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April 17th, 2012 by Melissa Doyle
AC Doctor has finally gotten on the app bandwagon and created an app for your iPhone! You now have the power to calculate energy savings, find a contractor, and request a quote in the palm of your hand! Not an iPhone user? Don’t worry, the Android version is coming soon! Click here to check it out!
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March 14th, 2012 by Melissa Doyle
Spring isn’t quite here yet but with the unseasonably warm weather and beautiful days we have across the country, it’s the perfect time to prep your home. You may not need to do everything on this list, but you probably need maintenance in at least a few of these areas.
- Inspect your roof for leaks, missing or broken shingles or tiles.
- Clean out your gutters and downspouts, find and repair any weaknesses, and make sure they are draining properly.
- Touch up any areas that need painting.
- Caulk and exterior leaks and cracks
- Remove storm windows and doors, but make sure to label them before you store them.
- Chack all doors and locks to make sure they function properly.
- Inspect window and door screens, replace screens that cannot be repaired, clean the ones that can be kept. Repair and repaint and loose or broken frames. Tighten and lubricate hinges and latches.
- Clean up your yard, clear leaves and weeds, trim overgrown bushes. Now is the perfect time to start your landscaping projects
- Organize your garage.
- Inspect, clean, and repair outdoor furniture, decks, patios, stairs, and railings.
- Warm weather means bugs come out of hibernation – check for termite and insect infestation and call the exterminator if need be.
- Open your windows and let in some fresh air.
- Have your foundation checked for cracks.
- Check any antennas or satelite dishes to make sure they are properly supported.
- Check for leaks in your sprinkler system.
- If you have a well, have the water tested for safety.
- Have your HVAC system maintained so it is ready for the cooling season. Your Certified AC Doctor Contractor can perform this maintenance for you.
- Your hot water heater also needs seasonal maintenance – the circulating pump and motor need to be lubricated. Call a professional to perform this maintenance.
Posted in Tips for Homeowners, Weatherizing Your Home | No Comments »
February 27th, 2012 by Melissa Doyle
Experts are projecting that 90% of construction projects will use green building technologies by 2016. In 2011, green homes made up 17% of the residential construction market, but this is expected to grow to 29-38% over the next 4 years. What does this mean for you? It means that green technologies will be more common, thus becoming more affordable.
There is another bill circulating congress that, if passed, will give consumers up to $5000 in tax credits. The base credit is $2,000 for a 20% energy usage decrease with a $500 stepend for every 5% decrease beyond that. The credit is capped at $5000 or 30% of your expenditures on qualified upgrades, whichever is less.
When you combine more affordable green building technologies with government funded tax credits, you really have no reason not to go green!
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January 20th, 2012 by Melissa Doyle
I write blogs fairly often about things you can do yourself to maintain your home and make it more energy efficient. But, there are some things that should be left to a professional. Appliance repair, extensive remodels, and sealing some air leaks. If you experience any of the following issues, make sure to call an expert right away!
- Wet Insulation – this means that your roof is leaking. Your roofing company will be able to find and repair the source of the leak.
- Ice Dams – Recurring ice dams usually mean you have an air leak along your attic-roof line. Sealing this leak will help prevent water damage to your attic and home.
- Water Damage – Moldy and rotten wood signify a moisture problem and this leak has probably been there for a while.
- Ventilation Issues – If you don’t have sufficient attic ventilation, it won’t be able to get rid of excess moisture. If you bathroom or kitchen vents into the attic, this only makes the moisture problem worse and can cause water damage.
If you notice any of these problems, call your certified AC Doctor contractor to find and repair any air leaks.
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January 9th, 2012 by Melissa Doyle
I know winter is already here and it’s a little late for the seasonal maintenance reminder, but if you haven’t gotten your boiler serviced, you need to do it now! Before calling your Certified AC Doctor Contractor, you can do some of the maintenance on your own.
- Visually inspect the boiler. Walk around it to look for any cracks or damages and check the floor to make sure no water is leaking.
- Start the boiler and let it run. Check again for any cracks or leaks- if you find any, turn it off right away and call your Certified AC Doctor Contractor.
- Check the boiler pressure. Your owner’s manual will tell you what pressure the boiler should be running at. You will want to check the pressure at least once a month throughout the cooling season. If the pressure is not where it should be, make sure you make a note of it so you can let your contractor know when you make your seasonal maintenance appointment.
- Keep the area around your boiler clear. You definitely don’t want to keep anything flammable near the boiler, but you also want the area clear just in case of emergency.
- Have your boiler serviced. You need to have all of your HVAC equipment serviced seasonally – this may prevent a costly breakdown that will hurt your wallet and leave you shivering (or sweating in the summer).
If you’ve misplaced your owner’s manual, you can find one here. While performing your maintenance, make sure to write down anything that seems out of the ordinary and have it handy for your contractor so he knows what to look for when servicing your unit.
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December 12th, 2011 by Melissa Doyle
If you’ve got a dirty, old, rusty duct system in place, grab your camera and enter the Dirty Duct Contest! Starting Thursday December 8th, simply post a picture of your dirty duct on our Facebook Fan Page! The 2 pictures with the most ‘Likes’ will win prizes!! Make sure you tell your friends to vote!
PRIZE 1: AirWashIAQ, the all-natural, 100% organic air treatment that goes right to the source of odors. Make your home a healthy home with AirWashIAQ and prevent odor problems from coming back!
PRIZE 2: GemTech Infrared Thermometer with 10:1 distance to spot ratio and wide temperature range.
PRIZE 3: GemTech Temperature Sensing Unit – great for identifying poor ventilated areas!
Posted in AC Doctor News | 2 Comments »
November 29th, 2011 by Melissa Doyle
Last month I wrote about upgrading your insulation, but before you want to completely overhaul the insulation in your home, you’ll want to have to friendly neighborhood HVAC contractor perform a home energy audit. This will tell you just how insulated your home is against the elements and measure the resistance to heat flow of your walls, doors, ceilings, windows, and skylights. You want a high resistance to flow – this means your are properly insulated.
After your home is audited, you will receive a written report estimated your energy usage based on the local climate, your thermostat settings, roof overhang, and solar positioning. The report will show your energy usage at any given time of day and give you tips for decreasing energy usage. Accuracy is greater improved if you have your electric company billing statements handy. They have your actual usage, not just estimates. The suditor may also interview everyone in the house to find out your personal usage habits so you can better improve your energy efficiency.
I know this may seem like alarge upfront cost – the audit alone can be a few hundred dollars, and when you add the suggested changes the cost can add up. Just remember the money you will save in decreased energy bills. Your wallet and the environment will thank you!
Posted in Energy Efficiency, Insulation, Tips for Homeowners, Weatherizing Your Home | No Comments »
October 25th, 2011 by Melissa Doyle
Winter will be here before we know it and with all this crazy weather we’ve had this year, it’s sure to be a cold one! But I have a few quick and easy fixes for those freezing temps. It’s all in your insulation!
Heat travels from areas of high heat to areas of low heat – in other words, the heat from your nice, warm living room rises to make a nice, warm attic instead. To fix this, fill any cracks and fissures with caulk or spray insulation and replace any old or damp insulation. Ten to twelve inches of insulation is all you need; this gives your insulation an R-38 rating, but R-50 (approximately 16 inches) is recommended. Your attic stairs are also a place where heat can leak into the attic. Foam tape around the door will help block airflow. Holes cut to allow cables to run in and out also let air in and out; filling these holes with spray foam insulation drastically reduces the air flow. If you have a basement, insulate that as well; just make sure the insulation is water proof. This will keep your home cooler in the summer. In some areas of the country it‘s already nice and cool out and the last thing you want to think about is keeping cool, but if you’re already taking on an insulation project, the basement is an easy addition. Lastly, put weather stripping around your doors and windows. This will seal any holes in the frames to keep warm air from escaping. Adding curtains to your windows also adds one more layer of insulation.
These are all fixes you can do yourself that will make your home more comfortable as well as decrease your heating bill. It’s not a drastic decrease, adding to your attic insulation will result in approximately a 20% decrease, but it is still a little more money in your pocket.
Posted in Energy Efficiency, Insulation, Saving Money, Tips for Homeowners, Weatherizing Your Home | No Comments »
August 3rd, 2011 by Melissa Doyle
I recently moved from my apartment into my first house. I just love having space, room to move, a yard for my daughter to play in. I don’t miss apartment living at all. Well, except for one thing – for weeks now we’ve had 3 digit temperatures (the high today was 105), and I really missed being able to park my car in the garage. Getting in the car after it’s been sitting in the hot sun is definitely not my idea of fun! Cooler car temperatures aside, a clean garage is so much safer. All those tools lying around were an accident waiting to happen. So, after putting up with me cleaning and organizing and reorganizing the house, my family decided to placate me with one more organizational conquest.
Here are a few things I discovered while cleaning out the garage:
- Get the whole family involved. Letting the kids go through their things and help decide what to throw away or donate will help them feel in control of something while giving everyone some good bonding time.
- Add wall and ceiling storage for the things you decide to keep – but don’t go over the weight limits. The last thing you want to see when you get home from work is a huge mess because your shelves gave out.
- Better lighting will help you find things in those dark corners
- Clean everything before you put it away. You may even want to consider storing them in water proof storage bins to keep moisture and bugs at bay.
Now that my garage is clean, I don’t fear for my daughter’s life any time we need to go in there, and I no longer have to park my car in the sweltering heat – I think it’s a win-win situation!
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August 1st, 2011 by Melissa Doyle
It’s that time of year again – the dog days of summer. Down here in Houston, it’s turning into an incredibly dry, incredibly hot summer, with no hope for cooler temperatures for months. Aside from spending thousands of dollars that you may not have to upgrade your air conditioner, how can you beat the heat?
You can start by caulking and weather stripping your home. This will fill leaks that allows hot air to flow inside. You will also want to look for holes and separated joints in your duct work and have those repaired – holes and separated joints allow the cooled air out of the vents. While you are having your ducts repaired, add insulation to your attic, crawl spaces, attached garage, and whole house fans where they open to the exterior of your home.
Don’t forget to change your filter – disposable filters should be changed monthly and reusable filters should be washed every other month. After you change your filter, don’t block the intake vent – this will obstruct the air flow making it harder for your air conditioner to keep the house cool.
These things will not only keep you cool, but can even save you some money on your electric bill. You can even take the money you save to put toward a new A/C unit!
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