How to Cut Down Your Winter Heating Bill

September 20, 2021

One particular part of winter that you may not be looking forward to is receiving your heating bills. Unlike summer, where air conditioning is optional, in the wintertime, you need to have heat to keep your family healthy and your home safe from harm. Fortunately, there are many different strategies you can use to help lower your energy bills this winter season. Ceiling Fans We all know that heat rises to the top of a room. Getting that heat back down toward the floor where you and your family are going to be is the key to saving energy and money. Ceiling fans are the perfect solution as they help force the hot air from the top of your room down toward the floor. All you need to do is simply change the direction of your ceiling fan blades to rotate in a clockwise direction. This is easily done by flipping the switch that’s typically on the base of the fan. Let the Sun In One extremely important free source of heat is the sun. If you’ve ever sat in a room where the sun comes directly into the window, you know that it can heat up your room very...

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How to Relight and Troubleshoot Your Gas Furnace

September 6, 2021

A pilot light system is an essential component of a gas heating system. There are many different types of ignition systems today. Here are some tips on how to relight your furnace and troubleshoot the pilot light. Standing vs. Automatic Ignition Furnace Before relighting, it is essential to understand the type of ignition system in your furnace. The two main categories are electronic and the standing pilot light. The standing pilot light is often found in equipment made before the 1990s. The pilot will burn for as long as it detects heat from the pilot light. When the flame goes out, a safety mechanism shuts off the gas supply. Since the pilot light has to burn round the clock, it requires a continuous gas supply to keep the flame lit. Estimates suggest it can consume up to 800 BTU/hour, which amounts to hundreds of dollars in utility bills. A standing pilot light is more practical for places with colder climates. St. Louis experiences freezing weather for three months every year. Therefore, it is more convenient to keep the flame lit. But in warmer weather, the pilot light will be on when no heating is required. That means it will waste...

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5 Signs Your Air Conditioner Has Sustained Storm Damage

August 19, 2021

Air conditioners are designed to withstand constant exposure to the elements and nearly all weather conditions. However, many severe weather events can certainly take their toll. Whether your air conditioner has been subjected to heavy wind, rain, hail, dust, or snow, making sure it’s okay is important. Catching and repairing storm-related damages early on can prevent energy waste, needless wear, and outright failure. Following are five signs your home cooling system has sustained storm damage along with several tips for putting things aright. 1. Your Air Conditioner Won’t Turn Back on Severe storms often cause the power to go out. In most instances, if your HVAC was on before the power went off, it will automatically show signs of life once the power is restored. However, if it does not, this could mean that the equipment has sustained damages as the result of a power surge. Fortunately, your air conditioner should be well-protected against power surges by the circuit breaker. You may simply need to reset it. If the AC system doesn’t power up after the breaker has been reset, schedule HVAC repair services right away. 2. Heavy Winds Have Caused Refrigerant Loss Refrigerant is basically the lifeblood of your...

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Avoid Making These Summer Cooling Mistakes

August 9, 2021

Cutting down on cooling costs is on a lot of people’s minds during the summer, but there are some myths floating around. If you follow them, you might find out that your cooling costs are actually more expensive than they would be if you just learned more about how air conditioners work, what they can and can’t do and how you can make your home better prepared to keep the heat out. A Larger Air Conditioner Isn’t a Good Idea One of the biggest myths that some people think is true is that a larger air conditioner will solve all of their problems and make their homes cooler that much quicker. While it’s true that a larger air conditioner will cool off your house more quickly, it will also do so at a cost. Namely, the air in your house will remain humid because removing moisture from the air takes several cycles. When the air conditioner is so large that it cuts down on the cooling time, it also doesn’t have enough cycles to pull all of the moisture out of the air, which results in a cool but clammy feeling that most people don’t enjoy. Appliances Can Heat Up...

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Setting Your Thermostat When You Go on Vacation

July 27, 2021

When you’re out of the house for an extended period of time, the topic of your home’s temperature must come into play. There are several possible pitfalls that could happen while you’re away having fun in the sun. However, allowing your home to stay at a proper temperature could save you a big headache when you return. The question is how cool should your home be while you’re lounging on the beach? There are several things you will have to consider when making your decision. So before you hit the airport, make a mental checklist of the things you want to protect in your home while you’re out on vacation. Why Cool Your Home Most people would agree that they want to save money while they are away on vacation, and some think that leaving their air conditioner off is their best option. Unfortunately, there are a few things that could go wrong with that scenario. While heat builds up in your home, there are many things at play. Speaking of money, imagine how much energy you would need to use if you leave your home for an extended period of time without the AC. Your house will sit for...

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Common AC Problems in the Summer

July 12, 2021

Is your air conditioner underperforming? Below, we highlight some of the most common problems that could be affecting your AC unit. If you think your equipment is suffering from any of these issues, take a look at our solutions to get your system back to working like normal. 1. Mold and Dust in HVAC Vents Air duct cleaning is a necessary service. According to some estimates, there are 300,000 cases of asthma each year in the United States alone, which may be attributed to living in an unclean indoor environment. The NCBI reports that numerous studies have demonstrated a significant association between increasing levels of indoor pollutants and allergies, neurological impairment, cardiovascular effects, and cancer. Mold allergies are a serious, widespread health threat. Therefore, good indoor air quality should always be your highest priority. The mold that grows in the air ducts of your house is a severe risk factor for asthma and allergies for you and your family. Mold growth can be hard to locate in your ducts, but the presence of mold spores indicates that you need a professional service to come and take a look at your system. Mold growth is caused by moisture and humidity. For...

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How To Prepare Air Conditioner for the Summer

June 29, 2021

In the sweltering peak hours of summertime, your family’s comfort hinges on one appliance more than anything else: your air conditioner. If your AC breaks down completely or stops producing cold air, rest and relaxation are off the table, especially for days when temperatures can reach upwards of 90 degrees. Doing a comprehensive maintenance check of your air conditioner prior to summertime is a good way to identify any minor issues that require the attention of a professional. Some of these steps will require specific tools, but most of the skill set and maneuvers involved can be done by any homeowner with limited to zero experience in HVAC systems. Without further ado, here are 10 tips to keep your AC unit in tip-top shape. 1. Buy and Install a Programmable Thermostat If you are using a standard thermostat that came with your air conditioner, you may want to upgrade to a new programmable one. As with any technology, thermostats become outdated over time. The life expectancy of most household thermostats is around 10 years. If yours is nearing its lifespan, replace it with a programmable thermostat that automatically switches the AC unit on or off, depending on your presets. Aside...

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4 Ways to Reset Your Air Conditioning System

June 13, 2021

Updated September 24, 2024 An air conditioning system is critical for productivity, safety, and comfort. One of the most frustrating experiences is when it fails to start during O’Fallon’s sweltering, muggy summer weather. There are many reasons the AC may not work, such as faulty equipment. However, sometimes you can solve the problem with a restart. In this article, we will outline how to reset your system and why it may be essential. 1. Use the Reset Button Your AC system may fail to start if the compressor does not engage the electrical system. Such faults are common in digital appliances, which are prone to electrical discharges. Using the reset button could solve the problem after an outage or a sudden disconnection. Before you reset your system, ensure there is an adequate supply of power. You can determine if there is electrical energy by switching on other appliances. Once you’ve established there is power, you can restart your AC using the reset button. Some air conditioning systems have a reset switch, which is a small, red button. Typically, the button will be on the outdoor unit. If you have a problem locating it on the outdoor unit, you may find...

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Why Does My Air Conditioner Smell?

May 25, 2021

If you are dealing with persistent smells in your home, there is a chance that your air conditioner might be the cause. Air conditioners usually help improve your indoor air quality, but if something goes wrong, they might get stinky. It is important to identify the source of a smelly air conditioner, so you can fix the problem right away. How to Tell If Your Air Conditioner Is Smelling When you notice a weird smell around your home, the first thing you need to do is pinpoint the source of the smell. It might be tempting to assume that any strange smells are coming from an unemptied garbage can, a clogged drain, or lingering cooking odors. However, an air conditioner is actually one of the most common reasons for a smelly house. If you have cleaned up every source of a weird smell you can think of but are still getting odors, your air conditioner might be the culprit. To see if the smell is coming from your air conditioner, pay close attention to when you are smelling it. Does it only happen when the air conditioner is on? Do you get a particularly strong whiff of it when you...

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Why Do Air Conditioners Freeze Up?

May 17, 2021

Updated August 23, 2024 You’re in the middle of a heatwave when suddenly your air conditioning stops working. It can be a pretty scary moment when this happens, and there are a variety of reasons for it. Today, we’re focusing on one of the most common causes: a frozen AC. The air conditioner is one of the most essential appliances in every home. The last thing you want is for it to suddenly stop working because of freezing or damages caused by freezing. Contact Us for AC Service Today! How to Check If Your AC Has Frozen A frozen air conditioning system can wreak havoc on your health and financial situation. Dealing with it can lead to serious air quality issues, which could make you very ill. If your cooling system freezes, you may need to replace the entire unit, and that can cost you thousands of dollars. Here are some warning signs to look for indicating that you have a frozen AC: You set your thermostat lower than usual, but the temperature in your home is still warmer than you’d like. Your air conditioning emits a strange noise. You notice frost on your windows and/or on the outdoor unit...

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