Helpful Home Tips
Archive for April, 2010
Maintenance Tips For HVAC
Maintenance Tips For HVAC
A well maintained HVAC system is not just for cost savings but also a ‘go green’ initiative. Various parameters that influence an HVAC system will include:
- Alignment with the building design – Ventilation is a key ingredient to avoiding stagnant air, which is the primary cause for growth in bacteria and microorganisms. HVAC systems could either leverage existing air ducts through a building that supplies conditioned air or be positioned in a location that receives ventilation directly from the external air. The primary source of air has to be clean and free from dust.
- Insulation provided for the covered area- Regulating the internal temperature is achieved through smart and sometimes simple solutions for Insulation. Maintenance checks will have to evaluate the Insulation potential of the surroundings and make necessary changes to the same as appropriate. For example, you could check the color of your blinds as darker colored ones reduce the amount of light and heat coming IN – especially in the summer. Maintaining appropriate window shades or a small fan that can circulate air in an even manner are alternatives to achieving better efficiency.
- Cleaning the filters and removable components- the amount of dust that can get collected in an air filter can be quite surprising. Every HVAC system will have its own manuals explaining the process of removing the air filter, and it is almost always a common place activity that can be done by anyone at home. Accumulation of dust is inversely proportional to the quality of cooling achieved from the HVAC system. It is important to clean the filters periodically and the frequency depends on the locality of your installation. Commercial establishments that are right in the heart of a city will demand more frequent attention in comparison to domestic installations that are farther away from the pollution.
A well maintained HVAC system as mentioned above is a ‘go green’ initiative too. If the predictions associated with global warming have to be true, the best we can do is to delay it by reducing the carbon footprint to the extent we can, to make way for a better tomorrow for our grandchildren and beyond.
Blog Post provided by: Alpharetta GA HVAC Services
Recycling graywater is by far the most valuable green plumbing tactic. Everyday households across America flush and drain thousands of gallons of water that could be recycled for alternative uses. This blog post highlights various techniques that homeowners can implement in order to reuse their gray water and as a result, they can save the planet and money at the same time.
Graywater is a plumbing industry term that refers to all types of water that are no longer potable and are flushed down sinks, showers and laundry facilities. The term gray implies that the water is no longer clean; however, it is not “wastewater.” While this water is no longer considered safe or desirable for human consumption, it can be used for other purposes around the house.
Below are some examples for wastewater reuse:
Watering the Garden
Vehicle Cleaning
In your Toilet
Irrigation
As a homeowner there are various ways that you can implement a system that saves and recycles your graywater. If you are a homeowner and are interested in green plumbing techniques, we would recommend that you contact a local plumber that can install holding tanks and other green (water saving) plumbing tools.
Blog Post Provided By – Your Birmingham Plumber, Hinton Companies, Inc.