Cool, Dark and Sideways: Helpful Pointers on Wine Storage

Posted on January 11, 2012

Check out this great wine cooler infographic that represents the ideal temperature range your wines should be at.
It helps explains how to properly store your wine in your household, and or professionally in a wine cellar. In these economic times, having a tight budget but finding quality products are hard to find, but there will always be a perfect match for what someone wants.

Check out our wine cooler selection on air-n-water.com! We have a variety of wine cooler sizes, types, and bottle capacity so help yourself and browse to your liking and we hope you find something you like!

Basics of Wine Coolers and Storage

Don’t forget to leave us a comment on your quiz results on how wine savvy you are! Wine Lover or not, the quiz will help you understand which wine cooler is best suited for you!

What is BTU?

Posted on November 23, 2011

Cooling and heating companies like to throw around specifications like voltage, square feet, and air flow to show you why their products are the most powerful, efficient, and perfect for you. While these all help you figure out which heater or a/c is right for you, there’s something else often mentioned that may be a little more mysterious: BTU.

What, exactly, is a BTU? It’s clearly some sort of measurement of power, but unless you’re an HVAC specialist, chances are BTU isn’t something you’re super familiar with.

BTU is actually a very useful way to compare the heating and cooling power between two similar units.

BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and is a measurement of heat energy. More specifically, one BTU corresponds to the amount of thermal energy it takes to heat one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. One BTU is also equal to 252 heat calories and about 1/3 of watt-hour.

BTU is used as a measurement for both heating and cooling systems. For heaters it describes the amount of thermal energy added to an area, and for air conditioners BTU refers to the amount of removed from the area. A heater and air conditioner with the same BTU are generally the same size and capacity. The higher the BTU, the more powerful the heating or cooling unit is.

Since BTU measures in Fahrenheit, you may have already guessed that BTU is only used unofficially in Great Britain nowadays – it’s clearly not a metric measurement. BTU is used to describe thermal output in the North America, but when shopping around for a unit a BTU is probably most useful as a gauge of performance between two similarly priced units. In other words, you won’t be using BTUs as the sole indicator of how a unit will operate.

Even the smallest, most portable heating and cooling units will produce thousands of BTUs. A 1500 watt heater produces about 5100 BTU and heats an area of about 150 square feet.

For cooling systems, here’s a simple chart:

To cool this many square feet….	Look for a unit with this many BTUs…
100 to 150 sq. ft.	5000 BTU
150 to 250 sq. ft.	6000 BTU
300 to 350 sq. ft.	10,000 BTU
350 to 400 sq. ft.	12,000 BTU
400 to 450 sq. ft.	14,000 BTU
450 to 550 sq. ft.	15,000 BTU

Keep in mind that how many BTUs you’ll want in a unit varies by the condition of the room you’re trying to heat or cool. Insulation, shade/sun, use and other factors may affect how efficiently something will work in your home.

That’s what a BTU is in a nutshell! What do you look for when shopping for your heating or cooling unit?

Energy Star’s "Most Efficient" Label

Posted on September 13, 2011

A couple weeks ago we told you that Energy Star appliances were definitely worth whatever extra cost they added to an appliance. But nowadays so many appliances seem Energy Star efficient that it takes more effort to find one that isn’t, among all the ones that are.

In October 2010, the EPA stated, “We believe the Energy Star program has sought to maximize the number of qualified products available at the expense of identifying products and practices that maximize energy efficiency.”

So then, how do you separate what is actually most efficient from all the products that claim to be energy-efficient?

In an effort to stay relevant, Energy Star recently began a Most Efficient program, which will operate on a pilot basis through 2011. The program names a limited number of top-performers for various appliance categories, including washers, heaters, cooling systems, televisions and refrigerators/freezers.For the fall, the EPA has updated existing standards and will consider adding new categories. Generally, only the top 5% of energy-efficient products will win the honor of Most Efficient.

Most Efficient products, according to the EPA, “must demonstrate efficiency performance that is truly exceptional, inspirational or leading-edge — consistent with the interests of environmentally motivated consumers and early adopters.”

Energy Star hopes this new program will encourage innovation among manufacturers, in addition to helping consumers.

Previously manufacturers could certify their own products as Energy Star appliances, but now all Energy Star Most Efficient products are tested in EPA-recognized testing laboratories.

Energy Star’s 3.0 specifications became effective September 1st.

If buying all new appliances, however, isn’t in your budget, here are some tips from Consumer Reports on what to focus on the most:

1. Even though appliances are more efficient, we’re using more electronics, which offsets those gains. Be sure to set your computers to hibernate when you’re not using them, and replace your current cable set-top box with an Energy Star 3.0 efficient one. Also try getting a whole-house DVR, instead of one for each TV. Old plasma TVs can cost over $200 a year to use, so consider upgrading to a newer model LCD.

2. Many manufactures plan to introduce smart appliance lines in 2012. These appliances will cost more, but the smart technology won’t be effective, and save you money, unless your home has a smart meter, which is still rare at this time.

3. A space heater used to lower winter heating bills will only be effective if you turn down the heat in the rest of the house.

4. A cooling or heating system that may be highly efficient in one region may not be in another. Instead of upgrading the primary heating or cooling equipment in your home, seal and insulate your duct distribution system, which will save you far more money.

How are you making your home more energy efficient?

Air Conditioners, Evaporative Coolers & Electric Fans: What’s the Difference?

Posted on August 17, 2011

Here at Air & Water, we offer a multitude of cooling options. Thank you, modern technology! Something not everyone realizes, however, is that there are different kinds of heat, and that is why there are different kinds of cooling.

A device that works for someone in the dry Arizona heat won’t necessarily be ideal for their brother down in humid Louisiana. But how do you know which one is for you?

To cool down your home, there are three great options you can pick from: an air conditioner, evaporative cooler (aka, a swamp cooler) or electric fan. Here’s what each one does:

Air Conditioner

Air conditioners fall into four different categories: window, through-the-wall, central, and portable. Many newer homes and buildings have central air conditioning, but for those that don’t, the alternatives offer great zone cooling.

Portable air conditioners, for example, are a great alternative to central air conditioning because of their easy maneuverability, small size and energy efficiency. They’re great for cooling individual rooms and places where a traditional AC may not be feasible.

portable air conditioner

Air conditioning is great for humid climates because air conditioners produce a cooling effect by using a refrigeration cycle and coolant, like Freon. Air conditioners work as a natural dehumidifier, and you can even see evidence of one dehumidifying when you use a portable air conditioner, which collects water in a bucket (or exhausts it through a hose) as it works. By getting rid of heat-causing moisture in the air, your AC produces a more comfortable environment.

Evaporative Cooler

If you live in a dry, arid climate, an evaporative cooler is for you! They’re different from air conditioning systems since they cycle hot, dry air through moist pads, cool the air through evaporation, and then circulate cooler air back into the room. For this system to work, you’ll need to get a good airflow so a window or door should be open.

Unlike air conditioners, evaporative coolers release both cool air and moisture into a room, and will balance humidity levels in arid environments. They are NOT ideal for areas with a lot of humidity already in the air.

NewAir evaporative cooler

An indoor humidity level less than 30% is too dry. It can cause any wood in your home to warp and shrink. Even pianos can go out of tune! Evaporative coolers reinvigorate your home and your body, keeping you hydrated and healthy.

They are also cheaper to buy and maintain than air conditioning units. You can search for an evaporative cooler under its other name: swamp cooler.

Electric Fans

Electric fans are great for circulating air in your home. They’re a cost-effective way to keep cool during the summer and use relatively little energy. They’re great for moderate climates and can refresh a stuffy room. Portable, inexpensive and low maintenance, they come in many sizes and designs to fit any situation.

electric fan

If a fan, which just moves around air, isn’t strong enough for you, it’s a great way to supplement other kinds of cooling. You can set your AC thermostat a couple degrees warmer if you add in a fan to help circulate the cool air, for example.

It’s also great for getting rid of smoky air, whether you’re trying to air out a kitchen or dealing with a cigar-smoking uncle. Face a table fan outside, and it will suck up the stagnant air and blow it outside. Once the room has cleared, turn the fan around to blow fresh air back in.

Electric fans also slightly lower the humidity levels in your home by keeping air circulating. They can really help cool any space!

Which of these are you using to cool your home?
What other things do you do to stay comfortable during the summer?

Tips for a Naturally Cooler Home

Posted on August 3, 2011

Summer heat can often feel unbearable, but thankfully air conditioners and electric fans can help you out. Not only is it important to keep the cold air inside your home, however, it’s also important to avoid creating more heat for your air conditioner to cool.

As the temperature rises, so does your electricity bill. Minimizing sources of heat and removing heat build-up inside your house will help cool things down.

Here are some tips on how to keep your home cooler, to save you energy and keep you comfortable!

Insulate Your Home

The best way to keep your home cool is to keep the heat out. Close the drapes on windows facing the sun: east-facing windows in the morning and west-facing windows in the afternoon.

Weather-stripping and caulking around windows, doors and electrical outlets on outer walls will also stop cool air from escaping, and prevent hot air from getting in. Double check your wall insulation, consider installing storm doors, and keep the flue of your fireplace closed.

Ventilate Your Home

Get rid of unwanted heat through ventilation if the temperature of the outside air is 77 F or lower. Keep windows closed during the day, and open at night. Consider a window fan, which should be located on the downwind side of the house. Leave interior doors open to maintain a good, open air flow.

An alternative or supplement to air conditioning is to use ceiling fans. They can circulate cool air much more efficiently than air conditioning. Keep the thermostat set at 78 degrees F or higher if you’re using ceiling fans. A whole house fan– a large ventilating fan installed in your attic that expels hot air out of your house– can help circulate air throughout the entire home.

Minimize Appliance Heat

The most common sources of internal heat are appliances, electronic devices and lighting. Don’t place lamps, televisions or other appliances near the thermostat because it will make your thermostat read warmer than it really is, and your air conditioner will have to run longer. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, since they use a fifth of the energy and heat.

Avoid cooking during the hottest part of the day, and when you do cook, use your range fan to vent out the hot air. Cover pots and pans, which will prevent heat loss, boil and cook your food faster, and allow you to turn off your stove sooner. Make sure your refrigerator coils are clean, since the better your fridge exhausts heat, the less it will need to run.

Run large, heat-producing appliances at night, such as your dishwasher, washer and dryer.

Quick Tips:

Don’t air condition unused rooms and stay in the areas that are naturally a bit cooler, such as the basement (hot air rises!)
Cool yourself off with a wet towel or ice pack
Running cold water over your wrists for 10 seconds on each hand will reduce your temperature for roughly an hour
The body radiates heat from the hands, feet, face and ears, so cooling any of these will efficiently cool the body
Put smooth white fabrics over anything in your house that’s fuzzy (corduroy, knits, wool). Keep light-colored, cool surfaces against your skins.

Most people keep their a/c temperature setting lower than it needs to be, so turn yours up by a couple degrees. With all the helpful heat minimizing tricks you now know, your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard!

What are your best tips for keeping a cool house?

Stay Cool During the Heat Wave

Posted on July 20, 2011

The central U.S. has been suffering in a deadly heat wave for the past several days, and now it looks like it will be spreading east.

The National Weather Service warns that temperatures will reach near 100 degrees across the Mid-Atlantic States, and parts of the southeast. By the end of the week it’ll hopefully be a “cool” 95 degrees.

Hundreds of new heat records have been set, with excessive heat warning covering parts of 15 states.

In the Midwest, for example, Iowa currently feels anywhere between 114 and 131 degrees because of the high humidity. At that temperature, can you even tell the difference between 114 and 131?

Yikes.

Summer is always the time when people bring out their slip-n-slides and pool noodles, but it seems like this summer we’ll need to make a bigger effort than usual.

Over a dozen deaths have already been attributed to the high temperatures, so while heat safety tips may seem common sense, it doesn’t hurt to have a reminder. Don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation, and try these tips to stay as cool as you can!

Slow down and take it easy. One perk about the summer heat may be that you finally have an excuse to kick back and do nothing but drink pina coladas all day. You know, for safety reasons.

Stay in air conditioned places as much as possible. If your home doesn’t have central air conditioning, consider investing in a portable air conditioner. They work just as well as something built-in, but they’re much less hassle!

Dress for summer. If your office has a dress code, remember to bring an extra change of clothes for your after-work errands. (Or even just for the drive home—I don’t know about you, but my car gets HOT)

Get some air conditioning alternatives, while saving electricity and money. If a portable air conditioner isn’t for you, consider an evaporative cooler. Also known as “swamp” coolers, these little machines cool the air using only water and a little electricity. They’re great for dry, arid climates because they keep the air moist and comfortable.

Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, which dehydrate you. Try drinking some Gatorade in addition to water, since just drinking water can flush out too many nutrients. Stay hydrated!

A great supplement to air conditioning is an electric fan, if your portable a/c alone just isn’t cutting it for you. It will help circulate the cool air and hopefully make things a little less stifling.

Stay out of the sun… and just avoid it completely! I think the best tip worth considering is to avoid the heat as much as you can and take a vacation out west. Seattle has been having highs around 70 degrees, so call up your college friend or second cousin and suggest a visit. There, you can have your coffee and drink it too!

How are you staying cool this summer?
Is the heat wave affecting you?

Clover Water Coolers: Beloved by Children and Moms

Posted on April 6, 2011

We recently had professional writer and mom blogger Michelle Cox try out the Clover B7A water cooler. Michelle reported her experience on her blog Lipstick to Crayons. Her blog began as part of the transition to working from home, a choice she made to spend more time with her first child. Lipstick to Crayons focuses on penny pinching tips, shopping steals, and products with value. Michelle and her husband are the parents of three children, a teen, tween, and toddler. This freestanding Clover water cooler went through a 1 month road-test by an active, sport -loving family of five (http://lipsticktocrayons.com/2011/03/drinking-more-water-loving-our-new-water-cooler.html).

Clover B7A water cooler

We asked Michelle to choose from three of the most popular Clover water cooler models. Clover makes a point-of-use water cooler and a smaller countertop water cooler. Our blogger chose the Clover B7A, a freestanding water dispenser, as the best choice for her family’s needs. The Clover B7A water cooler is compatible with standard 5 gallon water jugs. It provides instant hot water and cold water, with a thermostat to adjust the temperature. You can set the cold water temperature from room temperature to ice cold.

Clover water cooler child proof safety nozzle

As part of her New Year’s resolutions, Michelle’s family wanted to drink more water. Having a Clover water dispenser in the house helped them achieve their H20 goal successfully! By simply placing the Clover B7A in a nook next to the door to the garage, the Cox family has started to drink more water filling up water bottles on the way out. She reported that Clover B7A cooler didn’t leak at all, withstanding a few accidental bumps. Her pre-schooler particularly loved the novelty of pushing down a blue nozzle for cold water and a red nozzle for hot water. This cooler comes with Clover’s patented red safety nozzle to protect small children from burning themselves when pouring hot water. The nozzle is certified toddler-proof, effectively preventing any accidents in her home!

Do you have a water cooler in your home?
Do you let your children use it?

Stradler Form: A Fan of European Design

Posted on March 18, 2011

Comment

One of Air & Water’s newest lines upends conventional appliances by incorporating fantastical design into their products. Stradler Form’s incredible industrial design team takes ordinary fans, humidifiers, and other home environment products and reinvents them into functional works of art. From minimalist air purifiers to Jetsons-esque heaters, Stradler Form appliances aim to make “life colorful and enjoyable for us all.”

Stradler Form Otto electric fan

Stradler Form’s designers devise their artistic devices with the philosophy that form and function are beautiful together. Two Swiss natives, Matti Walker and Carlo Borer, comprise Stradler Form’s design team. Walker is an expert in color and has a talent for creating 3-D forms that are “emotionally appealing.” Borer has the “credo [that] form follows function,” so he helps draw a cohesive middle ground between the technical components and overall aesthetic.

Stradler Form Otto floor fan

The Otto fan is Stradler Form’s most unique item. It’s the only wooden fan currently on the market. This electric fan has high grade steel construction, with a thick band of wood surrounding the hardware. The deep mahogany-colored wooden ring showcases the fine grain of the African sapele, a deciduous tropical tree. These beautifully crafted Otto floor fans have 3 speeds and adjustable legs, to tilt wherever you need a fresh breeze. “The rich warm siennas and umbers of the wood are enhanced and protected by oil varnish,” enhancing the contemporary aesthetic.

Do you own any Swiss products?

Do you care about the appearance of your appliances?

Source: Swizz-Style.com web content

What’s Indispensible for Water Dispensers?

Posted on December 27, 2010

The staff at Air & Water uses our trusty water cooler round-the-clock as a means of hydration. When shopping for a water cooler, there are plenty of models to choose from, this post should help you parse through the options.

Hot, Cool, Cold

Water coolers can come with the ability to dole out chilled, room temperature, or hot water. Are you going to be using your water dispenser just for drinking water? If so, it makes sense to choose a model that offers cold or room temperature water. Select a model that produces hot water if you plan to make tea, noodles, and other hot edibles. The Clover B7A water dispenser in our break room makes hot water that’s steaming, but not quite boiling, in a few seconds.

Clover B7A water dispenser

Water Line

Where do you want the water to come from? There are two options: water bottle and point-of-use. Coolers that use water bottles typically use standardized 2 gallon, 3 gallon, or 5 gallon jugs. The choice hinges on how much water is used and available space. Point-of-use water dispensers draw directly from a waterline, a dramatically more eco-friendly option. Be friendly to the earth and save money by choosing a direct waterline water dispenser system.

Countertop

Most of the water dispensers in our catalog are standup units, which sit on the floor. We have a few models that are smaller and more compact, designed for countertop use. Our editor’s choice is the Vitapur VWD2636W countertop water dispenser which dispenses hot or cold water and is Energy Star listed. These are more suited for residential use, since they can be placed on a counter or table making a less obtrusive visual statement.

Vitapur VWD2636W water dispenser

Do you have a water dispenser at work?
What about at home?

The Garden State Shows the NewAir AC-10000E Portable Air Conditioner Some Love

Posted on September 21, 2010

Way back in June during the beginning of the East Coast heat wave, I stumbled across a Brick City Love (http://brickcitylove.com/). Penned by New Jersey native Carrie, Brick City Love is a blog chronicling her home renovation and house flipping projects. She tackled her1880′s rowhome with DIY projects, upgrading it from a fixer upper into a place that feels like home. I read Carrie’s post lamenting over the sauna-like atmosphere of her Garden State abode, where she considered a few window air conditioner and portable air conditioner units. Naturally, I contacted her with a few key articles on Air & Water to help resolve some of her air conditioning questions. I also offered her the NewAir AC-10000E portable air conditioner to try out! She obliged and gave it a whirl for in a couple different settings.

Brick City Love apartment

In the upstairs bedroom, the NewAir AC-10000 installed easily and brought the temperature down from 87° to 74°. Carrie mentioned that there was a curtain hanging in the doorway which let some of the cold air escape, the cooling will be even more effective once a door is installed. The venting hose is barely visible from the outside, a solution for the common complaint that window air conditioners are too obtrusive and unsightly from outside. Using an air conditioner that just vents with a hose preserves the outside aesthetic and allows you to enjoy the window view.

NewAir AC-10000E portable air conditioner in Carrie's apt

Window venting on Brick City Love apartment

Carrie was kind enough to lend the portable air conditioner to her tenant who just moved into her newly renovated garden apartment. Portable air conditioners are an excellent method of cooling down smaller spaces like apartments, because they’re compact and mobile. The relatively inexpensive price point, compared to installing a central air conditioning unit, makes portable ACs an attractive investment for renters or those in transitive living situations. The non-invasive installation means you can place a portable air conditioner in storage during the winter when its unused.

What’s the last DIY project you did?
Have you used a portable air conditioner or window air conditioner in your house?

Photo credits: Carrie from Brick City Love