Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Benefits of Air Purification

As a well-known and respected San Diego HVAC company, at Bill Howe, customer service is our top priority. We owe much of our success to our many satisfied customers who come back to us again and again and who refer others to what they consider the premier HVAC San Diego service provider. After three-plus decades, we couldn’t be happier with how well our services are received by our loyal customers.

Part of our mission is always to try to stay on the cutting edge of new products and technologies making their way to market. In the past few years, an important concern for our San Diego HVAC customers has been something more than the mere comfort and efficiency provided by their home HVAC systems. Indoor air quality has become an important consideration, especially with all that is now known regarding the relationship of air quality and a family’s health.

According to the Environment Protection Agency, people spend an average of 90 percent of their lives indoors and, based on their estimates, indoor air may be anywhere from two to five times more polluted than the air outside. It is suspected that this indoor pollution is responsible for any number of health risks, especially for those prone to asthma or other respiratory problems.

Installation of an effective air purification system can negate these potential risks by removing many airborne allergens and irritants found in a typical home. Electronic air purifiers can eliminate as much as 98 percent of these pollutants from inside a residence. Ultra violet light systems, which are installed in the air ducts, eliminate these contaminants and kill molds and bacteria as well.

To schedule an appointment with one of our San Diego HVAC specialists or to find out more information on the benefits of air purification, please contact us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469) or visit our website.

Monday, April 16, 2012

How To Save Energy At Home

Conserving energy is becoming an important part of the lifestyle in America. Whether the Energy Efficient AC Unitreason is environmental consciousness or financial conservation, the truth is that everybody benefits from using the energy in their home wisely. However, many people are still not sure what they can do to conserve energy. At Bill Howe, we have a couple recommendations which will save energy while being easy on your wallet:

Keep Your HVAC System Well Maintained

Your San Diego HVAC system is one of the appliances in your home which is almost always using at least some energy. Between monitoring your home’s temperature via the thermostat and turning on to maintain a comfortable temperature, this system is almost always using energy.

Though there are energy efficient models on the market, the truth is that you can save a great deal of energy by simply making sure that whatever system is in your home is running at peak performance. Preventative maintenance of your San Diego HVAC system will maximize the efficiency of any system and is a good first step for conserving your San Diego HVAC system’s energy footprint.

Adjust Your Thermostat

Even the best maintained San Diego HVAC system is going to waste a lot of energy if the thermostat is set incorrectly. A good way to save some energy in this case is to adjust your thermostat according to the outside temperature. We recommend about 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and about 72 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. The best way to ensure proper use of the thermostat is to install an auto-programmable thermostat. There are many options to choose from including thermostats that you can program from your phone or computer, or even systems that learn your behavior and adjust automatically based on the system’s memory.

At Bill Howe, we care about the health of your home’s HVAC system and want to make sure that it runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Plus, if you are in need of a new system, we offer free estimates on new installations. To schedule an appointment with a specialist in HVAC, San Diego residents please contact us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469) or visit our website.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Changes In Energy Star

Energy Star is a program that promotes energy efficiency. The Energy Star is awarded to specific products to let consumers know that they can help save energy. The goal of the project is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution that results from the inefficient use of resources and energy. The Energy Star symbol on packaging makes it easier for consumers to identify and buy money saving, energy efficient appliances.

Effective early 2012, there have been several changes that have been implemented in the Energy Star Program. Once such change lies within Version 3 of its New Homes program: all new HVAC systems installed as of January 1st must be installed according to the Quality Installation (QI) guidelines established in ANSI/ACCA Standard 5 QI, in order to earn the Energy Star label. While Version 2 of the New Homes program focused on the efficiency of the equipment and ducts, Version 3 includes installation requirements and inspections to better coordinate between the builder, home energy rater and HVAC contractor. Other changes announced to go into effect as of July 2012 include revisions to product requirements for Energy Star qualified furnaces and geothermal heat pumps.

Energy Star provides certain guidelines to keep home and business properties energy efficient when using their HVAC. San Diego companies that offer cooling and heating repair see to it that they check systems for any air leaks and damage that can cause units to use more energy than usual. At Bill Howe, we have many highly skilled technicians who follow Energy Star regulations related to HVAC. San Diego equipment installation should always be done right to ensure that energy is not wasted.

The team at Bill Howe Heating & Air is always up to date with the latest news and changes in guidelines from Energy Star in San Diego. HVAC equipment offered to home and commercial property owners is often Energy Star rated to ensure efficiency. Bill Howe is among the best San Diego HVAC companies and our team can work with you to find the most cost efficient and energy efficient HVAC unit for your home or business.

To schedule an appointment with one of our San Diego HVAC experts, please contact us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469)or visit our website.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Let Us Know Which Drawing You Like Best!

Help us choose the “public vote winner” of the “Howe” Healthy is Your Heart Drawing Contest!

Due to an overwhelming number of submissions, we’ve had to narrow down the contest entries to the top 100 finalists! Thank you to all of the children who submitted their drawings – you are all VERY talented!

The “public vote winner” will be chosen based on the number of “likes” and comments on the images of the drawings on the Bill Howe Facebook page. The “public vote winner” will receive one of the runner-up prizes of $100 to Toys “R” Us.

To read the rules for the “public vote” click here.

Learn more about the “Howe” Healthy is Your Heart Drawing Contest, sponsored by the American Heart Association and Bill Howe Plumbing, Heating & Air.

Fact or Fiction? It’s Okay To Buy a Cheap Product As Long As It Has a Lifetime Warranty

Fiction. It’s important to use a quality San Diego plumber to install or repair your plumbing fixtures. Some people will look to purchase the most inexpensive product as long as it carries a lifetime warranty. While you’ll have the security of not having to purchase that product again if it breaks since it would be covered under warranty, you’ll still end up paying more with the cost of hiring a plumber to come back and install the new product. You’ll be better off purchasing a higher quality product at a higher price and knowing that you won’t have to replace that product for a long time.

An experienced San Diego plumber like Bill Howe Plumbing can offer advice on what parts and brands are the best to install in your home. When it comes to keeping fixtures and other plumbing parts working properly and efficiently, it’s important to consider using both a quality plumber and quality part. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for!

Here at Bill Howe, we have expert San Diego plumbers and all of the knowledge it takes to help our customers make the best decisions on plumbing products. We know that people like the security of warranties from the companies that they purchase their parts from, but we also know which parts are worth it. If you choose to buy the most inexpensive product on the market and it breaks, it definitely helps that the manufacturer is willing to send you a new product (although most likely of the same quality) to replace the broken one. However, every time you need to have that product installed, it’s going to cost you money to have it installed by a plumber – or if you can do the installation yourself, it’ll cost you time and a headache of having to take care of the repair. Save yourself future costs and headaches and speak with an experienced plumber before purchasing your own plumbing products.

If you hire a San Diego plumber with Bill Howe, it means getting our experience and our warranty. We have been in the business since 1980 and we are dedicated to quality service. To schedule an appointment or receive a free estimate from one of our San Diego plumbers, please contact us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469) or visit our website at www.billhowe.com.