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Archive for August, 2014

The Very First Labor Day Celebration

Friday, August 29th, 2014

Labor Day as a federal holiday, held on the first Monday of September, has been with us now for 120 years. President Grover Cleveland signed the law that made Labor Day a national holiday in 1894. Ever since then, the three-day weekend has provided people in the U.S. with the opportunity for vacations, time with their families, shopping trips, and a general celebration of the conclusion of summer and the beginning of fall.

However, there were twelve years of Labor Day observations in the U.S. before it became an official holiday. The first Labor Day celebration took place in 1882 in New York City on September 5. According to the accounts from the time, it had a rough start and almost didn’t happen.

The main event planned for that first Labor Day was a parade along Broadway that was to start at City Hall. However, the parade ran into a bit of a snag early on. The marchers started to line up for the procession around 9 a.m., with a police escort to make sure the event went peacefully. However, the problem of the day wasn’t rowdy members of the parade—it was that nobody had remembered to bring a band!

With people ready to march, but no music to march to, it started to look like no parade would happen at all, and the first Labor Day would have ended up a failure. But just in time, Matthew Maguire of the Central Labor Union—one of the two men who first proposed the celebration—ran across the City Hall lawn to the Grand Marshal of the parade, William McCabe, to inform him that 200 men from the Jeweler’s Union of Newark were crossing the ferry to Manhattan… and they had a band!

At 10 a.m., only an hour late, the band from Newark walked down Broadway playing a number from a popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera. They passed McCabe and the other 700 marchers, who then fell in line behind them. Soon, the spectators joined in, and an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 people marched through Lower Manhattan.

According to the New York Times, “The windows and roofs and even the lamp posts and awning frames were occupied by persons anxious to get a good view of the first parade in New York of workingmen of all trades united in one organization.”

The parade concluded two hours later when the marchers reached Reservoir Park. But the party was only getting started. Until 9 p.m., some 25,000 people celebrated with picnics and speeches and beer kegs. It was an enormous success, and all thanks to the speedy arrival of jewelers carrying band instruments.

If those musicians from Newark hadn’t shown up, perhaps we wouldn’t have the holiday opportunity that we now have every year. However you celebrate your Labor Day, our family at Roznovak wishes your family a happy end of summer.

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Common Air Conditioning Repairs at the End of Summer

Friday, August 22nd, 2014

At the end of summer, you may be surprised if your air conditioner suddenly needs repair. However, your air conditioner runs for long periods of time all summer long, so a lot of air conditioners may run into trouble towards the end. Though you may be unsure whether your air conditioning repair need can wait until the next cooling season, it’s important to get problems fixed as soon as possible. Your air conditioner works hard to compensate when one component of your system is not working properly, and if you wait too long, other components may begin to fail, leading to the need for new air conditioning installation. If you encounter any repair needs, such as the common ones included in this guide, be sure to call for AC repair as soon as possible.

  • Frozen Evaporator Coil: Even in the heat of summer, your air conditioner can freeze up. The inside portion of your AC contains the evaporator coil, which allows refrigerant to evaporate and absorb heat from the air in your home. But if a problem causes reduced airflow to this coil, it may become too cold, causing an icy buildup to form on the outside of the coil.
  • Low Refrigerant: Another problem air conditioners may run into is low refrigerant. Refrigerant cycles through your home to absorb and release heat, but it should never dissipate. Refrigerant may be low if your technician measured it out incorrectly during installation. However, at the end of summer, low refrigerant may indicate a serious leak.
  • Damaged Compressor: The compressor is one of the most important components of your air conditioner. Refrigerant leaves the compressor as a high-pressure gas so that it can move through the rest of the system. Compressor damage may lead to the need for major repairs or even new air conditioning installation. Anytime you notice signs of problems, you should call for repairs right away. These signs include limited cooling and loud noises from the outdoor unit of your AC.

If you run into any of these repair needs, or if you decide you need a new air conditioning installation in Round Rock, TX, don’t wait until the end of summer to call the technicians at Roznovak.

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Why Consider Geothermal Cooling?

Friday, August 15th, 2014

Effective geothermal cooling was once only available to a few homes, but advances in technology have made it a possibility for numerous homeowners today. The advantages that a geothermal heat pump can offer should place them near the top of anyone’s list for a new home comfort system.

If you think that geothermal heating and cooling is out of your reach, you might be surprised at what you find out when you contact one of the Austin, TX air conditioner, heater, and heat pump experts at Roznovak. We provide extensive services for geothermal systems and have worked in home comfort services since 1979. You can trust to our expertise when you think it’s time to investigate the possibilities for cooling down your home through geothermal energy.

Why Geothermal Heat Pumps Are a Good Idea

  • Reliability: Geothermal systems operate on the basic principle that the temperature of the Earth remains stable 10 feet below the frost line. Regardless of the weather conditions above ground, the temperature at this depth hovers around 55°F. Unlike air-source heat pumps, which can lose efficiency due to extreme temperatures outside, a geothermal heat pump always has access to a sufficient amount of heat for both cooling and heating purposes. You won’t have to worry about a geothermal system struggling during a heat wave or a cold snap.
  • Energy efficiency: Studies conducted by the U.S. EPA have found that, thanks to the steady temperature of the Earth, geothermal heating and cooling systems work 4–6 times more energy-efficiently than standard heat pumps. Although geothermal systems cost more to install, they will rapidly return that extra cost with their energy savings. The EPA estimates that most geothermal systems will payback their initial installation price tag in 5–10 years.
  • Longevity: Few comfort systems will last as long as a geothermal heat pump. The indoor elements (the standard heat pump components) will endure for more than 20 years. The ground loops (the most expensive and difficult component to install) can last for more than 50 years! This means you will have many years to enjoy the energy savings after the payback period.
  • Heating and cooling: Since geothermal systems are heat pumps, they offer a two-in-one comfort solution for a house. You have an effective (and safe) heating system during the winter, and an air conditioning system during the summer that can match the cooling power of any comparably-sized standard AC.

Call To Find Out More

Geothermal heat pumps will not work for every home and property: space limitations and soil conditions can make them impractical in certain situations. It’s easy to find out if your home is ready for geothermal installation, however: contact Roznovak, and we will send out a geothermal specialist to survey your land and find out that best way to give you the power of a heater and an air conditioner in Austin, TX through the natural energy of the Earth.

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Your Air Conditioning Installation Options in Austin, TX

Friday, August 8th, 2014

Has the time come to upgrade your AC? Are you having difficult figuring out what type of air conditioner would work best in your Austin, TX home? Would you like a blend of power and efficiency? When considering your air conditioning installation options for your home or workspace, it’s important that you hire a professional to assist you from the get-go. One of the most important steps in any AC installation is the system selection. Basically, you need to make certain that the BTU output of your cooling system matches your living space so that your system can operate the way it is intended. Additionally, you need to consider your budget and cooling preferences.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular cooling options available: central air units, heat pumps and ductless air conditioners.

  • Central air units. It’s not without good reasons that central air units remain the most popular type of cooling system in the country. They are highly powerful, cost-effective and their efficiency continues to increase as the technology develops. The central air split is so-called because it has an indoor and outdoor unit as well as ductwork installed throughout your living space. Whether you’re looking for a powerhouse or you’re on a strict budget, a central air unit may be right for your home.
  • Heat pumps. You might be hard-pressed to differentiate a heat pump from a central air unit on looks alone. They have an indoor and outdoor unit, and they utilize the same refrigerant cycle that most cooling systems do. The one major difference between heat pumps and central air units is that the former can heat as well as cool your home. If energy efficiency is important to you, a heat pump makes for a great option.
  • Ductless air conditioning. As its name suggests, a ductless air conditioning system, also known as a ductless mini split, does not require ductwork in order to function. Instead of a centralized indoor air handler connected to a network of ducts, it uses multiple indoor air handlers installed within the living space itself. These blowers deliver cooling (as well as heating) to the various areas of your home.

Let us help you make a great decision when it comes to your AC installation. Call Roznovak’s Services today to schedule professional air conditioning installation in Austin, TX.

 

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