several years' time after which the schools keep all of the recurring annual savings.

The recommendations in the best practices report include performing benchmarking and energy audits of current school energy use; promoting awareness at schools of the benefits of energy efficiency and behaviors that impact energy use; adopting best practices of other school energy-efficiency programs around the nation; providing specialized support tailored to the individual schools and districts; expediting the start of construction projects through a streamlined review and approval process by New York state agencies; and tapping into low-cost and no-cost energy-savings opportunities.

"Districts are encouraged to use the guidelines included in the report to identify ways to reduce energy costs," said Carl Thurnau, director of the office of facilities planning, New York State Education Department. "This report is a helpful tool to assist school districts in managing their facilities to conserve energy and allow greater resources to be devoted to the classroom."

For more on the benefits of a clean or upgraded HVAC systems, visit this Twitter page for Hobson Air.

REPOST: Air conditioner: Keep in or take it out

As autumn approaches, it may no longer seem necessary to keep the air conditioner around, specially since the warm air can escape through the hole in the wall where the appliance sits. With the unpredictable temperature fluctuations, the question is when to take the air conditioner out. This video article on WWLP discusses a few options.

Video source: WWLP

As the temperatures drop, it's probably something you're considering: whether you'll need your air conditioner again before next spring.

The problem is mainly for people with window air conditioners, take them out too soon and you might be caught sweating on the next warm day.

"I had my heat on last night," said Anthony Rondoletto from Springfield.

Cold nights and mild days make it tough to decide whether it's time to take out your window air conditioning units.

Around Chicopee neighborhoods it was easy to see that many people still have them in, but some won't keep them in for much longer.

Most people like the indoor temperature of their home to be in the upper 60s or low 70s and while cooler air is certainly on the way into October, there could be those warmer day exceptions.

For example, just last week temperatures hit the mid 90s in the lower pioneer valley.

"I'd probably take it out just because it doesn't stay hot very long now. It might be hot for a day then it cools down at night so I don't really see the need for it," said Scott Griffith from East Longmeadow.

While taking your a/c out too early could be a bit of a risk, if you keep your air conditioner in too long you could be letting warm air out and bringing an unnecessary increase to your heating bill when the cold air does arrive.

"What month do you normally take it out? Umm it could stay there until November sometimes," said Sheena Neily from Springfield.

For comparison, after this date last year we hit the mid 70s or higher only three days through the end of the year.

Electricity bills can run very high if heat or cool air is not properly insulated in the home.  Hobson Air conducts maintenance checks to ensure that a household is maximizing the benefits of their cooling or heating systems.  Follow this Twitter account for more tips on energy efficiency.

Since being founded in 1962, AC Genius has become one of the largest service providers of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in North Texas.

ASHRAE 55: Beyond the standard of thermal comfort

Image Source: ergonomics.ucr.edu

Thermal comfort isn’t really defined in opposition to thermal discomfort. The best definition of thermal comfort, which has been established by many studies, is hinged on its impact on one’s well-being and productivity.

Image Source: omselite.com

Thermal comfort can be achieved by setting air temperature, humidity, and air movement after a range prescribed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). As people vary greatly among themselves on their temperature preferences, ASHRAE compares the outcomes of psychological experiments to thermal analysis variables in determining the indoor thermal conditions that majority of the occupants would find acceptable. These conditions are outlined in the ASHRAE 55 Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, the industry consensus on thermal comfort requirements for buildings. ASHRAE 55 is updated on a regular basis to accommodate any changes affecting thermal comfort and its sustainability in indoor environments.

Image Source: giftforcoworkers.com

Thermal comfort within offices is important. According to ASHRAE 55, the recommended office temperature ranges from 68°F to 74°F in winter and 73°F to 79°F during summer months. It has been reported that 80 percent of occupants feel comfortable on such levels, but there are still those who find these inadequate. Additional procedures are required to meet the acceptable thermal comfort levels for all building occupants.



Ensure your family’s comfort and safety by having your cooling and heating systems regularly checked by Hobson Air specialists. Go to this website to request for a service.

Fun Fact: The first air conditioner

"The very first unit by Willis Carrier was not for temperature control, but for humidity control. You got cooling as a byproduct."

Source: Live Science, Science of Summer: How Does Air Conditioning Work?