Glenmont Heating & Air Conditioning

Quality Products at a Reasonable Price with Exceptional Customer Service

How a 1987 Treaty Changed Air Conditioning in 2010

Apr 29

Posted by Alyssa in Air Conditioning, Helpful Tips | 1 Comment

Ever heard of the Montreal Protocol?  Like many things that happen among and between nations, even if you haven’t heard of it, we’re talking about an event that could affect your life – or, in this case, your home comfort.

Offered up in 1987 for nations to sign and adopt, the Montreal Protocol was an international treaty that focused on a concern for how chemicals and other things in the atmosphere were depleting the ozone layer that was protecting life as we know it on earth.  The treaty was amended in 1992 to set a timetable for phasing out chemicals known as HCFCs – which includes in this list a refrigerant that has been used in air conditioning systems since the early ‘70s.

Now, fast forward to today and what this means in practical terms for you: Air conditioners manufactured after 2010 can no longer use the refrigerant R-22 (also known by the brand name Freon) as the coolant of choice.  While this refrigerant can still be produced and used to service existing equipment for the time being, in 2020, the production and import of R-22 will end, and it will only be available through recycled and reclaimed processes.  As of 2010, prices for refrigerant have been going through the roof!  Some have seen this reflected on their invoices for service, if you had to have any added.

That means simply this: any air conditioning that uses R-22 is looking at a time limit.  As you face repairs with any pre-2010 system, we’ll be glad to talk with you about the best ways to extend the life of the equipment (hint: regular maintenance!), and when the time is right for replacement, we’ll give you our best guidance there too.

In the meantime, to learn more about what’s going on, take a look at this info, What Every Homeowner Should Know:  Government to Take A/C Refrigerant Off Market.

Washington DC’s Once-a-Year Step for Everyday Comfort

Apr 16

Posted by Alyssa in Uncategorized | Comments off

You’ve probably heard of Poor Richard’s Almanac even if you have never read it.  This was a work by Ben Franklin back when the country was young, and it had a calendar, weather predictions and some wise sayings.

Well, if Ben Franklin were writing weather predictions for Washington DC, he’d say, “It’s going to be hot this summer”.  Seems to me, it happens every year around that time, and this year, we’ll be true to the calendar again.

Yet, if Franklin had central air conditioning, I think he could have added some updated helpful advice like this:

“If you want something to last, you take care of it.  If you want something to do its job, you make sure it’s running well.  If you want something to protect you in the night, you make sure it doesn’t have any hidden dangers.”

Why do I think that?  Because here’s what Franklin actually did say: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

You’ve heard it, I’ve heard it, and we all know it’s true.

So what ounce of prevention can you bring to your home comfort this spring?  One simple step of a preseason checkup on your system can make a world of difference in your comfort all summer long.  To learn more about the value of routine maintenance, take a look at this info, The Nutty Way to Solve a Problem Before It Happens.

Time to Dust Off a Few Energy Saving Ideas

Mar 26

Posted by Alyssa in Air Conditioning, Helpful Tips, Saving Energy | Comments off

Have you ever considered how much the dust that’s gathering in your home is costing you in energy bills?

When dust builds up on the registers and vent covers in your home, for example, it becomes “insulation” that blocks the air’s path into the room. The harder a system has to work to keep your home comfortable, the more you pay in utility costs.

So as you look ahead, a thorough dusting with special attention to registers and vent covers is a good idea. Other ideas?

  • Close drapes to keep out the hot daytime sun. especially on south- and west- facing windows.  Sunny windows make air conditioners work 2 to 3 times harder.
  • Close fireplace dampers or glass doors.  Going up the chimney with a bound may serve as a dramatic exit for Santa, but don’t allow your cooled air to use that same escape hatch.
  • Position your refrigerator away from sunny windows, hot water heaters, warm air from heating ducts, ducts, radiators, stoves, and other heat sources.  The heat makes cooling harder for your refrigerator.

These are just a few natural, free ways to help reduce your energy costs and increase your comfort. Other small steps can also make a big difference. For example:

It’s no news that energy costs are a big expense for homeowners. And not surprisingly, heating and cooling account for more than half of this amount. If you’d like to learn more about conserving energy in your home, this info will get you started – Is Your Home at the Center of an Energy-Loss Vortex?

Dear Glenmont, It’s Me, Winter…

Mar 25

Posted by Alyssa in Uncategorized | Comments off

I got you guys good!

Thought I was all gone, and you got ready for SPRINGTIME.

WELL HAHA! Puxatony Phil and I had a plan to fake you out, let you have a little hope that Spring would be here soon, and then let me have one more go at you before Spring took over.

 

Suckers….

Weather Alert: IT’S COLD

Jan 23

Posted by Alyssa in Heating, Helpful Tips, Saving Energy | 6 Comments

There’s an app for this, an app for that.  There’s hardly anything we do or enjoy that can’t benefit from a little technological assistance, right?  As a matter of fact, I recently heard of a “winter wake-up” app, which combines the functions of an alarm clock with online weather forecasts.  The result is – that if your app determines wintry conditions are going to create delays in getting to work, it’ll wake you up a little early so you’ll have more travel time.  (I might be angry until I figured out why I was being woken up early – but that’s a personal preference.  I’d more likely be okay with being late for work haha)

 

Anywho, you don’t need an app to know the conditions your heating system is facing.  I live in a third floor apartment, and even with my heat set at 68 degrees last night, my system was running nearly all night long.  The cold temperatures are making our heating systems work extra hard.  Plus, if you didn’t have it serviced BEFORE the season began, your run the risk of having an undetected carbon monoxide leak that could cause serious risks to your family’s health.

 

That’s why we STRONGLY recommend routine maintenance on your system.  It’s just a good idea any way you look at it, and this helpful report illustrates some of the benefits.  Take a look.