Understanding your home’s HVAC system, and terminology that relates to it, helps you create optimal temperature and air conditioning settings for greater comfort and energy efficiency around your Twin Cities area home. Secondarily, knowing terms such as AFUE, SEER, HSPF and Energy Star can help you when upgrading or repairing systems in your home. You’ll have a better idea of what to ask when hiring a contractor to do the work for you.
Summer is just around the corner, which means now’s the perfect time to make sure your air conditioner is working properly. If not addressed, many common air conditioner problems could cause your air conditioner to break down completely. That’s the last thing you want when the warm temperatures arrive in the Twin Cities.
You wouldn’t expect to find a connection between NASA and home air purification – but there is one. In the 1980s NASA collaborated with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America to study houseplants best for air purification in space stations. This collaboration discovered several that were very effective in doing just that. Luckily, they are just as effective here on earth, where they can be productive allies in your efforts to purify indoor air.
During the summer, you’ll use your HVAC system just as much to keep the home cool as you did in the winter to keep it warm. Although your indoor temperature may vary due to personal tastes, the recommended temperature to maintain is between 72 and 76 degrees. This gives you both a comfortable home temperature that is easy to live with while also giving you an efficient temperature setting that will save you money on your energy bill.
While the nice weather in the Spring and Summer is often a relief from the relentless cold, it’s also a time where many people struggle with allergies. As a homeowner, there are many ways you can limit the effect of seasonal allergies by controlling particles in your home like pollen and dust. Here are some tips to get you started:
Reversing your ceiling fan twice each year can make a huge impact on your home comfort levels and energy consumption. By doing so, you’ll get much more value from each of your ceiling fans while cutting down on your utility bills. When you take just a few moments to learn how and why you should be regularly reversing your fan, you can start reaping the benefits right away.
You may not realize it, but you rely on your furnace blower in the winter and the summer. It’s the component of your HVAC system that distributes conditioned air to the rooms in your home, so it’s vital that you take care of it with regularly-scheduled service. When it’s maintained properly, it’s more reliable, you’ll be more comfortable, and you’ll even save on energy consumption.
All HVAC unit manufacturers recommend that you schedule a yearly inspection and tune-up in order to keep your cooling system running reliably and efficiently. During this annual service visit, your air conditioner should undergo a 10 point test to make sure it is performing at peak capacity.
Your routine home maintenance checklist should definitely include inspecting your furnace and air conditioning ducts for blockage and damage. This is not simply for aesthetic purposes: blocked vents in your heating and cooling system will result in higher energy bills, decreased performance from your HVAC equipment and can even be health hazards. Performing a regular check and learning how to properly maintain air vents will prevent small issues from becoming large issues and add to your overall home comfort.
When it’s time to learn how to install a furnace air filter, there’s a wrong way and a right way. The wrong way is to neglect your air filter until there’s a problem with your system, or to be slipshod in replacement. It’s also a bad idea to try to save money by making air filters last longer than they should. In almost all cases, the pennies you save on air filters turn into stacks of dollar bills spent on higher energy bills and repair costs.
