Denver Energy Challenge Kicks Off

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How do Supercoolers compare to Traditional Air Conditioning?

Okay, I know your last question. How do these supercoolers compare to air conditioning? Air conditioning is a great way to cool your home, but keep in mind that, in order to get the house as cool as an appropriately sized supercooler, you will need a really big air conditioner. Because Colorado is so dry, the climate isn't as conducive to air conditioning as places in the east. In fact, the design standard for Colorado is 75 degrees inside at 91 outside. That's only 16 degrees difference. I had a supercooler customer who told us that last year he dropped his house temperature 33 degrees! No kidding. Since it's generally very dry here in our state (we do live in a desert after all!), coolers can be very effective. And supercoolers are the most effective of all. Another problem is that many homes were built years ago before duct work was designed for central air volume. Many homes with central forced air heating systems have inadequate return upstairs, and that's where return is critical to remove the heat. I have heard many stories of people who spent lots of money on central air to retrofit an older system only to find that the upstairs is still unbearable. That can certainly be a letdown. Coolers usually start upstairs, so that's where the cool air originates, not in a basement. And what about the homes that have hot water heat? Out of luck? Nope. Supercoolers to the rescue again. Coolers use their own duct systems, so there's no problem there.
Our company has been installing both central air conditioning and supercoolers for many years, and I can safely say that, from a maintenance standpoint as well as cost of operation (coolers cost about one-fifth of what an air conditioner costs to operate), my happiest customers are those with supercoolers.

"My family LOVES the OASys. Our entire house stays cool and comfortable even on Boulder’s scorching summer days. It’s aptly named — the cool breeze, combined with a little extra moisture in the air, makes my home feel like an ocean oasis! I can’t speak highly enough of the system or Dave’s exemplary service."

Kim Master, Green Building Consultant

Boulder, CO

Supercoolers: How They Work

Q: When is a swamp cooler not a swamp cooler?
A: When it's a SUPERCOOLER!
What is a "supercooler", you ask? Well, the principal is the same as a swamp cooler, but with much better results. Even though supercoolers are priced similarly to standard coolers, the architecture is much different and far superior. Developed originally for people who have allergies and cannot be breathing excessive pollution, the Cel-dek7 pads are much better at keeping pollution out of the building. That coupled with the fact the polymer cellulose construction of these pads is inorganic and doesn't promote the growth of molds and mildew, a major cause of allergies and breathing disorders. It can no longer be said that coolers are much more pollutant than central air conditioning. Fact is, everyone loves the air here in Colorado. Why not bring it in from the outside when it can be filtered and cooled all at the same time? With standard coolers, the pads will break down after just a few months and the air will turn hot along with all that nasty swamp smell. Supercooler pads last up to 10 years, and usually only need cleaning every few years. Also the Cel-dek7 pads are so much more efficient than "aspen pads" (almost 40% more efficient!), that they deliver cooler air than a standard cooler by as much as 10 degrees.
The second major difference between a supercooler and a swamp cooler is that a supercooler only brings air in one side. That's the side the pad is on. Since there is only one inlet, there is a much wider range of locations in which they can be installed. For example, supercoolers can be installed inside attics, provided the space is big enough. Because there is only one side that is actually exposed, this protects the cooler better, provides better ease of maintenance in many cases and eliminates the unsightly roof mount that is unacceptable in many covenant-controlled communities. Try that with a standard cooler and you really will have a swamp on your hands- one in your attic! Supercoolers are much lower in profile as well, so even if you do install it on your roof it's much easier to hide it.
Finally, Most of the supercoolers made have a tough plastic pan in them, so nothing metal inside the cooler ever touches water. They have separate wet and dry sections so the fan and motor stay dry and the pads stay wet. The separation of the two sections also creates a better sound insulator, so one of the questions I hear constantly is "Is this thing running?" That is, until the customer goes inside and feels the cool air. Then there's no doubt!

What people are saying about our unique furnace conversions:

"We were looking at a huge space and energy-consuming boiler. When Dave told us about Tankless Furnace Conversions, I was quite skeptical. Now that I have one, I can't see how I could have done it any other way. The unit takes up no space, and we were able to extend my wife's sewing room because of it. My energy bills are down and my house is more comfortable than it has ever been!"
Mike Smith, Denver

"Just a short note to express our appreciation and thanks for the conversion of our home from all-electric to gas heating and hot water. Your installers are friendly and courteous, and do a professional job. They really seem to care. It is also nice to have someone in our home that is relatively neat and tidy, leaving things the way they found them. Thanks again."

Jeff and Rebecca Sahr, Littleton 
 

"We were impressed by how smoothly the whole job went, start to finish. We were prepared for the normal problems involved in home improvement, but happy to say that just didn't occur. Our daily routine was disrupted hardly at all, and they completed the job in a timely fashion. The finish work was top notch. Everything looked beautiful, and even better than before. And we finally have a comfortable home! We offer nothing but THANKS for a job well done." 

Gary Reininger, Morrison

Integrated Heating Systems: Details of How They Work

Everything's getting smaller. Cars today have tiny engines that rival the big Detroit V-8's when I was growing up. Computers have gone from roughly the size of a planet to something that fits in your shirt pocket. Heating systems are no exception.
Furnaces are smaller now than they ever where in the 50's and 60's. Problem is, most of them are still less efficient than they could be. What's more, in order to get one of the newer, more efficient furnaces, you have to remove the old furnace. What is a furnace, anyway? It's nothing more than a fan, a cabinet and a source of heat. Most of the time, that source is flame. Produced by oil or gas, it's still a flame. Flames dry the air and have potential problems, like CO emissions. Since your furnace is just a fan with a box in it, why not keep it? There is a way to convert it. Using new technology in Tankless water heaters, you can simply install a hot water coil inside your existing duct system, add a small pump module, disable the gas and vent and voila! You have a forced air furnace that is less dry, puts out more heat, is considerably more efficient and will never poison you or need to be replaced! Of course, you may need to install a new motor at some point, but that's a pretty inexpensive repair. The bottom line is that you are now heating your home and your hot water with one appliance. And that appliance is 87% efficient. As the temperature of the return water increases, the tankless unit will simply modulate down, only heating the water as necessary to keep your house warm.
Oddly enough, this is not a new concept. Integrated systems are in almost every office building in the world. Many use smaller point-of-use fan coils to heat individual rooms or offices, fired off a central boiler. America is finally waking up to more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly ways to heat. Why throw your old furnace in the landfill, when you have a perfectly good box with a fan in it! All you need is the right Tankless system. Since you also get unlimited hot water at the same time, you have all the bases covered for a much lower price than replacing your furnace. More and more homeowners are seeing the advantages to making better use of what they already have. The future lies in conservation of our resources. Here's one huge way to do that and put money in your pocket at the same time. I think that's a win-win!