Extreme Weather Patterns and Your Home Comfort

Have you ever noticed that sometimes life feels like you’re going from one extreme to another? Like, low, high. Cold, hot. We’ve certainly seen those extremes in weather this year – and will be seeing even more. You’d think that serious cold would be followed by a milder summertime. But that’s not what the weather people see happening. Instead, after a really cold winter pretty much across the country, we’re moving right into another extreme: a really hot summer. So those really low temperatures are headed really high, and those uncomfortably cold days are about to become uncomfortably hot. But here’s the good news. This fact of weather life does not mean that you have to be uncomfortable, especially in your own home. In fact, there’s an important step you can take right now to ensure that your home comfort stays steady whatever ups and downs the thermometer shows. This info tells you lots more. Please take a look.

Is Dust Causing a Problem?

It’s funny how a simple little thing like dust can cause so much trouble – especially for those prone to allergies and respiratory ailments. It can affect the quality of your indoor air as it collects, and even as it gets cleared away. Backing up a minute, dust isn’t actually one single thing. It’s a combination of substances, including human skin cells, pet dander, fabric fibers and your basic dirt and debris. All these substances gather together to form dust which gathers on lamp shades, end tables, tops of refrigerators and pretty much everywhere else. Your electronics like to collect dust. So does your furniture, your door frames, baseboards, even ceilings. Keeping these spots dust-free helps reduce allergies that flare up indoors. We’ve got some more information on that topic in a free report, Is There a Dust Storm in Your Home? Please check it out.

Can Your Furnace Pass the “Confidence” Test?

Is your furnace good for one more season, or can you expect a collapse at the most inopportune (AKA coldest) moment possible? This is what a lot of homeowners wonder when they’ve been patching the same system for several years now. But here’s another question to consider: what could you expect if you made the decision to upgrade to a new furnace now? Confidence is the main answer. There’s just something very “worry-free” about feeling that chill in the air and knowing that your thermostat is about to trigger all those wonderful operational sounds you’ve come to recognize as heat on its way. And pretty soon you’re wrapped in warmth and comfort. You’ve also got the confidence that hidden problems in an old furnace aren’t about to create very real trouble in your indoor air – especially through dangerous carbon monoxide leaks. Then there’s improved energy efficiency. Instead of cautiously keeping your thermostat set just outside your comfort range – in order to save energy dollars – a new system keeps you comfortable and saves on your energy bills. Time takes a toll on our household systems. If you’d like to know how to make a good decision on when to upgrade, take a look at this report:

The Answers Are in the Questions

Sometimes, when facing decisions, the answers we seek are in the questions we ask. Well, not always directly. If you ask, “What’s for lunch?” hamburger and fries show up nowhere in those words. But it does start the thinking process about the “problem” of lunch that eventually leads to a solution (hamburger and fries). In homeownership, you see this happening with questions that begin with, “Are these energy bills ever going to stop going up?” Or maybe you’re asking, “Does it feel too cold in here to you? Can you do something with that thermostat? How old is this thing anyway? Didn’t we have a breakdown last year too?” When questions like these keep popping up, you know you’re heading into a decision-making mode in your home comfort. Are you there yet? Getting closer? Take a look at this info, which asks important questions about your home heating.

Predictions… Are They a Gift or a Curse?

Most people, by nature, want to know what is in their future. Some predictions are wonderful to have like... “It is going to be a mild summer.” That one is awesome, so it would definitely be listed in the “gift” category. Other predictions may make life a little difficult for someone involved in the prediction. I would imagine it is both a coaching dream and nightmare to be predicted to win a national championship. On one hand, surely it makes recruiting a breeze – who wouldn’t want to be on that team! On the other hand, I am assuming the coach would have to work very, very hard to keep the team focused on each and every game left to play. So maybe that one is a gift and a curse. Another “gift” is knowing that this is going to be a COLD winter. Knowing it in advance allows you to make adjustments to your heating system so that you save money this winter instead of spending it unnecessarily. If you are interested in learning more about saving money on energy bills, read “Who Keeps Messing Around With Your Home’s Gas Bills?”

If Only You Had a Crystal Ball

“Didn’t see that one coming.” Famous words said “after the fact,” and often with sarcasm. While we may say things like “If only I had a crystal ball,” the truth is, paying attention to patterns can give you a good sense of what’s ahead. For example, as you get to know people, you can sort of predict how they’ll react to work stress, social situations or even their team losing a big game. You just know what to expect because you’ve seen their reactions before. Same goes for things in and around your home. For example, let’s say you have a car that periodically breaks down at inopportune times. If you’re looking at driving it across the country – well, you can just expect that you’re going to have trouble along the way. So what would you say about your heating system? What does the crystal ball – or, more appropriately, the patterns – tell you about when to plan for a breakdown? Not sure? Well, check out this info for when, exactly, you can expect the unexpected.

Cost of Comfort

With the economy the way it is and rising natural gas costs, we have to try and find a balance of cost over comfort. That’s why being energy efficient is so important these days because it can save you a lot of money on your energy bills. At STEWART, we have several ways to check your system to make sure it is running at optimal performance and keeping more money in your pocket. There are also some small things that you can do to cut down on energy costs. Change your HVAC filters monthly during peak heating and cooling seasons. They only cost a few bucks to replace and a dirty filter makes your system work harder and longer. You can also look for any leaks around your windows or doors that could be letting the heat escape. If you want to know more about what to expect come this cold season, read our free report “Predicting the Cost of Your Home Heating.” You can see more about the costs of natural gas and a way to cut down your energy usage by 20% from last year.