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 Air Conditioning: What Should I Do if My Evaporator Coil Is Frozen?
If your air conditioner is having problems keeping up with the heat in the Los Angeles area, it's possible that the evaporator coil has frozen, which can reduce cooling efficiency and lead to system damage. When the evaporator coil is frozen, you'll have to first thaw it, then correct the cause of the problem before running the system again. Causes of a Frozen Evaporator ... 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
Los Angeles HVAC: Learn What Factors Affect Home Comfort Most
Your home should be a place where you feel at ease and comfortable. But have you ever stopped to think about the factors that affect home comfort? Keep reading to learn about three that have a big impact, as well as how you can improve your home’s environment. Humidity High humidity on a hot summer day makes you feel uncomfortably warm. Why is this? Too much moisture in ... Continue Reading
Los Angeles IAQ: Get the Facts About Indoor Air Pollution and How to Improve It
Are you interested in getting true data about air quality Los Angeles? As if the periodic problems with outdoor air pollution in the LA basin weren’t serious enough, the U.S. EPA has found that some indoor environments pose a major health risk due to high levels of airborne contaminants. Between tight homes with little ventilation and the many man-made products used ... Continue Reading
Los Angeles EER vs. SEER Ratings: How to Know the Difference
EER and SEER ratings both indicate how efficient air conditioners are, and they're determined by testing both central air conditioners and heat pumps under laboratory conditions. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requires that the ratings be prominently displayed on all types of cooling units to provide consumers with a guide for determining energy efficiency. The ... Continue Reading
Los Angeles HVAC: Ways to Maintain and Troubleshoot Your Ductless Mini-Split
With compact components and versatile installation options, ductless mini-split heat pumps and air conditioners are ideal for cooling and heating practically any area of a home or outbuilding. Ductless systems also offer superb energy efficiency if they're well maintained. Use these tips to ensure your ductless system is operating at peak efficiency this season. Ductless ... Continue Reading
Los Angeles IAQ: 5 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality for Allergy Season
Any season can offer up allergy triggers, but spring is typically pollen season, and if you're not already allergic to a particular type of pollen in our region, you may be in time. Unfortunately, pollen doesn't always stay outdoors; often, it travels indoors on your clothes or shoes, or just wafts in when you open doors or windows. Fortunately, there are ways to control ... Continue Reading
Top Ways to Make Your Monrovia Home a Healthier Space
A thorough cleaning regimen can go a long way towards keeping your household healthy. But even the most rigorous regimen may not be addressing certain factors that are contributing to less than healthful conditions. Knowledge is power, so arm yourself with some information if you're trying to create a healthier home. Ventilation Newer homes are built more air tight for ... 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 Los Angeles: How to Design and Size Ducts for an HVAC System
Ductwork systems provide a channel for airflow in your home. Return ducts carry air to be heated or cooled, while supply ducts deliver conditioned air to your living space. To effectively save energy in your Los Angeles home, it’s necessary to properly design and size ducts when retrofitting and adding rooms. This is a job for your HVAC contractor, but you can save ... Continue Reading
