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Archive for February, 2015

How Does a Heat Pump Heat?

Friday, February 27th, 2015

Heat pumps are rising in popularity as people come to realize the extent of the benefits they provide. Their construction and method of operation allows them to provide a heat output equal to that of more traditional furnace and boiler systems, but with only a fraction of the cost. They’re both energy efficient and safe. How do heat pumps actually accomplish this feat? Read on to learn about the inner workings of heat pumps, and how they can provide such substantial advantages.

Heat Pump Anatomy

A heat pump is actually very similar to an air conditioner in terms of construction. There are two units, one installed inside the house and one outside. These units are connected by a conduit that allows them to share power, refrigerant, and any other resources necessary for operation. The most important part of this infrastructure is the refrigerant line, which is what makes it possible for the heat pump to actually move heat from one location to the other.

Heat Pump Operation

A heat pump is constructed similar to an air conditioner because it actually operates very much like an air conditioner. However, while an air conditioner will leech heat from the air inside the home and vent it outside, the heat pump does the opposite. When the thermostat calls for heat, the outside part of the heat pump begins to evaporate refrigerant using a coil inside the casing. This process makes the refrigerant gas into a heat sink, drawing the heat from the surrounding air and into the coil. The refrigerant gas, now holding the heat from outside, then travels down the refrigerant line and into the inside unit, where it is condensed back into liquid. This releases the heat to warm the air being circulated through the house.

Heat Pump Benefits

The way in which heat pumps heat makes them extremely energy efficient, because they don’t rely on any sort of fuel combustion to operate. All a heat pump needs to warm a home is thermal energy from the surrounding air and electricity to run on. Not only is this more efficient than heating systems like furnaces and boilers, but it is safer as well. Combustion systems produce a number of extremely toxic gases, which need to be vented outside of the home to prevent injury or death. Heat pumps don’t need these extra safety measures, because they don’t produce any toxic byproducts.

If you’d like to know more about heat pumps, call Roznovak. We provide heat pumps throughout Taylor, TX.

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Ways that a Humidifier can Improve Your Health

Friday, February 20th, 2015

When people hear about humidity, it’s often discussed as a bad thing. If there is high humidity during the day, it can feel as though you’re slogging through a swamp every time you go outside.

Humidity can make you feel sweaty, sticky, and just gross in general. So, why in the world would you actually want a device that increases the humidity in your house? Well, it turns out that a little bit of humidity is actually very good for your health. Let’s take a look at how your body interacts with the humidity in the air, and how a humidifier can improve your health.

Humidity and You

Humidity, determined by the level of moisture in the air, serves a number of important roles for both plants and animals. However, there must be a balance for humidity to be beneficial to life. If humidity is too high, it makes it harder for your body to cool itself by sweating. This is why you feel like you just got out of a pool during humid days; your body is sweating more than usual to try and correct the balance.

If humidity is too low, however, it can have much more negative effects on your body. Most of the human body is liquid, and contains a number of protective membranes that need to be moist to work properly. If the air around you is too dry, the membranes in your sinuses dry out. This causes them to crack and bleed, as well as drastically reducing their ability to protect you from infection. In areas with consistently low humidity, like deserts, people tend to get sick far more often because their bodies’ defenses are weakened. Low humidity can also be caused by using forced air heating systems too much, like during the winter season.

Humidifiers

Humidifiers are devices that emit water vapor to increase the humidity in the air. They are used to correct the balance of humidity in your home, by compensating for both natural and artificially low humidity levels. If you find yourself suffering from extremely dry air, we highly recommend that you consult a professional about purchasing a humidifier. If you do use a humidifier, however, be sure to keep it clean and well-maintained. Remember that humidity that is too high can cause a whole host of other problems.

If you think you may need a humidifier in your home, call Roznovak. We provide humidifiers throughout the Taylor, TX area.

 

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Valentine’s Day: Pagan Revelry, Clandestine Marriage, and 14th Century Poetry

Saturday, February 14th, 2015

What do you think of when you think of Valentine’s Day? Perhaps rushing off to the stationary store after work to choose the perfect card with which to express your feelings towards a loved one? Dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant? Roses, dark chocolates, and other gifts and confections? Whatever Valentine’s Day may look like to you, chances are that it is a far cry from the history surrounding this holiday – or at least we hope so. Here are a few interesting facts about this most romantic of holidays, from your friends here at Roznovak’s Services.

The fact of the matter is that there is no definitive history as to how Valentine’s Day came to be. There are a few different saints with variations of the name Valentine, for example. One of the most prevalent legends, and one certainly in keeping with the romantic nature of the holiday as we know it today, pertains to a priest serving during the 3rd century in Rome. Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II, who believed that young men made for better soldiers if unfettered by marriage, it was illegal for young men to marry. A true believer in love, Valentine would marry young couples in secret. Until, at least, he was found out, and met a very unpleasant end for his crimes.

Like many of our modern holidays, Valentine’s Day can also be traced back to pagan ritual. Lupercalia, as the pagan festival is known, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, a god of agriculture. As is often the case with Roman celebrations, the details of this celebration are unfit to detail here. Suffice to say that, while there is certainly a touch of the amorous in the proceedings, the festival was a far cry from what we associate with Valentine’s Day today.

How, then, did our modern version of Valentine’s Day come to be? The answer may lie in, of all places, 14th century poetry; particularly, in the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer. Famed for his Canterbury Tales, Chaucer may well be the very first writer to associate Valentine’s Day with romantic love, in the manner of which we are familiar with it today. His The Parliament of Fowls details the dream-vision of a narrator consumed with the idea of romantic love and the natural order of finding a mate. Valentine’s Day is mentioned by name a number of times, as the narrator witnesses a parliament of eagles vying for the hand – or, perhaps more aptly, the wing – of a mate.

Whatever you may think of the holiday’s sordid and convoluted history, we here at Roznovak’s Services hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day with the special someone in your life.

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Problems from Dry Air in Your Home

Monday, February 9th, 2015

You’ve probably heard someone complain about the humidity levels in the air at least once before. “Humidity” refers to the amount of moisture in the air. A measurement of humidity indicates the percentage of water vapor in the air at any given point. So, 100% is the maximum amount of water vapor that the air can hold, but most people describe themselves as being most comfortable at around 30-50%.

When the humidity levels are too high, sweat cannot evaporate from your body as easily as it normally does. This is why it feels so hot and sticky in humid areas. Besides that, high levels of humidity can result in a whole host of problems, from water damage in the home to mold growth to illness. But did you know that low humidity can be just as problematic?

If the people in your home suffer as a result of dry air in the wintertime, the friendly technicians at Roznovak recommend hiring a team of experts to install a humidifier in your home that works with your HVAC system to help moderate moisture levels. Without it, you may experience some discomfort or even damage to the home.

  • Itchy, Dry Skin – Perhaps the most noticeable effect of dry air is the dry feeling it leaves on your skin, and perhaps even some itchiness and chapped lips. If you find yourself running to the store for lotions and balms to relieve discomfort frequently, it may be time for a humidifier.
  • Prolonged Illness – It seems that every time a character in the movies or on TV is stuck at home with a cold or the flu, a standalone humidifier sits by their bedside. This is because dry nasal passages are not only irritating during a cold; they also affect your body because it will take longer to heal with dry membranes. But a whole-home humidifier benefits you over a standalone model because if one person in the home is sick, the rest off the family is probably soon to follow. A whole home model can help prevent illness for the rest of the family.
  • Damaged Floors and Furniture – Wood furniture and floors may actually crack and wear away over time in areas of extremely low humidity. Drywall can also crack, and paint may begin to chip.

Call Roznovak today to speak with professional installers who take the time to set up and test whole  home humidifiers in Roundrock with the utmost care.

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What Are My Options When It Comes to Geothermal Installation?

Wednesday, February 4th, 2015

Heating and cooling the home with a geothermal system saves homeowners across the country hundreds of dollars each year in energy costs, and it may do the same for you. A geothermal heat pump works a lot like an air conditioner, removing heat from the home in order to provide a source of cool air in the summer. But during the heating season, a geothermal system can work in reverse, pumping heat into the home thanks to the reliable temperatures deep within the earth. Geothermal systems are one of the top choices for renewable heating and AC, saving you money and reducing your environmental impact.

For quality geothermal heating installation in Austin from professionals experienced with these unique units, discuss your options with the professionals at Roznovak.

Vertical or Horizontal Installation

When you decide that a new geothermal system is the right choice for you, you still have a couple of other big decisions to make. Most importantly, you and your technician will need to decide upon whether vertical or horizontal installation is best suited to your needs. The type of installation that goes onto your home will depend on some key factors. First, the amount of space on your property may determine which type of installation you need. If there is not enough room on the property to dig a wide trench for horizontal loop installation, space considerations may force you into vertical installation, in which the loop system is installed upright in a deep hole.

If your property allows for either type of installation, there are still a couple of other things to keep in mind. Horizontal installation tends to be less expensive. On the other hand, more of your landscaping must be wiped out in order to make room.

Choosing a Quality Company

The second major choice you’ll need to make is which company to go with for installation. Despite its rising popularity, it turns out that most contractors do not offer geothermal installation. First, you’ll need to find a company experiences in geothermal installation and service. But also, you’ll want to find a contractor with a good name, backed by positive customer reviews and a history of quality service.

At Roznovak, we have years of experience installing geothermal systems, and we strive to make any type of heating installation in Austin as hassle-free as possible. Call us today, and find out why so many people make the switch over to this effective and efficient renewable resource.

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