Caution — A Red Tagged Furnace Shouldn’t Be Operated

By Joe Flande | Published: March 29, 2012

Caution -- A Red Tagged Furnace Shouldn't Be Operated You may never have heard of it until it happens in your own home: a red tagged furnace. The term red tagged means that either the gas or electric company or your HVAC technician has shut down your furnace and declared it unsafe to operate. In some areas, it’s actually illegal to turn the furnace back on until it has been repaired or replaced. Read More »

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Warning — Online HVAC Deals Can Come Back To Haunt You Financially

By Joe Flande | Published: March 27, 2012

In today’s economy, it’s nice to be able to save a dollar here and there. Online shopping allows consumers to have more choice, both in terms of selection and price. However, just because something is cheaper doesn’t make it a good buy, and this is especially true when it comes to online HVAC deals. Here’s why they may wind up costing you more in the long run: Read More »

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Is Garage Air Polluting Your Home? 3 Preventive Measures

By Joe Flande | Published: March 22, 2012

Is Garage Air Polluting Your Home? 3 Preventive MeasuresIf you have an attached garage, infiltration of contaminants into your living space is likely happening without you even knowing about it. Studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have shown that indoor air can contain five times as much pollution as the air a few feet outside your home. Garage air getting into your home makes this even more likely. Read More »

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Heat Pump 101 — Following The Path of Your Refrigerant

By Joe Flande | Published: March 20, 2012

Without temperature extremes of extended sub-freezing winter days in western Oregon, we have an excellent climate to take advantage of the energy efficiency of a heat-pump system. Follow the path of the refrigerant to find out how to keep your heat pump in prime condition. Read More »

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Humidifying Your Home Can Eliminate Annoying Static Electricity

By Joe Flande | Published: March 15, 2012

Humidifying Your Home Can Eliminate Annoying Static ElectricityDid you know that static in the air is increased by a lack of moisture? During the heating season, indoor air gets dry, since the cold outdoor air holds less moisture than warm air. Inside your home, air can be especially dry due to the constant run of the heater day in and day out. You can actually eliminate static electricity and other problems associated with dry air by humidifying your home and replenishing the moisture in your indoor air. Read More »

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Noise Coming From The Furnace? Call Your HVAC Technician

By Joe Flande | Published: March 13, 2012

Furnaces can make a lot of unusual noises for a wide variety of reasons, but they all have one thing in common: these sounds shouldn’t be ignored. Odd noise coming from the furnace can indicate a serious problem, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Read More »

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Dust Problems? 5 Simple Suggestions To Improve Indoor Air Quality

By Joe Flande | Published: March 8, 2012

Dust Problems? 5 Simple Suggestions To Improve Indoor Air QualityIf it seems like every surface in your home is forever covered in a fine layer of dust, you have dust problems. And if you have dust problems, the quality of your indoor air is being adversely affected. Here are seven easy steps you can take toward more effective dust control: Read More »

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Don’t Let A Power Outage Catch You Off Guard; Prepare Your Home

By Joe Flande | Published: March 6, 2012

A power outage can occur any time, but when it happens in the winter, cold temperatures in your home can be both uncomfortable and unhealthy. By preparing your home and having a few essentials on hand, you’ll be able to ride out an outage with little discomfort, even if it lasts for a day or longer. Do the following: Read More »

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Tankless Water Heaters — Sizing Guidelines

By Joe Flande | Published: March 1, 2012

Tankless Water Heaters -- Sizing GuidelinesHeating method

Gas-heated tankless systems have the benefit of a higher flow rate, as much as 5 GPM. Electric-heated tankless systems supply about 2 GPM. Gas-heated systems are more efficient than storage water heating, but they do not achieve the energy efficiency of electric tankless systems, which reach efficiency rates upwards of 50 percent over storage water heaters.  Read More »

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Sealing Your Ducts? When To Call An HVAC Professional

By Joe Flande | Published: February 28, 2012

The ductwork in your home is an integral part of its heating and cooling system. But if your home is like a lot of houses nowadays, you’re likely losing a lot of energy through leaky ducts. This is why sealing your ducts is so important. To ensure the job is done efficiently and skillfully, it’s best to hire an HVAC professional who has experience with this important task. If you are experiencing high utility bills, suffering from stuffy or uncomfortable rooms, or your allergies have been bothering you more lately, it’s time to call in a professional to seal your ducts. Here are the benefits you will enjoy once the task is complete: Read More »

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