Clean Coils Save $$$$$
The coil on the left is extremely dirty vs. the new coil on the right.                                            Maximizing the efficiency of your Air Conditioning (HVAC) system makes sense with the rising costs of energy. Both condenser (outdoor) and evaporator (indoor) coils are made to provide optimum heat transfer required for the area needing cooling. The air being transferred, in most cases, contains a mixture of dust, dirt, pollen, grease and moisture. These contaminants settle on the surface of the coil and impact the ability to transfer heat. They also affect the quality of the air within your home or building. The cost of operating dirty air conditioning equipment is greater than you might expect!
Power Costs
Equipment operating with dirty coils may use as much as 37 percent more energy than equipment with clean coils. Restricted heat transfer causes the compressor to work harder, increasing the head pressure. Rising head pressure will result in a loss of cooling capacity of up to 30 percent. (Example: If our 4-ton system with a 30 percent loss is now only providing 2.8 tons of cooling). The system will cost more to operate and provide less cooling. This loss will be noticeable on the hottest days, when cooling is needed the most!
Life Expectancy
Higher operating pressures caused by a dirty coil may reduce your equipment's life expectancy. The restriction of heat transfer and strain placed on the compressor can lead to equipment failure. Compressor failure means no cooling. Compressor replacement cost is out of sight compared to a cleaning! Caution:  Do not judge the cleanliness of a coil by its visual appearance. Air conditioning cooling coils provide moisture, cool temperature and food from dust; all which contribute to contamination growth which affects the cooling coil in the following ways: • Reduced heat transfer. The contaminants on the coil surface act as an insulation media between the air and the cooling coil. The air flowing through the coil is not reduced in temperature adequately enough to allow the system to cool the building efficiently. Therefore, the compressor will run continuously to compensate for the poor temperature transfer. In a system where the air is cooling the building efficiently, the compressor will cycle in and out of service as required. Poor heat transfer results in poor energy savings. • Blockages in the coil. This decreases the amount of air passing through the system. This in turn affects the air conditioner's ability to cool the air. To compensate, the compressor is running at longer durations. Effective maintenance on the cooling coil provides cost savings in energy consumption. • Corrosion of the coil. Contaminants attach themselves to the fins of the cooling coil. Over time, they become etched into the surface to provide a secure holding. This eats away at the cooling coil and over time degenerates the cooling coil's ability to perform efficient heat transfer. The solution for coil corrosion is to remove contaminants through maintenance. The alternative is to replace the cooling coil, which comes at a greater cost than coil maintenance.
So you are asking what is the best way to keep my coils clean?  The answer is to change or wash your filter like clock work every month.  We wash our's when we pay the electric bill.  If you suspect your coil is dirty, call for a coil cleaning before the real heat sets in.  It will save you money over the course of the summer.  Be kind to your AC and it will be kind to you:)

Southeastern Convention International Propane Expo

  We just returned from the one of the largest trade shows in the South in Atlanta, Georgia.  The National Propane Gas Association sponsors the show every year just before Easter.  We have been attending it for over twenty-five years.  There are wholesale distributors and retailers involved in every facet of propane imaginable.   The show had less exhibitors this year, only two hundred and thirty compared to over five-hundred in the past....The shrinking economy roars its ugly head.  It still is an incredible show with new state of the art propane toys.
       One particular toy that really caught our eye were these glass beads put out by RH Petersen.  We have been selling their gas logs for over twenty five years.  They are second to none in terms of a realistic looking gas fire place logs.  They are called Fyre Stones and Fyre Glass.  You can check them out at:  Peterson Logs  

May have to replace our traditional logs with the Stones...they are really different. 

We have always been a member of the National Propane Gas Association.  Their mission is:

     "To advance safety and to increase the use of propane through sound public policy"

Black Gold Weekend

The 33rd annual Black Gold Festival will be held on Torry Island at the Belle Glade Marina this weekend.  Here is the schedule.  C'mon out and enjoy the fun!


Schedule of Events:
6:45 a.m. – Registration for the 5K Walk/Run at the Torry Island Campground and Marina. All participants will receive a free t-shirt.
7:30 a.m. – 5K Walk/Run – Torry Island Campground and Marina
11:30 a.m. – Opening ceremonies
Noon – Kernel Contest
11 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Art & Photography Exhibits, Dunking Booth, Volleyball Tournament, Children’s rides and games, Glades style food booths, and Arts and Crafts booths
11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Continuous Entertainment, Airboat and Car show
4:30 p.m. – Dave “Gator” Bressmer Concert
6:00 p.m. – Ryan Walker Concert
6:45 p.m. – Wild Blue Concert
Grand Finale – Fireworks

PBC School District Using Propane Buses?

by JADE MINGUS / KVUE News

Bio | Email | Follow: @JadeM_KVUE     

  Could Palm Beach County School Board follow suit??

Austin area school districts are getting creative to save dollars during the current education budget crisis. Eanes Independent School District is implementing several cost-saving measures to help offset a multi-million dollar shortfall.
Eanes ISD won a $2.2 million grant to purchase propane powered buses. Transportation Director Tim Wysong said the buses could save $75,000 a year in fuel costs and another $25,000 a year in maintenance costs.

Eanes ISD will get the propane buses this summer and put them in service by the fall. The 25 buses will replace the district’s oldest, least efficient diesel powered buses. 

“Every dollar we can save here we can put towards children,” Wysong said. 

Wysong said the cost of a gallon of diesel fuel has risen 74 percent since 2008. He said propane costs less than diesel, and it burns cleaner.

Eanes ISD also requires bus drivers to idle three minutes or less. Wysong says turning off the engine has so far saved the district $1,000 per week.

Austin ISD has a no idle policy unless there are special circumstances.
AISD also received a grant to buy propane buses; six will start service this fall. The school district has 478 buses that transport 22,000 students every day. AISD buses travel 7 million miles per year.

Eanes ISD parent Robyn Post supports cuts outside the classroom. She believes the propane buses could save badly needed dollars.

“I would rather cut fuel prices through this new program rather than cutting teachers and important staff members to help educate our children,” Post said.

Eanes ISD also added GPS monitoring devices to every school bus. The district has since shortened routes and consolidated stops.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if  Palm Beach County School Board and Palm Tran for that matter follow suit and switch to propane gas.  They would save the tax payers big money in the years to come and help boost the local economy by supporting local propane companies.