In this episode of the Ask Derek Cole Show, host Derek Cole answers three listener questions and shares a brief anecdote. First, he explains how to detect and seal air leaks in older homes, recommending a blower‑door test and checking common leak points such as window caulking, electrical receptacles, light switches, and exposed plumbing. Second, he addresses a homeowner whose new air‑conditioning unit coincided with a rising electricity bill, advising them to contact the installer, inspect the ductwork for leaks, consider behavioral “rebound” effects, and verify that the system’s SEER rating matches the home’s needs. Third, he outlines the licensing and insurance requirements for HVAC contractors, stressing the need for state and local licenses, proper liability coverage, and alignment with homeowner’s insurance policies. The episode closes with a light‑hearted interview with guest William Skipper, who recounts a near‑miss when his truck ran out of gas, underscoring the simple safety tip of always checking fuel levels before driving.
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Hey, on this episode we're talking about what kind of license should I be looking for to install my unit, air leaks in the home, and I have a new AC but my power bill keeps going up. Also, at the end of the show I have a special guest. You ask your comfort and energy questions and they get answered. This is the Ask Derrick Cole Show. Hey, welcome to episode 34 of the Ask Derrick Cole Show. #AskDerrickCole. These are not gang signs, by the way. These are hashtags. I've had some questions about it. If you have not seen episode 33, go back. Stop right now. Go back and watch it because it is getting great reviews. She even said it was the bomb. I did. I said it was the bomb. Yeah, it was the bomb.com. Drop the mic. She thinks I'm a minion. Anyway, I'm in Jerusa's office here, and this is not my office. And anyway, let's get into the program. What's going on?
All right, here we go. Question number 1.
Something wrong?
No. What is the best way to check for air leaks to the outside? I just got new windows installed in a 50-year-old home.
So you got an older house and new windows, so that's good. The situation you run into with older homes compared to newer homes is that older homes were not made as tight, energy efficient as today's houses are. So they do have a test called a blower door test. And literally it's a blower door that puts pressure in your home and then they go by with a smoke gun, is what they call it, and they check everything to see where the air leaks are going. So you can have a blower door test performed on your house. But some common areas I look for, can lightings with the new windows, to make sure they're caulked sealed properly. Also check receptacles, light switches. Those are big, big problems. Also plumbing. I mean, you got the plumbing exposures coming under the house or on the side of the house. Just make sure all those are sealed as well. Again, I think I saw an article on LinkedIn on somebody that wrote about air leaks. I'm not sure who it was. Anyway, check it out. Check it out, search LinkedIn. Actually, if you want to search Derek Cole, you'll probably find a whole article on insulating air leaks. I'm not sure. He writes a few articles, so check it out. Yeah, so that's where we started. But hey, older houses, upgrading windows, cool. Check insulation, windows, doors, all the big things. So yeah, you're on the you are on the right path.
I have a new AC unit but now have a higher power bill and my unit is not keeping up with the demand.
So one, call the company that installed the unit and have them go back and check it to make sure everything is right, because it sounds like something is wrong. Your power bill should not be going up because you installed a new system. Now, it has been hotter than usual, lately, so that could be a reason why. Um, actually, it is said that, and it's proven, I think there's even tests on it, the more energy efficient you think you are, the more energy you actually use. Uh, that's kind of backwards, but if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. So if I think I'm really efficient, maybe I'm going to bump my thermostat down to 73 instead of 75. Hey, I just bought this brand new unit, it's a blah blah blah, sear, I can, no problem. You see, you start using more power because you're more efficient. So that could be one issue too. Make sure your habits aren't really changing. But yeah, your duct system needs to be checked, the new unit needs to be checked. The problem we have run into on previous installs is that maybe the duct system has been there 30 years and now you're installing an 18 SEER, 2-speed mama jama unit, and it really starts to expose the oldness of the duct system with air leaks like we just talked about. So check all that, get your duct checked out, seal it if possible. Also, when you go to LinkedIn to look at the Insulate Air Leaks article, There's also one there on duct sealing, so you might want to check that out as well.
What type of licensing should I make sure someone has before letting them install a new unit into my home?
So they should be licensed in the state that they're working in. So if it's North Carolina, South Carolina, whatever, make sure they have a state license to do business and they also have a license to do business in that town, city, or county, whatever it is. Check all that, but I always take that a step further and make sure they are properly insured. What I've seen in the past is that someone will say, hey, I know a guy that can come over and install a unit for you. Well, the problem is that the know-a-guy doesn't have a license and is not properly insured, so therefore you are exposing yourself to problems that could happen down the road. So you want to make sure it's proper license, properly insured. That way, if they were to get hurt on your property anyway— sprained ankle, walk through a hole, you know, get some mud on them and they freak out, I don't know, whatever happens— you're covered. So you want to make sure they have the insurance and the license as well as that to make sure you're covered as well. Most homeowners' policies want you to have a licensed contractor working at your house. So if something were to happen there, you can also be protected by your home insurance. Otherwise, they really don't like uninsured people, the no-ed guys, to work on things because when you're dealing with heating and air or electrical, I mean, you're dealing with some serious stuff, serious appliances. It is— you have to be careful, you have to be safe, and you want to make sure that company has all of this in place to protect you, the end consumer, to make sure that you're not in harm's way. That's it. That's episode 34. Hey, the man I'm looking at right now, William Skipper, you all have seen him on the Comfort Experts. I haven't heard his whole story though. Apparently around lunchtime I got a phone call. William, come on in. Pull up a stool here. I'm going to do a little interview with William. He's not really that tall, he's just on a stool. Yeah, I am. So William, would you like to tell our great audience what happened?
Well, today on lunch I stopped at the Fresh Market.
Everybody knows he's in Aberdeen. I'm in Aberdeen, North Carolina. Or is it considered Southern Pines?
Yeah, well, I don't know.
I don't know. It's a triangle of whatever, kind of blend together.
It's kind of hard to tell. But I decided I'm going to go in and see if I get me some fresh sushi.
So I walk in and they're making the sushi. And, um, by the way, the sushi has nothing to do with the story, but I give me some fresh sushi.
Smoked salmon and a combination— hey, sushi, smoked salmon, and a bottle of Cheerwine. You can't beat that combination.
That's good.
So I go out, decide I'm going to sit in the truck and eat my lunch. While I'm sitting there, my truck just all of a sudden it just cuts off and I'm, what in the world's going on?
Whoops.
Yeah, yeah. So I try to crank it up 3 or 4 times, it's not doing anything but just turning. And I look down and realize, hey, I'm out of gas. Hey, somebody was looking out for me because I'm sitting in the parking lot and then there's a BP corner of the parking lot down past. There's a BP in the same parking lot and I get to looking and I'm saying this parking lot funnels downhill to that thing.
I told you, you can literally roll it.
I pulled my parking brake and I rolled from my parking spot all the way to the gas pump and it stopped without me touching the brake right beside the gas pump. How lucky can you be? How lucky can you be? But hey, learning experience. Check your gas tank before you drive.
Yes, check your gas needle before you drive. Uh, thank you, William, for that. Um, that is a lesson to always check your gas because you could have been on— I mean, from Laurinburg to Aberdeen, you're on— was that 501? Yeah. I mean, there's nothing— trees. There's nothing between here and there.
Trees and deer.
Yeah, so a lot of farmland. Could get you some— what's that, soybean edamame? Could get you some soybeans. Anyway, episode 34 coming to a close. If you have questions, #AskDerekCole. Also check out the Comfort Experts, and we don't even talk about gas. But that was a good lesson, you know, no charge to you to make sure you're informed, uh, to keep you safe and healthy. All right guys, see you next time. You ask your comfort and energy questions and they get answered. This is the Ask Derrick Cole Show.
