When Should You Tune Up Your AC?

Your air conditioning system works hard all summer keeping your home cool. To ensure it is ready to handle the task, you want to have it serviced every year. Tune-ups can help your AC unit work more efficiently, saving you on energy costs and routine maintenance can help your AC unit last longer. Plus, the inspection of your unit can identify issues that need to be repaired or components that need replacement. This can prevent breakdowns during the summer months when you need your AC the most. Spring is the best time to tune-up your AC and here’s why.

Be Ready for the Summer Heat

It makes sense to tune-up your AC in spring when summer is right around the corner. This way, you know your unit is ready to perform and has everything it needs to work efficiently.

It Has Been Several Months Since it Was Used

A lot can happen over the several months since you last used your AC unit. If rodents or pests found a way into your unit and caused damage during the fall or winter, you need that resolved before you begin using your AC again.

Less Busy for Your Service Provider

Once summer hits, AC service companies will be busy repairing issues with other people’s AC units. Spring is less busy for the industry, which means you can get a fast appointment and maybe even catch a spring deal on tune-up prices.

Make sure to have your air conditioning system serviced in the spring to be ready for the summer months ahead. It can help save you money off energy costs and emergency breakdowns by being prepared.

Posted on behalf of:
Western Aire Heating & Cooling
Marietta, GA 30066
(770) 505-7426

Spring Cleaning for Your Air Ducts

When the warmer air arrives in spring, it is time to freshen your home. You want to open the windows, clean out the winter dust bunnies and begin getting your outdoor space ready for summer. When you begin your spring cleaning, make sure to add one more item to your list: air ducts. Spring is the perfect time to ensure your HVAC system is clean between the heating and cooling seasons.

Air Duct Cleaning

Air ducts can become quite dirty, harboring dust, mold and debris left by pests that find a way into your duct system. These contribute to poor air quality in your home, triggering allergies and respiratory issues. While air ducts do not need to be cleaned every year, they should be inspected and the outer vents cleaned. Professional air duct cleaning should be performed about every three years to maintain good air quality and to inspect for duct damage.

While the main ducts may only need to be cleaned every three or so springs, every spring you should clean HVAC components you can reach yourself. Components and areas to clean and check: vent covers, around your furnace, AC condenser coils and around your outdoor AC unit. This can help maintain your HVAC system and remove debris that has accumulated over the winter months. You should also check your air filters and change if needed to help improve your HVAC efficiency and keep good air quality.

This spring make sure to add your air ducts and HVAC components to your spring cleaning list. If it has been a few years since you have had your air ducts cleaned, schedule a professional cleaning through your local HVAC service company.

Posted on behalf of:
Western Aire Heating & Cooling
264 Buchanan Highway
Dallas, GA 30157
(770) 505-7426

5 Tips to Prepare for a Cool Summer

The summer heat can make you appreciate the luxury of owning air conditioning in your home. A cool indoor space is desirable when the temperatures rise up into the 90’s and 100’s, giving you respite from the sweltering heat. Unfortunately, keeping your home cool can come at a high energy cost if you depend solely on AC to cool your home. Here are five ways to help prepare your home to fight the heat and lower your AC costs.

  1. Invested in window dressings. Keeping the sun from shining through your windows and glass doors can help keep your home cooler. Drapes, shades and blinds can block the sun and keep your home cooler.
  2. Use portable and ceiling fans. Make sure you have fans available to circulate the air. For ceiling fans, make sure they are set for summer, pulling heat up, not pushing it down. Portable fans are great at night to blow in cooler air from outside, giving your AC unit a break.
  3. Clear around vents and your AC unit. Get ready for summer by removing any debris around your outdoor AC unit to prevent air blockages. Also clear around your vents inside to allow the air to flow.
  4. Change your air filter. Make sure you have a clean air filter in place to improve AC efficiency – now is a good time to stock up on replacements so you have them handy to replace as needed during the summer.
  5. Schedule an AC tune-up. Have your local HVAC service come perform a tune-up on your AC now. This can ensure your AC unit is maintained and ready to perform efficiently during the hot months ahead.

Preparing your home ahead of time for the hot summer can help you lower the cost of cooling your home. You will be glad your AC is working great when those hot dog days of summer come around.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
1925 Lena Carter Road
Buford, GA 30519
(770) 475-9528

Is Your Home Triggering Allergies?

Few minor illnesses are as frustrating as respiratory allergies. Runny nose, watering eyes and wheezing, often accompanied by sinus issues and headaches, can make life miserable. While you cannot control the many outdoor triggers for allergies, you may find that you have some of your worst symptoms when you are at home. If you are experiencing respiratory allergy symptoms in your house, your home may be triggering your allergies.

Common Indoor Allergy Triggers

There are thousands of elements that can trigger allergies. Most people know the main triggers that will make them miserable. Beyond the pollen and outdoor allergens, there are many that can be confined inside your home. Some of the common indoor allergens include:

  • Pet hair and dander
  • Dust
  • Mold
  • Fragrances
  • Cleaning chemicals

Reducing cleaners that have fragrances and cleaning more often can help reduce allergens in your home. But if you are still experiencing allergy symptoms in your home, it may be your HVAC and air filtering system that is the problem.

If you are noticing more allergy symptoms when you are at home, consider getting an air quality evaluation. Many HVAC companies can provide air testing to evaluate the quality of your indoor air or an inspection of your HVAC system. This can include checking humidity levels which can lead to mold production. Other problems can include an insufficient air filtering system or dirty air ducts. Often, your HVAC system is to blame for circulating contaminants in the air throughout your home. Updating your filtration or humidity control options can eliminate many air quality control problems and limit allergy triggers.

If your home is making your sick with allergy issues, it may be time to have your HVAC system serviced. This can help make your home healthier and relieve you of your allergy symptoms.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
3870 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Suite 340-129
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 475-9555

Tips for Hiring a Quality HVAC Company

Whenever you need a service professional, you want to ensure you choose a reliable, honest contractor. Your HVAC system is one of the most important systems in your home, and one of the most expensive. When hiring a HVAC company for installation, maintenance or repairs, you want to research more than just what they charge for a service. Here are some tips to choose a QUALITY HVAC service company that you can trust.

Local, Licensed and Insured

Check the basics first. You want a local company – they should have a local address and phone number – that is licensed and insured for your state. There are entities that offer HVAC services but may not have the licensing needed or insurance to cover workers or liability. You also want a local company that has been around for years, not one that is only in your area for a short time.

Accredited with Professional Agencies

Check the Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List and other professional entities that monitor service companies and businesses. You want a HVAC company that is accredited with the BBB and has an excellent reputation for trustworthy, quality service.

Customer Reviews

Checkout the various review sites like Yelp and SkipioReviews for customer ratings. While any company can have a couple bad reviews, you want a HVAC service that has a high rating with customers overall. Customer testimonials are a great indicator of how well a company performs.

When you need a HVAC repair or a new system installed, you want to go on more than just price to hire your HVAC company. Do a little research to find a quality service company to ensure they will stand behind their service.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
5950 Shiloh Road East
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(770) 475-9555

Remotely Manage Your Building’s HVAC System

Energy costs can bust your business’ budget, especially on larger commercial buildings. Keeping an eye on heating and cooling levels is the best way to lower energy costs for most property managers and owners. However, this can be difficult when you have more than one property to manage or are rarely at the facility. A wise investment to control HVAC use is upgrading to an automation HVAC system that can allow you to manage climate control remotely.

Benefits of Building HVAC Automation

Building automation systems can allow you to control and monitor your heating and cooling from wherever you have access to the internet. Web-based automation systems are the best way for busy property managers and owners to manage their heating and cooling controls. Some of the many benefits to investing in building automation for your HVAC system include:

  • Lower energy costs with better control – many automation systems pay for themselves with energy savings in a few years
  • Accurate reporting and data accessible from any where you have internet or Wi-Fi
  • Alerts for system problems
  • 24/7 access to controls
  • Controlled access and better HVAC security

Once automation is installed, managing your building’s heating and cooling system is simpler and more convenient. Controlling costs can be accomplished remotely, without worrying about needing to be on-site to make significant changes. If you have more than one property with automation in place, the time, energy and money saved can be multiplied.

If you still use manual controls for your commercial building’s HVAC system, automation can give you remote access for energy and climate control management. Contact an industrial HVAC service company that offers automation system installation to learn more about the different options available.

Posted on behalf of:
JS Thomas Service, Inc
4085 Nine McFarland Dr
Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 475-2600

5 Reasons to Upgrade Your Thermostat

The climate control for your home is easily managed through your thermostat. However, if you have an older thermostat, you may not be getting all the benefits available. New technology has improved the design and functions of thermostats to give you more control over your heating, cooling and energy costs. Here are five reasons to consider upgrading your old thermostat to a new, smart model.

  1. Easy controls. New thermostat designs are innovative and simpler to use. Many have touchscreen options that give you many functions at your fingertips without buttons.
  2. Smartphone apps. You can link smart thermostats to your smartphone with an app. This gives you the option to change temperatures or settings from wherever you are to better manage your energy costs.
  3. More program options. Programming your thermostat to manage your heating and cooling is easier and more efficient with a smart thermostat. You can change the settings for different times and days to match your schedule and needs.
  4. HVAC maintenance. Advanced thermostats do more than just control the temperature of your home. They can also let you know when your HVAC filter needs to be changed or if there are other issues with your HVAC system.
  5. Eco-friendly. Newer thermostats are eco-friendly in many ways. They do not contain mercury and they can help your home be more efficient, helping reduce waste of natural resources.

Investing in a new thermostat can reap many benefits that can make life easier and save you money on HVAC repairs and energy costs. Contact your local HVAC service to learn more about all the advanced options in smart thermostats and other accessories for your HVAC system.

Posted on behalf of:
Western Aire Heating & Cooling
264 Buchanan Highway
Dallas, GA 30157
(770) 505-7426

Save Money with an HVAC Efficiency Analysis

Is your HVAC system working efficiently or could it perform better? Even if you are not unhappy with your HVAC system, it may not be performing as well as it could. An efficiency analysis can check several factors to determine how well your HVAC system is functioning overall and give options on ways it can be improved. Here are some of the factors that can be checked during an efficiency analysis on your HVAC system.

Air Quality

One area of concern with your HVAC system is how well it is managing your air quality. Are the filters you are using removing enough contaminants from the air? What is the humidity level in your home? Testing your air quality can help determine whether a different type of filter or moisture control unit could be beneficial.

Energy Audit

During an HVAC efficiency analysis, an energy audit is performed to determine whether your HVAC system is maximizing its energy use. This includes evaluating the equipment function and your actual energy use, looking for options to improve the amount of energy used to provide adequate climate control.

Comfortable Climate Control

An efficiency analysis can help identify issues that may affect comfort and energy use. Air duct leaks, outdated therostats or other issues can impact the comfort levels in different areas in your home as well as how much energy you use for heating and cooling.

Having an HVAC efficiency analysis performed every few years can help you keep your energy costs low and improve the comfort and air quality in your home. Contact your local HVAC company that offers an efficiency analysis service to find out if you could save money with some changes to your heating or cooling system.

Posted on behalf of:
Western Aire Heating & Cooling
Marietta, GA 30066
(770) 505-7426

3 Main Types of Furnaces

Furnaces are one of the best ways to keep your home warm and cozy during the colder months. While heat pumps can offer efficient heating and cooling, if the temperature drops low, furnaces offer the best heating capabilities. Furnaces work by using energy to create heat, then distribute the heat through your home by blowing warmed air through vents and ducts. While all furnaces basically work the same, there are differences in energy types. Here are the three main types of furnaces and the differences in costs and efficiency.

Natural Gas

If natural gas is available, most people prefer natural gas furnaces for heating. Gas offers even, comfortable heat and is less expensive than most other types of energy. The main drawback of gas furnaces is the minute possibility of a leak, which can be very dangerous. It is important to have a C02 detector in the home as a safety precaution.

Oil

While the least common furnace, oil is used for furnaces and can offer effective heating. Oil furnaces are most common in colder regions, especially where natural gas is not easily available for all homes. Oil is more expensive than natural gas, resulting in higher energy costs.

Electric

Smaller and less expensive to purchase, electric furnaces can be a good option in some circumstances. They are less efficient and tend to cost more to heat a home than natural gas, but their lower initial cost and smaller size is desirable for some homeowners.

Looking to buy a new furnace? Go over all the options available to find the right type for your home and budget. Keep in mind the long-term costs and consider efficiency to determine the best furnace type for your home and climate region.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
1925 Lena Carter Road
Buford, GA 30519
(770) 475-9528

Why Are SEER Ratings Important for HVAC Equipment?

Do you know the SEER ratings for your furnace or AC equipment? If you recently bought a new furnace or AC unit, this number was one of the specifications listed and should have been a consideration on which unit you purchased. Seasonal energy efficiency ratio or SEER is a rating on how well heating or cooling equipment can perform under optimal conditions. Here are some reasons why this rating is important and how it can impact your heating and cooling costs.

What is SEER?

Basically, the SEER number listed for your HVAC equipment is a calculation of the output of the unit versus the energy used during a set period. The higher the number, the more efficient the equipment. The newer units have SEER ratings of 13/14 or above, while units made decades ago started life at much lower efficiency.

Does SEER Change with Time?

The older your HVAC equipment gets, the less efficient it can become. The SEER rating is the optimal efficiency level. As components wear out, your HVAC system can perform less efficiently. You may notice your energy bills rising and believe it is just a change in energy costs. That may or may not be true; it could be that your HVAC system is no longer performing as efficiently.

Energy Savings with High SEER Equipment

Upgrading from a 10-14 SEER AC unit to a 16+ SEER can make a big difference in both energy efficiency and comfort. Your AC unit will have to work less to achieve the same level of climate control. While a SEER of 13 is the minimum, anything above 16 is considered high-efficiency.

If it is time to replace any of your HVAC equipment, make sure you talk to your HVAC pros about SEER ratings and what level is best for your home. It can help reduce energy costs and improve the overall performance of your HVAC system.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
3870 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Suite 340-129
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 475-9555