The Assurance that gives you Comfort!

Nearly everyday I am reminded how fortunate I am to work with such an AMAZING company! From the jobs I get to see our guys complete to the wonderful customers I am lucky enough to meet with, I just can't believe my good fortune.

I know I have said this before, but our guys are truly craftsmen. I am working on a series of "before" and "after" photos to show the amazing level of workmanship our guys provide. In the meantime let me encourage you to visit the Air Assurance website and read some of the customer testimonials. You can get there by clicking here.

I also want to thank the many customers I have spoken with recently for all of your kind words. It means so much to me to hear your praise and appreciation for what we have done. I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful customers. I am equally blessed to have such skilled craftsmen working with me to make such dramatic changes in the lives of my customers.

THANKS!

Whole Home Filtration

Did you know research has shown that the air in most homes is significantly dirtier than the outdoor air? Did you also know that respiratory-related illnesses are one of the leading causes of absence from work and school? Did you know the only true way to improve the quality of the air in your home is to "clean" it as it circulates through your heating and air conditioning system?

For the past few years indoor air quality has been a passion of mine, and I am very proud to have the opportunity to help people improve the quality of air in their homes, and thus improve their quality of life.

You may think this is a strange "passion" for someone to have. Well, let me briefly tell you what got me started down this road.

Just before my oldest daughter turned one year old we almost lost her to an unidentified respiratory illness. This illness caused her windpipe to nearly swell closed. With a significant amount of effort she was able to inhale air, but her windpipe was so constricted that she could not exhale the "bad" air out of her lungs. This caused her to nearly suffocate and die.

We spent nearly two weeks in the hospital, with five of those days being in the Intensive Care Unit. Some of the time was spent in a "mist tent", which is essentially a hospital bed with a big plactic bag over it and a humidifier blowing moisture inside. The other time was spent in ICU with my daughter in a medically-induced coma and on a breathing machine while being fed through a tube. (Try getting that image out of your head!)

All we were told about the cause was that she must have picked up some kind of bug. No test was ever able to isolate the exact cause.

After my daughter, and my family, recovered from this scare, I began to explore indoor air quality and ways to improve it inside the home. When I joined Air Assurance I was given the opportunity to continue my study and help others improve their indoor air quality.

At Air Assurance we offer a full range of indoor air quality solutions. We also offer indoor air quality monitoring. Some of the products we offer include the Lennox Healthy Climate Media Air Cleaners, the Lennox PureAir filtration system, up to the Lennox HEPA by-pass filtration system.

If anyone in your home suffers from any type of allergies and/or asthma, I would strongly recommend the Lennox PureAir. I have this system installed at my home, and I can't say enough about what it will do for your home. This system incorporates three separate types of filtration in one unit, all while producing no Ozone - a known lung irritant. The Lennox PureAir utilizes the highest-efficiency media air filter available to capture the airborne particles, UV lights to kill viruses and bacteria, and an odor catalyst to neutralize odors produced in your home.

What does all of this mean to you?

Well, from personal experience I can tell you that you will notice a significant reduction in the amount of dust in your home. You will be able to dust your furniture and not have to turn around a repeat this process a couple of days later. You will also notice the absence of odors in your home. I have another daughter who is in diapers, and I don't have the diaper smell that often accompanies this time in a child's life. I also have two dogs who spend a significant amount of time inside, yet you don't smell "dog" when you walk in the door. By far, the best experience I can report is the improved health of the members of my family. I can't think of a single time my oldest daughter has been sick since we installed the Lennox PureAir. My youngest daughter has only had one minor cold that I can remember, and my wife has been sick once, but that could have come from her work - she interacts with the public all-day, everyday.

Like I said before, I can't say enough about what this system will do for your home, and more importantly, the people in your home. If you would like to learn how your family can start experiencing these fantastic results, I would love to talk with you. Please give me a call, or shoot me an e-mail, and we can find a time to get together.

Thanks! And stay HEALTHY!

Don't wait for it to BREAK!

I completely understand that we are in very uncertain financial times. I also understand the importance of making the absolute best use of every dollar we have. That philosophy is the inspiration for this post.

Would you prefer to make a buying decision when you have time to consider your options and make sure you are making the best possible decision, or when you are under significant pressure and stress? I think the answer is obvious! However, everyday I meet with people who are being forced to deal with the pressure and stress.

If any part of your current heating and air conditioning system is more than 15 years old, you would be wise to consider replacing it. While your system might continue to run a little while longer, it also might fail at anytime, and you will be forced to make a rushed decision. I suggest you will make a much better decision if you are able to review and consider your options without the stress of having to make an immediate decision.

At the same time, if your current equipment is more than 15 years old, you should be able to dramatically reduce your energy costs, while increasing your comfort level. That sounds like a Win-Win to me. Additionally, there are Rebates and Tax Credits available that can dramatically reduce the level of investment needed to begin enjoying these benefits immediately. I have a number of customers who have saved 30%, or more on their new systems and reduced their energy costs by as much as 50%. That sure sounds like a great use of their financial resources.

If you would like to see what options might be available and how much you can save on your energy bills, I would love to speak with you. Shoot me and e-mail, or give me a call, and we can find a time to get together.

Don't wait for it to BREAK!

Thanks!

More Customer Feedback

I know I have said this before, but I am so lucky to have the opportunity to work with the absolute best people in my industry!

This afternoon I was doing some follow-up calls to customers for whom we recently installed new home comfort systems. One of the customers I spoke with was Gregg from Broken Arrow, OK. Gregg recently had a new high efficiency system installed.

When I initially met Gregg, he told me that he and his wife liked to keep their home very cold in the summer, but their past utility bills had been quite excessive. As a result, they chose the Lennox XC21 Air Conditioner coupled with a variable speed furnace.

So today while I was speaking with Gregg, I asked him if he had been hanging meat in his home. After a hearty laugh, he told me he thought his wife was trying to freeze him. He went on to tell me that they were both extremely happy with how the new system was operating, but that was just the beginning.

With an increased level of energy in his voice, Gregg began to tell me how impressed he was with the level of craftsmanship demonstrated throughout the installation process. He told me that he had been home throughout the installation, and he had sat in his garage to watch our Install Team work. He said he could tell "the guys really went the extra mile." He also told me several times, "the guys did a great job!"

Gregg also told me the he knows most people only ever take time to complain, but he was so "impressed" with the level of craftsmanship exhibited at his home, he wanted me to make sure we knew how much he appreciated it. He also asked that I pass his gratitude along to our Install Team's supervisor, which I gladly did.

I can't say enough about the quality people I work with. Many of the things they do as a normal part of their work aren't even offered as "extras" by other companies. These guys are AWESOME!

If you are in need of new home comfort equipment, or even if you are just considering it, I encourage you to give me a call, or shoot me an e-mail. We can arrange a time to get together, and I can explain how you can experience what Gregg did.

Thanks! And way to go guys!!!

Why do I need a Furnace in the Summer?...

...Aren't those just used to heat your house?

Well, the simple answers is "Yes", and "No".

This is a question, or something similar, that anyone who works with heating and cooling equipment has been asked, probably more times than they can count. And as the saying goes, "There are no stupid questions." With this post I am going to try and provide a simple and understandable explanation.

Let's start by explaining what is inside a furnace. If you were to look inside your furnace, you would notice its two major components: the Blower and the Heat Exchanger. There are other things in there to control how and when the blower and heat exchanger work, but for our discussion we are only going to focus on these two parts.

The Blower, or fan, or squirrel cage, is basically a fan that draws air from inside the house through the return duct system, then blows it back into the house through the supply duct system. The Heat Exchanger is a series of sealed metal compartments that are heated with a flame. When these sealed compartments are hot, air blows past them and transfers that heat into your home.

How is that for a simple explanation?

So, why do you need a furnace in the summer?

Well, the explanation I gave only told half of the story. Just because the furnace contains a Heat Exchanger doesn't mean it only works when the heat exchanger is hot. During the cooling season the Heat Exchanger is basically switched off, and only the fan operates.

So in the summer, instead of the Blower transferring heat from the Heat Exchanger into your house, it moves air across your evaporator coil where heat from your home is removed, thus making the air cooler and reducing the temperature in your house. (I will explain this process in greater detail in a later post.)

Now, to sum things up and answer the original question, you need a furnace in the summer because it contains the fan that moves the air through your home that the air conditioner has made cooler. If you didn't have a furnace, your air conditioner could run forever, but you would never feel its effects.

I hope this explanation is helpful. If you have any questions, I am more than happy to answer them. Just shoot me an e-mail, or give me a call, and I will see what I can do.

Thanks! And stay COOL!

JAM Sessions

As I said in the introduction to this blog, from time to time I am going to take time out to talk about things outside of my work life that are important to me. This is one of those topics.

For those of you that know me and know how non-musical I am, the title of this post is probably a little confusing to you. Let me assure you that JAM Sessions have nothing to do with music.

JAM stands for Job Assistance Ministry and is offered through and supported by The Church at BattleCreek in Broken Arrow, OK. The purpose of this ministry is to help people progress in their professional careers. Participants include people who are currently employed, as well as people who are unemployed. The assistance available is the same regardless of your current employment status.

JAM Sessions are held twice per month on Sunday evenings. At these sessions we offer support and encouragement through Christ and the talents and experience of the volunteers who have felt called to serve in this ministry. To support this ministry God has brought together an amazing group of talented people who have a true passion for helping others advance in their professional and spiritual lives.

During JAM Sessions we offer break-out sessions addressing topics from Life and Career Planning to Resume Writing to Networking to Interviewing Skills. Each of these sessions is led by people who God has gifted with relevant knowledge, skills and experience. As a part of each break-out session, the leaders share information and experiences they have gained over the course of their professional life. They also give practical advice and tools that the participants can put to use immediately. Each session also offers time for the participants to pose questions and seek advice on specific topics.

Another awesome service offered through this ministry is individual support made available to each participant. After a person “registers” with JAM they are assigned a “Champion”. This “Champion” contacts the participant and offers to be their personal advocate and resource.

While JAM is supported by The Church at BattleCreek, it is not exclusively for its members. Anyone is eligible and encouraged to participate. If you would like additional information, please shoot me an e-mail or give me a call. I would love to connect you, or someone you know, to this fantastic ministry. Also, I would love to hear from you, if you are interested in serving on our team.

Thanks!

High Efficiency Air Conditioners...How high should you go???

The simple answer is you should buy the most efficient air conditioning system you can afford. As I am sure you have probably already figured out, energy prices aren’t getting cheaper. In fact, the most recent projections are that energy prices will increase at an average of 5% per year for the next 15 to 20 years. This means the more efficient your air conditioner, the more insulation you will have from these rising energy costs.

It is important to note that just because your air conditioner hasn’t stopped working doesn’t mean you don’t need to consider replacing it. ASHRAE (The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers) estimates the average life expectancy of an air conditioner, or heat pump, to be 15 years. So, if your current unit is 15 years old, or older, you are on borrowed time. You may soon find yourself needing to spend a significant amount of money to keep your old, inefficient air conditioner operating, all the while spending more money than necessary to keep your home cool.

If your current air conditioner is just 10 years old, it is quite possible you could double your efficiency with a new unit. You could potentially triple your efficiency if your unit is 15 years old, or older. What was considered high efficiency only 5 years ago doesn’t even meet the minimum allowable standards today. All of this means you are paying more to the electric company than you should. The good news is there are lots of options available to put that money back in your pocket.

At Air Assurance we sell and install the most efficient air conditioning systems available. If you are interested in seeing how much money you could save, or if you want to avoid another costly repair, I would love to discuss your options with you. Shoot me an e-mail or give me a call, and we can arrange a time to talk.

Thanks! And stay COOL!

Geothermal Heating and Cooling

I have to say that this has to be the topic I get the most questions about. With all the talk about energy efficiency, especially with the new Tax Credits, everyone wants to know about Geothermal Heating and Cooling.

By far, this is the most efficient way to heat and cool your home, plus it can produce a significant amount of hot water at no additional cost. This system also has the benefit of not requiring an outdoor unit.

For the last week I have been trying to work out a post that would explain geothermal, but I just wasn't happy with what I was ending up with. Then I got an e-mail from a group I belong to, and I think they did a pretty good job. So, I decided to post their explanation. I want to give credit to Doug Rye and http://www.dougrye.com/ for this information.

Here is what was included in their most recent newsletter.

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Geothermal 101

It seems like about three million of you have asked me to explain how a geothermal system works. Well, maybe not three million, but it's a bunch of you and I'm honored that I have the opportunity to do it. Now you've probably already figured out that I'm not smart enough to be real technical, but I do have some common sense. So I will use a common-sense approach to explain how the most efficient heating and cooling system available today can help you.

Actually you could get the Oct. 25, 1948, issue of Life magazine and get a great explanation. That's correct, 1948. Geothermal units are not new, but it has only been in recent years that they've gained in popularity. It just takes awhile for adults to embrace new ideas, especially if they cost more money. Notice that I said adults. When I show high school students how you can spend $50 more per month on installing a geothermal unit and save $75 per month on your utility bill, they simply say “cool.” No discussion or argument. They would take it in a minute.

OK, OK – here's how it works. All energy comes from the sun. Mr. Sunshine has provided a lot of BTUs for a lot of years and Mother Earth has absorbed and stored that energy. A closed-loop geothermal system simply removes those BTUs from Mother Earth in the winter and gives them back in the summer. At depths of five feet or more, the earth temperature remains close to 57 degrees, as evidenced by a cave's temperature. This temperature varies only slightly across the United States.

There are two basic ways to install a geothermal unit. If digging a trench is difficult or if space is limited, geothermal contractors drill holes into the ground vertically to install small-diameter polyethylene pipe. If digging a horizontal trench is feasible, the pipe is installed in a horizontal trench.

A very small pump then circulates water from the earth to the geothermal unit and back to the ground in the closed-loop pipe. Actually, geothermal is not the best name for this unit. A better name is ground-coupled heat pump or water-to-air heat pump. As you learned in my last newsletter, a heat pump doesn't create heat, it just moves heat from one location to another using a compressor.

Example: A window air conditioner blows cool air inside and hot air outside. If you turn the air conditioner around, it will blow hot air inside and cool air outside.

As it circulates 57-degree water in the winter, the geothermal unit, using the compressor to remove heat from the water, provides 105-degree air into the house. As the water goes back to the ground loop, it immediately starts absorbing BTUs from the earth. In the summer, a reversing valve simply reverses the process and the compressor pumps BTUs into the ground loop.

The water returns to the earth and immediately starts cooling off again. It's all about heat transfer. Here's another example -- a blacksmith heats a horseshoe to red hot. To cool it, he doesn't wave the horseshoe into the air. Instead, he simply dips it in water. It cools off a lot faster and takes a lot less energy.

I have been responsible for the installation of thousands of geothermal units and I have had no disappointed customers. My wife and I have had geothermal heating and cooling for 18 years and we simply would not have any other system. Geothermal gives good hot air in the winter and really cold air in the summer and uses less energy than any other central heating and cooling system. So don't be a tightwad. Buy the best there is – you, your family, and your house deserve it.
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Again, thanks to Doug Rye and http://www.dougrye.com/ for that information.

If you have any questions, or would like additional information about geothermal heating and cooling and what it can do for you, shoot me an e-mail or give me a call. I would love to talk to you about it.

Thanks!

Full Home Evaluations

I almost feel silly writing this, except it has become increasingly evident that this practice has almost become extinct.

What is a full home evaluation? Well, as it relates to heating and air conditioning, it means a thorough examination of the entire home, not just the equipment, prior to discussing any kind of equipment options. There are many factors that can affect which system is best for a home and how that system will operate. Unfortunately, too many people in my industry are more concerned about getting in and out of a home than spending the time necessary to make sure the recommended system will perform as advertised.

Almost daily I meet with a customer who has had one of my "competitors" in their home, and they are genuinely surprised when I tell them that I will be in their home for at least an hour. They all want to know why it is going to take me an hour to look at their equipment. I am sure they must be thinking I am "slow", or I must not know what I am doing.

However, their skepticism quickly turns to surprise, and then to gratitude as they observe the level of care I take to fully evaluate all aspects of their home. On more than one occassion, I have noticed potentially dangerous situations with equipment not related to their heating and air conditioning systems, and I have been able to make the homeowner aware before something bad happened.

Once I have completed my evaluation, and as I begin to explain all of my findings, the homeowners quickly understand the importance of this process. They also begin to understand that replacing a heating and air conditioning system, or a single piece of the system, is more than just replacing an old box with a new box. Unfortunately, there are too many other people out there who are only interested in replacing boxes.

If you are considering having your existing heating and air conditioning system, or any single part of this system, replaced I would strongly encourage you to give me a call or shoot me an e-mail. I will take the time necessary to assure that your new system/equipment performs as well as, or better than you expect. I will fully evaluate your home, explain my findings, and work with you to select the system/equipment that best meets your needs, while staying within your budget.

Don't settle for anything less!