Air Conditioning – Keep it cool

Hot, Hot, Hot! There is no mistake about it, summers in Sacramento are hot.

Being active outside in the summer brings many joys. Then we head home. Our homes are a refuge, a place to cool down and relax. If you are running the A/C but it is not getting any cooler, it’s taking forever to cool down, it costs a TON to cool your home, or it is not running at all, it’s time to give us a call!

One of our expert technicians will come out and diagnose any problems and give you the right options for you, without all the pressure. The comfort of your home is paramount to us.

Give us a chance to inspect your air conditioning system FOR FREE! We’ll take a look and figure out the best option for you and your family to maximize your comfort during the hot summer months. Keep us in mind, and keep it cool!

The Luxury of Hot Water On Demand

We’ve become accustomed to having hot water when we want it. Running out of it can be a real bother. In some circumstances it can be a significant health risk. We’re experts at quick replacements and code upgrades. If you think you might need someone to take a look, give us a call we’ll send a trained technician who will assess the state of your device and connections and discuss options to swap your old water heater for a new energy efficient option.

We can install tankless water heaters, gas or electric water heaters, or talk with us about whatever idea you have in mind for your hot water needs. AHES is one of SMUD’s top three water heater installers in Sacramento. We can be found here: SMUD PREFERRED CONTRACTOR.

Many older homes have water heater installations that are missing some of our modern code requirements. We can assess whether or not you need these improvements to ensure your home is ready for sale or just up to snuff.

Your House Deserves a New Roof

The average life of a roof is 20-30 years, depending on the type. As your roof ages it deteriorates from the weather each season. Because of that it can develop leaks or holes. Also common is the reduction of the roof’s ability to reflect the radiation of the sun making it more costly to cool your home in the summer and less comfortable. If you are concerned about your roof please give us a call. We can have one of our trained professionals give you a free consultation and help find the right solution for you.

Get Your Plumbing Done Right

Water is as important as air and your home’s health may need a check up. If you have a leaky pipe, running toilet, a dripping faucet or an older water heater it is costing you money.

Older homes are built with galvanized piping. This can be a real pain over the course of decades because galvanized plumbing frequently corrodes and results in decreased water flow. Your sinks just barely running means it’s time to think about a whole house upgrade. We can help you replace all the pipes in your house to make your plumping pressure it’s best.

AHES is here to help. Our expert technicians are trained to identify problems and bring you the solutions to make your home operate at it’s best. We can also help in offering options and ideas to help your home become more water efficient. Tankless water heaters or water filtration systems can save you water and money.

Bask in The Light

There is something special about great lighting. Photographers depend on it to make their pictures warm and inviting and your home is no different. The right windows showcase you and your home. In addition to the aesthetics there are energy saving features like double pane windows with argon gas that can put money back in your wallet. We install quality vinyl replacement windows built to last. If you wonder why to replace your windows we’ve found a few important points to make.

By replacing your windows you may:

1. REDUCE YOUR HOME’S HEATING AND COOLING COSTS
2. INCREASE THE RESALE VALUE OF YOUR HOME
3. REDUCE NOISE WITH THICKER GLASS
4. PROTECT YOUR FLOOR AND FURNITURE FROM SUN
5. FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE KNOWING THE LOCKS WORK
6. KEEP WINDOWS CLEANER BECAUSE YOU CAN OPEN AND CLOSE THEM AGAIN

Get Every Cubic Foot of Air You Buy

Ducts are the pipes connected to your HVAC system that feed your rooms with conditioned air. You’re paying for every cubic feet of air per minute (CFM) that you use so you want it all in the rooms at the end of the tubes, don’t you? Ducts are frequently overlooked when heating and air conditioning systems are replaced, repaired or serviced. This can be a costly mistake. If the ductwork is poorly connected or has multiple holes, air pressure is lost. This makes your HVAC system work harder which increases your energy bill.

Ducts are made from a combination of materials like fiberglass, plastic, metal or other more unique materials. Regardless of how they’re made, eventually they can start to leak due to a number of age related issues. We expect duct work to function correctly for 10-15 years. Get someone to look them over if they’re near or in that age range. Your comfort and health can depend on HVAC ducts functioning correctly. If your ducts have developed mold or mildew growth inside the tubes, replacing them and upgrading to a hypo allergenic duct system could help you literally breathe easier.

If you notice these symptoms your ducts might need some attention:

1. NOISY HVAC OPERATION
2. HIGH ENERGY BILLS
3. UNEVEN HEATING OR COOLING
4. DUST THAT WON’T STAY GONE
5. A MOLDY OR MUSTY SMELL THAT WON’T GO AWAY
6. PEST INFESTATIONS
7. RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS THAT WORSEN AT HOME
8. SEEING DEBRIS OR DISCOLORED CEILING AROUND THE VENTS
9. TANGLED OR HANGING DUCTS
10. VERY OLD DUCTS

Soft Water Can Help Your Appliances Live Longer

Living with hard water can be a pain. Reduced water pressure, calcium buildup on all the faucets and in the toilet can look terrible. The toll on appliances can be extreme when water is laden with large amounts of minerals. These dissolved minerals can (especially when combined with heat) leave scale and buildup that will damage pipes, appliances and fixtures.

A water softener works to treat hard water by removing the minerals responsible through a process called ion-exchange. Mineral ions that cause hardness and damage to your home are trapped by resin within the system and exchanged for sodium and potassium ions. If you’re curious to know if a water softener is right for you give us a call. We can send someone out to let you know.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine if you need a water softener.

• Do your faucets have watermarks, even though you just cleaned them?
• Is there excessive lime and chalk buildup on the walls of sinks and showers in your home?
• Are your white clothes dingy or your colors fading unusually fast?
• Does your water taste or smell wrong?
• Does your skin and hair feel dry or itchy after a shower?
• Do you have low water pressure?
• Do your appliances break quicker than they should?
• Do your dishes have watermarks and residue on them when they dry?

Keep Your Energy In the House

Insulation keeps the temperature inside your home comfortable. The better your house is insulated, the less you will need to spend using your A/C or furnace. AHES can help by assessing your current level of insulation and suggest recommendations to make your home more comfortable and efficient. Our trained technicians can inspect your insulation and determine if it’s time to replace, remove, or install from scratch insulation in your attic, walls, or crawlspace. We can help you find out:

• Where your home is and is not properly insulated
• What type of insulation you have
• The R-value and the thickness or depth (inches) of the insulation you have.

Check out the Energy.gov. This article on insulation can help you understand more about why you should insulate your home properly.

We are experts at insulation removal (including asbestos), and if you’ve had rodent friends in that attic making a mess, we can also sanitize your home’s attic before we install a new top of the line cellulose fill up to 18″ deep. Talk about a blanket!

Your electric panel serves as the gateway for electricity to enter your home. This gateway can become old and need repair just as a fence over time sags and needs replacement. The electrical panel contains circuit breakers that with time begin to fail. A circuit breaker failure can be much more dangerous than a saggy fence. Failing breakers mean arcing and arcing can mean fire. We’ll share with you here the reasons we suggest you consider replacing your electrical panel. In addition, older residential homes are still using obsolete electrical panels that may not have even been designed to support your modern electrical needs. If your old home has a 100 or 125 amp electrical panel we invite you to take advantage of the SMUD electric panel rebates to update your service and consider going all electric.

Does this look like your electric panel? Switch it out with us!

Here are some reasons to switch your electric panel

1. YOU SEE THE BRAND NAMES: ZINSCO, SYLVANIA, GENERAL ELECTRIC, FEDERAL PACIFIC ELECTRIC (FPE) – these have been recalled and it’s time to swap.
2. YOU WANT TO INSTALL NEW APPLIANCES
3. SWITCHING FROM A FUSE BOX TO A CIRCUIT BREAKER
4. TO REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR ELECTRICAL FIRES
5. DIMINISH THE DOWNTIME FAILED CIRCUITS CAUSES
6. INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE

Let the Sun Shine

Wondering if you should go solar? Solar will improve the value of your home. It’s a smart technology that does a lot of good for the system owners and their neighbors. It’s important to note that not every property is cut out for it. We can stop by and determine whether or not you should consider solar. If it turns out you own a home well suited for the technology, we can help you finance, plan and install your system. Check out the SMUD solar calculator if you’re considering solar.

Here are some common reasons some of our clients install a photovoltaic (PV) system.

1. REDUCE OR ELIMINATE ELECTRIC BILLS
2. RETURN ON INVESTMENT
3. PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM RISING ENERGY COSTS
4. INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE
5. BOOST ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
6. CREATE NEW JOBS
7. REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS

Save Water and Save Money

About half of the water we use at home is spent outdoors on landscaping. Californians have made great strides to improve indoor water efficiency; however, outdoor water efficiency achieves much more water savings. Follow this step-by-step guide to convert your thirsty lawn into 1 of 4 beautiful gardens: rain-wise, pollinator, edible, or succulent.

According to the the EPA’s water conservation site: :The design you choose for your landscape will be influenced by how you want to use it and what other benefits you desire. Lawns can be the perfect place for the kids to play or for pets to run around on, but they may need maintenance more often. Shade trees can keep your landscape cool during sunny weather.  A landscape with colorful shrubs can provide curb appeal. You may look for a combination – turfgrass for the kids, shrubs to form a border, a rain garden to prevent flooding, and trees for shade.”

“It’s important when planning your landscape design, in addition to primary use, also consider factors such as local climate, sun and shade locations, and the maintenance schedule. This plays a big part in how often your landscape receives rainfall and whether your plants must be prepared for a warm climate or cool climate. Although the plant choice will depend on region, you can still have an attractive, functional landscape with water-efficient plants. If you’re designing a new landscape or rethinking your current one, the WaterSense Water Budget Tool can help you plan your landscape for water efficiency and tell you if you have designed a landscape that will use an appropriate amount of water for your climate.”

The EPA’s WaterSense What to Plant page can help you find the right plants based on your state.

Save Water and Save Money

The Select Home Warranty website states: “Your pool pump should be replaced anywhere between 8 to 15 years depending on the quality, and a full replacement may cost over $800. Your pool pump is the “heart” of your swimming pool as it circulates water throughout, bringing water through the filtration and heating systems.”

We recommend seeking a yearly checkup by a professional, just to make sure everything is in order, and running as it should be. The best time to do this is in spring, right before peak use, so you can guarantee friends and family a safe swim.Are new pool pumps more energy efficient?