FAQs

It’s a tough thing for a homeowner, but the folks at energystar.gov have done some of the hard work for you. Use this link to check out the Home Energy Yardstick to compare your home’s energy use to similar homes across the country. It will at least give you some idea if your home has a problem. If you feel like you need to improve your home’s energy efficiency, call Armstrong Plumbing, Air & Electric. We can talk to you about things like LED lighting upgrades – which can save electricity – and how an efficient new heating and/or cooling system could reduce your monthly bills.Close It Up ↑

Armstrong can install geothermal heating and cooling in just about any home. It’s a little bit like finding buried treasure in your backyard. There are many benefits, most notably cutting energy usage by up to 70% and thereby reducing your carbon footprint. Yes, the initial costs for a geothermal system are significantly higher, but most estimates indicate it will pay for itself in 10 years or less. After that, all of the energy savings are like putting extra money in your pockets.Close It Up ↑

For us, it just made sense to do it as an added convenience for our clients. Many times, our plumbers and HVAC employees would find electrical issues during service calls. The client would then have to call another company, make another appointment and take more valuable time to get it done. Now, when our people find a problem, they can call the office and get an electrician scheduled so you don’t have to make an extra phone call.Close It Up ↑

Let’s just say it is amazing how many times there is a really simple fix to the problem. At the same time, a do-it-yourselfer who does too much can make the problem worse and even create a dangerous situation. Armstrong has put together a common sense checklist of what you can do, and what you should not do, before you pick up the phone and call us. You can learn more about troubleshooting your air conditioner in this video. Above all, make sure you use common sense and put safety first.Close It Up ↑

First, let us just say, “good job!” Everyone should want to learn more about their HVAC filters because they are very important. According to the Department of Energy website, replacing filters is the single most important HVAC maintenance task. Clean filters can reduce energy consumption by up to 15%.Armstrong understands choosing the right filter can be confusing. The best way to compare is with what’s called the MERV rating, which stands for minimum efficiency reporting value. The scale goes from 1 to 16. The higher the rating, the more and smaller particles the filter can stop. But on some systems, a filter that’s too dense can restrict air flow too much.

Fiberglass or pleated filters are most common. Armstrong recommends a more sophisticated purification and filtration system from Lennox or Aprilaire, especially if there are people in the house who suffer from allergies and asthma.Close It Up ↑