Recent Posts
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
What happens when....
On a sunny hot day you are back from home and you switch ON your room air conditioner to get cooled and you find either the air conditioner doesn’t turn on or it doesn’t cool. This can be a very frustrating and overwhelming experience.
Tampa Air Conditioning
Let us now discuss troubleshooting some of these most common room air conditioner problems and solution:
What to do when the Room Air Conditioner Doesn’t Turn On ?
Room air conditioners consume a lot of electrical power. This can lead to less than optimum performance or even complete failure of the system. If your room air conditioner doesn’t turn on:
Ready for a change? Geothermal Heat Pumps is one of the most energy efficient ways to cool and heat your house with little to no maintenance needed.
Tampa Air Conditioning
Let us now discuss troubleshooting some of these most common room air conditioner problems and solution:
What to do when the Room Air Conditioner Doesn’t Turn On ?
Room air conditioners consume a lot of electrical power. This can lead to less than optimum performance or even complete failure of the system. If your room air conditioner doesn’t turn on:
- 1) Be sure the unit is plugged in and turned on properly.
- 2) Check if the outlet of the AC is working by unplugging the air conditioner and plugging in a light that works (NOTE: do not plug a light into a 220/240-volt receptacle).
- 3) If the light doesn’t go on, the circuit has probably overloaded. You need to check the electric panel or fuse box and reset the breaker or replace the fuse if required.
- 4) If the light works, it’s likely that the air conditioner’s switch is faulty or the thermostat needs some adjustment or needs some repairing.
- 5) Be sure the thermostat is set to “cool” and is below room temperature.
- 6) Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions (repair and care manual) for thermostat repair. If adjusting or repairing the thermostat doesn’t solve the problem then unplug the unit and call an air conditioner technician. If your air conditioner is under warranty, call the customer care of the company.
Ready for a change? Geothermal Heat Pumps is one of the most energy efficient ways to cool and heat your house with little to no maintenance needed.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Squidoo
I didn't know much about Squidoo until a friend at work suggest that I look into it and try to share thoughts about geothermal heat pumps on the site. Since then I have become fully impressed and enraptured by the blogging platform. People of all backgrounds and with all interests can design pages about any topic they desire. It's very user friendly and the community is so kind and helpful.
The first 'lens' I ever wrote can be found here: Benefits of Geothermal. You can find a description of a geothermal heat pump and a list of benefits they have to offer.
My second 'lens' was all about the tax incentives available for alternative energy upgrades, specifically geothermal heating and cooling. If you'd like more information on that subject or would like to give me feedback this is the lens: Tax Credits for Geothermal Energy.
Lastly, one I just completed today, can be found at http://www.squidoo.com/geothermalpress. This highlights the recent press released and news interviews we have participated in.
If you have never been to Squidoo I would highly recommend it as a valuable source of information and a way for you to inform the public about your interests, talents, business, products, thoughts, or any other subject.
Enjoy!
The first 'lens' I ever wrote can be found here: Benefits of Geothermal. You can find a description of a geothermal heat pump and a list of benefits they have to offer.
My second 'lens' was all about the tax incentives available for alternative energy upgrades, specifically geothermal heating and cooling. If you'd like more information on that subject or would like to give me feedback this is the lens: Tax Credits for Geothermal Energy.
Lastly, one I just completed today, can be found at http://www.squidoo.com/geothermalpress. This highlights the recent press released and news interviews we have participated in.
If you have never been to Squidoo I would highly recommend it as a valuable source of information and a way for you to inform the public about your interests, talents, business, products, thoughts, or any other subject.
Enjoy!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Michael Dunn Article
Several years ago Jay was interviewed by Michael Dunn, a writer for Tampa Tribune. We've come a long ways since that interview so long ago, but I thought I would share the article as a remembrance for the progress we've made.
"The first time I heard the term “earth loops,” I figured it was some nutty new breakfast cereal
for the granola crowd. ”How about a hearty bowl of Earth Loops? Oh, sure they taste like truck tires, but they’re crunchy and nutritious, and they won’t hurt the ozone layer!” Well, it turns out I was wrong. (Although I still think they’d be good with milk.)
"Actually, earth loops are components of geothermal technology, which uses the ground as a
heat-exchange medium. Because the ground absorbs energy from the sun and stores it deep beneath the surface, people can tap into that stored energy and use it to heat and cool homes. Here’s how it works: A series of polyethylene pipes filled with ordinary tap water is buried deep underground. (In cold climates, antifreeze may be added to the water.) Using a specially designed heat pump, the water is circulated through the pipes, which form one long, continuous “earth loop.” In the heating mode, the liquid in the pipes is cooler than the ground. In the cooling mode, the soil is cooler than the liquid. Because heat always moves from a warm area to a cooler one, heat is exchanged between them, said Paul Fink, territory manager for WaterFurnace Southeast.
"WaterFurnace introduced the first closed-loop system to South Florida in 1990, and since then
the company has installed about 400 residential units, Fink said. Last month, for example, the company installed a geothermal system at baseball star Dwight Gooden’s St. Petersburg home. The system works – and is energy efficient – because underground temperatures remain constant within geographical locations, he said. In the Tampa Bay area, for instance, the underground temperature is roughly 74 degrees year-round, compared with 70 degrees in the Panhandle and colder as you go north.
"Unfortunately, the up-front costs are expensive – roughly $8,700 for a 3-ton vertical heat-pump system – and that’s one of the reasons builders have shied away from it. “Builders are a little bit scared of it,” said Jay Egg, president of Egg Systems Inc., and Oldsmar company that installs the systems. “But people love it.” Fink put it more bluntly: “If a builder is progressive and concerned about energy and the environment,” he’ll try it. “Unfortunately, most builders don’t fall into that category. How can I put this subtly – they’re cheap as hell.” Palm Harbor builder Mike Connor of Schickedanz Bros. has installed two geothermal systems and said they “seem to work real well. From what we’ve seen, it looks like it offers pretty substantial savings.”
"Geothermal systems work best for heating, so they’re more popular in Northern climates, Egg
said. But the system can save Floridians $40 a month on air-conditioning bills, and because it recycles warm water, a household’s water-heating costs are virtually eliminated, he said. Geothermal systems recoup their costs in five to seven years, and the specially designed heat pump lasts four to five times longer than traditional heat pumps because it is housed indoors, he said. Egg, incidentally, has introduced a new kind of geothermal system to the Bay area in which the earth loops are shaped like a Slinky. They take up less space than traditional straight-pipe geothermal systems, so they can be installed in just about any yard, he said. Those interested in learning more about earth loops can contact WaterFurnace Southeast at (800) 231-5667 or Egg Systems Inc., at (727) 848-7545."
"The first time I heard the term “earth loops,” I figured it was some nutty new breakfast cereal
for the granola crowd. ”How about a hearty bowl of Earth Loops? Oh, sure they taste like truck tires, but they’re crunchy and nutritious, and they won’t hurt the ozone layer!” Well, it turns out I was wrong. (Although I still think they’d be good with milk.)
"Actually, earth loops are components of geothermal technology, which uses the ground as a
heat-exchange medium. Because the ground absorbs energy from the sun and stores it deep beneath the surface, people can tap into that stored energy and use it to heat and cool homes. Here’s how it works: A series of polyethylene pipes filled with ordinary tap water is buried deep underground. (In cold climates, antifreeze may be added to the water.) Using a specially designed heat pump, the water is circulated through the pipes, which form one long, continuous “earth loop.” In the heating mode, the liquid in the pipes is cooler than the ground. In the cooling mode, the soil is cooler than the liquid. Because heat always moves from a warm area to a cooler one, heat is exchanged between them, said Paul Fink, territory manager for WaterFurnace Southeast.
"WaterFurnace introduced the first closed-loop system to South Florida in 1990, and since then
the company has installed about 400 residential units, Fink said. Last month, for example, the company installed a geothermal system at baseball star Dwight Gooden’s St. Petersburg home. The system works – and is energy efficient – because underground temperatures remain constant within geographical locations, he said. In the Tampa Bay area, for instance, the underground temperature is roughly 74 degrees year-round, compared with 70 degrees in the Panhandle and colder as you go north.
"Unfortunately, the up-front costs are expensive – roughly $8,700 for a 3-ton vertical heat-pump system – and that’s one of the reasons builders have shied away from it. “Builders are a little bit scared of it,” said Jay Egg, president of Egg Systems Inc., and Oldsmar company that installs the systems. “But people love it.” Fink put it more bluntly: “If a builder is progressive and concerned about energy and the environment,” he’ll try it. “Unfortunately, most builders don’t fall into that category. How can I put this subtly – they’re cheap as hell.” Palm Harbor builder Mike Connor of Schickedanz Bros. has installed two geothermal systems and said they “seem to work real well. From what we’ve seen, it looks like it offers pretty substantial savings.”
"Geothermal systems work best for heating, so they’re more popular in Northern climates, Egg
said. But the system can save Floridians $40 a month on air-conditioning bills, and because it recycles warm water, a household’s water-heating costs are virtually eliminated, he said. Geothermal systems recoup their costs in five to seven years, and the specially designed heat pump lasts four to five times longer than traditional heat pumps because it is housed indoors, he said. Egg, incidentally, has introduced a new kind of geothermal system to the Bay area in which the earth loops are shaped like a Slinky. They take up less space than traditional straight-pipe geothermal systems, so they can be installed in just about any yard, he said. Those interested in learning more about earth loops can contact WaterFurnace Southeast at (800) 231-5667 or Egg Systems Inc., at (727) 848-7545."
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Investing in Geothermal
We were recently featured on a blog site where Jay has been invited to be a coauthor. This is his first article: here.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
"Geothermal is leaving wind, solar in the dust..."
"Geothermal is the cheapest source of alternative electricity and shows the fastest improvement per dollar invested, according to a study from NYU."
In a report by Melissa Schilling, professor at New York University at Stern, geothermal was shown to cost less to produce than wind and solar energy. She also notes that geothermal technology is improving at a faster rate despite it being underfunded by the government and investors.
She suggested that although wind and geothermal have similar current costs, "the performance trajectory of wind is already slowing, while geothermal is exponentially increasing." This shows that in the near future geothermal should be the dominant alternative energy source.
Solar, which is commonly thought of as the leader in alternative energy, costs significantly more and lags behind in projected improvement.
Schilling was surprised by the results of the study. She notes, "The findings are very surprising because most people are not paying attention to geothermal. We went into this really rooting for wind and solar, probably because they're the ones you hear about the most, and they're received a lot of investment, particularly solar."
However, her advice to governments and investors was to invest more evenly towards energy technologies. She says, "Solar is so far away from being cost effective, and tremendously far away from being efficient. Right now the bigger and quicker payoff is geothermal."
For the whole story, please read here.
In a report by Melissa Schilling, professor at New York University at Stern, geothermal was shown to cost less to produce than wind and solar energy. She also notes that geothermal technology is improving at a faster rate despite it being underfunded by the government and investors.
She suggested that although wind and geothermal have similar current costs, "the performance trajectory of wind is already slowing, while geothermal is exponentially increasing." This shows that in the near future geothermal should be the dominant alternative energy source.
Solar, which is commonly thought of as the leader in alternative energy, costs significantly more and lags behind in projected improvement.
Schilling was surprised by the results of the study. She notes, "The findings are very surprising because most people are not paying attention to geothermal. We went into this really rooting for wind and solar, probably because they're the ones you hear about the most, and they're received a lot of investment, particularly solar."
However, her advice to governments and investors was to invest more evenly towards energy technologies. She says, "Solar is so far away from being cost effective, and tremendously far away from being efficient. Right now the bigger and quicker payoff is geothermal."
For the whole story, please read here.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Article About Our President
Jay Egg was interviewed recently by Kim McCumber from GreenPress.com. He asked some great questions about how Jay got started, what interests him, the future of the industry, and about the tax credits available. If you'd like to read the article it can be found here.
Friday, September 4, 2009
It's been a while...
We are averaging 3 - 5 leaders per day and I haven't been able to keep up with my blogging in additional to everything else we have going on. It will take me a little while to talk about everything that has been happening, but to start off let me share a clip:
