Category: Tips and tricks

If all of America’s allergy and asthma problems were to suddenly disappear, there would be a lot of doctors looking for work.

Okay, a more positive way to view the same end result is that there would be a lot fewer people needing medical attention and other relief from their seasonal or chronic problems. And we’d all be grateful for that.

Well, short of an overnight cure, there’s actually plenty you can do to help your own cause. This blog is about one such means: UV (ultraviolet) air purifiers. They’re just one of several indoor air quality solutions we offer here at DiBiase Heating & Cooling and a particularly effective one.

Unlike a whole-house air purifier which kills indoor air pollutants as they attempt to pass through the system’s filter, a UV air purifier is more proactive as it seeks out airborne viruses, bacteria, mold, mildew, and fungi and breaks down their DNA. That renders them harmless and thus spells major relief for anyone in your home who suffers from allergies or asthma.

So while indoor air quality products like UV air purifiers are not a cure, they do effectively eliminate the source of the problem. And wouldn’t that be a pleasant change of pace if you now spend hours each day coughing and sneezing up a storm?

Here’s what else UV air purifiers are effective at eliminating:

• Musty odors
• Embarrassing pet odors
• Smoke by-products
• Pollen spores
• Byproducts from new carpets and resurfaced hardwood floors
• Cleaning product fumes

What’s more, UV air purifiers offer superior energy efficiency over traditional whole-house air filters as the latter requires a constant flow of air to filter out impurities. UV air filters also don’t require any actual filters, which means no dirty particle build-up that can come back to haunt you.

If you’re tired of feeling lousy inside your own home and all those meds you’re taking, contact DiBiase today – because there is an alternative means of feeling better, one well worth exploring.

Washing your laundry the new-fashioned way can take its toll on you, the environment, and your wallet. For starters, washing machines use large amounts of water and energy. In fact, if you have an electric water heater, it’s likely the second biggest energy user in your home, and your washing machine is a big part of the reason why.

So if you’re looking for yet another way to conserve energy along with natural resources, here are some green laundry tips you can put into practice right away:

Bring back the clothesline. Hang your clothes outside on a line, weather permitting, or indoors on a drying rack.

Wear clothes more than once. Not everything needs to be washed after just one wearing, so don’t be quite as quick to toss all your garments in the laundry basket.

Coldwater rinsing. Energy Star states that nearly 90% of the energy it takes to machine wash your clothes is used to heat the water. By rinsing your clothes in cold water, you’ll make a substantial dent in total energy consumption.

Only wash full loads. Filling up your washing machine with water requires energy, and energy is wasted every time you wash less than a full load of clothes.

Clean the dryer lint filter after every load. A lint-free filter improves air circulation and quickens drying time.

Check your dryer exhaust. If your exhaust vent isn’t closed tightly, outside air will infiltrate and force your dryer to work harder, thus consuming more energy.

Upgrade your washer and dryer. Just as one example, an Energy Star washing machine can reduce water usage by up to 14 gallons per load. So when it’s time to replace, read the labels.

As we’ve hinted at throughout this blog, your washing machine works hand in hand with your water heater come laundry day. So it makes sense to ensure that your water heater is also in sound working order. If you have any reason to think otherwise, contact DiBiase Heating & Cooling today to request our water heater inspection service. If there’s a problem with it, we’ll find it and give you a guaranteed upfront price before making the repair. A well-maintained water heater also helps ensure your family’s added safety.

You’ve dusted off the patio furniture and outdoor toys. You’ve taken the beach chairs out of hibernation and stocked up on sunscreen and, just in case, aloe-based lotion. And that’s just a small part of your summertime ritual.

But here’s the question: Is your home as ready for summer as you are? You see, just as you deep clean in the spring or have your heating system inspected in the fall, it’s equally important to make sure your home is prepared for the hot summer months ahead.

So here’s a handy checklist to help you accomplish that goal:

• Thoroughly clean all interior and exterior windows and inspect for cracks and gaps that could let water and bugs in.
• Trim back hedges and tree limbs, especially those near your outdoor condensing unit.
• Inspect your attic, basement or, crawlspace for signs of water damage and termites.
• Power wash your deck and check for loose floorboards or railings.
• Clean out dryer vents, and check that all hoses are connected properly.
• Seal cracks in driveways and walkways.
• Inspect your roof for loose or damaged shingles.
• Make sure downspouts are positioned at least 3 feet away from the foundation of your home.
• Check all garden hoses and spigots for leaks.

And how about your central AC system – you know, the one you depend on the morning, noon, and night for cool, comfortable indoor conditions? Has it had its annual cleaning and inspection? If not, now is the perfect time to contact DiBiase Heating & Cooling for AC preventative maintenance at its best. Annual service is essential for optimum system performance, lower energy costs, reduced indoor humidity, and a longer system lifespan.

When it comes to home ductwork, there’s still a whole lot of “what you can’t see can’t hurt you” going on, right or wrong.

And we get it. It’s no fun climbing up into your attic. Most are dirty, dusty, and just not fun places to be. If the light bulb’s out, you need a flashlight to see your way around. Worse, it’s easy to fall, especially if you don’t have plywood laying over the wood framing.

Heck, some older homes or those out in the country even have bats living in their attics.

Still, and no matter how uninviting it might be, your attic is well worth the occasional inspection – even if you engage someone to do it for you – to determine the integrity of your ductwork. You see, because unless they remain properly sealed, several problems can and often do occur:

• Reduced comfort – If there are cracks or leaks in your ductwork, the air is escaping into your attic or elsewhere, and that means reduced comfort levels in your living spaces plus added wear and tear on your AC system or furnace.
• Increased energy costs – As more and more air is allowed to escape, you’ll be forced to adjust the thermostat to keep the indoor temperature right where you like it. And that only serves to drive up your heating and cooling costs.
• Poor indoor air quality – At the same time conditioned air is exiting your air ducts, airborne pollutants like dust, dirt, bacteria, mold, and mildew are finding their way inside. From there, it’s a short distance to your living spaces and, ultimately, your lungs.
• Reduced safety – The fumes from gas furnaces, wood stoves, and other household appliances also can get pulled into your ductwork when not properly sealed. That leads to more health risks and even the risk of fire.

Still don’t want anything to do with the inside of your attic? Well, in that case, we’d be happy to climb up there and inspect your ducts for you. More importantly, we’re professionally trained and experienced at thoroughly sealing any cracks or gaps we might uncover, all for your improved indoor comfort, lower energy bills, and added safety. Contact DiBiase Heating & Cooling today to request service.

It’s Springtime again and summer is almost here. Allergies and Asthma symptoms increase when the weather starts to change and can play a major role in health and comfort for you and your family. Here are just a few things you can do to reduce the number of allergens in your home naturally.

• Turn on the AC system – this can reduce the number of allergens in the home and help to increase indoor air quality. Of course, make sure the system is functioning properly by having it maintained, keep your windows and doors closed, and always remember to replace the system filter each month.
• Run your System Fan – Running the fan on your HVAC system in combination with a good clean quality air filter can help to reduce airborne allergens in the home.
• Wash up after coming indoors– If you are outside for a large portion of the day, change your clothes when you get home and take a shower to rinse off any pollen that may be on your skin and clothes, especially your hair.
• Keep your pets clean – Pets that have been outdoors should be kept clean by bathing them to rinse off any pollen or allergens that can be brought into the home.
• Maintain the Humidity in the Home – High humidity in the home can aggravate allergies and asthma symptoms by creating a breeding ground for mold and insects.
• Proper Ventilation – Turning on bathroom exhaust fans when taking showers and using exhaust fans when cooking can help reduce the humidity in the home to create a more comfortable environment.

There are many solutions available today that can provide better indoor air quality including advanced air filtration, dehumidifiers, and air scrubbers. Give us a call today at (610) 285-1813 to learn more.

You don’t have to be an avid skier to enjoy the winter months. In fact, something as simple as taking a walk around the neighborhood or as carefree as building a snowman can help you get some much-needed exercise and vitamin D while shaking off those winter-time blues. And yet, just as with any other activity, taking all the right precautions will help ensure that you stay healthy and safe while having fun.

Here are 10 tips to keep in mind before venturing outside this winter.

1. Dress in warm layers of clothing that you can easily slip off should something become wet.
2. Choose mittens over gloves to help retain more heat in your hands.
3. Wear a hat, fleece, or knit headband, or earmuffs to prevent your ears from getting frostbitten in extreme cold.
4. Just because your boots are waterproof doesn’t mean they’ll keep your feet warm. Choose those that are well insulated or wear extra thick socks.
5. Apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of your skin to prevent sunburn.
6. Limit your time outdoors if the temperature or wind chill is -15 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. Common sense will dictate, at least to a point, your own personal threshold for cold and blustery conditions.
7. Whether shoveling snow or playing, take periodic breaks to rest and warm-up.
8. Wear proper head protection when skiing or snowboarding, no matter what your skill level.
9. Do not ice skate on ponds or lakes unless you know for a fact that the ice is at least 8” thick or you see a posted sign that states it is safe to do so.
10. When walking at night, wear a jacket with reflective strips or carry a flashlight so that drivers can clearly see you.

Even if there’s nothing in the list above you haven’t seen before, we hope this blog proves useful to you by stringing a bunch of cold weather tips together. Here’s one more thing to keep in mind: should things suddenly turn cold indoors this winter, contact DiBiase Heating & Cooling for prompt and reliable home heating service. We’ll troubleshoot the problem, give you a guaranteed price to fix it, and then back that up with our 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. That’s how confident we are we can fix your furnace or boiler, too.

As the saying goes, old habits die hard. But with a new year come new opportunities to kick some old habits to the curb and make room – physically and mentally – for the new and improved. And one of the best places to start is right in your very own home.

For example, if you’re tired of living in a sea of clutter but get overwhelmed at the idea of lightening the load, here are 6 things you can tackle right now that will get you well on your way to a more organized, clutter-free existence.

• Old Clothing – If you haven’t worn it in a year, chances are you never will. Free up precious space in your closet or dresser drawers and donate, sell, or toss items that are outdated or don’t fit.
• Make-up and Grooming Supplies – Many grooming and make-up items have a shelf life of about a year. So if you have old lipsticks, shadows, and other items that are past their prime, toss ‘em. While you’re at it, get rid of those old lotions and decorative soaps that you never use but can’t seem to part with.
• Gifts – While it’s true that it is the thought that counts, some gifts simply miss the mark. Take a moment to appreciate the gift – and the gift giver’s sentiment, and pass that unused candle or tie collection onto a thrift store.
• Broken or Damaged Furniture – Ah, you had such great plans for that antique writer’s desk, but it’s now been two years since you picked it up off the side of the road and it’s still sitting in your garage. Drag it out to your curb, post it for free on Craigslist, or donate it to charity.
• Financial Documents – Neatly file your tax returns, deeds, leases, insurance papers and any other important documents in a safe, organized place. Run everything else through the shredder and into the recycling bin. And to keep things organized moving forward, sign up for electronic billing and statements and download those documents in a file on your hard drive.
• Expired Food and Medicine – Take a look in your medicine cabinet and remove expired prescriptions and over-the-counter meds. Check with your local pharmacy for proper disposal. Then, go through your kitchen cabinets and pantry and toss expired canned goods and pre-packaged food.

Will following these steps rid your home of all unwanted and not needed clutter? Probably not. But mess-free homes aren’t any more likely to be created in a day than Rome was.

When the weather outside turns frightfully cold and filled with winter precipitation, it’s no walk in the park. Not for you, and not for your cat or dog. In fact, your pets can be far more vulnerable to wintertime maladies than you might even realize.

So take just a couple of minutes to read and perhaps even print these tried and true techniques for wintertime pet care:

• Have your pet examined by a vet at least once a year, especially during the winter months as the cold weather can exacerbate medical conditions such as arthritis.
• Know your pet’s limits. If it’s too cold for you to be out for an extended period of time, it’s probably too cold for your pet as well.
• Give your pets safe and warm sleeping options, as their preferences may change depending on the season.
• Before starting your car, honk the horn or bang on the hood to encourage felines to flee their hiding spot. Also, check under your car for any pets seeking shelter before pulling out of your driveway.
• Check your pet’s paws frequently for signs of cold-weather injury, such as cracked paw pads or bleeding. Also, wash and wipe down their feet and belly to remove anything that might have accumulated during an outdoor frolic.
• Snow and ice can disguise recognizable scents that would normally help a pet find its way home. Make sure your pet has an up-to-date microchip or well-fitting collar with correct identification and contact info.
• Be prepared for severe winter weather by having a well-stocked disaster/emergency kit for your pet. Have enough clean drinking water, food, plus any medications your pet might need to get through at least 5 days.

Another way to protect your pets and family at the same time is by calling DiBiase Heating & Cooling to request our heating system cleaning and inspection service. It’s a great way to stop home heating problems before they start, and to make sure that everyone stays nice and warm and cozy – at least indoors – all winter long.