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Environment

Brian Shaw

2010-01-01 15:32:00

Question: Disposing of that holiday trash and being environmentally sound; do you have any suggestions?

Answer: Plastic toys, old bikes, vacuum cleaners, Christmas Trees, you name it, almost anything imaginable line driveways all over the country the day after Christmas. There’s always something weird that you find in the trash, even a left over swimming pool isn’t out of the ordinary. By far Christmas is the biggest holiday for trash. The volume of trash picked up on the average is 15% to 20% higher Christmas week than that of any other week. In anticipation of the wave of trash, collectors adjust their schedules, work longer shifts to pick up the extra garbage, and that extra bit of garbage per house means additional trips to the landfill for trash collectors. Each house could have as many as two to three more bags of trash and that makes difference; in some cases they may have to make two trips for what would have normally been one. Collectors dump a lot of wrapping paper and cardboard the day after Christmas, which doesn’t weigh much, but quickly fills up the truck. Mounds of cardboard boxes from toys and scooters or other large toys put beside trash cans are a very common site after Christmas. A standard 25 cubic yard truck can hold an average 12 tons, or about 800 to 900 garbage cans’ worth of trash. And going to and from the landfill for that extra trip can take an hour or two, depending on what part of the city the truck is coming from. Simple things such as bagging all the trash and tying those bags tight can make the job easier for trash collectors. The worse is packing popcorn, if the lid is opened on a windy day and that stuff goes blowing everywhere it not only becomes an eye sore, but could be an environmental issue as well. Not tying bags properly slows everything down. They don’t have time to pick up loose trash so it blows all over the neighborhood. Working in the waste removal industry really shows you how wasteful people really are. A lot of trash can be reused or recycled, but people throw it away and don’t think about how much room it takes up at the landfill. Remember recycle, recycle, recycle. And remember not all trash can be picked up by your trash collector, electronics, unwanted appliances, and furniture shouldn’t be thrown away with the regular trash. In this case there are many waste removal contractors that are very reasonably priced, and offer much more flexibility than your trash company can provide.

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Environment

Brian Shaw

2009-12-01 08:24:00

Question: Do you have any tips for leftover holiday trash?

Answer: You may not be feeling so festive when it’s time to dig your way out of the mountains of wrapping paper, boxes, bows and evergreens that accumulated during your celebrations. Don’t lament. There are several options for getting rid of your holiday refuse in an Earth-friendly way. The tags and the tinsel, the trimmings, the trappings! According to the earth911.com Web site, it can be difficult to find a location to recycle wrapping paper because it often includes non-recyclable materials such as dyes and laminates, or non-paper additives such as gold and silver coloring, glitter or tape. Single-ply chipboard boxes, such as shirt boxes, can be recycled and should be put into curbside recycling bins in small amounts. As a security measure, one would be advised to break down boxes and turn them inside out to avoid advertising your new “stuff” to passers-by. For heavier boxes, such as those made of corrugated cardboard, take these materials to a recycling site. One can also reuse items such as ribbons and gift bags. To cut down on waste, unless you’re reading this article online, you’re already using a recyclable item that can be used instead of foam to protect items shipped through the mail. (Just be sure to read the entire newspaper before wadding it up and stuffing it into a box. Thanks.) Techno-trash No doubt, many people will upgrade to a flat-panel digital television set this holiday season since broadcasters have stopped sending out traditional TV signals. Or maybe you’ll receive a fancy new computer. That means you need to take care of the obsolete equipment. People can also visit www.freecycle.org, which is a free online service allowing users to offer their gently used merchandise for free. The takers often will pick up the item to be given away. In return, users who give can be eligible to get other items the same way from the site. Oh. Christmas tree. That live tree sure looked and smelled lovely in early December. But when it hangs around longer than a dreaded relative, it can become a fire hazard. According to www.worldofchristmas.net, there are several do-it-yourself “green” options for your played-out live tree. --You can turn it into a bird shelter in the yard — just leave the tree in its stand. --You can trim branches off the tree and use them to protect your garden from frost, or as mulch. --You can make homemade trellises or tomato stakes from the trunk. --You can make a fish habitat in your pond or stream by submerging the tree. WorldOfChristmas.net cautions against burning the tree in the fireplace. That can cause a buildup of an oily substance called creosote in your chimney. When creosote gets hot enough, it can ignite and you could have fire in your chimney. As for those once-fresh wreaths and garlands, or pumpkins and nuts, these are considered “seasonal waste” and not “yard waste,” so they should be put into your regular trash.

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Environment

Brian Shaw

2009-11-01 15:55:00

Question: We love your research and facts on trash. Keep them coming.

Answer: Thank you. I find them very interesting, and sometimes...also frightening Metal Cans • Americans throw away enough aluminum in three months to rebuild all of our commercial airplanes! • The energy saved by recycling one aluminum can could run a television for three hours! • The energy saved by recycling 19 billion steel cans each year is the same as Los Angeles’ energy requirements for eight years! • Currently, the only source for new tin in the U.S. is from recycling used tin cans! • Recycled tin is so pure that it is used to make stannous fluoride, the “cavity fighter” in toothpaste! Paper • Every year, Americans throw away enough office and writing paper to build a wall 12 feet high, stretching from Los Angeles to New York City! • We use more than 50 million tons of paper each year! • Recycling one ton of paper saves one acre of trees! • More than 30 million trees are cut down to create one year’s worth of newspapers! • Paper makes up the largest single item in the trash, accounting for 37 percent! Glass Bottles and Jars • If all the glass bottles and jars collected through recycling in the U.S. in one year were laid end-to-end, they would reach the Moon and half way back to the Earth! • The volume of glass recycled by Americans in one year would fill New Jersey’s Giants Stadium more than three times! • Glass can be recycled an infinite number of times! • The energy saved from recycling one glass bottle will light a 100-watt bulb for four hours! Plastics • Used plastic soda and juice bottles are used to make carpets, insulating materials in clothes and sleeping bags, strapping, scouring, pads, auto parts, paint brushes, bottles, and other things such as tennis balls! • We can recycle plastic milk, water and detergent bottles to make new detergent and engine oil bottles, trash cans, flower pots, recycling bins, drainage pipes, park benches, playground equipment, traffic barrier cones, kitchen drain boards and combs! • The number of plastics recycling businesses has nearly tripled over the past several years, with more than 1,700 businesses handling and reclaiming post-consumer plastics. • By using plastic in packaging, American product manufacturers save enough energy each year to power a city of 1 million homes for three and a half years. • The post-consumer plastics recycling industry provides jobs for more than 52,000 American workers. Clothing/Textiles • In one year an estimated seven million tons of clothing and other textiles are thrown away. Only 12 percent are reused or recycled! • Textile recycling provides raw materials for upholstery, for filling mattresses, for wadding and other absorbent products, and for the manufacture of felt as well as fibre from which new cloth can be made.

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Environment

Brian Shaw

2009-10-01 09:07:00

Question: Your article was so informative last month I was curious and wanted to see if you had any information on how long it takes for different products to decompose?

Answer: These are some facts we all need to consider before we put anything in the trash. We should never buy new when we can use what we have for the same purpose. Garbage or trash is a major form of environment pollution these days. Each person produces about 4.3 pounds of trash a day. Do you know where all your garbage goes? Many types of garbage take hundreds of years to properly decompose when thrown away. For example a banana peel 2 to 10 days, sugarcane waste takes 30 to 60 days; thread used for sewing decomposes within 3 to 14 months. Cotton decomposes within a month to 5 months. Paper carrying bags could take 2 to 5 months. A simple rope takes 3 to 14 months, an orange peel will decompose within 6 months, where a cigarette takes anywhere from a year to 12 years. Not quite as common as they used to be but milk packet (Tetra) covers and cool drink packets decompose in 5 years. Leather shoes decompose in 25 to 40 years, and our nylon clothes take about 30 to 40 years. Plastic carry bags decompose in 15 to 1000 years, and aluminum cans decompose in 80 to 100 years. Sanitary napkins and children’s diapers take anywhere from 500 to 800 years for decomposition. Glass bottles decompose in 1,000,000 years, and here’s a real scary fact, plastic bottles and cans never decompose. Some other very interesting facts about recycling and trash. Did you know that …. ? • The energy we save by recycling one glass bottle is enough to let one light bulb burn for 4 hours • It takes 90% less energy to recycle aluminum cans than creating new ones • 84% of all Household trash can be recycled • Recycling paper needs 64% less energy then creating new paper • Every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees • Every ton of paper recycled saves 7,000 gallons from chemicals • Every ton of paper recycled saves 4,100 kilowatt hours of electricity • One gallon of motor oil can contaminate 2 million gallons of water • About 5 million tons of oil ends up in the ocean each year • Every week it takes 500,000 trees to produce the paper for the ‘Sunday’ Newspapers, only in the US • It takes 15,000 tons of trash that are buried in the earth to create one job, while recycling this trash creates 9 jobs. About 90% of the contents of our bins could be reused or recycled. Think twice before throwing trash into dustbin. You can reduce the use of some items, can reuse some of them like paper and cardboard and take some of them (cans, plastic, bottles etc) to the recycle bin.

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Environment

Brian Shaw

2009-09-01 14:37:00

Question: How much does it really hurt/help by recycling?

Answer: The US population abandons each year well-over 15,000,000,000 diapers, 1,600,000,000 pens, 2,000,000,000 razor blades and 220,000,000 car tires. The United States is the #1 trash-producing country in the world, at just under 2,000 pounds per person per year. The amount of composition we throw away each year is enough to heat 50,000,000 homes for over 15 years! Approximately 1 billion trees worth of paper is thrown away every year in the U.S. Americans use 85,000,000 tons of paper a year; that’s about 700 pounds per person. And the average household throws away 13,000 separate pieces of paper each year. Most are items like parcels, sacks and junk mail! If all of our newspapers were recycled, we could save over 225,000,000 trees each year! To produce each week’s Sunday newspapers, 500,000 trees must be cut down. In 2007, the amount of paper recovered for recycling averaged 360 pounds for every person in the United States. Every ton of paper recycled saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space. By 2012, the paper industry’s goal is to recover 60 percent of all the paper Americans consume for recycling, which is approximately 60 million tons of paper. A couple of other interesting facts: Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour! And most of them are thrown away. Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year! Every month, we throw out enough glass bottles and jars to fill up a giant skyscraper. All of these jars are recyclable! This one I found most interesting, an estimated 80,000,000 Hershey’s Kisses are wrapped each day, using enough aluminum foil to cover over 50 acres of space -- that’s almost 40 football fields. All that foil is recyclable, but not many people realize it. Question: When I run to the grocery store for a few quick purchases, should I choose paper or plastic? Answer: Neither, let’s say you had a tree between 15 and 20 years old and you made it into paper grocery bags; you’d get about 700 of them. Well a retail food store could use all of them in just under 60 minutes! This means that in one year, a supermarket could go through 60,500,000 paper bags!! You would be better off buying a canvas grocery bag for all of your “lighter” purchases!

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-12-31 10:43:00

QUESTION: “Am I an “environmental weenie?”

ANSWER: Continuing from last month’s question regarding the environment and the facts or myths about global warming, I’m going to give you some things to think about that I’ve learned from doing some research on the subject. I don’t tend to take a side, one way or the other on this matter, and believe that there are some points made by both sides that merit some attention. I also believe what I said last month… that your furnace and hot water tank, which definitely have carbon monoxide emissions, can absolutely kill you and your family if you’re not paying attention to them. Be very aware of that, no matter what you believe about “global warming”. A widely read and respected doctor/scientist was recently published as saying that “if you’re staying up nights worrying about your carbon footprint, or how climate change is leaving polar bears adrift at sea, I’ve got the best advice you’ve heard in a while - get some sleep!” He went on to say that “Al Gore and his “global warming flunkies” have half the world brainwashed into thinking our ice caps are melting, our seas are on the verge of boiling, and that everywhere from Miami to Juneau, Alaska is about to be ravaged by tropical diseases from malaria to Dengue Fever. “Well, I’ve studied the science,” he said, and “I’ve got an ‘inconvenient truth’ for Gore and company! The only hot air that’s threatening the planet is coming out of their mouths.” You might say that’s harsh! He also believes that global warming has benefited from one of the greatest public relations and marketing efforts in recent history. You’ll hear plenty from environmentalists about carbon emissions, clean energy, and the disappearing arctic, but here’s what you will never hear them admit. Scientists have reaped MILLIONS from their global warming “research”, funded by very generous government grants! They’ve turned supporting global warming, despite what the science really says, into a cash cow! In fact, these same scientists were trying to convince us the world was cooling just a few decades ago, when that’s where the grant money was at that time. There’s plenty of bad science and good marketing surrounding the global warming debate, but there are thousands of scientists who are not profiting from the obvious hysteria surrounding this debate, and I’ll try to give you the information on the side supporting the global myth theory in this article. These scientists say that global warming is caused by many things. The causes are split up into two groups, man-made or anthropogenic causes, and natural causes. Natural causes are causes created by nature. One natural cause is a release of methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas. A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere. Another natural cause is that the earth goes through a cycle of climate change. This climate change usually lasts about 40,000 years. Erupting volcanoes are another source of natural global warming. These things in nature have been happening since long before man came along. That cyclical nature of climate change is considered ongoing by a huge body of very well respected scientists around the world. Man-made causes probably do the most damage, according to some. There are many man-made causes that are acknowledged to “contribute” to some of the global warming that’s happening. Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems. Pollution comes in many shapes and sizes. Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes pollution. Fossil fuels are fuels made of organic matter such as coal, or oil. When fossil fuels are burned they give off a green house gas called CO2, more commonly known as carbon monoxide. Also, mining coal and drilling for oil allows methane gases to escape. How does it escape? Methane is naturally found in the ground. When coal is mined or oil is drilled, you have to dig up the earth a little. When you dig up those fossil fuels, you dig up the methane as well. Heating homes, factories, offices, and other places with these fossil fuels do distribute carbon dioxide into the air, and common sense will tell you that this has to be adding to the polluting of the atmosphere to a certain degree. That’s why we encourage folks to get those older heating units replaced with the new high efficiency units as soon as possible. If everyone did that, it would be a huge step in helping out the environment to the extent that you or I can make a contribution that’s meaningful. Another major man-made cause of global warming is population growth. More people necessarily means more food requirements, and more methods of transportation for that food as well. That means more methane gas because there will be more burning of fossil fuels by the trucks, tractors and railroads, and more agricultural activity. You’re probably thinking, “Wait a minute, you said agriculture is going to be damaged by global warming, but now you’re saying agriculture is going to help cause global warming?” Well, have you ever been in a barn filled with animals, and you smell something that doesn’t really smell that good? What you are smelling is methane gas, and the major source of that methane gas is the manure. Because more food is needed for these additional animals and people, we have to raise more food in the agricultural community. Animals such as cows, hogs, and sheep are sources of food, so we raise the livestock for food, which means more manure and methane gases are created. Another problem with the increasing population is transportation. More people also mean more cars and trucks, and more cars and trucks mean more exhaust pollution. Also, we can consider that many people have more than one car or truck, doubling or tripling their exhaust emissions. So, it’s easy to see that there are things that man does do that contribute to the pollution in the atmosphere, but it is believed by a large group of scientists who study this matter that man’s contribution to global warming is rather limited when it’s compared to the things in nature that we have no control over. Since it’s acknowledged that CO2 contributes to global warming, the continuing increases in population make the problem worse, because when we exhale, we breathe out CO2. So, it’s oxygen in, and CO2 out. The trees that convert our atmospheric CO2 to oxygen are being demolished because we’re using the land that we cut the trees down from as property for our homes and buildings. Some believe that we are not replacing the trees rapidly enough, compared to our cutting of the trees (an important part of our eco system) for our needs, so we are constantly taking advantage of our natural resources and giving not enough back in return. Both sides of this global warming issue seem to have some valid points of view. Sometimes I wonder how quickly this and other situations would lose their appeal if the government funding grants were to dry up. Now that I think about it, getting a government grant for several million dollars to go study something sounds kind of good on these 8 degree days we’ve been having lately. Where is that global warming here in Kansas when you really need it? Some information was researched on the World wide web… More next month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-12-31 09:59:00

QUESTION: I don’t think I’m actually an “environmental weenie”…but the environment does concern me. What can I personally do to help out, if anything? Anything?

ANSWER: How about finally making and keeping a new year’s resolution? One that you can look back on with pride and satisfaction! Here’s an idea for you that could save your money, and could even save your life! There have been many, many studies and reports pertaining to the environment and the problems, health and otherwise that are possibly being caused by things like “global warming”, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, etc., and what we might be able to do about them. First of all, if you accept the premise that there is actually “global warming”, and further, if you accept the premise that man, and the activities of man, is a big contributory cause of it, then you must, due to those beliefs, accept some level of personal responsibility for doing some activities that are considered by some to be corrective in nature for the overall problem. The first thing that you can do that would make a considerable difference overall would be to make sure that you check out your heating and air conditioning units in your home, and make certain that you’ve replaced original equipment with the high-efficiency units that minimize the polluting effects of the older low efficiency units that are still running, albeit usually running poorly, in a lot of homes and businesses in this country and other places around the world. If your furnace is more than 20 years old, you will definitely benefit by upgrading to a high efficiency model. You’re already paying for it in the extra costs of the high priced fuel you’re using, so you may just as well have it! Also, if your gas model furnace was installed before 1992, then it has a pilot light instead of an electronic ignition. Pilot lights waste a lot of energy, more than you might think, due to the fact that they are burning all the time. The electronic ignitions only activate when the furnace engages prior to running through a heating cycle. Forced air furnaces bring in the air from inside the house through return air ducts, and after the air is warmed by the furnace, it is delivered back into the living space through the warm air registers. During the process of the cool air coming through the ducts back to the furnace, it is drawn through a filter, where dust and other particles in the air are removed, some filters being much more effective than others. Gas furnaces manufactured before 1992 use a pilot light that lights the burners, which then warms a heat exchange chamber, and then the furnace fan cycles and pushes the heated air throughout the home via the ductwork. There is a flue pipe that exhausts the gases you don’t want to breathe to the outside. Those gases are known as carbon monoxide, and if not properly exhausted, can kill you and your family. A carbon monoxide detector or two in every single home is a lifesaving must! Do not doubt that! The high efficiency furnaces have an additional heat exchanger that takes the hot exhaust gases and extracts all available heat before sending it outside. A high efficiency condensing furnace takes this extracted heat and condenses it into water and drains it. The remaining cooled gases are then exhausted to the outside. By this process, there is no hot air that is allowed to escape from your home. Also, the venting can be accomplished using a PVC pipe, rather than a heat resistant flue in the roof, which also reduces the amount of pollutants released into the air. Mid-efficiency furnaces are only slightly better than low-efficiency furnaces. These furnaces condense no extracted heat, and therefore do not require provisions for drainage. They have a power exhaust, but no draft hood, resulting in more heat being exchanged. A heat-resistant vent or an existing flue must be used. A house where new venting and/or drains can’t be installed can make good use of this kind of furnace. All furnaces are rated for efficiency and the measurement is called the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. This measurement is based on how much energy is converted to heat, and how much is exhausted with the gasses that go outdoors. An AFUE of 80 means that 80% of the fuel is used to warm your home and 20% is exhausted. High efficiency furnaces register an AFUE of 90% or better. Gas furnaces can achieve an efficiency rating of 95% plus whereas oil furnaces with ratings over 80% are considered good. Older furnaces have about a 60% efficiency rating. Although not calculated into the AFUE rating, furnaces equipped with variable speed fans are more efficient. Traditional furnace fans will turn on and blow the hot air at full speed and then shut off when the desired air temperature is reached. A variable speed fan runs for longer periods at a low speed and will only go to high speed if more heat is required. The variable speed fan will maintain an even delivery of heat and is very quiet. There is less consumption of electricity because the fan usually runs at less than full speed. Outside of knowing your fuel source, you must determine if you are able to provide correct venting for a high efficiency furnace. You need a floor drain and PVC piping to the outdoors. If this is not feasible, choose an 80% efficiency furnace. In some cases it has been found that the original furnace installed in the home has a larger heating capacity than required causing the furnace to cycle on and off more frequently. It is advisable to have a HVAC contractor do a load calculation of your home. This will take into consideration the size of your house, the insulation value of your walls, roof and windows plus other criteria. Another option for heating your home, this system typically called a “Hybrid”, is a heat pump that can be added to your existing or new furnace. A heat pump unit does both heating and cooling and would take the place of your cooling unit that sets outside of your home. The heat pump would do most of the heating at a more efficient rate than your furnace. The furnace would only be used for supplemental heat. This type of system is more efficient than the highest efficiency furnace. In addition, some utilities will offer special electric rates or rebates. You may want to install add-ons like a humidifier or an electronic air purifier which are over and above the basic furnace equipment. These will cost more and prices vary according to manufacturer. Find a reputable dealer who will give you an in-home consultation to determine your needs and who will provide expert installation and service. Even though you have to invest some money in buying a new furnace, the reduction of your fuel bills will certainly make up for it! A short list of things you can do personally that will help diminish your carbon footprint and reduce emissions into the atmosphere are as follows: • Turn them off if you’re not using them…lights/tv/dvd/computer/etc. • Turn the furnace or ac down or up slightly…just a couple degrees. • Turn down the water heater setting by 2 or 3 degrees. • Check the setback thermostat setting-don’t heat or cool when gone. • Fill the dishwasher and washing machine full when running them. • Use only as much water, heated or cold, as you really need. • Unplug your cell phone charger as soon as it is charged up. • Defrost the refrigerator or freezer regularly. • Do weekly shopping in a single trip rather than several trips. • Run in your neighborhood instead of driving to the gym/treadmill. Not only will these things allow you to reduce your own carbon footprint, but it will use much less of the fossil fuels that appear to be finite in supply. There are lots of “green living” ideas, things that can keep you from thinking of yourself as an “environmental weenie”, and we’ll talk more about them next month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-12-01 14:19:00

QUESTION: Is there a way to cut the costs involved in owning my home? When I rented, I just called the landlord. Now as an owner, how do I affordably minimize my costs of maintaining my mechanical equipment in my home?

ANSWER: The most important thing involved in this answer is to make sure that you keep all of your mechanical equipment in the best condition you can keep it in ongoing. This involves doing something that seems totally unnatural to some folks. What it involves is, you spending some of your money on that equipment for a maintenance program, having inspections done and work completed, when it appears that there are no problems that are evident at all! More pointedly, your mechanical equipment, plumbing lines, appliances, etc. don’t usually just “go out” on a certain day for no good reason. Normally there are signs that indicate that there are problems getting ready to happen, but most homeowners don’t know what to look for, or how to do the repairs if they did know what to look for. A really good technician can keep you out of trouble and save you money. The one thing you don’t want to have happen is a holiday ruined by the furnace, hot water tank, or garbage disposal quitting when the house is full of guests. Guests have no desire to sit around and eat your food in the cold and listen to you saying “why does this always have to happen during a holiday at my house?” If you have an ongoing low cost maintenance plan in effect, the likelihood of you having a problem with your equipment at holiday time is pretty slim. Not that it can’t happen, but not likely if you’re doing the right things. Some local heating and air companies even sell and install radiant heating systems, either as an add-on in a room that has no ducts for the existing systems, or to increase the effectiveness of your existing systems in those areas of your building needing a little higher level of “comfort”. Another great idea is to purchase an affordable home warranty plan that can cover all of your appliances, your plumbing, hot water heater, your heating and air conditioning, and can remove the risk of incurring a high repair bill at the time of year you don’t need that...like during the upcoming holiday season! Home warranty plans can even cover things like pools, spas, hot tubs, and most other aspects of your home that might cost a lot to repair or replace. These low cost home warranty plans remove the “unknowns” from your life and give you peace of mind year round. For example, if you noticed your outside faucets dripping during the summer months, there’s a potential problem of the type that are normally overlooked by homeowners, and that can be real trouble in cold weather. The stem on outside faucets should project inside the warm basement wall of your home, preventing freezing in the winter temps. The washer on the end of the stem (inside the faucet) keeps water from seeping out into the faucet on the outside of the basement wall where it can freeze up. If that dripping water does freeze, it can break the faucet and water line, flooding your basement. What if that occurred while you were gone from the house on a shopping trip or a vacation, and you came back to find the basement full of water? That’s actually happened, many times to lots of folks. Anytime you’re planning to be gone for a while, always turn off your main water shutoff in your home, summer or winter! Now, since we don’t water grass or flowers outside in the wintertime, outside water faucets are usually an out of sight, out of mind thing. Easy to forget or ignore, right up until the freeze occurs. Then, Katy bar the door! You might have heard the old saying that a penny’s worth of prevention is worth more’n a pound of cure! That’s not just an old saying. Whoever said it first was a smart one. Everyone else who says it is a copycat! More helpful stuff next month...

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-10-01 15:56:00

QUESTION: I have the original furnace in my house when it was built…can I afford it?

ANSWER: If you have a lot of money that you want to waste, stay exactly where you are. You don’t have to do a thing to accomplish that! A recent survey of over 700 US homeowners about their home heating and cooling equipment maintenance habits was conducted, with the survey’s results showing that a significant proportion of the homeowners who participated in the survey actually neglect to even change their furnace filters the minimum recommended number of times per year. Almost half of them do not get their systems professionally cleaned and serviced annually. In addition, many of them run their systems at less than peak efficiency by opening windows or doors while the systems are operating, and many do not have programmable thermostats to efficiently regulate their systems on a daily basis. In today’s world of increasingly high, getting higher energy costs, that’s wrong, and very expensive! No kidding! You might be able to “afford it”…but I can’t! Consumers can keep their heating bills a little more manageable throughout the upcoming winter heating season by acting quickly, and now is the perfect time to begin preparing for that through investing in energy efficiency improvements. If you are still living with one of the older, not very efficient furnaces in your house, there’s never been a better time to get that energy hog replaced with a new high efficiency heating unit. A quick call to your heating and air conditioning service company can give you the information you need to decide if that’s something you should be thinking about. If your furnace is very old, you’re going to pay for a new furnace in the high cost of the extra wasted fuel! Paying for a new furnace and not actually getting it makes no sense at all! But there are many folks doing exactly that! There are also several quick and easy home improvements you can do to ensure your home is heated efficiently. For example, you might want to invest in a programmable thermostat. These thermostats are available through the HVAC company that does your heating and air maintenance program, or at any home improvement store, if you think you can install it yourself. But, I want to caution you that these are not the same quality of thermostat. A programmable thermostat will automatically turn down the temperature while you are not home during the day or sleeping at night, saving much high priced energy. Not paying that extra money to the gas company is kind of like finding money. Have your heating system tuned-up by a professional. This single act in the spring and/or fall can save you a ton of your hard earned dollars by allowing your equipment to run as efficiently as it was designed to run, and prevent those high cost surprises at the worst possible times. That’s never fun, and in the coldest part of the winter season coming up you don’t want to suffer a breakdown and have to deal with that problem then. You can’t get repaired what you don’t know about, so make that phone call and “git-r-done” now, while it’s still pretty comfortable outside! That’ll change too soon for me! Brrrrr… Keep all heat registers and air ducts clear of obstructions. You should also make sure to change your furnace filter monthly. There are the really cheap filters that you have probably used most of your life, and then there are some very good filters available that clean your circulated air supply with more dense materials, thereby helping you to lose most of that stuff floating in the air that you see when you view a shaft of sunlight coming through your window. Those “floaters” can cause you lung and breathing problems by breathing them in constantly while they’re floating through the air inside your home. You’ve probably seen them! Make sure there is adequate insulation in your attic, walls, basement, crawl spaces, and floors. You should also make sure the accesses to your attic are insulated and weather-stripped, and that you have covered or closed your attic ventilation system in the cold weather season to prevent mother nature from installing a layer of very frigid air in your attic spaces. Have your heating and air company check any duct work located in an attic or crawl space to make sure that it is sealed air tight and insulated. Seal drafty windows with a system that will keep the cold air outside from getting in, or you can even install a plastic window sealant kit, and use caulking or weather stripping to fill in any cracks around windows or doors. If you are shopping for new home appliances, look for ones that are highly energy efficient. Those are available, cost a little more, but they are, in this age of really high energy costs, well worth the extra cost in future usage savings. Some good tips for the winter time are to keep a flashlight and extra batteries on hand. A battery powered NOAA Weather radio and a portable radio to receive emergency information is a good idea, since that might be your only link to the outside in certain weather conditions. Extra food and water, high efficiency foods, such as dried fruit or candy, and foods requiring no cooking or refrigeration can save your life in some conditions. Extra medicines and extra baby items are a good idea, if apropos. First aid supplies, heating fuels that you can use if the normal supply is interrupted for days, during and after a severe storm, would be good. Make sure of the condition of your emergency heating sources, such as your fireplace, wood stove, space heater, etc. Learn how to use all of them so that you don’t set your house on fire! Make sure there is proper ventilation, that you have a fire extinguisher that’s full, and that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working and have fresh batteries in them. Test them regularly to ensure they’re working as they should. Saving your money should be important to you, and it should also be important to those who serve you in all of these areas. Even though winter hasn’t revved up yet, we have had some indications that the weather can be pretty brutal, as well as unpredictable. Do not wait to act in your self interest until everyone else in your town is acting too. Call your heating and air conditioning professional for those maintenance and repair prevention calls before you actually need those services. That means right now, today, in some cases. More next month….

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-10-01 08:48:00

QUESTION: Will the cost of heating my home this winter be a lot higher than last winter?

ANSWER: It will definitely be “some” higher. In our article last month and before, we’ve been discussing what you can do to maximize your efficiencies with regard to your heating and air conditioning equipment by having your equipment serviced regularly, and if needed, installing higher efficiency furnaces and air conditioners in your home. Expensive, you say? Well, if you’re using an older furnace that’s not efficient at all, you’re actually paying for a new furnace in the form of higher fuel costs anyway. You might as well have the new furnace and spend less by quite a bit for the fuel you’ll be burning. But it’s also important to note that a part of the answer to your question that will become pretty important to you is how much the cost of the fuels that fire your furnace will be going up this winter. On average, household expenditures for all of your space heating fuels for this winter are projected to be about $1,135 for the period between October 16, 2008 and March 31, 2009. That’s about a 15% increase over the average fuel cost of just under a thousand dollars average that was spent last winter. Those consumers using heating oil or natural gas are expected to see the biggest increases in those fuel costs. Higher costs of production and/or refining are the main cause for the increases, but a projected colder winter this year will also contribute to higher fuel usage in a lot of areas, if, in fact, the colder winter temperatures materialize. In the last year, we’ve seen record prices in crude oil prices, which have caused us all to pay a lot higher prices for our gasoline and diesel needs, but with the financial crisis we’ve recently been seeing, the crude oil prices have been plummeting...all the way down to a recent price per barrel in mid October of around $75 a barrel. That caused the price at the pump to slip, giving welcome relief to hard working Americans who have seen a huge portion of their budget being siphoned off from other areas…areas like medicines, food, and the like. Declines in oil demand, due to conservation by consumers, has also contributed to the drop in the price of oil. The economic growth slowdown, if it continues, will also have a “chilling” effect on the ability of the middle east oil cartels to prolong their amazing ripoff of the American people at the pumps. Speculators on “oil futures” have also hurt us badly. As well as the Arabs, who have recently flown “trial balloons” in the media, making sounds about reducing the production levels in their oil fields, thereby artificially keeping the price of refined gasoline in this country high…but through continued efforts of using less of the fuels, we can take things into our own hands to a certain extent. Upgrade your equipment, buy and install setback thermostats, caulk and seal windows and siding, etc. If the economic downturn in this country and around the world were to continue, however, that would significantly impact global and domestic demand, driving the prices down. Supply and demand are important factors in the overall equation. According to NOAA, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, and their most recent projection of heating degree-days, the Lower 48 States in America are forecast to be 2.4 percent colder this winter when compared to last winter, but 1.7% warmer than the 30 year average from 1971 to 2009. However, within the US, regional heating degree-day projections vary pretty widely. The West North Central region of the country is expected to be almost 5% warmer than last winter. That’s good news for those who live in our state of Kansas. The recovery from the Hurricanes in the gulf is ongoing, and was expected to be pretty much wrapped up, from the standpoint of oil and gas production, by the end of October. Fuel expenditures for individual households are highly dependent on local weather conditions, market size, the size and energy efficiency of individual homes, as well as their heating equipment, and thermostat settings. Households heating primarily with natural gas are expected to spend an average of $155 (18 percent) more this winter. Nationwide, about 52 percent of all households depend on natural gas as their primary heating fuel. The increase in natural gas expenditures reflects the combined effects of a 17-percent increase in price and 1-percent increase in consumption. In the Midwest, where 72 percent of all households rely on natural gas, a projected 17-percent increase in average household expenditures results from a 19-percent increase in prices and a decline in consumption of 2 percent due to the forecast of slightly warmer weather than last winter. Households heating primarily with heating oil can expect to pay an average of $449 (23 percent) more this winter. Only 7 percent of U.S. households depend on heating oil for winter fuel and most of these households are in the Northeast, where 31 percent of households use heating oil as their primary space heating fuel. In that region, the average household is projected to pay 24 percent more than last winter as a result of an 18-percent increase in prices and a 5-percent increase in consumption. Residential heating oil prices in the Northeast are projected to average about $3.90 per gallon during the winter season compared with $3.31 per gallon last winter. The projected increase is consistent with higher crude oil prices and projections of lower distillate inventories than last year going into the heating season. Households heating primarily with propane can expect to pay an average of $188 (11 percent) more this winter. Propane-heated households, which represent about 6 percent of total U.S. households, are projected to see an average increase of 11 percent in propane expenditures this winter, but that increase varies widely by region. Western households are expected to see an average increase in expenditures of 5 percent, while Southern homes are expected to spend 16 percent more this winter. Households heating primarily with electricity can expect to pay an average of $89 (10 percent) more. Thirty-five percent of all U.S. households rely on electricity as their primary heating fuel, ranging from 12 percent in the Northeast to 59 percent in the South. On average, electricity expenditures during the winter are projected to rise by 10 percent because of increased consumption and prices. Households in the South are projected to pay 13 percent more this winter on electricity bills. The bottom line is, we have to make sure we’ve got ourselves in a position to keep our families warm this winter, and that old furnace is either up to the task or it’s not. And if you are going to try to get by “one more year” with that old furnace, don’t even consider not having it checked out for carbon monoxide leaks, used up burners that are ready to completely corrode in on themselves, and/or a cracked heat exchanger that can blow that carbon monoxide right into your living spaces…with devastating effects upon you and your family. You don’t want to let that happen, and we don’t want that to happen either. More next month...

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-08-01 09:35:00

QUESTION: If my sump pump fails, will my basement fill up with water?

ANSWER: You just described a “worse case scenario” regarding sump pumps! People who have a functional sump pump in their homes will tell you they wouldn’t try to do without one. Sump pumps are installed customarily at the time of construction, and are generally located in the basement, usually in the same area as the other mechanical equipment is found. A sump pump will have “drain tiles” connected to it, which run beneath the floor of the basement, as well as around the outside perimeter of the basement walls. The drain tiles are perforated, and designed to allow water to enter them, flow to the sump pump, and be pumped away, keeping your basement dry. This system is for the purpose of handling water from rainwater runoff that can stand against the outside of the walls, or the water that may come up beneath your basement floor, and which can, absent the drain tiles and sump pump, due to hydrostatic pressure, come through the cracks in the floor into your finished or unfinished areas of the basement. Like many other home appliances, a sump pump requires maintenance. Knowing how to clean and maintain your sump pump to ensure its long life can be a very good thing. It is often recommended that you do not clean the sump pump yourself but leave that task to someone who is qualified. However, you can pour white vinegar through the unit, which will help eliminate any build-up in the system. Sump pumps have screens or openings where the water enters the pump. These sometimes get clogged and require cleaning by a professional. Some sump pump manufacturers recommend the sump pump be run and tested every two to three months, while others recommend that a yearly cleaning program be completed before the rainy season hits. If you follow the maintenance guide given by the manufacturer, your sump pump should last you a very long time. Here are some helpful tips regarding sump pump maintenance that might be good to pay attention to. First, fill the sump pit with water, and raise the float switch to make sure the pump is working properly. Then, go outside to check that the pump is actually discharging water, because sometimes the pump will run but it won’t pump any water out. Check that the operation of the float is not restricted. Check out your “check valve”. Clean the air hole in the discharge line. Listen for any strange noises coming from the motor. Finally, replace the battery on the back-up sump pump every second or third year. If you do a good job of maintaining this pump system properly and regularly, you’ll extend its lifespan by quite a bit. Coming home to a basement full of water is devastating! If a water hose on your washer breaks, that sump pump might be the only thing keeping your basement from filling up with water before you get back home. Now, while you’re making sure your sump pump is doing what it’s supposed to be doing, you might also want to check out the blower motor fan in your furnace. This is the fan that moves the air through your home, year round, whether it’s for heating or air conditioning. The same fan motor does double duty, and lots of folks think that the outside unit for the AC is what is moving the air through their home. When you have the heating and air conditioning tech out in the spring and/or fall to make sure your units are performing as they should, he’ll be able to tell you if your fan motor is getting weak, or should be replaced for the upcoming season. Blower motor fans in modern furnaces are usually a squirrel cage centrifugal air moving device. This fan configuration will move large volumes of air with relative quiet. They will also use less energy than the paddle type fan blades. Most fan motors have bronze sleeve bearings but can be ordered with ball bearings. Sleeve bearings will normally last many years, but a ball bearing motor can last even longer (decades) especially in severe applications where the equipment runs continuously. Most motors with sleeve bearings will have a set of removable plugs where you can oil the motor shaft. We recommend a few drops of SAE 20W non detergent oil every year. 3 in 1 oil in the blue can is good, but not the red can. Some OEM (original equipment manufacturers) motors do not have oil ports. If you replace a motor and it has oil ports, try to place them between 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock to make future oiling more simple for yourself. There is a device available that will extend the oil ports so that you can reach the rear port on the direct drive blowers. Never, ever use WD 40 to lubricate a motor or bearings, since it has little or no lubricating properties for bearings, and will wash out the heavier oil. Not good for bearings at all. WD 40 is good for getting stuck shafts off, un-sticking rusted parts, etc, but is not good for this type of lubrication. To replace a motor it is necessary to remove the blower wheel or fan blade from the motor. If the fan or blower does not come right off (sometimes it will) the best way to do this is to use a puller that will pull the hub off of the shaft. Don’t use a hammer to try to drive the shaft though the hub, as you will just distort the shaft to the point where you will have to saw the shaft off, or end up having to buy a replacement fan blade for your new motor if the fan blade is in bad shape. If you have an electrical failure where the motor smokes or stinks it is probably telling you you’re getting ready to buy a new fan motor. If the motor gets hot, it will usually shut off, because it has a thermostat inside to protect it. A motor that was normally running ok and then suddenly gets hot may have a bad run capacitor. The run capacitor is a round or flat silver can rated at 5 to 7.5 mfd’s (micro farads) for most 208-230 volt motors. You can test a motor run capacitor using a 100 watt light bulb and a digital ac volt meter, but never an ohm meter. To test motor start capacitors you will need a 200-300 watt bulb depending on the size. If you don’t have an ac volt meter, or even know what an ohm meter is, you might just want to call the heating and air conditioning tech to drop by. He will be fully knowledgeable and will be able to diagnose what the problem is, and have you back up and running in short order. Most folks don’t think about these things until something breaks or quits running. Prevention is the best cure for just about anything, and having a checkup in the spring and/or fall of the year is just a great idea. Ask anyone who didn’t do it, and has a breakdown in one of their systems as a result. Not fun, anytime of the year. Some information was researched from the world wide web...More next month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-08-01 09:35:00

QUESTION: We just had new carpet put in our house, and we’ve been noticing some allergic-like symptoms in the family during the 3 months since! Any possible connection?

ANSWER: Does it seem to you like more people are sicker today than they used to be? I think there are a lot of allergic reactions that cause a lot of this right in our homes and/or offices. Like many other household products and furnishings we buy and introduce into our spaces, new carpeting can be, not always, a source of chemical emissions into the air inside the home, office, or workplace. Carpet emits volatile organic compounds, as do products that accompany most carpet installations, such as adhesives and padding. Some people have reported symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, skin irritations, shortness of breath, coughing, and fatigue, which has sometimes been associated with new carpet installation. Carpet can also act as a “magnet” for chemical and biological pollutants including pesticides, dust mites, and fungi, due to those things we walk through outside everyday, and then walk inside, tracking them onto the carpets. A good habit to get into is to have all family members and guests to remove their shoes at the door, thus eliminating a major source of contamination and pollutants being deposited on your new carpets. Individuals purchasing new carpet should ask retailers for information to help them select lower chemical emitting carpeting, cushion (pad), and adhesives. Before new carpet is installed, they should ask the retailer to unroll and air out the carpet in a clean, well-ventilated area before being delivered to your site. You should also consider leaving the premises during, as well as immediately after carpet installation, or schedule the installation when the space is unoccupied by the family members. Opening doors and windows and increasing the amount of fresh air indoors will reduce exposure to most chemicals released from newly installed carpet. During and after installation in a home, use of window fans and room air conditioners to exhaust fumes to the outdoors is highly recommended. Ventilation systems should be in proper working order, and the fans should be operated during installation, and should be continued for 48 to 72 hours after the new carpet is installed to ventilate as much of the fumes from the inside as possible. Individuals should request that the installer follow the Carpet and Rug Institute’s installation guidelines. If new carpet has an objectionable odor, they should contact their carpet retailer with their complaint, making them aware of the problem for your family. Finally, new carpet owners should follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper carpet maintenance. If you or someone you know, has allergic symptoms or asthma, you are sensitive to “triggers,” including particles possibly carried in the air through your heating and air conditioning systems and ductwork. These “triggers” can set off a reaction in your lungs and other parts of your body. Triggers can be found indoors or outdoors. They can be simple things like cold air, tobacco or wood smoke, perfume, paint, hair spray, or any strong odors or fumes. Also, allergens (particles that cause allergies) such as dust mites, pollen, molds, pollution, and animal dander (which are tiny scales or particles that fall off hair, feathers or skin) from any pets. The common cold, influenza, and other respiratory illnesses can also act as triggers for you. It’s important to learn which triggers are a specific problem for you, so ask your doctor to help. Your doctor may suggest some of the following things for you to do. Keep an asthma diary and have some skin testing performed to test for allergies. Try a special diet to look for and determine if you have any food allergies. Something as simple as cold air can be a trigger. Finding triggers isn’t always easy. If you do know your triggers, cutting down exposure to them may help avoid asthma and allergy attacks. If you don’t know your triggers, try to limit your exposure to one suspected trigger at a time. Watch to see if you get better. This may show you if the trigger was a problem for you. Here are some common triggers in the home and some ways to help control them. Tobacco smoke should not be allowed in the home of someone with asthma or allergies. Ask family members and friends to smoke outdoors. You might even suggest to them that they quit smoking. Your local American Lung Association can help them. Ask your Lung Association how you can help a family member or friend quit smoking. Wood smoke is a problem for children and adults with asthma and allergies. Avoid wood stoves and fireplaces. Almost all pets can cause allergies, including dogs and especially cats. Small animals like birds, hamsters and guinea pigs can cause problems, so all pets should be removed from the home if pets trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. Pet allergen may stay in the home for months after the pet is gone because it remains in house dust. Allergy and asthma symptoms may take some time to get better. If the pet stays in the home, keep it out of the bedroom of anyone with asthma or allergies. Weekly pet baths may help cut down the amount of pet saliva and dander in the home. Sometimes you hear that certain cats or dogs are “non-allergenic.” There really is no such thing as a “non-allergenic” cat or dog, especially if the pet leaves dander and saliva in the home. Goldfish and other tropical fish may be a good substitute. Even cockroaches can cause problems, so it’s important to get rid of roaches in your home. The cockroach allergen comes from dead roaches and roach droppings. It collects in house dust and is hard to remove. Careful cleaning of your home will help. Having the ducts cleaned and sealed is another great idea for control. When humidity is high, molds can be a problem in bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. Make sure these areas have good air circulation and are cleaned often. The basement in particular may need a dehumidifier. And remember, the water in the dehumidifier must be emptied and the container cleaned often to prevent forming mildew. Sometimes, there will be mold that forms on the drain line exiting water from a humidifier on your furnace. It can also form in the floor drain and sometimes on the A-coil area of your furnace. Molds may form on foam pillows when you perspire. To prevent that mold, put the pillow in an airtight cover and tape the cover shut. Wash the pillow every week, and make sure to change it every year. Molds can also form in house plants, so check them often. You may want to keep all plants outdoors to avoid this at your house. Perfumes, room deodorizers, candles, cleaning chemicals, paints, and talcum powders are examples of triggers that must be avoided or kept at very low levels. Dust mites are tiny, microscopic spiders usually found in house dust. Several thousand mites can be found in a pinch of dust. Mites are one of the major triggers for people with allergies and asthma. Mites are difficult to remove and take a lot of work. You can start by using an allergy control solution, a cleaner that can kill the mite allergen, and check with your doctor or pharmacist about what cleaner to buy. To help with the process of controlling dust mites, do the following things: Put mattresses and pillows in airtight covers. Put tape over the complete length of the zippers or wash the pillows and bedding every week in water that is at least 130 degrees F. Removing the bedspread at night may help. Don’t sleep or lie down on upholstered (stuffed) furniture. Permanently remove carpeting from your bedrooms. Clean up surface dust as often as possible. Use a damp mop or damp cloth when you clean. Don’t use aerosols or spray cleaners in the bedrooms. And don’t clean or vacuum the room when someone with asthma or allergies is present. Window coverings attract dust. Use window shades or curtains made of plastic or other washable material for easy cleaning. Remove stuffed furniture and stuffed animals (unless the animals can be washed), and anything underneath the beds. Closets need extra special care and they should hold only needed clothing. Putting clothes pins on plastic garment bags may help. Do not use the plastic bags that cover dry cleaning. Dust mites like moisture and high humidity. Cutting down the humidity in your home can cut down the number of mites. A dehumidifier may help. Air filters may be of limited help by keeping your home cleaner and more comfortable. Ask your heating and air conditioning professional for advice about air filters. Controlling the home environment is a very important part of asthma and allergy care. Here are some general rules for home control for all members of the family. Reduce or remove as many asthma and allergy triggers from your home as possible. If possible, use air filters and air conditioners to make your home cleaner and more comfortable. Pay specific attention to the problem of dust mites. Work hard to control this problem in the bedroom. Vacuum cleaners stir up dust and allergens in the air. A vacuum cleaner with an air filter or a central vacuum cleaner with a collection bag outside the home may be of limited value. Anyone with asthma or allergies should avoid vacuuming. If vacuuming must be done, a dust mask may help. Contact your local heating and air conditioning/indoor air quality professional for more specific guidance and information for your own family. That call could answer some questions for you about why your family may be having some health issues going on all the time. Some information was researched from the worldwide web…More next month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-07-01 15:11:00

QUESTION: Why do I always seem to have plumbing problems on holidays?

ANSWER: Most folks don’t know this, but by the time the holidays roll around each year, that plumbing system that has taken a beating all summer is just about ready to give it up! The winter freeze, the springtime thaws and rains, the summer heat, the ground baking like an oven…these things all collaborate to give your plumbing system components all they can handle. And by the time that those Thanksgiving & Christmas holidays come around, they have turned into the busiest work days of the year for that hardworking plumber! No kidding! We get together in large family groups for other holidays throughout the year, enjoy a great meal, serve up that homemade pie with cool whip, settle in for the football games, and someone yells, “Doesn’t your garbage disposal work?” What’ya mean, doesn’t my garbage disposal work? Oh Noooooo!! That garbage disposal will normally be the one thing that you can expect to give you trouble on any particular holiday. Why, you ask? There have been many, many hours of meal preparation leading up to the festive food frolics at your house, and sometimes there are people helping with that task who start shoving all kinds of waste down that disposal. Sometimes these are items that just cannot be taken apart and gotten rid of by the blades inside that appliance. In any case, if you have to call out an emergency plumber during any of the holidays, he’ll likely just head on into the kitchen without you even telling him why you actually called him out. That’s how sure he’ll be that your disposal is probably not working properly. As we said, family holidays end up being the plumber’s busiest days of the year, and he will likely know pretty accurately what’s going on in your sink. On the other hand, if he heads straight for the bathroom, just give him a few moments alone. First, even if you aren’t going to be the actual cook for the holiday meals (your mother-in-law can be really pushy when it comes to your kitchen….right) you want to make certain that everyone who is going to be using the garbage disposal knows what shouldn’t be put in there: “We don’t need no corn husks, no grease, no bones, no potato skins, no egg shells, no lettuce, no metal forks or spoons…etc.” You get the picture…right? Secondly, don’t stuff too much down the disposal at once. Just do a little bit at a time. If you see a problem starting to develop, call an emergency plumber before you find yourself standing in a flooded kitchen floor. It can be tricky, since holiday meals are often group efforts, but you either need to keep track of everything that will go into the disposal, or issue a mandate on how to use it. Everyone will, of course, be very insulted, but it is better to be safe than to have your kitchen flood just as everyone sits down to eat that meal you’ve slaved for hours over. On a typical holiday, and even more so with a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, a normal household of 4 or 5 people can swell to more than 20, what with both sides of the family and all of their kids. So consider that there might be 4 or 5 times the number of hands being washed, glasses of water to fill, and trips to the bathroom, which is going to distress your plumbing system in general. While there is nothing you can do to force people to use the bathroom less or cook less, you can make sure that all of the people in the house (mainly the kids) know what can and can’t be flushed. You might even say to your guests that the plumbing has been acting up, so, if you would, help us to keep a close eye on it. This will ensure that your guests are mindful of the plumbing when they use the garbage disposal or visit the bathrooms, and it might, just might, keep your local plumber off your guest list this summer, and during the fall holiday season. A good idea, any time of the year, is to have that plumbing system checked out by a pro anytime you see or hear something when you’re using it that just doesn’t sound quite right…hearing water running in the middle of the night when everyone is in bed is not a fun thing to have happen...Some Info was researched on the WorldWideWeb…More Next Month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-05-01 13:20:00

QUESTION: I want to make sure my air conditioner is ready for the summer coming on…what should I do right now?

ANSWER: As early as you can, you should take a few steps to make sure your A/C is in proper working order for this upcoming sweltering season in Kansas. Sometimes we go directly from cold weather right into summer temps, without much of a spring transition. If you wait till the heat is here, you’ll experience a waiting period getting someone out to inspect and maintain your unit for the optimum performance that you want. Don’t do that! With good maintenance, your air conditioner should last 15 years or longer, keeping you as cool as you want to be in your home. You can keep your system running very efficiently with some easy tips. If you are able to perform the proper checks and inspections, then do that. If you don’t know how to do these inspections, then you should call a professional technician to drop by and help you out, before you need him. He’ll check your system’s refrigerant pressures, electrical connections and components, clean the A/C condensing unit outside, check the furnace blower, and make sure the condensate tube is draining freely. If it isn’t, he’ll remove it, and make certain the drainage passageway is open from the condensation that forms on the A-coil. If you see water running down the sides of your furnace when the A/C is running, the condensate line could be plugged up and will need to be properly cleaned out before running that system all summer. Change or clean the furnace filter once a month, yes, even in the summer. This is especially important during the summer, when dust and allergens circulate throughout the air ducts in your home. The blower on the furnace is what circulates the cool air from the ac unit throughout your home, just as it does the warm air in the wintertime. If you decide to tackle the cleaning job outside yourself, you need to first turn the electrical power off to the A/C unit located outside. There is an electrical disconnect box usually located on the house close to the A/C unit. You will need to open the disconnect box and pull out the fuse block then close the box so that no water gets in it and lay the fuse block aside so that it does not get wet. If the A/C unit’s aluminum finned coil is exposed, you are now ready to start cleaning it. If the coil is not exposed, the units outer casing must be removed. Once you have the coil exposed you may start cleaning by spraying it with a water hose starting at the top and working your way down to the bottom. Be sure and direct the water spray at a downward angle this will keep water out of the fan motor and the electrical compartment. All of the water should drain out the bottom of the unit. If it doesn’t, the holes provided by the manufacturer are plugged with debris and need to be cleaned out. Be sure and let the unit dry out adequately before reconnecting the power! A dirty A/C system will result in higher electric costs for cooling, and you won’t get the maximum cooling for your dollars. This is very important. A clean A/C system can reduce your cooling costs by as much as 30%! Keep plantings at least two feet away from your A/C unit outside for adequate airflow around the entire unit. Good air movement is critical for maximum cooling, no matter which brand of A/C you have. Make sure your air filtration system is adequate and that all of your system’s air is getting filtered. I have seen many air systems with gaps around the air filter or the wrong size filter installed. If you or any member of your family suffers from allergies and/or asthma, it would be a very good idea to contact a heating and cooling contractor about installing a high efficiency air filter. There are some excellent filtration systems available today that really do work well. Have your duct work inspected every few years to see if it should be cleaned. If it does contact an air duct cleaning specialist. Keep furniture and drapes away from registers. It’s important to have your air conditioning system inspected by a service technician, and you should call that technician before you’re sitting there in a sweat wishing you would have called before you actually needed him. A $70-$100 annual tune-up can reduce your cooling costs by as much as 30% In today’s world, that can add up. Maintaining your equipment can help prevent having to replace your HVAC units before you’ve gotten the full life out of them, and that’s also important! Of course, the best way to prolong the life of your air conditioner is to never use it. In Kansas, that suggestion is not too practical. There are lots of additional easy ways to keep your cool without losing all of your cash to the energy company. Plant some trees in locations that will assist in keeping the sun off of your home and windows, as well as your cooling unit. Use floor or ceiling fans to help circulate air throughout the house. Install a whole-house fan. That can lower the indoor temperature by ten degrees in just a few minutes. Make sure your attic is properly ventilated, and make sure you have good insulation. A combination of ridge and soffit or gable vents can help reduce cooling costs by ten percent. Shade your south and west facing windows with blinds or drapes during the hottest parts of the day. Turn off lights you don’t need to have on right now. And finally, wait to use heat producing appliances like ovens, dishwashers and clothes dryers until later evening. For a better, more comfortable summer, call an HVAC tech in the spring, before you find out your unit just isn’t up for the task at hand. More next month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-04-01 12:10:00

QUESTION: Should I Replace or Repair My Air Conditioner...it’s older?

ANSWER: When your cooling system breaks down, you may be faced with the choice of repairing your existing unit or purchasing a new air conditioner. It is a good question…and you can make an informed decision regarding the replacement or the repair of an existing air conditioner if you have some good information. We’ll try to give you some good answers here. Repairs on an existing unit may be the least expensive immediate option, but may cost you a lot more in the long run. An older system that breaks down once is likely to break down again due to its age, and the ongoing wear and tear on the system’s working parts. It will also definitely consume quite a bit more high priced energy than a newer, much higher efficiently designed system. In fact, installing a new, energy efficient system can completely pay for itself over time. There are times when simple repairs can prolong the life of an air conditioner so that the replacement of the unit may sometimes be delayed. The key word here is delayed…if you’re having problems with your heating or air conditioning unit, the chances are generally good that replacing them now will save you money, and the HVAC technician that comes out to check out your systems for you will be able to give you good answers to whether or not you need to consider replacing them now, or repairing them. Buying new heating and air conditioning equipment is not something most folks do very often, so it’s hard to develop much proficiency regarding what size or kind of unit you are going to need to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the hot summers that we get here in Kansas. The Comfort Consultant that visits you can perform things like the room to room load calculation, and airflow readings that you need to ensure that your unit will cool every part of your home. You can rely on him to provide you with good guidance in this regard. All heating and air-conditioning manufacturers state that a room by room load calculation must be performed to properly size a home’s heating and cooling system. Comfort and efficiency are important to anyone making this kind of purchase, and with all the different brand names you see advertised out there, how do you know which brand and model to choose? Understanding the standard ratings applied to air-conditioners can help. You may also want to consult Consumer Reports Magazine about their ratings of different heating and cooling brands. If you have not replaced your air-conditioning system recently, your air-conditioner probably contains R22 refrigerant to cool your home or place of business. The problem with R22 is that when it escapes into the atmosphere and breaks down, it emits chlorine atoms which have been shown to damage the ozone. As a result, the United States has prohibited the production and importing of R22 based air conditioning equipment effective January 1, 2010. If you replace your equipment after that date, you will have to purchase R410A based equipment. R410A does not damage the ozone. If you need to replace component parts of your air conditioning equipment before the ban takes effect, you have the choice of purchasing R22 based or R410A based equipment. Note that both your outside unit ( condensing unit or heat pump ) and your indoor evaporator coil will contain the same refrigerant, so if your R22 condenser or evaporator coil fails and you choose to replace it with R410A equipment, you will have to replace your other unit at the same time. Bear in mind that if you replace only the failed unit with new R22 equipment and the other unit fails after January 1, 2010, you will have to replace both units with R410A equipment. Consequently, it may be cheaper, in the long run, to replace both your outside unit and your indoor evaporator coil at the same time with R410A based equipment. As a general rule, the more efficient the unit, the more it will cost initially. However, more efficient equipment will actually save you money over time as it requires less energy to cool your home. Cooling efficiency for air-conditioners is indicated as SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating): the higher the number, the greater the efficiency. In 1992, 10 SEER was the minimum rating for units installed in new homes. The DOE (Department of Energy) has since set a new minimum standard of 13 SEER for air conditioners manufactured on or after January 23, 2006. 13 SEER equipment is approximately thirty-percent more efficient to operate than 10 SEER equipment. For even greater energy savings, consider 14 SEER, 15 SEER, or higher equipment. The most efficient air cooled air-conditioning equipment now available has an exceptional efficiency rating of up to 23.0 SEER. Some of the new equipment is designed to run at low speed 80% of the time, giving you much more efficiency at a much reduced cost of operation. Replacing your old heating and cooling system with a high efficiency system will, in most cases, increase the value of your home dollar for dollar due to the concern for rising energy costs. In summary, it’s that time of year to make that annual call to a service tech to make certain that you’re not going to be suffering in the heat with a broken down or dirty air-conditioner this spring or summer. He can advise you as to whether you need to make a repair to your air conditioning system, or if it would be better to change it out in favor of one of the new high efficiency units that will begin saving you money from day one. The new technology is truly amazing, and sometimes maintaining an older unit can get to be just a lot of unnecessary brain damage. More next month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-03-01 09:38:00

QUESTION: I don’t know if my sump pump works or not...I rarely ever hear it come on. Should I do anything, or just leave it alone for now?

ANSWER: The research shows that 90 to 95% of all basements will, at some point, have a problem with water penetration, either through cracks in the walls, or coming through cracks in the concrete floors due to the hydrostatic pressure that builds up under the floor from the water tables rising. In recent years, builders of homes with basements have been installing sump pumps with drain tiles to help mitigate some of those problems. A sump pump is installed in the floor of the basement in a concrete or plastic tank that is connected to perforated drain tile that is placed under the floor around the perimeter of the basement at the time of construction. Those drain tiles are also generally installed around the outside of the footing of the basement walls to relieve the pressure of groundwater that could stand against the basement walls and eventually seep through the concrete into the interior of the basement. Any water that comes into the sump pump tank is then automatically pumped to the outside through pvc pipes and carried away from the foundation. The outside dirt work should be graded in such a way as to promote positive drainage of any rainwater runoff from the roof or the yard of the home. Positive drainage means away from the foundation that will allow the water to move completely away from the home’s perimeter. Water will absolutely seep through solid concrete walls if allowed to remain standing against it for long periods of time. Moisture, water, and humidity can all damage the flooring, drywall, and framing in the basement, and condense inside the walls. It can cost thousands of dollars in repairs to these types of basement structures. As if that is not bad enough, excessive moisture can also contribute to health problems, when there is an accumulation of mold in an area, mold spores begin to filter through the air and can be extremely hazardous to your health. The wood in your home can be destroyed by fungus and the infestation of wood destroying insects, such as termites, which are attracted to dark moist places where they can get into the wood structure and eat out your studs. So, it is very important to protect your home and the people that live in it. There are some very simple measures you can take to make sure that your home stays dry and healthy. Paying attention to that usually neglected sump pump back there in the furnace room is one of those. Let’s talk about the importance of this piece of important equipment. A sump pump plays a pivotal role in your home’s drainage system. In fact, the effectiveness of your drainage system is wholly dependent on the smooth operation of the sump pump. Sump pump failure can happen, and when it does it leaves your basement area vulnerable to costly damage. The best way to avoid this potential damage is to closely follow the guidelines laid out in the owner’s manual ( if you have one, otherwise seek the services of a plumbing professional ) which provides the necessary instructions for proper pump maintenance and operation. Regardless of what model of sump pump you have, problems associated with pump failure are universal. For this reason, virtually every sump pump owner’s manual offers the same tips for pump failure prevention. Although any number of problems may arise with your pump, including a jammed or broken control switch or a burned out motor, the first rule of prevention is to keep your pump clean and tested regularly. Do not ignore the sump pump! Clogging is a major issue in sump pump maintenance. Dirt, debris and a variety of other foreign objects can build up, and this can cause a blockage in the inlet screen. The screen’s function is to remove small particles of waste along with the water, but it can only handle so much. To properly clean your sump pump, use a pair of rubber gloves to collect all of the visible debris. Next, take a garden hose and fill the pump tank with water. As you fill the pump tank with water, the float will rise causing the pump to activate again. If your float rises but does not start the system, it is time to consult the troubleshooting section in your manual. You might need a new switch. The troubleshooting part of your owner’s manual will give you information on what to do in a situation where your pump is not responding as it should. If you have performed the advised cleaning process and your pump still fails to work, you need to check the electrical system. If your pump is plugged into an outlet much like any other appliance outlet, test that outlet by unplugging your pump and try plugging in a clock or lamp that you know works. Also check that the breaker is on. If your pump still fails to start, a manual will instruct you to do the following: reset the switch on the motor, check to see that the switch activated by the float is operational, verify that the motor is not burned out from being overused while in the clogged state. As a last resort, your manual will instruct you to check the float switch by moving it up and down. This will have the effect of cleaning dirty switch contacts and operation should resume immediately. Note that the switch should be replaced frequently. You may not want to try and repair the damaged parts of the sump pump yourself, unless you know what you’re doing. If you do not have a professional plumber that you normally use, the HVAC professional you have service your heating and air conditioning systems can recommend who to call for the maintenance of your plumbing systems. The owner’s manual that you get with your sump pump will clearly tell you that your pump will not work effectively unless you perform proper sump pump maintenance. Your sump pump plays an important role in your home, so take the time to read the manual carefully and know how to keep it in good working order. A backup battery system can protect your home during a power outage. When a powerful storm passes through cities and towns, very often it takes with it the entire neighborhood’s power supply. In the event of a power outage, people are left with no light, no heat and no running water; but a home is also left with a disabled sump pump. A sump pump is your home’s first line of defense against groundwater that could potentially enter your home and cause destruction. To ensure that your home is not left vulnerable after a loss of power, install a reliable backup system for your sump pump that will allow it to continue working. A battery-operated backup sump pump system looks a lot like an oversized car battery. When the power is on in the house, a battery system will automatically charge itself. The backup pump is activated by a sensor that is located slightly higher than the one for the main pump. In the event of an emergency, when water rises above the level of the backup sensor, the backup system uses its DC power to turn itself on. Depending on the particular model of battery-powered backup system, there is generally enough power to keep your sump pump working for several hours. The batteries come in two different styles: sealed and unsealed. A sealed battery is considered maintenance-free and usually supplies power for 3 to 3½ hours. An unsealed battery has ports that you can open in order to check the level of the fluid and add distilled water as you see fit. Typically, an unsealed battery will last for about 7 hours. Another type of backup sump pump is one that is powered by the home’s water system. A piping connection is made from the nearest cold water line to the pump. When the water level in the sump rises and activates the pump control, water pressure from your home’s water system causes the backup pump to spin and remove the ground water. This type of backup pump requires no electrical circuit from your home or a battery that may lose its charge. As with your primary sump pump, your backup pump must be checked and maintained. So, get ready for the upcoming rainy season by having your sump pump checked out…waiting till after it fails due to not being properly maintained is not a good idea. More next month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-02-01 10:12:00

QUESTION: I live out in the country…at first I loved the idea…but there are problems I didn’t think of…like having the septic tank pumped out! Why do I have to do this so often?

ANSWER: Living the “good life” out in the country like you do is such a romantic notion that millions of people have made that move over the last half century or so. Fresh air, nature’s wildlife all around you…and the feeling of freedom you can have when there’s absolutely no sign of other people within sight or sound of you…it’s all good! But in the real world, handling the waste products that are the result of people living in a certain location is a very real need. And there are basically two ways to do it. The first way is to install a lagoon system on the property. A lagoon pond is a residential waste stabilization system commonly used for onsite sewage treatment in low-population areas where soils are not suited for conventional absorption field systems such as septic tanks with their lateral fields. We’ll explain more about those in a minute. A lagoon pond is designed and dug, and the waste is then piped into the pond directly through a waste pipe from the house to the lagoon pond. This operation achieves pretty much the same result as a normal sewer system you might have in a city or town. Other than mowing the grass and weeds, there’s not a lot of ongoing maintenance needed for a well designed lagoon system. The most common domestic wastewater and sewage treatment system used in rural areas like yours is the septic tank-soil absorption system. The septic tank removes settle-able and floatable solids from the waste water. The soil absorption field then filters and treats the clarified septic tank effluent and distributes it through the soil by way of the lateral fields. Removing the solids from the wastewater protects the soil absorption system from clogging and eventual failure. In addition to removing solids, the septic tank also promotes the biological digestion of a portion of the solids, and stores the remaining undigested portion. The first stage of the treatment system, the septic tank, removes solids by holding wastewater in the tank. This allows the heavier solids to settle as sludge and the lighter particles to form as scum at the top. To accomplish this, wastewater should be held in the tank for at least 24 hours. Up to 50 percent of the solids retained in the tank will soon decompose, while the remainder accumulate in the tank. Biological and/or chemical additives are not needed to aid or accelerate decomposition. As a septic system is used, sludge continues to accumulate in the bottom of the septic tank. Properly designed tanks have enough space for up to three years safe accumulation of sludge. When the sludge level increases beyond this point, sewage has less time to settle before leaving the tank so that more and more solids escape into the absorption area. If too much sludge accumulates, no settling at all occurs before the sewage flows to the soil absorption field. Infiltration of sludge into the soil absorption field laterals can and will cause a complete system failure. To prevent this, the tank must be pumped out periodically. The material pumped is known as septage, and is pumped into a fairly large tanker truck for proper hauling and disposal. The next stage of the treatment system, the lateral or “leach” field, is the perforated piping system that is laid out in such a way as to deliver the wastewater moving on out of the septic tank into the yard area where it can escape into the soil. You’ve all seen or heard that “the grass is always greener over the septic tank”…well it’s true. This grass is always getting a full treatment of “fertilizer”, and so stays greener than the grass not being so blessed. This leach field should be constructed in such a manner to promote the movement of the liquid waste out to the ends of the lateral field without hesitation. Downhill is a good idea. An improperly installed septic system layout will shorten the life of the entire operation. Making certain that the lateral field is not in a low water or wetlands area is a very good idea. Saturated soil cannot absorb additional moisture. Remember that when dealing with a sewage system of either of these descriptions, human contact with sewage is a serious public health risk. Drinking water contaminated with sewage can cause health problems such as diarrhea, nausea, cramps, dysentery and hepatitis. Exposure to sewer gases can also cause discomfort and illness, and possibly in a confined area, even death. Just as in most other plumbing related problems, the disposal of waste and wastewater can be made simpler if you let someone who does that kind of work professionally every day help you with your own particular needs. More next month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2008-01-01 11:17:00

QUESTION: I live in an older neighborhood where the homes were mostly built in the early part of the last century. My water pressure seems to be lower than it should be...what should I do?

ANSWER: Nearly all of the homes built in the time period you describe were plumbed with galvanized piping. That’s what was used in most homes back then, no matter what the value or price of the home. Galvanized pipe is steel pipe covered with a protective coating of zinc that greatly reduced its tendency to corrode and extended its life expectancy. It was used in water lines, but not gas lines, because the zinc coating will flake off and could cause the gas valve to not operate properly. Corroded galvanized pipe in homes and businesses causes a very high percentage of the water flow problems people experience. Over time, many of these pipes fill with scale and reduce or totally stop the flow of water. This is why older homes with galvanized pipes suffer from low water pressure. If you have hard water, the build up of scale in your water pipes will happen much faster. To check for galvanized water piping in your home you can see if the pipes connecting to your water heater are lead gray in color, and if they are, you can be pretty certain you have galvanized pipes in your home. But, you may have all copper water piping in your house because at some point the galvanized pipe was replaced and still have a galvanized water service line from the water meter outside into your house. If your water pressure is low, the galvanized water service is probably the cause. Generally when customers say not enough water is flowing from a tap or fixture, something on the customer’s property is restricting the flow. It can be from corroded and collapsed lines made of galvanized steel, and can also be from the clogging up of the faucet screens found on most faucets today. It can also be due to the total failure of a particular faucet, or the shutoff valves inline below the sink or fixture. Normally, unless the water utility has announced a temporary lowering of water pressure due to some occurrence or planned repair to the supply system, the city pressure for water is pretty consistent. The first copper pipes were actually used in plumbing systems nearly 5,000 years ago. Today, the vast majority of homes with metal plumbing lines use copper pipes for water distribution. Copper holds certain advantages over other metals like lead and iron. In comparison to these metals, copper is softer and easier to work with and is relatively non-toxic. The availability and water-resistant properties of copper also continue to make it the first choice for most, but not all, homebuilders. As new materials are developed and new technologies are created, copper piping may soon no longer be the obvious choice for homebuilders. To ensure a comfortable living environment a plumbing system should meet the demands of the homeowner. It should be durable and free from leaky connections, joints, or fittings, which can all cause water issues. The more connections in a home’s plumbing system, the greater the chance that one of them will fail over time leading to water damage, rot, and sometimes mold or mildew. The conventional copper pipe method of plumbing requires that the water supply line branch at the water heater. The hot water line exits the water heater and then runs in tandem with the cold water line throughout the home. Smaller-diameter lines branch off from the main lines to serve all of the water using fixtures and appliances. This system requires more fittings, and pipe sizes vary according to the loads they carry. With this method the water supply is subject to pressure loss if several fixtures on a branch are used at once. That’s why sometimes when you’re taking a nice warm shower and all at once you’re feeling extremely cold water flowing over you, it’s due to someone turning on the washing machine, or flushing a stool or two. That can get your day off to a chilly start...Copper pipe also has to be run around many obstacles, so more connections, tees and ells are required. With copper, soldering and connecting the joints takes time & talent, and after construction the pipe connections are inaccessible inside the walls. Since many of the joints are hidden behind finished walls, if there’s a leak, the homeowner may not realize it until substantial damage has already been done to the home. Repairs from such a leak can be costly and difficult. There’s a new method for water distribution in residential homes that is gaining popularity among homebuilders. A manifold plumbing system is a control center that feeds flexible hot and cold water supply lines to individual fixtures. Flexible plastic piping is used because it is resistant to extreme temperatures and is therefore suitable for hot water use. This piping is also resistant to minerals and chemicals that can corrode copper pipes and will retain its shape and strength over time. A good alternative to traditional copper pipe is a manifold plumbing system with PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) piping. Manifold plumbing systems are similar in concept to a home’s electrical circuit breaker system. Separate manifolds serve hot and cold water lines. The cold water manifold is fed from the main water supply line, and the hot water manifold is fed from the water heater. Water pressure in the manifolds is maintained by the incoming service line, and a dedicated water supply line feeds each fixture from a port in the manifold. Because each fixture has its own supply line, the size of the PEX pipe can be adjusted for a fixture’s specific use. Flexible plastic piping expands and contracts, is quieter than other types of piping, and is less likely to cause a tapping sound in your water pipes. More next month…

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Environment

Dale Poort

2007-12-01 10:04:00

QUESTION:I’ve heard about the new high efficiency furnaces saving a person a lot of money in fuel costs…how much are we talking about saving?

ANSWER: It’s true that sky high energy bills, diminishing resources, and a healthy concern for our environment have brought a great deal of attention to the topic of home energy efficiency in recent years. Homeowners everywhere are struggling to spend less of their hard-earned cash and use less energy. If we can pollute less, without giving up the warmth and comfort we’ve grown to cherish, we will have helped out with the problems of global pollution that some feel certain is man made. Others aren’t so sure…in any case, logic is still logic. Almost 35 million homes in America are heated by natural gas-fired forced-air heating systems, by far the most popular form of central heating. Unfortunately, nearly all of these households have been sending 30% or more of their energy dollars up the furnace flue, and in doing so, each one has pumped up to four tons of carbon dioxide, the “greenhouse gas,” into the atmosphere every month of cold weather heating. Most older conventional forced air furnaces operate at very low efficiencies. Some of them are taking advantage of only half or less of the fuel they burn. In an effort to curb this waste and pollution, the U.S. Department of Energy instituted rigid new standards at the beginning of 1992 that require every new furnace that is manufactured to turn at least 78% of its fuel into heat. Manufacturers have responded with models that, at the minimum, meet this standard and, at best, far surpass it. The measurement for efficiency is called an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. All furnaces now manufactured come posted with this rating, generally in the form of a yellow “Energy Guide” label. AFUE ratings run from the 78% minimum to one or more that boast an amazing 96.7% efficiency rating. Though most makers list their furnaces as “high efficiency,” the DOE sometimes refers to units with an AFUE higher than 90% as “high efficiency” and lower-AFUE models as “mid efficiency.” With these new high-efficiency products available, many homeowners are replacing their older outdated furnaces. Replacement costs can run anywhere from $1700 to $3500, depending upon the size requirement, the complexity of the installation, the actual furnace bought, and any ductwork or piping which may be required to be installed for the higher efficiency models. Other variables are possible, but these are the most common. High-efficiency models represent only about $500 to $1000 more in material costs than mid-efficiency units, and some utilities offer some attractive rebates that cover much of the difference. The payback time period depends on the price of the system, local energy costs, the local climate, and the differences in efficiency between the old and new furnaces. Yellow Energy Guides list estimated annual operating costs for furnaces given specific conditions, but they’re meant for comparison only. When buying a system, you should ask your dealer to help you figure what the actual estimated payback time will be. So, after analyzing your present heating unit, do you really need a new furnace? The bottom line is that a new, high-efficiency furnace can save you considerable money in the long run, so if your furnace needs replacement, it will probably pay you to get a new high-efficiency model. But does your furnace actually need replacement, or not? Do you want a new furnace because your present one isn’t heating properly or is maybe making too much noise? It could be that simple repairs are all that’s needed to get you back in the warmth of things. As we’ve said before in this column, the last thing you should take chances with is your life…If the lives of those you hold dear are at stake due to old or faulty heating equipment, pay very close attention to this warning: DON’T LET YOUR FURNACE END UP KILLING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO SAVE YOUR MONEY! In summation, if you’re considering a new furnace to eliminate problems with an older one, get a Heating professional to come out to your home and do an inspection, cleaning, and/or repair of your existing heating unit. If worse comes to worse, do not hesitate to get it replaced…it could save your life! More next month….

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Environment

Dale Poort

2007-11-01 10:18:00

QUESTION: I’m getting ready to light my furnace. What should I be thinking about to keep from blowing myself up?

ANSWER: The changing of the season to fall…October each year is the month here in Kansas when we begin to think of those cold winter days when the leaves are off the trees, the grass probably won’t need another mowing until spring, and the sun goes down sometime around 5:30 in the afternoon here in the middle part of the country. It’s also the time when we begin to think about firing up that furnace that has been sitting idle all summer. Before we all had central heat and air conditioning, fall was the time of year when those folks who heated with pot bellied stoves ordered in their winter supply of coal or wood…laying in a good supply so that they didn’t have to worry about running out in the middle of a real cold spell. Later, lots of rural folks turned to heating with propane fuel, and had those tanks filled up in the fall. With most homes in urban and suburban neighborhoods now being on natural gas, and having furnaces that supply heat to the entire home, you might say we have things a little better than they did back in the "good old days". A good, well maintained central heating unit can have a normal lifespan of 35 or 40 years, and in the last couple of decades, those newer high efficiency furnaces can reduce your heating costs as much as $50 to $75 a month or more. The key words in this paragraph are "well maintained".

It’s really easy to just ignore your mechanical equipment in your home, because if it seems to be performing its job as you expect it to do, you don’t usually think about things like having it checked out by someone to head off potential problems…but that is one of the smartest and safest things you can do. Having those furnace burners and heat exchangers cleaned and checked will tell you if they’ve deteriorated any, and if you haven’t seen that deterioration first hand, it can be pretty surprising. Some furnace burners and heat exchangers, over a period of time, begin to flake off. The metal can begin to flake off in layers, and eventually, the burner will become blocked or rusted shut. Another problem that can happen with the heat exchanger is that it may develop stress cracks. Stress cracks in a heat exchanger form from the hundreds of times over the years that your furnace heats up and cools down. Any stage of this process can produce a dangerous situation for the occupants of that home, pursuant to last month’s column on carbon monoxide poisoning, or at the very least cost you additional money to heat your home. A professional heating and air conditioning technician can perform an examination and advise you as to the age and condition of your particular furnace.

Now, let’s talk about the pilot light.

Unless you have a newer furnace with an electronic or electric ignition system (in this case the furnace should light automatically), you probably have what is known as a standing pilot. That is a system where the pilot is always burning and is used to light the main burner. There are two basic systems used with standing pilots. The first is the thermocouple system that uses two dissimilar metals to provide electricity to hold open the pilot valve on the gas valve once you light the pilot burner. The main valve is operated by 24 volts from a transformer. The second system is called a Milli Volt system (there are very few of these systems still in operation on residential furnaces). The pilot heats a larger device that generates a bit more electricity, enough to operate the main valve. The theory is that if the pilot is not lit then the main burner won’t work. This system is used a lot on wall furnaces, free standing heaters, RV furnaces, and swimming pool heaters because they will work without utility power.

If you have a problem where the pilot won’t stay lit after you release the button or knob, the thermocouple may need to be replaced. If you replace the thermocouple and you still can’t get the flame to stay on, the pilot flame is probably weak or the thermocouple is not positioned properly in the pilot flame. A weak pilot flame may be the result of dirt, lint, or rust that has gotten into the pilot burner. If this seems to be the case, be sure and call a professional heating & air conditioning company to have this problem examined. Newer furnaces will have intermittent ignition systems that use an electronic control made by Honeywell, Robertshaw, Johnson controls, Fenwall, or White-Rodgers to light the furnace automatically and detect that it is lit. When one of these controls fails you have no choice but to call your heating and air conditioning company to have it replaced. The "Ole" standing pilot is reliable, but intermittent ignition systems offer both reliability and automatic lighting of your furnace. If you have any doubts at all about whether you are able to check your furnace out safely, call in a professional to do this...that’s the smartest and safest thing to do...More interesting information for you next month…