As you transition from the warm days of summer to the chillier months, it’s easy to shift your focus away from your air conditioning unit. However, preparing your AC for winter is crucial for its longevity and efficiency when the temperatures rise again. In this post, we share essential steps to safeguard your AC during the colder months.
As we transition from spring to summer, cottonwood fluff emerges. This seemingly innocuous byproduct of cottonwood trees can pose a significant threat to your air conditioner, risking both its efficiency and lifespan. Read on as Countryside Plumbing & Heating, Inc. explores the impact of cottonwood season on your cooling system and how to maintain a comfortable and efficient home environment during the warmer months.
As the summer season approaches, you have to make sure that your air conditioner is in its best shape. You won’t want your AC breaking down in the middle of a hot and humid day. In today’s post, Countryside Plumbing & Heating, Inc. shares some tips on how to prepare your AC for summer.
Summer is only a few weeks away, and you’ve probably already started cranking up your air conditioner as the days become hotter. While turning it up may help make your home feel more comfortable, it also increases the risk of a power surge. In today’s post, HVAC and electric heater contractor Countryside Plumbing & Heating, Inc. shares a quick guide on how you can protect your appliances from a summertime power surge.
Read moreIt’s common knowledge that appliances can malfunction if they haven’t been used in a while. But does this apply to air conditioners as well? In general, if you haven’t used your air conditioning unit for three or four months, it should still work just fine when you turn it on for the first time since the previous season.
Keep in mind that there are a few precautions you need to take before turning it on for the first time in months. Countryside Plumbing & Heating, your trusted radiant heat expert, lists these below:
Read moreHeating and cooling systems rely on refrigerants to cool homes and business establishments. The problem, however, is that most refrigerants have adverse effects on the Earth’s atmosphere. Constant use of such refrigerants has already depleted the ozone layer significantly. This is why the US has undertaken a drive to phase out harmful refrigerants, such as the R-22. Read more
With winter always comes the opportunity for things to freeze up. One of the last things you want to have freeze up on you is your tankless water heater. Fortunately they have been designed to take on even the worst winter weather. That doesn’t mean they can be totally neglected while winter is wreaking havoc on the temps. Here are a few ways to winterize tankless water heaters that can help to ensure you have warm water all winter long –
Anytime your gas appliances need more gas than the meter size can handle, you could experience an insufficient supply of fuel that can and will hinder performance. If you see that your meter capacity comes to less than what your total household Btuh load is, then you need to contact the gas company.
While a tankless unit does contain freeze-prevention heaters there are still hot-and-cold-water lines that lead from both to and from your heater. These plumbing lines need to be protected as well. If you do experience freezing, this is where it happens. You want to protect those pipes with insulation, even if it’s something as easy and simple as using aluminum foil.
When the weather reaches extreme cold temps, back draft coming into the vents on your unit can become problematic. To avoid this try running your vent vertically rather than horizontally.
The freeze prevention heaters on your tankless water heater needs electricity to operate. You never want to unplug or disconnect the power and stop the flow of electricity to your unit in the winter time. You should actually thing about purchasing a backup generator in case your power ever does go out.
You have much less of a chance for your pipes to freeze when there is water flowing through the them. If you are on a re-circulation plumbing system, let it run frequently during cold winter months. Of course that will cost you more on your energy bill but it’s better than being without warm water. If you’re not on a re-circulation system, then let your faucet drip a little to prevent freezing.
If you live where the temps can get really low, then try to place your unit in a place that is fairly warm. It will lower the risk of your unit freezing over.
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Energy consumption for heating and cooling systems accounts for around 5 percent of the electricity produced in U.S—this is almost $15 billion. As a homeowner, therefore, going for energy efficient systems makes a lot of sense. Correctly sizing your heating and cooling system is one way that you can use to cut down your energy costs.
Unlike older homes, modern homes have many other additions including more windows, weather stripping, insulation, and caulking among other features. This implies that even with a smaller system, you can still keep your home comfortable and save money in your monthly utility bills.
Generally, over sized heating and cooling systems are:
Most contractors will only check the label listing of your existing system and advice to go for a similar one, or even worse, one’s that’s bigger. Others will also base the size of your HVAC system on what other customers (with similar home size) settled on or purchased. These are not the correct way to size HVAC equipment and are never in your best interest.
The best methods that you should use are the Manual D (Residential Duct Design) and Manual J (Residential Load Calculation) methods. The two methods take into account factors such as size and orientation of your home, insulation levels, air infiltration rates, occupant preference levels, age and number of occupants, window location, roof surface color, local climate, efficiency of major appliances that produce heat, duct air leakage, and window building materials among other factors.
Correct HVAC sizing will impact your home’s comfort level, energy costs, and the lifespan of your equipment. Before you install your HVAC unit, therefore, ensure that you understand the significance of your system correctly.
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There are many times of air conditioning systems designed to serve the same purpose — to cool the air inside of a house or a room. These systems differ not in their functioning but the scale on while they supply conditioned air and the area they serve.
Some Air Conditioner Types:
These units are installed in the windows and hence the name. The unit consists of a single housing containing all the components required for the working of the system. The inner part of the air conditioner blows cool air while the outer exposed part flushes warm air to the exterior.
These units are used in places where window air conditioners and other types of units cannot be used. These units are usually placed on the floor of the room in a corner. A hose is installed with these units which discharges hot air to the outside of the room. These units are also used in conjunction with other air conditioners when there is need of an additional air conditioner to keep the room temperature in favorable range.
When the component of air conditioning unit is placed both inside and outside of a room, it is called a split air conditioner. In this type of the unit, the evaporator (blows cool air inside of the room) is placed on the inner wall of the room while the compressor and other component are installed on the outside wall or the roof. These two components on the inner and outer side of the room are connected by a duct and a hose to supply cool air.
These types of units are installed where there are multiple rooms. Various ducts are planted all through the building or the home — supplying fresh and cool air. With this single unit, you can control the temperature of air across your entire house without the need of an individual unit for every room.
If you are looking for help with choosing the best air conditioner for your home or office, you may call us for professional support and recommendation.
What Is Indoor Air Quality?
Indoor air quality is defined as the air quality within or around the buildings. The indoor air quality can be affected by a variety of things, including wood, coal, tobacco products, kerosene, gas and oil.The central air conditioning and heating system can also have a negative impact on indoor air quality.
Additionally, outdoor sources can have a negative impact on indoor air quality. Outdoor air pollution, pesticides and radon are examples of outside sources that may affect indoor air quality.
How Does Indoor Air Quality Harm Health?
Immediate Effects
One of the reasons indoor air pollution is a concern is because it has been linked to many health problems. In fact, many people notice the effects after being exposed to indoor air pollution for a short amount of time. Dizziness, headaches, sore throat and irritation around the eyes, nose and mouth are some of the immediate effects of indoor air pollution.
Many factors determine the effects indoor air pollution has on the person who is being exposed to it. Preexisting medical conditions and age are two of those factors. People who are exposed to indoor air pollution may experience symptoms similar to those of colds and other respiratory problems. It is often difficult to determine whether a person’s symptoms were caused by the exposure to indoor air pollution or a respiratory illness.
Long-Term Effects
Many people do not notice the effects of indoor air pollution until years after they have been exposed to it. In many cases, long-term exposure to indoor pollution can cause serious health problems. Cancer and heart disease are two of the health conditions linked to long-term exposure to indoor air pollution.
It is important to note people react differently to exposure to indoor air pollution. More research needs to be conducted in order to fully understand the health effects of indoor air pollution. Researchers are also trying to determine how much pollution one needs to be exposed to in order to experience adverse health effects.
You may want to have the air quality in your home tested. Call us to schedule your indoor air quality testing today.
