H X O OM

Spring 2008
© Hudson, Ink Corp.
Inside This Issue:
• Let There Be Light
• What Goes Up...
• Tips for Handling Stress
Smart and simple ways to
enrich your home living
HOMEXPERT
Innovations
MyWord
Any Truth To The “Air Scare?”
ou turn on TV and they’re
Y
yelling at you about it. The
newspaper warns you about it. And
here I am, yet another voice of dire
predictions about the next breath
you take.
However, we read
about IAQ (Indoor Air
Quality) from the technical side. Our industry
holds seminars, measuring
dozens of data categories
about IAQ, and what – if
anything – needs to be
done about it. And
unlike the 30-minute
infomercial on the topic,
I don’t have a storeroom
of machines to “sell you, or else”.
But I do have this…
The problem is real. With
IAQ problems, you and your family are breathing them while in the
home, just like a lit cigarette (but
not as smoky!). The dangers can
include a continual parade of allergens, carcinogens, pet dander,
roach droppings, and worse… if you
can imagine. (We’ve seen things
HomeSense is published for friends of
from new construction sites that
aren’t fit for print!)
Many times, you don’t know you
have the problems other than higher than normal ‘sick
days’, being overly
allergy prone, or general tiredness and other symptoms that
seem, well, “normal”.
You can find out
exactly what is in your
home and how to
control its effects on
your family. How?
Get an IAQ
Analysis – We can
check your home’s return air. Technology has now given us smaller
devices to actually “measure” IAQ if
there’s a problem. Just give us a call
and let us know.
Whether the solution to your
indoor air quality woes is better
ventilation or total home air filtration, you have options. Let us know
how we can help keep your home
the haven your family deserves.
Your Quik Call Comfort Hotline:
(631)567-4600
1-877-VARSITY
Foul & Fair
Weather Friend
By Robert J. Bellini, President
Dear Friends,
Well, here we are again. The
temperatures are a little warmer,
and signs of spring are starting to
find their way into the neighborhoods.
If you’re like me, you enjoy the
start of a new season. The change
of scenery does us all good. We
have a chance to catch our breath
as winter gray fades into a cool
breeze across a budding landscape.
But not for long… because then it’s
back to work for you!
Yes, we’re more than just the
“foul weather” friend you call on in
the heat and cold. We’re here for
fair weather too!
We want to make sure we get our
top customers ready for the days
ahead, and the milder months are a
good time for tending to matters
that most people put on the back
burner during the year.
So, while your furnace is starting
to get some rest, and your air conditioner hasn’t yet been put to the
test, let us give your system a preseason check. Just think of it as a
little “spring cleaning.”
Also, if you’re overdue for a new
system, this is a great time for a
continued on page 4
HomeWise
Let There Be Light
W
hen
Thomas
Edison
invented the incandescent
bulb over 125 years ago, he
probably didn’t foresee a frenzy to
outlaw his invention – especially
in the 21st century. But it appears
that the bulbs are facing a forced
retirement as Congress rallies to
ban them in the face of rising
energy costs.
So what’s the big deal?
Well, about 90% of the energy
these bulbs create is wasted as
heat. And when energy is wasted,
your energy dollars are being
wasted. That’s why Congress is
proposing a ban on incandescent
bulbs by 2012. New light sources
will be required to maintain at
least a 70% efficiency standard,
and so far the
frontrunner for a
replacement
is
none
other
than
the readily-available
compact fluorescent bulb.
By
changing
just
one
incandescent bulb to fluorescent,
homeowners can save up to $50
in energy costs over the life of
the bulb. The estimated savings
for the United States is $40 billion
from 2012 to 2030. Plus, the
switch can also cut carbon
emissions by 51 million tons
annually – a significant step in
slowing global warming.
Australia, Ireland, Canada, and
the European Union are in the
process of instituting similar
energy standards, making the
possible implications of higher
efficiency even greater.
See? Even the small things
that we do add up to huge
impacts for our planet. So do your
part and let us help. Give us a call
and we’ll be happy to review your
options for energy efficient
lighting, plus share even more
ways to help you save energy.
HomeFront
What Goes Up Must Come Down
I
t’s a law of physics – and economics – that not even
the strongest markets can defy. We saw it when the
“dot com” bubble burst in the face of too much
growth, too quickly. Now it’s the mortgage bubble
that’s burst and it’s affecting the entire nation.
One of the sectors hardest hit by the subprime mortgage crisis is the new
construction and commercial sectors of the
building industry. Banks are increasingly
leery of extending mortgage loans which
means new home and development
construction is grinding to a halt. But the
contractors operating those businesses still
have to work, just like the rest of us. So
what does this have to do with you specifically?
Well, many of those contractors are quietly slipping
into the residential service business. While that in and
of itself isn’t a bad thing, it does pose serious issues for
you as a homeowner. That’s why there are certain
guidelines you should always use before allowing anyone
to service your plumbing, heating or cooling system:
We care. We print on recycled paper.
Credentials – Be sure to check references and
inquire about timeliness, job performance, and overall
satisfaction of results. The best question you can
usually ask is, “Would you hire them again?”
Technical Skill – You’ll learn more about a company
by asking specific questions about training
policies and experience requirements for hiring
than by almost anything else they say.
Guarantees – Most companies “say” they
guarantee their work but sadly, the words often
get conveniently forgotten if a problem arises.
And that’s the only time you’ll know… or care.
Without a guarantee on parts and labor, you
may have another system breakdown and be
expected to pay the same price to have it fixed again.
Remember, you are calling a contractor because you
either have a problem, or you want to prevent one.
It’s our job to solve those problems – not add to them.
So give us a call and we’ll be happy to save you time,
money, and quite possibly a few gray hairs.
SeasonalShift
How Necessary Is Spring Cleaning, Anyway?
pring cleaning has become a
S
ritual of transforming the
home to match the changing outdoors. The urge to bring that same
sense of refreshing inside grows
stronger. And while cleaning may
not be high on your hobby list, this
small investment in home maintenance can help maintain your
property value as well as keep
things running smoothly year
round.
ing and waxing bare floors not only
extends the life of your flooring, it
impacts your health. Thorough
cleaning can remove many allergens and pollutants that can affect
An organized approach can
make the process both more productive and enjoyable. So here’s
your quick list of Spring cleaning
“musts”:
Sort Through “Stuff”
There are always those things
you can’t bear to part with: clothes,
books, old bicycles. The two year
rule is a good measure for whether
you need to keep it or toss it. That
means if you haven’t used it in the
past two years, it’s just taking up
space. Take a deep breath, then let
it go. Literally. You’ll be making
better use of your space as well as
clearing the clutter.
Give your home comfort
system a little affection
That means replacing filters in
furnaces or air conditioners, and
vacuuming and cleaning grates,
coils and condensers. A Spring
tune-up can also help prevent
future breakdowns and repairs.
Clean rugs, carpets, and floors
Shampooing wall-to-wall carpet-
your home’s indoor air quality.
Check Your Safety Devices
Replace your smoke detector,
carbon monoxide detector, and
emergency flashlight batteries. This
should be done every six
months since batteries lose energy
even when they are not in use.
Test fire extinguishers to be sure
they are functioning properly too.
Clean Windows, Shades, and
Curtains
Remove and wash
window treatments.
Clean blinds to
remove dust. White
vinegar or ammonia
solutions should be
used to wash windows. If you also
replace storm windows with screens,
be sure to make any
needed repairs before storing.
Spring gives us the chance to
start fresh and take control of our
lives, homes, and the year ahead.
Make the most of the opportunity.
It is, after all, an investment in
yourself.
GoingGreen
• Since almost 50% of the energy used in homes is for heating and
cooling, by moving your thermostat down 2o in winter and up 2o in
summer, you could save almost 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.
• Planting a tree can absorb a ton of carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere over the life of the tree, as well as reducing energy costs
with its shade.
• Properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by more than 3%,
keeping 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere for every
gallon of gas saved.
• It takes 10 times more energy to produce frozen food than it does fresh
food.
• Display clocks and memory chips account for 5% of domestic energy
consumption and release 18 million tons of carbon emissions annually.
We care. We print on recycled paper.
Robert J. Bellini
Robert J. Bellini, President
P.S. Check out the special offers on
this page for some super discounts.
We hope you’ll be able to use them,
but if you aren’t, please feel free to
pass them on to your friends. We’d
love to help them out too!
Could it be? A cooling system that can
actually pay you back for all the extra
dollars you’ve spent on repairs and
energy overpayment!
No repair bills for 5 years. Energy
efficient savings every month, plus
this…
With your new home comfort system
from us, w e ’ l l w r i t e y o u a c h e c k
f o r $ 1 0 0 0 f o r y o u r o l d o n e ! No
matter the age or brand – or if it even
runs! Cash in and cool down. Give us
a call today.
Varsity Home Service
©2008
at 1 - 8 7 7 - V A R S I T Y
GOOD FOR NOTHING
That’s what many things you get in the mail are worth,
but not this…
Just present this ad with your
next repair bill, and we’ll give
you $50 dollars off. Why?
Because when you have a
repair on your heating and air
conditioning system, you’re
already not having a good day.
We understand and would like
to make things a little easier on
your wallet.
Of course, the best benefit is
that our repair professionals can
get your system up and running
as soon as possible. And that’s
good for a lot.
Varsity Home Service
1-877-VARSITY
$50
(We recommend cutting this out and putting
it on your refrigerator. Just a thought!)
©2008
HOMEXPERT
Sincerely,
But you count on your system to take
care of it. And since dirt is the #1 cause
of comfort system failures, a little cleaning goes a long way toward keeping you
cozy. That’s why Varsity Home Service recommends a Tune-Up before
each season of high use. Your system
will run more smoothly, use less energy,
and keep you comfortable year round.
So call Varsity Home Service
at 1-877-VARSITY today to schedule
your Tune-Up. You’ll save your system
and your wallet.
©2008
Varsity Home Service
1610 Ocean Avenue
Bohemia, NY 11716
(631) 567-4600 or 1-877 VARSITY
great deal. Give us a call. We’ll
evaluate your home’s needs and
give you our best recommendations
on the best equipment around.
We can
HomePoints
also help
with a thorYou can reduce
ough inspecyour utility bills by up
tion of your
to $145 a year by
using a low-flow
plumbing
showerhead.
system. The
warmer
months see
lots more water use – whether it’s
nurturing your lawn, maintaining
the pool or keeping the kids
clean!
Looking forward to visiting you
soon.
How to Turn Your Cooling
System into an Automatic
Cash Machine
If your mailing address is not correct, please call us!
MyWord
Home Comfort Is A
Dirty Job…