Tag Archives: Comfort

Multi Level Home and Temperatures

Building Science, Healthy Home, Home Comfort, , , ,
Multi Level Homes and Temperatures

Are you uncomfortable in your home?

It’s been a problem for a while.   We are talking about multi-level (half a floor or more difference) home with one comfort system.  With the move to efficiency the thought was if one air conditioner and or heat system was used, lower power consumption would be the result.  The issue of comfort has become a hot topic, literally.   How do we manage the temperature issue?  Hot air rises and cold air sinks.    If the duct system is designed with the same duct and air flow requirements as a single story home, we will have a problem.   In a hot climate, what we fix for summer makes it unbearably hot upstairs during the heating season.  In a cool climate lower levels can become uncomfortably cold during long weather cycles.

[If your home is multi level be cautious at purchasing an air conditioner to solve your problems.   Is a contractor trying to sell you two-speed, two stage or variable capacity A/C or heating system replacing a single speed unit without addressing your duct system?]

Solution; zone the two levels.   It is not that easy. Continue reading Multi Level Home and Temperatures →

Smart Phones and Appliance Management

Air Conditioning and Heating Performance Blog, Home Comfort, , , ,

Lighting, alarm monitoring, air conditioning and heating control, cameras and so much more.

It’s what smart phones are for, right?

We have application via smart phone to set our heating or cooling, to turn off and on lighting, to monitor appliances, to secure the home or office  or to view the site while we are away.

Before you begin downloading apps and purchasing hardware, take a moment to inventory the items you want to control via your phone.  Chances are you will over look items to control if you jump on-line and order quickly.   There are lot choices and you should take the time to map your needs by way of hardware (lighting brand) or by software .  That is to at least group items so all your lighting hardware is compatible with a particular app.  Choose the hardware that will work with in common with a single app.

A common advertising point is to sell the consumer on stand alone systems.  In other words a security system that does not have to interface with a company at all levels avoiding paying a middleman.  If you choose this type of system, make sure the support team is there for you when set up the system, have trouble with the system or when you have a general question.

Overall technology has given us a way to stay in touch around the globe or while we are down the street.   These services have proven to be reliable, comprehensive and simple to operate.