Home Flipping Explained

I love making improvements to my home. I constantly tankle new renovation projects for the sake of comfort, appearance and functionality. I’ve replaced all of the windows, exterior doors, light fixtures and plumbing fixtures. I’ve installed ceiling fans, recessed lighting and surround sound. I’ve invested into new cupboards, countertops, appliances and furniture. I am not sure why it took me so long to finally replace the thermostat. We lived with an ancient, plastic dial for far too long. We needed to make manual adjustments to temperature and the device wasn’t overly accurate. It provided no extra features and was super unattractive. When I finally started looking into a new thermostat, I was surprised by the options. Today’s smart technology has led to all sorts of exciting perks. Wifi thermostats allow access through an app on the phone. From virtually anywhere, it’s possible to make changes to temperature, set up programs and take advantage of helpful information. I had some trouble deciding on the right thermostat for our lifestyle, household and heating and cooling system. I chose a model that includes learning capability. For the first week after installation, the thermostat kept track of every adjustment we made. It then created a program to accommodate our schedule. It automatically raises or lowers temperature to conserve energy when the house is empty and welcomes us back to ideal comfort. The touchscreen interface is extremely easy to navigate. I can take advantage of energy tracking, energy saving tips, voice commands and reminders for maintenance needs. While the thermostat was rather expensive, it is paying for itself through lower monthly utility bills.

 

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Several rooms in my house always seemed to be either too cold or overheated.

The sunshine coming through the windows, amount of shade, winter wind and all sorts of factors impact the temperature.

Adjusting the thermostat affected the temperature of every room in the house. My duct system is too old to accommodate the necessary valves for zone control, and I was unwilling to replace the entire heating and cooling system. I started researching alternatives and came across ductless split systems. A ductless configuration includes an outdoor air compressor that links to one or multiple indoor air handlers. The installation requires a small, three-inch hole in an exterior wall to accommodate the conduit and access to electricity. The air handlers are compact, lightweight and mount up high on the wall. The whole installation process was completed in a single day and caused no damage or mess. We now have air handlers located in five rooms of the house. Each one features an independent thermostat and allows for customized temperature settings. The system provides both heating and cooling capacity and provides perfect year round comfort. Because it uses something called inverter technology to regulate the speed of operation, the ductless system is wonderfully energy efficient. It maintains very even temperatures, helps to combat excess humidity in the summer and actively filters contaminants out of the air. We’re able to operate the air handlers by way of cordless remotes. We can adjust the direction of the airflow, switch from heating to cooling, raise and lower temperature setting and adjust the fan speed.

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I really hate getting groceries. I put off the task for as long as possible. I order everything possible online for delivery and procrastinate until we are running out of milk, eggs, cheese and all of our perishables. The grocery store is a twenty-five minute drive from my house. When I add up the commute each way, the actual shopping time and the job of unloading and putting away all the groceries, it’s an extremely time-consuming project. Buying groceries is also very expensive. In my local area, we experience every type of weather extreme. When I head to the store, I often encounter torrential downpours, snow flurries, sub zero temperatures, high winds or excessive heat and humidity. On especially hot and muggy days, I tend to dress in shorts, tank and sandals. Walking across the parking lot is enough to cause a sweat. However, stepping inside the grocery store is like entering a freezer. They typically blast the air conditioner at maximum capacity. They keep the indoor temperature so horribly chilly that I try to remember to bring along my winter coat. I shiver the entire time I’m shopping. I run through the aisles, grabbing things as quickly as possible. There is no escape from the freezing cold air pouring from vents in the ceiling. It always feels good to head back outside into the heat. In the winter, I have the opposite complaint. I head to the store, bundled up in snow boots, wool coat, hat and gloves. Once inside, I immediately start to sweat because of the overuse of the heating system. I strip down and still feel overheated the entire time I shop. It must cost the store a fortune to try and maintain such a high temperature with the door to the outside opening up all the time.

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Living in an area that varies between weather extremes means that we switch from running the furnace to the air conditioner with little break in-between.

We need to start up the furnace by the end of October.

We combat temperatures well below freezing and down to twenty-five below zero until sometime in May. By June, we’re relying on the central cooling system full-time. The energy consumed by the furnace and air conditioner add up to about 50% of the entire household energy demand. The cost of temperature control is a big part of the budget. Because of this, I’m constantly looking for new ways to prevent waste. I’ve taken every precaution to tighten up the house. I’ve installed new exterior doors and windows that are Energy Star rated and meticulously caulked and weatherstripped. I’ve added insulation to the walls, ceilings, attic and crawlspace and invested into a smart thermostat. I installed ceiling fans that work to force the warmer air toward the floor in the winter and encourage it up and out during the summer. While my strategies have helped to somewhat trip our monthly bills, I’ve also eliminated natural ventilation. Because we rarely get to open a window and welcome in a fresh breeze, the house becomes horribly stale and stuffy. We experience insufficient humidity in the colder months and far too much humidity during warmer months. I finally hired a local HVAC contractor to install a ventilator. The ventilator works 24/7 to draw the stale air out of the house and replace it with fresh air. It greatly improves indoor air quality. The house stays cleaner and there are less problems with humidity.

 

air conditioning

There are pros and cons to owning an older home.

Our house was built sometime in the mid 1800s and features gorgeous hardwood floors, doors and moldings.

We have a beautiful staircase with a hand-carved banister and several stained-glass windows. There is a very large and wonderfully charming porch built across the front of the house. However, when we moved in, there was no ductwork or centralized heating or cooling system installed. The exceptionally high ceilings and big windows make the house difficult to temperature control. In our local area, both heating and cooling are necessary. We deal with sub zero conditions in the winter and excessive heat and humidity in the summer. The former owners of the home got by with window air conditioners and electric baseboard heaters. My husband and I weren’t satisfied with this solution. The portable heating and cooling units looked horrible, cost a fortune to operate and weren’t effective. Our house was overheated and muggy all summer and chilly throughout the winter. Installing conventional ductwork would have required tearing down walls and ceilings, creating a huge mess, costing a fortune and damaging the architectural history of the home. We struggled with comfort for several years before finally coming across high-velocity heating and cooling. This type of system is specifically designed to accommodate the challenges of older homes. It works by way of mini-ducts that are only two-inches in diameter. These narrow tubes are also flexible, allowing them to be retrofitted into existing walls. They bend around plumbing pipes, studs and electrical boxes and connect to round, six-inch diameter vents. The high-velocity system provides us with whole-home temperature control.

air conditioning worker

I’ll end up paying a lot more in monthly utility bills

Although I’ve been quite good about taking proper care of my furnace and air conditioner, I completely forgot about the ductwork until it started causing problems. The ventilation system is nearly entirely concealed behind walls, ceilings, in the attic and crawl spaces. Because I never saw it, I never gave it a thought. However, the ductwork is extremely important and its performance has a big impact on everything from comfort and air quality to energy efficiency and budget. While the furnace and air conditioner share the workload, the ductwork operates nearly year round. In my local area, there is seldom an opportunity to go without some type of temperature control. For approximately nine to ten months per year, the windows are shut tight and we’re running either the furnace or the air conditioner. That means that the air my family breathes and counts on for comfort passes through the duct system multiple times per day. If there’s an accumulation of debris, such as dust, dander, dead mice, mold growth or any kind of harmful toxins, these contaminants can become airborne every time the furnace or air conditioner starts up. The pollutants get spread throughout the house and can lead to severe health concerns. If there are any holes in the ducts or leaks at the seams, the heated or cooled air can escape. Because the conditioned air fails to reach the various rooms of the house, the furnace or air conditioner is forced to run longer, work harder and will struggle to achieve ideal comfort. I’ll end up paying a lot more in monthly utility bills. The wear and tear on equipment increases the chance of malfunction and shortens service life.

 

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I’ve always been very conscientious about taking good care of the furnace and air conditioner.

• These units were large investments, carry a heavy workload and impact comfort and air quality just about year round.

The performance of the air conditioner and furnace directly affect my budget. I want the equipment to operate as efficiently and dependably as possible. I hope to make sure both systems last as long as possible. I make sure to change the air filters in the heating and cooling units every month. I know that the filter works to prevent contaminants from infiltrating the inner workings. I also schedule professional maintenance for the furnace in the fall and for the air conditioner in the spring. I hire a licensed and certified HVAC contractor to inspect, clean, adjust and test all components for peak functionality. He removes the buildup of contaminants that would otherwise restrict airflow and lead to longer running times. He tightens electrical wires that might have come loose and lubricates moving parts, such as the motor, to enhance performance. He verifies the safety of the furnace’s heat exchanger to avoid concerns with carbon monoxide and cleans the air conditioner’s evaporator coil to ensure maximum heat absorption. Any worn or broken parts are replaced to combat potential malfunctions or system failure during the season. The technician also checks the thermostat and tests the ductwork for leaks at the seams, holes or any flaws that can be blamed for energy waste, air contamination or diminished comfort. The whole service takes a couple of hours and provides cost-effective benefits. I can count on the furnace and air conditioner to live up to expectations during the most severe weather. Plus, proof of professional upkeep is necessary to fulfill the requirements of manufacturer’s warranty coverage. If there is a problem with either the heating or cooling system, the cost of the parts is covered. Because of my enrollment in the service plan with the HVAC company, I also benefit from priority scheduling, discounts on parts and labor and no extra fees for emergency repairs outside of regular business hours.

 

space heater

It’s not easy to stick to a budget when you have to deal with pay cuts.

• That was the case for the nearly the past two years.

I’m sad to say that it’s still not back to what it was pre-pandemic but, I’m inching closer. When the pandemic hit, I had to leave the zone controlled HVAC of our offices and my wife lost her job outright. Not only did I have to work from home in my own air conditioning but I had to take a pay cut on top of that. We were in pretty dire straits and weren’t so sure that we could keep up the mortgage payment and all the essentials. That first summer was the hottest in our house ever. We live in a region where HVAC cooling is a very big deal. And to save money, we really cranked up the thermostat setting to the mid 80’s during the day. But we achieved our aim and saved hundreds of dollars that first summer. The next spring, I was able to get vaccinated as was my wife. She had found some online work and I was back to full pay but no bonus structure. Things were better indeed but still tight. And right before summer, the HVAC unit went out. I had half a mind to simply call a handyman I know of who will work on HVAC equipment for cheap. But the more I thought about that, the less it seemed like a very good idea. I’m glad too because really, nobody but the HVAC professionals should be working on our heating and cooling equipment.

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It’s a wonder to me just how smart kids are these days.

• I was not at all engaged in the sorts of things that my kids easily understand.

I’m hoping that’s a testament to both their schooling and how we raise them. At the same time, I think kids now are just more plugged in to thing give their access to technology. For me, my daughter just saved me a ton of money on HVAC cooling costs last summer. This was due to the lesson she gave me about some HVAC technology that I had been resistant to engage. For years, we’ve had the same digital thermostat. And I’ve taken it upon myself to be the one who programs and manages the thermostat. I’m like a hawk on the thermostat setting to make sure that we don’t spend too much on HVAC cooling. Where we live, that’s the big money drain when it comes to the heating and cooling equipment. I only wish I could have my winter electric bill all year. So I was getting heckled again by my son about being the thermostat miser when my daughter chimed in. But she chimed in both defending the conservation of resources but also broke it down for me what I was missing. The facts were that if we had a smart thermostat, not only would I not have to be the thermostat hawk but it would save more money. I took her up on that and put in the smart thermostat. Dang if that piece of HVAC technology didn’t save me an additional 15 percent on top of what I had been able to save on my own.

 

heating company

I’ve said a definite goodbye to winter.

This is something that I sort of hate doing. Even as the first wave of pollen descends, I still hang on to the wonderful winter where I live. We have a winter that, in my view, is the best of all possible winters. It’s definitely on the mild side as we have no need for a gas furnace or anything of the sort that our neighbors to the north have to use. In fact, our heat pump hardly had to come on but to knock off the moring or late night chill now and again. So you can understand why I love the winter. But spring is in full swing and up go the temperatures. That’s fine as well. We don’t really go full on with air conditioning while the temps are still in the 80’s. Yet, I know that by June, the heat pump will be working overtime once again just to provide the HVAC cooling comfort we need. But that cooling comfort also comes with a steep price tag. Left unchecked, the HVAC cooling costs can get out of hand real quick. When we first moved here, I saw some bills for electric that simply staggered me. But I learned the basics to HVAC cooling cost control. And those are seal up the house tight, stop direct sunlight heating with shades or drapes and always stick to thermostat discipline. The thermostat setting is perhaps the key to all of this. I simply program mine not to be more than 15 degrees cooler than the temps during the peak heating hours of the afternoon.

 

cooling system