Save more, spend less.

It's easy to get shocked with a big energy bill during the cold winter months. There are a number of steps that can be taken to help keep those costs down to improve heating efficiency. Although some steps may require the assistance of us here at Serenity, many others can be done easily and quickly by any do-it-yourselfer.

Your home's heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system is the most obvious place to start, since this is probably the largest power draw, and the greatest source of energy loss as well. Get your HVAC systems serviced regularly and change the filters on your heating unit. A dirty filter can dramatically decrease heating efficiency, yet it only costs a few dollars and takes only a few minutes to replace. Our experts here can help you in determining what filter you may need. Feel free to call us!

Sealing your duct system is also an easy way to save energy. A duct system that has leaks will take in unheated air and blow it into your home. Seal the leaks with duct mastic, instead of duct tape. The attic is also a common source of drafts, so you should make sure to seal the air spaces in the attic. Holes or tunnels for plumbing or wiring, if left open, may cause cold air to move inside the walls throughout the entire house.

By doing these two things you can decrease the amount of energy you use and in turn decrease your costs! If you have questions please call us and we will help you in any way we can.

Indoor Air Pollution More of a Problem

Indoor air pollution in offices and homes is becoming more and more of a recognized problem, for a couple reasons. One, we seal our buildings up tighter than we used to in order to increase energy efficiency, and two, we are filling them up with more and more toxic products that get in our air.

In some homes, indoor air pollution is 100 times higher than outdoors!

Ways to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution

You can reduce indoor air pollution by removing as much as possible the following types of products from your home:

• Artificially scented beauty and personal care products and candles
• Cleaning products made from synthetic chemicals
• Air fresheners (which only add more chemicals to cover up smells)
• Plastics
• Pesticides
• Synthetic fibers, fabrics and materials, as well as added toxins like flame retardants and stain resistant chemicals in carpets, clothes and furnishings
• Building materials and furnishings made from formaldehyde and other toxins

You can also reduce indoor air pollution by increasing ventilation. In good weather, keep your windows open as much as possible and use fans to increase air flow. In the winter, you may want to consider an air-to-air heat exchanger (for more info, contact us here.) Houseplants such as aloe vera, elephant ear philodendron and English ivy can also help to clean the air.

For more information about how we can help you improve your air quality, please call us today!

Choosing a New Furnace

Choosing a new furnace is not like choosing a President.  In light of this week’s election, we would like to share with you how to “elect” a new furnace for your home. When replacing or installing a new furnace, it is important to consider the energy efficiency. The efficiency of a gas or oil furnace is determined by its AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) – the oil or gas furnace's efficiency in converting fuel to energy. The higher the AFUE, the more energy efficient the furnace is and the more money you can save on your heating bills.

For example, a gas furnace with an 80% AFUE rating means for every dollar spent on heat energy, 80 cents goes toward heating your home. Meanwhile, a gas or oil furnace with a 95% AFUE rating means that 95 cents of every $1.00 goes toward actually heating your home. Therefore, installing a furnace with a 95% AFUE is more energy efficient and wastes less energy than a new furnace with an 80% AFUE. Contact us today for your new energy efficient furnace!

Furnace Installation

If you need a new furnace installed, look no further than our furnace services! We will install your furnace correctly the first time so there is minimal disruption to your home’s heating. If you’re not sure what you need, we can help you choose the best kind of furnace for your home and then we’ll get it up and running in no time! Call us today to set up your furnace installation appointment.

Furnace Service

If you’ve had your furnace for several years and it isn’t running well anymore, call us for a furnace service! We’ll come inspect your current furnace to see if a furnace replacement is the best option for your home. If it is, our furnace service experts will install it in no time so you can make your home comfortable again! If your furnace can be repaired, we will provide you with an estimate and complete the job to your satisfaction!

Winterize? It’s Time to Think About It.

Winterization is something every home owner needs to consider.  Getting your home ready for winter is important no matter where you live, whether you need to prepare for heavy rains and wind storms or freezing temperatures and feet of snow. Keeping your home safe and comfortable for your family is made easier by paying attention to key features that are susceptible to winter weather changes. 

When the storms and foul weather of winter arrive, you’ll want to know that your home is prepped to meet any challenge. Winterizing will prevent problems and improve efficiency, saving you time and money all season long.

There are specific areas of your home you need to look at.

Exterior: Check your gutters, siding, roof and chimney. Clean your gutters, check your siding and roof for obvious areas of repair and have your chimney cleaned by a professional.

Plumbing: Check your outdoor spigots and pipes. Make sure they are insulated properly.

Drafts: Check your seals around doors and windows. Replace any that are worn to prevent air leakage and an increase in heating cost.

Importance of Clean Air

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental dangers to the public and identifies it as one of the leading health risks today. The EPA estimated that pollution levels indoors could be two to five higher than the pollution levels outdoors. And on occasion, indoor air can be as much as 100 times more polluted.

Research studies have found that more people today feel less healthy than at any other time. Also, more people suffer from asthma, allergies, and other respiratory diseases than ever before. Why? Because people over that last 30 to 40 years have been breathing an increasing amount of damaging particles while indoors.

Standard air cleaners have filters that are very dense, so they stop the dust by trapping it in a slightly porous filter. The fewer the pores the more dust it can trap. However, this not only stops the dust and dirt, but it also stops the air from moving as well. So you may not be as comfortable, and less air is cleaned efficiently. Our air cleaners are highly efficient units that provide maximum clean air in your home.

Call Serenity Air today and find out how we can provide your family with the highest quality air in your home today!

Is that Fall around the corner?

As the calendar heads towards fall one thing is almost certain,  your furnace will soon again be needed. So now is a great time to get a furnace checkup and to do some basic maintenance.  You need to make sure your furnace gets the attention it needs.

Well, there is a simple and easy way to insure that your furnace is getting the attention it needs, and that’s by changing your furnace filter.  Changing the filter on your furnace is very easy, yet very important.  It takes only a few minutes to replace a furnace filter, yet the benefits are huge!  Replacing your furnace filter regularly helps keep your heating and cooling costs low, while providing you cleaner air at the same time.

As furnace filters get dirty, they become more efficient at catching dust up to a certain point.  Then, if the furnace filter is not changed, it will begin to restrict airflow.  This causes your furnace to work much harder to heat and cool your home because it must run longer, thus using more electricity.

So call Serenity Air, Inc. today and set up a time to have your fall furnace checkup completed!

Summer’s End

Labor day traditionally signals the end of summer and the beginning of fall. The last big picnic and party of the year will be this weekend for most people. It also means new starts, new school year, new teachers, new friends and lots of new experiences.

But even though Labor Day signals the end, it does not mean the end for your HVAC system. There will still be demand for cooling and sooner than you want to admit it, heating as well. So fall is a great time to have your system checked.

Changing filters, having the blower checked and making sure everything is in top working order should be a priority for you at this time of year.

So after you enjoy that last cook out and family party, give us a call and find out how a system check up can benefit all your fall HVAC needs!