1902: Willis Carrier designs the first air conditioning system for a publishing company in New York as a way to control humidity to keep paper from wrinkling and ink properly aligned.

1914: The first home air conditioning unit is installed in a Minneapolis mansion and is approximately 7 feet high, 6 feet wide, and 20 feet long.

1930s: Window air conditioning is invented but is so expensive that only the wealthy can afford it. Many people flock to movie theaters where air conditioning becomes popular around the time of the Great Depression.

1940s-50s: Bosses believe air conditioning makes workers lazy but eventually learn it increases productivity instead. By 1957, the majority of companies say AC is one of the most important factors in office efficiency, and sales for residential AC units boom post World War II.

1970: Central air is developed using a condenser, coils, and fan along with Freon.

1980: The United States consumes more air conditioning than all other countries combined.

1990s: Ozone depletion is associated with Freon, and manufacturers develop more environmentally-friendly coolants.

Today: Nearly 90% of Americans have air conditioning. AC systems are in another stage of improvement to meet the U.S. Department of Energy’s standards for energy efficiency.

How would you stay cool without air conditioning? Water has been a popular option both past and present, from drinking it to visiting public pools and beaches as a way to beat the heat outdoors.

1.    Thermostat Trouble

It was a long, cold winter, so make sure your thermostat is actually set to cool now that you need air instead of heat. You never know if the settings have been changed accidentally or if there is some other connection problem, either. There could be a wiring issue between your air conditioner and thermostat, or a blocked signal if your thermostat is wireless. In some cases, you may be in need of a new thermostat altogether.

2.    No Electricity

Have you ever turned on a lamp but it wouldn’t light up, so you changed the bulb only to discover it was never plugged in in the first place? Your unresponsive air conditioner might be in the same boat. Check your breaker first to make sure it hasn’t tripped, or that a fuse hasn’t blown. If you notice the breaker trips frequently, call a professional to figure out why. Also check that switches within your system are turned on, in both interior and exterior units. Otherwise, you may be facing a more complicated problem such as a bad capacitor or damaged wire and will need an HVAC technician to figure out what’s wrong.

3.    Broken System

In the event that your air conditioner has bit the dust and it’s time to get a new system, many new, high-efficiency models can provide better performance than your old unit. But for cooling you can count on for a longer period of time from the start, it’s important to keep up with air conditioning maintenance. Regular AC cleaning, tune-ups, inspections, and air filter replacement help to prolong the life of equipment, provide better cooling, and prevent problems and premature breakdown- including your air not turning on on the first hot day of the season!

FOG cause clogged drains and sewage backup because they block the flow of water. Even though they appear harmless to pour down the drain as a liquid, fats, oils, and grease actually separate from water and stick to pipe walls, building up each time. That’s when you notice your sink draining slowly, odors starting to form, and eventually, one or more drains backing up.

What to know:

• Soap breaks up grease but loses its effectiveness when poured down the drain, so grease can still solidify on pipe walls.
• Hot water does not help break up grease- when the water eventually cools, grease becomes solid again.
• Cooking oil floats on water and sticks to pipes, so it’s best to avoid pouring any oil down the drain at all.

What to do:

• Pour oils and grease at room temperature into old containers (milk, water bottles, jars), seal them, and throw them in the trash.
• Scrape food, fats, grease, etc. from plates and utensils into the trash before rinsing or washing them in the sink or dishwasher.
• Use a strainer in the sink to catch any remaining food particles.

Keeping FOG out of your kitchen sink can help you to avoid drain clogs and backup. You may still be in need of drain cleaning in other sinks in your home where things like hair and soap commonly cause clogs and odor, too. In general, routine drain cleaning is a good idea to keep sinks flowing smoothly and functioning properly throughout your home.

Not sure what you need to do so your AC won’t quit in the middle of July? Here are some preventative maintenance tips to keep your cool:

Clean

Because your condenser unit is exposed to winter weather outdoors, it needs some attention- most importantly, cleaned. Any debris around or inside needs cleared away, and parts like the evaporator and condenser coils and fan blades need cleaned to get rid of dirt and buildup. If not, airflow can become obstructed leading to cooling problems or eventual breakdown.

Replace

Just like other parts of your AC, the air filter needs replaced about every two to three months for cooling efficiency and performance. A dirty filter obstructs airflow, which can lead to problems that could easily be avoided.

Inspect

Having your AC inspected by an HVAC professional ensures that, if you did keep up with maintenance, your unit is in good condition to turn on for the season. Otherwise, your technician checks multiple areas for any potential concerns that you can address before starting up.

Give your air conditioner the attention it needs this spring and it should return the favor by cooling you down without breaking down- so you can stay comfortable and keep your cool all summer long.

What do you know about your water? It’s clear, it’s refreshing, and you use it for practically everything. But what else?

Drinking Water Week is May 5-11^th this year, a time for everyone to take a minute to recognize the importance of water and to learn more about the water in our communities and homes. This year, the American Water Works Association, founder of Drinking Water Week, is focusing in part on how homeowners can protect water, including the water that flows through their faucets and the faucets themselves.

Certain conditions in a home’s plumbing system may affect water’s quality, according to the AWWA. They provided a list of tips for maintaining home water quality:

1. Clean faucets and aerators regularly
2. Clean and disinfect sinks and drains regularly
3. Keep drains clear and unclogged
4. Use cold water for drinking and preparing food
5. Replace old plumbing and install certified “lead free” fixtures
6. Flush cold water taps after household plumbing work or when the water hasn’t been used for several days
7. Drain and flush your hot water heater annually
8. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the water heater, filters, treatment devices, softeners and any other products attached to the water system
9. Do not connect hoses or other devices intended for non-drinking purposes to household drinking water faucets
10. Keep hazardous chemicals and unsanitary materials away from drinking water faucets

Following the tips from this list can help to maintain both your water and your home. Gillece can also help to improve the quality of your tap water itself through water quality solutions like filtration and purification systems. By reducing chemical presence and other impurities, these systems help to improve water’s taste and quality and encourage drinking tap water instead of bottled. You can also celebrate Drinking Water Week by challenging yourself to go without any bottled water for a week! Could you do it?

Source: http://www.awwa.org/resources-tools/public-affairs/public-affairs-events/drinking-water-week/dww-materials.aspx

May is Drinking Water Month, a good time of year to think about the water you’re drinking and consuming in general. That means not only the water you pour into a glass, but the water you use in tea, coffee, for cooking, etc. It all comes from the same place in your home and could be harmful to ingest on a regular basis. There are many reasons why safe water is important.

Contaminated Tap

Tap water can potentially contain as many as 84,000 kinds of chemicals and impurities. While water in certain areas may be more contaminated than in others, there is always a possibility of something making its way into your water that you shouldn’t be ingesting. Main water supplies are treated to kill contaminants before they reach your sink, but in some cases, those disinfectants become contaminants themselves when they react with natural materials found in water. Low contaminant levels are usually considered acceptable, but higher levels raise the cause for concern. Industrial products, human and animal waste, and improperly-disposed of chemicals are other possible sources of pollutants that can end up in your tap.

Health Effects from Ingestion

Contaminants in water have been associated with a wide range of health effects including kidney, liver, and lung disease and skin and bone damage. Arsenic, mercury, and fluoride are a few common and potentially dangerous chemicals linked to such health issues and diseases.

Is your Water Safe?

A water test can detect for certain kinds of contaminants in your tap so you know what you’re dealing with and can determine the best solution for your health and home. You can also visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s website to track down your neighborhood’s water supplier and request a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your water company.

Water Quality Solutions

Once you know what you might be consuming on a daily basis, you can easily do something to improve the quality of your water. Water filtration and reverse osmosis systems help to eliminate contaminants for safe drinking as well as better taste and smell. You can choose a system specifically for your kitchen sink or a whole-house filter that works with your main water line and interior pipes to filter water throughout your home. That way, you can safely drink and use water from every sink and faucet. And, when you have access to purified water at your fingertips, you can cut down on the use of bottled water- or stop altogether. That puts some extra dollars in your pocket and helps the environment. Start drinking better, safer water today!

1. A designated sump pit is dug out in typically the lowest part of your basement or crawlspace.

2. A sump pump is installed, which activates when the pit fills with water.

3. A pipe runs from the sump to outside of your home so water can be drained a safe distance away from your home’s foundation.

4. The sump pump runs on existing electricity and should be used with a GFCI outlet for additional protection.

5. The goal of the sump pump is to collect any water from your basement floor to prevent flooding and water damage.

Water damage can range from minor to severe, and usually gets worse the longer a water problem goes unaddressed. If your basement floods, then you could face irreversible damage to furniture and personal belongings, as well as potential damage to your health from exposure to mold and mildew. The best way to avoid all of the problems and dangers associated with out-of-place water is to prevent them with a waterproofing system. Find out your options, address any existing water problems, and be left with a dry, safe basement that you and your family can always count on.

Warm weather and the summer season call on air conditioning for a cool, comfortable, and safe environment you and your family can count on. After months of inactivity, it’s important for homeowners to maintain their air conditioning system prior to startup and to practice routine maintenance year-round. When it’s time to turn on your air for the season, air conditioning maintenance, including cleaning and inspections, can make cooling down a breeze.

Check out Gillece Services’ guide to air conditioning maintenance and see how to properly cover your unit during winter, clean it in spring, change the air filter, schedule an AC safety check, and the benefits of each. The difference between giving your air conditioner the attention it needs or neglecting it can mean having a hot house on a 90 degree day or staying cool all summer long.

Stay Cool: How to Maintain your Air Conditioner for Safety and Efficiency:

Air Conditioner Maintenance PDF

Household dust mites

You know it’s happening when the weather gets warmer, trees are blooming, and you start sneezing, itching, and sniffling: allergy season. It can start in the beginning of spring and last well into summer, causing millions of people to suffer and hide inside for relief. But what happens when you’re at home, out of the grass and far away from flowers, and you’re still sneezing or wheezing? Indoor allergies are a problem for many people year-round and can trigger symptoms in spring and summer, especially.

Five ways to manage indoor allergies this season:

1.    Turn on the air conditioner

When the weather warms up enough, chances are you’ll turn on the air to cool down. But during spring, people often choose to open their windows instead, which is like an invitation for pollen and other particles to come inside and make themselves at home. Running the air conditioner will help to neutralize indoor allergens through dehumidification while keeping pollen out.

2.    Leave allergens at the door

If you spend time outside (probably with the help of allergy medicine), then you risk bringing particles into your home. That includes on your shoes, clothes, hair and skin. It’s best to leave your shoes at the door, change clothes, wash the clothes you were wearing, and shower before bed. Instead, you’re possibly dragging pollen particles into your house and your sheets where they’ll linger and continue to trigger symptoms.

3.    Control humidity and moisture

Many allergens, including dust mites and mold spores, thrive in humid or moist environments. Using a dehumidifier in the basement, in particular, can help to eliminate moisture from the air where it most often exists. It’s also important to address water issues and leaks right away and to keep water from seeping into your home from the foundation or other source.

4.    Clean more often

Cleaning your home on a regular basis can help to reduce dust mites and other particles that collect on surfaces, carpeting, bedding, and anywhere in between. You should vacuum at least once a week, wash your bedding in hot water every one to two weeks, and clean surfaces throughout your home just as often.

5.    Use an air cleaner

Designated air cleaners, such as HEPA filters and whole-house air cleaners, help to capture allergenic particles from your air. HEPA means High Efficiency Particulate Air, a type of filter commonly used in hospitals for pollution and particle control. Whole-house air cleaners work with forced-air systems to capture small particles that are the most frequently inhaled. An air cleaner used in conjunction with the above practices can greatly reduce indoor allergies and related symptoms this spring and summer.

Home vs. Away

Air conditioners will be turned on over the next couple of months as temperatures rise and soar into summer. Starting a new season and switching from heat to air is a good time to think about how you’re managing your home comfort system. For instance, how do you adjust your home’s temperature when you’re home versus when you’re away for several hours at a time? In general, your home won’t need to reach the same level of comfort when you’re not there as it does when you are.

Saving Energy while Staying Comfortable

A programmable thermostat works according to the home vs. away concept to save energy and cut down on cooling costs. You can choose multiple settings for each day and adjust your home’s temperature when you’re at work or asleep, for example. A programmable thermostat follows your pre-set schedule with manual overrides allowed. Comfort is never sacrificed, either, because the thermostat goes back to its regular setting before you return home or wake up. The idea is for each degree the thermostat is adjusted, typically over an 8-hour period, you can save 1% on energy. That could mean 5-15% savings on your cooling bills.

Gillece Cooling Thermostat Installation

Gillece provides and installs programmable thermostats for both heating and cooling control. Installing a programmable thermostat this time of year allows you to start saving when you run your air conditioner for the summer. Gillece’s programmable thermostats are user-friendly with a high-definition color display, and have an optional internet connection, various personalized settings, and all-in-one control for multiple systems. They give you flexibility, precision, and control all while working with your home and lifestyle for the most efficient operation possible. If you’re interested in better management of your AC and furnace, give us a call!