With rising awareness of environmental damages and individual carbon-footprints, many people are considering taking their home, or even life, ‘off grid’. This means that receiving power from the ‘grid’ or power companies is replaced with power producing techniques on a person’s own land. This can be done through a few different sources and usually has the dual benefit of saving a person money in the long-term and reducing their overall carbon footprint. Things to Consider Before Going Off-Grid Since most homes are not outfitted to accommodate homesteaders, there are a few considerations you will have to make when it comes to your off-grid home comfort options. Here are some factors that you should consider before going off-grid: Off-Grid Sources of Power Production The most common source of power production is solar power, and it is gaining more momentum among people who are environmentally conscious and even those who are just trying to save some money. […]
What You Need to Know about Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide poisoning is not a proposition you can afford to take lightly. Exposure to excessive quantities of carbon monoxide will make you sick—and it can even put your life in danger under certain circumstances. Sources of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning We all breathe carbon monoxide from time to time, especially when we’re outdoors in the proximity of cars. But if you’re indoors, in a location where ventilation cannot disperse gases quickly, carbon monoxide contamination can become a true threat to your health. Some of the most common sources of home carbon monoxide invasion include gas- or oil-burning furnaces or boilers, gas water heaters, gas stoves, non-electric space heaters, propane generators, gas grills and automobiles or other vehicles left running in adjacent garages. In some instance these appliances can develop leaks and in other cases improper ventilation may be the cause of the trouble. Any appliance or device that runs on fossil fuel combustion will produce […]
Governors Play A Critical Role In Advancing Energy Efficiency
The challenges of reducing energy consumption in a nation as large as the United States and as dependent on technology as we have become are massive. From school campaigns with students that encourage all to “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” to municipalities that institute odd and even grass watering days, everybody tries to do something. But for real change to increase energy efficiency, it takes not only the individual, but the state. As the leader of the state, the governor has the most crucial role to place to advance energy efficiency. A paper newly released by the National Governors Association (NGA) describes how our states have played an essential role in the progress with using energy efficiently that the United States has made in recent years. The governors play the leading roles in the progress. That makes perfect sense, when you consider the unique position they occupy and the people and businesses they have the ability to […]
10 Most frequently reported HVAC problems
The HVAC system in the home is important to the overall comfort of the family. With a properly functioning HVAC system, your family will be able to remain warm during the winter and cool during the summer. An HVAC system was created to last for at least ten years or more with regular maintenance. However, like any other mechanical system, there will always be issues. There are several common HVAC problems that home owners experience all over the world and these common problems are listed below. Icing up in Winter/Summer Blowing Cold Air in Heating Mode HVAC running constantly without shutting off High Electricity Bill Water leakage Strange Noises Weak Airflow Circuit Breaker Tripping Unit Does Not Reach Temperature Steam on Outdoor Portion of Unit Each of these issues is common occurrences during the summer and winter months. to avoid these issues, home owners should have their units inspected and cleaned on a regular […]
