Archive for December, 2014

5 Facts about Santa Claus

Thursday, December 25th, 2014 by Lisa Pixley

Many holiday traditions involve the story of Santa Claus, the lovable old man who spends most of his time at the North Pole taking a single evening to deliver presents and candy to children everywhere. But since Santa Claus is so elusive (unless he happens to be visiting your local shopping mall), how do we know so much about him? Where exactly does his journey begin? Our holiday guide details 5 of the most common traditions associated with Jolly Old Saint Nick.

  1. The Origins of Santa: The name “Santa Claus” comes from St. Nicholas (a name which became Sinter Klaas for short in Dutch), a Christian Bishop from 4 A.D. who was known for giving his fortune away to those in need in Turkey. Santa Claus’ first associations with gift-giving comes from Holland’s St. Nicholas’ feast day, during which children would leave out their shoes overnight and find presents waiting inside the shoes on the next morning.
  2. The Stocking by the Chimney: While many people associate Holland’s shoe tradition with the origins of hanging a stocking, this isn’t entirely accurate. Hanging stockings instead comes from the legend of a time St. Nick helped a man afford to marry off his daughter by throwing a bag of gold down the chimney, which landed in a stocking that was hanging up to dry.
  3. St. Nick’s Outfit: Santa got his fashion sense from a wooden cutout handed out during a meeting of the New York Historical Society in 1804. But it wasn’t until a 1930s Coca Cola advertisement that his traditionally blue, white, and green outfit was transformed into a big red suit.
  4. Leaving Cookies out for Santa: Food was traditionally used as ornamentation during the holidays in medieval Germany as apples and cookies commonly adorned the home at wintertime. When the Christmas tree became a common symbol of the season, edible treats began to vanish, a phenomenon which became attributed to Santa Claus’ snacking habits.
  5. Why Santa Drives a Sleigh: Santa gets his sleigh from a tale spun by Washington Irving, the same author who brought us the Headless Horseman. He wrote down an account of a dream in which Santa Claus drives a weightless wagon through the sky, and the stories became so popular, they stuck around.

Here at Alpha Air Corporation, we hope that you have a joyful and safe celebration, no matter what holiday traditions you engage in this year. Happy holidays!

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What Can Go Wrong if You Don’t Schedule Duct Cleaning in the Heating Season

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 by Lisa Pixley

“Can’t I just clean my ducts on my own?” This is a question we get asked often around the heating season, after we let homeowners know about the importance of cleaning the ducts. Ductwork can contain hidden contaminants which you cannot see with the naked eye, so it may be difficult to eliminate every single type of contaminant with a D-I-Y duct cleaning. Besides, professionals simply have a wider array of tools at their disposal, including high-pressure vacuums, soft brushes, and safe cleaning solutions.

If you don’t schedule regular heat duct cleaning in St. Paul, you risk a few different problems that can continue to occur throughout the heating season. Here’s what can go wrong if you don’t choose professionals for the job this year.

  • Family members with asthma or allergies can suffer. If you have family members that suffer from allergies or asthma, you’re not making the situation any better by delaying duct cleaning. Most ductwork contains some contaminants like dust, pollen, or pet dander, as well as living organisms like bacteria and viruses.
  • Mold growth may develop. Without thorough duct cleaning, you could subject your home to potential mold growth. Air conditioning and heating equipment can develop condensation, which can cause the air in the ducts to be even more humid than the air in your home. This means moisture can build up in the ductwork, allowing mold to develop and spores to spread into the air, leading to potential illness.
  • You may notice limited heating performance. The performance of your forced-air heater is contingent upon having a working set of ducts. Dirty ductwork can create friction which makes it harder for your heating equipment to operate properly.
  • You may spend more on your heating. Because your heater could have limited capabilities, the parts may begin to wear down fairly quickly, causing reduced efficiency/

 

If you’ve recently made renovations to your home, if family members suffer from allergies, or if you simply haven’t had anyone inspect your ducts in a while, call Alpha Air Corporation.

We’ll get your ducts back into top condition with our quality heat duct cleaning in St. Paul. Contact Us Today! 952.476.4144 or 1-866-PIXLEYS

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How to Find a Company for Commercial and Industrial Mold Remediation

Thursday, December 4th, 2014 by Lisa Pixley

In your line of work, you simply cannot afford to neglect the air quality inside of your building. For those who manage a commercial property, the quality of the air deserves attention—particularly if you or someone in your building suspects mold growth. Mold can keep employees, tenants, and clients feeling ill or aggravate pre-existing conditions that make staying in your industrial building difficult and unpleasant. When you suspect mold—either from the appearance of mold, damp spots around the building, a recent flood or leak, or even just a musty feeling in the air—it’s time to find a company for commercial and industrial mold remediation. But how do you locate the right company for the job?

A Thorough Inspection, Cleaning, and Elimination

One of the things you should look into when searching for a company for commercial mold remediation services is the process that technicians go through when deciding on the steps to take for mold remediation. Unfortunately, there are contractors out there who simply don’t take enough pride in their work. Some companies are looking to make a quick buck and, while they may do as promised to remove the mold, they won’t take the steps to make sure the source of the problem is eliminated as well.

Mold growth in your business will probably not go away after a simple cleaning. If there is mold in your building, it is because moist conditions—caused by poor ventilation, lack of dehumidification, a leak in the home, inadequate drainage from your HVAC system, or any number of issues—allow for mold to develop. A good contractor will promise to locate the source of the problem and help you find ways to keep it from affecting daily operation in the future.

Industry Experts

You should also make sure that you only trust the job to industry experts. Experts in the indoor air quality industry recognize the importance of air quality to the operation of your business, and know that the work they do is vital to your company’s well-being.

At Alpha Air Corporation, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on our work. However, we hope you’ll never have to use it, as our NADCA and IAQA certified experts locate the source of your mold problem and address any issue thoroughly for the best in industrial mold remediation in Rochester, MN.

For expert industrial mold remediation services in Rochester, MN and the surrounding areas, Call Us Today! 952.476.4144 or 1-866-PIXLEYS

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