HVAC FAQs for Cooler Weather

When Should I Have a Heating and Cooling System Serviced?

Your HVAC systems should be serviced before the start of each heating and cooling season. So, your air conditioner should have regular maintenance performed at the end of winter or the beginning of spring, while your heat pump or furnace should have its regular maintenance performed at the end of summer or the beginning of fall.

How Often Should I Replace the HVAC Air Filters?

Your air filters should be replaced every one to three months depending on usage. This is vitally important to the performance of your HVAC systems and your indoor air quality.

What are the Advantages of High-Efficiency Air Filters?

Proper air filtration is crucial to the health of both your HVAC system and your family. Air filters prevent dust and dirt from building up in your system to keep it performing at its best. High-efficiency filters do a better job of this and remove dust, dirt, mold, and more from the air. This is especially useful if you have allergies or respiratory issues. High-efficiency filters are better, but not 100% necessary. Whether or not you choose to use them, remember to change your filters regularly.

What are the Benefits of a Programmable Thermostat?

Installing a programmable thermostat in your home helps you take control of how much energy you use for heating and cooling. If used effectively, a programmable thermostat can help you improve energy efficiency and save money on your utility bills.

How Can I Heat My Home More Efficiently?

Once again, the most effective, but most expensive solution is to replace your furnace with a newer, more efficient furnace. Modern high-efficiency furnaces could save you 25% on your energy bills, which means the expense of purchasing a new furnace should pay for itself fairly quickly.

Just as you can set your thermostat to a higher temperature for greater efficiency in the summer, lowering the temperature on your thermostat for at least a portion of the day can save you money on your energy bill in the winter.

Just like in the summer, avoid blocking your vents to ensure that heat is evenly distributed throughout the house. Save energy by closing vents in rooms that you rarely use.

While it may seem counter-intuitive, ceiling fans can help heat your home in the winter, if the blades spin clockwise. Therefore, install ceiling fans for improved energy efficiency in both the summer and winter.

Finally, annual furnace maintenance will ensure that your furnace is running smoothly and efficiently and catch any potential issues.

How Important Is Home Indoor Air Quality?

The short answer? So important! Your indoor air quality can be as much as 100 times worse than the outdoor air. That means pollutants, allergens, dust, and mildew can be circulating in your home affecting your family’s health and wellbeing. Improving and maintaining your indoor air quality is vitally important to your home and family.

What are the Benefits of Clean Air?

Allergies and asthma are two health problems that can be helped with clean indoor air. When airborne irritants are removed, allergy and asthma sufferers often find relief from their symptoms. Even healthy people who have never suffered from allergies can benefit from clean air. Dust, smoke, and other particles float around in the air, causing your drapes and furniture to gather dust. By removing airborne dust particles, you reduce the amount of exposure your respiratory system has to them.

Why is my Throat Dry When it’s Cooler?

During extremely cold weather, your home loses moisture to the outdoors, and the humidity level may drop to as low as 10 percent. A humidifier adds moisture to your indoor air and can help relieve ailments related to dry respiratory membranes.

One of the major causes of respiratory infections is inadequate humidity during cold weather. The start of the heating season each fall causes many people to begin having repeated attacks of winter colds. Winter weather is blamed for these problems, but the actual cause may be dryness, which develops in the membranes of the nose, throat, and bronchial tubes. Relative humidity also has a significant effect on controlling the occurrence of airborne infections.

Can Indoor Humidity Levels Have an Impact on My Energy Bill?

When your air has too much moisture, your home may feel warmer than it actually is. Therefore, by removing excess moisture, you can set your thermostat at a higher temperature and still feel comfortable. That means savings for you because, for every two degrees you raise your indoor temperature during the summer, you can save between 5% and 7% on your cooling bill.

What is Duct Cleaning?

Duct cleaning includes cleaning the various components of HVAC forced air systems, including the air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers, coils, fan motors, fan housing, and the air handling unit housing. Dust, pollen, and other debris may build up in these components if they are not properly maintained.

___________________________

At South End Heating and Air, we specialize in HVAC and furnace repair, call us for a free consult. We’ll evaluate your system and help make recommendations for optimum value. After all, we want to keep you cool all summer long and warm in the winter. Just schedule a visit with one of our technicians to talk about how we can help with your heating needs. Would you like to learn more options our techs can help you with? give us a call 704-684-5339