The Right Home Temperature for Elderly Adults

Taking care of yourself as you get older becomes more difficult every year. There are a thousand different things you have to think about when it comes to your health and general well-being. The last thing on your mind is your home temperature. However, it's a more important issue than you think. Here's what you need to know:

Aging and Hypothermia

As you get older, you're more prone to a variety of different health issues, including some you might not realize, such as hypothermia. If you're over 65 and your internal body temperature drops below 95 degrees, it can cause problems with your heart, liver, kidneys, and more.

It's important to understand the signs of hypothermia. If you see someone is constantly shivering, their breathing is shallow, they have a weak pulse, their coordination is poor, they're slurring their speech, or they seem confused, disoriented, or low on energy, there could very well be a problem with their internal body temperature.

Avoiding Hypothermia

The best way to prevent hypothermia when you get older is to make sure your environment stays warm enough. Keep your home temperature at around 68 to 70 degrees. Then, seal all air leaks to make sure that heat isn't escaping. Consider a home energy audit to find out where in your home air is leaking out and then hire an HVAC contractor to seal them up. Common places for leaks include around windows, under doors, along your baseboards, and behind outlets and light switches.

You could use a space heater to warm up your bedroom, but be careful. Heaters can be a fire hazard if they're not used properly. If you're going to use one, be sure you do it safely. If you're not comfortable using a heater in your home, a better option is to add another blanket or two to the bed when it gets cold and dress in a couple more layers. Not only is it safer, it uses less energy.

For more help achieving your ideal home temperature, contact us at Air Assurance. We provide top-quality heating and cooling solutions to Broken Arrow.

Innovative Tips That Make Home Comfort And Savings A Priority

Home comfort and energy savings should be a priority in every Tulsa area household. To help you get optimal performance from your cooling system this summer, we’ve compiled this list of innovative energy-saving tips.

• Raising temperature settings at the thermostat is a surefire way to reduce monthly cooling bills. To maximize savings without sacrificing home comfort, try keeping your thermostat at 78 degrees when you’re in the home and raising thermostat settings as high as 85 degrees while you’re away. But don't do this when it's over 95 degrees outside. That can actually cause energy bills to rise while the unit tries to catch up.

• One way to take advantage of higher temperature settings without sacrificing home comfort is to utilize household ceiling fans. While ceiling fans don’t actually cool your home, running them while you're in the room can create a wind chill effect that will help you remain comfortable, even when thermostat settings are increased by as little as four degrees. Just remember to turn ceiling fans off when you’re not in the room.

• Clogged air filters are notorious for restricting airflow and putting unnecessary strain on your air conditioner. Inspect filters monthly, cleaning and replacing as necessary.

• Another cost-effective means of improving household energy efficiency is to address air leaks using caulking, seal and weather stripping. Common leakage points include areas around doors and windows, and gaps around lights, wiring, ductwork and plumbing.

• Inadequate attic insulation can be a major drain on monthly energy costs. For an additional 10 percent savings, try boosting attic insulation to a minimum R-value of 30. If you can see your attic rafters, you are wasting lots of money on energy.

• It also pays to properly seal ductwork. If your ducts leak, you could be losing as much as 20 percent of the air you pay to condition. While accessible ductwork can be addressed using metal tape or duct mastic, a professional can ensure that your entire duct system is sealed properly.

• If your air conditioner is over ten years old, upgrading to a high-efficiency Energy Star-qualified model could save you as much as 10 percent.

• In fact, Energy Star-qualified products are an ideal means of long-term energy savings. Look for products ranging from water heaters to light bulbs.

For a more customized assessment of your household energy efficiency, consult our NATE-certified technicians. Contact Air Assurance today!Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here.Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.

Broken Arrow Homeowners In Oklahoma Can Avoid Common Air-Conditioner Problems Using These Tips

It’s not uncommon for homeowners to panic when their air conditioner seems to be malfunctioning, especially in the dead heat of a Tulsa, OKlahoma summer. Luckily, many common issues are easily addressed, with most being the direct result of simple, albeit unintentional, neglect.Perhaps the most common issue is a lack of cooling. Often, the cause of this problem is as simple as an improperly programmed thermostat or a thrown circuit breaker.

• Check the thermostat for desired temperature settings and ensure that the cooling system is actually turned on. If everything is as it should be, the next option is to try resetting the thermostat. If this does not correct the issue, a professional assessment is recommended.

• If the culprit is a thrown circuit breaker, resetting the breaker should correct the problem. Of course, if this is a common occurrence, there is likely an underlying electrical issue that needs to be addressed by a professional.

If lack of airflow is the issue:

• Dirty filters can restrict airflow and put a strain on your system in terms of efficiency. If filter replacement doesn’t seem to correct the problem, consult a trained technician.

• If you suspect a frozen indoor coil, try adjusting the thermostat for a few hours to unfreeze the system. If this doesn’t work, contact your HVAC contractor.

Another common complaint is spiking energy costs. This can be the result of several factors, including:

• New appliances

• Extreme summer heat

• Extreme thermostat settings

• Local utility rate increases

If your energy increases can’t be explained away logically, you may be the victim of improper system cycling or some other system malfunction. Of course, the best way to ensure that your system is running properly when you need it most is to maintain a routine preventive maintenance schedule. This allows your technician to evaluate and adjust every aspect of your cooling system, including:

• Proper system cycling

• Thermostat accuracy

• Electrical safety

• Air filter maintenance

• Cleanliness and efficiency of indoor and outdoor coils

• Condensate drains

Last but not least, during extreme temperatures, your system may not be able to keep the temperature as low as it does normally.  This can be due  to several factors:1. Your system may not be sized properly for your comfort.  A professional is needed to do a load calculation on the house to determine the correct size. Maybe your system cooled better in previous years?  Did something change like the loss of a large shade tree or did you replace wood shingles with asphault shingles?  Has your ductwork or insulation been disturbed by remodeling or other services?  Is the system clean?2. Your attic may have inadequate attic ventilation.  With extreme temps comes extreme attic temperatures.  And if your attic can't properly remove the extreme heat, this puts excess heat gain on your home's interior.3. With extreme temperatures come extreme heat on your duct system.  If your ducts are not properly insulated, this can cause your air to "lose it's cool", therefore making your unit run longer and less efficient.4.  What is the level of attic insulation in your home?  If this is not at least 12" you are putting extreme pressure on your system to cool at levels it was probably not designed for.If you’ve been experiencing problems with your air conditioner, don’t wait until the entire system shuts down. Call the trained technicians of Air Assurance today for an expert consultation.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here.Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.