How a 1987 Treaty Changed AC in 2010 How a 1987 Treaty Changed Air Conditioning in 2010

Ever heard of the Montreal Protocol? Like many things that happen among and between nations, even if you haven't heard of it, we're talking about an event that could affect your life – or, in this case, your home comfort.

Offered up in 1987 for nations to sign and adopt, the Montreal Protocol was an international treaty that focused on a concern for how chemicals and other things in the atmosphere were depleting the ozone layer that was protecting life as we know it on earth. The treaty was amended in 1992 to set a timetable for phasing out chemicals known as HCFCs – which includes in this list a refrigerant that has been used in air conditioning systems since the early '70s.

Now, fast forward to today and what this means in practical terms for you: Air conditioners manufactured after 2010 can no longer use the refrigerant R-22 (also known by the brand name Freon) as the coolant of choice. While this refrigerant can still be produced and used to service existing equipment for the time being, in 2020, the production and import of R-22 will end, and it will only be available through recycled and reclaimed processes.

That means simply this: any air conditioning that uses R-22 is looking at a time limit. As you face repairs with any pre-2010 system, we'll be glad to talk with you about the best ways to extend the life of the equipment (hint: regular maintenance!), and when the time is right for replacement, we'll give you our best guidance there too.

In the meantime, to learn more about what's going on, take a look at this info, What Every Homeowner Should Know: Government to Take A/C Refrigerant Off Market.

The Once-a-Year Step for Everyday Comfort

You've probably heard of Poor Richard's Almanac even if you have never read it. This was a work by Ben Franklin back when the country was young, and it had a calendar, weather predictions and some wise sayings.

Well, if Ben Franklin were writing weather predictions for Kingsville, TX, he'd say, "It's going to be hot this summer." Seems to me, it happens every year around that time, and this year, we'll be true to the calendar again.

Yet, if only Franklin had had central air conditioning, I think he could have added some updated helpful advice like this:

"If you want something to last, you take care of it. If you want something to do its job, you make sure it's running well. If you want something to protect you in the night, you make sure it doesn't have any hidden dangers."

Why do I think that? Because here's what Franklin actually did say: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

You've heard it, I've heard it, and we all know it's true.

So what ounce of prevention can you bring to your home comfort this spring? One simple step of a preseason checkup on your system can make a world of difference in your comfort all summer long. To learn more about the value of routine maintenance, take a look at this info, The Nutty Way to Solve a Problem Before It Happens.

Is Your Home At the Center of An Energy Loss Vortex?

That's not quite as far-fetched as it seems. See, your home comfort system worked very hard to keep you cozy all Winter. Now with Summer around the corner, you sure don't want system wear and tear to create a black hole in your wallet. I think we all know how expensive space programs can be!
This might sound funny to say but right about now, we usually hear an increase in complaints. Oh, I probably wouldn't be telling you this if these complaints are about us (they're not!). What I mean is, right about now, we start hearing complaints about high energy bills.
Now, it's not like we're physicists. Yet, we actually can have an impact on the energy costs in your home. When operating properly, your home comfort system will work more efficiently and save energy – which can mean lower monthly energy bills.
That's why each spring, we get calls for system tune-ups that effectively increase the efficiency of home systems – and help prevent untimely breakdowns of your home comfort system.
Hope we'll be heading to your home soon. If you didn't have us out last year, you may not realize how much better your system could have been protecting your personal comfort, your energy bills … and more. But don't make that mistake this year.
Learn more about how proper equipment operation affects energy costs. Take a look at this info, Attention: Seasonal Energy Alert.

Weather Alert: It’s Cold

There’s an app for this, there’s an app for that. There’s hardly anything we do or enjoy that can’t benefit from a little technological assistance, right? As a matter of fact, I recently heard of a “winter wake up” app, which combines the functions of an alarm clock with online weather forecasts. The result is that if your app determines that wintry conditions are going to create delays in getting to work, it’ll wake you up a little early so you’ll have more travel time.

Well, you don’t need an app to know the conditions your heating system is facing. Cold temperatures are going to make it work extra hard. Plus, if you haven’t had it serviced before the season begins, you run the risk of having an undetected carbon monoxide leak that could cause serious risks for your family’s health.

That’s why we’re so big on recommending routine maintenance on your system. It’s just a good idea any way you look at it, and this helpful report illustrates some of the benefits.

Why Your Heater Could Give You the Cold Shoulder

Does your home heating really have to be so sensitive? You ignore it – intentionally neglect it, even – for six months. Then when you have a real need, you ask, “How about a little heating help?” Then your system practically coughs in your face. If that.
Sounds like the two of you could use a little professional help. I’m actually not kidding about that part. Before you ask your heater or furnace to keep you toasty warm for Winter, you should give it the resources it needs to do the job right. That means getting your system professionally serviced so you won’t have to worry about it breaking down during freezing temps – and you can rest easy knowing it’s operating safely for your family.
To learn more about a terrific offer on system service, take a look at this info, Prevent Costly Winter Heating System Repairs.

I’m Glad You Asked…

“But why?” you may ask. “Why should I get my furnace tuned up when it seems to be working fine?” Well, I was hoping I’d get a chance to answer that question. It’s just something you might call “taking care of business.” There are certain things we do that may be inconvenient at the moment – but they keep us from having to take care of something much worse down the line.
It’s like going to the doctor for a checkup each year. Maybe nothing’s wrong, but if something is starting to develop, we want to find it quickly before it gets worse. Our health matters to us, so this makes sense. The same is true for going to the dentist. No one enjoys the ritual of cleanings and dental checks, but they keep our teeth “tuned up,” you could say, so we can keep enjoying our favorite foods.
Now that we’re headed into a Kingsville, TX winter, our furnace or heater will matter to us even more. So we want to do a preventive checkup to make sure it’ll be in good shape on the days and nights when we’re counting on it for our comfort and safety. Would you like to learn more? Take a look at this free report, What’s the Big Deal About Tune- Ups?

You’ve Been Breathing WHAT?

Quick question: what’s the worst thing you’ll breathe today? Yeah, I know. It’s an odd thing to ask, but you might not be aware of the odd things that end up in your indoor air.

For example, have you ever heard of something called a Volatile Organic Compound? Well, whether you’ve heard of it or not, there’s a chance you just breathed one in. That’s right. Just while you were sitting there, you may have just breathed in a Volatile Organic Compound.

Believe me, this is something that’s very common. That’s because VOCs are gases that are emitted by a wide array of common products, including paints, varnishes, cleaning supplies, printers, glues, permanent markers and so forth. And the VOCs that fill our airtight homes are a part of what’s led to the declining quality of indoor air in recent years.

If you’d like to learn more (and I hope you do), take a look at this free report, Why Is Indoor Air So Much Worse than Outdoor Air?