Five Steps to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Does the air in your home seem smelly, stuffy, or otherwise polluted? You may already be experiencing airflow problems with your A/C system. To improve your home’s indoor quality, here are 5 simple steps that you can take:

• Vent combustible appliances such as heater and furnaces away from the home.

• Install ventilation systems—such as exhaust fans—in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Be sure to use quiet, energy efficient fans.

• Don’t place any part of your home’s heating and air conditioning system in polluted spaces where they could pull contaminants in. If ductwork needs to pass through a polluted space, make sure they are properly sealed so they won’t pick up contaminants or leak out air.

• Keep potentially harmful substances such as pesticide, solvents, and paint away from intake vents.

• Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your A/C system. These filters trap particles including allergens like pet dander, pollen, and dust mites. They can also capture irritant particles like tobacco smoke. Replace your filter once a month for optimum results.

   

If you’ve done all of the above and still feel your indoor air quality hasn’t improved, it’s time to call in a certified HVAC professional for a thorough evaluation of your system.

Features that Affect the Cost of a New A/C Unit

When it comes to choosing a new cooling system, you need to find one that will serve you efficiently for many years to come. Of course, one of the first questions you’re going to ask is, “How much do I have to pay for a new air conditioner?” It’s hard to give an exact number since a lot of different factors come into play, not to mention that A/C system prices vary from dealer to dealer. Nevertheless, it pays for you to know the features that add to the cost of a new A/C unit. Here are three of the most prominent ones:

High efficiency ratings

A/C units with high seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) ratings cost more up-front, but they help you save significantly on energy consumption, which will result in lower cooling bills throughout the entire lifespan of these appliances.

 

Variable speed air handlers

Unlike single-speed handlers, variable speed air handlers can operate over a wide range of speeds that also contributes to significant savings on energy costs.

 

Advanced air filtering systems

Modern A/C units with advanced filtering systems can eliminate up to 98 percent of your indoor air’s harmful contaminants, thereby improving air quality and limiting the spread of illnesses in your home.

Ductless A/C Units—An Energy-Efficient Option

Ductless air conditioners incorporate the use of an outdoor condenser unit, with electrical and refrigerant lines that go through the exterior wall to one or more wall-mounted air handlers inside the home. As such, ductless systems are usually a permanent fixture on a wall, which means they require professional installation and a larger investment than a portable or window air conditioner.

 

However, they are cheaper to install than a central A/C unit, and also less intrusive, since they don’t require a bulky duct system to distribute air. Many models can have as many as four air handlers connected to the outdoor unit, which means a ductless A/C system can cool up to four middle-sized rooms.

 

The biggest advantage that ductless A/Cs have over central A/Cs is that they are actually more energy-efficient as they allow you to cool only the rooms you are using. Thus, less energy wasted compared to central A/Cs, which cool the whole home—including unused areas—whenever they’re turned on. Not only that, ducts account for more than 30 percent of energy loss in an A/C system. Since the lighter models require no ductwork, ductless A/Cs do away unnecessary energy losses.

 

An alternative cooling system that’s more energy-efficient—a ductless A/C system is definitely the way to go.

Frigid Winters Often Cause Need for Boiler Repair

Toronto residents have just survived one of the more brutal winters in recent memory. While warmer temperatures are starting to prevail throughout the city, it doesn’t mean that their winter problems are over.

Tough winters are absolutely brutal on HVAC systems, particularly boilers. Before you go soak up some sun, be sure to assess the condition of your boiler. In particular, look for the following signs of trouble:

Furnace Repair—Leave it to the Experts

A seemingly simple furnace repair can instantly become stressful and costly if you decide to do a little DIY without really knowing what you’re doing. Unlike many other devices and equipment that you can fix easily around the house, furnaces require more skills and specialized knowledge to fix. Attempting to repair a furnace yourself can cause a lot of damage to your home—you might even end up injuring yourself. That’s why you should leave furnace repairs in the hands of a Toronto HVAC expert.

Various Types of Air Conditioners

Part of the air conditioning installation process is selecting the appropriate AC unit for one’s home. While some homeowners would usually depend on their contractors’ recommendation in choosing an AC unit, it is important to also have a good understanding of the different types of AC’s and their corresponding advantages and disadvantages. Central air conditioners, for example, are very much different than their room-based counterparts.