Excessive air leakage allows your conditioned air to escape from your home. FLC recommends sealing these leaks to keep your conditioned air inside and the outdoor air outside. You’re paying to condition the air; you ought to keep it where you use it! Sealing air-leaks also cuts down on the movement of moisture vapor around your home, resulting in a more durable, healthy home.

Did you know that many homes built before 1974 have no insulation in them? That’s right, none! What’s more, homes built after ‘74 are often poorly insulated, or wear and tear over time has led reduced performance. When insulation has been installed properly it provides for a much more comfortable home. Not only will you have more even temperatures throughout the home, but it will be much quieter too. Oh, did we mention that it will be cheaper to heat and cool?

For anyone who has been down in their crawlspace, you probably know it’s not the most enjoyable area of your home. If you have moisture issues, strange smells, or if your heating and air-conditioning equipment runs through the crawlspace, encapsulation could be a good fix for you. Crawlspace encapsulation turns that wet, muggy and pest filled area into a place you could almost sit back and relax in. In fact, some people have been known to use their encapsulated crawlspaces as wine cellars (Some even have wine tastings down there!). An encapsulated crawlspace can also help with allergies and other health issues.

Your heating and A/C’s distribution system, or “duct work” is what moves conditioned air throughout the different rooms of your house. The typical home in the United States has duct leaks up to as much as 40%! (Do you have vents in your house that don’t seem to blow out any air?) After we test your duct system to determine its leakage, we might recommend sealing and/or insulating the distribution system. Sometimes when the system is in really bad shape, we might recommend replacing it all together. Remember, duct leakage can lead to high utility bills, comfort issues, even moisture and mold problems. If your home has a crawlspace and your duct system runs through it, MAKE SURE IT IS SEALED!

If your HVAC equipment is over 10 years old, FLC will likely recommend its replacement with a new ENERGY STAR certified unit that’s sized appropriately to your house. These new ENERGY STAR units cost less to operate and they keep your home comfortable. If your system constantly turns on and off (short-cycles), you’re spending money each time it runs. Short-cycling is often caused my improperly sized systems. Improperly sized HVAC systems lead to comfort issues caused by humidity and dwindling bank accounts.

FLC runs combustion safety tests on all the equipment in your home using combustibles (oil, gas and propane). We verify the equipment is operating and venting properly, plus we make sure there are no problems with deadly Carbon Monoxide. But please remember, if you have equipment in your home using oil, gas or propane, YOU NEED A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR!

We may recommend the replacement of outdated refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, clothes-washers, dryers, window air-conditioners and energy wasting light-bulbs. New ENERGY STAR equipment is quiet, aesthetically pleasing and super-efficient!