'Tis the season for holiday shopping. No matter what holidays you and your loved ones celebrate, gifts are an important way to show you care. And sometimes, practical, useful presents can be even more thoughtful than sentimental ones. Here's a guide to some of the HVAC gifts you can get for friends and family, to help keep them comfortable year round.
We hate to be the ones to break the bad news to you, but it's official: your live Christmas tree can make you sick.
If you've ever noticed an increase in your own sneezing and wheezing when that lovely pine-scented Christmas tree makes an entrance, you may want to find a substitute.
The HVAC industry has been expeditiously evolving in the last couple of years. Thanks to technological advancement, modern HVAC products outperform older ones by far. Even better, all signs point to a brighter future. One of the best ways to stay informed of the latest industry happenings is by following HVAC publications, like these.
A sweet-smelling home creates a welcoming atmosphere and makes all occupants feel comfortable. However, the candles and room sprays that people usually use compromise indoor air quality. A homemade scented air filter is an easy, inexpensive, and safe way to distribute fresh scent throughout your house. You only need essential oils and a clean air filter to make your own scented filter.
indoor air quality , air filters , essential oils , furnace air filter
As the weather gets colder, it’s time to think about how you’re going to keep your outdoor HVAC unit safe from extreme temperatures, snow, and ice. These winter elements can end up damaging your unit, resulting in repairs or a replacement if it can’t be fixed. Find out more about winter weather protection for the outdoor HVAC unit at your New Haven home.
HVAC , home winterizing , winter home safety , winter prep , outdoor unit , winter weather
Whether it's winter or summer, you'd be lost without your HVAC system. But how does it work, exactly? How is it able to get your home to just the right temperature? That's the job of the HVAC control system. Let's take a closer look at what it is and what it does.
HVAC system , thermostats , Tips , HVAC , controls , facts
Moisture sources underneath your house contribute to humidity effects inside your home. Water vapor continuously rises, seeping through structural gaps and into the living spaces above. High indoor humidity levels make it harder to maintain temperatures in the comfort zone, creating a clammy, colder environment in winter and a muggy, overly hot feeling in summer. Moisture infiltration also triggers condensation on interior surfaces that can spawn active mold growth, a known trigger of allergic responses in susceptible individuals.
home comfort , humidity , leaky plumbing , defective features , clogged gutters
Winter is here and with it comes the holiday season - and with the holiday season comes the need for preparing your HVAC system. Let's take a look at a few tasks that will help you address holiday HVAC concerns including home comfort and vacation safety.
Here in Indiana, we tend to spend a lot more time inside our homes once the weather turns cold, so winter indoor air quality is a serious issue. If you have concerns about your winter air quality, it's important to learn why it plummets during the colder months, and what you can do to improve it.
HVAC , Air Quality , home comfort , Indoor Air Pollutants , IAQ , winter comfort
Once winter settles in, you face two conflicting priorities as a homeowner – staying comfortably warm and saving money on energy. Here are some effective ways to keep your household energy bills in check without sacrificing comfort:
HVAC system , energy efficiency , energy savings , Winter Energy-Saving Tips , hvac settings
A backup generator is a valuable resource to have during a power outage, but it's vital to operate a generator safely to prevent accidental fires, electrocution, and exposure to deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gas. While you should always consult your manufacturer's operating guidelines, here are some basic generator safety practices to follow:
HVAC system , Tips , generator , Heating , safety tips
When you have clean ductwork, you shouldn't notice any unpleasant odors wafting from the registers when your heating system is running. However, if you smell a foul scent whenever the blower cycles on, the most likely culprit is a dead rodent somewhere in your ductwork. A decomposing animal carcass not only smells awful, it's a breeding ground for unhealthy contaminants, so you'll want to get it removed promptly by:
HVAC system , duct cleaning , ductwork , home comfort , odor
If your HVAC settings appear to be correct, why in the world is your air conditioner blowing hot air? The most basic function of an A/C is to deliver cool comfort, so if you’re feeling a warm blast from the vents instead, something’s definitely amiss. It may be a simple matter you can resolve yourself or it may require diagnosis by a qualified technician. Here are some scenarios that might be at fault if your HVAC settings are blowing hot air instead of cool.
HVAC system , air conditioner , air filter , refrigerant , thermostat settings , hvac settings
Air conditioner sizing is a critically-important consideration when you're planning to purchase new cooling equipment. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), an A/C's size needs to match the space it's going to cool. An undersized A/C will run for extended periods, use a lot of energy, but won't cool your home's interior sufficiently for comfort. An oversized air conditioner will only run for short cycles, so it won't dehumidify effectively or cool your living space efficiently.
HVAC system , air conditioner , Tips , HVAC , air conditioner efficiency , air conditioner sizing
Upgrading to a condensing furnace puts you on the fast track to energy savings in the winter. Such a furnace has substantially better energy efficiency than a standard, noncondensing furnace or boiler. The term “condensing” refers to the last step in the heating cycle the furnace goes through.
HVAC system , energy efficiency , Tips , Savings , HVAC , Condensing Furnace , furnaces
Not every furnace filter has an arrow stamped on its side, but when you do see it, it indicates which direction the filter has to face. It always points to the direction of the furnace’s air handler or blower compartment. Even though the filter may look the same on each side, there are differences that affect how it lets air through it and into your HVAC system.
HVAC , furnace , Furnace Filters , filters , particles
Do you have some bad HVAC habits? Chances are, you do and aren't even aware of how they're not only costing you more in utility bills, but also possible damaging your HVAC system. Here are several practices homeowners should give the heave-ho to right away.
HVAC system , energy efficiency , HVAC , thermostat , efficiency , hvac habits
We've grown accustomed to checking out reviews whenever we want to go somewhere or buy something. And most of us admit to being swayed somewhat by those reviews, because if it's on the internet, then it must be right. Right?
HVAC system , air conditioners , heating and air conditioning , reviews
If you ask your kids what’s important to them about Halloween, they’ll undoubtedly say it’s the candy. But when you ask the grownups about their priorities, it may be jack-o'lantern preservation. Some people put a considerable amount of energy into their creations, and if you’re wondering how to keep the pumpkin looking good, consider these tips:
IAQ , halloween , halloween decoration , fall , fall decor , jack-o'lantern
Planning to host a football watch party at your home? In addition to providing hot dogs, soda, and a big screen TV, it's also important that you take care of your guests' comfort needs. And since party comfort concerns are such a big deal, let's break it down to two primary needs:
HVAC system , home comfort , IAQ , fall comfort , temperature concerns
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