Will a Smart Thermostat Save You Money?

Have you entertained the thought of purchasing a smart thermostat but can’t convince yourself to make the switch? Smart technology not only adds unique features to your house, but it may also help you save money and energy. According to the EPA, adopting a smart thermostat can save you around $150 annually. Smart thermostats are alternatives to traditional thermostats, providing a high-tech improvement to your HVAC system without sacrificing its functions. Most smart thermostats include a control unit connected to your heater and a wireless or wired thermostat installed in the center of your home. Many necessitate a hub linked to your router for phone or online-based functions. Smart thermostats are available from various manufacturers in a variety of designs, sizes, costs, and capabilities. What Does a Smart Thermostat Do? Although smart thermostat features vary by manufacturer or model, many allow you to remotely control your heating and air, boiler, and hot water system from your phone app. Unlike a manual thermostat that must be programmed from the display, smart thermostats make it convenient to use a phone app and devices such as Google’s Assistant smart speakers or Amazon’s Alexa to set your timings, change temperatures, and turn your heating...

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Tips for Assessing the Cooling System in Your New Home

Sometimes, the last thing in your mind when moving to a new home is the condition of the cooling system. Performing a performance assessment can catch issues before they are too expensive and complicated to fix. Here are a few tips to help you evaluate the AC in your new residence. Assess the Air Conditioner’s Cooling Function After moving to a new home, you can start by testing the cooling function of the air conditioner. The AC should be blowing cool air to regulate temperatures in the summer heat. First, lower the temperature settings on your thermostat by several degrees. The setting should be lower than the room’s ambient temperature. Keep an eye on the AC for 30 minutes to check if it is cooling the room. Check the thermostat to confirm the temperature is dropping. An efficient AC can cool the house by 1 degree every 20 to 30 minutes. If it is taking longer, there could be a fault developing within your new cooling system. A substandard installation could be the reason your AC is not cooling sufficiently. An undersized cooling system will overwork to meet the temperature demands of your home. The specialists at recommend a consultation...

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Air Purifiers vs. Dehumidifiers: What You Need to Know

Are you having trouble deciding whether to buy an air purifier or a dehumidifier? You’re not alone as many people find it hard to distinguish between the devices. Here are some of the distinguishing features of each. What Is an Air Purifier? An air purifier is a device that cleans the air in your home. It removes pollutants, allergens, and other particles from the air, making it easier to breathe. Air purifiers are especially beneficial for people who suffer from allergies or asthma as they can help reduce the number of allergens in the air. Air purifiers come in a variety of different sizes, and there is sure to be one that fits your needs. They are also relatively affordable, making them an attractive option for people on a budget. Types of Air Purifiers There are several types of air purifiers available on the market, and each one has its own set of benefits. Air purifiers that use filters are the most common type. They work by trapping particles from the air. Filters can be HEPA filters or activated carbon filters, and each type has its benefits. Ionizers work by releasing negative ions into the air. These ions attach to...

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Common Factors Causing Corrosion on Your Furnace

Your furnace can develop rusting over the course of its lifetime. This corrosion could be a sign of a malfunctioning heating system. In this article, we explore the factors causing corrosion and how to address the issue. Furnace Corrosion and Humidity High levels of humidity can cause corrosion and damage to your furnace and other valuables in your home. Ideally, you should keep the relative humidity in your home between 30 and 50%. Above those levels, and you may start to see rust on metallic surfaces and appliances. In Maricopa County, humidity levels are relatively low for most of the year. But in December, the levels can exceed 50%. The moisture in the atmosphere condenses when it comes into contact with cold surfaces. Vapor turns into water and can find its way onto parts of your furnace. In the summer months, your air conditioner can generate considerable amounts of condensation. When warm air passes through the evaporator, the vapor turns into water. If there is a leak on the AC in your HVAC system, it can flow into the furnace. A moisture problem is often a sign of a failing HVAC system. An aging unit cannot eliminate the condensation effectively....

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15 Best Ways You Can Heat Your Basement

If you live in a drafty basement apartment, you know how difficult it can be to stay warm. And while wearing three layers of clothing is one way to cope with the cold, sometimes the solution is as simple as installing a suitable heating apparatus. Everyone has different needs, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. The purpose of this blog is to help you narrow your choices down to the option that suits your unique situation best. Here are some great options for heating your basement this winter. 1. Gas-Fired Furnace Gas-fired furnaces are a great way to heat your basement. If you don’t have a gas line already, you can have a heating professional come in and install one. There are many furnace options for this purpose, including heat pumps. But if you have a gas line going to an existing furnace, installing a gas-fired furnace is very easy. 2. Portable Oil Heater If you don’t want to install a whole new furnace, consider replacing that old stationary furnace with a portable oil heater. These typically only take about 10 minutes to install, and no furnace is required. Because they’re self-contained, they’re great...

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Real Answers to Common Heat Pump Questions

Although heat pumps have been around for decades, they’re finally making a large splash in the residential sector. This somewhat magical technology can be a bit confusing to learn about at first. Fortunately, we’re going to go over some of the most common questions that homeowners have about heat pumps so that you can easily understand how they work. Do Heat Pumps Offer Air Conditioning? Due to the fact that heat is in their name, you may think that these systems only produce heat. That would be incorrect. Heat pumps can produce heat or air conditioning, depending on what mode you have it on. Heat pumps work by simply transferring heat from one environment to another. In the summertime, a heat pump will pull heat out of your indoor air and transfer it outside. In the wintertime, your heat pump will pull heat out of the air or ground outside and transfer it indoors to heat your home. What Types of Heat Pumps Are There? There are two main types of heat pumps that you can utilize in your home. These are ground-source and air-source heat pumps. Air-source pumps are the most commonly utilized in residential settings due to their...

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8 Steps on How to Clean an Air Conditioner Filter

The filter is an essential component of the air conditioning system. A filter’s job is to trap dirt, dust particles, pet dander, pollen, fungal spores, and other contaminants from the indoor air. It helps maintain healthier conditions. When neglected, the pollutants accumulate on the filter, restricting airflow. Your AC will, therefore, need to work extra hard to maintain the desired temperature. This strains vital components, and eventually, the unit will fail sooner than expected. You can avoid such issues by cleaning your filters after every three months. If you reside in a dusty area or live with a heavily shedding pet, ensure that you clean the filters monthly. Use the steps below to clean the filters and keep your air conditioner working optimally. 1. Turn off the Air Conditioning Unit Before you start cleaning, turn off the unit at the main power supply. This way, the AC won’t cruciate dirty air in your house as you clean the filters. The unfiltered air can cause internal AC parts to accumulate dirt lowering the unit’s efficiency. 2. Remove the Filters Now open the outer case of the AC. You should be able to locate the air filters along the return ducts. Be...

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9 Ways of Preparing Your AC Unit for a Dust Storm

Dust storms can be very destructive to property if not mitigated. Intense dust storms traveling above 97 miles per hour are known to gather dust particles, small stones, and other debris to become a destructive force in motion. The effects are even worse in arid and semi-arid areas with minimal grass cover. Regarding the hot and humid temperatures and weather experienced in such areas, air conditioning systems are a must-have appliance in most homes to regulate extreme temperature levels. During periods when sandstorms are consistent, it is devastating to AC systems. As a result, the systems tend to gather dust that accumulates around the coil and substantially affect its efficiency. It causes the unit to utilize extra energy to function optimally and leads to increased costs. A typical air conditioning system works by purifying the air in your living spaces and expelling it outside while at the same time sucking in fresh air from outside. The primary function is to maintain pure air for breathing and regulate the room temperatures for desired levels. The most common systems are made with two parts, one on the inside and the other on the outside. Electrical wires and tubing connect the two parts....

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How To Reduce Noise From Air Conditioner

You need your air conditioner running during the hot summer months, but if you’re struggling with a lot of noise coming from your AC unit, you might be pretty frustrated. Some air conditioners make noise because they need to be repaired. But some air conditioners are simply old or are not located in the ideal place. When you’re hearing more sounds than you would like from your air conditioner, one of the first things that you need to do is determine whether there’s something actually wrong with your air conditioner or if you just need to make a few adjustments so that the sounds aren’t as loud and bothersome. Sounds That Indicate Problems If you’re noticing sounds from your air conditioner, the first thing that you should do is make sure that there isn’t something wrong with it. Several parts might be broken or worn out, and you can begin to learn more about what is wrong based on the types of sounds you’re hearing. Gurgling Sounds One of the most common sounds that you might hear is a gurgling sound, which might actually come from the inside of the house. While this sound isn’t particularly loud, it does indicate...

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How Does My Air Conditioning System Work?

Your air conditioner is essential for the comfort and safety of your home. An efficient system can save energy while keeping your Arizona home cool in the sweltering summer heat. But how does an air conditioner work? We will outline the components and their functions in this article. Expending Heat and Regulating Temperatures For your AC to be efficient, multiple components have to work seamlessly throughout the season. The principal parts of a central air-cooling system are the indoor and outdoor units. The outdoor unit typically consists of a fan, a compressor, and a condenser. A central air conditioning system works on the same principle as a refrigerator. It expends heat from the indoors to the outdoors. Your AC can accomplish that through a liquid called refrigerant. It can absorb heat and dispel it when the AC reduces its pressure. On the outdoor unit is a compressor that pumps the refrigerant between the evaporator and the condenser. The pump increases the refrigerant’s pressure as it enters the outdoor unit. A fan blows air over the condenser’s coils to expend heat to the exterior of the house. The Cooling Cycle of the System The indoor unit consists of an evaporator coil...

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