Most people spend a significant amount of time indoors during the summer season to escape the high temperatures outside. Although the interior setting may offer comfort, it can also expose residents to poor air quality. Between the various contaminants and pollutants, it can be challenging to breathe ease while spending time inside. Here are a few of the top reasons it’s crucial to maintain your indoor air quality in the summer. 1. Avoid Allergies The summer season is often allergy season, as pollen is active in the environment. Outside air can get into buildings, creating an uncomfortable situation for allergy sufferers. With clean air in the building, it can help you to avoid sneezing, wheezing, and an increase in mucus production. You’ll feel more like yourself and prevent reactions to common allergens by replacing the air filter on your air conditioner and keeping the windows closed. 2. Maintain a Cleaner Interior Setting The air quality in the home has a significant impact on the cleanliness of the interior setting. If dust and particles are present in the air and are circulating, then it will cause different surfaces in the building to become dirtier, which will require cleaning more. Cleaner air...
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Do you know all the major areas in your house that might require more ventilation? You may not be aware of certain spots in your residence that can develop issues such as mold and mildew when you don’t ventilate them well. Read on to learn where it’s best to install vents. Attics Need to Be Aired Out Attics are one of those spaces that can accumulate water. This is mainly the case if there are leaks in your roof. If you don’t go into your attic often enough, you may not see evidence of the water in your attic until there’s damage. In this instance, it’s important that you ventilate using such additions as a ridge vent, which covers gaps in the roof and releases air from the attic; a roof vent, which is a small metal box vent that sometimes has a fan; a gable vent, which fits near the roof’s peak; or a turbine vent, which pulls heat from the attic and is higher than the typical roof vent. Once you do this, you should see no more or only extremely minor issues. Foundations Require Ventilation Your foundation can develop problems with moisture too. The hidden moisture can...
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Indoor air quality matters because many people spend most of their time indoors. The air inside your home may be more harmful to your health than the air outside. Three of the main reasons you should maintain great indoor air quality include improving your health, avoiding triggering allergies, and making cleaning easier. Improves Your Health Indoor air pollutants can cause eye irritation, headaches, and fatigue. They may be the reason why you or someone in your family hasn’t been feeling well or why you often don’t feel well. Some types of indoor pollutants cause cancer and other long-term health problems. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide are two examples of hazardous indoor pollutants. Fuel-burning appliances that don’t have proper ventilation can contaminate your house with carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that’s difficult to detect without technology, and inhaling too much of it is deadly. Avoids Triggering Allergies Poor air quality can trigger allergies because allergens build up inside the home where they can’t easily escape. We recommend that anyone who has allergies use an air purifier to eliminate some of these allergens from his or her indoor air. Staying on top of changing your HVAC...
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It’s important to find the best HVAC system for your home. This decision can impact your family for many years. A great HVAC system will keep you comfortable throughout the year. Here are a few things you need to know when choosing your next HVAC system. Inspect Your Ductwork If you’re thinking about a new HVAC system, then you’ll want to inspect your current ductwork. A professional contractor will need to make sure your ducts are sealed. Bad ductwork can cause you to lose 30 percent of your home’s energy. In most cases, the technician will also clean and seal your ductwork to improve efficiency. Find the Right Furnace If you have an older furnace, then you might want to replace it with an energy-efficient model. Older furnaces can increase your energy bills. You’ll want to find a model with a high energy-efficiency rating. Newer models also have improved air handlers to increase the air flow in your home. Air handlers are available in single-state, two-stage, or variable speed models. At , our team will help you find the right furnace for your home in Granite City, IL. Select an Air Conditioner You can improve your home’s air quality with...
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Here in Madison and St. Clair counties, we invest quite a lot in keeping our homes warm. It is tempting for families that have a member with some DIY skills to try to install, maintain or repair the family heating system. However, this is not a good idea. Unless you are a licensed heating professional, working on your own heating system could be dangerous to your home and those in it. 1. Heating Professionals Are Fully Trained Experienced, licensed heating professionals are able to spot small problems today that could become larger problems tomorrow. They are trained to perform multi-point heating system evaluations. These include things like checking the air pressure in the vents, looking for air leaks in the ductwork, examining the blower motor and testing the amperage flowing through different parts of the system. This work takes specialized knowledge and tools that are often beyond the scope of a typical homeowner. 2. Heating Professionals Detect and Correct Safety Issues Working with furnaces involves dealing with explosive gases. Many homeowners do not have the training to safely work on propane and natural gas heating devices. Heating professionals are trained to spot safety issues as their main priority. Homeowners can...
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Eventually, your heating system is going to experience some issues you can’t fix. You’ll need to recognize these problems to know when you need to replace your furnace. Sometimes, you’ll notice your home isn’t warm in the winter anymore. You may ignore other issues because your heating system will still work. Although your heat pump is continuing to operate, there are reasons to buy a replacement. Some of the benefits of a new system will help your home. The benefits of a new heating system include: Saving on energy costs Improving air quality Reducing maintenance costs Improving heating When Is a Replacement Necessary? You’ll know you need to purchase a new heating system when your furnace requires expensive repairs. You can pay for repairs when you need them, but the costs will continue to increase. Purchasing a new system is often a better solution to your problems. Your new furnace will have a long life ahead of it, and you’ll save money that would otherwise go to repairs or maintenance. Energy bills are another reason you should replace your furnace. Over time, the cost of heating is going to increase in your home. The heat pump may continue to work...
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When the weather outside is frightful, you don’t need to choose between freezing inside or having a gigantic heating bill. Taking a couple of small steps around your home can improve both your comfort and your heating efficiency. Check for Drafts You wouldn’t leave your windows or doors open while your heat is running, but a draft is almost the same thing. The small cracks around your windows and doors can lead to cold air pouring in. To combat this, make sure your weatherstripping provides an airtight fit or replace it. Reapply caulk around your windows anywhere you can feel cold air. Replace Your Air Filters on Time Don’t forget to follow the replacement or cleaning schedule for your air filters. Dirty air filters slow the flow of air through your furnace. This makes it take longer to heat your home, and the slower air flow could also mean that the heat won’t reach all areas of your home evenly. Use a Programmable Thermostat No one likes waking up or coming home to a freezing house, but there’s no reason to keep your home toasty while you’re asleep or at work. When you’re away from home, you only need to...
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Efficiency has to do with how your furnace operates. The better it works the more you save in operating cost. So, when the systems are updated and maintained, furnaces distribute the heat throughout the home using less energy. The results show up on your utility bill. Today, all furnaces are required to have annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) ratings posted. Newer models have higher ratings, averaging between 80 to 96 percent efficiency. Older units average at about 75 percent, which means it uses more fuel to operate. Efficiency Lifestyles Besides using the latest furnace design to heat your home, technology offers control devices to help manage your home’s energy efficiency. Consider upgrading your thermostats to regulate the room temperatures. Fluctuating temperatures cause the furnace to turn on and off more frequently, costing you more money. Customized Features Smart thermostats are programmable with touch controls and WIFI compatibility for remote access. Check out the features that allow you to set temperatures and maintenance reminders to increase the benefits of energy savings. Maintenance Air filters need to be changed at least once a month during the winter to help remove the dust and airborne debris from the air ducts. If the air...
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While normal rainfall does not damage an HVAC system over time, heavy amounts of continuous rain, as well as other forms of water, will deteriorate the interior and exterior of a heating system with proper maintenance by professional HVAC technicians. Flooding Flooding can severely impair the ability of a heating system to function properly. If your neighborhood has received over 10 inches in a short time, contact McFarland Indoor Comfort Systems today to schedule a thorough inspection of your unit. Excessively wet HVAC systems that cannot dry out for extended periods may suffer clogs, deteriorating wiring, insect infestations, and other problems potentially leading to operational failures. Hail and Ice While very short bursts of smaller than pea-sized hail won’t damage a heating system, longer bouts of bigger hail and icy rain will batter and possibly breach an unprotected HVAC system. However, what many people don’t know is that placing a heavy plastic tarp over an HVAC unit prevents air from flowing around the unit. Overheating or freezing up of the system could occur when HVAC units are too tightly covered. Snow Allowing snow to cover an heating unit for more than a couple of days allows moisture to constantly melt...
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Today, smart technology is moving into the home in many ways. With it comes the numerous benefits it can offer to you including more connectivity and seamless control over all parts of your home. Your thermostat is one of those areas. Do you have a programmable thermostat? Perhaps you are wondering if you should upgrade to a smart thermostat instead? Here’s what you need to know. What Can a Smart Thermostat Do? A programmable thermostat (which is still a relatively new option compared to traditional on-and-off systems) provides homeowners with the ability to set a temperature for when the system comes on and off. However, it also allows you to program times for different settings. For example, you may want to cool down the home on a hot summer day before you come home each day. Or, you may want to save money on heating costs by reducing the heating temperature during the middle of the night during the winter. Programmable provides you with some control. Benefits of Smart Thermostats Smart thermostats go further. Though differences are present from one system to the next, smart thermostats allow you to set the temperature and control times. But they also provide you...
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