Rentmeister Total Home Service Blog: Archive for November, 2014

Will Thanksgiving Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014

We’ve all heard it before: you feel so sleepy after a Thanksgiving meal because of the main event: the turkey. For years, people have credited extraordinary levels of tryptophan in turkey as the reason we all feel the need to nap after the annual feast. But contrary to this popular mythology, tryptophan is probably not he largest responsible party for your post-meal exhaustion.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which means it’s something that our bodies need but do not produce naturally. Your body uses tryptophan to help make vitamin B3 and serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that sends chemicals to the brain to aid in sleep. But in order to get this essential amino acid, we have to eat foods that contain it.

Turkey has somewhat high levels of tryptophan, but so do many other foods, including eggs, peanuts, chocolate, nuts, bananas, and most other meats and dairy products. In fact, ounce-for-ounce cheddar cheese contains a greater amount of tryptophan than turkey. In order for tryptophan to make you feel sleepy, you would have to consume it in excessive amounts, and serotonin is usually only produced by tryptophan on an empty stomach.

The truth is, overeating is largely responsible for the “food coma” many people describe post-Thanksgiving. It takes a lot of energy for your body to process a large meal, and the average Thanksgiving plate contains about twice as many calories as is recommended for daily consumption. If anything, high levels of fat in the turkey cause sleepiness, as they require a lot of energy for your body to digest. Lots of carbohydrates, alcohol, and probably a bit of stress may also be some of the reasons it feels so satisfying to lay down on the couch after the meal and finally get a little bit of shut-eye.

If you feel the need to indulge in a heaping dose of tryptophan this year, go ahead! Turkey also contains healthy proteins and may even provide a boost for your immune system. Here at Rentmeister Total Home Service, we hope your Thanksgiving is full of joy and contentment this year. Happy feasting!

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Why Consider Ductless Heating?

Friday, November 14th, 2014

Sometimes there are so many choices for home heating that it can be almost overwhelming to decide on one. But understanding how certain systems work and what they can offer you and your home can go a long way toward helping you choose and install a heating system that fits great with your home. One system to consider is ductless heating. Some wonder how ductless systems can heat a home, so we’ll take some time to explain this below. But no matter what heating system you choose, make sure you hire professionals who can properly install and service your new heating system. Since 1953, Rentmeister Total Home Service has helped many, many customers find the perfect heating system in Salt Lake City, and we can help you, too. Call us today!

How Does a Ductless System Heat?

The reason a ductless system can heat your home is that it uses heat pump technology. With a heat pump, a component called a reversing valve allows the system to offer both heating and cooling. This is because the reversing valve can change the direction of the refrigerant flow. As the homeowner, all you have to do is press the heating button on your dual-mode thermostat – the heat pump does the rest.

Why Consider a Ductless System?

One of the main reasons ductless systems have become so popular is because they can both heat and cool your home. But there are other reasons to consider a ductless system:

  • Easy installation – a ductless system has an outdoor unit that contains the compressor and condenser and indoor blowers that distribute the heat. All that’s required to connect the indoor blowers to the outdoor unit is a conduit drilled into an exterior wall. A single outdoor unit can support up to 4 indoor blowers, so as long as you have the support, you can easily add as many indoor blowers as you need.
  • Very energy efficient – heat pumps use about 25% of the electricity of a whole-home air conditioning system, and no fossil fuels whatsoever. This makes them very energy efficient and environmentally-friendly.
  • Customized comfort – each blower can be set at its own temperature, which allows you to create zone control.

If it seems like a ductless system may be a good fit for your heating needs, call Rentmeister Total Home Service and schedule professional heating service in Salt Lake City with one of our experts today.

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Types of Radiant Floor Heating

Friday, November 7th, 2014

**Rentmeister Total Home Service No Longer Services Boilers Or Radiant Heating Systems, We Apologize If This Is An Inconvenience**

Radiant floor heating has become a popular choice among homeowners. There are two main types of floor heating, as we’ll describe in more detail below. Choosing a type will depend largely on your needs and your preferences, and working with an expert can go a long way toward ensuring you select the type that best fits you and your home. Rentmeister Total Home Service has been providing professional heating services in Salt Lake City since 1953, so if you are ready for a new heating installation, call us today.

Electric Radiant Heating

Electric radiant heating relies on electric cables that generate heat when electrified. The cables can be embedded in wet cement to create a radiant slab, laid out in a serpentine pattern directly onto sub-flooring, or be part of a mat which has electrically-conductive plastic. Laying electrical cable into wet cement is known as a “wet” installation; mats can be installed directly onto subflooring just like straight electric cable.

Hydronic Radiant Floor Heating

A hydronic system is one that uses hot water or steam to heat your home. With radiant heating, flexible, durable PEX tubing is installed beneath your flooring; a boiler heats the water, and once the correct temperature is achieved, circulating pumps push the water through the tubing. If your boiler generates steam, the steam will flow under its own pressure. Once the water cools, it returns to the boiler for another heating cycle.

Which Type Is Best?

Determining which system is best for you depends in part on your preferences and your current heating situation. If you have a boiler in your home already, a hydronic radiant floor system may make more sense than an electric one. If you don’t have a boiler system, it may be better to use electric radiant heating instead of installing a new boiler. Working with a trained professional will help you determine the best option when it comes to heating your home with a radiant system.

Each type of radiant heating system has a lot to offer you. Call Rentmeister Total Home Service today and schedule an appointment with one of our installation specialists.

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