Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category
12.27.2011
Heatpump and Furnace Tune-Ups Still Important
I can’t believe I am writing this a few days after Christmas and we still are having days in the 50s, 60s and even 70s! Matthew and I took a bike ride yesterday (on the spiffy new bike that Santa brought me) in Dacula and we were pleasantly warm coasting through the park. Crazy! Normally, I would be writing about how the winter zaps the humidity from your indoor air. No problem this year with all the rain! One thing to keep in mind, maintenance right now for your furnace or heatpump is critical. During these crazy temperature swings, your hvac system needs to be properly and professionally maintained in order to continue working at optimal efficiency and to keep your family comfortable. Right now we are offering a $68 heating tuneup that can’t be beat! Give us a call so we can help you sail through winter in Georgia!
11.30.2011
Spot the new Holtkamp Heating & Air Vans to Win $100 Visa Giftcard!
Well, just when you thought that Matthew (Holtkamp’s) mug was plastered enough across Atlanta, along comes… Mobile Matthew! Check out these photos of our new van wraps. If you are the first to spot one of the vans and scan the QR code on the back, text “I see you Matthew” and win a $100 Visa giftcard! The code is on the back of the van. Good luck!!
10.28.2011
Truth or Pure Fiction? A Useful and Amusing Home Quiz from Holtkamp Heating & Air
1) Higher humidity in the winter is more comfortable. True. Humidity is a friend in the winter, a menace in the summer. Proper indoor humidity (between 35-45%) not only helps you feel more comfortable, but helps save on your power bill. Signs of low winter humidity may include static electricity, shrinking wood molding and floors, nosebleeds and upper respiratory problems. 2) Dust in my home means I need to have the ducts cleaned. False! Dust in your home is a symptom that you have either leaky ducts or outside air infiltration. Either way, cleaning your ducts will only take care of the symptom, not the cause. A properly sized and maintained hvac/duct system that is serviced regularly, should constantly remove dust from your home. Just make sure you keep your filter changed. If you have excessive dust, save your money from duct cleaning and call Holtkamp Heating & Air. Let’s find the source of your problem! 3) George Washington invented a fan chair that could have been considered the first personal AC. True. At least from our perspective! This fan chair is still on display at Mount Vernon. Quite an engineering feat and pretty darn cool too! (Yes, that was […]
02.23.2011
Use Your Ceiling Fan in Winter, Not Summer
Okay bloggers – the weather has been warmer the last few days here in Metro Atlanta. It’s awfully tempting to think it’s tomato planting season, but resist, I say, resist! We will be getting another cold snap (or two) before the weather changes for good. So if you have a broken furnace, you still have time to call and if you have a broken air conditioner, call ahead! So during this time of weather flux, here’s your Gwinnett HVAC Tip of the Week: During warmer weather, turn off the ceiling fan! Most homeowners use ceiling fans in summer, the exact time they shouldn’t be used. In summer the cold air falls to the floor; this band of cold air is best left undisturbed for maximum comfort and efficiency. Using a ceiling fan to draw it up to the ceiling makes no sense. There it mixes with hotter air and your AC runs constantly, especially if you have a vaulted ceiling. Now in winter, you want the warm air at the ceiling to come lower into the living space but make sure your fan is blowing the air towards the floor not drawing it up. Turn your ceiling fan on the […]
12.02.2010
How Low Can You Go? Winter Thermostat, That Is…
It’s common knowledge that reducing your indoor winter temperature will save you money. But what’s not common knowledge is how low and why. You first must consider what type of system you have – either a gas furnace or electric heat pump. If you have a gas furnace, you can set the temp as low as you can tolerate and you will truly save money. That’s because you’re simply reducing the amount of fuel you’re using. However, if you have an electric heat pump, it’s more complicated. An electric heat pump extracts heat from the outside air to heat your home when outside temps are 35 F or above. When outside temps dip below 35, back-up electric strip heaters turn on to bring your indoor temp up faster and make up for the difference. These strip heaters are much less efficient than the heat pump. That’s why if you own an electric heat pump, you should always keep no more than a 3 degree difference between high and low temps. In other words, if you prefer your indoor temp to be 70 F when you are home, then don’t turn it down to lower than 67 F at night or […]
11.23.2010
Aurora Theatre Presents the Fourth Annual Festival of Trees
Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is but a few days away and Christmas is but a few weeks. My usual bah-humbug attitude has received a jolt this year. You see, I have been enlisting elves of all sorts to prepare the Holtkamp Heating & Air Christmas tree which was put on display in the Aurora Theatre for the 4th Annual Festival of Trees. Yes, the below picture shows some of those elves preparing cans to build our tree; you didn’t think we’d have just an ordinary tree, did you? Over 30 companies and organizations have “done it up” on trees of all shapes and colors, filling the Aurora Theatre lobby with good cheer and well, yes… lots of lights. The lobby is open for all to view the beautiful trees and I am counting on all of you to come armed with unwrapped toys and canned goods to vote for the Holtkamp Tree! Simply place these items underneath our tree and you will have registered your vote (or 4 or 5 or 100) for the Holtkamp Tree to be named “Best of the Fest”. All toys will be donated to Toys for Tots and all canned goods are part of […]
10.29.2010
Need to Replace Your Furnace? – Heating101
Run your hands across this supple, shiny sheet metal. Notice the attention to detail on the riveted joints and the alluring, aluminum color. This baby comes packed with 100,000 Btu of pure, raw heat! Can’t you just see her sitting in your basement nestled next to your water heater? Woohoo! P-A-A-R-T-Y!! Sounds ludicrous, doesn’t it? Let’s face it: Buying a new furnace is just not exciting or fun (except to Matthew, of course). But with a little help, it doesn’t have to be intimidating either. So if your heat box has gone south for the winter with no forwarding address, this is “Heating 101”. When choosing a heating system, the first thing you must decide is the type of furnace or system you want. As you go down this list, efficiency, utility savings and cost increase. Heating Types 1) Standard – what would normally be installed in a new home 2) Multi Stage 3) Multi Stage & Variable Speed 4) Modulating 5) Duel Fuel – Gas furnace with electric heat pump Choosing a type should be based upon the importance of comfort level, utility savings, budget and the time you estimate you will stay in your home. A standard furnace […]
02.17.2010
Helping Heroes Winner Calvin Jones and Why He's Our Hero
Holtkamp Heating & Air Conditioning of Buford, GA is privileged to announce the winner of its annual “Helping Heroes” program. Helping Heroes was started to celebrate local residents who have proven their dedication to their community, family or church. The 2010 winner is Calvin Jones of Lawrenceville. Calvin was nominated by a fellow parishioner at McKendree United Methodist Church. He and Brenda have been members for 26 years and both sing in the choir. He volunteers countless hours through his church, most notably as Disaster Response Coordinator on the Missions Committee and has participated in over 20 mission trips both here in the U.S. and abroad, including Mexico, Costa Rica, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi. Cal has served as head cook for the Annual Chicken BBQ at McKendree United Methodist that raises money for missions work. Cal also participates in food drives for the Lawrenceville CoOp. He takes great pride in the bi-annual Great Day of Service which focuses on helping Gwinnett County Senior Citizens. He has also participated in Habitat for Humanity in Gwinnett County, Cumming and in a Methodist Children’s Home cottage rebuild. Calvin has an adopted daughter who is currently in middle school. He and his wife, Brenda, have […]
02.11.2010
Energy Star Appliance Rebate Program Begins Feb. 12, 2010
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Georgia residents will be eligible for rebates after buying Energy Star rated appliances, such as refrigerators, heatpumps and furnaces. Rebates up to $1200 per home are available beginning Feb. 12 on a first come, first served basis, i.e. when the money runs out, it runs out. Courtesy of Brad Norman at Georgia Power, we’d like to bring your attention to a few details: 1) Rebates are paid out in the from of Visa debit cards to customers. 2) Customers are responsible for submitting their rebate application, not the dealer or store. 3) Note there is not an end date listed. The state of GA is receiving $8.6 million. Once the funds are gone, they are gone. There is no guarantee how long the funds will last. Call 1-866-296-1633 to ensure funds are still available or visit www.GeorgiaRebate.com. 4) Customers will qualify for both $199 rebates if they purchase an EnergyStar Dual Fuel system ($398) because they are considered two different appliances. 5) Customer must fill out a separate rebate application for each appliance (Dual Fuel = 2 systems – 1 for furnace, 1 for heat pump) 6) Limit $1200 per household […]
02.04.2010
Furnace Running Constantly?
Whenever a cold snap hits – lower than 25 degrees here in Atlanta Metro – your furnace or heat pump may seem to run constantly, leading you to believe that perhaps your unit is too small and unable to keep up. There is a simple explanation for this. Every unit is installed with a “set point”. This is a temperature determined by the United States Air Force Weather Data Service that reflects the typical coldest winter day for the area. Our set point here in the Atlanta area is 21 degrees F. That means that whenever the temp dips below 21 degrees, your heating system should theoretically run nonstop in order to overcome the cold. In fact, once an outside temp reaches below 21, your indoor temp could be several degrees below the thermostat setting. This is perfectly normal. Why do our heating systems need a set point? A set point is used to correctly size a system before installation. By knowing where the furnace or heat pump will be installed, the installing company can determine how big the unit needs to be to keep up with the area’s weather. A correctly sized furnace or heat pump makes the home […]
