The Difference Between HVAC and AC

August 15, 2019

At , we realize that many people don’t understand the differences between HVAC and air conditioning systems. Knowing the unique features of each type of system is important for communicating your needs for a building. Different types of buildings may require various systems in order to stay comfortable throughout the year. What an HVAC System Does HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. These systems can include a furnace, air conditioner, ducts, and air quality controls. HVAC systems are designed to keep a building comfortable regardless of the temperature outside. They are often equipped with a variety of air filters to ensure that they are circulating clean air. All the air is circulated through a central system. Standalone Air Conditioners An air conditioner is designed to keep the air in your building cool whenever it gets hot outside. There are two types of systems that can be operated without having a central ducting system. Window units sit in the window frame and are designed to cool single rooms or small areas. They aren’t overly energy-efficient or designed to regulate the indoor air temperature. Ductless or mini-split systems are a great option for cooling a home without a central ducting...

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How to Maintain Superior Indoor Air Quality in Your Home

May 22, 2019

Creating and maintaining great indoor air quality does not require spending a small fortune. Much of it happens by making small changes throughout your home and choosing the right products to use on a daily basis. Below are a few ideas to get you started. Monitor the Additives to Your Air It seems that all types of cleaners and household products emit some sort of scent that could begin to bring down the quality of your indoor air. Additionally, smoking indoors and not having things like a gas furnace properly vented can add to a buildup of odors and pollutants in the air you breathe. To combat these issues, you can purchase and use as many products as you can that are free of scents and odors. You should also operate vent fans when in the bathroom or cooking in the kitchen. Keep the Home Well-Ventilated and Balanced in Humidity As air-tight as most new homes are, it’s essential to have a way to properly ventilate your living space. Open windows on nice days that are low in pollen. Use ceiling fans to help keep good airflow throughout the home. You can also add a dehumidifier system when the air...

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Areas in the Home that Need More Ventilation

May 12, 2019

Proper ventilation in a home makes it possible to avoid the growth and spread of mold or mildew. It can also prevent certain rooms or floors of a house from getting too hot or humid. Generally speaking, keeping excess moisture out of a home can prevent damage to walls or other components. Kitchens and Bathrooms Tend to Be Warm and Moist Extra ventilation can come in handy in bathrooms and kitchens because these are confined spaces where hot water is used on a regular basis. Without ceiling fans or other ways to circulate air, you could run the risk of mold growth or other problems. The professionals from in Burbank can perform an air quality analysis and take other steps to help with ventilation issues in your home. If necessary, we can install dehumidifiers and heat recovery ventilators. Attics Should Have Extra Ventilation It is not uncommon for air to enter a home through the attic and circulate through the rest of the house. If the air in the attic is too warm or too humid, it can create uncomfortable conditions throughout the rest of the structure. Excess heat and humidity may also cause damage to any items that are...

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Debunking Three Common Cooling Myths

May 2, 2019

Since cooling systems have been around for so long, a lot of misconceptions about them are present. There are all sorts of supposed facts people hear from others that seem reasonable but are actually false. Don’t fall victim to common cooling myths. Educating yourself about why these myths are incorrect will help you save money and improve your indoor air quality. 1. You Don’t Really Need to Pay Attention to Air Filters Air filters are more than just a way of keeping dust out of your home. They actually help to trap microscopic particles that could otherwise end up making it harder for your unit to run. People who change their filters regularly can save up to 10 percent in energy charges. 2. Any Size of AC Will Work Fine for Your Home Many people shrug off concerns about AC size by saying they’ll just run their system more or less to compensate for any differences in size. However, an incorrectly sized unit can cycle on and off more frequently or run longer than it needs to. It can actually be more inefficient for a large unit to cool a space than a small one. This tends to lead to...

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How You Can Lower Your Energy Bills

April 27, 2019

Utilities are not cheap. It costs a lot to keep the lights on and your home comfortable. High energy bills are a reality that many families deal with, and an unexpected spike can be a budget buster. In order to truly minimize costs over the long term, homeowners should not look to life hacks but rather fundamental approaches that deliver lasting change. Schedule a Home Energy Assessment The experts at in Burbank recommend home energy audits to any customers who haven’t scheduled one recently. How can you make real change without knowing what the underlying issues are? An audit encompasses your entire home inside and out and identifies your inefficiencies. You can then target those inefficiencies based on how much they are costing you and what you will save. Invest in a Programmable Thermostat If you donΓÇÖt own one yet, purchase a programmable thermostat, and learn how to use it. You’ll be glad you did. The EPA estimates that the average homeowner can save almost $200 annually, and that covers the cost of the thermostat in the first year alone. Change Your Filters Regularly Among the most common mistakes homeowners make is not replacing their HVAC filters often enough. The...

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4 Impressive Benefits of Air Filtration

March 16, 2019

Maintaining the comfort of your home doesn’t just mean keeping the temperature at the right level. Anyone who enters or lives in your home, including your pets, can be affected by issues with indoor air quality. In fact, the EPA contends that indoor air is two to three times more polluted than outdoor air. So, if you have yet to explore your options with indoor air improvements, here are four impressive benefits of air filtration to consider. 1. Healthier and Cleaner Air An air filtration system can result in healthier and cleaner indoor environments for homeowners in Burbank, Thousand Oaks, and Beverly Hills. Air cleaners and purifiers with germicidal capabilities, in particular, can remove many of the pathogens that contribute to the common cold, certain forms of the flu, and various respiratory ailments. 2. Better Seasonal Allergy Control If you or someone in your household is affected by seasonal allergies, you may not be any better indoors than you are outdoors if you’re not breathing properly filtered air. An air cleaner or purifier can minimize or eliminate many common allergens or allergy triggers. 3. Fewer Lingering Odors From strong cooking odors to pet smells and anything that can fall in...

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Controlling Static Electricity in Your Home

February 18, 2019

During cold weather, you may notice your hair standing on end or a shock coming from everyone you touch. This is because the dry, cold air of winter is the perfect environment for static electricity to form. It can be hard to eradicate static electricity entirely, but there are ways to eliminate the conditions that are most likely to create it. Humidifiers vs. Dehumidifiers Humidifiers add moisture to the air while dehumidifiers pull moisture out of it. If you live somewhere with very humid summers, you may find using a dehumidifier helpful in preventing mold, but it’s not recommended for use in an arid climate. The addition of a humidifier is a smart choice if you live somewhere with cold, dry winters or hot, dry summers. In addition to minimizing static in the air, a humidifier can help alleviate dry throat and nasal cavities, chapped lips, dry and itching skin, and even warping and cracking in wood furniture. Other Ways to Minimize Static Electricity in the Home While using a humidifier is the most effective way to reduce the amount of static generated in your home, there are other ways to make your residence more comfortable. If possible, go barefoot...

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HVAC Systems: An Introduction

February 9, 2019

Although the majority of the developed world makes use of HVAC systems, the deeper workings of these machines are broadly unknown to the public. HVAC is short for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and almost every home makes use of one of the related systems. Heating and Air Conditioning Most heating systems are derived from the usage of a furnace. These days, they most often use combustion gases that feed into a heat exchanger. Meanwhile, the air that flows through your home naturally is directed over this heat exchanger before feeding into a system of ducts that distributes the warmed heat. This is known as “central heating” and supplies heat to millions of homes around the world. Central air conditioning uses the same systems to save space in your walls. The heat exchanger will instead cool before the same flow of air is dispersed through the home’s duct system. Some air conditioning systems use supercooled gases to ensure that the air is briskly cold before it flows through your vents. Problems with this part of your home’s utilities may result in a temperature that doesn’t stabilize or follow the direction of your thermostat. Working on these parts of your home...

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What’s the Difference Between HVAC and AC?

January 26, 2019

For many people, the terms HVAC and AC may seem as though they are interchangeable. Up to a point, they are, so those people aren’t entirely wrong. You just have to remember that one category is a subset of the other. Let’s take a look at what these acronyms actually mean. HVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. This makes it an all-encompassing term for the different types of equipment intended to keep your home’s temperature at a comfortable level and the air in healthy circulation. It pertains to the system as a whole. AC, on the other hand, refers only to the air conditioning component of this system. Alternatively, an air conditioning unit may stand alone. A Broad Assortment of Air Conditioning Equipment There are many types of air conditioning systems available. The most common, especially in larger homes, is central air. This kind of built-in system will cool an entire house. The design requires planning since it is dependent on the size of the space. Ductless, mini-split systems are often used when a building or part of it is retrofitted. Much like central air systems, these have a compressor outdoors and handling units inside. Since you can...

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Is a Humidifier Necessary During the Winter?

January 16, 2019

When the temperatures start to drop in winter, so does the humidity level. This is a natural phenomenon that occurs because cold air has a hard time holding on to moisture. Here in Southern California where the air is fairly dry, whole-house humidifiers might be helpful. There are certain situations that call for these devices or at least call for taking alternative measures to combat dry air. The Issues of Dry Air Low humidity can cause your skin to dry out. In addition to itchiness and sensitivity, dryness can lead to increased potential for nosebleeds, coughing, and sneezing. People with allergies are more susceptible to problems because allergens more readily travel through dry air. Furthermore, wood furniture and paint can tend to dry out and even crack when the humidity levels decrease. What You Can Do One option is to install a whole-house humidifier. A representative from in Burbank, CA, is available to discuss options. There are many different sizes, capabilities, and prices to consider. These whole-house units typically inject water vapor into the existing ductwork of a forced-air system. If you’d like something a little less involved, you can get a small, portable humidifier to use in certain rooms...

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