With custom HVAC installation, you get a more efficient system that consumes less energy. If you are building your dream home or a new commercial facility, you are likely thinking of the best ways to optimizing your indoor environment. Your comfort level inside your home or office depends on a variety of factors including precise temperature control and the right humidity levels. For better comfort and health, you should consider an HVAC installation that is customized to your needs. In this post, St. Louis HVAC experts will discuss the benefits of a custom HVAC installation. High-Tech Equipment With custom HVAC installation, you can take advantage of the latest technological advancements that include heating and cooling systems that adjust their operation automatically to match heating and cooling demands. Programmable thermostats give you the convenience of pre-scheduling different temperatures for different days of the week and different times of the day. High efficiency solutions such as ductless systems can individualize comfort in each room. Right Size System for Your Home or Facility It is important that your HVAC system is neither too large not too small for your home or commercial facility. Oversized systems can waste energy with frequent on-off cycles, and...
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Create a warm and cozy house this winter with these simple tips. A well maintained and regularly serviced HVAC system will provide maximum service, longevity, energy efficiency, and a cost savings on your utility bills. In addition, there are a few items you can do that can help you keep your house warm and keep energy consumption to a minimum. Creating Warmth In extreme cold temperatures when the heating system is running on overdrive, a little help can keep your house warmer for longer. (Learn more – Tips on Staying Warm Without Breaking Your Budget) Layering – Blinds, shades, and drapes can give depth to your living space. Layering window treatments help to block out cold air. For example, install honeycomb shades with insulation pockets to keep your house warmer. Sunshine – Letting the sunlight in during the day will help warm up your home. It is one of the best natural ways to keep warm and is a healthy habit. Color palette – Having a color theme or color pattern can influence the feel of your living space. Decorating your house with warm shades of yellows, oranges, reds, and browns can give a warmer feel to a room. Landscaping – Indoor plants can do a lot to help in keeping your...
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St. Louis homeowners are beginning to anticipate cold winter weather and the last place they want to feel the cold is in the bedroom. Cold bedrooms are a common occurrence in a home where the thermostat is centrally located, while bedrooms are set off away from the main living areas. You do not have to just throw on an extra pair of socks and live with this problem. Talk to our HVAC experts to find a solution to warming up your bedroom. The Cause of Cold Bedrooms Simply turning up the heat is not going to work. Not only will you feel that in your wallet the following month, but the rest of the house will become overheated. Closing the vents in other rooms can put excessive strain on the furnace. Moving the thermostat up and down and opening and closing vents will cause the furnace to run overtime. When installing a heating and cooling system, a professional HVAC company will be called in to do what is known as a load calculation. They measure the size of the house to determine the heating and cooling load and then choose a system that will be able to handle the load. They will design the flow of air to maximize the system’s efficiency and ensure that heated and cooled...
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As St. Louis homeowners prepare for the next season, cleaning, gardening, and repairs will fill the weekends. A home maintenance task that should never take a backseat is furnace maintenance. Regularly scheduled maintenance ensures that your furnace is up and running when you need it this winter. Seasonal maintenance usually involves a general inspection and cleaning of the system to ensure that there is no dust or debris accumulation and that there are no needed repairs. Change the Filters The importance of regular filter maintenance cannot be overemphasized. Whether you have a gas furnace or an electric furnace, replace the filters. Make sure the filters that you buy are the right size for your furnace. In addition, check the air ducts. If they have not been cleaned in the last 5 years, this is the time to do it. Check the Furnace Blower Belt Inspect the fan belt on the blower for any fraying or cracks. Check if the belt has become too loose. If the belt has become loose, consider replacing it. Clean Dust from Furnace Area Dust and debris tends to accumulate around the furnace and if it is left there for a long time it can cause damage. Vacuum the area under the furnace and clean the crevices. Inspect the Safety...
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Is Your HVAC System Pest Proof? By choosing to ignore the pests, you invite bigger problems. Proper pest control can protect most parts of your home or building from pests; however, one part that is often overlooked is the heating and air conditioning system. According to St. Louis HVAC experts, pest-proofing the HVAC components is important for keeping pests out of your home, protecting occupants from health hazards, and preventing damage to expensive equipment. Damage Caused by Pests Pests can enter an HVAC system in several ways – in the space between HVAC components and in an area where pests are common. If pests manage to enter your heating system or its components, a variety of problems can occur. Pests can cause damage to HVAC components which they use to move through a house or where they are nesting. This can result in expensive repairs or even system replacement. Pests can also cause damage to the home itself. Indoor Air Quality Issues When Pests Invade Your HVAC System Pest infestation in an HVAC system can cause numerous air quality problems. Dead rodents, droppings, and other debris left behind in the HVAC system or ductwork can cause a foul smell inside your home. If you use pesticides to treat the pest problem,...
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An energy recovery ventilator can increase the comfort level of your home and improve air quality. As the temperatures in St. Louis continue to rise, even into September, so does the humidity. That can affect the inside of your home as well. This may be the perfect time to talk with your trusted HVAC company about installing an ERV, Energy Recovery Ventilator, system with your existing heating and cooling units. How an ERV Works As our homes are increasingly becoming tighter due to an effort to make our homes more energy-efficient, new problems start to arise. Indoor air quality can be compromised as the same stale air is constantly being recycled through the house. Higher humidity levels may become an issue as you have basically created an airtight environment with levels that fluctuate drastically and far from the 40% ideal range. Adding an ERV, or energy recovery ventilation, system to your homes HVAC system can take care of both of these issues. They are able to exchange the stale air with fresh, conditioning it first to match the indoor temperature of the house. In the summer the system is pre-cooling and dehumidify outside air as it is being brought into...
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How To Choose Between a Humidifier and Dehumidifier If you do, a humidifier or a dehumidifier is what your home may need. Your house should have a relative humidity level of 30-60 percent, depending on what time of the year it is. In winter, use of heating systems can reduce the humidity by over 30-40 percent. On the other hand, in summer, the humidity may be as high as 60 percent. If the relative humidity is below 30, you may want to invest in a humidifier to keep your family comfortable, however, if it touches 60 or more, you may need a dehumidifier. So, you may need both a humidifier and a dehumidifier and use them according to seasons. How Does Humidity Affect Our Health? Extremes of relative humidity in the atmosphere affect human health adversely. If the air inside your home is dry, the residents may have dry skin and may suffer from other types of dermatitis. These may be the first signs that you need to invest in a humidifier. Other health problems caused by dry air include dry sinuses, congestion, nosebleed, persistent cough, and sore throat. If the air is too moist, it can aggravate allergy and...
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We recently received the following letter of appreciation regarding HVAC work we performed in St. Charles, Missouri. June 14, 2016 – We recently has our air conditioning/electric heating system replaced by Scott-Lee. Our experience was so satisfying that it deserves this letter of appreciation. Scott-Lee installed our original system in our new-built home in 1996 and has been providing excellent inspection and repair services since then. During our annual spring inspection this year, Chris noticed oil on the interior unit tubing and a low coolant pressure indicative of a system leak. He advised us of repair/replacement options for our system with the ‘old’ coolant even checking that critical components were no longer available due to the change in the coolant. The entire system needed replacing. We were contacted by Shaun Tarrillion, your sales representative. He visited our home a few days later in Cottleville, MO – very conveniently during the early evening. His inspection and presentations were very professional and made with little pressure. He measured the size of the house, current ductwork and confirmed our heating/cooling needs. He discussed our replacement options with informative brochures and system specifications indicated possible options. He followed up the next day with a...
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The following HVAC tips will keep your home safe while you are away on vacation this summer. The bags are packed, the dogs are at the kennel, and your neighbor will come by to water the plants. You are ready to hit your summer destination, but have you prepared your home’s HVAC? In order to ensure that your vacation is not ruined by an unplanned mishap when you get back home, prepare your house in advance for your absence. Turn Off the Main Water Supply You do not want that leaking pipe you have been meaning to fix to finally burst when you are out of town. Water seeping into your carpet and floorboards can cause significant water damage. Connect Your Sump Pump to a Battery If you have a basement that is prone to flooding, then you likely have a sump pump already in place. Having a battery back-up on your sump pump will ensure that it stays working, just like it would if you were home. Do Not Turn Off the Central Air Conditioning System Use a digital programmable thermostat to control the temperature inside of your home as if you were there. Save money on your energy bill by programming it to run at 78 degrees. Cut the Electric...
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Geothermal heaters are an environmentally friendly and efficient option available to homeowners. There are a number of choices to consider when choosing the best HVAC system for your home. HVAC systems are installed based on the requirements of your home – either stand-alone or in combination with gas furnace heaters or electric heaters. Geothermal heating systems are an environmentally friendly and efficient option available to homeowners. What are Geothermal Heaters? Geothermal heaters use naturally available heat inside the earth to heat up a living space. Using electricity to run, geothermal heaters have three or four parts, comprising of a heat-generating loop, an indoor unit, and the ductwork. A four-piece heater has an additional air handler. Types of Geothermal Heater There are two types of geothermal heaters, which vary on the type of heat exchanging ground loops. Water source geothermal heaters – This type of heater makes use of water pumps and refrigerant-to-water heat exchangers and tubing that is buried into the ground to extract the earth’s heat. Geoexchange heaters – These heaters use copper-based refrigerant tubing by directly attaching them to the ground, for more efficient heat transfer. Both these types of geothermal heaters are dependable and use electricity. However, the direct geo-exchange heaters prove to be more efficient in the long run...
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