Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Mar 03, 2010 @ 06:00 PM
Interested in a TAX CREDIT??
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 made important changes to the homeowner tax credits for specified energy-efficient home improvements. Homeowners who purchase a qualified Rheem tankless water heater between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010 are eligible for a tax credit equal to 30% of the full purchase and installation price with a limit of $1,500.00. Twenty-four models qualify for this tax credit. This is the LAST Year that this tax credit is available.
There are also
heating and cooling systems that meet the requirements for this tax credit. For electric heat pumps placed in service between Jan. 1 2009 and Feb. 17 2009, the unit must have an HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) of at least 9, a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)
ratio of at least 15, and an EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) of at least 13.
For residential heat pumps placed in service after Feb. 17 2009, a split heat pump unit must achieve the highest efficiency tier. The different levels for split heat pumps are 8 HSPF, 14 SEER, and 12EER. Call us at 806-749-2665, comment below, or go to our
help page if you have any questions.
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 @ 06:15 PM
Sinclair Heating Cooling & Plumbing is excited to announce that we have a LonMark Certified Professional on staff (Me)! What that means to you is that I can help you save money. I can do this by controlling what your building HVAC system demands are along with other things like lighting. Having an intelligent control system based on LonMark certified devices is key in obtaining money saving strategies. Ask me how?
"What is LonMark?" LonMark is the company that has developed the international standards to make sure that devices will work together in an integrated control environment. Basically, if you already have a control system in your business or building that runs on BACnet, Modbus, LonMark, etc... LonMark has made it possible to tie-in to those applications. Or, I can help create a LonMark network from scratch for you and your building.
Facts straight from LonMark International:
-Having an intelligent control system following a LonMark specification has been shown to save upwards of 30% annually in energy costs over a non-integrated, non-intelligent control system. Wow!
-With continuous commissioning and implementation strategies, this number (30% savings) increases even more!
-LonMark systems allow for future expansion and adaptation without changing architectures, without being locked into a single provider, and allow for fair competitive bidding on the initial install and future projects.
This is a new venture for Sinclair HVAC & Plumbing and I am excited about these new opportunities. Would you like to save money with your commercial buildings high energy bills? Have questions? Need more information? Please send me a comment below.
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 @ 04:45 PM
Do you have a smelly or clogged up drain that needs attention? Sinclair plumbing offers a product that is just right for the job. Not only does is help clean drains, it also cleans:
- Septic systems
- Garbage disposal odors
- Grease Traps
- Sewage ejector sumps
- Outdoor privies and vaults
- RV & boat holding tanks
- Cat litter pans
- Grease Traps
Bio-Clean is a product that will help solve your drain problems. It is a blend of bacteria and enzymes. The bacteria are natural, not genetically-engineered.
"How does it work?" from The Bio-Clean Story
In Nature all animal and vegetable matter, from insects to mighty oaks, is broken down and recycled into plant food by enzymes and bacteria. Bio-Clean uses this same principle to biodegrade animal and vegetable waste in pipes.
Like all living things, bacteria must eat to survive. Fortunately certain types of bacteria will use for food the grease, hair, soap film and all the organic waste that tend to clog peoples drains.
Enzymes act like short order cooks. They prepare food for bacteria by breaking large molecules down into a size the bacteria can "swallow". Each enzyme works on one specific type of molecule. For example, the protease enzyme only works on protein. Lipase works only on fats.
The bacteria are dormant while in the jar. When mixed with water they come to life in about 30 minutes. In the meantime the enzymes are breaking down the waste. They are very fast. In fact, they work on contact. When the bacteria revive they are hungry. Each one eats its weight of waste every minute - and they never sleep! As a result of eating and growing they start to multiply through cell division. Their number will double every 30 minutes under favorable conditions.
_____________________________________________________________________
I use this product myself and I love it! I have a shower drain in my master bathroom that has had some problems in the past and I use Bio-Clean when it needs to be cleaned or unclogged. It is not hard to use and you don't have to wear a HAZ-Mat suit to use it :-) You mix the proper dosage with water and poor it into the drain you need help with. Let it sit over night and that's it! There are some occasions were you might have to treat the drain more than once. If you are interested in purchasing Bio-Clean please contact Sinclair by filling out a short form and we will contact you to make the purchase. One can of Bio-clean is only $43.25! If you have any questions or comments please let me know.
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Feb 10, 2010 @ 05:00 PM
Enchilada Casserole
1 (14 oz.) can tomatoes
1 small chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
½ tsp. Ground red pepper
½ tsp. Salt
6 oz. can tomato paste
½ lb. ground beef, browned
1 can beans, drained
1 pkg. Dry taco season mix
2 cups shredded cheese
9 corn tortillas
Sauce: Blend tomatoes with onion and garlic in blender. Pour in medium saucepan. Add pepper, salt and tomato paste. Heat until boiling, then simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Place 3 tortillas in bottom of crock pot. Layer on tortillas 1/3 of ground beef, 1/3 tomato sauce, and 1/3 Cheddar cheese, then 3 more tortillas. Repeat each layer 2 more times, ending with cheese. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Serves 4.
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Fri, Feb 05, 2010 @ 02:30 PM
When I ran service calls on a daily basis, I was asked a lot about programmable thermostats. The customer would ask me, "Do they really save money?" The answer to that question is, Yes!!! If you have ever left your house in a hurry and forgot to turn the light off, you probably forgot to adjust your thermostat. For example: If it is 100 degrees outside and you leave your thermostat set on 74 degrees, your air conditioning unit is going to run most of the day. You are spending money to cool your home at 74 degrees with no one there! With a programmable thermostat you can set it to 78 degrees when you leave for work and not have to worry about it running as much during the day (With no one at home). The key to saving money with your programmable thermostat is to stick to the schedule that you set. What I mean by that, is to create a schedule when you first get your thermostat and don't touch it for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks is up, you should be able to notice changes that you could make to the schedule, so that it fits your demands. A programmable thermostat is a big change from the old mercury turn-dial thermostats but let us help you and I promise it will save you money in the long run.
This is a great example and overview about a programmable thermostat from Energy Star:
Did you know that properly using a programmable thermostat in your home is one of the easiest ways you can save energy, money, and help fight global warming? A programmable thermostat helps make it easy for you to save by offering four pre-programmed settings to regulate your home's temperature in both summer and winter - when you are asleep or away.
- The pre-programmed settings that come with programmable thermostats are intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort. Depending on your family's schedule, you can see significant savings by sticking with those settings or adjust them as appropriate for your family.
- The key is to establish a program that automatically reduces heating and cooling in your home when you don't need as much. Use the programmable thermostat calculator to see what you can save with set-back temperatures that work for your family. The pre-programmed settings for a programmable thermostat are:
Programmable Thermostat Setpoint Times & Temperatures| Setting | Time | Setpoint Temperature (Heat) | Setpoint Temperature (Cool) |
|---|
| Wake | 6:00 a.m. | ≤ 70° F | ≥ 78° F |
|---|
| Day | 8:00 a.m. | Setback at least 8° F | Setup at least 7° F |
|---|
| Evening | 6:00 p.m. | ≤ 70° F | ≥ 78° F |
|---|
| Sleep | 10:00 p.m. | Setback at least 8° F | Setup at least 4° F |
|---|
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Jan 27, 2010 @ 05:00 PM
Peanut Butter Pie from Beth Sinclair's Kitchen
1 prepared chocolate cookie pie crust
1 c. creamy peanut butter
8 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
12 oz. container of non-dairy whipped topping, divided
1 (11.75 oz) jar hot fudge topping, divided
½ c. sugar
Drizzle: 2 T. hot fudge topping and 2 T. creamy peanut butter
In a medium bowl, beat together peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar. Gently fold in 3 c. whipped topping. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie. Reserving 2 T. hot fudge topping, place remaining hot fudge topping into microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Spread hot fudge topping over pie to cover the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping over the hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers. Place 2 T. hot fudge in small baggies and knead for a few seconds. Cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag and drizzle over pie. Do the same with 2 T peanut butter going in the opposite direction of the hot fudge.
This pie makes my mouth water, how about you?
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Jan 20, 2010 @ 05:30 PM
Why is it so important to keep my air filter(s) clean?
This is a common problem that most people do not know how to deal with and I am asked about frequently. Clean air filters are one of the most important and cost effective ways to keep your HVAC system working properly. Keeping the air filter(s) clean in you home has many benefits such as:
Clean indoor coil
Cleaner air to breathe
Less dust in the house (Great if you live in Lubbock!)
Heating and Cooling system works more efficiently
If you are diligent about changing the filter in your HVAC system then you will likely extend the life of your system.
What kind of filter should I buy?
There are several different types of filters that you can buy for your home: regular card-board media filters, pleated filters, and air purifying filters. The quality of an HVAC filter starts at the card-board media filter with the air purifying filter being the best. The cost for the different types of filters changes dramatically if you go from a media throw-away to a Bryant Perfect Air Purifier. (FYI: The Bryant PAP filter only has to be changed about once a year). The choice is up to you because it depends on how much money you want to spend. A good question to ask is, "how clean do I want the air I am breathing?"
How do I change my filter?
This depends on were your filter(s) are located. If your filter is not located at the furnace or air handler, then you may have filter grills. A filter grill would be located throughout your home on the ceiling or on the lower part of a wall. They work the same way as a filter located in your furnace, but the filter is inside of a filter grill instead of inside the unit. If you have a filter grill then you might need a ladder and a small screw driver. All you have to do is unlatch the two tabs that are holding the grill in place. TIP: Leave your HVAC fan running so the filter(s) don't fall out. Slowly lower the grill and remove the old filter. Add the new one and you are through. The video below goes into more detail...
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Fri, Jan 08, 2010 @ 03:43 PM
CUSTOMER QUESTION: The water doesn’t flow well from my kitchen sink and shower heads. What can I do to get more water flow?
If you live in Lubbock, Texas you know how hard our water is. I have 2 shower heads in my shower that are almost 2 years old and I have already had to clean them 3 times! I said to myself, "If I am having this problem, so would everyone else that lives in and around Lubbock."
I suggest that you remove the aerator from the sink faucet and soak it in white vinegar for several hours. You will be able to see the hard water particles release from it. The length of time depends on how much blockage has occurred. You might, in addition, use an old toothbrush to loosen the particles.
Instead of removing the shower head to soak it, a really good way to clean it is to put the vinegar in a plastic sandwich bag, slip it over the shower head, and secure it with string or a small wire. Soaking it overnight will open the holes for smoother air flow. Again, an old toothbrush comes in handy here too.
Do you have more helpful tips with cleaning faucets or other plumbing fixtures? Do you have an air conditioning or plumbing question you want answered?
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Thu, Dec 31, 2009 @ 01:00 PM
By now I am sure you have realized that I post a recipe from Beth Sinclair (my mom) every month on the blog. She is a wonderful cook and has so many great recipes, I want to know if you want to see more recipes in 2010 or a certain genre that we have not covered yet, etc...? So we are both curious as to which one of these 5 recipes were the best of 2009? All you have to do is click on the following links below and read the recipe. When you have selected your favorite send us a comment. Write which one was your favorite and let me know what other recipes you would like to see in 2010. Happy New Year!
1. Texas Caviar
2. Lazy Lasagna
3. Breakfast Casserole
4. Crockpot Fajitas
5. West Texas Santa Fe Soup
On a different note, are there any other tankless water heater articles, air purification, money saving tips, etc.. you would like to know more about?
Photo by Melissa
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Thu, Dec 24, 2009 @ 04:34 PM
Merry Christmas! From all of us at Sinclair Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing, we want to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas. With all of the bad weather in Lubbock, we would like to encourage you to be careful out on the roads.
If you are kicking yourself because you didn't get your furnace or heating unit checked before it got too cold, it's not too late! Sinclair is still offering you a chance to have it serviced, and for a limited time we are offering our twice a year maintenance contract at a special price! So don't delay and sign up for our maintence contract or schedule a call today.
By the way, our website has a new page! Click on the News link on the menu bar and that will send you to a new area for the website. This page is still new but has several articles that will help you with trouble shooting problems for residential thermostats as well as information about tankless water heaters. Feel free to comment about these articles or rate them as good or bad. If you have some good ideas for articles or want to know more about plumbing, furnaces, Bryant's Perfect Air Purifier, etc..., please let us know and we will post helpful articles to help keep you informed about the latest in HVAC and Plumbing industry.
Photo by Angelo
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