A home energy evaluation is an important step to take if you want to make your HVAC system and home more efficient. The easiest option to take is to have a professional energy auditor perform a full energy assessment of your home. You can also perform your own energy audit. Here's a checklist for each of these energy evaluations. DIY Energy Audit A DIY audit can help you ... Continue Reading
What is a Variable-Speed Furnace?
In the mild Pasadena climate, you need a furnace that can keep the chill away without blasting out hot air. A variable-speed furnace does this by adjusting its output to meet your needs. Modern Motors Offer Greater Flexibility The motor in an older, mid-efficiency furnace can run on a "high" and "low" speed. The furnace runs on high only during times of unusually ... Continue Reading
Learn the Difference Between Air Filtration and Air Cleaning in Your LA Home
When improving your home's indoor air quality, you may consider air filtration or air cleaning. To many homeowners, these two terms have the same meaning. Let's have a closer look at each process to help you get the difference and determine which one is right for your home. Air Filtration Air filtration is the process through which your home's return air is passed ... Continue Reading
Is Now the Time to Replace Your Los Angeles Ductwork?
Your home's ductwork is the highway heated and cooled air uses to get to your rooms. Ducts are almost completely hidden from sight, meaning you may not think about it very often. Just like any other system in your home, ductwork can suffer from damage and breakdowns that make it necessary to evaluate the need for replacement. Here are signs that indicate you need to ... Continue Reading
Resetting the Programmable Thermostat in Your Los Angeles Home
Gone are the days when thermostats were clunky boxes or round dials with often questionable accuracy. Today, however, thermostats offer convenient and intuitive features, whether you're using a standard digital thermostat, a programmable thermostat or a smart thermostat capable of WiFi networking integration. Some of the convenient features of modern thermostats are HVAC ... Continue Reading
Need a New Furnace? Keep these Tips in Mind When You’re Shopping in Pasadena
Whether you're shopping for a furnace for the first time or you haven't shopped for a heating system in a while, you may be pleasantly surprised by the sophisticated features available today. For example, some furnaces automatically adjust heat and airflow output in increments as precise as one percent. Sealed combustion and venting make heating with natural gas and ... Continue Reading
Tips to Save Money and Increase Energy Efficiency this Season in LA
If you are like many people, you probably take steps such as turning off lights for energy efficiency at home. However, you might not know that you can reduce your energy bills even more by preventing wasted energy during heating and cooling. Here's how to do that this season. Use Better Window Treatments If you have ever touched a windowpane on a cool, cloudy day or ... Continue Reading
You Need to Flush Sediment from Your LA Water Heater
How long will your water heater last before it needs replacement? The average is around 10 to 12 years, assuming it receives regular professional maintenance. However, hard water can reduce expected service life and substantially increase water heating costs. The “hardness” of water refers to non-toxic, naturally-occurring minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium. ... Continue Reading
Maintenance Agreements — What Are They and How Can They Help Los Angeles Homeowners?
Regular maintenance is key to keep your HVAC equipment in good working condition, but it's easy to forget to book a service appointment at the start of the heating and cooling seasons. By signing a maintenance agreement with a reputable HVAC contractor, you'll get reminders about scheduling preventative care so your equipment receives the attention it ... Continue Reading
How to Fix Problems with Hot and Cold Spots in Your Greater Los Angeles Home
Have you noticed that one room in your house is perfectly comfortable while another one is uncomfortable due to a temperature difference of several degrees? If so, you are not alone. Many homeowners experience annoying and uncomfortable hot and cold spots inside their homes. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to ensure a uniform temperature throughout your ... Continue Reading
Los Angeles IAQ: What Should You Do to Improve Indoor Air Quality this Fall?
The Los Angeles smog, fall pollen and mold spores, and many other air contaminants make poor indoor air quality a common problem in our area. If you want to breathe easier this fall, there's a lot you can do to clean up your home's air. Control pollutants at their source - Improperly adjusted fuel-burning appliances can leak trace amounts of carbon monoxide. To prevent ... Continue Reading
Los Angeles HVAC: Why Should You Get Furnace Maintenance Now?
Have you given any thought to furnace maintenance? Thinking about furnace maintenance in early fall is not easy, because the temperature in the Los Angeles region is still quite warm—but this is the best time to give some attention to maintaining your furnace to avoid problems when the cooler weather hits in full force. Beat the Rush When temperatures start to drop and ... Continue Reading
LA HVAC: What You Should Do to Keep Your Air Conditioner Running Efficiently this Fall
Ironically, temperatures in the LA region can be as hot or hotter in the fall than during the summer, making it important to keep your air conditioner clean and well-maintained. It will handle whatever late-season temperature spikes and Santa Ana winds efficiently and dependably. Check the air filter - A clean air filter traps more airborne particulates and keeps your ... Continue Reading
HVAC Mistakes First-Time Home Buyers in Los Angeles Should Avoid
When you're about to buy your first home, there is a myriad of things to consider. Among them is the desire to keep your home comfortable in both winter and summer. To that end, you need to make sure the house's HVAC system is in good working order. Here are some mistakes first-time home buyers often make with their HVAC systems, and how you can avoid them: Not checking ... Continue Reading
Los Angeles HVAC: Auto or Fan On? Learn Which Thermostat Setting Is Best for Your Home
Many of us take our home thermostats for granted. We set the temperature we want and then forget about it. But you can save money on utility bills while improving your comfort if you pay closer attention to thermostat settings. For example, your choice with the fan setting – "on" or "auto" – can make a meaningful difference in energy use and home comfort. What's the ... Continue Reading
Could Your Los Angeles Home Benefit From an HVAC Zoning System?
A standard HVAC system has only one temperature setting for your entire home. Because buildings tend to vary in temperature from room to room, it may be difficult to keep all the rooms in your home comfortable, especially if you have multiple family members with differing preferences. In that case, an HVAC zoning system may be a perfect addition to your Los Angeles ... Continue Reading
Pasadena HVAC: 7 Things to Consider Before Replacing Your HVAC System
New heating and cooling equipment is not only an expensive investment, it's also a purchase you'll have to live with for the next 15 years or more. When you're weighing different options for replacing your HVAC system, seek the advice of an experienced heating and cooling specialist and keep these crucial factors in mind. Lifetime Costs In addition to the initial ... Continue Reading
Can Regular Commercial HVAC Maintenance Benefit Your Facility?
Studies prove that preventative HVAC maintenance can help facility owners save on repair and replacement costs. Nevertheless, most facility owners react to maintenance emergencies, instead of including commercial HVAC maintenance into their budget. The most common reason given is a lack of resources. Why Maintenance Pays Off Preventative maintenance is important not only ... Continue Reading
Indoor Air Quality Los Angeles: 5 Common Indoor Allergy Triggers & How to Avoid Them
Studies show that the air in our homes is more polluted than the air outdoors. If you suffer from year-round allergies, the source may well be in your own home. You can learn how to increase the indoor air quality in your Los Angeles home and identify indoor allergy triggers by reading the following tips. Indoor Allergy Triggers Dust is the no. 1 pollutant in many ... Continue Reading
Ductwork Pasadena: Properly Seal Ductwork with Mastic and Mesh Tape
Many homeowners take their HVAC air ducts for granted. Yet, this ductwork plays a vital role in delivering conditioned air throughout their homes and bringing "used" air back to their furnace, A/C or heat pump. In many homes, either because of poor installation or maintenance, or from the ravages of time, leaks in ductwork can result in a significant loss of conditioned ... Continue Reading
HVAC Check up Monrovia: HVAC Warranty 101 — Don't Accidentally Void Your Contract
You probably don't think much about your HVAC warranty until there is a problem with your system and you want to know if the repair costs are covered under the warranty. Unfortunately, your lack of interest in the warranty may cause you to accidentally void your contract. Here are five things that will void or at least reduce the length and value of your HVAC ... Continue Reading
LA HVAC: Ways to Prevent Problems With Your HVAC System When You Renovate
The one certain thing you can count on as you renovate your home is plenty of dust, especially if you're removing carpeting or changing the interior to any degree. Taking steps before you start to prevent problems with your HVAC system will keep much of that dust and debris from entering it. The particulates kicked up during home remodeling can lead to system-wide ... Continue Reading
Ductwork Pasadena: Why the Ductwork Needs Inspection Now and Then
When it comes to maintaining the equipment in your Pasadena home, it's important to keep in mind that the ductwork needs inspection too. Your home's ductwork needs to be properly sealed to keep your space warm during the cold season, cool during the hot season, and to promote greater energy efficiency all year round. When air ducts aren't properly sealed, they waste the ... Continue Reading
Ways to Reduce the Load on Your A/C
Summer means hotter times for the greater Los Angeles area, but, as we all turn up our air conditioners, it is important to use them as efficiently as possible. In particular, making the job of cooling your home easier will help your cooling system to work more effectively. The two main ways to reduce your air conditioner’s work load are to improve your home itself and to ... Continue Reading
Air Leaks in Your Home Are a Problem: Learn How to Stop Them
Air leaks in your home can be responsible for a significant waste of conditioned air and unnecessary increases in your heating and cooling costs. As conditioned air gets out and seasonal outdoor air gets in, your HVAC system works harder and your indoor comfort level decreases. By finding and sealing these leaks, you prevent the problems associated with them. Sealing the ... Continue Reading
