Category : energy efficiency

How to Cool the Second Floor of Your Home

air conditioning experts

Is your home’s second floor too hot? You’re not alone. Many homeowners experience a second floor that simply doesn’t seem to be getting any air conditioning during the summertime. Here, our air conditioning experts share some tips on what may be causing the situation and how to cool it down:

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12 Ways to Save Electricity

HVAC maintenance

At Oliver, we know how important the environment is and how many people are working hard to reduce their carbon footprint. That’s why we put together a list of 12 tips on how to save electricity (and in return, save money):

1. Block/use the sun

In the summer, direct sunlight on your house makes it warmer, which means your air conditioner will need to work harder to cool it. Use your blinds and invest in thick curtains to block sunlight out during the day. In the winter, open your blinds or curtains to let the sun warm up your house.

2. Unplug your appliances

Even when you’re not using them, appliances that are plugged in can still use electricity. The best thing to do is unplug any appliances that you’re not using.

3. Don’t overpay for utilities

In Pennsylvania and many other states, you can choose your own electric provider, so shop around for the one with the best rates. You may be able to save more than you think.

4. Use/install ceiling fans

Ceiling fans make you feel nearly four degrees cooler in the summer and can push warm air downward in the winter to make you feel warmer. This means you won’t have to run your heater or air conditioner as often, which saves electricity.

5. Put lamps in the corner

When you put your lamps in the corner, their light will be reflected off of two walls instead of just one, which makes the room brighter and lessens the amount of lamps you need.

6. Keep your home warmer/cooler

In the winter, lower your thermostat a few degrees and you’ll save money on your energy bills. In the summer, turn it up a little.

7. Hang your clothes to dry

Instead of wasting energy using your dryer, hang your clothes to dry on a clothing rack or outside on a clothing line.

8. Switch light bulbs

Switch out your incandescent light bulbs to ones that are energy efficient. These days, bulbs like LEDs, CFLs, and halogens all use less energy than traditional fluorescent ones and also last longer.

9. Ditch the oven

Instead of a traditional oven, use a microwave or toaster oven to heat up your leftovers. You’ll use a lot less electricity.

10. Fill your freezer

Freezers work more efficiently when they’re full, so try to keep your freezer fully stocked. You can even put frozen containers of water in there just to fill it up.

11. Service your HVAC unit

Each year, have a professional (like our HVAC maintenance specialists!) inspect your HVAC unit and make sure that it’s running efficiently. If it’s not, you could be wasting energy.

12. Run full loads

Like freezers, dish washing machines and clothes washing machines both are more efficient when full, so make sure you fill them both before you run them through a cleaning cycle.


The Benefits of a Building Automation Solution

building automation solution

While our HVAC contractors work hard to bring the right solutions to homeowners, we also work hard to help commercial and industrial customers manage their facilities better. With our building automation solutions, we can help regulate the heat, air conditioning, and electricity that you use. With an automation system, you’ll enjoy:

A lower utility bill

When it comes to heating, air conditioning, and electricity, you probably use all of them more than you need to. With a building automation solution, automated controls will be able to learn your system and determine how often your heat or air needs to run and how often your lights should be on – all of which can save you anywhere from 20% to 40% on your utility bills.

Constant comfort

With the perfect amount of heat or air conditioning at all times, you and your workers will constantly stay comfortable (and you won’t have to deal with complaints).

A smaller carbon footprint

Having a building automation solution is a great environmental choice – especially if you’re someone who likes to “go green.” The automated controls will help your building use less power, which means you’ll reduce your carbon footprint.

Increased property value

The value of most commercial buildings is largely based on its operating income; when you lower your utility bills, you increase your operating income. This means that the larger your operating income, the more your property is worth.

Improved productivity

It’s hard to work productively when you’re too hot, too cold, or don’t have enough light. With the constant comfort that a building automation solution provides, your workers will always be at the right temperature, and you’ll see an improvement in their productivity.

If you’re interested in a better way to manage your facility, contact the HVAC contractors at Oliver Mechanical. We’ll help you find the best solution.


A Helpful HVAC Glossary

HVAC services

When it comes to HVAC services, our experts are always talking in industry terms. However, we know you may not be familiar with what “HSPF” stands for or what a programmable thermostat does, so we’ve created a basic HVAC glossary to help. If you have a term that isn’t defined in this article, feel free to “ask the expert.”

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Do You Qualify for an Energy Efficient Tax Credit?

HVAC contractor

Yes, it’s tax season again and we know you all love doing your taxes. That’s why our HVAC contractor is here – to help you save even more with energy efficient tax credits.

According to the IRS, you can receive a tax credit if you have an energy-efficient home. If you made an improvement to your home last year, you may qualify for the Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit or the Non-Business Energy Efficient Property Credit.

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What Happens When You Don’t Maintain Your HVAC System?

HVAC maintenance

At Oliver, we’re always telling our customers how important HVAC maintenance is. A reliable HVAC maintenance plan can keep your unit running smoothly, improve its reliability, and extend its lifespan. Some of our service calls are made because the HVAC unit hasn’t been properly maintained. Here are some things that could happen when you don’t have a maintenance plan:

Improperly Functioning Thermostat

When your thermostat doesn’t function properly, your HVAC unit may not turn on when it’s supposed to or turn off when it’s supposed to. Not only is this bad for the unit, but it also affects the comfort of you and your family.

Dirty Coils

Your HVAC unit’s evaporator coil is located on your indoor unit and works much like a radiator to make sure that the air flowing through your ductwork is heated or cooled properly. A dirty evaporator coil can restrict airflow, which can also dramatically reduce your unit’s efficiency. The dirt can also harbor mold and mildew, giving your indoor air poor quality.

During the summer, your outside HVAC unit’s condenser coil is responsible for eliminating the hot air that is sent to it. The cleaner the coil, the more efficiently it can handle the hot air. If your condenser coil is dirty, your unit’s efficiency can dramatically drop, hiking up your energy bills and reducing the unit’s lifespan.

Dirty Filter

The role of an HVAC air filter is to filter out pollen, allergens, dander, and other airborne particles that can harm your health. A good air filter will give you high-quality indoor air that can not only prevent illnesses but also shorten them. When your air filter is dirty, airborne particles aren’t filtered; instead, they enter your home through your ductwork and are breathed in by you and your family.

Blocked Condenser

Your condenser is one of the most important parts of your HVAC unit. It’s responsible for desuperheating, condensing, and subcooling to make sure the air that flows through your home is the right temperature. A blocked condenser means the heat transfer that usually occurs won’t be able to take place and the condenser’s temperature will rise. When this happens, your HVAC unit won’t operate efficiently and if not taken care of, your condenser could burn out.

Leaks

Leaks in an HVAC unit can be caused by several common scenarios: the drain hole is blocked with dirt or debris, the condenser pump is broken, the seals on your unit aren’t tight, or your hose is clogged or blocked. All of these things can occur if you don’t properly maintain your HVAC unit.

Power Malfunctions

As part of our maintenance plan, we’ll perform an annual 21-point inspection where we’ll make sure that your HVAC unit can power up properly and power down properly. If it can’t, you’ll run into a lot of frustration when your home is too warm or too cool and you can’t run your unit properly in order to adjust the thermostat.

Dirty Blower

The role of your HVAC’s blower is to circulate the warm or cool air throughout your home. When it gets dirty, it requires more energy to operate, which increases your energy bills. If a blower gets dirty enough, it will fail and once it fails, it’s a sign that more problems are to come. If this happens, many HVAC companies recommend replacing your entire HVAC system.


8 Things That Are Transforming the Future of HVAC

HVAC company

As the world becomes more and more advanced, new designs and ideas are emerging to make HVAC an efficient, easily accessible part of our lives. Here, our HVAC company shares eight of the latest developments that are transforming the heating and cooling world:

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The Best HVAC and Electrical Services for Your Healthcare Facility

When it comes to air quality, the experts at Oliver Mechanical Services understand that hospital and healthcare facilities are held to high health standards. In addition, we understand the importance of things like lighting, computer systems, telephone wiring, and more. That’s why we offer professional commercial HVAC and electrical services to make sure your healthcare facility is in ideal shape.

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