summer guide p. 17 052011
DESCRIPTION
In summer, blades should turn counterclockwise, pushing air downward to create a cool breeze. 6 CLASSES STARTING IN MAY TRAINING OFFERED 7 DAYS A WEEK To work efficiently, air conditioning units must be cleaned and free of clogging debris. - Keeping windows closed and curtains drawn during the day can reduce cooling costs by 30 percent. 115 Hamilton Street Southbridge, MA 01550 508-765-5921 All products made in-house! Over 25 years of service in the community $5 / person (508) 835-2333 $ $TRANSCRIPT
Community Advocate • Summer Guide • Friday, May 20, 2011• 17
133 Gold Star Blvd.Worcester, MAthecrownbakery.com
THE CROWN BAKERY
(508) 852-0746
Perfect Wedding
6
Trust your Special Day to the Bakery that has been voted
Worcester County’s
“Best Bakery for more “Best Bakery for more than 45 years”than 45 years”
Wide assortment of Cake Ornaments
Party Pastries Cookie Trays
• Full Awning Service Installation, Removal & Cleaning
• Manufacture & Repair All Canvas Products
www.economycanvasandawning.com
115 Hamilton StreetSouthbridge, MA 01550
508-765-5921
All products made in-house!
Over 25 years of service in the community
Awnings, Boat & Truck coversand Related Products
ECONOMY CANVAS ECONOMY CANVAS && AWNING CO.AWNING CO.
Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary414 Massasoit RoadWorcester, MA 01604
• Naturalist-led walks• Live caterpillars • Children’s activities• Face painting • Butterfl y garden tours and observation stations • Plant sales • Vendors, music, food, and more. • Help plant milkweed for monarchs• Learn what you can do to protect and encourage the beautiful butterfl ies of Massachusetts.
Saturday, August 13, 2011(raindate August 14) ~ 10am-4pm
S
44 thth Annual Annual Barbara J. Walker
$5 / person (ages 3 and above)$20 per family
Educational fun for all ages!
Get your home ready for summer From yard work and pest control to cleaning and taking care of home systems, there’s a lot that goes into maintaining a house. Th e dog days of sum-mer can really put the heat on electricity bills and put even the best air conditioning systems to the test. Dave Quandt, Senior VP of Field Services for American Home Shield explains, “The Department of Energy says that almost 45 percent of a homeowner’s utility costs come from heating and cooling the house. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to help lower those costs, keep your system working as it should, and beat the summer heat.” Here are a few tips to keep in mind when summer tempera-tures start to sizzle:- An air conditioner set at 70 F can cost twice as much to oper-ate as one set at 78 F. Raise the thermostat by 2 degrees above its normal setting. You’ll still be comfortable, and your pocket-book will thank you.
- Set the thermostat to 80 F when you’ll be out of the house
for several hours and lower it when you return. But don’t shut the air conditioner off ; it’s less effi cient to cool the house back down than to leave it set
at a higher temperature. - A ceiling fan uses about as much energy as a 100-watt bulb, but it can make a room feel up to eight degrees cooler.
In summer, blades should turn counterclockwise, pushing air downward to create a cool breeze.
- Keeping windows closed and curtains drawn during the day can reduce cooling costs by 30 percent.
- Lights, computers and televi-sions all generate heat. Turn them off when they’re not in use.
Quandt believes your best protection, however, lies in preventative maintenance. “It’s important to have your air conditioning system profes-sionally inspected and cleaned a least a month before you’ll need to start using it,” he says. “At a minimum, turn it on and make sure it’s still running like it should. “Last summer, we responded to more than 550,000 requests for air conditioning repairs dur-ing the record-breaking heat wave. You don’t want to fi nd out that your air conditioner needs repair or replacing just when you need it most. Now’s the time to be sure everything’s in good working order.”
To work effi ciently, air conditioning units must be cleaned and free of clogging debris.
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Find out the manufacturer’s recommendations for main-tenance on your type of unit. You can usually fi nd it online and in your owner’s manual. In addition:
- Create shade for the unit, but keep the area around the exterior condensing unit clear of leaves, bushes and other ob-structions to ensure adequate airfl ow.
- Clean or replace the air fi lter. Clean or replace the air conditioner filter monthly. Clogged, dirty filters block air fl ow and make a unit work much harder. A clean filter can save up to 10 percent on your bill. If your air conditioning system and/or components break down, a home warranty can help protect you from unexpected repair costs. “A home warranty,” said Quandt, “is a service con-tract that covers the repair or replacement of many of the most common home system breakdowns. It also covers ap-pliances not usually covered by homeowner’s insurance.”
CENTRAL MASS SAFETY COUNCIL AUTO SCHOOL
CLASSES STARTING IN MAYTRAINING OFFERED 7 DAYS A WEEK
UP TO A 10% INSURANCE DISCOUNT FOR 5 YEARS!TAKE OUR 4½ HOUR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT COURSE AND RECEIVE
$289 PER PERSON
$149 FORCMSC STUDENTS
AND THEIR FAMILIES
(508) 835-2333
186 WEST BOYLSTON ST.WEST BOYLSTON, MA
www.centralmasafety.org
PRESENT THIS AD TO RECEIVEAN ADDITIONAL $25 OFF!!
ASK US ABOUT SUMMER DRIVER EDUCATION FOR YOUR TEEN