HVAC
Can a Water Heater Blanket Save You Money on Your Energy Bills?
There are hundreds of ways you can save money on your energy bills by making your home more energy efficient. One easy way to save on utilities? Using a water heater blanket. It makes a big difference during the colder months, as you can imagine, but it’s also an effective way to save money year-round.…
HVAC
What Is an ENERGY STAR Verified HVAC Installation?
Whether you realize it or not, there’s a lot going on beneath the hood of your air conditioner — and HVAC systems get even more complicated when you add in your home’s duct system, registers, heating units, and filters. With that much going on in your system, true efficiency is about more than just purchasing…
HVAC
How to Use Your HVAC System During a Fire Advisory
Are wildfires a threat to your home? A majority of scientists believe that climate change has increased the prevalence — and intensity — of forest fires, meaning we could see more of these hazards to come in the future, particularly in the western United States. Their reasoning? Droughts have contributed to drier than usual conditions…
HVAC
How to Replace a Baseboard Heater Cover
A quick DIY way to update your home’s decor is to replace the baseboard heater cover with a new, unblemished model — and it’s easy enough for most homeowners to do by themselves. Replacing the cover gives you a chance to clean the unit inside, so you may see better performance, too. Positioned low to…
HVAC
Want to take control of your HVAC system’s performance and energy use? A smart thermostat is a good start — but it doesn’t tell you everything. It can adjust temperatures and track usage, but it won’t alert you when a component is close to failing or when your system is losing efficiency. That’s where smart…
HVAC
Heater Covers: What You Need to Know
As much as we love heating equipment here at Modernize, we also understand that it isn’t usually the most attractive thing in a home. Baseboard heaters, radiators, and central heating registers tend to detract from your home’s overall appeal, rather than add to it. But there is one way to cope with these common household…
HVAC
Schematic Diagrams for HVAC Systems: What You Need to Know
Heating and cooling systems are packed with moving parts and electrical components — motors, capacitors, relays, compressors, switches, sensors, and refrigerant lines. HVAC system diagrams (also called schematics) help make sense of how all those pieces connect and work together. HVAC units are a lot like cars: many systems share similar components, but layouts and…
HVAC
Sometimes insulation and air sealing just aren’t enough to prevent temperature fluctuations in your home. Maybe you have an older house, or an addition that just isn’t as well ventilated. Whatever the reason, cold spots in your home can make things mighty uncomfortable when the weather turns wintry. You may be looking for ways to…