TimesToCome

Back home most homes don’t have central air, and most have boilers instead of forced hot air heat. So this central heating and air conditioning is all new to me.

Today ours needed repair and I was able to follow ( stalk ) the repair guy all through and learn about the system.

If you have a built in electrostatic filter there are filters in there that need cleaning quarterly. If you have not cleaned yours Simple Green helps to remove the build up. If you put the filters back while they are wet you will fry the air filter unit.

If you have two units in a two story open home, set your first floor ac 2′ cooler than upstairs in the summer and 2′ warmer in the winter to properly balance the units.

If you use the extra good hepa filters you are probably not getting proper air flow through the system and you are beating the system up. The home ac units are not designed to push through that much material. Use the cheap filters.

A 15 seer is a good solid unit that will likely save 30%-35% over our current 10 seer units. After that energy savings per dollar spent up to 20 seer doesn’t make much sense and the higher the seer the newer and flakier the technology.

A forced air heating and cooling system will last about 15 years with proper care. ( Don’t forget to gently clean the fins on the outside units with a garden hose once a year )

A new system ( 15 seer 3-5 ton units ) will cost about 8k to replace. You need the outside compressor, the condenser in the attic, air filter and heater. If you skip the electrostatic air filter you can probably do it for about 6k.

If you need a good ac/heating guy in North west Houston give Proline a call.

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2009 Houston Art Car Parade Photos

More information:
Orange Show Houston Art Car Parade

Convertable Pickup Truck

Some times Houston can be a pretty cool place.

(click on the photos for medium and large views )

Today we made another trip down to Brazo’s Bend State Park. Going to Brazo’s Bend is like falling into the land that time forgot. Everything there, the plants, the critters, the sounds are all like how you expected the earth looked millions of years ago. It is the kind of place where you wouldn’t be surprised if a dinosaur wandered past you.

We were extremely lucky today, the alligators were quite willing to let us pose them and hold still for several close up shots. ( kidding of course ) We were able to get in several very good alligator shots while they were happily sunbathing.

If you go to Brazo’s Bend, stop at the first parking lot after the gate and wander about the first pond. It’s only about a mile or two hike. You’ll be tripping over alligators if the sun is out and the weather is warm.