Can Poor HVAC Zoning Affect My Health?

June 5, 2024

HVAC zoning systems rely on dampers installed within your ductwork to control and direct air to specified areas of your home. These systems are often crucial for sustained indoor comfort and respiratory health. How your space is climatically zoned can significantly impact your indoor air quality. Below are eleven ways that poor HVAC zoning can induce various health issues, from breathing troubles to poor sleep quality, and how a properly zoned system prevents these problems. 1. Worsens Allergy Symptoms Poorly zoned HVAC systems proliferate allergens like dust, pollen, and pet dander in your indoor breathing environment. When airflow doesn’t disperse through your home as intended, these particles accumulate in the poorly circulated areas of your home. Of course, this exacerbates allergy symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, and itchy eyes. An improperly zoned HVAC system is especially problematic for the residents of your household with known allergy issues because of the excessive allergen buildup. 2. Invites Mold and Mildew Growth The inconsistent humidity levels in your home could be due to ineffective zoning. The trouble is that this issue creates an environment conducive to mold and mildew infestations. When portions of your home are too humid, this introduces the ideal conditions...

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How Often Is IAQ Testing Necessary?

May 10, 2024

It’s incredibly important that we pay attention to the quality of our indoor air. Many homeowners in the St. Louis, MO, area spend a great deal of time indoors. Your home should be a healthy refuge from the pollen and pollution that you’re exposed to outside. Indoor air quality testing, or IAQ testing, is something that should be performed periodically to gain knowledge of what contaminants you’re encountering. A professional can perform this service at your request. The Frequency of IAQ Testing If you’ve never had indoor air quality testing performed before, you should expect your first appointment to take a little longer. The technician will explain the process to you and complete the testing. They will ask you a bit about your lifestyle, your health, and whether you have pets in the home. After this initial visit, you can expect your IAQ testing to take less time in the future. Ideally, you should schedule testing once every year, even if you think that your air quality is adequate. You may need to have testing performed more than once in a 12-month period, especially if you are trying to fix a problem that was discovered during your initial testing. Typically,...

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Common Split HVAC System Issues

May 5, 2024

Mini-splits have become popular among property owners because of their high energy efficiency and easy installation. They provide customized comfort, allowing you to set individual temperatures in different rooms. Like other HVAC systems, however, mini-splits can develop issues over time. Let’s explore how mini-splits work and the four most common problems you can anticipate with your system. Understanding Mini-Splits Mini-splits are heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Unlike central systems, they provide both heating and cooling functions. They are composed of two units, an indoor and outdoor component, that are connected by a conduit running through a small hole in a wall. During installation, the technician drills a hole through the wall, about three inches wide. They pass the conduit, which houses the power and communication cable, copper tubing, and a condensation line, through this opening. The indoor unit is often mounted on walls or ceilings. It houses the evaporator coils, filters, and blowers. The outdoor unit features a compressor, condenser coils, and a fan. In cooling mode, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the warm air as it flows on the coils. It then transfers the warmth to the outdoor unit for release to the environment. On cold days,...

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Are Electric Furnaces The Way of the Future?

May 1, 2024

When winter weather hits, your home needs an adequate heat source to keep you and your family comfortable and safe. Most homeowners nationwide rely on a furnace that burns natural gas or heating oil. However, electric furnaces are becoming a new trend that could transform how we heat our homes. Here is a brief list of ways electric furnaces are leaping into the forefront of residential heating in St.Louis and nationwide. What Is an Electric Furnace? Most people are familiar with a gas or oil-burning furnace, where the fuel is ignited to create heat. Electric furnaces work much differently when heating the air inside your home. This type of furnace pulls air into its internal heat exchanger. In the exchanger, there are heating elements powered by electricity. These elements work to transfer heat to the air that passes over them. Then, the warm air is delivered to your home via your ductwork. There is no physical burning or flame in an electric furnace. The Benefits of an Electric Furnace Whether you’re purchasing a furnace for your newly constructed home or are considering an upgrade, it pays to weigh the pros and cons of each option. In many areas, the electric...

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Benefits of HVAC Maintenance Agreements

April 28, 2024

Why Investing in an HVAC Maintenance Plan Is a Smart Move An HVAC system is critical in ensuring your home or business is comfortable and efficient. Nevertheless, your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system needs routine service to work optimally. That is where HVAC maintenance agreements come in. Maintenance agreements offer a holistic plan for attaining long-term maintenance of your HVAC system and have a range of advantages that will save you time, money, and tension. In the St. Louis area, has been providing top-notch HVAC services for the past 45 years, and we offer maintenance agreements designed to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently. What Is an HVAC Maintenance Agreement? An HVAC maintenance agreement is an arrangement between you and an HVAC service professional whereby you schedule regular maintenance visits for your heating and cooling system. This entails a tune-up, inspection, and cleaning each season, priority service, and discounts on repairs and parts. By signing a maintenance agreement, you reap the long-term benefits of taking care of your HVAC system. Benefits of HVAC Maintenance Agreements Regular System Inspections When you have a maintenance agreement, those regular system checkups are like a secret weapon for your HVAC’s health. During...

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Poor Outdoor Air? Prepare With Indoor Air Quality Products

April 8, 2024

Dealing With Poor Outdoor Air: Use Air Quality Products to Improve Indoor Air Quality While it’s nice to open your windows and doors and allow fresh air to come inside your St. Louis, MO, home, there are times when outdoor air quality isn’t healthy. This can be because of things like pollution, smoke and pollen. For people who are extremely sensitive and suffer from allergies or asthma, it may be a better idea to keep windows and doors closed and remain indoors. Unfortunately, many homes experience poor indoor air quality as well. This creates a confusing situation that makes you wonder if you should be inside or outside. The solution is to utilize your HVAC system along with indoor air quality products to mitigate any indoor air quality issues. Air Filters As a very affordable and simple method of keeping your indoor air free of pollutants and allergens, it’s recommended that you replace the filter in your HVAC system once every 30 to 90 days. The exact frequency will depend on the filter that you’re using as well as how frequently you run your furnace or air conditioner. Not only does this filter help you maintain healthy indoor air, but...

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Signs Your HVAC Air Compressor Is Failing

April 2, 2024

Signs Your HVAC Air Compressor Is Failing An air compressor is an integral component in every air conditioner and heat pump in St. Louis, MO. Heat pumps and ACs work by transferring heat energy from one medium to another. When running your AC to cool your home, it transfers the heat energy inside it to the ambient air outdoors. This is possible through refrigerant, which can absorb heat energy and facilitate transitions between liquid and gas. The role of the compressor is to pressurize the refrigerant. As it does, the refrigerant temperature rises. That prepares the refrigerant for the condenser, which then moves the heat energy to the ambient air. There’s a lot that can go wrong with a compressor, so let’s explore the indications that something has occurred. 1. Rising Electricity Costs A spike in your electricity consumption during the cooling season is one of the first signs that your compressor is failing. It can indicate other HVAC problems as well. This is why we encourage homeowners to track their energy usage on a month-to-month and year-to-year basis. If you experience a sudden spike when running your air, call a technician. The compressor is one of the primary power...

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What Color Should My Furnace Flame Be?

March 16, 2024

What Color Should My Furnace Flame Be? If you have a commercial property in the St. Louis area, you need a way to keep it warm. This is not just a matter of keeping things comfortable: Low temperatures can damage your property. Cool weather can cause condensation, and the moisture that accumulates can cause mold and water damage over time. When it gets even colder, you could have water freeze in your pipes, which may cause them to burst. Some businesses also need to protect delicate tools or temperature-sensitive materials from cold weather to keep them from damage. Those factors mean that you need to invest in a furnace to protect your property and keep your business operating normally when it gets cold. You also need to make sure the new furnace is the right size for your property. A furnace that is too small will not be able to keep your business warm, but one that is too big will be inefficient. There are five big factors that you should keep in mind when deciding which size you need. 1. Start With Basic Rules of Thumb The size of your property will provide a good starting point for estimating...

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Why You Should Upgrade Your AC Before Summer

March 2, 2024

The Benefits of Upgrading Your AC Before Summertime When the time comes to replace your AC, the experts recommend a proactive approach. While you can certainly install an AC in summer, it usually isn’t the best time. Installing it in spring or even fall will save you money and inconvenience. With that in mind, let’s explore the many reasons HVAC experts advise not waiting until the warmer months. Peace of Mind Having your new HVAC system in place before summer arrives gives you peace of mind. You can now invite family and friends over and know they’ll be comfortable. You won’t have to worry about something going wrong while they’re here. You’ll also have a new warranty to protect you. A new warranty ensures your AC is free of defects for many years to come. More Time to Research Time to make a decision is an oft-overlooked advantage of a proactive approach. Many homeowners who replace their ACs in summer experience a time crunch. Either you need to replace a failed AC now or your scheduling options are pressuring you. This means that you have to decide on a big investment in a very short period. When you decide in...

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Why Is My Heat Pump Blowing Cold Air?

February 15, 2024

Why Is My Heat Pump Blowing Cold Air? With the cooler temperatures experienced during the winter, your heat pump should be able to provide reliable warmth all through the season. However, circumstances may lead to your heating pump blowing cold air while it’s in heat mode. This can be unpleasant and make your home uncomfortable during the winter. There are various factors why your heat pump isn’t working; the problems can need simple or complex fixes that require a professional to handle. Below are some various reasons why your heat pump is blowing cold air. Your Heat Pump Is in Defrost Mode A heat pump can generate warm and cold air during different stages of compression and condensation. During the winter, a drop in the outside temperature could lead to freezing of your pump’s outdoor unit. The defrost mode enables the system to thaw the ice from the outdoor unit. This mechanism allows the system to direct the hot air toward the outdoor unit to melt any accumulated ice that would damage the system if manually removed. Since the defrost mode works like the cooling mode, the system will likely blow cold air inside your home. Once all the ice...

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