Author Archive
08.23.2016
5 Ways to Enjoy ‘Back to Cool’ Savings
Now that your kids are back to school, it’s time to get your home ‘back to cool’! With these helpful tips and special offers, you can easily increase your comfort while lowering your energy bills. Here are 5 easy things you can do to keep your family cool and comfortable: 1. Change your filter. It’s so simple, cheap and easy to do. Plus, we recommend buying the cheapest filters at the home improvement store, as they allow for the greatest air flow through your system. Filthy filters packed with hair, dust and debris prevent your system from working properly and increase your energy bills. Can you imagine trying to breath through a dirty, clogged filter? That’s what your air conditioner is trying to do! Change them at least every 60 days, or every 30 days if you have pets that shed. See all our filter recommendations in our HVAC Filters 101 article. 2. Give your outdoor unit some space. By this time of year, your bushes, hedges and trees have been enjoying the warm weather and spreading their branches in all directions. Trim back any branches and growth at least 18-24 inches from your outdoor unit. Clear away any clippings, leaves or debris so they don’t make their way […]
08.12.2016
Choosing Modern Light Bulbs 101: CFL or LED
It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since we built our “new old house”. When we embarked upon the task of building a home which looked old but was the model of energy efficiency, we knew we would have several challenges blending the home’s greek revival architecture with the comforts of the 21st century. One area Matthew and I spent countless hours “discussing” was the lighting. I wanted fixtures which looked at home in the space; he wanted the newest technology which meant ‘compact fluorescent’ light bulbs. The lighting gods must have smiled on me because after hours of research, I located manufacturers of “gasolier lighting” that would accommodate a normal size light bulb. Now Matthew needed to show me that CFLs weren’t going to turn my antebellum home into a painful shopping mall fluorescent fiasco. After several trial runs choosing bulbs, we were able to outfit the entire home with CFLs and in our estimation, it has saved us many hundreds of dollars in electricity, not to mention the fact that most of the original bulbs are still alive and kicking. The choices back in 2006 are laughable compared to what is available ten years later. Take a walk with me down […]
07.27.2016
Tips on Maximizing your Indoor Air Quality
When you think about being comfortable in your home you usually consider the temperature of your air, along with the level of humidity. But what about the quality of your air? You might not even realize that you are suffering from poor indoor air quality unless you know the signs. Do you or a family member suffer from one or more of these symptoms? Dryness and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin Headache Fatigue Shortness of breath Hypersensitivity and allergies Sinus congestion Coughing and sneezing Dizziness If any of these sound familiar, then we’ve got just the trick to dramatically boost your indoor air quality and send these symptoms packing! In this video, Holtkamp Heating & Air Founder Matthew Holtkamp explains why the Aprilaire 5000 air purifier is the number one way to introduce vastly fresher air into your home that’s free of contaminants. Bonus Indoor Air Quality Tips: Place welcome mats at all entrance points to your home. They’ll keep much of the unwelcome dirt, pollen and debris on your family’s shoes out of your house. Make your home a ‘no smoking’ zone. Cigarettes contain thousands of chemicals and are a major contaminant in your home’s air quality. Many house plants […]
07.12.2016
Holtkamp Celebrates Partnership Between Gwinnett Tech & Local Business
We’re very proud to be connected to our community in Gwinnett in several ways, ranging from supporting the arts as sponsors of Aurora Theatre to helping fill local food banks. Another way we get involved with bettering our community is our long-term relationship with Gwinnett Tech, a leading provider of sound technical education to thousands of students from our region. Matthew is on the Board of Trustees of Gwinnett Technical college and is incredibly proud of their educational mission and their results with students. Gwinnett Tech has been providing career-focused education and training for more than 25 years with programs focused on real-world education for real-world jobs here in Gwinnett County and surrounding areas, including HVAC. Gwinnett Technical College and a diesel engine company in Norcross recently teamed up to develop a program for students to learn more about working on diesel engines. Deutz Corporation donated seven diesel engines to the program, which gives students hands-on experience with modern technology. As a board member, Matthew was proud to be a part of the ceremony honoring this local company’s donation to Gwinnett Tech’s efforts to provide technical education to students that may be interested in an industry with a shortage of well-trained technicians. […]
06.21.2016
Why You Should Avoid HVAC Duct Cleaning Scams
If you think you’re experiencing poor indoor air quality, you might be suffering from leaky ducts. What are the key symptoms? • Your system isn’t performing effectively. Did you know that the average home’s ductwork leaks a whopping 30% of it’s conditioned air into attics, basements and crawlspaces? You could be spending 1/3 of your energy bills cooling air that never makes it into your living spaces! • Irritants or smells are present. If smelly irritants like insulation, wood dust, mold spores and pest droppings from attics and basements are present, your leaky ducts are continually recirculating them throughout your home. Not only are these unpleasant, but they are also unhealthy. • Your family’s allergies are worsening. If members of your family are experiencing worsening symptoms including coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes and more, your HVAC system and its leaky ducts could be contributing to their discomfort. Duct Cleaning vs. Duct Sealing You might see lots of coupons and mailers from companies claiming to “clean” or “vacuum” your ductwork at low prices. However, if dust, allergens and contaminants made it into your ductwork in the first place, won’t they come back if your ducts aren’t properly sealed? If you invest in this temporary fix, the […]
06.14.2016
11 Plants & Herbs That Naturally Repel Mosquitoes
Did you know that Metro Atlanta region ranks as the worst in the U.S. for mosquitoes, according to the Orkin pest control company? As we head into peak mosquito season here in Gwinnett County, I came across this fantastic list of 11 different plants and herbs from Natural Living Ideas you can plant in pots for your deck or directly in your garden as a natural way of keeping these pests from buzzing around your back yard! Enjoy these 11 Plants & Herbs That Naturally Repel Mosquitoes 1. Citronella Chances are, you’ve heard of this one before- it’s one of the most common ingredients in most mosquito repellents. Strange enough though, many people don’t even know that citronella is actually a plant! Citronella is a beautiful perennial clumping grass that emits a strong aroma. That aroma masks other scents, and keeps mosquitoes from being attracted to things located around it. The citronella plant has a much stronger aroma than other mosquito repellents that contain citronella, so it is a great choice. Citronella is very easy to grow, and can get to be a very tall 5 or 6 feet high! You can grow citronella in pots and place it around a porch or […]
