Showing posts with label HVAC system. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HVAC system. Show all posts

Thursday, March 3, 2016

You Deserve A Better Thermostat. And Now You Can Have One.

You Deserve A Better Thermostat. And Now You Can Have One.

For years, the thermostat was just a box on the wall that turned your home heating and air conditioning system on and off.  It was practically invisible to everyone except Dad and Betlem Residential, your HVAC contractor. But that’s all changed.
Now, thermostats are evolving into sophisticated home comfort computers that offer convenience and enhanced control with your comfort. If your thermostat doesn’t give you all 10 of these features, it may be time to treat yourself to an upgrade.

Meet the iComfort® Wi-Fi Flex.

The iComfort Wi-Fi Flex was designed by Lennox to provide homeowners with an integrated life accessory, not just a thermostat. The iComfort Wi-Fi Flex delivers, using a connection to your home’s Wi-Fi network to give you greater convenience, control and energy savings than anything that’s come before. And you’ll be pleased to know, it probably works with the system you already own. 

Compatible with your needs, and your system

Unlike the Lennox iComfort Wi-Fi® touchscreen thermostat, which is designed to be paired with premium Lennox® equipment, the iComfort Wi-Fi Flex model can work with other brands of heating and cooling equipment. So no matter what type of system you have, you can enjoy a more comfortable and efficient home.

Temperature control

This is pretty much what you’d expect every thermostat to do, and the iComfort Wi-Fi Flex does it well.  A simple touch of the screen and the temperature goes up and down according to your wishes.  But the iComfort Wi-Fi Flex takes it a few steps further.

App integration

Add the iComfort app to your smartphone, tablet, laptop or other web-enabled device and suddenly, you have a remote link to your thermostat from anywhere in the world.  So you can check your home temperature from the office, from your favorite vacation spot, or on your way home from date night with your spouse.

Change the temperature from anywhere.  Even the couch.

The iComfort Wi-Fi Flex’s remote capabilities let you do more than just monitor your temperature.  Let’s say you’re coming home from a business trip.  While you were away, the weather got considerably colder, and after a long day of traveling, you’d really like to come home to a nice, warm, cozy living room. 
The iComfort Wi-Fi Flex makes that happen.  Just pull out your smartphone, access the iComfort app, and voila.  You can adjust the thermostat to any temperature you’d like via cloud connectivity.  But it’s not just travelers who’ll appreciate this feature. 
Let’s say it’s the perfect Sunday afternoon, and you’re nearly asleep on the couch.  You’re lying in a ray of sunlight streaming through the window.  And frankly, everything would be perfect if it was just a little cooler in here.  You don’t have to get up and change the thermostat and risk disturbing the cat.  Just reach for your phone.

Simplified schedule programming with sophisticated results

Believe it or not, your heating and air conditioning system can account for more than half of your home’s energy use.  So running your heating and cooling system on a preprogrammed schedule is one of the best ways to save energy. 
The iComfort Wi-Fi Flex makes it incredibly easy to set a schedule that corresponds to your life and your family.  Seriously, what’s the point of heating and cooling a house when nobody is there to feel it?  Just use the intuitive graphic interface to tell the iComfort Wi-Fi Flex when you need heating and cooling, and when you don’t.  Bam, you’re saving energy.

Extra energy savings with just a touch

Life doesn’t always follow your schedule.  If you find yourself having to leave the house when you normally wouldn’t, simply touch the iComfort Wi-Fi Flex’s One-Touch Away Mode button, and the system goes into a reduced-use energy-saving mode. 

You then have the option of resuming your heating and cooling schedule manually when you return, or restarting it before you get home via the iComfort app on your phone, tablet or laptop.

Reminders and Alerts

Regular service and regular filter changes are two of the most important things you can do to preserve your comfort, and the performance and efficiency of your home comfort system.  The iComfort Wi-Fi Flex can be programmed to remind you to do these things automatically, so you’re always getting the most from your system.

Weather updates and alerts for your area

Want to know what to expect outside today?  Just ask your iComfort Wi-Fi Flex.  It uses your Wi-Fi network to display weather reports, forecasts and alerts for your area.

Automatic Updates

What good is an advanced thermostat if it’s out-of-date in a year?  The iComfort Wi-Fi Flex stays current by downloading its own software and firmware updates through your Wi-Fi network.  So you always have the latest and greatest.

A bright, high-definition color touchscreen.

Plastic dials and little buttons are so old school.  Now, your thermostat can be as beautiful and stylish as the rest of your home.  The iComfort Wi-Fi Flex offers you a bright, full-color touchscreen, animated graphics and a sleek and stylish form factor that blends with any décor.
If you’d like to learn more about the ways the iComfort Wi-Fi Flex can make your life more comfortable and convenient, contact your Betlem Residential Heating & Air Conditioning.

Smart Home Technology Makes Every Day Easier.

Smart Home Technology Makes Every Day Easier.

It seems that every day is busier than the last, and there’s never time to do everything you want. Fortunately, the things we use are pitching in to help. Smart home devices and appliances mean greater convenience, energy savings and peace of mind.
Ranging from security to cooking, these devices usually feature a connection to your home Wi-Fi network and, more often than not, are accessible through your mobile device. This frees you up to do things on the go that used to require more dedicated time and attention.

Smart Security

Today’s smart home technology can do amazing things to help keep you safe from crime, fire and other dangerous situations. And unlike old-fashioned alarm systems that only went off if something was wrong, today’s smart security systems can not only protect you, they can also actually make your day more convenient.

Smart Locks

The lock is the most basic of all security devices. It keeps people out of places where you don’t want them. Old locks used a key. Newer locks can use electronic keypads. But smart locks take security and convenience to a whole new level.
By connecting to a central hub in your home via a wireless signal, smart locks can be locked and unlocked using your smartphone. So if a child forgets his or her key, a quick phone call to a parent gets them inside with ease. And if you have a house sitter watching your home while you’re on vacation, you can grant them temporary access that expires the day you come home.

Smart monitoring

Today’s smart home surveillance and monitoring systems have moved past security, and are now just as much about remote interaction. Crime prevention and safety are still important, but today’s easy-to-implement, Internet-connected cameras allow you to watch a live video feed of what’s happening in your home from anywhere in the world. This means you can watch out for danger, while also doing things like checking in on family and pets, or even seeing if there’s a package waiting on your front steps.

Smart garage doors

Ever had that sudden, anxious realization that you may have left the garage door up? Never again. Today’s smart garage doors give you the ability to confirm closure right from your smartphone. They also allow you to do things like opening the door remotely for a contractor or landscaper. Smart garage doors can even use the GPS in your smartphone to automatically open the door when you pull into the driveway.

Smart doorbells

How could the humble doorbell find a place in today’s connected smart-home world? By becoming your virtual butler. When a smart doorbell rings, it immediately sends a video feed to your smartphone, or even your television, so you know who’s at the door. You can then communicate with your visitors, or ignore them if you so choose. Smart doorbells can also capture video footage of everyone who rings your bell, so it’s just as much about security as it is about interaction.

Smart kitchens

Connected appliances can change a lot of aspects of your life, including your time in the kitchen. By helping you streamline simple tasks or reminding you of important things, they can help you take control of your meals like never before.

Smart refrigerators

Smart refrigerators are not just about storage -- they’re also about awareness. By using bar code scanners or RFID readers, smart fridges can help keep you informed about what you have available to eat. No more last-minute runs to the store for milk. No more surprise spoilage. You know what kind of food you have, and how much longer you’ll have it available.
Smart fridges can also send alerts to you on your smartphone when it’s time to buy more of the things you need. Smart fridges can even be used as information hubs, with integrated televisions and the ability to leave messages and reminders for other family members.

Smart cooking

Nobody wants to cook dinner after a long day at work. With smart ovens and ranges, you can now let your appliances shoulder part of the load. Connected cooking appliances can do simple things, like allow you to start them and clean them via smartphone. But they can also become an invaluable hub for dinner activities by helping you plan meals and offering recipes. 
Even smaller cooking appliances like crock pots can now connect to your home Wi-Fi network, allowing you to start them while you’re at work, and come home to a piping-hot meal.

Smart Lighting

With smart lighting devices, you can use your smartphone to dim different lights to create ambience for dinner, or make it easier to see the television. When you’re away, smart lights can be set to turn on and off to make it appear like you’re still home, using random patterns that more accurately simulate a busy, occupied home.
Smart lighting can also involve natural light. Smart window blinds can be set to open and close on a schedule, or controlled manually via smartphone app. And since they’re motorized, you’ll no longer have to deal with unsightly cords that can entangle children and pets.

Smart HVAC is smarter than ever

Older thermostats were fairly simple devices. They used mechanical switches to turn heating and cooling off based on ambient air temperature. You set one single temperature that was maintained all day and all night. This necessitated an ongoing battle between energy savings and comfort, because saving energy meant setting the temperature to a level that was either too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. 
Then along came programmable thermostats, which helped make the situation a little more bearable. Now, your home temperature could be set to different levels based around the activity of your family. You could program the thermostat to keep your home at more comfortable temperatures when everyone was home and awake, then dial back to more energy-efficient temperatures when everyone was gone or fast asleep.

Smarter means more adaptable

The problem with programmable thermostats is, most families don’t follow a rigid schedule. So variations in daily life that didn’t correspond with the thermostat’s schedule meant everyone was uncomfortable at least part of the time or you could be wasting energy.
Now, smart thermostats like the iComfort® S30 Smart Thermostat have changed the game entirely. Instead of following a set schedule, they can actually adapt to changes in activity and routine. Smart thermostats can proactively grab energy savings wherever they can, reducing system and utility costs based on your family’s actual schedule.

It knows where you are, and what you want

The iComfort S30 uses a variety of technologies to adapt to life and preserve consistent energy savings. These technologies all work together to find the perfect balance between energy use, temperature and humidity, so you never have to sacrifice one for the other.
Schedule IQ™ Technology: While regular programmable thermostats follow a set routine, the iComfort S30 uses your programmed schedule as a guideline. If it detects a variation in the routine -- for example, a family leaving for the day a half-hour earlier than normal -- it automatically adapts its heating and cooling to match.
Smart Away™ Mode: To get the most accurate picture of your family’s activities, the iComfort S30 coordinates its operation with the GPS in your family’s smartphones. If it detects that everyone is away, it sets back the temperature to save energy. Then, when it detects a family member is on the way home, it restores normal operation so everyone always comes home to comfort.
Remote Capability: To make sure you’re always in control, the iComfort S30 can be monitored and adjusted using the iComfort App on your mobile device. So you can make manual changes anytime you wish.
Active Monitoring: To ensure you have uninterrupted comfort, the iComfort S30 monitors itself continually. If it detects an issue, or senses it’s time for regular system maintenance or a filter change, it can alert you and your dealer with a message via email.
If you’d like to make your home smarter, the possibilities are endless. And if you’d like smarter home comfort with an iComfort S30 smart thermostat, your Betlem Residential Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. 

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Perfection: You can feel it in the air!

Perfection: You can feel it in the air!

Ultimate Comfort System
It starts with pure, clean freshness that lets you breathe easier. Then, there’s the silent flow of precisely heated air to every room.
Yes, perfect air may sound like a dream, but it doesn’t have to be. Discover the secrets behind perfect air, right here.

Look for variable capacity to ensure steady performance

Unlike single-stage units that can only operate all the way on or off, furnaces with Precise Comfort™ variable-capacity technology have the ability to make incremental adjustments in heat and airflow. That means more even temperatures and virtually silent operation.

Choose systems that turn serious comfort into serious energy savings

Perfect air shouldn’t require uncomfortably high utility bills, so look for home heating and cooling systems that make smart use of energy. Precise Comfort™ technology built into select units from the Dave Lennox Signature® Collection delivers exactly the right amount of heating, using energy only when it’s absolutely needed.
Ultimate Comfort System Products
Dual-fuel systems are another smart option. When a gas furnace is paired with an electric heat pump, the Lennox system automatically determines the most efficient fuel source for the conditions at hand.

Take smart control of your home’s heating

Gone are the days of leaving a soft bed to adjust the thermostat, or coming home to find stuffy rooms. New advances in heating and cooling controls allow you to enhance your home comfort and save energy from anywhere. With Lennox’ iComfort Wi-Fi thermostat, temperature settings can be adjusted using a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

Tap into the power of zoning

Perhaps you have one area in your house that’s always drafty, or a seldom-used guest room that needs little heating. With iHarmony™ zoning, you can direct air to specific areas in your home and reduce airflow to others—with just a few taps of your thermostat or even your phone. You can keep your family perfectly comfortable, while keeping your home energy efficient.

Fill your home with air that feels good – and is good for you

There’s nothing like the comfort that comes with knowing the air you breathe inside your home is clean, healthy and free of contaminants. Lennox’ PureAir™ air purification system works with your heating and cooling system to clean the air in your home better than any other single system you can buy.

Bring it all together in one perfect system

Any one Lennox® product can make your home feel cozier. Put them all together in a Lennox® system, and you can enjoy exceptional comfort and efficiency. And with Ultimate Comfort System, Lennox’ most advanced system, perfection is achieved.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Save On Heating Bills With A FREE Home Energy Audit

Get comfortable with a home energy audit

Family laying on floor in living room saving energy
How can you identify and prioritize home upgrades that will also reduce your energy bill and make your home more comfortable? With a do-it-yourself home energy audit!
Like the home energy audits offered by many utility companies, the DIY audit starts with a simple walk-through of your home to assess energy wasters and improvements to eliminate them.
Here are three important places to start:

1. Inspect your cooling/heating system

Heating and cooling accounts for nearly half your home’s energy usage. Improving efficiency here can make a noticeable difference on your monthly energy bill.
  • Your HVAC system should be inspected at least once a year. Your Lennox dealer can check and clean your equipment to help control energy usage.
  • If you have a central heating and cooling system, the filters should be checked monthly – especially during high-usage seasons – and replaced as needed (at least once every three months) to keep the system working efficiently.
  • Check ductwork for streaks of dirt that indicate air leaks. These should be sealed with duct mastic. Insulate ducts or pipes that extend through unheated spaces.
  • If any HVAC unit is more than 15 years old, a newer system can greatly reduce your energy usage and lower your energy bill.

2. Assess your lighting

Lighting makes up about 10 percent of your electricity costs.
  • Examine the wattage of your light bulbs. If your lamps are using 100-watt or larger bulbs, consider a 60- or 75-watt replacement.
  • Install compact fluorescent bulbs in areas where lights are left on for hours at a time.
  • Move lamps away from your thermostat. The heat produced by traditional light bulbs can be sensed and may force your air conditioner to work harder.

3. Eliminate drafts

Reducing air leaks or drafts can reduce your energy usage by 5 to 30 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy and make your home much more comfortable.
  • Look inside for gaps along the baseboard or edge of flooring and where the walls and ceiling meet.
  • Look outdoors at exterior corners, where siding and chimneys meet and areas where the foundation and exterior brick or siding meet.
  • Rattle windows and doors: Any movement means possible air leaks. If you can see daylight around a window frame or door, there is a leak that can often be fixed by caulking or weather stripping. Check storm windows for a tight fit. If new, high-performance doors and windows are too expensive, low-cost plastic sheets can be installed over windows to block air.
  • Plug or caulk air leaks from or around electrical outlets, switch plates, attic hatches and window-mounted air conditioners.
  • If you’re having trouble locating air leaks, you can try this simple building pressurization test:
    • Close all exterior doors, windows and fireplace flues
    • Turn off all combustion appliances, including gas-burning furnaces and water heaters.
    • Turn on exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath.
    • Dampen your hand to feel any cool drafts, or burn an incense stick to look

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Get Comfortable With A Home Energy Audit

Get comfortable with a home energy audit

Family laying on floor in living room saving energy
How can you identify and prioritize home upgrades that will also reduce your energy bill and make your home more comfortable? With a do-it-yourself home energy audit!
Like the home energy audits offered by many utility companies, the DIY audit starts with a simple walk-through of your home to assess energy wasters and improvements to eliminate them.
Here are three important places to start:

1. Inspect your cooling/heating system

Heating and cooling accounts for nearly half your home’s energy usage. Improving efficiency here can make a noticeable difference on your monthly energy bill.
  • Your HVAC system should be inspected at least once a year. Your Lennox dealer can check and clean your equipment to help control energy usage.
  • If you have a central heating and cooling system, the filters should be checked monthly – especially during high-usage seasons – and replaced as needed (at least once every three months) to keep the system working efficiently.
  • Check ductwork for streaks of dirt that indicate air leaks. These should be sealed with duct mastic. Insulate ducts or pipes that extend through unheated spaces.
  • If any HVAC unit is more than 15 years old, a newer system can greatly reduce your energy usage and lower your energy bill.

2. Assess your lighting

Lighting makes up about 10 percent of your electricity costs.
  • Examine the wattage of your light bulbs. If your lamps are using 100-watt or larger bulbs, consider a 60- or 75-watt replacement.
  • Install compact fluorescent bulbs in areas where lights are left on for hours at a time.
  • Move lamps away from your thermostat. The heat produced by traditional light bulbs can be sensed and may force your air conditioner to work harder.

3. Eliminate drafts

Reducing air leaks or drafts can reduce your energy usage by 5 to 30 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy and make your home much more comfortable.
  • Look inside for gaps along the baseboard or edge of flooring and where the walls and ceiling meet.
  • Look outdoors at exterior corners, where siding and chimneys meet and areas where the foundation and exterior brick or siding meet.
  • Rattle windows and doors: Any movement means possible air leaks. If you can see daylight around a window frame or door, there is a leak that can often be fixed by caulking or weather stripping. Check storm windows for a tight fit. If new, high-performance doors and windows are too expensive, low-cost plastic sheets can be installed over windows to block air.
  • Plug or caulk air leaks from or around electrical outlets, switch plates, attic hatches and window-mounted air conditioners.
  • If you’re having trouble locating air leaks, you can try this simple building pressurization test:
    • Close all exterior doors, windows and fireplace flues
    • Turn off all combustion appliances, including gas-burning furnaces and water heaters.
    • Turn on exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath.
    • Dampen your hand to feel any cool drafts, or burn an incense stick to look