Winter HVAC Maintenance

Tips for Winter HVAC Maintenance

Temperatures have begun to drop and air pollutants increase.  It is also the perfect time to begin your HVAC maintenance for the frigid winter weather months to follow.  

HVAC Maintenance and Cleaning

It is important to do some seasonal cleaning, and schedule a maintenance visit to tweak your system for maximum output.  Cleaning your air conditioner's outside unit is one of the necessary tasks to maintain your HVAC system.

Follow these five easy steps:

·         Open the metal box near your outside unit, and turn the switch to the off position

·         Use a water hose to spray off any loose debris

Spray the unit with coil cleaner

·         Wait 15 minutes to let the cleaner foam and bond with the dirt on the coils

Rinse the coil cleaner off with the hose

Dirty coils and blower parts can negatively affect your indoor air quality.  If this HVAC maintenance is not done, bacteria, fungi, and pollen can build up in your system.  Breathing those things in can lead to eye, nose, and throat irritation, asthma attacks, or even flu-like symptoms.  Regular HVAC maintenance will reduce any contamination of your air stream, which ensures a healthier household.

Replace the Filter

Change your filter every season to clear your home's HVAC and ductwork.  A clean filter can increase productivity by 15%, which will save you money and require less HVAC maintenance.

Consider an Upgrade

Fall is the perfect time to upgrade your HVAC unit, because the temperature is usually not too hot or too cold.  If your system is old, now is the time to make the change.  You don't want to wait and end up changing your furnace during the dead of winter.

Warm it Up

Another important part of HVAC maintenance involves keeping your system warm and loose.  Just like a car, your HVAC system benefits from regular use.  Run your unit a few weeks before the weather turns cold and it will be primed for use when the time comes to begin using it.

Prepare your Outdoor Unit for the Cold

HVAC maintenance includes making sure your outside unit does not freeze over.  The best way to prevent this from happening is to clear the airflow, change your refrigerant, and keep it warm.  When the outside temperature drops below 60 degrees, cover the unit with a thick blanket.  If you haven't already, it is time to purchase a blanket that will protect your unit from ice.

Regular HVAC maintenance can actually reduce the potential for costly repairs by as much as 95%.  While you may not be able to avoid all HVAC repairs, this preventive care can save a lot of money and inconvenience down the road by preventing most unexpected heating or cooling emergencies from taking place.  Call the Bloomingdale NJ AC Experts at Air Expo today for all of your winter HVAC needs and beyond.  973-283-0300

Improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

You may think of air pollution as something that occurs outside rather than inside your home – vehicular exhaust, garbage sites, smog or industrial fumes. However, the truth is that your home can be more polluted than the air outside. You may have poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in your home and not even realize it.  If you have poor IAQ, you and members of your family could be suffering from health problems.  Here are five ways you can improve your home’s IAQ.

Change filters

A simple and cheap way to increase IAQ is to change the air filter.  Old, dirty air filters allow lots of allergens and dirt which can cause a wide range of problems including colds, headaches, and breathing problems into your home. Aside from causing negative effects on your body, dirty filters may cause the air conditioner greatly effect the efficiency of the unit.  Be sure to regularly change your filter, it’s a simple and economical way to keep your family breathing clean air.

Controlling humidity levels

Indoor humidity levels must be maintained between 45% and 55%. One way to achieve these levels is to purchase a dehumidifier. You can’t manage something you can’t measure.  A humidifier will reduce the amount of humidity in your air and lead to better breathing.  Having a dehumidifier in especially damp areas such as the basement is an inexpensive way of improving IAQ.
Proper ventilation
Proper ventilation is essential in reducing cooking odors, smoke, indoor pollutants, and moisture. Adequate ventilation in the basement, attic, and crawl space is necessary to improve indoor air quality and keep moisture from plaguing your home.  Be sure your return vents are fee of dust build up and are not blocked by furniture.   In the bathroom, laundry area and the kitchen install exhaust vent fans.

Avoid smoking inside the home

Smoke from cigarettes contains over 4000 different chemicals at high concentration, most of which are toxic. Second-hand cigarette smoke has similar effects to smoking. The best option is to stop smoking completely. Since quitting can be difficult, it would help to smoke outside. If you have friends who smoke, simply ask them to step outside if you truly care about indoor air quality at your home.

Photocatalytic air purifiers

Photocatalytic air purifiers use a method known as photocatalysis to zap all the harmful air pollutants and transform them to safe substances. This light powered purifier is effective for all types of people including those with asthma and allergies. Photocatalytic air purifiers work effectively to improve your home’s IAQ. Your professional HVAC contractor can help you with the proper unit, placement and installation of a photocatalytic air purifier.

IAQ is important to the health of you and your family.  When you implement the methods mentioned above your home’s IAQ will increase leading to a healthier home.    Contact the professionals at Air Expo NJ today to help you asses and improve your home’s indoor air quality.

Benefits of Ductless Air Conditioning

What are the benefits of ductless air conditioning?

A ductless air conditioner, also referred to as mini-split or a ductless split system, is made up of two pieces: the compressor unit which is installed outside the home on a concrete slab and an indoor unit which contains a fan. The fan is installed near the ceiling on an exterior wall in the area you want cooled. While you may have heard of ductless air conditioners, you may not know the benefits of installing one.

Benefits of Ductless A/C

1. Flexibility: With traditional central air conditioning, air is forced through all of your ducts. With a ductless system, the cooled air is delivered directly to the areas you want cooled. They are easy to install, and can be placed in new additions to your home, in apartments or condos to replace a window unit, or to improve the temperature in specific rooms of your home (such as ones that receive a great deal of sunlight and are always hot).
2. Cost savings: One of the main reasons homeowners switch to a ductless air condition is the savings. As the heat increases outside, you need your AC more and more; energy bills keep going up. Traditional central air is inefficient; a ductless system uses less energy to run and they deliver the cool air directly to the room you want cooled, so they are much more efficient. You no longer have to cool unoccupied rooms.
3. Better air quality: A ductless system also improves the air in your home. You’ll breathe better, and easier. A traditional central air system leaves dust and allergens in the air; with a ductless system, you get multi-stage filtration. This reduces allergens, dust and other particles in the air.
4. Easy to install: Installation is a breeze, especially compared to a traditional central air system. Depending upon the number of units you need, you can be up and running in a day, compared to weeks with a traditional HVAC unit. Ductless systems run on pipes that just need a three-inch hole. You won’t have to tear down and rebuild walls around any ducts or lose any square footage in your home.
5. Smaller carbon footprint: Because the ductless system is so energy efficient, you are lowering your carbon footprint, which is great for the planet. These systems also reduce the negative effects on the environment because they use R410A to cool your home; this refrigerant causes ‘zero ozone depletion’, which means it has less of an impact on the environment than traditional systems do.

Ductless air conditions offer you a number of benefits, from saving you money on your electric bill to reducing your carbon footprint. Stay comfortable by cooling just the zones you want, rather than your entire house. Consider installing a ductless system today!

7 Signs Your Furnace Needs Repair

What are the Warning Signs That Your Furnace Needs Repair?

7 Signs Explained:

When it comes to home repairs, we tend to focus on the obvious: broken doors or windows, chipped paint, appliances that stop working.  But how do we know when there is a problem with more discrete equipment such as the furnace?  HVAC problems can cause a variety of issues in the home and could go undetected unless you know what to look for.  Here is a list of warning signs to be on the lookout for that indicate your furnace needs professional repair. 

Leaks

Depending on where your unit is located, a leak may not be as obvious as you would like.  If you notice water or other liquid leaking from your unit, you should call for repair ASAP.  Whereas some condensation is normal in the summer months, pooling or dripping water or other liquid is not.  Don’t try to diagnose the problem on your own, remember liquid and electricity don’t mix and this could be dangerous. 

Unexplained Noise

If you think you are hearing things or your spouse or children claims there is a ghost in your house, think again!   Loud noises, knocking or hissing could indicate a problem with your furnace.  In normal operation your furnace turns on and off to regulate your homes temperature and operates at a low hum, anything louder and you should call for service.

Odd Odor

What’s that smell?  If you smell mold, must, singed wires or anything else out of character for your home, your furnace could be the culprit.  Foul odors will make it unpleasant and could have adverse health effects.  You need to call for service if you are turning up your noise at the air from your vents 

Uneven Temperature

When your furnace is functioning properly the temperature in your home should be consistent throughout. If you suddenly have rooms or areas with hot or cold spots this is a clear indication that something could be wrong with your HVAC unit. 

Electric Bill Increase

If your eyes went wide at the sight of your last electricity bill and you are hard pressed to determine the cause, then it may be an issue with your furnace.   When your furnace is working as it should, your bills should be fairly consistent every month depending on the time of year. Unwarranted spikes in cost and consumption could mean that there's something wrong, and that means you need help!

Overdue for Service

If it's been a while since anyone has looked at your furnace, then it's a good idea to have someone come in and do an inspection.  A professional HVAC contractor would recommend yearly checkups.   Your unit will be expertly looked at and small problems can be repaired before bigger issues happen. 

Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Finally, if your gas or carbon monoxide alarms are triggered you have a problem.  First, you, your family and pets need to leave your home immediately.   Next, call your local HVAC contractor for emergency repair service.   For the safety of your family, a furnace that may be leaking potentially dangerous gases cannot wait for repairs.

HVAC problems may not be immediately obvious but it's critical to your health, safety and comfort to recognize the warning signs and quickly call for repair.  If you experience any of these issues, be sure to call a professional HVAC contractor ASAP to diagnose and repair your system. Schedule a service call today! 973-283-0300