Life At Home
Carole May
Gets Gas by Carole May Did I get your attention? Well I hope so, but don’t let the title fool you. This article is about filling up one’s gas tank for the first time in six years. Okay, Okay, I’m not like the rest of my peers. I have been spoiled! My wonderful gas station attendant (a.k.a. Carole May is a freelance writer for AroundAbout West Canton. Email her at husband) has been filling editor@aroundaboutwestcanton.com. the gas tank for me since we moved to Georgia. Why? In New Jersey when I needed gas, I would drive to the station, pull up to the pump and a nice, friendly person would greet me and say, “Good day, would you like regular or premium gas?” Then I would slide the credit card through the machine and a receipt would be handed back to me. I didn’t have to leave the car which was the best part by far. I was a happy camper without the tent! Moving to the South changed the rules, and I had to become my own gas station attendant, which involved dealing with flammable material. My husband and I agreed that a trip to the gas station together would be the safest for all parties concerned. While driving in the car, he kept repeating instructions as to what I should do when I arrived at our destination. I pulled the car up to the pump and got out of the car. My husband instructed me to unlock the gas tank, and I did. I then slid the credit card into the designed place for approval. This is where it gets hairy. My husband was standing a few feet in front of me when I grabbed the hose in my hand. He had been driving me crazy repeating the words “remember don’t pull the trigger” on the hose. I watched as his patience evaporated into the air like the water in my bird bath. The capillaries in his face rose to the surface in my direction. His voice grew stronger and louder. There were a few people at the other pumps staring at this novice with her initiation. I turned to see if I recognized anyone. I thought to myself, “Did I really need to be the next subject of a bunko gathering?” So I did just what I usually do when I get anxious — the opposite of what was asked of me. I squeezed the trigger! Send me up the river. And while I am at it, I confess to being guilty of laughing when the stream (of gasoline) squirted toward him and onto his shoes and pants. I must admit he did one heck of a war dance. The entire scene was a Lucy and Desi episode from the past. Thank heavens it didn’t last. As for this dizzy red head, I am proud to say that at the end of the day, Carole May got gas! 58 AroundAbout West Canton | july 2011
Buying a new
System
by Dan Jape When it’s finally time to replace your old heating and Dan Jape is the owner of Reliable Heating and Air. You may contact him cooling system, there will be at 770-594-9096 or visit him online at many choices and different www.reliableair.com. decisions to be made that will affect your comfort, efficiency and overall happiness with any new system selected. It would benefit anyone to become familiar with the different components and terms you will face when that day does arrive. There are three separate pieces of equipment you have to replace when purchasing a new HVAC system; they are the furnace, the indoor cooling coil and the outdoor condenser (or air conditioner). You have choices of different furnaces and condensers, but generally there is only one coil for any system. There are many different manufacturers of furnaces and many different models available, but there are really just two distinctly different types of furnaces: single speed, single stage furnaces and two stage, variable speed furnaces. A single speed, single stage furnace comes on full blast anytime it runs and the motor in it consumes $250 a year of A/C electricity. A two stage, variable speed furnace comes on gradually and only uses the amount of gas needed at any given time to heat your home and its blower consumes only $30 annually of D/C current. The variable speed furnace also comes with a special thermostat that actually allows the furnace to reduce the amount of humidity in your home by an additional 5 — 10 percent, and when it is drier in your home, you can actually keep it warmer and feel the same comfort level, which will save you money. You have many choices in different outdoor condensers and what you pick is critical to your comfort. There are two different types of outdoor units, single speed units and two-speed units. The two speed units are the best choice for most homes in the south; they can be large enough in capacity to handle the extreme hot days, but because of their two speed design, they slow down to remove more moisture than a regular single speed condenser. The efficiency of these two speed units is usually so much better than a single speed unit that they can reduce the electric consumption by over 50 percent compared to your old cooling system. There are builder grade units, consumer grade units and top of the line units in both single speed and two-speed. Builder grade units are designed for a low, upfront price point and come with short warranties and will usually provide a shorter life span, as most builders are only interested in how a particular appliance operates for one year, which is the standard warranty for a new continued on page 70