Before you head out on vacation this summer, take some time and effort and prepare your home comfort system for your absence. Unless you plan to turn the system off, running cooling equipment that hasn’t been maintained recently can lead to problems while you’re gone. You can do some of these tips yourself, but a thorough system check and servicing from an HVAC contractor will give you peace of mind and lower your cooling bills. Things you can do yourself:

If you suffer from allergies, the months ahead may present some challenges. Unfortunately, there’s not much anyone can do about the conditions outside. What you can do is follow these five simple tips to reduce summer allergies inside your home:

If you are experiencing air quality issues in your home, or your energy bills seem higher than those of your neighbors, the culprit may be your home’s ventilation. Understanding ventilation strategies that will help get the air moving properly in your home is as important as knowing about the different types of circulation systems available. In fact, understanding how the air flows, or doesn’t flow, through the rooms in your home has a big impact on which system or systems to employ.

Is your air conditioner more than two or three years old? If so, it almost certainly uses R-22 refrigerant (sometimes referred to as the brand name Freon). R-22 is being phased out due to its ozone-depleting properties, and as supplies dwindle over the next several years, its price will continue to skyrocket. Some experts expect that R-22 refrigerant prices this summer will be three times what they were a year ago.

If it seems that your home remains hot or stuffy even while your air conditioner is running, you may have a problem with inadequate return-air ducts. No matter how hot it is outside, there’s no reason that your climate control system should not keep your home sufficiently cool. When your home becomes uncomfortable, it’s probably a good time to ask an HVAC professional to undertake a ductwork evaluation.

Typically, when we think about air pollution, we think of outdoor air with smog and densely populated cities. The truth is that the air inside our home can be just as polluted and hazardous to our health as the air outside. Various chemicals and pollutants can negatively affect our indoor air quality. You can improve the air quality in your home by following these 10 easy steps:

This is the time of year when things really start to heat up outside. If your air conditioner had a hard time keeping up last year, a new unit could help you stay much more comfortable this year. Here are the features you should look for, in addition to the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, to help you make the most out of your investment.

The cooling months are here – is your air conditioning system ready? Maintenance for your air conditioner will ensure optimal home comfort, maximum energy efficiency, and help prevent unnecessary mishaps such as water damage.

Keeping the humidity in your home at a reasonable level is important to the comfort and health of your family. High humidity levels can encourage the growth of damaging and health-threatening mold spores. High humidity can also cause physical damage to your home, including peeling wallpaper and wall stains. The best way to prevent this is with a home dehumidifier. However, before you make this investment, you should determine if you actually need home dehumidification. There are several factors to consider:

After an unusually mild Minnesota winter, spring is warming up the Twin Cities area as we head into the summer. Why not make this the year that you really take charge of your energy bills?