News Letters
Littleton Heating, Air Conditioning and Electrical (303)730-3276
Service Denver, Aurora, Littleton and surrounding areas since 1972
LAS VEGAS, NV (Jan. 19, 2010) —Lennox unveils NEW
Home Energy System that uses solar power as an energy source for central
heating and cooling and beyond. State-of-the-Art SunSource™ Home Energy
System provides simplest way for homeowners to bring solar power into
the home and save on utility bills.
Lennox Industries, a leading provider of customized home heating,
cooling and indoor air quality products, today introduced the patent
pending SunSource™ Home Energy System a new solar-powered central
heating and cooling system that reduces overall household electricity
consumption without the costs associated with traditional solar
installations at the International Builder's Show in Las Vegas.
The new SunSource Home Energy System not only harnesses solar energy
from the sun to reduce the electricity consumed by a residential heat
pump or air conditioner, but also is able to use that solar power to
operate other devices in the home that consume electricity, such as
lighting and appliances, when the heating and cooling system is not
running. In addition, if the SunSource system generates more power than
is used by the home, that power will be sent back to the utility
company, which may entitle the homeowner to a credit on their utility
bill.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the typical U.S.
household pays $2,200 a year on utility bills, and the bulk of those
energy costs—between 50 and 60 percent—comes from heating and cooling
the home.
"With the new SunSource Home Energy System, homeowners can reduce
the energy consumption associated with heating and air conditioning,
while also significantly cutting their overall utility bills," said John
Hurst, vice president, product management at Lennox International.
"Lennox is the first heating and air conditioning manufacturer to
harness solar energy for central heating and cooling and beyond, and the
new SunSource system is really a gateway to the future of innovation in
the HVAC industry."
Spring
Now that spring has sprung, it’s time to make sure your air conditioning system is ready to handle the warmer weather to come. Giving the outdoor unit a good cleaning is a good place to start.
Better now than later
Even if it isn’t a very warm day, go ahead and set your thermostat to cooling mode now and run your air conditioner a few minutes to make sure it’s working. If you wait until the weather gets hot to find out your air conditioner isn’t operating the way it should, it may be days before a technician is available to fix it. Scheduling an annual checkup in early spring can also help you identify any small problems that could turn into large problems later.
Go green, save green
If you’re planning to replace your air conditioner, look for an ENERGY STAR® qualified model. Replacing an old, inefficient central air conditioner with a high-efficiency system can reduce cooling costs up to 20 percent*. If you use a room air conditioner, install it on a north-facing wall to keep it out of the sun. Room air conditioners work better when the unit stays cool.
Warning signs of home-improvement scams
You’re planning a home-improvement job, need some help with storm clean up or simply want your HVAC system serviced before the first big heat wave. It’s easy to find a contractor to take the job. But how do you know it’s a contractor you can trust?
Avoid contractors who say they “were working in the neighborhood” and noticed some problems with your home, like driveway cracks or missing roof shingles. Even if there are problems, don’t allow yourself to be pressured into making immediate repairs. Watch out for an offer of a “special” that’s good for one day only.
Ask friends and neighbors for their recommendations and ask any contractor for the names and contact information of satisfied customers in your neighborhood. If they won’t give you a referral, watch out.
Some scam artists may offer to inspect your HVAC system or clean your chimney at a price that sounds much too good to be true. Once they’ve started, they might claim, for example, that your chimney is in immediate need of structural repairs and show you bricks and mortar removed from it as “proof.” If this happens, contact your local energy utility or a contractor you trust to inspect your system.
Watch out for companies that go door-to-door to find customers. Here’s a flashing warning sign: their vehicle lists no company name or phone number, or it has out-of-state license plates. Make sure the contractor can provide a business card and a street address where the company does business. (It may be the contractor’s home address, and that’s ok, as some small-business owners work out of their homes.)
Ask for proof of qualifications, such as membership in a professional organization like NATE, North American Technician Excellence. This is the only national testing and certification program accepted by the entire HVAC industry.
Don’t settle for a hasty price quote to cover a complicated repair. Legitimate contractors won’t scribble on a scrap of paper: they’ll provide you with a detailed written quote – breaking out labor and parts costs – after thoroughly examining the problem. One exception is a small, basic repair which may have a standard fee.
While legitimate contractors may expect a down payment before beginning a job, scam artists will often insist that you pay in full before they start any project.
Seven tips that can save you money this spring:
1. Reduce air leaks in your home by caulking, sealing and weather-stripping around doors and windows. This could save you 10% or more on your utility bill*
2. Turn off exhaust fans in the kitchen or bath when they’re no longer needed. These fans not only remove cooking odors and moisture, but they remove air-conditioned air from your home, too.
3. Make sure your refrigerator’s seals are airtight. It’s easy to test them by closing the door over a dollar bill. If you can pull the dollar out easily, the seal may need to be adjusted.
4. If you’re upgrading your air conditioner system, choose a model with two-stage cooling. These systems have two levels of operation, with a low setting that’s adequate to meet your home’s cooling needs 80% of the time and a higher setting that can run longer when needed to produce more even temperatures.
5. Turn off lights you don’t need to save energy and reduce added heat your air conditioner will have to remove. Standard incandescent bulbs generate a lot of heat, and cost more to run. Replace them with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.
6. Use your dishwasher to wash only full loads. The same holds true for the laundry room.
7. Have dinner al fresco. Using an outdoor grill to prepare dinner lets you avoid building up excess heat in the kitchen.
Littleton Heating, Air Conditioning and Electrical (303)730-3276
Service Denver, Aurora, Littleton and surrounding areas since 1972
