Today we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.   We are very thankful for the opportunity to service your heating and air conditioning needs and contributing to the comfort of your home.

Thanksgiving means Food, Family, Football, and Desserts.    And, lots of each!    Unfortunately, this often means that people are not being kind to the environment.  When preparing to heap your table high with food, here are a few tips to make your holiday more eco-friendly.

Buy Local

Buying locally grown produce helps support community farmers and reduces emissions produced by big transport trucks.

Meal Preparation

Before you bring out your favorite orange sweater or start mashing potatoes, here are some tips to help you enjoy a tasty meal without a big spike in your electricity bill.

• Lower the thermostat by a couple of degrees before you start your meal preparation.   Chances are, you’ll be using the       stovetop and your oven, and the temperature inside your home           will heat up too.   Hosting dinner guests in your home will also generate more heat. Keeping the temperature around 68º will ensure your guests are comfortable and keep your heating costs to a minimum.

• If you haven’t already adapted your home for the winter season, please check our September Blog. It’s full of simple, helpful hints that will make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.  You can find this valuable blog in the archives on this website.  Your family will notice the difference.

• If you have a variable speed furnace, much of this temperature adjustment is done automatically by your ‘smart furnace’. Furnaces with variable speed airflow automatically adjusts the heat level in each room as your guests move from dining, to family room, to kitchen.    It adds comfort and savings.  Next month, we’ll send a comprehensive blog with the ‘Truth’ about variable speed airflow.  It’s a real difference-maker for your home and the environment.

• Avoid peeking. Opening and closing the oven door causes heat to escape and will increase cooking times.   It’s tempting – but costly.  Also, use tightly fitted lids on pots to help keep the heat in.  You’ll be able to keep the temperature setting lower and cook more efficiently.

• Whenever possible, use a microwave or toaster oven.  Both use less than half of electricity of your regular oven.

Post-dinner Clean-up

The second-best part of Thanksgiving dinner – Leftovers!    Place leftovers in sealed, reusable containers and allow the contents to cool before placing in the fridge.   Putting warm food in the fridge causes it to work harder to keep cool – increasing your home’s electricity use.

Though your mother may have told you to wash your plate before putting it in the dishwasher, that’s not really necessary any more. Simply scrape, rinse and load.    You’ll cut-down on wasted water.

We Help Homeowners

Your local HVAC Dealer has many ways to make your home more eco-friendly year-round.  They can also explain the benefits of:

• Variable Speed technology.
• Dual Heat Exchangers that re-cycle air for greater efficiency.
• Zoned Heating that varies for different areas of your home.

Look to your HVAC Dealer for installing advanced, state-of-the-art high-efficiency Armstrong Air furnaces and Air Conditioners.  They can also address your home’s possible need for integrating an air filter/cleaner and dehumidifier with your HVAC system.    HVAC dealers are expert at helping you determine the ‘right’ solution for your home and desired comfort level needs.

Trusted

We’ve been serving homes in our neighborhood for years with prompt, dependable, and reliable service that meets the highest standards.    Experience counts!  Your neighbors rely on and trust us to treat them ‘right’.

Once again, from our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.

If the heating and air condition system in your home is over 8-years old, it’s probably time to think about a replacement.  While you’ve properly maintain your HVAC system and it may appear to be performing, it’s likely costing you.

Today’s heating and air conditioning systems are incredibly sophisticated machines – far superior to their predecessors.  They’re fine-tuned, highly-sensitive operating systems designed with controls and sensors to maximize efficiency.  Efficiency that keeps more treated air inside your home (less up your chimney) and requires less energy (and lowers utility bills).

Choosing the ‘right’ furnace, the ‘right’ central air conditioning unit, and the ‘right’ dealer to install them can be very complicated.  This blog will highlight issues and processes for any homeowner to use in selecting the best solution for your needs.

Size Matters

Have your HVAC Dealer calculate your heating needs based upon industry standards – as defined by the Air Condition Contractors of America.  These standards weigh key variables such as your climate and the square footage, design, and construction of your home.

A furnace that is too large will cost more and ware down quicker due to cycling on-and-off too frequently; a furnace too small will not keep your comfortable during our Midwest summers and winters.

Efficiency Rating

Simply stated, the rating refers to the percentage of heat generated by a furnace that is actually used to warm your home.   Many old furnaces have ratings in the 70s – meaning only 70% of the heat they generate actually stays in the home (30% going up your chimney).  Most of today’s high-efficiency furnaces are rated 90 or 95 – meaning that 90% or 95% of the heat they create is staying in the home.

Value

While high efficient furnaces are costlier, they save homeowners in energy costs each month.   Monthly savings on your energy bill often pays the difference over the life of your system.  Plus, it’s environmentally responsible.    Your local HVAC Dealer can calculate the annual estimated operating cost of models you’re considering.  You can weigh the savings.

Reliability and Functionality

Your local HVAC Dealer can advise you on the brands and models with which they experience the fewest problems and service calls. They can also explain the benefits of:

• Variable Speed technology that adapts the air flow when less heat or coolness is needed.
• Dual Heat Exchangers that re-cycle air for greater efficiency.
• Zoned Heating that varies for different areas of your home.

Your local HVAC Dealer can also address your home’s possible need for integrating an air filter/cleaner and dehumidifier with your HVAC system.    HVAC dealers are expert at helping you determine the ‘right’ solution for your home and desired comfort level needs.

We Help Homeowners

Whether you’re replacing your furnace, central air conditioning, adding a dehumidifier or clean air system, or cleaning and servicing your system, we are knowledgeable and expert in delivering the service you need.

Look to us for installing advanced, state-of-the-art high-efficiency Armstrong Air furnaces and Air Conditioners.    Superior quality equipment and Trained Certified Technicians – we’re the Team that truly delivers for you.

Reliable and Trusted

Hansen Heating and Plumbing has been serving homes in our neighborhood for years with prompt, dependable, and reliable service that meets the highest standards.    Experience counts!  Your neighbors rely on and trust us to treat them ‘right’.

They rely on us for advanced products and expert service.  We make the HVAC updating and maintenance process as stress-free as possible.  We’re just a phone call away: (847) 669-5000.