Looky, looky who had a birthday this month - Good OLD Matthew. A mysterious chicken showed up and would have been turned away if not for the Yuengling beer which he clutched in both wings. It doesn’t take much to make Matthew happy. Just a visit from a chicken and a few beers. And maybe an air conditioner or two… Happy Birthday Old Man
Back by popular demand; I am turning over the blog (just temporarily) to Matthew so he can answer your most pressing HVAC questions!
My outdoor unit is noisy. Does that mean it’s broken?
While some brands and models are more noisy than others, if you are noticing that it is particularly loud, then something is probably amiss. While it could be a number of things, most often it is a broken part within the compressor. Compressors operate similarly to car engines, with pistons, valves, etc. If you do have a problem with your compressor, it’s best handled by one of our NATE-certified technicians. You can even schedule an appointment online at www.holtkamphhvac.com
How can I keep my husband from fooling with the thermostat?
You could try distracting him with the remote control, his favorite food or a promise to take him golfing. If that proves too costly or time-consuming, our new digital thermostats now have lockout features. However, we’re not responsible for keeping marital peace!
I had a contractor quote me prices to replace my windows. He said they are making my home very inefficient. How do I know it’s a good deal?
Window replacement is one of the most common unnecessary energy home improvements. If you want to improve your home’s efficiency, it should begin with a Home Performance with Energy Star Audit. The results are a roadmap which prioritize improvements according to payback. No more guessing! Call us for more details.
Why do you only sell Trane?
We can help you repair any brand of heating or cooling system you have, Carrier, Ruud, Rheem, Amana, TempStar, Lennox, just to name a few. However, when it comes to replacement systems, we sell what we believe in and what we use in our own home. We don’t like callbacks and warranty problems! Trane’s record on reliability, being a leader in innovation and efficiency, ease of use for the homeowner and quiet operation are all factors in why we know it’s the best. When you run a company filled with the “best of the best” team members, it only makes sense to partner with the best products.
Gwinnett County is abuzz with graduations, last days of school, recitals, and ball games. Here in Buford, that means party season. (That reminds me; our mailbox has made it through so far, intact. Whoops. I just may have jinxed it.) Have you called us for your cooling maintenance visit? Or are you a new customer who needs a “charge” of freon to get you through the season?
Basics first. Your cooling system is self-contained. After being installed, it was charged with the proper amount and pressure of freon and then closed and sealed. If your system is freezing up and requiring additional freon to properly cool, that means you have a leak. Adding freon is a temporary and sometimes, irresponsible fix. The freon will eventually leak out; it’s just a matter of time. It may last 2 hours or 2 months. Consider financial and environmental factors as well. Adding freon can be costly, especially with no guarantee of how long it will last. Adding freon to a leaky system also poses environmental quandries. Knowingly releasing freon into the atmosphere is against EPA regulations.
We can locate the freon leak and properly repair it. Once done, we recharge the unit and warranty the repair for the life of the system (ComfortCare Plan Members). We help customers make the most of their resources, by considering the system’s age, the coil’s age and the anticipated expense of the repair. Continuing to recharge and operate a leaky, inefficient system may be more costly than replacing it . These are all factors to consider before deciding to spend any money at all. And all options we can help you put down in real dollars and cents.
So if you’ve got 129 of your closest relatives coming over to celebrate Susie’s graduation and your unit is freezing up, give us a call as soon as possible. We don’t want you stressed out about your AC. We can handle that. You have more important things to do, like decide which flavor ice cream matches Susie’s graduation outfit.
I have discovered that I am not the only member of the family with a love of prose. I have given you below the first (of many, I am sure) diary entries from our beloved Lucy, the buff orpington chicken. (Just a note: our new chicks arrived last week and stay tuned for pictures!)
Lucy writes: the days are getting longer. The girls and I are spending more time outdoors, away from the coop. We’ve had lots of time to notice certain peculiar things happening, like little creatures making their homes in the oddest places. Chipmunks (I think they’re called) and a few rodents. I even caught myself a vole the other day. He had breakfast written all over him until the Holtkamp girl wrestled me to the ground and reminded me I was a vegetarian. But I digress.
These animals seem to be causing the worst of problems, like gnawing holes in electrical wires and making nests in the back of that air conditioning unit thing. Didn’t seem like a big deal to me until the Big Holtkamp Man kept talking about the damage those varmin cause. He told the neighbor he should check his outdoor areas and make sure no varmin are getting into that nice air conditioner. (What’s an air conditioner?) Anyway, thought I’d pass that along. It’s a good time not to be a varmin. ‘Cause I think the varmin are going to meet their maker real soon…
A Neighbor's Gorgeous Yuletide Camelia
We all seem to get the itch to plant in spring. It’s the way God designed us. Sun shines, soil warms, man wants to grow huge plants all around side of house to make pretty. Sound familiar? Consider these simple points before loading up the kids and dog for the local nursery.
Remember that we live in a pretty warm zone (Zone 7 for you gardener types). But we also have a decent drop in temperatures over the winter. That means you want to take advantage of passive solar heating in the winter and natural cooling in the summer. Translation? Where you plant the trees and shrubs is just as important as the kind of plants/trees you choose.
Remember from your elementary school science class that the winter sun is lower in the horizon than the summer sun. This means you will receive more sun on the front, southern side of your house in winter and more overhead sun in the summer. (Our last house baked on the west side during late summer afternoons.)
Which way does your house face?
· Plant deciduous trees (ones that lose their leaves) on the southwest corner and west sides. This gives you protection from the scorching sun in summer and allows the heat to warm the house in winter. Even better? Plant a fruit tree. You’ll be cool in the shade and have a snack!
· I‘ve seen reports about planting deciduous trees to shade your outdoor AC unit. Okay, fine, but don’t plant it so close that falling leaves choke it or prevent good air circulation. 24 inches around the unit is sufficient. No thorny bushes please! (Our techs will thank you.)
· Plant shade trees over patios and driveways. How about Muscadine grapes over the hot deck?
· Plant evergreen conifers (or evergreens) as a windbreak on the north and northwest sides of your home to block cold winter winds.
· Avoid planting evergreens on the south side. They will block the sun in the winter when you want the warmth the most.
And call 811 before you dig!
So go outside and do what comes naturally in spring. Just remember to curb your enthusiasm with a little common sense and save money on your heating and cooling costs!
We’ve been on the road again. This time south, thank goodness, to Florida for the annual Comfort Institute Conference. CI is a partner of ours dedicated to training companies in the Whole House Solution. We’re always excited about this training, which is an ongoing commitment for our company. It wasn’t all work, though. We did take a fieldtrip. Matthew is an electricity nerd so I knew my idea would be well-received.
While in Fort Myers, Florida we visited the winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford; they were neighbors and best friends. The houses were beautiful, with spectacular views. The stories of Edison in particular were awe-inspiring. During his 84 years, he applied for over 1,000 patents and was the brain behind numerous inventions which still affect our lives. Amidst all the evidence of Edison’s genius, it wasn’t his patents that impressed me, or his self-made wealth, or his relationship with other self-made men. Being a gardener, I wasn’t even that impressed by his 10,000 plant research in trying to find an American source of latex to manufacture rubber. What impressed me was his sleeping habits.
You see the man only slept a mere 4-5 hours each night supplemented by catnaps, anywhere, any time, in front of anyone (including President Hoover), always fully-clothed, complete with shoes. A cot in his workshop was always present. These naps evidently were part slumber, part inspiration for whatever he seemed to be working on at the time.
What does this tell me? Take more naps! No seriously, what it tells me is this - passion for what you do is a blessing. Obviously, Edison knew he had tons of inventions in his head and he didn’t want to waste any time. We can’t compare ourselves to Edison, but we too have been blessed with a passion for what we do. The products we promote are ones we use in our own home. We are constantly looking for the better solution, the better product, and we know learning is a lifelong adventure. We’re not perfect and that means that you will probably never see our name up in lights but we make each recommendation as if you are our mother, our father, our sister, our best friend.
Makes me want to go take a nap…
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Thomas Edison
Pres. Hoover, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone during Edison's 82nd Birthday Celebration
I confess I’m a fan of decorating shows. It began with “Trading Spaces”; the cardboard wallpaper room was my favorite episode. I’m now under no illusions that my neighbors are clamoring to decorate my “space” so I have progressed to watching “Clean House” just to make myself feel better there are people with more stuff than me. (Oh admit it; you watch for the same reason. It’s like gawking at the woman with the ghastly hairdo.)
These shows are great for decorating ideas but not so good when it comes to energy efficiency. They often suggest installing recessed lighting to add a little zip to your indoor space. Recessed lighting is essentially cutting holes in your ceiling. Heat rises, right? Fancy term - the stack effect. Common term - money leaking from your ceiling. Avoid recessed lighting unless you’re fond of supporting your local utility company. If you already have recessed lighting, don’t fret. We can seal those lights and make them airtight. (Then we’ll slap your hand and tell you not to do it again.)
Thinking of redecorating? Avoid recessed lighting when you have a choice. If you already have them, seal what you have. What’s it look like? I’m glad you asked.
No, that’s not a cowboy hat for a large dog. It’s a seal kit. The answer to those holes in your ceiling. We can install these on our next maintenance or service visit. Then you can get back to gluing cardboard to your neighbor’s walls. (And posting the “For Sale” sign out in your front yard when they’ve realized what you’ve done.)
Holtkamp Heating & Air Conditioning of Buford, GA is privileged to announce the winner of its annual “Helping Heroes” program. Helping Heroes was started to celebrate local residents who have proven their dedication to their community, family or church.
The 2010 winner is Calvin Jones of Lawrenceville. Calvin was nominated by a fellow parishioner at McKendree United Methodist Church. He and Brenda have been members for 26 years and both sing in the choir. He volunteers countless hours through his church, most notably as Disaster Response Coordinator on the Missions Committee and has participated in over 20 mission trips both here in the U.S. and abroad, including Mexico, Costa Rica, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi. Cal has served as head cook for the Annual Chicken BBQ at McKendree United Methodist that raises money for missions work.
Cal also participates in food drives for the Lawrenceville CoOp. He takes great pride in the bi-annual Great Day of Service which focuses on helping Gwinnett County Senior Citizens. He has also participated in Habitat for Humanity in Gwinnett County, Cumming and in a Methodist Children’s Home cottage rebuild.
Calvin has an adopted daughter who is currently in middle school. He and his wife, Brenda, have sponsored several foster children before adopting. Five months ago, Brenda had a negative reaction to anesthesia and has been in the hospital battling numerous infections and is still on a ventilator. Cal continues to work his full time job at Icon Software in Suwanee while caring for both his daughter and Brenda.
Calvin has been awarded a fully installed Trane High Efficiency Furnace and Aprilaire Whole House Filtration System designed specifically for his home. This will provide a warmer, more comfortable environment in preparation for Brenda’s homecoming. Please join Holtkamp Heating and Air Conditioning in celebrating the life and service of Calvin Jones!
Cal Jones and Matthew Holtkamp
Kevin installing the new unit
All done and looking good!
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Georgia residents will be eligible for rebates after buying Energy Star rated appliances, such as refrigerators, heatpumps and furnaces. Rebates up to $1200 per home are available beginning Feb. 12 on a first come, first served basis, i.e. when the money runs out, it runs out.
Courtesy of Brad Norman at Georgia Power, we’d like to bring your attention to a few details:
1) Rebates are paid out in the from of Visa debit cards to customers.
2) Customers are responsible for submitting their rebate application, not the dealer or store.
3) Note there is not an end date listed. The state of GA is receiving $8.6 million. Once the funds are gone, they are gone. There is no guarantee how long the funds will last. Call 1-866-296-1633 to ensure funds are still available or visit www.GeorgiaRebate.com.
4) Customers will qualify for both $199 rebates if they purchase an EnergyStar Dual Fuel system ($398) because they are considered two different appliances.
5) Customer must fill out a separate rebate application for each appliance (Dual Fuel = 2 systems - 1 for furnace, 1 for heat pump)
6) Limit $1200 per household
7) Customers may apply for one rebate per category, meaning you cannot claim for 2 heat pumps or 2 furnaces.
To find out the details and exactly how much is offered for each appliance, click here for the Georgia Fact Sheet. And of course, feel free to give us a call if a new heat pump or furnace is in your future. With all the rebates and tax credits available right now, it’s a smart time to replace an inefficient system!
Thanks so much to all of you who nominated a hero for our first annual Helping Heroes Program. We had dozens of entries and the stories were extremely inspiring as neighbor recognized neighbor for their heroic involvement in family, community and church. After much deliberation, we are privileged to announce Calvin Jones of Suwanee as our Helping Hero for 2010. Calvin has won a completely installed high efficiency Trane heating system and Aprilaire Whole House Air Filtration System. Look for a complete profile of Calvin in the next week and his heroic journey showing why he won this awesome prize. Congratulations Calvin. You’re our hero!
