© Hudson, Ink
Inside This Issue:
• Secrets to a Longer Life
• Get Ready for Winter
• Smart Home Savings
Homexpert
Smart and simple ways to enrich your home living
DoYou Really Want Mold and High Energy Bills?
I
HomeSense is published for friends of
$3.00
MyWord
ConsumerWatch
didn’t think so. But you’d be amazed
how many people assume “bigger is
better” with a new heating and cooling system. The goal is more comfort.
Your system doesn’t only need to cover the area, it needs to be able to respond
to the quality of the area. Units that are
sized properly are not based solely on
the square footage of the house. Proper
equipment sizing takes into account how
a home’s interior loses heat during cold
weather and gains heat during warm
weather.
The type of insulation in the home,
as well as the surface area of windows
or glass doors, are parts of the puzzle
that lead to a “design load calculation.”
The load calculations help determine the
proper size of units, ducts, supply registers and return grills.
Bigger may be worse. Smaller
may be worse. What’s the deal?
If the equipment is oversized for the
area, it may be noisy as it forces too much
air too quickly through your duct system.
It’ll also cycle off and on more frequently, which can reduce the life expectancy
while increasing energy consumption.
And you could be inviting more moisture
– and the mold that often comes with it
– with an oversized system.
On the other hand, when the equip-
Fall / Winter 2008
ment is undersized, the wear on its components and the lack of efficiency can
also lead to an early equipment failure.
The envelope, please…
Your heating and cooling system is
one part of two systems that work together for your comfort. All the materials
that surround your interior space – walls,
floors, ceiling, roof, windows, and doors
– are called the envelope. This envelope
greatly affects the comfort and cost to
operate your home. While your system
helps you maintain comfortable indoor
temperatures, your home’s envelope is
the factor that holds in the temperatures
and shelters you from exterior elements.
About half of the energy costs in the
average household go toward heating
and cooling. Combining the right amount
and type of insulation, using effective air
sealing techniques and installing the right
windows can reduce these costs. In particular, you can increase your system’s
efficiency by as much as 20% by properly sizing, sealing, and insulating ducts.
Ducts in conditioned space should
be sealed – and in unconditioned space,
such as a basement or attic, they should
also be insulated. Call us to test your
duct system for leaks or insulation. It can
save you a small fortune!
Your Quick Call Comfort Hotline:
(631)567- 4600
1-877-VARSITY
Renewing the
Renewable
By Robert J. Bellini, President
Hello Friends,
Interesting times indeed. Gas
prices have soared through the globally-warmed roof. Again. “Green”
products are everywhere. Heck, if
you’re not touting something green,
you’re almost socially irresponsible.
(Yes, we have many green products
available and have for years.) The
“link” between gas prices and going green seems to be Ethanol, that
corn-based “renewable” fuel. Think
of that…
Our planet does many things well.
(That’s a good thing, because where
would we go if it didn’t?) One of my
favorites is the change of seasons,
and fall is mighty special. Some elder definitions of “Autumn” include
“a period of maturation or decline.”
I don’t completely agree. We get
the new school year, fashion season,
car models, and television programming. There’s much “renewed” in
fall. The cool snap in the air sure
renews my desire to get indoors!
Whether you agree or not, there’s
no debate:
Autumn signals the approaching
year-end. The calendar is getting
mighty thin. Somewhere in there
this means I’ve gotten a year older,
continued on page 4
HomeWise
Cash In On Smart Home Savings
T
hat first chilly breeze of Fall is a reminder of one
important fact of nature: Winter’s not far behind.
As anyone who’s ever paid a utility bill knows, the
coldest season can be costly. Still, there’s a lot you can do to
keep your heating bills down in the coming months.
Ë Have your heater inspected and tuned. Countless customers can tell you from experience – the first cold day
of Winter is not the best time
to find out your heater isn’t
working! Call now for a full
inspection and tune-up, and
we’ll make sure your system
is running at peak efficiency.
Ë Program your savings.
Programmable thermostats
save energy by automatically
regulating temperature. For
instance, you can set it to keep you comfortably warm
when you’re at home and active, but not when you’re
away or asleep.
Ë Invest in the powerful savings of weatherproofing. Caulk and weather strip around doors, baseboards,
windows, pipes and vents to stop air leaks. Cracks in
windows and under doors will suck warm air out of
your home and money out of your bank account!
Ë Get insulated. With sufficient insulation, you can save
lots of energy and money. Without sufficient insulation,
your entire home becomes one giant “air leak.”
Ë Let the sun shine in. Leave
curtains open and blinds cracked
during sunny days. It warms your
home at no cost to you.
Ë Make your lighting count.
Replacing incandescent lights
with fluorescent bulbs saves
75% more energy. Using “task
lighting” lets you illuminate one
area instead of a whole room.
By taking lots of small steps
like these, you can do your part
without sacrificing your own
comfort. And by far, the most
effective thing you can do is to call us soon to schedule
your inspection and tune-up.
The closer we get to Winter, the more crowded our schedule becomes. So give us a call right away, and we can make
sure you’re taken care of long before the “emergency calls”
that start hitting on that first really, really cold day.
HomeFront
5 Things You Can Do to Get Ready for Winter
B
y the time the cold winds start to blow, it is too 3. Have your duct system tested for air leaks. Many
late to worry about whether or not your home
think that windows and doors are the major causes
is ready for the cold winter
of a home’s air leaks. But acahead. What’s done is done, and what’s
cording to recent research by
not done – well, it could cost you hunthe U.S. Department of Endreds of dollars in home repair. Luckergy, gaps and cracks in the
ily there’s no time like the present to
typical home’s duct system
make sure you’re prepared before your
are much more significant.
hindsight kicks in…
The typical duct system loses
25 to 40 percent of the ener1. Have your heating system cleaned
gy put out by the central furand tuned. A pre-season tune-up is
nace, heat or air conditioner.
a good investment – it reduces the
chances of breakdowns in the middle of winter, im- 4. Get your home’s air checked to find out if the air you
proves safety, and pays for itself through more enbreathe is unhealthy. Your indoor air can be up to 12
ergy efficient operation.
times more polluted than what is outside, and with
2. Test your system for hazardous carbon monoxide,
all the time spent indoors during the winter, you’ll
which can be produced by a dirty or malfunctioning
want to ensure your family’s health, safety and comfurnace or water heater. We can also install a low
fort. For free tips on keeping your air clean and your
level carbon monoxide alarm.
home healthy, visit our website.
SeasonalShift
Secrets to a Longer Life
“L
ive life to the fullest,” so the saying goes…
but do you? Or more importantly, do you
know how? If all you do is work, eat, and
sleep, you could be living without ever really having a
life. Really, we all feel that way sometimes. But by making minor changes
to your daily routine you can live longer,
be healthier, and most importantly, feel
happier:
You Are
What You Eat
●
●
of mint tea, can also lead to a longer life. Coffee
when overused can cause adverse effects.
Worrying Can Wait
If you are consumed with the
idea of passing away, you could
worry yourself to death…
literally. Death can, to a degree,
be viewed as a state of mind
scientists say. Exercise is one
efficient means of eliminating
stress, as well as a few inches.
Optimism, laughing, and
strong relationships all help
manage stress and the ability to
overcome adversity, increasing
life expectancy by 50%.
Food, both portion and value, weighs
heavily (sorry, couldn’t resist) on
your life clock. Obesity is a major
health concern in the U.S. Being
severely overweight can lead to heart
disease, diabetes, and some forms
of cancer. One of the most efficient
Nighty Night
ways to shed pounds is by monitoring
One popular way to reduce the
your calorie intake; 2,000 calories is
risk of early death is to sleep
considered the average amount of
between
six-and-a-half
to
seven-and-a-half hours every
calories a person should consume in a single day.
night. Sleeping more than eight hours can, in fact, reFoods that should be dismissed altogether are duce the number of years a person lives. Thirty-minute
sweets made with refined sugar – which means naps everyday can also increase life expectancy by 37%,
the Twinkies should probably go out the window as it lessens the chance of heart disease. Finally, a legitiinstead of into your lunch. Refined sugar has mate reason to indulge in cat naps!
zero nutrients…absolutely none! In addition,
dependencies on refined sugar can develop, and
deprivation of it can lead to severe
headaches. There are dozens of
reasons not to consume refined
sugar; a few being hypoglycemia,
¥ The words “bump” and “assassination” were invented by
osteoporosis, blood clots, and
William Shakespeare.
unhealthy gums.
¥ The only mammals that cannot jump are elephants.
Cereals with low fiber, and high fat
and sugar content should also be
¥ The “quack” sound made by ducks does not echo.
avoided; you’re wasting calories on
¥ The cartoon character Donald Duck was banned from Finland
food with zero nutritional value. On
the other hand, beef, dark chocobecause he did not wear pants.
late, antioxidants and foods with fi¥ The dot in the letter “i” is called a “tittle.”
ber give you more energy and better health.
¥ Calling a contractor other than us results in nightmare. (Just
Additional studies show that if
making sure you’re still paying attention!)
you drink red wine moderately
¥ In a deck of cards: hearts represent the Church; spades
(i.e. 1 to 2 glasses per day), you
represent military; clubs represent agriculture; and diamonds
could lessen chances of coronary
heart disease. Drinking four cups
represent the middle class.
of coffee everyday, or eight cups
DidYouKnow?
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Well, then, let’s talk. If you’re like me
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increases in oil and natural gas prices!
there’s
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equipment they need.
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Now for the good news: that doesn’
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sup
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responders.” Here’s what you’ll get
though a price
heating and cooling system (even
ÜThe “old price” on a brand-new
increase has taken effect).
year of no money
with no interest. This is an entire
s,
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If your new system doesn’t reduce
ÜGuaranteed energy savings.
for the
the first year, I’ll write you a check
in
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difference.
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ÜA 10-year par
and installers are the best.
10 years. Our equipment, techs,
eive $1,000 cash for
among the first 25 to sign up and rec
Ü$ 1,000 in Holiday Cash. Be
your use during the holidays.
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cold winter, high-energy bills, and rep
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sight, a nice property value boost, ene
Program ends New Years Day 2009!
Varsity Home Service Co., Inc.
1-877-VARSITY
(1-877-827-7489)
*Subject to credit approval.
MyWord
continued from page 1
Just present this ad with your
next repair bill, and we’ll give you
$50 dollars off. Why?
Because when you have a repair on your
system, you’re already not having a good
day. We understand and would like to
make things a little easier on your wallet.
Of course, the best benefit is that our
repair professionals can get your system
up and running as soon as possible. And
that’s good for a lot.
Expires 12/30/08
I’d Like to Borrow
Several of Your Friends
Now what kind of question is that?
You’d think I wasn’t raised properly.
But the truth of the matter is that we
here at Varsity Home Service enjoy
providing superior service and value to
our customers (that’s you!). And we’d
like to offer the same expertise to your
friends and family. Just call Varsity
Home Service at 1-877-VARSITY
and let us know you’re sending
another friendly face our way and we’ll
take $50 off your next service. Just
our way of saying thank you!
©2008
x
P.S. Want us to send this issue to a
friend? Just call us and it’s done! So
many great articles, they’re bound to
thank you!
That’s what many things you get in the
mail are worth, but not this…
energy dollars, you need to have your
Tune-Up when Fall sets in and wreaks
havoc on your monthly bills.
That’s why through 12/31/08 we’re
offering our 14-point Tune-Up for
just $99 + tax. Sorry, but after that,
we’re just too busy to offer this great
deal. The Fall is here, with no reason
to discount. So call Varsity Home
Service at 1-877-VARSITY to get
your system ready for action. It’s
guaranteed value that’s going fast! ©2008
Home pert
President
Good for Nothing
Varsity Home Service
1610 Ocean Avenue
Bohemia, NY 11716
(631) 567-4600 or 1-877-VARSITY
Robert J. Bellini
Fall is here and that means your
heater is about to get cranked up
and running at full speed. And your
utility company will still be sending
you monthly love notes, seeking
practically every extra dollar you
earn. So what can you do about it?
Our philosophy is you have to give
to get. See, when we give you a full
system Tune-Up, you get reduced
energy costs and improved home
comfort. Of course, time is of the
essence. In order to save valuable
If your mailing address is not correct, please call us!
which means I’ll be advised to “watch
my diet and exercise” to ward off accelerated aging. (Sound like someone at
your house?)
Preventive maintenance is good, I
guess.
My house
HomePoints
needs a little
Washing a car with a hose
fixing, my car
nozzle and turning off the
needs some
water while washing can save
tending. My
more than 100 gallons
wardrobe could
of water each time.
use an update.
(No comments
please.) Fortunately, good maintenance
is better than full and costly replacement. Here’s where you expect – and
will get – a nudge from me about keeping your heating and air conditioning in
tune.
But for the living and irreplaceable
things – like the earth, you, and your
family – good maintenance is the only
prudent path.
Here’s to the health of all,