Are You Comfortable In The Mornings

With the temperature this morning dipping into the 40's, your furnace or heat pump will need to be working to keep your home comfortable.  If your heating system needs to be checked and brought up to snuff before the winter season has you shivering, call Aaron’s Mechanical Service at 623-388-4436.

A Reminder From:
Aaron’s Mechanical Services
623-388-4436
info@aaronsmechanicalservices.com
http://aaronsmechanicalservices.com

Geothermal Heating In The News

A geothermal heating system still needs some electricity to run its pump and air circulating fan, but it uses much less than traditional heating and cooling systems which keeps the cost of running one very low. However, getting a geothermal system for a house also involves a more complex installation process.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems are gaining popularity because they use very little energy to keep a home at a steady, comfortable temperature. Geothermal technology transfers heat between your home and the earth’s crust where heat is a naturally renewing resource.

We know from experience that on the earth’s surface the temperature varies, making us cold in the winter and hot in the summer. However, the temperature only six to ten feet below the surface maintains a relatively constant temperature of about 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Geothermal technology takes advantage of the steady underground temperature and the fact that heat naturally flows out of hotter areas into colder areas.

It works by circulating a refrigerant fluid through pipes that run from inside your home to below the earth’s surface. On hot days, the fluid will absorb heat from the air in your home and transfer it down to where the cooler ground will absorb it. On cold days the fluid brings the heat from below the surface up to where it releases into your home. A compressor in the system intensifies the temperature change of the fluid so that it can warm or cool a home quickly.

Installing a geothermal system still comes with a large price tag right now, but it may become more affordable and practical in the near future as we look for cleaner ways to heat and cool buildings.

Despite an uncertain economy, geothermal heat pump adoption is increasing in the United States. Over 1,000,000 geothermal (or ground-source) heat pumps are used in U.S. residential, commercial and government buildings. And each year, U.S. homeowners install approximately 50,000 more geothermal heat pumps. American homeowners are clearly warming up to the fact that green geothermal energy is available anywhere in the United States - literally in their own back yard, thanks to ground water heat pumps.

The big news: compared with other sources of energy, geothermal energy is only beginning to reach its potential - even though the history of geothermal energy in the U.S. dates back more than 10,000 years and first geothermal ground-source heat pump was installed in 1945.

If you are looking for fast and fair HVAC service or replacement we want you to think of Aaron’s Mechanical Services.  We want you to stay comfortable all year round. Most important we want you to spend the least amount of money possible while you stay comfortable. If your heating system or HVAC unit needs service or replacement please think of us and call at 623-388-4436 and we will come to you and solve your heating system service needs.

Presented by;
Aaron’s Mechanical Services
623-388-4436
info@aaronsmechanicalservices.com
http://aaronsmechanicalservices.com

Cool Arizona Places: Hiking in the Lost Dutchman State Park

Thinking of a spring hike in the Superstition Mountains in Lost Dutchman State Park. They are beautiful, majestic, and just lurch out of the desert floor. They are unbelievably overwhelming in contrast to the vast emptiness of the desert.

The awesome hiking trails around the base of the mountain offer beautiful views, and for first-timers try the #56 trail loop (Treasure Loop Trail, 2.4 miles) because it gives you excellent viewpoints and is easy enough that you can be up and back in about an hour and a half, give or take. If you’d like to hike longer, you can extend your hike by taking the #57 trail (Prospector’s View Trail, 0.7 mile) over to the #53 trail (Siphon Draw Trail, 1.6 miles to Flatiron).

Gold in the Superstitions

There are so many legends surrounding these mountains. Until the mid-1800s, most of the legends revolved around the Apache Indians.

In the 1800s a German prospector named Jacob Waltz emerged from the hills with gold ore. Apparently, he didn’t tell a single person until his deathbed. Before he died in 1891 he left clues to the location of the Lost Dutchman Mine. There was even a movie that depicted the gold, and that led to a fever rush of gold prospectors. Jacob revealed the clues on his deathbed, and even revealed for the first time.

At the age of 45, Jacob Waltz immigrated from Germany to the United States, and later became a citizen of the United States (in California). In 1863 he left California, and headed to Arizona. He became known as “The Dutchman” and claimed a homestead near the Salt River. At this time, the Apache Indians were still active in the area, including the Superstition Mountains.

There have been over a 100 documented deaths in the Superstition Mountains. Some of them have been shot and killed, over a piece of dirt that they thought was the location of the mine, but later turned out to be nothing. It may be a fools promise of hidden riches. There’s something about those mountains that is very rough, and very intriguing, but you can’t go into them thinking you’ll become very rich, because you most likely won’t.

When he died, he had 24 pounds of very rich gold ore hidden under his bed.

There are so many stories related to the lost gold, and to get started read about the gold mine, and the Peralta stones (rocks left by the Peralto family in the 1800s to help them find the gold).

If you’re curious about looking for the gold while you’re hiking, you’ll want to consult the list of clues that are based on research people have conducted. 

Cactus and Plants

On your hike you’ll see lots of saguaro’s, ocotillo, cholla, and a variety of other cactus. There’s a lot of Palo Verde trees and Mesquite bushes.

At Aaron’s Mechanical Services we want you to stay comfortable all year round.  If your HVAC unit needs service or replacement please think of us and call at 623-388-4436 and we will come to you and solve your air conditioning service needs.

Presented by;
Aaron’s Mechanical Services
623-388-4436
info@aaronsmechanicalservices.com
http://aaronsmechanicalservices.com

Aaron’s Mechanical Services: Phoenix Weather Is Unpredictable

Just a few days ago we saw eighty degree temperatures here in the Valley of the Sun and now in March we start out with two days in the fifties and sixties. Just seems like when we think we are warming up and getting ready to think air conditioning we find we need our heating systems and warm jackets.

That sure isn’t news for the folks at the National Weather Service. It is their job to predict our local weather. Something that isn’t easy to do.

The outlook for the Phoenix Metro Area for March is cooler (3 degrees) and just a bit wetter than average.  At the end of March we will see how accurate that is.

If we take a snapshot of a weather forecast here is what we see;

AT 8 PM MST THE COLD FRONT HAD SHIFTED INTO EASTERN ARIZONA ALONG

WITH THE PRECIP BAND. IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT THIS EVENING A

FEW SHOWERS CONTINUED OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST CA...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL AZ. THIS EVENINGS UPPER AIR DATA CONTINUED TO SHOW LOW LEVEL SOUTHWEST WINDS STILL ENTRAINING BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE INTO SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL AZ FROM THE BAJA REGION. THIS MOISTURE COMBINED WITH A BROAD UPPER TROF THROUGH TUESDAY WILL CONTINUE A MARGINAL THREAT OF SHOWERS. CLEARING WEDNESDAY.

I’m not sure that the National Weather Service does a review of the forecast and then publishes on average how accurate the forecasts tend to be. If anyone knows please let me know.

Before looking at why longer-term forecasts are less accurate than current forecasts, lets looks at basic definitions on the types of weather forecasts made in relation to time:

A short-range forecast is a weather forecast made for a time period up to 48 hours.

Extended forecasts are for a period extending beyond three or more days (eg. a three to five-day period) from the day of issuance.

Medium range forecasts are for a period extending from about three days to seven days in advance.

Long-range forecasts are for a period greater than seven days in advance but there are no absolute limits to the period.

Weather forecasts still have their limitations despite the use of modern technology and improved techniques to predict the weather. For example, weather forecasts for today or tomorrow are likely to be more dependable than predictions about the weather about two weeks from now. Some sources state that weather forecast accuracy falls significantly beyond about 10 days.

If you are looking for fast and fair HVAC service or replacement we want you to think of Aaron’s Mechanical Services.  We want you to stay comfortable all year round. Most important we want you to spend the least amount of money possible while you stay comfortable. If your heating system or HVAC unit needs service or replacement please think of us and call at 623-388-4436 and we will come to you and solve your heating system service needs.

Presented by;

Aaron’s Mechanical Services

623-388-4436

info@aaronsmechanicalservices.com

http://aaronsmechanicalservices.com

Aaron’s Mechanical Services: Can We Call Phoenix An Oasis?

If we look up the definition of an “Oasis” we find; a small fertile or green area in a desert region, usually having a spring or well. Something serving as a refuge, relief, or pleasant change from what is usual, annoying, difficult.  I don’t know about you but that sure describes the Phoenix Metro Area for me. Phoenix… an oasis in the desert.

We have been comparing our great weather for Boston over the last few weeks.  Yes, that isn’t really fair.  So we thought we would compare the Valley of the Sun with El Paso Texas this week. After all they are a relatively large southwestern desert city.  They lie south of Phoenix and even though they are somewhat higher you would think our temperatures would be very similar.  Many people think of an oasis is a very livable place.

El Paso, Texas

Phoenix, Arizona

As you can see, both of these cities are expecting some rain in the coming week. But look at the difference in our overnight lows. El Paso is running some nights that are twenty degrees lower than here in the Phoenix Metro area.

Phoenix is considered a very livable city. Livability is critical to the establishment of a sustainable community, if for no other reason than if it is not present people will not stay in the community. But 'livability' as a term is exceedingly difficult to define. For some, it is intrinsically tied to physical amenities such as parks and green space; for others to cultural offerings, career opportunities, economic dynamism, or some degree of reasonable safety within which to raise a family. 

Where livability is linked to sustainability and infrastructure issues it is normally as an alternative development model to the expansion of sprawling suburbs with low densities of both population and services and where infrastructure provision is costly to ecological, economic, and social capital.

One thing that makes many cities livable is a comfortable climate.  If parts of the year are such that you home and business needs to be climate controlled to be a comfortable temperature you need to have a reliable HVAC system. 

If you are looking for fast and fair HVAC service or replacement we want you to think of Aaron’s Mechanical Services.  We want you to stay comfortable all year round. Most important we want you to spend the least amount of money possible while you stay comfortable. If your heating system or HVAC unit needs service or replacement please think of us and call at 623-388-4436 and we will come to you and solve your heating system service needs.

Presented by;
Aaron’s Mechanical Services
623-388-4436
info@aaronsmechanicalservices.com
http://aaronsmechanicalservices.com

Our Mornings Are Still A Bit Chilly

With the temperature this morning dipping into the 40's, your furnace or heat pump will need to be working to keep your home comfortable.  If your heating system needs to be checked and brought up to snuff before the winter season has you shivering, call Aaron’s Mechanical Service at 623-388-4436.

A Reminder From:
Aaron’s Mechanical Services
623-388-4436
info@aaronsmechanicalservices.com
http://aaronsmechanicalservices.com

Aaron’s Mechanical Services: The Future of Heating and Cooling

Contemporary practice in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) is inadequate to fulfill the stringent demands of the 21st century. It can be deficient in comfort, ventilation, indoor air quality, fire safety and perhaps most important energy efficiency.

For several decades now, HVAC designers have known that they must make their systems more energy efficient, but combining efficiency with high standards of comfort and health has proven to be an elusive goal. It may seem that performance compromises are inescapable, but that is not true. 

Present problems stem from continuing along an evolutionary design path that took a wrong turn in the past.

How HVAC Reached Its Present State

The evolution of HVAC has not been a steady march toward systems that are ideal for today’s conditions. On the contrary, as in biological organisms, HVAC systems evolved in response to conditions that existed at various times in the past. As a result, HVAC has accumulated historical baggage that make s it poorly adapted to present conditions.

Contemporary HVAC began its evolution about 120 years ago, when centrifugal fans were introduced in the first large steel frame buildings to circulate outside air for the purposes of cooling, odor removal, and prevention of infectious diseases. In quick succession, these ventilation systems acquired additional functions and requirements. With each new requirement, variations of existing methods were attempted, and new problems usually accompanied them.

Steam heating coils were added, creating central forced-air heating. These introduced the problem of temperature control for individual spaces, which was met with manual dampers.

Soon, prior expertise in mechanical cooling for meat preservation, ice making, and beer brewing led to the addition of cooling coils in central systems. This increased the problem of space, temperature control further, as cooling became associated with uncomfortable “dumping” and stratification of chilled air.

The Solutions In Future HVAC

The accumulation of unsolved problems in contemporary HVAC requires us to stop and take a fresh look. While we exploit the lessons of past experience, we will abandon assumptions that are no longer relevant and change practices that fail to achieve optimum performance. HVAC today uses two broad approaches. For compartmentalized buildings, the dominant design approach is using centralized air handling systems that serve multiple zones. For smaller buildings, and for individual spaces whose conditioning requirements do not match the rest of the building, the dominant approach is using single-zone systems. The first step toward optimum HVAC is recognizing that multiple-zone air handling systems inherently cannot optimize all HVAC functions, nor can they operate with a high level of energy efficiency unless they seriously degrade the comfort and health functions of the systems. This is a theoretical limitation, not just a practical one. Therefore, multiple-zone HVAC systems must be abandoned. The need to abandon multiple-zone systems for ces HVAC to rely on single-zone systems. However, contemporary single-zone systems have serious shortcomings, to the point that they are widely viewed as inferior alternatives to centralized systems. Fortunately, the deficiencies of single-zone systems are curable. They result from lack of care in design and from inadequate evolution of the equipment.

Looking for fast and fair heating or HVAC service? Aaron’s Mechanical Services wants you to stay comfortable all year round.  Most important we want you to spend the least amount of money possible while you stay comfortable. If your heating system or HVAC unit needs service or replacement please think of us and call at 623-388-4436 and we will come to you and solve your heating system service needs.

Presented by;
Aaron’s Mechanical Services
623-388-4436
info@aaronsmechanicalservices.com
http://aaronsmechanicalservices.com