Touchstone Heating & Air Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Home Improvement’ Category

Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Home’s Air Quality

Monday, October 3rd, 2022
question-mark

Over the past two years, a huge shift has taken place in how people live in their homes. I.e., they live in them a lot more now. With a massive shift to work-from-home, many homeowners have discovered aspects of their houses they didn’t know they needed to change, such as available work space. Many people also found out that their homes have poor air quality.

Low indoor air quality isn’t a new phenomenon, but its effects have become more noticeable as people spend more time in their homes. If you have concerns about your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ), you can start by asking yourself some questions:

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What Happens If I Run My AC Without Its Filter?

Monday, July 25th, 2022
pleated-air-filter

We place special emphasis on a maintenance task that homeowners can do on their own to help their air conditioning systems: regularly change the air filter. After a span of one to three months, this filter will pick up enough dust and debris that it will choke off airflow into the HVAC system. This leads to numerous troubles:

  • A drop in energy efficiency leading to higher electricity bills
  • Strain on the blower fan motor that can make it overheat and trip the circuit breaker
  • Low airflow from the vents
  • Reduced cooling power
  • Infiltration of dust and debris into the AC unit, leading to damage

And you might think, “Well, if a clogged air filter is such a bother, why not run the AC without the filter?” We hope you don’t actually try this, because that air filter does an important job. If you run your air conditioner for any length of time without the air filter, you risk serious damage to the cooling system and AC repair in High Springs, FL—or even a full replacement.

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Top Signs you Need Mid-Season Heating Repair

Monday, February 21st, 2022
wrenches

Winter has never been a walk-in-the-park experience, especially for people without adequate heating facilities. And for those who own a heater, the last thing you need during the winter months is to turn on your heater one evening and realize it has broken down or is on the verge of “kicking the bucket.”

Heater malfunction is common in homes and corporate offices because many users fail to notice warning signs that indicate a possible heater failure. You don’t have to wait for the winter storms to howl before fixing the heating issues. So below are some of the signs that indicate a mid-season heater repair may be imminent.

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Failed Capacitors in Your AC: What’s Wrong, How to Fix It

Monday, November 1st, 2021
Air-conditioner-repairman

After a long summer and fall of hard work keeping your home cool, your air conditioning system may start to run into trouble due to wear and tear. This is one of the hazards of living in a place with such a warm climate where ACs don’t get a long break during the winter. We have to be extra vigilant of how our air conditioning systems operate to catch potential trouble they may have between their regular maintenance visits in the spring. 

One common trouble that ACs encounter after working through hot weather is with capacitors. Failed capacitors will bring an air conditioner to a halt. Below we’re going to talk more about capacitors, how to tell if they are failing/have failed, and what to do about it.

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6 Common Causes of an AC Become Inefficient

Monday, September 20th, 2021
air-conditioner-money-saver

A great air conditioning system does more than keep your house cool. It keeps your house cool without wasting energy. In other words, it runs efficiently

But the same way that an AC can start to decline and provide less cool air, it can also start to become inefficient and waste energy. The two don’t even have to go together: you might still enjoy ideal comfort from your air conditioner yet see a tremendous rise in utility bills. If you have a problem with an inefficient air conditioner, you may need AC repair in Macclenny, FL—or possibly a new air conditioner!

We’ll look at six ways an AC can become inefficient. 

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Is Duct Sealing Really Beneficial?

Monday, December 30th, 2019

inside-corrugated-air-ductThe ductwork in the modern home is often substandard, as if the original builders of the house didn’t put much thought into the placement or materials of these important air channels. We’ve seen plenty of poor ductwork in the more than two decades we’ve worked on HVAC systems. This is why duct sealing in Gainesville, FL is one of the most important services we can provide for a ventilation system. Leaks are much more likely to occur in poorly designed and installed ducts. But even quality ductwork can develop leaks.

Professional duct sealing is the only way to effectively close air leaks along ductwork. A few leaks may not sound like it’s that big a deal, but we can assure you that duct sealing is highly beneficial, no matter the number of leaks.

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Using Your AC Less Not Only Saves Money, It’s Better for Your Health!

Monday, June 3rd, 2019

woman-with-thermometerWhat’s the best way to lower how much you pay to run your air conditioner during the summer? That’s an easy one to answer: run the air conditioning system less often!

That’s a bit easier said than done, but if you remember to raise the thermostat to higher levels (such as around 78°F during the day when people are home), you’ll see a noticeable drop in your cooling costs.

However, this post isn’t focusing on saving money by using the AC less often. It’s about the health benefits of running your air conditioner less often.

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Questions to Ask Your Maintenance Tech About Your Old AC

Monday, March 25th, 2019

AC-technician-at-the-doorThe time is here once again—time to schedule your air conditioning maintenance in Lake Butler, FL or elsewhere in North Central Florida. If you’ve signed our Energy Savings Agreement, then you’re ready to go! Just call our office to set up your maintenance appointment. If you haven’t signed up yet, then you’re almost ready to go! Just call our office to sign up, and we’ll take it from there.

Spring AC maintenance is usually straightforward. Our techs inspect your cooling system, clean and adjust it, and then inform you about anything they’ve noticed that may require repair work (such as a loss of refrigerant to leaks). However, if you have an air conditioning system that’s in the 10 to 15-year range (or older) and/or you’ve noticed it isn’t working as well as it once did, we recommend asking the tech a few questions about the AC’s future. It may be time to have it replaced.

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Summer Winds Down: Time to Think About Your AC’s Future

Monday, September 24th, 2018

woman-surprised-glassesSummer never truly ends in Florida. We move through rainier, cooler periods, but the work of an air conditioning system in a Florida home is never fully done for the year.

But the official calendar end of the summer is a good time to take stock of a residential air conditioning system and pretend that it’s come to the end of its annual service. We encourage you to take a moment to think about your AC’s performance and age so you can make important choices about its future—such as if you need a new air conditioning system installation in Lake City, FL before the next long stretch of heat arrives.

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How Corrosion Can Affect Your AC

Monday, September 10th, 2018

ac-units-scrapyardCorrosion is a major enemy of most metal devices and appliances. With air conditioners, corrosion along the evaporator or condenser coils is responsible for 40% of system failures. Corrosion can happen quickly and may result from years of moisture exposure.

If you notice corrosion starting anywhere on your home’s cooling system, call for professional AC repair in Alachua, FL. The sooner you have the problem dealt with, the less likely you’ll need to replace the air conditioning system years before its time.

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