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How to Use Your New Heat Pump with Your Old Boiler

Everybody loves throwing away old technology to replace with the latest and greatest breakthroughs. For example, heat pumps are an energy efficient new technology that allows us to decrease our spend on fossil fuels while providing amazing comfort. However, when we install a new heating and cooling system, we recommend to our customers to keep the old system as a back-up for those frigid winters. This winter has been extra cold and we have been busy answering calls for frozen or burst pipes so we have a few tips when it comes to switching from baseboard heat to heat pumps. Most baseboard heat runs along exterior walls, leaving pipes more exposed and at a greater risk of a freeze-up even though your heat pump is heating the house. During these extremely cold temperatures we recommend that you run your baseboard instead of your heat pumps. The best way to avoid a freeze-up is to keep that warm water moving since moving water has a harder time freezing. Tip #2 is decrease your setback on your thermostat during the winter. A large set-back will give water more time to freeze. The most efficient setback is 2-3 degrees during colder seasons and during extreme cold weather we recommend that you turn your set-back off. As we continue to switch to new technology in order to decrease the use of fossil fuels, there will certainly be some adjustments and learning curves along the way but we are happy to help make sure you stay comfortable in your own home.

The holidays season has begun and just like we have done in previous years, we are helping to support the Marine Toys for Tots Organization. This year, instead of delivering the gifts at our office, we are using a Virtual Toy Box. Donating a toy is as easy as a few clicks with our Amazon Wishlist! You can find our wishlist here Marine Toys for Tots Wilson Brothers It’s as easy as a few clicks. Purchase the toy you would like to buy and choose the option to send it right to our office. All donations must be made by December 9th.

Marine Toys for Tots Update

With the support of the local community we were able to donate 158 toys! All of the toys were dropped off on December 10th in Devens, MA. Thank you to everyone who donated and we look forward to carrying on this tradition next year.

Our Thanksgiving Food Drive has come to a close and it was a great success. We delivered PACH's food donation on the 16th and dropped everything off at Loaves & Fishes today the 17th. Thank you to all of our customers who helped with their donations and a huge thank you to PACH Outreach in Pepperell, MA and Loaves & Fishes in Devens, MA for all of the work you do for our community.
On October 6th we continued our annual support of the Nashua PAL's Annual Golf Classic. PAL's mission is to create positive relationships between the city's youth and its police department. We are proud to have been able to support such an important initiative in our community for so many years.
In order to take care of our health, we try to get enough sleep, exercise, eat healthy and drink water but your indoor air quality affects your health as well. It’s time to include healthy and clean indoor air quality when thinking about ways to take care of yourself. Before choosing a filter, check out the useful information below.

MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values) 

This rating is based on a filter’s ability to capture particles between 0.3 and 10 microns. This rating can be helpful when comparing the performance of different filters. The highest MERV available is 16 and naturally the highest MERV should perform the best, however, the higher the rating, the more specific the filter is to trapping certain types of particles. You also have to take into consideration the type of HVAC system and which MERV rated filter works best for your system. MERV 13 and above are considered hospital grade. Since a hospital’s HVAC system must run throughout the entire hospital building, the system is powerful enough to push the right amount of air through the filter. However, if you install a MERV 13 grade filter in a residential system it would be like trying to blow air out of a straw. Some residential systems may not be powerful enough to push the right amount of air through a MERV 13 grade filter. It is always best to consult an HVAC Tech about the type of filter that would work with your system, otherwise, your system will be working overtime trying to get the house to the right temperature. Additionally, talk with your HVAC Tech to see if there is a lower MERV filter that when installed could filter air just as well as a MERV 16 filter.

Humidity Control

Unbalanced humidity can be a real danger to your health and to your biggest investment – your home. If the humidity in your house is too high, it could cause wood to warp or mold and mildew stains on the walls but too low and the wood will splinter and you may experience negative health effects.  The humidity levels in your home should be maintained between 40% and 60% to decrease bacteria growth, viruses in the air, respiratory infection and allergy and asthma symptoms while also protecting the structural integrity of your home. The humidity in your home can even affect the inside temperature causing your air conditioner or heating system to work overtime. The next time you notice that the temperature in your home is uncomfortable consider humidity control as a solution.

Apilaire Healthy Air System

The Aprilaire Healthy Air System can be an excellent upgrade for your HVAC system. The system is made up of three parts: 

Air Ventilator

Aprilaire’s air ventilator uses a mechanical ventilation system to push fresh air into your home. This ventilation system also helps to reduce in-home moisture. Aprilaire’s 8145 air ventilator model was awarded the Most Efficient 2020 by Energy Star. When considering different air purifiers be aware of those that produce ozone. This colorless, toxic gas can cause major respiratory illnesses.

Air Filter

Aprilaire filters can be the difference between a good or bad allergy or flu season. Air filters help to reduce pet dander, mold spores, gases, chemicals, smoke and airborne allergens. Aprilaire’s MERV 13 and MERV 16 filters were included in the Consumer Reports’ 2020 Air Filter Ratings. Learn more here.

Humidity Control

Energy Star recognized Aprilaire’s e-series and ventilating dehumidifiers as the most efficient dehumidifiers on the market. They are capable of providing 23% annual energy savings above other conventional products. When deciding about your indoor air quality keep the seasonal humidity changes in mind. Learn more here. Another option to consider when looking into your indoor air quality is iWave.

How it Works

The iWave uses their new patented technology called needlepoint bipolar ionization which uses carbon fiber brushes to produce a refined electrical charge to clean the air in residential and commercial buildings. iWave also reduces pollutants like smoke, odors and certain viruses and can be installed in most air conditioning or heating system. iWaves had a third party test run by NPBI Technology to learn more about the types of viruses the iWave can remove from the air. You can find the report here. Unlike other air filtration systems, some iWave models require very little maintenance. Watch Video No matter which system you choose, your indoor air quality will improve two fold. Whether you live with pets and are worried about dander, saliva and fur or you suffer from seasonal allergies and asthma, upgrading your HVAC system with an air purifier will improve the overall health of your family and your home.
Wilson Brothers is helping to collect items for Thanksgiving to help PACH Food Pantry and Loaves & Fishes. We don’t have too much time until the drop-off date on November 14th! If you have an upcoming appointment with us, for every item you donate we will give you $5 off of your invoice on up to 5 items from the below lists. The pantries have requested the following items:
PACH Food Pantry Loaves & Fishes
Stuffing Boxed Flavored Rice
Gravy Holiday Crackers
Bread mixes (Pillsbury) Cranberry Sauce
Coffee Canned Yams
Canned Vegetables School Snacks for Kids
Candy/Chocolate Canned Solid Tuna
Ensure
Hearty/Chunk Soups (not condensed)
Toothpaste
Ground or instant coffee/tea
  The donated items must be on the lists in order to receive the $5 off per item. Both pantries will not accept expired, opened or damaged items so please take a peek at those expiration dates before donating. We will not accept any clothes, holiday gifts or household items. Thank you to all of our amazing customers for always making our charity campaigns such a great success. Now lets get collecting!
This year, we are proud sponsors of the Acton-Boxborough Football and Cheerleading Team. They had their first game on Friday September 10th at 7pm in Chelmsford. Everyone was very happy to have their Friday night lights back. The next game is this Friday, September 17th at 7pm against Andover High School. You can find more pictures here.
Next summer homeowners who have decided to hang-on to their A/C Equipment that was built before 2010 may end up facing an unpleasant surprise. Air conditioning equipment manufactured before 2010 was produced for units that used R-22 Refrigerant which harms the ozone layer. The government started to phase out R-22 Refrigerant in 2013 and as of January 1, 2020, the refrigerant R-22 became illegal to manufacture and sell. Not only will there now be a fixed supply of R-22 only available through recycling programs and at a very steep price but manufacturers are no longer producing the parts needed for A/C systems built before 2010.

THE RISKS OF HANGING-ON

Some homeowners may hang-on to their systems and find that the repairs needed are relatively easy. For example, electrical issues or too much noise but those who have to call for repairs on their compressor or coils could end up finding themselves in a long line with all the other homeowners who are calling for the same repairs on their system that was built before 2010. As if being stuck in the middle of a heat wave with no A/C isn’t bad enough, you will also be faced with the financial burden of having to replace your entire system because the parts for the repair are no longer available.

The GOOD NEWS

There is plenty of time before Summer 2022 to decide what you would like to do with you’re antiquated A/C system. Call your local HVAC company and get a free estimate on how much it would cost to replace your system. Once you know the cost, you can start to plan for the install. Planning ahead will guarantee that next summer you won’t be running to the hardware store to buy portable A/C units only to find that everyone in your same position already bought them all.

Additional Resources for Planning Ahead

1. MassSave Rebates can help make replacing your air-conditioning system more affordable. Mass Save® offers a variety of rebates to residential electric customers for installing qualified high-efficiency central air conditioning systems, central heat pumps, air to water heat pumps and more. They also offer financing with 0% interest for up to 84 months. We are a MassSave Partner and can help you with the process. Learn more here. 2. Wilson Brother’s Financing we also offer financing through Synchrony. You can read more details on our Financing Options page and apply online from our website. Sources: https://www.conditionedair.com/blog/the-end-of-r22-what-it-means-for-your-old-air-conditioner/ https://www.hvac.com/blog/r22-refrigerant/ https://aristair.com/blog/r22-phased-out-the-timeline-facts-you-need-to-know/

Our Summer Charity Campaign has come to an end and we are excited to announce that Pach Food Pantry in Pepperell, MA, the Humane Society of Greater Nashua and the Groton Lakes Association will be receiving a donation of $1,424.60! Thank you to all of our customers whose business helped make this campaign a success.

This summer Wilson Brothers along with our sister companies, Murphy’s and Accurate Baker Elman, proudly sponsored the Women’s Tennis Association’s International Women’s Tennis Tournament held at the Thoreau Club in Concord, MA from August 2nd – 8th. The tennis open hosted up to 100 of the world’s top professional female tennis players. In the pictures, you can see the winner, Magdalena Frech, and runner-up, Renata Zarazua. Thank you to the Thoreau Club for the opportunity to sponsor such an amazing event.