By January 1, 2013, all apartment buildings, single-family dwellings, duplexes, lodging houses, private dormitories, hotels and motels, condos, any other types of multiple unit dwellings, that contain fossil-fuel burning heaters, furnaces, gas ranges, stoves, cloth dryers, fireplaces, portable gas generators and attached/basement garages – must have carbon monoxide (CO) Detectors/Alarms installed.

When fuel-burning appliances malfunction or are improperly ventilated, carbon monoxide can build up in your home and lead to accidental poisoning deaths.
When planning to install the CO Detectors and Alarms, it is wise to contact a professional. We recommend three basic types of CO detectors: Battery (DC) Powered CO and Smoke/CO Combo Alarms; Plug-in (AC) Powered CO and Smoke/CO Combo Alarms or Wire-in (120V AC) Powered CO or Smoke/CO Combo Alarms.

However, the CO Alarm only detects the consequences of malfunctioning appliances and structures in your dwelling, but not the reasons.
You may want to consider using a  professionalto service (if required) and ensure that your air ducts, vents and the entire air conditioning, exhaust & ventilation system is in order. Similarly, all fuel-burning appliances are checked to make sure they are working properly.                                                                                   
Furthermore, consider having a professional check for the reasons and eliminate them to avoid consequences, if any. After those inspections, then Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detectors/Alarms are installed at the best functional locations.

Alex Almansky is the Vice President of FEDER’S Co., one of the leading multi-trade vendors, servicing the entire LA County in HVAC & Appliances field, has an independent line of activities in installation of various health protection and fire prevention devices, such as smoke alarms and fire sprinklers.

Various electrical components are used to get the dryers motor started and then to keep it running during a cycle. Those with electronic controls will often just close a set of electrical contacts on a control board when the start button is pressed, while others using mechanical timers will have push-to-start buttons to get things going. Whichever method is used, the purpose is to provide a current path for electricity to flow to the motor. When the switch fails, the symptom will generally be a motor that will not start, or like the dryer I was visiting, will only run as long as the button was being continuously pressed.

With power obviously to the dryer and it’s electrical components (it would start after all) I figured the push-to-start switch was the obvious place to begin my search for a failure. Now normally I would explain how to go about some basic testing of these components. By following the information in the post, I was able to determine the coil in the switch was reading as an open circuit which means it was no longer keeping the switch contacts closed once the button as released. To get this dryer working again, a new switch is in order.

With a new start switch in hand, I removed the mounting screws and while paying attention to where each wire attached, I installed the new switch and reconnected each wire to it’s appropriate terminal. With the dryer plugged back into the outlet, pressing the start button caused the motor to start, and once the button was released, it just kept going. Now the customer can get back to doing laundry without using a book from the reference section.

Odorless, colorless, and tasteless, carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carbon monoxide kills 400 people each year and injures more than 20,000.

The only safe way to detect this deadly gas in your home is with a working CO alarm.

The Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010 contains a $500 tax credit for HVAC equipment for 2011, and modifies some of the qualifying standards to pre-stimulus levels.  The bill also restores the lifetime cap and the individual equipment limits that were eliminated by the Stimulus Bill in 2009.  Below are the reinstated efficiency levels and a timeline describing the program’s progression.  Please feel free to contact Government Affairs if you have questions.

PRE-STIMULUS LEVELS:

Furnace ($150) must have at least a 95% AFUE (*oil furnaces and boilers returned to the single furnace category at 95% AFUE)

Advanced main air circulating fan ($50) must utilize less than 2% of a furnace’s total energy consumption

Central air conditioner ($300) must have a SEER of at least 16 and an EER of at least 13

Electric heat pump ($300) must have at least an HSPF of 8.5, SEER of 15, and EER of 12.5

Biomass fuel stove ($300) must have thermal efficiency rating of at least 75 percent (*no longer specifies using lower heating value)

TIMELINE:

2005:     Energy Policy Act of 2005 created a new tax credit for homeowners who installed higher efficiency HVAC equipment in tax years 2006 and 2007. 

2008:     Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 extended the tax credit for energy-efficient purchases in 2009, and added energy-efficient biomass fuel stoves – such as wood pellet stoves – as a new class of eligible energy efficient property.  Taxpayers who claimed the maximum $500 in tax credits in 2006 or 2007 were not eligible to claim further credits.

2009:     American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (STIMULUS) revised the tax credit for energy-efficient purchases in 2009 and extended it through 2010.  Taxpayers could claim up to $1500 regardless of whether they met the lifetime cap in previous years.

2010:     Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010 restores tax credit program to Pre-Stimulus levels for 2011.

This Does Not Change the Expiration of the Current $1500 Tax Credit Program, or the Requirement to Install by 12/31 to Qualify.  However, it appears you will be able to promote up to a $500 credit for jobs installed in 2011, subject to the new program guidelines.  Please make sure you understand the new program and position it correctly with your Costco customers.

MYTH: My new construction warranty will take care of my HVAC equipment.

FACT: New construction warranty covers defects in material and installation only. Air filter changes, fan belt inspections and changes, and lubrication are the owner’s responsibility. Waiting for the end of the warranty period could cause damage to the equipment or lead to expensive emergency repairs.



MYTH: My new or existing HVAC equipment is working fine now.

FACT: Only a complete inspection by a qualified HVAC Technician can determine the existing conditions and efficiency of the equipment. Scheduled Preventative Maintenance (PM) inspections will insure peak performance of your equipment and the ability of the equipment to last through the expected life span.

MYTH: The cost of a Preventative Maintenance Contract is too expensive and not within my yearly budget.

FACT: PM Contracts are less expensive than you think. Equipment downtime, customer and/or employee discomfort or worse, equipment failure can cost ten times that of a good PM Contract.

MYTH: My HVAC equipment does not cost me much in energy to operate.

FACT: HVAC equipment is expensive to operate. The average business owner spends 45% to 50% of the yearly utility cost for heating and cooling. Lighting consumes another 30% to 35% while computers, electronics, and data systems consume the remainder.

MYTH: My system runs continuously. I only have conventional (non-programmable) thermostats or programmable thermostats that everyone changes the set point on without my knowledge and I do not have the time to adjust the set points everyday. Operating my system does not cost that much!

FACT: Changing your unoccupied set point up or down five degrees for 8 to 10 hours a day can save up to 10% on the yearly HVAC cost. A small investment for a new Programmable Thermostat, which is a password protected device, will prevent occupants or employees from changing the set point or time schedules, thus saving energy. A slightly larger investment into a Direct Digital Control (DDC) System can save even more energy on you yearly utility cost by adding such items as supply air reset, outside air economizer, holiday time schedules, and now web-based solutions, which allow customers to access their system remotely from anywhere in the world with a standard internet connection.

MYTH: I can change my own air filters when they need to changed.

FACT: Most owners do not prepare a PM schedule for air filter inspections and changes. They are busy running their business and do not pay attention to the HVAC equipment until there is a problem or complaint. Air filters that are not changed on a regular basis become clogged with dirt, dust, and moisture, reducing airflow throughout the system which could cause the cooling system to ice up, stop working, or worse; a leak of refrigerant into the atmosphere. Dirty air filters are the main cause of “sick buildings.”

MYTH: I can change my own fan belts when they need to be changed.

FACT: Again, most owners do not prepare a PM schedule for fan belt inspections and changes. Dried, cracked, or loose fan belts reduce airflow throughout the system and again could cause the system to ice up, stop working, or worse; a leak of refrigerant into the atmosphere. Misaligned fan belts will cause the belt to jump off of the fan pulley or could cause bearing and/or fan blade damage. Low airflow is the second cause of “sick buildings.”

MYTH: All HVAC service companies are the same and the lowest price is the best for my business.

FACT: Not all HVAC companies are the same or are the best for your business. Choose a company with a good track record and that has been in business in the area for more than 20 years. A company with only a P.O. Box, a residential address, or just an answering machine is most likely a smaller company and may difficult to work with when there is a problem with the equipment or service.

MYTH: I don’t know who to call for my HVAC preventative maintenance service needs.

FACT: Sure you do. Call Feder’s Co. at (888) 353-8444.

Fridge Fact:

A refrigerator typically accounts for around 10% of a home’s power bill. About 1/3 of a refrigerator’s cold air can escape when the door is open, which is why a closed door keeps energy costs down. So does using energy-efficient appliances: an ENERGY STAR refrigerator uses less power than a 75-watt light bulb.

Fridge Fact:

Salt water, commonly known as brine, is sometimes used as a food preservative and refrigerant. Medieval peoples discovered that brine absorbs heat as it evaporates, and placed containers in brine to keep them cool. In America, meatpacking got its name in the 118th century because workers packed meat into brine barrels.

Fridge Fact:



November 14th is National Clean Out Your Refrigerator day. Fresh foods should be kept only one to two days in a refrigerator. Cooked meats can be stored for three to four days. To keep food longer, wrap it in airtight foil or plastic wrap after use and store at a temperature below 40 degrees F.

Fridge Fact:

Did you know that Albert Einstein co-invented a refrigerator? He and his former student Leo Szilard received a patent for it in 1930. Coolants used at the time could be toxic, and Einstein got the idea for a simple, single-pressure absorption refrigerator when he read about a sleeping family killed by leaking refrigerator coolant.

Fridge Fact:

The first household refrigerator produced by General Electric in 1911 was based on a design by a French Cistercian monk and physics teacher named Marcel Audiffren. The monk’s sulfur dioxide refrigerating process took the form of a wooden refrigerator named the Audiffren. It cost $1000, which was twice as much as an automobile.

Fridge Fact:

Freon was the primary refrigerator coolant for many years. However, Freon has been banned as a refrigerator coolant because of its ozone depletion potential. The newer coolants are known by the acronym HCFC, which stands for hydrochlorofluorocarbon, plus a number. Two refrigerator coolants in current use are HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b.

Fridge Fact:

Older refrigerators must be disposed of properly because of the environmentally damaging materials they contain. Old refrigerators with Freon coolant and CFC-bearing insulation are of particular concern. To ensure your old refrigerator is disposed of safely and legally, contact your local utility company or locate an appliance recycler in your area.

Fridge Fact:

A crisper is a refrigerator drawer or compartment used to keep vegetables and fruit fresh and “crisp” (thus the name). Crispers work by maintaining humidity levels suitable for fresh vegetables and fruit. For healthier and better tasting produce, choose a refrigerator that has a crisper with separate temperature and moisture controls.

Fridge Fact:

In 2006, nanotechnology researchers at the University of Alabama and Belgium’s Hasselt University proposed an idea for the world’s smallest refrigerator. Known as a Brownian refrigerator, the molecular-scale device would theoretically be used to keep nanoscale machines cool and control temperatures during molecular biology experiments (it would be far too small for leftovers).

Fridge Fact:

Most people have a refrigerator magnet or two. Louise J. Greenfarb of Henderson, Nevada, has over 32,000 different refrigerator magnets. She is appropriately known as “The Magnet Lady.” Her collection was declared the world’s largest by the Guinness Book of World Records. Over 7,000 of her magnets can be seen at the Guinness Museum in Las Vegas.

Fridge Fact:

Refrigeration might not seem very cinematic, but there have been a few movies on the topic. The 1938 film White Banners is about an amateur inventor who creates a refrigerator. And in the words of author Paul Theroux, the 1986 film The Mosquito Coast is about a man who “moved to the jungle and built a giant refrigerator.”

Fridge Fact:

Portable refrigerators are useful appliances to have on road-trip vacations or camping and fishing expeditions. Probably the best portable refrigerators are absorption refrigerators. They use ammonia as a coolant and water and hydrogen gas to create a refrigeration cycle. Absorption refrigerators are fueled by burning gas, propane, or kerosene.

Fridge Fact:

Cleaning the condenser coils regularly is a simple thing you can do to keep your refrigerator running efficiently. The condenser coils are where heat is expelled from the refrigerator to the outside air. Look for the condenser coils either up and down the back of your refrigerator or front to back beneath it.

Fridge Fact:

The refrigeration cycle is the process that keeps the food in a refrigerator cold. As the refrigerant or coolant moves through the appliance’s cooling system, it changes from a liquid to a vapor and back again, absorbing heat from inside the refrigerator and expelling it through coils into the outside air.

Fridge Fact:

About 15% of American households contain two refrigerators. The second refrigerator is often an older, inefficient model kept for extra food storage in the garage or basement. Today’s ENERGY STAR refrigerators are so energy-efficient that replacing two old refrigerators with one large new appliance could reduce your power bill without sacrificing storage space.

Fridge Fact:

Over 8 million refrigerators are sold each year in the U.S. About 70% of them are top mount, i.e. freezer on top and fridge on bottom. One-quarter are side-by-side refrigerators, which use more energy than top mount models. Less than 5% are bottom mount refrigerators in which the freezer is located below the fridge.

Fridge Fact:



In order to receive the ENERGY STAR rating, refrigerators must use at least 15% less energy than required by current federal standards (with freezers, it’s 10%). Compact ENERGY STAR refrigerators (those with volume of 7.75 cubic feet or less) must use 20% less energy than standard models.

Fridge Fact:

Automatic defrost refrigerators should be maintained through an annual maintenance schedule. The drain pan beneath the refrigerator should be cleaned along with the cooling fan and condenser coils. Check that the door seals are closing properly against the frame. Inspect the freezer for indications of abnormal frost buildup, and replace the icemaker water filter.

Fridge Fact:

The mini fridge has been a frequent source of inspiration for modern inventors. In 2004, Olaf Diegel, a diabetic, invented a pocket-sized refrigerator for carrying insulin on trips. And in 2007, Duke University engineering graduate John Cornwell invented a mini fridge with a remote-controlled beer can extractor and catapult.

Fridge Fact:

The world’s largest refrigerator is a 27-kilometer cryogenic distribution line on the Franco-Swiss border west of Geneva. It was built for use in the LHC tunnel (Large Hadron Collider project), a particle accelerator that will enable scientists to recreate the conditions in the universe just after the Big Bang.

Many terms are used in describing electromagnetic waves, such as wavelength, amplitude, cycle and frequency. Wavelength determines the type of radiation, i.e. radio, X-ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, etc. Amplitude determines the extent of movement measured from the starting point. Cycle determines the unit of frequency, such as cycles per second, Hertz, Hz, or cycles/second. Frequency determines the number of occurrences within a given time period (usually 1 second); The number of occurrences of a recurring process per unit of time, i.e. the number of repetitions of cycles per second. Frequency in microwave oven is 2450 MHz. Microwaves have a wavelength of 12 cm, rather than short waves (a few metres), medium waves (hundreds of metres) or long waves (thousands of metres)