Your Money - Household Ways To Save Thousands

As the average home owner or renter, you have a full time job at home. You just don't realize it. And because you don't keep up on the maintenance, as you should, you're only making yourself and your loved ones suffer as victims. That may sound extreme, but the average home owner usually let's the simplest maintenance slip by unnoticed. You may say, "I'll get to it tomorrow.", but it's always tomorrow. I'm talking about basic monthly maintenance on the little things. When was the last time you cleaned your refrigerator coils? Did you cut those bushes back away from the house yet? What about the two most important and simplest tasks such as draining the sludge from your water heater and changing out your air filter in your air conditioner system? Why haven't done those tasks? They only take about 10 - 15 minutes. You might as well be throwing your wallet down on the sidewalk for someone else to pickup.

What!? That's right. By not changing your air filter once per month, your air conditioner needs to work harder. Your filter is dirty so the air conditioner needs to suck the inside air through all that dirt just so it can blow a lot of that dirt and allergens back in through your air registers. Think of the old vacuums that used bags. Would you take that old vacuum bag out in the house just to have that plume of dust and dirt fly up in your face? Your allergies don't react well to this. How much money do you spend on antihistamines and other allergy medications? This contributes to your allergies acting up even when you are inside your house.

By not following a regular filter change schedule, your air conditioner gets tired and worn out faster. This means that after years of abuse, instead of lasting 12 - 15 years, you'll be calling a service technician several years sooner. You wouldn't think that a little dirt and dust can do that, but a little adds up quickly. That's not a big concern though is it? The average hourly labor charge for a service technician in any trade will run you about $70 and up. In fact, count on at least $60 just for the technician to turn that key in his ignition and say, "Good afternoon." The cost not only can, but will be at least several hundred dollars. I'm not trying to scare you, but the truth is the truth.

What about your water heater? What sludge? Every water source pumps very small particulates of minerals and dirt into your house and goes through your water heater, even if you are on city water. Over time, these particulates can corrode the anode rod inside your water heater (which is a good thing). This "sacrificial rod" is what degrades over time instead of your water heater, and it settles as rusty sediment and dirt at the bottom of your water heater. You need to flush out this sludge from your water heater at least once per year. If you are on a well, then I would recommend flushing your water heater out at least 3 times per year and install a sediment filter on the main pipe that flows into your water heater. You will need to periodically replace the sacrificial anode rod as well; more frequently if you are on a well system, or you will find yourself replacing the water heater itself.

If you fail to perform basic preventive maintenance around the house, you won't be buying just a filter or anode rod for a few dollars. You'll be new equipment years before you need to do so. If you are unsure of how to do the maintenance, schedule a service call from a qualified technician, and observe them as they do the job properly. You will be better prepared to do it yourself the next time, and you can get your questions answered by someone who brings their experience into your home.

For more information and guidance about saving money in home repairs for water heaters, air conditioning, heat pumps, etc, visit Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA. Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Your Water Heater Heats Your Water and Burns Your Money Up

With energy costs constantly on the rise and the housing market in a huge slump it is surprising to find home builders not taking steps to enhance a new home's features when it doesn't cost any extra. Basic upgrades which don't really carry an "upgrade" price tag would only facilitate a quicker sale. This would relieve some financial stress on builders from trying to carry the cost of an unsold home. Instead, homeowners are having to refit the home with new appliances in order to achieve a more efficient and economical cost of living. Perhaps the wisest and most efficient upgrade a homeowner can make is changing out their current traditional water heater for an on-demand tankless water heater.

Traditional water heaters store large quantities of hot water. For the average home the typical water heater stores 40 to 60 gallons. In order for the water to remain hot these types of water heaters need to continuously cycle on and off to maintain the preset temperature of the hot water. Even when there isn't any hot water being drawn at the faucets the water heater is still wasting the homeowners money by trying to maintain the water temperature at a consistent high level.

On-demand tankless water heaters only expend energy when the hot water faucet is opened. This type of water heater quickly and almost instantly heats the water to the preset temperature and can provide an unending supply of hot water. This means no longer would the homeowner run out of hot water for a shower while the washing machine is running or the whole family needs to take a shower one person after another.

Most on-demand tankless water heaters for the entire home utilize gas instead of electricity. There are electric tankless water heaters available, however they are designed for lower demand water usage such as at the kitchen sink. This is the limitation of electrically powered water heaters.

Depending upon the homeowners needs, one or a combination of both will pay for themselves in short order. The do-it-yourself handyman should be aware, regarding attempting to replace a water heater with a new tankless water heater, that in most locales a permit and inspection may be required for safety. Gas can be very hazardous to deal with and unless the homeowner is a professional this upgrade should not be done by a novice or amateur. A professional will be able to steer the homeowner in the right direction.

Learn more about water heaters and receive a free estimate from Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA. Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Overlooked Preventative Maintenance That Will Save Time, Money, and Frustration

Now that spring is here, it's time to clean out the garage, fertilize the lawn, and do all of the other hundreds of chores that have gone forgotten this past winter. Three things that are commonly overlooked are the simplest tasks to get done ... and one of them doesn't even get done by the homeowner themselves.


Water heaters and boilers need to have the build up of sediment flushed out periodically, especially if the home is on a well system for its water supply. Nothing will shorten the life of water heaters faster than sediment build up. It's fairly simple. A simple garden hose is what is needed to hook up to the drain valve to flush the build up away.

The HVAC system isn't quite as simple for the everyday homeowner. The home's air conditioner and heating system should be inspected once per year, especially after a harsh winter in the Northeast. Specialized tools are required to service and test the system. If the home has central air, then the coolant level needs to be checked and possibly recharged.

This is inexpensive preventative maintenance that will save a lot of cost and discomfort in the heat of the summer. Nothing is worse than having to wait for a service technician in the summer when everyone else didn't get their HVAC system tuned up either.

A cursory visual inspection of the water pipes in the basement is a must. Any moisture around the joints should be inspected more closely. Any piping that passes through an exterior wall should be paid close attention to for expansion and contraction. Breaks in the pipe can be a common occurrence at these points.

It's amazing how often the above tasks are overlooked which only take a few minutes and the main focus is always put on the tasks that require the most time, such as window washing, dusting, and the floors. It's always gratifying if the house is presentable and clean, but if the temperature inside is unbearable or the house is flooded, who would want to spend time inside?

For more information on heating and cooling maintenance, visit Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA.

Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Save Money With Solar Power

Alternative forms of energy are now the mainstream concerns of almost every public utility and private individual. As the cost of oil, coal, and electricity continue to climb rapidly overnight, more and more people are exploring other avenues of saving money through alternate forms of energy. Perhaps the most economical energy source is solar panels in the long term.

Initially, solar panels are a sizable investment, but solar power should not be looked upon as an expense. The sun is a perpetual and limitless source of energy that can actually make money for the homeowner while they inhabit the home or when selling the property. Depending on the type of solar collectors used, a household can not only produce electricity without the electric company, families can also produce hot water through solar heaters.

There are immediate benefits to be had when solar panels are used for a building's electricity needs. An immediate decrease in payments to the local electric company will be realized and in some cases the electric company can purchase surplus electricity that a families solar panels produce. The latter is the best case scenario.

Solar heaters are a useful method of heating water and air temperature for families or public venues such as schools, government buildings, or office complexes. The solar heaters collect and focus heat absorbed by the sun's rays into pipes, bricks, metal, or rocks. This heat is then moved to wherever it is required. Fans or pumps are used in active solar heaters or passive solar heaters can be used which do not rely on any pumps or fans. Active solar heaters can be powered by energy collected by solar panels thereby reducing the expense of relying on the local electric and utility companies. Local service professionals that specialize in heating and cooling may have the expertise and experience to provide guidance when deciding on solar heaters.

These methods of producing heat and electricity will have varying degrees of effectiveness depending on the region of the country that they are utilized. In southern climates from Los Angeles across the U.S. to Georgia, solar power can be the most useful. This is partly due to the fact that these southern regions receive more direct sunlight for a longer duration throughout the day and seasons. Even though northern climates that receive snow do not experience as long an exposure to sunlight, they can also receive benefits from solar panels. There are many different types of solar panels on the market and some are more effective than others. Local service providers that specialize in solar panels will be able to tell you which types yield the best results for the region they serve.

The most common placement of solar panels is on the roofs of houses and sheds. This placement has two large benefits. The first benefit is that by raising the panels further from the ground surface, a maximum of sunlight can be absorbed and converted into electricity. The second benefit is that the solar panels will greatly reduce the need to run the air conditioner. The solar panels or solar heater absorbs much of the heat that otherwise would be absorbed by the house or building thereby allowing the interior to stay cooler.

There are many federal and state programs that give tax breaks or credit for the installation of alternative energy sources. These incentives vary widely from state to state. Many utility companies have this information and some service companies can help steer an individual in the right direction to take advantage of these savings.

For more information and guidance about energy efficient heating and cooling, visit Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA. Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Knock $50 Off of Your Electric Bill

In the face of rising electric rates and upcoming warmer weather, monthly electric bills can put a real damper on your spring and summer budget. Over the winter months when dust and pollen are at a minimum, cleaning your air conditioner filters can be an overlooked task. During spring time when you open your windows and air out the house, dirt, dust, pollen, and insects get into your duct work and travel to your air filter where they get trapped. Consequently, on top of several winter months of accumulation, the partially obstructed air flow through your system easily becomes completely clogged.

Now comes the warmer weather. Up to sixty percent of your summertime electric bill can be attributed to cooling your house. However, if your air filters are clogged, the machinery may run continuously, straining to lower the inside temperature. Not only does it cause undue wear and tear on your equipment, but the constant running can increase your monthly bill by up to forty percent! Give your checkbook a break and clean (or replace) the filters. You may easily save up to $50 or more each month as a result. Every bit of savings helps.

If you haven't done so recently, you may want to consider having your entire air conditioning unit serviced to replace worn parts, check refrigerant levels, and improve efficiency. Preventive maintenance costs a lot less than repairs, and you can realize significant additional savings by keeping your unit in optimal shape. Your air conditioner should keep you cool without causing you to break a sweat when the bill arrives.

Learn more about heating and cooling, and other HVAC or water heater-related items by visiting Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA. Article independently authored by Tom Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

"No Sweat" With Heating and Cooling Costs On The Rise

Most of your electric bill is likely to be blowing in the wind, literally. Depending on the climate you live in, up to 80% of your bill may be to pay for heating and cooling costs, and often times the expenses are higher than they should be due to inefficiencies. Especially true of houses built in the 1990's and earlier, leaky windows, door jambs, vents, and ducting can result in your thermostat trying to heat or cool the outdoors.

In several states, electricity prices were capped years ago. Now, in states like Pennsylvania, the cost cap on electricity is being lifted, and people are experiencing doubling or even tripling of monthly bills. Now is the time to reevaluate the weatherization of your home. If you have a heat pump, the rated efficiency of your system makes a big difference in your monthly bill. Older units with a low energy efficiency rating, for example a 10 SEER unit, may be costing more than they're worth. Replacing them with a 13 SEER unit might drop your electric bill by a hundreds or thousands of dollars on an annual basis.

Taking the time to caulk windows, insulate hot water pipes, blanket water heaters, and inspect & seal air conditioning duct work keeps the comfortable air in, and the uncomfortable air out.. If you live in a house with multiple heating and cooling zones, it becomes even more important to monitor your home's efficiency. I live in a reasonably large house with three separate zones, for example, and one of the three heat pumps went on the fritz a few weeks ago. When the outside unit (the compressor side of the system) was replaced, the cost was about $1500. I replaced a 10 SEER unit with a 13 SEER unit, but the inside unit (the air handler & coil) was still functioning okay, so I did not replace it. The end result is a system that functions at something less than 13 SEER (efficiency) but something better than 10 SEER. The result: my electric bill dropped $212 during the coldest month of the year. My $1500 investment will pay for itself in under 8 months.

Working with tangible numbers, it became painfully evident to me that my own bills have been higher than they should have been for years, prompting me to go on a weatherization crusade throughout the house. How is your electric bill these days? Realizing the savings, isn't it time to spend less money on inefficiency, or on heating and cooling the outside? Set your Congress-approved economic stimulus check aside and make it work for you by reducing your cost of living.

Here are some examples on how to keep more of what you earn by spending a little bit now. A new water heater blanket costs about $40. If it saves you just $5 per month, it pays for itself in eight months and continues to save $60 per year thereafter. New weather seals on doors and windows can cost $25 to purchase, but may save $15 per month by improving the air-tight characteristics of your home, for a $180 per year savings. Simply cleaning out your oven or drier vents and ensuring that the vent flaps close properly can save $10 or more per month. Replacing brittle, leaky duct work tape between adjoining sections in your attic, basement, or crawl space can cost $20 but save hundreds of dollars per year by reducing leakage. Insulating or lagging hot water pipes can keep your water hotter and costs lower, too.

Most of the little fixes discussed above are cheap to do. The problem is, they take time. If you schedule the morning to get the jobs done on a Saturday or Sunday, a few dedicated hours of work can make for a better cash flow for your household. If you qualify for low-income incentives, your particular state may even sponsor a program to do the work for you at no cost. Look up the keyword "weatherization" on your favorite search engine to learn more.

Learn more about heating and cooling and how to save money by visiting Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA. Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Suffering From Bad Air Quality, or Are You Just "Sick of Work"?

There's nothing worse than getting a cold or some other ailment, except when you get sick in the heat of spring and summer. Now you can add on allergies. You're already uncomfortable, but now you'll need to bundle up while the rest of your family turns down the thermostat to keep cool. Did you get sick from work or do you have a sore throat from poor air quality in your house? Well, you're a little sick because of work, but mostly sick from the poor air quality in your home. While you don't have much control about going to work and the germs and pollen you can pick up there, you can control the air quality in your house.

There are many ways to efficiently and inexpensively, in the long term, achieve good air quality and comfort within the confines of your home. The region where you live will determine what equipment will benefit you the most. The two or three pieces of equipment that will yield the best results are an electrostatic filter and an air conditioner. Air conditioners act as a whole-house dehumidifier or if you reside in an arid region then a humidifier would be better instead.

Very few homeowners have a dehumidifiers or humidifiers installed, yet most of us would benefit from their use. Dehumidifiers remove excess moisture from the air allowing the homeowner a much more comfortable atmosphere. Drier air feels cooler, so you don't need to keep the thermostat set quite as low, thus reducing your electric bill. Humidifiers, on the other hand, add moisture to an uncomfortably dry environment. Whether the home is in the arid deserts of Nevada, high altitude places like Denver, or the sticky delta region of Louisiana, the right unit will maintain a comfortable level of humidity for all.

An inexpensive electrostatic filter can be used in almost every single air conditioning system in use today. These filters are often good for a lifetime of use with minimal maintenance. The benefits of using an electrostatic filter are numerous. These filters trap airborne particulate matter, such as bacteria, pollen, dust, and so on because of the attraction to the electro-statically charged filter material. This translates to easier breathing and less irritants that cause us all to become ill. The only maintenance needed to ensure healthy breathing is periodically remove the filter, cleaning it with a mild detergent, hosing it off thoroughly, and allowing it to dry. Afterward reinstall the filter and breathe easier. Be especially sure that the entire filter unit is dry before you reinstall it, since the filter unit generates thousands of volts to charge and attract particles that pass through it. Installing a wet filter can be hazardous or deadly.

For the office, although you may have little control over your work environment, you can find inexpensive but effective portable air purifiers. Desktop and tabletop models are available if you are fortunate enough to have your own private office. If you work within a network of cubicles, a personal air purifier worn around your neck may be the better solution to keep the air clean in your "personal space." You'll feel better and be more productive if you can breathe better.

For more information and guidance about air conditioning and air quality visit Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA. Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.