Staying Comfortable Is a Problem in a Time When Temperatures Can Fluctuate So Greatly

In an effort to take advantage of what might be some of the last warm days of the fall, there are many people who are out this weekend tackling some of the end of the year projects. From disassembling a rotting raised garden frame to giving the bushes once last final trim before the snow flies, there seems like there are always plenty of outdoor maintenance tasks that need to be tackled.

Inside you home, of course, there are also many kinds of end of summer projects that are important. On the top of the list may be the need to have the heating and cooling maintenance check completed. Scheduling a HVAC service call two weeks before you turn the furnace on in the fall and then again two weeks before you turn the air conditioner on in the spring, this is one of the best ways to make sure that you are not only comfortable when the temperatures change, but that your HVAC equipment lasts as long as possible.

What End of the Season Tasks Are You Tackling This Weekend?
On the last days before most of the nation turns the clocks back for Daylight’s Savings Time, you may find yourself working extra hard trying to get in as much work as possible. And while the fish in your outdoor Koi pond may really like the warmer that you install, imagine how thankful you will be when the temperatures dip well below freezing for the first time. The fish may be more active than they have been since spring, the real test of making sure that your property is ready for fall and the upcoming winter temperatures is to know that a local HVAC team has come in and serviced the furnace in your home.

From humidifiers to dryer vent cleaning, there are many products and tasks that can keep your home running more smoothly. Knowing to set humidifiers at the appropriate level is important to making sure that you can get comfortable no matter what the temperature is outside. Consider these facts and figures about the many times when humidifiers play important factors in maintain the heating and cooling of a home, building, or warehouse office:

• 66% of all homes in the U.S. have air conditioners and can benefit from the use of humidifiers.
• 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are actually not even turned on.
• 75% of no-heat calls in the winter are related to a lack of maintenance, according to home HVAC experts. Left unserviced, a furnace can stop working suddenly, leaving a family in the cold during the winter of winter.
• To cut down on the heating of a home, it is important to install a programmable thermostat. The programmable thermostat will keep a home warmer during the hours of the day when people are there and cooler when people are away. These thermostats have the potential to reduce a heating bill by as much as 10%.
• Improper installation can account for as much 30% of heating and cooling losses in the average home.
• At an annual cost of nearly $11 billion, air conditioners use approximately 5% of all the electricity produced in the U.S.

Fortunately, as home owners across the country look to replace older, inefficient heating and cooling systems they are finding that high efficiency systems are eligible for rebates from local utility companies, often as high as $400 in some areas. The weather an play an important part in the amount of money individuals spend on energy, but it is also important to note that without the help of the latest HA+VAC systems you may be actually spending more than you need to. Once you make the decision to invest in a certain kind of system, however, the work is not done. It is also important to make sure that you take advantage of the available service agreements. For instance, many heating and cooling companies offer low-priced, preventive maintenance service contract. At an average cost of $70 to $100, these preventative maintenance contracts will send out an employee to clean and service a HVAC unit and replace an air filter. This is a worthwhile investment to check that your system is running efficiently.