With the spring season almost upon us, it is important to think about getting the air ducts in your home cleaned. Some benefits of cleaning your air ducts include: getting rid of mounds of old dirt and dust particles that build up in the air ducts over time, eliminating pet dander or harmful chemicals that might be clinging to the sides of the ducts, and increasing the efficiency of your...
View Article Continue ReadingIt seems like every day there are new ways to automate your home. More importantly, these tools for home automation are becoming accessible to more people. You no longer need to be ultra-wealthy to consider automating part or all of your home. However, most home automation for the masses isn’t going to start with a smart refrigerator or a microwave that can be controlled by your smartphone. Home automation is...
View Article Continue ReadingLight bulbs aren’t exactly what they used to be. In the last few years, they have gone from your standard bulb to being a lot more efficient. Now, you can control your lights – even their color – from anywhere with your smartphone. While you might not need all of the 16 million colors available from some of these bulbs, there are definitely some other benefits to having smart light...
View Article Continue ReadingHere at Alps, we talk a lot about reducing your energy use. However, we wanted to take the time to explain how reducing your energy use affects you and those around you. Although there are a lot of secondary benefits of reducing your energy use, there are three primary reasons to make your house more efficient. Reduce Your Bills Let’s be honest for a minute. If reducing your energy meant...
View Article Continue ReadingFrom all of us here at Alps Air Conditioning and Heating… THANK YOU! Because of our fantastic customers who donated, we were able to help less fortunate children receive gifts for the holidays this year. It was such a success that we plan on doing it again next year and hopefully get even more of our customers involved. We hope you all have a Happy New Year!
Continue ReadingAs new technology progresses, it’s clear that the home is becoming increasingly connected. With smart thermostats like Nest that allow you to monitor and adjust your home’s temperature from an app on your phone, it’s only a matter of time before you can control many items in your home from your phone. Although there are many independent appliances and pieces in your home that can be controlled separately, it’s obvious...
View Article Continue ReadingIn a study conducted in 2013, hanging laundry was America’s least popular way to lower utility costs. Approximately 85% of American households own tumble dryers, and those who do own one burn through two or more loads a week. Dryers are one of the top energy consuming appliances, using about 12% of a typical household’s electricity! This is a surprising contrast to the 95% of Italians who hang dry their...
View Article Continue ReadingFor the month of December, we are raising support for Toys for Tots! Toys for Tots is an organization that collects and distributes toys to less fortunate children. Here’s where you come in. For every toy that you donate, we will match that toy with another toy. In addition, if you donate a toy, we will upgrade you to a Wi-Fi thermostat at no cost with any installation job we do....
View Article Continue ReadingWith winter getting closer, and cooler weather along with it, more people will begin turning their heaters on. Propane is a common energy source for fireplaces, heaters, and other heat producing appliances. Although California is one of the biggest propane users in the country, most people in the Southern California have hardly needed to use propane for heat, considering the beautiful weather all year round. Because of this, if it’s...
View Article Continue ReadingWith cooler weather upon us, it makes us want to turn on the thermostat and huddle under a blanket. For families with fireplaces, ‘tis the season to light it up and make s’mores. However, many fireplaces are not energy efficient, and much of the potential heating benefits are lost. Here’s a few tips for upgrading your fireplace to achieve maximum efficiency! The Right Kind of Wood If you happen to have...
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