The All-In-One HVAC Solution for Year Round Use Few residential or commercial customers know that they have choices when it comes to heating and air conditioning equipment. Most assume an air conditioner and separate furnace are their only options. Yet, for moderate climates like ours, a heat pump can be a cost effective alternative to the standard HVAC systems with ... Continue Reading
Air-Tro Can Help You Beat the Cold Weather, Before It Begins
Check Your Heating System Before the Temps Cool As hard as it is to believe during the dog days of summer (or a California fall), things can get pretty chilly around the holidays here in the San Gabriel Valley. And frankly, Air-Tro gets pretty busy when that thermostat dips and our customers realize the heating system they counted on last year is no longer working ... Continue Reading
Halloween Edition: HVAC Horror Stories
Halloween HVAC: Scary Installation and Repair Stories That Will Lower Your Inner Thermostat Here at Air-Tro we only have happy endings to your heating and air conditioning challenges, but out in the wilds of the Internet, it’s a different story entirely. As the weather hopefully cools down and the leaves begin to change, our thoughts turn to the spooky season that is ... Continue Reading
The Comfort of your Home
Heat Pump 101: The Differences Between Geothermal and Air Source Heat Pumps In many of today's Monrovia homes, the heating and cooling system is one of the most important things that make a house run smoothly in both hot and cold weather. However, with many advancements having been made in heat pump development over the past decade, many people have found themselves ... Continue Reading
Pasadena HVAC: Are There Benefits to Choosing a Heat Pump Over an Air Conditioner?
In this mild climate, the benefits of choosing a heat pump instead of a central air conditioner are many. Both heat pumps and air conditioners cool the air, but the heat pump can do double duty as a heating system in the winter. Cooling systems work by absorbing the heat inside homes using chilled refrigerant that flows through the evaporator coil inside the air handler. ... Continue Reading
The Air Source Heat Pump: One of the Top Sources of Heating For Californians
The air source heat pump is an excellent choice for meeting the heating needs of Californians. For areas with moderate temperatures, this type of system is ideal, and costs as much as 40 percent less to run during the colder temperatures. But what makes this system so popular in California? How It Works The air source heat pump quite simply absorbs heat from one place ... Continue Reading
When the Seasons Transition, Don't Forget Heat Pump Maintenance Monrovia
Take advantage of the break between summer cooling and winter heating to get important heat pump maintenance done. Unlike a conventional central air conditioner, your system isn’t going into mothballs for the winter. A heat pump simply shifts into the heating mode and continues keeping your home comfortable. Wear and tear goes on and issues like energy-efficiency and ... Continue Reading
Do Heat Pumps Cool as Well as Air Conditioners?
Heat pumps in our region are often the appliance of choice to provide both heating and cooling for homes. They're as energy efficient as central air conditioners and gas furnaces, and are simple and safe to operate, since they don't use combustion fuel. These appliances must meet the same energy efficiency requirements that a central air conditioner does, and use the same ... Continue Reading
Heat Pumps a Good Fit for Warm Climates
Heat pumps are considered a much more energy-efficient way to heat and cool a home than air conditioning and furnace alternatives. A heat pump is capable of delivering one-and-a-half to three times more heat energy than the energy it uses to run. Heat pumps are becoming an increasingly favored type of heating and cooling option, particularly in areas with moderate winters. ... Continue Reading
Your Heat Pump Condenser: An Easy Target for Copper Thieves?
Ever since the value of scrap copper increased in recent years, vacant properties and commercial buildings have been consistently at risk for the theft of copper tubing in their plumbing and HVAC systems. And even though the money copper thieves fetch is a fraction of the price property owners have to pay for repairs and replacements, the crimes persist. Such vandalism can ... Continue Reading
Heat Pumps for Greater Pasadena's Mild Climate: A Good Buy
Anyone living in the Pasadena area knows that the climate is mild and that even though there are some cool periods in the winter, there is not a real need for a huge furnace. In fact, heat pumps can be the best option for heating your home. Why? Here are some reasons: ... Continue Reading
Heat Pump Maintenance Leads to Optimal Efficiency for Your Pasadena Home
Looking for an investment in your home that's guaranteed to get a big return? Then schedule a heat pump maintenance appointment this spring. It’s arguably the most important maintenance task you can do, as it requires a nominal cost and nets a return of higher operating efficiency, energy savings, reliability and low repair costs. Your system will last longer too. Who can ... Continue Reading
Heat Pump Features To Look For When Selecting A New System
When you're selecting a new HVAC system for your home, consider these heat pump features that can help you save energy dollars and increase home comfort and enjoyment. Recent improvements to the components for heat pumps have increased their efficiency ratings and options now exist for sound levels, both inside and out. ... Continue Reading
Operating And Maintaining Your Heat Pump For Maximum Efficiency
Heat pumps, like other heating and cooling equipment, require proper maintenance and operating techniques to run at maximum efficiency. The combination of properly caring for your heat pump and scheduling annual maintenance can result in a unit that is 10-25 percent more efficient than a neglected one. ... Continue Reading
Deciding On A Heat Pump: Check And Compare The SEER And HSPF Ratings
When the weather's hot and the utility bills are creeping up as you try to keep your home comfortable, the need to find an energy-efficient solution to cooling your home becomes obvious. One answer for many homeowners in the Pasadena area is a heat pump. Heat pumps both heat and cool your house, giving you energy efficiency all year long. When it comes to choosing a heat ... Continue Reading
Troubles With Your Heat Pump? Try These Tips Before You Call For Help
A heat pump that won’t work when you need it can be a source of frustration and discomfort. Before calling for service and adding extra expense to your list of aggravations, check the system out and see if the problem is something simple you can fix yourself. Here are a few tips to try before calling in an HVAC expert. ... Continue Reading
Where Your Ductwork Won't Go, The Mini Split Delivers
In almost every new building or renovation job, the amount of physical space available for expanding the project is limited. In HVAC applications, the ductwork that carries the heated and cooled air from the main HVAC unit must be accommodated; without it, the furnace or air conditioner will be useless. Ductwork can take up a lot of area in the construction plan, however, ... Continue Reading
Your Yard Maintenance: Does Your Heat Pump Compressor Need Attention Too?
Every season is heat pump maintenance season. Because heating and cooling functions are combined in a single system, heat pumps get year-round operation and wear. However, the outdoor compressor/condenser unit may be neglected during seasons when you’re not out and about in the yard. Here in L.A., spring rains have greened the grass and acacias are blooming. While you’re ... Continue Reading
Invest Your IRS Check In A Heat Pump, And Enjoy The Return For Years To Come
When that IRS tax refund check comes in, it can be tempting to spend that sudden cash influx on something fun or frivolous. You may very well deserve a quick vacation or a new big-screen TV. However, if you make a more sensible choice and divert that tax check to a new heat pump for your home, you’ll save enough money on your utility bills to regularly afford some of ... Continue Reading
Anatomy Of A Heat Pump: How This Unique System Does Such An Efficient Job
Heat pump systems are both simple and complex. Simple, because a single system provides both heating and cooling without requiring a separate air conditioner and furnace. Complex, because the ability to both heat and cool requires the system to have a lot of different parts. ... Continue Reading
Four Factors To Keep In Mind When You're Deciding On A Heat Pump
Heat pumps have become more popular in recent years because homeowners recognize their ability to heat and cool homes efficiently. If you are thinking about changing the comfort system of your home to this type system, here are some things to consider. ... Continue Reading
Your Heat Pump: A Nine-Point Maintenance Checklist
If your heat pump is working properly, you will be saving money on your monthly energy consumption. A pump that has issues in one area or another can consume as much as 25 percent more energy than a more efficient one. A number of maintenance tasks can be performed by the homeowner, while a qualified contractor should be hired for a number of other key components. ... Continue Reading
A Ductless Mini-Split System: A Unique Solution For Some Not-So-Usual Challenges
Ductless mini-split heat pumps offer a flexible heating and cooling solution in homes with additions, or houses that do not have duct-based climate control systems. They are very efficient, offering excellent heating and cooling power for relatively little electrical input. They make a cost-effective choice in instances where ducts do not exist, or where it is not possible ... Continue Reading
Air-Source Heat Pump Options If You’re Upgrading
If you are upgrading the heat pumps in your Pasadena home, there are many options for you to choose from. While they all operate using the same basic principle of heat transfer -- using a device to move heat from one place to another rather than burning fuel to create heat -- they each operate in various ways. ... Continue Reading
Changing Seasons
The seasons have changed and cold weather is here to stay. Are you ready? Here in California we’re used to mild winters, but so far this one is been pretty chilly. Thanksgiving was the coldest on record, and the snow on the mountains doesn’t look like it’s going away any time soon. What does that mean for your building? Most heating systems in California rely on ... Continue Reading
