Deckard Mechanical

I’m Jen. I’m married to Scot and together we run Deckard Mechanical. Scot is the heating and cooling guru of this family. He likes to keep up with all the latest technology and enjoys the gadgets that go along with it. When he told me he wanted to replace our perfectly fine programmable thermostat with a new programmable thermostat I wasn’t at all surprised.

This is a short blog about my experience and opinion of this new Honeywell thermostat.

Although Scot pretty much programmed the thermostat for our house and schedule he gave me a quick tutorial on how to do it if I ever needed to. He also had me download the corresponding app on my phone if I wanted to make changes while I’m away from home. This option is really nice on those Indiana days that start out at 30 degrees and end up at 90. Whether making schedule changes on the actual thermostat or from my phone, it’s pretty simple.

The display on this thermostat is amazing. With the digital display you can tell quickly what temperature the thermostat is set at. It also tells you the humidity inside your home. For me I spend a lot of time inside the house during the day so it is especially nice that the display tells me the outdoor temperature and humidity level. Sometimes those things aren’t easy to tell from the looking out the windows. And if needed for quick reference, the display also tells the time and date.

I’m a woman so appearance is important. The Honeywell Prestige thermostat is visually appealing. It’s not huge so it doesn’t become an eyesore hanging on the wall. It’s white so it will look good just about anywhere. The display, as well as being informative, is a beautiful blue that has some happy clouds in the background. It’s almost like having a little bit of art on the wall.

In all seriousness, this is a great thermostat. It’s easy to program, easy to use, and it looks good. We have blogged plenty of times about the benefits of programmable thermostats. They make your house more comfortable and they can save you money on your heating and cooling bills.

This thermostat is part of the next wave of technology… smart thermostats! Smart thermostats are designed to be programmed from anywhere and can even send alerts to you when something’s not quite right. If you are considering upgrading your thermostat, this would be an excellent choice.

Apr 28

It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity

Everyone knows in Indiana the weather is always changing, not only the temperature but also the humidity. We try to stay comfortable inside by controlling the temperature but controlling the humidity is just as important.

Have you noticed sticky floors, moisture around the windows, or mold? These are warning signs of high humidity and things most of us would like to avoid.

In addition to temperature control, your heating and cooling system is designed to control the humidity level. Some HVAC causes of high humidity include poorly sealed duct work, condensate leaks, and improper sizing of your air conditioning equipment.

Poorly sealed or disconnected duct work can allow moisture to enter or escape your system. This makes your equipment work harder and less efficiently which also affects your personal and financial comfort. Sealing your ducts improves the air flow, efficiency, and humidity control which keeps the “conditioned air” conditioned and going where you want it to go.

An improperly sized air conditioning system isn’t going to condition your air properly. When a system is over-sized it cools the space too quickly not giving it the chance to control the humidity. If it’s under-sized, the system will never be able to cool the space or control the humidity at a comfortable level.

Call or email Deckard Mechanical with questions or for a free assessment of your home or business.

Apr 22

Earth Day: HVAC Style

There are many things you can do on Earth Day like participating in local programs that aim to clean up our natural resources. Here’s some ways to be Earth-friendly all year long. Especially check out #4!

Mar 27

Giving Back

At Deckard Mechanical we feel the community has been very supportive. We would like to “pay it forward” as a way of saying thank you! Check here for more details.

Mar 02

“Today you are You, that is truer that true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” ~ Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Feb 20

Carbon Monoxide Levels - When is it dangerous?

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a common byproduct of the combustion of fossil fuels. CO is invisible, tasteless, odorless, and highly toxic. Small amounts of exposure over time can be as dangerous as high levels of exposure for a short period.

800+ PPM Extreme: Any of the above mentioned symptoms, brain damage, death in less than an hour, within minutes in some cases

If your suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, seek immediate medical attention. If you CO detector goes off, leave the house and call 911.

Feb 07

New HVAC Standards

There are big changes coming in the heating and cooling field. As with most things, we’re always trying to find better ways to do things. The Department of Energy is trying to make the HVAC industry more efficient. This means that while consumers are saving energy and reducing their energy costs, the price of new equipment will go up. Here’s a little information about what to expect.

With cooling, the big change is the continual phase out of R-22 refrigerant. Last cooling season it was hard to find units that contained R-22 so we started installing units with 410-A. This year it will be even harder to find units with R-22 and the cost of the refrigerant has nearly double since January 1st.

What this means to consumers is that if you have a leak or need your R-22 unit recharged, you will be looking at a more costly repair. Typically people prefer doing a repair over replacing their unit. Now it might be more cost effective to replace your old unit with a new 410-A system.

As of now, the minimum standard for furnaces is 80% efficiency. As of May 1, 2013 it will no longer be legal to install an 80% in our area. This will affect nearly the entire upper half of the United States. Consumers looking to replace their old units will have to go to a minimum 90%+ furnace.

What this means to consumers is that replacing your furnace will be more expensive next May. If you have a unit that you’ve been putting off replacing and a low budget is a concern, you will want to replace it before May 1, 2013.

Feb 03

Jan 11

Dec 31

New Years’ Traditions and Superstitions

On New Year’s Day we also have black-eyed peas, the legume not the group, because they are associated with bringing you good luck. We will also eat cabbage or sauerkraut, and pork or sometimes corned beef. We don’t really practice any other traditions regulars but we have learned about some that others take as serious as our “black-eyed pea” tradition. Here’s some fun links for different traditions and superstitions from all around the place!