Happy Holidays!

At this most festive time of year, we at Sinclair wish you and yours a very happy holiday season and all the best wishes for the year to come. May you be blessed and surrounded by those you love.

Which Furnace is Right for My Home?

http://www.consumersearch.com/furnaces is a great site giving homeowners various ways to look into the qualities they will need in a furnace. The first "tab" (Top 4 Best Reviewed) provides the "best" rated furnace in 4 categories and then explains what each of the pros and cons are for each unit. This site might be helpful if you are looking to make an upgrade in your furnace. One the second tab (What to Look for) there is a list of questions that a homeowner should ask the contractor before settling on a furnace model. These include things like inquiring about the noise level or the running speed. They also recommend finding a trustworthy company to install the unit as illustrated in the quotation below.

"Experts stress the importance of taking your time to find a good HVAC professional. The best way to start is to ask friends and neighbors for references. Contractors should be licensed and have appropriate insurance, liability and workman's comp paperwork. You will need a permit before work is started, and you should ask your contractor to procure this for you so that the work can be checked by a local government inspector."

The third and final tab on this page (Full Report) gives an expanded version of the suggestions (where more questions may be answered) as well as the sources for the information. If you are looking to upgrade, check out this site.

Pros and Cons of Furnace Types

The site warmair.net breaks down the pros and cons of each type of fuel used to operate furnaces. The comparison between the types of fuel and the costs of a homeowner can be very helpful in deciding which type is right for you. If you are in an area where natural gas can be expensive, it is probably a better idea to go with a different type of fuel.

FUEL OIL

Pros:
• Non-explosive
• Less likely to produce carbon monoxide
• Independent suppliers
• No monthly service fees Cons:
• Must be stored on premises
• Anual burner maintenance recommended
• 85% maximum efficiency
• High temperature exhaust
• Potential ground/water contaminant

NATURAL GAS

Pros:
• Does not need to be stored on premises
• 95% maximum efficiency- This is HUGE! The more efficient, the MORE you will save (in energy & money)
• Low temperature exhaust
• Useful in other household applications (i.e. kitchen stove, clothes drier, etc.)
Cons:
• Potentially explosive
• Produces Carbon monoxide
• Monthly service fees, regardless of usage

ELECTRIC (RESISTIVE)

Pros:
• No combustion or chimney
• No duct or pipe distribution system needed
• Each room individuallycontrolled
• Least expensive design/installation
Cons:
• Inefficient use of electricity
• Larger electrical service required

There are still other options for heating, such as heat pumps (which are similar to air conditioners), geothermal heat pumps and still other ways of using alternate energy forms to heat your home. It is also important for the homeowner to do their part. Just like it is necessary to keep every nook and cranny sealed to keep a home cool, it is just as important to keeping the home warm. If you haven't sealed your doors and windows in a while - if it is going to continue being THIS wet - that might be an excellent idea.

the Holidays Have Come to Sinclair!

It's almost time for the Holidays to get started full swing, so we thought what better way to get into the spirit than to decorate! We added lights and garland to almost every surface...tastefully we hope. The Grinch sings and dances... This picture was taken from the outside yesterday on that rainy day.

My Furnace has More Speeds Than Yours...

So when buying a furnace, there are a couple different choices you will need to make. 1. Gas or Electric. (or occasionally other mediums depending on where you live, or the type of heating offered in your local area.) Some things to consider: A natural gas furnace is usually cheaper than an electric furnace (gas costs less to run) however, an electric furnace does not have a pilot light that can get 'blow' out. Furnaces operate on 'speeds.' Like bikes - (a very LOOSE analogy, please bear with me) If you have a 10 speed bike, it can go 10 speeds theoretically. So, likewise, if you have a single speed furnace - it operates at only one speed. That means that the energy (and fuel-gas) use is constant at one speed regardless of when you turned the furnace on. There are also 'dual stage' furnaces which operate on hmm... two speeds. These are recommended for people who live in parts of the country where it gets colder, or for homeowners who use their furnace often. The operation of a two speed furnace allows energy to be conserved as there are two operating speeds, let's compare them to full speed and half speed depending on the heating needs. Another type of furnace is 'variable speed' which means...the furnace operates on different speeds depending on heating needs (similar to dual speed). In Southern California, most people don't use their furnaces all that often, so a single stage furnace is usually beneficial for our customers as they don't have to pay for the upfront costs of a variable or dual furnace.