When you notice a minor problem with your air conditioner during the summer, you may be tempted to simply ignore it and only schedule repairs if something worse occurs. Or you could simply wait until the next scheduled maintenance visit (usually in spring) to have a technician locate what’s wrong. This is a big mistake! …
Read MoreIf you have concerns about the quality of the air in your home, you’re not alone. Numerous residential (as well as commercial) buildings today suffer from an excess of airborne contaminants circulating through the HVAC system. The heavy insulation that seals off buildings from outdoor temperatures tends to worse these problems, since it prohibits fresh …
Read MoreA few weeks ago, when it was still officially summer, we posted about the importance of getting heating maintenance scheduled during October. It’s still hot here in the Southern California deserts, and that means you have time to arrange for maintenance if you haven’t done so yet. You might think that this seems a bit extreme. Is this …
Read MoreThis isn’t a situation you ever want to run into during a hot Southern California summer day: an air conditioning system that’s only sending out room-temperature air, rather than the crisp, cooled air you expect. The first thing to keep in mind when you run into an AC that isn’t doing its job is not …
Read MoreSummer weather in Southern California extends right through September and into October, with maybe a few spots of overcast and cooler days popping up during that time. Most homeowners won’t even think about turning on their heating systesm until December. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give some thought to your heating system during this …
Read MoreHow long has it been since you’ve had the air ducts in your home cleaned? If your first thought upon hearing this question is, “I need to have my air ducts cleaned?”, you are definitely overdue for the job! In general, duct cleaning should be arranged every two to three years, depending on how much …
Read MoreWhen does it officially become “allergy season”? There’s no date for it like there’s a date for the start of spring or the beginning of daylight savings time; it depends on what part of the U.S. you live in and the changes in temperature from one season to another. However, the average range for allergy season …
Read MoreCentralized air conditioning has long been the most popular method in this country for cooling a home. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s always the best option. Central air loses a lot of its output in transit from the system to its destination. In fact, the US Department of Energy has estimated that an average centralized forced-air …
Read MoreWe recently discussed the danger of cracked furnace heat exchangers and how this can lead to carbon monoxide (CO) entering your home and posing major health risks. Any use of natural gas in a home presents some risk of CO leaks, and it’s important that you take steps to prevent this from occurring and to …
Read MoreLow indoor air quality is a problem that can affect us here in Southern California around the year. With our houses so well insulated against outside heat—a necessity considering our long hot seasons and heat spells during other parts of the year—too many contaminants from indoor sources start to build up without escape. Building materials, …
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