It’s Green, Green They Say……Or Is It?

“If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but 11 degrees colder by the year 2000,” claimed ecology professor Kenneth E.F. Watt at the University of California in 1970.
We, as average hard working Americans, are constantly bombarded by all the “experts” telling us that our duty is to be “Green” to save the planet above all else. We are to use one square of toilet paper when we have a bowel movement. We are to drive vehicles that someone in Washington determines are right for us. We are to use light bulbs that may create more damage to the environment and our health than the old ones. We are told to build homes with zero energy use even though the lack of infiltration and air exchange is unhealthy. We are told to be happy to pay fees and taxes that go to give rebates on expensive appliances that are far more complex and may never meet the energy saving they tout. We are asked to give our utilities extra payments each month so they can build inefficient solar and wind electric generating farms. Where is the common sense about any of this?
No, we are not believers in wasting resources or being foolish about how we spend our dollars. We are to be stewards of this earth the Lord has given us. But we are believers in the free market and the free choices each of us should have. If you decide you want to buy a gas guzzler it should be your right. If you want to use incandescent light bulbs it should be your right. If you want to use 4 or 6 or 10 sheets of toilet paper to wipe your bottom, it should be your right. If you want an inefficient AC unit, it should be your right to make that decision. If you want to leave a door open or a window with the furnace running, it should be your right. We are all tired of those who think they are so much smarter than each of us, telling us they know what we should be doing.
Here is a solution to the maybe climate change or the maybe energy crisis. Let’s us some common sense in America and keep some “green” in our wallets. We can evolve our products and services over time rather than radical changes which are expensive and often add nothing to saving the planet. We can drill for oil and natural gas anywhere and do it safely. We can have nuclear plants that are safe and clean. We can drive automobiles with gas engines that put out very little pollution. We can have faucets made of brass with small amounts of lead without injuring out kids. If we can send men to the moon, we can figure out how to do these things safely and without pollution. We can let the market place determine what we buy not bureaucrats. We are smart enough to know what each will cost upfront and during the life cycle. If some of us don’t, then we should start looking at our school systems and what we are teaching our children. We should have the choice!
Although we have limits on the products we can provide you as a homeowner, we will give you choices of the available products that will best meet your needs today and into the foreseeable future. Call today and let’s find the best solution to your needs!

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It’s a good time of year to have our trained experienced air conditioning Technicians solve your cooling problems whether you live on Grosse Ilse, in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Melvindale, Wyandotte, or Lincoln Park.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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10 Ways to Keep Your Cool!

The recent issue of Money Magazine had a list of 10 ways to cut your cooling costs. Although it is not a complete list it contained some very good information. We have added additional thoughts that the article did not consider but will add to your comfort.

1. Clean The Condenser Make sure shrubs, plants and ground cover are at least a foot away from the unit outside. Wash down the unit with a hose but be sure not to force debris between the coil fins.
2. Replace Filters Replace the filter in your furnace at least twice a year. If you have pets or a lot of activity in your home it may be necessary to replace it much more often
3. Plant a Tree If you plant a larger tree on the West or South side of your home, the shade can reduce cooling costs.
4. Tighten Ductwork If your basement is considerably cooler that the rest of your house, it could be the ductwork in the basement is leaking the cool air into the basement and not allowing it to flow into the main areas of the home.
5. Install Ceiling Fans Air movement helps us to feel cooler. Installation of ceiling fans can help circulate air in your home and provide more comfort. Just be sure to turn off fans in rooms you are not using and save energy.
6. Use the Shades Closing window treatments on the South and West side of your home on sunny days can reduce solar heat gain. It can also reduce fading of carpeting and furnishings.
7. Keep the Air Flowing Leave doors between rooms open to allow air flow. Also be sure vents are open and not covered with furniture or other stuff.
8. Open Windows On cool nights or cool days it may make sense to open windows in your home. There are some risks here for home security and allow airborne allergens into your home.
9. Upgrade If your unit is 10 years old or more replacing it with a new high efficiency unit can save you bucks this year.
10. Get a Checkup Having a semi-annual checkup of your system by a qualified Technician can assure your unit is operating at the maximum efficiency for your unit.

 

If you need service on your system or are thinking about a replacement, call us today!

It’s a good time of year to have our trained experienced air conditioning Technicians solve your cooling problems whether you live on Grosse Ilse, in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Melvindale, or Oak Park.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs since 1980.

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21 Things to ask a contractor!

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11 Warm Weather Energy Saving Tips

With warmer weather there are several things every homeowner should do to prepare their home’s plumbing and air conditioning system for the spring and summer seasons. These are activities that will help to assume proper operation of the systems, prevent damage and save energy costs.

1. Remove the cover you may have put on your air conditioning unit. Be sure the power is on to the outdoor air conditioning unit. This will allow the oil to warm up and freely flow when you need to turn the unit on.
2. Carefully clean weeds and plants that may interfere with airflow to the outdoor air conditioning unit. Clean any debris around the unit. Don’t let the weed-wacker near the unit’s coil as it might damage the unit.
3. Use some car polish to clean the cabinet of your air conditioner. It will not be an eyesore in your yard.
4. Install a new filter in your furnace for the cooling season. A dirty filter is often the reason for a service call that could have been prevented.
5. Turn off the water supply to your humidifier and if there is a damper for the humidifier be sure to put it in the summer mode. It’s also a good time to clean the humidifier removing the calcium buildup and replace the media to be ready for fall.
6. If you have a setback thermostat, now is the time to set the cooling setbacks and check to see if you changed the time for daylight savings.
7. Check the insulation on the air conditioner piping from the outdoor unit to the point it enters the wall of your home. This insulation helps save energy by not allowing the refrigerant to operate properly.
8. Check to be sure that the ground around your outdoor air conditioning unit has not shifted and caused the unit to lean. This can cause the unit to fail prematurely.
9. Turn the water on to the outside faucets. Check inside the basement and the faucets themselves for any leaks. Also it’s time to start-up the sprinkler system and check for leaks at piping or at the sprinkler heads.
10. Check the outlet of the sump pump to assure free flow for the water to discharge at least 5 feet from the house.
11. Our trained technicians can check the mechanical portion of your air conditioning system to assure efficient operation to save you operating costs and continuous operation when you need it. Every manufacturer recommends semi-annual checks by qualified technicians on your heating and air conditioning system.

Call us early for preseason savings on system checks! If your system is 10 years or older it may be time to consider replacing it with a quiet high efficient unit. Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com. Home Service Corporation Celebrating our 32^nd year serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs.

Financial Cliff Bonus?

As we avoided the “financial cliff” most people did not realize there was a lot more to the bills passed by Congress and signed by the President. There were political favors to certain States and industries which most of us were not aware of. But there was also some tax credits put in which are retroactive to 2012 so you will be able use them when you file your taxes for 2012. And, they are also in effect for 2013. So you ask, what are the strings attached. Here they are:

• If you purchased a high efficiency furnace in 2012 or purchase one in 2013 up to a $200.00 tax credit.
• If you purchased a high efficiency air conditioner or heat pump in 2012 or purchase one in 2013 up to a $300.00 tax credit.
• If you purchased a high efficiency boiler in 2012 or purchase one in 2013 up to a $150.00 tax credit.
• If you purchased a high efficiency Hot water heater in 2012 or purchase one in 2013 up a $300 tax credit.
• You can get a credit up to a total of $500.00 limit going back to 2005.*

There may also be utility rebates in your area. DTE and Consumers Energy both have programs available with some strings:

• If you purchased a high efficiency furnace up to a $510.00 rebates.
• If you purchased a high efficiency air conditioner or heat pump up to a $260.00 rebate.
• If you purchased a high efficiency boiler up to $1,110.00 rebate. **

Our furnace and air conditioning manufacturers have rebates for certain high efficiency equipment. These can add up to additional saving of hundreds of dollars.

With the low interest rates today you can finance your new energy saving equipment and save from years past when interest rates were much higher.

Also save during January, February, and March as it is our slower time of year and we are cutting our prices to the bone!

Call today to start saving on the installation and on your utility bills year after year.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation

Celebrating our 32^nd year serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs.

*Check with your accountant to assure you qualify.

**Check with us to see if you qualify.

Instant Coffee…Instant Tea

It seems there is a least one new gadget for the kitchen every year. Some have been around for a long time such as the blender and others have disappeared after only one Christmas season, such as the air popcorn maker, the pasta maker, or the rotisserie chicken oven. These gadgets promised better tasting more nutritional food. The promised convenience and time-saving. They promised to make you a gourmet cook. They were shiny and we were told everyone must have one of these. Well, let us suggest another gadget for your kitchen.

This gadget has been around for decades. It is small, doesn’t take up counter or usable cabinet space and those who have it use it daily. It operates automatically, doesn’t require washing, and saves energy. It is always ready to provide for the gourmet cook or casual user. It is available in a variety of styles and finishes to match your kitchen. It does not require polishing or cleaning after use and can perform a multitude of functions for the cook and family. It won’t create a mess with use. So you ask, “What is it?”.

It’s a gadget called an instant hot water dispenser. It mounts on your kitchen sink near the faucet. It is available is all the same popular finishes your faucets. It comes in several style to match your kitchen style. It mounts under the sink, at the rear wall of the sink cabinet up out-of-the-way. It does require a simple water hookup and an electrical outlet to plug into. Once installed it does not require maintenance and will often outlast the other appliances in the kitchen. An instant hot water dispenser is always ready for use.

How can it be used? The most common and marketed uses are for making coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. These are all great and convenient ways to use it. With new “instant” coffees such are Starbuck’s Via you can now have a gourmet cup quickly and without the mess of coffee grounds. For the tea drinkers, the ability to immediately have hot water is so helpful and time-saving. Of course we wouldn’t want to forget about little Johnnie or little Susie would we? You can have hot chocolate ready for them when they come in from a cool fall day of play or their walk home from school.

There are numerous other uses for this little kitchen tool. Products such as instant soups, Mac and cheese cups, Ramen Noddles, and other such products can be prepared quickly and without muss or fuss. Also that baked on mess on the skillet or baking pan can be much easier to clean when very hot water is put into it. Other cleaning tasks can be simplified when you have very hot water available. Thawing out foods with very hot water can speed up meal preparation. Warming a baby bottle is easy. Rinsing out a cup with very hot water will clean it and take the chill off of it so your coffee will stay warmer longer. On a cold day a cup of hot water with or without a lemon wedge can warm you up with out calories and we are all encouraged by doctors to drink more water. If you add one to your kitchen, you will surely find other uses.

Contact us for more information or visit our website at www.HomeServiceCorp.com.

Home Service Corporation

Celebrating our 32^nd year serving our Michigan customers Heating & Air Conditioning , Plumbing and Electrical needs.