Posts by Phil Lorum
Upgrade your furnace with these 4 add-ons
When you’re updating your furnace and considering a replacement, there are a few extras you may want to include. Adding these furnace enhancements is like hot-rodding a car to help it perform even better. Since these furnace add-ons are seamlessly integrated into the installation process, there’s no need to undergo the hassle of an additional…
Read MoreChoosing a thermostat
It’s a fact that homeowners can never predict the cost of energy required to operate their home. One month it will be low and the next month it could go through the roof and cost a small fortune. But homeowners can work to control their energy use by turning off lights and lowering their thermostat…
Read MoreUnderstanding furnace energy ratings
When it comes to replacing your home furnace you’ll be considering a lot of options, including energy efficiency. AFUE ratings (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) determine how well a specific furnace uses energy. It’s similar to the miles-per-gallon rating on a new car. The Department of Energy defines AFUE as the ratio of annual heat output…
Read MoreThat big box in the basement
The first thing homeowners do when their heat goes off is call an HVAC technician to come and save them from the cold. Moments before the technician arrives to look at “that big box in the basement”, the homeowner says a silent prayer hoping that they won’t be forced to replace the furnace but instead…
Read MoreDon’t roll the dice on your next furnace
The furnace you were told six months ago it was on its last legs and ‘could die any minute’ has finally stopped working. You have to get it fixed … or else! How do you select the right furnace contractor to replace your home’s unit? Buying a new furnace or A/C is a big investment…
Read MoreTake a deep breath
Take a deep breath. Clean air ducts are the foundation for good indoor air quality. If you’re concerned about the air quality in your home, your heating and cooling ducts may be contributing to the problem. Over several years, air ducts can become contaminated with mold, fungi, and bacteria, as well as dust. Just one…
Read MoreHow your furnace is like an airline seat
If you’ve ever traveled to a warm weather destination in the summer, you know that airline tickets are typically cheaper. Why? Because fewer people are traveling and there are more open seats to sell. The airlines price their seats accordingly to fill the plane. The same thing goes for getting your furnace tune-up. The cost…
Read MoreHow to economically pinpoint home heating loss
An interesting Christmas gift this year has helped a Stramowski customer pinpoint areas of his home that are leaking heat so he can address the issues of heat loss… especially important during our winter cold snaps! The gift was a Digital Laser Infrared Thermometer Gun found on Amazon. Using the $16 thermometer gun from the…
Read MoreKeep the needles on the Christmas tree… not the floor.
It’s no secret that winter makes the air dryer, impacting everything around us. Dry skin is probably first on the list but number two is most likely the family Christmas tree. There’s nothing worse than a fresh tree drying out a week before Christmas and the needles all falling off. Here are some ideas to…
Read MoreSharing the love of the 70’s! Enter to win 2 movie tickets
Back in ‘77, songs like Abba’s Dancing Queen and Jimmy Buffet‘s Margaritaville, were flooding the airwaves. Jimmy Carter was president and George Lucas’s Star Wars was the biggest movie hit of the year. Do you remember? We do. ‘77 was also the year Stramowski Heating & Air Conditioning got it’s start! In celebration of the…
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