Posts Tagged ‘Summer’

Spots on the Ceiling, Moisture in the Attic

September 5th, 2011

The last time you painted your ceiling did you notice spots around the outside walls? Those spots are usually an indication that the insulation in the attic is starting to loose its R value, and condensation may be the source of your problem.

Attic Insulation and Year Round Condensation

During the summer and winter the poorly insulated attics will accumulate condensation. In the summer this moisture can leak into the lower level ceilings of the home once it soaks through the insulation, and it could also become a source of mold growth. Once wet, insulation is useless and no longer carries an r-value. In the winter this moisture becomes frost in your attic that further diminishes the effectiveness of what little insulation you may have up there. This situation can be corrected by adding blown in insulation to your attic. This blown in insulation will help to minimize future spots from occurring on your ceiling, but more importantly it will help cut your heating and cooling bills. » Read more: Spots on the Ceiling, Moisture in the Attic

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Posted in Home Improvements, Home Repairs, Insulation, Maintenace

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Improving Rain Gutter Performance

August 17th, 2011

Fall is a beautiful season, and it is just around the corner. As summer nears its end, proactive homeowners across this great country are considering the necessary maintenance that will have to be done before winter does arrive. When it comes to fall, leaves, although they may be pretty when they change colors, can create a huge mess in our yards. We can rake the lawn and pick them out of bushes, but there is one spot in the exterior of your home that you must not forget to clean out once the leaves have fallen. It’s your gutters, and clogged gutters can cause major problems for the exterior of your home. Now is the time to protect your gutter from the mess that these next few months are sure to bring and you could prevent these problems for years to come.

Why Do My Gutters Need to be Cleaned?

The purpose of having rain gutters on the home is to carry rain water as far away from the home’s foundation as possible. Without them, water would run off the roof and collect in large amounts at the base of the home. Over time this leads to erosion of the foundation and flooding. » Read more: Improving Rain Gutter Performance

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Posted in Home Improvements, Home Services, Maintenace

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Freon Fanatics!

June 27th, 2011

I had a customer tell me he needed Freon is his air conditioner to make it cool better. I of course told him I would check out the whole system and let him know why it wasn’t cooling to his satisfaction. Since he was very insistent about checking the Freon levels, I made a point the run a check right off the bat. The readings were completely normal, and the unit did not need Freon. For some reason, that is not what this customer wanted to hear.

Air Conditioners Should Not Leak!

The problem we run into is that some customers think they need a pound of Freon every year in order to make their unit will run right. The fact is that, since the EPA laws went into affect in the early 90’s, air conditioners have to be manufactured not to leak. IT’S THE LAW. Granted some systems do develop leaks, but I think I would question a service technician that wanted to sell you Freon every year instead of finding and fixing the leak. Something just doesn’t sound right. » Read more: Freon Fanatics!

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Posted in Air Conditioning, HVAC Repair, Maintenace

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Has Your A/C Caught a Bug?

May 10th, 2011

Every year thousands of homeowners shell out their hard earned money to pay for a repair to their air conditioner that was caused by a bug. Yes, a bug. These tiny creatures find their way into the outdoor condenser and set up a home for themselves within the systems components. Those that are not aware of this problem or those that fail to have their yearly maintenance performed before starting up the unit for the season, often end up with a fried contactor and an expensive repair on their hands. Just a couple preventative measures could have been taken to eliminate this problem before it happened, but many homeowners still find themselves with a broken a/c.

Bugs and Your A/C Contactor

When a bug is in the contactor upon start up, it is smashed when the contacts attempt to close. Since the contacts are blocked from joining completely by bug remnants, the part is often burnt out by one attempt to start the unit. The unit fails to blow cold air, and the homeowner has an emergency repair call on their hands. » Read more: Has Your A/C Caught a Bug?

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Maintenace, Money Saving

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Winter A/C Installation and Summer Preparedness

April 20th, 2011

Over the past winter season, thousands of homeowners took advantage of some amazing deals that were being offered on air conditioners and furnaces. Whether you had to replace the furnace and air conditioner because of a breakdown or if you simply upgraded to take advantage of last year’s tax credits, you need to have your air conditioner looked at this spring by a professional. During the ice cold months of the year it is impossible to install an air conditioner completely, and even if you only had the furnace replaced, you still should have the air conditioner checked out.

Winter’s Chill Prevents Proper Installation

Refrigerant is the substance that allows your air conditioner to replace the hot air inside your home with cool air during the summer. This substance is pressurized in your air conditioner’s coils, and can leak out easily when disturbed by the installation of a furnace. By replacing just the furnace in your home, there is a point in the installation process where the refrigerant in the air conditioner is able to escape. » Read more: Winter A/C Installation and Summer Preparedness

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Furnace, Maintenace

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Do You Have Horrible Humidity?

April 6th, 2011

Adding and removing humidity from the air in your home is part of creating a comfortable environment for you and your family. During the winter season, the furnace can quickly dry out the air in your home as it passes through the scorching hot heat exchanger. During the summer season, the blazing sun forces excess amounts of moisture into the air creating a sticky uncomfortable world for us to live in. Luckily, many of our homes are equipped with humidifiers and air conditioners that should be able to adequately control the humidity levels all year round. However, many homeowners still have humidity problems, and the issue can often be traced to either the humidifier or the air conditioner.

Is Your Humidifier Still On?

Whole house humidifiers attach at the furnace and distribute moisture into the air of the entire home. If your problem is too little humidity in the winter months, you should check that your humidifier is up on its maintenance. These systems have a filter that needs to be replaced annually, and failing to do so will prevent the system from operating efficiently. Another thing that many homeowners forget to do is turn off the humidifier during the spring and summer months. » Read more: Do You Have Horrible Humidity?

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Air Quality, Furnace

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Energy Efficiency and Your Duct Work

March 21st, 2011

During the course of making our homes more energy efficient, many homeowners look to the HVAC system for savings. An old and inefficient furnace and air conditioner could be the source of your energy waste, but what if the problem really lies in the third component of your HVAC system. The duct work is often left out of the energy efficiency equation, and those that live in older homes, the duct work could be the real source of their energy problems. Homes that are 40, 50, or even 60 years old or more have probably ran through at least a few furnaces and air conditioners, but many still rely on the same old duct work system to deliver heating and cooling to all of the rooms in the home. Doesn’t really make sense does it? If you have had to replace a furnace because it was old and rusted out, just imagine what the ducts look like hidden away in your walls, floors, and ceilings. » Read more: Energy Efficiency and Your Duct Work

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Furnace, Money Saving

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Central Air Theft On the Rise!

March 17th, 2011

Air conditioning season is right around the corner, and with the new season comes new worries. Air conditioners need to be cared for just like the rest of your HVAC system, but there is one problem that you need to be on the lookout for: a/c theft.  During the summer months, as well as during the off season, air conditioners are targeted by those desperate to make a quick buck. The internal components and piping attached to your air conditioner are valuable to thieves, and unless you are on your toes, you could find yourself with a gutted air conditioning unit this summer. » Read more: Central Air Theft On the Rise!

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Safty

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Home Comfort Tips for the Spring

March 8th, 2010

Now is the season to get busy for the next extreme season Summer.  If your interested in finding out more and getting prepared, read on. » Read more: Home Comfort Tips for the Spring

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Money Saving

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