• Use curtains and blinds, especially in the day time. Keep sunlight out of your home, especially around noon. This will help keep the temperature of home down, and reduce the need for air conditioners and ceiling fans.
• Open your windows, especially when sun sets. Enjoy the cool summer breeze, and ventilate and freshen your home.
• Use air conditioners only when needed. If a ceiling fan will be sufficient to meet your cooling needs, why not turn of that air conditioner. Air conditioners use way more energy than fans.
• Keep your air conditioner condenser in a shade, so sunlight doesn’t heat it up. You can build a shade with wooden boards if there is no shaded place available to place the condenser. This is one of those little things that make big differences.
• Use ceiling fans with your air conditioner to help keep the temperature down. It will help with the circulation around the room and allow your air conditioner to work less.
• Clean the filter of your air conditioner frequently – every week or at least once a month. Many forget to clean the filters; this will result in your air conditioner working harder, and thus higher energy bills.
• Only gradually change your thermostat. Frequent swings in your temperature control will cause more energy loss and result in higher energy bills. Do not set the thermostat on least possible temperature keep it on moderate so device has to work less.
• When you need to use your oven, consider using a microwave oven – it uses less energy to cook the same amount of food. Microwaves generate less heat in comparison with traditional grills and oven which rises the home temperature. Using microwaves instead of your cooker oven will reduce the load on your air conditioner.
• Turn off electronic devices that you are not using. Consider unplugging them completely from the wall. Even on standby devices consume electricity.

1. Do not cool or heat an empty house – this is a very common occurrence. When you leave your home, don’t leave your air conditioners, furnace or heater switched to max power, rather, consider setting down your thermostat, or getting a programmable thermostat. Break the habit of wasting energy heating/cooling your empty home, it costs money and wastes energy as well. It only takes 5 -6 minutes to get room to a comfortable temperature.
2. So either switch on appliances as you get back home or try to use a programmable thermostat to automatically turn on  air conditioners / furnace a few minutes before you get home.
3. Always wash/dry a full load in your washing machine, clothes dryer and dishwashers – be careful not to overload them. Not running and full load uses about the same energy as a full load.
4. Insist on florescent lights instead of incandescent bulbs. Florescent lights provide same amount of light and consume much less energy than bulbs because they do not produce heat. You can also switching to energy saving bulbs and lights. Florescent lights and energy saving bulbs are available in many sizes and designs; you have a big range to choose from.
5. Seal the corners of your doors and windows to help trap in the heat/cold. This will save you a lot on your energy bill.
6. Add insulation to your water pipes, water heaters, electric switch boards, etc. Repair damaged insulation.
7. Open your windows and let the sunlight in. Enjoy some natural and free heating and lighting for your home.

1. Manage the indoor humidity level. Germs are main reason allergies spread rapidly. Install dehumidifiers; it helps in keeping the air dry and levels the humidity down.
2. Clean the filters of you Air Conditioners to improve the quality of indoor air. It would also help in fighting germs which cause different allergies. Unclean air filters do not work well in killing almost all the germs.
3. Install air filters to remove dust from your home. Dust is the biggest carrier of germs that cause allergies. Dust all you shelves as well. To dust your indoor use a fabric or product that can absorb dust. For your carpets and floors use vacuums so there would be less dust in atmosphere.
4. Have plants inside your home. Indoor plants clean the atmosphere inside and help remove pollution. They freshen the indoors and also add charm and beauty.
5. Ventilate your home. Poor ventilation can lead to conditions ideal for germ buildup. Install ventilation fans in your laundry room, bathrooms and kitchens and washing area. Have your ventilation checked at least once a year by a professional.
6. Choose wisely when getting home cleaning solutions. These chemicals can be harsh, so consider getting brands with more gently chemicals – this is good for your health as well as your home. Many allergies are caused by using these harsh chemicals and inhaling the associated smells.
7. Add small stones and pebbles on the plant pots. Plant dust can cause germs and molds. Adding some small stones and pebbles not only make them look more beautiful but help assure better hygiene and keep you safe from germs and molds from dust.
8. For all those families who have pets in their homes, bathe your pet frequently. Pets’ fur cause so many allergies. They move around your home and can introduce germs and odors all over, so bathe them frequently to stay free from germs and allergies.
9. Look for and eliminate mold in your laundry room and bathroom. Laundry rooms and bathrooms are typically very damp, and could be an ideal breeding gorund for molds. Molds are the main cause of many indoor allergies as they are toxic. Take strong action today and look in those dark and damp crevices for mold
10. Use masks whenever you are cleaning. It helps you protect yourself from germs. Use masks when cleaning even if you don’t currently have any allergies.

The best way to control for allergies is to maintain the indoor air quality of your home. Contact us today to let us help you install filters, humidifiers ad air cleaners in your home today!

• Check your furnace and fireplace and ensure they are working well and efficiently. Consider upgrading that old boiler furnace for a new more efficient one.
• Make sure your doors and windows are sealed on the corners, use door snakes; it helps trap the heat in your room so the temperature doesn’t fluctuate as easily and you will need less heating devices. Door snakes are snake like pillows use to fill the cavity between door and the floor.
• Door snakes are available in market. You can make door snakes of your own choice of color at home. These are not difficult to make but works very well in saving the energy and lowering down the energy bills.
• Check for drafts and any leakage in the windows. By sealing these leaks, you can cut your energy costs and trap warmth in your home.
• Caulking is one of the cheap methods to deal this issue. You can also use curtains to cover the windows and doors. Check your walls, doors and windows properly. You should check your doors and windows at least once a year.
• Use curtains to cover the windows. Many people think use of curtains as an outdated fashion but curtains plays a magnificent role on saving energy and keeping the temperature of room moderate for longer.
• Use blanket to sleep and turn your heaters off when you’re off to bed. It saves your energy and money, the environment and any accidents that can occur from unattended heaters.
• Inspect the chimney before lighting the first fire. Early fall is best time to inspect the chimney well. If you do not know to deal with these things well then it is better to hire a professional who knows the thick and thin of it.
• Add insulation to your home. This is one of the most effective energy-saving tips. Get your basement, crawl space and attic well insulated and if needed your can add insulation between the walls.
• Turn off unused lights and adjust heating in in-frequently used rooms.
• Wear warm clothes rather than using a heater and other heating machines. Fabric is an organic material; it is an excellent choice for staying warm and feeling cozy during the Fall. Sweaters, pull-overs and jerseys for are good options for keeping warm against cold weather.

Save money on energy while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. Minor changes in your habit can save you big bucks!

The following tips will help you to save energy and maintaining your budget in winter season:

• For every degree you lower the thermostat you save about 2 percent off your heating bill. So make sure to use it properly.
• When you are at home set your thermostat not higher than 68 degrees and lower the temperature when you go to bed or when you are not at home. This helps to save energy.
• You can cut annual heating bills by as much as 10 percent a year by turning back your thermostat 10 to 15 percent for eight hours a day.
• Keep the curtains open during the day on the south side of your home to allow solar heating. Close them at night to keep the heat inside your house.
• Reduce the temperature of hot water by turning the water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to save money on your electric bill.
• Clean furnace filters regularly and do not forget to replace filters at monthly interval.
• Check the doors and windows for cracks and leakage.
• Check the water pipes for leakage.
• Make sure that your electric power connection is working properly; otherwise it would affect your electricity bill.
• Clean the room heaters regularly to get the optimum performance.
• Place water-flow restrictors in showerheads and faucets.
• Put a sheet of aluminum foil between the radiator and the wall to reflect heat back into the room.
• You must close the fireplace damper when not using it.
• Increase the insulation of your ceiling.
• Do not put any furniture or item in front of the heating vent. This will block the vent making it to work slower than usual. This will enhance your electric bill.
• It is a good idea to activate your computer’s power management features, so that it can power down when sitting idle.
• If you want to buy a new appliance or replace your old gas appliances to a heater or furnace, make sure that your desired product contains the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR® labeled devices reduces your energy cost than that of others.
• Put on a sweater before turning the room heater.
• Most of the heat generated by the furnace often escapes into the attic or basement before it reaches its intended destination because of cracks or holes in the air ducts. As a result, the furnace works longer to keep the rest of the house warm. So make sure your ducts are free from any leaks or cracks.

The following are the energy saving tips that you should follow in spring:

• Spring Cleaning- Spring cleaning involves checking all the fans in your home. They should be working properly and must be dust free. You should change the air flow of your ceiling fan. Filters must be washed regularly and must be replaced at monthly interval.
• Air Condition- Before you buy an air condition machine calculate its energy efficiency ratio (EER). You can calculate the EER by dividing the machine’s cooling capacity (BTU’s/hour) by its energy requirement (watts). An EER of 10 is very good, and 6 or 7 are fair. You should buy the smallest capacity machine that will meet your needs.
• Attic Vents- An attic ventilating system draws cool air up through the house and can provide the same level of comfort as an air conditioner at a much lower cost. So you can install an attic vent system.
• Sliding Doors- If you have sliding doors or windows make sure that the track is clean enough so that the door or window can slide properly. A dirty track can ruin the seal of door’s and window’s and can create gaps through which cold air or heat escape.
• Lawn Mowers- You must choose electric-powered lawn mower over gas-powered lawn mowers because gas powered mowers emit greenhouse gases that leads to climate change. But electric mowers do not emit such gases.
• Remove Storm Windows- Remove your storm windows, install screens and open up the windows to get your house to a comfortable temperature.
• Clean Light Bulbs- Clean your light bulbs to make it dust free. Dust free bulbs provide more light.
• Water Heater- Turn down your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to save money on your electricity bill. This is also a measure of safety.
• Use Microwave- Use microwave for cooking instead of the electric oven.
• Dehumidifier- A dehumidifier can enhance your electric bill. Make sure you have the accurate sized dehumidifier for your home.
• Use Exhaust Fan- To get rid of hot air use an exhaust fan to blow the hot air out of your kitchen while cooking.
• Refrigerator seals- Make sure that your refrigerator door seals are clean and tight.
• Refrigerator Condenser Coils- Ensure that your refrigerator condenser coils is dust free. If the refrigerator condenser coil is not clean enough then the motor will run slowly and will use more electricity than usual.
• ENERGY STAR® appliances- If you are thinking of buying a new device for your home then make sure that your chosen device has the ENERGY STAR® label in it. ENERGY STAR® devices reduce the energy cost than any other device.

Spring is the season when flowers are fully bloomed making the beautiful scenes all around us. This is the time when you have to check that whether your A/C system is working properly. Here we will discuss about how to get your A/C ready for spring.

An air conditioner is very easy to maintain but it may be difficult to a non-specialist. Getting your air conditioner ready for spring can be quite a headache if you don’t get through it properly. It is always best to contact a trained and certified air conditioner specialist to help you get that air conditioner ready for Spring. Here are some simple things that you can do before starting up the air conditioner.

Detail methods

• First we have to look at the components of an air conditioner. An A/C is made of a condenser, a compressor, an evaporator, refrigeration lines and a couple of sensors here and there.
• Our primary concern is on the condenser. The condenser is that part of an A/C which cools down the hot refrigerant by sucking in the air through it, and blowing out the top by the condenser fan motor. So, it is very much possible that while sucking the air, the leaves, dust get sucked with it.
• These things block the condenser and prevent it from cooling down the refrigerant. This also makes the entire A/C system to work slower than usual resulting in utilizing more electricity and thus a higher energy bill.

Cleansing methods

• The evaporator coil is also of great importance. The evaporator is a little radiator that operates in the opposite way to a condenser. Now the important point to note about evaporator is you don’t have to clean the evaporator like the condenser.

• It is a job of the skilled HVAC persons. But you can keep your evaporator coil clean by keeping your system furnished with clean filters. The air filters are just meant to keep the air clean.

• The air filters are placed in grills in the ceiling, sometimes the filters are in a furnace in the closet, and sometimes the filters are in the furnace in the attic. The air filters protect the evaporator coil from being damaged. Cleaning the evaporator coil is more expensive than that of a condenser.

Last but not the least; you have to do some routine maintenance throughout the year to keep your A/C running properly like replacing air filter monthly etc.

When in doubt however, why not give your Local Air Conditioner Specialists a Call.

Maintaining your home in the Fall and Winter is very important. Home maintenance includes maintaining or repairing the roof, attic, gutters, fireplace, filters and many more parts of your house. These parts must be looked after, especially in the fall and winter. Here we will discuss about how to maintain them.

Homes are our place of shelter. So we have to take care of it before to prevent damage and expensive repairs. Following is a preventive maintenance checklist for your home during the Fall and Winter. The checklist is divided into three parts – Indoor Maintenance, Outdoor Maintenance and Lawn Maintenance.

Indoor Home Maintenance

• Clean the fireplace. Check the chimney for loose or missing mortar. The chimney and the fireplace must be professionally cleaned. Test the chimney for tight seal.
• Check furnace and replace filter for maximum efficiency. Filters must be replaced monthly or as required.
• Test the water heater for proper temperature and sufficient insulation. Remove sediments from the bottom of the tank. Have it checked if there are any issues.
• Clean the air ducts professionally. But if have changed your furnace filters and cleaned the air ducts recently then you can take off the register covers and vacuum inside to remove the dust.
• Clean the humidifiers for effective operation.
• Pile up the required materials for fireplace and furnace.
• Have your carpet cleaned professionally.
• Change your bedding to the warmer ones. Cotton covers can be replaced with flannels.
• Make sure that your fire extinguisher is working properly.
• Inspect all cold-water pipes in the basement. Wrap them with insulating material to prevent freezing in winter.
• Examine the batteries in the smoke detectors.
• Check the power connection of your house.

Outdoor Home Maintenance

• Look for cracks in the house siding or paint. If required apply a touch up or call a professional.
• Put fences around your house.
• Check your roof and vents for cracks. Repair these if required.
• Your home must be equipped with storm doors and windows.
• Summertime screen should be removed and stored for future use.
• Clean your doors and windows both inside and outside.
• Clean gutters and drain pipes to prevent waterlogged situation.

Lawn and Garden Maintenance

If you have a garden or lawn along with your home, then you should also consider:

• Clean the drainage system.
• Clean your garden hose-pipe.
• Trim the long grasses.
• Use fertilizer to your lawn.

Unlock the potential of your home and avoid expensive expenses that could result from improper maintenance. Make sure you look after your home frequently. We can help.

Want to buy a new air conditioner for your home but puzzled about choosing the right one? Then this article can help you out.

An air conditioner is the device that cools your room in the scorching summer heat and provides you with cooling comfort. Air conditioners have become an essential part of our lives. In the summer, it is difficult to have a comfortable home without an air conditioner. Here are some of the factors that you should consider while buying an AC.

While choosing an air conditioner for your home you have to keep in mind the following things:

• The size of your room.
• Your budget.

There are many manufacturing companies in the market each with its own quality. At Comfortable home, we recommend Carrier Air Conditioners. For a more affordable option, we also have a home brand Comfortmaker. You must choose an air conditioner that fits your room. Too – large an air conditioner fails to dehumidify the air in a room properly because its run time is too short. So you must buy an air conditioner that fits your room and can make your room cool as fast as possible. That’s where we come in. We are local air conditioner specialists in Edmonton & St. Albert.

British Thermal Units

British Thermal Units (BTUs) is a measure of an AC’s capacity to cool. How much heat it takes to elevate the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit is measured by BTUs measure

Factors that You Should Consider while Buying an AC

• SEER Rating- In general, when it comes to efficiency, the more efficient the unit, the more it will cost initially. If efficiency is your matter of concern then choose an Energy Star® labeled air conditioner. This will help you to save your energy cost. The SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) is a measure that can tell you how efficiently an air conditioner uses electricity.
• Sound Rating- It is not desirable to anyone that while providing cool air the AC would also provide noise. So sound ratings must be considered. A noisy system will break your peace of mind. Outdoor unit’s sound level is measured in bels.  The general operating level is 8 or 9 bels. The quietest level is 6.8 bels.
• Comfort Features- Some air conditioners provide additional features that provide extra comfort. Two-speed units can run on low-speed, generally, 80% of the time.
• Correct Size- It is one of the main important factors. If you have a large room you will have to buy a large AC but if you have a small room then buys a small one.

When looking around for an air conditioner you have to keep in mind a lot of things. Your budget is also very important. Take all the guess-work out of choosing a reliable, efficient and affordable air conditioner, talk to us today.