How can I reduce pollen in my home?

Posted on: April 27th, 2016 by tcg_admin No Comments

Improving your home’s air quality can improve your health.

Spring is in full bloom and avoiding allergies will be a persistent problem. With new plants blooming through the warm months of summer and into the fall, you never know when your allergies will hit. With that in mind we want to help you keep your indoor allergies to a minimum. With just a few easy tips, you can keep your family breathing free.

Regularly change the filters in your HVAC system
Maintain the humidity level in the house at around 50%. Dust and pollen are easily stirred in dry air.
Service your Air Conditioner on a regular basis
Keep your windows closed when pollen counts are highest: in the early morning hours, between 10 am and 3 pm, and in windy conditions.
Keep your lawn mowed to prevent grasses from blooming and spreading pollen.
Use a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. They are very effective in removing pollen from the air indoors without contaminating the environment with mold.
Dry all your laundry indoors during the pollen season, it will accumulate on clothing that is outdoors
Avoid travel in the country; especially on dry, windy days or while crops are being harvested.
Pets bring in pollen on their fur. Brushing them thoroughly before they come in will keep them from bringing pollen inside.
Remove shoes before going inside.
Change clothes after being outside and wash or rinse your hair
Wet dust and vacuum every day using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to reduce the amount of pollen residue on surfaces.

The more of these simple steps you take, the less pollen you will have to deal with. Once you have reduced the amount of pollen inside your house you will be able to live more comfortably. This healthier environment will allow you to breath easy and sleep better.

To schedule your regular HVAC maintenance appointment, contact the team at Action Air. We have friendly, trustworthy, HVAC technicians who are ready to help you keep a low pollen household. They will be able to advise you on air filters and help you identify areas where pollen can enter your home! Remember, when you need action, call Action Air!

Sources:
Aaaai.org
DIY Network
NC State University

What’s the Point of Regular HVAC Maintenance?

Posted on: March 21st, 2016 by tcg_admin 4 Comments

My system is running well, can I skip maintenance?

Although you can technically skip maintenance, it is not advisable! Imagine doing the same with your car. If you never have the oil changed or a tune-up until the check-engine light comes on, you can’t expect it to last more than a few of years. With that in mind, there is one very practical reason to schedule maintenance and that is saving money! There are two ways scheduling yearly maintenance will save you money: prevention and energy efficiency.

Prevention:

Regular check ups give your technician more chances to detect small problems and correct them, before they become major issues. Repairing a small refrigerant leak may not be a huge charge, but buying a new compressor when low refrigerant levels burn your current one out can cost a significant amount of money.
Energy Efficiency:

Maintenance service will ensure that your HVAC system is running at maximum efficiency by cleaning out your system and making sure that everything is in optimal condition. When your HVAC is running well, it uses less energy to cool and heat your house. Lower energy usage means lower bills and less environmental impact.

So what are some of the things we will do in a routine maintenance visit?

Check thermostat settings. – This should be operating at optimum efficiency.
Tighten all electrical connections. – Bad connections can reduce the life of major components.
Lubricate all moving parts. – Friction can slow motors and increase the amount of electricity used.
Inspect the condensate drain. – A clogged drain can cause water damage and affect indoor humidity.
Check system controls. – We check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly.
Clean air conditioning coils. – Dirty coils reduce the system’s cooling ability. This in turn makes the system run longer and wear down more quickly.
Check refrigerant level. – Improper refrigerant levels will make your system less efficient.
Inspect blower components. – Airflow problems can reduce efficiency by up to 15% in the winter.
Check all connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and heat exchanger. – Any problems here can cause the equipment to operate less safely and less efficiently.

At Action Air we’ve been providing the Clarksville area with heating, cooling, sales, and service since 1979. We have certified service technicians, ready to provide you with high quality and knowledgeable maintenance on your unit. Visit our website or give us a call at (931) 647-8525 to set up your maintenance appointment today!

Sources:

Trane
Home Advisor
Energy Star

Air Filters Clean Household Air

Posted on: December 27th, 2015 by tcg_admin 2 Comments

Concerns about the effects of poor indoor-air quality have increased.

Name: ACTION AIR
Address: 868 Kraft Street, Clarksville, TN, 37040
Telephone: (931) 647-8525

Poor indoor air quality can be a serious concern for families and individuals dealing with lung issues and serious allergies. There is good news, however; whole-house air-cleaning systems are becoming increasingly more popular and can be incorporated into almost any HVAC system.

In fact, filtering household air is most efficient when it is done through your home’s forced-air heating or central air-conditioning system. These filters are built into the return-air ductwork, trapping particles as air passes through.

There are 4 common types of filters available:

1) Flat Filters

If you have a forced-air furnace, you’ve already got a simple air filtration system. This is the fiberglass filter that comes as a standard piece of any HVAC system. This filter is rudimentary and needs to be changed often. These filters are designed to protect your furnace from large particles of dust, but they won’t block the microscopic particles that are most irritating to lung tissue.

2) Extended Media Filters

This is essentially a large stack of filters designed to filter out even smaller particles. They require professional installation because the large filter holder must be plumbed into the ductwork. This filter will need to be changed yearly, but it should remove a large amount of particles from the air.

3) Electronic Filters

These high-tech units, sometimes called electrostatic precipitators, are also incorporated into the ductwork. As air passes through, a high-voltage current puts an electrical charge on particles. At the other end of the unit, oppositely charged collector plates grab the particles like a magnet. Electronic filters work especially well on smoke particles too small to be trapped in media filters. These require a separate electronic wiring and must be installed professionally.

4) Ultraviolet Filters

Ultraviolet Filters are the best choice for those concerned primarily with germs. UV filters are built-in components that can be added to a home unit. The ultraviolet light kills airborne bacteria and viruses. This type of filter is what hospitals use in order to keep the environment clean and germ free.

When it comes to improving indoor air quality, whole house air purifiers are powerful tools that create a more comfortable and healthier environment for your whole home. For more information or to discuss which whole house air filtration system is right for your family, call Action Air. We’ve been providing the Clarksville area with heating, cooling, sales, and service since 1979. When You Need Action, Call Action Air!

Sources:
Plenty Air
Allergy Buyers Club
This Old House

Do I really need a Carbon Monoxide Detector?

Posted on: October 31st, 2015 by tcg_admin No Comments

Energy efficiency is a huge priority for homeowners.

With cold weather coming, our houses are tightly sealed and furnaces are starting to run regularly.

In homes that are well insulated, carbon monoxide leaks can quickly reach dangerous levels. Having a properly installed, working carbon monoxide detector in your home is important to protect your family.

Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It cannot be detected by humans without the help of a detector, which makes it incredibly dangerous. The Journal of the American Medical Association has found that carbon monoxide easily passes through drywall, the material used to finish walls and ceilings in most residential homes.

Carbon Monoxide can be created by many different appliances around your home. Just a few of the many causes are:

Oil and gas furnaces
Motor vehicles
Stove/gas range
Gas line leaks
Gas water heaters
Generators
Space heaters
Gas/wood burning fireplace

So do you really need a Carbon Monoxide detector? If you utilize any of the above in your house, the answer is yes. Additionally, If you have an attached garage or back up generators, you should have Carbon Monoxide detectors installed. It is recommended that you have one on each floor of your home, including the basement, as well as having them within 10 feet of bedrooms.

Carbon Monoxide prevention is also key. Fuel burning appliances such as gas water heaters, dryers and other appliances should be checked to ensure they are properly vented to the outside of the house. Most importantly, an annual heating system tune-up is essential to maintaining the safety and reliability of your gas furnace. Contact Action Air and ask a technician to clean and check the furnace burners and test for the presence of carbon monoxide. We can also take care of your fall maintenance to get your house ready for the winter. At Action Air we have certified service technicians, qualified installers, and a knowledgeable sales staff. When You Need Action, Call Action Air!

Sources:
Forbes
About Health
About Home
ABC

Saving Money with a Digital Thermostat

Posted on: August 28th, 2015 by tcg_admin No Comments

Let’s face it, digital thermostats can be intimidating.

But, used properly, they can save you lots of money!

Are you wondering how can a digital thermostat save you money? It’s all in the way you program them. The basic principle is to lower or raise the temperature of your house during the times you aren’t home.

Digital thermostats offer lots of features in terms of multiple setback settings, overrides, and adjustments for daylight savings time. In order to save money with a digital thermostat you need to take advantage of these features. When programming your thermostat, consider when you normally go to sleep and wake up. Also, think about the schedules of everyone in the household. If there is a time during the day when the house is unoccupied for four hours or more, if so it makes sense to adjust the temperature during those periods.

Some general rules for the timing of your thermostat program are:

Reduce the heat or air conditioning 20 to 30 minutes before you leave home
Adjust the temperature back to your comfort level 20 to 30 minutes before you come home each day.
Reduce the heat or air conditioning around 60 minutes before you go to sleep each night.
Increase heating or cooling approximately 30 minutes before you wake up each morning.
Schedule weekend settings that will be different from your mid-week thermostat settings.

Energy.gov provided a great example of what this sort of schedule might look like for an average family during the winter:

6:45 a.m.: The family wakes up to get ready for the day. The temperature of the house is 68°F; the heat automatically turned on a bit earlier so it would hit this temperature by 6:30.
7:45 a.m.: The family leaves the house and the thermostat is set to 63°F. By turning their thermostat back 5° or 6° for 8 hours, the family can save 5% to 15% a year on their heating bill — a savings of as much as 1% for each degree if the setback period is eight hours long.
4:30 p.m.: The family starts returning home from work and school. The heat turned back on a bit before this so the house would again be 68°F for their return.
10:30 p.m.: The whole family has gone to bed (bundled in warm pajamas and snuggled under blankets), and the thermostat is again set to 63°F.

The same principles apply during the warmer months of the year, only in reverse. A cooler temperature can be set for the hours when your family is home while allowing the temperature to be higher when your home is unoccupied. Digital thermostats will have override functions for times when you are home unexpectedly, or if you need to change the settings while you are out of town.

Programming a digital thermostat can be intimidating. This online tool is a great way to practice and get a better idea of what you are working with. Although it may not be your exact thermostat, it will help you get a general idea of how programming a thermostat will work. If you don’t have a digital thermostat and are looking to upgrade, or just need a little bit of TLC in order to get yours programmed, contact us at Action Air today. Give us a call at 931-647-8525 or send us a general inquiry. And remember when you need action, call Action Air!

SourceLinks:

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/program-your-thermostat-fall-and-winter-savings

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=thermostats.progThermostat

Why is my air conditioner blowing hot air?

Posted on: July 30th, 2015 by tcg_admin No Comments

Air conditioning can be essential on a hot summer day.

Nothing is worse than hot air blowing from your AC.

We all expect that sound of an air conditioner working to mean a nice cool breeze and a comfortable indoor temperature. So why would an Air conditioner blow hot air? Well there are several reasons, some almost silly and some serious. Here are a few of the most common reasons that you aren’t feeling that refreshing chilly air.

Thermostat Setting: Did your thermostat somehow get reset? Make sure you check that your thermostat is set to cool! If the settings were changed, your air conditioner could be working perfectly, it may just not be on! HVAC systems will usually have several settings and although the sounds they make may be the same when they are working they all have very different functions. Make sure you don’t have yours set to a heat or fan mode.
Restricted Airflow: If there is something restricting the Airflow in your HVAC system there the cool air being produced by your air conditioner may not be making it through your ducts into your house. The main culprit for this is an Air Filter that needs to be changed. If a filter hasn’t been changed in a long time it can get very dirty and clogged which will stop the airflow from your AC. It is relatively easy to change a filter yourself, and could easily fix the problem. A dirty air filter can also make the coils in your AC dirty and that will require professional maintenance.
Electric Issues: Most air conditioners have two parts, and indoor and an outdoor unit. If the electricity is cut off to the outdoor unit you may be getting warm air blown into the house. An indoor unit will often be on a separate breaker from the outdoor, so the fan will keep blowing air even if the AC isn’t actually functioning. Check your outdoor unit to see if it is actually on and functioning. If it doesn’t seem to be you can also check the breaker and see if it has been tripped. If the breaker has been tripped there is probably a bigger issue involved and you should seek help from a professional.
Low Refrigerant: From the cheapest air conditioner to the most elaborate, they all use some kind of refrigerant (usually Freon). A Freon leak can leave you feeling the heat since you will have a complete loss of cold air. A Freon leak will be obvious if you see ice formed on the inside and outside of your unit. There are also a few other reasons your AC could be low on refrigerant. If that is your issue, a recharge and maintenance will be necessary and you will definitely need to seek the help of a professional.

Hopefully we have given you a bit more of an idea what is going on. If you decide you need professional help fixing your Air Conditioner in Clarksville, Tennessee or the surrounding area, contact Action Air. Our experienced technicians are on call Monday – Sunday 8am to 8pm and we have emergency service 24/7! Book an appointment online today at www.actionairclarksville.com, or give us a call at (931)-647-8525.

Action Air – Serving Tennessee & Kentucky - Action Air specializes in residential, commercial and industrial HVAC repairs and installations. Serving the Clarksville & Hopkinsville area since 1979.

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