Get Furnace Ready for Winter

Posted on October 17, 2012 | 1 comment

Right now is one of the busiest times of year for heating and air conditioning professionals, as we transition from hot summer months to cooler temperatures. For a safe and comfortable fall season, here are some safety measures and energy-efficiency tips for homeowners:

1. Make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector installed. The state of California recently passed an act requiring all residences to have a detector; it can save you from odorless gasses emitted from furnaces, fireplaces, stoves and other gas-fired appliances.

2. Check your insulation to ensure that air/heat is not leaking out of your home. This can cause your system to run unnecessarily and cost you more money.

3. Change your filters and get your ducts cleaned, especially during this season of Santa Ana winds. It is important to remove extra debris and other irritants from the system. Changing your filter can slow down the dirt and debris buildup.

4. Change the batteries in your thermostat. If the system has been running hard all summer, it might seem as though there’s an appliance issue, when, in reality, the batteries simply need to be changed.

5. Here is one of the easiest heating tips for cooler weather: On sunny days, take advantage of the sun to bring in heat. Adjust blinds so they are open and tilted toward the ceiling — but be sure to close the blinds at sundown.

6. Set your ceiling fan in the reverse position, on low. When radiant heat enters your home from the windows aimed upward, the fan will help circulate warm air all around the room.

Find a trusted heating and air conditioning company to help with any safety or energy concerns you may have as you transition into the cooler months. When dealing with electricity and gas, it is always best to call a professional.

Follow these maintenance tips and you’ll keep your system running efficiently, and at the lowest cost, throughout the fall season.

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

1 Comment

Posted in energy savings

Tagged , , ,

A New Bicycle for $20 – Potential to Change Transportation Habits in World’s Most Congested Cities

Posted on October 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

MOSHAV AHITUV, Israel (Reuters) – A bicycle made almost entirely of cardboard has the potential to change transportation habits from the world’s most congested cities to the poorest reaches of Africa, its Israeli inventor says.

Izhar Gafni, 50, is an expert in designing automated mass-production lines. He is an amateur cycling enthusiast who for years toyed with an idea of making a bicycle from cardboard.

He told Reuters during a recent demonstration that after much trial and error, his latest prototype has now proven itself and mass production will begin in a few months.

“I was always fascinated by applying unconventional technologies to materials and I did this on several occasions. But this was the culmination of a few things that came together. I worked for four years to cancel out the corrugated cardboard’s weak structural points,” Gafni said.

“Making a cardboard box is easy and it can be very strong and durable, but to make a bicycle was extremely difficult and I had to find the right way to fold the cardboard in several different directions. It took a year and a half, with lots of testing and failure until I got it right,” he said.

Cardboard, made of wood pulp, was invented in the 19th century as sturdy packaging for carrying other more valuable objects, it has rarely been considered as raw material for things usually made of much stronger materials, such as metal.

Once the shape has been formed and cut, the cardboard is treated with a secret concoction made of organic materials to give it its waterproof and fireproof qualities. In the final stage, it is coated with lacquer paint for appearance.

Read more at: http://news.yahoo.com/cardboard-bicycle-change-world-says-israeli-inventor-090732689.html

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Leave a comment

Posted in Cool Things

Tagged ,

Electric Car Show-room Coming to UTC

Posted on October 15, 2012 | Leave a comment

Tesla is pulling into San Diego.

The luxury plug-in electric car maker has begun outfitting a showroom store at the Westfield UTC shopping center on La Jolla Village Drive.

A spokeswoman for the car maker declined to say how soon the University City store might open. A boarded-over storefront already bears the Tesla logo.

Like Tesla’s cars or not, U.S. taxpayers have a stake in the future of the Palo Alto-based upstart, whose ongoing expansion is backed by a Department of Energy loan.

The company recently reached an agreement with the federal government to delay payments on the $465 million loan, while issuing stock aimed at raising as much as $225 million.

Tesla still intends to repay the loan ahead of its 10-year schedule. Its stock offering ended early last week.

Tesla also cut its revenue target for the year, warning that it had fallen behind on production of its flagship sedan.

At existing dealerships, which look more like an upscale electronics store than a traditional auto sales outlet, most eyes are the all-aluminum bodied Model S sedan, Tesla’s entry into mass manufacturing and somewhat-competitive pricing.

The S sells for between $50,000 and $98,000 after a federal tax credit, depending on the battery size. California zero- emission vehicle rebates also apply.

The design of Tesla’s stores has been overseen by a company executive, George Blankenship, who helped create the Apple store experience.

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , ,