Trouble with your Programmable Thermostat?

Many of us have trouble setting that thermostat, or getting it to do what we want. This you tube video does a pretty good job of explaining what the various buttons and switches do on your basic thermostat. If you need help programming your thermostat, it is always a good idea to read the manual or even to ask the company that installed your air!

Consumer Report's Take on AC

So, I get bored pretty easily and so, while browsing the web - when things move - it makes me happy. This is a flash-animated site with tips to save energy and money on cooling bills. Nothing I haven't said before, BUT there is an animation with little blue, green and red arrows that blink. Pretty cool if you ask me. They break up their cooling tips into three sections: 1. Work with the weather 2. Keep up maintenance and 3. Keep the heat down. All very good suggestions! Things to keep in mind when you're firing up your unit, especially if you want to make it last.

Today's Outlook for Megawatt Usage?

The California ISO is a non-profit that mediates between the power companies (available power) and the consumers (wanted power). This interesting relationship is portrayed on their website www.caiso.com/ where they provide an graph of today's megawatt output and demand, right next to a conserve-o-meter. Kinda funny, but really helpful and easy to understand. On warm days like this, when all of California rushes to turn on their air conditoning en masse (I even got a call from Ranchos Palos Verdes today saying they were cranking on their air), it's easy to forget what exactly is happening to the power grid. Here is today's graph: Right now (as shown also on the graph) we are at peak demand! That's tough. Conserve where you can by turning off and un plugging appliances that you aren't using and waiting to run laundry or dish-washers after 7pm.

Resource: Summer Tip Sheet

Flex Your Power (a California based organization that encourages energy savings) offers a supper tip sheet on their website, there is also a link to their document on ours. Some of the stuff is dealing with air conditioning, but there is also information on clothes dryers and other household appliances that may be helpful. Check it out: http://www.sinclairair.com/tipscard_summer08.pdf

Please DO NOT TRY this at home...

I am NOT advocating that you climb up into your attic - REALLY, DON'T. I just thought that it might be interesting for you to see what is similar to what's in your attic. It's just a precautionary tale about keeping up with maintenance of your units. once again, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. Just think of it as PBS- interesting, but not for you to go out and do with out a license. :)

Projects do Happen in Practice

Source:http://www1.eere.energy.gov/inventions/pdfs/solareng.pdf Scientific research, is often times, just that - research, with no application to anyone's life. The Cromer Cycle Air Conditioner started out as research in 2001 and is today being used to eliminate the need for stand alone dehumidifiers. (Meaning that you can clean the air in your home right through your heater or air conditioner. ) The Cromer cycle has a coil with an increased dehumidifing properties, so it removes more moisture in the air - which leads to interior spaces that are more comfortable. The webaddress above is the project fact sheet from 2001. It has a diagram explaining the parts as well as the applications and progress measurements. It is inspiring to see techonolgy being used today that was a project fact sheet not too long ago.

PROS and CONS of PROGRAMMING

Source: http://www.achrnews.com/CDA/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000424599 Story By: Angela D. Harris News & Legislation Editor. E-mail her at angelaharris AT achrnews DOT com So this energy star thermostat this and programmable that and set your temperature this. Okay, so I might have been a bit hasty in advocating the use of this tool. Today, I learned that Energy Star (www.energystar.gov) is attempting to decide whether to increase qualifications for programmable thermostats or take the energy star label off them completely. As everything, there are pros and cons on both sides.

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CONS Or Energy Star should not put their label on Programmable thermostats BECAUSE:

1. Most people do not know how to program their programmable thermostat.

   Why is this a problem? Because if you use your programmable thermostat just like you would a manual thermostat you are NOT saving ANY money! To properly use a programmable thermostat, it needs to decide when to flip on and and off – not you. PLUS! There is no excuse for not knowing how to program it. It comes with a manual – that if you read, will make sense. AND if you ask your HVAC contractor, they will be more than willing to help you set it up or teach you how to use it. Many of the brands offer customer support over the phone AND on their webpages. It will take 2 seconds to set your thermostat – it’s totally worth it. besides, if all else fails, have some video-game playing/computer using (probably little kid) look at it, and they’ll have it done in no time.

2. Most people do not understand the importance (or reasons) for using a programmable thermostat.

   Why is this a problem? A programmable thermostat is easy, and it saves you money. How could that not be important?

• It is easier to cool a cool house than one that has heated up. So if the thermostat kicks on before you would flip it on, it will be on for a shorter amount of time, and use less energy to cool your house. Also, you can have the thermostat kick on when you leave work, so you don’t walk into a hot house!
• An air conditioner isn’t supposed to run constantly – you’re asking for it to break down prematurely. How can this be prevented? By setting a temperature and allowing the unit to cycle on and off.

There are other reasons, which are elsewhere on the blog. If you’re interested read the entries about programmable thermostats or do the research on www.energystar.gov.

PROS Energy Star should NOT put their logo on programmable thermostats BECAUSE:

1. Homeowners are NOT experiencing energy savings

   If you’re not comfortable with the complicated programming, you aren’t going to utilize your energy savings and then you will have paid for a promise (saving energy) that you did not get. That’s not fair.

2. the Energy Star label encourages customers to buy certain products

   If you are trying to save some money, or the environment and you patronize companies that partner with energy star, it’s influence may be used unfairly.

Energy Star is committed to maintaining relations with the thermostat producers and they have until 2009 to make a decision. The facts are that there CAN be savings if the models are used correctly. However, it is also a fact that most people aren’t getting those savings. What do you think? Use our comments to sound off: is your thermostat too hard to program? Do you use yours all the time? For more information, please email Amanda AT sinclairair DOTCOm

Learn All about Programmable Thermostats- video

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=thermostats.PT_Podcast (source)

Check it OUT!!!

So HERE: is my "coolest thing I learned today" moment - and it's already been quite a long day. If you want to read the story that initially caught my eye, it's http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/greencore-solar-air-conditioner-installed/story.aspx?guid=%7B15BF0BB9-033A-445F-9083-557652D9CDC5%7D&dist=hppr explaining how a MetroPCS (the cell phone company) is installing a GREEN air conditioner on one of their cellphone towers. This by itself is pretty interesting, because cell phone towers, computer server buildings, the electric company...pretty much anyone who manufactures something, does reserach, works with machinery - are very inefficient in thier energy use - ESPECIALLY when it comes to air conditioning. You know, climate control and all that, for example, the computers need to be cooled down or I imagine they explode or something --- something to do research on another time. But when it comes down to it - very wasteful. SOOOO, hearing about a green air conditioner being put in a CELL PHONE company peaked my interest for a couple of reasons. 1. Big Businesses are out to make money (hence the market system of America etc. etc.) - so if a BUSINESS is making this change, they are either trying to be responsible - or more likely this technology is proven and fairly fiscally acceptable. 2. For them to buy into this - this thing must ACTUALLY work. and 3. If they're for it and it gains support, we are going to see more responsible choices. SO: in the article - which was interesting, but didn't give too much information, there was a link to the actual GREENCORE (R) site. SWEET! So I check it out (http://www.greencoreair.com/index.html) - it's a really nice flash site, also it doesn't say too much, but why complicate life. It is an excellent idea, pricing is up an available and their FAQ section is helpful. http://www.greencoreair.com/faq.html#q1a So, I would watch this technology and see where it goes. It's pretty cool to see that not everything is being done the exact same way out of habit.

Increasing Energy Costs

EVERYONE is talking about ENERGY - the politicians, the homeowners paying for them, and now...Universities...in Kansas. Personally, being a history major, I can trace how energy costs have affected governmental policy throughout the 20th century. The TVA and other new deal, then fair deal programs tried to bring electricity and ensure competition to Americans. But that leaves us with the age old problem of more or less government and what exactly the buraucracy is supposed to control. Politics aside, this has and will continue to be a matter close to America's wallets. As such, I believe it does merit some discussion. This article caught my eye- because I am also a college student. Sometimes I walk into classrooms and FREEZE. I sit there and think...hmm, what a waste. Does it HAVE to be 60 degrees in here? Kansas University has decided to set their thermostats higher, for purely economical reasons. They will set their air to 78 degrees (the suggested energy star level for optimum comfort and savings) and in the process will save $3,000 a week in energy costs. Some of the students have complained that it has been warm, but if you think about it, 78 degrees is a heck of a lot better than 90 or 100. It is worth it to save money and the environment. If we get all of our larger buildings to commit to saving just that much energy, increasing their set thermostat level by just 2 degrees it would make a world of difference. Source: http://www.kansan.com/stories/2008/sep/02/energy/ September 2008, Kansas University. From the University Daily Kansan. My friend LIZ lives in Lawrence! HI LIZ!

Consumer Information

Here at Sinclair Air Systems, we do receive mailings from other agencies in the heating, air, refrigeration businesses and occasionally information from non-profits interested in saving energy. Whenever possible, I will post those mailings here so that you all can get a different perspective or other information. This posting is from UniSource Energy Services out of Arizona. They have actual seasons there, so they are gearing up for their winter heating season. This information is helpful regardless of heating or air - same principles - seal up leaks, keep blinds closed in summer/open in winter...you know, the basics. The first attachment is downloadable in PDF format and there is also the same document included in Spanish as well. Click here to go to the Energy Efficiency Document in English. Click here to go to the Energy Efficiency Document in Spanish. (These are also located on our webpage under Resources - http://www.sinclairair.com/resources/resources.html)

Let's Go To The Fair!

GO SEE OUR TRAIN!!

The LA County Fair is only going to be in town until September 28th! If you haven't been to see the garden railroad, YOU ARE MISSING OUT! This video content can be found at http://www.fgrr.org/ along with more information about the train and how it got started.

Brrrr!

Brrrr....so today, it was like actually chilly...like forget the light cardigan from yesterday, but instead it's all gloomy and actually 'chilly.' This reminds me -- in California, where we don't really have seasons -- that winter...is coming... Well, it might. It sure feels like it TODAY! Now, if you're thinking...hmmm... I should turn on my furnace to see that it's working NOW before I REALLY need it - you're miles ahead of the game! If you turn your furnace on today, you can call for a service or repair...or if it's more than 10 years old - a REPLACEMENT. If you turn it on when you're freezing your buns off and nothing happens (let's say on a weekend, because you know how these things usually go...) you're pretty much...well going to have to throw on an extra blanket and bake something. The Boy Scouts would recommend you being prepared...and from the outlook of today's weather I would heartily second that advice. I wouldn't want to be left freezing. Now, this is IMPORTANT - if you turn your heater on and you smell SMOKE... CHECK AND MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO FLAMES! - near the unit(the one in the basement or hall closet inside) flames are definatley bad - if there are flames - SHUT THE UNIT OFF IMMEDIATLEY, get out of the house, call 911- you know: emergency stuff you learned in the third grade. The burning smell should subside quickly, if not your unit might need cleaning or some serious repair. If it goes on like normal, just smile and think how prepared and intellegent you are. :) Happy attempts with that, and ENJOY this weekend weather - it's nice enough to go hiking or running or all the other fun outside-sy stuff you can't do when it's too hot (or too cold).

The Weather is Cooling Down - NOW, is the Perfect Time

Ahh, feel that? It's actually a nice, cool breeze going through Covina. You don't have to turn on the air, just open a window and there is a nice, actual breeze coming through. This morning was even cool enough to justify a light sweater on my way to school. NICE! So, aside from being really gorgeous weather (I mean it's not 90 - I'll take what I can get) NOW is the PERFECT TIME! For what you ask? Picnics - yes, please. It is wonderful picnic weather, just enough sun, just enough breeze.

But even better, it is the perfect weather for SERVICING AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING UNITS!!!!

Why? Well, during summer it's so blasted hot that everyone and their grandmother is calling air conditioning companies to fix/install units so that it's not so hot. If you call for an appointment that is not extremely urgent you might end up waiting for a while. Winter, is the same way - people freeze and then get on the phone with a company to install/fix the furnace that they haven't even thought about since last January. So...Now, is the perfect time to get your unit serviced with almost no wait time! This blog has written constantly about how services are necessary for the up keep of your unit - like a car, that in order to run at top efficiency, needs to have a check-up every once in a while. (pssst: NOW) So, lets just say a little birdie told you that NOW is the PERFECT time to schedule a service for your unit. There will be no wait, no stress on your unit and your air conditioner/heater will thank you. It'll be like having a brand new unit for when the HEAT kicks back up in November (as it can in California) or the COLD comes with a vengence in December. (You don't want to have to call for service at Christmas time...really...) Laying it on a bit thick? Perhaps, but no one ever takes these opportunities and then they kick and scream when their unit breaks down. It pays to be prepared. ((views of the blog reflect my personal suggestions and not that of Sinclair Air, although if you ask them - they will tell you all the benefits of regularly servicing your unit and what can happen if you don't.))

When Was The Last Time You Thought About Air Quality?

For me, it’s been fairly recent – but this surprised me. So, a couple of weeks ago, when school started the blog delved into the air quality at our schools and how children are susceptible to breathing in toxins that shouldn’t be in the air. That article, by the EPA called schools to action to begin implementation of ways to better their indoor air quality. The website CSREES.usda.gov is a governmental site devoted to educating consumers in various fields from agriculture to bio-technology. An article, located at: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/family/in_focus/housing_if_epa.html cautioned Americans about the quality of the air INSIDE their homes. Since 1995, the EPA began a consumer education program to teach about the potential problems of indoor air quality. (big news, apparently, since I am personally just hearing about it now…)

Indoor air quality remains a widespread concern. Because the American public spends most of its time indoors, indoor air quality is a serious issue. While more information is needed about pollutant exposures and their effects in indoor environments, national studies have shown that levels of some pollutants indoors can be much higher than outdoor levels. Two indoor air pollutants of particular concern are radon and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), the latter especially for children. We are achieving decreases in exposure to ETS.

Air conditioners and heating units offer an interesting solution to this problem. Many of the companies providing these units also offer some sort of dehumidification/filtration systems. The more expensive models will even electrically remove pollutants from the air. If you are one of those people who doesn’t open windows much, or has animals, this might be an option for you. It’s always nice to get clean air cycling through the house. And I suppose it would be nice to know that this filtration system would take care of that for you with little effort on your part. Regularly changing the filters in your own ac system will not only cut down on the pollutants cycling in your own home, but also help your unit to run more efficiently for longer.

Saving Energy Enters the Workforce

With concern about energy and energy saving strategies, there is an increased awareness and opportunity for everyone to get involved. Energystar.gov has launched a newer informational campaign to prepare for Earth Day. This campaign outlines ways to save energy at work. They also have an interactive picture where you can gain information quickly. They provide tips like pulling blinds (or opening them in winter) and utilizing a programmable thermostat. (These suggestions will also keep your home cooler). Energy star has a wealth of information on how to save money and energy with appliances - and especially for your central air conditioner.

Worried about Air?

We are so spoiled…from the air conditioned office into the air conditioned car into the air conditioned home. Everywhere you read there is some article condemning our wastefulness as a society and often times blaming it on air conditioning. Well, I don’t know about you, but I hate it when it’s hot – sticky, sweaty…not fun. So, while I support the environment, I’m not willing to kill all the air conditioners yet. There is hope for greener alternatives. One alternative in particular deals with that air conditioned car. In my searches for appropriate blog topics, I have come across many articles proclaiming car air conditioning as the most deadly sin. Myself, I rarely use it, but it’s nice to have. For my friend with a new baby and no air conditioning in her house, it’s essential. Good news. Auto air conditioning is getting greener – and perhaps this trend will also spread to the larger, home models. According to marketwatch.com, Ronn Motor Company Scorpion(TM) and Scorpion HX(TM) Hydrogen Hybrid Supercars Go Greener Scorpion(TM) Eco-Exotic to Have "Green" Proprietary Air Conditioning Component Which Also Complements Hydrogen on Demand System Last update: 11:26 a.m. EDT Sept. 8, 2008 The market watch article explains that these new air conditioning models will be utilizing R-134 for their refrigerant. R-134 is a non-chlorinated blending which is sometimes known as Puron (which more commonly operates under the 50/50 blend of 410A). This is currently being used in many central air conditioning systems and is better for the environment, but difficult to use because of the high pressure needed to compress the refrigerant. However, this is a great thing for people who run the air-conditioning in their car. I know I was beginning to feel a little guilty when I saw people driving with their windows up. As new technology gets more advanced, and attitudes change towards ‘greener’ pastures, there will be more changes in the HVAC industry.

THE LA FAIR STARTS TODAY!

Okay, so the La County Fair Starts tonight! Source:http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/la-county-fair-begin-2646/

Deal: If you’re looking for a deal on tickets, Friday is your day. This Friday, for opening day, tickets will cost just $1 per person if you enter before 5 p.m. And for all Fridays during the run of the fair, children 6 to 12 are admitted free.

And besides...while you are there you can check out Sinclair Air's Train at the Garden Railroad -- which is a pretty cool sight for grown-ups or children alike.

Announcing Our Train!

Sources: http://www.lacountyfair.com/2008/AttractionsCompetitions/gardenrailroad.asp Site explaining the historical additions to the railroad. http://www.lacountyfair.com/2008/GeneralInfo/index.asp http://www.lacountyfair.com/2008/ This is the blog entry for the railroad http://www.fairplex.com/blog/fairblog/?p=53 Summary/History

What Is the Garden Railroad?

The Garden Railroad is a volunteer operated miniature railroad that operates at the LA County Fair. This year’s fair is September 5th – 28th. The fair is open to the public Wednesdays 11am-10pm. Thursdays 11am to 11pm. Fridays 11am to midnight, Saturdays 10am to midnight, and Sundays 10am to 10pm. The Garden railroad operates on Wed, Thurs and Friday 10 to noon for school groups. Then 1pm-8pm Wednesdays through Sundays open for public self-guided tours. The railroad was originally built in 1924, to commemorate the building of the reservoir and became such a crowd favorite that it’s been back every year (except for WWII). According to Blackford, Martha Ed. Orderboard: A Periodic Publication for the volunteer crew. Vol.11- num. 5

“Over 1.4 million people attend this annual event [the fair] and many of those enjoy visiting and taking the self-guided tour of the Garden Railroad.”

Interesting Things “Worth Noting”

(also from the Orderboard)

“Did you know – The Fairplex Garden Railroad was named so for the 1997 La County Fair. The miniature railroad was originally intended to be a one-time exhibit promoting the development of a local reservoir and recreational area. The first exhibit was for the 1924 Fair and included a static trolley line depicting the Pacific Electric Railroad Company. In 1935 the miniature railroad was moved from the tent to its present location. The miniature railroad has operated for each LA County Fair except during WWII, when the fairgrounds were used by the government. All the original rolling stock was hand-made by the teachers and students at Pomona High School. Converted to G-gauge in 1997. The Railroad is the size of a football field – 100 x 300 feet – and has over 9,000 feet of operating track.”

More information…

According to the LA Fair’s Blog,

“…There are 72 volunteers of all ages who put in thousands of hours each year.”

Continuing

…“A 1998 study by Brigham Young University found the FGRR to be the oldest and possibly largest miniature railroad of its kind. Begun in 1924, the railroad moved to its current location in 1935. It was switched from a 1/2 scale model to a G-gauge in 1997. According to coordinator Bob Toohey, visitors come from as far as Australia and Germany to see the railroad. During the Fair, 32 different operations run at once, from trains to highways to mining sites.”

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More information can be found at: www.fgrr.org There are also pictures of Sinclair’s train on our webpage!

Perhaps We Don’t Know Everything There is to Know About Refrigerant

source: http://sustainabledesignupdate.com/?p=22 I have said it in this blog and on the webpage like 20+ times, there are two main types of refrigerant used in air conditioners and cooling systems. The older one is R-22 and is going to be phased out soon. The other 410A or Puron is more environmentally sound. In Europe and some other parts of the world, they are using R718 or simple water vapor. The idea is to use water, and pressurize it, using it to cool instead of refrigerant. There are many advantages – the lack of pollution, relative low cost, but there are also some disadvantages – one being technology isn’t quite prepared to produces these units in a cost-effective way. However, all in all, great idea and worth looking into. Maybe in the future, you’ll be able to “top-off” your own refrigerant. Until then, it’s a very good idea to get your unit checked each year or so (depending). For more information: http://st-div.web.cern.ch/st-div/wor...ogy/JacekK.pdf http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/636/70/