These are condensed versions of the Radio Program

10/06/04

My package air conditioner/heat unit is over 18 years old. Some people tell me to go ahead and replace it now, and others say use it until it dies. What do you say? As a contractor that sells new ac and heat equipment, everyone would probably expect us to jump on the “replace it now” side, and we do. But let us share the reasons. The first consideration is efficiency. Let’s start by using SEER ratings. SEER ratings are used like MPG’s in gasoline efficiency. SEER stands for seasonal energy efficiency rating. An 18 year old unit is probably rated a 6 or 7 SEER. Today, the least efficient a maker can build is a 10 SEER. In 2005, that’ll change to 12 SEER. Naturally, your old equipment doesn’t operate at its original efficiency, so a generous estimate would be to say the old unit is a 6 SEER. Each SEER rating translates to about 8 or 9 percent in energy use difference. Therefore, a new 10 SEER (the minimum efficiency rating available now) would save you 32 to 36 percent or so in operating costs over a 6 SEER (or less) old air conditioner. It’s pretty easy to see how quickly the decision to go ahead and change it out would pay for itself. There are other things to consider like reliability and warranties. Which unit is more likely to leave you burning up in the summer or freezing in the winter? With a new unit, even if you don’t purchase extended warranties that cover parts AND labor, you still get some pretty good warranties from manufacturers on the major costly parts. That peace of mind can be worth a lot. Remember, these units are designed to last about 15 years under ideal conditions. If you’re thinking about this same question, just call us and we’ll be happy to help you with your decision any way we can. We’ll be back next week.

10/13/04

Mike, what’s your advice on buying a new comfort system for my home? There are four main things I like to bring up when I’m asked this question. I hope they’ll help and serve as a base for making your buying decisions. Here they are with an abbreviated discussion about each. For more detailed information, call us! Choose a contractor. Talk to friends and family in the area and find out who they use. Ask why they bought from them and why they still use them. And, don’t forget to ask the contractor for references. Brand is big. Some contractors switch brands for reasons as silly as incentives (like trips and gifts). Some swap brands because the old manufacturer cut off their credit. It’s best if the dealer has carried their brand for a good while. That shows commitment between them. Sizing can be very confusing, yet it may be the most important factor. If your contractor wants to size your equipment using only square footage or just to put one in like the neighbors’ …ABORT! These days, homes are built better and so is the equipment. Be sure your contractor uses a professional process (like our “Maunal J”) to choose the right capacity for your needs. The wrong capacity can cause a scary group of problems. And, efficiency is huge! We use SEER ratings, (much like MPG) to rate the efficiency of air conditioners. The minimum available now is 10 SEER, but you can get them up to 19 SEER. Each SEER point higher represents about 8-9% in energy savings! They cost more, but the savings add up quickly. Good luck, and if we can help, call us at 635-3452. See you next week!

10/20/04

We’ve received a number of questions recently about how much it’s going to cost this winter to keep warm. We are not and do not claim to be experts or forecasters when it comes to energy pricing trends. We do know some things, though, as it is a subject very near to our hearts in our industry. The information we form our opinions on comes mostly from the Department of Energy and from various trade news sources that are available to us. Here are some opinions for what they’re worth. Hurricanes have disrupted the nation’s gas supply and uncertainty from the Middle east has brokers driving the prices higher. This may be the most expensive winter in quite some time. How expensive?…this is what we’ve gathered: Natural Gas…15% higher, Heating Oil…28% higher, Propane…22% higher. And if you have electric heat you still can’t relax, because the cost of electricity is directly affected by the cost gas and oil. Electric companies like TVA use combustion turbines for peak load times. Some more possible bad news…weather trends are showing it could be the COLDEST winter we’ve had in a long time. This past summer was a record cool summer, and those trends aren’t changing. So, it appears we may be paying more AND using more. For some energy saving tips and a lot of other useful information, you can get a free copy of our newsletter, “HomeSense”. We send one to our customers twice a year and our fall issue was just sent out. If you’d like a free copy, just call us at 635-3452 and give us your name and address. See you nest week.

10/27/04

Last week we talked about the costs of heating fuels for this winter. It looks like it’ll take a larger toll on our pocketbooks than last year. It also appears that this may be a much colder winter than last year. So, it seems we’ll be using more energy and paying more for it. Here’s a quick re-cap of some recent tips. Replace old worn out, inefficient equipment even if it still works. It’s costing more than you realize. Keep the temperature as cool as is comfortable to use less energy. In the summer, sunshine in the house is our enemy; but in the winter, it is our friend. Lower the thermostat when you’re away during the day and asleep at night. Insulation! Duh! Keep those filters changed, and turn the water heater down a bit. Here’s our question for this week: Why do I smell that dusty burning smell the first time I use my furnace each year? We smell it because that is actually dust burning off of furnace parts. In a gas furnace, it’s dust that has built up on the heat exchanger over the summer. In an electric furnace, it’s the dust that’s built up on the resistance heaters (they glow red like in electric portable heaters). It’s generally harmless, except for the smell, and should go away fairly fast. If the smell stays around too long, there might be reason to call a pro. Be reminded of our free newsletter HomeSense. It’s full of great articles on how to save energy, improve the curb appeal of your home, and even how to be a savvier shopper. We send these out to our customers every fall and spring and we’ll send our extra copies to you! Just call us at 635-3452 to get yours.

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