Do you live in a neighborhood with housing restrictions that prohibit window air conditioners? Or maybe you’re looking for something a little more efficient and powerful than a window air unit but you are not interested in splurging on a whole home air conditioner?
A ductless mini-split heating and air conditioning system is a perfect solution. This is a good option if a window air conditioner or central air conditioning system is impractical or too expensive. A split air conditioner means just that, an air conditioner with an indoor and an outdoor unit.
No Ducts
A ductless mini-split air conditioning system uses compact air handlers to provide cool air. Copper tubing runs through small openings in the wall or ceiling that easily connects the indoor and outdoor units. This is why no ducts are needed for this type of system. Air handlers are mounted on a ceiling or a wall. The creation of moisture is eliminated as insulated hoses prevent conditions where moisture can occur.
Energy Efficiency
The lack of ducts for a ductless mini-split heating and air conditioning system means less cool air is lost. If a typical air conditioning system is used, then up to 30 percent cooling loss occurs. The efficiency that is provided by this air conditioning system will help to lower monthly electric bills. Many models used in a home are Energy Star qualified. Many units have increased efficiency of about 27.2 SEER. This is a basic standard known as Standard Seasonal Efficiency Ratio. A higher SEER rating means the unit will be more efficient.
Zone Control Lowers Energy Costs
The ability to set specific zones to heat or cool will result in better performance and lower energy costs per year. Air will be sent to certain areas and not to rooms that are unused. This means that a standard home with a second floor can have a separate zone that does not need to be cooled or heated.
The refrigerant used in a ductless mini-split air conditioning system is R410A. This means that there is no harm to the environment and no contribution to further ozone layer depletion.
Improves Home Safety
Homes without central air conditioner will typically have window units installed. These are often not a good option for home security. The air handlers of a ductless mini-split system are mounted away from windows and virtually eliminate the chance of an intruder to enter a home.
In some cases, there are homes with inefficient central air conditioning and faulty ductwork that causes poor air flow to some rooms. In this case, homeowners have to install unsightly window mounted air conditioners to cool these rooms. Just compare this appearance to the indoor unit above!
Like mentioned before, units that are installed in a home will have two parts. One part is the outside unit and the other part is a series of air handlers that are installed inside. This two-part system means that louder components used for the system are located outside.
Easy Installation
The installation of a ductless mini-split system require drilling a small hole in an exterior wall. This is all that is needed to connect the inside unit to one or more air handlers inside. The result is a unit that is able to provide comfort in a home throughout the year. Indoor units will have varying sizes and usually means a home may need between two and eight units installed. This all depends on your particular heating and cooling needs.
For more information and estimates, call us at: 240-222-3205.
Summer is winding down. However, we can still expect some hot days. The continued heat means you’re bathing more, watering plants, watering the grass, washing your cars and making lots of cold beverages.
The purpose of this article is to provide some easy ideas to help you reduce your water bill by following these simple tips, as we move forward to the Fall and Winter months.
Check all your faucets for leaks. A month of drips can add up to anywhere from 200-250 gallons of waste water. Also, be sure to check your toilet.
The Environmental Protection Agency suggests putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank and waiting 15 minutes before flushing. If any food coloring appears in the bowl before flushing, you have a leak.
If you decide to buy a new toilet, look for one with the EPA WaterSense label. They use at least 20% less water than a standard toilet. This could save a family of four hundreds of dollars per year in reduced water utility bills.
The EPA reports showering saves significant amounts of water. A bath tub can use 30 gallons or more, depending on the water depth. If you DO soak in the tub, use the bath water on your plants.
Try to limit your showers to 5 minutes or less. Also, consider a water-efficient showerhead to reduce your water bill even more.
3. Go Easy on the Dishwasher to Save Money
Run the dishwasher only when it’s fully loaded and use the economy setting. Newer models run on different cycles, so check your manufacturer’s recommendations for the most efficient setting.
Also, scrape dishes rather than rinsing them before placing them in the dishwasher.
Call Us for All your Plumbing, Heating and
Air Conditioning Needs (240) 530-0458
The EPA estimates that more than 50 percent of landscape water is lost due to evaporation, wind, or over-watering.
4. Garbage Disposals can Mean Money Down the Drain
Garbage Disposals can use as much as 4 gallons of water per minute! Consider disposing of food waste by composting or by wrapping it and placing it in the trash.
5. Conserve on Outdoor Water Use
It’s okay to let the soil dry out between waterings. Water your vegetables and annuals as soon as they start to wilt. Perennials are tougher and only need water when they get droopy.
Water during the cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation. The EPA estimates that more than 50 percent of landscape water is lost due to evaporation, wind, or overwatering. If you water during the hot and humid part of day, as much as 30 percent of the water will be lost to evaporation alone.
Make sure your sprinkler is only watering plants and grass, not your sidewalk. Check hoses for leaks, and collect rainwater in barrels to water plants. The EPA suggests using soaker hoses because they use less water than sprinklers.
Another great idea is to use that water you might have sitting in the kids’ swimming pools. This is the water that you may have accumulated via rain, not the filtered chlorinated water associated with built in swimming pools.
Call Us for All your Plumbing, Heating and
Air Conditioning Needs (240) 530-0458
In summary, using these simple tips will help you reduce your water bill. And, keep your eyes posted for other simple techniques.
I saw a commercial on television that was both funny and informative. During a nice rainfall, a very intuitive family was using this as an opportunity to wash their cars. So, look for other ways to use this free water to help you save on your water bills.
As always, give us a call if you need help with any leaks you might have around your house or if you need any toilets replaced. We always recommend that when you call us, have one of our technicians fix as many little problems that you may have on one service call. This will also save you money!
This article is on Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance. Is it important to you? If saving money on your energy bills and avoiding high cost maintenance bills is important to you, this is a must read!
Most homeowners do not pay much attention to their Air Conditioning system until something breaks. Grant it, modern air conditioning units are quite dependable and last for years, but that doesn’t mean you should simply ignore your system. If you’ve never given your air conditioning system a checkup, or haven’t done so recently, now’s the perfect time.
Did you know that spending a little money on an annual air conditioning checkup can help you save serious dollars over the long run? For example, if you have a small refrigerant leak repaired, it usually won’t cost too much to fix. On the other hand, if you let the leak run, you could burn out your compressor, which could cost more than $1,000 to replace, plus the freon refrigerant! Grant it, at this time of year you and I have a huge natural energy break.
We are finally free of those high winter energy bills. We can now open our windows, breath the fresh air and get some relief on those huge, unforgivable and unforgettable bills. Hopefully, this relief will last for a while. But, summer is coming. We can’t control that. On the other hand, here is something we can control; air conditioning preventive maintenance. Now is the time to prepare, posture and work to keep those summer bills as low as we can. And, that is something you can control. …, here is something else to consider. We see it all the time. We get calls in mid to late August from customers whose air conditioning systems completely broke down and can’t be fixed. Thier air conditioning system is virtually ‘totalled.’ Our technicians identify components that could have been maintained, but were completely ignored. It’s like having a car that was never taken care of or maintained. Simple maintenance procedures which should have been performed and that would have allowed our customers to avoid replacing their entire system.
Here is what Energy Star recommends on how to maintain your equipment to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance by having a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups. Contractors get busy once the summer and winter seasons arrive, so it’s best to have them check your cooling system in the spring and your heating system in the fall. To remember, you might plan the check-ups around the time changes in the spring and fall. Watch this short Angie’s List video on 5 Things to Know About Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance.
Let’s take this a step further and use a simple comparison to some preventive maintenance you already do with your other valuable personal property. How do you treat you cars? Do you provide preventive maintenance on your cars? Sure you do! You have the oil changed every 3-5,000 miles! And, if you’re like me, you have all the critical components checked… like you engine belt and transmission and other critical fluid levels. Why do you do this? That’s simple easy… you do it to preserve your cars and to avoid future, very costly maintenance. So, why not do this for your Air Conditioning System?
Ensure that you have a comfortable home to return to this summer. June is not the time to discover your Air Conditioning system is having problems. If a stitch in time saves nine, showing your air conditioning just a little love could save you thousands of repair dollars when you need cooling the most. To help keep you cool this summer, it’s a great idea to service your air conditioner now. A properly maintained air conditioning system operating in an efficient manner can help you save on those always unwelcome electric utility bills and even higher maintenance bills.
Jerry’s Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning is here to help! We are offering 10-Point Maintenance inspection at a discounted price! With Jerry’s Plumbing, you don’t have to worry about inviting us into your home. Our technicians are fully licensed, trained and have undergone a full background check. Please read our testimonials. And, we are a top service provider in Southern Maryland. See us on Angie’s List. And for more tips on reducing your plumbing costs, see our article on reducing plumbing costs.
You no doubt hear people talking about green energy technology, but you may not be sure what they’re talking about or exactly how it applies to the typical homeowner.
The purpose of this article is to explain some general concepts about green energy. In other words, this article will clarify and describe the big picture, then break it down and show you how it applies to each and every homeowner that wants to apply some great ideas to save money on their energy bills.
…an umbrella term used to describe any sort of alternative energy that is produced with less negative impact on the environment than ‘non-green’ energy sources such as fossil fuels.
And, there are any number of growing companies involved in the green energy industry. They produce new technologies like solar panels, windmills and hydro based power plants. Many consider nuclear energy a green energy technology. Obviously, we aren’t going to be buying any nuclear powered dishwashers and hot water heaters; at least in the foreseeable future. So, here are some great ideas for you to use to Go Green and save money…
Green Energy Technology in your home: Tax Savings on New Appliances
The government has grants available to those who are willing to invest in alternative renewable energies, or green energies. Speak with the government in your area about these programs. Some areas provide rebates for green energy product installation, or provide tax relief as an incentive. And, over time you can save a lot of money on your energy bills.
For example, the State of Maryland in conjunction with Energy Star is working to bring the benefits of energy efficiency and lower utility bills to Maryland residents. See this article on Maryland’s Energy Administration’s Website for some great ideas: ENERGY STAR, the Maryland Energy Administration, and You.
Green Energy Technology in your home: Simple Solutions for Going Green
Wait until your dishwasher is full before running it if you want to save energy. Don’t run it when there are only a few dishes there. You may be quite surprised at the number of dishes your dishwasher can handle in one load. Set up the plates so that you fill it up as much as possible.
Don’t run the dishwasher unless it is filled to capacity. The energy used is the same whether you are washing a small load of dishes, or one that is larger. When running the dishwasher, ensure that you are using the energy-saving option, which allows the air-drying of your dishes.
Replace your water heater and get a tankless model. Tankless water heaters do require energy for operation, but since they heat water on demand, power is not wasted by keeping a full tank hot 24/7. You can purchase tankless heaters that supply the whole house, or ones that supply just one faucet.
If you would like to live your life green, stay away from excess electric heater usage. Instead, start wearing warmer clothing indoors and use a pellet stove or fireplace to keep main living areas heated. Cool air helps sleeping patterns, as well as improving breathing.
Unless cold temperatures become a real problem, it is better to keep the heat turned down. If it is a little chilly, simply put on a sweatshirt, and pair of sweatpants. If you turn the heat up to 75 degrees, you are using a ton of unnecessary energy.
For more great Residential Energy Saving Tips… see Residential Energy Saving Tips … Learn 15 Things that will Empower You to Save Money.
In Summary, the tips presented will help the planet and save you money at the same time.
If you want to “go green” and do your part to help save the environment, you have a lot of options. Many of these options will not cost you money, but will also save you money, like cleaning your furnace filter monthly and turning down your thermostat when you are leaving your home. Lowering the temperature of your water heater can save energy as well. Little things like this add up!
After learning more about green energy technology, you are probably eager to get started using it. Make use of the advice you have here to get started with green energy right away. This technology will have a positive impact of the environment and your pocketbook. Stay tuned for more articles, but if you want some simple solutions to get you started, just call our office for more information.
A ductless mini-split air conditioning system uses compact air handlers to provide cool air. Copper tubing runs through small openings in the wall or ceiling that easily connects the indoor and outdoor units. This is why no ducts are needed for this type of system. Air handlers are mounted on a ceiling or a wall. The creation of moisture is eliminated as insulated hoses prevent conditions where moisture can occur.
Homes without central air conditioner will typically have window units installed. These are often not a good option for home security. The air handlers of a ductless mini-split system are mounted away from windows and virtually eliminate the chance of an intruder to enter a home.
