Dealing with Chilly Feet in a Cold Bedroom

September 12, 2016

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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Preparing for Winter – HVAC Tips for Furnace Maintenance

September 5, 2016

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?

September 2, 2016

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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Solution to Humidity in Your Home: Energy Recovery Ventilators

August 31, 2016

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 a Dehumidifier

August 23, 2016

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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HVAC Letter of Appreciation from Cottleville, Missouri Resident

July 1, 2016

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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St. Louis HVAC Reminders to Prepare Your Home for Summer Vacation

June 15, 2016

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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Is a Geothermal Heating System Right For Your Home?

May 20, 2016

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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Who Controls the Thermostat in Your Home? – St. Louis HVAC

May 13, 2016

It is not unusual for a family to argue over the thermostat settings. Not everyone within a household prefers the same room temperature. Families often have disagreements over the heat settings; one person wants to crank up the heat and others want to bring it down a bit. If you are looking for a solution to this problem, our St. Louis HVAC expert has some simple tips for you and your family. Conflict over temperatures generally occur on gender lines as women tend to have slower metabolic rates compared to men, so they feel the cold more. A recent study has also shown that air-conditioned offices are designed for male employees, while women are left to shiver in the middle of summer. Here are some tips for those who find themselves in the middle of the battle over room temperatures. Space Heaters Modern space heaters are relatively efficient and considered safe as long as you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Space heaters offer an easy solution to allow a family member to increase the temperature of his or her room while others can keep the thermostat at the temperature they desire. Improve Your HVAC System’s Efficiency If your arguments over the furnace revolve around money, consider making some efficiency upgrades to save...

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Your HVAC System Could be a Source of Legionnaire’s Disease

May 6, 2016

A poorly maintained HVAC system may circulate pollutants and microbes into the air, causing severe illness. HVAC systems play a crucial role in keeping your home comfortable. Proper maintenance of an HVAC system is essential to get the best performance and to safeguard the health and well-being of your family. A poorly maintained system may circulate pollutants into the air that can cause allergies and can become a breeding ground for disease-causing microbes. You may be surprised to know that some of these microbes can cause serious illnesses such as Legionnaire’s disease. Legionnaire’s Disease Legionnaire’s disease is a lung disease that is caused by a bacterium known as legionella pneumophila. Legionnaire’s disease has become more common in recent years. The most common symptoms of this lung disease include: muscle pain weakness chills fever mild headaches mental stress A person may also experience some symptoms of pneumonia such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Many of these symptoms mimic other pulmonary illnesses; a doctor is needed to make a correct diagnosis using a urine test. The symptoms may not present themselves immediately. It may take up to two weeks for symptoms to completely develop. Legionnaire’s Disease and HVAC Systems Legionnaire’s disease can be spread by HVAC systems. The bacterium responsible for this illness exists in natural water...

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