BUSTED! Humanity has been spreading misconceptions in a spirit of helpfulness since the dawn of time. Some are silly and harmless, but others can have a detrimental effect on your health and your wallet. Below are a few common HVAC myths that could create costly repairs if you choose to believe them. TRUTH: Freon is the chemical compound that your air conditioning unit uses to cool your home’s air, but unlike the fluids in your vehicle which regularly need to be refilled, freon is long-lasting. There could be a number of reasons why your home is suddenly a lot warmer, including issues with the compressor or fan, or other electrical component. In addition, if freon isn’t the issue, pouring more freon into the unit could be an unnecessary expense or even make a bad situation worse. MYTH: AIR CONDITIONER BUSTED? IT’S PROBABLY THE FREON. MYTH: THE THERMOSTAT IS THE PROBLEM. TRUTH: The thermostat is one of the most contested elements in a home. When a home is too hot or cold, no matter how a homeowner may fiddle with the settings, it’s the thermostat that often gets the blame. But it’s likely not the culprit.
Debunking Common HVAC Myths
You wouldn’t blame the remote for the sudden loss of signal on your TV. The thermostat works the same way. It communicates your needs to the HVAC system, and when your home is regularly uncomfortable, it’s not always the "communicator" that’s to blame but often the HVAC unit itself. MYTH: IF YOU TURN THE HEAT WAY UP, YOU’LL GET WARMER FASTER! TRUTH: This is a tried-and-not-so-true method used by some homeowners. The idea is that turning the heat on full blast will warm your home faster . But the theory lacks merit. The air isn’t coming out any faster. Instead, it’s plunging or rising at the same rate, just to a higher or lower degree than you would like. In addition, frequent and dramatic changes in temperature could cause more damage to your unit than if you let it consistently run at one temperature. But we don’t expect you to know everything about your unit! Instead, rely on us. We’ve seen a lot of scenarios in our day-to-day work and can likely offer a good solution based on our years of experience. Learn more about how we can help by visiting AireServ.com/Mid-Hudson-Valley. HOPPIN’ JOHN
HAVE A LAUGH!
Inspired by Epicurious
A traditional New Year’s favorite in the South, Hoppin’ John includes black-eyed peas that are said to represent coins, a sign of prosperity for the coming year. It’s usually served alongside collard greens, which represent cash.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup dried black-eyed peas • 5–6 cups water • 1 dried hot pepper, optional (arbol and Calabrian are great options)
• 1 smoked ham hock • 1 medium onion, diced • 1 cup long-grain white rice
DIRECTIONS 1. Wash and sort peas. 2. In a saucepan, cover peas with water, discarding any that float.
3. Add pepper, ham hock, and onion. Gently boil and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peas are just tender, about 90 minutes. At this point, you should have about 2 cups of liquid remaining.
4. Add rice, cover, drop heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, undisturbed. 5. Remove from heat and let steam for an additional 10 minutes, still covered. 6. Remove lid, fluff with a fork, and serve.
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