Tips for Improving Ventilation in Your Home

The air that we breathe has a big impact on our health. Unfortunately, the air quality in our homes is often poor. There are several ways to deal with that, including ventilation. The air outside of your house is usually cleaner than the air inside it. Ventilating your home brings clean air in and pushes contaminated air out, which keeps you safe. There are many ways to ventilate a home, and the best results come from combining all of them. 1. Use an Air Filter Air filters will not increase the airflow into your home, but they do improve its quality. You have a few options for cleaning incoming air. Your HVAC system will include a few filters. Keep an eye on them and replace them as necessary. The frequency will vary depending on the type of filter and how often you run the system. You may need to replace them every month. When in doubt, follow the instructions that came with your equipment. You can also get an air purifier. These devices excel at eliminating mold spores, bacteria, and other irritants. If you’re interested in installing one, can help you get started. We’ll help you learn about your options...

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How Can Buying a New HVAC System Save You Money?

Wondering whether it’s worth the time and money to upgrade your home with a new HVAC system? If so, you should know there are at least seven ways a new HVAC system can save money while making your home more comfortable. 1. Reduced Energy Bills Some newer HVAC systems use a variety of advanced technologies like variable-speed motors. These motors adjust their speed based on the heating or cooling needs of the home. This allows the HVAC system to consume less energy when compared to systems that use traditional single-speed motors. High-efficiency components, such as compressors and heat exchangers, maximize energy transfer, further enhancing the system’s overall efficiency. These technologies significantly reduce the house’s overall energy consumption, leading to lower utility bills. When comparing energy savings between old and new HVAC systems, the difference can be substantial. 2. Enhanced Performance and Reliability Newer HVAC systems are usually made from stainless steel or polymers that resist corrosion. These materials have a significantly longer lifespan than those of traditional materials like galvanized steel or copper. They last for years, prolonging the HVAC system’s lifetime while reducing repairs and replacements and the associated costs. 3. Lower Maintenance Costs The enhanced durability and reliability...

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Replacing HVAC Air Filters: A Critical, Ongoing Maintenance Task

Performing regular HVAC air filter changes is a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to keep the heater and air conditioner in your Puyallup, WA, home running smoothly. This essential, ongoing maintenance task will also protect and improve your indoor air quality (IAQ) and keep your energy bills in check. Thus, it is essential to establish the right filter change schedule and to change filters correctly. What HVAC Air Filters Do All new heaters and air conditioners come with standard air filters installed. These components capture and retain dust, hair, dander, and other particulates in incoming air. When your HVAC system draws air from the building interior, it not only heats or cools it but also leaves this air a bit cleaner. However, despite the obvious IAQ benefits that this basic level of filtration provides, HVAC air filters largely exist to protect heaters and air conditioners. Without a functional filter, many of the allergens and contaminants that are floating in your indoor air would settle on and coat your HVAC system’s most sensitive components. For instance, poor filtration could leave your air conditioner’s evaporator coil covered in dust and unable to efficiently transfer heat. Dirty air filters and dirty evaporator coils...

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How to Fix a Clogged AC Drain Line

A clogged drain line is one of the most annoying problems you can have with your air conditioner. It often leads to water leaks in your home, which can cause issues such as water damage and mold growth. As with most issues with your HVAC system, it’s always best to contact professionals if your drain line is clogged. Here are some tips on determining whether a clogged drain line is your issue. Warranties, Insurance and DIY Fixes Keep in mind that fixes that are not considered minor can affect your HVAC unit’s warranty. Many policies require that units must be serviced by a professional to remain valid. If you try and fix your drain line clog and cause water damage to your home, your insurance policy may not cover the damage. 1. Check the Drain Flow Switch Before you do anything else, check to see if your AC unit has a drain flow switch. This switch will shut down your air conditioner if water backs up under the evaporator to avoid water damage. The switch usually sits above a well in the drain line. If there’s a clog in the line and water backs up, the well will fill with...

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Discover 6 Ways to Save Energy in Your HVAC System

HVAC systems are one of the biggest consumers of energy in the modern household. While it can take a lot of electricity and gas to keep your air at a comfortable temperature, there are ways to reduce energy consumption. Follow these tips to lower your power bills and make your HVAC system more efficient. 1. Adjust Your Temperature Settings The best thing you can do is simply avoid keeping your home toasty warm in the winter and freezing cold in the summer. Just adjusting your thermostat by a few degrees can result in drastic savings without any noticeable discomfort. The United States Department of Energy recommends homeowners keep their HVAC at 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter for maximum efficiency. However, if that sounds too unpleasant, every little change helps. Each degree of temperature change per 8 hours gives you savings of approximately 1%. 2. Use Your Ceiling Fans Correctly If you have ceiling fans, you’re in luck. A ceiling fan can make your home feel a lot more comfortable without using as much energy as your HVAC system. In warm months, a refreshing breeze from the fan can help you stay cool even if...

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The Fascinating Evolution of Staying Warm

Ever since human beings first discovered how to start fires, keeping warm has been a priority for survival and comfort. Looking back at how heating has evolved is a fascinating journey that reveals the innovations of human beings. We no longer rely solely on woodburning fireplaces and stoves but have an array of options to heat the homes in Pierce and King counties, including some that demonstrate a commitment to protecting the environment. Roman Hypocaust The first concept of central heating was developed by the Romans. Their hypocaust expanded upon the single woodburning fireplace to heat an entire room. Flues for the hypocaust were built into the walls and floors. As the exhaust from the fireplace moved to the chimneys through the flues, the heat warmed the entire room. While a brilliant advancement in home heating, hypocausts were eventually phased out because they could only be used in homes that were built of non-combustible products due to the risk of fires. New Fuel Sources Wood continued to be the only method for generating heat in homes until the 18th century when it was replaced with coal. In the 1940s, natural gas replaced coal, and in the energy crisis of the...

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HVAC and Airborne Viruses: Separating Fact from Fiction

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Environmental Protection Agency have brought attention to the fact that indoor HVAC systems can affect airborne viruses. This concern has come even further to the forefront as the country and the entire world navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, let’s look at some common misconceptions in addition to some truths that deserve more exposure. We want to help you separate the facts from the fiction. Fact: Ventilation Can Distribute Airborne Viruses A ventilation system can certainly distribute some airborne viruses throughout a home. However, this does not apply to all airborne viruses. Distribution occurs more with germs that can be transmitted through aerosols. In such cases, inadequate ventilation can exacerbate the situation because, just as with pollution particles, those aerosols will accumulate over time. On the other hand, strong ventilation or even natural ventilation, such as opening a window, can mitigate this buildup by introducing fresh air. Fiction: Strong Ventilation Alone Is Enough to Combat Airborne Viruses Strong ventilation helps to ensure that virus-laden aerosols do not accumulate and increase your risk of infection. Your greatest risk of exposure, however, is immediate contact. You should socially...

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What is Balanced Ventilation?

Is Balanced Ventilation Right for Your Home? How good is the air quality inside your home? According to experts, the air inside a building that’s sealed from outside crosscurrents can be up to 10 times as polluted as the air outside. Air pollutants you may find inside a building include: Excessive moisture Dust particles Carbon monoxide Mold and mildew spores Viruses and bacteria Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) Radon Balanced ventilation is a method of improving the air quality inside your home. It works by channeling fresh outdoor air into your home at the same time that polluted indoor air is being expelled. How Do Balanced Ventilation Systems Operate? Balanced ventilation systems rely upon a combination of fans, filters, dampers, ducts and controls. They may also use a heat recovery ventilator in drier, cooler climates or an energy recovery ventilator in moister warmer climates. Balanced ventilation systems are specifically designed to provide a stream of fresh air to common rooms and bedrooms where household residents spend most of their time. They dispel air from kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms where pollutants are most likely to collect. The system is managed through the use of a single supply point and a single...

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New Home AC System: Your Checklist

What You Need to Know Before Buying a New AC System Buying a new AC system can be a stressful experience. After all, it’s an expensive piece of equipment that controls the comfort of your home. This checklist will give you the knowledge you need to choose the AC system that’s right for your home. Size It may seem logical to purchase a new unit that is the same size as your old system. However, there are many reasons why that size may no longer work for your home. Have you added any rooms or replaced any windows? Has your insulation deteriorated from age? It is crucial to have a licensed HVAC technician to do a load calculation to get the right-size unit. This will tell you what size unit you need to cool your home correctly. SEER Values SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and it is how an air conditioner’s efficiency is evaluated. The higher the SEER value, the higher the efficiency of the system when it is tested in a lab. Values start at the federally mandated 13 SEER and go up to 21. Which one you need in your home will depend on several factors...

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Controlling Static Electricity in a Home

During dry and cold weather, static electricity increases inside of a home. Did you know that you can control how much static electricity your home contains? Here are three ways to reduce static electricity in a home: Whole-home humidifier Houseplants Anti-static spray How About a Humidifier? Whole-home humidifiers reduce static electricity by evenly pushing moisture through a home at a constant and consistent level. These devices are often an important part of keeping a dry interior comfortable. A whole-home humidifier installs directly into the overall HVAC system and uses the ductwork to push moisture. A thermostat measures the levels of humidity and keeps it under control. The following are benefits of a whole-home humidifier: Low initial cost – Whole-house humidifiers are not as expensive as people think. To navigate the purchase, do a little research and contact a few companies that can provide quotes. Portable humidifiers are generally not as effective. These units will not last as long as a whole-home humidifier. Energy efficient – Whole-home humidifiers cost nothing to operate but make for a comfortably cool home by putting moisture in the air. Preventing health issues – In addition to eliminating static, humidifiers can reduce allergy or sinus issues....

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