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S P R I N G Advice from the experts and tips for environmentally conscious yards and gardens BY H OLLY WEST
Check Your Air Conditioning Now Scott Brennan, owner of Alternative Aire
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o prevent the majority of your problems: No. 1, check the system before weather gets extreme; No. 2, change filters regularly; [and] No. 3, have a service company come do the AC service. Everybody holds off on running the AC until we get a temperature spike, and then everybody calls a service company at the same time. As an example, Alternative Aire can do approximately 25-30 service calls per day. We have had as many as 90 requests per hour at the beginning of the first heat spell. It takes time to work through that number of requests, so check the system before you need it. Do the maintenance, especially the AC maintenance. The three most common and preventable issues would be clogged drains; dirty coils, especially condenser coils; and dirty air filters. As far as filters go, we recommend pleated filters, but you don’t need anything super fancy or expensive, and change them monthly. Media filters will get changed every 6-12 months, depending on the house. ... People need to keep in mind that these filters are not designed to clean air. They are designed to keep the evaporator coil clean. Companies have found a way to market filters [that can] clean the air they breath. However, these filters create a larger static pressure within the duct system and can cause airflow issues. If you are trying to improve your indoor air quality (IAQ), know and understand what you are trying to clean. Otherwise, you can spend thousands of dollars and not see any difference in your air quality. ... More than likely, sealing and cleaning are already needed and may solve your issues without spending additional money on something that you will then need to maintain on a regular basis.”
De-Winterize Laurence Tilley, service technician at ACME Plumbing Co.
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raditionally in the South, it has been a common practice in the winter months to close isolation valves that serve exterior hose bibbs and drain them down. People typically do not use hose bibbs as often when it’s cold outside. Once weather starts getting warmer and people are ready to begin using their garden hoses again, they would just need to re-open those isolation valves and get their spigots back operational.”
Say It With Me: ‘Water’ Gary George, owner of Barnes Supply Co.
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he biggest mistake made with our lawns is negligence and timing. You can expect to lose at least 10% of your lawn each year. This comes from weeds, disease, drought, kids and pets. Perfect timing begins with seeding lawns in the fall, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 being the ideal time for our area. This allows the cool season seed that’s recommended for this region time to germinate and mature enough to be supplemented in spring with pre-emergents to prevent undesirable weeds. Start in late winter with crabgrass preventer. ... If you get it down in time it’s very effective. A follow-up in May helps prevent the unwanted weeds that made it through the initial treatment. Next, keep the lawn healthy with a good, slow-release fertilizer. It keeps lawns thick, which helps prevent weeds and suffering from a shortage of rainfall. Treat broadleaf weeds mid-May. This can be done with granular or spray. I prefer spray. An immediate rain after applying granular could affect results. The second fertilizing should be done by mid-May. Do not neglect watering if Mother Nature doesn’t provide the rainfall needed to keep your yard healthy and green.” april 2018
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