Indoor air quality is not something most people worry about on a daily basis. However, there can be serious consequences to poor indoor air quality. Dirty air often contains toxins and mold spores that can lead to allergy symptoms and even illness in some cases. We highly recommend taking certain steps to maintaining quality indoor air.
One of the easiest ways to keep your indoor air quality high is to replace the filter on your home heating or cooling system frequently. If you have not changed the filter in the last six months, chances are the air in your home is becoming laden with dust and mold spores. We recommend having the filter replaced at least twice per year. If you have pets, you may need to change the filter even more frequently as dander and hair build up in the system.
Another way that homeowners can keep their air clean is by cleaning the evaporator coils of interior and exterior systems. This is a job that may require some professional assistance and should be done every 2 to 3 years. Also, watch for any ice buildup on the coils. This is a sign of serious malfunction and you should contact a professional immediately if you spot this.
Another common cause of low indoor air quality is an obstructed condenser. The condenser pulls air in around it to allow for heat transfer, and if objects are blocking it, air flow may be restricted. Keep any vegetation away from the condenser to avoid obstruction.
A lack of regular maintenance of your air conditioning and heating systems can easily lead to dirty air. If you haven’t performed these tasks in awhile, be sure to get started as soon as possible.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Don’t Leave Indoor Air Quality To Chance. Control it!
Indoor air quality is a key factor in maintaining your family’s health, and one of our top priorities here at Action Heating and Air Conditioning , to help you stay well and comfortable in your home. Here are some steps you can take to make sure this happens.
■Use a dehumidifier. Keeping the amount of humidity in your home’s air under control improves the quality of the air you’re breathing. Your friends here at Conditioned Air recommend you keep the relative humidity level somewhere between 30 and 50 percent.
■Keep your air handler functioning properly. Because the air handler of your A/C system is where dehumidification occurs, it’s important to have a professional contractor inspect it on a regular basis.
■Clean or replace your air filters frequently.
■A good quality air filtration system creates not only better levels of air purity, but also superior ventilation.
■UV lights and other state of the art technologies are additional ways to help keep your indoor air quality at optimum levels for good health.
All family members benefit from an A/C system that cleans the air as well as cooling it. Particularly, those who suffer from allergies or respiratory problems will notice a difference when the air is cleaner. But why leave anyone’s health to chance when you can easily control your indoor air quality? Your air filter helps to trap and eliminate such contaminants as bacteria, pet dander, pollen, mold and other pollutants. Action Heating and Air Conditioning offers a variety of systems and components designed to keep you and your family healthy.
.
Modern home construction standards prevent drafts and save energy, but the tight construction may make indoor air quality far less healthy than the outside air. Mold, viruses, dust and even odors that are recirculated via your air conditioning system can cause a multitude of health problems.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website
■Use a dehumidifier. Keeping the amount of humidity in your home’s air under control improves the quality of the air you’re breathing. Your friends here at Conditioned Air recommend you keep the relative humidity level somewhere between 30 and 50 percent.
■Keep your air handler functioning properly. Because the air handler of your A/C system is where dehumidification occurs, it’s important to have a professional contractor inspect it on a regular basis.
■Clean or replace your air filters frequently.
■A good quality air filtration system creates not only better levels of air purity, but also superior ventilation.
■UV lights and other state of the art technologies are additional ways to help keep your indoor air quality at optimum levels for good health.
All family members benefit from an A/C system that cleans the air as well as cooling it. Particularly, those who suffer from allergies or respiratory problems will notice a difference when the air is cleaner. But why leave anyone’s health to chance when you can easily control your indoor air quality? Your air filter helps to trap and eliminate such contaminants as bacteria, pet dander, pollen, mold and other pollutants. Action Heating and Air Conditioning offers a variety of systems and components designed to keep you and your family healthy.
.
Modern home construction standards prevent drafts and save energy, but the tight construction may make indoor air quality far less healthy than the outside air. Mold, viruses, dust and even odors that are recirculated via your air conditioning system can cause a multitude of health problems.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website
Thursday, January 19, 2012
During Flu Season, Use UV Lights To Combat Germs
If you have already been hit with a winter cold or flu, you may be wishing you had a way to combat germs in your home. If you’re still breathing easy, it’s not too late. Installing UV lights in your ductwork can help remove unwanted organisms such as bacteria and viruses that may cause illness.
Unlike air filters, UV lights do not trap particles. Instead, they target living single-celled organisms like mold, bacteria and viruses. The wavelength of UV light disrupts the cell walls of these biological contaminants, either killing them or making them inert.
There are many advantages to installing UV lights in your ductwork:
* Silent operation: Unlike portable air filters that are constantly blowing, a UV light system makes no noise at all.
*Easy maintenance: There are no moving parts to maintain, and the bulbs typically only need to be changed once a year, which your contractor can do during a routine maintenance appointment.
*Improved energy efficiency: Bacteria and mold can build up on the interior surfaces of your heating and cooling equipment, especially on your air conditioner. Because a UV light system is integrated into your ductwork, it also disinfects the surfaces of the ducts and your home comfort equipment, which will operate more efficiently when it is clean.
*Fewer odors: Many people find that unwanted odors are reduced or eliminated when a UV light system is installed. Mold and mildew are unable to grow, and odor-producing bacteria are destroyed.
*Year-round protection: While it may be flu season now, this is not the only time of year when mold and bacteria can impact your health. Because air conditioners typically run constantly during the long cooling season in Northeast Florida, UV lights can help prevent bacteria from circulating through your home.
We can help you find the indoor air quality solutions that make the most sense for your home. Whether you need UV lights, advanced air filters, a humidity-control system or any combination of these, we’ll help you select the right products and provide expert installation. Contact the experts (Click Here) at Action Heating and Air Conditioning today to schedule a consultation.
Unlike air filters, UV lights do not trap particles. Instead, they target living single-celled organisms like mold, bacteria and viruses. The wavelength of UV light disrupts the cell walls of these biological contaminants, either killing them or making them inert.
There are many advantages to installing UV lights in your ductwork:
* Silent operation: Unlike portable air filters that are constantly blowing, a UV light system makes no noise at all.
*Easy maintenance: There are no moving parts to maintain, and the bulbs typically only need to be changed once a year, which your contractor can do during a routine maintenance appointment.
*Improved energy efficiency: Bacteria and mold can build up on the interior surfaces of your heating and cooling equipment, especially on your air conditioner. Because a UV light system is integrated into your ductwork, it also disinfects the surfaces of the ducts and your home comfort equipment, which will operate more efficiently when it is clean.
*Fewer odors: Many people find that unwanted odors are reduced or eliminated when a UV light system is installed. Mold and mildew are unable to grow, and odor-producing bacteria are destroyed.
*Year-round protection: While it may be flu season now, this is not the only time of year when mold and bacteria can impact your health. Because air conditioners typically run constantly during the long cooling season in Northeast Florida, UV lights can help prevent bacteria from circulating through your home.
We can help you find the indoor air quality solutions that make the most sense for your home. Whether you need UV lights, advanced air filters, a humidity-control system or any combination of these, we’ll help you select the right products and provide expert installation. Contact the experts (Click Here) at Action Heating and Air Conditioning today to schedule a consultation.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Results You Can See: Return on Investment Calculations for High Efficiency Air Conditioning Systems
High efficiency air conditioning systems have many benefits for homeowners. The US Department of Energy estimates the average US household spends about $1,000 per year on heating and cooling. Switching to a high efficiency system could save up to 59 percent of these costs. High efficiency air conditioning systems may cost more up front, but for those who live in areas with long cooling seasons, who consistently have high energy bills, or want to protect the environment, a high efficiency system is a good investment (high efficiency models use the environmentally friendly refrigerant R-410A). How much could you save with a high efficiency air conditioner? Action Heating and Air Conditioning has put together a few facts to help educate you.
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s a ratings system used to estimate the efficiency of HVAC systems, just like MPG rates the efficiency of automobiles. A higher SEER rating means your system gets more cooling delivered per electricity watts. A high SEER means you get better “miles per gallon” out of your system.
Many factors influence how much high efficiency air conditioning systems save. System settings, equipment maintenance, and the system’s design are just a few. For a basic estimate of how much you’ll be able to save take at look at your system’s current SEER rating and your annual cooling costs. Older systems have lower ratings; those installed in 1992 or earlier are usually rated 10 or lower.
Using the average US household’s annual energy costs of $1,000, an 8 SEER system (with very low efficiency) could be spending as little as $410 each year by upgrading to a high-efficiency 19.5 system. That’s a savings of almost 60 percent. A household with a 12 SEER system, spending about $533 annually, could be spending as little as $356 with an 18 SEER system.
High efficiency air conditioning systems cost more up front, but most pay for themselves within several seasons. Visit our website to see a more detailed chart of estimated savings, and if you’re interested in learning more about upgrading to a high efficiency system, call Action Heating and Air Conditioning!
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s a ratings system used to estimate the efficiency of HVAC systems, just like MPG rates the efficiency of automobiles. A higher SEER rating means your system gets more cooling delivered per electricity watts. A high SEER means you get better “miles per gallon” out of your system.
Many factors influence how much high efficiency air conditioning systems save. System settings, equipment maintenance, and the system’s design are just a few. For a basic estimate of how much you’ll be able to save take at look at your system’s current SEER rating and your annual cooling costs. Older systems have lower ratings; those installed in 1992 or earlier are usually rated 10 or lower.
Using the average US household’s annual energy costs of $1,000, an 8 SEER system (with very low efficiency) could be spending as little as $410 each year by upgrading to a high-efficiency 19.5 system. That’s a savings of almost 60 percent. A household with a 12 SEER system, spending about $533 annually, could be spending as little as $356 with an 18 SEER system.
High efficiency air conditioning systems cost more up front, but most pay for themselves within several seasons. Visit our website to see a more detailed chart of estimated savings, and if you’re interested in learning more about upgrading to a high efficiency system, call Action Heating and Air Conditioning!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
A Whole-House Dehumidification System: Benefits For Your Northeast Florida Home
Northeast Florida’s mild and wet climate often presents a humidity problem in the home. Humidity levels reach well above 60 percent outdoors, and even indoors. High humidity levels present many problems, including the growth of mold and mildew and the increase of dust mites and bacteria that thrive in wet conditions.
Humid air also feels warmer on the skin. Adding 10 percent humidity can increase the heat index by 3 degrees. When using the air conditioner, additional humidity in the air leads to increased costs.
A whole-house dehumidification system can prevent the humidity levels from becoming too high in your home. The humidification system will keep humidity levels between 30 and 50 percent, which is considered ideal.
The system works by sucking excess moisture from the air. This benefits energy savings because dry air feels cooler on the skin. Dry air tries to suck moisture out anywhere it can, and often takes moisture from your body, leaving a cool feeling behind. With dryer air, you can raise the air conditioner setting by 3 or 4 degrees and feel just as cool as you did at cooler temperatures in humid conditions. You can save up to 10 percent in cooling costs by raising the temperature a few degrees.
For more information on how a whole-house dehumidification system can benefit your Northeast Florida home and save you money this winter and in the future, contact us at Action Heating and Air Conditioning. With more than 30 years of expert HVAC service under our belt, we are happy to answer any questions you have.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Programmable Thermostat Features You’ll Like (Hint: They Go Way Beyond Temperature Settings)
Programmable thermostats offer many features that go beyond temperature control to offer convenience, comfort and more. One impressive feature is energy savings. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using the right thermostat and programming it correctly could save you up to $180 a year!
Various models offer different features which complement weekly schedules. There are three common models:
7 day models are the most flexible, allowing you to program different settings for morning, afternoon, evening and night for each day of the week.
5+ 2 day models are a good choice for people keeping one schedule Monday-Friday, and another on Saturday and Sunday.
5-1-1 day models have three programmable “slots,” one for the work week, a second for Saturdays, and a third for Sundays.
Remote access allows for zone temperature control. Sensors are placed in individual rooms or zones throughout the house, and connected to the main unit. If you want your bedroom warm in the morning, you can set the temperature to rise when you wake up in that specific location. You can also keep children’s rooms from becoming too cold without giving the children access to the controls. Some remote access models even allow you to adjust settings by phone or internet before you get home.
Programmable thermostats make keeping comfortable convenient. Action Air will be glad to help you decide which features suit your lifestyle to offer the maximum control, versatility and energy savings!
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website
Various models offer different features which complement weekly schedules. There are three common models:
7 day models are the most flexible, allowing you to program different settings for morning, afternoon, evening and night for each day of the week.
5+ 2 day models are a good choice for people keeping one schedule Monday-Friday, and another on Saturday and Sunday.
5-1-1 day models have three programmable “slots,” one for the work week, a second for Saturdays, and a third for Sundays.
Remote access allows for zone temperature control. Sensors are placed in individual rooms or zones throughout the house, and connected to the main unit. If you want your bedroom warm in the morning, you can set the temperature to rise when you wake up in that specific location. You can also keep children’s rooms from becoming too cold without giving the children access to the controls. Some remote access models even allow you to adjust settings by phone or internet before you get home.
Programmable thermostats make keeping comfortable convenient. Action Air will be glad to help you decide which features suit your lifestyle to offer the maximum control, versatility and energy savings!
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website
Poor Ductwork Design and Sealing Can Send Your Conditioned Air Astray: Three Factors To Consider
A home’s poor ductwork design and inadequate sealing can account for significant energy loss on a daily basis. The problem is, you’re the one paying for that energy. With that in mind, it’s time to assess whether your conditioned air is safe within your ducts.
Here are three factors to consider:
Design.
If your ductwork wasn’t designed with certain aspects of your home’s floor plan in mind, your conditioned air may be leaking out. Common problems include ducts that are stretched too tight or kinked to be maneuvered around obstructions, as well as ducts that are installed too close to appliances that could affect the temperature or quality of the air inside.
Sealing.
Duct leaks can cause you to lose as much as 20 percent of your conditioned air. While you can inspect and seal accessible duct leaks on your own, a heating and cooling professional can do a more thorough job, reaching ducts that you cannot, such as those hidden behind walls and ceilings. Common issues include loose connections and rips and tears in flexible ductwork. These can be sealed using duct mastic or metal-backed tape.
Insulation.
In most homes, large sections of ductwork run through unconditioned areas such as the attic, basement or crawl space. Extreme temperatures in these areas can affect your conditioned air. With proper insulation, however, you can reduce energy loss in such situations.
If you suspect you’re losing energy through ill-conceived, leaky or exposed ducts, contact one of our trained technicians for a professional assessment. Using our training, experience and specialized tools of the trade, we can determine where your problems lie and help you form a plan of Action.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website
Here are three factors to consider:
Design.
If your ductwork wasn’t designed with certain aspects of your home’s floor plan in mind, your conditioned air may be leaking out. Common problems include ducts that are stretched too tight or kinked to be maneuvered around obstructions, as well as ducts that are installed too close to appliances that could affect the temperature or quality of the air inside.
Sealing.
Duct leaks can cause you to lose as much as 20 percent of your conditioned air. While you can inspect and seal accessible duct leaks on your own, a heating and cooling professional can do a more thorough job, reaching ducts that you cannot, such as those hidden behind walls and ceilings. Common issues include loose connections and rips and tears in flexible ductwork. These can be sealed using duct mastic or metal-backed tape.
Insulation.
In most homes, large sections of ductwork run through unconditioned areas such as the attic, basement or crawl space. Extreme temperatures in these areas can affect your conditioned air. With proper insulation, however, you can reduce energy loss in such situations.
If you suspect you’re losing energy through ill-conceived, leaky or exposed ducts, contact one of our trained technicians for a professional assessment. Using our training, experience and specialized tools of the trade, we can determine where your problems lie and help you form a plan of Action.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
