Air Conditioning WIth Solar Energy! Print

Facts about Mohave County, ghost towns and wildfires.

Jesse Curlee talks about cotton in Arizona.  How did growing cotton begin in the state?  The connection of cotton to Goodyear Tires and Litchfield.  And producing the highest quality cotton in demand:  Pima Cotton.

Mark Wilmer known as Arizona's Unsung Hero with his connection to The Central Arizona Project.

Jesse Curlee has an incredible bio on getting into the cotton industry and Supima.

Cloud watching and rock formations in Arizona including 'The Sleeping Indian' in Lake Havasu City.

Jesse talks about the current economics of growing cotton in Arizona.  Factors that make it expensive to grow.  The areas where Pima Cotton is grown and exported for textiles.

What's with the lost Dutch miners?  :)

We talk with Joseph Gutierrez, Manager and Certified Tourism Ambassador of the Nautical Beachfront Resort in Lake Havasu City.  He talks about the history of the resort dating to the founder Robert McCullough (The chainsaw, boat motors and airline magnate).

Special edition of The Urban Farm.  Farmer Greg and Peggy Sorenson are harvesting mesquite beans for milling.

Harvesting starts with nibbling on a mesquite bean and what to taste for.  Important to harvest off the tree before monsoon rain.  Beans must be really dry!

Wet beans and those that fall on the ground can not be milled.

Mesquite beans are high in protein, gluten free and naturally sweet.

Greg explains his hammer mill used for milling the beans.

Farmer Greg explains the preparation of the mesquite beans for the milling process.

GrowPHX.com

Peggy Sorenson discusses some of the edible desert plants.  And WEEDS!  

Discussion on harvesting saugaro cactus fruit and prickly pear.  Importance of proper ways to prepare them.  They explain those ways.

Book:  Eat Mesquite And More

More things to eat from the desert like tumbleweed, ironwood seeds and palo verde.

Rosie discusses the state of the remodeling industry relating to Arizona.  Represents 2% of GDP.   The cost of remodeling explained.  Why we suggest you rely on our Certified Partners.

CALLER:  Wants to know how to find out if your roof needs replacing.  

CALLER:  Selling a home and wasn't happy with the home inspection roof report.

Rosie answers the caller's question about a roof home inspection report he's questioning and Rosie's take on home inspections in general.

CALLER:  Has an issue with a hot room and thinks it duct work.  Knows the contractor that did the duct work and wants to know how he can get them to fix it since 2006.  This is where a Whole Home Energy Audit comes in handy.

CALLER:  Hired a contractor to fix stucco on his house.  Feels the job wasn't done up to code and missing some parts.  Next recourse to get it fixed.

CALLER:  Remodeling bathroom issue.  Floor had to be redone twice because it wasn't level because of a drain pan shower issue.  Has an acrylic solution he wants our thoughts on.

Welcome a new partner Accessable Home Remodeling in Tucson specialists in Aging In Place upgrades and universal design.

Andrew Dobbins of Intelligent Design Air Conditioning & Plumbing in Tucson and Rich Cooley, CEO of Sun Trac.

Sun Trac is a hybrid climate system for your air conditioner.  Acts as a second stage compressor, but uses solar to complement it not replace it.  Rich details how it works.  

Good Tax Credit advantages!!

SunTrac panels increase HVAC system efficiency and reduce operating expenses by replacing a percentage of mechanical energy required to power a compressor (saving electricity), with modulated solar thermal energy.

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This renewable hybrid approach offers the most innovative patented technology available for residential and commercial air conditioning & heating applications.

Discussion of cost to install the SunTrac panel.  There are many variables to consider.  The type of A/C unit to start.

The advantage of cooling your home during the day with a SunTrac panel instead of at night.   Uses less energy to run the compressor.   An example was a case in Hawaii.  

Replacing a single stage A/C system with a new variable speed compressor, adding the proper SunTrac panel, they're seeing nearly 80% reduction on the cooling part of your energy bill.  Reducing power consumption.

Variable speed A/C systems have changed the game.  Using solar instead of mechanical energy extending the life of the unit.

CALLER:  Has two units on his home and likely an expensive replacement.  Ways to cover it.

CALLER:  Pros and cons on putting a hard start kits on new unit.  Explains a hard start kit.

Dealing with oversizing units, SunTrac adds capacity so a smaller unit can be installed.  The explain how it works.

CALLER NOT AIRED:  Wants know about duct work layout.  More efficent installed overhead or underground?

Talks about using granulated cork for insulation and its application outside of duct work.

SunTrac panels manufactured in Arizona.  For home and commercial use.

Projection by 2050, 5 billion commercial air conditioners in use.  Commercial is the last to see new technical advances to energy efficency.  SunTrac can change that.