When the sun is out and temperatures are brutally high, homeowners know that it’s critical to have a working air conditioner. Without a properly functioning AC, when summer temperatures rise into the 90s and 100s, you are not just uncomfortable indoors—it can actually be dangerous for humans and household pets, not to mention potentially harmful to your appliances and electronics. So what should you do if your AC suddenly stops working?

When your AC isn’t functioning well—or at all—it may be due to a problem that requires an experienced professional to fix. Certain common AC issues, such as a broken capacitor, are risky for inexperienced DIYers to try handling themselves; even cleaning your own AC condenser coils carries the risk of shorting out your unit. There are certain things, however, that the average homeowner can do to troubleshoot a problem with an air conditioner and resolve an issue on their own. … Read Full Post »

Controlling the temperature inside your home or business has never been easier, especially with the widespread use of programmable thermostats and the growth in “smart” thermostats. You can easily adjust your thermostat to any temperature you like, adjust settings when you are away from home and even control indoor humidity. If comfort is your main goal, bump the temperature down as low as you like. If you’re more concerned about energy costs—but you’d still like to be comfortable—that takes a little more finesse.

We’re going to go out on a limb here and assume that just about everyone falls into the second category. You want to be cool and comfortable inside your home and make your living spaces a desirable place to be temperature-wise. By the same token, you don’t want to spend a lot of unnecessary cash to make that happen.

The best summer thermostat settings for you really depends on … Read Full Post »

Keeping your home as comfortable as possible can be pretty tricky. Sure, you know that you need a great air conditioner installed in your home and that there will be times during the winter season when you’ll have to run your heater. Other considerations, though, such as the humidity in one’s home, can be easily overlooked.

It can be difficult to know how to control humidity in your home. This is a serious problem, as low humidity is a common issue in homes throughout our area. If you suspect that the air in your home is too dry, whole-house humidifiers can resolve the problem. Read on to learn more about humidifier benefits and why you might consider investing in one for your home.

Minimize Potential Damage To Your Biggest Investment

You may know that very humid air can lead to problems throughout the house, including mold growth. What you may not realize, … Read Full Post »

If you’re like most people, your home’s air conditioner plays a vital role in keeping you and your loved ones cool in the summer and warm in the winter, regardless of the temperature or humidity outdoors. Despite the importance of their ACs in their daily lives, however, many homeowners rarely think about their HVAC systems until they break down—but this can become a costly mistake.

Repairs to your air conditioner can run into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars, while annual air conditioner maintenance is quite affordable and more than worth the cost. Keeping your air conditioner running at peak performance will save you money on your monthly electricity bills. This is not, however, the only benefit. Regular AC maintenance can also catch problems early and prevent, or at least mitigate, the need for many types of repairs.

But what should you be doing to maintain your air conditioner on a … Read Full Post »

Is it time to change your central air conditioning filter again? Although it may sound intimidating, this routine task doesn’t have to be very difficult. As long as you know about the different types of air filters and what is required for their upkeep, you should be fine. The important things to look for in an air conditioning filter is how efficient they are and how much dust they can stop, because the last thing you need is excessive dust in your home.

If you suffer from asthma or allergies, or if you just want the air inside your home to be clean, your first instinct may be to investigate buying an air purifier. Since many air purifiers require replacement filters multiple times a year, thinking about how this appliance might fit into the equation should also be a part of your decision about how to clean the air circulating inside of your home. Although you may find it most cost-effective, especially in … Read Full Post »

With energy costs taking up a significant portion of your utility bill, it pays to find ways to reduce your home heating bills. In this post, we’ve put together some tips describing different ways to save on heating costs that are easy and will all add up to reduce your home heating bills by a significant amount. Many of you will be relieved to hear that you don’t need to have much background on heating and cooling systems to act upon this advice, either. Some of this advice just takes a minute or two. Even small changes will add up to big savings over the course of a cold winter.

Check For Leaks

Check your air ducts for gaps, leaks or disconnects. If you have any disconnects or leaks in your ductwork, your heating bills could be 25% higher than they would be if these gaps were sealed. Most homeowners choose to hire a professional to properly diagnose and fix … Read Full Post »