Friday, December 30, 2011

Don’t Invite an Invisible Killer to Your Home

      You can’t see it, touch it, smell it or taste it, but it kills hundreds of people each year. Poisoning by carbon monoxide is a real risk of modern life. A professional inspection of fuel-burning appliances – including furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, clothes dryers and space heaters – could prove to be a lifesaver. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that the yearly, professional inspection include:


§  Checking chimneys, flues and vents for leakage and blockage by creosote and debris.

§  Checking all vents to furnaces, water heaters, boilers and other fuel-burning appliances to make sure they are not loose or disconnected.

§  Inspecting vent pipes on heating systems (i.e. oil/gas/propane furnaces & boilers).

§  Inspecting appliances for adequate ventilation. A supply of fresh air is important to help carry pollutants up the chimney, stovepipe or flue, and is necessary for the complete combustion of any fuel.

§  Making sure ventilation air openings aren’t blocked.

Friday, December 16, 2011

5 Quick “Go Green” Tips to Help You and Your Family This Winter

Stay Green During the Coldest Months of the Year


     Granted, your lawn is looking anything but lively at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be green – as in environmentally savvy. Global warming is caused primarily by a buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth’s atmosphere. And since global warming is now a worldwide concern, it no longer “costs” to go green. In fact, it “pays” to go green, and in more ways than one.

Here are 5 quick tips for going green this season:

Weatherize your home.  It doesn’t take much to reduce your impact on the environment. Simply by caulking around doorways and windows and replacing old weather stripping can reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1700 pounds per year.

Make sure your home has adequate insulation.  This one step can save 25% on your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of CO2 per year.

Replace old appliances with newer energy-efficient models.  Just in time for Christmas. Just by using an energy-efficient refrigerator, you can save 500 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Replacing your washing machine with a low-energy, low-water usage machine, will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 440 pounds per year. Converting your gas furnace to a dual fuel system, that pairs a gas furnace with an electric heat pump, will reduce flue emissions by as much as 50% per year.

Upgrade your heat pump and air conditioner to R-410a refrigerant.  The Clean Air Act of 1990 prohibits the production of HCFC-based systems by 2010, and bans Freonรข-22 production by 2020. R-410a refrigerant is environmentally friendly, and if your system ever gets a leak then it will not damage the ozone.

Maintain your HVAC system.  Changing your filter once a month or so maximizes your system’s performance, minimizes its energy usage, and ensures that the system keeps the inside of your home comfortable. And this one simple, but often over-looked step, saves 350 pounds of CO2 each year.

Remember, “green” is about what you can save – energy dollars, carbon dioxide, the environment, and ultimately, our planet. So do your part and go green this winter.

      Howell’s Heating& Air Conditioning has been improving the indoor environments of the Richmond area since 1969. 

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

People Are More Important

During the Holidays we become more aware of what really matters in life. People are more important than things. Relationships are worth nurturing. And the spirit of the season really isn't in a box under the tree.
 
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of the men and women at Howell's. Their efforts each and every day help thousands of Richmond residents.

 
The office staff - without them the daily grind of running a business could not get done. A friendly "Good Morning" rings throughout the halls. A bowl of sweet treats sits at Nancy's receptionist desk, inviting all who need a brief pick-me-up. The cubicles are decorated and primed for the "Best Decorations" contest. (It looks like a Ben Franklin store exploded.) From making sure invoices are accurate to organizing ESOP events, the office staff are truly the unsung heroes, and for that I say, "Thank you."


The Commercial Department - Many of you reading this have been inside a building here in Richmond that has been made comfortable by the staff in the Commercial Department. In fact, many of the shops at Stony Point Mall and Short Pump Mall have our systems in them to provide their customers a warm haven for holiday shopping. The commercial field crews have to battle cold and hot weather, fickle project superintendants, inspection deadlines, and the omnipresent OSHA inspector. And they still manage to perform their responsibilities on time and with a great attitude. Keep up the good work.


The New Residential Construction Department - The housing market may have crashed, but our New Res. department hasn't let that affect them. The field crews are up and working well before most of us even hit the snooze alarm. Their dedication to comfort can be seen in many homes in the Kingham at the Grove, Founders Bridge Estates, and Mountain Springs subdivisions, just to name a few. Like the commercial crews, the New Res crews have to endure much of the same challenges, but at the end of the day they know that they have created a new comfortable home in Richmond. Thank you.

 

The Add-on Replacement Department - These guys are great. If your system needs replacing due to age or failure, then you will have met the sales team. With your best interests in mind they design a system that is just what you're looking for, and then it is handed off to the best installation crews in the country. These guys are not only trained, but they respect you, and your home. Their ultimate goal is to provide you with a quick and efficient installation; treating your home as if it was their own. Thank you guys for all you do everyday.


The Service Department - My favorite! From a routine maintenance inspection on a heat pump in Mechanicsville to a heat exchanger replacement in Midlothian to an oil boiler nozzle change in Rockville, my service team is ready anytime and any place for any and every issue at hand. Of course, I take credit for this, but you will not find a better trained crew of service techs, who are also devoted to great customer service. Many of you know Dennis, one of our most popular technicians, but I want to tell you that our whole service team is just like Dennis. John, Jerry, Ricky, Cardell, Jason, Andy, Jim, and Chris are all fantastic and I am proud that I have each of them on my staff. Thank you guys for everything that you do everyday. From the weekend service calls, to trudging through snow to help a customer get their heat back up, and battling the 100° temperatures in July to catch that extra service call with a smile on your face. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 
And last, but certainly not least - YOU! Our customer! Thank you for choosing Howell's to be your HVAC service company. We strive everyday to improve our performance for you. I hope each and every one of you have a safe and happy holiday season. We appreciate being able to serve you, and look forward to helping you or your friends and family whenever the need arises. So again thank you for being a Howell's customer.

 
Please, while you're reading this, pause for a second to say a prayer for a friend who could use it. That's a gift to them...just as you are a gift to us.

 
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year,

Tracy Parrish

Monday, December 5, 2011

If It’s Broken, Fix It! Or Should You?


            (First and foremost, I want you to gather your last two years worth of HVAC service tickets and hold onto them. We will go over them in a moment.)

Your heating and cooling system cuts on and off over 25,000 times each year, and in a typical Richmond Summer, your air conditioner runs the equivalent of your car driving 150,000 miles. And yet, you are surprised every single time it breaks down on you.

You call a service company, they send a technician out, he assesses the system, diagnoses the repair, gives you the repair cost, and then asks you the ultimate question that you were hoping you would go your whole life without ever hearing, “Would you like for me to repair it, or would you like to replace it?

("Why is he doing this to me? Why do I need to make this decision now? I have kids in college, and I am about to go on vacation, I cannot think of this now. I will take the easy way out, the cheapest way. After all, it’s just a heating and cooling system!")

 Let’s face it; nobody likes to be in that position. And you're right, it is just a heating and cooling system; it is not that exciting. It doesn’t play our favorite songs at a touch of a button. You can’t go 0-60 in 6 seconds with the top down. Or hit a 300-yard drive off the tee into the wind with it. And it doesn’t even have a 50” high-def screen with digital Dolby surround sound. It is just a heating and cooling system. Or is it?

We overlook the true value that our heating and cooling system provides us on a daily basis. We don’t complain about our heating and cooling system when it IS working. We relish it when coming in from a 95-degree day. Your heating and cooling system is probably the most expensive equipment in your home. Plus, it’s responsible for keeping the temperature constant. It also supplies your home with “air exchanges”, like breaths for you and I, to keep the air fresh, moving, and healthy. And it is required to do all of these functions simultaneously. Winter or summer. Day or night.  Automatically, all year long, and we just expect it to do it forever.

So, you are at that point of decision; Repair or replace? When weighing the costs and benefits of repairing or replacing older equipment with more efficient HVAC equipment, keep the following points in mind: 1) Age of Equipment. 2) Fuel Costs. 3) Indoor Air Quality. 4) Length in Home 5) Return on Investment.

One of the most direct points to consider regarding replacement of your HVAC system is simply its age. Do you have a system that is more than 10 years old? Even if it still runs dependably, you still might be better off with a new one. The physical life of HVAC equipment, similar to personal computers, can often be longer than its economic life. Plus, older heat exchangers are more likely to develop cracks or rust holes that could cause an unhealthy environment for you

As energy supplies dwindle and production costs and demand rise, the cost of electricity and gas are bound to go up per unit. Fuel costs tend to go up more than down over the long run. I know, tell me something I don’t know. As fuel costs go up, are electricity and gas bills from cooling and heating straining your monthly budget? Knowing that we, as homeowners cannot control the cost of fuel, we can however control the amount of kilowatts used within our home. When looking at a repair in comparison to a replacement option, you must weigh the amount of current Kw’s used per month/year with the existing equipment against the potential energy usage reduction a newer, more efficient system could provide. A low-cost repair of $300 on an 8 SEER system will not provide similar energy savings from a new 13 SEER minimum system. Also, the monthly savings continue after you reach the “break even” or “pay back” period on the new equipment.

Dirt is the number one cause of system failure. Now you know the reason why we tell you to change your filter once a month. Your heating cooling system is responsible for circulating the air within your home. Today’s homes are built tighter than ever before. Since 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has consistently ranked indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental risks to public health. The indoor air quality in your home today directly affects your heath, comfort, productivity, and overall quality of life. Temperature and humidity play a role in our health because levels that are too high or too low can contribute to illness as well as discomfort. Air enters your home each time you open your doors or windows. With that air comes dust, dirt, pollen, smog, and other parts of the "outside" that you would prefer to keep there. A minor 10% leak in your HVAC system's ductwork can introduce pollutants into the living environment, especially if the ductwork is located in a damp and musty crawl space or in a hot, dusty attic. A repair to an existing system only perpetuates an under-performing air system, which is responsible for the overall health of everyone inside. If you notice problems with in your home now, i.e. sneezing, constant headaches, stuffy noses, dry throat and nasal passages, hot and colds spots, etc, then consider the investment to a newer system for your health and comfort. And, make sure that your ductwork is inspected and, if any leaks are apparent, then get them sealed immediately.

Do we ever really know how long we are planning to stay in our homes? In today’s housing market, I am staying put. Of course, my wife has been planning on moving for the last five years. The average repair cost for a compressor is around $1,000. After, you have weighed the age of the system against the repair, and then you want to determine your residence expectancy, and Repair Cost Ratio. Take those service tickets that I told you to get, if you do not have them then try and estimate in total dollars how much you have spent on HVAC service repairs over the last two years and how many service calls you have made. Now, add up the total cost of all of the repairs, and then divide them by 24 months (Or the duration of months from your first ticket). For example, if you have 5 service calls that total $1,200 in total service dollars spent in the last two years, then you take the $1,200 and divide by 24 months and you see that your Repair Cost Ratio is $50/month. Now, I want you to simply take the duration of 24 months and divide that by the number of service tickets (5) or calls. This number indicates on your own historical averages, that you will make a repair once every 4.8 months. This information is important to know when making the decision to make the repair today, because if you do then, you will know that you will be paying an additional $50 a month until the next repair, and that the next repair is coming less than 5 months from now. Lastly, will you be in the house for another two years? Five years? Take your Repair Cost Ratio and add the extra expense of today’s repair during that time frame. How does the picture look?

Most HVAC contractors use the term “payback” when talking to a homeowner about a new heating and cooling system. The length of time in months and/or years it will take for a new system to pay for itself in energy savings. Most consumers do not have everyday thinking about payback while, on the other hand, we are exposed to Return on Investment information, from our banks, investment portfolios, and the news. Simply put it is the money returned by an investment, divided by the investment amount. For example, if you invest $100 and receive $3 interest, then the ROI is 3%. In HVAC terms, the investment is of course the total amount of a new system, and the estimated annual energy savings represents the interest or return. For instance, if you were to invest $6,500 in a passbook savings account you might get 2-3% return, or a 3-5% return in a CD. But these returns are taxable! That means that the net return on investment will be the initial ROI less the customer’s tax rate. But if you invest the same $6,500 into a new system replacement price, and depending upon the weather conditions, utility rates, and customer usage the annual energy savings might be $350. Then the ROI would be $350 divided by $6,500, which would yield a 5.3% return. The ROI is all net to the customer. Pretty darn good.

When consumers decide to buy toaster ovens, televisions and DVD players, the process is typically to go out, check prices and buy the product with the best price. Price shopping makes the purchase easy. The price tells us which manufacturer to choose. But, when it comes to buying a heating and cooling system, price may get you into deep trouble. You don’t need the weatherman to tell you that it will soon be hot in Richmond. And it feels great to come inside from summer’s heat and feel the cool, dry air from your air conditioner. But what will you do when it breaks? You can only take off so many clothes before it is considered illegal. The unfortunate thing is that an air conditioner usually “breaks” when it is running the hardest, or when you need it most. And on those 90-degree days, these same homeowners would gladly give their right arm for air conditioning NOW! And, it is at this moment, as the house begins to heat up, and the extra humidity swirls around you, and you have the technician salivating at ripping open your system, a homeowner needs to be as calm and cautious, as ever, before they make that decision (hopefully a good one!) that will last for the next 1 to 15 years. For more information, take our “Repairvs. Replace Quiz”. You will not believe your eyes.