Enjoy A Healthier, More Energy Efficient Home This Winter With These Nine New Tips From Tamarack Technologies
W. Wareham, MA (PRWEB) October 07, 2015 -- “This is the best time to prepare the entire home for what is being forecast as another brutal winter,” Colasanto said. “Many of the heating and ventilation issues that crop up in winter can be minimized by performing some simple maintenance today. Now is also the time to consider some inexpensive additions to a home ventilation system for better air quality, improved energy efficiency and air pressure balancing.”
His advice:
1. Have an HVAC professional service the home’s oil or gas burner before winter and at the very least replace the filter.
2. Dryer fires are considered one of the leading causes of property loss, injuries and deaths by fire. Fall is the perfect time to clean lint out of hoses and ductwork that vent heat out of the dryer. Also, check the dryer’s damper to be certain it’s working properly and is not a magnet for lint.
3. If there’s a ceiling fan in any of the home’s rooms, vacuum it to clean accumulated dust and reverse its rotation so warm air stays lower in the room not trapped just below the ceiling.
4. If a fireplace or wood stove was used last winter, check for creosote build-up. If there’s any present, hire a chimney sweep to clean it out.
5. Clean baseboard heating units as they’re opened. Likely they will have significant dust build-up from summer airflow. Vacuum under the louvers as well as the lines and – although it may sound like overkill – clean the pivot points with an old toothbrush.
6. Vacuum bathroom fans so they can run at peak efficiency, removing moisture and stale air properly.
7. Be certain that enough ‘make-up’ air is present to offset the effects of ventilation units drawing extra air out of the home. One example would be a powerful new range hood that might have been installed this summer. Without enough make-up air, it’s possible that it will draw dangerous or even deadly fumes into the home from a wood stove or the existing heating system.
8. ‘Pressure balancing’ is especially crucial in tightly wrapped homes. When air pressure is properly balanced, air flows without resistance from room to room and throughout the house so the heating system works most efficiently. The Perfect Balance in-door return air pathway (RAP) from Tamarack and other in-wall units from a number of manufacturers do just that. With the addition of any of these units, there will be fewer cold spots and less temperature differential from room to room.
9. Winter Indoor air quality (IAQ) is an important consideration, especially in houses built tight to the weather. These houses save energy but, unfortunately, have a tendency to trap stale and sometimes toxic air inside. Refreshing that air can be done in a number of ways including simply opening the windows and letting the wind blow through. Not exactly a perfect solution – especially when that month’s heating bill arrives. More effective is a mechanical assist from a whole house fan which will refresh the air while forcing stale air out through the roof. However, to draw air in a whole house fan needs at least one window open. A third – and better -- option is the Tamarack Dream Aire 5000 which acts as a ‘lung’ for the home, inhaling fresh outside air and exhaling stale indoor air continuously over a pre-set time frame. Dream Aire also filters and heats incoming air.
“Have a more efficient heating season this winter and a safer, healthier home by implementing any or all of these tips now,” Colasanto concluded.
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Tamarack Technologies, headquartered on Cape Cod, MA, is an industry leader in ventilation solutions, manufacturing state-of-the-art whole house fans, indoor air exchange products, pressure balancing products and electronic controls. The company’s products have been designed to use minimal energy, providing years of maintenance-free service while creating a healthier home environment.
John Gillis, Tamarack Technologies Inc. & Meridian Communications, +1 5089451123, [email protected]
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