It’s easy for Metroplex homeowners to forget about their homes’ heating equipment for most of the year. However, just like any other home system, it needs to be checked for safety issues and serviced on a consistent basis. Each year, fires from furnaces, space heaters and fireplaces are reported on the local news, and in some instances they could have been avoided if precautions were taken.

Furnace Safety

Earlier this month, a recall was issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada to remove 223,600 gas furnaces sold from 1995-2000. The recall includes the Coleman, Coleman Evcon and Red T brands, which are responsible for nearly 400 safety incident reports. If you own a furnace, check the brand name and model number in the Safer Products database. If your furnace falls into a recalled category, work to get it removed from your home.

To maintain the efficiency of a furnace – keep these tips mind:

• Check to make sure all furnace controls and emergency shutoffs function properly
• Use a qualified furnace repair technician.
• Furnaces use disposable or permanent filters, so change or clean them regularly.
• Remove any obstructions that may block the vent pipe of your furnace.
• Have your furnace thermostat checked and replace if needed.
• Examine the walls and ceiling around your furnace. You might need to add piping or insulation if it is hot or shows signs of discoloration from heat.

You can find more information by reading this guide provided by the United States Fire Administration.

Space Heater Safety

Space heaters are convenient and effective heating devices. Their portability is beneficial when you want a localized heating source, either at home or in the office. However, these high-powered machines have drawbacks that can short circuit a power system or start a fire.

If you own a space heater or are looking to purchase one, remember that they can produce an intense amount of heat. Depending on the unit’s power source – electricity is the most common – energy output is anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 Btu per hour. It may not feel especially hot, but if you’re not careful they can lead to deadly consequences.

Approximately 500 people die annually in fires started by space heaters according to the National Fire Protection Association. Many of these incidents are preventable if you follow a few simple guidelines:

• Ironically, space heaters need space. Keep them at least three feet away from clothes, paper, furniture, electric cords and anything else that can burn.
• Space heaters shouldn’t be left on overnight or unattended.
• Look for those with auto shut off and tip-over switch features.
• If you use a fuel source, like kerosene or propane, the fumes need to have an outdoor outlet.
• Do not use space heaters to dry clothes.
• Keep children and animals away from space heaters.

Every home should have a working smoke detector as your second line of defense against a fire. It is also suggested that you create an escape route if a fire does occur.

We don’t like hearing or reading stories about furnace or portable heater fires because so many of them can be prevented. We have a trained team of service technicians who can inspect your home heating system and give you the assurance everything is in a safe, efficient working condition. For a free estimate, contact us today!

Upgrade Your Light bulbs

Replacing all your old light bulbs with new compact fluorescent bulbs is the first step to saving energy. These provide more light in each room, and they use about half the energy of old incandescent light bulbs. Plus, they will last longer.

Unplug When Not in Use

The dirty secret about television and computers monitors is that they are always on. A small charge is always running through them, which will raise your bill. To get around this, when you are done for the night, just unplug them.

Set Your Thermostat

Having winter and summer settings will help you save energy. Keep them at reasonable temperatures – mid 60s in the winter and mid 70s in the summer – and don’t fiddle with them! Continued adjusting will result in higher bills.

Turn it Off!

If you’re leaving your house for an extended period of time, turn everything off and unplug it. And, while your fridge or stove can’t be turned off, lights and other electric appliances can be. Keeping them plugged in allows the device to continue to use electricity to run built-in clocks or other electronics, even if they’re switched off.

Turn Down the Thermostat at Night

This is a simple tip that can save massive amounts on your energy bill. Since you’ll likely be sleeping under warm blankets at night, it’s unlikely you’ll even notice the difference in temperature. Then, when you wake up in the morning, you can set it back to the desired level.

Insulate! Insulate! Insulate!

Insulation is the best way to save money on your energy bill. And, it doesn’t have to be an expensive or extensive undertaking. Windows can be caulked to prevent drafts. The gap under doors can be blocked and the space between door frames plugged with spray foam. Even if you never do anything fancy, a towel in front of a door leading outside will block drafts and save money!

Finding ways to save money around the house is sometimes as simple as looking. Saving energy is good for your wallet, as well as the environment. Remember to follow Reliant Air Conditioning on Twitter and Facebook for even more energy saving tips.

5 Tips for Winter Proofing Your Home

Add insulation to your attic

A few years ago I heard a good piece of advice, “If every house except yours has snow on the roof, then you don’t have enough insulation in your attic.” The concept is that all the warm air in your home is escaping through your roof due to poor insulation. If you do not have the proper amount of insulation in your attic, you will end up paying a good deal more to keep your house heated this winter.

Invest in insulated curtains

Thermal curtains, or thick insulated curtains, will keep heat from escaping through windows and are a great investment if you need to buy window treatments anyway. Insulated curtains have been shown to reduce about 25% of thermal energy loss. They can quickly pay for themselves from the money you will save on your energy bill.

Add weather stripping around door and window frames

A roll of foam weather stripping is a very cheap way to winter proof your home from drafts and lower your energy bill. Everywhere there is a gap between the door or window and its frame, you should apply weather stripping.

Caulk any gaps in window or door frames

If you can still feel a draft after applying weather stripping around the doors and windows, you may need to caulk any additional gaps located between the frames and the wall. You may even want to consider caulking around foundation walls or any other gaps you have in your exterior walls. A trick to see if your windows have a leak is to take a candle around the edges, if the flame flickers that means air is heading out of your home!

Place a rolled towel in front of all exterior doors

A very simple and free way to save energy this winter is to place a rolled up towel at the base of your doors. A towel can block out any drafts that come in through the bottom of the door, and it’s so easy to do. There are also products that can block these under-door drafts as well.

As always, have Reliant Air Conditioning ensure that your furnace is working properly. You can be wasting money by running an inefficient furnace. Invest the time and money now to avoid high energy bills and a cold home. Give us a call or fill out the form to your right to get in touch with us and start saving money! Remember, we can be contacted via Facebook and Twitter as well.

Check Heating System and Plug Air Leaks

Before turning on the heating system when cold weather sets in, make sure it’s been checked out by Reliant Air Conditioning to ensure that it is operating at its very best. Anything less will cost you extra money on your energy bill. Check the ducts for air leaks, and make sure each room has good air flow.
Plug air leaks around windows, doors, and in other areas by identifying and sealing them. Use caulk or weather stripping to seal windows and doors. Then on a windy day, light a candle and walk slowly through the house near outside walls to find other air leaks that are not easy to feel. When the flame flickers, this indicates a leak. Fill the hole with expanding foam and touch up to correct any marred appearance.

Use a Humidifier

Using a humidifier can add greatly to the comfort of a home during the winter months. The extra moisture will make the house feel warmer so the thermostat can be lowered, which will save on heating bills. A good humidifier will pay for itself with increased comfort, lower energy bills and fewer illnesses.

Do It Yourself

A few DIY methods will also come into play during the winter. Drying clothes by hanging them up in the house will naturally add moisture to the air and will cut energy costs. Purchase an inexpensive drying frame or even clothesline for the purpose. To avoid increased ironing chores, fluff the clothes in the dryer for a few minutes, and then hang them on rust-proof hangers. The shower rod makes a convenient place for this purpose.
When cooking, make soups and other moist foods to add water to the air through evaporation. Boiling a pot of water on the stove will also help, but do not leave it unattended. If you’re using a wood or pellet stove for heat, put a pot of water on the hot top of the stove to moisturize the air.
Taking a shower will quickly make the bathroom quite humid. Take advantage of this by leaving the door open to circulate the moist air through the house.

Reliant Air Conditioning is committed to keeping you warm over the winter, be sure to keep in touch with us on Twitter and Facebook!

The Creek at Brookhollow apartments were peacefully quiet on Oct. 25, 2011, just like any other day. Quiet that is, until a three-alarm fire broke out and quickly spread through the combustible materials used to build the apartments. As the smoke quickly rose along with the flames, many residents were forced onto their balconies.

When resident and burgeoning superhero Paul Puranda got outside his apartment, he saw several other residents in distress. A woman on the second floor was stuck on her balcony – holding her two-year-old daughter. Puranda’s superhero skill set doesn’t include the ability to fly and rescue the child, so he did the next best thing.

 “I’ll catch her!” he yelled.

 
• Fights for Air Conditioners and Furnaces everywhere
• Graces our teams vans
• Thaws frozen air conditioners
• Rescues those stricken by a broken air conditioner in the Texas heat
• Saves money by having NATE certified HVAC technicians repair your air conditioners and furnaces, as well as offering preventative maintenance agreements.

 
Once you’ve decided on the next great superhero name, email it to promotions@reliantac.com. We’ll sort through the entries and decide on the winner by January 2, 2012. If your name is selected, not only will you get fame and glory, but you’ll also receive a free one year Preventive Maintenance Agreement. If you are already on the plan, you get an additional year. Hit the comic books, pop in the DVDs, and come up with a name for the Reliant Air Conditioning superhero and live forever in HVAC fame.

Once the temperature starts to rise in spring, many people start to disregard their furnace that kept them warm for those cold winter months.  Now is a great time to remember that your furnace requires checkups every now and then to make sure it’s in fine working order. The cost of a furnance is expensive, you’ll want the one you have to work for a long time! There are several furnace repair tips you can investigate on your own, and there are also some issues that should be checked out a by a HVAC pro. We’ll check these tips out below.

First Steps:

If you haven’t checked on the furnace’s filter lately, you will need to do that first. A dirty filter will cause the unit to be less efficient, which will result in less hot air and a higher energy bill. You may be able to clean the filter, or it may need to be replaced.

Check to see that the furnace cycles properly. The unit should not cycle on then off very quickly, this may be the sign of a faulty thermostat. There is no definite time period that the unit should cycle for, you’ll need to listen for any abnormalities. If you do find it problem is arising from a bad thermostat, you’ll want to purchase a new once right away. Broken thermostats can lead to high energy bills and overworked HVAC units.

If you find that no heat is being produced, there are a few simple things you can check. Your thermostat may be set too low to activate the furnace. Also ensure its set to HEAT mode. If you find that raising the temperature on the thermostat does not turn it on, it could be the sign of a bad thermostat. If fixing or replacing the thermostat does not remedy the issue, you’ll need to call a professional to diagnose.

On a related note, if you used your fireplace over the winter, make sure the flue is closed, if it is left open hot air will freely flow into your home.

When to Call a Pro:

There are several things to look out for that will need immediate attention. While you may think you can handle some of these problems, it is much safer to let a professional handle them. We’ll start with frayed wiring. A furnace is a high voltage machine and a certified HVAC technician will know how to safely repair the wiring without damaging the furnace itself. Any frayed or damaged wiring should be repaired immediately, to avoid any potential risks.

If the furnace is not producing heat and the simple fixes earlier did not work, it could be many problems. Your circuit breaker could have been tripped or your pilot light may be out, just to name a few. If your furnace is an older unit, it may just be time to upgrade. Keep in mind that purchasing a newer more energy efficient furnace could actually end up saving you a lot of money over time. Modern technology has made HVAC units run much longer than their predecessors, giving you much more bang for your buck.

Reliant Air Conditioning is prepared to meet all of your heating needs. Fill out the form on this page, or reach us on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t be left in the cold this winter!

Mayhem on Main Street

It was a typical summer business day in bustling downtown Dallas. Blistering heat beat down on the asphalt and anyone venturing outdoors. Robert Riggs stepped into his Main Street loft, glad to be home, but even happier to be out of the sun. He quickly noticed a strange man going through his filing cabinets.

“Can I help you?” Riggs asked, already planning his next move.

“Oh, I’m from maintenance. Your wife called the office to have something fixed,” the man said.
Riggs relaxed, but only for a half second, “Nothing’s broken, and why is my wife’s purse spilled out on the table?” Riggs knew his wife was safely asleep upstairs, quickly put two and two together, and figured this was no maintenance man.

“Alright, let’s see some ID then,” Riggs was staring the man down, with a strong suspicion this thief had his pockets stuffed with his family’s credit cards and cash.

“It’s in the office,” the man stumbled.
Riggs knew the man could be telling the truth and this might indeed be a routine maintenance call. The two walked to the elevator to head to the office and retrieve the man’s ID. The tables turned quickly as the supposed employee blew his cover in spectacular fashion, taking a heavy swing at Riggs and speeding out of the building. The track meet was on!
Despite the perpetrator’s head start, Riggs quickly made up the distance as the two hit Main Street. Taking a page from Hollywood, the foot chase took place in the middle of rush hour. Slow moving cars served as hurdles, and people on foot were mere obstacles. Riggs had the man in his reach, but as he went to grab him by the collar a car narrowly missed Riggs, sending him to the ground. His credit cards in the man’s jacket ran on down Main.

Tom McGill, owner of Sol Irlandes Mexican Chop House, and Kelley Gray, owner of Trophy Fitness Club, ran up to ask why Riggs had been chasing the man.

“He robbed me!” Riggs exclaimed. The DFW Superhero Club sprang into action.

They sped off in their vehicles after the man, who was surely surprised about his sudden reversal of luck. The Hollywood script continued as a nearby cabbie told Riggs to jump in. Before Riggs could even close the door, the cab sped off after the suspect. The trio of vehicles went down block after block in hot pursuit.

It took eight blocks to catch up to the thief, but it didn’t take long for the chase to end after that. McGill leapt from his pickup and wrapped up the thief with Dallas Cowboy-esque authority. Riggs’ credit cards hit the pavement along with the crook. Dallas Police officers were soon swarming the scene and the man was apprehended.

Order was restored on Main Street, thanks to McGill, Gray, and the mystery cab driver. From Reliant Air Conditioning, a big “Thank You” goes to these men who go about their business in plain sight, ready to jump into action when Dallas needs it most. They are joined by countless others in our great city. You’ve been warned evil-doers – Dallas is watching you.

The most important thing to remember is that there is no “one size fits all” furnace. Houses come in all different shapes and sizes, and so do furnaces. A furnace that is too big will start and stop unevenly, resulting in higher energy bills and a house that doesn’t get heated properly. Too small and the furnace will work too hard, resulting to high energy bills also, and a you’ll be cold. Furnaces heating capacity is measured in BTUs, or British Thermal Units. A BTU measures the amount of heat needed to raise 1lb of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. The amount of BTUs your furnace needs is determined by the size of your home and the climate you live in. It’s best to leave the exact sizing to the pro’s. It’s a very mathematical process.

In the meantime, make sure your home is well-insulated. If your home has poor insulation, you will require a larger furnace to compensate for the heated air seeping out of the home. Poor insulation costs homeowners in America thousands every year, seal that house up!

When you’re hitting the furnace circuit, only invest your time researching the most efficient furnaces. You’ll want to find a furnace’s annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). Modern furnaces can be found at lowest 78% AFUE, while the best ones cap out at 96%. For comparison, many older furnaces are around 50% AFUE, costing their owners hundreds of dollars every year with inefficiency.  When a furnace has over 90% AFUE, the unit is condensing, or recapturing the heat wasted that is wasted in older systems by way of capturing escaped water vapor.

You’ll also want to consider an ENERGY STAR unit. Any appliance carrying the ENERGY STAR logo is certified to be the most efficient units on the market. Any ENERGY STAR furnace will have an AFUE of no less than 85%. There may also be rebates or tax credits available for purchasing an ENERGY STAR unit. Ask the technician when he comes to size your home.

Hopefully finding the right furnace doesn’t seem quite as ominous. When you’re ready to jump in, give us a call and we’ll get started on helping your find the best furnace for your home. And stay tuned to our blog for even more great air conditioning tips and tricks!