Posts Tagged ‘Granite Falls’

What You Need to Know About Solar Hot Water Heaters in Kenmore

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Solar hot water heaters in Kenmore are virtually an unknown appliance.  The majority of people who know about solar panles are only aware of the photovoltaic panels which are wired into a household to supply electrical assistance to homes. These photovoltaic   solar panels are terrific for collecting electrical assistance, but they are not the only way households can take advantage of the free energy source, the sun. Solar water heaters are much simpler systems that cost less money than typical solar panels, and they can save you a significant amount of money on your electricity bills.

How Solar Hot Water Heaters Work

Solar hot water heater come in a few different sizes and shapes, but their overall functionality are generally the same. Solar collectors are placed on the roof of your home, hopefully facing south. Those collectors collect and amplify the energy of the sun and use it to heat water or coolant that is circulated through tubes or pipes in the collector. In a direct system, the water is then piped directly to your fixtures for use.

In the more common indirect system, coolant is piped back to a tank where water is heated through copper pipes and held for use later.

Advantages of Solar Hot Water Heating

The obvious advantage is cost. Because the system is almost entirely passive, you don’t pay for any electricity, and maintenance is minimal. The only real cost of a solar hot water system (after installation) is a once-every-two-years maintenance visit and a backup water heating supply for days when there is less sunlight.

Additionally, solar hot water heaters can be piped into a radiant heating system and used to supplement your boiler. The hot water generated by the solar collectors can be used in baseboard heaters, radiators, and even under-floor heating systems. While a much larger, more powerful system is needed to replace your entire heating system, the supplement can save you a lot of money in the summer and spring months.

Solar water heating is a very effective and affordable way to start using solar power immediately in your life. If you are considering installing some form of solar power, please call G & S Heating, Cooling, & Electric.

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Mountlake Terrace Furnace Repair: Air Flow Problems

Monday, January 2nd, 2012

Whenever you notice furnace air flow problems in your Mountlake Terrace home, you can usually do a little troubleshooting and solve the issue on your own. Most air flow problems can be fixed easily and quickly. Here are a few guidelines to get you started, but if you need help or notice other problems with your furnace, call a qualified G & S heating technician.

Furnace Filters:
Checking the furnace filter is the first step you should take when there are any issues with your furnace, but especially with air flow problems. If a filter is dirty enough, the furnace will not come on at all. Ultimately, a clogged or dirty filter restricts the air flow, and this is the source of air flow problems ninety percent of the time.

Supply Registars and Cold Air Returns:
Once you’ve replaced or cleaned the filter, check your cold air returns, which are the vents that draw in the cold air in forced air systems. When a cold air return is blocked  by furniture or other obstructions, they cannot draw in enough air to allow the furnace to put out an adequate amount of hot air. Make sure they are open if nothing is blocking them.

Next, check your supply registers, which are the vents that supply the warm air, and make sure they are open as well. Whenever your heat is on, all of your supply registers should be open. Closing some vents will not increase the air flow in other vents in the house. Closing off one or two in areas where heat is not always needed will not hurt your system; however, when you close too many supply registers, it can cause problems with the ductwork and eventually damage the furnace if the air pressure is not correct.

Clean Your Vents:
You should have a qualified HVAC technician professionally clean your ducts and vents at least once a year, which is another reason it’s important to schedule annual maintenance visits. A professional cleaning is typically part of the yearly heating system inspection. You can help by vacuuming your vents regularly, particularly during the months the heating system is not in use, or at least before you turn it on in the fall. Simply cleaning your vents can help air flow and extend the life of your entire heating system.

If you continue to experience air flow problems, call a certified heating technician at G & S. There could be a more serious issue, or if you have a newer furnace, your original ductwork could be the wrong size for that furnace model.

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Why Insulate a Basement in Granite Falls

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Especially if your Granite Falls home’s basement is unfinished, you probably do not spend much time down there. And if that is the case, it can be hard to see why you would want to expend the time and money to put in quality insulation in an area of your house that you do not use for much other than storage. But your basement can be costing you a lot if it is not insulated and you probably do not even realize it.

The simple fact is that closing the door to your basement does not summarily cut it off from the rest of your house. The entire floor surface of the first floor of your house is directly connected to the basement and there is a great deal of heat lost through there in the winter. That means that your central heating system will have to work harder to keep the living spaces of your house warm. Plus, the floor will just always be cold.

But putting insulation in your basement can dramatically cut down on the amount of heat you are losing in the winter. Rather than channeling that heat right through your floor and out into the cold soil beyond, an insulated basement will hold the heat and help to keep your first floor warmer. This will reduce your heating costs and it can also cut back on many of the moisture retention problems that basements are so prone to developing.

There are several different ways to insulate a basement and the appropriate one for your situation will depend on a variety of factors. Some insulation needs to be installed on the exterior of the basement walls, but this can be difficult and costly if you are trying to do it on an existing home. Exterior basement insulation usually makes the most sense when you are building a new home.

However, you can still insulate your basement thoroughly with insulation that is installed on the interior of your basement walls. While this may take a few inches of useable space away from you, it will be well worth it in the end.

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When to Upgrade Your Circuit Box: A Tip From Granite Falls

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

How many people in Granite Falls remember what it was like to go on a “fuse search” when a major appliance stopped working? If you lived in or owned an older home, you know what that meant – a blown fuse was a nuisance.

The first types of electricity control were fuses, installed in a main fuse box (or secondary box) which connected the incoming electrical current to separate circuits. Most major appliances like refrigerators and stoves had their own separate current and fuse.

Eventually these fuse boxes were replaced with panels containing circuit breaker panels, which contained circuit breakers instead of fuses. So instead of replacing a fuse when a major appliance or circuit goes down, all that is needed is a flip of the breaker switch back to the “on” position.

Circuit breakers are considered safer and have greater capacity to control current to many of the newer, electricity-consuming appliances such as microwaves and wireless routers, to name a couple. And flipping a switch is much more cost-effective than having to buy replacement fuses, too.

While it is not mandatory for homeowners to replace fuse boxes with circuit breaker panels, it is often a good idea to make the change, especially during a home remodeling project. Doing it “all at once” is a good idea since walls are usually torn up and appliances are being replaced. Before the dust settles on the project, it is logical to install a breaker panel. Better to disrupt everything at once than to go back later and disrupt everything again.

Another reason to install la new circuit breaker panel is because of necessity. Circuit boxes are rated by amperage (amps) – a measure of electrical capacity. For example, older boxes may be rated for 60 amps and newer homes could have boxes rated 200 amps or higher. This bigger demand for power can overload older circuits. And appliances can constantly be popping a circuit or blowing a fuse. In that case, it might be a good time to consider changing to a new circuit breakers panel.

According to www.acmediy.com, there is a checklist of things to consider when installing a circuit breaker panel, including:

  • Determine your load requirements,
  • There may be a need to add new wiring or circuits,
  • Wires coming into your home may have to be upgraded,
  • Old wiring may need to be replaced.

Should you do it yourself? If you have the experience and skill to do so, installing a circuit breaker panel is doable. If not, a qualified, skilled electrician is the person to call. It will cost extra but consider it “peace of mind.”

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What is R410A? A Question From Granite Falls

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

If you’ve recently started researching a new air conditioner for your Granite Falls home, you may have run across “R410A” – a newer form of refrigerant increasingly being used in high end air conditioning equipment. What is R410A and why is it different from the existing refrigerant most air conditioners have?

Chemical Composition

R-410A is a composite of diflouromethane and pentafluoromethane. This mixture of R-32 and R-125 creates a new compound designed to be used in commercial and residential air conditioning devices. Sometimes referred to as Puron, Genetron and EcoFluor, R-410A is a more environmentally friendly approach to cooling than the existing coolant most air conditioners use – R-22.

To date, R-22 has been the refrigerant of choice for millions of devices. However, because R-22 will no longer be permitted in new devices starting in 2020, R-410A is growing in popularity rapidly and will soon become the standard refrigerant option in new devices.

Environmental Impact

Despite being very similar in chemical composition to other refrigerants like Freon and R-22, R-410A does not contribute to ozone depletion, a major step forward for air conditioning. However, it has as very similar global warming impact – producing nearly 1725% more damage than carbon dioxide. One of the factors that negates this high global warming risk is the fact that R-410A is being used in a more efficient manner than past refrigerants.

Choosing R-410A

You cannot simply replace the R-22 in your cooling system with R-410A. Because it requires higher pressure, the devices that run with R-410A must be built specifically for this refrigerant. As a result, many manufacturers are starting the transition to the new refrigerant now, in anticipation of the 2020 phase out date for R-22. If you are preparing to buy a new unit, keep this in mind. You can still buy R-22 devices, but they are not as environmentally friendly as this newer form of refrigerant.

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How Does Geothermal Energy Work? A Question From Preston

Friday, August 12th, 2011

Geothermal energy is energy extracted from the ground, Preston or anywhere. This energy is in the ground in the first place because the ground absorbs the heat coming from the sun. This heat is always there, even when it is very cold outside. In fact, even when the ground appears to be frozen, you can actually extract plenty of heat to keep your home nice and toasty.

While this may at first appear to defy logic, the way that geothermal energy can be used for heating your home is actually quite simple. A geothermal heating system typically consists of an indoor air handler with a fan, a series of air ducts for the heated air to travel through and a closed loop of pipe that extends into the ground below and around your home.

This closed loop of pipe is actually where the geothermal heat is collected. Some type of liquid, usually water or antifreeze, will be continuously run through this pipe loop. As the liquid passes through the area of pipe that is below ground, it will absorb the heat from the surrounding soil. Once the liquid makes it back up to the air handler, the heat is able to disperse, heating the air in the chamber.

This heated air is then circulated throughout your house through the ducts by a fan. After it has released its heat into the air in your home, the liquid will cycle back into the ground to absorb more. This allows a geothermal heating system to provide you with a constant supply of warm air.

Unlike a furnace, which mixes in blasts of very hot air with periods of inactivity to try and keep your house at a constant temperature, a geothermal heat pump is able to provide a more consistent flow of air that is just the right temperature to keep your home comfortable. This means that these types of heat pumps are running just about all of the time as opposed to furnaces, but they are designed to work this way and the constant operation does not cause any excessive wear and tear.

Another great benefit of geothermal heat pumps is that they are able to keep your house cool in the summer as well. Just as the ground is warmer than the air in the winter, it is also cooler in the summer. That means that heat removed from your indoor air can be transferred to the ground in the same way that it was transferred in during the winter.

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Worst Rooms in Your Home to Collect Allergens

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

Your home is a haven for allergens, but some rooms in particular are much worse than others. They are damp. They are warm. They often have garbage in them. These are the rooms that need especially close attention when trying to maintain air quality in your home.

Basement

First on the list is your basement. A basement is the biggest problem when it’s either unfinished or not used very often. If you have water leaks in your basement or poor insulation, it’s important to have a moisture barrier put in and have your pipes checked. If the water comes from a drainage pipe or your sewer line, repairs can be made. If it comes from excess ground water or leaks in the foundation, a sump pump or drain tile system will help remove the excess water. Either way, the wetter your basement gets, the higher the risk of mold and other contaminants becomes.

Beyond moisture, a basement tends to collect a lot of dust. After all, it is where we put many of our old and unwanted possessions, and because the furnace is often in your basement, all that damp, allergen filled air gets cycled back into your home.

Bathroom

Bathrooms are allergen havens for two reasons. They are filled with moisture, and without proper ventilation they will soon be filled with mold and mildew. Additionally, when not cleaned regularly they can house buildups of hair, skin, and other dust building residue that tend to trigger allergies.

The easiest way to handle this problem is to clean your bathroom regularly and make sure it is properly ventilated. Short of an exhaust fan in your bathroom, keep the door and windows open to help it dry faster.

Kitchen

Your kitchen produces allergens like mold and mildew due to the presence of garbage and fruit. It can also attract bugs and the dirt that accrues from people passing through constantly. Pets tend to eat in the kitchen, leaving behind dander. Additionally, plants and vegetables in the kitchen release pollen that circulates through your home to trigger additional allergies. Exhaust from cooking and smoke can also be a harmful allergen trigger.

The kitchen should be kept well ventilated and clean at all times. Check for any gaps in your insulation and have your exhaust fan and hood cleaned regularly to avoid backups of smoke or gas.

Allergens are everywhere in your home – with careful attention, however, you can stop them from affecting your family negatively.

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