Tips for Winterizing Your Home 

Winter Home Prep:

Most of us forget about changing or cleaning a furnace filter at least once every 4-6 weeks between late fall and mid-spring, and that can significantly increase our heating bill because dirty furnaces have limited air flow and higher energy demand as a result.

Also, think about switching to a permanent filter that will not only simplify your life but lessen the need for regular cleaning.
It has been proven that disposable filters only trap about 40% of the debris while electrostatic filters trap nearly 90%. If your furnace is old, it might be best to change it altogether. It will be costly, but you will get the money back by having far lesser heating bills throughout the season. Plus, check to see if you are eligible for the federal tax credits for new furnaces installed prior to Jan 1, 2017 as it can cover a good portion of the cost, up to $500.

 A/C

Secondly, check if your air conditioning pipes and the main hose have any water pooled up within them. If your air conditioning model has a water shutoff valve then it would be best to turn it completely off. Plus, turn off the exterior water spigot and stop any water leaks with an antibacterial silicone. If you have a window A/C unit, it would be great if you could remove it for the winter and seal the hole so as to prevent cold winds coming in.

 Water Heater

Also, check the temperature that your water heater is set on. Most installers set it to over 140 degrees Fahrenheit; however, most households do not need that much hot water. Having the temperature set to 115 degrees Fahrenheit or even lower, will save you up to 10%. If you ever had a thought that you might not need the tank to store hot water, then think about installing a tankless heater or some re-circulators near the faucets.  Don’t forget to take full advantage of tax credits for solar energy systems program that pays up to 30% of the total cost without any upper limit. This program runs through 31st December 2019.

 Air Drafts

Drafts are considered by the U.S Department of Energy as the worst energy drainer. It is believed that drafts can waste as much as 30% of your energy. There is a simple DIY solution though, take an old towel, sew the ends to make a tube and fill it with sand. Place it under your drafty door after you open and close the door.
Plus, consider inviting a professional technician to examine your ductwork as it is estimated that up to 30% of heated (and cooled air in the summer) escapes through the ducts. According to the American Solar Energy Society, properly sealed ducts can save up to $180 annually on an average home.

Outdoor Pipes

Lastly, consider insulating your outdoor pipes. This small move alone will reduce your hot water bill as well as prevent the pipes from freezing and possibly bursting causing a very big problem. You can even do it yourself, just buy pre-slit pipe foam at your local hardware store and fasten it to the pipe using duct tape.

Here is a great follow up article on more ways to save with your heating and cooling: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_hvac

 

Radiant Heating Systems

Radiant Heating Systems for Home and Office

Both geothermal and boiler systems use the same type of loop. That loop is known as a closed loop. It allows the energy that is not required in a certain area of the building to be transferred into another area where it is required.

Because of this, water heat pumps are considered one of the best systems for radiant cooling and radiant heating buildings. Water heat pumps can also match, or sometimes even exceed the performance of some of the best and most complicated HVAC systems.

Energy Savings 

Geothermal systems are different from traditional boiler systems because they don’t require a cooling or boiler tower, and both of these towers are known for consuming fossil fuel or electricity. The job of their variable flow design is to shut off the flow to heat pumps whenever their compressor is not being used. This can significantly reduce the power that is required for pumping. And that automatically means that you get to save a significant amount of money as well.

The Cost of Installation

The installation of a geothermal system usually costs a little bit more than the installation of a traditional tower heat pump system. However, once a geothermal system is properly installer, it usually doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, which allows you to save a lot of money in a long run. Basically, the installation process of geothermal systems is pretty easy, and these systems are not hard to operate at all.

And even though their installation cost may be a little bit high, they usually cost a lot less to operate than their traditional counterparts. The pump that is used to circulate the fluid is actually the only part in the ground loop that is moving. When compared to traditional systems, savings can be as high as 50% for cooling and 70% for heating.

It is important to remember that all towers and boilers require to be regularly maintenance in order to be free from debris, algae, and all the other contaminants. However, hiring a licensed professional is completely unnecessary. Also, there is absolutely no need to use make-up water, sump heaters, or tower water chemicals.

Mechanical Room Space

When it comes to water heat pump systems, they don’t require a big mechanical room. It is actually completely fine to use a mechanical room that a lot of other HVAC systems would be able to be installed in as well. And you can use rooms that are even smaller than that for geothermal systems. Actually, some free space is only required for the chemical treatment equipment, the circulating pumps and the main header.

Why You Need to Hire Professional Plumbers

There are instances when you fix you yourself could necessary fix your faucet. That is, there are a lot of DIY tips you could find on the net. However, there are also times when you need to really hire someone who is professional to do the job, especially when you own a very complex water system.

Here are some of the things you need to consider when you want your faucet and some other parts of your water system to be fixed.

1. Safety

As stated above, there are times that you could necessarily do the job of fixing your faucet on you own. However, there are instances that you should call professional plumber, especially when the damage requires training and the right skills to be fixed. That is, when it involves the complex array of pipes, or maybe because there is something wrong beyond the faucet and deep within the complexities of the water system that could propose a threat not only to you but also to your family’s lives.

2. Time Efficient

If you are planning to do the job yourself, you should educate yourself of the things that you should know about plumbing. Aside from that, you should also look for the right equipment to finish the job. More to this, you should probably learn how your water system has been made in order to locate where the damage originates. Now, all of these things require time, effort and of course money to do simultaneously. This is precisely the reason why you in order to save much of your time and do something that is worthwhile, you need to hire professional plumbers just to do the job.

3. Does the Work Effectively

If you are going to hire the right plumber, you ensure yourself that the job in fixing the damage is correctly done. That is, there are no damages that has never been seen, encountered and fixed by these plumbers. A reputable plumbing company hires the most competent and well-trained plumbers that necessarily have the right experience in fixing the damage in your water system. Moreover, hiring the right services will not just ensure that the job is right, but it will also assure your that the fixing they have done is going to be sustainable in the long run.

4. Prevent Small Problems

Sometimes, the small problems that you perceive today might get worse in the future. For instance, a clogged drainage could be remedied by flushing hot water through the drainage or some chemical (which is by the way, unsafe and unhealthy) in order to fix the clog. However, only a professional plumbing service could know what the real source of the problem is, as well as provide the right solutions to stop the dilemma in no time. This is precisely the reason why, hiring a professional plumber could necessarily stop worsening a situation in your water system. Doing it your self is good and could save money, but certainly not in the long run.

5. Save Money

When you are planning to DIY your clogged drainage or defective faucets, you may need to buy some equipment to do the job. Moreover, you’ll also need to learn the things to do in order to not worsen the situation. Now both of these things require time and a lot of money. Hiring a professional plumber may cost you a significant amount of money, but the thing is, they already have the right equipment to do the job, as well as the proper training in order to do the job efficiently. This is precisely the reason why you need to start rethinking and become a better homeowner and start being thrifty in the right way.

6. Avoid Further Damage

Lastly and most importantly, you don’t want to compromise the sake of your water system just because you want to fix the damage in it yourself. This is precisely the reason why to avoid furthering the problem, you need to seek for professional help. Plumbers don’t just fix the problem in the water system, but they also give you professional advice on what to do in order to avoid experiencing the problem again. Moreover, they would also give you the right list of things to buy that could necessarily help your water system to be more efficient in the long run. This is precisely the reason why paying for professional plumber doesn’t only give you what you have paid for, but there is always something more with it.

Hiring professional plumbers Boise is the best choice when dealing with water system damages. Think of it now.