The summer heat might be a welcome change after winters brutal temperatures--until the electricity bill arrives.

When you think about summer, 55% of your total utility bill goes to cooling, says home improvement expert Danny Lipford. [Your air conditioner is] the highest use system that you have in your home all year round. It only makes sense to take steps to make it more efficient and work less to drive that cost down.

You can lower your cooling costs by 30 to 40% by making your homes systems work efficiently and tweaking your behaviors, experts say.

The obvious cost-cutting tip is being mindful of a homes temperature. After all, every degree that you turn your thermostat up will save you money.

Here are experts money-saving tips that will keep you cool this summer and your budget intact:

Use Ceiling and Exhaust Fans

Running a fan counterclockwise will have a cooling effect of six degrees, but they wont lower the rooms temperature, according to Lipford.

Since a fan saves you money only when the room is occupied, be sure to turn it off when you leave.

To keep moisture at bay, turn the range fan on when cooking and run the bathroom fans during and 10 to 15 minutes after a shower. The moisture in the house makes it harder to keep it cool and causes your air conditioner to work more, says Lipford.

Dont Block Registers in Your Home

Excerpt from:
Keep Your Home Cool this Summer for Cheap

If the prospect of installing your own thermostat feels overwhelming, don't despair. This step-by-step guide will show you how to set up Honeywell's $280 Lyric smart thermostat in a flash.

Turn off power to your heating and cooling system at your circuit breaker.

Switch off the power at your circuit breaker. Colin West McDonald/CNET

Take a photo of your existing setup so you have a wiring reference point if you start to get confused. My system has W, Y, G, and Rh wires.

Take a photo of your old wiring. Megan Wollerton/CNET

This would also be a good time to create small labels for each wire if they aren't already marked. That will help you keep them sorted, which is particularly important when the color of the wire doesn't correspond to its label -- for example, my Y, or yellow, wire is actually light blue.

Detach the wires from the old thermostat and unscrew and remove the base of the thermostat and the baseplate, if applicable. At this point, you can fill holes and paint any areas that might be visible after the Lyric is installed.

Feed the wires through the Lyric's baseplate and its thermostat base.

Feed the wires through the Lyric. Colin West McDonald/CNET

Mount them to the wall and use the built-in level to make sure everything looks straight.

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Install the Honeywell Lyric Thermostat like a pro

The summer heat might be a welcome change after winters brutal temperatures--until the electricity bill arrives.

When you think about summer, 55% of your total utility bill goes to cooling, says home improvement expert Danny Lipford. [Your air conditioner is] the highest use system that you have in your home all year round. It only makes sense to take steps to make it more efficient and work less to drive that cost down.

You can lower your cooling costs by 30 to 40% by making your homes systems work efficiently and tweaking your behaviors, experts say.

The obvious cost-cutting tip is being mindful of a homes temperature. After all, every degree that you turn your thermostat up will save you money.

Here are experts money-saving tips that will keep you cool this summer and your budget intact:

Use Ceiling and Exhaust Fans

Running a fan counterclockwise will have a cooling effect of six degrees, but they wont lower the rooms temperature, according to Lipford.

Since a fan saves you money only when the room is occupied, be sure to turn it off when you leave.

To keep moisture at bay, turn the range fan on when cooking and run the bathroom fans during and 10 to 15 minutes after a shower. The moisture in the house makes it harder to keep it cool and causes your air conditioner to work more, says Lipford.

Dont Block Registers in Your Home

Continue reading here:
How to Keep Your Home Cool this Summer for Cheap

A massive construction project is underway in Downtown Rochester, and were only four months away until the work is done.

Mark Ballerstein has been working on the $50 million project since the very beginning. Ballerstein is the director of engineering for Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority.

He said a lot of work went into getting the transit ready. The enclosed, one-story facility is designed to accommodate 100 buses an hour. It will span an entire city block between St. Paul Street and North Clinton Avenue.

It will serve as the hub for RTS customers who ride the bus to and from downtown Rochester.

The building is equipped with the latest in modern technology. "In the ceiling above we have a ribbon which has changing light colors on it, which will make it interesting and different in appearance every part of the day. As customers come in they'll see something a little different, described Ballerstein.

Digital signage will also make the transit center user friendly."We have digital signs that will let the customers know when the buses are arriving and what time they should be leaving, said Ballerstein.

Chief Operating Officer Daniele Coll-Gonzalez says creating a hassle-free experience for customers was also a major part of the construction project. "They'll see big differences in their experience waiting for the bus in a climate-controlled, secure, safe facility."

Systems like the fire alarm, heating and cooling still need to be installed.

These parts of the project should begin in the next month and take another two or three more months to complete.

Gonzalez said it feels surreal that the project is near completion. To finally have this in Downtown Rochester is really going to have a major impact.

Continued here:
RTS Transit Center Construction Near Completion

Gold Medal Service, an award-winning heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, drain cleaning, and waterproofing company, encourages area homeowners to make sure their air conditioning units are in good working order and not at risk of overloading the electrical system and causing a surge or outage.

About 80 percent of power surges that occur in homes are due to devices, such as air conditioning units, that require a great deal of energy to turn on and off, and to run. As the weather gets hotter through the summer, New Jersey families are running their air conditioning more often, increasing the likelihood of overloading their home's electrical wiring and causing a surge or outage. One of the best ways to prevent this is to have a expert perform routine maintenance on an air conditioner.

In addition to the possibility of a home's air conditioning unit overloading the electrical system, summer storms can bring lightning, and local utility companies may turn power grids on and off to monitor usage. These events can also trigger surges.

It's also important to protect other electronic devices and appliances inside the home in the event that a power surge does happen. A power surge is likely to cause damage to computers, televisions and their accessories. The air conditioning unit, while less susceptible to damage, is at risk, especially if it is the cause of a power surge. It can impact electronic devices even if they are not currently in use.

Homeowners can buy surge protector power strips to use throughout their homes. A Gold Medal Service expert can install an arrester at the electrical meter or panel that can help divert extra energy during a surge. And homeowners can also get a generator from Gold Medal Service, to provide backup power in the case of an outage.

In the event of a power outage during the summer, whether caused by the air conditioner, storms, or by an overloaded civic electrical system, it's important to take steps to protect the air conditioning unit, other items in the home, and family members.

Turn off an air conditioning unit during a power outage, and do not turn it back on for several minutes after the power is restored. To stay cool, dress in breathable clothing and use natural ventilation with windows to cool the home. Wrap blankets around refrigerators and freezers, and keep them closed, to keep food as cold as possible. If frozen food still has ice crystals on it, it should be safe to eat.

For additional information about Gold Medal Service, call 800-576-GOLD or go online to http://www.goldmedalservice.com.

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Keep air conditioner from working too hard

Casco, ME (PRWEB) June 30, 2014

Boos Heating is always up on the latest technology, and once again they are bringing their customers an innovative, new heating system. This system features technology straight from Europe that gives superior economy and efficiency for new construction, remodeling or retrofits.

Customers can install these systems as new or replace old, worn out hot water baseboards and radiators. This is not a noisy, ugly, old-fashioned blower unit. It is attractive enough for even the finest dining room. It can be used as a standalone system or combined to enhance other systems like radiant floors or radiant panels without all the extra expensive and complicated mechanical equipment.

The new heating system is fast and easy to install and quickly and comfortably heats the area. There is no hot then cold temperature swings like a hot air furnace. When properly installed, each unit can operate individually thus only heating the rooms or space occupied.

These systems feature a low supply temperature, which equals incredible fuel savings. With high efficiency boilers and controls, customers are getting the best in the heating industry at a reasonable cost and a fast return on investment.

Their nearly silent operation makes these heating systems ideal for residential use, businesses, restaurants, hospitals, doctors offices, libraries, schools, apartments, health care facilities, dentist offices, law offices, retirement homes, elderly care facilities and more.

Using a central control such as MODBUS, over 2,000 units can easily be controlled from a central location. Also, utilizing chilled water will also get the room to room benefit of quiet, fast and efficient cooling.

Email Boos Heating Company at boosheatingco(at)gmail(dot)com or visit their website at http://www.boosheating.com/ for more information on this incredible product.

About the company: Boos Heating is a full-service heating company, serving the Greater Portland and Lakes Region areas. They are a fully-licensed, fully-insured Maine-owned and -operated business. Since 1993, they have been keeping Maine families warm. Boos Heating prides itself on providing the highest quality service in the industry. They stay a cut above the competition by being on the leading edge of technology! They are also the only company in the area who offers oil tank cleanings. Over time, oil tanks accumulate a sludge buildup that can negatively affect a heating system. Boos Heating has the tools to clean oil tanks, whether they are full or empty. For more information, visit their website at http://www.boosheating.com/.

Read more from the original source:
Fan Coils: The New Standard in Hydronic Heating

San Bernardino, CA (PRWEB) June 25, 2014

JBS Heating and Air has just been awarded the 2014 Bryant Medal of Excellence (MOE) by Indianapolis-based Bryant Heating and Cooling Systems. Bryant, a manufacturer of home heating and cooling systems since 1904, presents the award annually to Bryant Factory Authorized Dealers who meet the company's strict standards for unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction while providing consumers with high quality products and services. JBS met all of Bryant's high service standards for their customers' heating and cooling systems as well as good business practices. Because of hard work and diligence, JBS was one of only 15 regional MOE winners across the United States and Canada, and the only winner among all of the California Bryant dealers.

Bryant has a long history of providing customers with reliable, worry-free comfort, said Alissa Barnard, marketing manager, Bryant. We couldnt achieve success without our dealers, who have embraced the Whatever It Takes(sm) philosophy to market, sell, install and ensure our heating and cooling products are running at an optimal level. Were proud to honor JBS Heating & Air with our 2014 Medal of Excellence award.

In addition to being a Bryant factory authorized dealer, JBS is also dedicated to operating with the highest ethical standards and they work constantly to uphold sales, business and customer service quality. The company holds certifications from: North American Technician Excellence (NATE), Air Conditioning Contractor's Association of America (ACCA), National Comfort Institute (NCI), and holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

NATE is an organization that trains technicians for certification through rigorous testing, with the goal of improving and maintaining the quality of technicians in the HVAC industry. ACCA sets ethical standards to which its members adhere to ensure quality customer service. The National Comfort Institute trains contractors in innovative methods for installing system so they provide the safest and most comfort possible for customers. The Better Business Bureau is a system for its members to help solve problems with customers and to provide consumer education.

Joaquin Contreras established JBS Heating and Air over 10 years ago, but began as a HVAC service technician almost 30 years ago. He supplemented his on-the-job experience with education at College of the Desert. Contreras later served as a member of its Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technical Advisory Committee. He currently serves as a member of the WHPA (Western HVAC Performance Alliance) Residential subcommittee staying on the front line of energy savings strategies that impact the overall effectiveness of Code compliance and IOU rebates thru the California Energy Commission. His business activities have included new construction, custom homes and commercial buildings. He has also advised HVAC companies on all aspects of the business including management of service departments, proper system design and commissioning of residential and light commercial systems.

JBS Heating and Air Inc is one of only a handful of HVAC service companies in So Cal working with So Cal Edison on both its Residential Quality Installation Program, Commercial Renovation program, and the commercial Early Retirement program affording customers rebates from $600.00 to $4000.00 on select commercial and residential equipment.

Contreras heads the company's executive management team, which includes Tom Babnick, chief financial officer, Seth Ferguson General Manager RNC, Casey Contreras Service Manager, and Kimberly Sico, operations manager.

Tom Babnick has been JBS chief financial officer since 2006 and manages the company's accounting and finances. His varied financial experience includes directing Disneyland's financial planning. His formal education includes a BA and MBA from CSU, Fullerton.

Seth Ferguson has over 16 years experience from ground up in the Plumbing & Mechanical field and has taken on the role of General Manager of Residential New Construction RNC for JBS.

Excerpt from:
JBS Heating & Air Named a Medal of Excellence Award Winner by Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems

The Nest thermostat will soon be able to communicate with other smart devices in your home.

Jacqui Cheng

Google officially closed a deal to buy Nest Labs for $3.2 billion back in February of 2014. Since then, both companies have been mostly quiet about their plans other than to respond to questions about privacy mattersand butt into the related business of home security bybuying Dropcam for $555 million. Today, in advance of Google I/O, Nest has officially announced a new developer program and API that will allow other companies' smart devices to communicate with Nest's Protect smoke alarm and Learning Thermostat.

Among the companies that Nest is partnering with for this initial publicity push are IFTTT, Jawbone, LIFX, Logitech, Mercedes-Benz, Whirlpool, Chamberlain, and Google itselfthe latter two companies will release Nest-compatible features this fall, while the others are all available today.

All of the companies' "Works with Nest experiences" focus on making Nest devices more useful when used together with other smart home gadgetsif the Nest Protect smoke alarm goes off, than LIFX's lights can flash red to make it more obvious to the hearing impaired. AChamberlain garage door opener can tell the Nest thermostat to enter and leave Away mode depending on whether the owner isentering or leaving thegarage. And Google Now will let users control their thermostats with their voices and set proximity-based rules that will adjust theirthermostats before theyget home.

"It's not just integration for integration's sake, or connectivity just to connect," Matt Rogers, Nest co-founder and engineering head, told Ars. "It's 'what are great user benefits we could do?' Those are the kinds of things we're going to highlight. That said, it's a developer program that's opened up very widely. So whoever wants to build stuff can build stuff."

Early Nest investors Google Ventures and Kleiner Perkins Caulfield and Byers are both partnering with Nest to fund startupsthat want to get their own Nest-related projects off the ground. For now, though,Nestisfocused on partnerships withestablished companies.

Nest's tools are entirely Web-based, and there is no cost to developers who want to begin developing for Nest.

While the developer program's goal of connecting Nest gadgets to other devices sounds pretty Google-y, Rogers told us that Nest had been working on the developer program "behind the scenes for about a year," well before the Google acquisition happened. Nest is taking advantage of Google I/O and of Google's sheer size to amplify the announcement and attract more interest, but at least, as of this writing, the program is being driven by Nest's team and not by its parent company.

"Before Google, we would have to build our own event, and having an event like I/O is a really big deal," Rogers said. "Tens of thousands of people come to these kinds of things, so this is a really good platform for us to work on."

Go here to read the rest:
OK Google, crank the A/C: Nest announces new smart home API

(PRWEB) June 19, 2014

Most people dont associate industrial plants with a clean working environment that is temperature controlled for worker comfort. But that is exactly what Siegel-Roberts wanted for their new plastic injection parts and plating plant in Farmington, Missouri.

The 180,000 sq. ft. plant had been a bicycle manufacturing facility with poor lighting, inadequate heating, no cooling, and a dusty and dirty environment for the workers. The new owners completely gutted the plant, removing all the old lighting, heating, and exhaust systems. The entire structure was cleaned, sealed, and painted, and new high intensity lighting was installed; the work made the plant look bright, clean, and brand new.

The Air Masters team was called in to design and install a modern heating, cooling, and ventilating system for the plant. After a review of the needs, they proposed a two-step approach to the problem. Heating was provided by installing modern gas-fired unit heaters at the perimeter of the building, while cooling and ventilation was provided by installing a series of six air handling units and two 250-ton air-cooled chillers.

Working closely with the plant manager and his staff, the air handling units were located so they would provide cooling right where the people worked. Outside, air ducts at each air handler provide outside air to meet ventilation requirements and to pressurize the plant, thus reducing costly air infiltration. In addition, the plant can go to 100% outside air to provide free cooling when outside temperature conditions permit.

Cold water from the chillers was piped to the air handlers in a primary/secondary piping scheme, allowing the plant manager to precisely control the cooling capacity. All told, over 1/3 mile of pipe was installed to monitor and regulate the temperature conditions in the plant. Now, with the touch of a computer key, the plant manager can turn his heating and cooling systems on and off, monitor temperatures, and adjust settings to keep his workers happy and productive.

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Another Recent Air Master HVAC Success Story: Siegel-Robert

June 20, 2014

Those utilities include fiber-optic lines, electrical lines and heating and cooling lines that are proposed to be buried there in the coming months.

The university has existing utility lines beneath the Edgar right of way, but the intersection of Edgar and Garden must be widened to accommodate new development on the campus. That road widening may require the university to relocate its lines.

The university and Ameren Missouri are installing a new electrical substation to provide additional electrical power to the university and other parts of the city adjacent to the campus. That will also require relocation of certain utility lines.

As far as the agreement with the city, Greg Gunderson, the university's vice president and chief financial officer, said he protested an annual right of way management fee that would total $1.90 per linear foot of buried conduit annually, with the university likely to install 1,000 to 2,000 linear feet.

He said the fee "caught us off guard."

"Ameren asked us to build an electrical substation due to limited capacity, and its construction will help the Webster Groves community to alleviate pressures on the electrical grid," he said.

"We don't object to paying the city as we bury the cable, to compensate residents for the inconvenience of installation. But this will be an annual charge, assessed long after construction is over, after the disruption has disappeared."

He unsuccessfully asked that the city instead assess a one-time permit fee of $116 per 300 linear feet of cable, as St. Louis County does.

City Attorney Helmut Starr insisted that the university was told by Ameren that it couldn't go ahead with construction of its planned new academic building without installing that new substation, because a current substation is at capacity.

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W.U. Gains OK For Underground Utilities