California is in the middle of one of the worst droughts in the history of the state. Nearly 100% of the state remains in the third-harshest category for dryness, according to the latest measurements. Because of this, California has enacted strict laws and steep penalties for people who are wasting water. You might be breaking the law and not even know it. The new laws went into effect on August...
View Article Continue ReadingDo you know what a flex alert is? More importantly, do you know what to do if you receive a flex alert? Flex alerts were implemented this year are issued by the California Independent System Operators, which is an organization that monitors energy usage. According to their website, FlexAlert.org, “A Flex Alert is an urgent call to Californians to immediately conserve electricity and to shift demand to off-peak hours (after...
View Article Continue ReadingWith Summer in full swing and some warm days behind us, it’s likely that you’ve been running your AC system for at least a month now. You know what that means, right? It means you need to change your air filter. It’s important to change your air filter every 30 to 60 days for two reasons: It keeps your air clean and keeps your system running efficiently. Here’s why: Keeps...
View Article Continue ReadingDid you know we are in the middle of Bike Week? That’s right, May 12 – May 18 is Bike Week this year. What exactly is Bike Week? It’s a movement to get people to ride their bike this week instead of driving their car. You might be thinking, “What does this have to do with HVAC?” Well, not a whole lot actually. However, here at Alps we are big...
View Article Continue ReadingAir conditioners are given a rating of their energy efficiency called the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). A higher SEER means a more energy efficient air conditioner. The United States Department of Energy sets a minimum standard SEER rating for air conditioning systems. In 2006 the minimum SEER for commercial air conditioners sold in the U.S. was set at 13. To qualify as an Energy Star appliance, an air conditioning...
View Article Continue ReadingThis month, millions of California homeowners will see a credit on their electricity bill that they can expect every April and October for years to come. The credits for Californians are funded by a statewide program to reduce greenhouse gas emission, fight climate change, and clean the air. In 2006 California passed the Global Warming Solutions Act with the goal of reducing carbon pollution by at least 15% by 2020....
View Article Continue ReadingEvery year at the end of March, the global community comes together to make a difference for the environment with an event called Earth Hour. It is a great opportunity for homeowners everywhere to do their part and see what a big difference we can all make when we come together. To participate in Earth Hour, all you have to do is turn off all nonessential lights in your home...
View Article Continue ReadingOne of the most important things you can do to keep your heating and ac system healthy and functioning is keep the filters clean. How often you need to clean or change your filter depends on what kind of filter it is and the environment of your home. The easiest rule to follow is clean it when it’s dirty. There are some advanced filtering systems that last for a long...
View Article Continue ReadingAt Alps, we like to stay on top of the latest ways to heat and cool your home while protecting the environment and keeping bills down. Geothermal heating and cooling systems are gaining popularity because they use very little energy to keep a home at a steady, comfortable temperature. Geothermal technology transfers heat between your home and the earth’s crust where heat is a naturally renewing resource. We know from...
View Article Continue ReadingAre you really getting what you are paying for from your air conditioning and heating system? Alps uses two Energy Star required tests to help you answer this question. The first is a duct test, which we previously wrote about on our blog: Duct Testing to Save Energy and Money. The second is an airflow test, which we will be discussing today. Both tests can tell you a lot about...
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