School is in Session: 4 HVAC & Plumbing Kid-Friendly Lessons

April 3, 2020
Advice

If you’re homeschooling your kiddos right now and are looking for something interactive and a bit out of the box, we have just the elective for you! This “course” plan is comprised of four lessons – an online and offline one-two punch – that will teach your child about home maintenance and get your home in summer-shape. Win-win.

 

Let’s get started (note: adult supervision is recommended).

 

Lesson 1: Air Filters

 

Learning: Changing your air filter regularly can make a huge difference in the quality of the air in your home and running through your HVAC system.

Computer Task: Search the internet to find how often one should change each of these types of filters:

  • Fiberglass [monthly]
  • Pleated 1” [quarterly]
  • Pleated 2” [2x/year]
  • Pleated 4” [yearly]

Our plug: If you’re not sure what type filter you have, it’s only $39 to have a Charlotte Mechanical tech visit your home through the end of April; (click here to learn more)!

Interactive Task: Have your child change your air filter (and/or help them do so). Then, have them set a recurring calendar reminder on your phone to remind you to purchase and change your air filter for the next time.

 

Lesson 2: Ceiling Fans

 

Learning: Ever wonder what that tiny switch is for on your ceiling fan? It changes the direction of the rotation of the blades. If your fans are rotating counterclockwise, they push the air down and help keep your home cool.

Computer Task: Have your child do some research to fill in the blank:

If you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about X°F with no reduction in comfort. 

[Answer: 4°F]

Interactive Task: Flip the switch on your ceiling fans. Oh, and while you’re up there, clean the dust off the blades with a dryer sheet attached to a paint roller (depending on the child’s age, they can either assist you or you can assist him/her).

 

Lesson 3: Windows/Doors

 

Learning: Grime,pests and allergens are easily trapped between windows and screens and can enter your home when you open the windows.

Computer Task:Read this article about seven interesting insects and their relatives (called“arthropods”). After reading, see how many your child can recall by memory.

Not into insects? Have your child find the daily pollen count for you.

Interactive Task: Grab the soap. Have your child fill up a bucket with water. Don some gloves. It’s time for your child (with your help depending on their age)to deep clean your windows – inside and out – and screens. Thoroughly cleaning with soap and water is the best way to ensure you aren’t welcoming anything other than fresh air into your home with the occasional cool breezes of summer.

 

Lesson 4: Plumbing

 

Learning: A faucet aerator (or tap aerator) is often found at the tip of indoor water faucets. An aerator can do the following. [Source: Wikipedia]

  • Prevent splashing
  • Shape the water stream coming out of the faucet spout, to produce a straight and evenly pressured stream
  • Conserve water and reduce energy costs
  • Reduce faucet noise
  • Reduce faucet noise
  • Increase perceived water pressure (often used in homes with low water pressure); sometimes described as a pressure regulator or flow regulator
  • Provides slight filtration of debris due to a small sieve plate

You need to clean your aerator annually because dirt gets caught on the aerator screens slowing water flow.

Computer Task: Ask your child to describe the two basic steps of aeration.

[#1 Air is drawn into the water stream, breaking the stream into a flow of tiny droplets mixed with air. AND #2 The mixture of air and water passes through a screen, further mixing the air and water and evenly spreading out the resulting stream.]

Interactive Task: Unscrew the aerator; be careful not to lose any of the small screens or filters. Carefully rinse the small chunks of dirt off, put aerator pieces back together and screw aerator back onto faucet.

 

We hope you and your child/children enjoy these. We’d love for you to share some in-action photos. Don’t forget to tag us on social media: InstagramFacebook and LinkedIn.

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