It seems like every summer, there comes a point where you’re trapped inside for days at a time, waiting for a heat wave to pass with nothing but your home’s air conditioning system to keep you comfortable. It’s during these scorching periods that you can ill afford a breakdown from your AC, but unfortunately, it’s during stretches of heavy use where you’re more likely than ever to experience failure.
Keeping your AC unit functioning in top shape during peak periods of use isn’t just about maintaining it to its fullest before the season starts—it’s also about ensuring your home is supporting its function in every possible capacity. Take a look at a few ways you can help minimize the potential for breakdowns and air conditioner repair in St. Louis, MO this summer and why these things go a long way towards supporting your unit’s overall efficiency:
- Take stock of your home’s windows and make sure there are no gaps between the frame and the wall and no misalignments in the tracks. These small problem areas can allow warm air to intrude into your home, forcing your AC unit to work harder than it needs to when it comes to controlling the interior temperature.
- If you have sun shades, blinds or curtains, consider using them on particularly sunny days. Ambient heat can stream into your home through UV rays, causing your interior temperature to rise, thus making your AC unit work double time to keep up. Closing the curtains, shades or blinds will mitigate UV light, thus mitigating climbing temperatures.
- Control the traffic in and out of your home as much as possible. Each time you open the door, you’re letting out far more cool air than you thin and letting in a substantial amount of warm air. Again, your AC unit is going to have to keep up.
- Keep foliage and growth away from your AC unit! All it takes is a small tree branch to hang into the fan and you’ve got yourself a costly air conditioner repair in St. Louis, MO and a unit that’s not going to function at a high level until the repair is made. Keeping foliage off of the unit will also extend its overall lifespan.
- Switch your fans! This is something many homeowners forget to do when the seasons change, however remembering means assisting your AC unit in keeping your home’s temperature cooler. The blades of your fan should rotate counterclockwise during the summer months, to force air downwards in a cooling fashion.
You’d be surprised at how all of the above things, when used in conjunction with one another, can alleviate a major burden on your AC unit and keep it functioning at a normal capacity during the summer months. In working with your unit, rather than against it, you can help stave off breakdowns and air conditioner repair in St. Louis, MO that might leave you in an unfortunate situation when triple digit temperatures are on the horizon.
Just when it seemed like winter would never end and we’d be stuck with cold temperatures and heavy precipitation for months and months to come, spring finally arrived! Unfortunately, while springtime weather may be a welcome sight for sore eyes, its late arrival means a narrower window before summer quickly follows… which means you have a limited time to make sure your home is getting the attention it needs after such a long season!
One of the things you should consider amongst the never-ending list of springtime chores for your home is to have your furnace cleaned. Often, people are more worried about prepping their AC units for the season ahead (and rightfully so) than they are about giving their furnace a proper shutdown. The result, come fall and winter, is a furnace that might roar back to life with some issues that have been left to fester for the better part of a year.
Investing in furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO is a way to avoid a lot of trouble come fall. In having your furnace inspected and cleaned right before the summer season, you’ll be able to know confidently that it’s ready, willing and able to wake up in the fall when you need it most, and perform to a high level of function right away. Plus, this will eliminate the need for comprehensive startup services come fall—your unit will be in great shape, with only minor attention required.
So back to the question at hand: why invest in a furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO now? Why not just do it in the fall, when your HVAC is performing startup services? Let us count the reasons:
- If dust, debris and dirt sit in your furnace environment all winter, they’re going to harden and oxidize into problems that can detract from your furnace.
- Not changing the filter can result in crusting debris that lingers even if you do manage to change the filter in the fall.
- If you don’t clean your furnace now, you might forget come winter! Spring is associated with cleaning, which means you’re more likely to get this task out of the way while it’s convenient.
- Spring means your furnace has just made it through yet another enduring season of heavy use and high function—now, more than ever, it needs to be cleaned! Think of it like working out at the gym: when you get home, you want a nice shower to feel clean again!
Taking care of your furnace now is going to be a smart decision that you’ll reflect on come the end of summer and the start of fall and colder temperatures. Knowing that you undertook furnace cleaning in St. Louis, MO earlier in the year is going to give you the peace of mind that you need when it finally comes time to turn on the heat in the fall. Why do tomorrow what you could do today—especially if it’ll save you time and frustration down the line?
The days are getting longer, folks are breaking out their lawnmowers and everything feels a little brighter. Spring is officially here, and with it comes the opportunity to engage in a little spring cleaning. Along with the usual dusting, mopping and washing, you need to also think about spring maintenance for your entire HVAC system. As a ventilation, heating and AC service in St. Louis, MO, the team here at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling knows that caring for your HVAC system all year round is crucial. Here are five tips for getting the most out of your HVAC system this spring:
- Preventative maintenance: You change the oil in your car every 5,000 miles, you go to the doctor for a yearly physical even if you aren’t sick and you keep a little bit of money tucked away in case of an emergency. It’s called thinking ahead, but we refer to it as preventative maintenance. You ought to do the same for your HVAC system, which will involve changing out the filters, checking for leaks and partaking in a thorough cleaning of your AC, ducts and heater.
- Smart thermostats: Of course you want to stay cool in the spring and summer, but you might be wasting money and not even know it. Programming your thermostat to drop to a still comfortable but slightly cooler temperature when you are sleeping or usually out of the house can save you up to 10 percent on your energy bill. If you do not have a programmable thermostat, consider buying one, as it will likely pay for itself and then some.
- Give your AC a rest: Speaking of saving money and letting your AC take a break, you need to keep in mind that there are a lot of different ways to keep cool. Ceiling fans can help make air conditioners much more efficient and effective, while shady trees can help shield your house from the sun during the hottest times of day.
- Sealing and insulation: Does it feel like, no matter what, your house is always drafty during the winter and insufferable stuffy and hot in the summer? This might be an issue with your sealing and insulation. Invest in fresh sealing along the cracks and openings of your house, and have an insulation professional come take a look at your property. These simple steps could make your house up to 25 percent more efficient.
- Trust a professional: All of the above tips are great, but remember that you do not have to do it all on your own. Hiring a quality heating, ventilation and AC service in St. Louis, MO will ensure that everything on the spring maintenance checklist gets done, and that you are aware of any problems that could cause major damage in the future.
For more tips and help with spring and summer HVAC maintenance, get in touch with the team at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today. We look forward to hearing from you.
We have all experienced it at one point or another: you are sweating through what feels one of the hottest days of the year, when all of a sudden your air conditioning unit gives out. This causes many people to ask themselves, “Should I wait a few days for a service appointment, or should I request emergency AC repair?”
The answer is different for everyone, and often depends on budget and priorities. However, there are a few instances when calling for emergency repair is not an option—it is a necessity. With that in mind, here are three different situations when calling for emergency AC repair in St. Louis, MO is imperative.
Hosting guests
Whether you are throwing a big Fourth of July barbecue or having family stay over for the weekend, hosting guests comes with extra responsibilities for the homeowner. One of these involves ensuring that your guests are all comfortable and safe.
When the AC gives out during a hot day, you might be fine just carrying around a personal fan and accepting the situation. But your guests might have serious heat sensitivity, and could also be too shy to bring it up to you. With that in mind, remember to always get emergency AC repair when hosting guests at your home.
Major heat wave
When it gets to above 95 degrees or so, the risks that come with not having air conditioning far outweigh the cost of emergency AC repair in St. Louis, MO. During times of extreme heat, people can easily become dehydrated or suffer from heatstroke, which can cause serious illness or even death. Infants and pets are even more susceptible to these risks, but everyone has them.
Here at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling, we know that, for some, emergency AC repair is a huge, unexpected cost. That is why we strive to offer convenient and flexible payment options. Give us a call for more information.
Ill or elderly
Anyone with a compromised immune system can be particularly at risk during a heat wave. If you or someone in your home is elderly, an infant or has an immune compromising illness like cancer, HIV, diabetes or Crohn’s Disease, then it is crucial that you get your AC fixed as soon as possible after it breaks down. If you are not able to fix the problem right away, at least relocate the at-risk person in your home to a cooler, more comfortable setting, or invest in some strong room fans.
Trust the best
When the need for emergency AC repair in St. Louis, MO arises, the team at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling is here to help. With reasonable prices, flexible payment options, friendly service, quick work and lasting results, we are proud to be the most respected local HVAC service in the greater St. Louis area.
Whether you need emergency AC repair, HVAC maintenance, heater replacement or any other helpful HVAC service, we are the ones for the job. Give us a call today for more information.
