What are BTUs and Why Do They Matter?

BTU is a common term that you will encounter when you’re shopping for most of the electrical appliances such air conditioners, grills, etc. Although each of the HVAC appliances will be accompanied by a fact sheet indicating its technical specifications, very few people check out this helpful information. BTU is an acronym standing for British Thermal Unit which is used to measure the thermal energy that an electrical device is capable of generating over a period. One BTU can be defined as the actual amount of energy required to increase the temperature of a single pound by 1oF. However, this definition doesn’t apply to air conditioners since they are designed to lower air temperature and not raise it. The BTU unit indicated on an AC refers to the amount of heat the AC can eliminate from the air. The size of the heating or cooling equipment doesn’t determine the number of BTU units on it. Smaller appliances can have a higher BTU value compared to the large devices which is normal. However, the bigger your home, the more number of BTUs you’ll need since it means that heating or cooling will provide more heated or cooled air. Why Do BTUs Matter? It’s always important to pay...

View Article

Can Your Heater Decrease Humidity?

The humidity levels inside your home can change in both hot and cold weather. When you run your heater during the winter months, it can decrease the humidity levels. The problem with this is that you don’t want humidity levels dropping too low inside your home. Whether you simply need a new thermostat inside your home to control the humidity, or an entirely new furnace or heating system, TA Kaiser can help. Indoor Humidity during Winter The recommended range for relative humidity in your home is 30 to 50 percent, so long as outdoor temperatures are above 20 degrees Fahrenheit. When you’re running the heater full-time during the winter months, however, it is easy for the relative humidity in your home to drop below 20 percent. This can lead to dry or chapped skin, static electricity and irritation of the mucous membranes. Humidity that is too low can even make you more susceptible to a cold or flu during the winter months. Moisture levels that are too high or low can also damage wooden furniture or flooring, leading to costly repairs. Controlling Indoor Humidity TA Kaiser can install a whole house humidifier to help you keep the relative humidity inside...

View Article

What Size Furnance Do I Need? – TA Kaiser

Is it time for a heating upgrade or replacement in your home? Finding the right expert might not be a hassle, however figuring the right size for your heating system might prove more difficult. With a few tips, calculating the size and the required BTU’s. Home Size Furnace size depends largely on house size. There are two main ways to calculate house size. Locate your home’s architecture plan that should list your home size. If you can not locate the needed documents, often your mortgage company or county or city-state department can tell you how many square footages your home is. If all else fails, measure your home, taking into account indented spaces that would reduce the total square footage. Take into account whether the attic and garage are insulated and occupied. if so, they are to be included in a home’s heating square footage. Calculate BTU’s Once your home’s square footage is known, it is now time to figure out the required BTUs needed to heat your home. There are several BTU calculators online that automatically calculate the BTUs needed to heat your home.  Some of these include the ceiling height as it can affect the total BTUs needed. Calculator.net...

View Article

Saving on Energy Costs in Commercial Buildings in Franklin

Heating and cooling a commercial building is expensive. However, there are ways to reduce the costs and save energy at the same time. You can evolve your commercial building into a green energy business while also keeping another type of green in your company account. DIY Tips & More Set your thermostat according to the weather. For example, in the summer, keep the air conditioner at 78 during business hours, but turn it up to 85 when the building is empty. In order to optimize your savings, installing a digital thermostat cuts down on waste more than humans can. You can program them according to your business hours, making it easier for everyone.   Policy and procedure on light usage are useful. Staff should know what rooms should remain lit and a checklist for those that should be turned off at the end of a business day.   Power down equipment when not in use, and add unplugging non-essential appliances to a check-list. Smart power strips sense whether someone is present to use a piece of equipment and reduces human error when listing what needs to be turned off.   Shades, shutters, and blinds are for more than decoration. Using...

View Article

Cheer Up When the Charlotte Temperatures Drop

The holiday season brings fond memories of being with family, enjoying the festivities, and experiencing an overall sense of joy. But it is fairly common to catch a case of the blues during this time. In fact, about 20% of Americans suffer from seasonal depression during the winter months. But rather than succumb to the glums, there are a few ways that you can beat the blues this winter in Charlotte: Try calling a friend you know will lift your spirits or call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.   Light therapy is an effective method to treat a sour mood. Treat yourself to some natural light by keeping your curtains open at home or at work, or by taking a walk outside.   Make sure you are getting enough vitamin D, which is a natural mood booster. As mentioned above, taking a walk outside on sunny days will do the trick. On less sunny days, consider supplementing with foods, such as Vitamin D milk or eggs. You can also take a daily multivitamin with increased vitamin D.   Music is an all-around cure for the blues! Put on some quick, uplifting tunes to sing and dance to,...

View Article

How Can a Ceiling Fan Help Keep Your Indianapolis House Warm?

Heating costs in Indianapolis can become very expensive, but you can help alleviate the costs by using ceiling fans. Ceiling fans serve a dual purpose of helping cool your home during the summer and helping to keep your house warm during the winter. As your gas furnace heats your home, the warm air rises to the ceiling. The ceiling fan works by pushing the air back down into the room. By flipping the switch on the motor casing, you reverse the direction of the fan blades from counterclockwise to clockwise. The airflow will then reverse from moving upward to downward. Run the fan on the lowest setting so that it slowly recirculates the air, without creating a breeze. When you leave the room, make sure you turn the fan off so there is no wasted electricity. The only room that you will want to leave the fan on is the room with the thermostat. This will allow the thermostat to get a more accurate reading of the temperature in your home. If you have an open staircase, it would be beneficial to install a ceiling fan at the top to recirculate the warm air upstairs back downstairs. There are several  Indianapolis...

View Article

Common Furnace Issues- Troubleshooting Your Unit

Furnaces have a lot of mechanical and electrical components in order to provide the furnace repair residents require. Like any piece of equipment, issues could arise causing you to try to decipher what is wrong. Troubleshooting your furnace should be done correctly. You may want to follow these steps to troubleshoot your furnace  Make sure your thermostat is set to the “Heat” setting. Also, make sure your thermostat is set to a degree that should start the heating process. Try 5-10 degrees over the room temperature reading for troubleshooting.   If your thermostat uses batteries, try replacing them with brand new ones. If you have an electrical thermostat, make sure you have power by switching the thermostat to the fan setting. If the fan comes on, you know the thermostat has power and it is not the cause of your problem.   Check your filters and make sure they are clean. Some cheaper filters use oil to catch dirt, dust, and debris and need to be replaced once full.   Check the circuit breaker for your furnace and make sure the fuse is not burned out or tripped.   Check the switch on your furnace unit and make sure it is in...

View Article

Decreasing Your Home Heating Bill this Winter

The winter months come in a blaze of cold temperatures and gusty nights, which means your heating bill soars and your pocketbook looks a little less plush than you would like it to throughout the holidays. There is no reason to pay more than you have to for your monthly heating bill, so consider the following ideas to cut your costs: 1) Turn your fans to run the opposite direction, and keep them on a low setting when you are in a room. This will allow you to keep your thermostat set at a lower temperature because the fan will circulate the warm air that rises to the ceiling and keep the whole room a comfortable temperature without using as much energy. 2) Replace the weather stripping on your doors. Animals and children, as well as day-to-day wear and tear, can ruin the weather stripping on your doors without you even noticing. If you can see light through the cracks in your door or feel a draft when you stand close to one, that means your weather stripping is not doing its job and needs to be replaced or upgraded. 3) Use caulking to seal the outer holes in the...

View Article

Common HVAC Issues

Your HVAC system is a complex arrangement of heating, cooling, and ventilation components that work together to make your home comfortable. If one of the components of the system breaks, it can make your equipment function less efficiently or not at all. Keeping your system in good working order helps your family feel more comfortable while also decreasing energy costs. Even if your HVAC system breaks, many common problems are easy to troubleshoot on your own. A few common HVAC problems are: A dirty filter. Your filters need to be changed monthly but many homeowners lose track of time and forget. A dirty filter can clog and cause your HVAC unit to quit working properly. This increases strain on your equipment and can cause it to break down. If you notice your air conditioner is not working correctly and you cannot remember when you last changed your filters, a clean filter is a good place to start to see if you can get it up and running properly. A breaker is tripped. If your air conditioner is completely unresponsive, the culprit may be a tripped breaker. Go do you breaker box and flip the switch connected to your HVAC unit...

View Article

Upgrading Your Thermostat

For many homeowners, there is always the fear that they’ve left their HVAC systems running even though they are no longer there to enjoy them. Rather than having to drive all the way back to your house, you can make adjustments from any location of your choosing. This can all be done with a smart thermostat! You can also have your smart thermostat paired with other smart technologies throughout your home so that features like entertainment and security can be easily adapted as well. This added benefit gives you the home control you desire, from anywhere in the world! Have questions? can help. We know how these thermostats work and we can offer exceptional comfort solutions for you. There is nothing like being able to warm your home up on a cold night even before you have arrived. This is also a great way to enjoy cool indoor temperatures on sweltering hot days, without having to waste a lot of energy. Parents no longer need to worry about whether or not their kids are turning their thermostats up too high or down too low. They can always quickly and easily check the exact settings for these units. Energy savings are...

View Article