ozone friendly refrigerant

Ozone Friendly Refrigerant – R-410A

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An Ozone Friendly Refrigerant – R-410A

The EPA is beginning to phase out a common refrigerant known as R-22 or HCFC. R-22 is found in many household appliances including air-conditioning systems and refrigerators. HCFC was developed as a replacement for the popular CFC since it was considered safer, not toxic and non-corrosive.  However, after 30 years of testing, R-22 has been deemed unhealthy for our environment and has been proven to damage the earth’s protective ozone layer. The EPA has recently introduced an environmentally ozone friendly and energy efficient alternative to R-22 called  R-410A.

The majority of homes built or that had HVAC Systems installed prior to 2010 contained R-22 refrigerant.  Thus, there is a greater demand than availability for the R-22 type refrigerant.  Currently, the production of R-22 type refrigerant is scheduled to be banned by the EPA and the already low supply is anticipated to become worse and may lead to further price spikes, shortages and possibly unavailability.

The average life of an air conditioning system is 10-15 years and by the year 2020, R-22 will be phased out 99.95%. With this information in mind, homeowners should consider purchasing R-410A based products since they will be replacing the soon to be obsolete R-22. R-410A is a hydro-fluorocarbon (HFC) which does not contribute to ozone depletion. R-410A can also absorb and release more heat than R-22. This means your air conditioning compressor can run cooler, reducing the risk of compressor burnout due to overheating. R-410A is great because you can begin to save money right away on your HVAC while avoiding the potential for higher services in the end.

Under the terms of the Montreal Protocol which was signed in 1987 and multiple amendments thereto, U.S. Government Officials agreed to reduce our Country’s consumption of R-22 refrigerant (Ozone Depleting Substance) by 90% of its baseline by 2015 and 100% by Jan. 1st 2020.

PENCO Management has the expertise to deal with various issues that your Homeowners or Condominium Association may encounter on a daily basis. Our company provides Property Management services to New Castle, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Berks, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties.  Our management team would be happy to schedule a meeting with your Board of Directors to discuss your Communities’ needs, as well as answer these very important questions regarding PENCO’s services.

Submitted by:
Michael Brod
Assistant Property Manager

HVAC System

Preparing Your HVAC System for the Winter

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How to Prep Your HVAC System for Fall and Winter

Waiting until the cooler weather sets in to check your HVAC system may leave you without heat when you need it most! Here are a few simple steps for prepping your heating and cooling system for the cooler months ahead.

Put Your AC to Bed

Prevent clogs and discourage pests by rinsing away the dirt and grime that’s accumulated on your AC unit. Also remove leaves, branches and other debris from the surrounding area. Inspect the system for damage and then cover the exposed pipe with foam insulation; this will prevent freezing.

Finally, you’ll want to cover the unit but not entirely, as this could lead to moisture problems. Use a specially designed AC cover, or simply place a piece of plywood on top of the unit to keep out the winter weather and debris.

Fine-Tune Your Furnace

Schedule a service call with a heating professional now. If you wait until heating season is in full swing, you may find it difficult to get on a contractor’s busy schedule. A furnace checkup will include a review of your thermostat settings, an inspection of controls and drains, a tightening of electrical connections, and the lubrication of moving parts.

Go the Extra Mile

Now that your system is ready, keep your furnace running its best by changing the filter regularly, typically every month. Identify areas of your home where warm air might escape and seal them appropriately. Caulk leaky windows and doors, and seal gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings.

If you’re really looking to make an impact on your energy usage, consider an energy audit. It can help you spot problem areas and prioritize the fixes to make sure your home, and every system in it, is operating at peak efficiency.

PENCO Management has the expertise to deal with various issues that your Homeowners or Condominium Association may encounter on a daily basis. Our company provides Property Management services to New Castle, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Berks, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties.  Our management team would be happy to schedule a meeting with your Board of Directors to discuss your Communities’ needs, as well as answer these very important questions regarding PENCO’s services.

Submitted By:
Michael Brod
Assistant Property Manager

Enjoying The Holidays In Your Community Association

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Enjoying the Holidays in Your Community Association

The holidays are just around the corner, and for many that means lots of festivities with family and friends. It is important that residents who are hosting celebrations within their Community Association be considerate not only of their neighbors, but also to take note of their Community Association’s Rules. A complete listing of your Community Association Rules and Regulations can be found in your Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs), but here are a few key items to remember during the holiday season:

Outdoor Decorations:

Many people like to decorate the outside of their homes and front yards, but before you start to hang the decorative lights along the side of your home, take a look at your Community Association’s  CC&Rs to find out the guidelines for outdoor decorations, as well as the guidelines for flags and signs if you plan on decorating with those items as well. This will help make sure your outdoor winter wonderland isn’t in violation with the Community Association.

Parties:

If you plan on hosting a large get-together or party, you should remember to keep the noise to a minimum, and wind the party down at a reasonable time. Remember to check your CC&Rs to find out what the Community Association deems acceptable noise levels, when are the quiet hours, as well as guidelines for hosting parties.

Parking:

The holidays bring many people together, which means that means extra cars will need to be parked in your Community Association. To make sure your home is not in violation of the Rules and Regulations, look at the CC&Rs to find out the Rules on visitor parking in your Community Association, including where they can park and what kind of parking passes they may need.

Following your  Community Association’s Rules and Regulations will help ensure that everyone can enjoy this special time of year. Stay safe and have a wonderful holiday season!

 

Pool Safety in Your Association

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Pool Safety in Your Association

Summer is just around the corner and swimming is one of the many activities people love to enjoy in their Condominium or Homeowners Association. If you live in an Association with a swimming pool you probably enjoy using it, especially if you have children. While your Homeowners Association wants to make sure all of their residents and guests have fun in and around the water, their top priority is safety. It is important that you review your Association’s pool rules and become familiar with them. In order to help keep everyone safe you need to follow the pool rules for your Homeowners Association.

Pool rules promote safety, but safety is largely up to you: it is important to take precautions, follow the rules and be prepared for emergencies.

  • Make sure you, your family and your guests know how to swim properly. If you do not, there are plenty of swimming classes for people of all ages.
  • Always supervise children while they are around the pool, no matter how well they can swim. It only takes one misstep for someone to get hurt.
  • Take note where the reach pole, emergency phone and life preservers are located in the pool area.
  • Most importantly, consider learning CPR if you haven’t already. This simple life-saving technique could save a life should an accident occur.

There’s plenty of fun to be had at the pool, and knowing how to stay safe in the water will help make this a great summer. For more safety tips, go to www.poolsafely.gov.

PENCO Management has the expertise to deal with various issues that your Homeowners or Condominium Association may encounter on a daily basis. Our company provides Property Management services to New Castle, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Berks, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties.

 

The Importance of Cleaning Up After Your Pet

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Dealing with dog waste is a subject that every pet owner must deal with, but no one likes to discuss. In addition to being a nuisance, uncollected dog waste is a serious problem for any Association. Canine waste is the greatest source of potential health risk for your pet and your family. Next time you are tempted to leave your dog’s droppings on the sidewalk, playgrounds, common areas, or walking path remember these important facts:

1. The Environmental Protection Agency is becoming aggressive about enforcing the Clean Water Act. Your Association could be fined if dog waste remains uncollected.

2. Uncollected dog waste may lead to a special assessment. If fined by the EPA, the Association could face a potential special assessment that would be levied against all residents—not just dog owners.

3. The appearance and quality of the common areas are known to affect home sales—not just whether and for how much they sell, but how quickly.

4. Uncollected dog waste spreads disease and attracts rodents who feed on pet waste. In addition, your dog can spread or contract serious viruses through infected feces. It is your responsibility to clean up after your pet every time they go to the bathroom. Don’t make your responsibility somebody else’s problem.

PENCO Management has the skills and experience to deal with various issues that your Association may encounter on a daily basis. Our company provides Property Management services to New Castle, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Berks, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties.