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February 21st, 2014 Comments Off on Household Chores in Bryan & College Station, TX

Household Chores in Bryan & College Station, TX

How does that “Honey do!” list get handled in your home?  For some people in Bryan and College Station, it contains their weekend marching orders.  For others, it might as well not exist because, even with all good intentions, things just never seem to get done.

And then there’s the rest of us that tackle the important stuff first, leaving the rest until we have more time, more money, or both.

Here at McKinzie Heating & Air, we’d like to help you prioritize just a bit, especially since there are several chores that should be tackled much sooner than later to help prevent problems later on.

Things like the following:

  • Cut back tree branches and shrubbery from your home to prevent critters from making themselves at home in your walls and attic.bryan
  • Fill in cracks and gaps in your foundation, driveway and walkways. Over time, they will only get worse.
  • Periodically check for loose or missing roof shingles along with loose or cracked bricks in your chimney.  The idea is to deny water direct access into your home where it can only make a mess of things.
  • Seal cracks and gaps around windows and doors to help cut your home heating and cooling costs.
  • Clean or replace your heating and air conditioning filters once a month (in season) to keep your system running at maximum efficiency and maintain the cleanest possible indoor air.
  • Clean your range hood and filter at least every two months. Months of grease build up can clog your filter and increase the likelihood of a kitchen fire.
  • If you notice lights flickering or see sparks when you flip a switch, it could mean you have faulty electrical wires. Contact a licensed electrician immediately.

Then again, nothing beats good ol’ preventative maintenance, especially when it comes to your home comfort systems.  Our licensed electricians and HVAC professionals recommend and perform annual heating, air conditioning, and electrical wiring inspections.  The goal is to keep everything in top working order while helping to ensure your family’s greater comfort, convenience, and safety.

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February 11th, 2014 Comments Off on How to Purchase an Electric Space Heater in Bryan & College Station, TX

How to Purchase an Electric Space Heater in Bryan & College Station, TX

It’s right around this time of year when most people are divided into two opposing points of view:  first, that winter will never end or, taking the more heatingoptimistic view, that spring is right around the corner.

Either way, winter has its own plans, and no amount of wishing or hoping will change them.  But there’s always more you can do to keep warm indoors.

Take electric space heaters, for example.  Today’s models are sleeker, more energy-efficient, and safer than ever, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. So how do you know which model is right for you? Here are a few things to think about before making that purchase.

Types: Convection, Radiant, or Combination

  • Convection heaters are a great choice for heating large rooms for short periods of time. They heat the air in a room – not objects or people – by using a heat-transfer liquid such as water or oil along with a heating element. The liquid is sealed and will never need to be refilled. These heaters work best in rooms that can be closed off vs. big open spaces.
  • Radiant heaters heat objects and people in a room with infrared rays, as opposed to circulating warm air in a space. They warm up quickly, are more energy efficient than other models, and typically generate very little noise.
  • Combination heaters offer the best of both worlds by heating people and objects while using a fan to circulate warm air within a room. However, combo heaters are the least energy efficient alternative.

Safety First

  • Be sure that the space heater you purchase has been tested and meets the safety standards by an independent safety laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories. If it doesn’t bear the UL sticker, move on.
  • Look for a unit that has both an over-heat switch and a tip-over switch.
  • If you have small children or pets in the house, consider a space heater that stays cool to the touch.

Your Needs

  • Consider the room you want to heat. How big is it? Is it closed off or open to other rooms of your home? Make sure the heater you select can adequately heat the space.
  • For ultimate comfort, choose a space heater with a programmable thermostat, one that will maintain your desired temperature while lowering your energy costs.
  • Consider aesthetics and noise level. Some are sleeker and quieter than others, by design.

At McKinzie Heating & Air, we can’t emphasize the safety factor enough.  As licensed electricians and HVAC professionals, we have a lot to offer to help keep your family warm and safe, 24/7.  And one of the ways we’re pleased to do so is with helpful articles like these on our company blog.

 

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January 9th, 2014 1,989 Comments

Electrical Safety Tips for Bryan & College Station, TX

What does “home” mean to you?  Well, among other things, we hope yours is a place of top level comfort, convenience, and safety.  It’s what we all strive for, and yet sometimes it’s very easy to overlook some very simple but effective ways to improve our living environments, especially when it comes to personal and property safety.College Station

As Master Electricians serving businesses and home owners throughout Bryan and College Station since 1995, McKinzie Heating & Air  is pleased to offer you four tried and true electrical safety tips:

Minimize Your Use of Extension Cord

Extension cords:  it’s not always easy or possible to function smoothly without them but, at the other end of the spectrum, it’s super easy to over-depend on them, too.  If your home has multiple electrical appliances or equipment plugged into the same outlet, you have an increased risk of electrical short circuits and fire.  One way to solve the problem is to contact us to install one or more new outlets in your home.  In the meantime, and if you must use extension cords, be sure to use only those that are UL listed and no more than 3-feet in length.

Don’t Use Light Bulbs with Higher Wattage Capacity than the Fixture Itself

About 95% of what incandescent light bulbs generate is heat, and only about 5% light.  So in general, it makes good sense to replace your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents.  But where you still do or prefer to use incandescent bulbs, please be sure that the fixture wattage limitation matches the bulbs you’re using now or for replacement purposes.

Install GFCI Outlets Wherever Water Can Come in Contact with ElectricityCollege Station 2

 

Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) are specifically designed for use near water, indoors and outdoors.  A GFCI outlet measures incoming and outgoing current and, if it senses a discrepancy, trips to stop the flow of electricity.  They are very effective in preventing electrical shock, and worse.

Use Only Properly Sized Fuses or Circuit Breaker

If you’re still using a fuse box to power your home, just be sure to replace a 20 amp fuse with another 20 amp fuse, and so on.  The larger the fuse, the more power it draws.  If it’s drawing more than the wires are capable of generating, you run the risk of causing an electrical fire.

Need a little help making your home a safer living environment?  Well, that’s just one of the things we’re here for, so give us a call and let’s get started.

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January 9th, 2014 3,037 Comments

Cold & Flu Prevention in Bryan & College Station, TX

Withe colder temperatures often comes an increase in colds and flus. So from our house to yours, here are some timely tips on how to feel or get better fast:

Protect Your Body

  • We don’t mean to sound like your Mom, but if that’s what it takes to get your attention, so be it!  Wash your hands often, get plenty of rest, exercise often but don’t overdo it, and drink plenty of water sleep and exercise, and drink a minimum of eight glasses of water a day.
  • Watch what you eat, and that includes consuming more vitamin- and mineral-rich foods like fish, yogurt, orange juice, garlic, sweet potatoes, broccoli, red bell peppers, and others.
  • You don’t need pills to soak up more vitamin D.  Not, that is, when you make a point of soaking in a little more sunshine:  weather permitting, of course.

Protect Your Home

  • Clean or replace your furnace filter once a month. Your furnace is designed to trap dirt, dust, and other airborne pollutants.  That’s its job.  But without regular cleaning or replacement, the furnace fan is eventually going to start blowing some of that accumulated gunk into your ducts and right back into your home.
  • Weather permitting (once again), bring a little of the outdoors inside your home by throwing open a few doors and windows.  It’s a great to purge that musty, dusty air and replace it with the kind that’s fit to breathe.
  • If you have a two-speed ceiling fan that’s sitting idle and waiting for spring to arrive, it’s time to press it back into service.  Turn it on and run it in the reverse direction so the fan is pushing warm air back down to help keep you warmer at lower temperature settings.  In the process, you’ll save money on your utility costs, even with the fan running.

McKinzie Heating & Air offers a number of indoor air quality solutions for further protection against and relief from colds, flus, and allergies.  By installing a whole-house air filtration system, for example, we can rid your home of more than 99% of airborne pollutants that are trapped on contact each time the system’s fan turn backs on.  Call us today for more information or to request service.

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