Earth Day 2014

Earth Day is just around the corner.   We've compiled a list of suggestions to help you decide the best way for you to participate.  

1.  Water Management

Did you know that a faucet leaking just one drop per second wastes over 1,300 gallons per year?! A leak from a hot water source wastes both water and fossil fuel, creating more greenhouse gasses. You can definitely make a positive impact by fixing any leaks in your home's plumbing AND save money on your monthly water bill. 

2.  Water Temperature

One way to reduce your home's energy consumption is to adjust your water heater's output. Your water heater works constantly to keep water hot and ready whenever you need it. However, as the water sits, it naturally cools down.  This is called "standard heat loss".  Once the water cools, the heating element in the tank switches on to warm it up again.  The higher the water temperature is set, the longer the heating element will run.  Are you beginning to see how this never-ending cycle is increasing your energy and wasting your money?

For every 10 degrees you turn it down, you’ll save 3% to 5% on your heating or electric bill. Most water heaters come preset at 140 degrees, which has the added risk of scalding. The Energy Department recommends most households lower it to 120 degrees. That’s high enough for your needs, and high enough to reduce mineral buildup in your tank and pipes.

Ask us your technician to adjust the water temperature for you on your next service.  

Visit energy.gov for more ways  you can conserve water usage in your home.

2.  Clean Green

Cleaning products that contain chlorine or petroleum distillates expose your family to toxins and then end up in the ecosystem. Choose nontoxic, naturally derived cleaning products, which are proven effective but won’t cause long term damage to the Earth.

You can find suggestions for environmentally friendly cleaners and directions on making your own non-toxic cleaners here:

3.  Paper Conservation

Every year, pulp mills release over one trillion gallons of chlorine-tainted water as part of the paper making process. Using the other side of the paper can cut that pollution almost in half! And choose recycled paper—especially processed-chlorine-free recycled paper.

At Elite, we use unwanted fax solicitations for scratch paper.  Cindy even takes it home for her grandchildren to color on when they visit.  We think Libbie might be writing a novel on the backs of them ;)

4.  Maintain Your Vehicle

Americans waste over 700 million gallons of gasoline each year just because tires aren’t properly inflated. Millions more are wasted because our vehicles aren’t properly tuned up. Keep your vehicle running in peak condition, and you’ll save money and reduce your carbon footprint!

5.  Bike Or Walk

If people in the U.S. would occasionally ride a bike for a short errand instead of driving a car, over 70 million gallons of fuel could be saved each year! And there’s the added benefit of enjoying the fresh air and exercise! For short errands, take a hike...or ride a bike!

6.  Plant A Tree

Over a 50-year lifetime, a tree generates $31,250 worth of oxygen, provides $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycles $37,500 worth of water, and controls $31,250 worth of soil erosion. It also provides shade that keeps homes and cities cooler!  Consider planting a tree for Earth Day pledge.  

7.  Green Gardening

Herbicides aren’t the only way to control weeds, and they’re certainly not the most environmentally friendly way!  If you're concerned about keeping your yard environmentally friendly, invest in a good pair of gloves and garden tools, and remove weeds by hand.  You can even use apple cider vinegar as a means to kill off pesky weeds instead of using toxic herbicides that can poison plants and wildlife. 

Also, choose natural alternatives to pesticides for getting rid of pests!

Click here for ideas on how to maintain your yard or garden without using toxic herbicides and here for ideas on non toxic alternatives for insecticides.

8.  Compact Flourescents

There’s a brighter way to light your home: new Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). Compared to regular bulbs, CFLs last 10 times longer, use only 1/4 the energy and produce 90% less heat and more light per watt! Brighten the future: go CFL!

9.  Recycling

You can start making the world a ‘greener’ place today: use local recycling centers for recyclable waste, donate cell phones, clothing and computers to charities, buy re-manufactured ink and toner cartridges, use reusable grocery bags.  There are hundreds of ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle!

10.  Buy Local

There are many benefits to buying locally made products.  For instance, buying locally produced goods can reduce fossil fuel consumption.  The average distance our food travels is 1500 miles, mostly by air and truck, increasing our dependence on petroleum. By buying locally, you conserve the energy that’s used for transport.

Buying locally grown food keeps money in our communities.  The American family farmer is a vanishing breed - fewer than 1,000,000 people (less than 1%) of Americans claim farming as a primary occupation. It’s no wonder: it’s hard to make a living when you get less than 10 cents of every retail food dollar. By buying locally, the middleman disappears and the farmer gets full retail price, in turn helping farmers continue to farm.

These are just a couple of the benefits of shopping locally.

Go to earthday.org for more ideas on how you can make a difference.  What are you going to do to help Mother Earth?

Angie's List 2013 Super Service Award!

And the award goes to...Elite Service Co!  Thank you so much, Tulsa, for making us your preferred HVAC contractor.  It is an honor to be chosen as a recipient for Angie's List Super Service Award, and we couldn't have done it without our loyal customers.  Call Elite and reference this blog article for 10% off your next service!  918.610.7300

Offer Expires 4.30.14

2014 PSO Whole House Energy Program

Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22nd, and we can't think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day than by reducing your energy output!  

Did you know you can save up to $5,000 on energy efficient upgrades through PSO's Whole House Efficiency Program?  

If you've been thinking about upgrading your home's HVAC system, there has never been a better time!  

The PSO Whole House Efficiency Program offers incentives for the following energy saving measures:  Attic/Ceiling insulation, knee wall insulation, wall insulation, floor/crawlspace insulation, water heater replacement, air infiltration, duct sealing, duct replacement, solar screens, Energy Star windows and doors, ground source heat pumps and HVAC systems.  

Call Elite for details on how to participate!  918.610.7300

Happy Earth Day!

It's Earth Day, and the employees at Elite Service Company are participating in www.earthday.org's A Billion Acts of Green.  Joel and Sheila planted trees this weekend and Libbie helped build a raised vegetable garden from recycled lumber!  

Elite Service Company cares about the environment.  That's why we take a whole house approach to heating and air conditioning.  

Did you know that you can decrease the heating and cooling load for your home simply by having your home insulated with spray foam insulation?  Not only will this lower your heating and cooling bills by keeping your conditioned air in your home,  but it may also allow you to downsize your heating and air conditioning system.  A smaller system means you pay less at the time of install as well as on your monthly utilities.  

We also install geothermal systems which more than pay for themselves in energy savings by using water to heat and cool your home, drastically reducing your carbon footprint.

This Earth Day, we ask you to pledge an Act of Green.  There are so many simple ways to contribute:  

• Collect cans for recycling 
• start a compost heap for your garden 
• plant a tree (they recycle carbon dioxide!)
• stop to pick up trash on the side of the road 
• replace your current light bulbs with CFLs or LEDs 
• use a programmable thermostat 
• take your coffee to work in a re-usable mug instead of stopping at your favorite coffee place
• Adjust the temperature on your hot water heater
• Install a water-saving shower head
• Take a shorter shower 
• Eat local and support local businesses
• Eat organic foods

Perform your Act of Green and make your pledge at http://act.earthday.org/.  

   

Enjoying your indoor air

In spring, many people fear the outside air, due to pollen and other seasonal allergy irritants.  What many people do not realize is that indoor air pollutants may be even worse.  They include pollen, molds, fungal spores, viruses, bacteria, smoke, gas combustion by-products, outgassing from carpets, furniture, plywood, and drywall, cleaning supplies and other personal care items, pet dander, dust mites and their feces and body fragments, cockroach body parts, and more.  Disgusting! 

Worse, it’s unhealthy.  Over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies and 20 million have asthma. Tighter building envelopes in the quest for greater energy efficiency are making things worse. We spend most of our time indoors, surrounded by the indoor air pollutants.  The larger pollutants, less than 10 microns, are caught in our throats (by comparison, a human hair is 30 to 120 microns in diameter). Smaller pollutants are inhaled into our lungs where they can remain trapped for years.

There are four principle ways to fight indoor air pollution and improve filtration in your home. These are source control, ventilation, air filters, and air cleaners.

Source Control 

The starting point for a home indoor air quality strategy is source control. It makes sense. If you can control a pollutant before it becomes airborne, you’re ahead of the game. Source control strategies include the use of low emission paints, varnishes, and carpeting, no smoking, no pets, maintaining optimum humidity levels, regular cleaning, and regular servicing of combustion appliances, such as furnaces.  Unfortunately, you cannot always control pollutant sources.

Ventilation 

After source control comes fresh air ventilation. According to the EPA, the air inside your home is far worse than outside air.  Yet, when it’s really hot or really cold, who’s going to open the windows?  It’s uncomfortable and unaffordable.

There is a solution for some homes that improves fresh ventilation without the comfort or energy costs.  It’s called an energy recovery ventilator.  Not only can it improve air quality, it can actually reduce utilities in certain circumstances.

Air Filters 

Has your air quality remained the same, even after the installation of that expensive filter?  All filters have a “pressure drop,” or amount of resistance.  Even cheap throw-away filters can become problematic if not changed on a regular basis.  As dirt collects on the filter, the pressure drop rises. Far worse than low cost throw-away filters are the high pressure drop filters, which have pressure drops of 0.35” w.g. or higher (some have pressure drops exceeding 0.5” w.g. by themselves). Homeowners buy expensive filters because they want to improve the air quality and comfort in their homes.  Ironically, the filters often make things worse.

Look inside the panel of a furnace or blower for a central air conditioning system and you will find the manufacturer’s rating label.  Typically, one of the ratings is “Total ESP.”  Total ESP stands for Total External Static Pressure. When the Total External Static Pressure is exceeded in a home comfort system, the fan slows. When the fan slows, there are a couple of possible consequences.  First, there may not be sufficient air flow to ensure enough air is delivered to the end of the longest duct runs.  When this occurs, these rooms may feel stuffy and too hot or cold, even though the temperature is comfortable elsewhere. Second, the air flow passing over the evaporator coil may be insufficient to ensure proper dehumidification. If the evaporator coil doesn’t fully dehumidify, it and/or the surrounding plenum box can become a breeding ground for bacteriological growth and contaminants.

Fortunately, the HVAC industry has a number of excellent solutions for homeowners who want better filtration than the minimal amount found with a throw-away filter, but do not want the comfort or bacteriological problems of a high pressure drop filter. These include residential HEPA (high efficiency particulate arresting) filters, deep pleated media air filters, and electronic air cleaners.

Air Cleaning 

The fourth way to fight indoor air pollution is air cleaning.  Do not buy the cheap tabletop and gadget air cleaners you hear advertised.  They are a waste of money.  According to an American Lung Association® report, “The reviewed data provide little reason to endorse the use of inexpensive tabletop, appliance-type air cleaners, regardless of the technology they employ. In general, high-efficiency particle collection requires larger filters or electronic air cleaners.”

We recommend a whole-house approach with a duct mounted UV light and either a HEPA filtration system or an electronic air cleaner. The installed cost of an electronic air cleaner is roughly 30 cents a day over the life of the air cleaner. What’s appropriate for your home depends on your budget, comfort system, and family.

Whether it’s installing a new ventilation system, filtration system, or air filter Elite Service Company is happy to help with all of your comfort system needs.  Call us at 918.610.7300
© Service Roundtable

Trane CleanEffects™ Air Cleaner

As we head into spring, more than 50 million Americans will be suffering from allergies.  Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic diseases in the United States.  They are a widespread problem. 

     

Unfortunately, your home can contribute to allergy problems.  Today’s tight construction traps allergens and other airborne particles in the home.  The EPA says that airborne pollutants may be 25 to 100 times worse indoors than outside.  And we spend 90% of our time indoors!

A Trane CleanEffects™ can help.  CleanEffects is a whole-house air filtration system brought to you by a recognized industry leader.  Designed from the ground up to clean air like nothing before, Clean Effects make the air in your home feel cleaner and fresher than you thought possible.    As an accessory to matched Trane system, CleanEffects:

• Removes up to 99.98% of allergens from filtered air. 
• Traps particles as small as .1 micron in size.
• Up to 100 times more effective than a standard 1” filter.
• Can reduce your need to dust by up to 50%.
• Has had its performance verified by leading experts at the Harvard School of Public Health.
• Patented technology makes it as quiet as it is effective.

Clean Effects filtration can bring welcome relief to any with respiratory difficulties.  Many common allergens are small enough to bypass the body’s natural defenses and embed deep in the lungs, aggravating breathing ailments.  Since CleanEffects filters down to .1 micron (100 times smaller than a human hair), it is extremely effective at removing spores, mold, pollen, pet dander, dirt and dust, preventing them from entering your air and your lungs..

Most filtration systems work like a vacuum cleaner bag.  Small holes let air pass through, but not particles.  Unfortunately, the more dirt these systems collect, the more clogged they become.  This creates a bottleneck that reduces clean air output, robs system performance and reduces system life.  Trane CleanEffects uses a powerful, patented ifD corona field to charge incoming air, causing particles to adhere to the CleanEffects collection cells as air passes through.  Since your furnace or air handler isn’t struggling to work against a clogged filter, clean air flows freely.  No other filtration system can compare. 

Event he Trane CleanEffects collection element is ground-breaking.  Each layer is only .08 inches apart, with alternating charges, which makes for a stronger, more effective collection field.  What’s more, the Trane CleanEffects element has eight times the collection surface of a standard electronic air cleaner, so it’s vastly more efficient at providing clean air throughout your home.

Call Elite today for a quote on your CleanEffects air cleaner.  918.610.7300 

Federal Tax Credits For Energy Upgrades

If you are considering making energy efficient upgrades to your home, you will be interested in the Federal Tax Credits that are offered for such upgrades.  Deep within the Fiscal Cliff Bill that was signed on January 2nd, 2013 are tax credits many people are not aware of. 

These credits will apply to replacing your HVAC system as well as Spray Foam Insulation and can accrue savings of up to $500!  The tax credits are also retroactive for 2012!  If you had a new HVAC system installed in 2012, be sure to check and see if your installation meets the requirements for the tax credits!

Call Elite for more information!  918.610.7300