Andrew Twidwell

Water Heating Solutions, Save Energy in California

Many homeowners wait until their water heater fails before shopping for a replacement. Because they are in a hurry to regain their hot water supply, they are often unable to take the time to shop for the most energy efficient unit for their specific needs. This is unfortunate, because the cost of purchasing and operating a water heater can vary greatly, depending on the type, brand, and model selected and on the quality of the installation.

Within the last few years, a variety of water heaters have become available to consumers. The following types of water heaters are now on the market: conventional storage, demand, heat pump, tankless coil, indirect, and solar (in our Energy section). It is also possible to purchase water heaters that can be connected to your home’s space heating system.

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Should I Test My Well Water?

Unlike public drinking water systems, private well owners do not have experts regularly checking their water’s source and its quality before it is sent through pipes for consumption. Therefore, private well owners are solely responsible for monitoring the quality of their drinking water. Regularly scheduled water testing is important to keep your drinking water clean and your well operating at peak performance.

As a private well owner, you can rely on help from the University Hygienic Laboratory to meet your annual water testing needs.

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Saving Money During The Hot Auburn Summer.

IS CENTRAL AIR FREEZING YOUR ASSETS?
If you’ve gotten sticker shock from your latest electric bill, you may already suspect that Americans spend more than $22 billion a year on electricity to cool their homes with air conditioning — and use a whopping 183 billion kilowatt-hours, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That accounts for at least 15% of all energy used in some homes, and in warmer climates can represent up to 70% of your summer electric bill.

Here’s another way of looking at it: While a floor fan uses only 100 watts on the highest speed, and ceiling fans use only 15 to 95 watts depending on speed and size, a window unit AC uses 500 to 1440 watts — and a 2.5-ton central system uses about 3500 watts. That’s a massive amount of energy and suggests that if you’re using air conditioners alone to cool your home, you’re not thinking in economic or environmental terms.

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Basic History Of Air Conditioning/ Auburn, Ca.

And while we may take air conditioning for granted, it wasn’t that long ago — 1881, to be precise — when a team of naval engineers built a cooling contraption to comfort a dying President James Garfield. While the device — which blew hot air upwards and employed rags soaked in freezing water — could lower room temperatures by 20 degrees, it also ate up a quarter-million pounds of ice a month. (Think of all the Pina Coladas they could’ve made instead.)

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