Archive for Rv’s Heating
Living In A Camper Van
Posted by: | CommentsIf you
Winterizing Your Motorhome
Posted by: | CommentsWhen you think of a motor home owner, you usually think “Snowbird” right? You know those people that follow the warmth to wherever it happens to be that season. They may be from Calgary, but they spend their winters in St. George, Utah.
A lot of these folks have motor homes – in fact they live in them. The Snowbirds don’t have to worry about winterizing their coach because it’s never going to sit in the freezing cold during the winter months. That’s not true for many other motor home owners though.
If you live in a cold climate you need to properly winterize your coach to avoid having your plumbing explode in the cold. Nothing is going to ruin your cheery spring mood like have to spend thousands of dollars repairing your pipes before you take your first road trip next summer. Here’s the recommended process for protecting your motor home plumbing.
1. Drain the water from the plumbing system and fill the plumbing with potable antifreeze.
On the undercarriage of your rig you’ll find a low-point valve. You need to open it; this is where all the fresh water that could freeze and destroy your pipes will drain. It’s going to be a little tough to get to.
After that valve is open, get into your coach and open all the sink and shower valves and flush the toilet (you don’t want a frozen exploding throne do you?). Turn on all sink and shower faucets so those can drain too.
2. Install an anti-freeze installation kit.
All you have to do is insert the valve after you detach the inlet line from the water pressure pump. Any installation kit you buy should come with a graphic showing you the process.
You’ll want to point the valve handle toward the transparent hose that comes with the kit, and you’ll want to put that hose in a jug of potable anti-freeze. That takes care of getting anti-freeze into all your plumbing. Remember – you want potable anti-freeze (not the stuff for your car)!
3. Install a water-heater bypass set, which is a series of valves that keep the antifreeze from going into your water heater. This part may be a little complicated. You only have to do it once, so I recommend taking it to your local motor home mechanic and having him do it.
4. Drain any water out of the water heater; if any is left in there, it will freeze and burst the heater. That’s another expensive repair!
You’ll need to open the drain petcock on the heater, but you’ll have to be firm because finger-operated valves have a tendency to get stuck after being heated and cooled off several times.
Open the relief valve on the heater so air can get in and push the water you’re trying to drain out. Otherwise this one part of the process could take hours. Just don’t forget to close the petcock and the valve after you’re done draining the water heater. Those are little details you don’t want to remember next spring when you’re de-winterizing your motor home.
5. Now that you have your anti-freeze installation kit ready, get in the coach and turn on each sink and shower individually (both the cold and hot faucets) and run them until you’re not seeing any more water, just the potable anti-freeze. Do the same thing with your shower and the shower wand so you know there isn’t any fresh water left to burst your pipes or other plumbing fixtures.
You also want to let enough anti-freeze run so your sink traps and drains get covered with the anti-freeze. One final note: if you have a water filtration system make sure you disconnect it before running anti-freeze through the whole system. It will make your filters unusable.
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New Furnaces – Move to High Efficiency and Get Money Back
Posted by: | CommentsA new furnace is a major investment, but various federal and provincial government incentives are helping homeowners offset a good portion of the costs. Before installing your new furnace, be sure to have a home energy audit done by a qualified firm. Without it, you can’t claim your refund.Assessing Your Current Home Heating System
According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), 17% of the energy used in Canada today is used to run our homes. Within the home, nearly 50% of that energy goes towards heating and cooling. Clearly, greater efficiency in our home heating and cooling systems can save us money and help reduce our energy consumption.
NRCan recommends the use of Energy Star (high-efficiency) furnaces to help control heating costs and reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions. An Energy Star furnace has an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 90% or more, compared to 60% in older furnace models. According to Alberta’s Climate Change Central website, a new Energy Star furnace can also reduce annual fuel costs by up to 30%.
Before you contact your local HVAC specialist to inquire about a new furnace, make sure you follow the procedures required to qualify you for government rebates. The first step is to get an energy audit done by a licensed, independent energy advisor.
The simple assessment outlines the steps that you can take to improve the energy efficiency in your home. It also provides a benchmark efficiency level for you to use when seeking grants, many of which are based on the amount of improvement in your home’s energy efficiency. After you’ve done your retrofits, a second assessment will be done to prove that the changes were made and to gauge your new efficiency level.
Consult the NRCan Website for a list of licensed companies.Installing Your New Furnace
Once your energy audit is complete, you can speak to your local HVAC company to select a new high-efficiency furnace.
To qualify for a grant, you need to complete the work within 18 months of your first energy audit. HVAC companies can get busy at certain times of the year, so don’t wait until the last minute.
Your HVAC dealer will help you decide on a new furnace. There are many makes and models to choose from, so a professional can help you make the right choice. Here are few factors to consider:
? Size – You need a furnace that suits the size of your home. Too much furnace will be a waste of money, and too little will leave you cold.
? Two-stage heating – Two-stage furnaces work at a lower level until the temperature drops by a significant amount. These furnaces are usually quieter too.
? Variable speed DC motor – Running on a lower fan speed most of the time, furnaces with a DC motor save energy and run more quietly.
If you install a new furnace with an AFUE rating of 92% or higher and a variable DC motor, you can get a $500 rebate from the federal government, and may be eligible for additional rebates from your province. With new incentives promised in the most recent federal budget, you may be eligible for even more savings.New Furnace, More Cash on Hand
We’re all looking for ways to save money, but it’s even better if we can save money and help the environment at the same time. With governments prepared to help with the costs, now is the time to consider a new furnace. Contact your local HVAC company to learn more.
RV Travel Essentials: Extension Cords & Adapters
Posted by: | CommentsMillions of travelers hit the road every year in RV
Adventurous and joyful holidays with Motorhome Hire
Posted by: | CommentsWith the upcoming holidays you must be making plans to gear up towards exciting destinations, this vacations hiring a Motorhome will add up to your enthusiasm. Exploring out new places without any hassles is possible through Motorhome hire, as it is quite similar like living at your home rather it can be called as a mini home. The travellers have the facility to avail a complete kitchen, sound system, washrooms and lavish beddings. The motorhire are available in several sizes and shapes that are equipped with full-furnished facilities and air conditioners.The Motor Home Hire New Zealand provides the best offers for the fully fitted two or three campervan or a four birth motorhome. A complete friendly assistance is provided that suits according to the travellers needs and make their travel experience more exciting and full of fun. The proud owners of the New Zealand motor hire provider are Roger and Karen Ballantyne that aims to provides a complete friendly assistance to their customers. Moreover, there is a facility of pick-up and drop-off vehicles at Auckland and Christchurch Airports.The Campervans and Motorhomes are equipped with fully air-conditioned driving comfort, as these vehicles are quite heavy and bulky it is not easy for a normal car driver to drive. Therefore, people hire other drivers; probably the ones who drive buses or trucks can handle the vehicle better.
Why You Need Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Home
Posted by: | CommentsLet’s start this discussion with some horror stories about the reality, before we begin to talk about Carbon Monoxide Detectors themselves.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a silent killer.
It is a colourless, tasteless, odourless, toxic gas that occurs when fossil fuels burn incompletely. It is most commonly found emitting from the exhaust pipes of motor vehicles, but it also occurs in the house, courtesy of gasoline burners, engines, lanterns, gas hobs and heating systems. The CO that is created when vehicle fuels are burned is dissipated into the air and as a result is of no harm to humans. The story in the house can be very different though. If CO is allowed to build up in confined spaces without ventilation, things could get very dangerous.
The symptoms of CO poisoning can mimic other illnesses such as flu, so you may be unaware that you are being poisoned. Some of these symptoms are headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting and chest pains. If you inhale enough CO, then you could lose consciousness and die. The CO is replacing the oxygen in your body, and without oxygen, your body cannot function.
One visible clue to the presence of carbon monoxide is if a flame is burning with a violet colour. Perhaps your water heater is old or has not been serviced, or you have a problem with other appliances. Either way, the presence of excess CO can spell great danger for you and your family.
So, a carbon monoxide detector is certainly a good idea in every home. They are cheap to buy, and easy to install, so their is really no excuse for not having one. They are usually battery operated and emit loud alarms if high levels of CO are detected in the atmosphere.
If you or any of your family members repeatedly show any of the symptoms of CO poisoning mentioned in the article above, do not think twice.
Protect your family, and buy a carbon monoxide detector. Don’t let saving a few pounds cost you the lives of you and your family. Get a carbon monoxide alarm today.
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Get information about Fruit and vegetable home juicers
Posted by: | CommentsJuicers We all know that fruits and vegetables are full of powerful nutrients that help us in a variety of health problems. We also know that cooking or heating destroys the nutritional properties and we lose the phytochemicals, antioxidants, living enzymes and vitamins because of these methods. Juicing fruits and vegetables help us to preserve the nutritional value and to promote overall health. Some fruit and vegetable concentrates are said to help in fighting and thwarting cancer and reduce inflammation and pain.Find out which fruit and vegetable juices help in which ways to help you boost your health:
There are several types of fruit and vegetable juicers such as masticating juicers, triturating juicers and centrifugal juicers. These juicers help you to extract juices from pulp, so that you don
Andis Clipper: the Professional Home Clippers You Need
Posted by: | CommentsWhen it comes to haircuts, there is a very easy way to give the perfect haircut; use an Andis clipper. With its whisper-quiet motor, adjustable blades and indestructible body frame, an Andis clipper is a great tool for any hairstylist to add to their bag of hair tools. When you use an Andis clipper to give a haircut, you will not only receive perfect results every single time, but you will notice that an Andis clipper will give you ultimate control and it will follow along the natural contours of the head. With up to eight different length settings, there is no haircut that can not benefit from an Andis clipper. While there may be some downsides to this product, there are more pros than cons. All Andis clippers feature high-speed motors that are perfect for heavy-duty cutting, but they are whisper quiet, so you will not have to worry about your client
New Device Improves Home Energy Efficiency By Just Plugging
Posted by: | CommentsSolar Station Inc., a Palo Alto based renewable energy products company, has recently released a novel product called Micro Plug.
How To Choose Awnings For Your Home or Business
Posted by: | CommentsBefore, awnings just served as protection from the sun and rain for houses. But now, awnings are included as part of a house’s or building’s architecture not only for its primary purpose, but also to add charm and create a statement.
If you are still unconvinced about the architectural beauty of awnings, you might want to have them installed for the following reasons:
* It protects the window frames from the rain, sun and snow. Most window frames and windowpanes are made of wood. We all know how wood responds to environmental changes. Even with sufficient wood coating and polish, wood deteriorates faster when exposed to the harshness of the weather conditions.
* Your house may have a porch or a patio and you have some furniture there, where you relax as you read a book or have a cup of coffee with your friends. Such furniture, regardless of the material, wears out faster when exposed to the sun and rain.
* When it’s raining, you normally keep your windows shut, blocking fresh air from coming in through the windows. If your house has awnings, during rain showers, you can keep your windows open and still prevent rainwater from getting in.
* When you are watching TV or using the computer, you usually have the windows shut, or the curtains or blinds down to reduce the glare. If awnings were fitted, you wouldn’t need to block natural light from the rest of the room since the awnings will reduce the glare on the monitors positioned near the windows.
* A major effect of having awnings, according to a study, is that it can reduce summer heat increase by 65% for windows facing south, and 77% for windows facing east and west.
So if you are now convinced that you would like your house or your building to have awnings, don’t just go out there and get one. There are things that you need to consider.
* Material
The most commonly used materials for awnings are outdoor fabric and aluminum. Those made of outdoor fabric come in a variety of color and shapes; however, these require more maintenance than aluminum ones.
Those made of aluminum are sturdy and require less maintenance. These awnings, however, have limited design and color options.
* Angle
It is recommended that for windows facing east or west, the size of the drop should be 65-75% for the best efficiency. For a window facing south, the drop can just be 45-60% since less coverage is needed, as the sun has a higher angle from this direction.
* Side panels
Side panels may alter the architectural feel of the awnings. Side panels are also beneficial in adding coverage in a different direction.
* Stationary, Retractable or Freestanding
Roll-up and retractable awnings allow you to permit the sun to shine into the house during winter.
Retractable awnings are also good for patios or decks. These awnings have a mechanism that allows it to be extended as far as necessary.
Retractable awnings can also have motors and switches for ease in retraction. Some also have sun and wind sensors to automate the retraction.
Retractable awnings are not for heavy rains, high winds and snow, though. So make sure these are properly protected from such weather conditions.
Freestanding awnings may also be used for patios, decks or terraces. Business establishments, as these also double as an advertisement, usually use these.
* Size
Small awnings are used for their decorative effect. If you would like to maximize the protective function of awnings, choose the bigger ones.
* Style
The most popular styles are traditional with closed sides, traditional with open sides, dome style, double bar standard, waterfall, quarter barrel, gable walkway and semi-circular entrance.
To check the most applicable style for your house design and the direction of your windows, consult an architect.
* Color
Apart from considering what color goes well with your house or establishment, if possible, choose a light-colored awning since it does not only block direct sunlight light other awnings, but this also reflects sunlight. By doing so, it lessens the amount of heat that comes in.
Also to minimize the heat that comes into the house, make sure that there is a gap between the side of the house and the top of the awning to prevent the heat on the awning to be transferred to the house.
Keep these tips in mind when consulting your architect while designing your house or business establishment.
