Heat Gain 101: What Monrovia Homeowners Need to KnowWhen you're trying to keep your home cool during a summer in the Monrovia area, heat gain is your number one enemy. Heat gain is the amount of heat added to your home by sources such as air leaks, moisture infiltration, solar radiation, heat given off by appliances or electronics, heat and moisture contributed home ... Continue Reading
Insulation Myths Monrovia Homeowners Need to Avoid
Insulation Myths Monrovia Homeowners Need to Avoid Myths are great for reading material or movies, but home efficiency myths, on the other hand, should be stamped out before they spread to your pocketbook. Following are common insulation myths to be aware of when assessing your insulation. Paper-Based Cellulose Insulation Can Cause Fires Cellulose is produced from ... Continue Reading
HVAC Pasadena: Common Attic Ventilation Myths & Misconceptions
HVAC Pasadena: Common Attic Ventilation Myths & Misconceptions Effective attic ventilation is one of the most basic elements of energy-efficient homes. If your attic has insufficient exchange of stale and fresh air, your living space might get too hot or cold, depending on the season. Poor attic ventilation can also lead to moisture buildup in your attic, damaging ... Continue Reading
5 Air Duct Cleaning Tips for Your Monrovia Home
5 Air Duct Cleaning Tips for Your Monrovia Home Your air ducts are out of sight, but they shouldn't be out of mind. Ducts, which need to be airtight, don't always stay that way. When leaks occur, dirt can make its way into your system, as can rodents, insects, moisture and mold. To help you assess whether it's time to clean your ductwork, here are some air duct cleaning ... Continue Reading
Home Insulation Tips Pasadena: Here’s What You Need to Know About Adding Insulation to Your Home
Home Insulation Tips Pasadena: Here's What You Need to Know About Adding Insulation to Your Home Contact Air-Tro for the best home insulation tips in the greater Pasadena, CA area. Adding insulation is one of the most effective ways to keep your home cool during Pasedena's hot summers and ward off the winter chill, too. If you're considering improving your ... Continue Reading
Heat Gain Can Add to Your Energy Costs
Heat Gain Can Add to Your Energy Costs Reducing the amount of heat gain that enters your Pasadena home this summer can help you lower your monthly air conditioning costs and keep your household feeling more comfortable. The walls, doors, windows, and ceilings in your home all work together to insulate the interior space, so their energy efficiency can also impact ... Continue Reading
Ways to Reduce the Load on Your A/C
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 ... Continue Reading
Keep Temperatures Constant and Have a Cool Home
Keep Temperatures Constant and Have a Cool Home Upgrading your air conditioner can help lower your energy bills, but for the greatest savings you can't rely only on your air conditioner. One of the best ways to keep your energy bills down is to reduce heat gain in your home to reduce your air conditioner's running time. Here are the steps you can take today. 1. ... 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
What Are Insulation R-Values?
What Are Insulation R-Values? A well-built home has stylish features and high quality construction. Construction components should offer maximum insulation from nature’s elements. Though we live in a very agreeable climate, a well-insulated Pasadena home will still save you hundreds of dollars in heating and cooling costs. A well-insulated home will not only keep the ... Continue Reading
Some Myths About Electricity Use in Relation to Your HVAC System
Some Myths About Electricity Use in Relation to Your HVAC System Californians are always on the lookout to make their lives a little greener, and Pasadena is no exception to that rule. And with just about half of the average home's energy bills going to heating and cooling, knowing what's true and what's not about how to manage electricity use in your home HVAC system can ... Continue Reading
Calculate Your Energy Usage and Save Money in Your CA Home
Calculate Your Energy Usage and Save Money in Your CA Home Those of us living in Southern California are accustomed to paying higher energy costs, and we are also always looking for ways to save energy and cut down on our utility bills. Many homeowners don't understand where all the electricity on their bill has gone, and which appliances or activities are costing them ... Continue Reading
Assessing Your Insulation: Now Is the Right Time to Do It
Assessing Your Insulation: Now Is the Right Time to Do It Winter is here, and even the mild climate of Pasadena can serve up some near-freezing temperatures. When it's cold outside, the heat in your home will naturally try to equalize itself with the cold outdoor air. Insulation slows that heat loss, lowering your overall energy bill. In the summer, the same principles ... Continue Reading
The Crawl Space Under Your Monrovia Home: Why It Needs to Be Lifted Into Your Conditioned Space
The Crawl Space Under Your Monrovia Home: Why It Needs to Be Lifted Into Your Conditioned Space If you have a crawl space in your home, it's probably not insulated. Most split level homes built in the early 1950s through the 1970s did not incorporate insulation into the structure. Instead, they left a vent in the side wall to allow moisture to escape. This is one of those ... Continue Reading
The Leaky Air Ducts in Your Monrovia Home: They’re Crying for Attention
The Leaky Air Ducts in Your Monrovia Home: They're Crying for Attention Leaky air ducts are one of the major energy wasters in your Pasadena home. Summer or winter, you're wasting conditioned air if it's leaking into the unconditioned spaces where most ductwork is likely to be located. Ducts leaking only 20 percent of the air that passes through them will increase your ... Continue Reading
If Done Correctly, a DIY Energy Evaluation Can Clue You in to Fixable Inefficiencies
If Done Correctly, a DIY Energy Evaluation Can Clue You in to Fixable Inefficiencies Performing a DIY energy evaluation gives homeowners a clue about inefficiencies around the home. Once you know where air leaks occurs, and where insulation lacks, along with other key considerations, you’ll know just where to target your efforts to solve energy wasting problems around the ... Continue Reading
Insulation Basics: Control Heat Flow In Your Pasadena-Area Home
Insulation Basics: Control Heat Flow In Your Pasadena-Area Home Your ability to keep your home comfortable lies, in large part, in the insulation inside the walls and the attic. Your home may not have enough in either place to control the heat flow, summer and winter, which increases your energy bills and lowers your comfort. Insulation is one of the least expensive and ... Continue Reading
A Beginner’s Guide To Finding The Air Leaks In Your Home
If you haven’t already made an effort to seal your home’s air leaks, now is a great time to start this home improvement project. With air leaks plugged up, you’ll enjoy a more comfortable interior and greater heating and cooling efficiency, which results in lower energy bills. Here’s a beginner’s guide to finding the air leaks in your home. ... Continue Reading
Ventilation And Insulation: Remedies For An Attic That’s Running A Temperature
Because your home is kept comfortable with air conditioning, your attic will always be hotter in the summer compared to your home’s interior. However, there are two concepts that can serve as remedies for an attic that’s running a temperature: ventilation and insulation. Here’s a look at why these remedies are important and how you can implement them in your Pasadena home. ... Continue Reading
Attic Insulation: For Better Cooling Downstairs, Improve On What You Have Upstairs
With temperatures soaring in Pasadena, thoughts turn to how to best keep your home environment cool. The obvious answer is an air conditioner or heat pump. Of course, the effectiveness of your system is only as good as the attic insulation above. Read on to find out why improving on what you have upstairs can help make you cooler downstairs. ... Continue Reading
Those Little Air Leaks Could Be Costing You A Lot — Plug Them
There are probably more little air leaks in your house than you realize. From the attic to the frame, escaping air costs you money all year round. Plugging leaks takes a little time, but is well worth the effort. The more efficient your HVAC system runs, the better for you and the environment. There will be fewer emissions if the heating and cooling system is using less ... Continue Reading
An Easy Guide To Duct Sealing
An Easy Guide To Duct Sealing In your forced-air heating or cooling system, the ducts are the extensive network of large metal pipes that carry conditioned air from your main HVAC unit to rooms and other areas inside your house. Ductwork systems, however, can easily develop air and energy leaks that can drive your utility bills up, reduce HVAC efficiency or cause ... Continue Reading
MERV Filters — By The Numbers
The filters in your air conditioner are responsible for cleaning the air that flows through your HVAC system, and for trapping and holding contaminants such as dust, pollen, mold and bacteria. When choosing filters for your air conditioning system, pay close attention to their MERV rating. MERV, which stands for minimum efficiency reporting value, is an HVAC ... Continue Reading
Musty Rooms? Your Return Air Ducts Could Be The Culprit
Musty smells in your home are associated with mold or mildew growth from moisture in the air. Mold may grow inside return air ducts, and air flowing through the ducts will carry the musty odor to your rooms. Musty smells may cause headaches or aggravate health issues such as asthma or allergies. Cleaning the ducts will eliminate the smell, but it is important to remove the ... Continue Reading
Uneven Cooling? A Zoning System Can Take Care Of That
When uneven cooling (and heating) is a problem in your home, keeping everyone comfortable is challenging. It burdens your air-conditioning system and wastes energy, and it quickly becomes an unavoidable nuisance. Ideally, each room or area of your home should be conditioned to the desired temperature. With a zoning system, you can make that happen--and save energy. ... Continue Reading
