Buying a New Air Conditioning System

Whether you are purchasing your first air conditioning system or replacing an existing unit, there are a few factors to keep in mind—factors that will increase your indoor air quality and home comfort while taking your budget into consideration. Always remember, though, your local provider has the knowledge and experience to inform you of what air conditioning system is best for your home.

Air Conditioning to Fit Your Home

The first factor to consider when buying your new AC (air conditioning) system is the size of the space that needs cooling. If you only need one or two rooms cooled, you may want to consider investing in ductless air conditioning units. They are smaller and do not require a big system of air ducts to be run through your home to provide airflow. This can be a cheaper alternative to the central air option, since you only need as many indoor units as you need and they can be run separately to meet your needs. Central air conditioning becomes more cost effective than the ductless units when the sum payment of the individual units is larger than the single central air system. Your electric bill will also increase with the number of ductless units running. If you are not sure what option is best for you, your local provider will be able to answer any questions you have.

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio For You

It is important to choose an air conditioning system with a good SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) number. This number measures how efficiently your air conditioner will run—the bigger the number the smaller the dent in your electric bill. In hotter climates you will want a higher SEER rated air conditioner that will be able to stay on longer without using as much energy, but in cooler climates, where your air conditioner will only be used seasonally, it may be cheaper to buy an air conditioning system with a lower SEER, since it will not be in use nearly as much. Try to find out what the standard SEER number is for you area. Keeping this in mind may help you maintain your home comfort and your financial comfort at the same time. Remember to ask your local provider about the SEER number to ensure the indoor air quality. They will find the right fit for you and your wallet.

Weighing AC Costs and Services

One of the last decisions to make when buying a new air conditioning unit or system is compare the prices between your local providers. Doing so should be obvious, but there may be some costs beyond the base price of the system that should be considered. For instance, how much do they charge for the installation? Do they provide regular maintenance and repair services, and, if so, at what price? These questions can also be influenced by the kind of air conditioning system you will be purchasing. Is it one that will require more maintenance? Perhaps it would be better to buy a slightly more expensive system that will last longer without as much need for professional care. Hopefully, with these things in mind, you will be able to weigh your home comfort needs against your air conditioning costs and find the perfect fit for you.

Preparing Furnaces for Winter

After a long summer, furnaces need certain checks in order to run most efficiently when cold weather returns. The last thing anyone would want is for his or her furnace to break down when it drops below freezing. In order to prevent this, a certain amount of maintenance and cleaning should keep your furnace in good working order as long as you continue to have scheduled checks by a local professional service provider, who will be able to determine if you will need any furnace repair.

Basic Furnace Checks

Two of the most basic parts of your furnace you can check are the filter and the fan belt. After a year’s worth of work and a summer’s worth of sitting and building up dust, the filter may need to be changed. If this is the case, the replacement process should be as simple and easy as it is shown in your user manual. Checking the fan belt is as easy as feeling if the belt is loose. If it is your local service provider will be able to replace it without any trouble. Checking these two things should be a simple way to increase the efficiency and lifespan of your furnace, thus creating much more home comfort for you during the upcoming winter months. Remember not to make any of these checks if your furnace is running.

Keeping It Clean

After a long summer, it is not unreasonable to think that dust and clutter would find its way in and around your furnace.  Take a day at the end of the summer to dust and vacuum out the furnace and its ventilation system. This will reduce the amount of dust that is circulating through your home when the weather gets cold. Your home will have a higher indoor air quality, which will help you to settle during the winter months. Any trash or potentially flammable items that have collected near your furnace should also be moved, not only to make the area less cluttered and more efficient, but to help to prevent any possible fire hazards.

Checked By a Professional

Often times people try to avoid having a professional repair man come into their homes, because it costs money, but there is no better way to ensure that your furnace will be in it’s best working condition than by hiring your local furnace repair and service provider to come into your home and make sure your furnace is in top condition. An annual check up before winter is a safe and easy way to make sure your furnace won’t be breaking down right when you need it. And as long as you are being careful and taking care of your furnace during the rest of the year, you shouldn’t have to worry about needing to make any costly repairs, but things do happen that are out of your control. Machines break down over time, and it would be to your benefit to make sure that does not happen at inconvenient times. Nothing destroys home comfort more than when furnaces break down during the coldest months of the year.

The Importance of Thermostats

It’s surprising that something so small can have as big of an impact on our daily lives as a thermostat can. It’s true though. In order to get the most out of your heating and air conditioning, it is important to know what kind of options you have when purchasing a thermostat, placing a thermostat and also programming a thermostat. All of these things can influence the level of home comfort you experience by increasing your indoor air quality.

Picking A Thermostat

When buying a new thermostat or replacing an old one, take into consideration the features you want it to have, so it will best fit your lifestyle. Most likely, you will be buying a programmable, digital thermostat. If this is the case, look to see what each product will allow you to program it to do. These options, if used to their full potential, can greatly increase your home comfort by decreasing the amount of time spent making adjustments to your home’s temperature. If there are any features that you are uncertain about, remember to ask your local provider what each thermostat is and is not capable of.

Placing A Thermostat

Almost all thermostats monitor the temperature of the air around them in order to keep your home’s temperature balanced at the level you have selected. This is why it is important to carefully select where in your home you want to mount the thermostat to you wall. Be careful of placing it above any air vents where temperatures will be shifting more dramatically than in other places in your home. A thermostat will shut off a furnace when the temperature becomes higher than what you have set it for, thus a poorly placed thermostat that is exposed to more heat will shut off your furnace too early and leave you with a cold home. Also be careful not to place your thermostat near points in your home where cold air is generated, like windows and doors, or your furnace may be overworked and your home will end up hotter than expected. Keep in mind that electronic equipment like computers also generate heat, so avoid areas around such devices as well. To keep your home comfort level at the point you want, try to place your thermostat in an area that best represents your home’s average temperature level.

Programming A Thermostat

There are certain functions in programmable thermostats that you will want to take note of in order to spend the least amount of effort adjusting your home’s temperature while still having it operate efficiently and cheaply. For instance, you can program certain thermostats to adjust the temperature when you are away and do not need your home to be as cool or as warm. Granted, this can still be done on older models, but you must adjust your thermostat manually every time you leave and enter your home. Performing this task manually is when forgetfulness and human error can end up increasing your energy bills while decreasing your home comfort and indoor air quality. Saving money can be easier than you may think.

Tips to Improve Home Comfort

Often times it is believed that the process of improving your home and living conditions needs to be a painful, costly struggle. This need not be true. There are several easy ways you can enhance your indoor air quality and cut down on air conditioning costs by repairing and cleaning your ventilation systems, adding new energy efficient features to your home, and making or breaking a few personal habits.

Better Ventilation Equals Better Savings

There is a system of airflow in your home that needs to be maintained in order to efficiently increase your indoor air quality. Any gaps or interruptions in that system can create unpleasant effects to your home comfort. Leaks in your home may cause extreme seasonal temperatures to invade your otherwise comfortable environment. Check for such leaks around doors, windows, and exit points for air conditioning equipment. Some of these leaks are easily fixed by simply applying some caulk. This will also help to ensure that none of your heated or air conditioned air will be escaping into the weather, preventing your heating, cooling, and finances from being over worked. You may also want to look into cleaning your ventilation and air ducts. A long build up of dust and grime can lead to lower airflow quality and a general stagnant feel to your home environment. Many of your local heating and air conditioning providers offer professional duct cleaning services that will improve your overall indoor air quality and home comfort.

Deflected Heat Is Less Heat

One way to give your air conditioners a bit of a break during the summer months is to make your home as resistant to hot summer sun as possible. Here are a few methods of reducing the incoming solar heat, but remember there are many other methods not listed here, maybe ones that have not even been thought of yet. Notice what side of the house the sun is facing during the hottest point in a day. Now pull the blinds and shades on that side of the house, so the sun does not get a free pass to heat up your house. Depending on how much money you want to spend and on how long you are willing to wait, you can plant trees on that side of your house to provide cool shade for you and your family. Another way of deflecting the sun’s heat is to paint your home with light colors that will deflect heat away from your home more than it would if it is painted with darker colors.

Making Cooler Habits

There are a lot of things in any given home that generate heat: ovens, lights, computers—those are just a few examples. If you truly want to save on your electric bill, why not try some simple habits that can be practiced daily. Turn off lights whenever you leave a room. Do the same for household electronics. Also, try making a habit of grilling outside for your summer meals. Ovens generate a lot of heat, forcing your air conditioner to work extra hard to bring your temperature back down to your usual home comfort level.

Changing Habits Can Save Money on Air Conditioning and Repairs

In most households, saving money on basic things is important in order to run a cost-efficient home. Electricity is a big expense for homeowners, and the bill increases according to electricity usage. Most of the electricity used in the home during the warmer months is by the air conditioner. This is one area where homeowners can save money. By becoming aware of certain habits that need to change, the home will run more smoothly. Some of the tips listed will lower your electricity bill and allow more energy efficient use of the AC system. 

The first tip for saving money is to choose the air conditioner size correctly. Sometimes, people think that bigger AC’s will provide more home comfort and feel that it is the best for the home. This isn’t always true. Using an AC unit that is too big for the home will not provide uniform temperatures or lessen humidification, so in this case, bigger isn’t necessarily better. Check with an HVAC specialist for more accuracy when choosing the right type of air conditioner for home size. 

Give the Thermostats a Break

Placement of the thermostat and proper usage can help save money. Many times when people come home from work, they flip the thermostats to an excessively low level thinking it will make the AC get colder faster. This is not true and can damage the unit and cost more money when the unit works harder to get to the low temperature. It will not enhance the air conditioning and repairs may be necessary from overuse. The placement of thermostats is another great factor to consider when saving money. It should never be located around warmer items, like televisions, lamps, or stereos. This could accidentally trick the thermostat into working harder than is required. 

Proper Unit Placement Will Save on Air Conditioning and Repairs

Another common mistake that wastes money is placing the air conditioner in a spot that collects heat. Just because there’s an available space beside the house doesn’t make it the best choice. Make sure that the unit is placed in a shady spot or else it will have to work harder than necessary. Being in direct sunlight hinders the unit from working properly. Similarly, you will not want to place it behind bushes or shrubs to hide the unit. This will obstruct ventilation and can clog the condenser coils so that repair is needed, along with making it less efficient to run.  

Consider Ductless Air Conditioning

If your home currently uses several window AC units to provide home comfort, it would be less expensive to cool the area with ductless air conditioning. These units are revolutionary cooling solutions and situate in one or two story homes. Many homeowners are switching to the ductless air conditioning these days, due to the money saving factor of running traditional AC units. In addition, some of these units are called heat pumps and double as a heater for warming the home in the winter months. Having the ductless units installed in the home will save money on air conditioning and repairs, along with helping you heat your home more efficiently in later months.