Are you running your air conditioner at its optimal performance level? If not, this could easily result in high energy bills and reduced efficiency. It’s important to have your cooling equipment regularly serviced by an experienced technician or contractor who will know exactly how to diagnose and fix efficiency issues. However, there are some basic procedures you can do yourself to prevent high energy bills and ensure your system is running effectively.

As you probably remember from grade school science class, where damp conditions exist, there’s also the potential for fungus growth. This is why mushrooms may spring up in your yard after a spring shower or mold spores begin to dot sealed containers of old food in the back of the refrigerator. These types of fungus may not pose you any sort of immediate threat, but mold growth in other areas in your home can become a health hazard to you and your family.

Improving home energy efficiency is one of the best things you can do with your spare time this summer. Temperatures are moderate, and it’s a good time to work in the attic or outdoors, undertaking projects that will help lower your energy bills year-round. Three of these projects include adding insulation, sealing air leaks and tending to your HVAC equipment. 

During the hottest and coldest months of the year, increased utility bills are not uncommon. While paying more for additional energy usage sounds fair, paying for wasted energy is not. Luckily, there are ways to reduce energy consumption, and one of the most effective is to seal air leaks.

Although the Twin Cities area is typically known for its relatively mild summers, the high rates of humidity can make an 80 degree day feel much hotter. If you’re lucky enough to own property in this beautiful region of the country, then you know that after a long, sweaty afternoon on the lake, there’s nothing quite as wonderful as the feeling of stepping inside your well air conditioned home. However, if your air conditioning system is on the brink of failure, reprieve from the humidity may be long hours – or days – away.

One of the more important pieces of information you should know when searching for a new air conditioner is the cooling load of your home. This is the amount of cooling that’s required to keep your indoor environment at the temperature you prefer. The industry accepted method of determining your home’s cooling load is set forth in Manual J, “Residential Load Calculation.” This manual, published by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), provides all the procedures and technical details your HVAC professional needs to assess your home’s thermal characteristics and perform accurate cooling load calculations.

As you’re probably aware, ductwork is the (usually) hidden pathway within your walls and crawl spaces used by your home comfort system to route conditioned (cooled or heated) air throughout your home. It’s a bit like your body’s respiratory system, serving as the lungs of your house. It’s also like your circulatory system, with ducts acting as veins, delivering blood/air pumped from the heart (of your home comfort system) through the body and returning it back again for recirculation.

In the course of a year, Twin Cities area residents get to experience all four seasons and the complete range of weather events including snow, rain, sleet, tornadoes, thunderstorms, humidity, record-breaking heat and more. In summer, we rely on our air conditioning and humidity control equipment to keep our homes comfortable. If you’re wondering if your air conditioner will make it another year, consider the following signs. Prepare to face the summer with a new A/C if:

If you have decided to replace your air conditioner, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed by your options. In recent years, cooling equipment has become significantly more efficient and increasingly advanced features are being incorporated into these appliances. There’s also an important rating system you should be aware of as you begin the selection process.

Finding the right HVAC contractor to work on your home system is as easy as following 10 simple steps.