Rol Air - May 2021

Rol Air - May 2021

A B R E A T H OF FRESH AIR

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MAY 2021

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FROM WORDS TO WORK OUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE TAKES EVERY TEAM MEMBER

When you tell people that your company is committed to excellence, I can guarantee some people’s eyes will glaze over before you can finish your first sentence. The fact of the matter is this: Almost every business out there says they’re going to do excellent work. The same is true for having company values or a mission statement. Somewhere down the line, businesses decided that you need a set of core values and some kind of philosophy to start a company, so, of course, everybody has one — and few people follow them.

In an environment like that, you’re going to need to do more than just talk if you want your customers to see the truth behind your words.

That’s something we at Rol Air learned early and often. I knew from growing up that if you were going to say something, you needed to back it up. I also learned that not everybody feels that way. “Talk is cheap,” as the saying goes. I wish it wasn’t, but it’s true. I’ve always held myself to a high standard of excellence, and when my company was founded, I held everything we did to that same standard.

is just as important to the people doing it as it is to you, right? In our case, we’ve found that hiring the right people is the key to this. Technicians, especially, need to be interested in the field and enjoy what they do. Fortunately, we’ve been very lucky with everyone we’ve brought into the fold! And what about the quality of the work they’re doing? Believe it or not, that’s pretty easy to tell by how many callbacks we get and how much warranty work we do. If both of those numbers are low — and ours are some of the lowest around — it means that our technicians are installing parts and systems correctly and fixing things so they stay fixed. Believe it or not, once in a while, that even means turning down work if we won’t be allowed to do it to our standard of excellence.

But what does that mean in practice?

First and foremost, it means work. Each and every member of our team goes through 120 extra hours of training every year, and I do mean every member — not just the technicians in the field. When you call us, the person answering the phone has done at least three 40-hour weeks of extra training and education every year, all of which applies to our company and the work we do. The technicians who arrive to fix your AC unit have spent the same amount of time learning about equipment of all kinds, from the newest systems to the older models that throw most of our competitors for a loop. This means they’re very rarely stumped and have a wealth of knowledge to call upon within our company. That said, relevant training is only part of the picture. The other part is how we do business. If we don’t show that we care about you and give you excellent service in every interaction, then we’re failing in some way. You should feel like the work you call in about

Put another way, when we’re done, it’s something we can put our name on. The day we stop showing excellence to our customers

is the day we lose an important part of this company. That’s not our brand, and it’s not why we’re trusted by so many amazing customers to do the work we do.

ROLAIRREPAIR.COM

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WHAT TO DO ABOUT YOUR HOME’S ‘ENERGY VAMPIRES’ DON’T LET HIDDEN ENERGY COSTS DRAIN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT

We’ve all been there: You’re hit with an unusually high energy bill and you aren’t sure why. While we expect our energy bills to increase during certain times of the year, we still expect some consistency. When there are unusual bumps, we want to know why. In some cases, these unusual bumps can be traced to hidden energy drains, or “energy vampires.” Most of these energy vampires are far more insidious than a noticeable bump to your energy bill. Why? Because we’re often paying for electricity we didn’t even realize we were using.

How to Live to 99

BETTY WHITE’S SECRETS OF LONGEVITY

Beloved “Golden Girls” actress Betty White is still enjoying her golden years. The famed actress celebrated her 99th birthday this January. While she told People magazine that she’s “blessed with good health, so turning 99 is no different than turning 98,” she also had a few tips for folks looking to make it to their centennial birthday. Keep Laughing “Don’t take yourself too seriously,” White says. “You can lie to others — not that I would — but you cannot lie to yourself.” White has undoubtedly provided many laughs to viewers over the years, but she’s not just playing it up for the camera. Laughter is part of what keeps her young. Be Optimistic White says a good sense of humor also helps her keep a good attitude and look for the positive rather than “dwelling on the downside.” Avoiding negativity also gives her energy. “It takes up too much energy being negative,” she told People magazine. Stay Busy With nearly eight decades of acting under her belt, six Emmys on her shelf, and over 120 screen credits to her name, White is no stranger to hard work. As she told Parade in 2018, “I just love to work, so I’ll keep working until they stop asking.” Exercise Your Mind In addition to her busy work schedule, what keeps Betty White sharp? Crossword puzzles! She told Katie Couric in an interview, “I’m addicted. An admitted addict. I just can’t put ’em down.” Find a Cause White is a lifelong animal lover. She calls her golden retriever, Pontiac, “the star of the house.” While pet ownership itself comes with proven health benefits, White has channeled her love for animals in bigger causes. She’s been a trustee and board member of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association for over 40 years and has done work to help protect endangered species in the wild. Funds raised from White’s official fan club, Bet’s Pets, all go to support animal charities. Embrace Your Vices White told Parade she loves vodka and hot dogs “probably in that order,” which just goes to show that you don’t have to forgo your treats to live to 99.

What are these energy drains and what can you do about them?

Electronics TVs, PCs, surround sound equipment, and video game consoles typically drain energy. It comes down to the simple fact that practically every electronic device made today stays “on” even when we turn it off. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that these electronics — while off — still contribute to more than 10% of household energy bills. Some electronics offer settings that allow people to truly turn them off, but even that’s not a guarantee. Another option, however, is to use energy-saving power strips or plug-ins. These power strips allow you to control power to select devices — and ensure these devices are only powered when you want them to be.

Appliances Appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers can be used very inefficiently. Refrigerators, for example, work best when they’re full. If

you have a fridge with only a few things in it, you’re wasting a lot of energy. When it comes to dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers, make sure you run larger, less frequent loads. Running the appliances for smaller loads is very costly — even with ENERGY STAR-rated appliances. One of the biggest energy drains in the home is the electric water heater. For the most part, that’s to be expected. But what people don’t realize is that sometimes, the water temperature is set too high. In this case, your water heater has to work extra hard to keep the temperature up, resulting in an energy drain. The best way to combat this is to simply lower the temperature on the unit.

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POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Is Alternative Energy Right for You?

We all watched late-winter storms wreck parts of the Midwest and South this year, leaving many homeowners scrambling to heat their homes and find clean drinking water. This incident is sparking renewed interest in alternative energy and home energy storage — ways to get off the grid if you’re just the average consumer. But what’s affordable for you? Generators are a common alternative power source, and it’s one that many people who experienced the storms might be familiar with. A generator can run on different types of fuel, and for a short-term outage, it’s an affordable option to keep your electricity on. Generators range greatly in size and price, and you can find one that will power your house for as long as you put fuel in it. Consider, however, the availability of that fuel: Many places that got hit by extreme winter weather also saw gas and diesel shortages. Another popular alternative energy source is solar panels. Over the past 30 years, solar power has become more popular with homeowners, falling in price and rising in reliability. In addition, solar rental companies are happy to put panels on suburban roofs — although one should plan for these low-end panels to be toast by the time their “rental period” ends. One thing you may not know about solar panels is that they require a battery bank to store energy. A battery bank is a collection of batteries connected with wiring, which allows for more storage space than a single battery. This stored energy,

if collected in excess, can be sold back to the grid if you want. On top of that, modern battery banks are cheaper and more reliable than they were in the past, making them more accessible and useful for the average consumer. You can thank Tesla Motors for that research! You can also thank them for solar shingles, which are roof shingles that generate solar energy. Practical? Perhaps not right now, but it might be a sign of things to come. In the future, perhaps we’ll all be selling power back to the grid!

GRILLED CORN WITH PLANT-BASED AIOLI

TAKE A BREAK

Inspired by SimpleVeganBlog.com

Ingredients

• 4 ears corn, unhusked • 1 clove garlic • 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk • 1/2 cup sunflower oil

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar • Sea salt, to taste • 1/2 cup raw spinach

Directions

1. In a large pot, boil corn for 30 minutes. 2. In a large blender or food processor, add garlic, soy milk, sunflower oil, vinegar, and salt. Combine until smooth by pulsing the blades. 3. Once the aioli mixture is blended, add raw spinach and blend again.

4. Drain corn and transfer to the grill for 10 minutes, rotating as necessary. 5. Taste aioli for consistency and flavor. Add more milk or oil to thicken it and add more salt to taste. 6. Top corn with aioli and serve.

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26069 2ND ST. W, ZIMMERMAN, MN 55398 763.515.6411 ROLAIRREPAIR.COM

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WE CARE MORE

INSIDE

1

Our Commitment to Excellence: From Words to Work

2

99-Year-Old Betty White’s Secrets of Longevity

Eliminate Your Home’s ‘Energy Vampires’

3

Getting Power to the People

Grilled Corn With Plant-Based Aioli

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Find Balance Between Pets and Plants

PETS, PLANTS, & PEACE OF MIND HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT PLANTS FOR A PET-FRIENDLY HOME

Do you live in a home with both pets and plants, or are you considering adding some greenery to a house full of four-legged friends? If you have pets and plants together in your home, there are a few important things to keep in mind to ensure that both stay healthy. Pick the right plants. Many houseplants can be toxic to animals. Aloe, for example, can cause serious health issues if ingested by cats and dogs. To avoid these problems, the ASPCA and HGTV both have checklists you can find on their websites to help you

determine what’s safe for your pets. A few pet-friendly choices include Boston ferns, chamaedorea palms, and spider plants.

Consider plant placement. Keep houseplants out of reach of curious snouts, paws, and the occasional tail while still ensuring your plants get plenty of light. Find spots on tables and shelves or hang plants from the ceiling if that’s an option. Set plants away from ledges or areas where cats might be tempted to jump. With pet-friendly plants and proper placement, you can avoid damaged plants and sick pets and keep your home environment happy.

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