keep the air moving
a lack of air circulating within the houtilize may be the source of your air excellence and comfort hitchs. newer houtilize s were especially built to be more air tight than those built many years ago, and this air tight design could be the reason why your air excellence is suffering. by improving the circulation in your houtilize you boost the air excellence and comfort. that’s a giant statement but true. all you need to do is continue to circulate the air, and create sure all supply air vents and return registers are clear of obstructions.
get obstructions out of the method !
many of us have tables or draperies or additional normal houtilize hworn out items in front of our registers. this of course impedes the warmthers ability to circulate the air properly. many people also completely close registers or cover them over with additional filtering devices both of which slow down air flow. let your system run in the method it was designed by removing those obstacles and see the advantages of constant air movement. the air is cleaner, and the warmther distributes temperature and humidity more evenly. consequently you boost the comfort level in your houtilize along with the cleanliness of the air you and your family breathe.
duct cleaners cutting corners
what is a duct cleaning? many people may think that they knowadays the easy answer to this question, but do you really knowadays what a duct cleaning looks like or what it should consist of? there are far too many companies out there that are giving consumers the wrong impression of this service, and consequently, many houtilize owners are begining to think that a duct cleaning just isn’t worth their time or their difficult earned cash. but, if you knew what this service was supposed to look like, you would see the value in it.
lacking the tools and the knowadays how!
many dishonest duct cleaning companies don’t have the necessary tools or skill to clean the duct work properly. they may look the part but in the end they leave you with dirty ducts and a much lighter wallet. they trick their method into your houtilize by offering attractively low pricing. they hook up a collection device to the ducts and essentially spend the next couple hours up selling you on additional services.
suction is not the only tool needed to get the ducts clean! the majority of the particles will be caked onto the inside of the duct and the only method to collect them is to first scrape them off the surface. if your duct cleaner isn’t diligently working inside your duct system’s registers for 4 to 5 hours, you may be in the presence of a fraudartist instead of a true professional duct cleaner.
research, research, research!
do your research before you trust any duct cleaner in your houtilize . many of the fraudartists out there may look legitimate, but one search with the greater business bureau may tell a different story. don’t let some fraudartists stop you from having clean healthy air in your houtilize .
decrease the dust in your houtilize
polishing and dusting the houtilize is no ones favorite task, but it has to be done if we want our houtilize s to be clean and healthy. unless you can afford to have a maid service clean the houtilize , the typical houtilize owner is forced to undertake this tedious chore at least every one to two weeks, and depending on the size of your houtilize it could take hours. how would you like to bring down the number of times you have to dust per month? well, it is possible, and the solution will not only decrease the quantity of dust in your houtilize but it will also give you cleaner, healthier air to breathe.
circulating air for cleaning
a whole houtilize air cleaner can truly boost the air in your houtilize and decrease the quantity of dust on the surfaces as well. but, the method you utilize your air cleaner does matter! the air cleaner can only clean the air that circulates through the ducts. if the circulating fan is not on, the cleaner cannot clean the air. so, you have two choices. you can either run the fan around the clock or only run the fan when you are using warmthing or cooling.
killing two birds with one stone
only running the fan when the warmther and cooling system run is the most energy efficient method to utilize the fan, but you can still maximize your air excellence with no wasting energy. simply turn on the fan every time you vacuum the carpets in your houtilize . the vacuum stirs up the dust in the houtilize , and when the fan is on, you can collect it before it settles elsewhere. leave the fan on for an additional hour after you are done vacuuming so you can capture as much dust as possible.
WHY VARIABLE SPEED FURNACES?
First, my own bias on the topic. In my mind Lennox variable speed furnaces are truly the best value around, but getting away from the brand considerations, what are the benifits of a variable furnace anyway and why bring it up when it’s not 30 degrees below zero out?
Well many HVAC companies like to bundle their equipment. If your buying an air conditioning system, you might be in a great position to maximize the techs time on the site and get a furnace installed too. Plus, a variable speed furnace helps your Central Air Conditioning system out as well.
The following is a list of benefits that really make the variable speed furnace the cheapest and most comfortable furnace to own:
- Because the variable speed furnace blower motor is DC powered, it will save the average homeowner in excess of $250 per year in electricity. That savings alone will pay for the difference in price between the variable sped furnace and any standard furnace on the market today in as little as 2-3 years.
- Variable speed furnaces can reduce the temperature variances between rooms or whole areas in the home, especially homes that have a constant issue with second floors always being warmer in the summer months during A/C operation and colder in the winter months during the heating season.
- Because the variable speed blower motor is constantly blending and exchanging air in every room the homeowner will experience much cleaner indoor air. This feature coupled with a good filtration system can produce hospital quality air.
- Lennox variable speed furnaces are The Quietest Furnaces in their class. Most of the time you won’t even know the furnace is operating.
Ultimately, a variable speed furnace is a central component of your home HVAC system. If you have an opportunity to upgrade, give it some added consideration.
Radon and home contaminants
Their are many topics of concern when it comes to indoor air quality. The degree of impact to health of each is varied depending on personal susceptibility. However some such as Radon gas can endanger anyone. Here are some things you should know and do if Radon is a concern for you.
First, Radon is a contaminant that impacts indoor air quality worldwide. It is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water. Radon gas can accumulate in homes, buildings and drinking water, and cause lung cancer. It is responsible for an estimated 20,000 deaths per year in the United States. Lung cancer is the only known effect on human health from exposure to radon in the air.
Radon has been around for ever. However it only started becoming a wide spread issue in the last century. The principal cause of this problem has actually been advancements in how houses are build.
Where older homes “breath” newer homes don’t. In older homes air is constantly cycling from outside the home to inside. This is bad in that heated or cooled air is constantly escaping the home which pushes up energy costs. However conversely, this breathy also helped defuse pollutants that may accumulate in your home such as Radon.
With this growing concern has come many solutions to help correct the air quality in your home. Some strategies include ventilation in your rafters. Quality insulation like blown insulation will let radon and gases move up with the hot air in your homes. During the summer months this hot air can be vented outside helping to cool your home and remove Radon build up at the same time. Another strategy is to seal your basement. This creates a barrier that restricts or prevents Radon from entering your home, instead it follows your foundation and seeps up naturally around your home and is quickly dispersed by the wind.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works with communities interested in increasing public understanding of radon. For more information, please visit the EPA’s radon web page.
You may also wish to view information on how to have your home tested for or protected against radon or surf on over to our main site for more helpful tips.
upgrade with no put ining duct work
so you are finally ready to get rid of that worn out boiler, and upgrade to forced air warmthing. some houtilize owners want forced air since they want to put in forced air conditioning and additionals want to upgrade simply for boostd energy efficiency. but, put ining duct work in a finished houtilize can cost thousands alone and can greatly disturb the houtilize . there is a greater method to get forced air in your houtilize with a mini split ductless warmthing and cooling system.
solving your warmthing and cooling hitchs
a mini split ductless warmthing and cooling system is very unique. through the utilize of one centralized condenser you can warmth and cool each area in the houtilize individually. wall mounted systems are put ined in the target areas and a remote control can individually adjust the temperature to the desired levels in each space. this system solves many hitchs all at once, including:
- thermostat wars: every member of your family may be comfy at a different temperature. this often leads to what we like to call, “thermostat wars,” but a mini split system will solve this hitch. every family member can set their system to a different temperature that matches their comfort level.
- uneven temperatures: additional houtilize s suffer from uneven temperatures. no matter what you do some areas are too hot while additionals are too cool. customized settings let you to adjust the quantity of warmthing and cooling that goes to a particular area and you will be able to truly balance the temperatures within the houtilize .
- one system for both warmthing and cooling: one condenser handles both warmthing and cooling needs. you don’t have to maintain many machines and they also double as air cleaners that have reusable, easy to clean filters that can last up to ten years!
- energy efficient: these machines are extremely energy efficient and often energy star rated depending on the manufacturer you pick.
cheap method s to boost comfort and circulation
circulation hitchs within the houtilize are an all too normal hitch. they also often lead to temperature variances from area to area. this can disturb comfort and tracking down the hitch could be difficult. what if there was a method to boost your hitch with no spending much if any cash? well, there is! these three simply steps could drastically boost the circulation and comfort in your houtilize . try at least one in your houtilize and see if you notice a difference.
how to boost comfort this winter:
- ceiling fans: reversing the direction of your ceiling fan can assist boost the comfort in your houtilize . by having the fan pushing air clockwise, hot air that rises to the ceiling during each warmthing cycles will be pushed down back into the area. this will create the area feel warmer to its occupants and assist eliminate temperature variances from area to area.
- warmther circulating fan: the fan that circulates warmthed air from the warmther all over the houtilize can also be utilize d to boost comfort and circulation. by placing the fan on “on” instead of “auto,” the fan will run continuously and be greater able to circulate air through the houtilize . this will also lead to boostd indoor air excellence since the air will have more circulations through the air filter.
- insulation and conditions stripping: the final piece of the puzzle involves filling in the gaps that cautilize drafts in the houtilize . drafts could be the true source of your temperature inconsistencies within the houtilize . add conditions stripping around doors and windows, and if you want to spend a bit bit more, you could add insulation to attics and walls that may be lacking in insulation.
these three steps should vastly boost if not solve your comfort hitchs in the houtilize .
offensive odors? get activated carbon!
ever notice how some smells in the house just cannot be covered up? you may luminous scented candles or spray air freshener, but within a matter of minutes the smell is back. wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to eliminate the smell for up to 5 years? well, there is! activated carbon filters remove common household odors from the house, including:
- pet odor
- cigarette smoke
- cigar smoke
- cooking fumes
- chemical fumes ( maintenance of supplies and other harsh chemical based products)
many property owners spend hundreds of dollars on fancy air purifiers in hopes that they will remove unpleasant odors from the air in their homes. however, most air purifiers have no odor removing abilities at all unless they also have an activated carbon filter. your local correction technician offers their home owners some of the most advanced air purifiers on the market, and they are also equipped with activated carbon filters!
what is activated carbon?
most likely you have heard of carbon before, but what is activated carbon? carbon is the most abundant molecule on our planet, and it naturally has the ability to adsorb molecules onto its surface. the bad smells in your house are caused by molecules that can easily be adsorbed by carbon. when carbon is activated, it is exposed to a treatment of extreme heat and steam that causes the surface of the carbon molecule to increase. the larger the surface region of the carbon molecule the greater the number of bad smelling molecules it can adsorb.
by having such a grand surface region, activated carbon filters can last for many years. the larger and thicker the filter, the longer it will be able to adsorb the bad smelling molecules that are in the air of your house. these filters are often incorporated into complete home air purification systems or right into the air ducts for the forced air heating. you may want to consult a skilled heating, ventalation, and cooling correction technician before installing an activated carbon filter in the heating because it may impact airflow if it is not implemented properly or if it is too thick.
choosing an activated carbon filter
when purchasing an activated carbon filter, it is critical to figure out exactly what smells you are trying to eliminate because different filters are engineered to adsorb different molecules. also, if you purchase an activated carbon filter that is very thin, you will need to replace it much more frequently than a larger or thicker filter. make sure to review for filter longevity on the packaging of the filter before you purchase it. with any luck you will be able to find the perfect filter to meet your homes specific odor removal needs, and in no time at all, you will have finally eliminated those pesky, offensive odors.
24 hour furance also recommends this great site: Chicago Heating and Cooling
factors influencing filter replacement
the advice floating around about filter replacement is rather vague. most say to change the heating filter “frequently” in order to prevent heating and air quality problems. but, how rapid is “frequently?” some say to change the filter monthly, and that isn’t necessarily bad advice. every property owner should at review the filter monthly and if it is filthy, the filter should be changed. however, there are several other factors that can cause the filter to need more rapid changing. these include:
- number of people living in the house: the greater the number of people living in the house, the greater the number of hair, skin cells, and other dust particles in the air for the filter to pick up
- smokers in the house
- seasons where the heating or cooling system are used more frequently: winter and summer
- people in the house with respiratory or immune problems: asthma or allergies are common examples
- recent construction in the home- construction puts a lot of excess dust and debris in the air, and when the heating is running, that debris is sucked into your filter. change the filter and maintaning the heating after renovations are complete
- pet- dogs and cats and other fury pets add a lot of excess hair to the air in your house, and this hair will clog the filter faster than normal
- quality of filter- always read the recommendations for replacement on the packaging of your filter. some high quality filters are very thick and can restrict airflow and cause heating damage if not changed frequently
keep these factors in mind the next time you change the filter in your house, and contact a skilled heating, ventalation, and cooling correction technician for help if you are confused or unsure of how to change the filter properly.
24 hour furance repair also recommends this great site: Local Furnace Repair report
protecting your family from carbon monoxide
carbon monoxide (co) is a toxic gas, which is totally odorless, tasteless, and colorless. many of us have most likely heard the horror stories of exposure, but you most likely think that something like this could never occur to you and your family. unluckily, it is this kind of thinking that leads to carbon monoxide exposure disasters. houtilize owners that aren’t on the lookout for the signs or that haven’t taken the necessary precautions to prevent an accident are the most vulnerable to this kind of hitch in their houtilize . you first must knowadays how to recognize the signs and second, you must have protections in place to protect your houtilize and your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide.
symptoms of co exposure
- disorientation
- nautilize a
- headache
- dizziness
- flu-like symptoms
- fatigue
- chest tightness
depending upon a person’s overall health, age, and the length and concentration of co exposure, the effects can vary markedly from one person to a different.
where does co come from?
co gas is formed from incomplete combustion of fuels, such as gasoline, natural gas, coal, and propane. incomplete combustion occurs when not enough oxygen is available for clean burning of the fuel. age of an appliance, improper adjustment, worn components, or vent blockages can all contribute to co in the houtilize . warmthers, water warmthers, stoves, gas dryers, or fisubstitute s can all be suspect as co producers, and should be inspected frequently for proper, clean combustion.
the best protection against carbon monoxide is a co detector
co detectors range from battery powered machines to plug-in machines to difficult -wired machines, with battery back-up. they can be equipped with an audible alarm or a visual indicator, which will sound or change color when carbon monoxide is detected in the houtilize .
steps you can take to ensure your family’s well-being:
- service your fuel-burning appliances frequently, before there is a hitch.
- inspect your appliance vents, and vent terminations, for proper flow and free of obstructions. (birds can build nests inside an open termination)
- create sure your mechanical areas are supplied with the properly sized combustion air intakes.
- equip your houtilize with co detectors, preferably professionally put ined.
following the above steps will assist ensure your family’s continued great health, and that your houtilize should never have a co hitch.
