Author: Christopher

When I first bought my home I thought I was only going to make small changes to it. I got tons of paint swatches and decided to paint every room in the house. I figured I would just do that. After painting the walls the ceilings looked rough. Once I did that I realized the HVAC vent covers were old, rusted and dirty. So I bought brand new white ones. When I replaced the vent covers I was able to look inside and see the condition of my ductwork. It was filled with dust, dirt and hair. It looked so gross. I called a HVAC business right away to get my HVAC ducts cleaned. While the HVAC technician was there he recommended that I changed my basic dial thermostat to a smart thermostat. He told me it would match my paint color and make the house more modern looking. The HVAC worker was totally right by the way. He then found a small HVAC repair to make and then was on his way. After getting the hallway thermostat looking modern, I realized the lights were put to shame. I changed them out to recessed lighting. Then I realized all the hallway doors looked gross. They got painted, new knobs and flooring. Then the HVAC closest got an update. New doors, vents around the HVAC and the whole area was cleaned. My small updates ended up costing a fortune and took weeks to complete. It was totally worth it though. My house looks so much better and feels way cleaner.

 

thermostat

I am a very forgetful person.

I never got my oil changed, HVAC serviced or went to the dentist when I was supposed to.

It always seemed to slip my mind. I then would get a call from various appointments and I would get charged a small fee. I had to put all my bills on an automated program. I had to make a timer go off on garbage and recycling day. I am now trying to get every business on a set program. My dentist now knows to call me when we set an appointment. I get a week’s notice and then a day’s notice. I make it to my appointment every time. My hair stylist keeps the same day for me every month so I can keep it in my phone. My HVAC business has been great because they have a maintenance plan that I signed up for. I get heating and air conditioning service twice a year. One time in the fall and one time in the spring a HVAC professional comes in my door. It is nice that they call me to set up the appointment. I then get an email a few days before they arrive. Then I get a phone call an hour before they are showing up. I can forget about my HVAC tune up quite a few times and it doesn’t matter. I am so glad that they have things like this. It was a relief to no longer worry about my HVAC breaking since I wasn’t on it with cleanings. Now it is in great shape.
Heating corp

In the north, Fall was a very disappointing season. The leaves were changing, the apple cider and the holidays were better though. Actually having snow on Christmas is amazing. Actually experiencing fall weather makes you get into the holiday cheer. I prefer it in the south because it was so cold in the north. Come September it was time to start bundling up. I remember trick or treating in snow before. The cold lingers all the way until after easter. It is fun having a white Christmas, but I didn’t want it for almost 50% of the year. It is way more fun in the south. When I go pumpkin shopping I can wear shorts and a t-shirt. I still run my air conditioner during Halloween. Thanksgiving is around the time I don’t need heating or air conditioning. By the time Christmas comes I can turn up the thermostat and my heat pump will fire away. That is about as cold as it gets though. It doesn’t get colder than 40-50 degree range. I way prefer that over the incense cold. My old, northern home had to run three heating systems. There was the upstairs electric heater, downstairs gas fireplaces and a ventless heater in the kitchen. My southern home only has a central heat pump that does everything. I just set the temperature and my heat pump decides on heating or cooling. It is less maintenance with one system and less cleaning. Somedays I get a little sad missing the white Christmas, but then I remember I could swim on the day. That is so much better.

Click for more on heating

For Christmas this year I am going to get my husband a ductless mini split.

When we bought our home there was nowhere for him to store tools.

He wanted the laundry room but he had so many tools they couldn’t all fit. It was a mess. He then built himself a shed in our backyard. It is giant and very impressive looking. He even insulated and added windows to the space. He has electricity and plumbing in there now too. The last thing he needs is HVAC. My husband is hesitant to buy it due to the expense. However, he really needs heating and cooling to stop his tools from rusting. The AC is more needed than heating actually. The air conditioner would stop moisture from getting into the shed and creating rust. He has expensive tools and boxes of gear. He is all up in arms about possibly damaging them. I think a ductless mini split is the perfect solution. I am going to wait for him to go on a business trip and then hire a HVAC contractor. My goal will be to have a working HVAC unit and thermostat in there one day. Getting it on Christmas day isn’t realistic but he isn’t a little kid. Sometime in December he is going to have heating and air. How great will that be for him? It is really expensive so it will be his one and only gift but it is a thoruful one. I also will do a smart thermostat so he can set the temperature from his phone.

quality hvac

For years I had the same HVAC contractor.

I would call for AC service in the spring and heating service in the fall.

Twice a year I got to see Andy and it was a pleasure. The guy was such a sweetheart. He was this little old man that called me sugar and always wore boot coverings so he didn’t track in dirt. He picked up all the debris and tools after his job was completed. I knew I could trust him too. If the HVAC made a funny noise I could ask if it needed a major repair or if I should replace it. He never tried to sell me something I didn’t want or need. I would bake cookies and have sweet tea waiting for him after a job well done. The two of us then would chat about his grandkids. It was a nice experience. I then was informed that Andy finally retired and I got a new guy. My new HVAC professional is Kurt and he is awful. The guy frequently shows up late and always tries to oversell me. I lay down towels because he tracks all around the yard and into the house without taking off his shoes. He frequently leaves tools behind and a mess for me. He isn’t friendly, polite or chatty. He doesn’t get cookies or sweet tea either because of his behavior. I am thinking of calling the HVAC business and asking for a new person. After getting Andy for so many years I am spoiled. I don’t want a rude, careless HVAC worker now. I want an older gentleman that is good for my home!
heating and air conditioning

I am not a fan of my father in-law.

He was never a very good dad to my husband and when I came into the picture he was extremely rude to me.

I won’t call it water under the bridge either. I am going to remember the things he said to me until I die. I am not rude, but not overly friendly to him either. What stinks is that once a year he comes down south and spends a week with my husband and I. I feel he is just using us as a free vacation and not actually to see his son. He eats all the food, drinks all the beer and complains constantly. I remember last year he whined so hard about our heating equipment that my husband called a HVAC contractor and got a new unit. The HVAC was old and due to be replaced. The two of us agreed to wait until it died. My father in-law pressured my husband into buying new before he was comfortable. This year I am poised and ready. I am still angry over splitting a new heating system. My father in-law better not make one peep over the temperature control. I also got a smart thermostat that I can run from my phone. If he gets mean again, I will just change all his thermostat settings from my phone. My father in-law loves to be overheated, I might turn on the AC at three in the morning if I am feeling particularly mean. I would never admit what I am doing either.

air purification help

My parents are in their 60s and just getting divorced.

It is weird that they want to separate after all this time.

It is also odd seeing my parents squabble over things that don’t matter and not know what they are going to do with their lives. My brother and I agree to divide and conquer. He is handling my dad and I getting my mom in the divorce. I have already moved her into my home and I know this can’t be a forever plan. My mother is driving me nuts. She has already rearranged all my cookware and I can’t find anything now. She is digging up my gardens, changing my curtains and monopolizing the TV. What really stinks is that my mother is a thermostat hog. She constantly is lowering the temperature and demanding more air conditioning. I think she is at the tail end of menopause and wants AC for her hot flashes. As a woman not going through menopause, it is horrible. I hate that I get blasted with AC all day in my home. If I even think of changing the temperature my mother corrects it. I can’t even turn off the air conditioner for an hour. My mother is always in the house or around the house too. I leave for work, the gym or grocery shopping. I can’t possibly run the thermostat when my mother has home field advantage. I am thinking of calling my brother and seeing if dad is making him crazy. It might be worth switching parents for the time being.

Cooling industry

My whole family is in the grapes business. We grow, pick and sell our grapes to Welch for jams, jellies and juice. My brother makes his own wine and sells it. I like to focus more on the grapes than the actual sales aspect. I am constantly either in the field trying, trimming or lifting down grapes back on the wire or I am in a tractor. The tractor work is way more satisfying. I either fix ruts, put in new posts, pull out old ones. I run the picker for the grapes when the season is right. My one tractor is the old faithful model I have used for years. It has worn seats, a small easy to move steering wheel and is the perfect size to fit in the rows. However, the tractor doesn’t have a radio, heating or cooling. It gets boring and picking is in the fall, so it gets cold too. My new tractor has all the bells and whistles. I can plug in my phone and listen to Spotify the whole time I pick. I can have the heating system blasting and be sitting in my comfy seat. It is a more pleasant experience. The picker is just a bit big to navigate easily. I have to really focus so I don’t smash into posts or run into the actual grapes. The steering wheel is a bit oversized. When you pick you need one arm running the steering wheel and the other portion of your body is turned around to watch the picker. My left arm aches due to the steering wheel. I don’t know if quality heating is worth the pain I go through. I love having music too, but I like being able to wheel around the fields easily.

 

heating corporation

Two days a week my best friend Jess and I work out together. One day she picks what we do and the other day I pick. I usually pick going to the gym and doing a fitness class. Sometimes we will do our own thing. I like using the machinery, free weights and showers. I also like having quality air conditioning while I work out. I hate being super slick and sweaty. I like knowing I can run directly under an AC vent and be just a bit damp afterwards. I like having easy access to water, a toilet and sweat rags when I want them too. I really enjoy using the gym’s yoga studio. They keep that place heavily air conditioned. It is a great spot to stretch, do abs and jump rope. My friend Jess isn’t all that keen on the gym lifestyle. She usually makes me go outside to work out. We run on the beach, ride our bikes in the park or do yoga right in her lawn. I feel she has something personally against AC. I get sweaty, gross and more prone to acne after a day working out her way. I can only stomach it once a week. The other five days I am on my own, I stick to my home gym that has a window air conditioner. I typically do squats, lunges, push ups and all sorts of stationary drills. I need the right amount of cooling in order to do a full hour. Jess doesn’t seem to mind being 80 degrees and working out a full hour. For me, I can do maybe thirty minutes before I want to quit.

 

Dial thermostat

For the first time in my life I had a panic attack. It was a totally bizarre experience to be hyperventilating and crying for no reason. I thought the attack came out of nowhere. After doing a little research and some thinking, I realized that financial stress is the cause. My fiance and I are getting married and planning to elope. The cost of the wedding/honeymoon is more than I thought it would be. I also have money saved to do a full on kitchen remodel. I don’t want to use that money towards a wedding. Additionally, my HVAC system decided to no longer work. That is thousands of unexpected dollars that I need to shell out. I also am researching weddings, dresses, things to do on the honeymoon and new HVAC equipment. The stress of it all caused the panic attack. Even thinking about it gets me short of breath, my chest hurting and a little weepy. I think I need to take a step back and prioritize. No matter what my fiance or my family thinks, heating and air is more important. I need to have a good HVAC unit that works in my house. Winter is coming and I am going to need a heating system. I only have a certain amount of money in the bank and a portion is going to HVAC. After that I will need to budget and see what I can do wedding wise. I might need to settle for a courthouse signing of papers and less days on the honeymoon.

 

furnace/heater