Are you ready to make some green lifestyle changes in 2017? This is a great time to develop new habits that can help you and the environment. Below are simple ideas you can implement in the year ahead that can positively impact the earth and your pocketbook as well. Taking action on these items can make a difference both on our planet and on your budget.

• Carry Reusable Bags for groceries, take-out food, and shopping. Do away with the plastic.
• Go Green when you clean. Start cleaning with natural and non-toxic cleaning products for better health and for the environment. Most anything can be cleaned with white vinegar, baking soda, and a few drops of lemon.
• Slow Down on the road and save $$. In general, for each 5 mph you drive above 50 mph is like paying an additional $0.17 per gallon for gas.
• Take Care of your vehicle. Change the air filter and have the engine tuned up regularly. Inflate tires once a month or as needed. A new air filter can improve your miles per gallon by up to 10% and a tune-up can boost miles per gallon by anywhere from 4% to 40%.
• Re-purpose Coffee Grounds. Spread brewed coffee grounds in your garden, compost, and around shrubs and trees as fertilizer.
• Fix Leaks Immediately. Have any leaky faucets repaired right away, as drips leaking once each second can waste more than 8 gallons of water per day – and more than 3,000 gallons per year.
• Save Energy lowering your thermostat in winter and getting into some warm clothes can make a difference in warmth and energy savings.
  

Call the experts at Marlin Services for your Heating,
Air Conditioning, and Plumbing needs: 602 470-1040.

It’s been a long HOT summer and the temperatures are just starting to cool in Metro Phoenix. As we cool down to the low 100-degrees, it’s time to be thinking about maintenance for your AC system. Our air conditioners have experienced a summer of extreme heat with many hard-hitting thunderstorms and windstorms this season. Thus, a need for cleaning and checking the system so it takes you into the fall and winter season in top-notch condition for maximum efficiency and energy savings.

Marlin’s Maintenance Plan/Protection Plan includes a 16-point tune up which keeps your system operating smoothly and helps to improve the longevity of your AC system.

Marlin’s Protection Plan includes:

• Check thermostat operation
• Clean or replace filter (customer supplied)
• Check system temperature split
• Check freon pressures
• Inspect fused disconnect
• Inspect wiring and tighten electrical connections
• Inspect contactor, relays and pressure contacts
• Inspect electrical safety circuits
• Check voltage and amperage on all motors
• Inspect indoor blower and motor for dirt buildup
• Inspect bearings and lubricate all moving parts (as required)
• Inspect belt and adjust tension (as required)
• Inspect and clean condensate drain
• Inspect outdoor coil
• Inspect duct seal at unit and secure panel
• Explain and document all necessary repairs
• Run and test system

Our basic philosophy when it comes to the care of the most expensive mechanical equipment in your home, which is the air conditioner:

If it’s Running – Maintain it.
If it’s Damaged – Repair it.
If your air conditioner is Broken – Replace it

Marlin Services is here for you 24/7 for your AC and Plumbing services.

Call 602 470-1040.

When it comes to your air conditioning system in and around Phoenix, we all know it can eat your lunch in summer utility bills. The reminders can get redundant, however if you take action and utilize these tips, you can actually save money and energy this summer.

First and foremost, be sure to have regular maintenance performed on your AC equipment 1 to 2 times per year. Regular maintenance on your AC equipment keeps the equipment cleaned up, tuned up and running at its peak for the duration of the summer heat. When the unit is operating smoothly and at the highest levels performance – you experience the most comfort, savings and energy efficiencies. Now doesn’t that sound amazing?

Another performance enhancing activity is to replace the air filter every month. This is one of the easiest ways to help lower the energy consumption of your AC by 5-15%. Additionally, it helps keep the inside air quality cleaner and the home more comfortable year around.

Additional Tips for Air Conditioning Efficiencies and Savings:

• Install a programmable thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat properly can save approximately $180 per year in energy costs.
• Thermostat settings for summer are best set at as high a temperature as is comfortable, and control the inside humidity as best you can. For a lower cooling bill, keep as small a difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures as possible.
• Reduce air conditioning energy use 20-50% by switching to a new high efficiency air conditioner as needed.
• Seal ducts to improve the energy efficiency of your AC system – it can save 20% and even more.
• Keep lamps, TVs and other heat-bearing appliances away from your thermostat.
• Use ceiling fans to cool people – turn fans off when leaving a room. Fans save $$ since an AC costs much more to operate. When using fans raise the thermostat 3-4 degrees, depending on your comfort level.

Remember, for best AC performance, regular maintenance and repair on your AC equipment will clean up and tune up the unit for a season of smooth operations and energy savings.

Be cool and comfortable in your home!

MARLIN SERVICES
We know comfort – We are there for you – 24/7
Call: 602-470-1040

STAY COOL WITH ENERGY-SAVING TIPS
It’s HOT in the Phoenix area and summer is officially upon us in a couple of weeks. Temps have been hovering in the low 100s lately and with these high temperatures we’d like to offer a few reminders for cooling your home and saving as much money as possible. As we crank up the air conditioning at home, keep these energy-saving tips in mind:

• First on the list is to check and replace those clogged and dirty air filters. It’s best to keep the filter changed once per month. This alone can help save AC energy by 5-15%.
• Regular maintenance on your air conditioning system by professional service technicians, like Marlin Services is your best insurance for a well running system throughout the season – and for the longevity of your equipment. Have AC maintenance and repairs completed at the beginning of the season to optimize your summer comfort and smooth equipment operations.
• Use your thermostat efficiently – save energy and money by setting your thermostat for the various times of day and night – adjust it up or down based on times when someone is home or away.
• Thermostat efficiency – consider using a programmable thermostat for ease of control and for best indoor comfort and savings. You can save as much as 10% per year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.
• Be sure to check your thermostat batteries
• Use your ceiling fans for additional air circulation and comfort in your home. Remember, ceiling fans cool people – not rooms. Turn on ceiling fans only when someone is in the room and turn them off upon leaving the room.
• Reduce the amount of humidity inside your home for best cooling efficiencies – use bathroom and kitchen fans as needed.
• Reduce heat from building up in your home on hot days by limiting stove and oven use when possible. Use window coverings to help limit the sun’s heat from entering the home during summer months.
• If your current air conditioner is 10+ years old and acting up often, think about having high efficiency equipment installed – as it can reduce your energy usage by 20-50%.

We hope these reminders help you achieve the highest level of comfort in your home this summer. Enjoy saving cash and energy at the same time.

MARLIN SERVICES
We know comfort – and we are at your service
when you need us – 24/7
Call: 602-470-1040

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 43% of our monthly utility bills goes to heating and air conditioning. We are quickly approaching the warm summer months of Arizona. Which means, we are also approaching the months of our highest utility bills with the usual dread we feel at this time of the year.

What can you do to keep your bill low while staying cool at the same time? Here are some tips for simple steps you can take to help control your utility bill during the summer months:

• Set your programmable thermostat at 78 degrees when you are at home but raise the temperature a few degrees when you are not at home and during the hours you sleep. You can see a 5-15% savings per year.
• During the warm months, skip stove-top or oven cooking to remove an indoor heat source. Use your outdoor BBQ grill or the microwave whenever you can.
• As always, keep your air filters clean by replacing them regularly (once a month is ideal).
• If it’s time to replace your older A/C unit, look for a high-energy-efficiency ratio, or EER, or an Energy Star-qualified unit. Higher EER ratings mean a more efficient air conditioner.
• Run your appliances in the evening. Appliances produce heat, which causes your air conditioner to work harder.
• Only use your ceiling fans when you are home. They circulate the air and are more efficient than your air conditioning, but leaving them running all day while you are not at home does not help cool your home. It only adds to your electric bill.
• Close your drapes and shades during the day when the sun is shining.
• Seal the leaks in your home where cool air may be escaping.
• Clean leaves and debris from the area around your outside unit so that it may run as efficiently as possible.
• Install your air conditioning unit in the shade because it uses more energy when it is in direct sunlight.
• If you are purchasing a new air conditioning system, make sure it is the right size for the space you will be cooling (and heating). A system that is larger than you need will translate into higher utility bills.

As you can see, many of these steps are easy to incorporate into your daily life. These simple steps do not infringe on how comfortable you will be and do not take a tremendous amount of effort.

Stay cool and keep your utility bills low this summer!

For more information on how we can help you save BIG this season, contact us NOW: (602) 470-1040

Connect With Us at Marlin Services

The holiday season is here. We have two more weeks of friends and family coming to visit during the Christmas season and helping to ring in 2015 on New Year’s Eve. There are family dinners and parties still to come. Lots of fun. Lots of people. Lots of time in your home.

Be ready with a well-running heating system. You do not want to have a heating or air conditioning emergency with a full house or in the middle of a holiday party.

Here are some things to be aware of, which will help keep things running smoothly:

• Regular Maintenance Check-Up – If you haven’t done so already, call Marlin Services for your regular preventive maintenance and inspection of your heating system to make sure it is in good working order.
• Replace Your Furnace Filters – As we always say, replace your filters each month. This will allow your furnace to breathe easier which helps the system work most efficiently.

• Dust – By dusting, there will be less dust particles traveling through your home’s ductwork and spreading throughout your home. Be sure to wipe all exposed surfaces with a dry rag.
• Set Your Programmable Thermostat – Turn down your heat during times that you are not at home (like during the work and school day) and while you are sleeping at night. During times you are at home and awake, set the temperature back up to comfortable level.

• Open and Unblock All Heating Vents – Be sure all heating vents are open and unobstructed by furniture, gift boxes, and Christmas trees and decorations for example.
• Check for Leaks – Check all areas that are known for leaks in homes. You want to check around all doors and windows to see if you feel a draft. Also check electric wall plugs and switches. All can allow cold air into your home. Weather-stripping, caulk and pre-cut foam gaskets for switch plates will all help prevent leaks.
• Turn the Heat Down – With the oven and stove going “overtime” during the holidays, take advantage of the heat generated in your home during this time. No need to run unnecessary heat if you can avoid it.

These are simple steps and can make a big difference in your holidays and keep your family time and friend’s time worry-free.

For more information on how we can help you save BIG this season, contact us NOW: (602) 470-1040

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In the summer, you do all you can to stay cool in the hot summer days of Arizona. In the fall and winter, even though we do not get bone-chilling cold days like the east coast and mid-west, you still want to get the most out of your HVAC system (air conditioner in the warm weather and furnace in the colder weather). You want to save energy and be sure the heat is not getting out, causing your utility bills to skyrocket. There are simple things you can do to stay warm and save energy:

• Install a programmable thermostat – If you haven’t done so already, consider a programmable thermostat. As you do in the summer, you can control the temperature in your house by reducing the energy usage during the daytime hours, while your home is empty during school and work time.
• Replace your filters each month – As you do in the summer months, clean air filters will allow your heating system to work well, as efficiently as possible and even help extend the life of your system. With an efficient system, this will help you save money on monthly utility bills.
• Schedule your bi-annual preventive maintenance servicing – A great time to do your preventive maintenance servicing is when the weather is not too hot or too cold, so that you prevent issues that may arise. You don’t want to be forced to call your HVAC professional in the 100+ degree weather or, conversely, on the coldest day of the year.
• Seal air leaks – You want to be sure no heat is escaping through windows, doors or at the base of doorways.
• Keep curtains and shades open during the day – And close them at night. Take advantage of the natural sunshine during daytime hours when you have the thermostat set for minimal heat.
• Change thermostat batteries – The change of seasons (fall and spring) are a great time to change the batteries in the thermostat to be sure they are operating properly.

As you can see, these steps outlined above are simple. They can make a difference in your comfort at home.

For more information on how we can help you save BIG this season, contact us NOW: (602) 470-1040

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Technology for your comfort control has exploded in leaps and bounds. Today – you can control your thermostat when you are away from your house and save money and energy, in the process.

Here is a fun picture of Honeywell Thermostat technology.

                             1953                                                                  Today
         

When the Honeywell Round was introduced, it was a very basic thermostat. You set the temperature you want, for your comfort, and to change it you need to manually change the temperature. Over the years there were clocks installed, then a digital clock and eventually programmable timers to control the temperatures in your home.

Check out this link for the very interesting timeline of the technology:
http://lyric.honeywell.com/innovation/

Today, with the Honeywell Lyric Thermostat, you can control the temperature in your home, even when you are not at home. This translates into savings of both money and energy. The Lyric is an app-based technology using a WiFi connection. Also using geofencing technology, which means the thermostat can detect the location of your smartphone so that when you are away from your home, the temperature will adjust to an “away from home” temperature that you have programmed. Alternatively, when you are getting close to returning home, based on your location and the geofencing technology, the temperature will be adjusted accordingly to the “at home” temperature you have programmed. When you have a changing schedule (like after-work commitments) your thermostat will know that you are not home or near home. There will be no automatic 7:00pm change in temperature because that is what you have set as the time you return home every day.

This is innovative and just very cool technology. One of the features takes into consideration the humidity and temperature to be sure your desired temperature is met and it feels the same, inside your home, every time. You can also receive alerts for upcoming filter changes or extreme temperatures.

For additional information, check out these links:
http://yourhome.honeywell.com/home/Products/Thermostats/7-Day-Programmable/Lyric.htm

http://youtu.be/r-0BShbQlSM

http://youtu.be/spu8KZvWxGw

http://lyric.honeywell.com/getting-started/

If you’d like to find out more about this thermostat and technology, do not hesitate to give us a call at Marlin Services. Now is a perfect time to get one of these innovative thermostats installed.

For more information on how we can help you save BIG this season, contact us NOW: (602) 470-1040

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We have been speaking about the benefits of using a programmable thermostat for a while now. It just makes good sense to help control the temperature in your house when you and your family are there and also, when you are not at home. Not only can you save energy, you can save money on your utility bills during these very hot summer months and throughout the year.

There are a variety of great programmable thermostats on the market – from products with simple, basic features at the low end, to the capability of controlling your thermostat remotely. Think of how many times in the past, you left the house and realized that you never adjusted the thermostat to a higher temperature when no one is home. Now you can make those changes remotely through your phone, tablet or computer, with some models of thermostats.

Honeywell has taken it one step further with voice recognition cloud technology. You can change the temperature of your home, through simple voice commands. Even in a busy household, their advanced technology can break through the ambient noise and recognize the voice commands.

This voice control thermostat is a combination of their advanced voice recognition technology and their Smart WiFi technology. This makes staying comfortable year round easier than ever, with saving money top of mind.

It’s easy to use. Check out the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAPnUbrZBaA

Go to the Honeywell website to see all the features of the Voice Control Thermostat and learn all about it:
http://www.honeywellstore.com/store/products/wi-fi-smart-thermostat-with-voice-rth9590wf1003u.htm

If you have any questions, give us a call and we can surely help you make the right decision on the best thermostat for your family.

For more information on how we can help you save BIG this season, contact us NOW: (602) 470-1040

Connect With Us at Marlin Services

A programmable thermostat is such a great tool to have in your home to help you control the temperature in your house, at all times of the day. Especially now, as we approach the 100+ degree weather for the next several months, you want (and need) a “smart” thermostat to help you control your temperature and budget your costs. None of us look forward to the high summer energy bills we receive and a programmable thermostat can help you lower your bills.

Check out this fun, interactive site from ENERGY STAR which gives you a step-by-step tutorial on how to program your thermostat. If you are unsure how to operate a programmable thermostat, this is a great start to learn about it.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=thermostats.progThermostat

Here are some important things to remember with a programmable thermostat:

• Setting the temperature very high (like 90 or 95) and setting it very low (like 40 or 50) will not help cool or warm your home any quicker than using a more moderate temperature.
• Remember to change the batteries. You may need to check if your thermostat has a battery indicator. If not, change the battery at the same time you change your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (at the Daylight Savings time in the spring and in the fall).
• Set your energy-saving settings for long periods of time (for example – 8 hours) during the day and during bed/sleep time. Consistent temperatures for longer periods of time, is best.
• During vacation, set the temperature at a constant temperature throughout the entire period of time you are away from your home.
• If you have a home with zoned heating and cooling, install a programmable thermostat in each zone. This is the best way to take advantage of maximum comfort and energy savings.
• Try to resist overriding your temperature settings. You set them for a reason and to help you save money. When you override them, it likely will contribute to a higher energy bill.

There are many great choices for programmable thermostats. Get started on the best comfort in your home and the lowest energy bills you have ever received. Marlin Services can help you determine what is best for your home and answer any questions you may have.

Stay cool and comfortable!

For more information on how we can help you save BIG this season, contact us NOW: (602) 470-1040

Connect With Us at Marlin Services