Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 @ 07:29 PM
In the last several months, I have almost converted my whole house to CFL (Compact Florescent Bulbs). This all started by not having enough light down in my basement and trying to save money on the energy bill. My wife likes to do scrap-booking during her free time and always had trouble having enough light to see what she was trying to create. I heard about the new CFL bulbs and went to the local hardware store and bought 4 CFL flood lights. After installing the new bulbs I flipped the switch to turn them on and after a brief pause the lights turned on but were not as bright as I thought they would be. I thought something was wrong and by the time I went to look at the directions I could tell it was starting to get brighter. After about 5 minutes I felt like there were 4 spot lights on in the basement; man are they bright!
After enjoying the lights in the basement for about 2 weeks, I thought it would be a good idea to install 6 more (CFL) flood lights in the living room. This is when I learned a lesson in the differences in the new bulbs. After installing the new bulbs for the living room, I noticed that they were bright but had a "blue-ish" tint. My wife did not like this at all. The next day I went back to the store and learned that the bulbs are based on a (k) Kelvin rating. I bought the highest rating (6500) which puts off a blue tint to simulate "daylight". What I needed to match all of the other bulbs in the house was a lower (k) rating like 2700, to give a yellow tint to the light. After installing the lower Kelvin rated bulbs, they were a perfect match.
From wanting more light in the basement, to realizing how much wattage I could be saving a month, I have almost converted the whole house to these new bulbs. The ultimate test was to look at the electrical bill. It finally arrived after 90 percent of the house had been using these bulbs for a full month and I noticed a significant difference. Our energy bill had dropped $40 dollars! Certainly money well spent!
Would you try using CFL bulbs if you knew they would save you money in the long run?
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Aug 04, 2010 @ 07:01 PM
This time of year in Lubbock is usually very hot and humid. Here are some tips on what to expect from your residential or commercial air conditioning system, because major problems can be prevented by following some of these tips.
1. High energy bills
Again, this time of year is usually very hot and humid, so expect higher than usual bills from your energy company. If you can, try to set your thermostat higher when no one is home or look into buying a programmable thermostat. During really hot months, a programmable thermostat can usually pay for itself!
2. Condensation Leaks
With high humidity expect your air conditioning system to create a lot of condensation (water). The water created from your air conditioning unit exits through the PVC pipe at the bottom of your evaporator coil. If there is a small amount of build-up in that line, a leak may occur. So if you haven't looked at your furnace or air handler in a long time, this would be the month to look it over to make sure it is not leaking water.
3. Dirty Filters
With all of the summer vacations and extended periods of time outside, one can easily miss replacing an air filter. Not having a clean air filter can cause your system to ice-up and not cool properly. Either one is not a good situation when it is 100 degrees outside with high humidity. It is also a very inexpensive repair that can save you tons of money in the long run, so change your filter(s).
If any of these problems are occurring with your air conditioning system, schedule a call today. I hope that these tips help you know what to expect this month from your air conditioning system. Sometimes giving your unit a quick visual inspection can save you from a disaster. Feel free to leave any questions or comments.
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Jul 28, 2010 @ 07:15 PM
Here is another great energy saving article from my good friend James Gallett. I hope you enjoy it and please feel free to post any comments or questions.
Do you know which direction your ceiling fan should turn in order for it to do its job and be economically efficient?
Just the other day I had a friend of mine ask me this question, she was wanting to know for her house about the direction of her ceiling fan. I thought I knew the answer, but did some research to verify.
My short answer was this: During the summer, you should run the fan so that the breeze blows downward. This will create a wind chill effect, just like you get when you roll down your car windows while driving to cool you off. During the winter you should leave the fan off.
During my research I did however find some ceiling fan manufacturers websites suggesting that you run the ceiling fan so it blows downward in the winter. This idea is based on the fan mixing the warm air collecting at the ceiling and moving it back down to the perimeter of room in the winter, which would make the room warmer and need less heat from your furnace. But not trusting this advice, (remember ceiling fan manufacturers want the fans running continuously so they will eventually fail), I dug on and found some information on consumer reports that suggest that the draft caused by the fan can have a chilling effect on people in a room, in the winter. This leads to them turning up the thermostat and using more energy. So they too recommend that you not bother to reverse the motion of your fan—just leave it off during heating season. Note that there might be some situations where reverse operation would be beneficial, such as in a room with a wood stove running or a very high vaulted ceiling.
If you’re looking to lower your energy bills during the cooling season, use ceiling fans in rooms you are occupying and turn up the temperature on your A/C a few degrees and let the fan go to work. Remember that ceiling fans cool you and not the space you’re in, so turn them off when you leave the room for an extended time so as to not waste electricity.
Here is a ceiling fan shopping tip I ran across: Consumer Reports found that while the pricier fans did have fancier finishes, they didn’t necessarily provide better performance. What’s more, most fans performed similarly in their air-movement tests. I will tell you though that my kids' rooms have cheaper fans and very rarely get used due to the noise factor, where as my living room and bedroom fan gets used quite often and are very quiet in comparison.
Thanks Marsha for making me do some research; I hope this is helpful.
James Gallet
Envirotech Heating, Cooling and Energy Solutions
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Jul 21, 2010 @ 07:22 PM
Water heater replacement is something that Sinclair Heating Cooling and Plumbing specializes in! If you have a water heater in your home or place of business you know that it is a matter of time until you will need to replace it. If you have a tank water heater, I wanted to give some tips on what to look for but also what to expect if you have Sinclair plumbers change-out your water heater.
If your water heater tank is in a closet inside your home, business, or garage always check the copper lines going into the tank. If you see corrosion or water sitting on top of the inlets, this is a sign of a leak! Also, check the bottom of your water heater monthly (especially if it is old) for rust, corrosion, or dripping water. This tip is especially important because the bottom of the tank could bust open and leak up 75 gallons of water, depending on the size of your tank. Not good! All of these problems would usually lead to your water heater needing to be replaced.
After you call or schedule Sinclair to replace your water heater, we would get approval from you to do the work. Then our plumbers would start to drain the water heater so they can remove it. After most of the water has been drained the plumbers would remove the old water heater and bring in the new one. Before setting the new tank, the plumber will set an aluminum drain pan in order to keep water from leaking. After setting the drain pan the new water heater is lifted-up and set into place. A new water shut-off valve is set on the copper supply lines and everything for the supply lines is welded together. Water is added to the tank and after it is full, electricity is hooked up or gas. The plumber would then turn the unit on and set the temperature at your preferred setting. It takes a couple of hours for water to heat-up to the set temperature.
I hope that these tips have helped you to be able to spot a leak and know what to expect when you have Sinclair come out and replace your water heater. By the way, I am working on a Tankless Water-heater blog that will posted soon. Any questions or comments?
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Get $20 off your next service repair! Hurry, coupon expires July 30, 2010!
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Jul 07, 2010 @ 04:30 PM
If you are building a new home or remodeling your kitchen, there are some decisions that you need to make very carefully. Several of them involve big investments and some that you will live with for a long time. Some big decisions you are going to have to make about your kitchen sink is what kind of sink you should purchase and what type of faucet will fit with the sink. Here are a few ideas on this subject that I would like to share with you, from my experience.
When Tom and I were building our home, I had an important decision to make about a sink for the kitchen, and that was whether to get a cast iron or stainless steel sink. I thought that I should get stainless steel because my other appliances are stainless. I got the stainless steel sink for that one reason and that was a BIG mistake. I am constantly wiping it down to get rid of hard water spots! If you live in Lubbock you know what I am talking about with the hard water. Also, the sink never looks “polished” and it looks like I just finished using it and didn’t clean up after myself. Using Lemi-shine helps but overall I wish I would have chosen the cast-iron sink instead. With a cast iron sink, a good swipe of Comet makes it look like new! Even with Lubbock's hard water, a cast iron sink seems to be a better choice. The other important tip to consider is the depth. 7" is too shallow (lots of splash) for a kitchen sink, try 9" at least, double bowl. You want the sink to be deep enough so when you wash big pots and pans you will have room.
The last tip includes the type of faucet you should buy. Daniel (my son) wrote an article about choosing the right faucet back in May, check it out.
Remember: DO YOUR RESEARCH and ask your friends! Think before you buy! Any comments or questions?
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 @ 07:00 PM
Having and educated customer base is one of my goals in writing blogs. I have put together some helpful air conditioning and plumbing links that will help you to be educated about your air conditioning system and plumbing equipment. All you have to do is click on the highlighted links and read the articles by other bloggers.
Troubleshooting Air Conditioners
by HVAC Maintenance & Supplies
Before you call a air conditioning service repair man to check your air conditioner that’s not cooling you may want to check some of these possible causes. First and most obvious is to be sure your systems air filter is not restricted.
Air Conditioners: Some Cool Facts To Know
by AirCon 365
Air conditioning is one of the most important inventions for mankind. These units work towards providing the best of cooling during summers.
Tankless Water Heaters-Common Questions
by Anaheim Plumbers
One of the common questions that we're asked all the time is if tankless water heaters are really a good value. So here are some answers to questions that we have been asked.
Troubleshooting a Tank Type Water Heater
by Bob Formisano
Unlike tankless water heaters, standard type gas and electric water heaters use an insulated storage tank. The construction or anatomy of a gas tank type water heater is explained in the tutorial Anatomy of the Gas Water Heater.
I hope that these articles help you to become more familiar about the plumbing and air conditioning systems in your home. Please feel free to send questions or comments.
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Jun 16, 2010 @ 06:30 PM
If you live in Lubbock you know how hot it has been lately and I thought it would be appropriate to give you some tips to help stay cool.
1. Set the Fan setting on your thermostat to "On"
This is one of the easiest money saving tips that you can do. Many people do not realize that leaving your blower on will help your compressor not run as much. In the Fan "Auto" mode your fan shuts off when the thermostat reaches its set-point. When the ambient temperature is over 90 degrees the inside temperature will come up faster with the fan off. So, I recommend leaving the fan set to "On" during the summer months. FYI: It costs about the same to run a blower motor as it does to run a ceiling fan.
2. Make sure ceiling fans are turning "clockwise"
This is another easy tip that will not cost you very much to do. During the winter months I always recommend to turn your ceiling fan setting to "counter-clockwise": this helps to circulate all of the hot air off of the ceiling. The opposite is true for the summer months. If you follow tip #1 and run your ceiling fan(s) you are going to be circulating a lot of air in your home! This is good because it feels cooler to the skin and at the same time your air conditioning compressor is not running as much either.
3. Close your blinds or shutters
For me, this tip will be hard to follow because I like to let the sun light up my home rather than the artificial lights during the day. This is also a way to let the heat into your home. Believe it or not, closing the blinds or shutters on your windows can cool your house down about 5 degrees!
4. Hydrate yourself and your children
This is the most important tip! Staying hydrated when it is 90 degrees and above is very important. Please drink plenty of water and try to stay out of the sun for extended periods of time.
I know that most of these tips seem obvious but I thought it was appropriate with the extreme heat that we have been having. I hope that these air conditioning tips have helped and if you have any more that you would like to add or if I forgot some, please send me a comment.
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, Jun 02, 2010 @ 06:30 PM
Having air conditioning repairs done to your system can be expensive. Most people do not think about the air conditioning system until they have a problem. If your system needs repairs I wanted to give you some symptoms to look for. I know that some of these tips seem obvious but our office gets a lot of calls that have these problems listed on the service tickets. My main goal with this article is to help you know what to look for when a problem occurs. Also, the sooner you recognize the problem, the sooner we can get a technician over to your home to repair it.
One of the major indicators that your air conditioning system might need to be repaired would obviously be that it is not cooling. But what you might not know are the small indicators that will let you know this. One sign that many people fail to notice is the thermostat. If your thermostat is not cooling down to the temperature you have set it at, turning the set point down is not going to fix this problem. Another symptom to look for would be the unit not turning on.
Another indicator that your system needs to be repaired would be loud noises. The compressor is the heart of an air conditioning system and when they do not have oil flowing through them it does not sound good. Metal is banging against metal! So when and if you hear the outside unit making a loud noise, you might want to schedule a repair with Sinclair.
The last symptom that a lot of people notice but do not understand is ice. We get a lot of calls like this. The customer notices ice on the unit and wants us to come out "Now" and fix it. The only problem with this is we will not be able to do any repairs until the ice is completely thawed. The best thing that a customer can do is turn the system setting to "Off." This will help ice on the unit thaw because the compressor is not running. Another important tip to remember is this is not a quick process, depending on how much ice is on the unit and the ambient temperature, it can take up to 4 hours on average.
The easiest way to avoid problems is to have a technician come out twice a year and look the system over to make sure it is in proper working order. If you follow these tips and check out our Comfort Customer Agreement you will be prepared when your air conditioning system breaks down. Did I miss anything?
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Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, May 26, 2010 @ 06:00 PM
When you are looking to buy a new kitchen faucet or any faucet for that matter, it can be overwhelming. There are a lot of different kitchen faucets to choose from, there are different brands, some brands are cheaper than others, etc.... I have 5 tips that will help you decide on a faucet that is right for you.
1. Sink compatibility:
This is the first tip for a reason! Choose a fixture that is compatible with the mounting-hole pattern of your sink, which can be anywhere from one to four holes. Remember, will the faucet reach the sink?
2. Neck Design:
A high-arcing spout gives clearance for filling or rinsing tall pots. There is a caveat to this type of faucet: A high-curved neck with a shallow sink creates excessive splashing, so keep that in mind.
3. Spout Style:
On many of the new models the faucet head has a built-in pull-out sprayer hose to reach every corner of the sink and counter.
4. Handles:
One-piece faucets with single-lever handles are the most popular, two-handled
"bridge" faucets in both traditional and modern styles are trendy.
5. Finish:
Most models are durable and scratch-resistant. Nickel, copper, pewter, bronze, gold, black and white are options, but chrome and stainless steel are the biggest sellers. Try matching the faucet finish to your appliances and cabinet pulls.
I hope that these tips help. The last thing that I will say is that Lubbock has very hard water and this reduces the life of your faucet significantly if you do not have some kind of filtration system on your house. If you want our Lubbock plumbers to come out and help you decide on a faucet, go to our website and schedule an estimate today!
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Were these tips helpful?
Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Wed, May 05, 2010 @ 10:01 AM
Guest Author: James Gallet is the owner of Envirotech Heating, Cooling, and Energy Solutions out of Emporia, Kansas. Envirotech has been recognized as a national and local leader when it comes to HVAC; Envirotech has been featured in several national trade magazines and James recently started speaking at local and national conferences. He is a business partner and friend of mine. We have been involved in a ACCA group for the last 5 years and I have learned a lot from James. I hope you enjoy his thoughts and learn as much as I have from him.
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Over the past weekend my wife and I had a child free night, so what did we do? We went grocery shopping (I know how romantic). Well I ended up turning this adventure into a learning situation for myself. This school year my kids have been learning a lot
about waste and things we can do to help eliminate landfill waste. One thing that has been addressed was the plastic bags we get at the stores and how many we waste. My wife has recently added two reusable grocery bags to the stuff that is floating around in our family vehicle, you know the ones I am talking about they come in several different colors. Well I had no idea how much one of these bags can hold, each bag probably had equivalent to two or three plastic bags worth of items in it. I also was not aware that some stores will actually give you a credit for using the recycle bags as opposed to using theirs, cha-ching$$$.
These reusable bags got me asking some questions and doing research. I already knew that plastic is bad for landfills and is not biodegradable, but here is what else I learned in doing my research: U.S. households dispose of nearly one hundred billion (that's right 100 Billion) bags annually, millions of which end up littering the environment and harming wildlife (just take a look at the side of the highway next time you are driving and I bet you will see a few). If you reduce your plastic bag consumption by just two bags a week, you would throw away at least 100 fewer bags a year. If everyone in America did this and we tied all of those bags together handle to handle we would make a rope big enough to wrap around the earth 126 times. WOW!
I know that sometimes plastic is great so if you do use plastic bags, please recycle or reuse them somehow. You can take your plastic bags back to many stores where they have recycle bins for them. I propose the new question should be: Paper, Plastic or Reusable?
Please pass this along...James
Is there a grocery store in Lubbock that gives credit for recycable bags?