Last week, I talked about air conditioner efficiency in terms of window air conditioners. In some situations, window air conditioners will work just fine. For some homeowners in Boston, central air conditioning is the preferred solution because it cools the entire house, instead of a single room or selected rooms. As a brief refresher, the [...]
In Boston, air conditioning is needed only for a few months during the year, so homeowners may wonder whether central air conditioning is really needed? Will window units suffice? How much will central air conditioning cost to install, maintain and operate? One big part of the answer is efficiency. Highly efficient central air conditioners may [...]
Homeowners around the country may have been surprised to learn that new HCFC-22 air conditioners – that is, new air conditioning units that run on R-22 refrigerant – are no longer sold in the US. The change, which took effect on January 1, 2010, is part of the global effort to reduce harmful hydrochlorofluorocarbons emitted [...]
It’s Not Too Early To Think About Air Conditioning In Boston
March 24th, 2011 · DIY Air Conditioning · DIY Blog
Winter is coming to an end, and that means lower heating bills, but it also means that homeowners should be thinking about air conditioning in Boston homes. Maintenance is key to keeping your Boston air conditioning working as efficiently as possible throughout the summer cooling season. Air conditioners require maintenance each season, even though it [...]
Boston Heating And Cooling Tax Credits Are Still Available
March 10th, 2011 · DIY Air Conditioning · DIY Blog · DIY Heating
Homeowners haven’t totally missed the boat on last year’s home heating tax credits. Boston home heating can hit you right where it counts – in the pocketbook – so programs designed to reduce the cost of modernizing your Boston home heating system are welcome, no matter how much they cover. This year, the generous $1,500 [...]
Winterizing Your Boston Home Can Save Money, Time
September 13th, 2010 · DIY Air Conditioning · DIY Blog · DIY Heating · DIY Plumbing
As the fall temperatures turn colder, most Boston homeowners are thinking about winterizing their homes. This post has a few tips for helping to reduce heating costs by winterizing your Boston home. In future posts, I’ll help you winterize a home that is (or will be) vacant during the winter months. The first step in [...]
Boston Water Heater Replacement Can Earn You A Tax Federal Credit
July 20th, 2010 · DIY Blog · DIY Plumbing · Water Heaters
Right now, the federal government is offering homeowners a federal tax credit on the installation of new, high-efficiency gas, oil, propane and electric heat pump water heaters. Not all water heaters qualify for the credit, but if you’re considering updating a home in Boston, water heater replacement can save you money both up-front and over [...]
Boston Standard Plumbing Techs Are NATE Certified!
June 8th, 2010 · DIY Air Conditioning · DIY Blog · DIY Heating · DIY Plumbing
Last month, two of our technicians received the core North American Technical Excellence (NATE) certification and we have plans to certify all of our technicians within the year. Joe Wood, owner of Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating and Peter Balestra, who were NATE certified in May, will now pursue NATE HVAC certification. We’re also excited [...]
Copper Thefts Target Boston Plumbing and Air Conditioning
June 1st, 2010 · DIY Air Conditioning · DIY Blog · DIY Plumbing
In today’s post, I turn my attention to a growing problem in the Boston area: copper theft. Unfortunately, copper is in high demand right now, making plumbing and air conditioning installations prime targets for copper thieves. How can you protect your Boston plumbing and air conditioning from scrappers? The price of scrap copper has risen [...]
New R410 A/C Refrigerant A Split Decision For Boston Air Conditioning?
April 6th, 2010 · DIY Air Conditioning · DIY Blog
If nothing beats air conditioning on a hot day, you’ll want to learn about some changes coming to a Boston air conditioning unit near you! For years, the standard refrigerant used in air conditioning was a formulation known as R11 or R12, and more commonly by its DuPont trade name, Freon. As a chlorofluorcarbon, (CFC), [...]