Spring cleaning seems to be a universal response to the promise of warmer weather. It’s the perfect time to get your air conditioning system tuned up for the summer cooling season.

Utility reserarch shows the necessity of tuning up your system each year.  You will return the operating efficiency of your air conditioning system to factory fresh conditions, restore lost cooling capacity, prevent inconvenient breakdowns, extend your air conditioner’s life and more.

Spring Clean Your Way to a Healthier Home

Before starting household to do’s, consider the following steps for a healthier, safer and more comfortable home for the entire family.

Health Checklist

• Change the filters in your air conditioning system.  Not only will your entire system run more efficiently, but the quality of  your indoor air will improve.
• Consider adding an electronic air cleaner to remove unhealthy particles and allergens.  And if your home does not have good ventilation, it may be time to add a ventilation system.  Call Marty to learn more of 681-0100.
• Check your home for water damage, wood rot or leaks, which are the prime causes of mold and fungus growth.  Left unattended, these issues can lead to respiratory and health issues.

Safety Checklist

• Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean your chimney.
• Check the bulbs in all your light fixtures to make sure you’re using the correct wattage- better yet, replace them with energy-efficient compact florescent bulbs.
• Make sure all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers are in good working order.
• Check all electrical outlets for loose-fitting plugs for overloaded use.
• Safely store all toxic household chemicals and cleaning products, as well as oil and gas for lawn equipment.

Call Marty today at 681-0100 to schedule your air conditioning system tune-up.

Backdrafting

Backdrafting occurs when the pressure inside the house is less than the pressure outside the house and the exhaust from natural drafting gas appliances is sucked back into the house.

Backdrafting is more of an issue today than the past due to tighter construction standards.  A bathroom fan may be enough to create negative pressure in a tightly sealed house.

Backdrafting can also result from leaking return air duct work, wood burning fireplaces (a fire can pull several hundred cubic feet of air out of the house each minute, causing appliances to backdraft), high wind conditions that result in high pressure on the windward side of the house and low pressure on the downward side, and so on.

Our Buffalo heating experts are available 24/7

You can minimize the potential for backdrafting by installing modern, energy efficient gas furnaces, wood stoves and water heaters that feature sealed combustion systems.  Sealed combustion appliances draw outside air for combustion and exhaust combustion by-products outdoors.  Since indoor air is not used for combustion, backdrafting is not a concern.

Another option is power vented furnaces or water heaters. These products use indoor air for combustion, but use a fan to exhaust combustion by-products outside.

Energy Tip – Keep your furnace clean, lubricated and property adjusted with annual maintenance.  If your furnace is working at peak efficiency, it will use less energy and cost less to operate.

Did you know that your older, less efficient heating and cooling unit could be wasting money every month on utility bills?

Depending on how old your system is, a new high-efficiency system could save you up to 40% of your heating and cooling utility costs.  So, it often makes more sense to replace you system rather than continue to repair it – you save even more as utility costs continue to rise!

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides a tax credit of 30% of the intalled cost of qualifying high-efficiency heating and air conditioning equipment, up to a maximum of $1,500 for 2009 and 2010 combined.

Keep in mind, to receive your credit, your new unit must be installed before Dec 31st.

Let our Buffalo heating company help you make the most of this opportunity.  Contact us to find out which high-efficiency heating and cooling products qualify for this tax credit.

Specific information on how to claim the tax credit should be obtained directly from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.  We can provide you, the homeowner, with Manufacturer’s Certification Statements for your records and to support your Tax Credit claims for these systems.

Contact us today for more information.