How Long Can I Expect Appliances to Last? Do you still have that 1996 bulky refrigerator with the mysterious loud hum? What about the furnace that everybody is afraid to go near? And not to mention the space heater that has been passed down through the family. Appliances and building materials can endure wear and tear for years, even decades. They stay working through the day and night to keep our living space healthy and
Ice Damming We are in the peak of the winter season, between weekly DC snowstorms and snow busts. Temperatures fluctuating above and below freezing are ideal conditions for snow melt and refreeze. Add in heat loss through the roof and we will eventually see icicles building up to form ice dams. Ice dams form along the edge of the roof and prevent excess snow melt from draining to the gutters and away from the home.
The Future of Air Conditioning Heat waves and temperature extremities linked to climate change are driving up demand for cooling in our communities every summer. There are close to two billion air conditioning systems operating worldwide, and according to the International Energy Agency that figure is expected to triple to six billion by 2050. Air conditioning is the fastest growing category of energy use in buildings. This puts a lot of strain on the energy grid. During
Controlling Phantom Power As the Halloween season approaches, there is a spooky and costly monster that has been lurking on your electricity bill day in and day out, for the most part unknowingly. This monster eats a whopping 10-23% of annual household electricity usage according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. For the average household spending $115 on electricity a month, that can be $138-$317 of your yearly energy expenditures. This monster is called phantom
