How Healthy is Your Air Conditioning Unit? 4 Ways to Find Out

As homeowners, we are responsible for maintaining a comfortable and safe space for our loved ones. While good cleaning habits and routine upkeep go a long way, don’t forget that the less-visible features of your house also need attention. Your air conditioning system is responsible for filtering and circulating the air your family breathes, and if it’s not functioning properly, it can pose significant health risks. But don’t panic; evaluating the condition of your home’s system is relatively simple.

Get to Know Your Air Conditioning System

As a first step, identify your AC unit’s make and age. A system’s age is important: The U.S. Department of Energy recommends replacing units every 10 years for maximum energy efficiency. But older systems are also more likely to develop leaks and accumulate contaminants like mold and mildew. Left unchecked, circulating particles of mold can activate allergies and irritate delicate membranes in the nose and ears, even to the point of bleeding. If more than one of your family members start to develop a cough this summer, an elderly air conditioning system may be to blame.

Pay Attention to the Refrigerant

Innovations in air conditioning technology mean safer and more efficient solutions for your home, but you’re responsible for making sure your installation is up to snuff. In recent years, manufacturers have begun to replace certain industrial refrigerants with less hazardous, more environmentally-friendly alternatives, and the United States has restricted the import of certain chemical compounds altogether.

Check the informational label on the outside of your compressor — older refrigerants will be identified with names like “HCFC-2” or “R-22”. Certified technicians must replace outdated systems with newer installations, but the upgrade is safer as well as more cost-efficient.

Check Your Filters Regularly

Image via Flickr by Ivy Dawned

Your unit may use disposable or washable air filters, but in either case, they must be changed on a regular basis. Set a schedule and stick to it. Dirty filters and unclean ductwork not only inhibit the circulation of air inside the home, they can also let in dangerous pesticides and allergens from the outdoors. Poorly-circulated, polluted air negatively impacts everyone in the house, including pets, but can be a downright health risk for young children, the elderly, and anyone with underlying respiratory issues (such as asthma.)

Preventative Maintenance Is a Must

Don’t make the mistake of waiting for your system to become a problem: Get professional eyes on your system early. Although homeowners can check some aspects of their HVAC unit on their own, all air conditioning installations require regular maintenance and evaluation by licensed repairmen. A good certified technician will look at your system’s ductwork, electrical wiring, compressor operation, and circuit boards, among other components. They should also carry out a thorough and detailed cleaning and perform repairs where necessary. A reliable annual service plan ensures that issues with your system are identified before your family’s health gets involved.

When it comes to the air your family breathes, routine observation and maintenance can mean the prevention of everything from headaches and fatigue to serious upper respiratory infections. Using these four simple steps as a guide, become familiar with your air conditioning system, its components, and a trustworthy technician; the return in air quality, comfort, and savings is more than worth it.

Hard Cover Books Still Preferred but eBooks on the Rise

Students Embrace Rentals but Missing Opportunity to Earn Cash with Book Buyback Programs

According to new data released today by Campusbooks.com, the top textbook price comparison website that tracks eight million college textbooks, the average price of textbooks decreased by more than $10 from January 2017 to January 2018. This is the first sign of depreciation in years. It’s been reported that average cost of college textbooks has risen four times faster than the rate of inflation over the past 10 years.

CampusBooks data also revealed that college students may be living entirely digital lifestyles but they aren’t willing to go completely paperless especially when it comes to textbooks. Students are still buying hard books and are exploring other options in order to save a few bucks including rentals. Used book sales represent an average of 45 percent of all sales from 2016 through 2018 with new books only accounting for 30 percent. Rentals, which have seen a significant rise, are close to 20 percent – demonstrating that having a book in the hand is still the preferred choice for college students.

The data shows that eBook sales have increased by more than 37 percent since 2016 but only account for an extremely small portion (2%) of overall sales. While textbook rentals are on the rise, it is still used and new books that reign. Rentals are the lowest cost option for most students and often the fastest alternative but do not provide options for students to buy and/or sell back copies for extra cash, which in today’s growing college debt community, is a missed opportunity. eBooks are an emergent option but they are the most expensive option and studies continue to support print as better for comprehension and retention.

“The sign of college textbook decreasing runs counter to the 20 year narrative of staggering price increases, which will be beneficial to those strapped with large student loans,” said Alex Neal, CEO of CampusBooks. “Students may be completely digital these days – growing up on tablets and smartphones – but when it comes to the college classroom, hard back books still represent the best value and learning tool. One surprising data point is that students aren’t looking at ways to put cash back in their pocket with textbook buy-back programs. Rentals might be the cheapest but they don’t help pay off student loans.”

CampusBook’s data also shows there were over 20,000 profitable books in the Spring 2018 semester and over 10,000 in the Fall 2017 semester. To help students save money, break-even or profit, CampusBooks developed “Buy vs. Rent,” a free patent-pending price prediction tool, an industry first, that helps students decide with confidence whether they should buy or rent based on current price and future estimated value.

The data is based on CampusBooks textbook sales from August 2016 (fall semester) to January 2018 (spring semester). During that time over 60,000 students visited CampusBooks to research and compare prices about textbook options.

About Campusbooks

CampusBooks.com carries over eight million new and used college textbooks in one convenient location. The online resource searches thousands of sellers and compares prices on new and used books, rentals and eBooks for students. For more information, visit www.campusbooks.com.

About Buy vs. Rent

CampusBooks developed “Buy vs. Rent,” a free patent-pending tool that is the first in the industry to provide students with detailed information that includes:

· Side-by-Side Price Comparison: The site compares prices of buying and renting including the price of the book, buyback price, condition of the book and rental cost for the same book side by side to help buyers decide to rent or purchase a textbook.

· Historic Buyback Prices: Based on the book’s serial number, the buyback tool shows the price of the book day by day through a linear chart to further help determine if purchasing a book is going to make a profit, breakeven or depreciate. See below for an example.

· Purchasing Questionnaire: CampusBooks.com personalizes the book buying experience by asking questions to help buyers make smart decisions based on their individual needs for the textbook.

· CampusBooks.com Recommendation: Using past sale trends, CampusBooks.com compares prices for every book for the buyer and suggests the best option to ensure the quickest and most cost efficient purchase along with a confidence rating of the purchase.

For homeschooling families, each day comes with a unique set of opportunities and challenges. In most cases, the challenges come from outside the realm of education. From finding quiet time for yourself and your child to managing your home and social life, it can certainly be an uphill battle to stay focused on your goals.

Here are a few things that homeschooling families should consider to make sure everyone finds a positive life balance.

Image via Flickr by IowaPolitics.com

Manage Your Busy Schedule

Being your child’s teacher, coach, driver, and parent is a full-time job, but what about all of life’s other tasks? Finding ways to manage your schedule and reducing stress is key to providing a sustainable homeschooling environment. 

Set a structure for your curricula ahead of time. While most public school students attend classes for six hours or more each day, a homeschooled child receives more focused attention. This means that each day is different, and so some states also allow fewer daily hours. As your child ages, online courses and independent learning can free up additional time.

Setting schedules and expectations early and often helps create a consistent and fulfilling experience for both you and your child.

Keep Your Home Clean

Naturally, homeschooling families spend a great deal more time within their own four walls. This additional time at home brings added traffic, dust, rubbish, and an increased use of appliances. It’s easy to see how clutter can get out of hand. What most don’t consider is the additional exposure that homeschool families have to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are found in ordinary household cleaners. These harmful contaminants can cause respiratory health issues, particularly during prolonged exposure.

To more safely manage your home cleaning, keep a visible calendar or chore chart to make sure that all areas of the home get cleaned regularly. Create daily and weekly checklists for each member of your household so that everyone is helping out. You can reduce your exposure to VOCs by eliminating aerosol or spray cleaners and by having an HVAC expert install air handlers to deliver clean air into your home and remove the pollutants.

Don’t Forget to Socialize

Homeschooling provides an incredible opportunity to focus on your child’s education and life experiences, but you must also find time for your child to socialize. There are many places that provide safe social environments for your child to interact with others, including local homeschooling groups, extracurricular activities offered by your school district, libraries, and parks. These outings not only stimulate your child in new and creative ways that the home classroom may not provide, but it also allows you the opportunity to meet new people and share thoughts and experiences with other homeschooling families.

Instead of overwhelming your family and your schedule, look to double your efforts by combining chores and errands with social outings. Visit the grocery store and work on a budgeting lesson with your child. This venue is a great place to socialize with members of your community, and you can tackle that grocery list at the same time. 

Homeschooling can be a blessing for both child and parent. Taking the time to create a healthy, schedule that benefits your entire family gives you the best opportunity to be successful.