Steps to Dog Proof Your HVAC System

September 25, 2019

Dog-proofing your HVAC system is as much about your dog’s safety as it is about your home’s heating and cooling. Taking a few preventative measures can achieve both goals. At , we advise all our dog-owning customers in San Antonio, Texas, to take the following easy steps to dog-proof their home’s HVAC system. 1. Protect Wiring Dogs are notorious for gnawing on anything that looks like it could be fun to chew. Unfortunately, wires can fall under this category. That’s why it is important to take your HVAC system’s wires off the menu by encasing them in some sort of protective material. An effective way of doing this is to use metal conduit tubing for wrapping wires. You’ll be keeping your HVAC system operational while making sure your dog stays away from the dangerous electrical current. 2. Install an Indoor Fence Depending on how well you’ve trained your dog, it may or may not feel the need to mark its territory inside your home by urinating on its surroundings. Grates and other HVAC system parts can be corroded by your dog’s territory-marking habit. The best way to avoid this is to keep your HVAC system off-limits to your furry friend....

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When it gets this hot

September 13, 2019

Hello! My name is Tom Hull. I am the V.P. of Service for . This special message is brought to you because of the very hot weather we have been experiencing! I just wanted to take a few minutes of your time to help anyone of you wondering why your air conditioning system is acting the way it is. You know what I mean; It is running a lot There is a lot of condensation (water) where the drain is The room in your home that is usually warmer than the others is a lot warmer now The utilities are higher The temperature inside your home just quite won’t get to where it usually does You see, most residential heating and air conditioning systems, when they are sized and installed, are calculated on an ‘Average’ outdoor summer temperature of approx. 97-99 degrees with an average indoor temperature of 75 degrees. So, for every degree over 97-99 outside, your system is operating ‘outside’ its rated area, so to speak. When it’s 100 degrees outside, the temperature differential (the difference between the outside and inside temperature) goes up. Guess what else goes up? We call it infiltration and induction. To help understand...

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Top Ten Ways to Keep Cool and Conserve Energy

September 13, 2019

Have the air-conditioning system checked and cleaned at the beginning of every cooling season. The refrigerant charge should be checked and adjusted for optimum performance according to manufactures specifications. Additionally, and one of the most commonly overlooked items, is airflow. Be sure your contractor is testing your system for proper airflow. Keep your thermostat set at a comfortable level, as high as possible. 77 – 78 degrees is fairly normal. Every one degree lower will tack on 15 – 20 % to your cooling energy costs. Ceiling fans work great at making air “feel” cooler! Have your attic checked for adequate insulation and ventilation. Make sure your doors and windows are sealing properly. Install weather stripping where necessary. Install and program an electronic programmable thermostat. All Electronic thermostats are not created equal. Get a good one. Your HVAC contractor should have or be able to get you what you need. Most of the good ones have “adaptive intelligence”; the logic will turn the system on earlier than the programmed time to achieve the desired set point prior to the set time. Additionally, don’t set back the temperature too high, the system will run just as long and the home may...

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Should I get my ducts cleaned?

September 13, 2019

I am the kind of person that likes to answer questions with questions. It’s annoying I know, I just can’t help myself. So, why do you think your ducts are dirty? “I can see dirt around my ceiling diffusers and my allergies are killing me so…” First of all, there is nothing I can do to cure your allergies (that is what my doctor says!). Are there things we can do and/or offer that will help? Yes. But there are no guarantees your allergies will subside. Second, dirty grilles, alone, do not indicate that the ducts are dirty. Dirt in the air surrounding the diffuser can adhere to the face of the diffuser, and sometimes the surrounding ceiling, and make you think the dirt is coming from the ductwork. Third, unsealed register boxes can also cause dirt to show up on the ceiling surrounding the register because air is being drawn from the attic through the unsealed openings between the register box and the sheetrock. If the inside of your ducts are dirty will cleaning them help? Not if you don’t fix why they got dirty to begin with. “How did my ducts get dirty?” Now we’re asking the right...

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How Often Should I Replace My Filter?

September 13, 2019

Have you ever taken your old filter out to replace it and it doesn’t ‘look’ dirty? “Why should I change the filter if it doesn’t even look dirty?!” …But my a/c guy told me to “change it every month”…what should I do?” Here is ‘my’ simple answer: “Did your comfort system run for any length of time in the last 30 days?” No? It was turned off all month long; the fan didn’t even come on. “OK, leave the filter in, there can’t be any dirt on it if the heat, cooling or fan never came on”. “Yes, my system did operate in the last 30 days” Change the filter. Remember, it doesn’t have to ‘look’ dirty to ‘be’ dirty. Your comfort system’s air filter is usually an easily maintained item AND it is the number one culprit to air conditioning system failures; sad, but true. The filter really only has one specific purpose: To keep the components of your heating/cooling equipment from getting dirty. I might add that it helps keep the ducting clean as well but again, that is not its primary function. It is there to keep the blower wheel and motor, the heat exchanger (for gas...

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3 Signs of Poor Indoor Air Quality

September 12, 2019

How to Know Your Home Has Poor Indoor Air Quality in San Antonio is aware that it’s difficult to properly ventilate your home, especially in the winter. Different types of pollutants can build up in the air in your house, causing a variety of health issues. Keeping indoor air as clean as possible is important. There are a few signs that you can look for that indicate you have an air quality issue in your home. 1. Health Changes Poor air quality could cause your health to deteriorate. If you’ve been sneezing or coughing more often than normal, the air in your home might be the cause. Particulates, including bacteria, viruses, dust mites, and pollen, can impact your lungs, spread disease, and affect your health. Chemical vapors from paints or cleaning products can also circulate around a house if it’s not properly filtered and ventilated. 2. Moisture Buildup Having high humidity in your home can lead to a variety of air quality issues. Excess humidity can allow mold to grow, and the spores can become airborne and create problems. If you see condensation on the inside of your windows, you might need to consider getting a dehumidifier for your house....

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Thermostat Reading the Wrong Temperature?

August 20, 2019

Your home’s thermostat says 70 degrees on a sweltering San Antonio afternoon, but you know that cannot be right. You lower your AC temp, but your system is not kicking in. Or, even worse, your system just continues to run. Chances are that your thermostat is not working properly or reading the wrong temperature. Consider the following common causes of thermostat issues. Check the Settings on Your Thermostat If you have a programmable thermostat, it is easy to forget that you may have temporarily changed the settings. The first step is to make sure that the thermostat is set to the correct mode. Check the Batteries If the thermostat’s batteries are dead, it will not work properly. Batteries that are low on power could also cause the thermostat to not work as intended. Thermostat May Need to Be Recalibrated Your thermostat could be reporting an incorrect temperature because it needs to be recalibrated. The process for recalibration will vary depending on the type of thermostat you own. This could be a job for your heating and cooling professional to handle. Temperature Sensor May Have Gone Bad The temperature sensor inside the thermostat may be malfunctioning. Sometimes, it is as simple...

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Why You Should Inspect the HVAC System Separately Before Buying a New Home

August 7, 2019

It’s important that you inspect a potential new home before you buy it. Doing this eliminates the probability that you will not be hit with any surprises down the road. In addition to a general inspection of the property, it may be worth scheduling an appointment to inspect the HVAC system more thoroughly. Learn About the HVAC Components Themselves During an HVAC inspection, you can learn more about the age of the furnace or air conditioner, if it has a warranty, and how often you should service it. You can also discover possible signs of damage or any indication that a duct may need to be cleaned in the near future. A professional from in San Antonio can perform inspections and maintenance checks of heating and cooling components as well as inspect a home’s ducts. The Seller May Remedy Problems Before the Sale Closes The current owner may be willing to remedy any issues that you discover with the home’s HVAC components. For instance, if the water heater is leaking, one could ask that it be replaced before the sale closes. If the furnace needs a new air filter or a new part, the seller might be willing to take...

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Comparing Old and New Air Conditioners

July 17, 2019

If you are looking to save money on cooling costs during the summer months, it may be worth putting in a new air conditioner. Let’s take a look at some of the potential benefits of doing so and how you know it is time to make a change in air conditioners. Old Air Conditioners Can Cost More to Maintain Even the best air conditioners will start to break or become less efficient over time. At in San Antonio, we can conduct routine inspections as well as make any necessary repairs. Our inspections are thorough, and you will get a full report detailing any problems or issues that may need to be corrected. This can be useful when determining whether your current unit needs to be upgraded. If you decide that it’s time to get a new air conditioner, we can install it for you. An Old Air Conditioner Can Be Loud Over time, it can be difficult to keep parts lubricated and free from debris. Therefore, your air conditioner may make a lot of noise when it comes on or when it shuts off. It is also not uncommon for older units to be louder than newer ones while they...

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Why You Need to Change Your Air Filter

July 1, 2019

Changing an air filter is one of the simplest maintenance tasks that you can complete. However, it is also one of the most important. Leaving a dirty air filter in place can cause significant damage to your system. Estimates vary on how frequently you ought to do this, and it does depend somewhat on the quality of the filters you use. Ideally, you would change an air conditioner’s air filter every 30 days. Even if you have a relatively dust-free environment and a good filter in place, you should still change it at least every 90 days. How Do You Know That an Air Filter Is Dirty? Generally speaking, the filter will get darker as it collects dust, pollen and other material from the air. If you can’t see any light passing through the filter itself, it is a good idea to make a change. Check the air conditioner’s air filter once every week or two to make sure that it is in passable condition. If for any reason you find this inconvenient, you can arrange routine maintenance that includes this service by engaging the conscientious professionals at in San Antonio. What Happens If You Don’t Change a Dirty Filter?...

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