Rebates!

What's better than getting money back? Getting money back for things that you need to buy anyways, AND knowing that those things (that you need to buy and will get money back for) will save you MORE money!

Flex Your Power (www.fypower.org) has provided a list (by California zip-code) to find any and all money you may qualify for...including appliances, heating and cooling and other energy upgrades.

Source: http://www.fypower.org/res/tools/rgl.html Last access 5/28/09. When I entered my zip code, I found all kinds of great rebates. Including money for a clothes washer depending on my water district. Wow...all of the rebates one qualifies for in one place? Could it be any easier to decrease your carbon footprint AND save money?

Enter your zip code and see how many points you can rack up! There are the basics, like $50 for getting rid of an inefficient fridge (it's better than nothing) all the way up to $1,500 in tax credits for major applainces (like your heating and air system!). Worth checking out...it took me like 5 minutes.

Don't Get Hot!

During the summer, the heat can be very hard to live with, especially with all those summer holidays and get-togethers coming up. No one wants to have family over for the 4th and have their air system go down. How can we prevent this? Regular service and maintenance of the unit.

Source: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_maintenance This list of maintenance tips is provided from energystar.gov, but if there is something that you are unsure of how to do, it is always a good idea to call your HVAC contractor. Your contractor can perform this maintenance more easily than you can, and they probably won't damage any system components. (While taking a garden hose to your outdoor unit CAN do a substantial amount of damage.) Your unit should be serviced about twice a year (one to get ready for summer, and one to get ready for winter) but you should still change your filters regularly.

Maintenance Checklist Maintain your equipment to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance by having a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups. Contractors get busy once summer and winter come, so it's best to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall. To remember, you might plan the check-ups around the time changes in the spring and fall. A typical maintenance check-up should include the following. Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling and heating system keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are away. Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components. Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increases the amount of electricity you use. Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels. Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly. Cooling Specific Clean evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils. Dirty coils reduce the system's ability to cool your home and cause the system to run longer, increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment. Check your central air conditioner's refrigerant level and adjust if necessary. Too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less efficient increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment. Clean and adjust blower components to provide proper system airflow for greater comfort levels. Airflow problems can reduce your system's efficiency by up to 15 percent. Heating Specific Check all gas (or oil) connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and heat exchanger. Improperly operating gas (or oil) connections are a fire hazard and can contribute to health problems. A dirty burner or cracked heat exchanger causes improper burner operation. Either can cause the equipment to operate less safely and efficiently.

These suggestions should be followed with extreme caution and I can't mention enough: if you are even the littlest bit uncomfortable, CALL A contractor! Actions To Do Yourself Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump. Your contractor can show you how to do this. A dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage your equipment, leading to early failure.

Home Energy

If you have high energy bills, it's time to see what appliances are adding the most strain to your energy usage, and change out those appliances to energy star models.

Most often, the largest consumer of energy in the residential home is the heating and air conditioning systems. It is important to upgrade if you have an older, inefficient unit. The second largest consumer is then usually the refrigerator. This can also be avoided as there are many energy star efficient models to choose from. After that, the energy use is split amongst lights and other home appliances.

Southern California Edison (www.sce.com) is currently running a program where they will switch any lamps that use inefficient energy for new energy star lamps. They will also collect cfl bulbs for recycling. To get all the information, please visit: http://www.sce.com/residential/rebates-savings/lighting/energy-star-lighting.htm They are holding events nearby during June and July to collect and re-distribute more energy safe lamps and lighting options. June 27 & 28, 2009 8 am - 1 pm Montebello Town Center Plaza Dr. & Montebello Blvd. Montebello, CA 90640 and then in July, they are going to be in Montclair. Why not upgrade? Changing out your lighting can make a difference in your energy usage and save you money on those monthly bills.

Memorial Day Tips

Sinclair Air Systems wishes a wonderful, safe and happy Memorial Day to everyone!

Memorial Day often kicks off the summer, so while it may be less fun, it's a good idea to practice some safe habits. Here are some suggestions from the newsmedia (equivalent of channel 7). Source: http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/45837202.html

The unofficial start to the summer season begins within hours for many families, and that might also mean relatives will soon be gathering for family reunions. But don't let unhealthy relationships spoil the fun. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidelines for making family gatherings healthy gatherings. First, make healthy choices when preparing dishes for the event. - Prepare foods low in saturated fat, salt and calories. - Fruits and vegetables are healthy ingredients. - Platters and utensils that touch raw meat and poultry should never touch cooked or prepared dishes. - Use a thermometer to make sure that meat reaches a cooked temperature of 160 degrees. You should also use the reunion as a time to talk about family health. Many diseases are hereditary, and knowing your family's history for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or cancer can help you take steps to prevent those illnesses. Finally, get active! Plan activities that will get your heart pumping. Walking, hiking and swimming are all good choices.

Escaping Air

It's hot outside, so you crank on the Ac...but it's NOT getting any cooler!

While there are many possible causes for this problem, it is easier (and cheaper) to start with the small repairs/self-fixes than to jump right to replacing the air conditioner. Various problems may come up, and depending on the age of the duct work and air conditioning unit, somethings are more common than others. If the ductwork is over 10-15 years old and perhaps wasn't sealed correctly during the install (people used to believe that a home needed fresh air to breath) you could be loosing expensive, cool air through leaks or poorly sealed ducts. To help with this problem, energystar.gov has provided a list of repairs that homeowners can often do on their own to prevent air from leaking out of the ducts and into the attic. Source: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_sealing

Sealing Ducts In houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems, ducts are used to distribute conditioned air throughout the house. In a typical house, however, about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks and poorly sealed connections. The result is higher utility bills and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the thermostat is set. Because some ducts are concealed in walls and between floors, repairing them can be difficult. However, exposed ducts in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and garages can be repaired by sealing the leaks with duct sealant (also called duct mastic). In addition, insulating ducts that run through spaces that get hot in summer or cold in winter (like attics, garages, or crawlspaces) can save significant energy. Additionally, if you are replacing your forced-air heating and cooling equipment, make sure your contractor installs the new system according to ENERGY STAR quality installation guidelines. A quality installation will include a thorough inspection of your duct system, including proper sealing and balancing of ductwork, to help ensure that your new system delivers the most comfort and efficiency.

If you think that you may be loosing air through your ducts, Sinclair Air can always check the connections and suggest some corrective action.

Home Energy

Energy Star is providing homeowner tips room by room, so that we can all take more notice of the specific workings of the energy use in each room. Today's installation comes right out of flex your power's monthly newsletter and covers energy use in the living room.

Source: Flex Your Power Monthly Newsletter

Climate Change Room by Room: Top 7 Must-Follow Tips for Your Living Room Image: Energy Star The following article is the first installment in an on-going series in which we’ll explore unique ways to save in each room of the house. Summer is approaching, and these tips can help transform your living room into the coolest, most energy-efficient oasis in the neighborhood, while simultaneously saving you money. Whether you live in a temperate climate or a scorching desert, these 7 tips are living-room musts: 1. Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs): You know CFLs can save you 75% off lighting costs, but did you know they can save on cooling costs as well? A whopping 90% of the energy produced by incandescent lamps goes to heat, not light, whereas CFLs are much cooler. Hint: use the Energy Star lighting guide to get the light quality you desire. 2. Close Blinds or Shades Yep, it’s as easy as it sounds. Closing the blinds or curtains on south or west-facing walls can cut down on solar heat gain during the day. 3. Use Fans, We Can’t Stress This Enough If you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort. And here’s the best part: most ceiling fans use less electricity than a light bulb. Remember to turn fans off when you leave the room, since they work by creating a breeze to cool people, not rooms. 4. Arrange Furniture Properly Make sure your furniture isn’t blocking vents or air registers and double check that your air can circulate freely. It would be a shame to condition all that air, only to have it blocked by the couch or bookshelf. 5. Close the Fireplace Damper If your living room has a fireplace, make sure it is not leaking conditioned air out the chimney. Close the damper or seal your fireplace if it is no longer in use. 6. Plug Your TV into a Power Strip TVs, cable boxes, and other equipment continue to draw power even when they are turned “off.” Plug your living room electronics into a power strip and turn the strip off when they are not in use. You can also find smart meters which automatically cut off the power supply for you. 7. Use a Programmable Thermostat One of the best investments you can make is a programmable thermostat. It can help save you up to $160 per year and keep you comfortable by turning on heating or cooling according to your schedule. Already a pro at living room energy efficiency? Pass the savings along to friends or family members by sending them this story. Also, stay tuned for the next installment, where you’ll learn secrets to saving in the kitchen. Posted by Megan Toth on 05/18/09. Email story Filed under: Residential, Climate Change, Blog Post

Hiring a Service Tech

Sinclair Air Systems is looking for an experienced service technician!

Sinclair Air Systems is a local heating and air conditioning company that installs and services residential and business properties in southern California. We are looking for a knowledgeable technician familiar with problem-solving and fixing any issues that may arise with customer's equipment. Short description of job qualities:

• Knowledge of residential and commercial heating and air conditioning units.
• Hard working, punctual and able to independently meet deadlines.
• A good driving record, and owns their own tools.

If this sounds like something that you might be interested in, please call 626-331-4541 for more information. We are based out of Covina, so please only apply if transportation will be possible.

"Giant List of Summer Cool"

Turning on a switch and letting the air conditioning kick on at 9 am in the morning is easy, but staying cool without air conditioning? Hard. Here is Lighter Footstep.com's "Giant List of Summer Cooling Tips".

Source: http://lighterfootstep.com/2007/05/a-giant-list-of-summer-cooling-tips/ last access 5/11/09. Their Giant List of Summer Cooling Tips is broken down into general tips, small things you can do to improve the temperature, and then even to larger things that can be done to improve your home comfort. I am not going to paste the entire version of their giant list - because their website is generally cool and loaded with interesting/fun/useful "green" tips that you should check out for yourself.

Instead, I'm going to give some tips that I find interesting/useful and not repetitive to share with you from their selections. Like really, keep your blinds closed - that's a repeat.

In their general tips section, Ligherfootstep.com recommends:

• Wash and dry clothes when the day is cool. Do laundry early in the day and late at night. Don’t forget clotheslines: they generate no heat in the house.
• Skip your dishwasher’s dry cycle. Rack your dishes and let them air dry, instead.
• Open the bathroom window when showering. Vent heat and humidity outside, rather than back into the house. Obviously, you don’t want to put on a show for the neighbors. If you have privacy concerns, open up after dressing. Keep the bathroom door closed.

In their "small projects" section, they recommend:

• Buy a dehumidifier. ENERGY STAR says a 40-pint unit will save up to $20 USD a year and last up to a decade. Moderating your home’s humidity — in addition to making you feel cooler — will reduce musty smells and the growth of harmful molds.
• Shade your air conditioner. If your a/c is in full sun, it’s working harder than it needs to. Don’t obstruct the air flow.
• Have your air conditioner serviced. Coolant levels should be checked every year. A professional will also clean and lubricate the system. Without annual service, your air conditioner will lose about 5% efficiency each year — more if the coolant is low. Use Puron or some other non-CFC coolant, rather than environmentally harmful freon.

The last section is titled "the Big Stuff" and outlines larger, more comprehensive home improvement projects that will help to keep your home comfortable.

• Upgrade older air conditioners. Another expensive item, but cooling can account for half of your summer energy bill. You’re looking for a unit with a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ration (SEER) of 13 or more. The best deals are obviously found off-season, but this is one investment which will immediately return savings.
• Plant deciduous trees on the west side of your home. You’re looking for fast-growing shade trees to keep the hottest part of your house cool during the summer months. They’ll lose their leaves each autumn, letting sunshine through once it turns cool. Opt for lightweight trees in areas prone to hurricanes and winter ice storms.
• Replace gas appliances with efficient electric units. Pilot light contribute to indoor heating, and electric prices are generally more stable than natural gas.

Hopefully these tips will help you keep your home comfortable during the heat of the summer. Of course, using your air conditioning unit isn't bad, just try and make sure that it's not working harder than it needs to.

Heat Pump Retrofit

Thinking that you are spending too much money on heating your water? Have an old water heater that just isn't efficient, but works fine, so you can't justify spending the money to get a new one? Here's the answer.

A company based out of Tennessee has created an addition "heat pump" to heat residential water that sits on top of a regular water heater. This will allow your water to stay nice and warm, but without the high monthly price tag. It also helps homeowners to save money on energy costs.

Source: I originally found the article in flex your power's monthly article: http://www.fypower.org/news/?p=2894&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eNewswire&utm_content=601417125&utm_campaign=e-Newswire+Issue+642+_+htujb&utm_term=New+Heat-Pump+Retrofit+Gives+Homeowners+Option+to+Save+Energy+With+Existing+Water+Heaters But the short description that I will quote next is from: http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/ID/3971/ Here are some details about the retrofit kit:

The engineers at AirGenerate (previously Beyond Pollution) appear to have done something remarkable: create an affordable, effective, heat-pump water heater that can be retrofit onto a conventional gas or electric water heater, more than doubling the energy performance compared with a standard electric water heater. The AirTap A7 water heater has a rated output of 7,000 Btu/hour (7.4 MJ/hour), a first-hour rating of 42.5 gallons (160 l), a maximum water temperature of 135°F (57°C), an efficiency of 240% (coefficient of performance of 2.4), and an energy factor of 2.11. (Energy factor is a standardized measure of performance of water heaters; the higher the number, the better.) All this is in a unit that measures only 18" wide by 14" deep by 14" high (460 x 360 x 360 mm), weighs only 48 pounds (22 kg), and sits on top of a standard water heater. The list price is $499. The energy factor and first-hour rating of the AirTap are certified by GAMA (previously the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association and now a broader association of appliance and equipment manufacturers).

This is an excellent option for energy-conscious homeowners who want to save some money, but not go replacing all of their appliances every time something more "energy efficient" comes out.

HOT Tips

Summer is Here! (Or at least it's well on its way), It is going to be a HOT one, so make sure that you are prepared.

Here is a list of tips originally posted at www.flexyourpower.org, http://www.fypower.org/res/summersavings/

The Best No Cost or Low Cost Tips to Prepare Your Home For Hot Weather Setting your air conditioner 5° higher will save up to 20% on cooling costs.1 Use fans to make indoor temperatures feel cooler, most ceiling fans use less energy than a light bulb. Have your air conditioning unit serviced to cut 15% of cooling costs. 2 Don't try to cool the great outdoors — Seal cracks, gaps, leaks and add insulation to save up to 20% on home cooling costs.2 Keep windows and doors shut and shades closed during the day, to keep your house cool and reduce air conditioning needs. » Get more energy-saving tips. The Best Investments for Summer Energy Savings Have your heating and cooling ducts professionally sealed to save up to $190 per year. 3 Install a programmable thermostat and only cool the house when you're home — It can save up to $180 per year and pays for itself in 6-9 months. 3 Replace incandescent light bulbs with CFLs to save on lighting AND cooling bills. 90% of the energy used by old incandescent bulbs produces heat, not light. If your old air conditioner breaks down, consider a high efficiency replacement. Replacing a 10-year-old central AC unit with an ENERGY STAR qualified model can cut 20-40% off your cooling costs. For more tips on keeping cool this summer see Flex Your Power's air conditioning tips.

Find more tips and suggestions on their website!

Dehumidification

A large part of how cool you feel in an air conditioned space during summer is how much humidity has been taken out of the air.

If there is moisture in the air of a room, the room may feel cooler than outside, but it can feel damp or claustrophobic. This is part of the reason that swamp coolers do better in different areas of the country. Newer air conditioning units allow more humidification during the summer to ensure that your home stays comfortable and cool, without making the air feel too "heavy."

If there is a respiratory problem in the home, additional specialty units can be used in conjunction with the original home heating and cooling system. These include, air cleaners, humidifiers and even ventilators. These specialty units allow for a higher circulation of air, even in a tightly sealed home.
Likewise, homeowners in some areas of the country (with high humidity) might consider an additional add on to their unit. A dehumidifying heat pipe is a fairly new development that will take humidity out of the air, before it enters the cooling phase, making your home considerably cooler during the hot summer.

Source: US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy "Energy Savers" page, regarding the home. http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12740

A dehumidifying heat pipe resembles two heat exchangers, located on either side of the air conditioner's evaporator coil. Several tubes connect the two sections. A refrigerant (usually an HCFC) inside the tubes pre-cools the incoming supply air by absorbing the heat from it. This causes the refrigerant in the tube to evaporate. The air conditioner evaporator cools it further, extracting up to 91% more water vapor than a conventional evaporator would. After the refrigerant in the tubes changes into a vapor, it flows to the condensing section at the other end of the system. There, it releases its heat into the air stream and returns to its liquid state again. Gravity then causes the refrigerant to flow to the evaporator end of the pipe to begin the cycle again.

Most models of heat pumps and central air conditioners can be retrofitted with dehumidifying heat pipes. You can choose either a replacement cooling coil that incorporates the heat pipe, or add-on heat pipes for the unit's ventilation system. You may also want to consider a complete air-conditioner unit that incorporates the heat pipe.

Although the heat pipes don't use any electricity directly, they cause the conditioned air to leave the system slightly warmer than it would have in the absence of the heat pipe, so it takes more energy to cool your home. The system also consumes more fan power to blow air past the heat pipe. However, the manufacturer claims that your thermostat can be set higher with the low humidity air, allowing a net energy savings.

If humidity is an issue in your home, there are several different things you can try to resolve the problem. Using extra fans to push air around the rooms will help to alleviate some of the humidity. Running them in conjunction wiht an air conditioner may also be helpful. Avoid cooking or hot showers that may add to the amount of moisture in your home during peak heat hours. Finally, consider upgrading your air conditioning unit and possibly adding on a humidifying or ventilating option. If that still fails, a dehumidifying heat pipe may be the answer. Although in Southern California, this issue shouldn't be that difficult to fix.

May Home Maintenance

Maintaining your home has a lot to do with how well it's components function throughout the year. With such a hot summer looming on the horizon, May is the perfect time to prep your air conditioner (and the rest of your home) for summer cooling practices.

This article comes from MSN's real estate pages: http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=19522018>1=35000 The first area their suggestions touch on is your air conditioning unit. They recommend "babying" it. How's that? Replace or clean your filter before your unit is going to be in demand. This both helps efficiency, but also ensures that clean air is being cooled and circulated in the home. Other air conditioning tips they provide include utilizing May sunshine (which is warm, but not too warm) to kill any bacteria that might have been growing through winter. Air conditioning, since it uses refrigerant/coolant to provide the cool air to your home has a fair exchange of moisture. When you're running your air conditioning (and especially in older units) there may be some build-up of that moisture...in the forms of extra condensation, or sometimes mold and/or mildew. --> THESE THINGS are not good. (like mold in your home is ever good...) so it is best to have these particular concerns looked at by a professional. <--

Second, they recommend washing your windows. I'll copy and paste here, because they say it well.

Wash windows Cleaning all the windows and window coverings in your home is a big, satisfying and several-hours-long project. Choose a sunny day and, if possible, get someone to work with you. Remove curtains and blinds if you can. Clean windows and window trim, inside and out. Start by brushing (with a dry broom) or dusting the trim. If it's really dirty, wipe it down with a rag and soapy water. Outdoors, use a hose to rinse off the soap. To clean the glass, use a good-quality squeegee, the tool of professional window washers (for a demonstration, watch this instructional video on YouTube). Before purchasing a squeegee, check the width of your smallest windows. Assemble a pole (unscrew the handle from a broom) that fits your squeegee's handle, a microfiber cloth and a bucket. Use a few drops of liquid dish soap or a teaspoon of TSP in a two-gallon bucket of warm water. Many professionals like TSP, or trisodium phosphate, a powdered stain remover and degreaser found at hardware stores, for a streak-free finish. (Caution using TSP: In a hot solution, it can remove or take the gloss off paints and can darken aluminum or wood.) Apply the cleaning solution with a rag or mop. Immediately squeegee it off, wiping the blade between strokes to minimize dripping. Do one window at a time. Use the squeegee on the pole for hard-to-reach places. Consider engaging a professional to do second-story windows.

Then, they recommend cleaning and replacing any torn screens. This can help prevent the amount of dust and allergens in your home and it's warm enough so that they dry quickly enough not to make this a week long project. Fixing a screen is also pretty easy, you can buy the screen material by the yard at hardware stores. Just make sure you have the measurements and replace a cut-to-fit piece inside the metal frame (or for wooden, it may require several small nails - or a staple gun...).

They also recommend May as a good time to schedule a paint job for the exterior of your home. If your house isn't in need of a paint job, just use the garden hose to make sure you get all the dirt/mineral deposits...etc. off of the paint to prevent deterioration.

Last, they recommend inspecting home irrigation: hoses, sprinklers...etc. Figure you're going to use them during summer, and if they break you're going to have to buy a new one when they are expensive. Just save yourself the hassle.

Now I admit, I am a bit biased. I think the most important one of these suggestions is to make sure that your air conditioner works (being hot is just no fun). It's really easy to change out your filter and even easier to pick up the phone and schedule a service to prep your unit.

Energy Proof

Taking time to make improvements on your home always helps, but making improvements little ways all at once can make a HUGE improvement!

That's the idea behind the Energy Star program of completely energy-proofing your home. They provide a step-by-step list of all of the areas of your home that you should examine to find places where you could provide better energy usage. The main areas are basic common sense: make sure your attic has enough insulation, make sure windows and doors don't leak. To see their brochure for the program please visit: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_improvement.hm_improvement_hpwes Or see a copy on our website: www.sinclairair.com/resources or download it directly here: http://www.sinclairair.com/HPwESSampleBrochure.pdf Taking a little bit of time to check to see where your home could be drafty can save you money on saved energy costs. Plus, if you have children, this is a good way to get them involved in doing something around the home without too much effort/chemicals/and it can be fun.

If your home was built more than 20 years ago, it is probably a good idea to start thinking about upgrading various fixtures on your home. An AC or furnace unit usually lasts about 15 years. While, older windows aren't prepared for the insulation/sun protection that newer windows are manufactured for. These upgrades will help to spruce up your home by making it look nice and well kept, and also keep your home more comfortable. We all want space that is functional and looks well cared for. Consider upgrades especially if your home isn't as comfortable as it used to be. Does it stay cold in winter and fry in the summer? You should probably look at insulation, a new air conditioning unit and/or shades for the windows.

All of these upgrades in combination can make your home a happier, healthier place.