As you make your final preparations for the approaching winter, making sure that your HVAC system is ready for the season is undoubtedly one of your top priorities. If not, you could find yourself without heat at a time when you will need it most. To avoid this fate and prevent the need for emergency HVAC service in St. Louis, MO, here is a to-do list to follow for your system this winter:
Check for proper ventilation: Double check that all of the vents and registers of your system are open. Although this might seem like a small step to take, the inefficiency and potential damage that can be caused to the heat pump, furnace and HVAC system overall when the vents are closed and the system is running can take its toll. You should also dust the vents to make sure that debris doesn’t fall into the registers and affect the flow and quality of the treated air.
Change air filters: Making sure to change your filters regularly will also help to maintain the airflow in your home, in addition to ensuring that the quality of the air is suitable for your family. Dirty air filters will force your HVAC system to work harder than it normally does, which can eventually lead to premature wear in some of the system’s key components. It is recommended that the filter is changed at the beginning of every season at the very least, with pet owners encouraged to make the change monthly.
Carbon monoxide detector: As an added measure of precaution, all homes should have carbon monoxide detectors, as this dangerous gas is both colorless and odorless. Because carbon monoxide is so difficult to detect, homeowners could be ingesting fumes unknowingly. This makes it all the more important to either purchase a detector right away or change the batteries in the one that you have to make sure it is in working condition.
Furniture arrangement: Make sure that the furniture in your home is placed so that you aren’t sitting in drafty areas, or obstructing vents. If your furniture is blocking your vents and restricting the amount of air that enters a room, you will likely be tempted to turn up the temperature without giving it much thought. Simply rearranging the furniture can help you keep the room temperate at all times, and will help you save money on your energy bills in the process.
The most important part of caring for your furnace is scheduling regular checkups with an HVAC professional, and that is where our team at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling can step in. For nearly 20 years we have helped homeowners in the area get ready for the winter with superior HVAC service in St. Louis, MO, and our trusted technicians are ready to help you with the routine maintenance and repairs your system needs to make it through another season. Don’t get caught in the cold this winter—give us a call to schedule your appointment today!
If you’ve been suffering frequent furnace breakdowns or have been routinely having to make expensive repairs to your unit, it’s probably time you got the equipment replaced. But before you make the final decision, there are a few things you should consider.
Here is some information from an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO to help make your furnace replacement decision a more informed one.
Know if a repair won’t do the trick
Do you really need to replace your furnace altogether? This is a significant investment, so it’s important to be absolutely sure that a full-on replacement is in your best interest. In general, it’ll be a good idea to replace your furnace if it’s more than three quarters through its life expectancy and the repairs you’d need to make would cost more than a third of the cost of replacing it.
Most of the time, there will be a label on the furnace that indicates its manufacturer and installation dates. Furnaces last an average of 15 to 20 years, and maybe another five to 10 if the furnace is a high-quality brand and it has been regularly maintained.
Calculate the efficiency potential
Most standard furnaces today are about 80 percent efficient, meaning about 20 percent of the fuel energy goes up and out through the chimney. However, there are some furnaces that are up to 98.5 percent efficient. The number you’re looking for is the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. Having a super-efficient furnace can add $1,000 to $2,000 to the cost of the furnace, but could also result in some significant savings. Let’s say a 15 percent increase in AFUE saves you approximately $300 per year (if you’re paying about $2,000 per year to heat your home). If the added cost you pay for the furnace is $1,500, the efficiency will have paid for the extra price within five years, meaning you’ll save a significant amount of money if your furnace lasts you a total of 15 to 20 years.
Determine what you can do to lower your heating needs
If you already have a super-efficient furnace or don’t want to make that investment, you could consider adding insulation to your home. Adding insulation to your attic floor or spraying foam along the top of all foundation walls can be a good way to give your home some extra insulation. This is one of the best ways to decrease your heating needs and your reliance on your furnace, which will in turn help to extend your furnace’s lifespan.
Check your ducts
The ducts could be causing some of the inefficiency you experience with your furnace’s operation. You might have air escaping into the attic, basement or crawlspace. Improving the ducts by sealing up gaps and re-insulating them can be a good step to take, as can cleaning the ducts or other components of the HVAC system if they have a significant amount of debris.
For more information, contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling to schedule HVAC service in St. Louis, MO.
Duct cleaning has become a popular service in recent years, with many providers of HVAC service in St. Louis, MO and even specialized commercial cleaning services offering it to their customers. But is the service worth investing in?
First, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting when you get your ducts cleaned. Professional duct cleaning involves the use of specialized vacuums, blowers and brushes to clean out every part of your ducts, including intakes, supply and return ducts all throughout your home. The process involves a thorough cleaning of the registers, grilles, fans, air handler, housings, motors and coils in your HVAC system.
There are not any studies that indicate regular duct cleaning improves the air quality or reduces the dust in your home. However, there is plenty of evidence to indicate that a buildup of dust in your HVAC system makes the unit less efficient.
When to invest in duct cleaning
Duct cleaning is not always (or even usually) necessary, and the EPA even says the ducts only need to be cleaned if they or the HVAC unit are contaminated. However, there are some circumstances in which it definitely makes sense to have it done. Here are a few examples of these scenarios:
Renovation: If you recently remodeled or renovated your building, your ductwork could benefit from a cleaning, especially if your home was likely to have had asbestos or lead paint. The remodeling process is likely to have kicked up a significant amount of dust and debris that could find itself lodged inside your HVAC system.
Mold: If you discovered mold growing inside your ductwork, you should have your ducts and HVAC system cleaned, as this is one circumstance in which the air quality in your home can absolutely suffer. Mold releases spores into the air that trigger symptoms of asthma and other breathing conditions. It also can damage areas on which it grows, and cause an unpleasant, musty smell throughout your home.
Animals: By this, we don’t mean pets. If you have discovered signs of an animal infestation in your ductwork, especially if there’s any nesting happening in your ducts or HVAC system, it’s important to have those animals removed and then clean out the system, and figure out a way to prevent it from happening again.
Contaminants: If you regularly notice debris such as pet hair, dust or other contaminants being released into the room or frequently notice an unpleasant smell emanating from your ducts, then your ductwork may benefit from a good cleaning.
Illness: If someone in your family suffers from unexplained respiratory illnesses or asthmatic symptoms, you could benefit from a duct cleaning at your home.
These are just a few scenarios in which it makes sense to seek out duct cleaning services from an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO. To learn more about the various repair, maintenance and cleaning services we offer, we encourage you to contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
The air ducts in your home carry air from your heating and cooling system to every single room, keeping you comfortable all year long, no matter the season. This air circulates through the ducts several times each day—the very same air that runs through those spaces gets pushed into your living area for you to breathe. Therefore, it only makes sense for you to want those ducts (and the air) to be as clean as possible.
Air duct cleaning services help you remove dust and other contaminants located inside your ductwork. Professionals use powerful vacuums to suck out that debris, keeping it from being pushed back into your living spaces.
Here are just a few of the benefits of air duct cleaning from an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO:
Cleaner living spaces: By having your air ducts cleaned, you can be sure the dust from those ducts won’t end up scattered on your bedding, floors, furniture and walls. This will reduce the amount of cleaning you’ll have to do yourself throughout your home to keep it looking good.
Reduced air contaminants: Air ducts don’t just contain dust—they’re also breeding grounds for various contaminants and microorganisms like bacteria, mildew, mold spores, pollen, pet dander and other toxins. If you have anyone in your home who suffers from any sort of respiratory condition such as asthma or allergies, these particles will make life even worse for them. Therefore, getting your air ducts cleaned regularly will help you live healthier and keep those contaminants out of your air.
Fresher air: The air ducts collect smells and odors resulting from household cleaning products, pets, paint fumes, food preparation, tobacco use, mold and just about anything else you can imagine. Every time the furnace or air conditioner runs, those odors will be pushed throughout your house. Over time, this can cause the ducts themselves to build up an unpleasant, musty smell. Cleaning the ducts get rid of all the particles that trap those odors in place, which means you’ll have a fresher, better smelling home that you can enjoy each day.
Air efficiency: If your ductwork and registers have lots of dust, grime and debris built up in them, there’s a good chance it’s restricting the amount of air you’re actually getting from your air conditioner or furnace. This means your system is likely working much harder than it should need to in order to get your home to your desired temperature. This decreased efficiency will result in higher energy bills. Therefore, getting your air ducts and registers clean and free of this buildup will help you get more cost-effective, environmentally friendly performance out of your HVAC system.
These are just a few of the benefits associated with getting air duct cleanings from an HVAC service in St. Louis, MO. For more information about how you can benefit from cleaner air in your home, contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
Owning a business requires significant attention to detail. With so much on your plate, it’s easy to forget about things like getting summer HVAC service in St. Louis, MO. Even though it might not seem pressing, your HVAC system can decline in efficiency over time unless you take steps to consistently care and maintain it. Since you don’t want to deal with the hassle and discomfort of a malfunctioning AC system in the midst of the summer months, it’s important to handle HVAC maintenance before cooling season really picks up. Read on to find out more about what you can do to improve the function of your HVAC system and reduce your energy bill while you’re at it:
Assess your efficiency: Before you know how to increase your system’s efficiency, it’s important to figure out where the weak points in your system are when it comes to energy usage. Invest in an energy audit to determine how efficient your system really is and whether there are any clear culprits when it comes to energy waste. By performing this assessment, you can approach efficiency optimization with some useful background knowledge that will help you effectively address any problems.
Take care of leaks: Cracks, gaps and spacing in your HVAC system can cause major inefficiencies. If there are places in your ductwork where air can escape, it will reduce the level of air pressure that your AC system is able to maintain to promote circulation through your home. To compensate for this, your system will have to work harder to achieve the same level of cooling. This wastes energy and also causes your system to wear out much faster. By identifying and repairing these leaks, you can boost the efficiency and the longevity of your HVAC system.
Use new technology: HVAC technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years. New products on the market are specifically designed to maximize efficiency and give you complete control over the comfort of your business. The more comfortable your climate is, the happier your employees and customers will be. Proper cooling can actually promote increased productivity and improved morale among your employees. Try out a programmable thermostat that can be accessed remotely online or through a mobile app. This allows you to shut your system off or turn it on with the touch of a button. You can also set your thermostat to turn on with a motion sensor so that you don’t use energy on heating or cooling while people aren’t in the building.
Save money and increase the comfort of your employees and customers alike this summer with quality HVAC service in St. Louis, MO from Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. We are a premier provider of comprehensive commercial and residential HVAC services, including sales, installation, maintenance and repairs. We know how much of a difference the right maintenance can make when it comes to the efficiency of your system, and we would be happy to help you achieve energy savings this summer. To schedule service with one of our trained and experienced technicians, get in touch with us today.
