Spring is just around the corner…
Are you ready for the warmer weather? We sure are! Spring may be a few weeks away, but we’re already thinking about gardening, warm weather and sunny days. What’s your favorite part of the spring season?
As temperatures rise, you want to make sure your air conditioner is in good shape. Schedule spring preventative maintenance to ensure proper cooling system operation. A contractor can catch minor issues before they become big problems.
But, your air conditioner is only one piece (albeit the biggest piece) of the cooling equation. You also want to keep your thermostat in mind.
The Department of Energy recommends a thermostat setting of 78°F during the summer. You are likely to save more money on cooling at this temperature. But, you want to make sure you make the transition at the right time. Drastic temperature swings can raise bills and decrease performance.
During your maintenance appointment, ask your contractor about your thermostat options. You can choose to go with anything from an analog thermostat with a dial to a smart, Wi-Fi-enabled model. Programmable thermostats fall somewhere in the middle. With a programmable model, you can set the temperature based on your schedule. Your thermostat does the thinking for you. It makes airflow adjustments based on when you’re home and when you’re out of the house. This way, you are using the right amount of energy to cool your home at any given time.
Dramatic temperature swings are not good for your home comfort or wallet. But, small adjustments made by your thermostat can make a positive impact. Make sure you ask your contractor about your money-saving thermostat options.
Like this post? Share it!
The cooling season will be here before you know it…
…is your HVAC system ready? It may only be the beginning of March, but it’s never too early to start preparing for the cooling season. When it comes to your HVAC equipment, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Here are some things you should do to prep for spring.
Clear away any winter debris. Gunk leftover from winter weather can restrict airflow. And, restricted airflow to your condenser leads to increased utility bills.
Plan your garden around your condenser. If you’re planning on planting a garden this spring, make sure you account for your HVAC equipment. You want to allow at least two feet of clearance around your condenser.
Change your furnace filter. You need to change your furnace filter at least once a season. If you haven’t changed it recently, the start of spring is a great time to do so. Plus, you’ll have a fresh filter to capture all those pesky spring allergens.
Consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat. With a programmable thermostat, you can set the temperature based on your schedule. A programmable thermostat can reduce the amount of time your air conditioner spends cooling an empty home.
Call your local heating and air conditioning contractor to schedule preventative maintenance. When the summer heat arrives, contractors get busy. If something goes wrong with your air conditioner, it could be days before a professional is able to get to your home to diagnose the issue. During the spring, contractors are less busy. They can catch any potential issues before they can rear their ugly head during the summer.
Be good to your heating and cooling system this spring. Contact your local contractor today.
Like this post? Share it!
Are you scared of your monthly utility bills?
You shouldn’t have to be. There are things you can do, large and small, that can help you reduce that area of your budget. Big things, like investing in high-efficiency heating and air conditioning equipment, are going to have the largest impacts on your monthly statements. However, these bigger changes are not the only way you can save. Some smaller adjustments don’t require any expense on your part.
Here are some smaller things you can do to help lower/control your monthly expenses.
Turn off the lights when you aren’t in a room.
Lower or raise the temperature your thermostat is set at (depending on the season).
Keep all your vents and registers open.
Keep the windows and doors of your home closed.
Change your furnace filter.
Sign up for budget billing if your utility company offers it.
Switch to high-efficiency light bulbs.
Avoid using space heaters and other supplementary heating methods.
Operate your ceiling fans correctly for the best distribution of air – clockwise during the winter and counter-clockwise during the summer.
Seal your windows and doors.
Set your thermostat to “AUTO” instead of “ON.”
Wash your clothes in cold water.
Take shorter showers.
Open or close curtains depending on the season.
Unplug items like televisions, kitchen appliances and more when they aren’t in use.
Layer up instead of turning up the thermostat during the winter.
Have a timer for your lights.
Take cooler showers.
Want more energy-saving tips? Make sure you contact your local heating and air conditioning contractor. As spring gets closer and closer, make sure you start thinking about air conditioner preventative maintenance. This is the best way to ensure that your air conditioner is ready to tackle the summer heat.
Like this post? Share it!
Do you know how much the furnace has changed over the years?
Home heating has been around for a while. It started with simple wood-burning stoves and fireplaces to today’s high-efficiency, natural gas-powered furnaces. As the years have gone by, heating technology has improved more and more. This means the furnace sitting in your basement could be extremely out-of-date if it is an older model – running inefficiently and not giving you the home comfort you’re paying for.
Efficiency isn’t even the biggest difference between new furnaces and older models. Not only are today’s furnaces held to a higher standard efficiency-wise, they contain comfort-enhancing technology that can make your home more comfortable, and do so quietly.
Here are some technology improvements that make today’s furnace’s outstanding.
Variable-speed technology. Many of today’s gas furnaces, particularly high-efficiency models, contain variable-speed blower motors. A variable-speed model can do just what the name implies – vary the speed at which the air is blown throughout your home to exactly meet your comfort demands. This leads to a better mix of air, reducing hot and cold spots.
Multiple stages of operation. Traditional furnaces have two stages, 100% capacity and off. Furnaces that can operate in multiple stages can vary firing capacity to more directly meet your homes comfort demands at a given time. This help you save money and can lead to better home comfort.
Blower delay. Want to make sure you aren’t treated to a blast of cold air as soon as your furnace kicks on? Invest in a model that features a blower delay. This assures that your ducts are warm by the time air starts moving through them.
And that’s just scratching the surface. Make sure you ask your contractor about the comfort features in addition to efficiency when you’re buying your next furnace.
Like this post? Share it!
Are you taking care of your furnace during the winter?
The answer to that question may be more important than you think. During the winter, we spend more time indoors trying to shelter ourselves from the cold. You want to make sure that your home is comfortable AND safe. Shockingly, indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air.
Here are our tips for maintaining high indoor air quality during the winter.
The first, most important defense against poor indoor air quality is investing in a quality furnace filter. Look into your medical-grade filter options to keep the pollutants, allergens, dust and more away from your family.
If you do not think that a high-efficiency filter is important for your home, you should at least make sure that you are changing your furnace filter often enough. At minimum, you should change your furnace filter four times per year – once before the start of each season. However, if you are an allergy sufferer or you have pets, you may want to consider changing your furnace filter once a month.
Start off with a clean state at the beginning of winter. This starts with your ductwork. After your furnace does its work, the warm air is distributed throughout your home through a system of ducts. You want to make sure that the air is not picking up any unwanted pollutants along the way. To avoid this, schedule a duct cleaning appointment with your local contractor. this is also a good way to catch any hidden issues your home may be suffering from – like mold, insects or rodents.
Be conscious of the cleaners and air fresheners you use during the winter. Consider natural alternatives. Remember, you can potentially breathe in anything you spray on your surface or spritz into the air.
Lastly, don’t forget to schedule a maintenance appointment for your furnace at the beginning of the heating season to make sure everything is operating properly. The time for scheduling an appointment this winter has passed; however, you can always ask your local contractor about a maintenance agreement. Many contractors will set up something with you so that they come out to check your HVAC system twice-a-year – once before the heating season and again before the cooling season.
The time for scheduling spring preventative maintenance will be here before you know it. Don’t forget to talk to your contractor about a maintenance agreement during your yearly appointment.
Like this post? Share it!
There’s more to a condensing furnace than just high efficiency.
Are you in the market for a new gas furnace? There are so many different models to consider! Make sure to keep in mind your high-efficiency, condensing furnace options. High efficiency does offer some pretty obvious perks, but there are other benefits to upgrading to a condensing model.
So, what about these efficiency perks? Furnaces have long lifespans. In fact, the average lifespan of a furnace hovers around 20 years! However, although your furnace may still be kicking after all these years, it could be operating poorly. If you have an older furnace in your home, it may have only been rated at 60% AFUE or 70% AFUE when it was first installed. As furnaces get older and older, they can lose some of their original efficiency through normal wear and tear. A condensing furnace upgrade can significantly cut your utility bill spending.
Here are some other perks of condensing furnaces.
- High-efficiency furnace qualify for better rebates. Not only are you going to be saving money on high-efficiency operation from month to month, but you could get some money shaved off of overhead costs by looking into manufacturer rebates and local utility rebates too.
- Better air distribution. Because a condensing furnace typically runs longer at a lower capacity than a traditional, non-condensing gas furnace, your home can experience more even temperatures and increased comfort.
- Variable-speed blowers for increased comfort at all times of the day. Some high-efficiency, condensing gas furnaces also contain variable-speed blower motors. These components can adjust airflow to meet the real-time heating needs of your home.
If you are in the replacement market, make sure you look into your condensing furnace options. You may be surprised at the amount of efficiency you can afford. Start your search for a high-efficiency furnace by scheduling a consultation with your local heating contractor.
Like this post? Share it!
Do you know what the refrigerant in your HVAC system does?
Heating season is in full swing. Do you use a heat pump to heat your home? If so, chances are your system contains refrigerant.
There are many components that make your HVAC equipment work. One of these components is your refrigeration system. Refrigerant facilitates the transfer of heat either to or from air that is distributed throughout your home. Refrigerant removes heat from the air as it evaporates and adds heat to the air when it condenses. Evaporation and condensation occurs in coils of the same name – the indoor, evaporator coil and the outdoor, condenser coil. In different portions of the cooling cycle (or heating for heat pumps), your refrigerant is either a liquid of a gas.
A few years back, the HVAC industry had to switch from R-22 refrigerant (Freon) to R-410A. R-410A does not contain chlorofluorocarbons (a.k.a. CFCs). This means that it does not contribute to ozone depletion were it to escape into the air. Other refrigerants, like R-22, do contribute to ozone depletion.
If your heat pump isn’t heating or cooling correctly, there could be an issue with your refrigerant system. Make sure you always call a contractor for HVAC system maintenance. You don’t want to attempt to repair your refrigerant system unless you know what you’re doing. Not only is refrigerant expensive, you could damage one of the other crucial components of your system (like your compressor or coil) leaving you with a much bigger repair bill and a longer time without heating or cooling.
Like this post? Share it!
Are you worried about your home’s indoor air quality?
Are you starting to get cabin fever? Subzero wind chill and snow storms have been keeping people cooped up in their homes. And, since you’re spending all that extra time indoors, you want to make sure your indoor air quality is high.
One of the best ways to tackle poor indoor air quality during the winter is with a clean home. This cold weather may make you want to curl up on the sofa under a blanket with a hot cup of tea, but braving the chill and taking some time to clean is well worth it.
Here are some household chores that can raise the quality of your indoor air.
Vacuum and rotate your mattress. Your mattress can play host to all sorts of unpleasant odors and bacteria. You want to make sure that where you lay your head down at night is fresh.
Clean fan blades. The blades of your ceiling fan can be dust traps, especially if they aren’t in use.
Dust. If you are noticing dust on more surfaces than usual, it could be an issue with your furnace filter. Change your furnace filter once-a-month during the winter. It is the best line of defense against poor indoor air quality – trapping harmful particles before they have the chance to circulate through your air.
Avoid wearing shoes indoors. Have a go-to pair of slippers or stick with socks. You could be tracking all sorts of unpleasantness from the outdoors into your home – lowering indoor air quality and making it necessary to clean your floor more often.
Deep clean carpets. Carpets, like ceiling fan blades and mattresses, can be bacteria traps. Deep cleaning your carpets at least once a year will help you get all those deeply embedded particles out of your home.
Don’t forget to roll up your sleeves and get ready for spring cleaning! Yes, the season is still a while away, but taking care of some chores regularly during the winter can help you save time.
Like this post? Share it!
Has the National Weather Service issued a wind chill advisory in your area?
Are you sick and tired of the cold? The most recent cold front sweeping the nation has been long-lasting and downright dangerous in some areas. Burst pipes and cold drafts are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to subzero wind chill.
Here are some things you should be conscious of during extremely cold weather so you and your family stay safe.
- Give space heaters proper clearance and never leave them unattended.
- Double-check the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Know the symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia.
- Avoid cotton clothing and dress in multiple, loose layers.
- Wear mittens instead of gloves.
- If you are shoveling snow or exerting yourself outdoors, take constant breaks.
- If you travel, make sure you have at least a half a tank of gas and a three-day winter survival kit.
- Have a fire extinguisher on hand and know how to use it.
- Never operate a generator inside your home.
- Have your chimney and gas furnace inspected and cleaned once a year.
If you suspect something is wrong with your gas furnace, give your local contractor a call and NEVER try to fix it yourself. Gas furnaces require the expertise of a skilled hand for troubleshooting maintenance and repair. There is no “DIY” in “HVAC.”
Do you use supplemental heat during extremely cold weather?
Like this post? Share it!
Are you having trouble staying comfortable?
The worst way to ring in the New Year is with a high electric bill and an uncomfortable home. Airflow may not be something you’ve though about, but it is a critical component of home comfort. In fact, your whole heating and cooling system depends on your equipment’s ability to access and condition the air in your home – trouble with airflow = trouble with comfort.
Here are some issues that poor airflow can cause:
- Lower efficiency
- Weaker air stream (a.k.a. it takes longer for your home to reach the temperature you’ve set).
- Poor indoor air quality
- Higher bills
- Emergency repairs
Here are some things that cause poor airflow
- Closing registers and vents
- Loose, collapsed or disconnected ductwork
- Planting too close to your outdoor equipment
- Dirt and debris on your outdoor condenser
- Dirty furnace filter
So, what can you do? These are the things you can do to make sure your equipment is receiving proper airflow.
- Change your filter frequently
- Have your ductwork inspected once a year
- Have your cooling equipment maintained in the spring and your gas furnace maintained during the fall.
Those are the big three! Call your local heating and air conditioning contractor today if you are having issues with airflow.