(BPT) – The technology in our TV sets has changed a lot in the past decade. When it comes time to buy one, it’s easy to lose track of which features matter for a good TV-watching experience.You might find a TV at a tempting price, but you don’t want to…
(BPT) – The technology in our TV sets has changed a lot in the past decade. When it comes time to buy one, it’s easy to lose track of which features matter for a good TV-watching experience.You might find a TV at a tempting price, but you don’t want to…
(BPT) – The trend toward outdoor living spaces that mimic the look, comfort, convenience and functionality of indoor spaces doesn’t have to stop at the backyard grilling station. A growing number of homeowners are exploring new additions to their outdo…
(BPT) – The trend toward outdoor living spaces that mimic the look, comfort, convenience and functionality of indoor spaces doesn’t have to stop at the backyard grilling station. A growing number of homeowners are exploring new additions to their outdo…
(BPT) – Spring cleaning is a seasonal tradition. You’ve been setting house projects aside all winter, and now’s the perfect time to make sure the warm weather season starts with a cleaner, happier home. So open the windows, turn on your favorite song, …
(BPT) – Spring cleaning is a seasonal tradition. You’ve been setting house projects aside all winter, and now’s the perfect time to make sure the warm weather season starts with a cleaner, happier home. So open the windows, turn on your favorite song, …
(BPT) – Spring brings warmer weather and longer days. Many of us feel re-energized, ready to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. For homeowners, spring is a great time to think about areas of the home ripe for home improvement. Looking around the perimeter of your home as well as the inside with a critical eye can typically help homeowners identify several areas requiring attention that may have gone unnoticed during winter.
Here are three ways homeowners can get their home ready for spring while helping to improve indoor comfort, increase the energy efficiency and add value to their home.
Schedule equipment maintenance
Seasonal use of your home’s furnace and air conditioner also means they require seasonal maintenance. It’s recommended to schedule a HVAC tune-up with your local utility provider. Not only will maintenance help optimize the performance of HVAC equipment during the season, but it will also contribute to their durability for the long term. Also consider checking the air filters and replacing them as required. The U.S. Department of Energy notes by simply changing your HVAC filter, efficiency of your HVAC equipment can improve 5-15 percent. These small measures can have a significant impact on how your home performs.
Check your roof for any ice dam damage
If you live in an area where snow and icicles are common sights during the winter months, you may want to consider assessing your roof for any roof damage caused by ice dams. Ice dams form as the result of a poorly insulated attic or roof. Expensive, warm air escapes through the roof to cause any snow that has accumulated to melt. As the melted snow runs off the roof, it begins to refreeze as it nears the colder temperatures of the eaves. Ice dams can place a large amount of structural stress on your eaves trough. The excess weight can eventually drive the eaves trough to detach from the house.
Having a professional check your roof for any damage will help identify problem areas and allow you to address them early. It may also be a good time to work on reducing your home’s air loss via the attic or roof by replacing your existing insulation with an insulation and air barrier material such as spray foam insulation.
Check your basement for water damage
Assess whether your basement has experienced any water damage near windows due to melting snow. Water damage can lead to a range of problems, including the potential for mold growth and mildew. Consider replacing your basement’s insulation with closed-cell spray foam insulation like that available from Icynene. Closed-cell spray foam insulation is recognized by FEMA as a flood-resistant material, making it an ideal solution to help maintain comfort in often-overlooked basements as well as reduce the risk of water damage.
Spray foam insulation provides both insulating value and air sealing in one step to help create a comfortable living space while limiting air loss and potential mold growth. Spray foam insulation, which is growing quickly in popularity among homeowners, is a high-performance material that delivers year-round energy efficiency benefits. Plus, spray foam can be used in a variety of areas in the home, such as basements, attics and walls. Spray foam insulation performs for the life of the property, ensuring homeowners can enjoy comfortable indoor temperatures all year round without overrunning their heating and cooling equipment. The foam insulation material limits air loss through the attics, prevents potential water damage in areas such as basements and helps create a comfortable living space.
Homeowners interested in understanding more about the performance and energy-efficiency advantages can download Icynene’s comprehensive home insulation mobile app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. More information about Icynene spray foam insulation can be found at Icynene.com.
(BPT) – Spring brings warmer weather and longer days. Many of us feel re-energized, ready to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. For homeowners, spring is a great time to think about areas of the home ripe for home improvement. Looking around the perimeter of your home as well as the inside with a critical eye can typically help homeowners identify several areas requiring attention that may have gone unnoticed during winter.
Here are three ways homeowners can get their home ready for spring while helping to improve indoor comfort, increase the energy efficiency and add value to their home.
Schedule equipment maintenance
Seasonal use of your home’s furnace and air conditioner also means they require seasonal maintenance. It’s recommended to schedule a HVAC tune-up with your local utility provider. Not only will maintenance help optimize the performance of HVAC equipment during the season, but it will also contribute to their durability for the long term. Also consider checking the air filters and replacing them as required. The U.S. Department of Energy notes by simply changing your HVAC filter, efficiency of your HVAC equipment can improve 5-15 percent. These small measures can have a significant impact on how your home performs.
Check your roof for any ice dam damage
If you live in an area where snow and icicles are common sights during the winter months, you may want to consider assessing your roof for any roof damage caused by ice dams. Ice dams form as the result of a poorly insulated attic or roof. Expensive, warm air escapes through the roof to cause any snow that has accumulated to melt. As the melted snow runs off the roof, it begins to refreeze as it nears the colder temperatures of the eaves. Ice dams can place a large amount of structural stress on your eaves trough. The excess weight can eventually drive the eaves trough to detach from the house.
Having a professional check your roof for any damage will help identify problem areas and allow you to address them early. It may also be a good time to work on reducing your home’s air loss via the attic or roof by replacing your existing insulation with an insulation and air barrier material such as spray foam insulation.
Check your basement for water damage
Assess whether your basement has experienced any water damage near windows due to melting snow. Water damage can lead to a range of problems, including the potential for mold growth and mildew. Consider replacing your basement’s insulation with closed-cell spray foam insulation like that available from Icynene. Closed-cell spray foam insulation is recognized by FEMA as a flood-resistant material, making it an ideal solution to help maintain comfort in often-overlooked basements as well as reduce the risk of water damage.
Spray foam insulation provides both insulating value and air sealing in one step to help create a comfortable living space while limiting air loss and potential mold growth. Spray foam insulation, which is growing quickly in popularity among homeowners, is a high-performance material that delivers year-round energy efficiency benefits. Plus, spray foam can be used in a variety of areas in the home, such as basements, attics and walls. Spray foam insulation performs for the life of the property, ensuring homeowners can enjoy comfortable indoor temperatures all year round without overrunning their heating and cooling equipment. The foam insulation material limits air loss through the attics, prevents potential water damage in areas such as basements and helps create a comfortable living space.
Homeowners interested in understanding more about the performance and energy-efficiency advantages can download Icynene’s comprehensive home insulation mobile app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. More information about Icynene spray foam insulation can be found at Icynene.com.
(BPT) – The key to reducing your home’s energy bills could literally be at your fingertips, hanging on the wall of your home. Multiple studies have shown the connection between lower energy bills and thermostat settings. In fact, reducing thermostat settings just seven to 10 degrees for eight hours per day can reduce heating and cooling use by 10 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Smarter thermostats, greater efficiency
With smart home automation, homeowners can use a home comfort system to actively manage their comfort and energy usage. This greater ability to match the system performance to individual lifestyles puts the homeowner in a position of power when it comes to managing their energy usage. And in terms of home comfort, that control typically starts with the thermostat.
Thermostats often serve as the touchpoint that integrates with the larger system to provide the simplest, most user-friendly interface for the homeowner. So, it’s important for homeowners to understand the different types of thermostats available to them and how they can improve comfort and efficiency:
* A conventional thermostat lets the homeowner adjust the temperature using a traditional dial or control panel.
* Smart thermostats monitor user behavior and dynamically adjust system performance for consistent comfort and maximized efficiency.
* Connected thermostats bridge the gap between the two, offering remote operation, but still rely on the user for direction.
Smart thermostats, like Champion’s Momentum Hx Touch-screen Thermostat, manage automation by communicating wirelessly with home heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to maximize efficiency. Smart thermostats learn better than humans, and can automatically adjust temperature programming to match your lifestyle while maximizing efficiency and savings. As part of a complete system, the Wi-Fi-enabled Momentum thermostat allows users to monitor and control systems remotely with an app from any internet-enabled mobile device, and can even notify homeowners of developing problems.
Looking beyond the thermostat
The number of connected households that have smart thermostats more than doubled in the past two years, according to market research firm Parks Associates. With 36 percent of broadband-using households interested in a system that manages and monitors their home energy use, Parks Associates predict that half of all American homes will be smart homes by 2020.
Energy consumption starts with the overall heating and cooling equipment; thermostat watts are just a small portion of energy consumption. Purchasing home automation products designed and manufactured to work with the homeowner’s specific comfort system is the best way to maximize performance and energy savings. And, homeowners should start with buying energy-efficient equipment.
“It’s important to remember that “smart” isn’t just the thermostat – it’s an overall connected system,” said Jedidiah Bentz, director, Advanced Systems, Controls & Technology, Johnson Controls. “A complete home comfort system goes beyond the thermostat to offer energy saving benefits.”
To learn more about Champion home comfort systems, visit www.championhomecomfort.com/smarthome or follow @Champion_HVAC on Twitter.
(BPT) – The key to reducing your home’s energy bills could literally be at your fingertips, hanging on the wall of your home. Multiple studies have shown the connection between lower energy bills and thermostat settings. In fact, reducing thermostat settings just seven to 10 degrees for eight hours per day can reduce heating and cooling use by 10 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Smarter thermostats, greater efficiency
With smart home automation, homeowners can use a home comfort system to actively manage their comfort and energy usage. This greater ability to match the system performance to individual lifestyles puts the homeowner in a position of power when it comes to managing their energy usage. And in terms of home comfort, that control typically starts with the thermostat.
Thermostats often serve as the touchpoint that integrates with the larger system to provide the simplest, most user-friendly interface for the homeowner. So, it’s important for homeowners to understand the different types of thermostats available to them and how they can improve comfort and efficiency:
* A conventional thermostat lets the homeowner adjust the temperature using a traditional dial or control panel.
* Smart thermostats monitor user behavior and dynamically adjust system performance for consistent comfort and maximized efficiency.
* Connected thermostats bridge the gap between the two, offering remote operation, but still rely on the user for direction.
Smart thermostats, like Champion’s Momentum Hx Touch-screen Thermostat, manage automation by communicating wirelessly with home heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to maximize efficiency. Smart thermostats learn better than humans, and can automatically adjust temperature programming to match your lifestyle while maximizing efficiency and savings. As part of a complete system, the Wi-Fi-enabled Momentum thermostat allows users to monitor and control systems remotely with an app from any internet-enabled mobile device, and can even notify homeowners of developing problems.
Looking beyond the thermostat
The number of connected households that have smart thermostats more than doubled in the past two years, according to market research firm Parks Associates. With 36 percent of broadband-using households interested in a system that manages and monitors their home energy use, Parks Associates predict that half of all American homes will be smart homes by 2020.
Energy consumption starts with the overall heating and cooling equipment; thermostat watts are just a small portion of energy consumption. Purchasing home automation products designed and manufactured to work with the homeowner’s specific comfort system is the best way to maximize performance and energy savings. And, homeowners should start with buying energy-efficient equipment.
“It’s important to remember that “smart” isn’t just the thermostat – it’s an overall connected system,” said Jedidiah Bentz, director, Advanced Systems, Controls & Technology, Johnson Controls. “A complete home comfort system goes beyond the thermostat to offer energy saving benefits.”
To learn more about Champion home comfort systems, visit www.championhomecomfort.com/smarthome or follow @Champion_HVAC on Twitter.