A Mild Winter

Normally around this time of year, we'd be relying on our heating system to get us through the especially cold days of winter. This year, however, the temperatures have stayed well above freezing and we've hardly seen any snow! Since it likely won't be too much longer before cooling season, air conditioning maintenance in Yankton SD is more important than ever. The best way to ensure that your HVAC system will be able to carry us through the hot days of summer is having your system examined now before it gets too warm out. Call your local contract as soon as possible, before everyone else in our area does the same!

2 Ways To Clean An Electronic Air Cleaner’s Collector

An electronic air cleaner is one of the most effective ways to remove minute particles--among them mold, allergens, and pet dander--from your home’s heating ducts. Yet over time such particles will build up on your air cleaner’s collector plates, reducing their effectiveness. To ensure proper functioning, it is thus necessary to clean the collector from time to time. This article will explain two different strategies for accomplishing this task.

Dishwasher 

Before proceeding with this method, it is important to verify that your particular air cleaner is designed to be cleaned in this way. Fortunately, the majority of models are. There are a couple of key things to know when cleaning your collector in the dishwasher. First, you will want to place four upside-down glasses below the collector. This will keep the dishwasher spikes from accidentally bending the delicate collector plates.

Second, you must be vigilant not to allow the collector to go through your dishwasher’s dying cycle. If it does, this will cause any residual contaminants to become permanently stuck to the collector plates. Instead take the collector out and allow it to air dry in a safe place.

Bathtub 

Another simple way to clean your collector is in the bathtub, using a small quantity of dishwasher soap. Simply dissolve some of this soap in a tub of warm water, then allow the collector to soak in it for 15 to 20 minutes. Then agitate the collector back and forth a few times to help remove the particles and rinse it clean with fresh water from your showerhead.

If you have any questions, contact an expert in air conditioning in Sarasota FL.

Understanding The Value Of A Furnace Humidifier

One unanticipated consequence of wintertime heating is that even the best furnaces tend to dry out the air in your home. Fortunately, you can help to relieve the irritation of excessively dry air through the installation of a furnace humidifier. If you would like to learn more about how such a humidifier can improve your quality of life, read on. This article will discuss two positive effects of a furnace humidifier.

Fewer Health Problems 

Dry air in the home is capable of causing a wide range of problems where health and physical comfort are concerned. That’s because excessive dryness tends to lead to cracked and itchy skin. It also acts to dry out the nasal passages, thus increasing your susceptibility to dust and allergens. A humidifier helps to alleviate such conditions by introducing a natural level of moisture to the air. Not only that, but when your humidity levels are at or above 43%, you and your family are at a much lesser risk of contracting colds and flus.

Wood Furniture Protection 

Dry air isn’t just hard on the human body, it is also capable of wreaking damage on the objects in your home--especially those that are made out of wood. You see, wood is especially vulnerable to changes in humidity. Dry air will gradually cause the wood pores to become parched; eventually it will lead to the formation of cracks in everything from furniture, to floors, to wooden instruments. A furnace humidifier allows you to regulate moisture levels, and thus protect your wood from unwanted damage.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact a Nitro WV heating repair expert.

A vent damper will not help as much if your furnace is located in an unheated space.

The purpose of the vent damper is to help prevent off-cycle heat loss. Yet if your furnace is located in an unheated part of the house, it won’t do much good. That’s because a large proportion of the heat trapped in the flue by the vent damper will simply pass out into the relatively colder air of the room. If the furnace is in a heated room, this temperature differential will be much smaller, and so the heat exchanger will be able to capitalize on a greater amount of thermal energy.

If you have any questions, contact an expert in heating or dryer vent cleaning in Hawaii.

Before Installing A Vent Damper On Your Furnace

A vent damper is a great way to improve the energy efficiency of a furnace. It works by closing off the flue immediately after the burners have ceased to fire, thus preventing heat from escaping up the flue. This allows the heat exchanger more time to absorb that heat. Yet a vent damper isn’t always the best solution to an inefficient furnace. This article will discuss two things you should know before hiring heating installation in Atlanta GA to add a vent damper to your furnace.

A vent damper can only be used on one appliance. 

In many cases, furnaces share their exhaust flue with other appliances such as water heaters and boilers. In that case, it is not safe to install a vent damper in the shared portion of the vent. Instead, the vent damper must be located inside of the furnace’s dedicated flue--in other words, before the attachment point of the second appliance.

If you have any questions, reach out to an Ocean City NJ heating service expert.

AC Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning is right around the corner for some parts of the US. Cleaning your HVAC system often goes overlooked but can help your system run efficiently all year round. Here are some cleaning tips provided by a Bonita Springs FL AC repair professional.

·       Clean exhaust fans. The fans in your bathroom and kitchen need to be cleaned at least once a year. After removing the cover, unplug the fan and remove the blades. Be sure to scrub away all dirt and grime from the blades, the cover, and the area that houses the blades.

·       Clean the evaporator coil. The evaporator coil is one of the most important components of your AC system. Use a soft brush to dust off the coil, and then spray it with coil cleaner. You will also need to clean the drain pan with soap and water or mild bleach.

·       Clean your filters. When your filters are clogged with dust and dirt, your system consumes more energy while it operates. Clean filters will keep your air conditioning in Bulverde TX running efficiently and help prevent long-term damage.

Checking Your Furnace’s Blower Belt

There are numerous different things that can go wrong with a furnace and keep it from running properly. Unfortunately, many homeowners fail to understand even the more basic issues a furnace can face. If you would like to improve your HVAC troubleshooting skills, keep reading. Here you will learn what can go wrong with your blower belt--and what to do about it.

The Blower Belt

The blower belt is responsible for transferring mechanical energy from the blower motor to the fan blades that move hot air up through your duct system. When something goes wrong with a blower belt, the result is that no hot air will come out of the register along the base of your walls. You will, however, still be able to hear the furnace running normally. Likewise, you may also hear the blower motor come on--all to no avail.

Troubleshooting

There are a couple of different things that can go wrong with a blower belt: it can either become stretched out to a point where there is no longer enough tension in it, or it can break completely. To inspect your belt for one of these problems, you will first need to turn off the breaker controlling your furnace. This will protect you against the risk of electrical shock.

Now you will need to identify and remove the access panel on the blower system’s housing. To do this you will need the appropriate type of screwdriver. This should allow you to see the belt. If it is broken, you will have to replace it. Likewise, if the belt is able to move more than 1/2” up or down from its track, it has become too loose and will need replacement.

If you would prefer to have a professional inspect your blower belt, contact your local Burke VA heating repair professional.