Cooler temperatures are finally here, and now is a good time to prepare for the upcoming heating season. Whether you use a gas furnace or heat pump or heat strip, it is important to have them regularly inspected for safety and efficiency. A typical inspection will cost between $150 and $200 and should include the following:
Gas Furnace:
Burners checked for debris
Heat exchangers inspected for cracks
Proper venting and combustion air
Safeties working
Blower motor operation
Adequate temperature rise
Heat Pump:
Proper pressures on condenser unit
Defrost board and electric heat for defrost mode
Auxiliary heat and safeties are working properly
Inside and outside coils are clean
Adequate temperature rise
If you need a recommendation for a HVAC service company, please feel free to call the office at 985-845-2148.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Improvements from the top down
I’m sure as soon as the weather cools off, your first instinct will be to head up into the attic to start an energy efficiency overhaul. No? Well, even if it’s your second (or third…or tenth) choice, giving a day or two of attention to this space can have a beneficial impact on your comfort, indoor air quality and utility bills. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1.Use caulk or expandable foam to air seal holes for wiring or piping.
2.Any non-horizontal surface in an attic that adjoins an indoor space should be air-sealed with rigid foam board and foil tape. Areas that need air sealing include skylights, 2nd floor walls (also called kneewalls) and cathedral ceilings.
3.Inspect insulation covering the attic floor. Make sure it forms a fluffy, continuous layer over all of the indoor spaces with no crushed or compacted areas. Attic decking on top of the ceiling joists is fine as long as it does not compress the insulation.
4.Install dampers on bathroom exhaust fans and add ducting to vent them through the nearest soffit.
5.Use a stick of incense to locate leaks in the HVAC system. While the system is running, hold the incense near duct connections, register boots and different areas of the HVAC cabinet and plenum. Supply leaks will blow the incense smoke away, return leaks will draw the smoke in. All leaks should be sealed with UL 181 rated mastic which can be purchased at any home improvement store. If using incense is a problem, look for telltale signs such as mold, rust or waterstaining. All of these are caused by condensation formed when the cold, conditioned air leaks from the system, mixing with the hot, humid attic air. Areas of dirty insulation indicate return air leaks where dust and dirt has become trapped as it is drawn into the system.
6.Build an attic box to fit over your access panel (see instructions at this website) or insulate and weatherstrip the attic access door.
7.Insulate the evaporator drain line around its entire circumference for its entire length.
Hopefully these simple ideas will spark your enthusiasm for bigger, whole-house energy improvements! The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement….
1.Use caulk or expandable foam to air seal holes for wiring or piping.
2.Any non-horizontal surface in an attic that adjoins an indoor space should be air-sealed with rigid foam board and foil tape. Areas that need air sealing include skylights, 2nd floor walls (also called kneewalls) and cathedral ceilings.
3.Inspect insulation covering the attic floor. Make sure it forms a fluffy, continuous layer over all of the indoor spaces with no crushed or compacted areas. Attic decking on top of the ceiling joists is fine as long as it does not compress the insulation.
4.Install dampers on bathroom exhaust fans and add ducting to vent them through the nearest soffit.
5.Use a stick of incense to locate leaks in the HVAC system. While the system is running, hold the incense near duct connections, register boots and different areas of the HVAC cabinet and plenum. Supply leaks will blow the incense smoke away, return leaks will draw the smoke in. All leaks should be sealed with UL 181 rated mastic which can be purchased at any home improvement store. If using incense is a problem, look for telltale signs such as mold, rust or waterstaining. All of these are caused by condensation formed when the cold, conditioned air leaks from the system, mixing with the hot, humid attic air. Areas of dirty insulation indicate return air leaks where dust and dirt has become trapped as it is drawn into the system.
6.Build an attic box to fit over your access panel (see instructions at this website) or insulate and weatherstrip the attic access door.
7.Insulate the evaporator drain line around its entire circumference for its entire length.
Hopefully these simple ideas will spark your enthusiasm for bigger, whole-house energy improvements! The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement….
Friday, October 2, 2009
Education is Never a Waste
If you have time this weekend, Southern Homes is hosting a FREE open house for their High Performance Home in Ponchatoula. Southern Homes is working in partnership with LSU, US DOE and the Louisiana DNR to produce a house that is energy efficient, comfortable year-round, durable, healthy and a great investment. There will be live demonstrations at 10 & 12:30, along with educational materials and experts available throughout the day.
Here are the particulars:
Saturday, October 3rd
9am – 2pm
161 Jack Pine Lane (Lot 80)
Pine Island Subdivision in Pontchatoula
Also…Southeastern Louisiana University’s branch location in St. Tammany is offering more continuing education courses as part of their Green Living Series. This coming Tuesday (October 6th) I will be presenting a 2 hour seminar on energy inspections, audits and diagnostic testing and the information these tools can reveal about your home. I’ll also cover general information on HVAC systems, CFL lighting, energy efficient doors, windows and skylights. Finally, I’ll explain some of the incentive programs available and their requirements as well as other resources for information and research. The seminar is being held at the St. Tammany Center on Koop drive from 11 am to 1pm. It’s brown bag so bring your lunch, your questions and your curiosity. Visit the St. Tammany Center’s website to get details on registration and location as well as other courses in the Green Living series.
Here are the particulars:
Saturday, October 3rd
9am – 2pm
161 Jack Pine Lane (Lot 80)
Pine Island Subdivision in Pontchatoula
Also…Southeastern Louisiana University’s branch location in St. Tammany is offering more continuing education courses as part of their Green Living Series. This coming Tuesday (October 6th) I will be presenting a 2 hour seminar on energy inspections, audits and diagnostic testing and the information these tools can reveal about your home. I’ll also cover general information on HVAC systems, CFL lighting, energy efficient doors, windows and skylights. Finally, I’ll explain some of the incentive programs available and their requirements as well as other resources for information and research. The seminar is being held at the St. Tammany Center on Koop drive from 11 am to 1pm. It’s brown bag so bring your lunch, your questions and your curiosity. Visit the St. Tammany Center’s website to get details on registration and location as well as other courses in the Green Living series.
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