New Year’s Resolutions for your HVAC

As we enter the new year, people across the world are committing to new resolutions in an effort to make changes and improve their situations. People aren’t the only ones who could use some New Year’s spirit, as HVAC systems around the country could benefit from some resolutions and changes to their maintenance. Here are just a few New Year’s resolutions you can plan for your HVAC system that will help improve the health and efficiency of your home!

  • Change your air filters regularly. This resolution is simple yet incredibly important, as clean filters are essential to the proper operation of your HVAC system. Air filters help keep dust, dirt, allergens, and other particles out of your air system, which keeps you breathing easy and your system running longer. Some systems have different recommendations for filter changing schedules, but in general you should replace your air filters every 1-3 months depending on system usage.
  • Schedule routine maintenance checks. It never hurts to be prepared, and having a maintenance schedule planned out ahead of time ensures your system stays up and running with as few surprises as possible. When you schedule maintenance and checkups ahead of time, you not only eliminate having to book something last minute, you also avoid a large majority of crises that could have been caught before they became an issue. Contact Air Handlers to build a maintenance and checkup plan so we can take care of your system for you!
  • Upgrade your thermostat. If you are still running a manual thermostat, consider upgrading to a programmable one this year. Not only will this help lower your utility bill, but it’ll also keep your system running longer. Most manual thermostats keep the heating and cooling systems running far longer than needed, and they can easily be forgotten about or left on unnecessarily. A programmable thermostat allows you to automate the temperature control of your home, particularly by setting a temperature schedule so your heating/cooling system isn’t running at full blast all night long.
  • Clean your air ducts. It’s not uncommon for air ducts to become dirty, or even damaged, over the course of a year. When dust and dirt settles in your air ducts, that same debris is blown throughout your home every time you turn your system on. Most of this material completely bypasses the filters because it’s settled after the heating and cooling system, not before, and thus allergens and air pollutants can negatively affect the air quality in your home. You don’t have to clean your ducts every year, once every 3-5 years is usually sufficient. Just keep in mind that dirty ducts mean dirty air, so it’s best to be cautious and keep them clean.

At Air Handlers, we’re committed to keeping your air clean and comfortable. Contact us with any of your HVAC needs, and we wish you a fantastic new year!

Keep Your Furnace Hot During the Winter

The Winter Solstice is this Thursday, the 21st of December, and that means it’s going to be getting even colder outside, and for longer. While our homes protect us from the elements, freezing temperatures are one of the few things that can still make it inside and make us cold and uncomfortable. Your furnace is your biggest defense against this, so keeping it running warm and efficiently is essential to staying warm and cozy during these cold months. There are several things that can affect your furnace’s performance, and while some require repair experts to fix, some can be done by you right at home.

Thermostat Errors

The thermostat is one of the first places you should check if your furnace isn’t keeping your house warm. Sometimes the thermostat is simply not set correctly, and sometimes it is malfunctioning entirely. First, make sure your thermostat is set to keep your home to a comfortable temperature, and that the “heat” or similar setting is enabled. If your thermostat isn’t responding, the wiring may be faulty or the batteries could be dead, depending on the unit. Check your batteries regularly and replace them if they aren’t working properly. If the wiring is faulty, you may need to consult a repair expert to get it fixed, but sometimes it can just come down to a loose wire. If the wiring/batteries are good, then the thermostat itself may need to be reset or replaced.

Faulty Filters

Filters are one of the most forgotten yet essential components of your heating system. Filters will get dirty over time, no matter how clean the home is. The dirtier a filter gets, the less efficient your heating system will be. As a filter gets clogged with dust and other particulates, it prevents proper airflow to the furnace, which minimizes its heating potential. The easiest way to fix this issue it to replace your filters regularly. Each furnace will have different recommendations for filter replacement times, typically between one and three months, but the best way to go is to check your filters once a month and replace them if they’re dirty.

Mechanical Issues

If the thermostat or filters aren’t the problem, your furnace may have a more serious issue. There are a few other simple things to check, such as making sure the furnace’s breaker hasn’t flipped or that your heater vents aren’t blocked, but more serious issues should be worked out with a repair professional. Electrical, gas, ventilation, and others could be severely inhibiting your heating system, and could be dangerous to attempt to fix on your own. The safest and most effective plan is to contact an expert team, such as Air Handlers, to evaluate and fix your heater so you and your family can remain warm.

Winter-Proofing Your Home

With temperatures dropping as we near winter, it’s a good idea to prepare your home for the cold! Follow this checklist to make sure your home is prepared to stay warm and get through the cold weather.

Check Your Furnace: You do not want an under-performing furnace this time of year. Have an expert come out and check that your furnace is in good condition and ready to run!

Reverse Your Fan: Many people don’t realize that fans are meant to be used year-round! While fans normally push air down, cooling the room, most fans have a switch that reverses the direction they spin. Reversing your fan causes it to pull air up instead of pushing it down, which pulls the cold air up and allows warmer air to circulate through the room.

Reduce Drafts: Even just a little bit of airflow from a door or window can affect your home’s temperature. While your windows and doors are sealed properly is important, sometimes drafts can come in from the edges of windows or bottoms of doors. Rolling a towel up and placing it at the base of your door or windows can help prevent drafts and keep your home warm!

Update Your Doors and Windows: Some doors and windows are better at maintaining temperatures than others. For example, single-pane windows let allow much more temperature transfer than double-pane windows. If your home has outdated doors and windows, replaced them can significantly help your temperature control.

Close Your Interior Doors: If your home uses local heating systems for each room, such as baseboard or radiator heaters, keeping the interior doors closed will significantly help each room stay warm. Most of these units are meant to heat a small area, not an entire home, so closing your doors allows each heater to maintain a much smaller area.

Autumn Rain and Your HVAC

We’re experiencing more and more rainfall as we move further into autumn, and we can only expect more once we get into winter. Throughout the many heating and cooling systems available there are various ways of weatherproofing your unit, though not all of them apply to every system. In fact, your HVAC system is built to withstand some significant weather conditions, including heavy rainfall. So here are some things you should and should not do to keep your HVAC protected during heavy rain.

DON’T cover your HVAC with a tarp, rain fly, or other weatherproof covering.

If you’re planning on running your HVAC, covering it isn’t a good idea, and most of the time isn’t necessary. The vast majority of HVAC systems are built to handle significant downpour and other weather conditions, and covering them can cause problems if you run them. In general, your HVAC system will be completely fine in heavy wind and rain unless it becomes submerged. If water pools up around your HVAC system then the wiring and electrical systems could become damaged, though normal downfall will not affect them.

DO divert water around your HVAC system.

If you do have substantial rainfall and it does begin to pool around your HVAC, you can take measures to divert the water away in order to prevent your system from becoming partially submerged. Whether this is repositioning your gutter’s downspout, digging a small trench to divert the flow, or building up a protective barrier, these steps could help keep a pool from forming around yours system.

DON’T place objects or covers on top of or near the HVAC system.

Another potential solution some people may consider for weather proofing your HVAC is to set up a nearby barrier or cover, without fully covering the system. This isn’t advised either, as HVAC systems perform best with consistent and uninterrupted airflow. If you are trying to protect your system with a barrier against potential debris from the wind, for example, make sure it is at least two feet away to prevent airflow issues.

DO monitor your system for debris.

While wind itself doesn’t pose much of a threat to your HVAC system, dirt, leaves, and other debris can be blown into and on it which could cause issues. After a severe storm, check on your AC unit and look for potential damages. If there is damage to the exterior, there could be damage on the interior, and that should be resolved prior to running your system.

Overall, outdoor heating and cooling systems are quite weather resistant and shouldn’t need much interference to stay operational. However, it is always best to regularly check your system for obstructions or damages and schedule any needed repairs as soon as possible so you can get back to running your system!

Prepare for the Fall Season

Fall is just around the corner, and with it comes plummeting temperatures and other environmental changes. Staying warm during this time can be quite costly, but there are several tips that we can use to help keep our energy bills low and the cold outside.

More Ways to Stay Warm

There are more ways to keep warm than just running your heater. If your home has one, a fireplace or wood-burning stove can be a great way to keep the cold at bay without boosting your energy bill. If your home doesn’t have a fireplace or stove, you may have the option of having one installed. Installing a wood stove or fireplace may be expensive in the short term, but in the long term, it will save you significantly on your energy bills. Of course, we recommend that you always remain safe and alert when operating a fireplace, and if you are looking to have one installed, have a professional do it to minimize risk.

Keep Out the Breeze

Even the faintest of breezes can drastically affect the temperature of your home. A cold breeze can drop the temperature of a place by up to 30%, even if it just seems to be faint. Keep your windows and doors closed, use sealant to fill cracks or gaps, and cover up any other areas where air may be getting in or out.

Open Those Curtains

It may seem counter-intuitive to remove the insulating layer from your windows, but curtains block more than just light from the sun. Curtains that block sunlight also block its heat, and since the sun is a constant and effective heat source, keeping those curtains shut is preventing you from taking advantage of that free heat. Keep your curtains open when the sun is out and shining, and you’ll feel your house warm up as a result.

Cook a Hot Meal

While eating warm meals certainly helps keep the cold at bay, that part is actually secondary to this tip. By cooking nice, warm meals, you are using your stove and/or oven, which can help keep your house warm. It may not seem like much, but even just baking some cookies in the oven will have it running for long enough to help warm up your home, or at least the kitchen.

Saving Money on Energy Expenses

In the extreme heat and cold, keeping your home temperature controlled can become expensive. While maintaining a comfortable atmosphere may be essential depending on where you live and the current weather, there are other ways you can save money on your energy expenses to compensate for the climate control costs.

Before getting into the miscellaneous tips, the best thing you can do to cut down on climate control expenses is to upgrade your system to a high-efficiency one. While this has an expense itself, it can save you a substantial amount of money down the road. However, these next tips require little to no investment and can still help you save on your monthly bills.

• Adjust your thermostat farther from the extremes.

Your heating and cooling system can keep your home at a comfortable temperature without having to be set to extreme settings. If you are comfortable adjusting your thermostat a few degrees away from the extreme, that can help you save some money.

• Keep your windows and doors closed.

When your windows and doors are open, the climate-controlled air escapes outside and your heating and cooling systems need to work harder to maintain your ideal temperature. Keeping your windows and doors closed helps keep your home temperature controlled and reduces the wear and runtime of your system.

• Turn off your lights when you leave a room

One or two lights may not seem like a big power cost, but actively leaving multiple lights on adds to your monthly bill. Even if it only saves you a few bucks a month, that still adds up over time. You can also swap your light bulbs out for newer, more efficient ones, as that will also impact your costs.

• Set your thermostat to “Auto” and not “On”

When your thermostat is set to “On”, it is constantly running and increasing your utility costs. When you set it to “Auto”, it only turns on when the temperature of your home starts to get away from your thermostat setting.

• Change your furnace filter

When your furnace filter gets dirty, the efficiency of your furnace suffers. Changing your furnace filter regularly will keep the heat flowing properly. This doesn’t need done frequently, as depending on your furnace and filter size you only need to change the filter every 6-12 months.

Clearing the Air (Of Dust)

With temperatures rising, you may be getting ready to run your AC unit to battle the hot days to come. Before you do that, you should make sure your house is prepared for that system to turn on. Clearing dust buildup is an important step to keeping your air clean and healthy.

While most dusty places are easy to spot and clean, there are some areas that don’t get dusted as often. Ceiling fan blades, window blinds, and similar areas can often go unnoticed and undusted. While these places can be tricky to clean, these great tips from 2design2! will help you get rid of the dust to keep your air clean and your units running smoothly.

Choosing the Right Thermostat Setting in Spring 

Keeping your thermostat at the same temperature day and night could cost you your energy bill. However, spring weather can be unpredictable. The optimal temperatures to keep you comfortable and lower energy bills are listed below.

Set your heat to 68 degrees when you wake up and are home on cooler spring days. When you leave, lower your heat to 60 degrees. On warmer days, your thermostat should be set to 78 degrees while awake and at home. Are you heading out to enjoy the warm weather? Bump the temperature up to 86 degrees before you go. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the lower the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures, the higher your energy savings.

The Best Temperature for Sleeping

Cool spring nights call for lowering your heat to 65 degrees while you sleep. On warmer nights, increase your cooling temperature to 78 degrees. You’ll wake up happier knowing you’re saving on your natural gas bill.

Programming your Thermostat

A smart thermostat makes regulating your room temperatures a breeze. Whether home or away, you can adjust your temperatures with a touch of your finger by sending a wireless signal from your phone to your thermostat. In addition, programmable thermostats can automatically change your temperatures to reduce discomfort.

Keep the energy savings going year-round and adjust your thermostat with the seasons without compromising on comfort at home. 

Prepare Your HVAC System for Spring

Schedule A Spring Maintenance Inspection
A spring maintenance inspection is necessary to maintain indoor air quality and improve your home’s comfort. In addition, it helps to extend the lifespan of your HVAC unit and reduce energy consumption. During a spring HVAC maintenance routine, the technician inspects the unit for repairs and replaces faulty components. The inspection will help to prevent unnecessary repairs and breakdowns during the spring months.

Duct Cleaning And Maintenance
Your heating and cooling system is vital, but you shouldn’t forget the conduits responsible for air distribution throughout your home. Hire an HVAC technician to clean and maintain your ducts when spring rolls around. Performing a thorough duct cleaning removes allergens, dirt, and dust. The HVAC technician should also inspect seals to keep your HVAC system airtight. Visual inspections and repairs of duct damages from chewing rodents prevent premature breakdowns.

Replace Your Air Filters
When springtime comes, staying on top of changing your air filters is a great idea. Cleaning or changing your air filters is an effective way of improving your system’s efficiency. Besides maximizing system efficiency, changing air filters to prepare for spring helps maintain healthy indoor air quality. When the filters are dirty or clogged, your HVAC unit works harder to circulate air in your home than usual.

Clean The Outdoor Unit
Another essential step to preparing your HVAC unit for spring is cleaning the outdoor components. Debris and dirt quickly accumulate around the outdoor unit when winter brings rain and wind. Trim shrubs, weeds, and other plants growing around the unit to keep your HVAC system free of obstructions. Improve your system’s performance during spring by cleaning the outside coils.

Check For Leaks And Cracks
The HVAC system might form cracks and leaks during the winter months. Since the system has several metal components, they can easily rust and cause holes and cracks. That’s why you need an expert to inspect the system for leaks, such as refrigerant leaks, before springtime. If you notice cracks or leaks, hire a technician to repair them before you start using the HVAC system in spring.

Consider An HVAC Upgrade
Spring is a great time to upgrade your HVAC system if it’s on its last leg. Consider replacing an old or malfunctioning heating and cooling system before spring to save you money on energy bills and improve comfort levels. Talk to an experienced HVAC technician to inspect your current system and recommend the right one for your home’s needs.

Install A Programmable Thermostat
If you want to save energy bills, investing in a programmable thermostat is necessary. If your thermostat is old or showing signs it needs a replacement, consider choosing a programmable thermostat. It allows you to control temperatures better than other thermostats while lowering energy bills. For example, installing a programmable thermostat in the spring will enable you to set temperatures higher when sleeping or away from home.

Test The Air Conditioner
Some AC units might not function optimally due to prolonged inactivity during the winter. Therefore, you should check your air conditioner to ensure it performs optimally before the weather warms up. In addition, ensure that the unit produces cold air.

How long the AC takes to cycle on, strange smells from the vents, and strange noises, can alert you to an issue of potential malfunction. If you notice any of these signs, hire an expert for repairs in preparation for spring. Also, consider replacing your AC if it’s old or beyond repair.

Clean Your Drainpipe
The last thing you want to deal with this spring is a leaking HVAC system. A blockage in the system’s condensate drainpipe can cause it to overflow. Moss growth, dirt, debris, and dust can cause drainpipe blockages. As you prepare your HVAC system for spring, ensure the drainpipe is clean and clear of dust particles.