Posts Tagged ‘salt lake city cooling & air’

Properly insulating your home will not only help reduce your heating and your Utah air conditioning costs but also make your home more comfortable.  You need insulation in your home to provide resistance to heat flow. The more heat flow resistance your insulation provides, the lower your heating and cooling costs.

Heat flows naturally from a warmer to a cooler space. In the winter, this heat flow moves directly from all heated living spaces to adjacent unheated attics, garages, basements, and even to the outdoors. Heat flow can also move indirectly through interior ceilings, walls, and floors—wherever there is a difference in temperature.

During the cooling season, heat flows from the outdoors to the interior of a house.  To maintain comfort, the heat lost in the winter must be replaced by your heating system and the heat gained in the summer must be removed by your cooling system. Properly insulating your home will decrease this heat flow by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.

A lack of insulation in the attic altogether is a serious energy deficiency considering that heat escapes upward.  This will drive your heating and Utah air conditioning bill up.  Pollution then occurs when this happens.

Insulation’s resistance to heat flow is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance or otherwise called, R-value.  R-value measures resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the resistance will be.

A certain number of inches of attic insulation really won’t tell you much. What you really need to know is the R-value of the material. If the insulation is blown fiberglass, that given number of inches may be R-30., if it’s cellulose, that same measurement may be as much as R-45. Each material, and often each brand of the material, has a different R-value.

In newer homes there must be insulation installed in the attic area as per Title 24 of the energy efficiency codes. This should be a minimum of R-30 rated with the thickness.  It varies depending upon the type insulation in place.

In both old homes as well as new ones, the condition of the insulation and the way it is installed will affect the way that it performs.  You may not need as much in the valleys as you do in the mountains.  But to improve your Utah air conditioning, you want to make sure you have properly installed insulation.

1. During the summer set your thermostat to be as high as you can stand it comfortably. The less difference there is between indoor and outdoor temperatures, the less work your AC unit will have to do and the more energy you will save. When you are gone for an evening during the winter, turn the thermostat down.

2. When you are gone on vacation turn your Utah air conditioning unit off. During the winter, turn your heater’s thermostat down to around 55 degrees. This will save with your heating bill with out having to deal with frozen pipes that could burst.

3. If it is an extremely hot day, avoid going out of your way to turning the air conditioner to a cooler setting. Setting the thermostat to a setting that is lower than normal won’t cool your home any faster. It could actually cause it to have excessive cooling issues and more expense.

4. Don’t put your appliances near the Utah air conditioning thermostat. The thermostat is there to sense the temperature of the home. It can quickly pick up on the heat from your appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to work longer than it needs to.

5. During the winter months turn your thermostat down 5 to 10 degrees when you sleep. You can turn it back up again when you wake up. That will save you 5-10% on your next heating bill.

6. Turn your air conditioner off during the night when the air is cooler. Open screened windows instead and turn on your fan. If you close your windows before the morning sun starts to heat up outside you can keep your home cooler during the morning as well.

7. Use a programmable set-back thermostats to keep track of when you need your air conditioner to work. Utah air conditioning units can be set up with a thermostat that can turn on to cool down the home as soon as you get home from work and be turned off around the time you get in to bed. This can help you set back on your usage and save you money.

This only works for people who have a regular schedule. If it is absolutely necessary for you to work from 9 in the morning until 5 at night, every day, then this would be a good option for you. Otherwise you may be stuck with a thermostat that is working for hours while you are at work or away.

Swamp coolers and air conditioning units are used in many home across Utah. Utah air conditioning is necessary during the very hot summer months. But which is better, having a swamp cooler or air conditioning?

There are pros and cons to both. A swamp cooler is helpful for places that have dry climates, like Utah. It brings humidity into the air and cools it down. Evaporated coolers, or swamp coolers, have been around for a long time and are favorite items to many people.

But why would people prefer swamp coolers to Utah air conditioning units? Some people choose to use swamp coolers because they only have a small area to keep cool. They do not have to cool off a large area.

Swamp coolers are easier to install and require less effort. If you don’t want to spend the time to contract a Utah air conditioning company, then your best bet is to use a swamp cooler. Be warned, however, that swamp coolers are no piece of cake to install either.

Swamp coolers also tend to be less expensive to buy. There are some EC units that are very expensive, but there are some that can be found for $500 or under. These are the lower-end units.

Air conditioners have pros as well. Since they reduce the amount of humidity in the air, air conditioning units do not depend on the current climate. Swamp coolers do not cool down places that have high humidity, where an air conditioning unit would.

Air conditioning units also have the benefit that you do not have to winterize it. Swamp coolers are constantly using water and need to be disconnected and drained during the winter. Air conditioning units have a closed-system refrigerant.

Like most things, swamp coolers and air conditioning units have advantages and disadvantages. Study these out before purchasing one. That way you won’t be surprised by your purchase after it is installed.

Water leaks come with out warning. They can happen for a number of different reasons. When water leaks happen the floors of your home can become flooded very quickly. Utah plumbers are needed to repair the issue, but that is only one part of the problem. A lot of water damage can happen during water leaks – and that is nothing that Utah plumbers can easily fix.

Water can cause a lot of damage. The repairs and clean up can be expensive. Catching the leak as quickly as possible can save you from having a lot of damage happen to your home. Water leak detectors are useful for this.

Water leak detectors are small alarm systems that are put next to a main water line. They can be put on the floor, wall, or anywhere that would be near a water leak. When the alarm comes in contact with water the detector goes off to alert you of a possible water leak.

Water leak detectors usually work off of batteries. They normally are designed to be water-proof and can float on water if needed. That way you can still hear the alarm going off as the water leaks out and fills the room.

Water detectors do not prevent water leaks from happening. They do not shut off the water valve or stop the leak from continuing. You will still need to do that yourself and call a Utah plumber to come assess the plumbing issue. A water detector is an alarm that alerts you that a water leak is happening.

Water detectors, just like any alarm, should have their batteries replaced annually. This will ensure that it is working properly. Alarms only go off when they have properly charged batteries.

Some water detectors have remote sensing capabilities. That means sensors are placed around the home so when a leak happens at any of the locations only one alarm will go off on the main floor. Other water detectors are able to be connected to home alarm systems so the home security company is alerted as soon as a leak happens. There are also other water leak detectors that call to your cell phone to let you know of a possible leak. This comes in handy when you are away on vacation especially.

Water leak detectors can protect your property from getting damaged. It can be a lot less expensive to buy a water detector than face the thousands of dollars in repair costs. Having a water leak alarm can give you the peace of mind that your home is safe from water damage.

Many heater service providers are now offering what is called a tank-less water heater. These water heaters are great and can provide instant hot water with a lower utility bill. And who isn’t thinking about saving money right now in our economy?

Tank-less water heaters are just that. They are a water heater without a storage tank. Instead of having pre-heated water in a tank, they only heat up as necessary. These tank-less water heaters will provide instead heat at the temperature that you assign.

Because they are heating as they go, it cuts down on your utility bill. It won’t be heating unnecessary water that you are not using at the present. Tank-less water heaters can save up to 50% energy and generally cuts off about 10 to 20 percent of your water heating bill.

Another plus to these is that they last longer than typical storage water heaters. That’s right, endless amounts of water along with less maintenance. And usually has a life expectancy of 20 plus years.

No more cold showers. With tank-less water heaters, this isn’t a problem because they supply never-ending amounts of heated water. It doesn’t matter if you have your dishwasher, or regular washer going. Your shower wont turn cold, and neither will anything else.

Another great thing about tank-less water heaters is that they reduce the risk of flooding. I’ve experienced a flood in my basement due to a storage water heater. It isn’t fun to deal with that. With tank-less water heaters you completely reduce the change of a flood.

If you are cramped for storage space in your home, apartment, or town home, tank-less water heaters can help you out. They are a lot smaller because they don’t have to hold all the preheated water. They will take up far less room than the typical storage water heaters so you don’t have to worry about storage space.

Many water heater service providers offer free estimates and great deals. Call them to find out if this is perfect for you and your family.

Is the temperature in your home fluctuating a lot recently? No matter where you set your thermostat to you never feel the heat or the air conditioner working? You are probably suffering from a broken thermostat.

Thermostats are one of the great inventions of our day. Think about it, you can actually put the exact degree that you want your home to be at, and it automatically goes to it. As amazing as it is, it can be very frustrating when they don’t work.

If your room temperature is changing, it might not always be your thermostat causing the problem. Another good indicator that it is the thermostat is if the thermostat itself is acting strange by turning on and off and or other strange things. If you don’t think it is the thermostat call a professional for heating repairs or air conditioning repairs.

If you are positive it is the thermostat you can go two ways with it. If you are experienced yourself, go ahead and try to fix or replace it. Always keep in mind that replacing it can be complicated depending on your system.

If you don’t feel like you have very much experience than call a local professional to come in and change it for you. Sometimes this can be the wisest decision for you because they can make sure that it is working correctly and that it stabilizes perfectly.

If you work with an outside professional to fix your thermostat, make sure that they can come, examine, and give you the exact price upfront. There is nothing worse than getting an ‘estimate’ just to find out the estimate was far off and additionally you have to now pay other hidden fees.

When you double check things yourself, pull off the cover and make sure that all the switches are stabilized. Also, check and make sure that your timers or heat-anticipators are exactly where you want them to be.

Because every thermostat and air conditioner and heating system are so different, look up a local trusted company to help you figure out exactly what needs to be fixed and the easiest way to accomplish it.

Thinking about putting in new toilets throughout your home? Or maybe you just want to remodel your master bathroom. Either way, here are some tips in picking out the toilet that will be perfect for you.

Despite what most may think, all toilets are not the same. There are three main types of toilets that you have to choose from. You have the gravity fed, pressure-assist, and dual flush.

The gravity fed toilet is probably the most common toilet that we see. This toilet works using the water weight and the water height to help flush. It works using gravity.

Under your gravity fed option, you will find the dual-flush toilet. These are great because they allow you to flush two different ways depending on what works for you at the moment. You have two buttons, one is for a regular flush and the other button is used for a smaller flush.

Usually you’ll find that you get different flushes by tilting the toilet handle either way. Down produces the regular flush. Up will provide for the gentle flush that is used mostly for disposing of liquid waste.

The next toilet on the list is called a pressure-assist. These toilets work through air pressure in the cylindrical vessel of your toilet. The air pressure within the vessel produces the force necessary for the flush.

When you are dealing with porcelain toilets you do have the option of choosing between a one-piece toilet or a two-piece toilet. Most of us grew up with a two-piece toilet and it is typically what you find in homes still today. The one piece can be described as more of a contemporary fashion to it, but because of the price it ranks second to the two- piece.

The last couple choices you have when it comes to picking out a new toilet is the height, bowl style(round or elongated), and floor mount or wall mount. Depending on the plumbing you already have in your bathroom, it might just be easiest to follow the same floor mount as you had before.

The summer has passed us by and now as we enter into the colder months it is best that we prepare our home and ourselves for the winter. The wintertime can be particularly harsh on our plumbing. That is why it is so important that we make sure that we are doing our prevention work before it is too late.

Some of the problems that can arise during the winter are oil line freezing, noisy pipes, outside kitchen sink freezing as well as other exposed pipes freezing, and heating the house appropriately. There are some simple things that we can do to make sure that our plumbing is all ready for the winter and the cold

Oil lines can freeze because of the water that is in the pipes, and to prevent this might be a pretty big and messy job so you might want to hire professional plumbers to help out. You want to make sure that your oil tank doesn’t have any water or residue in it, as well as make sure that your pipes are properly insulated.

If you live in a pretty cold climate it is always best to talk to your plumbers about pipe insulation. Most of the time this is done when they are first installed but it might be smart to call in a professional to make sure that the insulation is good and that it will continue to prevent the pipes from freezing.

Sometimes it is hard to identify why your pipes might be noisy. A plumber would be able to inspect your plumbing before the winter to make sure that everything is working properly and that their aren’t anything like steam traps causing it.

Most homes have sinks positioned under or by a window so that you can look out and see your backyard. This can actually increase your chances of your sinks freezing. Sometimes a simple solution to this is opening your cabinet door to allow the heat from your home to heat the pipes and prevent freezing, but if this doesn’t help you might have to call in a plumber to see what further things can be done.

If you have exposed pipes they can do more than just freeze over, you also have a large chance that they will burst. Something you can do yourself is to make sure that you have all the seams taped up and try to cover what you can of them, you can even find heat tape for them. You’ll also want to bring in a plumber to make sure that the pipes are properly insulated.

Depending on what type of heater you have, you can do a lot of different things to make sure that they are working and ready for the winter. Bring in a professional to make sure that all the maintenance work is done and that your heater is up and running.

Lindsay parker

Broken dishwashers can be very tricky to fix. It also seems to always come at the most inopportune time. Here are some considerations you should take when your dishwasher stops working properly.

First, make sure that the dishwasher actually broke down without the cycle ending. Stopping your dishwasher mid-cycle will stop water from draining from it. That could be the cause why there is still water in the dishwasher still.

If there is no chance of re-starting the dishwasher look for causes that could have made it break down mid-cycle. For example, there may be a power interruption or broken circuit. Make sure that the electricity is working in the room.

Check to make sure that the dishwasher opens and closes correctly. If the door gets pushed open it will stop the dishwasher from completing its cycle. If you find the problem was the circuit breaker then you should can cancel the cycle, then run out your dishwasher.

Next, look at the drain of your dishwasher. Utah plumbers know that keeping the drain clear is very important if you want your dishwasher to work properly. If you are loading your dishwasher be sure to keep all large chunks of food off plates so you do not clog the drain.

Dishwasher hoses tend to get clogged as well. Dishwasher hoses have the possibility of coming loose or getting cracks in them. Look at your dishwasher’s manual if you want to check out the hoses, and it should also be able to give you instructions on how to unhook the hoses to check for blockage.

The main hose that could be causing problems is the one that is connected underneath your kitchen’s sink to the dishwasher. Bring out a bowl and towels to catch any discharge. Follow proper safety precautions whenever working on plumbing hoses.

After checking all of these solutions and it still is not working it is time to call in a professional Utah plumber. Utah plumbers are usually able to find the cause of the malfunction quickly and then can take care of it. They can also offer suggestions on how the problem happened, and tips on how to avoid it from happening again if it was caused by something you did.

Having a good working relationship with your air conditioning unit can be a good thing. Not everyone wants to make the call to their Provo cooling and air technicians to come over to troubleshoot simple problems that have happened. A lot of information can be found online or through your Provo cooling and air technician. They may be able to offer you good advice for taking care of your ac unit.

First, be aware of problems that are common with air conditioning units. The best way to troubleshoot problems is to learn about them. The Provo cooling and air technician you chose can help give you basic knowledge of your unit, as can a repair manual.

If you have a problem with the unit not being able to cool down the room look at the air ducts. Your unit should be able to provide coolness throughout the entire room. If you find this is not happening look at the filter and see if it is dirty.

Other reasons that your cooling unit may not be able to cool a room could be because of a blower wheel not operating. Check on that, and if that is not the cause look for a dirty evaporator. If there is any debris or dirt in your machine this will affect how well it works.

Since dirt is the common problem with troubleshooting it is important to keep up with good maintenance work with your unit. A cooling unit needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. The best time to clean is every month.

Some other problems caused by a dirty unit can be having your unit turn off and on with out reason. This usually happens when the condensing coils are dirty, which puts a lot of pressure on the air conditioning unit’s compressor. Another reason for a unit to turn off and on could be if the system is low on freon, which shorts the compressor.

Check for any leaks in your unit. Leaks can cause the unit to malfunction as well. It also can cause a lot of damage if not taken care of quickly, both to your system and to your home.

If you find any parts broken you will need to phone your Provo cooling and air technician to service it. To prevent water damage from happening, be sure to regularly check up on your air conditioning unit. For other problems just remember that dirt is the most common problem, so keep your unit clean. For more information see Utah Heating.