There are a number of steps that you should be taking to get your home ready for summer right about now. After all, it’s not as far off as you think. One of those steps is making sure that your air conditioner is ready for the massive amount of demand that you’re about to put on it. You may not think about it this way, but the level of wear and tear on an air conditioner increases drastically during the summer compared to other times of year. If you don’t want your air conditioner to break down under the stress, you should make absolutely sure that you schedule maintenance over the coming weeks.
Douglas Cooling & Heating Blog : Archive for April, 2018
How Often Do I Need to Schedule Air Conditioning Maintenance?
Monday, April 30th, 2018Arbor Day – Get Your Green On With HVAC Efficiency
Wednesday, April 25th, 2018While most people think about planting trees when Arbor Day comes around, there are other things you can do at home to promote a “greener” way of living. If you aren’t ready to plant trees, you can still examine your landscaping and home choices to see if any are doing more harm than good.
For example, your home’s heating and cooling system accounts for over half of your energy bill and impacts the quality of your indoor air. Calling Douglas Cooling & Heating to improve your HVAC system’s performance will help cut energy costs and promote healthier air around your home. Celebrate this Arbor Day by taking a look at your HVAC unit’s efficiency, your indoor air quality and your landscaping choices. You might be surprised by what you find!
Schedule HVAC Repair Service
Even with routine maintenance, your heating and cooling system needs to be inspected and cleaned to ensure there aren’t any issues. HVAC repair service will check your unit and its operation to determine if it’s performing at its highest efficiency. A heating and cooling system with damaged components or restricted airflow will operate harder than necessary to maintain an ideal temperature. By working harder, your system uses more energy, causing your energy bill to climb when the heat rises.
An obstruction in your air ducts or vents can cause your HVAC system to cycle on and off repeatedly throughout the day. Constant cycling can cause your cooling system to overheat, resulting in an expensive HVAC repair in the near future. Debris, dirt, and dust can build up on the components inside your unit, preventing normal operation.
By scheduling an HVAC repair with Douglas Cooling & Heating, our NATE-certified technicians will clean your system if any buildup is noticed and inspect your ductwork for any obstructions compromising the airflow in your home.
Improving Indoor Air Quality
Trees create fresh, clean air, and in your home, the air might not be so clean or fresh. Your indoor air quality is affected every day by what is pulled into your cooling system, both from outside and inside your home.
Scheduling HVAC repair service for your unit will help reduce the different particulates circulating throughout your home such as dust, dirt, pollen, and other allergens. If your air filter isn’t checked monthly, it can become clogged or too dirty to adequately filter these pollutants from the air in your home. The recommended schedule for replacing your system’s filter is once every three months, depending on the model. Remember, if you have pets inside or live in a high pollen area, change the filter more often.
Along with maintenance and HVAC repairs, consider other options to improve your indoor air quality. If you install a programmable or smart thermostat in your home it will send you reminders when your heating and cooling system needs maintenance, an HVAC repair or a filter replacement. Advanced thermostats can now be controlled via Wi-Fi, and they offer more accuracy for climate control, reducing energy use on a daily basis.
Choose Your Landscaping Wisely
Evaluate how a tree’s location can affect your HVAC system. Any type of vegetation near your outdoor unit needs to be planted a safe distance away, typically 1-3 feet. Leaves, twigs, branches, and other storm debris can accumulate and affect the airflow performance of your unit, so include a quick check in your weekly yard work.
Before you plant a new tree, consider if it has a disruptive root system, how close it will be to your outdoor unit and if it will provide any shading for the unit. When the heat rises, and the sun is high, your outdoor unit gets extremely hot, and without proper shading, it can overheat quickly. Overheating will result in malfunctions and breakdowns creating expensive HVAC repairs when you least expect them. Additional shade from a new tree or shrub will allow your outdoor unit to operate with ease while trying to keep you cool indoors.
Whether you celebrate Arbor Day by planting a tree or not, make a conscious choice to improve your indoor air quality and lower your energy use. Determining the right choices for your home, yard, and HVAC system can be overwhelming, but relax, Douglas Cooling & Heating is here to help! Call Douglas Cooling & Heating today.
Heating & Cooling Terminology Explained
Wednesday, April 18th, 2018What Does SEER Mean?
Are you noticing higher energy bills from your air conditioning unit? Is your current system between 10 and 15 years old? If you answered yes to either of these questions, it’s time to invest in a new air conditioner.
Today’s energy-efficient units are labeled with a special Energy Guide sticker informing you how efficient it operates, known as the SEER rating. Douglas Cooling & Heating is a Bryant Factory-Authorized Dealer and we carry several Bryant air conditioners to fit any budget.
What a SEER Rating Means
The SEER rating, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, on your current or new air conditioner, indicates its cooling efficiency. SEER measures the unit’s cooling output to its power input. A new air conditioner with a high SEER rating indicates how efficient it is compared to other units. The higher the rating, the more efficient an air conditioner. Higher efficiency means your cooling system will use less energy to operate and save you more money on your energy bill.
In recent years, SEER ratings have increased, and older units are less efficient than new models. New air conditioners are required to have a SEER rating of 14 or higher as of January 2015. Douglas Cooling & Heating sells new air conditioners energy-efficient with high SEER ratings. Our NATE-certified technicians install new air conditioner units quickly after properly sizing your home for the capacity you need.
Know the SEER Rating of Your New Air Conditioner
It’s amazing! Current units trounce those manufactured as little as a decade ago. New air conditioners have an EnergyGuide label on them, so homeowners can determine their unit’s SEER rating. The label is easy to find and will indicate the new air conditioner unit’s efficiency compared to other units. You can investigate how much money you will save from a new air conditioner by visiting the Department of Energy online. There are several energy and cost saving calculator documents to help you determine which SEER rating will give you the best savings.
Purchasing a new air conditioner unit with Douglas Cooling & Heating means you won’t have to question the quality or efficiency of your new system. Our technicians will explain how your new system works and help you understand how best to use and maintain it. We want you to love your new air conditioner from the minute you switch it on, so don’t hesitate to ask questions.
Boost the SEER Rating
After installing your new air conditioner, consider investing in a preventative maintenance plan to protect your investment and preserve any manufacturer warranties. An air conditioner, just like any major home appliance, is an expensive purchase. Regularly scheduled maintenance keeps your unit performing its best at all times.
Maintenance ensures your equipment is clean by eliminating excess dust, dirt and other debris accumulated during the spring, summer, and early fall months. Dust and dirt sound minor, but they can negatively impact your new air-conditioning system, including restricting the airflow in your ductwork.
Regular maintenance cleans your unit and it catches problems early preventing expensive HVAC repairs. Taking care of your air conditioner will keep repair costs low, ensure your system performs as efficiently as it can, and prolong the lifespan of your new unit. Douglas Cooling & Heating offers several different preventative maintenance plans, so you can choose one in line with your budget.
Know what you are buying when it comes time to invest in a new air conditioner. Make sure your new system has a high SEER rating and purchase a preventative maintenance plan to keep it performing efficiently. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating for a great line of Bryant air conditioners with installation performed by our trusted NATE-certified technicians.
Why is My Water Heater Not Providing Enough Hot Water?
Tuesday, April 17th, 2018
Your water heater is one of the hardest working home appliances you have. It provides you with hot water multiple times a day, every day, throughout the year. So, it can be very frustrating when the water heater suddenly stops providing hot water for whatever reasons. There are a number of possible factors that can prevent your water heater from heating the water inside it properly. Read on to find out more about these different factors, and what can be done about them.
Different Air Purifiers, and the Advantages They Can Offer You
Monday, April 16th, 2018
If you’re at home right now, take a moment to breathe deeply and think about what’s in your air. Does it seem clear, or is it a little stuffy? Whether or not you think the air in your home is clear, you should know that the average home’s air quality is actually quite low. Microscopic airborne contaminants make quite a negative impact on the air quality of most homes, causing sickness and general discomfort throughout the year. The good news is that there is hope for your home’s air quality. Installing an indoor air purifier is a great way to improve your indoor air quality.
Allergies? Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
Wednesday, April 11th, 2018Flowers are blooming, Little League is in season, and people are starting to roam outdoors as temperatures start to rise. Spring is a time of renewal and growth, along with the spreading of pollen, dust and other allergens.
To escape these allergens, homeowners seek refuge indoors. Without proper protection to combat the allergens from overrunning your home, you will still deal with allergies, asthma issues and other health problems due to allergen exposure.
A Clean Home Equals Improved Indoor Air Quality
Routine HVAC service, UV filters and media air cleaners are excellent options to improve your indoor air quality. However, routine cleaning, such as vacuuming, sweeping and dusting, keep the dirt, dust and other particles in your home low.
Allergens don’t stay suspended in the air. They float and settle on different surfaces in your home, building up if they aren’t dealt with on a regular basis. Eliminating the dust and allergens by cleaning will increase your indoor air quality and help keep your HVAC system clean longer between maintenance calls.
Schedule HVAC Service
Before the heat and humidity hit your home this spring, call Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule service for your heating and cooling system. During the fall and winter, different particulates build up in your HVAC system. Dirt, dust and debris accumulate within your HVAC unit and the ductwork. As spring starts up more dirt, debris, and pollen are circulated into your home on top of whatever has built up over the winter months, compromising your indoor air quality.
Seasonal maintenance on your cooling system reduces the amount of pollen, dirt and dust, keeping it clean during the hottest months. A clean system will function more efficiently, and your air won’t be contaminated with allergens as it circulates throughout your unit and ductwork. Besides a healthy, cleaner indoor air quality, you will have lower energy bills when your equipment is kept clean year-round. A dirty unit is forced to work harder to maintain ideal temperatures throughout your home, which continuously wastes energy.
Media Air Cleaners
A media air cleaner works hand-in-hand with your cooling system to trap and eliminate particulates affecting your health and reducing your indoor air quality. An air cleaner offers peace of mind knowing your entire home’s air is kept clean every time your unit is running. Installation of a media air cleaner has two options, a duct-based unit or a filter-based unit. Both offer the same benefits and keep you and your family breathing clean air day and night.
High-Efficiency UV Filters
High-efficiency UV lights are great for protecting your indoor air from pollutants and allergens. The UV lights can sterilize two different ways. You have the option to use the UV lights 24/7 to sterilize the air handler coil or have the UV lights operate only when the HVAC system cycles on, sterilizing the air as it blows through the air handler. The ultraviolet light eliminates condensation and mold from developing in your unit and your home. The extra protection against mold and mildew provides you with higher indoor air quality from the start.
Reduce Mold and Mildew
Mold and mildew reduce your indoor air quality and are a common problem for people with allergies and asthma. Spring brings lots of rain and increased humidity, resulting in the growth of mold and the spreading of mold spores throughout your home. Your cooling system doesn’t eliminate moisture, and with the help of a whole-home dehumidifier, you can maintain healthy humidity levels indoors. A dehumidifier reduces the excess moisture your home and in your HVAC system. By controlling the humidity and condensation, you will have cleaner air and avoid health issues due to mold and mildew.
Control your allergies this spring by taking preventative steps to improve your indoor air quality. With on-going training, our NATE-certified HVAC technicians are always up-to-date on the latest advancements in the heating and cooling industry, including efficient indoor air quality products. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule routine maintenance or to learn more about the variety of indoor air quality products we offer.
We’re Giving Back to Our Heroes!
Friday, April 6th, 2018Our community is supported by thousands of self-sacrificing heroes, and we feel it’s time for us to give something back to them. We’re proud to announce our Comfort for Heroes program, making it easier for active military, veterans, law enforcement, EMT & paramedics, firefighters, and educators to get the HVAC systems they need. If you’re a member of any of the above groups, contact us today and get 10% off your total invoice for Mitsubishi Electric HVAC equipment and installation up to $1,500. Douglas Cooling & Heating is Central Alabama’s only Diamond Elite Contractor.
What it Means When Your Furnace Makes Weird Noises
Monday, April 2nd, 2018
If you’ve had your furnace for a while, you probably know what it’s supposed to sound like when it’s running. If your furnace suddenly starts to make rather unusual noises, that is not something you should ignore. Strange noises are often one of the first signs that homeowners notice that something isn’t right with the furnace. If you ignore the signs, you may end up having to pay a lot more in repair costs or even replace your entire system. Have a look below at some of the descriptions of weird furnace noises you may encounter, and what they mean.
My Air Conditioner Quit! Belated April Fool Joke?
Sunday, April 1st, 2018So, the warmer weather is increasing, and you notice your air conditioning unit has stopped working. Don’t panic just yet! There might be a simple reason for the problem a heating and air conditioning repair can quickly fix and have your home cooling off before you know it. If repairs are accumulating, it might be time to upgrade your current HVAC unit and purchase a new air conditioner from Douglas Cooling & Heating.
Heating and Air Conditioning Repair
Air conditioners can be finicky at times, especially if not properly maintained during the year. Just because you don’t feel cool air blowing doesn’t mean the air conditioner has stopped working. There a variety of reasons why your HVAC system isn’t functioning correctly. The most common air conditioning problems are:
- The fan in the outdoor unit is dysfunctional
- The compressor in the outside unit has overheated
- Bad electrical connections both outside and inside
- A refrigerant leak, low refrigerant levels, or no refrigerant all
- Faulty thermostat providing false readings and
- Condensate drain is clogged or not correctly draining
The best way to identify the problem and if it can be fixed is by scheduling heating and air conditioning repair with a licensed professional. Douglas Cooling & Heating employs only the best HVAC technicians in the industry who are NATE-certified and continuously trained. Hiring quality professionals guarantees you get excellent service every time. Our technicians are skilled and knowledgeable with years of experience under their belts. They are equipped to handle any problem with any make or model they come across during a heating and air conditioning repair call.
Preventive Maintenance for the Future
If your cooling system is repairable, you need to take steps to prevent unexpected problems from happening in the future. Preventative maintenance is important for any HVAC system. By maintaining your equipment, common allergens, such as pollen, dirt and dust, are kept to a minimum while your system is operating.
Filters are changed during routine maintenance calls, which allows them to better trap and eliminate more contaminants from your indoor air. Your heating and cooling system be healthier and your indoor air quality improve, too. Healthy indoor air keeps your home cleaner and lowers health risks to you and your family, especially if anyone has asthma or respiratory illnesses.
Maintenance catches problems early, and technicians can repair or replace damaged components before they harm your system further. Unless your system is old, most malfunctions and breakdowns can be avoided with regularly scheduled maintenance twice a year. Fewer problems mean less heating and air conditioning repairs, which saves you money over time. Maintenance also boosts your system’s performance and efficiency, lengthening its lifespan. Douglas Cooling & Heating offers three levels of preventative maintenance plans to fit any budget.
Time for a New HVAC Unit
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever, including your HVAC system. Even with proper maintenance, your unit will call it quits permanently. If your system is older than 10-15 years or the cost of the heating and air conditioning repair is more than your current unit is worth, it’s time to purchase a new HVAC system. You may also consider if the cost to repair the unit is negligible compared to the combination of a new more efficient unit and the energy savings you’ll enjoy.
There are a few things to consider before investing in a new unit. Newer HVAC models have ratings and specifications to indicate efficiency compared to other models. Search for a new heating and cooling system with high SEER/EER and HSPF rating. The higher the rating, the more efficient a unit will be, lowering your energy bill and saving you money.
Douglas Cooling & Heating is a Bryant Factory-Authorized Dealer, and we sell only the best quality HVAC products to our Alabama customers. We offer to finance new HVAC systems so you can purchase without stressing over money. We have several different financing options for you to choose and each features different benefits. For more information about our financing options, call Douglas Cooling & Heating to speak with our friendly sales staff.
Don’t get stuck sweating the heat this season! Schedule 24/7 heating and air conditioning repair with Douglas Cooling & Heating to get your unit up and running fast. Douglas Cooling & Heating is your one-stop shop for all your HVAC needs, including preventative maintenance and installation of a new system. Contact Douglas Cooling & Heating today to schedule service or to learn more about our financing options for a new heating and cooling system.
