How Can I Save Money on Energy Bills in the Summer?

When the heat comes back around in Georgia, it’s time to crank up the air conditioning. However, dealing with those increased energy bills can make keeping cool in the summer a challenge. Don’t worry, when the heat and humidity rise around Greene and Putnam County, you can use a few of these tips to keep your energy bills from rising too. Pay Attention to How You’re Using Electricity Sometimes increased energy bills have a lot to do with people not paying attention to what’s consuming electricity in the home. For example, if something isn’t in use, don’t just turn it off, unplug it completely. Phone and battery chargers that aren’t charging anything can still waste electricity. A smart way of doing this is with surge protectors and wall switches. With these, you can just flip a switch and stop the energy drain. When it comes to your air conditioning specifically, you need to make sure it’s not eating more energy than you’re saving by turning things off. This all also applies to things like lights, fans, and anything else that uses electricity. Turn off the lights when they’re not needed. Fans can help but they’re only good when they’re actively...

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Can Air Conditioning Cause Headaches?

If you work in an Eatonton office building with central air conditioning, you may have noticed that you often leave work with a dull headache. Is the HVAC system to blame? According to the experienced technicians at Oconee Climate Control, a poorly performing air conditioning system can negatively affect your health, including headaches. How does it happen? Too Much Dry Air When an air conditioner is cooling, it not only removes heat but also moisture from the air. If the humidity drops below 20%, you may experience dry sinuses which can result in a dull, pounding headache. Nasal sprays can help alleviate immediate symptoms, but actually, the AC system requires service or a humidity sensor to prevent the problem in the first place. Lack of Fresh Air Traps Germs, Mold, and Pollen When you seal up a house or office and use only central heating and cooling to maintain a comfortable temperature, you are no longer introducing fresh air and trapping existing impurities in the system. Mold can grow in the ducts. Air-borne viruses are never replaced with a new fresh untainted air source. Grass and tree pollen move from room to room, never going away with the seasons. All...

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What to Look for in an Air Conditioning Company

Finding a new air conditioning company can be challenging since their ads look almost alike. However, a closer examination can often reveal the ones that are worth further interest. Here are some of the things to look for in an AC company: The Focus of the Company HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) companies typically handle one of two main things: residential and commercial sales and service. Though some advertise both, it is common for them to actually do far more of one than another. Look for a company that focuses on the type of structure you have. Services Provided Not all air conditioning companies provide the same services. Look at their site or call them to be sure they can and will do what you need to have done. A good example of this is emergency repair work. We provide 24/7 emergency service, but not all companies can do this. Authorized Dealers If you’re interested in getting a new system or getting warranty work done on an existing one, look for an authorized dealer. This will help ensure that the factory warranty will remain in force. Some manufacturers will cancel their warranties if unauthorized providers install or service their...

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5 Benefits of Good Indoor Air Quality

Even if you’re the rugged, outdoorsy type, your home is your refuge from the elements. You need a cool, comfortable place to take your rest and for that, you need clean temperature treated air. Here, we’ll discuss the five most important benefits of having good indoor air quality. 1. Breathe Easier Breathing well is something we tend to take for granted- until we get into trouble. The more contaminated the air we breathe is, the more quickly we succumb to illnesses and allergies. Even a subtle amount of indoor pollutants can raise our stress levels, and inhibit good health. Carrier Air Conditioners have an advanced dehumidifying component that makes breathing easier all year long. 2. Sleep Better Of course, cleaner air means we will have the ability to rest easier and are less likely to get sick. This reduction in our stress levels makes sleep come more readily. But cooler air temperatures also help us to sleep better. It’s natural for our bodies to relax in cooler temperatures, and a good AC can help quite a bit. 3. Remove Allergens & Pollutants Most people have or will develop some kind of inhalant allergy in time. When we are allergic to...

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Why is AC Maintenance Important?

Our cars and appliances receive tune-ups to guarantee they are in top shape. Your AC system deserves the same treatment to ensure proper efficiency, to save money and to provide clean air quality. AC maintenance has several benefits. Prolong Your AC Life AC units are an expensive home item. Maintaining your home’s system in top condition helps save money down the road by prolonging the life of the unit and its components. A system that receives regular check-ups will perform better and the life of the AC will be extended. A few dollars for a check now save thousands down the road. Better Air Quality Air quality is important for everyone, but especially for the sick, children, elderly and even your pets. A poorly maintained system struggles to provide clean air for the homes’ residents. In addition, dirt, debris and pollen collet in the system, leading to poor air quality. Regular maintenance provides better efficiency and cleaner air. Your family and even pets will thank you for the cleaner air quality! Save Money Regular checks provide several financial savings. A regularly maintained system will last longer as the life of the unit will be extended. Taking care of minor issues...

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How Is a “Smart” Thermostat Beneficial to My Home?

Over the last few years, products in every category have been moving toward “smart” technology. This includes cell phones, televisions, and even thermostats. Smart technology brings a number of new benefits we didn’t have before. With smart thermostats, these benefits include: Saving money on monthly utility bills. Viewing real-time diagnostic data. The ability to remotely operate the thermostat. Save Money on Bills Energy Star, a program of the EPA, found that a smart thermostat can save a homeowner about $180 each year on energy costs. This is due efficiencies of smart thermostats. These thermostats have better indicators of a home’s climate, and will turn on and off only when they should. View Diagnostic Data Smart thermostats have an amazing ability to show real-time data. This includes diagnostic data and energy usage. This is a great way to monitor if and when an HVAC system needs regular maintenance. If part of the system needs to be repaired, the diagnostic data might be viewed with the smart thermometer. Real-time energy usage can also be viewed. Before smart thermostats, homeowners would have to wait until the monthly bill to see their energy usage. Now, you can instantly plan your month’s energy usage day...

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What Are the Benefits of Using Humidifiers?

What Can Humidifiers Do for You? Humidifiers increase the moisture, putting steam in the environment and have the following health benefits: Relieves irritation to the body by: Treating skin dryness which occurs in the nose, throat, and Lips. Easing cold and flu symptoms Relieves allergic symptoms Relieves bloody nose Relieves irritation of vocal chords Home benefits in the winter: Removes airborne viruses  from spreading throughout the house Air feels warmer with moisture in the air, which could lead to a reduction in heating bills Prevents static electricity from damaging semiconductors, removes from textiles static and diminishes collection of dust and any small particles to stick to surfaces Prevents dryness and cracking of furniture Cost efficient: Low maintenance Humidifier parts are resilient and resist replacement Hard water is compatible with a humidifier WHOLE HOUSE HUMIDIFIERS Whole-house humidifiers sometimes operate by being, attached to your heating system’s heat cycle, between the home’s hot air and cold air ducts.   But these humidifiers also can operate independently.    The humidifier produces steam when the hot air that flows in the house diverts to the humidifier.  There are three types of whole house humidifiers:  Steam Steam, Bypass, and Fan-powered.  All these types operate by mixing hot air with cold air. , Eatonton, GA  is an...

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Georgia Heads to the National Championship

Georgia played Oklahoma in the 104th Rose Bowl game on January 1 at 5:00 pm EST, and it was the team’s first appearance in college football’s oldest bowl game in 75 years.  Georgia’s last Rose Bowl was January 1, 1943, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president and the world was at war. Because of the threat of a Japanese invasion, the site of the 29th Rose Bowl game was in doubt until after the U.S. victory in the battle of Midway in June 1942 ensured the west coast was safe from invasion. The Rose Bowl to Rose Bowl Stadium in California where Georgia won 9-0 over UCLA to claim the 1942 national championship. The 2018 Rose Bowl game Presented by Northwestern Mutual in Pasadena, California, offers #2 Georgia a chance to advance to the College Football Playoff Final and a shot at another national title. This massive college football stage will not be too big for second-year coach Kirby Smart. As Nick Saban’s top assistant for many of his nine seasons at Alabama, Smart helped the program win four national titles and dozens of big games. Fresh off of winning the SEC title over Auburn in early December, Smart’s team ranks in the top 10 nationally in defensive and offensive efficiency. In other words,...

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What is an AFUE Rating?

If you live in an area where it is warm much of the year, air conditioning is your saving grace.  On the other hand, if you live in an area where you use a heater, keeping it operating in peak condition is a primary concern.  if this is you, having a resource like Oconee Climate Control can be of immense value whether you are in need of service or even just being more familiar with how your system operates.  For example, of prime importance in understanding generally how your furnace works is AFUE, which is an acronym for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Why is AFUE Relevant? The AFUE is a measurement of how of how efficiently your furnace is utilizing the fuel being provided to it.  It’s similar, in a way, to the concept of miles per gallon of your car.  in a similar way also, the more efficient your furnace is, the more heat you will be receiving per unit of fuel.  Using AFUE as a guide, you can determine when your furnace is in need of service as well as being able to choose one furnace over another when deciding which is more efficient for your uses. How Can This Help Me? Once you better understand...

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How is a Forced Air Heating System Different?

The primary difference in a forced air heat unit is the type of equipment you use to heat the air. Forced air heating is not a term that many people are familiar with even if they are likely users of a forced air heating system. Forming Forced Heated Air The types of equipment that heats the air that keeps you warm can be confusing. However, each has an easy explanation as to how they work and produce the much-needed hot air. Gas furnaces provide heated air year around.  Natural gas fuels combustion in the furnace’s burner.  The heat passes through the heat exchange and the ductwork; you are kept crispy on the coldest of days. Electric furnaces use electricity controlled elements to heat the air.  The upside to an electric furnace is that every component is easily replaceable.  The downside is that they also require furnace maintenance on a routine basis and are more apt to need replacing after it has aged. Heat pumps suit mild climates. The efficient heat unit draws cold air into the pump and heats it to expel warm air. Heat pumps work with ducts but also are available for homes that are ductless. A hydronic coil uses water to create steam that flows through ducts in the...

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