Prevention or Explosion?

Can you imagine if someone actually asked you that question? “Sir, would you prefer to perform a little bit of prevention today or have an explosion in your home around 2 pm tomorrow”? First, we would probably all call the police – immediately. Then, we would really, really hope he was kidding. No one wants their home to explode, or even a room in their home to explode. That would be a terrible tragedy, not to mention the mess to clean it up and the money spent trying to right everything again. It is definitely better just to avoid this happening altogether. I will take prevention every single time that choice is offered to me.
While this is a very dramatic scenario, it is a real possibility for people who choose not to have their boilers serviced year after year. For more information on what you need to do to keep your boiler and your home safe and sound this season, read “It’s a Little Bit Like a Bomb… that just happens to heat your home.”

Is Dust Causing a Problem?

It’s funny how a simple little thing like dust can cause so much trouble – especially for those prone to allergies and respiratory ailments. It can affect the quality of your indoor air as it collects, and even as it gets cleared away. Backing up a minute, dust isn’t actually one single thing. It’s a combination of substances, including human skin cells, pet dander, fabric fibers and your basic dirt and debris. All these substances gather together to form dust which gathers on lamp shades, end tables, tops of refrigerators and pretty much everywhere else.
Your electronics like to collect dust. So does your furniture, your door frames, baseboards, even ceilings. Keeping these spots dust-free helps reduce allergies that flare up indoors. We’ve got some more information on that topic in a free report, Is There a Dust Storm in Your Home? Please check it out.

What are YOU breathing?

Indoor air quality is a hot topic these days whether it’s discussing musty old basements or dusty vents, but the thing you should really be concerned about breathing in is carbon monoxide. Not only does this gas make you sick, it is also potentially deadly. The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are so similar to so many other illnesses that doctors have difficulty diagnosing it. Many people simply feel they are coming down with the flu when all the while their own home is poisoning them. Feeling concerned yet? Well, the good news is there are things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. It is imperative to have your home’s heating system serviced every year by a professional technician and ensure that it is properly vented. It is also a good idea to install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home for added protection.

Oh, the Complaining that we can do...

Frustrations are a part of life, unfortunately. And as homeowners, it’s easy to complain about all the work we have to do (and sometimes money we have to spend) to keep things running smoothly.

It seems there’s never enough time in the day to tend to everything that pops up on our to-do list. And yet, while some things do happen that are beyond our control, there are other things that we can do now to prevent future frustrations.

In this season, one important prevention involves preparing our home for winter. This is just a basic philosophy that proves true year after year. If we take a little bit of time now to make sure our furnaces are working properly, then we’ve taken the best step we can take to avoid a break- down on a very cold day in the near future.

Think of it this way. Your furnace needs a little TLC so it can provide the same to you. It’s a piece of equipment, after all. It can’t take care of itself. But if you put a little bit of maintenance into it, you’re helping your furnace function at optimal levels. Then it will take care of you. And nobody’s going to complain about that.

So avoid your future frustration right now. Read “Walking the Walk” to learn more about comfort system maintenance. Links to R-5

Carbon Monoxide

Did you know about 50,000 people per year go to the hospital due to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning? You don’t want to be part of that group! You might be wondering, what is carbon monoxide? Carbon monoxide is an “odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death” (cdc.gov). It’s typically found in combustion fumes that are produced in trucks, car gasoline engines, gas ranges, burning wood, stoves, lanterns, burning charcoal and heating systems. If this gas builds up in enclosed spaces, both animals and people can become poisoned from breathing it.

Below are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: 

1. Headache
2. Weakness
3. Nausea
4. Dizziness
5. Vomiting
6. Chest pain
7. Confusion

The most important thing is your safety! Make sure you have carbon monoxide detectors and that they are in proper working order! If they aren’t working, you won’t know if you have a problem. Concerned? Our well-trained technicians know how to test and where to look for possible leaks and faulty equipment that can contaminate your home and family with this deadly poisonous gas. Questions? Call Blackies today at Danville: (217) 442-1440 or Champaign: (217) 328-3858.

Resource: http://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm

The Value of a Secret

Secrets are tricky things, aren’t they? Depending on the subject (surprise party vs. hazardous waste) and who it is about (relative vs. major corporation), a secret can be a fun event bonding people together or it can go to the other extreme where a bit of information left untold has the potential to be dangerous to your health.

Everyone has secrets both big and small and we are no exception. Don’t be too alarmed. Our secret is not as scary as hazardous waste; and one thing is for sure… Whether we are referring to people or companies, the truth will come out eventually.

Why, then, do so many companies leave out information their customers need to know in order to make informed decisions? Money, of course, and maybe power and definitely a concern for their reputation.

We are just not interested in being a company with secrets. To learn more about a big secret the heating and air conditioning industry has been keeping, read “Have You Heard theDark and Dirty Secret…about Your Home Comfort System?” 

Calling Mr. Clean...

Is your home clean? I don’t mean obsessively clean, just people-live-here-clean.

By now, most of us have got the basics down of keeping our home tidy, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the bathrooms, etc., but did you know your home comfort system also needs a good cleaning? I bet that is one thing that gets overlooked.

It is not something that jumps to the front of one’s mind when you are going through a mental list of what needs to be done. Too often, we neglect our home comfort system. We expect it to work with maximum efficiency the second we turn it on without ever stopping to think about what has spent months building up while it sat there unused.

For information on why and how to have your home comfort system cleaned, read “The Dirty Secret…”