The 90 degree days are upon us, and a cool house is a nice sanctuary to escape the heat. If your air conditioner is not providing this cool escape, then you may need to schedule an AC repair in Burlington, NC.  A service check up of your unit will ensure that your system is ready to tackle the hot days ahead and operate at top efficiency.  Instead of cranking up your AC unit, consider helping your home stay cooler with sun-blocking blinds.  This will not only save energy and money, but will also increase the comfort level in your home.

For Greater Insulation and Energy Efficiency, Use Honeycomb Shades

Once your HVAC system has been tuned up by Alamance Oil, consider ways to shade your windows to keep the sun and heat out to not only help with your electric bills, but also provide you with a cooler and comfortable environment.  There are various shades and curtains that can block the sun effectively and keep your house cooler, as noted on www.biggreenpurse.com:

“Curtains or shades add an extra layer of insulation and increase the energy efficiency of each window covered. The thicker the curtains, the more energy you’ll save, especially if you mount the curtains as close to the window as possible. Otherwise, hot air will end up escaping around the curtains and into your room – and vice versa with cold air. For energy-efficient shades, skip single louvered panels, whether made of aluminum or vinyl. Instead, aim for shades constructed in a cellular or honeycomb pattern.

Honeycomb shades work by creating an insulating pocket of air in each cell that separates the window air space from the room air space.  When not in use, the blinds fold up into a thin band at the top of my window. When down, they provide an effective barrier to the outside air, but still let enough light in that the room can be bright if I use them during the day.”

Using shades and curtains to block the sun takes the stress off your air conditioner, so it doesn’t have to run full blast on the hottest days to maintain comfortable temperatures in your home. Keeping your unit in top condition is also important, so don’t neglect to have your annual HVAC maintenance visit by Alamance Oil. 

For AC Unit Efficiency, Add Roller Shades to Windows to Seal Out Warm Window Temperatures

Roller shades are specifically designed to trap the hot air from the window, so it does not seep into the house. At  www.biggreenpurse.com, the effectiveness of this type of shade is described:

“Roller shades, made from heavy-duty fabric, can also reduce window energy loss. To get the most out of the shade, mount them on a track that runs inside the window frame. When the shade is down, very little energy will seep into or out that window.”

The Department of Energy states that utilizing window coverings properly can reduce heat gain by up to 77 percent.  If choosing drapes or curtains for your windows, studies show that medium-colored draperies with white backings can reduce heat gain by 33 percent.

If these tips don’t help you beat the heat, reduce air conditioning repair, and your utility bills are still skyrocketing then it may be time to consider a new, more energy-efficient air conditioner.  Your cooling system may be at the end of its service life and working overtime to produce comfortable temperatures.  Call the professionals at Alamance Oil to perform an evaluation of your HVAC system to see if a repair is needed, or a replacement is in order. 

Alamance Oil installs top brand heating and cooling systems that are designed with advanced technology to help you save money on your utility bills.  A high-efficient air conditioner, combined with energy saving techniques like using window coverings, will go a long way to reducing your energy bills and increasing your comfort this summer.

To get ready for the summer heat, contact Alamance Oil for AC repairs in Burlington, NC, maintenance and replacement systems. We want to restore the cool temperatures to your home, and help with cost savings on energy bills. Contact us today at 336-226-9371.

(Source: Now’s the Time to Consider Sun-Blocking Blinds to Keep Your Home Cool This Summer,biggreenpurse.com, 2015)

It’s not easy being green. However, the payoffs are worth it. Utilizing air conditioning services in Greensboro will make your cooling system more efficient, reduce high energy bills, improve comfort and promote a cleaner environment. Environmentally-conscious homeowners are continuously searching for ways to reduce the carbon footprint in their homes. Going green sounds great, but what exactly can we do to so there are fewer greenhouse gas emissions from our home? The bottom line is: reduce energy use through energy efficiency. Berico has some suggestions on how to accomplish this.

1. Use an Energy Star Heating and Cooling System in Your Home

The ENERGY STAR label was founded to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by inefficient use of energy. Berico offers installation, repair services and maintenance on a variety of Energy Star HVAC systems, with high-efficiency ratings and beneficial energy savings.

According to www.energystar.gov, the label goes to products who meet the following:

“Product categories must contribute significant energy savings nationwide.
Qualified products must deliver the features and performance demanded by consumers, in addition to increased energy efficiency.

If the qualified product costs more than a conventional, less-efficient counterpart, purchasers will recover their investment in increased energy efficiency through utility bill savings, within a reasonable period of time.

Energy efficiency can be achieved through broadly available, non-proprietary technologies offered by more than one manufacturer.
Product energy consumption and performance can be measured and verified with testing.

Labeling would effectively differentiate products and be visible for purchasers”

2. Maintain Regular Heating and Air Conditioning Services in Greensboro

Annual maintenance for your heating and cooling systems is essential to keeping them working at maximum efficiency. The better prepared the systems are for the hot and cold seasons, the great their performance levels will be throughout the year. With minimized leaks and optimal air circulation, your Energy Star HVAC system will provide your home with comfortable temperatures and utility bill savings.

3. Insulate Your Home by Sealing Cracks and Gaps Around Windows and Doors

A recommended task for the spring and fall seasons is to do a visual inspection of your doors and windows to look for gaps or leaks. When you discover one, seal it with caulking or adding strong weather stripping, to prevent outdoor air from coming in and making your heating and cooling system work harder. Create a tightly sealed home for optimal energy efficiency.

Going green is a smart lifestyle choice, and with the right products, you can help the environment and experience savings on your bills. Making wise decisions about your home’s heating and cooling system can have a large impact on your utility bills, your comfort and the environment. When your older air conditioner or furnace needs to be replaced, look for Energy Star systems to provide you the best efficiency available. Berico’s heating and air conditioning services will help to maintain that high-efficiency level in your home so you can go green and stay green throughout the lifetime of your system. Enjoy a healthier home, greater comfort and cost savings with our heating and cooling systems and service. Contact Berico today to begin your journey towards a cleaner and energy efficient home: (336) 273-8663

(Source: How a Product Earns the ENERGY STAR label, www.energystar.gov, 2015)

When it comes to air conditioning, it will seem that a larger unit would provide better cooling in your home. However, a Greensboro air conditioner that is too large for your home will waste energy, and potentially cause high humidity problems, such as mold buildup and even condensation on your walls and windows. At Berico Fuels, we will only consider the air conditioning systems that are the right size for your square footage when we do a new AC installation at your home or business. Keep a normal humidity level in your home and receive the highest energy savings with a new high-efficiency air conditioner that is sized just right for your home. Why does a larger AC unit cause higher humidity levels?

Air Conditioners That Are Too Large Do Not Dehumidify Effectively

When an air conditioner turns on, it needs to run at least 15-20 minutes to kick into the dehumidification of your indoor air. Larger systems will shut off faster than properly sized air conditioners, leaving most of the humidity still in the air. Your house will feel much cooler, however if it’s a humid, summer day and the AC does not run for a long time, you will be left with greater humidity levels in your home. At Berico Fuels, we will evaluate your home’s insulation, layout, and cooling space before recommending replacement systems. It is important to size the system accurately to provide optimal cooling and humidity control in your home, as well as utility bill savings. If you have an oversized air conditioner condenser unit, not enough air will move across the cooling coil to effectively remove humidity since the large system cools the rooms so quickly. If the air conditioning system could run longer, it would remove more moisture from the air.

Factors to Consider Prior to Replacing a Greensboro Air Conditioner

Size matters with Greensboro air conditioner replacements. However, there are other factors that need to be reviewed and evaluated to determine the best fit for your specific cooling area:

1 – Is there direct sunlight on your home or building? This makes a large difference when comparing systems, since the constant sunshine on your house through windows will warm up your home more than a house in the shade.

2 – Is your business or home drafty or well insulated? With a lot of drafts, indoor temperatures are affected more by the outside air.

3 – How many people live in the home or work in the office building? Heat sources, such as people, will vary the amount of cooling that is needed to reach the optimal temperature.

4 – Are the ceilings low or high, and are there ceiling fans in place? This will determine the size of the blower that is needed to provide the greatest amount of airflow to your home or business.

Save Money and Energy with the Right Sized Air Conditioner

Berico Fuels researches all of the factors that contribute to finding the replacement air conditioner that will fit your home’s needs for optimal cooling and humidity control, prior to making recommendations. We know that HVAC systems need to be accurately sized to reduce heating and cooling repairs, as well as to provide better cost savings. It is important to go with a reputable HVAC company when you need to have a new AC system installed. Contact the expert team at Berico Fuels for all of your heating and cooling service needs:336-273-8663

(Source: Common HVAC Noises and What They Mean, hvac.com, Nov. 6, 2014)

Have a Cool Summer with Greensboro Air Conditioning Service and Tips

Spring is almost in the air, with summertime shortly afterwards. If you felt too hot last summer, we have some tips and ideas for keeping cooler air in your home this summer. At Berico Fuels, now is the time that our customers usually receive maintenance for their AC units to make sure that everything is working correctly before the hot and humid summer months. Along with the recommended annual Greensboro AC maintenance, there are a few things that you can do, according to www.treehugger.com, that will keep you cool naturally and bring you more comfort this summer:

1. Use awnings.

According to the Washington Post, The Department of Energy estimates that awnings can reduce solar heat gain—the amount temperature rises because of sunshine—by as much as 65 percent on windows with southern exposures and 77 percent on those with western exposures. Your furniture will last longer, too.

We noted in Planet Green last spring that this can translate into a saving of cooling energy of 26 percent in hot climates, and 33 percent in more temperate climates where it might even make air conditioning unnecessary.”

Awnings are often overlooked, however a drive through the Greensboro, NC area will show you that they are widely used and compliment the overall look of the home. Determine which direction your house faces and use awnings in the locations that will bring the most energy savings for your home. In Greensboro, HVAC service will not be needed as frequently if the AC unit is not running at full capacity as often due to more shade and less heat coming into your home. Here’s another tip:

2. Plant a tree.

Geoffrey Donovan studied it in Sacramento, and calculated the savings.

“Everyone knows that shade trees cool a house. No one is going to get a Nobel Prize for that conclusion,” says the study co-author, Geoffrey Donovan. “But this study gets at the details: Where should a tree be placed to get the most benefits? And how exactly do shade trees impact our carbon footprint?”

Find out in Planet Green: Be Cool and Plant a Tree”

Trees are great for the environment and they help to keep your house cooler. Research the various types of trees that grow well in the Greensboro area, and plant a few to keep your home shaded so you will not have to use your AC unit as often. Here’s a tip that can make a huge difference with your home’s temperature this summer:

3. Plant vines.

Climbers can dramatically reduce the maximum temperatures of a building by shading walls from the sun, the daily temperature fluctuation being reduced by as much as 50%.Together with the insulation effect, temperature fluctuations at the wall surface can be reduced from between –10°/14°F to 60°C/140°F to between 5°C/41°F and 30°/86°F.”

Virginia creeper and ivy have been known to grow quickly in the Greensboro climate, and they can greatly help with the coolness of your home this summer. With an energy efficient air conditioner, your energy savings will help you save money and stay cooler this summer.

There are some other ways to stay cool, such as painting your roof a lighter color, using ceiling fans throughout your home and using your outside grill to cook hot foods instead of preparing them indoors. All of these techniques and tips will assist you with keeping your home comfortable and cooler this summer. At Berico Heating and Air Conditioning, we provide Greensboro AC maintenance so you can rely on your system the entire season and not need to make emergency repair phone calls or experience any downtime. Call us at 336-273-8663 to schedule your Greensboro air conditioning service today.

Comfort levels are different for each unique individual. One office employee may be wearing a scarf and jacket in the office, while a coworker is using a fan and wearing short sleeves. This can be challenging for business owners, since it has been proven that temperature affects office productivity. As the owner of a company, you want to find the right temperature that will keep the majority of your employees at the peak comfort level, while not making the others uncomfortable.

At Berico Fuels, we provide energy efficient HVAC systems that have programmable thermostats with numerous options for settings. You can optimize your office’s comfort levels by programming the thermostat to keep an ideal temperature setting during working hours. In a study by Andrews Sykes Hire, the following eye opening statistics were found for Greensboro business owners:

“…almost a third of employees lose productivity because they aren’t comfortable with the temperatures in their offices. The fact is, temperature affects people very differently thanks to a number of factors, including gender, clothing, and metabolic rate. And only 24% of survey-takers agreed that their office temperature was suitable for working through the entire year.”

Increase comfort levels and increase productivity

Why are 80% of employees complaining about the office temperature? There are personal factors and environmental factors that cause the variations, such as what you wear and your metabolic rate. Wearing heavier clothing in the winter and getting more exercise will help employees to stay warmer. The humidity level, air velocity differences, air temperature and radiant temperature also affect your comfort level indoors. It could be sunny and warm outside, with higher humidity levels inside, resulting in warmer than usual temperatures indoors. As a business owner, if you can spend a day in the various offices, cubicles and workstations to determine if the airflow and temperatures are sufficient, you will have gained insight into the problem areas or be able to move employees into spaces where they will be more comfortable. If you find that the Greensboro commercial heating and cooling system is not circulating the air properly to all of the work areas, it is time to make an HVAC service call.

Commercial heating and air repairs

A suspected problem with your commercial HVAC system should be followed up with a call to Berico Heating and Cooling. We will send a certified and dependable technician to perform a complete inspection and diagnostic evaluation of your system and determine if a repair is needed. Regular tune-ups are necessary to keep your commercial heating and cooling system performing at peak capacity. At Berico Fuels, our maintenance programs will provide you with our high quality, thorough inspections that prevent leaks and extend the life of your commercial HVAC system.

Increase office productivity levels by maintaining the optimal temperature in your office environment, adjusting slightly when humidity levels or radiant temperatures cause differing comfort levels. At Berico Heating and Cooling, we will help you with your commercial heating and cooling needs in Greensboro, including HVAC installations, repairs and maintenance. Call us today at 336-273-8663.