February 4, 2025

How Does Insulation Affect Your HVAC System’s Performance?

When it comes to your heating and cooling systems, you want to do everything possible to keep your utility bills under control. The more efficiently your system operates, the lower your bills will be. One significant factor that can impact the performance of your HVAC system is your home’s insulation. Here is how insulation enhances HVAC performance. What Is Household Insulation? Insulation is a material designed to reduce heat transfer between your home and the outdoors. It can be made of various materials, including natural fibers, glass, plastic, and recycled paper. Insulation is essential in your exterior walls, crawlspace, between each floor level, and attic. Consider it a barrier that helps retain heat inside your home during the winter and keeps cool air in during the summer. Better Control Indoor Temperature One of the biggest challenges affecting your HVAC system’s performance is varying temperatures. For instance, if your heating system generates warmth but your home continues to lose that heat, you’ll experience uncomfortable temperature fluctuations. Your heating system will have to run constantly to maintain your desired temperature setting. Insulation can help minimize these temperature variations. Excessive Wear and Tear Prevention When your heating or cooling system has to run...

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January 3, 2025

How to Maximize HVAC Efficiency During California’s Rainy Season

While the weather in Palm Desert, CA, can be beautifully sunny and warm, there is a rainy season from November through March. During this time, it’s essential to maximize the efficiency of your HVAC system for comfort as well as savings. This can include simple tasks you can complete yourself as well as things you should bring in a professional to deal with. Schedule Routine Maintenance At least once per year, you should have our team come to your residence to inspect your HVAC system. We check interior components, tighten electrical connections, and lubricate all the moving parts to ensure that everything is working properly. This is also a great opportunity for our professionals to spot minor issues that, if left unaddressed, could cause damage or even result in an expensive emergency breakdown. Before leaving, they will also recalibrate your system to ensure it runs as efficiently as possible to keep utility costs down. This maintenance appointment also allows us to assess the overall condition of your HVAC system. We can let you know if it’s coming close to the time when you’ll need to replace it. This provides you with plenty of time to plan and budget for a...

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December 5, 2024

The Top 9 Benefits of Upgrading Your Furnace in Palm Desert, CA

If your home has an older furnace that’s inefficient and unreliable, this is an excellent time to upgrade. Let’s discover nine essential benefits of upgrading to a new furnace. 1. Lower Operating Costs Investing in a new furnace installation will save you money month to month. There are two main reasons for this. Older furnaces are notorious for burning excessive amounts of fuel. This happens due to component wear and the accumulation of grime. The other reason is that modern furnaces are simply more efficient. Manufacturers have made a range of innovations over the last decade and more. Environmental impact has been a primary driver for these advancements. 2. Reduced Carbon Footprint Furnaces significantly contribute to the average home’s carbon footprint. This is one reason the federal government is incentivizing Americans to upgrade to electric heat pumps and high-efficiency fuel-burning furnaces. Even an upgrade to a standard modern furnace can make a dramatic difference. The difference can be as much as 50% if you currently have an old furnace. That’s a significant improvement to your home’s eco-friendliness, and it also translates to lower monthly energy bills during the heating season. 3. Better Indoor Air Quality Modern furnaces don’t have as...

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November 7, 2024

8 Indicators That Let You Know It’s Time to Replace Your Furnace

Your furnace may be working reliably for now, but it won’t last forever. Rather than waiting for it to give out unexpectedly, it’s smart to recognize when it’s nearing the end of its lifespan. Spotting these signs early can help save you from potential headaches and higher costs later. Here are some key indicators that your heating system may be ready for replacement. 1. The Age of Your Furnace Furnaces typically last between 15 and 20 years. While a well-maintained furnace may continue running beyond that, it’s likely not as efficient as it once was and may require more frequent repairs. If your furnace is in this age range and you’re noticing other issues as well, now is a great time to consider upgrading to a newer model heater. 2. Rising Electricity Bills It’s normal to see a slight bump in energy costs during winter when you’re using your heating more. However, if your bills are spiking dramatically, your heating system could be the culprit. As furnaces age, their components wear out, which can cause the system to work harder than it should. While repairs or maintenance can sometimes improve efficiency, a furnace over ten years old may be better...

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October 4, 2024

Benefits of Heat Pumps

If you’re thinking about upgrading your old HVAC system, you have many different options available to choose from. One that is becoming more popular among homeowners is a heat pump. We’re going to discuss some of the benefits this particular type of HVAC system has below so that you can make a better-informed decision as to whether it’s right for your home. It Heats and Cools The most prominent benefit of a heat pump is that it not only provides heat for your home, but it can cool your own as well. It uses a special substance known as refrigerant to absorb heat from one area and transport it to another. In the winter, it will absorb heat from the air outside and pump it into your home. Conversely, during the summer months, it will absorb heat from inside your home and disperse it outdoors. No Toxic Fumes With heating systems that run on gas or oil, you’re going to have to make sure toxic fumes are properly vented to the outdoors to prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide in the home. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that can be extremely dangerous, even deadly. It is produced...

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September 4, 2024

SEER: What It Is and Why It’s Important

If you’re in the market for a new cooling system, energy efficiency is an important consideration. A more efficient system will be cheaper to run monthly throughout the summer. It will also lower your overall energy consumption and your household’s environmental impact. What Is SEER? The HVAC industry uses a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) to measure cooling performance. The Department of Energy (DOE) introduced this ratio in 1979 as a convenient tool for consumers. The higher the number, the more efficient and affordable the system. If comparing a SEER 15 to a SEER 14, for instance, the former will be cheaper to run. The DOE regulates the SEER rating system and requires companies to include it with any appliance with an EnergyGuide label. This EnergyGuide label is a yellow sticker for any appliance that meets certain energy consumption thresholds. SEER2 SEER measures how much electricity a cooling system uses to maintain a temperature. This represents most of a household’s energy to cool its home during the summer. Since 1979, the industry has learned that pipes contribute to energy losses. That loss can be about 5% even in a new system and rise to between 20% and 40% over time....

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August 6, 2024

Why is My AC Blowing Hot Air?

Nothing causes more frustration than feeling warm air flowing from your vents on a hot day in Palm Desert A number of reasons can cause this to happen, which is why you want to have the unit inspected by a qualified HVAC expert. Restoring your air conditioning to proper order keeps you comfortable in your home and ensures your household’s safety when temperatures rise. Read more below to learn more about the common issues that cause your AC to blow hot air. Thermostat Issues When it comes to problems with your air conditioner’s function, the first place to check for malfunctions is the thermostat. The thermostat acts as the control center for the air conditioner and an incorrectly set thermostat can cause warm air issues. First, check to make sure you have the thermostat set to “cool.” Although it seems like you wouldn’t forget to do this, it happens during season changes. You might forget to switch from the “heat” setting to the “cool” setting. Also, check the thermostat’s battery levels. Although thermostats get hardwired into the electrical system, they still use batteries for some functions. If the battery indicator light suggests you need a new battery, replace it and...

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July 17, 2024

7 Signs That It’s Time to Clean Your Air Conditioner

HVAC experts recommend you schedule an AC tune-up every spring before you ever run your air. A primary reason for this is to ensure that your equipment is as clean as possible. A dirty AC can cause many problems. Let’s explore them so you can identify when it’s time to clean your system. 1. Spike in Your Electricity Consumption You should know how much electricity your household uses each month. One reason for this is that a spike is often the first sign that your AC needs cleaning. There are two key components that every central AC has: a condenser coil and an evaporator coil. The condenser coil is outdoors, where it can accumulate significant grime. It’s responsible for transferring heat energy from the refrigerant to the ambient air. As it gets dirty, that process becomes less efficient, and energy consumption increases. The evaporator coil, which is indoors, is similar. It can build up dust and microbial growth over time, which interferes with transferring heat energy to the refrigerant, thereby making the system more expensive to run. 2. Leaves and Branches in Your Outdoor Unit The outdoor unit houses not only the condenser coil but the condenser pump and fan....

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June 13, 2024

Is it Time to Replace or Repair Your AC Unit? How to Make the Right Choice

If you live here in Palm Desert, CA, you already know that your home’s AC is more than a modern convenience. Without it, it would be almost impossible to make it through a summer here. At the same time, your home’s air conditioning system is a significant investment. So, it would make sense that you’d want to prolong the life of your existing system as much as possible. However, at a certain point, spending more money to repair your AC is a bad idea. Here is everything you need to consider to determine when it’s time for an AC replacement. Your AC’s Age On average, you can expect between 10 and 15 years of reliable service from a well-maintained AC. So, if your home’s AC is nearing that age, it may be time to consider a replacement. There are a variety of reasons why doing so is a good idea. One is that it will afford you the time necessary to make a smart replacement decision. The last thing you want is to have your home’s AC die at the peak of summer. If that happens, you’ll be more concerned with getting any replacement than the right one for your...

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May 20, 2024

What Size Air Conditioner Do I Need for My Home in Palm Desert, CA?

Depending on the type of air conditioner you have in your home, the unit can last from 10 to 25 years. Smaller units will wear out faster, but most large systems will last closer to 25 years with good maintenance. When the time comes to replace your AC, you’ll want to make sure the new system efficiently meets your cooling needs. To make that determination, there are several factors in Palm Desert, CA will help you consider. Know How Much Square Footage You Need to Cool You’ll need to know how much living space you’ll need to cool with your new air conditioner. While you can look at each room and guess about your cooling needs, having more specific measurements can help you choose an AC system. Consider the dimensions of your living spaces since wall-mounted or window units may not properly cool segmented rooms. You’ll want to choose a unit that can effectively cool every room in your home. Evaluate the Quality of Your Home Many homeowners fail to consider home maintenance when choosing a new air conditioner. An older home is likely to have hidden air leaks that wouldn’t affect newer homes. As the home’s framing and structure...

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