Rational furnace repair service Methods - New Advice
Great Advice About Hvac That Anyone Can Easily Follow
If you've been wondering if you can learn a little bit about HVAC, then this article is something you should try reading over. It's going to teach you the basics when it comes to this type of thing. This will allow you to get to know what needs to be known about this under your belt.
When purchasing a new HVAC system for your home, be sure it is energy efficient. These days, most new HVAC systems are energy efficient; there is a energy star label on the equipment. However, to be sure your utility costs do not go through the roof, choose equipment that is energy efficient.
If you must hire someone to help you out with your HVAC system, be sure to learn about all of the requirements your state has legislated regarding licencing and insurance. You need to be able to ask anyone you plan to hire if they meet these requirements before you hire them.
Make sure you ask for an estimate in writing before choosing a specific HVAC vendor. There are a lot of moving pieces when it comes to purchasing these big items. You'll want to compare not only the cost of the equipment, but also the set up and the overall energy costs.
Prior to choosing an HVAC customer, try to have an idea of what you want done. You can't get a decent estimate over a telephone, so disregard those numbers and wait until they view your system. It will be more difficult for him to assist you over the phone without the information readily available. This is information that you should have prepared in advance.
If you want to pay for less power use, consider installing an HVAC-specific solar panel system. Such an installation harnesses the power of the sun directly for your heating and air conditioning. Don't worry though; you can have a switch put in that automatically connects to the power grid the days there isn't enough sun.
When you're purchasing an HVAC system, make sure that you get a unit that is properly sized for your space. If you get a unit that is too large, it will cost a lot in energy costs. Look in the manual or on the manufacturer website for this information.
If you have a window air conditioner without a timer, use a regular outlet timer to control when it is on or off. These are the same ones you use for holiday lights, so all you have to do is plug your air conditioner into the timer and set it to cool you during the day.
Get an estimate before agreeing to have any work done on your HVAC unit. This will help keep you from being surprised by a bill at the end. Any reputable technician should be able to look at your unit, determine the problem and give you an estimate as to how much it will cost to fix it.
To save money on your HVAC system, turn the air conditioning down at night and let your home warm up a bit. To keep yourself cool, use a chilling water-filled pillow to cool down your head and your whole body as a result. This combined with a fan will keep you from overheating while saving on your utility bills.
Every year hire someone to give your HVAC unit routine maintenance. This will ensure that it works properly throughout the entire year. It will also allow you to have lower heating and cooling bills. When your HVAC is running properly, it will use the least amount of energy and save you money.
Do you want to make sure your HVAC unit works for you like it should? It is important to have your unit maintained on a regular basis. Any reputable technician will know exactly what you mean if you call them and ask for a maintenance service on your system.
Every contractor out there is responsible for setting up their own fees, so get several quotes before hiring anyone. You can save a lot of cash simply by doing your homework. In an ideal situation, you can estimate a reasonable rate by getting quotes from up to a half-dozen individual contractors or businesses.
Always ask for references before you allow anyone to start doing work on your HVAC system. Call several of them to make sure that they are legitimate. Many people take the word of the contractor when it comes to customer satisfaction and that can prove to be a mistake in the end.
Call in a contractor to find out if you can install an air conditioner on your current forced-air system without having to install new duct work. This can save you a ton of time and money, plus it takes up less space in your walls and rooms to boot.
Be sure to check your Filter Check light frequently on any stand-alone units. If it is on, turn the unit off as you can't operate it without a filter in place. Clean the filter carefully and return it to its proper location, but don't operate the unit if the filter is still wet.
Make sure your HVAC is clear when working outside. You should try keeping any vegetation about two feet away from your outdoor units. Keep the areas above it and on each side of it clear. Make sure you aim your grass clippings away from the unit when mowing. Keep leaves from getting inside your unit in the fall.
To boost your home HVAC's efficiency, install solar screening. It reflects sunlight back outside, stopping it from heating up your home. Your air conditioner will be able to run less in the daytime, and your energy bill will plummet as a result. You can install this on any glass you here have, doors or windows.
Don't just hire the first contractor you meet or call. Be sure to compare multiple options before going ahead with one. They should meet all of your requirements, be it offering a great guarantee to being able to come and do the work on your budget and within your timeline.
Determining the right HVAC service professional to provide repair or replacement work can be tough when a certain amount of know-how is lacking. To really ensure that the best approach is being taken, some advance research is essential. Hopefully the material presented above has fulfilled readers' needs for useful insights in this realm.
Ancient 'air-conditioning' cools building sustainably
How did buildings keep cool before the invention of air conditioning? As architects consider how to reduce the energy demands of new builds, some are turning to the past for simple, low-tech solutions.
At the height of summer, in the sweltering industrial suburbs of Jaipur, Rajasthan in north-west India, the Pearl Academy of Fashion remains 20 degrees cooler inside than out -- by drawing on Rajasthan's ancient architecture.
While the exterior appears very much in keeping with the trends of contemporary design, at the base of the building is a vast pool of water -- a cooling concept taken directly from the stepwell structures developed locally over 1,500 years ago to provide refuge from the desert heat.
Award-winning architect Manit Rastogi, who designed the academy, explains that baoli -- the Hindi word for stepwell -- are bodies of water encased by a descending set of steps.
"When water evaporates in heat, it immediately brings down the temperature of the space around it," he says.
While traditional stepwells often go many stories below ground level, Rastogi's go down just four meters. However, the effect is the same and -- like the ancient Mughal palaces before it -- the academy enjoys its own microclimate.
Read more from Road to Rio: The slums of Mumbai: A model of urban sustainability?
Rastogi wonders: "How did they think up something so elaborate and yet so simple in its basic philosophy?
"How do you begin to think that you can dig into the ground and use the earth as a heat sink, have access to water, put a pavilion into it so that its comfortable through the year? It takes a lot of technology for us to think up something that simple now."
But it's not just the stepwells that are involved in this process of "passive cooling" -- the general term applied to technologies or design features that cool buildings without power consumption.
The whole building is raised above the ground on pillars, creating an airy and shaded pavilion that is used as a recreation and exhibition space. Here, according to Rastogi, the walls are made from a heat-absorbing material that creates a "thermal bank" -- so the warmth is slowly released at night when the temperature drops.
Centuries ago, latticed screens or "jaali" filtered direct sunlight into the palaces. The effect was decorative and helped reduce the heat. Likewise at The Pearl Academy, a latticed concrete screen runs the length of the building and provides a cooling outer skin.
"We've been able to demonstrate that good green building is not only cheaper to run; it's not only more comfortable to live in -- it's also cheaper to build," says Rastogi.
The success of the academy's eco-design has had an impact. Regulations -- based on these passive cooling techniques -- were introduced last year for all new Indian government buildings.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1lsY92_nmCH1u72gjMYI4ZChOCJLeKAXLe9ieG5qDeR4/edit?usp=sharing