A Million Thanks

We are pleased to announce that Kilowatt Electric, Heating and Air Conditioning in Sherman Oaks is an official drop-off location for A Million Thanks. If you want to write a note of appreciation to a wounded veteran or an active duty soldier, Kilowatt will make sure it gets into the right hands.

A Million Thanks is a year-round campaign to show our appreciation for our U.S. Military Men and Women, past and present, for their sacrifices, dedication, and service to our country through our letters, emails, cards, and prayers. www.amillionthanks.org

Kilowatt's location is easy to get to right on Sepulveda at the 101 Freeway.

Please spread the word!

Stay Cool For Less This Summer

What you can do NOW to avoid costly air conditioning problems

There’s GOLD in them there air conditioning systems!

“Gold?” you ask. “Are there air conditioner thieves about?”
 

“Relax,” I say. “Settle down.” I’m not talking suburban pirates—no need to bolt your compressor to the ground or build bunkers around your ventilation ducts. I’m talking about the safe, shiny gold of savings.

The treasure in your AC system will leak out if you don’t lock it down—it’s up to you to guard it. Good property managers know how to mine the savings from their AC systems: regularly scheduled maintenance by qualified service technicians.

You’ve probably heard the old homeowner riddle:

When is SPENDING money also SAVING money?

When you spend it on AC maintenance!

Cars need oil changes, gardens need weeding, and AC systems need tune-ups. Now is the perfect time to schedule a preventive checkup—before summer hits. If your equipment hasn’t had regular maintenance, odds are you’ll be blowing a lot of hot air soon. 

Proper maintenance prevents problems and saves money.

Every AC repairman knows that the number one cause of cooling system failure is a lack of regular maintenance. And every manufacturer, utility company, and consumer protection group—even the Environmental Protection Association— recommends regular service of your HVAC system, no matter how old the system is.

Benefits of servicing your HVAC system:

• SAFETY – Inspection of electrical and chemical connections, exhaust systems, and drains which can become clogged with mold or algae.
• FEWER REPAIRS – A professional technician nips problems in the bud before they need costly repairs.
• SERVICE SAVINGS – If repairs are needed, most AC contractors offer a discount to their maintenance customers.
• WARRANTY PAYOUTS – Manufacturers currently offer 12-year warranties on their equipment, as long as regular maintenance has been performed.
• ENERGY SAVINGS – A dirty filter can increase energy costs by 50% and damage your equipment, leading to early failure.
• EXTENDED EQUIPMENT LIFE – Many properly maintained air conditioning systems run for 30 years or more.
• PRIORITY CUSTOMER STATUS – Most air conditioning contractors give priority to customers who commit to a maintenance program. When it's 110 degrees and the phones are ringing off the hook, maintenance customers are taken care of first.

There is no better way to protect your investment in heating and air conditioning than regular system maintenance.

Maintenance Checklist

What should you expect from your spring and fall checkups? An air conditioning service technician should take all of the following steps:

• Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling and heating system will keep you comfortable when you are home and save energy while you are away.
• Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.
• Lubricate all moving parts. Operating motors with insufficient lubrication causes friction and uses more electricity.
• Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A clogged drain can cause water damage in your house, affect indoor humidity levels, and cause mold to grow.
• Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the equipment’s starting cycle to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly.
• Clean the evaporator and the condenser’s air conditioning coils. Dirty coils reduce a system's ability to cool your home and cause the system to run longer, increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
• Check your central air conditioner's refrigerant level and adjust if necessary. Too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less efficient.
• Clean and adjust blower components to provide proper airflow for greater comfort levels. Airflow problems can reduce your system's efficiency by up to 15%.
• Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump. Your contractor can show you how to do this.

Most responsible air conditioning companies use a checklist that they will be happy to show you.

If you protect your AC system, it will protect you. Schedule an air conditioner maintenance appointment before it’s too late!

Consumer Reports #1 Air Conditioning Equipment

 

Consumer Reports Magazine surveyed more than 40,000 people who bought central AC systems. They report that American Standard is the most reliable brand and required the fewest repairs. Followed by Rheem and Trane.

Consumer Reports recommended giving the cold shoulder to Amana, Goodman and York.

Los Angeles American Standard Dealer : Kilowatt Air Conditioning

How Air Conditioning Works

If you live in Los Angeles Air Conditioning is a MUST have. But did you ever wonder how your AC is cooling your home? What exactly does that box on the side of your house do? The above video explains in 1 minute what how air conditioning works.

Sustainable Living Workshop!

Want to find out more about sustainable living? 

DWP is funding these excellent FREE workshops and YOU are invited to attend.
When: Wednesday's 7-8:30pm 4/4, 4/11, 4/25, & 5/2 No Mtg. 4/18
Where: Sherman Oaks Galleria Community Room, 15301 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. 

Find out more by clicking here: Sustainable Living Workshop

Sustainable living isn't just about making big changes like adding rooftop solar panels to your home, changing out your old HVAC equipment for a new energy efficient heating and air conditioning, replacing windows, or putting in energy efficient lighting. You can make small and inexpensive changes in your lifestyle that will make a big difference to the size of your carbon footprint.


If you are interested in learning more about sustainable living this workshop is a great place for beginner and intermediate "Greenies". If you have advanced knowledge come! Share your experience.

How To Avoid Unnecessary AC Service Calls

Sure  you love your Los Angeles Air Conditioning service company, but here  are some helpful hints to assist you in avoiding unnecessary costs for  service and repairs of your heating and air conditioning equipment:

• Clean or change your filter frequently. We recommend checking it at least every four weeks in our climate.
• Do  not set your thermostat lower in the cooling mode than is comfortable.  The average resident is comfortable at a setting of 78 to 80 degrees.  For every degree that you lower your thermostat below 78 degrees, you  increase your electricity consumption by 2% to 5%.
• In  the summer, setting the fan to the "on" position will allow the indoor  fan to run continuously, thus providing continuous circulation of air  between cycles. This continuous circulation can allow many users to set their thermostat 1 or 2 degrees higher, while still remaining  comfortable.
• Use fans to circulate air and make you feel cooler at a higher temperature  setting. Be sure to turn the fan off when the room will be unoccupied.
• If  you have a routine schedule each day get a programmable  thermostat. It will save you money by offsetting the temperature in the  house when no one is home.
• Do  not turn off your air conditioner during the day when you are away. It is much more cost effective to raise the temperature to 82 or 83  degrees. This will use less energy and still allow for the air  conditioner to recover when you lower the thermostat to your desired comfort level when you return home in the evening.
• Keep all windows and doors closed.
• Close draperies on the sunny side of the house to block the sun’s summer rays.
• Verify that your attic space is well ventilated to decrease the heat build up. We recommend an attic fan, they really help!
• Wash  the outside coil of your air conditioner with a garden hose once a year  in order to keep it at top performance. Clean away debris, leaves and  shrubbery for free flow of air through the coil fins.
• Do  not close off more than 20% of the registers in the home. This can  cause high resistance in the ductwork system. The result may be  unnecessary heat build-up in the furnace in the winter. In the summer  the reduction in air-flow can cause icing up on the cooling coil, higher  humidity levels, and can lead to possible compressor damage.
• In the cooling season, don’t run kitchen and bath exhaust fans longer than necessary.
• Do  not place lamps, TV sets or other heat-producing devices beneath a  wall-mounted thermostat. Rising heat from the equipment may cause the  air conditioning system to over-cool your house, thinking that it is  warmer than it actually is.
• Never store anything combustible near your gas furnace.
• If you have a gas furnace, make sure that flue connections and venting are always unobstructed.If you smell natural gas, call the local gas company at once.
• If you have a power outage or brown out, turn off your air conditioner immediately. This may save the components from damage.
• If  your system is 10 years or older, consider the benefits of replacing it  with a more efficient system that consumes less electricity.
• Have  your heating and cooling system serviced each season to keep it in  tip-top shape. You can avoid costly repairs and unnecessary down time when you need your system the most.

 Still need a technician? Your service call is worth the money!

When Is It Time To Replace Your AC?

According to Energy Star, there are certain telltale signs that indicate it's time to consider replacing you Los Angeles air conditioning equipment to improving the performance of your overall system. It may be time to call a professional contractor to help you make a change if:

Your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old.

Consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR label. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency units can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

Your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old.

Consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified furnace, which is 15% more efficient than a conventional furnace. If you have a boiler, consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified boiler that is 5% more efficient than a new, standard model.

Your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up.

Your cooling or heating equipment my have become less efficient.

Some rooms in your home are too hot or too cold.

Improper equipment operation, duct problems or inadequate insulation could be the cause.

No one is home for long periods of the day and you do not have a programmable thermostat.

Install a programmable thermostat or have a good contractor install one and instruct you on its use — to start saving energy and money while they're away or sleeping.

Your home has humidity problems.

Poor equipment operation, inadequate equipment, and leaky ductwork can cause the air to be too dry in the winter or too humid in the summer.

Your home has excessive dust.

Leaky ducts can pull particles and air from attics, crawl spaces and basements and distribute them throughout your house. Sealing your ducts may be a solution.

Your heating or cooling system is noisy.

You could have an undersized duct system or a problem with the indoor coil of your cooling equipment.