Does Your Thermostat Read Temperature Properly - Homeowner Tips

Through out my career as an air conditioning, heating and refrigeration technician, I have seen thousands of jobs with the same problems over and over and over. I have seen just about every mistake you can imagine. I've been in the field going on 23 years now.

I came across one job a few years ago where the contractor (so called professional) installed a replacement digital thermostat in the same spot where the old unit was located. In between two door jams in a hall way. This guy used the old wires that were attached to the old thermostat, which is not a problem in it self, but the location of the wires is where he ran into trouble. The problem here was the person who installed this thermostat, installed it sideways because it was too long for this location. Instead of telling the customer he needed to go get a thermostat that fit the application or moving the wires to accommodate the thermostat he had on his truck, he installed what he had with him at the time and he told the customer "that was how these new digital thermostats needed to be installed" so they could operate properly. Of course the customer was a senior citizen in her late 80's and he had no morals or values. The funny thing is that this digital thermostat would have actually worked properly installed this way, because the sensor was a solid state device on a circuit board. Except for reading what the display said and reading what the buttons said, this thermostat actually operated correctly. You should have seen the way he installed the duct work but that is another story.

The reason the lady called was because it seemed to her that the furnace would always shut down too early or it would sometimes run for a long period of time making the room warmer than she wanted. I had to laugh when I arrived on the job and saw what this guy had done. The biggest issue mechanically with this thermostat was not the way it was mounted, but that it was mounted and covering a very large hole, where the thermostat wires came though the wall. The sensor was very near the hole on the wall and it was reading the cold inside wall cavity temperature. I removed the thermostat and installed a new one for her, free of charge and then filled the hole with sheetrock mud to stop the stat from reading the wall cavity temperature.

The customer wanted to pay me for my trouble and my materials but I told her that the next time she came across someone that needs a new furnace or air conditioner that could could simply give my name and phone number out and that would be enough. She agreed and thanked me for my trouble.

I still get referrals from her today. It has always bugged me to see someone take advantage of elderly people, especially when they have no business doing the work in the first place.

The digital thermostats today can do a lot and they are generally pretty reliable, most of the time its either that its installed wrong or programmed wrong, wired wrong or there are not enough wires to it. Maybe the thermostat needs the common wire from the thermostat hooked up to operate properly. The majority of these problems are the result of poor technical knowledge on behalf of the installer, or perhaps they simply don't care enough to read the installation instructions. Sometimes people get into the trade and learn how to install duct work and put sheet metal screws in with a drill gun and bam they think they have enough experience to go out and become a contractor.

Unfortunately home owners have no way of knowing whether or not the service company they chose has enough experience or knowledge to do the job right. The NATE Rating is about as close as you can come to being sure you hire the right people. However" I was trained a long time ago in a technical school that focused on the theory and operating principals of electrical, refrigeration, air conditioning and heating. Long before the NATE Training certificate came about. My schooling was 990hrs and the course took place over 9 months. I don't have the NATE certificate badge myself. I guess I should go get it to look more legitimate and I probably will get it as that seems to be the standard today. I have not looked into the certificate yet but eventually will.

You can contact me by email located within my site or you can post questions in our forum and I will respond fairly quickly. Maybe you had a new system installed and are having problems that the installer can't seem to fix. I would be glad to give it a shot. I specialize in residential gas/propane forced air heating systems, heat pumps, air conditioning and zoning.

John Grisler
Specialist in Environmentally Friendly High Efficiency Residential Air Conditioning and Heating Systems
Graduate Universal Technical Institute February 1986
23 Years Experience Residential/ Light Commercial Heating Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
US Patent 7234318 Multiple Stage, Single Pass Refrigeration System. June 2006
Designer of the Self Contained Air Conditioned Chair -see grizzco@feeservers.com

my web site is http://greenfeetco2.com/

Renewable Energy - Make It - Use It - Sell It

Are you (almost) afraid to open your electric bill each month?

Did you know that the average house uses (approx.) 10,654 kWh of electricity every year? (Source: Dept. of Energy) At an average cost of .1097 cents per kWh, that is $1168.00 per year!?

You know the Sun bombards us with more (free) power & energy than one can imagine and most of that renewable energy is wasted. If you can find a way to harness that energy and use it to power your home, that IS the way to go.

You can save (not pay for) 75 to 90% of your energy bill each and every month if you were able to use the renewable energy produced on a daily basis all around you.

AND why do we need to put up with the fairly regular brown-outs and black-outs that occur in a lot of areas?

As more and more people are becoming aware of the massive impact our energy uses have on the Environment, our wallets, and our National Security, this idea, Solar Power or more specifically, Home Solar Power is seeing a very large surge of interest.

Have you ever thought of having a home solar power energy system in your own back yard?

Many people have been expressing the interest in solar power & wind power for their homes for a couple of reasons:

1. First of all, they want to Save Money!
2. Secondly, of course, they want to help save the environment! (It is, after all, the only place we have to live right now.)

NOW, have you ever imagined building this type of solar power system?

Our Technology based lifestyles have us using all sorts of things to make our life safer, more hygienic, and more comfortable than our ancestors, and why not? However, that does come at a price if you want to continue to pay the electric company, the gas company, or whoever it is that you do pay to power these things that you want and need.

You can get all kinds of information about how to cut-back on your electrical usage but that doesn't change the price you pay for what you do use. Generating your OWN power will.

The first thing you are going to be thinking about is: Finding a professional company that can come in and do all the construction, disrupt your household for a while, (probably) make a mess and then hit you will a bill that might look like you buying a new car.

And of course there is the issue of whether there is anyone in your area that even does this kind of work.

But, Hey, I have a thought! Do you have a little bit of a Do-It-Yourself nature about you?

You can build (yourself) a Home Solar Power system for less than $200.00 with material that you can find at most hardware stores and construct it within the next week.

How does that sound to you?

Imagine if:

You never had to pay an electric bill again,
You KNOW that the power you are generating is Clean and Reliable,
When the power goes out for everyone else on your block, you can still carry on your daily activities,
Any excess power that you produce can either be stored for future use AND/OR
That extra power can be sold to the electric company?

Yes, you can make money from the electric company!

Imagine that.

Make It with your own Emission-free, silent, Green Home Solar Power plant.

Use It to power the lifestyle that you are comfortable with.

Sell It to the electric company when you don't need all of what you produce!

Mickey Brundege lives in the Beautiful Pacific Northwest with his bride of 25 years. He has run a Recycling Business, worked in sales/bookeeping for a Typewriter & Calculator co. He is very interested in the environment as he believes everyone should be.

For additional information addressed by this article go to http://solarpowerformyhome.info

You will have access to Step-By-Step instructions as well as videos to help you every step of the way.

Choosing Your New Bathtub

Are you a homeowner? If so, if you are given the option to change one thing about your bathroom, what would you choose? If you are similar to many other homeowners, there is a high possibility that the bathtub was your answer. In the United States, there are a rather large number of homeowners who wish that they had a new bathtub. If you are among those individuals, the good news is you don't have to wish any longer? If you want a new bathtub, you should get one. Making a new bathtub part of your bathroom remodeling project isn't as hard as it may appear.

Perhaps, the first step in selecting your new bathtub is deciding on the amount of money set aside for your budget. In addition, if you are remodeling your entire bathroom, it is important that you not make the cost of a new bathtub your only focus, but also the cost of your other supplies. If you mistakenly overspent on a new bathtub, it could affect the rest of your bathroom remodeling plans. Furthermore, you will probably discover that setting a bathtub limit or budget is the best method to cut down on shopping time. Having in mind the amount of money that would be consider overspent will prevent you from wasting your time, by examining bathtubs that you are unable to afford.

It is also a fine idea to decide, ahead of time, how you would like to have your new bathtub installed. If you have plans to hire a professional to install your new bathtub, you will need to be aware of the extra costs. Even though you might want to avoid paying a professional contractor, you may need to. There are several bathroom contractors who specialize in replacing bathtubs. In fact, some, literally, just place a new bathtub right over the old one. It may be feasible for you to do this yourself, but, in most cases, you will discover that a professional contractor would take as little as a few hours to install your new bathtub.

Regardless of whether your choice is to install your own bathtub or hire a professional to do it for you, you will have to find a new bathtub to purchase. If you are planning to have your old bathtub completely removed, you will probably discover that you have more options. When a new bathtub replaces an old bathtub, the tubs need to be somewhat similar in size or style. Hence, if you are remodeling your bathroom with the expectations of getting a "new," bathroom, you may be searching for something different. Fortunately for you, you still have a limitless number of options.

In the United States, the most regularly installed bathtubs types consist of traditional ones, which are also known as standard tubs. These bathtubs are frequently connected directly to the wall, positioned in a corner, and sit right on the floor. One of the good points about the majority of traditional bathtubs is the comparatively affordable price. You can buy a traditional bathtub for as low as two hundred dollars. If comfort is your concern, instead of price, you may want to consider spa-like bathtubs or even massage bathtubs. These bathtubs, as you may guess, are more expensive than most others. Several massage bathtubs or spa-like bath tubs go for around one or two thousand dollars. If you are searching for a trendy, stylish bathtub, you may fancy owning a freestanding bathtub. You can get a freestanding bathtub from as low as five hundred dollars, but it can also reach into the thousands.

Once you have made the decision of purchasing a bathtub that suits your preference, you will need to settle on on a particular tub. Perhaps, shopping is the greatest way to accomplish this. You may find it simpler to decide when you are able to view the bathtub displays set up. For an extensive range of bathtubs, consisting of displays, you are recommended to checkout one of your local home improvement stores.

Did you find those tips on bathroom remodeling useful? You can learn a lot more about bathroom remodeling by visiting http://home-remodeling.homeimprovementnewbie.com/.

The author of this article is Shin who is the webmaster of the site http://www.homeimprovementnewbie.com/ where he provides tips on home improvement.

5 Reasons Not to Have a New Roof Installed Over an Old Roof

So you need a new roof and are trying to decide whether or not to try and save some money by having the new roof installed over an existing layer of roofing. This technique is quite common in many areas and many roofing contractors don't see any problem with this method and have no problem trying to sell homeowners on a lay-over or go-over as this technique is called. They are wrong.

5 Top Reasons A Lay-Over Or Go-Over Is A Bad Idea When Re-Roofing

1.) Areas that have or had leaks can't always be addressed properly

There is a good chance that your old roof had some problem areas including possible leak spots, whether you noticed them or not. Without tearing off the old roof and properly identifying these types of trouble spots and determining where the leak was coming from and traveling to it is impossible to tell what areas of your roof may need some special attention.

2.) Any rotted wood under the existing roofing will only get worse

There could be areas that have rotted wood hiding under the old roofing. These rotted areas need to be identified and replaced before a new roof is installed. Obviously if your roofing contractor is only doing a lay-over roofing installation then these rotted areas will remain covered up and only get worse as the years go on. Also the nails holding down the shingles in areas with rotted wood cannot properly do their job and you have a much higher risk of shingles blowing off in those areas.

3.) Eaves, rakes and valleys need special treatment

This is a big one. The eaves, rakes and valleys of your house need special attention when your home's roof is being installed. This is especially important in colder climates like Massachusetts, where we are located. In the winter time the eaves of your house are under attack by Mother Nature, whether it is through ice dams, snow build up, or just the constant freezing and thawing that occurs throughout the winter season. When a new roof is properly installed the roofing contractor needs to put new aluminum drip-edge around the entire perimeter of your roof.

Next they need to apply a 3 foot wide section of ice & water barrier around the perimeter as well as in any valleys on your roof. Then they can begin to install the new roofing. Without tearing off the original roofing there is no way to properly install the new drip-edge or ice & water barrier. On a lay-over type of roofing install, the roofing contractor is counting on the existing products on the home's roof to still be up to par and be able to handle the winter conditions. All too often the old products fall short whether it was because they have outlived their lifetime, were sub-par to begin with, or maybe they were never there to begin with (all to often the latter is the case with ice & water barrier).

4.) Extra roofing weight is no good for old rafters

One of the more obvious problems with a lay-over re-roof is the added weight of the extra layer of shingles. On most newer homes this is not an issue, however many older homes have rafters that are considered undersized by today's framing standards. It is not uncommon to see 26 rafter systems on many of these houses. Now in most situations a 26 rafter is undersized to begin with and you certainly don't want to be adding the weight of a new roofing layer on top of an old roofing layer to these already undersized rafter systems. With newer roofs using 210, 212, engineered trusses, etc. the weight isn't always as much of an issue.

5.) Shorter roof life expectancy

Most responsible roofing contractors agree that a lay-over roof will decrease the new roof's lifetime by about 25%. This fact alone means that any money you might have saved by doing a lay-over, as opposed to a tear-off and new roof install, was only a short term savings. In addition, you now have 2 layers of roofing that will need to be removed the next time your roof is done and that will also add more cost to the job

Tear-Off Then Re-Roof Is Always Superior

Well, I just gave you 5 very good reasons to tear off your old roofing and then install your new roof. Yes it can be cheaper in the short term to do a go-over on your old roof, but, in the long term it will cost you more. We never recommend this technique to our customers. We always recommend completely tearing of the old roofing, fixing any underlying problems, then installing a fresh, beautiful new roof that will outlast any lay-over roof as well as better protect our customers' homes.

Josh Johnson is part of the team at BCI Contracting, Inc., a Massachusetts roofing contractor, and he would be happy to provide you with more information about their roofing, siding, and seamless gutter installation services if you visit the website. You can also visit Josh's roofing blog which focuses on the roofing and siding industry, particularly in Massachusetts.

Information on Homemade Residential Solar Panels

Natural Energy,means energy produced from nature. The main sources ofnatural energy, or power, are wind power and solar power. According to science none of the energies is lost in these methods, they just change their forms.

The sources, upon which we depend now, are the oil bed and other fossil fuels such as coal for energy. But, due to excessive exploitation of those energies the climatic conditions are changing for the worse and this is resulting in global warming and more costly electricity. So, to bring the situation in to a better position we must look for some alternatives. This search gave birth to the solar panel and wind turbines, bothfor commercial and individual household use. Wind and solar energy are the most used alternative energies in homes.

Solar energy is produced by the radiation received from the mighty sun. This is a fresh and renewable energy. The photons that are contained insolar energy help to derive the electricity through the cells on the solar unit. Going with this process every one can save theirmoney and our dear earth in the process. Previously, it was far too costly to get a solar panel installed in your home but this is no longer the case. Now there are new options on the market for solar technology which are far more affordable and practical. Setting up one of these units at home is very easy and all the materials required are available in your local hardware shops. Everything that is need to do-it-yourself will cost around $200, which will quickly pay for itself in electrical savings. With the economy and global warming in their current states there has never been a better time to being using the sun to power your home.

The cheapest option for installing solar panels is to go with DIY Solar Panel Instructions which include detailed instructions, step-by-step video walk-throughs and even locations to get all of your materials as cheap as possible.

With DIY solar panel instructions you can be living off the grid, on free solar energy, for as little as a $200 start up cost.

Start saving money and the environment today, what are you waiting for?

How to Hire the Right Home Improvement Contractor

New York was dubbed the "City that Never Sleeps" for a good reason and that is the 24-hour hustle and bustle not only of traffic but people as well. Home improvement is an area which is increasingly gaining importance in NYC living. A very busy lifestyle, calls for a living space that would be worth coming home to no matter the size or type of residence. There may also be damages and functionality issues lurking somewhere and are only brought to the attention of the busy occupant when the damage is beyond repair. There is no doubt that in times when the need for maintenance, repair, renovation, and remodeling arises; the most ideal option for any New York City person is to get help from a home improvement contractor, but how do you hire the right one?

Good word of mouth is the best form of advertisement for every business operator and service provider, as well as the most damaging. Try to ask family members, friends, and neighbors for any recommendation. These people would be the best source for honest testimonials on the work of an NYC home improvement contractor. Be wary of names that come up when asking at some building materials store or at a local pool supply as these leads could just be among those that benefit from a finder's fee scheme.

If you have nobody trustworthy to consult to regarding this search, check with the BBB or Better Business Bureau in New York first before spending minutes and hours going through the local Yellow Pages. While at it, see the list of home improvement contractors that have bad records or unresolved complaints to their names and make sure to steer clear from them. The Internet can also be a good source of information that could lead you to the right NYC home improvement contractor. You can browse through rip-off websites or simply Google the name of the professional that you are interested in, and you are sure to find either good or bad things about him. From here, you could already draw up possible candidates who have clean records.

After going through the steps, now is high time to screen them to determine the right home improvement contractor to hire. Phone each of your picks and tell them exactly the same details and get bids. When conducting the interview, never hesitate to ask many questions especially important ones. Do not base your choice on the price given by the contractor as the cheapest is not always the most economical and the most expensive does not always end up with the highest of quality. When comparing bids, consider what the contractor plans to do and the materials that he will be using. Make sure to get references to check out and verify his license.

There are numerous benefits in acquiring the services of a New York City home improvement contractor, so much more if you did your homework and hired a competent one. The time extended on going through the selection and the dollars spent would prove to be well worth it not only after the project has been finished successfully but in the long run. Hiring the right home improvement contractor for the job helps you avoid the risks of additional costs for maintenance and back jobs.

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened New York General Contractor. To know more, visit New York Remodeling.

The Key to a Happy Valentine's Day While Still Saving Money and Expressing Your Love

Have you ever planned a special day, be it Birthday, Anniversary or Valentines day and it just all fell flat?You thought that the person you were wanting to make feel special would love what you had planned but instead, they weren't really impressed at all. Very often what has happened is just that you haven't taken into account that the other person isn't excited about the things that excite you.Gift giving can be a tricky thing. The best way to decide on a gift is to think of all the things that make your valentine smile. What music do they like, what movies do they like, what's their favorite color? Think of what is important to them.

Men and women's values are different so they respond to the same things differently Women love sentiment and men don't really care about it all that much. Men are very practical (not that women aren't) and women are more sentimental.In other words what rings her bells may not ring his bells. When love to know you have been thinking about them. They love that you did something that was out of your comfort zone for them. That means that you must really care. I know it might sound weird to a guy but it matters to us girls. If you aren't a good cook then she might love that you tried to cook a meal for her. Make it breakfast if dinner is too tricky. Better you mess it up a bit than buy take away as that is too easy.

The key to having a happy Valentine's day is to appreciate what makes you both happy and don't expect your partner to want what you want. If you want him to do something different then don't get upset with him if he tries it and he gets it wrong. Guys hate to be wrong or seen as a failure even more than women do. It seems to reflect their manhood somehow in their eyes, so praise him for trying.

When we focus on the intention we can look past whether things worked out well or notBe grateful for any attempt at an expression of caring no matter how big or small.The main thing is that your loved one is trying to express what is in their heart and some of us are better at expressing emotion than others.If roses and chocolates is what he does, smile and be grateful.If a card is all he can muster, be grateful.If it comes two days late.. ..well at least it came.And if it doesn't come at all well maybe he/she doesn't know how important it is to you to be remembered.

Focus on how you want your loved one to feel about you more than on what they are giving you and you may be pleasantly surprised.What you focus on always manifests so focus on your Valentines good points and let them surprise you with how they express their love to you.

Here are some NO COST gift ideas for Valentines Day that you may enjoy:

1. Time to unwind- her way- Your gift could be to take the kids out for a few hours so she can relax, do her nails, have a bath, read a book in the sun, chat to her girlfriends uninterrupted, anything she likes.
2. Time to unwind- his way- Give him a weekend with the guys- if he is working too hard and finds it hard to have time out suggest he get the guys together for a basketball game, a game of golf or just to stay in a watch the football with the guys

Try and see things from the perspective of your Valentine and you will both enjoy the day.
Cheers

Gaynor

Money Saving Tips 4 You is a great money saving series and can be found at http://www.moneysavingtips4you.com. Now with a Special Edition on VALENTINE'S DAY that has 101 great ideas. Lots of them are NO COST or LOW COST ideas and all of them will make your loved one smile without straining your wallet.

The original Money Saving Tips 4 You book has 450 ideas about how to save money in areas of your life such as Mortgages, Credit Cards, Saving Around The Home, Energy Savings, Saving In The Kitchen, Saving On Food, Laundry Saving, How To Save With Children, Health Savings, Savings At Work For Employers And Employees, Car Savings, Saving On Gift Giving, Entertainment Savings, Gardening Savings, how to save when you have Pets along with Recipes For Family And Pets.

You will also receive a FREE copy of the best selling inspirational book of all time, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill when you purchase Money Saving Tips 4 You, so see how you can make your dollar go further at http://www.moneysavingtips4you.com