The Greatest Gift: Air Conditioning

Getting through a hot summer can be really hard without air conditioning, especially when you live in Houston, Texas. Hundreds of people die each year from the heat, it is a danger that many of us overlook. But this year the Houston Rockets are trying to do something about it. They have raised money to donate 100 air conditioners to needy families in Houston. Check out this article from the Houston Chronicle:

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Rockets are donating 100 air-conditioning units to needy homes in the city, where the temperature has hovered around 100 degrees for most of the summer.

Rockets chief executive officer Tad Brown and former Rocket Clyde Drexler helped install the first unit on Tuesday afternoon at the home of Dora Fannon, southeast of the city. Fannon says her air conditioner shut down in April.

The Rockets are teaming with Sheltering Arms Senior Services to distribute the units in various parts of the city. Brown says they should all be installed and running by the end of this week.

"We identified the people who were in the highest priority need," Brown said. "We take for granted sometimes, the general conveniences that we have."

The National Weather Service said Tuesday that the official temperature in the city hit 100 degrees for the 40th time this year. The previous record was 32.

Brown said a staff member suggested the air-conditioning initiative, and team owner Leslie Alexander liked the idea.

"He always wants to make sure that the Rockets are out there, and we're doing the right thing by the community," Brown said. "Anybody who's been going through the oppressive heat, this is something that we really know will make a difference in people's lives."

Sheltering Arms, a United Way agency, is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the health and well-being of older adults and their caregivers.

How to Clean Up Flood Damage

With Hurricane Irene causing massive flooding in the Northeast, many people are having to deal with water in their basement and much worse. It can seem overwhelming; how are you supposed to deal with this disaster? Thankfully, wikiHow has a great article on the steps you should take to recover from flood damage:

  When flood or water related damage occurs in your home and other property, given the emotional and physical toll flooding can take on you, it can often be difficult to remember what to do next.

Rather than trying to work it all out alone, here to help is a Flood Damage Repair checklist which will walk you through the process step-by-step.

1. Call for help with both assessment and clean-up. Contact a flood damage repair company immediately. Search for someone that provides 24/7 support and is able to send a technician to your home right away. Ask them to also bring official documentation to reassure you that you are dealing with someone reputable.

2. Turn off all of the electricity. Electricity and water don’t mix. Even if you feel the area is safe, it is better to err on the side of caution until a professional has time to evaluate the situation.

3. Stop the water. If at all possible attempt to stop more water from entering the home. Place barriers between gaps in your home and the external water sources, such as boards, mats, and other water stopping items.

4. Move to higher ground. Remove furniture, equipment and other items away from the water and moisture. If you are unable to remove furniture yourself, then contact a storage company and have it relocated until the water is extracted and the home is dried. If the furniture is already really water-damaged though, it won't be able to be stored as it will be a source of mildew and mold growth, so only select the furniture that is dry or barely damaged.

Some flood damage repair companies are able to provide removal of furniture and belongings as part of their complete package of services. Ask about this at the time of booking.

Ask friends, family, and neighbors to help you. In turn, help neighbors who have also been affected by the flooding.

5. Extract the water. Have all the water and humidity professionally extracted from the home including carpets, furniture, drywall and other impacted areas.

6. Removal. Some items may not be salvageable and will require appropriate disposal. If you aren’t sure, consult with a professional flood damage repair provider who will be able to assist in determining what is able to be fixed and what could be a potential health hazard.

7. Repair. Flooding causes damage to many areas that will require repairs; cabinets, walls, floors and furniture frequently need extensive remediation after flood related damage takes place.

8. Document everything. Take pictures and record notes on all activity related to the flood damage. It will assist in submitting a claim to your insurance provider as well as help in repairs and restoration.

9. Leave. Extensive water related damage can cause health related issues ranging from infections to allergic reactions. In some cases, waterborne disease may also be an issue where livestock and corpses are in the water and vicinity of the floods. Lock up and leave the home rather than risk an injury or illness related to flood damage if your home has extensive water damage.

10. Call your insurance. Your insurance agent will be able to assist in submitting a claim but be sure to work with a reputable flood damage repair and water damage repair provider. Be sure to use someone who is recognized by your insurance provider; failure to use a qualified provider often leads to rejection of claims resulting in costly fees and out of pocket expenses.

HVAC on Facebook

Facebook can be hard for HVAC companies to utilize, unfortunately it is not the most interesting of fields. But there are ways that HVAC companies can be successful on Facebook. For those professionals out there, here is an article on three secrets to making Facebook successful from ContractingBusiness.com:

The Three Hidden Secrets to Facebook for HVAC Contractors
AUG 24, 2011 2:51 PM, BY JOE PULIZZI

Facebook is dicey at best for HVAC contractors.
For the most part, people use Facebook to share stories, photos and information with other friends. That most likely means that consumers DO NOT necessarily want to connect with their local HVAC company. But, as long as we can act like human beings, there’s a great opportunity to engage with customers on a consistent basis using Facebook.
There are three key ways to help make Facebook a business success for your company. Here they are:
1. Tell Stories.
Simpson Air in Tampa, FL, consistently shares customer testimonials (see below) as well as on-site pictures from technicians showing problems that arise from a bad HVAC system check.

Also, sharing consistent educational information that doesn’t promote the company is a great non-selling tactic that positions your organization as the regional home comfort experts. SocialTract customer Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning out of Massachusetts regularly shares educational blog posts via their Facebook page.

2. Tag, Tag, Tag.
If you talk about a customer or local association on your Facebook page, how do you let them know that you shared their information? By Tagging. Tagging an individual or company lets those people know you are including them in the conversation, and they are then much more likely to share that information themselves. In the example below, Junta42 is letting Sprout Content know that they are sharing their post. Depending on settings, Sprout Content will most likely receive an email letting them know that Junta42 is talking about them on Facebook. To tag, when you are completing the description on Facebook, just use the @ button and a search list will pop up for you to choose the customer or company via Facebook.

3. Special Offers.
Of course, you can’t just do offers all the time on your Facebook page. It comes off as too salesy and not human enough. But, as long as you are doing the first two above, offers on occasion are a great way to drive engagement and sales. PK Wadsworth out of Solon, OH, promotes offers on a periodic basis, like this one below for a Heating Performance Check.

Some other keys to remember with Facebook include:
• Consider using targeted advertising with Facebook to your regional audience. Facebook offers a number of custom advertising programs. The best calls to action include a content offer (like a special informational white paper or electronic guide) or a special discount on services.
• Make it easy for customers to share your content. For example, all of your blog posts or informational articles on your website should have the Facebook “Like” button clearly available at the top of your post or article. From the example below, readers can easily share the content via Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn.

• Consider a Facebook splash page. Most HVAC Facebook pages just show the stream of content. You might want to consider a page like we have at Junta42 that gives some incentive for customers to actually “like” your page. When they click the “Like” button, now you have an ongoing connection with them.

• All talk and no engagement won’t do much for your business. Be sure you are commenting and sharing content from customers and other relevant influencers on a consistent basis. If you are just talking all the time and not listening, why should we expect anyone to listen to us?

Joe Pulizzi is CEO of SocialTract , the leading blogging and content service designed for service companies. SocialTract is part of the Content Marketing Institute , which runs the largest international content marketing event, Content Marketing World (Sept 6-8, 2011). Joe is also co-author of Get Content Get Customers, which details how companies can publish content to drive revenues. He will be speaking at HVAC Comfortech in Indianapolis this year. Joe can be reached at joe@socialtract.com.

Living Walls

Not really about Plumbing or HVAC, but is was too cool to miss. If you are interested in adding a bit of art to your garden, check out this awesome idea I found in the North Country Times:

By DEAN FOSDICK For the Associated Press 

When landscaper Darien Ball began building a "living wall" to highlight the Tiffany stained-glass lamp exhibit at the Biltmore Estate this summer, he reached for some drafting paper first, then garden tools. Ball sketched a simple schematic and then brought it to life with colorful foliage.
The 6-by-24-foot floral tapestry panels ---- vertical gardens ---- were crafted using a plant-by-the-numbers system similar to the old paint-by-number kits for children.
"We were looking to find the right shading and details to match the Tiffany glasswork," Ball said by phone from the 8,000-acre private estate in Asheville, N.C. "We wanted some themes that would stand out on their own."
The color palettes on the schematic were numbered to distinguish plant varieties. Variegated liriope, a groundcover, was No. 1, Electric Lime coleus, or painted nettle plants, No. 2, and so on. The colors match those of butterflies, tree branches and dragonflies ---- all iconic subjects on the Tiffany lamps, windows, vases and bowls created for wealthy patrons in the late 19th century.
"It was difficult to find the right shading and plant details to match the Tiffany patterns, but using darker hues worked," Ball said. "We also had to remember that the plants would grow, so we left room for expansion."
Light levels and water requirements are the two most important living-wall design elements, he said.
"You've got to think maintenance before you get too carried away with design," he said. "Plants with colorful foliage are easier to work with than flowering plants that need deadheading."
The Biltmore's floral tapestry is just one living-wall variation. Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa., has designed another. It is said to be America's largest living wall, with 47,000 plants from 25 different woodland plant species. Most are ferns.
"No geometric shapes," said Lorrie Baird, a senior gardener who cares for Longwood's living wall. "We allow them to do what they would in a natural environment."
Plants that need more light went on top, she said, and those requiring less light were placed toward the bottom.
"Watering is done automatically," Baird said. "We start at the top and it flows down to the next panel and then down to the next. The lower panels get the runoff."
Gardeners can create their own living walls at home, she said. Kits with planters, water barriers, pumps and soaker hoses are available via the Internet.
"A developing trend is to have vertical herb gardens," Baird said. "A lot of people are finding space for them on their kitchen walls."
Formal gardens like those at Longwood and the Biltmore are meant to educate as well as decorate.
"One service we provide is making people aware that living walls exist and that they can do them on their own," said Patricia Evans, Longwood spokeswoman.
Douglas and Diane Corkhill, Asheville residents who visit the Biltmore frequently, subscribe to that.
"Many of the things we've done around our house have been inspired by things we've seen at the Biltmore," Douglas said.
The Corkhills would like to try the living wall but haven't found the time yet. "We were able to talk with the crew about it while they were putting it together," Douglas said. "We took a friend back later and saw the finished product. Really terrific."
Read more: http://www.nctimes.com/ap/lifestyles/article_8d0a1c0f-dd60-5e67-a61c-f2c88c14be95.html#ixzz1W94j51K9

Common Air Conditioner Problems

Is your air conditioner starting to fall apart after this hot summer? Do you think it is not working as well as it should? Air conditioners are pretty reliable pieces of equipment, but even they can break down occasionally. Before you call an HVAC contractor, you should understand what some of the common problems with air conditioners are. Here is a great article from HomeImprovement.Superpages.com.

Common Air Conditioner Problems
Air conditioners can fail at any time without warning. If you live in an area that sees high temperatures during the summer months, you know already that outages such as these can result in significant discomfort within a matter of minutes. Sometimes waiting for the pros to come repair your machine simply isn’t practical. Thankfully there are some simple ways to identify common air conditioner problem on your own if you want to attempt your own repair or give that technician a head start.

Most air conditioner problems are of the “failure” variety, meaning the home or office is no longer being cooled adequately. Even before you reach this level of crisis, however, a number of lesser issues may arise that require attention. From excess noise to unwanted precipitation, countless things can go wrong with such a power-hungry and complex machine.

One of the most common complaints is that the air conditioner makes a wailing noise. Left unchecked, such sound pollution can quickly grow deafening when the unit is operating at full capacity. Thankfully it is easy to solve the problem. loud noises such as these are generally caused by the fan belt, which can become dislodged over time. Put it back and check the bearings in the motor, as they may need lubrication or replacement.
A second non-emergency issue that often arises is frozen coils. Frozen coils and ice can block the operation of the unit, creating something like a bottleneck when there should be a circulating combination of Freon and air. Heat pumps often contain collateral heating elements to reduce this problem, but sometimes the unit doesn’t cycle quickly or effectively enough. Often a calibration check can eliminate this problem altogether.

Air conditioner units may also leak water inside your house, creating the conditions for significant water damage, mold and mildew. If your unit no longer drains away condensation effectively, the issue could lie in a rusted out condensation pan. Check here first, then move down to the drain itself to ensure no blockages are keeping all that water from finding its way to an appropriate location.

If the air conditioner simply isn’t cooling, more advanced diagnostic tools must be applied. It’s important to identify the problem as specifically as you can: is the fan or compressor running without the other? Does the unit work sometimes, but not always? Does it overcool or not cool enough? Questions such as these can help you zero in quickly on the source of the problem, so be sure to take a second to observe operation before you cut power to the unit.

Generally the problems can be identified from such details. If, for instance, the unit shuts off before the room is a comfortable temperature, it may not be cycling enough air through the thermostat to take a representative sample. This could be due to poor calibration or a blocked input valve and again, only trial and error will tell for sure. Check for both by adjusting the thermostat or moving it to another location.

Probably the most common cause of air conditioner failure is blocked grills. Simple disassembly (without power) will give you ready access to the fins, fan, motor and other parts that may be operating at less than peak efficiency. Wipe these down carefully, using caution not to get moving electrical parts wet. Be careful when removing the top grill, as it may be wired to the fan. Replace everything and try again, ensuring the thermostat is set well below the ambient temperature that day.

Other problems can be harder to spot, but they may hold the answer if the above measures don’t work. A Freon leak can render the machine weak or utterly ineffectual, especially if recharging the gas supply doesn’t solve the problem. The thermostat itself could be broken as well, which usually means it has to be replaced. Finally, the A/C unit may be short-circuited to the ground, causing circuit breakers to fail every time the machine is operated. Problems such as these will usually require the intercession of an HVAC professional. Be sure to provide a detailed description of the problem and get a series of estimates first if you want to minimize the time, inconvenience and money required.

Green Ways to Cool Your Home

We all need to do our part to try to live a green lifestyle and try to minimize our carbon footprint. And it is a great thing that many of the steps you can take to conserve energy also save you money. Sometimes buying energy efficient HVAC equipment is more expensive to start with, but the savings over time make it more than worth it. Check out this article by ACI Northwest Inc. about ways to cool your house naturally.

Variety of Ways to Cool Your Spokane Home Naturally

It is normal these days to simply switch on the air conditioning when the temperature begins to rise outside in Spokane. But this can get expensive quickly, so it is a good idea to look into some alternative cooling methods as well. Fortunately, there are actually some great ways to help keep your home cool without touching that air conditioning at all. You will probably still want to have it around for extreme circumstances, but the less you need to use it, the more you will save in the long run. 

Using fans, ceiling fans in particular, can certainly help to keep you cool on many moderate summer days. But they are far from the only options available. In fact, the design and composition of your house itself will have a lot to do with how easy it is to keep it cool all summer long.

One of the main reasons that your house gets so hot inside during the summer is that sunlight heats the air inside when it hits the walls, roof and windows. Closing your blinds will help to keep some of this out, but there will still be plenty of heat from the sun working to increase the indoor temperature.

What you really want to do to keep your house from heating up because of sunlight is to actively reflect the sun’s rays away from your home. You can do this by having light colored roofing and exterior paint or siding put on. While the dark colors typically used for this type of work absorb the vast majority of the sunlight that hits them, lighter colors will reflect it away.

This works well for the walls, but on your roof it can be a bit more difficult to stop the absorption of heat from the sun because of the nature of typical roofing materials. What you can do, however, is add a reflective coating like white latex on the roof. This will dramatically reduce the amount of heat that is able to come into your home in this way.

Also, natural shade can do a lot to keep sunlight from getting to your home to begin with. Planting trees close enough to your home that they will block out the sun but far enough away that they have room to grow will eventually help to keep your home much cooler without any extra work whatsoever. For more energy saving tips, contact your local AC contractor.

Stolen Air Conditioning?

In Arizona, people are having their air conditioners stolen. Not for the their cooling power (which is very important, especially in Arizona) but for the copper inside. Authorities are recommending that people protect their AC units and beware of this new 'urban mining' trend. Here is the complete article from azFamily.com:

PHOENIX, Ariz. – It’s a new twist to an old crime. Three air conditioning units were stolen over the weekend instead of just the copper inside.

“Cut the copper lines and loaded up the units, the complete units and took the whole unit,” said Clint Brennan with Due-All Air Conditioning and Heating.

According to Brennan, it's faster for thieves to take the whole thing rather than tear it all apart.

“I'm going to guess they probably did it in 10 or 15 minutes and they were in and out, very quick,” said Brennan.

They are very costly to replace. “$2,000 to $4,000 a unit, at least,” said Brennan.

It's not uncommon to hear about copper thefts but stealing the entire unit that's relatively new.

“Urban mining as this is called is a very common crime,” explained Timothy Zehring, an insurance agent that has handled many stolen air conditioning units.

“One of the best things you can do to prevent it from happening to you is painting your metal, because then it becomes dirty and the recyclers don't want it,” said Zehring.

Zehring said he's seeing more and more actual ground units "as a whole" being taken rather than destroyed for the copper inside.

“Most people think this will never happen to me, they read about it, they hear about it, but they believe it can happen to them,” Zehring said.

Clint Brennan who replaces many of these stolen units recommended people protect their cool air by adding security.

“You shouldn't, in a perfect world, yeah, you should never have to do it, but we don't live in a perfect world,” said Brennan.

Plumbing in the UK

Apparently it is difficult to be a plumber in the UK, especially if you don't pay your taxes. Check out this article from BBC News:

Unpaid tax crackdown: Five plumbers arrested by HMRC 
Five plumbers have been arrested by the UK tax authority during investigations into unpaid tax, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has said.
The arrests have come in addition to 500 investigations into those in the trade, as part of a targeted crackdown by HMRC.
The arrests came during raids in London, Hampshire, Surrey, Middlesex and West Bromwich.
Questions have been raised previously about the success of the campaign.
'Ghosts'
HMRC wrote to 50,000 tradespeople in the plumbing industry, warning them to pay any tax they owed or face big fines. This was a general mailshot, not the result of any specific suspicions that recipients were avoiding tax.
However, HMRC believed some registered plumbers and gas fitters in the UK were moonlighting - being paid cash in hand and failing to pay tax.
Those who came forward before a May deadline were subject to fines of up to 20% of the tax owed.
Continue reading the main story
However, a series of raids by HMRC is now aimed at picking up those who did not come forward and ensure they pay what they owe. It said some investigations involved unpaid tax of up to £150,000.
"These raids and arrests of ghosts - people who have not declared income from the work they do - are the culmination of months of work by HMRC," said John Pointing of HMRC.
He said further raids were expected in the coming weeks across the UK, including in Yorkshire, Kent, Cambridgeshire, Tyne and Wear, the Midlands and South Wales.
The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) previously said that a lack of clear advertising to plumbers had left some in the trade unaware of the campaign, but now HMRC has stepped up the pressure.
"HMRC have had limited success with the numbers coming forward in the recent medical and plumbers disclosure opportunities, so they are getting tough with those who did not register or disclose," said Gary Ashford of the CIOT.
"People should not underestimate the amount of data that HMRC is holding. What we are now seeing is HMRC starting to use that information. The net is tightening on those who break the law."
According to the government, £45bn is lost each year through unpaid taxes in the UK. A budget of £917m has been made available to HMRC to tackle evasion and avoidance.
Previous disclosure campaigns have been targeted at doctors, dentists and, more recently, restaurant owners and staff.

Plumbing Tip of the Day: How to Take Care of Your Septic System

If a septic system isn’t properly maintained, you will usually know the symptoms – unpleasant as they may be. Beyond the obvious, which sets off a “smell alarm,” there are the more important reasons for proper maintenance, namely your health.

The first question you should ask is: Where is my septic tank? Fair enough, some homeowners who have never had their tank serviced or replaced because they had recently purchased the home or have not felt the need for service. In any case, there are some things you should know about your system and some very good reasons to have trained professionals inspect and service your septic tank.

Your septic tank is located on your property and is usually designated on a drawing of your home and surrounding real estate. This is often called an “as-built” line drawing of your property and is available at your local city or county land office. The septic tank is located in a drainfield and is usually visible by locating the tank’s manhole cover. In some cases, older tanks have no visible parts because of overgrowth or vegetation. If that is the case, you may need septic service professional to locate it for you.

Chances are, you have already learned about your septic tank and drainfield from the previous homeowner or from an inspection of your property. It is always useful to understand the function of the septic tank and why septic system maintenance is so important. And beyond the health aspect, proper system maintenance will save you a lot of money is repairs and service.

Here are some key things to do for septic system maintenance:

• Have your system inspected at a minimum of every three years and have it pumped out every three-five years as recommended by the professionals who do the inspection.
• Pumping on a regular basis assures that the septic systems works efficiently so you may want to simply maintain a regular schedule.
• Always trust the service to a licensed professional and not “someone’s cousin.” That way, you are assured that the job is done right.
• Maintain the components that directly feed into the septic system, namely the toilets, sinks, appliances, and plumbing fixtures. Check for leaks and consider using less water to flush toilets (a toilet tank with a 1.6 gallon reservoir versus a 3.5 gallon reservoir).
• Spread water usage throughout the week when using a washing machine – and make sure loads are sized correctly.
• Watch what you flush or rinse down a drain, including caustic chemicals and things like dental floss or sanitary napkins.
• Maintain the drainfield by not planting anything with roots over it (grass is recommended). Don’t drive over or park on top of a drainfield. Keep water runoff and drainage away from the drainfield to prevent flooding.

Proper septic system maintenance begins above the ground and continues through professional service and replacement. It sure beats a “stinky” situation.

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We are here to talk about home services and home improvement topics. Visit us for news, tips, and tricks about plumbing, air conditioning, heating, electrical and much more!

Life is Better with Air Conditioning:

Air conditioning is a must have this summer, but how does air conditioning actually work? The important part is the refrigerant, usually Freon. The Freon is compressed by the compressor (hence its name), which heats it up, then the hot gas dissipates its heat as it runs through a series of coils and condenses into a liquid. The liquid Freon then runs through an expansion valve and evaporates to become cold Freon gas. This cold gas runs through the coils, absorbing heat from the room and cooling the air in the building. Air conditioners also help to filter and dehumidify the air. For more information and a nifty diagram, visit http://home.howstuffworks.com/ac1.htm.