Do you have energy monsters in your home – Unplug unused appliances

Look around your home. They are lurking all over– Energy Monsters. Homeowners in the United States waste a considerable amount of energy and ultimately money each year on appliances and electronics that are constantly drawing energy. We refer to them as energy monsters.

Stop for a minute and think about all the electronic items you have in your house, digital clocks, appliances, phones, computers, etc. All of these items are drawing energy by just sitting there. Granted they do use considerably more energy when being used but would you keep a light on in a room you are barely using? That is basically what we are doing when we have these electronics plugged in when not in use.

Take another look around your home and ask yourself what doesn’t need to be plugged in – the clock radio in the guest room that never gets used, the TV/DVD in the basement that gets used maybe once a week, the toaster oven with the digital display? How many items can you find?

Another energy monster is an older appliance like refrigerators. Remember when you had the great idea to not be wasteful when you bought that new fridge and decided to put the old one out in the garage to use for extra storage. Well, that might not have been the best idea. Typically older refrigerators are considerably less efficient than new ones. If it feels like the fridge is running non-stop that also means the electric bill is running non-stop. The energy savings of replacing that with an ENERGY STAR certified fridge might pay for itself in less than 5 years.

Our homes are filled with opportunities to save energy. Some are bigger than others, but they all make a difference. To learn more about other helpful cost saving tips visit the climate change section at www.airkinglimited.com    

How does your attic measure up – Do you need more insulation?

For most of us the attic is a forgotten place. Its hot, dark, and there are things living up there that we probably don’t even want to know about. What most of us neglect is the importance insulation can make to the comfort of our home.

Not having enough insulation can allow the cold winter air to penetrate into the warm air of the home causing cold areas or drafts. This can be especially noticeable on the top floors of multiple story homes. The same holds true in the summer as the hot air penetrates into the living space we are trying to cool, making the HVAC system run longer. Homeowners of mulitple story houses notice this by the temperature in the upper levels being considerably higher than the temperature downstairs. These could all be signs that you need more insulation.

ENERGY STAR has put together some videos to help you determine if you need more insulation or not. As a general rule, homes in the southern states should have 13” to 14” (about a R38) of insulation. Homes in the northern states should have 16” to 18” (about a R49) of insulation. ENERGY STAR estimates that properly insulating and sealing your home can save up to 10% on your heating and cooling bills. If your total bill is $100 per month that means in a year’s time you could save up to $120.

Typically insulation does not need to be replaced so properly insulating your home now could provide many years of costs savings over the life of your home. Insulation can be one of those things you either want to do or want to have someone else do for you. If you are going to tackle the project yourself, make sure you have the proper safety equipment and know the layout of your attic.

To learn more about other helpful cost saving tips visit the climate change section at www.airkinglimited.com

The trouble with kitchen range hoods – troubleshooting your kitchen range hood

Kitchen range hoods provide a vital function to the indoor air quality of the home by exhausting contaminants produced during the cooking process out of the home. But they are only effective if they are working. There are many reasons that range hoods might start to have issues or stop functioning all together. The good news is not all of them mean you need to replace the entire range hood. Here are a few troubleshooting tips:

CAUTION: Before starting any maintenance make sure the power to the hood is turned off.

If the hood has completely stopped operating: Check to see if there is power to the fan. A circuit might be tripped. Next, see if your range hood has any type of function that might automatically turn it off like a delay timer. Another cause could be the wiring was not done correctly. This usually only applies if it is a brand new installation. If after checking all of those without solving the issue, you probably need to replace the motor or entire range hood.

The range hood lights are working but the fan is not: Some range hoods (typically higher end models including many Air King models) are equipped with a replaceable safety fuse that protects the motor. A failed fuse could be the result of a power surge such as a lightening strike or could mean the motor needs to be replaced. Replace the fuse according to the instructions included in your owners manual and if it fails a second time it indicates that professional service or replacement is needed.

The range hood is working but the air is moving slower than normal: More often than not, this is because there is a build-up of dirt on the fan motor/blade, filters or an obstruction in the ducting. Common obstructions include bird’s nest in the roof or wall caps where the air is being exhausted out of the home. Removing any blockage in your ducting or cleaning the inside of the range hood and filters according to the instructions in your owner’s manual will hopefully solve the issue.

The range hood is operating louder than normal: First you will need to identify what type of noise it is making. If it sounds like it is operating normally just louder it might be because of some of the same issues described in point #2. If it is more of a rattling sound it may be because the motor has come loose. Most range hoods have a housing with the motor attached to the housing with some type of mounting bracket. Over time the screw(s) holding the motor to the housing can work themselves loose. Tightening these might solve the problem. Much in the same way, it could be that the screws or nail holding the range hood  to the cabinets or wall have worked themselves loose or the ducting has disconnected. This might be a little tricky to determine as it might mean gaining access to the interior of the hood. Other causes could be a weld has broken loose on the range hood housing. Visually inspect the hood to see if you can identify and places where the metal has separated. Unfortunately, that can’t be easily fixed and the whole range hood will need to be replaced. If you hear more of a scraping sound it is probably the fan blade hitting the housing. This can happen if the blade was damaged during cleaning or if it has worked itself loose. Check to see if you can fit the blade back onto the motor shaft. If not, you might need to replace the blade, the motor or the entire range hood depending on the extent of damage.

As always, Air King highly recommends consulting a professional for all maintenance issues. To learn more about other helpful tips visit the FAQ section at www.airkinglimited.com

The trouble with bathroom exhaust fans – troubleshooting your bathroom exhaust fan

Bathroom exhaust fans provide a vital function to the indoor air quality of the home by exhausting odors and moisture that can cause mold or mildew to grow. But they are only effective if they are working. There are many reasons that exhaust fans might start to have issues or stop functioning all together. The good news is not all of them mean you need to replace the entire fan. Here are a few troubleshooting tips:

CAUTION: Before starting any maintenance make sure the fan is turned off at the circuit board.

If the fan has completely stopped operating:

Check to see if there is power to the fan. A circuit might be tripped. Next, see if the motor plug is connected. Typically fans will have a plug running from the motor to a receptacle in the fan housing. If this has come loose, the fan will not operate. Another cause could be the wiring was not done correctly. This usually only applies if it is a brand new installation. If after checking all of those without solving the issue, you probably need to replace the motor or entire fan.

The fan is working but the air is moving slower than normal: More often than not, this is because there is a build-up of dirt on the fan motor/blade or an obstruction in the ducting. Common obstructions include bird’s nest in the roof or wall caps where the air is being exhausted out of the home. Removing any blockage in your ducting or cleaning the inside of the fan according to the instructions in your owner’s manual will hopefully solve the issue.

The fan is operating louder than normal: First you will need to identify what type of noise it is making. If it sounds like it is operating normally just louder it might be because of some of the same issues described above in the air is moving slower than normal.

If it is more of a rattling sound it may be because the motor has come loose. Most exhaust fans have a housing with the motor attached to the housing with some type of mounting bracket. Over time the screw(s) holding the motor to the housing can work themselves loose. Tightening these might solve the problem.

Much in the same way, it could be that the screws or nails holding the fan to the joists have worked themselves loose or the ducting has disconnected. If you have access to the fan from above, this can be easily checked and corrected.

Other causes could be a weld has broken loose on the fan housing. Unfortunately, that can’t be easily fixed and the whole fan will need to be replaced. If you hear more of a scraping sound it is probably the fan blade hitting the fan housing. This can happen if the blade was damaged during cleaning or if it has worked itself loose. Check to see if you can fit the blade back onto the motor shaft. If not, you might need to replace the blade, the motor or the entire fan depending on the extent of damage.

As always, Air King highly recommends consulting a professional for all maintenance issues. To learn more about other helpful tips visit the FAQ section at www.airkinglimited.com

Let your HVAC breath – Why it is important to change your air filter

If you have central air in your home, hopefully you know it also has an air filter and that the air filter needs to be changed. You should check you air filter every month and will probably need to replace it at least every 3 months depending on how much the system is running.

During the cold of the winter months when the heater is running a lot, you will probably need to replace it more often. During mild months when the system might not be running at all, you can typically go longer before needing to replace the filter.

Changing filters that often can sometimes lead to the theory that this is all a fabrication of the filter manufactures that are trying to take over the world. Well unfortunately we just can’t support that theory. The air filter is a critical part of your HVAC system. It removes dirt and debris and allows the system to work at maximum efficiency. The entire system is relying on air flowing freely throughout the home. If you have a dirty and clogged filter that efficiency is going to decrease dramatically. As the filter becomes dirty, less air can flow through it. That causes your HVAC unit to have to run longer which wastes energy, resulting in higher bills. Think of it this way. Take a large straw and blow into one end of it with your hand at the other end. You should feel a nice flow of air coming out. Now stuff the straw with cotton and try blowing again. You will need to blow a lot harder and only a fraction of the air will actually come out the other end. This is what you are doing to your HVAC system when you use a dirty filter.

Fine, problem solved, I just won’t use a filter – that will teach them. Not a good idea. A dirty filter is actually a good thing in a way. If the filter had not captured the dirt, where do you think it would have gone? That would be coming out of your ductwork and into the air you breath or worse would lessen the life of your system because it would clog up the motor and internal workings of the HVAC system.

Changing the filter is typically something that any homeowner can do. For most systems, the filter is located on the right side of the HVAC system (the air return side). Check the size you need by looking at the numbers on the current filter and purchase a new filter that match those number exactly. Almost all home improvement centers will have replacement filters available. Once you have the new filter, slide the old one out, taking note of the airflow direction (usually an arrow on the top of the filter). Slide the new filter in and you are done. If you are not sure where your filter is located or have any other questions, contact a licensed professional HVAC service person. They will be able to check you system and show you how and where to replace the filters.

To learn more about other helpful cost saving tips visit the climate change section at www.airkinglimited.com.

Don’t be a BigFoot - Reduce your carbon footprint

It doesn’t matter if you are leading the charge against global warming or just a homeowner looking for ways to save a few dollars on energy costs, we can all benefit from reducing our carbon footprint.

Your carbon footprint is basically how much carbon dioxide (CO2) you produce from your lifestyle. Factors include how much you drive, heating and cooling your home, trash you produce and so forth. Some of these items are unavoidable if we actually want to be able to survive, but there are many things we can do to reduce our footprints. Most of the time, it doesn’t take a lot of effort or money, but they do have a big impact.

Lets take light bulbs for example. There are approximately 125 million houses in the United States (source – Google). If every home changed one light bulb that is on for 2 hours a day from a 100watt bulb to a 26watt CFL that would be over 18 billion watts of energy saved. At a conservative average of 10 cents per kilowatt that is about $1.8 million in savings. Unfortunately all that money doesn’t come directly to you but hopefully you can see how a small item like changing 1 light bulb can have a large impact. To look at it another way, that would be about the equivalent of removing 2,700 cars from the road. Other items like driving less, recycling, adjusting your thermostat and more can all be simple little things we do but when done as a whole country can have a huge impact.

Want to know how much green house gas your car produces in a year? Air King has a calculator that will let you know as well as many other helpful tips to reduce your carbon footprint at http://www.airkinglimited.com/page/climate-change.html.

Control at the tip of your fingers – Use a programmable thermostat

For most people in the United States we have our routines down. Wake-up around the same time everyday of the workweek, leave around the same time and come home around the same time. Having routines can be a good thing, especially when it comes to heating and cooling your home. It doesn’t make much sense to heat or cool your home when it is empty while you are at work.

Almost all homes have a thermostat that controls when the heater or air conditioner comes on. A lot of these thermostats are manual thermostats meaning that the homeowner needs to physically turn them up or down to the setting they desire. These work fine, but it requires the homeowner to remember to set it. A programmable thermostat simplifies the process and can pay for itself over the course of it’s life. With a programmable thermostat you can set the desired temperature and time frames. For instance, if you leave at 7:30am everyday, you can set the thermostat up or down 10 degrees at 7:30am and maintain that level until you return. Set it once and it automatically takes care of it until your schedule changes. Just think, if you are away from your home 8 hours a day that is 33% of the day. That can translate into a lot of energy and cost savings if you are not heating or cooling the empty space.

There are a lot of options when it comes to a programmable thermostat including ones you can even sync with a smartphone. A homeowner with some wiring knowledge can typically install programmable thermostats but Air King recommends you consult a HVAC professional. To learn more about other helpful cost saving tips visit the climate change section at www.airkinglimited.com.