Show Notes: HVAC, Home Tech and Halloween – On the House
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Show Notes: HVAC, Home Tech and Halloween

By on October 23, 2016
Air conditioner

Have you ever cleaned your heat ducts? Give it a go, it may save some money on home energy bills. Is a new vinyl floor in your future? Thinking  about some home tech products to upgrade your space? We have help for all that and more.

Thank you to this weeks guest; Tanya Memme for her halloween craft ideas for kids and grown-ups alike.

www.sugru.com  

youtube: Tanya Memme DIY Halloween

 

Quick Cash?

Are you remodeling and in need of some quick cash? Perhaps a kitchen remodel could be the answer to your prayers, or least that was the case for one couple. During a remodeling project, Imgur User and his wife found a box with nothing but cash inside with bills from 1928-1934. In total, the unearthed box contained a total of $23,000. The couple is going to use the money to pay off their mortgage.

However, a week after this first box discovery, the couple found yet another box in the basement. The second box contained newspapers from 1951 and more cash totaling $45,000.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve discovered during a home remodeling project?

http://www.remodeling.hw.net

 

Improve HVAC Performance And Efficiency

 Ductwork is hidden within the home’s structure and out of sight. As a result, most homeowners often forget about this network that delivers warm and cool air into the home. During the wintertime, consumers are concerned about the efficiency of their heating systems and seek ways to improve the unit’s efficiency and lower heating bills. Many are unaware that there are a number of factors that can adversely affect the condition within air ducts.

Accumulated dust, dirt and other debris can lead to a number of problems, including lower efficiency. Research by the EPA has determined that duct cleaning allows HVAC systems to run more efficiently. If you need a new air conditioning unit, it’s important to find the right company for the job. Not all companies offer the same level of service or warranty on their products and installation, so take the time to shop around. Ask as many questions as possible to ensure that you end up with an air conditioning system that’s perfect for your needs and budget.

Sunshine Coast air conditioning specialists can help you beat the heat this summer. With temperatures soaring, it’s more important than ever to have a reliable air conditioning unit. Sunshine Coast air conditioning specialists have HVAC Training HQ certification and they can help you find the perfect unit for your home and install it quickly and efficiently. They’ll also be there to help you keep it running smoothly all summer long.

When there is a build-up of dust and debris in the ductwork, the air filters are much more likely to clog up quickly and increase the airflow resistance in the ducts. The home’s HVAC system will need to work harder to keep the house warm and to distribute the warmed air. More energy will be required, and the end result will be higher utility bills.

Dirty air ducts also put the HVAC system at risk for lower efficiency levels and may compromise the systems internal components. The debris in the ductwork travels to the sensitive parts of the system and can cause a premature breakdown. By cleaning the ducts, you’ll be improving heater efficiency, performance and system longevity.

Cleaning the ducts doesn’t typically need to be done often. Most industry professionals will recommend cleaning the ducts once every three to five years. Factors, such as construction and pets, are some of the reasons why air ducts may need to be cleaned closer to the three-year mark.

http://customairinc.com/blog/duct-cleaning-affect-heater-efficiency

 

Shopping For Vinyl / Resilient Flooring

 You’ve made your decision and are ready to select and install your new vinyl flooring. Have you discovered what make vinyl a great flooring:

Vinyl is a decorator’s dream and also durable and affordable

  • Vinyl is the great imposter. It can look like wood, tile, even marble.
  • Vinyl is constructed in layers: the wear layer, the printed or decorative layer, an inner core consisting of a foam and vinyl layer, and a backing.

There are a few more things you should think about, starting with those layers.

Thickness

Thick flooring is not necessarily what you’re looking for.  You want a thick wear layer.  That’s the top layer and the one that really counts.  It’s the one that determines how well your flooring will stand up to traffic, as well as rips, tears and gouges.  Talk to your retailer about what’s right for you.

Quality

Pick the right vinyl flooring for the space.  Ask your retailer to review with you the manufacturer’s warranty and performance characteristics of the flooring you are interested in. You need to understand that premium products tend to have premium warranties.  A good warranty is a great stress reliever.

Seams

Vinyl sheets are manufactured in 6’ and 12’ widths.  Depending on the configuration of your room, seaming may be necessary.  Make sure your retailer can explain to you where the seams are likely to be when your new floor is laid down.  Certain floor patterns hide seams better.  For example, tile patterns with grout lines mask seams beautifully.

In rooms with heavy water use, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms, you may need to occasionally replace the heavy caulking where the flooring meets the walls or toilet. You don’t want water seeping under your flooring.

http://www.wfca.org/Pages/Before-You-Buy-Vinyl-Flooring.aspx

 

Find Lost Items Around The House

 Most of us are bound to misplace our stuff at one point or another. Unless you’re the most organized person on earth, chances are you lose your keys, phone and/or ID on a regular basis.

But the losses that really nettle us are the tiny things ― the earring backs, contact lenses and little charms that disappear, never to be found again.

Luckily, there’s a hack for that. If you’re on the hunt for a tiny item, secure an old stocking over your vacuum hose with a rubber band. It will catch all the little tidbits hiding in your home without sucking them into the black hole of your vacuum.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/life-hack-lost-items-house_us_580655c7e4b0b994d4c1b4d3?section=us_huffpost-home

        

Home Tech Products To Upgrade Your Space Now

 Your home is talking.

 Heat it up, cool it down

Ecobee3 Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat

With a full-color LCD display, just like an iPhone, you can now control the temperature of your home from all over your home. Its intuitive programming—it checks inside and outside all the time—means it knows which rooms you’re in (and which you’re not) and saves you money by controlling it all.

 Dim the lights

Philips Hue White Ambiance Starter Kit

The Hue family—capable of controlling up to 50 lights, luminaries and switches—changes your lighting situation to accommodate all your needs. With scheduling, you can mimic sunrise by having lights come on slowly, dim them for some romance, or anything in between.

 What’s the weather like?

Elgato Eve Weather Sensor

This wireless outdoor sensor checks temperature, humidity and air pressure. So instead of getting the data collected at the airport (or weather station) miles away from where you are, this gives you pinpointed intel. There’s also an indoor version, which has a useful carbon dioxide reading, too.

 Save on electricity

Honeywell Lyric Round or T5 Wi-Fi Thermostat

It’s smart enough to know when you’re leaving, or are on your way home, with geofencing, but its real genius comes when it starts to adapt to your weekly schedule. With the new Lyric T5, the thermostat becomes attuned to normal cycles at home to optimize the temperatures.

 Create some airflow

Hunter Fan

Not only are these attractive (and fans are not generally lookers) but they are now Wi-Fi ready. Syncing the fan with a thermostat equates to reducing energy consumption—and energy costs. And, if you’re relaxing in bed, Siri’s listening when you need the fan speed to change.

 Be home from anywhere

Withings Home

French company Withings is known for tracking your sleep with their Aura—but now the company has created the perfect tool to keep an eye on your home while you’re out. The Smart HD camera live streams every room individually and comes with recording capabilities. If you have a young tot, the two-way talk comes in handy, as well.

 Talk to the lights

Nanoleaf Ivy Smarter Kit

Who wants to have to get up to turn off the lights? With the Ivy Smarter Kit, plus its home hub, you can control up to 50 bulbs. Set up is easy plug and play – plug in the hub, screw in the bulbs, download the app, and the LED lights sync with your iPhone. And there was light.

 http://www.curbed.com/2016/9/30/13113594/home-tech-apple-ios10-homekit

  

Website Mentions:                        

Moldable Glue: www.sugru.com

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