Top 5 Reasons You Have Poor Airflow – St. Louis Heating and Cooling

November 15, 2016

St. Louis homeowners sometimes complain of low airflow in their rooms. This could be the result of a number of issues. A trained HVAC professional can be called upon to determine the reason for poor airflow. Nevertheless, it is essential that St. Louis homeowners also have the proper knowledge about what causes poor airflow in their home. Consider the following reasons. Dirty or excessively high efficiency furnace filters Any dirt accumulating on the furnace filter over a period of time increases the thickness of the filter. Apart from causing a host of other issues, a dirty filter also restricts airflow causing inadequate or uneven distribution of air. Another cause could be installing a filter with a high MERV rating. While filters with high MERV ratings are meant to purify air better, they can at times create resistance in airflow in an attempt to block small airborne particles. This resistance can pressurize the fan of the AC or the furnace and cause damage leading to poor airflow. Therefore, homeowners should check if their HVAC system is compatible with the high-efficiency MERV filters. Improper duct work It is essential to design and install ductwork properly, after careful consideration by a trained and...

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5 Reasons to Consider Geothermal Heating – St. Louis HVAC Solutions

January 15, 2016

Talk with a St. Louis HVAC expert about geothermal solutions for your home. Maybe the higher cost of installation or the thought of having to dig up that flower bed you had painstakingly planted made you pass on upgrading to a geothermal system. However important your reasons for not considering a geothermal heat pump for your home, there are five compelling ones that will make you reconsider. Geothermal Heat Pumps Are More Efficient The most efficient gas furnaces on the market are able to provide an efficiency rating between 90 and 94 percent. With a geothermal heat pump, you see an efficiency rating of at least 400%. In other terms, for every one unit of electrical energy used, you get four units of energy. Geothermal Heat Pumps Operate Silently Geothermal heat pumps are much quieter than your central air conditioning unit or current heat pump. There is no outdoor unit humming over your summer barbecues and no banging as they start up on a winter night. Geothermal heat pumps operate at the same sound level as your kitchen refrigerator, making it one of the most quiet components in your house. Geothermal Heat Pumps Are Environmentally Friendly Both the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency recognize...

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Breathe Easy in St. Louis and Prevent Allergies This Fall

November 17, 2015

Spring is not the only season that triggers allergies; fall can be equally bad. As the weather turns cooler, it brings a new set of allergens in the air causing symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, and running nose. The American Lung Association has stated that the St. Louis area is among the top 20 most polluted areas in the United States. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an average home’s indoor air quality is two times more polluted compared to the outside air. This, coupled with seasonal allergies, can make it difficult for people to breathe easy, so here are some tips to help you have a sneeze-free fall. In this post, we will discuss some tips to maintain your indoor air quality and prevent allergies. What Causes Seasonal Allergies Allergies are the body’s first reaction to a foreign substance. People who are allergic may experience a severe reaction to allergens such as pollen and dust. Other people might not react at all to these allergens, but some may start experiencing symptoms as soon as they come in contact. Fall allergies, such as ragweed or ambrosia, is one of the top pollen-producing allergy triggers. As soon as the body detects allergens, the...

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How HVAC System Maintenance and Humidity Affects Indoor Air Quality

August 24, 2015

Poor indoor air quality can have an adverse affect on the health, comfort, and efficiency of the employees in a St. Louis home or place of work. High humidity and poor maintenance of HVAC systems are the biggest culprits when it comes to poor indoor air quality. Due to the various ill effects of humidity and poor indoor air quality, more and more employees, employers and facility owners are becoming concerned. How Humidity Affects Air Quality In humid conditions the viruses and bacteria that causes the respiratory infections can rapidly multiply and spread. High Humid conditions can increase the levels of noxious chemicals in the air; including formaldehyde (emissions from indoor building materials) and ozone (emission from copiers) Molds and other pathogens thrive in high humid conditions. How Humidity Affects the Work Environment Poor air quality can often be attributed to humid conditions and can affect the employees of an organization with a wide range of illnesses and symptoms. Humidity can also have adverse effects on a building and its contents. Cold climate, electrical appliances that generate heat, or poor design, installation and maintenance of air conditioning systems give rise to low humidity conditions. Listed below are a few of...

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4 Types of Filtration and Cleaning Systems for Your St. Louis Home

August 7, 2015

Taking the steps to improve on indoor air quality will go a long way towards protecting the health of your family. Indoor air quality is a hot topic in the HVAC industry right now. As homeowners scrambled over the last couple of years to air tighten their homes to save energy, they often created breeding grounds for all types of irritants. Fortunately, the industry has recognized this, and is now constantly working on ways to improve the quality of air in the home. Poor indoor air quality can cause a host of problems, as the same polluted air is continually being circulated throughout your house. Not only can it irritate the lungs, and become dangerous for people with respiratory ailments like asthma, but it can cause mold and fungus growth. There are dozens of particles floating unseen in the air around you, but the most common irritants include: Dust Pollen Pet dander Dust mites Cigarette smoke Mold spores In order to help eliminate these from your St. Louis home’s breathing air, you now have a number of options to choose from. HVAC Filters Any forced air HVAC system relies on filters to remove large particles from the air. This was...

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Choosing a Whole House Dehumidifier

June 27, 2014

Experts agree that the inside humidity of your home should hover somewhere around 35%. For some people, moisture inside the house is a problem creating a great deal of humidity. This could lead to the formation of spores and mold in the home which could create a significant health problem. If high moisture is affecting your indoor air quality, speak to your local St. Louis HVAC company about the possibility and benefits of a whole house dehumidifier. Installing a Whole House Dehumidifier While it is true that you could purchase several stand alone dehumidifiers and place them around the house, installing a whole house dehumidifier makes more sense. For one, it can be installed as part of your existing HVAC system, using the same duct work to pull moisture from the air. You can also control its function from a programmable digital thermostat and keep it running during the times you need it the most. Benefits of a Whole House Dehumidifier Overall, the whole house dehumidifier will be more cost effective than using several units. Portable dehumidifiers are known to be energy suckers, requiring a lot of electricity to keep them running. Plus, without the benefit of a thermostat, they run continuously,...

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How to Improve Air Quality in Your Home

June 3, 2014

There has been growing concerns over indoor air quality in the last few years. The concern is for the indoor air quality in our homes and offices. As energy concerns have pushed homeowners to make their houses airtight, they have created an indoor environment perfectly suited for contaminants and known allergens to grow and thrive. Qualified HVAC technicians offer some much-needed advice on ways you can cut down on the pollutants that are floating around inside your own home. Clean and Dust Free Keeping your home clean and dust-free is one of the easiest ways to help cut down on respiratory irritants in the air. When your vents blow air into the room, the air will be disturbed and any build-up of dust will be added to the circulating air. The particles next pass through your ductwork and those dust particles and any contaminants they contain are now part of the indoor air you breathe. You should always try and clean with the blower fan off and make vacuuming the last step of the process. Use vacuum filter bags that are designed for allergen reduction and do not forget to use it on upholstery and window dressings. Cleaning regularly will help cut down on the particles in your...

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Improving the Internal Air Quality In Your Home

May 6, 2014

We spend a large part of our day indoors, so it is important that we ensure that the air inside our homes is free from all allergens. Poor internal air quality can cause several health problems ranging from skin irritation, to severe respiratory problems such as asthma. The problem is that homeowners tend to underestimate the level of pollution inside their home. The fact is that dust, pet dander, pollen, and other pollutants can adversely affect the internal air quality and lead to a lot of health problems. The First Line of Defense The air filters in your HVAC system act as the first line of defense against air pollutants, however, it may not suffice if the level of pollution is reasonably high. In such cases, it is worthwhile to invest in an air purifier to keep the pollution under check. Before we proceed to understand how an air purifier can benefit your home, it is important that we have a look at the main source of pollutants, and how bad they are for your health and well being. Sources of Air Pollution Inside Your Home You might vacuum your home daily and keep it in a sparkling clean state,...

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Simple Ways to Rid Your House of Allergens

March 10, 2014

Many of us experience symptoms of allergies such as a stuffy or runny nose, skin rashes, breathing problems, or sneezing. However, we normally blame it on the allergens present in the air outside of our home. However, we never think that the culprit might be right inside our home. Yes, it is true. The air inside your home can be polluted and may contain allergens. You can do some simple things to ensure that the air inside your home is free from all allergens and pollutants. This can improve internal air quality and help you breathe easy. Air Conditioner and Furnace Filters The filters in your air conditioner and heating furnace are your first line of defense against the allergens and pollutants that can creep into the internal air. By checking them regularly and getting them replaced from an HVAC company can greatly reduce the allergens in the air. You can upgrade the filters and use more efficient ones that are capable of trapping smaller particles. Clogged filters do more damage than just spewing allergens in the air. They also increase energy consumption and may damage the equipment. Install an Air Purifier The best way to make your home allergen-free...

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Seven Ways to Improve the Air Quality in Your Home

March 4, 2014

Air inside your home may be infested with pollutants and allergens, and you might not realize it until you start feeling discomfort. Your HVAC system may not be enough to keep the allergens and pollutants at bay. Dust and pollutants may enter your house from unexpected sources and cause several health-related problems. Regular upkeep of your HVAC system by professionals can go a long way in improving the air quality of your house, but there are certain other measures that you can take to ensure that you breathe in only the freshest air possible. Here are some suggestions to improve the air quality in your home: Check For Any Leaks in the Duct Work The leaks in your HVAC ducts can offer a way for allergens and pollutants to enter your house. If you are suspecting any leaks in the ducts, call a professional HVAC company to get them sealed properly. Clean and Replace the Filters Regularly Over time, dust and grime tends to get accumulated in your HVAC filters. This happens when the system is not in use, and the moment you switch your air conditioner on, all the pollutants get circulated in your house playing havoc with the...

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