S P ECIA L
HOME
COM F ORT
IS SUE
SPRING/SUMMER 2014
www.AlohaAC.com
Up to $1200
Instant Rebate on a New Rheem HVAC System
St. Jude’s
Fast Fixes
Aloha AC helps St. Jude Children’s Hospital with donations For the friends and customers of
“There is only one team that can beat the HEAT in South Florida and that’s Team Aloha AC.”
877-972-5642
Great family dinners in less than an hour: Chicken Parmesan Chorizo Bolognese, Vegetable lasagna
Welcome to Right At Home Welcome to the spring 2014 issue of Right At Home, the magazine that provides homeowners across the country with recipes, lifestyle articles, home health tips and, most importantly, how to take care of your heating and cooling system. The topics in this issue will help you and your family get the most out of the busy spring and summer months. We’ll explain what to look for if your cooling system has maintenance issues this summer. We’ll also tell you the best way to keep it running at peak performance. You’ll also find important information that can cut your energy bills by simply looking for leaky duct work. Warmer weather usually heats up a family’s activities and everyone seems to be on the go! We’ve found some great pasta recipes that you can have on the table in no time. We also have tips on reducing clutter, getting in shape for summer and how to help reduce the causes of allergies in your home. We hope you consider the local Rheem contractor who sent you this magazine as a trusted source for any future heating or cooling needs.
COntents 6 7
SPRING/SUMMER 2014
10
HOME
Tired of everyone just dropping books, gear and clothes everywhere? Try these de-clutter tips
MONEY Typical duct systems lose 25% to 40 % of the energy put out by the central furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner.
14
COMFORT HVAC repair experts tell you the most common HVAC issues to look for if your system stops working.
HEALTH
15
It’s time to get in shape for that summer getaway. We have some easy ways to get healthy.
Food
Quality ingredients and easy recipes can help you get a great dish on the table in no time.
Right at Home PUBLISHER William Sabo Designer KZ Creative
STAFF WRITERS Hollie Deese David V. King Beth Burcham
All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the express permission of the publisher. Published by: Private Label Media Partners, 709 State Street New Orleans, LA 70118. Phone 877-618-6626.
Are you or your family suffering from allergies, itchy-watery eyes, nose or throat irritation? According to a report completed by the EPA pollutants can be 10 times higher inside homes than outside.* The knowledgeable staff at Aloha AC can help reduce concentrations of airborne pollutants by 50%!** • Ultraviolet Lights • Air Cleaners and Filtration • Air Duct Cleaning • Air Duct Treatment
10 Off %
REGULAR PRICE Offer expires 6/30/14.
Call Today to Have Your Indoor Air Quality Evaluated!
877-972-5642
Serving South Florida since 1982! Licensed and Insured CAC025379 *Source: www.epa.gov/IAQ ** With Ultraviolet Lights based on constant circulation of air in the home.
www.AlohaAC.com
Getting the most in
COMFORT
The HVAC Consumer CashBack offers up to $1,200 in instant savings
I
Replacing an old, inefficient comfort system has never been easier
f your HVAC equipment is more than 10 years old or not keeping your house comfortable, have it evaluated by a professional Rheem contractor.
Most Rheem contractors offer easy ways to finance a new heating a cooling system without breaking your budget. Rheem contractors representatives are a phone call away seven days a week. Kwik Comfort is If it is not performing efficiently or needs a quick and efficient credit processing. and upgrading, consider replacing it with a will have an answer for you within minutes unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR. Depending on where you live, replacing Included in the financing should be your old heating and cooling equipment everything associated with your HVAC with ENERGY STAR qualified equipment can cut your annual heating and cooling bill equipment—your original equipment purchase, all subsequent service, extended by 40%. service protection, and even the comfort Rheem offers several models that have options that you choose to add later. earned the ENERGY STAR rating. In today’s tough economic times, homeowners might think about just patching their system to get through another season, but being penny wise will mean being dollar foolish down the road. Right At Home
With low monthly payments for equipment and service cost, a homeowner can finance an entire new heating and cooling system for as low as $100 a month.
T
he new Rheem Consumer CashBack instant money back program could save up to $1,200 off a new heating and cooling system. Rheem is offering a hassle-free instant rebate on qualifying systems. Filing is simple and there is no paperwork for the homeowner to fill out. Everything is submitted on-line by your Rheem contractor. At the time of the sale, the homeowner’s rebate will be subtracted from the purchase price. The extra savings provided by the Rheem Consumer CashBack upgrade to high-efficiency HVAC systems for far less than they expect. The offer is good now until June 30, 2014 so don’t wait!
877-972-5642 www.alohaac.com
5
Control the Clutter with Drop Zones To eliminate the clutter that busy lifestyles create, try establishing designated drop zones throughout your house to regain a sense of order. Don’t worry, you can still drop everything and relax when you come home – just drop everything in the right spot.
Entryway Coats, scarves, hats and bags are dropped everywhere, while dirty shoes are kicked off and left behind. Basically, the entrance to your home can become a minefield. The addition of a coat rack or hooks make it easy to hang up outerwear, while a storage bench is a convenient place to take off shoes and neatly stow them away.
Kitchen
Establish a corner of the kitchen counter to drop lunch boxes, bottles and coffee mugs used throughout the day. To prevent a pile-up of papers and misplaced items, set up a command center with enough space to file mail and bills and store your keys and other small essentials.
Living Room
Bedroom
To clear clothing clutter, use a valet rod to hang up tomorrow’s outfit or clothes that need to be taken to the tailor or dry cleaner. Additionally, try designating a dresser drawer as a drop zone for jewelry, watches, your wallet or other valuables.
6
A coffee table tray or basket is ideal for storing remotes and chargers. Add storage cubes with bins as a convenient place to store and hide laptop cords, tablets, gaming equipment and children’s toys. Consider labeling a bin for each family member to “drop” or stow their stuff.
Right At Home
Leaky ducts can waste 40% of energy, money
D
on’t be embarrassed, but your ducts are probably leaking! A recent Department of Energy study states, “Typical duct systems lose 25 to 40 percent of the energy put out by the central furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner.” This almost certainly means that your air conditioning equipment is working overtime to compensate for this loss. As far as comfort, improper duct work is also a major cause of hot and cold spots and can propagate indoor air problems such as dust and mold. Insist that your contractor inspect your ductwork to ensure there are no design errors or kinks in flexible duct work, the ductwork has proper insulation (R-8 insulation is top-of-the-line for ducts), and that all the ducts and duct connectors are properly sealed with mastic and/or tape. The Department of Energy says duct repairs could be the most important energy improvement measure you can do.
Home pollutants, what are they and where do they come from?
Y
ou may be surprised to learn that some common household items pollute the air you breathe, including: pollen and spores, human skin flakes, candle soot, infiltrating dust, viruses, bacteria, and fungi, pet dander, tobacco or wood smoke, cooking smoke and airborne grease, radon gas, chemical fumes and volatile organic compounds. Every cubic foot of air you breathe carries a mixture of millions of such airborne particles. Although larger particles are more visible and catch attention more easily, the smallest of these particles are of greatest concern for indoor air quality. Viruses, bacteria, smoke and grease are amongst the smallest and can be most damaging to the home and the individuals who live there. Consumer demand for air cleaners has been on the rise in recent years according to the EPA. Air conditioning filtration efficiency depends on the type of air cleaner used, and the type, number and size of the particles in the air stream. It varies from as little as 3% for ordinary throw-away fiberglass filters, to up to 99.9% for HEPA filters.
Right At Home.™
7
Aloha Air Conditioning announces its support of the 2014 St. Jude Give Thanks Walk as a HOPE Sponsor. As part of their endorsement, they donated a truck wrap advertisement that displays the St. Jude logo as well as the website and date of the walk. “We are proud to not only offer our support of the Give Thanks Walk, but to show our appreciation for the work that St. Jude does for children,” said Jim Barry, owner of Aloha Air Conditioning. “The donated truck wrap marketing and our involvement as a HOPE sponsor is our way to Give Thanks to St. Jude.” The St. Jude Give Thanks Walk will take place on November 22, 2014 at John Prince Park in Lake Worth, FL. Registration is free and participants can form teams to raise money online at www.givethankswalk.org. In 2013, the Palm Beach County Give Thanks Walk had more than 550 participants and raised more than $75,000 for the kids at St. Jude. Unlike other hospitals, St. Jude relies on funding from the public to help support its life saving mission of finding cures to save children who are battling cancer and other deadly diseases. Due to the generous support St. Jude receives, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. The St. Jude Give Thanks Walk serves as the official kickoff event for the St. Jude Thanks and Giving® campaign, which unites retail and corporate partners and celebrities during the holidays. Aloha Air Conditioning has been providing professional air conditioning services in South Florida since 1982. Our team of highly skilled HVAC technicians is available to perform assessments, installations, and maintenance to a number of top name brands of residential and commercial air conditioning and purification systems. The dedicated staff works hard to insure customer satisfaction by providing the highest level of service, one customer at a time. Aloha strives to make energy saving techniques highly desirable for all customers. Available at all locations, our Energy Savings Agreement offers priority service and scheduled maintenance with a 10% discount on any repairs during agreement period. Aloha AC will not charge additional fees for service calls on Saturday. This type of weekend service is just one way that Aloha stands apart from the competition.
877-972-5642 | www.AlohaAC.com
Serving all of South Florida from Boca to the Keys Since 1982
Beat The Heat With Aloha AC! The one team that can beat the heat in South Florida! VISIT:
www.alohaAC.com/BeatTheHeat for video tips on how you can save money and keep your cool!
Find helpful how to videos on: • What to check before you call for service. • Maintaining your air conditioner unit. • When is it time to install a new air conditioner unit? • Plants vs air conditioner units. • Programming your thermostat. Scan the url code with your smartphone for an instant link to www.AlohaAC.com/BeatTheHeat
877-972-5642 | www.AlohaAC.com
Fast-Fix Dinners Easy Family Meals in Under an Hour Family schedules can get hectic, but it doesn’t have to be hard to make time for a great family dinner. Whether it’s a hearty dish of Bolognese or lighter vegetarian fare, quality ingredients and easy recipes can help you get a great dish on the table in no time.
10
Serves
6
Easy Chicken Parmesan Prep time: 10 minutes Total time: 45 minutes Ingredients:
Chorizo Bolognese
Serves
6
Prep time: 25 minutes Total time: 25 minutes
• 1 (15-ounce) can Tomato Sauce • 1 (14.5-ounce) can Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano, undrained
Ingredients:
• 6 tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
• 8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta, uncooked
• 6 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/2 pound ground chuck beef (80% lean)
• 3/4 pound spaghetti, uncooked
• 1/4 teaspoon adobo seasoning blend
• 1 1/2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation:
• 6 ounces fresh pork chorizo (Mexican-style)
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion • 1/4 cup sliced stuffed green olives
Heat oven to 375°F. Pour tomato sauce and undrained • 1 (15-ounce) can Tomato Sauce tomatoes into 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Stir in 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) Parmesan. Add chicken; turn to coat Preparation: evenly both sides of each breast with sauce. Cover. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is done (165°F). salt. Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium-high Meanwhile, cook spaghetti as directed on package, heat. Add beef, chorizo, adobo seasoning and pepper. omitting salt. Top chicken with remaining cheeses; bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until mozzarella is melted. Drain spaghetti. Serve topped with chicken and sauce. Right At Home
11
Vegetarian Lasagna Skillet
Serves
Prep time: 30 minutes Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients: • • • • • • • •
8 ounces dry bowtie (farfalle) pasta, uncooked 2 tablespoons Pure Wesson Canola Oil 2 cups quartered, sliced zucchini 1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern beans, drained, rinsed 1 (16-ounce) jar light Alfredo pasta sauce 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt 2 (14.5-ounce) cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, drained well 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Preparation: Cook pasta according directions, omitting salt.
to
package
Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add beans, Alfredo sauce and garlic salt to skillet; heat until hot and bubbly. Add cooked pasta to skillet; stir to combine. Add drained tomatoes; toss to combine. Top with cheese. Reduce heat; cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan
12
6
ways to lower your cooling bills 1 Arrange an HVAC inspection Anyone can hire a certified technician for an annual check that their home’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system is operating at peak efficiency. Leaking ducts, for example, could reduce energy efficiency by up to 20%. Inspections usually cost less than $100, but that could be offset by the energy savings over time. A quick and inexpensive inspection also might find a small problem before it turns into a BIG one!
2 Keep it clean Clean air filters monthly for central air and individual window or wall units. Dirt and dust hinder air flow, reducing efficiency.
3 Program the thermostat Give the air conditioner a break during the work day. Shifting the settings to allow higher daytime temperatures could cut the average household’s electric bill by $180 a year, according to ENERGY STAR.
4 Seek out incentives on appliances Investing in a new energy-efficient unit can cut long-term bills – and be cheaper up front, too. Make sure you ask the contractor on this magazine for any available rebates, either through the manufacturer or your local utility company.
5 Close the blinds Rooms get hotter without shades or curtains to block the sunlight, especially with south- and west-facing windows. Put this idea to work more effectively with insulated window treatments.
6 Use fans A breeze makes the room feel a few degrees cooler. Just be sure to turn it off when leaving. Remember, fans cool people, not rooms.
Right At Home.™
Rheem has just introduced the EcoNet thermostat that allows you to program it with just one touch or even from your smart phone. SET IT & GO After setting your desired heat and cool range, the system automatically switches between heating and cooling modes to keep the house at the desired temperature range. CLEAN, COMFORTABLE INDOOR ENVIRONMENT Maintain an ideal indoor environment during temperate weather by selecting continuous fan speeds that ensure even temperatures inside the house and provide continuous air filtering. HUMIDITY CONTROL Do it yourself with manual mode, or maintain the right humidity conditions inside your home by selecting the ‘Auto’ setting. This setting actively monitors internal and external conditions and automatically adjusts the relative humidity to maintain ideal comfort levels. EASIER MONITORING & MAINTENANCE EcoNet can also monitor and manage the operation of various accessories connected to your HVAC system, including humidifiers, air filters, UV lights and ventilators. When an accessory requires attention, an alert appears on the control advising that it be replaced. Call Aloha AC at 877-972-5642
13
If your heating or cooling system stops working,
check these things first Heating and cooling systems are usually incredibly reliable, however, with any mechanical device problems can arise. Some of these problems can be do-it-yourself fixes. However, for the more complex problems, it is best to call a trained HVAC technician. HVAC repair experts say these are the most common issues when an AC, heat pump or furnace stops working.
Blown Fuse - Fuses protect the unit’s motor or compressor against overheating, and is found in the evaporator coil. Worn Contactor -
There are three contactors in a unit: one for the compressor, one for the condenser fan motor, and one for the blower motor. The contactors engage when there is a need for cooling or heating, making an electrical connection. This starts the compressor and motors.
Capacitors - There are two capacitors in your system, if either capacitor burns out, it will need to be replaced for your HVAC to work properly. Filters-
Filters get dirty and clogged from air particles. Once this happens, the filter needs to be changed. One way to tell if the filter needs to be changed is to hold it up to the light and see if you can see light pass through it. If you cannot, the filter needs to be changed. A dirty filter will reduce the air flow to the unit causing the unit to freeze.
Thermostat - This is the device that tells the system what to do and when to do it. Before calling an HVAC company, make sure the thermostat is on. Many times the thermostat is accidentally turned off or is on the wrong setting. Drain Lines. - The drain line commonly becomes clogged with dirt or algae. If it is clogged, the drain pan will fill up and cause water to leak over and create water damage.
14
Refrigerant Leak - Refrigerant leaks can happen with vibration of the unit while it is operating. Refrigerant leaks in the condenser or evaporator coils cannot be repaired. If the leak is found in another place the technician can remove what is left and charge the unit levels back to their correct amount. Right At Home.™
Shape Up for Summer Here are some easy and fast ideas for getting healthy
• Make water your favorite drink. A person must have a minimum of 8 glasses of water in a day. Avoid taking soft drinks or carbonated beverages; moreover replace them with water. • Don’t stuff yourself with food in a single sitting; instead have 5 to 6 small meals or snacks in a day.Eating several small meals helps the body to release less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps to control hunger. • Make a habit of walking. Walking is more important for people in sedentary jobs. Walk for at least 45 minutes every day; it helps in burning extra calories. • Keep small plates for serving food because a study shows that the less food put in front of us, the less food we’ll eat. So downsize your food plates and coffee mugs, and say goodbye to those extra calories. • Eat more vegetables by using vegetables to make hefty meals. Like pasta salad loaded with vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes can be eaten twice. Same applies for stir-fries; add vegetables to make a fluffier omelet. Right At Home.™
• Eat cereal for breakfast. You will consume more fiber and calcium, and less fat than in a typical breakfast. • Use flavorings like hot sauce, salsa, and Cajun seasonings rather than butter and creamy or sugary sauces. These flavorings not only provide flavor with no fat and few calories, but the spicy ones also turn up digestive fires, causing your body to burn more calories. • Eat fruit rather than drinking fruit juice. Eating whole foods will keep you satisfied for longer period of time than juice. More over, fruit juices are very high in calories. • Take a walk before dinner and it’ll not only burn calories, but also cut down your appetite. • Take most of the calories before noon because studies tell that the more you eat in the morning, the less you’ll eat in the evening. Moreover, you will get more chances to burn off those early-day calories than late-night calories.
15
SERVICE • MAINTENANCE • INSTALLATION • REPAIR
The Heat Is On! $ 3,300 Receive up to
in Rebates on A/C replacement
Full System Installation Only. Valid until 6/30/14. See dealer for details.
No Extra Charge for Saturday Service 0% Financing Available
Take advantage of these great offers from Aloha and Rheem, the names you trust for indoor comfort. These offers won’t be around for long, so call Aloha your local Rheem Team Top Contractor Today!
FREE
No-Obligation Estimates for NEW Home Comfort Systems
FREE
Service Call *with Repair
24-Point Tune Up Special
50% OFF
Serving all of South Florida from Boca to the Keys Since 1982
877-972-5642
License #CACO25379.