It’s hard to imagine what life was like before the invention of air conditioning but we can all thank one small town in Texas for making residential air conditioning systems a reality. Window A/C units came around in the 1930’s but central air was not available until an experimental project in Allandale, Texas from 1954-1955 made living with central air a reality. The project included the National Association of Home Builders and other cooperating groups and individuals who came together to develop the idea of applying the technology made for commercial air conditioning to residences. Eighteen local builders, all part of the National Association of Home Builders, built 22 unique single-story homes at their own expense. Each home would use a different manufacturer’s air conditioning equipment. The decision was made to build the Air-Conditioned Village in an already existing subdivision called Edgewood to make for faster building. According to the August 1954 edition of House+Home, the homes were sold to families for an average of $15,000. The families agreed to participate in the field study by allowing the researchers to observe parts of their family life for one year. The neighborhood also agreed to open the village to qualified observers once a week. The houses were approximately the same size ranging from 1,146-1,468 sq. ft. The researchers also observed electricity usage, effectiveness of insulation and various energy efficient issues relating to the house’s design. According to an article in the Texas Architect from 1955, the project aimed “to determine the effect of manufactured weather on the budget, health, and home life of American families.” The researchers were not only interested in the A/C equipment itself but also wanted to learn if air conditioning altered parts of people’s family lives. They considered issues such as whether children eat better when in air-conditioned homes, if people preferred opening windows over A/C and whether A/C helped to relieve allergy symptoms. It is no surprise that the researchers found a number of family life improvements during the “Air Conditioned Village” study. People were able to sleep 10%-35% longer, social skills improved, less dirt and dust in the house meaning allergy relief, picking-up more hobbies, staying at home more, having a better appetite and spending more quality time together as a family. According to the Texas Architect article from the 1955 July edition: “…there are clear indications that those living in air-conditioned homes lead healthier, more comfortable and more productive lives.” Whether or not air-conditioning is really able to improve social skills and help with a better appetite, we can all reap the benefits from the Air-Conditioned Village. Since the study commenced, manufacturers started to make air conditioning units for residential homes and today it is more common to build homes with central air conditioning. Sources: Allendale Reporter, October 26, 2009. “How Allandale Pioneered Central Air Conditioning.” https://allandaleneighbor.com/2009/10/how-allandale-pioneered-central-air-conditioning.html House+Home. August 1954. “NAHB Starts Testing Every Advanced Idea in Home Air-Conditioning in 22 Experimental Houses.” https://usmodernist.org/HH/HH-1954-10.pdf Texas Architect. February 1954. “Austin to Be Site For Project to Test Air Conditioning Units.” https://magazine.texasarchitects.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Feb-1954.pdf Texas Architect. July 1955. “Air Conditioned Village.” https://magazine.texasarchitects.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/July-1955.pdf

We have been actively collecting part of our proceeds throughout the months of June and July to donate to three local charities. You may have already seen our charity magnets we’ve been passing out to our customers but in case you missed them, we will be donating to Pach Food Pantry, The Groton Lake Association and the Humane Society for Greater Nashua. So far we have collected $3,583.45! We will continue to add to our donation throughout the month of August. Stay tuned for the final amount!

In an economic environment where personalized service is hard to find and corporate consolidation is commonplace, these two, family run companies have found a way to give their customers a better experience. With a combined 100+ years of customer service focused operations, Ciardelli Fuel Company and Wilson Brothers HVAC will focus their efforts in their respective specialties benefiting their customers. Wilson Brothers HVAC will continue to be the responsible 24/7/365 service provider for all your heating, cooling, and service needs, but now their oil and propane delivery customers can take comfort in knowing that Ciardelli Fuel Company will be managing the responsibility of keeping customer’s tanks full.

This is an exciting new opportunity for both customers of Wilson Brothers and Ciardelli Fuel. Our customers will get that personal experience that is becoming harder to find in today’s world. This transition will ensure reliable on time oil and propane delivery with the best customer service behind it with Wilson Brothers HVAC. We are all very excited about this opportunity. -Matt Ciardelli “We are very excited about this new partnership with Ciardelli Fuel. This will allow us to focus on providing first-class service on HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical systems while have a market-leading partner to meet all the home fuel needs of our combined customer base.” -Tom Wilson

Ciardelli Fuel Company www.cfuel.com 978-732-0035 467 Nashua Street, Milford, NH 03055 Wilson Brothers HVAC www.wilsonbrothers.com 978-449-4256 35 Lomar Park Drive, Pepperell, MA 01463

At [name] we are proud to have been selected for the "Best of Houzz 2021" awards.

About Houzz:

Houzz started with a house. When founders Adi and Alon remodeled their home, they started the way these projects often do: with a tall stack of magazines and referrals for home professionals from people they knew. But after those piles of torn out pages failed to make their dream a reality, they felt stuck. There had to be a better way. So they built Houzz. A place to browse and save beautiful photos of inspiring homes. A place to find and hire the right design and construction professionals. A place to connect with others who have been there too. What started as a side project has now grown to a community of millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals around the world. Whether you are decorating a small room or building a custom home, Houzz is the best way to find design inspiration, research and hire home professionals, and discover products to complete your projects. And if you are a home professional, Houzz Pro (houzz.com/pro) provides the best solution to help you stand out, win clients and manage your projects efficiently and profitably.

Upgrading an inefficient gas furnace Wilson Brothers was asked to look at a forced hot air furnace that the family thought wasn’t working at top efficiency. Their gas fuel and electricity bills were high and the heat was uneven throughout the home. We checked the ductwork and found that it was old and the seams were not sealed, letting heat escape into unwanted spaces. The ductwork needed to be sealed properly and the furnace needed to be upgraded to a high-efficiency system. Wilson Brothers recommended a gas furnace from American Standard. This system provides 2-stage variable speed heating. With the variable speed, the system saves on its electrical use by slowly and quietly ramping up to speed for a softer start and more consistent airflow gently warming the room. The 2-stage valve results in greater efficiency by providing just the right amount of fuel for each stage thus saving on gas usage. This system is rated at 95% efficiency. Wilson Brothers also replaced the old fiberboard ducts with galvanized steel ductwork throughout the home providing a tightly sealed duct system for the heat to be distributed to the correct places throughout the house. The family reported saving 30% – 35% on their energy costs as a result of this upgrade as well as additional savings in their electrical usage. In addition, the system was eligible for a tax credit of 30% of the installed cost (up to $1,500) and a $400 rebate from their Gas Company. A bonus feature of this gas furnace is that we can easily link it to an air conditioning system by adding a coil to the existing furnace and an outdoor condenser, providing cool air in the summer months. Contact us for a heating estimate!

Replacing an inefficient water heater One of our customers told us about their son and daughter-in-law who were having problems with their hot water – the water took too long to heat up and wasn’t getting hot enough to suit them. When we looked at their boiler, we saw that it included a tankless hot water heater. A tankless water heater takes minutes for the water to heat up – wasting, not only water, but fuel. Often the coils become corroded after time, which only makes the system run even less efficient. A better alternative is an indirect water heater Wilson Brothers recommended the installation of a new indirect water heater, which is much more efficient. We connected a Buderus Hot Water storage tank to their gas boiler, which provided a reliable and clean way to store hot water. This was an efficient and economical solution for them. In addition, the new water heater was eligible for a $300 rebate from their Electric Company.

Replacing a leaking free-standing water heater When a homeowner’s old free-standing gas-fired water heater leaked and needed replacing, Wilson Brothers recommended and installed a new Rinnai On-Demand water heater. This system doesn’t run off the gas furnace or boiler – it is a separate unit that produces hot water as you need it. It is highly efficient, replacing the family’s old 75% efficient water heater – and now there is no danger of leaking and flooding. AND… there is no pilot light to worry about! The Rinnai has a sleek, modern design that is about the size of a carry-on suitcase that hangs on the wall vs. the average 16 square feet of valuable floor space a traditional water tank needs. The unit can be placed inside or outside and features a digital controller for precise temperature control. In addition, the new water heater was eligible for a $300 rebate from their Natural Gas provider and a 30% tax credit up to $1,500.

Too much moisture – Controlling mold a problem Allergens, like molds, thrive in relative humidity conditions above 60%, leading to a variety of ailments including asthma, allergies, and respiratory infections. A Central Dehumidifier replaces portable units that constantly need emptying. It pumps the water removed from the air directly to the outside or a plumbing drain. Wilson Brothers installed a unit as part of this customer’s heating and cooling system. It pulls the air from every room in the home through the return ducts, removing moisture and then sends the dry air back throughout the house. (There are other units perfect for controlling excess humidity in basements, but this family needed a central system for the entire house.) As a result, the family saved energy and enjoyed the clean air comfort of one, high capacity, out-of-the-way unit that needs only a simply once-a-year filter change.

Requires the cleanest indoor air Do you know that the air quality inside your home may be worse than the pollution in the air outside? That is true, and this can be especially harmful to children (or adults) with allergies … or illnesses such as asthma. Allergies can be triggered by breathing dust, molds, spores, or pet dander, so when we were called in to add an air cleaner to a customer’s heating system, we recommended the high-efficiency central air cleaner from Aprilaire. It can be connected to the home’s central heating or cooling system and it operates when you want, out-of-sight and silently. It traps pollen-sized particles, helping to minimize the risk of asthma and allergy attacks. The disposable filter lasts one to two years, so there is no need for monthly filter changes. Best of all, you can choose to run the air cleaner constantly 24 hours a day or 30 minutes every hour, or only when you have guests or when vacuuming! This control is invaluable for those days when the pollen counts are high! Contact our team for an air filtration estimate!

We were voted the best in the neighborhood by Nextdoor customers.

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