What’s Considered an HVAC Emergency?

July 11, 2024

When an issue arises with your O’Fallon home’s HVAC system, your initial reaction might be to put off making a call for service if you perceive the issue as only a mild annoyance. While letting any problem spread over time isn’t a good idea, some situations are more pressing than others. Knowing when to call an emergency HVAC specialist is crucial to both maintaining your home’s structure and protecting your family. Signs of Smoke or Fire If you see smoke coming from your vents or your heating or cooling equipment, immediately evacuate your home. Call 911 if a fire is suspected, and then contact an emergency HVAC specialist. You might notice that a cord looks singed, or you may smell smoke near the heater. A fire could break out and cause major destruction in seconds, so swift action is necessary. It is also possible that a small fire already occurred and went out. Hot to the Touch Of course, it’s normal for your home’s heater to feel warm when running. If you notice that the surface feels unusually hot to the touch or if the heater is hot even when it is off, this issue could be a sign of...

View Article

Read More

Signs Your HVAC Blower Motor Is Damaged

July 5, 2024

The technical term for the fan that circulates air through a central HVAC system is the blower. The blower is one of the most important parts of the system since it brings air in so the system can cool or heat it and then blows the cool or hot air around the house. As with any other component, the blower can malfunction so that the HVAC doesn’t work effectively or doesn’t work at all. That’s why it’s important to watch out for these signs that can help you know if your blower needs to be repaired or replaced. Blower Won’t Turn On The most obvious sign that there is an issue with your blower is that it won’t come on. The blower should normally always start running as soon as your AC condenser turns on. If it doesn’t come on when the condenser starts, you should shut your air conditioning off. The reason is that the AC system will quickly freeze up if the blower isn’t running and bring warm air into the system. When a gas furnace starts, the blower usually won’t start until the furnace has been on for around 30 seconds. This is because the temperature-limit switch...

View Article

Read More

Are Air Scrubbers Efficient?

June 5, 2024

Effective home filtration systems are essential. You depend on these solutions to sustain a healthy indoor air environment. Here, we compare air scrubbers to traditional HVAC filters. We’ll also examine their efficiency in removing pollutants, energy consumption rates, health benefits, and more. You can rely on the following guide to help you decide on the best air filtration system for your O’Fallon, MO home. By the end, you’ll find sufficient insight into which solution best suits your air filtration requirements. Understanding Air Scrubbers vs. Traditional HVAC Filtration Systems Air scrubbers leverage their advanced design to improve interior air quality. They actively remove pollutants such as dust, pollen, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), bacteria, and select viruses from your indoor breathing environment. Air scrubbers draw in contaminated air through a series of filters. Pre-filters capture larger particles, while subsequent filters — often HEPA or activated carbon — target smaller particles and gaseous contaminants. Some air scrubbers also employ UV light or ionization to neutralize pathogens further. The cleaned air then recirculates back into the environment for a comprehensive purification solution. Traditional HVAC filtration systems, in comparison, are integrated into residential or commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units. These systems primarily use...

View Article

Read More

Creative Ways To Hide Your Mini-Split

June 3, 2024

Due to the numerous benefits of mini-split HVAC systems, they are growing in popularity among homeowners. Their ductless design allows them to take up much less space. While interior units come in various aesthetically pleasing designs, some homeowners prefer to keep them out of sight. This piece will explore creative ways to hide your mini-split unit and address specific concerns in the process. How a Mini-Split HVAC System Works The energy efficiency of a ductless mini-split HVAC system is due to the ways in which its design differs from that of a traditional heating and cooling system. A smaller outdoor unit is installed, and refrigerant lines connect this outdoor unit to interior appliances that are installed throughout the house. A home can have a variety of different indoor units depending on room requirements and homeowner preferences. These individual interior blower units are what some people choose to hide. They come in a few different varieties. Wall-Mounted Units These interior blower units are usually mounted high up on a wall near the ceiling. They are commonly installed against exterior walls for easier access when connecting to the outdoor unit. However, they can be installed on interior walls in some cases. Floor-Mounted...

View Article

Read More

Is HVAC Filtration Good For Pet Hair/Dander

May 21, 2024

It’s common for homes in O’Fallon, MO, to have pets such as dogs and cats. While these beloved creatures are part of your family, they can irritate allergies. If you’re someone who suffers from allergies because of your furry family members, this doesn’t mean you need to find them a new home. HVAC filtration is one method that you can use to improve your indoor air quality when you have pets. How Does HVAC Filtration Work? When your HVAC system is turned on and is running, air will be drawn in, and then, it will be climate controlled. Then, the air passes through a series of ducts before it circulates through the various rooms in your home. Just before the air passes through the blower, it will move through a filter. There are different filters available along with other air purification equipment that can further improve indoor air quality. Air Purification You’ve probably seen those stand-alone air purification units that can be moved from one room to another. You may even have one in your home already. While they can be relatively useful for removing pet hair and dander from the air in your home, they aren’t necessarily the most...

View Article

Read More

Can a Smart Thermostat Save Me Money?

May 13, 2024

Many homeowners want to know whether a smart thermostat can save them money, and the answer is an emphatic yes. In fact, the U.S. EPA estimates that the average American home can save anywhere between 10% and 30%. That estimate reflects annual savings across both the space heating and cooling portions of your utility bills. Let’s explore the features that may help you achieve those savings. Remote Access and Control Both programmable and smart thermostats provide scheduling, but internet connectivity is what sets the smart thermostat apart. Most brands offer an app that you can download to and use on your smartphone and other devices. This lets you check your thermostat and adjust it no matter where you are as long as you have cellular access. It’s a powerful tool. It ensures you’ll never lose money because you left on a business trip and forgot to set the temperature down. Automatic Setback at Night Much of the energy that the average household without a smart thermostat wastes occurs at night. Just think of all the money you spend on air conditioning and heating that you really don’t need. The EPA estimates that you can hit the 10% savings mark by...

View Article

Read More

What Does Dual Fuel Furnace Mean?

April 20, 2024

While there are many ways to heat your O’Fallon, MO home, few offer the efficiency and flexibility of a dual-fuel furnace. Also known as hybrid heating systems, dual-fuel furnaces combine natural gas furnaces and electric heat pumps. As needed, they seamlessly toggle between the two to maintain comfortable indoor conditions with minimal input. Whether you’re interested in lowering your carbon footprint or your home energy bill, opting for a dual-fuel furnace is an excellent way to reach your goal. The Benefits and Drawbacks of Natural Gas Heating Natural gas furnaces are the top choice for winter heating in regions like O’Fallon where outside temperatures regularly dip and remain below freezing. Natural gas is clean burning and available at a reasonable cost. Gas furnaces produce heat with temperatures as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows for rapid heating and also ensures that the cold air seeping through cracks and gaps in building materials or the heat that escapes when residents enter or exit the building doesn’t completely diminish the heat gains. Unfortunately, despite these and other attributes, natural gas furnaces have come under fire in recent years due to their greenhouse gas emissions. All fuel-burning appliances produce carbon monoxide (CO)...

View Article

Read More

What Are The Controls On My Mini Split Remote?

April 4, 2024

Modern mini-split remotes have become quite sophisticated. They typically have digital displays, provide Wi-Fi access and offer you a wide array of features. All those useful features often result in a cascade of controls that can be a bit overwhelming at first. In order to demystify these options, let’s explore the most essential of those mini-split remote controls. Power Most mini-splits have a power button similar to a TV remote. The button has a broken circle with a ‘1’ through the center. Many users believe this indicates that the button toggles between on and off. It actually indicates toggling between on and standby. Some mini-split remotes allow you to hold the power button for several seconds to put the mini-split in a true off mode. Mode The mode select button allows you to cycle between your mini-split’s operating modes. The most common modes available are auto, cool, heat, dry and fan. Auto is generally the default mode when your unit wakes from standby. It lets the mini-split switch between cool and heat depending on the current ambient temperature and your temperature setting. Cool provides air conditioning. Heat provides heating and is only available if you have a heat pump and...

View Article

Read More

Do I Have Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

March 26, 2024

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas that is a by-product of incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials. It originates from such sources as gas-fired appliances, wood stoves, and blocked chimneys. Its unnoticeable characteristics are risky, making the comprehension of its sources and indoor air quality relevant. HVAC services are helpful in CO detection and elimination. Regular inspections and maintenance guarantee that heating systems and appliances work well, reducing CO accumulation risk. We also recommend carbon monoxide detectors, which are an important safety measure against this invisible danger. What Is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning? Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious problem caused by breathing CO gas. This poisonous gas binds with the hemoglobin in the blood, forming carboxyhemoglobin and reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to the body’s organs and tissues. With an increased CO in the blood, oxygen transport decreases, resulting in tissue damage and possibly fatal consequences. The cunning nature of CO poisoning is its silent progress that someone may initially miss until symptoms escalate. CO emissions mainly come from malfunctioning or incorrectly used fuel-burning appliances like furnaces, water heaters, and room heaters. Other common sources are blocked chimneys, exhausts from attached garages, and gasoline generators working too...

View Article

Read More

Are HVAC UV Lights Safe?

March 6, 2024

Indoor air quality has become a crucial concern for many homeowners. Many have resorted to using ultraviolet (UV) light together with their HVAC systems to ensure their air is clean. However, as this technology becomes accepted, there are also health risks due to improper installation and maintenance of UV lights. The question that everyone is asking is, are HVAC UV lights safe? UV lights can be used for air disinfection; nevertheless, the right usage and safety measures are necessary. Read on to find out more. UV Lights in HVAC Systems UV light has been used in applications such as water treatment for many years because of its short wavelength radiation between 200-280 nm. It is very destructive to the nucleic acids of microbes, thus preventing their replication. UV lights are often found in the ductwork of an HVAC system before the air handler. The circulating, conditioned air is exposed to the UV light, which then attacks any airborne pathogens by breaking down their DNA or RNA, thus making them inactive. Some HVAC UV light systems also incorporate ionization to eliminate odors and statically charged particles in order to be filtered downstream. The UV lights need to be always on so...

View Article

Read More