Friday, December 5, 2014

Heating at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc


When it comes to heating your home, you may not realize how many options you really have. Not every type of heating system is ideal for every type of home in the Washington, DC and Northern Virginia area, and some are certainly better in certain circumstances than others. That’s why the experts at Polar Bear Air Conditioning are always on hand to answer your questions and guide you through the selection process.

We know that it can be pretty overwhelming to try and pick out a new heating system for your home. After all, this is a big investment and this isn’t the type of purchase you’re likely to make often. But with us, you don’t have to worry. We’ll break down the decision for you to show you how to find the right type and size of heating system to match both the dimensions of your home and your own particular household heating needs.

Heating Tip

An easy way take advantage of the heat from the sun is the leave the curtains on your south–facing windows open during the day. This will allow sunlight to heat your home and also provide some natural illumination, helping you reduce your energy consumption. However, remember to close the curtains at night to insulate against the outside air. During the summer, keep your curtains closed during the day to help keep your home cool.

All Heating Services

No job is too big or too small, and our technicians have extensive experience working with all types of home heating systems. We do full new installations, including installing heating systems in new construction homes.

In addition, our technicians can perform regular maintenance and all manner of repairs on any type of heating system whether we did the original installation or not. If you’re looking for someone to take over the annual maintenance for your heating system, you’ve come to the right place.

Types of Heating Systems

We work with all types of heating systems. If you’re looking to have something installed, we’ll help you choose from the assortment of quality products we offer for installation. For some of our customers, having a gas furnace makes the most sense. For others, a heat pump forced air heating system combined with an air conditioning system is the best way to go.

We offer all of these products and our expert installers and technicians can get them in place safely and efficiently. Their experience and training in the field is extensive and you can be sure that when one of our installers completes a project, it’s done right.

Selecting the Right Heater

When you’re trying to decide on a home heating system, one of the toughest parts of the decision can be deciphering some of the information and statistics you’ll read about each system. For instance, all furnaces have what’s known as an AFUE rating. This figure refers to the overall energy efficiency of the furnace and is typically in the range of 80–90+%.

The higher the number, of course, the more energy efficient the furnace and that probably sounds pretty good to you. After all, who doesn’t want to save on their energy bills every month? But when it comes to selecting a furnace, there are other factors to consider besides the AFUE rating that can impact the type of furnace that is actually the best choice for you financially.

That’s because furnaces with a rating of 90% or higher typically cost a good deal more than their 80% counterparts. And an 80% AFUE still means the furnace is pretty energy efficient. In fact, you’d have to use your furnace quite a bit if you want to make up for the higher purchase price of the more energy efficient 90+% AFUE furnace.

When you come to Polar Bear for your heating needs, we’ll help you evaluate all of your options and find the best system for you and your family. Don’t hesitate to give us a call today. We’re always happy to hear from all of our neighbors in the Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia area.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Bradley Smoker: 2-Rack Smoker Product Review




"Bradley Smokers have been my smoker of choice for the last number of years because I love the ease and convenience of their digital smokers. Set the temperature, fill the hopper with your wood bisquettes of choice, place meat in the smoker and walk away. There is no need to tend to the smoker, making sure there is enough wood or that the temperature is getting too hot or cold. The smoker takes care of it all really. I have had the Bradley Digital 4 Rack Smoker for a while now and it has produced consistently excellent results.

Bradley has recently released a new compact smoker. This smaller unit is perfect to sit on a countertop and has 2 racks which is still plenty of room to smoke enough food to feed a family!"

To read the full review please visit www.theblackpeppercorn.com  

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Home Health Care Anti Fraud Policy Practices - Home Health & Hospice Executive Coaching


presentation in conference roomOur unique understanding of strategic planning, operational development, training and education, and professional coaching allow us to identity and focus appropriate resources and assist your organization as you realign yourself for financial and organizational growth. Able to develop winning formulas that translate into workable policies and procedures, Kenyon HomeCare Consulting helps strengthen and develop skills within your organization that encourage and sustain fiscal stability as well as staff growth and development.


Executive Coaching

Kenyon Home Care Consulting encourages leadership success and viability. Working one-on-one with your managers, we offer a wide range of executive support and training that allows managers to access data and resources that support their success. A service that helps management clarify and define goals and then develop accessible ways to implement these new ideas, we provide one-on-one, private:

·        Mentoring
·        Executive support
·        Leadership development

Staff Education

Kenyon Home Care Consulting develops training and educational materials specific to the industry and the organization. A well-trained staff allows your organization to function at optimum levels. Additionally, on-going training makes staff feel they are valued and increases loyalty to the organization while maximizing performance. Our support facilitates staff training, continuity in care, and creates comprehensive, customized solutions including but not limited to:

·        OASIS training for Medicare field staff
·        Disease specific training for field staff
·        Culinary training programs

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Home Health Care Anti Fraud Policy Practices: Home Health & Hospice Interim Management

Kenyon HomeCare Consulting’s Interim Management allows you to optimize success even in the midst of internal change and transformation. A key ingredient for success and growth, Interim Management allows you to present a stable public image while reassuring staff during periods of restructuring and expansion.

To facilitate an Interim Management solution, a key member of Kenyon HomeCare Consulting’s team temporarily steps into an unfilled management position. Functioning either as CEO, CFO or COO, this ‘team member’ helps focus, organize, and implement productive change. To ensure success, each Interim Management project includes a full Organizational Assessment that identifies weaknesses and strengths within your organization and helps develop plans that facilitate organizational restructuring. Designed to achieve better planning and greater success, Interim Management offers a seamless approach to growth and development. Additionally, the assessment identifies actions that need to be taken once a permanent hire is made. During the Interim Management period, Kenyon HomeCare Consulting supports and guides all efforts to find a permanent hire that will mirror and sustain the renewed energy and focus of your organization.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Six top tips for job seekers in German



For many, January's arrival means it's time for a change. In this week's JobTalk, The Local looks at how to go about landing a dream job in Germany.

Looking to shake things up this January with a new job? Follow our tips to make the dreaded German job hunt a little less daunting.

1. Know what you want

Before you start aimlessly browsing the web, it's always a good idea to assess what kind of jobs you can and want to do. If you don't know, ask yourself who you are, what you are good at and what you enjoy doing. Make a list of your qualifications, skills and experience to establish where you are in your career and which kind of jobs are realistic for you to go for. Next list some keywords associated with those jobs - this will help narrow down and focus your search. It's a good idea to then translate the job title into German to widen your search to German as well as English language sites.

2. Cast your web

The internet is without doubt the richest resource for job seekers - but there's nothing to say you have to waste hours on end scouring the same job portals. Speed up the process by setting up job alert emails on major employment sites using your keywords and the name of your city. This way you'll be among the first to know when a great opportunity comes up. Beyond the general job portals, it's definitely worth checking for industry-specific employment sites in Germany, say for engineers, medical professionals or lawyers. Individual companies will also advertise openings under Stellenangebote. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for some more job sites to help you on your way.

3. Sell yourself

Before you apply for any position, make sure you've got a killer CV in the German style - see our guide for useful tips. If you in are highly-qualified profession you'd do well to check this government site to see if you can get your foreign-earned qualifications recognised in Germany. Should you need to update your skill set or even retrain, the Volkshochschulen in most cities offer adult education classes at reasonable prices. This English language government website offers information about apprenticeships and on-the-job training in Germany for foreigners.

4. Network

Getting out there and meeting people can be a great way to hear about positions before they get put online. Schmoozing business contacts can be particularly useful if you know what line of work you want to get into or even a dream company you'd like to work for. Look out for tailor-made job networking meet-ups which are held all over Germany.

5. Recruitment fairs

Offline, job recruitment fairs can be a great way to meet German employers face-to-face. Make a good impression by dressing smart and asking specific questions about the company to show you're really interested. Look out for specific fairs that might suit you - job fairs are regularly held for graduates, or there may be one specific for your industry, for foreigners or language speakers.

6. Learn German

Nobody is expecting you to be able to give a physics lecture or discuss the works of Marx auf Deutsch, but there's no doubt you'll be much more employable with basic German. A minimum of a B2 level language course is usually required in many workplaces.

"It's so important, I can't say it enough: Learn German," career adviser Heidi Störr from Push Your Career told The Local. "Of course there are branches where you can work without German, but most people won't be able to get away with this. The better your German, the better chances you have of getting a job."