Tuesday, December 4th, 2012
Living in California affords its residents long summers and mild winters. With the changing seasons and drop in temperatures, some might feel the need to purchase a heater. Over half of the western world experiences a snowy climate as one time or another. Heater companies make a variety of products equal to all of the places they might be needed. To prevent overcompensating for the mild winters in California, WC heating and Air Conditioning would like to educate you how to find the proper model for your home. None of the products mentioned here are endorsed by our company but are spotlighted as examples of what is available for home installation without burning out your power lines or your wallet.
I’m thinking of replacing a water heater.
The best place to start your research into a new heating system is to trust the experts who have to test products like this for a living. Consumer Reports has been testing every available product they can get their hands on for reliability, durability, safety, and other factors. When a recall of a product is issued, it is usually Consumer Reports that has brought the call to action because they have found it unsafe through their testing. Fighting for the right of the buyer to have access to quality merchandise is their mantra. In November of 2012, Consumer Reports released an extensive study on all available water heaters on the market for example. Before purchasing any model, consult Consumer Reports to see if it is a good one for your needs.
Another option available to you for research is the Energy.gov website and their Energy Saver initiative. Unlike the Consumer Reports article that lists mostly gas and electric models, the Energy.gov link also includes solar and Geo-thermal options for the more climate-conscious consumer.
I would like to only heat one room.
WC heating and Air is not always required to replace an entire HVAC system if it seems only one room is cold. Just like any other home purchase, consider searching for online reviews to see what others think of what you might be buying. We found a great article on Apartment Therapy about the Best Space Heaters of 2012. This itemized list links the consumer with a variety of space heaters they can buy online. The Apartment Therapy website has already reviewed each of these in previous articles, so this is their final list for their year and their top recommendations for keeping you warm.
I would like to replace my Furnace
HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Most AC units are tied to the heating furnace, as it is more efficient to have central ventilation than dual systems. Our good friend Consumer Reports reviewed the top Gas Furnaces for 2012 and created another buyer’s guide for your review. Another option is Furnace Compare where a person can check on ratings based on user experience. This site is exclusively for furnaces so the topic can get pretty intense in some of the discussion threads.
I feel more confident now.
That’s good. The trick is to feel empowered by your knowledge. When you decide to upgrade or repair your heater this winter, think of WC Air and how we were able to help you make the right decision. That is a sign of true quality.
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Friday, January 13th, 2012
If you’ve read any of our blog posts, you know that we’re pretty big on keeping your heating and air conditioning systems up to par with the annual maintenance. One thing we haven’t really talked about that much, though, is how one goes about choosing the right heating and air conditioning system for their home. The weather outside can be downright frightful, and, as this winter has shown us, somewhat unpredictable, further emphasizing the need for the right HVAC system.
In today’s world, one of the first things one should look at when purchasing a new heating and air system is the overall energy efficiency. In the past years, the individual components of both heating and air conditioning weren’t as efficient with the energy they use as today’s models, so chances are any new model available at local heating and air conditioning companies will be more efficient than the model currently installed in one’s home. This does not mean, however, that any model will do. There are two major factors determining the type of heating and air system one needs – the size of the home in question and the weather of the region it resides in.
The size of the home is pretty important when choosing the heating and air services, especially when it comes to getting the right fit for one’s home. For a larger the home, the more powerful components are going to need to be installed to achieve the desired heating and cooling results, while a smaller home doesn’t need such heavy-duty equipment.
The average weather for the region also plays a big role in deciding which model type and power consumption level desired for the new heating and air systems. For instance, if the weather is relatively warm throughout the year with little variation, than it would make sense to have system who’s components are more on the small end, since they won’t have to be doing much heating or cooling throughout the year. If, however, the region experiences hot summers and cold, long winters, than a more powerful and beefier system may want to be purchased instead.
There are a few other factors involved that can help determine the overall power level of the desired systems, including how shaded the home is and how much sunlight it lets into the home. To get the best advice and the best results for your specific home, it’d be best to talk to the pros here at our shop. From central heating in Winchester to air conditioning in LA, we’ve got you covered.
There are many options available when it comes to energy efficient equipment and components for one’s heating and air conditioning systems – why not let the pros help you figure out which would be the best fit for your home? We’ll save you time, money, and the frustration that comes with trying to figure all of this stuff out on one’s own.
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Tuesday, December 6th, 2011
By now, most of us have become well acquainted with our winterly friend – our heaters. I, for one, have been enjoying the reunion, perhaps a bit more than I should. Regardless of how often we use our heaters, by now we’re all feeling the grip they have on our wallets. Luckily, though, that grip doesn’t have to be so tight when you’ve taken advantage of our Riverside heating and air conditioning services. Regular maintenance is very important when it comes to ensuring your heating and cooling systems run efficiently. With the cold winter nights really starting to pile up, it’s a good idea to get the maintenance work done and out of the way before it’s too late.
We’ve gone over a few different things that everyday residents can do to help keep their fall and winter heating bills down. Truth be told, the same tactics and practices can be applied to both heating and cooling systems, so their also good to keep in mind year round. Everything that deals with air flow has an air filter involved somewhere, and your heating system is no different. Be sure to keep them clean and clear and you’ll already be on a good path to higher energy efficiency.
Saving money is something that we’re all trying to do more of these days, and not just on a personal level – businesses themselves are doing what they can to tighten up the purse strings and pull back on the spending. Some businesses are even forgoing the regular and routine maintenance necessary to maintain their heating and cooling systems, opting instead to let to wear and tare add up. Moves like these may wind up costing business more, since their employees will have to use the heaters more to maintain a reasonable temperature that ultimately results in increased utility bills.
While there are numerous options for residents, from central heating and air to stand alone electric heaters, commercial heating systems are really the best choice for businesses, as they achieve the same heating and cooling capacities as residential units for entire buildings, making them rather cost affective. The industrial sized units are really only found in industrial areas or in office or other buildings, which is why they are referred to as such. It also makes them a bit more tricky when it comes to routine maintenance, since it’s integration into the buildings themselves require the expertise of a professional to ensure everything continues to run smoothly.
Some heating companies will chose to only specialize in commercial or industrial level HVAC systems. While this approach may work for some, it is not the philosophy that we follow. By being at the top of the game in both industrial and residential air conditioning and heating systems, we continue to grow our experience and expertise in both fields, allowing us to bring an every enhancing and growing level of service to our customers.
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Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
Prolonging the life of our heating and air conditioning systems is something that we all want to do, especially since times are tough and we’re all looking for new ways to save money. Replacing or upgrading a heating or air conditioning system can be a pricey endeavor, so it makes sense that more and more people are taking the time to keep their heating and air conditioning systems up to par on the maintenance.
It’s maintenance that really keeps both business and residential heating systems running smoothly and efficiently during the cold winter months. Neglect or poor maintenance can, and often does, lead to obsolete and dysfunctional systems. Individual components ware out and need replacing while others need added lubrication and annual cleaning. Your average resident won’t know how to go about making these necessary maintenance work, and most of the time won’t even know that there is work that needs to be done.
Our heating systems, along with our cooling systems, are machines and need regular maintenance just like any other machine. Take your car, for example – you wouldn’t let it go for a year without an oil change, unless you were looking for a car that doesn’t run. The same holds true for heaters and air conditioners.
Yes, maintenance is truly the way to go about prolonging the life of our heating and air conditioning systems. Not only will the maintenance help prolong the life cycle of our equipment, it will also help with keeping monthly utility bills down. A well-maintenanced system runs more efficiently and with less power usage, allowing us to keep our homes at a comfortable temperature throughout every season of the year without having to pay out the nose for it.
Not all of the maintenance has to be done by a professional central heating company, there are a few things everyone can do to help prolong their systems lifecycle and reduce their monthly bills. For instance, keeping up on replacing the air filters will go a long way. They tend to clog relatively quickly, so keeping them cleaning and replaced will go a long way. Another great thing we can all do is ensure that there are no bushes or other obstacles obstructing the outdoor units.
While there are things we can all do to help keep up on the maintenance, the best way to really ensure your system runs smoothly for years to come is to have it looked at by the trained and professional hands of our HVAC experts. We have the tools and know-how to ensure that the job is done right the first time, ensuring that we all have peace of mind when it comes to our heating and air conditioning systems.
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Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011
One of the things we all take for granted until we don’t have it is residential heating, especially once the cold winter season begins to hit. While it may not be winter yet, Fall is definitely upon us and bringing with it colder and colder nights. Now is the perfect time for all of us to get off our collective behinds and make sure our residential heating system is up to par, helping us save a little money in the process.
Now, there are a couple different ways to keep your home heated this upcoming winter, from portable space heaters to complete central heating and air systems. Chances are that most of us have central heating, which also means we should be keeping up to date on the regular maintenance that comes along with it. Yes, it is true and we’ve said it a couple times here on our blog, but your central heating and air conditioning system requires regular maintenance and tune ups, just like your vehicle or any other piece of machinery that is used on a regular or semi-regular basis.
The maintenance itself is rather simple when compared to the repairs and processes that go along with a complete replacement of your heating furnace and typically consist of replacing worn out or damaged parts, components, as well as checking the overall energy efficiency. You see, over time various parts of your heating system begin to degrade and need replacement or cleaning. For instance, the air filters for your furnace should be cleaned about once a month. You don’t need a professional like us to do this, you can do it yourself without having to involve us. The inspecting and replacing of the warn out parts, though, should be left to us, as we’ll be able to determine what needs to be replaced or repaired and what does not.
There are other things you can do to help keep warm this upcoming winter while saving money on your monthly utility bills, but they aren’t as convenient as simply being able to tell your thermostat how warm you would like to be. You can wear layers, keep some blankets handy, and utilize the strategic placement of fans throughout the house to help circulate the warm air. No matter what you do, it all pales in comparison to simply turning the thermostat up without having to worry about the energy bills breaking through the ceiling.
The bottom line is, if you want your central heating and air conditioning system to work like new this winter, saving you loads on your monthly utility bills and allowing you to keep your indoors as warm as you’d like, than you’re in need of some professional heating services to make it all happen. Many people don’t realize that their heaters need regular maintenance, and as such, simple let them go for years without ever looking at them. You’d be surprised to find just how many people don’t even know that air filters that need to be cleaned are involved.
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Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
It’s getting colder, and every the changing seasons is a sign of upcoming holidays and family gatherings, longer nights and cold mornings. The winter seasons tend to be busy for most of us, and, honestly, a little stressful as well. You can help ease that season stress with a little preventative heating maintenance, ensuring that you’ll save some money this winter on your heating bills as well as have the peace of mind that comes with a nice warm home on a cold winter day.
We’ve gone over a couple different ways to improve your homes heating power, but they’ve been scattered throughout various posts, so we decided that since we’re on the cusp of actually needing to turn on our heaters again, we would go over some of the best ways to get the most out of your heater this winter without having to break the bank every month in the process.
The best thing you can do is to ensure your furnace and/or boiler is as energy efficient as it can be, which would mean that it would have had to been manufactured sometime in the last couple years. Since not everyone can afford to replace their main heating components at this time, let’s start with what you can do around you home to optimize your current heating system. Although, as one of the most trusted names for Riverside heating and air, both county and city, we would be able to get you setup with a new furnace or boiler, ultimately saving you money in the long run.
Make sure your windows are doors are properly sealed. Gaps below doors or between the door and the door jamb can let the hot air your heater has been working so hard to heat up out into the cold winter air. Needless to say, we want all the hot air we pump into the house to stay pretty much where we put it, so sealing up any gaps in windows and doors is a great place to start.
Another great place to start is ensuring your furnace filters are clean. Like your air conditioner, your heater pumps air through your home that first goes through an air filter. Idealistically, these air filters should be cleaned every month during the cold seasons. Unfortunately, most people forget to check the air filters and some aren’t even aware that there are air filters to be changed. A dirty air filter causes the whole system to work harder to pump air through your home, increasing utility costs and wearing down on the equipment itself, ultimately decreasing the entire systems overall life cycle. Keeping your air filters clean is a good practice for both your central heating and air conditioning systems.
A great little trick I like to do every winter is switch the direction my ceiling fans in reverse. Simple thermodynamics states that warm air rises and tends to pool at the ceilings. By reversing the rotation of ceiling fans from counter clockwise to clockwise will push air down instead of pulling it up, forcing the warm air that has accumulated at the ceiling back down to where people tend to be. Running your ceiling fans in reverse can help save you as much as 10% on your monthly heating bills.
During the colder seasons the thermostat can either be our best friend or our worst enemy. Everyone likes a warm home, but dropping the temperature down by two degrees or so goes a long way in monthly utility savings. Your home doesn’t need to be warm enough to encourage it’s occupants to wear shorts. Warm and inviting, yes, but it doesn’t need to be hot and uncomfortable. Personally, I like the keep the heat at about 75 degrees.
There’s a lot you can do to help keep your home warm this winter without having to break the bank doing so. While you can have as much insulation and take as many steps to maximizing your home’s heating power, the best way to ensure that you don’t get racked by monthly utility bills this winter is to have a central heating system that runs and operates at its best. We all know that cars need regular tune ups to work properly, and the same is true for your air conditioner and central heating. Give us a call today so we can come out and give you any necessary heating maintenance to ensure you’re running at peak efficiency. If you’re furnace or boiler hasn’t been inspected or maintenanced in the last year, than it’s definitely time!
Stay warm this winter, but don’t break the bank doing it.
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Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
There’s a lot of us out there that get cold easily, some no matter what the weather is like outside. With winter coming up in just a few short months, we’re going to be seeing more and more cold nights and foggy mornings, and we’re going to be tempted just that much more to turn on the central heating. There’re ways to heat your home and stay warm this winter without spiking the utility bills higher than the fog level, and today we’re going to go over a couple of them.
Everything starts with a foundation, and your central heating system is no different. The most effective way to keep your heating bills down this winter is to have a high efficiency furnace design in your home. Since the furnace is the heat center for the entire system, it’s important to start out with one that’s going to use as little energy as possible for the heat it generates. If you find yourself with the option to replace your older, less efficient furnace out with a more energy efficient one, our heating service technicians will be able to get everything installed and taken care of in time for the cold months.
Another great place to start saving on heating bills this winter is the thermostat. If the temperature is lowered by a degree or two you can see a drastic reduction on your heating bills, regardless of the energy efficiency rating of your furnace. The temperature doesn’t need to be up high enough for you to feel the need to wear shorts or want to turn the heat down. It’ll be winter, so wear some sweat pants and bundle up with a blanket – your wallet will thank you for it.
Another great way to save some money on your winter utility bills is to have a bit of heating maintenance performed on your system before starting to ramp it up. Getting a tune up now while it’s still relatively warm will help you save the most money this winter, as well as give you the peace of mind of knowing that your heating system will work all winter long.
The last great tipi we’ve got for you today is to install a timer or have a programmable thermostat. With the timer or programmable thermostat, you’ll be able to set times of the day for the heater to run. For instance, the heater doesn’t have to be running all night while everyone’s asleep. In the beginning, sure, but not all night. A timer set for 3 AM will turn your off, saving you money without disturbing your sleep.
All in all, there are a lot of ways to save money this winter on your utility bills, you just have to know where to look. Luckily, you have us here to help. We can because we care – it’s not just our slogan, it’s our philosophy.
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Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
October is here and soon we will see small children running around in costumes looking for free candy and other delicious sweets. The holidays are here and there is no better time to get your holiday heating service check list taken care of. Think of it as Spring Cleaning, only it’s in the fall and it’s for your heating system.
We all use our heaters in the fall and winter – that’s how we get by the cold holiday season without having to wear a half dozen or so layers simply to stay warm indoors. We’ll do what we can to keep the temperature inside comfortable, but at the same time nobody wants to have their utility bills go out of control. We expect it to go up, yes, and most of us are perfectly fine with this, but did you know that you could be paying more each month on your utility bills than you have to?
Any heating company can tell you that an under-maintenanced furnace and heating system isn’t running as efficiently as it could, causing your utility bills to steadily climb upwards and the energy efficiency rate lowers. You can prevent this by keeping up to date on simple and routine maintenance once or twice a year.
Residential heat isn’t something that can just be installed and forgotten about, never expecting to have to maintenance the machinery or never having to take a look at it. Somehow, good portions of us simply assume that the system will run the way it was intended to indefinitely. A better way to look at it would be the same as your car – it needs regular maintenance every so often to help ensure it runs well for years to come. The same is true for your heating system.
Now is the best time to get somebody out to make sure your heating system is up to par. The seasons are changing and you won’t need either your heater or your air conditioner for a month or so. Why not take this slight down time for your climate control equipment to make sure they’ll run smoothly and cheaply throughout the winter? Sounds like a pretty good use of time to me.
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Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
Fall’s here, and that means winter is right around the corner, bringing with it the cold months and the overwhelming urge to crank up the heater. Cranking it up all the time can get rather expensive, though, so today we’re going to go over a couple ways to help maximize your homes heating capabilities to help save on your monthly bills this winter, leaving more money in your pocket for Christmas presents.
The best way to keep your heating system is tip top shape is to stay up to date with your heating maintenance. The best way to fix a problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place, and that’s the whole philosophy behind staying up to date with your maintenance. It’s the same concept as staying up to date on your car’s oil changes and engine tune ups, it’s just a different piece of machinery.
While keeping up with the heating maintenance is a good way to prevent most issues, we know that it’s not always possible. While it’s incredibly important, there are other ways to help increase your homes heating powers, one of which is ensuring that you have adequate insulation, primarily in the attic. Heat rises, so having a poorly or under insulated attic or crawl space can mean much of the heat in your home is used to help heat the cold winter air outside. Blown attic insulation is probably going to be your best bet for increasing your attic insulation to adequate levels, as it is the easiest to have installed.
There are other ways to help increase energy efficiency and reduce energy bills that don’t require any additional materials or equipment. The easiest and most overlooked of which is shutting the air vents in rooms that are not being used or that do not need to be heated as much as others. Guest rooms, bathrooms and hallways are all examples of places with air vents that can be closed, focusing the heated air into other, more important rooms, such as the living room and bedrooms.
All in all, the best way to maximize your heater’s potential this winter is to have us come out and take a look. There are things we can clean, swap out, or fix that can mean the difference between ridiculous energy bills and expected ones. The best part is, if yours came with a heating system warranty, than it might not cost you a dime. The only way to find out, though, is to give us a call and see how we can help.
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Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Programmable thermostats are a wonderful thing. They give us the ability to customize the cooling and heating schedule for our homes, allowing us to keep our homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter without digging deeply into your wallet.
It’s hard to argue with the practically of a programmable thermostat. They provide great energy savings without a hefty price tag – most programmable thermostats fall between $50 and $200, far less than the price to replace a furnace or switching out for more energy efficient appliances.
The whole point of a programmable thermostat is to give you the ability to cool or heat the areas of your home that you want when you want. This has amazing cost saving potential. When you’re away at work all day, you probably don’t need your air conditioner blasting, working overtime in the summer heat to keep your home at a cool temperature. It’s just a waste if you’re not there to enjoy it.
But, at the same time, nobody wants to come home to a home that feels more like an oven. With a programmable thermostat, you can have the AC shut off shortly before or after leaving the house, and kick back on again an hour or so before you get home. Roughly, that’s about 8 hours of cooling saved.
The flexibility just doesn’t extend to timing when your AC turns on or off, you can also program specific sections of your home to be ignored, such as a guest room. It doesn’t really make much sense to pay to have a room cooled or heated when you’re not even using it. Cutting areas like these out of the equation helps the areas of your home you want cool to get there faster and keep more money in your wallet at the end of the month.
There are a good deal of benefits to having a programmable thermostat, the main point of which is the overall savings and more efficient use of power. But, while a programmable thermostat can help reduce monthly bills, it is no replacement for an old or warn down system, so make sure that you keep up to date on your system maintenance and cleanings. Combined, you’ll find yourself staying cool this summer and warm this winter all while still having money in your pocket.
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