It won't be long before the heat and humidity arrive, and you'll be turning on your air conditioner to keep your home comfortably cool. Before you reboot the A/C and start using it consistently, be sure to take these steps:
air conditioner , thermostat , a/c maintenance , air conditioner efficiency
As a homeowner, you expect to incur some expenses related to maintaining, repairing or replacing your heating and cooling equipment, but how do you judge whether you're getting good value for the amount of money you spend? Understanding some of the key factors that affect HVAC costs and what you might pay for different HVAC-related services and products can help.
HVAC , HVAC services , hvac costs , products
What do you know about refrigerant? You're probably aware that there is refrigerant in your air conditioner, but you may not know much more about it than that. Understanding what refrigerant does, why it's important to handle it properly and changes in rules regarding the use of different types of refrigerant can help you save money by avoiding problems.
Here are some things to know about refrigerant.
refrigerant , A/C , safety , to know
Are you planning a party this summer? Whether you're organizing a bash to commemorate the Fourth, a family birthday fete or just a fun event to celebrate the season, keeping your guests cool without sending your energy bills skyrocketing is an important consideration. Here are some ideas on how to keep your guests comfortable at summer parties without breaking the bank:
cool , guests , summer parties
Lots of things affect your energy bill, but obviously, weather is a major factors impacting how much you spend on maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home. In the summer and winter, when temperatures are colder or warmer, we use more power and our bills go up. But weather can affect our energy bills in other ways too. Here's how to understand some of them.
Think of the HVAC parts in your home as instruments in a symphony orchestra. They all have to play together well. A comfortable indoor environment in summer and winter depends on the interaction of numerous system components. HVAC parts can be affected by lack of proper preventive maintenance or simply normal wear and tear. If even one part is marginal, however, overall system performance, reliability and efficiency generally suffer.
Here are four critical HVAC parts that play a role in producing cool comfort or cozy warmth, depending on the time of year.
HVAC , homeowners , hvac parts
Experiencing an A/C freeze is a sign that your cooling system needs immediate attention. The causes are usually easy to fix and won’t take long, and the sooner you take action, the sooner the A/C can resume cooling.
refrigerant , A/C , summer , ac freeze , low airflow
Conserving energy in your home should be the responsibility of the whole family, including your children. Teaching kids about HVAC and energy efficiency helps them develop healthy, green habits that can last a lifetime. When they grow up, they'll know how to use their HVAC systems more responsibly and practice smart homeownership habits. Presently, the efforts of your little ones toward using equipment and appliances efficiently will help you save more energy and money on your utility bills.
HVAC system , energy efficiency , HVAC , home comfort , parents , teaching kids
If you have a forced-air HVAC system and a gas-fired water heater like many homes in the Fort Wayne area, you might not think they're related in any way. However, both are essential in your day-to-day life, and they're the two biggest energy consumers in your household. This makes HVAC and water heater maintenance equally important in terms of energy savings and comfort.
If you're looking forward to getting away from it all this summer, you want to be sure you've left your home in good shape and minimized the chances of anything going wrong while you're gone. The best way to cover all the bases is to create a vacation plan checklist and go through it systematically. No doubt you'll set the timers on the sprinkler system and indoor lights to make the home look lived in, clear out the refrigerator and find someone to bring in the mail and water the indoor plants.
For as much as pets contribute to family life, homes with pets do have special considerations when it comes to their HVAC systems and indoor air quality. The fur and dander that cats and dogs shed does impact parts of an HVAC system, but with a little extra care, a happy coexistence is entirely possible.
Are you looking for ways to save money on cooling your home this summer? If so, there are lots of energy-saving tactics to try, but one of the easiest is changing the blade direction on the ceiling fans throughout the house. Changing ceiling fan direction isn't difficult, and tackling this one simple chore before cooling season arrives can help you reduce your summertime energy bills and bring you other cost-saving benefits like longer equipment service life too.
energy savings , ceiling fans , save money , Fans , home comfort , fan direction
If the A/C in your home repeatedly cycles on for short periods, then cycles off again, you're dealing with a problem known as short cycling that can have costly and discomforting consequences.
The outdoor HVAC unit is an essential component of your home's cooling system, but it's built for functionality, not beauty. If you find that the sight of this ungainly metal box detracts from your home's curb appeal, there are lots of easy ways to hide it from view.
The air exchange rate in your house tells you important things about the effectiveness of your HVAC system as well as the health of your indoor air quality.
Normally, a properly functioning air conditioner makes occasional pops, hisses, rattles, and a quiet hum that shouldn't be a cause for concern. However, if you notice a loud humming or buzzing noise, your unit is probably malfunctioning. Several issues can cause a humming air conditioner. Let's take a closer look at them along with their solutions.
HVAC system , air conditioner , air conditioning , a/c problems , HVAC problems , HVAC unit , humming
Online customer reviews have revolutionized the ways consumers provide input about their experience with a service provider, retailer or just about any business you can think of. But these reviews have also given businesses a whole new way to assess how well they're doing their job and to make improvements.
If you're like most homeowners, you just have a basic knowledge of how your HVAC system works. At times, this lack of in-depth knowledge can leave you wondering whether the equipment is operating normally, or there's a problem that needs professional attention.
HVAC system , HVAC problems , service and maintenance , HVAC guide
A clogged air conditioner condensate drain line is a major cause of serious water damage in homes every summer.
Your central A/C not only cools the air inside your house, it also removes humidity. On a humid day, water vapor extracted from the air by the evaporator coil turns to gallons of liquid condensate that collects in the wide, shallow drip pan underneath the indoor air handler. As long as the condensate drain line flows freely, water is conveyed safely into the household drain system.
evaporator coil , preventative maintenance , condensate drain , service and maintenance
Your home's crawl space allows access to parts of your plumbing, wiring, and HVAC systems, so there will be times when you need to venture down there. When you do, proper crawl space safety is essential. In addition to being cramped, even in Fort Wayne's mild late spring and summer weather, the space can get hot and stuffy. A little preparation will keep you safe.
HVAC system , preventative maintenance , safety , crawl spaces
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