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Failed septic systems can allow untreated sewage to seep into wells, groundwater, and surface waterbodies -- where you get your drinking water and swim.  Failed septic systems also contaminate our lakes, pollute water supplies and create offensive odors.  Have your septic tank inspected and pumped regularly by a licensed septic tank contractor every 3 to 5 years.  Pumping your septic tank is the most important thing you can do to protect your septic system.  If the buildup of solids in the tank gets too high and solids move into the drainfield, your drainfield will clog and strain your system, causing your drainfield to fail. Then you will have to replace the whole drainfield.

Air conditioning includes both the cooling and heating of air. It also cleans the air and controls the moisture level. An air conditioner is able to cool a building because it removes heat from the indoor air and transfers it outdoors. A chemical refrigerant in the system absorbs the unwanted heat and pumps it through a system of piping to the outside coil. The fan, located in the outside unit, blows outside air over the hot coil, transferring heat from the refrigerant to the outdoor air.

Basic Operations

Most air conditioning systems have five mechanical components:

Most central air conditioning units operate by means of a split system. That is, they consist of a "hot" side, or the condensing unit including the condensing coil, the compressor and the fan which is situated outside your home, and a "cold" side that is located inside your home. The cold side consists of an expansion valve and a cold coil, and it is usually part of your furnace or some type of air handler. The furnace blows air through an evaporator coil, which cools the air. Then this cool air is routed throughout your home by means of a series of air ducts. A window unit operates on the same principal, the only difference being that both the hot side and the cold side are located within the same housing unit.

The compressor (which is controlled by the thermostat) is the "heart" of the system. The compressor acts as the pump, causing the refrigerant to flow through the system. Its job is to draw in a low-pressure, low-temperature, refrigerant in a gaseous state and by compressing this gas, raise the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant. This high-pressure, high-temperature gas then flows to the condenser coil.

The condenser coil is a series of piping with a fan that draws outside air across the coil. As the refrigerant passes through the condenser coil and the cooler outside air passes across the coil, the air absorbs heat from the refrigerant, which causes the refrigerant to condense from a gas to a liquid state. The high-pressure, high-temperature liquid then reaches the expansion valve.

The expansion valve is the "brain" of the system. By sensing the temperature of the evaporator, or cooling coil, it allows liquid to pass through a very small orifice, which causes the refrigerant to expand to a low-pressure, low-temperature gas. This "cold" refrigerant flows to the evaporator.

The evaporator coil is a series of piping connected to a furnace or air handler that blows indoor air across it, causing the coil to absorb heat from the air. The cooled air is then delivered to the house through ducting. The refrigerant then flows back to the compressor where the cycle starts over again.

The majority of American homes are heated with a forced-air furnace, most commonly fueled by natural gas, but also by electricity, liquid propane or fuel oil.

How a Furnace Works

A furnace works by moving air around a heat exchanger, where it is warmed with a flame of natural gas, propane or fuel oil, or with heated electric coils. A blower sends the warmed air through the house via metal ducts; it enters the room through a register or grill in the floor, ceiling, or wall. Indoor air is circulated continuously through the system, so a furnace filter is used to contain dust, pollen and other airborne particles.

An older home might have a boiler, fueled by natural gas, liquid propane or fuel oil. A boiler works by heating water and circulating is through pipes to radiators, where it warms the surrounding air. Unlike a furnace, a boiler doesn't circulate air throughout the house, which is why the air in a boiler-heated home might seem "stuffier." /p>

Electric Heat Pumps

Another home heating option is an electric heat pump. This unit works by moving existing heat from one area to another in one of three ways:

• Air-to-air: An condenser absorbs heat from the outdoor air (even the coldest air contains some heat) and transfers it to an indoor heat exchanger inside the home. Indoor air is warmed in the heat exchanger and circulated throughout the home. During the summer, the process is reversed to cool and dehumidify the home.

• Water-to-air: Instead of extracting heat from outside air, this type of pump absorbs heat from ground water or surface water, such as a drilled well.

• Ground-to-air: Also known as a geothermal system, this type of heat pump uses underground loops to absorb heat from the earth. Geothermal systems are usually installed in newly-built homes, but can also be used in existing homes.

One advantage of a heat pump is that it provides both heating and cooling capabilities in one unit. Electric heat pumps are usually supplemented with a backup system, such as radiant floor heaters or baseboard units (see below), in case of extended periods of extreme temperatures. Heat pumps also use filters to reduce airborne particles and keep the unit clean.

Electric Resistance Heating

Electric resistance heating, usually found in the form of baseboard heaters, was popular during the 1940s and 1950s, and is often used in multi-family dwelling like apartment houses. A baseboard unit has an electric heating element encased in metal pipe. Air warmed by the heating unit rises to the top of the room, and cooler air is drawn into the bottom of the heater. Each unit has a separate thermostat to allow for different temperatures in each room.

Radiant Heating

Radiant heating is making a comeback in many new homes. Instead of circulating heat by moving the air in the room, a radiant system heats objects - including people. The most common form is radiant floor heating, which uses electric cables or small tubes of hot water embedded in a concrete floor or under a tiled floor. During the height of its popularity during the '40s and 50s, radiant heating was also installed in wall or ceiling panels. Homeowners in the Midwest usually use radiant heating as a supplement to a primary heating system. It's most often installed under the floor in uncarpeted areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and garages. For added luxury, radiant heating cables can be embedded in a driveway - no more shoveling!

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
Early warning can help save your life...

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, deadly gas. Because you can't see, taste or smell it, CARBON MONOXIDE CAN KILL YOU BEFORE YOU KNOW IT'S THERE. Today more energy efficient, airtight home designs contribute to the problem by trapping CO-polluted air inside the home.

Why is carbon monoxide so dangerous?

The great danger of carbon monoxide is its attraction to hemoglobin in the bloodstream. CO is breathed in through the lungs, and bonds with hemoglobin in the blood, displacing the oxygen which cells need to function. When CO is present in the air it rapidly accumulates in the blood. It will eventually displace enough oxygen in your system to suffocate you from the inside out, resulting in brain damage or death.

Where does carbon monoxide occur?

Everyone is at risk. Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Experts believe that vulnerability to CO poisoning increases for unborn babies, infants, senior citizens, and people with coronary or respiratory problems. These people are considered to be at the greatest risk.

How can I protect myself from carbon monoxide poisoning?

The ConsumerProduct Safety Commission recommends installing at least one carbon monoxide detector per household. Reliable, cost-effective protection from carbon monoxide poisoning is now available from local hardware stores. According to the CPSC Chairman, "Carbon monoxide detectors are as important to home safety as smoke detectors."

How do I know if I am suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning?

CO poisoning is diffucult to diagnose. Because its symptoms are similar to other common diseases, such as the flu, carbon monoxide is often called "The Great Imitator." Symptoms of low level CO poisoning can include headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy spells, and confusion. There are, however, a few hints that can help. To identify carbon monoxide poisoning in your home:

• Do other members of the household feel ill as well?

• Do you feel better when you are away from the house for a period of time?

If so, you may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning.

What do I do if my carbon monoxide detector goes off?

Get out of the house immediately, have a plan that includes a pre-designated meeting place so that all family members can be accounted for. (Most fatalities occur when people re-enter the home to search for loved ones.) Call 911 from a neighbor's home. Do not re-enter until the Fire Department tells you it is okay to do so. Dicuss the source of carbon monoxide with a Fire Official and have it repaired immediately.

Where do I place my carbon monoxode detector?

Near the sleeping area, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which recommends at least one detector per household. A second detector located near the home's heating source adds an extra measure of safety.

1. Set thermostats to 65° to 69° during the day. Set thermostat even lower during bedtim hours (health permittint). You will save 10-20% on heating cost by lowering your thermostat by just 3° to 5° than normal. If you're not home during the day - set the thermostat at 55° to 60°. A five-degree reduction in temperature for an 8-hour time can save you up to 12% on your energy bill.
2. Wear more layers of clothing in house if lower thermostate temperature is too uncomfortable.
3. Make sure to caulk and seal around exterior windows, door frames, electrical outlets, plumbing pipes, ceiling fixtures and attic hatches.
4. Close fireplace dampers tight until you prepare for a fire. A damper in a 48" fireplace can let as much as 8% of the homes heat up the chimney.
5. If using a fire, crack the closest window about an inch and close the doors leading into the room. This allows more air for the fire without reducing heat loss.
6. Close foundation vents around house.
7. Close doors to rooms that are not occupied. Remember to close exterior doors as quickly as possible when entering or leaving your home.
8. Replace furnace filter once a month. Remember heating equipment must be serviced annually, before use, by a licensed and bonded professional service person. A well-tuned unit will save on you utility bills.
9. Raise shades and open curtains to let in the sun's warmth. Close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
10. Cover cold floors with rugs or carpet.
11. Consider the advantages of a programmable thermostat that will turn heat down automatically at bedtime or when you're away and turn up automatically before you awake or return home.
12. Clean air registers, vents, and baseboard heaters as needed and make sure they're no blocked by furniture, carpeting or drapes.
13. For Heat Pumps: Do not close off vents or registers in unoccupied rooms if you have a heat pump. This could do harm to your heat pump. Do not manually turn thermostat down. It will cause the emergency heat to come on more ofter and use more energy, just set a lower temperature and leave alone.
14. Don't overuse kitchen or bathroom ventilating fan. Turn them off as soon as they have done the job. A fan can draw out an entire houseful of heated air in about one hour.
15. Adding insulation in attic. One study found that increasing the level of insulation from 2-3 inches can save $95 to $145 per year for every 1,200 square feet of ceiling area.
16. Make sure you check duct work for air leaks. Tape seal any gaps in pipe joints or fitting and insulate duct work in unheated spaces.
17. Add a humidifier to your room or heating system. Humidity will make you feel warmer and more comfortable. Simply keeping houseplants will help add humidity to the home.
18. An old furnace even in good condition may use only 60% of the available heat to heat your home. That means about 40¢ of every dollar can go up the chimney. A good rule of thumb, if your system is over 10 years old and needs $600 to $800 worth or repairs, you will probably want to replace it.
19. Reducing water heater temperature to 120° will make a savings impact on your heating bill.
20. Repair leaking faucets, use of water saver showerheads will help save on your utility bills.
21. Simply replacing incandescent bulbs over a lifetime with fluorescent bulbs can save $30 to $50.

When energy prices rise - so does the advantage for a host of energy saving products and services, including some overpriced or just plain bogus. Be wary of gadgets and energy saving products that promise drastic reductions in home heating costs or extreme energy savings. Read energy claims carefully and if possible, get independent information about procuct performances. Avoid door-to-door sales call and huge pressure sales pitches from contractors offering furnaces, windows, roofing and other home improvement projects. To make sure that a contractor is licensed and reputable, ask friends and neighbors for referrals. Ask the contractor for customer references and check out potential contractors with the Better Business Bureau, the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, and you state-licensing agency.

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