Archives: June 18, 2014
The benefit of having a Smart thermostat
Summer is just around the corner and with the hot and humid days also comes a big spike in electricity bills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency about 5 percent of all of the electricity used in the United States is used by Air Conditioners. This costs around $11 billion in accumulated expenses.
Smart homeowners are able to cut their electricity bill by about $180 each year by properly programming a digital thermostat. There are companies that make “smart thermostats” and they claim that using these thermostats will save even more money each year. The question becomes, can these smart thermostats really save you money each year in energy expenses?
A typical programmable thermostat allows you to set a predetermined schedule of heating and cooling. It was turn the air conditioner on in the morning a half hour before you wake up and then shut off when you leave for work. These thermostats work well, but it does take time to program them, and many people don’t even bother. They end up just adjusting the temperature manually.
The newer and more advanced smart thermostats offer additional features. Many of them will allow you to adjust the temperature from a smart phone or computer. This can be helpful in you are away on vacation and want to make sure you aren’t using extra energy while you are away. Some of them are even able to detect when you are home and when you aren’t. This allows them to basically program themselves to make sure that you are only cooling the home when someone is actually there.
Will a Smart Thermostat Save You Money?
The big questions that many homeowners have is if these smart thermostats will actually save them money. These thermostats can be a bit pricey so it is best to start by taking a look at your daily routine. Do you often leave the air conditioner running all day even when you are away? Do you manually adjust the temperature throughout the day?
If you are already using a programmable thermostat that has been properly setup you many not experience a drastic savings. However, if you are leaving the AC on or adjusting it manually your savings will most likely be significant.
The best way to save on energy costs is simply to not let your air conditioner run when no one is home. If you are not doing this effectively then a smart thermostat may very well save you a lot of money in the long run.
How does a UV light work on cleaning the air
Back in the 1990’s was the first time that specially designed Ultraviolet lights were installed into HVAC systems. These lights were engineers to provide a high level of output while working under the harsh conditions of HVAC operations. These UV lights are high-output devices that will emit ultraviolet energy that will destroy microbial contaminants such as surface and airborne mold, bacteria and even viruses.
As the popularity of these UV units grew people started discovering even more benefits to having ultraviolet lights installed in the heating and air conditioning systems. They found that their units were cleaner than before and did not require as much maintenance as was needed in the past. This also resulted in the units being more energy efficient and having a longer lifespan.
Now wise homeowners see that there is a rapid return on investment of installing a quality ultraviolet light in their HVAC system. This has rapidly progressed from a virtually unknown technology to now being widely adopted in school systems, large companies, offices, hospitals, warehouses, public buildings as well as homeowners across the United States and the world. In fact, many federal buildings are now required to have UV lights installed in their systems.
When selecting an UV device to install into your system it is very important to hire a qualified contractor to perform this task. They will know exactly where to install it to get the most benefit. These devices can now be installed successfully in a number of locations including the ductwork and air returns. Usually the most effective location is to mount it near the downstream side of the cooling coil where it can provide the most benefit.
Why would it be so important for you to treat the coil? Because there are these complex microorganisms that can grow in the coil and drain pan called “biofilms.” These can be very hard to eliminate and treat with conventional methods but are easily overcome with UV light. If the biofilm is allowed to build up it can create a whole host of problems and lead to a variety of operational problems.
To keep the coils clean the ultraviolet light should be installed about twelve inches away from the coil and fins. If the UV light is higher powered then you may choose to locate it further away. A skilled technician will be able to give you the proper guidance and will be able to install it most effectively.
