Furnaces keep our homes warm, and furnace filters keep our furnaces clean and working properly. Learn why, when, and how to change your furnace filter in this short post. For more information, be sure to contact a heating technician in your area.

The Reason Behind Changing Your Furnace Filter

Furnace filters are designed to protect a furnace's blower motor from excess dirt and dust. When a filter is too dirty, air in unable to move properly through your heating system. Lack of airflow caused by a dirty filter can cause your furnace to overheat and shut down. (The same thing happens with air conditioners: a dirty filter will cause coils to freeze up and will shut an AC down.) When a heating system overheats, it may suffer other damages that will require an HVAC professional to repair. Avoid these damages by changing your furnace filter regularly.

When to Change Your Furnace Filter

Many homeowners think that changing their furnace filters once a year will suffice. However, changing your furnace filter only once a year will likely shorten the life of your furnace. To prevent costly repairs, get into the habit of checking your filter monthly and often change it monthly, depending on the type of filter you use. To determine if your filter is dirty enough to be changed, remove the filter and hold it up to a nearby light. If you can no longer clearly see light, it's time to change your furnace filter.

How to Change Your Furnace Filter

Changing your furnace filter is quick, easy, and will save hundreds to thousands of dollars if done regularly. Here's a quick step-by-step guide.

1. Turn off your furnace.

2. Remove the existing furnace filter. (It's usually found inside the furnace or the return air vent.)

3. Look for an arrow indicating airflow direction through the filter. (This will help you know that your next filter is facing the right way when you install it.)

4. Find the right replacement for your furnace. Disposable filters are typically 1 or 2 inches thick. Find one that fits your furnace at a local hardware store. (There are some furnaces that can handle up to 5-inch filters. Check yours to make sure.)

5. Install your new filter by sliding it back into place. (Make sure it's facing the right direction.) Make note of when you changed it, so you know when to check it again.

Questions? Contact a Heating Professional

For questions about changing furnace filters and other heat-related issues, it's best to contact a heating professional in your area for detailed advice and assistance.

Check Out These Customer Testimonials!

Serving Portland clients since 2000, we have made it our mission to provide the very best in customer service.a Our staff is made up of not only licensed journeymen plumbers, but also of a knowledgeable and experienced administrative team who will promptly facilitate your call and get you what you need.

3 Mountains Plumbing recognizes that many calls come in during emergency plumbing situations, but we always strive to forge lasting relationships with our clients so that when you do call, you are calling a plumber you know and trust to help you maintain your Portland-area home.

• ?Fast service; competent, friendly worker.? ?aCharles R., Portland, OR

• ?From the office person who called to set up the appointment to the person who actually did the work?this was a first-class experience all the way. I will definitely call 3 Mountains again if I ever need plumbing services.?a?aRuth C., Beaverton, OR

• ?On time, excellent service, did a great job.?a?aJanis S., Aloha, OR

• ?Brian was great and professional at working hard to resolve the problem. Was not a typical call or diagnosis so it was helpful he was honest and so far seems to have fixed the mystery noise problem.?a?aJanet B., Tualatin, OR

• ?First to contact me, next day my job was complete, tech (John) was punctual, informative, professional, and competent. I thought the cost was high, but I have no comparison. I am thrilled with the work and finally having my plumbing issue resolved! Others have tried, but 3 Mountains delivered.?a?aVicki D., Wilsonville, OR

a

We are honored that all of these testimonials and many more have been published ataHomeAdvisor.com.a We are even more appreciative of our customers and their willingness to write about their positive experiences with 3 Mountains Plumbing.

Please contact us and let us know how we may help you with your Portland plumbing needs.a We specialize in all plumbing services particularly installations or repairs of water main lines, water heaters, backflow devices, and sump pumps.a

Thanks for installing the Bottom of every post plugin by Corey Salzano. Contact me if you need custom WordPress plugins or website design.

Are you expecting several guests for the holidays? If you have people coming over to enjoy the holiday season, it is important to prepare your home. Basic home maintenance tasks you need to start with include sealing drafts, testing appliances, and preparing your plumbing system for additional work.

Conserve Water

With additional people in the home, finding the right time to take a shower can be tricky! Start conserving water by washing your clothes or starting the dishwasher in the middle of the night instead of during the day. Wake up early to take a shower, or take one before you go to sleep. If you have an older hot water heater, consider changing to an instant hot water heater. An instant hot water heater will provide an unlimited supply of hot water for your guests, making it relaxing and comfortable for everyone who stays at the home.

Clean the Pipes

Another important way to focus on your plumbing system is by cleaning the drains and pipes. Removing any clogs will prevent standing water in the shower, or severe backups from additional use of the toilet. There are natural cleaners you can use to clean out the pipes, or you can try using some chemical cleaners to keep them free and clear of excess debris. Use a strainer over drains in the showers when guests are around as this helps to reduce excess hair from going into the shower drain. The kitchen is another drain you must be aware of as it can easily clog. Do not add too many things to the garbage disposal as it can clog the sink quickly. Ask your guests to clean off their plates into the garbage instead of forcing it down the garbage disposal. Never drain excess oil or fats into a drain as it will quickly cause a drain to become blocked as the fat sticks to the walls of the pipes.

Toilet Repair

Check the toilet to ensure it is flushing properly. If you have a toilet that has a hard time flushing, consider changing the flange or other parts inside the toilet as this will help it flush properly.

Faucet Repair

A working faucet or shower head will make or break the stay of your guests. Test all the faucets to ensure they have adequate water flow. If the drain has a slow drip, it can be annoying to your guests. Fix some of the small issues that could become annoying and lead to larger issues for your guests.

Keeping your plumbing system working correctly will keep your guests happy, and will keep you happy as you won?t need to deal with plumbing emergencies during the holidays! Make sure your home?s plumbing is in tip-top shape with help from Mister Sewer. Our professional plumbers are glad to lend a helping hand to get your home?s plumbing ready for any heavy-duty holiday work. If you?re looking for the expertise to get the job done right, call Mister Sewer today!

Why Should I Install a Garbage Disposal?a

Asking yourself why you would need a garbage disposal when you have a trash can is akin to asking why you need to brush your teeth again when you did it already today. Your teeth need regular cleaning to prevent buildup of tartar and your garbage disposable needs more food scraps to prevent landfills from overflowing with putrid food waste that could be put to better use in terms of the environment and energy resources. Did you know that when you dispose of food scraps down your disposal it is possible to be rerouted and reused as energy at water treatment plants? This is not something that you generally think about but if we are to ever take into consideration the size of our carbon footprints in the world, then we need to be able to see the small benefits in everyday appliances that we might otherwise take for granted. In the early era of disposables being installed in homes, back when Grandma was still tending knee high dress-tuggers that became your parents, the garbage disposable in its infancy did not quite live up to the hype. They were loud and fairly inefficient at breaking up everything and many households found they did not want to bother with them. They were given a bad rap. Still today, many older generations are not educated on their benefits, and they simply choose to not have one or to ignore it. Not only are the newest models now virtually whisper quiet, but the high end models allow eggshells and bones to easily be disposed. These were absolute no-no?s in the dawning of the technology and people today still take heed of parents warning that it?s bad to put those products down there. Today?s models cost less than a dollar to run per year and use about 1% of the household water. Units that attach to septic systems are beneficial to the enzyme treatments that are usually required for regular maintenance because the food scrap waste produces the same effect. Landfills are about 20% of food waste that turns into methane gas buildup in the environment. Recent events in Siberia have shown some of the effects of methane gas that was underground in the case of mysterious craters that have opened in the earth. For a little money and to help the environment, eliminate stinky landfills and trash receptacles, it is far more beneficial to have a plumber install a new or upgraded model of garbage disposal in the home. They have had some bad press but we need to educate and rectify that information into the positive benefits that they carry. It is your time to benefit from the advantages of a garbage disposal. Call ABC Plumbing & Rooter at (480) 726-1600 today!

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Al?s Plano, TX Plumbing a

Your Home?s Heating & Cooling System And Your Carbon Footprint

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint ? And You Reduce Your Energy Bills

This article describes how your home and its HVAC system contribute to your Personal Carbon Footprint. aIn short, burning fossil-fuels adds to Greenhouse-Emissions, which is what?s causing the Globe to become warmer and warmer.

As the author of this article, I practice what I preach:

• The week I purchased my 1972 built Dallas, TX area home, I had a professional Energy Audit.
• As a result, I upgraded Attic Insulation to R-60, Installed a Radiant Solar-Heat Barrier in the attic (a southern U.S. upgrade), Sealed HVAC Ductwork and Sealed Air Leaks throughout the house.
• I installed a Nest Smart Thermostat
• I am a member of an Electricity Conservation Program through my Electricity Retailer which gives me Real-Time Usage information.
• My Dallas, TX September 2016 Electric Bill was $78.00* ? For an All-Electric Home!

* Note: Dallas, TX daytime highs in September are mid 80?s ? mid 90?s, with an average high of 89.

What Every Individual Can Do To Reduce Global Warming

We hear about Global-Warming and Greenhouse-Emissions in the news?

What we don?t hear much about is:

• How much each individual is contributing to the problem
• How to reduce our Personal Carbon Footprint

Let?s Start With Some Definitions:

Global Warming: Aagradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth?s atmosphere. aIts cause is generally attributed to the Greenhouse Effect.

Greenhouse Effect: aSolar heat-radiation transmitted inward through the earth?saatmosphere,awhile lessaheat-radiationaisatransmitted outward. aThis is due to the build-up ofaGreenhouse Gasesain the atmosphere.a

Greenhouse Gases:

• 82% of Greenhouse Gasses is Carbon Dioxide. a It originates from the burning of fossil fuels, solid waste, trees, wood, and other chemical reactions.
• 9% of Greenhouse Gases is Methane Gas.a aIt comes from landfills, oil & natural gas operations, coal mines and agriculture.
• 6% is Nitrous Oxide. a Itacomes from the use of nitrogen fertilizers, burning fossil fuels, and from some industrial and waste management processes

Carbon Footprint: aThe total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities.

Personal Carbon Footprint: The emissions caused by 1 individual.a It is a measure of how a person?s lifestyle contributes to climate change.a By shrinking their personal footprint, a person can reduce their effect on the earth?s climate. aReducing your Personal Carbon Footprint reduces your energy bills. aThe larger your carbon footprint ? the higher your energy bills.

Personal Carbon Footprint is broken down into Five Main Categories:

• Housing
• Travel
• Food
• Products
• Services

Global Carbon Footprint Per Individual

A study estimates theaGlobal Average Personal Carbon Footprint = 4.0 t CO2e. aThis means 4 tons of Carbon Dioxide / Greenhouse Gases per person (over a 100 year period).

Note: Personal Footprints are measured based on a period of 100 Years.

United States Carbon Footprint Per Individual

The United States 2005 Average Personal Carbon Footprint = 26.3 Tons

The U.S. Average Carbon Footprint (26.3 Tons) Is Over 6 Times the Global Average (4.0 Tons)!

Of that 26.3 Tons of Greenhouse Gasses Per U.S. Individual:

• 5.2 Tons are generated by our Housing
• 6.5 Tons are from Transportation
• 2.5 Tons are from Food
• 3.0 Tons are from Products
• 2.8 Tons are from Services

SOURCE:ahttp://shrinkthatfootprint.com/what-is-a-carbon-footprint

How The 2001 U.S. Personal Carbon Footprint Per Individual Compares To Other Countries

The U.S. leads the Globe in Personal Carbon Footprint size

In Japan & France, the Personal Carbon Footprint is less than 1/2 the size of the United States. aKorea?s Carbon Footprint is less than 1/3 of the U.S.

How Do We Each Reduce Our Personal Carbon Footprint?

The two biggest contributors to our Personal Carbon Footprint are Transportation (24.7%) and Housing (19.7%).

Articles within this blog have detailed information on how you can:

• How To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
• SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) Efficiency for Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps
• Aflue (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) Ratings for Gas Furnaces
• Comparison Of Energy Costs For A Heat Pump Versus Electric Furnace

OuraEnergy-UseaBehaviors Are Responsible For 1-1/2 Times the Energy Usage Of The Components Of Homes!

The Biggest Opportunity For Energy Savings is You?

This pie-chart above shows:

• What percentage each Structural Component of the home represents. aThe total is 41% of our energy use
• Our Energy Use Behaviors represents 59% of energy usage.a

Percentage of Total Energy Consumption broken down into Specific Areas Of Consumption

Improving Our Energy-Use Behaviors

Our Personal Energy-Use Behaviors Represent 59% of the energy we consume. aBy becoming ?Energy-Use Aware? ? you can lower cooling, heating & water-heating costs ? which also reduces your Personal Carbon Footprint. These 3 areas are the largest users of energy in our homes, representing 1/2 of our entire energy usage in our homes. aBy becoming aware of the areas where large amounts of energy are being used, it becomes easier to lower energy usage.

This article does not make suggestions such as sitting a dark & hot home to save energy. aIt will discuss areas where energy usage can be reduced energy consumption with little to no effect on our personal comfort or lifestyle. aThe recommendations presented here require little effort or money.

Water Heating:

• The Department of Energy recommends your water heater be set to 120 degreesafor most people. aThe factory default setting for most water heaters is 140 degrees. a This change reduces your water heating costs by 14%.
• Add a $15 Water Heater Blanket for a 7.5 ? 15% savings.
• With both recommendations, water heating costs are reduced by up to 29%
• Most laundry does not need hot or warm water to get it clean. aMinimize needless hot water usage by washing clothes in cool or cold water instead.

Buying New Appliances?

• Front-loading washers use much less water. aHigh-Efficiency washers use 15-30 gallons. aStandard-Efficiency Top-Load washers use 30-45 gallons.
• Energy Star dishwashers use 4 gallons of water. aStandard-Efficiency dishwashers use 6 gallons.

Heating & Cooling:

• Checking your furnace filter monthly, and replacing when needed, will reduce your heating & cooling costs by up to 15%
• Flushing the dirt from the fins of your A/C?s outside unit (using a garden hose) will reduce cooling costs by up to 35%
• With both recommendations, you can reduce cooling costs by up to 50%.

If You Are Not Using It ? Turn It Off

This universal statement goes a long way in reducing your personal carbon footprint and lowering your energy bills. aAs you look around your home, you can quickly identify needless electricity use and heat being generated. aPut these items on power-strips and turn them off when not in use. aForming the simple habit of turning things off when not in use is a great start to reducing your carbon footprint.

A 2011 Study by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that Cable Boxes / DVR comboa foundathe power consumption of athe average cable box/DVR combo of 445,000 watts per year (445 kWh) was higherathe average refrigerator using 415,000 watts per year (415 kWh). a Your A/C must remove up to 1 million BTU?s of heat generated by each cable box each yeara(the number shown was adjusted downward to account for heating months)

Source:http://www.howtogeek.com/197733/ask-htg-do-cable-boxes-and-dvrs-really-use-that-much-power/

A large screen High-Def TV uses 100 watts or a+350 BTU?s of heat per hour. aNot a big deal in winter, but in summer you are more than doubling the cost of running the TV because the A/C must remove the heat the TV generates.

This statement also applies to a coffee maker left on all day to keep the remaining coffee hot. aIf you actually drink the remaining coffee several hours later, it will be quite strong due to the evaporation of the water. aTurn the coffee maker off and reheat the coffee in the microwave. aThat way it will be the same strength as when it was brewed.

TIP: aIf it feels warm when it?s turned on (or off / standby) ? it?s using electricity and adding heat your A/C must remove.

Light Bulbs and Air Conditioning Demand:

Most of us are aware that LED light bulbs use less energy. aThey use 90% less electricity used by incandescent bulbs. aWhat many people don?t consider is how different Light Bulbs produce dramatically different amounts of heat. aAnd your A/C must remove the heat they generate. aYour carbon footprint is increased in two ways with incandescent light bulbs. a1. They use 10 times more electricity. 2. They produce 10 times more heat your A/C must now remove.

• 100 watt incandescent light bulbs generate 341 BTU?s of heat per hour. a a Note: 90% of the electricity used by incandescent bulbs generates heat, not light.
• 100awatt-output LED creates 34 BTU?s per hour
• Running five 100 watt incandescent bulbs produces 1/3 of the heat produced by a portable electric heater (1500 watts) running on high.

Note: a The price of LED bulbs has dropped dramatically due to increased demand. aA major national retailer offers four 60-watt bulbs for under $7.

A comparison of 100 Watt Output LED Bulb and 100 Watt Incandescent Bulb:

• Projected Lifespan a a a a a a a a 50,000 hours a a a a a 12,000 hours
• Watts used per hour a a a a a a a a a a 10 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 100
• BTU?s of heat per hour a a a a a a a a 34 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a341
• Watts used over 50,000 hr a a 500,000 a a a a a a a a a5,000,000
• Heat Produced?50,000 hr a 1,700,000 a BTU a 17,000,000

• LED Bulbs reduce the amount of electricity used by 90%
• LED Bulbs reduce the amount of heat generated by 90%
• Your A/C must run longer to remove the additional heat produced by incandescent light bulbs

• 1 LED bulb will last longer than 4 incandescent bulbs. aThis makes their total purchase-cost roughly the same.

Help Your Refrigerator Keep Its Cool

Your refrigerator must get rid of the heat it produces while running with coils located under it, or on the back of the refrigerator (most are below). a Clean these coils each year (twice a year if you have shedding pets) to ensure your refrigerator runs asaefficiently as possible. aThe dirtier these coil are, the longer the refrigerator must run, and the entire time it?s running it is adding heat to your home. a Cleaning your refrigerator coils once or twice each year will have a notable affect on power bills and your carbon footprint.

a

Managing The Amount Of Time Your Central HVAC System Must Run:

For those who always have people at home, this section won?t likely apply. aFor those who?s home is unoccupied during extended periods of some days, reducing heating and cooling during these times will have a notable affect on both your energy bills and your carbon footprint.

You can save up to 3% on heating and cooling costs for each 1 degree you reduceacooling / heating demand. aIf your home sits empty 9 hours while you are at work, you can reduce your cooling or heating costs by 30% during that period of time by increasing / decreasing the temperature by 10 degrees. a When you return home, you can have the house the temperature you want by installing a Programmable or Smart Thermostat.

Reduce your power bills and your carbon footprint automatically:

• A Programmable Thermostat allows you to select the time you want your HVAC to start running ?ato allow enough time to reach the temperature you want when you arrive home.
• A Smart Thermostat will compute how long it takes to restore the temperatureaand start the HVAC only early enough to reach that temperature.
• A Smart Thermostat uses your home?s WIFI to get the weather forecast. aUsing the forecast + the amount of time the thermostat learned it takes your HVAC to restore the temperature is how the Smart Thermostat minimizes HVAC run-time to only what?s needed.a

The Nest Smart Thermostat Can Also Display The Current Weathera

Either thermostat will reduce the amount of time the HVAC must run. a You will experience no reduced comfort resulting from the savings.

a a

Programmable Thermostat a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a aSmart Thermostat

Help Your Clothes Dryer & Fireplace Get Its Breath

A clothes dryeraexhausts about 250 Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM) of heated / cooled indoor-air from your home. aIf you have a 2,000 square foot home with 8 foot ceilings, you have 16,000 cubic feet of air inside your home. aIt takes your dryer 65 minutes to remove all the air inside the house ? forcing the HVAC system to heat / cool the air the dryer pulled inside through leaks in the home. a Your carbon footprint is at least doubled while your clothes dryer removes heated / air conditioned air from your home.

• Open the window closest to the dryer while it?s running. aThis allows the dryer to use outside air instead of heated / cooled inside-air from your home.
• Minimize clothes dryer operating time by checking frequently to ensure it does not run after clothes are dry.
• Also open a nearby window while your fireplace is burning. aThe fireplace draws 250?350 CFM of heated air from your home.
• Close your fireplace flue as soon as it?s cool enough to touch. aLarge amounts of heat will rise out of your chimney if the damper is left open.

Let The Sunshine In ? In Winter And Close The Blinds In Summer

Here?s a way to get sun-generated heat for free. aSolar Heat contributes nothing to your carbon footprint.

Any window the sun shines through is a source of solar radiant-heat. aIn winter, leave the blinds open to get the benefit of solar-heat. aAs the sun sets, close the blinds to keep heat from radiating outside through the windows. aYou can gather some solar heat without an expensive solar collection-system by managing when the sun can, and cannot shine, through your windows. aUsing renewable resources (solar, wind and water) eliminates any carbon footprint while you are enjoying the benefits of these resources for free.

In summer, keep the blinds closed on windows which have direct sun coming through. aOn windows which don?t have direct sun, the blinds can stay open (this includes most north facing windows).

Add Cellular Shades for better insulating value: a($102 for a 3 x 6 window **)

Improve your home?s appearance, increase privacy options, lower energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint ? all with only 1 purchase.

Cellular Shades shades provide insulating over your windows, reducing heating costs and cooling costs.a Adding tracks along the sides allows for 4-sided insulating ability. aA double-cell, light filtering cellular shade provides R-2.8 insulating value, slightly more than a Low-E window (R-2.7).

R-Value of different Cellular Shades:

• Double-Cell, Light Filtering a a a a a a 2.8
• Same shade + tracks on sides a a a a a3.3
• Double-Cell, Blackout a a a a a a a a a a a 4.0
• Same Shade + tracks on sides a a a a 4.7
• Triple-Cell, Light Filtering a a a a a a a4.4

** Source: http://www.justblinds.com/products/107874?src=gawpb-107874-pla-96041484986&width=16.00&height=20.00&esvt=&esvx=None&esvadt=999999?1&esvid=&gclid=CMLZ3P6Txs4CFYgAaQod0_8EkA

Establish Heating-Season Lifestyle Habits That Reduce Your Energy Bills And Your Carbon Footprint

• Don?t stand an open doorway while talking with someone outside the home. aInvite them in or step outside and close the door.
• Minimize the use of bath vent fans. aaAfter your shower, turn the bath fan on for 5 minutes to remove only the most humid air (which rises to the ceiling). aLet the rest of the heat and humidity move into the home.
• Lock all your windows to ensure the tightest seal.
• If you have storm windows, be sure to close them too.
• Add area rugs where you have bare floors. aA bare floor feels colder in winter. aCover it with a rug to keep the room warmer + make the floor ?feel? warmer on your feet.
• Arrange furniture to minimize seating against outside walls or windows.
• Be sure no furniture or draperies block any heat ducts located in the floor.
• Put on warm clothes while relaxing at home.
• Enjoy hot beverages while you are relaxing.
• Close off some unused rooms and close the vent. aKeep in mind this affects your furnace?s air-flow, so limit closed registers to 2.
• Keep your garage door closed, especially if living space is above it.

During Winter, Make The Best Use Of The Heat Already In The Rooma

Moving heat from the ceiling down into the room is a nearly free source of heat with no contribution to your carbon footprint.

Use your ceiling fan ? blowing UP in winter. aSet your ceiling fan to low speed with it spinning clockwise to move warm air at the ceiling down into the room (moving along the walls). This will also reduce the temperature difference from floor to ceiling. aYou will increase your comfort and reduce your carbon footprint by balancing cold and warm air in the room.

If the air feels much colder near the floor, try a small fan sitting on the floor and blowing up. aThis will help mix the coldest air in the room with the warmest air at the ceiling. aTo avoid a draft, put the fan as far from the seating area as possible.

Use An Electric Space-Heater In the Room You Are Using And Lower The Thermostat Setting

Space heaters provide ample comfort where you are at, while lowering your home?s energy usage (by turning the house thermostat down) and reduce your carbon footprint.

Heating and cooling your home has the most effect on your energy bills and carbon footprint. aBy increasing the temperature of the space you are currently using, you can be comfortable while the rest of the house is at a reduced temperature. aNote: Fuel-Burning space heaters create carbon monoxide and are not safe to use inside your home ? electric heaters create no toxic by-products.

Infrared Heaters will also increase the temperature of objects they are pointed at, giving you an additional source of heat (from the warm furniture). aAdditionally, infrared heaters don?t dry out the air like electric heaters which move air directly over the heating coils. aInfrared Heaters create a heat that is very similar to the sun. aThe heat they produce warms our skin, clothes and other objects, which is how things near an infrared heater warm up.

aa

Infrared Electric Heater a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Infrared Electric Heater With Fireplace-Surroundaplusa3-D Flame Effect

Priced from $70 on Amazon.com a a a a a a a a aPriced from $157 on Amazon.com

Black Infrared Heatera a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Infrared Heater / Fireplace

Use A Portable Air Conditioner To Cool The Space You Are Using & Raise The Thermostat Setting

Just Like space heaters, portable A/C provides ample comfort where you are at, while lowering your home?s energy usage (by turning the house thermostat up and reduce your carbon footprint.

Just like portable space-heaters, portable air conditioners are also available. aThe come with 1 or 2 hoses (buy the 2-house version, as it uses outside air to cool itself, versus pulling indoor-air from the home). aThey can be temporarily vented through a window or a permanent installation through a wall . aYou can have the room you are using at a comfortable temperature, while the balance of the house is set to a warmer temperature in summer. a By using a portable A/C, you remain completely comfortable while reducing your carbon footprint and energy bills.

The price for this unit varies greatly. aAt the time of this article?s writing, prices for the portable A/C shown ranged from $399 (Sears) to $650 (Best Buy). aIt?s easy to shop for the best price with a Google search.

Portable Air Conditioner

This YouTube Video demonstrates the installation and use of a leading brand of portable A/C. aThis brand also comes in a heat-pump version which can make heat in the winter. aThe heat-pump version is only effective in mild winter climates.

Are You Cooling The Entire House At Night While Using Only 1 Bedroom?

Cooling only 1 bedroom at night with a window a/c (with house thermostat turned higher) will keep you comfortable with far less energy use and notably reduced carbon footprint.

If you are using only 1 room at night. aSet your central a/c to 80 and cool only the bedroom with a Window A/C. aAn Energy Star rated 8,000 BTU window a/c uses about 800 watts to cool only the bedroom. aA 3-Ton Central A/C uses 4.5 times as much electricity (3,600 watts) to cool the entire house (up to 2,000 square feet). aThere are very few things you can do which will reduce your carbon footprint and energy bills as much as this one thing.

The a/c costs as little as $175 and will pay for itself (in Dallas) in one summer.

SUMMARY:

This article focused on Managing Energy Use + Reducing Your Carbon-Footprint with Lifestyle Habits. aA secondary focus was to demonstrate how your A/C more than doubles the energy usage of anything that produces heat. aIt?s easy to realize a 100 Watt-Output LED Light Bulb uses only 10% of the electricity of an incandescent bulb, but your savings more than doubles because LED produces onlya10% of the heat an incandescent light bulb produces. aOnce the heat is generated, you must also pay for your A/C to remove it.

Establishing new Energy-Usage Awareness Habits can reduce your energy usage without affecting your personal comfort and quality of life. aThe primary focus for Energy-Usage Awareness is Cooling, Heating and Water Heating ? while being mindful that anything producing heat makes your A/C run more.

Al?s Plumbing, Heating & A/C provides Maintenance, Repairs and Replacement for all brands of HVAC Systems and Water Heaters. aAn annual A/C & Furnace Tune-Up ensures your HVAC is running at it?s peak efficiency. aIt also discovers issues like an A/C which is low on refrigerant. aThis causes the A/C to run longer and shortens its lifespan. aAl?s A/C Tune-Up also includes cleaning the coil in the outside unit (a dirty or clogged coil can cause your A/C to run 35% more).

Call Al?s today to discuss any HVAC, Water Heater, or plumbing concerns or problems you have. aWe can schedule an inspection and make recommendations of what?s needed to correct the problem. aAl?s provides 24/7 Emergency Service as well.