Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality this Allergy Season

November 10, 2015

With the change in seasons, allergy sufferers are mistaken if they think they can find refuge in the typical home. Most homes – with their airtight construction intended to maximize energy efficiency – harbor allergens along with the conditioned air you don’t want to escape. Often, the same contaminated air is re-circulated throughout the day by your heating or cooling system. However, that doesn’t mean you’re without options. Follow these guidelines for improving indoor air quality and reducing the pain and suffering from household allergies. Reduce pollution and allergy sources in your

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The Importance of Having Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Your Home?

November 3, 2015

At the start of the heating season, it’s important to schedule a furnace tune-up to improve its performance and assure your family’s safety. Checking the carbon monoxide detector goes hand-in-hand with home safety during the heating season if you use any gas appliances or have an attached garage. Carbon monoxide (CO) is the natural byproduct of the combustion process, and it’s very dangerous because it easily replaces the oxygen in your bloodstream. It’s odorless and colorless, and the only way to know it’s present is by using CO detectors. Testing the Detectors

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Save Money by Having a Pro Conduct Fall Furnace Maintenance

October 29, 2015

Even though heating systems don’t get the same workout that cooling equipment do, it’s just as important to schedule furnace maintenance every fall. It will ensure safety and efficiency, saving money on heating costs, and it prevents a potentially costly breakdown. When a professional HVAC technician goes through your equipment, he or she will inspect, clean and adjust all its components, starting with the air filter and general cleaning, then moving onto the more complex tasks like: Thorough cleaning. HVAC experts use specialized tools to clean all the parts, something especially important

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How to Get Better Indoor Air Quality in Your Home this Fall

October 27, 2015

Once a haven for asthmatics and allergy suffers, the Phoenix metro area has reached the point where indoor air quality (IAQ) is a pressing concern. Because this is a mild climate, susceptible Valley residents may experience respiratory problems throughout the year, especially during the fall and spring. Keep the windows closed. After suffering through the long, hot summer, it’s tempting to open the windows and doors to pull in the fresh air. However, doing so can pull in fall pollen, notably from Bermuda grass and all the maturing weeds. But it’s not the flowering plants

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Find Out if You Should Repair or Replace Your HVAC System

October 13, 2015

The cost of your HVAC system repair and the uncertainty of possibly more repairs down the road are generally the reasons for the “repair or replace” quandary. Looking down the road, so to speak, is actually where you want to go. Use these tips to help navigate your options. Repair Cost, ROI, and Lifetime Cost A helpful tool to help make your decision of repairing or replacing your HVAC system is considering lifetime cost. Lifetime cost is the sum of the estimated investment for a new HVAC system less manufacturer and contractor incentives, plus

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Hot and Cold Spots in Your Home? Use These Tips to Manage Them

September 22, 2015

It’s a rare home in greater Phoenix that doesn’t suffer from hot and cold spots. The intense sun, combined with hot temperatures, makes managing temperatures throughout your home a challenge. It is possible, however, to even out the temperatures. Deal with the windows. South- and west-facing windows receive far more sunshine contributing to the solar heat gain in your home, unless you have thermal-rated windows. Low-e, dual, or triple-pane windows allow far less heat transfer and are the most effective way to stop excessive heat from the building. Shade screens also stop some of the

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Replacing Your A/C: Learn Why Matched Systems Matter

August 27, 2015

If you’re facing a dilemma figuring out whether to replace your entire air conditioner or just the component that failed (whether inside or outside), you’ll want to consider the benefits of replacing your A/C as a matched system. Sure, you’ll be tempted to save some money and just replace the component that failed, but that’s usually not the wisest course. Here are some reasons why. Your A/C Is a Cohesive System An air conditioner has been engineered to work as one cohesive system, with the inside air handler/evaporator working in tandem with the outside

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Good Reasons You Shouldn’t Ignore Scheduling HVAC Maintenance

August 18, 2015

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This old saying may seem like common wisdom to many people, but when it comes to your HVAC system, it can lead you astray. While scheduling annual maintenance may seem like a waste of time and money, there are plenty of reasons you shouldn’t ignore scheduling HVAC maintenance. Maintenance Increases Comfort A well-maintained HVAC system works better than a poorly maintained one. While the decline of a neglected HVAC system may be too gradual to notice in your day-to-day life, over the course of several years you

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Learn About the Advantages Heat Pumps Offer Over Air Conditioners

August 6, 2015

In our hot desert climate, heat pumps are becoming an increasingly popular choice with homeowners who want to pay lower energy bills. Heat pumps are configured similar to air conditioners, with two coils of refrigerant tubing and a compressor pump to pressurize coolant. One of the major heat pump advantages over a traditional air conditioner, however, is its dual operation: During our long cooling season, a heat pump operates just like an air conditioner. The evaporator coil extracts heat from the indoor air and discharges it outdoors via the condenser coil. When cooler winter

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What Phoenix Homeowners Need to Know About Heat Gain

August 4, 2015

Because of the unrelenting summer heat, preventing heat gain in your home lowers cooling bills and improves comfort. Ample sunshine and hot temperatures make it harder for your home to resist the constant movement of heat to cooler temperatures. However, you can thwart its movement through simple home improvements and by making seasonal changes to your living habits. Windows According to SRP, one of the Valley’s electric providers, almost half the heat your home picks up comes through the windows. Homes with Energy Star or thermal-rated windows experience much less heat transfer. If upgraded

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