Boosting Indoor Air Quality: Solutions for Poor IAQ in Burbank, CA

March 18, 2025

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is frequently worse than outdoor air quality due to stagnant indoor air, which does not refresh as often. Improving the air you breathe is essential for maintaining health and can significantly alleviate breathing issues and enhance comfort during allergy season. In this guide, we will explore solutions for some of the most common indoor air quality problems you may encounter in the Burbank area. Improve Your Ventilation Indoor air quality is influenced by more than just allergens. Activities such as painting, heating with kerosene heaters, or sanding can significantly decrease it. In these cases, solutions like air scrubbers and purifiers can help. Additionally, increasing the volume of fresh air in an enclosed space by opening doors or windows can also be effective. One limitation of many HVAC systems is that they recirculate indoor air, which means they do not introduce fresh air into your home. While some systems can remove allergens like dust and dander, improving ventilation helps refresh the air. Opening doors and windows to bring in fresh air or using window fans can enhance ventilation in your living space. While these methods may also introduce some allergens, they will effectively remove lingering chemicals from...

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Your Guide to the 2025 HVAC Refrigerant Phase-Out

February 1, 2025

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated that starting January 1st, 2025, only eco-friendly refrigerants will be used in newly manufactured HVAC systems. Here’s what this means to you as a homeowner in the Los Angeles, CA area. The Refrigerants Being Phased Out In 1987, the United Nations finalized a global agreement to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. This agreement, known as the Montreal Protocol, targeted substances used in products such as air conditioners, refrigerators, aerosols, and fire extinguishers. The Montreal Protocol’s goal was to mitigate global warming. The ozone layer filters out harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which is known to reduce agricultural productivity, disrupt marine ecosystems, and increase the prevalence of skin cancer and cataracts. The Montreal Protocol was scheduled to be implemented in different stages as technology improved. After the Kigali Amendment was adopted in 2016, the next milestone in this effort was the 2025 HVAC refrigerant phase-out. This phase-out targets hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are powerful greenhouse gases that, while less damaging to the ozone layer than their predecessors, contribute significantly to global warming. The refrigerants affected in this phase-out include R-410A and R-22. Their production, importation,...

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How a Smart Thermostat Can Save You Money on Heating This Winter

January 23, 2025

If you’re looking for ways to save on your winter energy bills without impacting your comfort, installing a smart thermostat is one of the best and easiest options. Although it usually doesn’t cost that much to heat a home in the Burbank, CA area, a smart thermostat can still save you money on heating. We’ll explain how smart thermostats work and explore the various ways they can help you reduce your energy bills this winter. How a Smart Thermostat Works Some people believe that smart thermostats don’t differ much from other programmable thermostats aside from connecting to Wi-Fi and being controlled using a mobile app. While this is somewhat true for the most basic units, most smart thermostats on the market today are far more advanced. They have learning capabilities that allow them to know when you’re home and away and start recognizing your normal behavior patterns. You still have to input your desired temperature settings at first, but the thermostat should be able to program or adjust the settings on its own after 10 to 14 days. Most smart thermostats have a built-in motion sensor that helps them to determine whether someone is still home. If no one walks...

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When Is It Time to Upgrade a Furnace?

December 1, 2024

Furnaces have an average life span of 15 to 20 years. Once yours gets close to that point, you need to watch for signs that you should replace it. As your heater ages, it becomes less energy efficient, which can cause your heating bills to go up. Homeowners in the Burbank, California, area should contact for an evaluation of their homes to determine if they need upgraded heating systems. It’s important to know some of the signs of a failing furnace, the benefits of replacing your heating system, and considerations for choosing the right type. Signs You Need to Upgrade Your Aging Furnace As an aging furnace begins to degrade, there are certain signs that you may notice. These can all be present, but there’s a chance that only some will be evident at certain times. The changes may occur slowly, so you might not realize what’s happening at first. Strange Noises As components in the furnace wear out and fail, strange noises will start to come from the unit. These can sound like rattling, squealing, or banging when the furnace is operating. Sometimes, there may be a burning smell accompanying a sound, which is one of the signs that...

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How You Can Make Your Furnace Installation as Easy as Possible

November 4, 2024

A standard furnace can last for 15 to 30 years if it is properly cared for. However, even the best furnaces will eventually break down. Once this occurs, there are a few simple measures you can take to ensure that the installation of your new furnace goes as smoothly as possible. How to Ensure an Easy Furnace Installation With the help of the best heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) experts, you can quickly get your furnace installed. Prior to installation day, the HVAC technician will review how to prepare the space where the furnace will go. Afterward, you can get your home ready for installation day. Check Your Ductwork and Ventilation Since your home already has a furnace, you will most likely use the same ductwork and ventilation that is already installed in your home. However, you should get your ductwork and ventilation checked before the new furnace is installed. Over time, gaps and small cracks can develop. If there are any gaps, a professional HVAC technician can quickly diagnose and repair them. Minor gaps can be easily sealed. For more major problems, individual components may need to be replaced. Pick the Right Furnace One of the most important...

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8 Steps to Take to Improve Your Home’s Ventilation

October 4, 2024

Air pollution is an invisible threat to your health. Most of us expose ourselves to toxic chemical vapors and irritating particles every day without realizing it. The threat often comes from inside our homes. Houses tend to trap air pollution, which gives it a chance to build up to hazardous levels. Good ventilation solves that problem. The air outside of your home is relatively clean, and you can use it to dilute the air pollution. You just need to find a few ways to bring it into your house and vent the polluted air. 1. Open Some Windows Natural ventilation isn’t the most powerful solution, but it’s usually the quickest and easiest option. Every window that you open will help ventilate your house. Polluted air will flow out of your home, and clean air will enter it. It’s a gradual process, so it’s important to leave your windows open for as long as possible. You can accelerate the process by opening your windows as widely as possible, but even a cracked window will help. This method does have a few downsides. You should try to keep your windows closed if you’re heating or cooling your home. The open windows will...

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Autumn HVAC Preparation: Tips and Tricks

September 5, 2024

When the summertime turns into autumn, you’re likely thinking about preparing your home for the colder weather. One household system that you don’t want to overlook is your HVAC system. There are various tasks that you’ll want to undertake in order to ensure that it’s in tip-top condition for fall. Schedule Professional Service One of the most important things you’ll want to do is schedule professional maintenance service. It’s important to have one of our HVAC technicians access your heating system to locate any potential problems and perform service on its internal components. One of the most crucial reasons to have this service performed is to ensure the warranty coverage on your system remains active for another year. Change Air Filters When the seasons change, it’s a good time to switch out the air filter on your HVAC system. You want to replace it with a filter of the exact same size to ensure optimal efficiency of the filter. It’s a good idea to have multiple filters on hand so that you can replace your filter whenever it becomes dirty. A dirty filter can really restrict the overall efficiency of your heating system. Program Your Thermostat When you’re officially ready...

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California Homeowners Guide to HVAC Maintenance

August 5, 2024

Burbank, CA, has hot, dry summers and moderate winters. Although it’s less prone to experiencing wildfires than other California cities, it regularly receives an influx of wildfire smoke and other pollutants. These are all important factors to remember when choosing, installing, and caring for your HVAC equipment. The following is everything you need to know about local HVAC maintenance. Air Quality and HVAC Air Filters According to a 2023 report from the City of Burbank, both indoors and out, local air quality has been a significant point of concern since the 1940s. People who live in densely populated areas and near busy, bustling freeways tend to have higher concentrations of gaseous chemicals, dust, and other allergens and contaminants in their homes. Burbank lies in a geographically challenging region. It has many heavily traveled roadways, multiple rail corridors, and massive highways along or within its boundaries. Rather than dispersing, the Verdugo Mountains trap much of the air pollution from these features. Homeowners nationwide are advised to inspect their HVAC air filters monthly and change them every 30 to 90 days. In high-pollution areas like Burbank, it’s best to examine these components every three to four weeks and replace them as needed....

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How to Save on Summer Cooling Costs in Burbank

July 12, 2024

It’s easier to beat the Burbank, CA summer heat with an efficient and reliable air conditioner. Even then, cooling costs can skyrocket when the temperatures soar. Try some of these tips and services to help keep your utility bills low and reduce the stress on your cooling system. Open Windows at Night Opening your windows on cool nights can be a highly effective way to reduce cooling costs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, utilizing natural ventilation during cooler hours can significantly lower indoor temperatures and decrease the reliance on air conditioning. This practice can lead to substantial energy savings. By closing windows in the morning before temperatures rise and then reopening them at night, you can create a more energy-efficient home, potentially reducing your monthly cooling costs by up to 30%. Utilize Window Coverings Curtains, blinds, or other window coverings are essential for shielding your home from the blazing sunlight, especially on south-facing windows. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests that window coverings can reduce heat gain by up to 77%, significantly improving your home’s energy efficiency. Keeping window coverings closed during the daytime when the sun is beating down can maintain a cooler indoor environment and help...

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Summer HVAC Myths Debunked: What You Should Know

June 12, 2024

When it comes to home cooling systems, it seems like every homeowner has taken advice on how to lower their energy bills. Unfortunately, not all the advice is based on truth. There are many common cooling system myths that we will debunk below so you get a better understanding of your system. Bigger Is Always Better When the hot summer weather hits, it’s easy to think you need a big cooling system to combat it. The reality is that an oversized air conditioning system for your home will decrease efficiency and skyrocket your energy bills. When your system is too big, it will kick on for a few minutes and turn off quickly as it reaches your desired temperature. This is referred to as short cycling. When this happens, your air conditioning system isn’t getting to run long enough to remove all humidity from your home. When humidity remains, it can make your home feel much hotter than it is. This will have you turning down the temperature on your thermostat. Your cooling system will be short-cycling more often and increasing your utility bill than if you just had an appropriately sized cooling system for your home. Closing Off Unused...

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