Tip of the Month
Consider a whole house humidification system for your home this winter. By adding a whole-house humidifier to your heating and cooling system you can regulate the amount of moisture in the air throughout your home, making a better, healthier and more comfortable environment for your entire family.
- A whole house humidification system will deliver moisture into the air to make the air feel more comfortable at a lower thermostat setting.
- Increased humidity adds heat to your home. The EPA sates that you can save up to 4% on your heating bill for every degree you lower your thermostat.
- Whole-house humidifiers can also help ease nasal congestion without the use of medicine. With more moisture in the air, the mucus in your nasal passage and sinuses thins so that it’s easier to breathe.
- Humidified air relieves and prevents dry, scratchy skin and lips.
- More moisture in the air reduces static electricity, thus reducing those tiny shocks you get from touching certain objects and people.
- According to medical experts, many viruses thrive in low humidity, increasing the likelihood of getting sick, and overly dry environments can make you more susceptible to infection.
Go online to A.J. Perri and schedule your heating tune-up today. We’ll keep your system running efficiently all year long, with your satisfaction guaranteed!
Q&A’s – HVAC & Plumbing
Q: What is a variable-speed furnace?
A: “Variable speed” refers to the furnace’s indoor air blower motor. The blower motor is the component that determines the amount of air the blower is required to deliver to your home. A variable speed blower motor moves at different speeds to precisely control the flow of heated and cooled air throughout your home.
A variable speed furnace works by using sensors to control the flow rate of the flue through the burner. On chilly – but not cold – days, the furnace runs at the low setting, but for a longer period of time. This allows it to operate at the most efficient temperatures without the many stops and starts that create inefficient burning. Conversely, on cold days it burns at full capacity to accommodate the more demanding work load. Most variable speed furnaces run at a low setting approximately 90 percent of the time.
In addition to saving money, running the burner and blower longer at a lower setting distributes air in rooms more evenly and pushes more air through the furnace filter, which results in cleaner air.
Q: What are the advantages of a tankless water heater versus a traditional water heater?
A tankless water heater heats water directly without the use of a storage tank, thereby avoiding standby heat losses associated with storage water heaters. Tankless water heaters are also able to provide an endless supply of water. Tankless water heaters are around 50% more energy efficient than traditional water heaters and have about twice the life expectancy. They are also wall mountable, thus not taking up any floor space.
Q: What are some of the reasons to have my duct system cleaned?
A system of ducts for heating and air conditioning runs through your home. As the supply ducts blow air into the rooms, return ducts inhale airborne dust and suck it back into the blower. Add moisture into this mix and you’ve got a breading ground for allergy-inducing molds, mites and bacteria. Many filters commonly used today can’t keep dust and debris from streaming into the air and over time sizable accumulations can form.
To find out if your ducts need cleaning, pull off some of the supply and return registers and take a look. If a new furnace is being installed, you should probably invest in a duct cleaning. Chances are the new blower is more powerful than your old one and will stir up a lot of dust.
A clean HVAC system performs more efficiently, which may decrease energy costs and lasts longer, reducing the need for costly replacement and repairs. Cleaning also gets rid of the stuff that mold and bacteria grow on, which means less gets airborne, including the particles that irritate allergy sufferers.
If you have more questions, feel free to go to our Ask-an-Expert page online. Fill out the form and we’ll get back to you right away!
Energy Saving Tips
Making your home more energy efficient can save you money while helping conserve natural resources. Most of us are willing to perform energy efficient practices, we just don’t always know which ones can actually make the biggest difference. Below is a list of problem areas around your home and solutions that can have a huge affect on the energy efficiency of your home.
Cooling and heating costs are wasted by drafts at door and windows. Apply weather stripping or replace weather stripping that is worn out. If you cannot weather strip for whatever reason, at least try to block off the drafts as best you can. Heavy drapes at all windows and the patio door can help. Also add blockers such as the bean bag snakes at the bottom of exterior doors.
Lack of maintenance on your heating and cooling system. If you are not having your heating and cooling system maintained and cleaned by a professional at least once a year you are wasting energy. Your system can work up to 40% less efficiently when it is not serviced. This not only wastes energy, but costs you more in higher utility bills.
Replace standard bulbs with fluorescent ones. Although these are more expensive than regular ones, they use less energy and last longer, so over time they will more than pay for themselves.
Water heaters in most homes are set too high. This is not only unnecessary, but can pose a hazard in homes where there are young children. Having tap water delivered that is scalding hot wastes energy – twice. First, the energy needed to bring the water to temperature is wasted, because it is too hot. Then, before it can be used for baths or showers, cold water has to be added to cool it down. Although some manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140ºF, most households only require them set at 120ºF.
Check your attic insulation, especially if you have an older home. Insulation products of today have greatly improved over what they were 20 to 30 years ago. You should check to see not only what type of insulation is present but also how much there is. If it is not adequate, replace or supplement it.
Programmable thermostatsare a good investment. These can be programmed to adjust the temperature setting in your home to conserve energy when you are asleep or away from home. Then, before you return home, they adjust the setting again to make sure that when you arrive back home you arrive to comfortable temperatures.
How you use your energy is also important. Turn lights off when you are leaving a room, whether you are going out of the room or leaving for the evening. Don’t run partial loads of dishes or clothing. Skip the preheat cycle on the oven, except where food requires it. In the winter, put on socks or a sweater instead of raising the thermostat, and in the summer, use fans for additional cooling.
We have been serving the New Jersey area for 40+ years, one satisfied customer at a time. We look forward to hearing from you if you need additional information on our products and services, or a suggestion about how we may better serve you.
To Visit or Contact our Office:
A.J. Perri
1138 Pine Brook Rd.
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Telephone
1-800-554-1827
Fax
(732) 982-8717
Office Hours:
- Monday-Friday 7AM-11PM
- Saturday/Sunday 7AM-7PM
- 24 Hour Emergency Service – 365 days a year
To reach a specific department, please click one of the links below:
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