My husband and I bought property in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, with the plan of building our dream house. The area is absolutely beautiful, offering the amenities of a big city with small town charm. The downtown district is especially fantastic, with lots of shops and food options. There are plenty of parks and trails and Longview Lake provides swimming, fishing and a wide variety of water sports. We are also just minutes from Kansas City. As we designed our new home, we knew that heating and cooling needed to be a consideration. While the four distinct seasons in Lee’s Summit are part of the appeal, the weather extremes present a challenge. The winters bring temperatures well below zero while the summers are hot and humid. After a lot of research and consulting with a local HVAC company, we chose to install a dual fuel system. This combination of an electric heat pump and gas furnace is a bigger investment than most other options but quickly pays for itself in energy savings. For the majority of the year, we utilize the heat pump. It works by moving heat between the indoor and outdoor environment by way of refrigerant. It easily handles the summer heat and humidity. In heating mode, the operation is more environmentally friendly and less expensive than running the furnace. There is no combustion process, eliminating carbon monoxide and greenhouse gas emissions. Once the outdoor temperature drops below freezing, the heat pump struggles to find sufficient ambient heat to meet indoor demand. At that point, the furnace takes over. Our home is comfortable no matter what the weather in Lee’s Summit brings, and our utility bills are reasonable.
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Enrolling in maintenance plan for furnace and air conditioner
Birmingham, Alabama, is a really beautiful place to live.
There are more than two hundred sunny days, approximately 55 inches of rain and sometimes even a trace of snow.
Most everything we might want to do in Birmingham, from shops to theaters and gorgeous parks are no more than a ten-minute drive. The many one-way streets, lack of proper road signs and five-way intersections make getting around the city a bit of a challenge. When I first moved to Birmingham, I got lost a lot. I’ve finally learned my way around. I’ve also learned that the majority of restaurants are closed on Sundays. I’ve figured out my favorite grocery store, where to buy the wine I prefer and where to have my car serviced. I now have a regular hair dresser, dentist, pharmacy and an HVAC provider. I have signed up for a maintenance plan to keep my heating and cooling equipment operating reliably and efficiently. The weather in Birmingham includes hot and muggy summers and chilly winters. I rely heavily on the air conditioner and furnace and hope to minimize energy bills. A technician comes to the house in the fall to service the heating system and again in the spring to take care of the cooling unit. He completes a thorough inspection, cleaning, adjustment and diagnostic testing. This service not only fulfills the requirements of the manufacturer’s warranty but addresses any issues with operation. I can be sure that all components are operating at their best. I avoid energy waste, costly repairs and concerns with indoor air quality. The furnace and air conditioner should last longer.
A whole-home humidifier is a necessity
The moisture is spread throughout the home, significantly improving comfort
The winters in South Bend, Indiana, are especially long and cold. We expect temperatures in the teens, and even down into the negatives, and the wind chill makes conditions feel even colder. The area averages snow accumulation of more than five feet over the course of the year. We rely heavily on the furnace for anywhere from six to eight months. Because cold air doesn’t retain as much moisture, we commonly have problems with insufficient humidity. For homes in South Bend, a humidifier is just about a necessity. I started out by trying to improve indoor air quality with portable humidifiers, but I was constantly refilling the reservoirs and they barely made a difference. The overly dry air aggravated my daughter’s allergies and worsened my problems with psoriasis. My husband complained of headaches, and we all found it difficult to sleep soundly at night. I was worried about hardwood furnishings, doors and moldings cracking. I was concerned that our hardwood floors would start to squeak. Plus, dry air feels colder than properly moisturized air, which encourages higher thermostat settings. This puts added strain on the furnace and leads to more costly energy bills. I finally made the investment into a whole-home humidifier that installed right into the plenum of the furnace. It is a steam-style humidifier that uses electrodes to convert water to steam and introduce it into the heated air. The moisture is spread throughout the home, significantly improving comfort. I’ve noticed a difference in the cleanliness of the home as well as the health and energy levels of my family. The savings on my utility bills has quickly recovered the cost of the humidifier.
Jacksonville HVAC dealerships are expensive
My family and I lived up North for a while.
I had a job working at a hospital and things were going well.
When my wife got pregnant with our third child, we decided to move closer to her family. They were in Jacksonville, Florida. I definitely didn’t want to move to Jacksonville when my wife got pregnant, but I knew that we needed some help. My wife was not able to work full-time and I was the only person with an income. My in-laws found me a job working at a Jacksonville HVAC dealership. My father-in-law knew the owner of the Jacksonville HVAC company and he didn’t even need to interview me for the position. As soon as my wife and I moved, I went to visit with the owner and he told me that I could start as soon as I unpacked. I actually let my wife and her mom unpack everything and I went to work immediately. We never really discussed any of the fees that I was going to get paid and I just assumed that the money was going to be comparable to what I was making before we moved. I saw a lot of the bills that I was charging for HVAC repairs. I was bringing in thousands of dollars for the company and I hoped that I would see part of that in my paycheck. I guess I should have asked my boss how much I was going to be making, but I hated talking about money when the guy was giving me a good break.