You can make your home more tech savy with these devices your family didn’t even know they needed.
Renee Lucas from LCS Heating and Cooling joined us today with a list of gift ideas that can add smart home features to any home.
Ecobee thermostat
An Ecobee Smart Thermostat is a device that uses smart sensors and third-party, digital integrations to control the climate conditions in your home. They are said to increase energy efficiency and give you the ability to control your home’s temperature from virtually anywhere using your smartphone.
Honeywell leak detector
The Water Leak & Freeze Detector keeps you connected and aware to potentially costly water activity in your home. Whether you’re in the kitchen or on vacation you can receive notifications when a pipe freezes or a leak is detected.
Reme Halo
The REME Halo® uses the same process nature uses to purify the air. In our atmosphere, lightning, which holds a negative charge, activates hydrogen peroxide molecules. Once activated, the molecules clean the atmosphere, leaving behind a fresh, natural smell.
Intermatic surge protector
Simple and effective, our lineup of point-of-use surge strips help protect everyday electronics and appliances from damaging power surge events.
For more information visit, lcsheatingandcooling.com.
THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY LCS HEATING AND COOLING.
As families get ready for the holidays, it’s important to be mindful of your furnace and thermostat so you can best prepare before your company arrives.
Renee Lucas of LCS Heating and Cooling joined us today with a few tips to make sure your home is at a comfortable temperature for you and your guests.
1. Turn the thermostat down a few hours before cooking and arrivals.
- Cooking will naturally warm the house.
- Lots of people will warm the house.
- Crack the oven door to release heat but don’t forget to shut it!
2. If it gets warm in the house, do not turn on the a/c.
- Running the a/c when it’s cold outside can cause damage to the compressor.
- Open windows and turn on fans instead.
3. Have the furnace serviced before large gatherings.
- There’s nothing worse than a breakdown during a gathering. Change filter and have maintenance completed beforehand.
- If you the furnace doesn’t seem like it’s working right or is making a funny noise- get it serviced. It won’t fix itself or just go away.
THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY LCS HEATING & COOLING.
Renee Lucas of LCS Heating and Cooling joined us today to explain common issues with winter air and how you can improve your indoor air quality this winter.
Common Issues with winter air:
- Fatigue
- Flu-like symptoms
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Itchy eyes, nose and/or throat
Tips to improve indoor air quality in the winter:
- Duct cleaning
- Dirt, dust, food, hair, pet dander accumulate over time. This needs cleaned as the air circulates through the ducts and is distributed throughout your home.
- Duct cleaning is recommended every 5-7 years. Another good time to have it done is when moving into a new (to you) home. You’re moving into someone else’s living space, so it’s their dirt, food, hair, pet dander that gets cleaned out!
- Air Cleaners
- Shake up stale air. During the winter, it’s tough to get air moving because opening a window isn’t an option.
- They trap unwanted particles, including allergens that contribute to murky indoor air.
- It also helps with traditional cold and flu season by cutting down on bacteria and viruses in your home’s ventilation system.
- Humidifiers
- Maintaining the right humidity in your home is essential for comfort.
- Humidifiers also make breathing easier by opening up your nasal passages.
- The right humidity level is also essential for the preservation of your home.
For more information visit:
THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY LCS HEATING AND COOLING.
Educated VS sold — do you feel like you’re always getting sold when a contractor is in your home? Renee Lucas from LCS Heating and Cooling joined us today to share how you can tell the difference.
THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY LCS HEATING AND COOLING.
There are a few DIY ways you can keep your home cool during the summer heat, but there are also a few things you may want to leave to the professionals. Renee of LCS Heating & Cooling has the details for both!
DIY Tips:
- Use your thermostat wisely by setting it as high as comfortably possible in the summer, ideally 75 degrees or higher. Do not set high temperature swinging programs.
- Use fans with your A/C, while fans do not produce cool air they help push down and circulate the cool air from your air conditioning system.
- Close the blinds or drapes in the daytime to keep out the greenhouse effect of the sun.
- Avoid the oven, working with a conventional oven can add unwanted heat to your home.
- Trim plants and trees away from the a/c unit so it doesn’t affect air flow.
Bring a Professional in for the following:
- Whole-house dehumidifier- removes humidity and allows you to keep the thermostat at a higher setting.
- Solar Powered Attic Fan: Removes heat from the attic, taking the heat load off the second floor.
- Air cleaners & UV lights: Helps with allergies!
For more information visit, LCSheatingandcooling.com.
THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY LCS HEATING AND COOLING
Renee Lucas of LCS Heating & Cooling joined us today to explain how you can know if humidity is an issue in your home or if the issue is your AC unit. She breaks it all down below:
Humidity in your home can be caused by a number of things:
- Condensation on windows during the winter.
- Excessive mildew in the bathroom.
- Common home activities such as bathing, cooking, dish-washing, and just breathing all produce moisture.
- Other sources in the home include plants, stored firewood, plumbing leaks, unvested gas appliances, and outside air during humid weather.
Humidity can affect your air conditioner:
- Air Conditioners work to remove heat and moisture from the air in your home. When humidity levels are high they need to work a lot harder. If the unit doesn’t have sufficient cooling capacity, it may be unable to cope with extreme humidity.
- Some signs of high humidity in your home: moist, clammy air, foggy windows, or a musty odor.
Dehumidifiers
- The best way to combat humidity when trying to cool a home is by having a dehumidifier installed onto the HVAC system. This simple appliance will work to pull moisture from the air before it is forced through the ducts in your home. Having the dehumidifier installed with your AC allows you to adjust both the temperature and the humidity in your home at the same time.
- You can tell that you have a humidity issue when you can see visible condensation on cooler surfaces, on the ceiling you want to watch for wet stains and often you can see moisture as discoloration. Peeling paint and excessively creaking floorboards can also be a sign.
- An AC system may have trouble fighting humidity if the system is too big for the home, if the unit is cutting off and on too often this does not give it enough time to eliminate the humidity inside of the home. And on the other hand, your AC might be undersized if it never stops running and will also not be able to fight the heat or humidity that is bring brought into your home. Having the right size HVAC unit with a dehumidifier can lower your energy bills and keep your home nice and comfortable all year round.
THIS SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY LCS HEATING AND COOLING.
When do I know it’s time to replace my heating and air system? Renee Lucas, from LCS Heating and Cooling has the answers!
Here are a few tips to let you know that now is the right time.
1. How old is your system? If it’s more than 10, start preparing to get a new system! Have you been making costly repairs for a few seasons? Invest that repair costs into a new complete system!
2. Do you dread seeing that electric bill each month? Take a look at the efficiency of your system, it matters!
3. Let LCS Heating and Cooling provide a complimentary, no obligation quote to see if a new system can save you money. Let us provide you with Lasting Comfort Solutions!
For more information, visit the LCS Heating and Cooling website.