It’s Time for Your Yearly Air Conditioning Check Up
One of the best things you can do for your home’s air conditioning system is to maintain it properly. The average residential central AC runs as much as 3,300 hours every year. That is the equivalent of driving 214,000 miles in your car. While you’d never dream of driving a vehicle that long without regular maintenance, when it comes to air conditioners the same set of standards don’t seem to apply. In fact, many homeowners go years and years without ever tuning up their AC units. If this sounds like you, you could be wasting thousands of dollars a year by running a system that’s not running as efficiently as possible.
Maintain A Comfortable Temperature
With regular professional maintenance, your air conditioner will operate at or near its original factory performance for longer. This improved efficiency means that the unit doesn’t have to run as long or work as hard to maintain a comfortable
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Horizon How-To:
Turn Off Your Fans
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Many homeowners believe that leaving a fan on when no one is home will cool a room. This is not true. Fans cool your skin but do not lower room temperature. When a fan circulates air in a room the air moves across your skin and you feel cooler even though the air temperature in the room remains the same. If you run a fan when no one is there to feel its benefits, the only thing you’re doing is wasting electricity.
Spring Into The Season
Warmer weather is upon us, and spring is a great time to freshen up your home with those projects you have been putting off all winter. Sure, you will clean out your closets, organize your junk drawer, cycle out heavy winter sweaters and snow boots for swimsuits and sandals, and revive your home’s landscaping. But these simple, affordable tips can give your home a brighter, lighter feel as we head into spring and summer.
Accessorize
No, we are not talking about updating your wardrobe. Knick-knacks, photo frames, throw pillows, window treatments and other décor items give your home personality; swapping them out to welcome in a new season is a great way to breathe new life into a tired winter house. Even if you don’t go all out and purchase new accessories, consider moving things you already have into new areas of your home or bringing out pieces you’ve been keeping in storage. Another great way to re-accessorize is to get
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Don’t Wait Until It Breaks!
Even if you never get your hands dirty changing an air conditioning filter, inspecting a furnace or boiler, fixing a leaky faucet, draining your water heater or unclogging a sink drain, there are a few simple air conditioning, heating and plumbing tips every homeowner should know. Do it yourself or hire a professional – these tips can help you get started.
Air Conditioners
Schedule a professional inspection twice a year. In between professional tune-ups, you can clean the outside unit yourself with a garden hose, keep it clear of debris and shrubbery, straighten bent fins and change the filter every two to three months.
Furnaces and Boilers
According to the US Consumer Products Safety Commission, homeowners should schedule an annual professional inspection of chimneys, flues and furnace vents for leaks, built-up debris, and to ensure connections are secure. Inspectors should also check the furnace or boiler
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Horizon How-To:
Stench Buster
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Old food and disgusting grime are the perfect combination for a horrible smelling drain. Eliminate unwanted odors by pouring in a cup of baking soda and letting it sit for 20 minutes. After the baking soda absorbs the odors wash it down with acidic vinegar which will react with the baking soda causing it to bubble and clean the drain. Other stench-busting remedies include the use of essential oils and citrus peels such as lemons or oranges.
