Did you know that certain houseplants inside of your home can reduce heating repairs? It’s true. NASA’s houseplant study focused on the correlation between air quality and houseplants, with the findings that air quality is improved when you place specific houseplants in your home that are known to reduce toxins and gases in the air. When your indoor air quality is improved, air filters are cleaner and less clogged, which may result in reduced heating and air conditioning repairs. It is recommended to place one houseplant per 100 square feet of space in your home.

NASA identified certain houseplants that reduce common indoor air toxins, such as Benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. Reducing these harmful gases that can accumulate in your indoor air can greatly improve your indoor air quality, leading to better heating and cooling system performance and fewer repairs. When the air is not as healthy, your filters will collect more dust and small particles. An extremely dirty air filter can cause a complete shutdown of your system, which will result in the need for furnace and air conditioning repair.

At Berico Fuels, we have listed the top ten houseplants recommended by NASA for helping in air toxin removal in your home. There are links to individual houseplants, as provided by www.zone10.com:

“…You can use plants in your home or office to improve the quality of the air to make it a more pleasant place to live and work – where people feel better, perform better, any enjoy life more.

TOP 10 plants most effective in removing Benzene, Formaldehyde, and Carbon Monoxide from the air:

Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii
Bamboo Palm – Chamaedorea Seifritzii
Janet Craig – Dracaena “Janet Craig”
Chinese Evergreen – Aglaonema Modestum
English Ivy Hedera Helix
Marginata – Dracaena Marginata
Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii
Mass cane/Corn Plant – Dracaena Massangeana
Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium
Warneckii – Dracaena “Warneckii
Peace Lily – Spathiphyllum”

The added greenery will add beauty to your house and also give you better air quality. These pollution-reducing plants are recommended by Dr. Bill Wolverton, former senior research scientist at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, Miss.:

“We feel that future results will provide an even stronger argument that common indoor landscaping plants can be a very effective part of a system used to provide pollution free homes and work places,” he concludes.”

If you have recently purchased new furniture, appliances, or are using harsh cleaning chemicals in your home, the identified houseplants will eliminate the harmful gases that are in your indoor air from those products. Another way to keep the pollution level reduced in your home is to replace your air filters once a month, or as recommended by the manufacturer. In the winter and summer months, we tend to keep our windows closed more often when the HVAC system is running, so there is more opportunity for toxins to collect in the air.

These months are particularly important for you to have regular air filter replacements. If you need a furnace or air conditioning repair, installation, or HVAC maintenance in the Greensboro area, contact Berico Fuels at 336-273-8663 today. We will help you maintain a healthy indoor environment in your home by keeping your heating and cooling system inspected and repaired, and by providing you with tips to keep your indoor air quality at the highest level.
(Source: Zone 10: NASA Study Houseplants Clean Air, zone10.com, 2014)

If you have farm equipment that runs on diesel fuel, you can reduce your exhaust emissions by using ULSD (Ultra-low sulfur diesel) fuel in your off road vehicle. Regarding off-road diesel equipment and the compatibility with using ULSD fuel, The Associated General Contractors of America stated the following on http://newsletters.agc.org/:

“All diesel engines of any age can use ULSD fuels (per manufacturer’s specifications), but they are required for use in newer construction equipment.  Using anything else is illegal, may reduce power and fuel economy, and cause damage to engine components that may not be covered under warranty.”

With better fuel, you can become more efficient in your farming or construction uses, while helping the environment. The greater fuel efficiency experienced with diesel fueling has brought more uses for the ULSD fuel in various off road applications. CAT and John Deere equipment can have longer life expectancies by using ULSD fuel since the high energy amount per gallon means that there will be less wear on the engine for an extended time. At Berico Fuels, we make it easy to get your tanks refilled so you can work efficiently.

Off Road Fuels, Such as ULSD, Are Better for the Environment

The EPA recommends switching to ULSD fuel to produce a significant reduction in emissions:

“According to the EPA, switching to ULSD results in a 5 to 10 percent reduction in emissions, depending on the baseline fuel sulfur level. See EPA’s report Cleaner Diesels: Low Cost Ways to Reduce Emissions from Construction Equipment, March 2007.  ULSD provides an even greater benefit when it is paired with advanced diesel engine technology designed to further reduce exhaust emissions.”

At Berico Fuels, we provide ULSD fuel, as well as gasoline, #2 heating oil, propane and kerosene to help our customers get the fuel they need for their equipment. Seven days a week, we provide competitively-priced options for diesel fueling and other fuels for various uses, such as convenience stores, farming, construction and other applications.

New Emission Control Devices Installed for Equipment with ULSD Off Road Fuels

Newer farming and construction equipment benefit from the lower emissions and are equipped with advanced emission control devices in their engines, as discussed on http://newsletters.agc.org/:

“Meeting the federal government’s aggressive engine emissions standards means equipping newly manufactured engines with advanced emission control devices like particulate filters and traps.  These new emissions devices are extremely sensitive to high sulfur levels in fuel and if exposed, can suffer loss of performance or be rendered completely ineffective, nullifying emissions control benefits.  Evidence of misfueling (using higher sulfur fuel in new 2011 machines) can also impact manufacturer’s warranty coverage.”

At Berico Fuels, we can check to make sure the farm equipment or construction vehicle that you use is compatible with the type of fuel that you need for off road diesel fueling. Our expertise in available fuels and current equipment will help you to locate exactly what you need to stay energy efficient and extend the life of your equipment. Contact us to find out more information on our commercial fueling solutions: 336-273-8663.

(Source: Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel Makes Official Debut for Most Off-Road Uses This Summer,http://newsletters.agc.org/, July 26, 2010)

We all want to have an efficient furnace working at peak performance during the winter. This happens when homeowners maintain an annual maintenance schedule for their furnace, keeping their home comfortable and safe. The time is right for a heating system inspection and maintenance appointment, before your system is running at full capacity during the coldest winter nights. Prevent a complete system malfunction by getting a professional furnace inspection in Greensboro by a reputable HVAC company. At Berico Fuels, our certified HVAC technicians will inspect your furnace for problems and provide a complete check-up and tune-up. Why is a certified HVAC repair specialist in Greensboro the optimal choice to perform the maintenance? At www.dailyherald.com, it is recommended to have a certified technician inspect your furnace every year to prevent potential problems later on:

“Doing so now, while your furnace is working, prevents the nightmare of a dead furnace in the middle of winter, with its lofty costs for an emergency visit by a repairman, which can run you hundreds of dollars in just a site fee and another possible couple of hundred for repair parts and labor.

If your furnace has been operating on straining parts for a long time, you may also run the risk of expense and hassle of having to get an entirely new furnace. That can be prevented by making a simple phone call now to a reputable heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, company to set up your annual furnace checkup and tune-up.”

Furnace warranties often require this maintenance service. At Berico Fuels, we provide a comprehensive inspection that will keep your heating system running smoothly so you will not need more costly repairs. We can make sure that you will experience comfort and warmth all season with an annual furnace tune-up from Berico Fuels. The Daily Herald lists some benefits to receiving an annual furnace inspection by a certified, professional technician,

“• Prevent costly breakdowns. It’s not just a full system replacement that can be the danger. Your furnace might stop working because a part is out of order, which requires you to call a technician, live without your furnace for days or longer until the technician can make it to your home. The broken part will cost money to replace, plus a lot more money in site visit and labor. These mini breakdowns can cost a lot of money over time, and a tune-up can prevent them.

• Prevent inconvenient service needs. If you have houseguests for Thanksgiving, that would be a terrible time for your furnace to break down. In addition to the lack of heat, it can be very embarrassing to have anything break down in front of family and friends. Winter’s temperature extremes can make this an even bigger concern.

Once you have maintenance performed, appoint yourself the guardian of your newly tuned-up furnace by changing the filters regularly and keeping flammable items far from your furnace.”

Our commercial and residential customers enjoy easy scheduling, convenient service hours, and courteous and exceptional heating service. It’s a breeze to keep your furnace well-maintained in Eden, High Point and Kernersville, NC. We solve your HVAC problems. Keep your home energy efficient this winter with a complete furnace inspection from Berico Fuels. Contact us at 336-273-8663 to schedule service today.

(Source: Fall is the Perfect Time for a Furnace Tune-up, http://www.dailyherald.com, October 7, 2013)

Thinking about replacing an old and inefficient furnace? You may be considering the various types of furnaces that are available. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy shares the following information to help you know when it is time to replace your old furnace:

• If your furnace or boiler is older than 10 years, chances are it is a good investment to replace it with a high-efficiency model with the guidance of a good contractor. Also consider a replacement now if your system is one of the following:
  • Old coal burner that was previously switched over to oil or gas
  • Old gas furnace without electronic ignition. If it has a pilot light, it was probably installed prior to 1992 and has an efficiency of about 65% (the least efficient systems today are 80%)
  • Old gas furnace without vent dampers or an induced draft fan (which limit the flow of heated air up the chimney when the heating system is off).
• If your furnace or boiler is 10–20 years old, and you are experiencing discomfort or high utility bills, hire a highly-qualified home performance or heating contractor who can help you evaluate your existing system. Often it will be more cost-effective to improve house insulation and air-tightness, repair or insulate ductwork, or tune up your system before purchasing a new one.

With all of the available options out there, it’s time to narrow down your choices. For the hottest heat available, we recommend a heating oil furnace, which has 140,000 British Thermal Units (BTU’s) per gallon. This type of system heats faster than gas furnaces, reducing the total amount of fuel that will burn. When comparing BTU’s, note that one BTU of oil burns less pollutants than one BTU of natural gas, making it a clean choice for your home. On cold, freezing mornings, your oil furnace will heat up quickly and bring comfort to your home in a safe way.

In Burlington, Eden, Greensboro and High Point, your oil furnace should get regularly scheduled maintenance to keep it safe and reliable. At Berico, we not only install the furnace, we supply the fuel oil, maintenance and tune-up’s necessary to keep your heating system running at peak performance. How about cost savings? Using the information below, you can calculate return on investment (ROI), noticing that $100’s of dollars can be saved by replacing your old furnace with a new energy efficient oil furnace:

If you have an idea of how much it will cost to install a new system, use the chart below to calculate how much money you are likely to save each year with a more efficient system, and what your return on investment is likely to be. Remember, when fuel prices go up, your savings will go up.

1. Calculate Dollar Savings per $100 of Annual Fuel Cost
To determine savings from the table to the right, find the horizontal row corresponding to the old system’s AFUE, then choose the number from that row that is in the vertical column corresponding to the new system’s AFUE. That number is the projected dollar savings per hundred dollars of existing fuel bills. For example, if your present AFUE is 65% and you plan to install a high-efficiency natural gas system with an AFUE of 90%, then the projected saving is $27 per $100. If, say, your annual fuel bill is $1,300, then the total yearly savings should be about $27 x 13 = $351.

2. Calculate Return on Investment
ROI = first year savings ÷ installed cost
Example:
ROI = $351 ÷ $2,500 = 0.14 = 14%

There are new dual fuel furnace options available today, so you can have flexibility and benefit from getting heat from a heat pump when temperatures are more moderate and an oil burn when temperatures go below freezing. At Berico, we sell heating oil to our Greensboro and High Point clients. Call 336-273-8668 today for more information on oil furnaces and heating oil.

(Source: Consumer Resources: Heating, www.aceee.org,) http://www.aceee.org/consumer/heating

If you like the clean air, high efficiency ratings and the reliability of a natural gas furnace, and you also want a dependable system that warms up the home on the most freezing days of winter, a dual fuel furnace is a perfect fit. By alternating between gas and oil to heat your home, you will have control over the heating source selection, resulting in lower energy bills. This hybrid system has a heat pump and gas furnace, providing you with the best of both worlds, in terms of efficient heating and cost savings. Thermo Pride, a manufacturer of Hybrid systems and one of the top brands that we carry at Berico Fuels, explains the technology:

“With energy costs rising, homeowners are searching for the most economical solution for their indoor comfort needs when it comes to both heating and cooling. Thermo Pride hybrid heat dual fuel system combines your existing oil furnace with a heat pump to deliver an energy efficient alternative to switching to gas. The dual fuel system is so efficient that the cost to heat with it is less than with any gas furnace available on the market today.

A heat pump works like and air conditioner in warm weather and can reverse the process and heat the home when cold weather arrives. The hybrid heat dual fuel system allows flexibility against unpredictable fuel cost providing flexibility to react to changing energy costs. The system delivers exceptional performance by automatically switching to the most economical heating source depending on the outdoor conditions.”

Natural gas providers have contracts, stating the terms that apply for using dual fuel furnaces. Since there are potential discounts available to dual fuel furnace owners, it is a smart choice for a heating replacement in Greensboro. When it is time to consider replacing an old heating system or buying a new one, the dual fuel furnace offers key features to consider:

• Perfect for climates that experience cold seasons and temperature fluctuations.
• Additional electric heat will not be needed in cold winter months.
• Options are available, such as humidifiers, de-humidifiers and air filtration variations.
• Custom adjustments specifically made for your climate.

If your cold season goes from late October to late February, the dual fuel furnace makes sense because an oil furnace setting will kick in to bring warmer air faster throughout the home on the coldest days, and a lower fan speed natural gas setting on mild days will allow for less energy to be used to warm the home. Your home will be more comfortable during the coldest days, since you can control how the furnace operates depending on the temperature. You will be able to get rid of your space heaters once you have a hybrid system in place, since the overall temperature will be more comfortable in every room of your home. Discounted natural gas rates, more efficient heating and versatility are reasons that dual fuel furnaces are becoming popular choices for homeowners and business owners.

At Berico, we carry a variety of brands for dual fuel furnaces, including Lennox, York, Goodman, Armstrong Air, and Thermo Pride. In Greensboro and Eden, dual fuel furnace installations are done by our certified and trained technicians, who will guide you through the functions of the new hybrid system.

(Source: Fall 2013 Newsletter, www.thermopride.com, 2013)

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