The holidays bring so much joy, but they also are commonly associated with higher bills due to travel, shopping, dining out, and more. Implement some of our tips below to help you save some money on your energy bill to offset the other spending you’ll be doing over the holidays. Install a Programmable Thermostat Programmable thermostats are great at any time of the year, but you’ll definitely appreciate installing one a little more over the holidays. A programmable thermostat allows you to control and adjust your home’s temperatures to energy-saving levels when you are away. Whether you’ll be out shopping for a few hours or visiting family for a few weeks, you can program your thermostat to heat your home to a cooler temperature than you would if you were home. This can drastically reduce the amount of time your HVAC unit is running, which will result in noticeable energy and money savings on your next bill. Seal Any Leaks If warm air is escaping your home or cold air is getting into your home, your HVAC unit will need to work harder to keep your house heated. This is why it is important to locate and seal any leaks...
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The new year is approaching so you’re probably already thinking of resolutions and goals. Saving money and reducing your carbon footprint are two impactful ways you can improve your lifestyle and maintain a more comfortable home. At , we specialize in providing efficient, affordable heating solutions to help you save money and conserve energy. Our experts recommend the following tips to boost your house’s energy efficiency in 2020. Stay on Top of Preventative Maintenance Preventative maintenance is important to keep your HVAC system efficient. We recommend having a licensed technician inspect your system annually to check for wear and tear and determine whether it is time to have components in your system cleaned to maintain air quality. This can help to avoid overworking your air conditioner and furnace. Change Air Filters Regularly The air filters in your HVAC system work hard to collect pollen, dust, and impurities all year. This keeps the air inside your house fresh. To work properly, these filters require regular cleaning and replacement. Depending on your system, you may need to swap them out every two to four months. Invest in a Smart Thermostat A smart thermostat is a worthy investment that will help you to...
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On the surface, space heaters seem like a quick and easy source of heat for your Burbank home or office. But did you know that space heaters can be hazardous? At , we think it’s important to learn about space heaters before you use them. The following are the pros and cons of using space heaters in your home or office. Pro: DIY Project The best part about purchasing a space heater is that you can set it up without assistance. You don’t have to install it. Remove it from the box, plug it into the wall, and you’re good to go. Con: Potential Fire Hazard Space heaters are responsible for approximately 25,000 fires and 300 deaths each year. When you use a space heater, you must be careful. Monitor your space heater at all times. If you leave the room, turn it off or unplug it. Keep children and pets away from the space heater. Pro: Cost-Effective For less than $100, you can purchase a space heater for a large room. The cost to run a 1500-watt space heater is about 16 cents per hour. If you reduce the running time of your heating system, you can decrease your...
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Your furnace has several safety switches that are monitoring different conditions within the system. If they detect a problem, they will turn off your furnace to keep it from failing. If a safety switch turns off your furnace, the controller will wait a few minutes and restart the furnace. If a safety switch still detects a problem or is malfunctioning, it will turn off your furnace again. This cycle may continue until the problem is determined and fixed. A Diagnostic Test Will Find Your Furnace’s Problem Safety switches are monitoring airflow, heat buildup and the presence of a flame when fuel is being fed to your furnace. The skilled technicians at in Burbank, CA, can determine if a safety concern is present or if one of the sensors is beginning to fail. One of these sensors is monitoring the volume of air flowing through your furnace. Low airflow can cause the heat exchanger to overheat. An airflow problem might be caused by a dirty air filter, a dirty blower wheel, too many closed heat vents or an obstruction within the system. The flame sensor is ensuring that a flame is present when fuel is being fed to the ignition chamber....
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Strange things can happen with a heating system. Unexpected mishaps may require service calls, and routine maintenance is also necessary at times. You should, therefore, expect to replace a filter at some point. When the screen becomes black, something is seriously out of the ordinary. Putting in a new filter might not be enough. Depending on the cause, other work may be required. Dirt Accumulates in the Filter The filter catches dirt and, eventually, becomes so dirty that it turns black. Changing it before this point would be best. If you waited too long to change it, get the work done now. If you live near Burbank, CA, you can turn to . Mold Finds a Home Mold might not be the first thing you suspect when you see a black filter, but the organic growth may very well be the culprit. Mold can grow in any environment that’s hospitable to it. This includes the interior of a heater. If there’s dampness inside the heating system, any mold spores present are going to grow and feed. Once mold affixes to the filter, the organic matter on the screen will give mold a food source. The filter has to go....
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Spring might be a harsh allergy season, but fall can be equally difficult for allergy sufferers. Even indoors, we can experience allergy symptoms, so you want to keep the indoor air quality at a healthy level during the fall season. Here are a few things to do to counter those fall air quality concerns. Improve Your Indoor Air Quality There are several things that you can do to improve indoor air quality during the fall. For starters, you can open the windows to let out that stale air and allow some fresh breezes into your home. However, this can open your home to outside pollen, and it might not be a suitable solution for those with allergies. If you need to test the air quality of your Burbank home, our technicians will make sure that you are breathing high-quality air. Use a HEPA Filter on Your Vacuum You can keep pollutants, pet dander, mold, and dust mites under control with the help of a HEPA filter. These filters will trap the harmful particles in the filters, helping you to breathe a little easier this fall. Change Your Heating Air Filter It is important to change your air filter throughout the...
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Whether you own a packaged unit or a heat pump, it will start to get a workout in the autumn. Below are five ways to mitigate the rise in energy bills that you’ll see during the fall season. 1. Replacing Air Filters Any ducted unit will have trouble heating if the ducts and filters are dirty. This means higher bills for increasingly mediocre performance. Pleated air filters, which are the highest in quality, should be replaced every three to six months. At , we can handle this and other minor heating repairs throughout Burbank, CA. You could even request regular maintenance. 2. Schedule Heating System Maintenance With a tune-up every autumn, you won’t have to worry about your system breaking down in the middle of winter. Tune-ups also help you save energy by eliminating any issues that were compromising the unit’s performance. 3. Checking for Adequate Insulation Your attic and walls may be lacking in the way of insulation, which means it will do little to slow down heat loss. Once you know the type, thickness, and R-value of your insulation, you can choose between adding more layers or upgrading to something with a higher R-value. 4. Preventing Drafts Drafts...
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The decisions you make regarding your new HVAC system are some of the most important determinants of the quality of life you will enjoy in your new home. Keep in mind the below questions when making your decision. What Is the Proper Size of Equipment for Your Home? Check with a reliable HVAC specialist for suggestions on the equipment he or she deems fit for your house. By conducting a load calculation, a technician can give you precise recommendations so that your residence is heated and cooled without overworking the furnace, thermostat, and AC unit. How Much Does the New HVAC System Cost, Including Installation? Ask for a quote that details costs for equipment and installation. A reputable HVAC service will gladly offer case studies, testimonials and references from other clients so that you can see if working with them is a good fit. Costs will depend on variables such as chosen fuel source, size of equipment and degree of difficulty of installation due to your home’s design. What Is the Best Fuel Source for My Home’s Heating? Choosing between oil, electric or natural gas will determine a lot about your HVAC system. From what kind of ventilation system you...
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If you’re considering purchasing a maintenance agreement for your HVAC system, there are several questions you may want to ask your technician. Service agreements are offered for customers that depend on their HVAC systems to work and could stand to lose out if they don’t. It’s added peace of mind and serves as a tune-up to help prevent unnecessary repair calls that can be costly. Finding the right maintenance agreement can save you money if you find it’s the right decision for your home. is happy to provide you with more information regarding service agreements. Find Out What’s Covered, When It’s Covered, and If There Are Any Charges Most service contracts for HVAC will cover one or more components of your system. For example, a contract may cover just your air conditioner or just your heating system. Many of them cover both items. You’ll also want to find out how many maintenance visits you’re entitled to each year. Most plans offer a minimum of two; however, this can vary widely depending on the agreement. You’ll also want to find out what items are covered, specifically. If an item isn’t covered, you’ll want to find out if there’s a discount on...
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Though air conditioners are very sturdy machines, they still have the potential to rust just like any other piece of metal that is exposed to moisture. If you have noticed the appearance of any rusty streaks and spots on your AC unit, do not panic. This is typically a very easy problem to solve. Here are some tips for dealing with rust on your air conditioner. The Problem with Rust Can you just leave the rust alone? A lot of people pick this option because they think rust is just unsightly. However, it does real damage as it eats away at the metal, especially if it gets into the condenser. Another issue is that letting rust build up instead of calling for AC repair can end up voiding your warranty. Removing Rust Yourself If the rust is very light, you can usually remove it yourself. First, turn off the power to the unit entirely. Using sandpaper or a nylon brush, remove all the rust. Then, clean the area with a degreaser and paint over the cleaned area with a rust-proof paint and primer. Deciding If You Need Professional Help It is possible to remove the rust yourself in many situations....
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