If we told you that you can save 30-50% on your heating and cooling in a single year, would you believe us? With hybrid systems this is a reality. Technology allows for such higher efficiencies now. You’ve probably heard of hybrid cars that use both gas and electricity. When a hybrid car gets too low on electrical power, the gasoline engine kicks in and gives the vehicle additional power when needed. Most hybrid vehicles get unbelievable mileage because so little fuel is needed and you can charge the batteries over night when not in use.

Hybrid HVAC systems work much the same way. Heat pump technology is a great way to heat and cool your home. It extracts heat from the air and is an extremely efficient way to heat and cool except when the outside conditions are extreme hot or cold. That is why the hybrid HVAC systems are so great. When the outside conditions become extreme the hybrid system kicks in and heats the air with traditional electric or natural gas methods. The traditional mode only kicks in when the conditions are extreme and the efficiency of the heat pump is not effective. The ability for your system to switch when the weather requires it is where the real savings happen. Just like with hybrid vehicles, the gasoline is not used until it is needed to charge the battery or there is a sudden need for additional power.

Now, just as hybrid cars cost a little bit more than standard gasoline-powered vehicles, hybrid heating systems cost more than their counterparts. But the cost savings are usually enough to convince consumers it is the better choice. Let’s say your hybrid system cost is 30% more than a traditional system and most systems are not replaced for 15-20 years. If you save the minimum of 30% annually on your bill, when would the break even point occur for you? Let’s say your annual heating and cooling cost is $1,500 and you save 30% each year, that would be an annual savings of $450. Hybrid systems average to be about $1,000-$2,000 more than traditional systems so you should break even between 1-2 years and then you reap all the savings benefits for the life of the system. Give us a call with your questions about your system and if a hybrid system is right for you.

As colder weather rolls around, the dryness in the air increases our possibility for that predictable little shock we get as we exit the car, walk across the carpet, or change clothes. A shock from static electricity is not a true electric shock, but a pain of hot sparks jumping to or from our fingers to our other body parts.

There are several ways to reduce or eliminate the risk of static electricity this season, some of which may surprise you. The air is naturally drier this time of year, which increases the frequency and severity of shocks, so increasing moisture is key.

In Your Home

• Add a humidifier- this adds moisture to the air and decreases static electricity.
• Walk barefoot or better yet, cover your shoes with aluminum foil. Either of these decrease static build up and our chances for getting shocked.
• Moisturize your skin anti-static hand lotion can be rubbed all over the skin to reduce that unforeseen shock that starts with the hands.

In Your Clothing

• Natural fibers again wearing natural fibers such as cotton, greatly decrease your risk of walking across the floor and being shocked.
• Wear a thimble on your finger or carry a coin to reduce the static build up in your finger tips when you touch something.
• Use dryer sheets add dryer sheets to your laundry drying cycle or rub on top of your clothes to minimize the static in them. Rubbing the dryer sheet on your hair can also eliminate the static that occurs when you brush it and it begins to stand straight up. Dryer sheets neutralize the charge that can cause static cling or unruliness.
• Hairspray can also eliminate or reduce static cling in clothes you have already put on for the day.
• Wire hangers glide the long side of the wire hanger across your clothing before putting them on to neutralize the static effect.

In Your Car

• Rub the metal handle of the car door before exiting or touch the keys to the to the metal handle to transfer the shock away from you.
• Dryer sheets also work if rubbed on a car seat to reduce static electricity.

These remedies will greatly help your chances of static build up and shock when heating your  home this fall and winter.

Temperatures are falling in Southern Indiana/Louisville area. It’s time to wake the furnace in the basement. When was the last time you looked at the filter? What’s the chance it looks like this?

Dirty filters and neglected equipment leads to early failures. All furnace manufacturers recommend an annual tuneup and inspection. Even Energy Star recommends it! We’re scheduling furnace and heat pump tuneups now.
Call VanKleef Heating and Air Conditioning at 812-280-0510 today to schedule your professional furnace tuneup.