Keep Your Home Cozy with High-Quality Heating

The Rocky Mountains provide Salt Lake City with a decent barrier against cold weather, although it is possible for the city to experience temperatures below 0 °C. As such, home heating devices will always be relevant to local residents, so much so that the only question left is what kind of device fits your preferences. Heating systems can come in a variety of forms and provide varying degrees of warmth.

One of the most popular heating devices would have to be the furnace, since it is pretty simple to install and to use. A furnace can be powered by oil, wood, or electricity although those that run on electric power tend to be more efficient because they also have thermostats (similar to air-conditioning units). Meanwhile, heat pumps are a special kind of electric heater that transfers heat from one area to another (similar to a water pump).

Ventilators work on a similar principle, although they are designed to bring in fresh, filtered air instead. These devices can complement an existing heating device not only by providing more warmth, but also by reducing the amount of particulates found indoors, thus making your home much cleaner. Humidifiers, which regulate indoor moisture, can take this even further and are particularly helpful for those with respiratory ailments like asthma.

Types of Home Heating System

Home heating systems are used to keep a house warm and to maintain a comfortable temperature during the cold season. If you plan to install one, there are a variety of models in the market with each having different heating capacities and sources.

Electric Resistance Heating

An electric resistance heating system converts almost 100 percent of electrical energy into heat. However, only about 30 percent of coal and gas (the primary source of electrical energy) are actually transformed into electrical energy thus making it more expensive than other types of heating systems. Some types of electric resistance heaters are electric furnaces, electric radiant heaters and electric space heaters.

Active Solar Heating

This type of heating system uses solar energy that can be stored in batteries and later used to heat the house. In situations where the system isn't able to directly provide adequate energy to suit the household requirements, the energy stored in the batteries is used.

Furnaces and Boilers

The most common type of home heating systems are furnaces and boilers. Furnaces distribute heated air in the house by using ducts, while boilers heat water for the showers and sinks, and produce steam, too. Hot water is distributed by a baseboard radiator or a radiant floor system, and steam passes through pipes into steam radiators.

Calibrating Your Heating System's Thermostat

When doing some maintenance work for your home's heating system, one of the things you shouldn't forget to do is to check if your thermostat is still calibrated. Although an uncalibrated thermostat may seem like a small problem, faulty controls can affect your furnace's performance.

Uncalibrated thermostats could give you wrong temperature readings as well as incorrect temperature controls. For example, when you turn the knob to 73 degrees Fahrenheit, a faulty control could read that incorrectly as 75 degrees, which would heat up the house more than you want to.

To check its calibration, simply place a paper towel on the wall, then tape a thermometer to it. The paper towel should act as a shield to keep the thermometer from touching the wall directly. Once the mercury in the thermometer settles, compare the reading with the thermostat. If there are differences between their temperature readings, then it's time to pry open that thermostat and check inside.

Dust is the archenemy of your thermostat. Pull on the faceplate and it should snap off, or unscrew it if necessary. You can use a soft brush for cleaning the inside, as well as rubbing a new dollar bill onto the contact points. Blow off dust that the brush can't reach; also check if the thermometer inside the thermostat is in a straight position.

If problems still persist, then it could be time to repair your thermostat, or check your heating.

How to Buy an Air Conditioner

It does sound incredible for anyone to intentionally leave the refrigerator door open for a rush of cool air in the thick of a heat wave. This is just what Mookie did, the character played by Spike Lee in his 1989 film, Do the Right Thing. In reality, this action only makes the room hotter because the heating pump behind it extracts and releases more heat in the room. Here are tips to buy yourself an air conditioner:

  -- Shop for an air conditioner during winter – brands are often on sale and in stock;

  -- Choose between a window, wall, or portable air conditioning unit – wall units need a hole in the wall, while portable units need a window for the ventilation hose

  -- Measure the room to be cooled – buy an air conditioner with the appropriate cooling capacity

  -- Check the Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) of air conditioners – units with higher ratings consume less energy

  -- See if the louvers are adjustable – purchase models that have rotating louvers to circulate air

  -- Reckon special features – some brands offer remote controls, timers and filters to remove odors, dust and especially allergens

  -- Compare products – search consumer sites and other reliable sources for advice and feedback

Try the air conditioning at the store – listen to the noise that a unit makes and see if it can be operated easily. Don't even think of looking to your fridge for a blast of cold.

Tips on Cleaning Your HVAC Ducts

Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning or HVAC system is one of the most important equipment in your home as it keeps you warm in winter and cool during the summer. To serve its purpose when you need it most, you have to keep it clean and free of contaminants at all times. Here are some important tips on cleaning your HVAC ductwork.

Clean all your AC and heater's vents with your vacuum cleaner. Carefully remove the screws that hold the vent covers in place. All screws (two or four, depending on the make) should be visible enough for you to completely remove the cover. If you are removing a cover from the ceiling, stay out of the way of falling dust.

Dust out your vents by placing the vaccum's long, flexible hose attachment into each vent and suck out any dust and debris. Make the cleaning as efficient as you can by extending the hose's reach as far as you can. Make sure to empty your vacuum bag of dirt every time it fills up as you go through all the vents in your house.

Wash the vent cover with hot water and an efficient kitchen cleaning detergent. Use a clean rag to go over the entire surface of the cover to make sure that you clean all of its nooks and crannies. After drying, carefully set each cover back in place.