Category: Heating

More Ways to Prepare a Building for Winter Weather

People are usually well-versed in ways to winterize their homes, but can sometime neglect to apply the same treatment to their commercial buildings. Understanding the precautions necessary to winterize your commercial property is important to maintaining the operations of your business.

Maintenance for the Building

  • Make sure that gutters have been cleared of any objects, including leafs or other organic material. This ensures proper draining during the cold months.
  • Make sure that nothing is blocking your drains. If moisture is not draining properly in the winter, it could cause significant damage. Inspect and roof flashing penetrations or building envelopes as well, and seal them to prevent water from flowing into the building.
  • Inspect gutters to make sure they are properly attached to the building
  • Make sure any accumulated debris is removed from basement and foundation drains, especially the storm drains in the parking lot.
  • Trim any nearby trees or large shrubs to reduce the amount of leaves or branches that could enter the drains
  • Service your heating equipment early. This will ensure that nothing breaks down when it is being used constantly during the winter.
  • Test all carbon monoxide detectors
  • Discourage the use of space heaters, but in cases where they are permitted, make sure they have a UL label

Removing Ice and Snow

A representative for a Denver roofing company offers the following pieces of advice:

  • Make sure you already have the proper tools before winter. This includes shovels, salt and other material to melt the ice, and anything else necessary to facilitate the removal of snow in your area.
  • Review any contracts you have with the maintenance crew if you have hired one. This will reduce the amount of unanticipated bills later in the winter, and ensure you receive the service you desire.
  • Make sure your exterior lighting works. This makes it much easier to remove ice and snow during the evening when the building is closed for business.
  • Start any parking lot repair before winter begins, especially pot holes and curb damage.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

A spokesperson for Asbestos Abatement in Denver offers the following:

  • Make sure any irrigation system is turned off. This will keep water inside the pipes from freezing.
  • Make sure any wall or attic pipes are sealed to prevent airflow near the opening.
  • Consider a temperature alarm in any high risk areas, and add extra insulation near pipes in your attic or basement
  • If possible, let a sink drip if it happens to be in an extremely cold area (only if the water cannot be drained or turned off).
  • Make sure all your windows and doors have the proper sealant, especially if they are in an unheated area of your property.

7 Ways to Winterize a Building

An unpleasant fact of life is that a lot of the energy in your structure or commercial structure spent on heating is wasted due to failing insulation and lack thereof. If you address a lot of the issues you will have a chance to make that a thing of the past, so consider what you can do to make it happen. With the proper insulation, your structure and its HVAC system will be much easier to work with and they won’t waste as much energy trying to keep your building warm. The biggest consumers of energy happen to be large appliances such as freezers, water heaters, dishwashers and washing machines, but HVAC systems can also eat up a lot of energy when they are working with poor insulation. You can work on this before the winter season, allowing you to install all of these and to deal with house cleaning when the job is done. Be careful when working as you may need to perform upholstery cleaning and carpet cleaning if you work with foam. The following examples will explain how you can winterize your building properly to avoid any issues up ahead:
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Benefits of Regularly Maintaining Your Furnace

With the summer warmth, many people forget that the fall and winter are just around the corner and that soon temperatures will start coming down. Those who are conscious of the coming winter do their best to get ready by inspecting their roofs, cleaning gutters and disconnecting their hoses but forget a very important equipment in the home i.e. to check whether their furnace is working properly. Following are benefits of having your furnace maintained regularly;

It limits surprises. Ensuring a regular maintenance to your furnace has a host of benefits. With such maintenance, you have peace of mind knowing that you are not likely to experience furnace emergencies when the cold is really biting. Imagine the furnace breaking down on a very cold night just because you didn’t have it inspected earlier? Regular maintenance reveals in advance small problems which could turn into big problems if left unchecked. When you get your furnace checked before winter sets in is very wise as it gives you time to order replacement parts if they are needed, you are also able to check its efficiency to ensure it heats your home effectively as well as order a replacement unit if you find your old one in a deplorable working condition. You don’t want to rush to put on the furnace when the chilly weather sets in only to find out that it is not heating effectively and worse it doesn’t heat at all.

Increase your unit’s efficiency and lifespan. Fall furnace maintenance also helps review your unit’s efficiency. If properly maintained, a furnace can last as long as 20 years or more. Having a professional HVAC technician clean, lubricate moving parts, check connections and check its control’s among other maintenance procedures will ensure your unit operates at maximum efficiency. With such maintenance you will greatly save on your energy bills.

It limits unnecessary repairs. Ensuring a regular maintenance to your furnace will limit the need for repairs over the lifespan of your unit. This translates to less operation costs for the unit. In addition, you are able to last all winter long without having a serious furnace repair or breakdown that leaves you spending a number of nights on the cold.

Be wise this fall, call for a certified HVAC repair technician to come and check your unit. Also, if you can, enroll in a regular maintenance program which ensures the repair company will always come to check your unit even when you forget about it.

The Dangers of Neglected Heating Systems

Many homeowners fail to or forget to maintain their home’s heating system regularly. This can be potentially dangerous and lead to costly repairs. HVAC technicians can perform routine maintenance to ensure its optimal performance. Most of the time homeowners don’t even think of using this service until something goes wrong. The trouble with this type of plan is there are dangers of neglected heating systems that could potentially be fatal if left unattended.

The Dangers of Neglected Heating Systems

Regular HVAC maintenance can potentially save homeowners expensive repair or replacement costs in the future. If a furnace or home heating system isn’t properly cleaned and maintained, it cannot work properly. Changing its filter regularly as well as cleaning all the running parts are just part of a regular maintenance routine. Also, if the furnace isn’t maintained properly, it voids out any warranty homeowners may have with the manufacturers meaning you’re out of luck.

One main part of a maintenance check is with the chimney and flue. During this check, a HVAC tech is looking for obstructions or leaks that would allow carbon monoxide into the home. Ventilation issues can lead to infiltration of this deadly gas and cause common illnesses and potentially dangerous health conditions.

The reason for this rise in carbon monoxide poisoning in the United States is because in order to save energy costs, more and more homeowners are making their home airtight. This means there is less fresh air coming into the house. Furnaces and heating systems in general rely on oxygen in order to burn fuel and if it becomes deprived of this, it will produce carbon monoxide. When carbon monoxide is released into a home, it can slowly poison those inside.

Regular maintenance check-ups are important for the long-term performance of your heating system as well as your family’s health.

Why your heating bill is too high

As cooler weather approaches, you will eventually have to turn the heat on. While it is obvious that your heating bill will be higher in the Fall and Winter, sometimes it seems too high. Learn which factors can contribute to raising your bill, and some tips you can follow to prevent an outrageous monthly cost.

What are the main factors that contribute to high heating bills?

Change in seasons
The most obvious factor is the change in season. When it’s cold out, we want our home’s to be inviting and warm. Some people will end up dialing their thermostats too high temperatures to rapidly heat the home. If the change is too drastic, your furnace will work even harder, which will consume more energy.

Laundry machine
Surprisingly, another factor is your laundry machine. When it’s cold out, we wear extra layers and blankets. Naturally, our laundry room will be a bit busier, since it will require more washing. You might not realize it, but you probably will end up doing more laundry in the winter. This also contributes to higher utility bills.

Your home is poorly insulated
If you live in an older home, or if it doesn’t have proper insulation, you could be losing a lot of heat through leaks. This could be the main reason why your home never gets to the desired temperature you set on your thermostat, especially if you have it always running.

Your furnace isn’t functioning properly
If you’ve decided that none of the above are possible reasons, then it could, unfortunately, come down to the efficiency of your furnace. Old and outdated furnaces lose their power after quite some time, and if you don’t have regular maintenance on your furnace, its lifespan could be much shorter.

How to keep your heating bill low
Lowering your heating bill is much simpler than you’d expect. Here are the steps you can take to reduce the overall energy consumption in your home.

Lower your temperature
This sounds counterproductive in the cold, but in all reality, you will likely not notice a drop in a few degrees. Yet, the minor adjustment could save up to 10% of your heating cost.

Use a programmable thermostat
Regular thermostats cycle at every hour of the day, which means it can run when you’re asleep or not home. This is not very efficient. Programmable thermostats, however, can be set to your daily routines. If you’re not home, you can adjust it so your heater isn’t running and wasting energy. This can reduce the cost of your heating bill significantly.

Wear more layers
You can stay cozy and warm but bundling up indoors. While you have your thermostat set to a lower temperature, doing more laundry won’t have as much as a consequence on your bill. Find a cozy sweatshirt, or cuddle with your favorite blanket. These are great ways to keep yourself warm in your home, while still having a comfortable room temperature.

Have your furnace inspected
If you are actively implementing these steps, and are finding no solace, then it might be time to have your furnace inspected. You should have your furnace looked at yearly to ensure everything is in working condition. A professional HVAC company can do a quick checkup to make sure everything is functioning as it should.

Why Now Is the Time to Have Your Furnace Looked At

No one wants to think about the cold days of winter, however, you should always have your furnace prepared before the season begins. A fully working furnace is imperative to surviving the harsh temperatures of winter, and it is best to ensure it is in working order sooner than later. Here are three reasons why you should have your furnace inspected right now.

Completing maintenance on your furnace before the weather gets too cold can give you peace of mind because knowing your furnace is in the best shape will alleviate any stress if there is an issue during the cold months ahead. A furnace that operates at its best performance is crucial to surviving the winter, as it can be incredibly difficult to maintain a comfortable temperature without it.

When your furnace sits and collects dust in the warmer months, it can get grimy and dirty. This makes it so it doesn’t perform as well as it should be, and it can end up using more energy than intended. Not only will this end up costing you more money for utility bills, but it can also lead to serious problems down the road. Getting preemptive inspections and cleaning will ensure that your furnace is in running condition, saving you more money and having a lesser impact on the environment.

Inspecting and repairing a furnace before it is running will make it prepared to handle the cold before it gets too late. Early maintenance will ensure all of the mechanical parts and lubrication are proper, which in turn will allow a smooth airflow. Regularly scheduled maintenance will extend the lifespan of your furnace, so you won’t ever have to worry about major repairs shortly.

How we can fix air conditioning less cooling

Pityful a rethoric question ran over her cheek, then she continued her way. On her way she met a copy.

The copy warned the Little Blind Text, that where it came from it would have been rewritten a thousand times and everything that was left from its origin would be the word “and” and the Little Blind Text should turn around and return to its own, safe country.

O my friend — but it is too much for my strength — I sink under the weight of the splendour of these visions!

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart.

I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

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When she reached the first hills of the Italic Mountains, she had a last view back on the skyline of her hometown Bookmarksgrove, the headline of Alphabet Village and the subline of her own road, the Line Lane.

Pityful a rethoric question ran over her cheek, then she continued her way. On her way she met a copy.

The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Little Blind Text didn’t listen.

She packed her seven versalia, put her initial into the belt and made herself on the way.

When she reached the first hills of the Italic Mountains, she had a last view back on the skyline of her hometown Bookmarksgrove, the headline of Alphabet Village and the subline of her own road, the Line Lane.

Pityful a rethoric question ran over her cheek, then she continued her way. On her way she met a copy.

Many desktop publishing packages

No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful.

Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure.

To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it?

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A paradisematic country

The copy warned the Little Blind Text, that where it came from it would have been rewritten a thousand times and everything that was left from its origin would be the word “and” and the Little Blind Text should turn around and return to its own, safe country.

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The copy warned the Little Blind Text, that where it came from it would have been rewritten a thousand times and everything that was left from its origin would be the word “and” and the Little Blind Text should turn around and return to its own, safe country.

But nothing the copy said could convince her and so it didn’t take long until a few insidious Copy Writers ambushed her, made her drunk with Longe and Parole and dragged her into their agency, where they abused her for their projects again and again. And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her.

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia.

It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar.