There are many different ideas about how the school calendar came about. Many tend to hypothesize that the summer and winter break your children receive came about due to needs of farmers during Americas agrarian period. This is mostly due to photos from that time period in history books depicting kids toiling away on family farms during the long, hot summer break between school years. So it's not too surprising that the origin of the school calendar is often linked to these images by both the media and policymakers. In a story about achievement gaps caused by summer vacation, many media outlets called the school calendar "a legacy of the farm economy." In addition to this, there are other reports that the school year was based on an "agrarian calendar that dates back to farm cycles and harvests." While these articles were written to advocate that kids spend more time...

Replacing an old or outdated furnace is a great way to boost the energy efficiency of your home. Yet to get the most from your furnace replacement , you will need to know a bit more about what to look for when shopping. This article will help to prepare you for your furnace investment by discussing two important factors to consider.  Load Capacity Load capacity, which is often referred to simply as HVAC load, designates the quantity of energy it will take to keep your home at a certain temperature. Thus HVAC load differs from house to house. When determining load capacity, numerous different factors must be taken into consideration. These include: total square footage age of the house R-value of insulation total length of the duct system  Never assume that the load capacity of your old furnace is an adequate gauge for your new one. That’s because your old furnace...

Are you looking for a way to save on energy bills that doesn't include all new equipment? A zoning system may be the answer for residential homes and commercial buildings that do not need constant heat or air conditioning to all rooms at all times. Adding a zoning system to your existing system is a simple way to add more specific climate control to your home or business. Benefits of a Zoning System A zoning system gives you more control over what part of your home or business is heated or cooled. If you have bedrooms that aren't used for weeks at a time, a zoning system will give you the ability to turn the heat or air conditioning off to those rooms, saving energy and money. If you have a business with upstairs conference rooms used only once a week, a zoning system will allow you to keep the air...

Moisture problems are more common than many people realize where residential HVAC systems are concerned. A damp HVAC duct represents the perfect breeding ground for a wide range of unwanted bugs, from mold, to mildew, to worse. For that reason more and more homeowners are turning to UV light to help sterilize the air coming out of your duct system. If you would like to learn more about how this revolutionary technique can improve your residential heating system, read on. This article will discuss two of its principal benefits. Fewer microorganisms in your air. As noted above, the main benefit of UV light systems is that they act to inhibit the growth of potentially hazardous microorganisms in your HVAC ducts. The result is cleaner, healthier air. In fact, in 2012 the Duke University Medical Center proved that a UV radiation system was capable of reducing bacteria levels by greater than...

There is nothing more uncomfortable than a cold room. When this happens you expect to be able to get up, adjust the thermostat, and get warm soothing relief. Sometimes it seems to take forever for the temperature to change. It can be torture to wait for the room to heat up. Whether at home or at your business, being cold can make everyday tasks into grueling obstacles. Then, at the end of the month, you see your utility bill and can't believe your eyes. If your furnace is just not cutting it anymore, rather than paying for tune-ups and service calls to fix the problem, consider replacing the entire unit. The problem, and its solution, are more simple than you may think. An old furnace has old parts. They are in a constant struggle to perform their intended purpose, because they are simply wearing out. This can result in a...