As the days start to get colder, you’re going to start relying on your furnace to keep you warm on a day-to-day basis. At some point, you may start to hear strange noises coming from your furnace. Unusual noises are often the first sign of a problem with your system. Let’s take a look at some of the more common noises that you need to listen for.
Touchstone Heating & Air Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Starke’
Strange Furnace Noises, and What They Mean
Monday, November 9th, 2015Get Your Ducts Sealed This Fall
Monday, October 5th, 2015Fall is here, and while most of us probably won’t be turning on our heating systems for a couple more months, it’s still a good idea to prepare for winter. When you think about getting your home ready for the cold season, you probably think about things like heating maintenance. While it’s a good idea to make sure that your heater is in good condition, you should also make sure that your ducts are in good condition. Let’s take a look at why you should get your ducts sealed this fall.
Take Control of Your Humidity
Monday, August 31st, 2015We all know about the moisture down here. The subtropical climate here can be difficult to get through, and you’ll need a powerful and efficient central air unit or heat pump to keep you and your family cool, of course. Any air conditioner (or refrigeration unit) must control the humidity in some way–dehumidification is part of the thermodynamic process–but there are plenty of good reasons to consider supplementing that humidity control with a dedicated dehumidifier. Let’s take a look at how this might benefit your Starke, FL home.
When is it Time to Replace Your Commercial Air Conditioner
Monday, June 8th, 2015Commercial air conditioners are very sturdy systems, but they are not invincible. Sooner or later, you’re going to replace yours. When the time comes to replace your commercial air conditioner, it pays to be able to recognize the signs. You don’t want your first warning to be when the whole system breaks down on you. The sooner you can recognize when you need a commercial air conditioner, the better off you’ll be. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the signs that it’s time to replace your commercial air conditioner.
Some Benefits of Air Conditioning Maintenance
Friday, May 2nd, 2014Did you know that a 10% loss of refrigerant in your air conditioning system can cost you up to 20% more to operate it? Or that getting a programmable thermostat can save you annually on energy bills?
These types of savings come from a simple source: routine air conditioning maintenance in Starke. Here are a few reasons why Touchstone Heating and Air Inc. highly recommends regular air conditioning maintenance:
Reduced energy bills – when your air conditioner is not running optimally, it needs more energy in order to achieve the temperature you want. This means it costs you more to run it. There are two culprits that frequently contribute to this: a dirty air filter, which constricts the air flow in your system, and/or dirty condenser coils, which put stress on the compressor to run harder. In either case, you are running up your energy bills. Monthly checking and changing of your system’s main air filter eliminates a dirty filter problem, and a routine maintenance check by a specialist will keep the coils clean and stress free.
Better indoor air quality – when vents, ducts and filters become dirty and clogged, the air quality in your property reflects this. This can be especially uncomfortable for those with allergies. As stated above, your system’s main air filter should be changed monthly, and a regularly scheduled cleaning of your vents and ducts will keep them free of dust and dirt.
Lower repair costs –regularly scheduled maintenance means you have a much better chance of catching a small problem – such as a loose belt or faulty switch – before it turns into a much bigger, more expensive problem. It’s a lot less expensive to replace a belt than it is to repair a broken down system.
Extension of system life – regular maintenance means that all components in your system are properly tuned up. This cuts down significantly on the wear and tear of the entire system, extending its life and your investment in it.
When Should You Schedule Your Maintenance?
Most air conditioning maintenance should be performed by a specialist, but there are a few things property owners can do to help maintain their systems:
- Replace disposable filters once a month
- Wash out washable filters once a month
- Keep outside, ground-mounted units clear of any kind of yard debris, including grass, branches and leaves
Touchstone Heating and Air Inc. recommends a bi-annual inspection of the entire system, in the spring and fall.
Need to have your air conditioning checked by professionals in time for summer? Call and schedule air conditioning service in Starke today.
How Electronic Air Purifiers Clean Your Air
Monday, April 7th, 2014Your heating and cooling system does more than just condition the air. It can also help you maintain high levels of air quality in your home. Without that, you may experience increased levels of dust in the air, leading to irritated noses and throats, higher levels of dust on furniture and allergy attacks in sensitive family members. Most heating and air conditioning systems contain a replaceable filter which you can switch out for a fresh one when it becomes dirty. You can do more with an electronic air purifier however.
Here’s how electronic air purifiers clean your Starke, FL home’s air in ways that less advanced purifiers don’t:
Electronic air filters often contain a regular filter or “pre-filter” which traps large particles of dirt and dust. (In some cases, these are designed to work in conjunction with your existing filter). Smaller particles will often slip through, however, which is where the electronic section of the filter goes to work. Each particle is ionized with a positive electrical charge, then enters a collecting section which contains plates that are alternately charged positive and negative. That acts as a magnet, pulling the positively charged particles away from the positively charged plate and towards the negatively charged plate. That pulls contaminants out of the air, leaving clean air behind to enter your household.
Electronic air purifiers aren’t necessary in all households, but if you have pets or your track a lot of dust in – and particularly if you have anyone in your family who suffers from allergies – then it can make for a demonstrable improvement in air quality. For more on how electronic air purifiers clean your air, or to schedule installation, contact the experts at Touchstone Heating and Air Inc. We handle all kinds of home heating and cooling issues for residents of Starke, FL, air purifiers included. Give us a call today and let us show you what an electronic air purifier can do for you!
Improving the Energy Efficiency of Your Air Conditioner
Monday, April 22nd, 2013Homeowners throughout the Gainesville, FL area are thinking about energy efficiency as we enter the cooling season. Because the cost of operating your air conditioning is a major portion of your home budget, you’re probably always looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency of your AC. There are many approaches to reducing energy consumption, and in this post, we’d like to share just a handful. While we can’t control the cost of energy, we can control how we use it and how much of it we use. For more information about energy efficiency and your air conditioning system, call the Gainesville, FL AC experts at Touchstone Heating & Air today!
- Install a programmable thermostat: If you’re still using a manual thermostat to cool your home, then you may be interested to know about digital programmable thermostats. Not only is the digital display easier to read and adjust, but the programmability can cut down your energy usage significantly. You can program it to automatically turn down your AC when you normally leave for work, and automatically turn the AC back up an hour before you get home, so that you can walk into a cool, crisp living space. Such programmability allows you to balance your home comfort with energy efficiency.
- Install a zone control system: If you have a forced-air distribution system that uses the ductwork in your home, then you may have often wondered why you have to cool your downstairs kitchen in order to sleep comfortably. A zone control system uses electronically controlled dampers within your existing ductwork to control the flow of cool air, and to break your home into zones, each of which may be individually controlled. You can save energy and defuse any family arguments about home temperature with a single upgrade.
- Regularly replace the air filter: Your air filter is designed to prevent the harmful accumulation of dust and debris on the components of your system. But when it becomes dirty or clogged, then it can have an adverse effect on airflow, thus making your AC work harder and increasing its energy needs.
These are just a few ways you can improve the energy efficiency of your home during the cooling season. For more information about how you can improve the efficiency of your air conditioning system in Gainesville, FL, call the experts at Touchstone Heating & Air today!