The Secret to a long life for your A/C System !

Hey, let’s face it, A/C equipment is not cheap. If you’ve purchased a system in the last couple of years you know what I’m talkin’ about.
You probably want to know what it takes to get the full benefit from your system. Things like total comfort, low power bills, and a healthy home without mold or minimal dust. The home works like a system, several things are involved but the Lungs & Heart of the home is the HVAC system. We can tell you this, the duct system has a very critical part in the proper operation of your “home as a system” even though your duct system is “outta sight & outta mind.” When you purchase a new A/C system you want it to last as long as possible & you want to get maximum performance out of the system as well. Nobody likes to see the A/C man for any reason other than seasonal check-up & even then, all we want to hear is “everything checked out GREAT!!” Many people operate on the old adage “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” and to a point, I agree. Inspections are important. This is the Key!
Would you fly on an airplane if they lived by “ if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rule?
The point is “Stuff Happens.”
So the common question is -“How do I get 15 -18 years of service out of my A/C system”? In addition to that ~ Wouldn’t you expect the overall comfort and energy picture to improve when you buy one of these high efficiency units from these so called “comfort companies.”
The problem is - nobody is looking at the duct-work, much less, testing it for leaks or checking to see if it can handle the performance criteria of the new A/C equipment. The condition of the duct system is extremely critical when you start to go up in efficiency ratings’ of A/C equipment; the DUCT needs to be sealed tight, sized correctly, and free from mold, dust & debris. The secret is to have a Sealed Duct System ! Documented – not a guess or a quick peek. Test the ducts & make sure that you are going the get all the performance you expect out of your new A/C equipment. The test is called a “Blower Door” test or “Duct Leakage” test; some people use the term “Duct Blaster“ test. Most companies that do this type of testing will also inspect or test the other critical whole house parts such as, the attic insulation, attic venting, air-balance valves or dampers, and weatherization features, like caulking of windows or doors. These all figure into the formula of operating the “House as a System”. All of this Data should be looked over & evaluated. Please call with your concerns & schedule your duct-leak test this month.
Test when you Invest!
For more homeowner tips, look the consumer education videos on our website www.gulfcoastaircare.com

Secrets to avoid the big rip-off !

Be careful of the bait & switch (or blow- n- go)

Hey, are you also wondering about this $89 “whole house” duct cleaning that is in the paper several times a week. Seems too good to be true doesn’t it? Or, maybe it’s only $69 this week. Who knows- it often changes with every new ad in the paper.
You can Eliminate the risk by looking for a company that is certified by NADCA (see Below)
All companies that are NADCA certified have technicians that are trained, tested, & sworn to uphold a code of ethics/conduct in the Marketplace.
Please don’t believe that you can get a “Whole House” service done for $69 - $89. With today’s labor costs you can’t even get a service truck to leave the shop for that price.
Everybody wants to believe that the $89 bait & switch special will make some sort of improvement in your Dust. Mold, Energy bills or Allergies, but there are specific industry methods & standards (ACR-2006) that are established to ensure the best cleaning process.
Be aware of ‘on the spot’ scheduling before you can get the real scoop on what procedure is required & don’t buy into scare tactics. "Black Mold” is not fatal if you breathe it in.
There are very specific conditions that can be identified through proper testing & inspection of your home or office.
NADCA even has a written schedule of suggested inspection periods & possible actions.
You should not be shocked to learn that this bait & switch is happening all over the country & consumer groups are standing by as 1,000’s of elderly homeowners or unknowledgeable consumers are getting ripped off. Call a service company that you trust & ask who they recommend for air duct cleaning, if they don’t provide the service. Or go the BBB website & see if they have guidelines or warnings. Also https://www.nadca.com/publications/index.aspx has an entire section of their website dedicated to the education of consumers so you know what to expect on price, time & end results.


For more Homeowner Tips, watch the 7 minute video link on our website -
www.gulfcoastaircare.com

Carbon-Monoxide: Monitor vs. Alarm ~ Life or Death ~

The only thing in the IAQ business that can be "urgent/fatal" is carbon monoxide. This means we should have a conversation about how to avoid Carbon Monoxide (CO) in our homes. Any fuel burning appliance that is malfunctioning or improperly installed can be a source of CO. These can include a gas range/stove, furnaces, gas clothes dryer, water heater, gas or wood fireplaces, wood-burning stove and the auto exhaust from an attached garage. Initial symptoms are similar to the flu with no fever. Dizziness, fatigue/weakness, throbbing headache, nausea, vomiting, irregular breathing, sleepiness and confusion can all be possible symptoms. Low Level Carbon monoxide exposure can easily be mis-diagnosed unless you have a Low Level CO monitor or medical personnel can get a blood sample in time to see elevated CO in the blood stream; it changes rapidly when you are removed from the CO source area. Do you have a measure of safety or protection for your family? There are 2 options – an inexpensive CO alarm which has up to 4 full hours to give a signal or alert after dangerous levels have been exceeded in the home or a low level CO monitor that will start to alert you at the onset of carbon monoxide exposure. A low level CO monitor can give alerts when the level reaches a concern like 20 parts per million(ppm); a CO Alarm must reach 70 PPM for 4 hours before it’s required to go off and if the indoor space get ventilated after 3 hours, it starts the count down all over again! Yikes! You may never get any indication about the most serious or dangerous condition that can exist inside your home, And get this, most Fire Dept’s will not allow a fire fighter to enter a building if CO levels are above 35 ppm. Your cheap CO alarm will allow those levels without you ever knowing. Stats from the AMA (American Medical Association) show approximately 2,100 people die each year from CO poisoning or exposure. Often called “The Silent Killer”, CO is a tasteless, colorless & odorless poison. If you would like a FREE report or more information about Carbon Monoxide, CO alarms & Low Level Monitors Please call us today. If you have small children or elderly folks in the home and you aren’t sure, don’t take a chance.
Call your HVAC company for a Test or Inspection. Today!


For more money saving, homeowner tips, look at the consumer education videos on our website www.gulfcoastaircare.com

Residential Trends ~The “whole house as a system” saves you $$$$

The latest residential trend is to conserve energy and look at the whole house as a system; this idea ties comfort levels & health aspects of a building to the idea of looking at all the parts for the best durability, comfort & safety in the home. The whole house approach includes looking at how the A/C system, attic insulation, the windows and doors and the weatherization of the building envelope all act together as a system to keep the occupants safe, healthy & comfortable. In other words, this means looking at “Gaps, Cracks & Holes” to combat the influx of pollutants. In our climate here in Pensacola, the big pollutant is Humidity; water vapor or moisture leads to big problems. The trend and research shows us that you need to do a full energy diagnosis by testing the home. The biggest improvement is related to the HVAC system & controlling moisture or humidity through better A/C equipment. But hold on there~ it’s not all “just in the box” (A/C Equip). A US Dept. of Energy study has shown that most duct systems leak anywhere from 25-40%, or more, of their conditioned air out of the ducts into attics or crawl spaces due poor design or poor installation. The best way to diagnose the “whole house” issues is to use a blower door to conduct a “negative air test”. This is a new test that allows the homeowner to see all the areas that are affecting the health, comfort & durability of a building. The test data is also used in a comprehensive energy audit. Before the blower door was popular most contractors would “guess” at the problem & then try to find a solution to the issues like “Excessive Dust”, “Hot or Cold rooms” or “High Utility bills” . Now-a-days there are contractors in the market place that “test” and “never guess” at the biggest problem many homeowners face. So don’t accept a guess when it comes down to the comfort or safety of your family, have the whole house tested as a system.

For more money saving, homeowner tips, look at the consumer education videos on our website www.gulfcoastaircare.com

2 Secret Tips to Stop Mold Growth in your Home

Do What the Pensacola Pros Do!
1) Eliminate the Source ~the source is water, moisture or water vapor. So now here this~ "DO NOT RUN YOUR A/C FAN IN THE “ON” position". You can help yourself by understanding how the A/C system works. The Evaporator coil or “Cooling Coil” is in the air handler unit or the part of the A/C system that is indoors. When the A/C runs, the coil is wet ~ that’s how it cools the home & the moisture is the humidity it’s removing from the building. This source of water can really give you problems if you don’t let the fan cycle on & off (auto) when the thermostat cycles. If you run the fan all the time you are pushing some of that water from the coil into the ductwork, which gets the insulation wet, and grows all kinds of nasty spores & unhealthy mold. All that water on the cooling coil is the source of the mold. Plus, you should be looking at the drain-line outside where all that water dumps out of the house. If you don’t know where it is, you will find out soon enough ~ like, when the line clogs up & floods the house from the A/C system. Save yourself a hassle, go outside & find the drain-line outlet. Heck, you could call me to do it~ for a small fee, I’ll send a guy out to clear it for you, & we can even install a new fitting so you can just add a little bleach to keep it clean for the rest of the summer !! No Flood, No Hassle ~ How do they say it~ “Easy Squeezy, Lemon…” Oh, whatever.
2) THE second tip is less complicated but still very effective. You sterilize the coil fins & surface with the strong U V rays of the Sun! WHAT? Yeah, the Sun produces Ultra Violet light rays that kill mold on contact. SO we have a light fixture that shines the same intense UVC light directly on that wet coil so nothing can grow on there ~ ZIP, NADA, ZILCH. GAURANTEED !!
Don’t miss out on the most effective mold control product on the market to date for your A/C system, THE UVC LIGHT. I have these in my home & if there were something better, I would be telling you all about it.

For more Homeowner Tips, watch the 7 minute video link on our website at
www.gulfcoastaircare.com

2 Easy secrets to a comfortable home & lower utility bills

1) Prevention: In the Pensacola climate, you can save plenty of cash & keep a more comfortable home if you plan ahead & take advantage of the seasonal check up that most companies offer, (usually at a discount), going into the hot summer season. Having your system inspected & cleaned is like the old saying “an ounce of prevention & a pound of cure”. My Family recently had a tranny problem on our Honda Odyssey van that we let slide by for a couple of months, now we have a lot more ($$$) expensive problem! The lesson is “PAY ATTENTION” ! Hey, the HVAC system is the most costly system in your home ~ and it falls under that “Outta Sight, Outta Mind” category ~ plus its unbearable when you don’t have it running properly. So Plan Ahead Don’t be unhappy in the summer heat- Call Now

2) Monitor Humidity & Temperature: The easiest way to save money and to live comfortably is keep a close eye on the humidity level in the home. For each and every degree of temperature you raise your thermostat this summer season, you can save 10% on your utility bill ~ this is according to research by Gulf Power. “But how do I raise temp & still stay comfortable?” The secret is to lower humidity. If you can keep the moisture out it will still be fresh & crisp at a higher temp. The worst thing in the world for a high humidity problem is an A/C unit that is too big for the home. The secret is longer run times & a properly sized A/C system. An insider knows that the problem is usually in the duct system if the A/C equipment is cooling; this means look elsewhere ~like in the Attic!
Listen, if this sounds good to you, maybe we should talk. We are giving away a nice humidity monitor as part of this month’s ethical bribe. E-mail us or “friend us” on Facebook with a humidity comment & we’ll put your name in the drawing for a FREE humidity monitor ($20 value). If your humidity is out of whack or you aren’t comfy in the evening when the heat of the day is gone. Maybe, we can help! Remember, a true test is better than a guess & you can take that to the bank!


For more comfort info, watch the 7 minute video link on our website
www.gulfcoastaircare.com

Wow, April already~ I want to comment about the Federal Energy Tax Credit for 2011. Why on Earth would our governmental leadership change what they offered last year? In 2010 (and 2009) we had a 30% tax credit incentive if you spent money to make your home more energy efficient. This year (2011) we have a 5% offering~ how Trivial!! I thought we were trying to simulate the economy & create jobs~ This is a blunder of the biggest magnitude. When the incentive was juicy, people considered spending the money, contractors were working to weatherize homes, change HVAC systems, add insulation, and help the national energy dependency on foreign oil; not to mention the relief on our power grid which is stretched pretty thin in some markets. According to the Dept of Energy, American buildings consume 45 % of the energy we generate, & much of that is wasted because of poor building construction practices, lack of maintenance and and the overall age of our "building stock" . It only makes sense to renovate our homes & office buildings; an energy retrofit can be an amazing change to the way we live and consume energy. Congress...Please raise the Tax incentive back to meaningful levels.