Improve Indoor Air Quality

The quality of the air you breathe inside your home can affect the your health, too. Your air filters are designed to trap any particulates and dust that may irritate your respiratory system, but they can’t do that as effectively if they’re clogged. If someone in your home has nasal allergies, it’s even more important to change or clean your filters.

Ignoring dirty filters can lead to:

• Reduced air flow
• Up to 15% higher operating costs
• Expensive duct cleaning services
• Reduced system efficiency
• Costly repairs
• Potential health problems

Dirty Filters = Stressed System

When your filters are dirty, it’s much harder for your HVAC system to effectively move air out of your ducts and into your home. When air has to strain to get through clogged filters, your HVAC system is being stressed and that can lead to problems down the road.

An Inexpensive Investment

The harder your HVAC system has to work on a day-to-day basis, the shorter its lifespan. Changing your filters isn’t just an investment in your health, it’s an investment in one of your most expensive appliances! Keeping your filters clean is an easy and cost-effective way to keep HVAC problems at bay and to extend the life of its components.

We at 3H AC strongly recommend you take this simple and inexpensive measure to maintain your HVAC system and extend it’s life.

The post The Importance of Changing Your HVAC Filters appeared first on 3HAC.

At 3H AC, one of our top priorities is providing affordable options for our customers. Let’s just be completely honest; HVAC services are not always cheap. While there are many system fixes that need to be handled by our service professionals, there are MANY ways for you to proactively prevent unnecessary HVAC costs and repairs.

With 46 years of experience in residential HVAC service, we have seen a thing or two. Surprisingly, many of the problems that we are called out to fix could have been avoided well in advance…. and most of them for free! To help you keep your system at peak operation, we have included a few easy steps to add to your monthly chores list to keep your HVAC unit clean and running with maximum energy efficiency.

Clean Your HVAC Filter

When to DIY & When to Call 3H AC… Good Question!

We all want to be comfortable in our homes. It just so happens that a major component of that comfort level is heavily influenced by an intricate mechanical system. Just like any other mechanical system, it can experience technical difficulties from time to time, if left unattended.  The more moving parts there are in a system, the higher the chance that something will eventually go wrong. So, when your HVAC system stops moving cool air in the summer and hot air in the winter, it’s the time to ask the question: “Should I do this myself or get a 3H AC pro to handle it?”

If you go through the following steps and your system is still not working properly, then it’s time to call us. 

Top 7 HVAC Fixes for the DIY-er 

#1.  Change Your Filters

This is – by far – the most important thing to do regularly to ensure your system is doing what it is supposed to do, providing clean and comfortable air. Dust, air particles, and dander build up within a filter can lead to a unit overworking itself. Therefore, decreasing the life length of the unit and leaving you with higher utility bills. 3H AC recommends changing out your filter monthly to maximize your unit’s health and lifespan. An easy way to remember it is to set a reminder at the 1^st of every month; every time you pay your bills, you know to change your filter, too.

#2.  Clean Your AC Drain Line

That little pipe that stopped dripping could be a sign of a larger potential problem. Many people overlook this, but it can actually become one of your biggest issues and is a major warning signal.  Just link any other industrial machine, air conditioning units have some type of discharge. For HVAC units, it just happens to end up being water. It is crucial to ensure frequent, monthly checks your AC drain line. Make sure to follow it from the indoor coil, and going all the way out, to be absolutely sure no waste has built up to stop the flow of draining water. Over time dust and debris can build up in that line. If this happens, the water can back up, with no other alternative than to end up draining inside the unit. This can cause catastrophic damage and even render your entire HVAC unit useless. So… DON’T DO THIS!

#3.  Clean Your Outdoor Unit

Keep components clean, especially the outdoor condenser/compressor unit. After a long winter, it is especially a good idea to walk outside and do a little “spring cleaning” around your unit. Make sure no limbs fell on or around it and make sure nothing is restricting air flow in close proximity to the unit. Remove dirt, debris, and cut back vegetation at least two feet on all sides. Don’t forget to look inside the unit, too, and clean leaves or other small pieces of nature that may have fallen inside.

#4.  Clean Your Indoor Coil

Also considered to be the heart of your cooling system, another key point to check before starting that system up is the indoor coil. The coil is a typical place within a system that builds up dirt and debris faster than other areas. You have to remember the coil is receiving air flow that is forced through it anytime the system is running. It’s not a surprise that it is going to be a key point for buildup. Be sure to open up the coil and remove and clean any debris.

#5.  Use Your Dryer at Night

This DIY HVAC Tip usually surprises, and confuses, a lot of people. Did you know that the way we dry our clothes has an impact on our AC systems? You may not realize this but as you dry your clothes it actually is blowing out the air of the home. This causes more air to obviously be drawn into your home. If it is warm outside, that warm air is being sucked in therefore making the Air Conditioner work harder and the home hotter. So, the easy fix is to relegate laundry time to after evening hours.

#6.  Clean the Condensation Line

In order to keep your home cool, the air conditioning component of your HVAC system removes moisture from the air to lower the humidity level inside your house. The drip, drip, drip you see from the small pipe outside, is where the excess condensed water is deposited, away from the AC unit and your home. Over time algae, mold, and mildew can build up inside the condensation drain line and form a clog, causing water to back up and overflow inside the air conditioner unit. To prevent this from happening, pour a cup of bleach in the access opening in the drain line near the AC unit to kill any algae, mold, or mildew that has formed in the pipe. Then you will need to use a shop vac to physically remove the clog from the line.  Watch this video to see how.

#7. Install a Float Switch

Now that we know about the natural occurrence of condensation in an HVAC system, it’s important to set up precautions for possible overflow of the drain lines. As condensation builds up to the level that it can flow easily out of the pan,  the condensate switch turns on a pump to remove it. When a condensate switch fails, condensation will begin to overflow the sides of the condensate pan, which can damage wood supporting the AC unit and create an environment that promotes the growth of mold and mildew. If this has happened to your unit, you will need to replace the A/C Float Switch. Learn how to do this yourself by watching this a simple 5-minute installation video guide.

HVAC Still Not Working?

If you applied all of the above steps and the unit is still giving you grief, then it’s time to let 3H AC help you! It is likely that you are at the crossroads of either repairing the unit, or replacing the unit it all together. (Remember any unit over 12 years of age should probably be replaced with a more efficient, up to date, 410a system.) Isolating and solving AC issues promptly – especially if your problem takes place during those super-hot summer months or during the frigid winter – is very important to YOU. At 3H AC it is our #1 priority to provide you with multiple replacement options to fit a range of wants and needs, all while keeping it as affordable as possible. And did you know…

We NEVER charge extra for Emergency HVAC Service. Ever. Reach out to schedule one of our 3H AC HVAC Pros so we can have your family comfortable today!

Watch the quick video below to learn more about homeowner tips

The post DIY HVAC – 7 Tips to Save You Money & Boost Air System Efficiency appeared first on 3HAC.

There is a pro and con list for every decision you make, especially when it comes to home improvement projects and the decision to “do it yourself” or hire a professional. For certain projects, doing it yourself can save you a lot of money and make for a more personalized outcome and a sense of pride. Other projects, however, have the potential to go very wrong without the help of a professional.

Installing your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (referred to as HVAC) system is one project that should take careful consideration before deciding to do it yourself. There are a lot of components that need careful and knowledgeable attention.

Reasons to hire a professional to install your HVAC:

You might think that you could save a lot of money by installing your HVAC yourself, but the fact is that you could potentially end up spending more money due to incorrect installation, tools and equipment, and repair costs down the line.

Actually, you might save money by hiring the professional instead. HVAC contractors usually have access to wholesale prices when buying their equipment, and can get a better price than you could buying it yourself. In some cases, you might even have a hard time finding a company that will sell the equipment to an unlicensed individual. Often, the money saved on the unit itself can negate the potential savings of doing it yourself.

A professional will likely guarantee their work, and include a warranty to cover you in the event that anything goes wrong.

Often, the warranty for the HVAC unit itself will not be valid unless it is installed by a professional, and licensed, contractor.

It can be very difficult to acquire the proper permits needed to install an HVAC system, and there are rules and codes that need to be followed.

Specific licensing is required to purchase and use certain refrigerants that are used in HVAC systems, and it really isn’t worth the trouble of acquiring these when you can hire a professional.

When installing an HVAC system, there are hazardous materials and electrical work that needs to be done by a knowledgeable professional. Your health and safety are not worth the potential to save a few bucks.

The duct work in itself can be complicated, and has to be installed correctly otherwise your HVAC system will not work efficiently or at all. There are almost no “do it yourself” instructions available to complete this project because it is almost never recommended that you attempt this sort of project without professional help.

Overall, it is best to hire a professional to install your HVAC system. While many may think that doing an HVAC installation yourself could save money, it could actually cost you more in the long run. Even if you could save some money by doing it yourself, the complicated nature of the project, and the sheer number of things that could go wrong, is worth hiring a professional.

The post Should I Install My Own HVAC or Use A Pro? appeared first on 3HAC.

1.  Ventilate

While ventilation fans are preferable to reduce the amount of moisture in the air, if your home does not have fans, consider having them installed. Leave fans on as long as you can to reduce humidity in your home.

2.  Dehumidify.

The right type of dehumidifier can have a huge impact on the air quality in your home. The best and most common type of dehumidifier is a mechanical model, which can be purchased at a home improvement store. When you empty the tray at the bottom a couple of times a day, you’ll see how much moisture they actually remove from your home.

3. Adequate Insulation

Keeping your home as close to a constant temperature as possible helps prevent moisture buildup and makes it easier to control humidity. More insulation can lower your heating costs during the winter and require your air conditioner to run less in the summer.

4.  Take Cooler, Shorter Showers

All you need to do is look at your bathroom walls to see the moisture caused by steam (which is why ventilation fans are so important). It only takes four to six pints of water to raise the humidity level by 60% in a 1,000 square foot home.

5.  Wash Larger Loads and Line Dry

Washing machines create a lot of humidity, so make sure you are getting as much into one load as you safely can. Although most dryers have ventilation to the outdoors, some moisture can escape. It may seem old fashioned but consider a clothesline. This can lower your bills and reduce excess moisture from the dryer.

6. Change Your A/C Filters

Replacing your HVAC system filters is important for the air quality in your home. It traps dust, which if not changed out, blocks air from moving through your home and causes the air to hold humidity.

7.  Seal leaks

One of the most easily repairable culprits of humidity in your home are leaks…these are the same leaks you can feel a cold breeze through during the cold winter months. You can easily fix these leaks with new weather stripping, caulk, and other materials from your local home improvement store.

The post Reducing Humidity in Your Home appeared first on 3HAC.

• Keep your thermostat setting under control. Adjust your thermostat to the proper settings throughout the day to reduce system operation, especially when you are not at home.

• Cover the windows. Keep your window coverings closed on the south, east, and west windows during the hot months to help maintain a comfortable climate inside.

• Switch from Incandescent to Compact Fluorescent (CFL) or LED Bulbs.They last considerably longer than longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs and only require a fraction of the energy.

• Use appliances efficiently. Wash only full loads when using your dishwasher or laundry. Use the cold water setting on your washing machine when you can. You can conserve up to 75% of the energy required to run the washer by using cold water. Also, be sure to clean your clothes dryer’s lint trap after each use and use the moisture-sensing automatic drying setting if you have them.

• Save the dryer. Use a stand-alone clothes rack or line to dry your clothes. If you must use your dryer, try to dry two loads consecutively to make the most of the heat you generated in the first load.

• Install Low-flow water fixtures. Save energy while saving water. A low-flow showerhead can reduce your water usage by two thirds.

• Install a heat recovery unit. Did you know that you can have free hot water for about 3 months out of the year? That’s right! Ask about the Zero Energy Heat Recovery System.

• Apply a radiant heat barrier. You can reflect 88-90% of transferred heat in your attic by installing Heat Bloc Ultra. Call and ask for details today.

• Take Showers. Start taking showers instead of baths. Baths consume two and a half times more hot water than a shower.

• Set your ceiling fans to reverse rotation. Something as simple as setting your ceiling fan in reverse will circulate the warm air, pulling it away from the ceiling and cooling off the room. Ceiling fans use about the same electricity as a 100-watt light bulb and costs just pennies a day to run.

• Use the microwave. Use the microwave instead of the oven whenever possible. The microwave uses one third the amount of energy as a regular oven and doesn’t heat up your kitchen.

• Be smart with home electronics. Turn off your computer and any other home office equipment when you’re not using them. Also switch to an LCD/flat panel monitor and you’ll use a third of the power required for conventional CRT monitors.

• Install a programmable thermostat. When it comes to saving money on home heating and cooling costs, sometimes size does matter. A programmable thermostat could be the key to saving 22% or more on your monthly bill.

The post Home Energy Saving Tips appeared first on 3HAC.