When you're expanding your home by going up, consider your HVAC options before you get too far into the process. Your choice may affect how you design and engineer the space. The three choices include extending your current heating and air conditioning system, upgrading your current system, or installing an independent system for the new space. The advantages of each of ... Continue Reading
Replacing Your Air Conditioning System: Features To Look For
Replacing Your Air Conditioning System: Features To Look For Replacing your air conditioning system is an investment that takes careful consideration. Today, there are more options than ever to meet the specific needs of homeowners. Take time to learn of the advanced features to help make your investment a wise and informed one. ... Continue Reading
Deciding On A Heat Pump: Check And Compare The SEER And HSPF Ratings
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 ... 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
Duct Diagnostics: 4 Steps To A More Efficient System
If your cooling or heating equipment isn’t performing up to par, it may have nothing to do with your A/C unit or furnace. The trouble’s more than likely some distance away, out of sight in the attic or the crawl space where your ductwork runs. Proper duct diagnostics performed by an HVAC pro will reveal problems with duct leakage, inadequate ductwork insulation or ... Continue Reading
For More Energy-Saving Tips, Like Us On Facebook, And Follow Us On Twitter
For More Energy-Saving Tips, Like Us On Facebook, And Follow Us On Twitter Customers of Air-Tro have come to rely on us for expert solutions to their air conditioning, heating and indoor air quality challenges. An important part of our mission is to provide our valued customers with information they can use to make a difference in their lives. This includes energy-saving ... Continue Reading
Electronic Air Cleaning — Because You Need A Breather From Seasonal Allergies
Electronic Air Cleaning -- Because You Need A Breather From Seasonal Allergies Anyone experiencing seasonal allergies knows that retreating indoors does not always bring relief. In some cases, indoor air can be even more polluted than outdoor air. A reliable way to keep your indoor air clean and a source of allergy relief is by using an electronic air cleaning system. ... Continue Reading
Relax — Your NATE-Certified Technician’s On It
Relax -- Your NATE-Certified Technician's On It Malfunctioning or broken-down HVAC equipment can be a source of much aggravation and anxiety. HVAC equipment that doesn’t work right can pose a safety hazard from possible fires, explosions or leaks of harmful exhaust gases. When facing HVAC issues that can compromise property or safety, you want a professional technician ... 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
Vacationing? Tend To These Home-Maintenance Essentials Before You Leave
Preparing for your summer vacation involves more than booking flights and hotels and making sure you pack everything you need in your luggage. It should also include getting your home ready for your absence. Whether you’ll be gone a few days or a few months, here are some home-maintenance essentials that will help keep your home safe from unexpected damage and secure from ... Continue Reading
Air Conditioning Your Home: 7 Things You Should Know
Air conditioning components are hard-working, complex mechanisms. To keep your home cooling system working at its best, you must keep it well maintained. Here are seven things you should know about keeping your air conditioner in top shape. ... 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
The DIY Energy Audit: A Saturday Project That Can Yield Long-Term Savings
The DIY Energy Audit: A Saturday Project That Can Yield Long-Term Savings One of the best ways to save money year-round is to conduct your own energy audit. The Department of Energy estimates that half the money people spend on utilities each year goes toward heating and cooling. By searching your home for air leaks, insulation deficits and faulty HVAC equipment, you'll ... 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
Air Conditioner Sizing: The ABC’s Of Manual J
Air Conditioner Sizing: The ABC's Of Manual J Choosing a new air conditioner requires careful consideration of the size of your home and how much cooling it needs. The air conditioner must be properly sized—not too big and not too small—and must operate as efficiently and economically as possible. The unit must also be able to meet the “load” of your home, the actual ... Continue Reading
Taking Charge Of Your Energy Bills As The Temperature Rises
Taking Charge Of Your Energy Bills As The Temperature Rises If the upcoming heat of summer has you concerned about your energy bills, take some time to lower the cost of cooling your home. You don't need to spend a lot to rein in your cooling costs, and your efforts will trim your electric bill. ... Continue Reading
Spring And Summer Allergies: Do You Need UV Lights, An Electronic Air Cleaner Or Both?
Many Pasadena residents suffer from spring and summer allergies. UV lights and electronic air cleaners both work to remove allergens from your home's air. They fight against different types of air pollutants, so you will have the best indoor air quality if you use both types of air purifiers. However, depending on your current air quality and the types of allergies you're ... Continue Reading
Have You Put Off Buying A Furnace? Why An End-Of-Heating-Season Purchase Makes Sense
Have You Put Off Buying A Furnace? Why An End-Of-Heating-Season Purchase Makes Sense A serious furnace breakdown can be a stressful matter for any homeowner. A mid-winter breakdown can be an urgent matter. If the breakdown happens near the end of heating season, however, you may have options that are not usually available when the weather is still cold. By delaying buying ... Continue Reading
Factors To Consider When You’re Upgrading Your Air Conditioning
Factors To Consider When You're Upgrading Your Air Conditioning With winter coming to an end, it’s good time to consider the advantages of upgrading your central air conditioning system. Here are a few important factors to consider when looking for an air conditioner upgrade. ... Continue Reading
Red-Tagged Furnace: Making A Smart Choice When You Need To Act Fast
Even in warm areas of the country such as Pasadena, a furnace is an important factor in keeping homes warm during cool weather. If your furnace has been red-tagged, you may be tempted to make some rash decisions in order to get the furnace working and warming the house again. However, now is a time to stay calm and make good choices even when you need to act fast. ... Continue Reading
Anatomy Of A Heat Pump: How This Unique System Does Such An Efficient Job
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
Seal Those Ductwork Leaks — It’s About More Than Efficiency
Seal Those Ductwork Leaks -- It's About More Than Efficiency Sealing the ductwork in your heating or cooling system is commonly recommended as a way to increase the system’s efficiency and to improve your home’s indoor comfort. It’s good advice; ductwork leaks let air you’ve already paid to heat or cool just drift away on the wind. By properly sealing the ductwork, you ... Continue Reading
Preventing Energy Loss In Your Ductwork — Whether Your Home Is New Or Older
Preventing Energy Loss In Your Ductwork -- Whether Your Home Is New Or Older Because all of the conditioned air in your house travels through the ductwork, there is a considerable chance of energy loss in this part of the system. In new homes or old, however, there are effective ways to prevent this energy loss and the waste of money that results. ... Continue Reading
