A geothermal heat pump is a highly-efficient form of a heat pump that can reach astronomically high efficiency. Located under the earth, a geothermal heat pump uses the temperature of the ground as the exchange rate for the air that filters through your home. Geothermal heat pumps can both heat and cool your house, providing energy savings year-round. A more efficient …
Thinking Of Insulating Your Home? Consider Types And Applications
When thinking of insulating your home, there are a few things to consider before starting the project. Some types of insulation must be applied during the initial building phase, some types can be done as a do-it-yourself project and some types can only be done with specialized tools and machines. You will have to decide which type is right for …
The Energy Star: Why You Should Let It Guide You As You Make Important Home Comfort Decisions
Energy Star is a government program aimed to help consumers make better decisions when buying new appliances and home heating and cooling systems. By paying attention to these special labels on products, you can have the information you need to save both energy and money.
Shutting Down Your Air Conditioner At The End Of The Cooling Season
As summer fades, remember to winterize your home’s air conditioner so as to prolong it’s life and ensure it functions smoothly once the warm weather returns.
Maintaining Your Heat Pump: A Nine-Point Checklist
One of the best ways to keep your heat pump in good working order is by performing regular maintenance. Staying on top of maintenance can pay off by extending the life of the unit and helping it operate at maximum efficiency.
Buying A MERV Filter: How To Figure Out Those Numbers
The air in your home is full of microscopic organisms, pollen, mold, pet dander and dust. There are a few ways you can reduce the number of these irritating allergens in your home, and one of the most effective is to install filters with high MERV ratings. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. These values quantify how well a …
Maintaining Your Solar System
With July temperature averages holding at a sweltering 90 degrees and winter averages in the brisk lower 20s, it can be a constant struggle to keep your home at a comfortable temperature in Kansas City. In these extreme conditions, air conditioners and furnaces can be pushed to their limits, and – in the case of older or poorly maintained equipment …
One Room Too Hot And Another Too Cold? You May Need A Zoning System
From sub-zero winter nights to summer days with heat indexes shattering the 100-degree mark, citizens of the Kansas City area are familiar with both ends of the weather spectrum. With the ever-changing outdoor climate, the interior temperature of homes also can be unpredictable.
HSPF And SEER: Look For Those Ratings When You’re Deciding On A Heat Pump
You’ve made the decision to purchase a heat pump and are trying to determine which manufacturer’s unit to buy. Two ratings that will assist you with making your selection are the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) and the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER).
Why Your Home Needs Heat-Recovery Ventilation
Adequate ventilation provides your home with a continuous supply of fresh air. Energy-efficient improvement and construction methods such as weather-stripping and insulation can save you money and enhance climate control. However, these methods tend to render your home airtight, which can keep pollutants inside, not allowing them to escape into the outdoors. They should be complemented with a ventilation system …