The Heat is On!

When you turn the heat on this winter, can you be sure it’s going to stay in your house? Energy costs are skyrocketing, but with one simple test, Design Air Heating & Cooling owner Ken Caldwell can help you pinpoint heat loss and poor air quality—and help you stay warm for less.

By: Ann-Marie LaPorta
Date: 08/20/2008
Consider this. It’s estimated that natural gas costs will rise an astounding 21% this winter. The cost for heating oil will make a 33% jump and electric energy will see an estimated 8% increase. Can you be sure the heat you’re paying for isn’t going right out the window?

“Testing your home with a home energy audit allows us to offer real solutions that can translate into money saved,” explains Ken Caldwell, president of Design Air Heating & Cooling. Design Air’s home energy audit provides correction solutions for higher comfort, better indoor air quality and lower operating costs.  
Homes have many hidden pathways that allow air to escape during the heating season, then cold air is drawn in to replace it. That can only mean one thing: higher utility bills and drafty rooms with the potential for indoor air quality issues.

“Our home energy audit is a top to bottom energy inspection of your home developed by the Department of Energy. We’ll be able to determine the cause of any problems you may be experiencing,” assures Ken. This home energy audit is a comprehensive test of the shell of your home.  It provides the information of how “leaky” your home may be. Ken uses state-of-the-art equipment such as a Blower Door and an Infrared Camera to find the hidden air leakage pathways. Air entering the home from areas such as attics, crawlspaces and garages is the main cause of indoor air quality, comfort and cost issues.

“It is most important that the air distribution through your ductwork be properly sealed,” Ken emphasizes. “Most homeowners are familiar with basements that are hot in the winter and cold in the summer, and living spaces—particularly on the second floor—that suffer from lack of proper air flow. They are either too hot or too cold.

“I’ve had customers call me to replace their furnace because they thought it was not efficient.  But in reality, it was their home that wasn’t efficient.”

“Air quality is also a major concern. Attic air contains insulation fibers, mold, dust and other airborne contaminates,” he adds. “This dirty air could cause major health issues. If the integrity of the ductwork is compromised, then so is the household air.”

The value of a Design Air home energy audit is significant. Ken says the money you can save on your heating and cooling bills can be conservatively estimated at about 30%.

“We are BPI certified. The team has extensive training to ensure that your system is working efficiently. Other contractors might simply be guessing, but we can tell you for certain if your system works properly,” he assures.

Design Air has a 100% satisfaction guarantee and offers no-risk, up-front pricing because they charge by the repair—not by the hour. “Our Comfort Club also offers homeowners a way to protect their heating and cooling investment,” Ken explains.

The Club offers a fall and spring tune-up and check, and cleaning and service of your unit.
“Combining the energy audit and making the necessary improvements with properly maintaining equipment, homeowners will see lower monthly utility bills, longer equipment life, fewer emergency repairs and increased heating and cooling capacity,” says Ken.

Design Air Heating and Cooling can offer solutions for a healthier, more energy efficient home. Call Ken at 216-214-0945 for more information or visit www.designairohio.com.  

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