Boost Heating Efficiency with These Tips

January 3rd, 2022
money-symbol-on-seesaw-with-green-house

Since we deal with hotter temperatures most of the year, it seems odd to think about our heating systems at all. But the fact of the matter is, since we spend so much on energy due to AC system use, it actually makes a lot of sense that you’d want to think about how to spend less when temperatures do cool down–for however brief of a time it is.

The good news is, you don’t have to completely avoid using your heater to save money this winter. There are some helpful ways you can use your heater in order to save energy, and subsequently, money. Read on to learn more!

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Have You Scheduled This Important Heating Service Yet?

December 20th, 2021

If you haven’t thought a whole lot about the condition of your heating system lately, we don’t exactly blame you. After all, we’re known for our heat here in Florida, not chilly weather like our friends and family up north. In fact, temperatures barely drop enough to use our heaters for more than a handful of weeks.

Still though, you do need occasionally need your heater–otherwise you wouldn’t have one, right? And since this is the case, you want to make sure that yours is in good shape, so that it will work as efficiently and effectively as possible for when you do use it.

If you haven’t scheduled heating maintenance yet for this winter, then now is the time! Scheduling it ASAP will take away any concerns you have about it not working when you need it most. Read on to learn more!

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Signs That It’s Time for an AC Replacement

December 6th, 2021

Summer may be behind us this year, but if you’ve lived in the Tallahassee area for even just a year, then you know summer temperatures never really leave us for too long. Therefore, our residential air conditioners go through a lot more work than those in other parts of the country with actual fall and winter weather.

If yours experienced any trouble this past summer or more recently, it’s a good idea to consider if it’s time to replace the system altogether. The last thing you need, after all, is for your air conditioner to completely break down on you in the middle of a heatwave, which you know as well as we do can happen in January, let alone now. Read on to learn some of the leading signs that it’s time to replace your air conditioner.

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Will a Dirty Air Filter Hurt My Air Conditioner?

November 22nd, 2021
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Are you one of many homeowners who thinks that the only reason to consider the condition of your HVAC system’s air filter is because of the allergens and particles that could be in the air? If so, you’re only partially right.

There are a number of homeowners who assume that a dirty air filter is an issue because it keeps the air dirty, and this is why we advise our customers to change their filters every 1–3 months. So if you’re not suffering from allergies or any other ill effects of poor indoor air quality, you don’t have to worry about it, right?

Well, not quite … helping your indoor air quality is only a tiny part of what these air filters do. Their actual purpose is to protect the air conditioner itself from dust, dirt, and other debris that can get inside and hurt the air conditioner’s sensitive components. So, yes, a dirty air filter will hurt your air conditioner. Read on to learn how.

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Don’t Let These “End of Season” AC Repairs Haunt You!

November 8th, 2021

We know, it’s funny to call it “end of season” when really our air conditioners are needed year-round. Still, we do have some reprieve this time of the year … usually. So you might be looking forward to turning off your air conditioner for several weeks and not giving it another thought until you need it again next spring.

Well, we’ve got some news for you: this might be a mistake. If it wasn’t clear already, your air conditioner goes through a lot of work each and every year, throughout the year. This means two things: it really needs annual preventative maintenance from trained and experienced professionals, and it can accumulate wear and tear quickly.

Annual preventative maintenance will help fend off the worst repair needs, but it’s still important to be aware of the signs your air conditioner needs repair, even if it’s between maintenance sessions or it’s right before a seasonal break.

Read on to learn what these signs are!

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It’s Never Too Late for This Important HVAC Service

October 25th, 2021
two-technicians-working-on-air-conditioner

When you live in Florida, you know that summer never really ends. Sure, temperatures cool down for a bit in the winter—maybe a handful of weeks if we are lucky. But ultimately, we end up using our air conditioning systems a lot more than our heaters, if we ever use our heaters!

We’re only half-joking about that.

Those of us in the southeast need to pay special attention to our air conditioning needs, because our cooling systems accumulate wear and tear at a lot faster rate than an air conditioner in, say, upstate New York.

This means that air conditioning maintenance is vital. While any HVAC professional will tell you that the best time to have this service done is in spring, “before you need your air conditioner the most,” when you live here there’s never a bad time for a tune-up.

In fact, consistency matters much more than timing. We encourage our customers to have AC maintenance done once a year—twice a year if you have a heat pump. Read on to learn why!

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What to Know about Ice on Your Air Conditioner

October 11th, 2021
ice-on-air-conditioner

It’s a warm fall day, and you walk outside to notice something strange … your air conditioner has ice developing on it.

Now, perhaps you think for a minute that this might be normal. After all, the task of an air conditioner is to chill the air, so isn’t ice involved in the process?

Unfortunately, this can be a costly assumption to make. Air conditioning systems simply do not use ice in any part of their process in order to cool your home, and ice is not an effective way to cool any living space (an argument can be made for putting ice in a portable evaporative cooler—but we’re not calling this effective or efficient!)

So, what does it mean when ice is forming on your air conditioner, and what does this mean for your home comfort? Read on and we’ll help you understand.

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Broken Down Compressor: Should You Repair or Replace Your AC?

September 27th, 2021
compressor-inside-condenser-unit

Throughout the lifespan of your central air conditioner, there are some things that can go wrong. Actually, we shouldn’t even say that: what we really mean is that your air conditioner will suffer from natural wear and tear. Florida air conditioners have to work a lot harder than air conditioners in homes up north, so it’s understandable that you’ll need repairs every now and then.

This can include worn motor bearings, failed capacitors, damaged air ducts, and refrigerant leaks. There is one repair issue in particular, though, that could be detrimental to the functionality of your air conditioner, and that’s compressor damage.

This is a repair need that’s particularly unpleasant to face, as the compressor is essentially the heart of your air conditioner and the most expensive part of your air conditioner. So if you have a broken down compressor, the question becomes, “should I replace the compressor or the entire air conditioner?” The short answer is probably the latter, but read on as we dive more into this issue.

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Yes, Duct Cleaning Is Worth It—Here’s Why!

September 13th, 2021

If you’re like the average homeowner, you probably don’t think very much about the air ducts snaking their way through your home. Ductwork is hidden from view for a reason: they’re not exactly aesthetically pleasing and you really shouldn’t need to think about their condition too often. However, from time to time they will need some attention. Over the years they can accumulate pinhole leaks and tears, or improper installation could lead to loose joints later on. Lastly, you can find yourself with dirty ducts, which have a negative impact on not only your indoor air quality but your comfort and HVAC efficiency too.

Fortunately, you only need to turn to us for professional, comprehensive duct cleaning. And yes, it’s worth it! Read on to learn why.

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The Factors of a Successful AC Installation

August 16th, 2021

There are two main factors to consider when having a new air conditioner installed. The first is, what type of air conditioner you should have installed. While the conventional central air conditioner may have gotten you through our sweltering weather for the last 10–15 years, it doesn’t automatically mean this is the most efficient option for you. Ask us about variable speed systems, heat pumps, or ductless systems.

The second factor is properly sizing the system. As long as your air conditioner is installed by a team of experienced professionals, you don’t need to worry about it being properly sized … but this is more important than you might realize.

Proper air conditioning size is determined by a process called a cooling load calculation. This is actually one of the most important parts of AC installation, and if it isn’t done correctly it can lead to a number of problems, including premature system replacement. Keep reading to learn more!

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