tag:www.airforcem.com,2008-07-01:/blog//1 2008-12-23T08:26:51Z Movable Type Open Source 4.1 tag:www.airforcem.com,2008:/blog//1.6 2008-12-23T08:22:48Z 2008-12-23T08:26:51Z

Yes! If your home has any gas burning (natural or propane) appliances you have the potential of producing deadly carbon monoxide. Carbon Monoxide is an invisible, odorless tasteless gas that causes headaches, fatigue and nausea and unfortunately all too often...

Ron Strelke http://www.produce-market.com

1. Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors in all living areas. Typically one on each floor (more if the home is large) and in the attic if your furnace or water heaters are located in the attic. Carbon Monoxide is a gas that is about the same weight as air therefore it does not rise or fall but moves around with the air movement.
2. Water heaters and furnaces exhaust combustion gases thru a flue pipe. Nesting by birds, critters and insects can obstruct these pipes. Make sure they are clear of any debris that may have collected over spring and summer.
3. Your furnace has a heat exchanger that separates the combustion air and gas from the air circulating in your home. These heat exchangers are metal and tend to crack over time allowing the combustion gases (carbon monoxide) to mix with the air you breathe. A professional inspection with our high resolution infrared camera will detect cracks and potential leaks. We also use electronic Carbon Monoxide detection equipment that measures the deadly gas in parts per million. We recommend a professional safety inspection each fall before the heating season starts.

Don't fret just follow these common sense guidelines and live worry free in a safe and healthy home.

My home is all electric, what do I do for winter?

Well you don't have to worry about Carbon Monoxide as long as you don't leave your car running in an attached garage. Your heating system however could use a little preseason attention. If you are not heating with gas then you most likely have a heat pump or all electric heat.

1. Your outdoor unit for your heat pump will operate throughout the winter to heat your home. It needs to move air through the coil the same as it does in the summer. Make sure that all shrubs are trimmed back at least two feet from the unit and clean all dirt and debris off the coil with a low pressure water hose.
2. Change your filters. You should be changing you 1 inch disposable filters every 30 days. The better you system can breathe the more efficient the operation.
3. Have your system tuned by a professional. Your heat pump has back up electric heat that works during defrost of the outdoor unit as well as heats your home when temps are below freezing and the heat pump is ineffective. Our tune up checks out the outdoor unit, the refrigerant charge, compressor operation, limit and safety mechanisms and on the indoor unit we'll inspect and adjust air distribution and your emergency back up heat. All to ensure safe and efficient operation.

 
WOW! You have a HYBRID

Not a hybrid car, a Hybrid heating and cooling system. If you are fortunate enough own a Hybrid heating and cooling system it is time to start paying attention to gas and electric prices so you can manage your system's efficiency. You'll want to use the most cost effective fuel at the time which means comparing gas and electric rates. Converting gas prices to electric takes a bit of calculating so I have listed a web site that has a simple calculator for comparing operating costs of your gas furnace to your heat pump. You'll need to know the cost per Mcf of gas, cost per Kwh, efficiency of your furnace (probably 80%) and the efficiency of your heat pump which is the COP or coefficient of performance. If you purchased your Hybrid from us and would like to know your COP, call 940-323-1051 and ask for me, Ron.

http://ces.ca.uky.edu/energy/calculators.htm
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Ron Strelke http://www.produce-market.com
    By today's standards, it is all about air quality. Breathing quality air is breathing healthy air. Having a more up to date air conditioning system can help with allergies and overall daily health.  Replacing your air filter is probably the most important preventative maintenance a homeowner can perform. From our experience, about 1/3 of our Flower Mound ac repair customers did not regularly change their air filters. By doing so, they are not only breathing unclean air, but not allowing proper air flow throughout the household potentially causing a system to not function properly.

    Why do we even bother with air conditioning in the first place? One word... comfort.  The human body can detect a change in temperature of 2 ½ degrees. This means having an older more outdated system which ramps up and down causes more potential uncomfortable situations. Newer models have variable speed fans which run at a slower speed but more often causing a less fluctuation in room temperature.

    Now onto possibly the most important focus for our company is safety. We want you to feel at ease with any one of our employees that may enter your home. All our employees undergo strict background checks and drug testing. We aim to please, and your satisfaction is our number one priority. Serving Flower Mound and the surrounding areas, we at Air Force Heating and Air Conditioning say so long, and stay cool Texas.



]]> tag:www.airforcem.com,2008:/blog//1.4 2008-07-18T21:56:29Z 2008-07-18T22:11:47Z

WHAT? Many of our customers start out focused on WHAT brand they want for their new heating and cooling system. We install Trane and Carrier equipment along with a number of other quality brands. All of these manufacturers produce...

Ron Strelke http://www.produce-market.com
WHAT?
Many of our customers start out focused on WHAT brand they want for their new heating and cooling system. We install Trane and Carrier equipment along with a number of other quality brands. All of these manufacturers produce top quality systems in high efficiency models with comparable warranties. Fact is you would not be happy with any brand of HVAC equipment if the product was not installed properly or not connected to the proper air distribution system (ductwork). WHO? I'm no different than you, I have contractors in my home for plumbing, cable, phone, remodel, to mention a few and I also have a wife and kids that get nervous with strangers in our home. Heck, I get nervous around some of the scary characters contractors will send out. We ask a few questions about the employee being sent to our home.

1. Are they employees or subcontractors?
2. How long have they worked for you?
3. Have you performed a criminal background check and can you assure me that they are not felons or sex offenders?
4. Have they been drug tested recently?
5. Are they well groomed? No visible tattoos, piercings, beards, long hair.
6. Do your employees wear uniforms and name badges.

I decide WHO I pay to come in my home and perform a service and it is not going to be some scary looking dude in an AC/DC t-shirt with tattooed knuckles and a ZZ Top beard, driving an unmarked 1970 pickup that leaves oil stains in my driveway.

HOW?
An installation team knows the importance of quality of workmanship. A properly installed central air conditioning system will attain maximum efficiency and last longer with fewer repairs. Your contractor should start by registering with the city. For HVAC contractors to register in most cities in North Texas they will need proof of liability insurance and a valid air conditioning contractors license. The state only requires $300,000 in general liability as a requisite for the contractors license, I would recommend you ask to see proof of a minimum of $1 million in liability coverage. Next you contractor is required by most cities to pull an inspection permit. If the contractor is reluctant to pull a permit then I would be reluctant to use that contractor. Now that the basics are out of the way ask some questions about HOW.

1. HOW will you protect my property, floors, carpet etc. and what do you do if you accidentally damage something?
2. HOW do I know you are putting the correct size system in my home? Did you perform any kind of load calculation? 500 Square feet per ton is not a load calculation anymore than just putting in the same size system that was installed in your home 25 years ago.
3. HOW long will the installation of my new air conditioning system take? Typically takes one day.
4. HOW long is your work guaranteed. Air Force guarantees all air conditioning system replacements and upgrades for two year on parts, labor and workmanship.
5. HOW do you expect payment? Never pay anything in advance. If the contractor needs an advance payment to secure equipment, that is a sure sign of financial instability.
6. Ask to see pictures of recent installations and for an explanation of how their HVAC installation differs from the average or basic installation.
7. Ask HOW your ductwork will work with the new high efficiency cooling system. Undersized supply air or return air can make your new system cost more to operate than your old system. Make sure that the ducts are properly sized and sealed.
8. Ask for references from air conditioning system installations done recently and in your area.

Sounds like an arduous process but it is really quite simple if you start by phone screening your contractors getting rid of the Bubbas and then plan on spending 1-2 hours with your three top candidates to discuss WHO you can expect in your home and HOW you expect them to perform your HVAC installation. By now you have probably forgotten WHAT brand you were interested in. ]]>