Attic Ventilation For Central Heating and Air Systems

October 18th, 2018

One easy way for Alabama homeowners to improve their home and save money is to keep the central heating and air unit healthy with proper attic ventilation. Let’s discuss how your attic ventilation affects your home’s comfort and the life of your HVAC system.

Saves You Money on Your Central Heating and Air Bills

An improperly ventilated attic causes inefficient performance in your central heating and air unit. This means you notice hot air entering your house during the summer and cold air during the winter.

The air which penetrates your home will force your central heating and air unit to operate harder to counteract the temperatures from outside. It’s likely your central heating and air unit won’t be able to keep up with the demands.

This leaves your home with uneven temperatures from room to room. Adequate ventilation and insulation in your attic work together to prevent air from entering your home.

When hot or cold air isn’t lost through your attic you have lower energy bills. Your central heating and air system operates less, meaning lower daily energy consumption.

Reduces Signs of Wear and Tear on Your Central Heating and Air

Your attic ventilation directly affects your central heating and air unit’s performance and signs of wear and tear. Our NATE-certified experts look for poor attic ventilation when they notice signs of excessive stress on your HVAC system during a tune-up or repair visit.

Stress on your heating and cooling unit comes from the constant temperature changes from your attic and this forces it to work harder and more often than necessary. The stress our professionals’ notice lead to frequent breakdowns, resulting in expensive HVAC repairs over time if not addressed.

If you notice your central heating and air unit experiences more breakdowns than usual or operates more often, call Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule maintenance. Problems diagnosed early help prevent future repairs and save you money.

During maintenance, our trained professionals thoroughly inspect your system. They let you know if the attic ventilation is responsible for unseen issues.

Extend the Lifespan of Your Central Heating and Air System

Proper attic ventilation saves you money on your energy bill and reduces signs of wear and tear, plus it lengthens the lifespan of your HVAC system. Your central heating and air unit operates as necessary to keep your home at ideal temperatures.

Less wear and tear lets your system breathe and take a break when it’s not repeatedly cycling due to varying temperatures from the attic. In the long run, your central heating and air unit performs more efficiently and lowers the risk of system replacement before you are financially ready.

Other Central Heating and Air Benefits of Attic Ventilation

Besides energy efficiency and the performance improvements, proper attic ventilation offers you other advantages in your home. The structure of our house will be more sound and reduce the risk of structural deterioration. Excess moisture compromises wood rafters and the roof’s decking if unchecked. Attic ventilation is an effective way of removing moisture and heat from your attic throughout the year.

Know the ins and out of your attic’s ventilation by calling our HVAC professionals at Douglas Cooling & Heating. We will gladly inspect your central heating and air unit for signs of wear and tear. We’ll determine if your attic ventilation is the problem. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating today!

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Say No To Pests with an HVAC Inspection

October 16th, 2018

Winter is almost here, and critters will soon be searching for a place to hide during the colder weather. Typical places they love to invade are warm, dry heating and cooling systems. Protect your equipment from an infestation by scheduling an HVAC inspection now! Douglas Cooling & Heating is qualified to perform an HVAC inspection, evaluate any signs of pest problems and remove any debris, feces or nesting.

Various gaps and holes allow rodents, pests, and other insects to crawl through to make a hiding place during the winter. Our NATE-certified technicians will stop the pests before they become a problem. Let’s review the benefits of an HVAC inspection and other ways you can protect yourself against harmful pests.

HVAC Inspection First

An HVAC inspection performed by our licensed professionals detects signs of an infestation early during the fall months. Pests, rodents and insects leave behind an assortment of debris, including their dead bodies.

These remnants in your heating and cooling system impact your indoor air quality and increase health risks inside your home. You will notice strange smells whenever your HVAC system operates, and the odors won’t dissipate until the offending pest or detritus is removed.

We will clean your outdoor and indoor unit, including the ductwork, to ensure all traces of the infestation are gone. Not only will an HVAC inspection prevent pests from hibernating in your unit, it will improve its performance for the winter months.

Potential problems are caught early so you can plan accordingly and schedule HVAC repairs if necessary. Problems diagnosed early keep your heating and cooling system from malfunctions during the holidays and keep your loved ones comfortable indoors.

Common Pests Found in an HVAC Inspection

There are several indicators pests, rodents and insects are inside your heating and cooling system. If you notice strange odors coming out of your vents? Blowflies appearing out of nowhere?  Evidence of nesting? You probably have something living inside your heating and cooling system. Common pests which like to seek shelter in your HVAC system include:

Mice and Rats

You might be shocked how these small animals love to crawl into the tightest spaces, which of course includes your heating and cooling system. Additionally, they are incredibly destructive and can chew through refrigerant lines and other components. This easily leads to expensive repairs in the future.

Mice and rats often use duct material to build nests. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating for an HVAC inspection. This will help eradicate them completely from your home.

Spiders

These small, pesky creatures like to crawl into small areas, like your ductwork, vents and indoor HVAC unit. Reduce the risk of spiders when you keep these areas clean and schedule routine HVAC maintenance.  

Snakes

Finally, when the weather turns cold, snakes crawl into your HVAC system because it’s warm. Because they aren’t able to regulate their own body temperature, nesting in ductwork provides them with the warmest place in your home. Often snakes breed inside ductwork, too.

Snakes coil themselves inside the condenser unit and when the fan blade starts up, the snake dies. This can damage your blades and lead to a foul stench circulating throughout your home.

Make the smart choice this fall and schedule an HVAC inspection with Douglas Cooling & Heating! We will inspect your system and remove pests which might interfere with its performance and your comfort. Contact Douglas Cooling & Heating today to schedule your inspection with our NATE-certified technicians.

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How to Keep Your Electrical System Safe and Efficient

October 15th, 2018

GFCI-Electrical-OutletOf all the various appliances and other systems that run throughout your home, probably the one that you want to malfunction the least is the electrical system. Not only is your electrical system something that most every other home system relies on, but it also can cause some very dangerous problems of its own when it starts to malfunction. House fires and electrocution are not something that anyone wants to deal with. So, in the interest of avoiding those issues in your own home as much as possible, here are some tips on keeping your electrical system both safe and efficient.

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Change Your Furnace Filter More Often With Pets

October 11th, 2018

Pet Dander and Hair Cause A Dirty Furnace Filter Quicker

A homeowner with pets experiences more issues with pet hair and dander in their furnace filter. It is essential to replace your furnace filter more often to keep your home’s indoor air quality healthy. This maintenance task also helps prevent problems with your HVAC system in the future.

A furnace filter is your home’s first line of defense against common allergens and debris. However, when your furnace filter is clogged, harmful particulates pass through your heating and cooling system and into your home.

Check and Change Your Furnace Filter

Whether you have a pet in your home or not, you should check your furnace filter once a month. This prevents a clogged filter creating a negative impact on your home’s indoor air. An average filter needs to be replaced once every 2 to 3 months.

If you have a pet, it’s best to replace your filter more often. You might notice during monthly checks your filter clogs quickly, which means you need to replace it when you notice it’s dirty.

At Douglas Cooling & Heating in the Birmingham area, we also advise homeowners who smoke or who have a family member with allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions a monthly filter change is likely.

Which Furnace Filter Is Right For You

An easy way to help boost your air quality when you have indoor pets is to use a furnace filter which catches more contaminants. There are a variety of filters to choose and our NATE-certified technicians at Douglas Cooling & Heating help you determine which furnace filter works best with your current heating system. Different options are:

  • Fiberglass or Synthetic Filters: These filters are the cheapest option for your furnace and are disposable. They remove larger particulates but won’t prevent all harmful contaminants from entering your ductwork.
  • Pleated Filters: You will enjoy cleaner air with a pleated filter because it traps different viruses and bacteria before they enter your home. Pleated furnace filters last longer and are more efficient than fiberglass or synthetic filters.
  • Polyester Filters: These furnace filters use high-quality materials to remove between 80 to 95 percent of particulates five microns in size or larger. The cost for polyester filters is higher, but they trap more contaminants without sacrificing airflow.
  • Electrostatic Filters: Electrostatic furnace filters offer protection in disposable or washable filter options and use self-charging fibers to extract pollutants from your indoor air. Washable electrostatic filters offer MERV ratings between four and ten and last longer than disposable filters.
  • HEPA Filters: High-efficiency particulate filters trap and remove up to 99 percent of contaminants 0.3 microns or larger in size. The downside of HEPA filters is they reduce airflow, which costs you more money on your energy bills.

A Clean Furnace Filter Means…

A clean furnace filter improves your indoor air quality. It also means fewer viruses and bacteria float through your home. This improves your overall health every day. When your air is clean inside your home you will notice fewer respiratory infections, allergy symptoms and asthma attacks.

A clean furnace filter also extends the lifespan of your heating system. A dirty filter forces your HVAC equipment to work harder to supply your home with warm temperatures.

The inside components accumulate more allergens, dust and other debris, which strains your system. The more stress your heating system experiences, the more wear and tear it endures over time.

When the furnace works harder, more energy is used. The more energy used will increase your monthly energy bill during the winter months.

Frequent checks and changes of your furnace filter allow your heating system to operate more efficiently and increase its performance. The result is a warm and comfortable environment in your home.  

Keep your indoor air quality healthy, especially if you have a pet inside your home. Know what filter works best for your current heating system and the signs it needs to be replaced. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule HVAC maintenance or repair service to replace your furnace filter.

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Top 4 Fall HVAC Maintenance Tips to Save Energy

October 9th, 2018

As Weather Shifts Be Sure to Book HVAC Maintenance

Colder temperatures are on their way, so Alabama residents are advised to perform HVAC maintenance soon. The best way to stay warm and avoid malfunctions with your heating system is to regularly service your heat pump or furnace. This allows you to maximize its efficiency and performance.

This practice saves you energy and money in the long run during the winter months. Douglas Cooling & Heating want you to get the most out of your heating system, so we have compiled a list of tips to boost your HVAC’s energy efficiency. Try these four tips for HVAC maintenance to improve comfort in your home and save on your energy bill.

Thermostat Settings – HVAC Maintenance Tip #1

HVAC maintenance on your thermostat includes a check of the battery and its settings. Try not to operate your furnace or heat pump when no one is home or at warm temperatures when you are asleep. It leads to unnecessarily high energy use. Program your thermostat to lower the temperature a few degrees overnight or when you are away.

This practice helps you enjoy comfortable temperatures when you’re home without sacrificing energy. This tip also lessens wear and tear on your heating and cooling system.

Typical HVAC maintenance calls inspect your thermostat and diagnose any current or potential problems. Accurate temperatures and communication between your thermostat and your heating and air system are critical to efficient performance.

A faulty thermostat forces your heating system to operate harder and during times when it’s not necessary. Keep your thermostat in check with regular HVAC maintenance. You will notice better energy consumption and lower bills throughout the winter.

Weatherization – HVAC Maintenance Tip #2

Another fall energy saving tip is to weatherize your home, including your heating and cooling system. When you prevent heat loss and stop cold air it allows your heating system to maintain even temperatures. Common weatherization tactics include:

  • Check and replace weather-stripping around your windows and doors.
  • Locate and seal drafts in your home, including holes or gaps in your ductwork.
  • Check your home’s insulation and replace it in worn or ineffective areas.

Routine Care – HVAC Maintenance Tip #3

There are several ways to support your system between professional HVAC maintenance visits, such as:

  • Check your filter once a month and replace it when you notice excessive dirt or clogs. For most homeowners, filters last two to three months.
  • If your filter is a reusable filter, clean it regularly to avoid dust, dirt and other debris before it accumulates.
  • Clean your vents to eliminate any airflow obstructions and to reduce dust and other contaminants in your HVAC system.

These maintenance tasks are easy to handle on your own, or you can call Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule an HVAC maintenance call. Our NATE-certified professionals ensure your equipment is cleaned from top to bottom. We also diagnose any potential problems and ensure your heating system is operating smoothly before the winter weather arrives.

Inspection and Tune-up – HVAC Maintenance Tip #4

Douglas Cooling & Heating offers comprehensive inspections outside of and as part of regular HVAC maintenance calls. Play it safe with accurate information of your heating and cooling system’s status before a break down happens.

A proactive and preventative mindset saves you money throughout the year on your energy bill. Make smart choices by calling Douglas Cooling & Heating today and schedule an HVAC maintenance call for your heating system. Let our experts inspect your unit and improve energy efficiency this fall.

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Why You Might Want to Install a Solar Attic Fan

October 1st, 2018

FanHeating and air conditioning systems tend to get the lion’s share of the attention when it comes to HVAC. It makes sense, considering how they do the majority of the work when it comes to keeping your home at a comfortable temperature. They’re not the only systems you need to care about, though. There are plenty of other HVAC systems you can install in your home to make it more comfortable. One of these other systems is the attic fan. Let’s take a look at why attic fans are a good idea, and how you can benefit by installing a solar attic fan today.

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Improve Air Quality with Plants, Air Conditioning

September 19th, 2018

Indoor Plants Can Clean Your Air

Whether you like to work in your yard, garden or enjoy the natural beauty around you there’s something in common: plants. You trim vegetation, plant flowers or other greenery, or notice the assortment of plant life around your home. Before winter weather sets in, bring some plants indoors. Together with an efficient air conditioning system, you can improve the indoor air quality in your home.

Your home’s air is polluted every day by harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Did you know plants can reduce the number of VOCs in your house by absorbing them? There are some plants identified by scientists which enhance your indoor air better than others.

Air quality can improve with air conditioning maintenance tips too. Read on to learn how you can improve your home environment this fall for your loved ones.

Add Beauty and Purpose to Your Home with These Plants

Several different plants will absorb the VOCs in your house and leave you with fresh air throughout the day. These plants absorb airborne contaminants through tiny openings on their leaves, using their roots and the bacteria in the soil to purify the air.

Common plants to keep indoors for most improved air quality include:

  • Snake plant, or Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
  • Areca Palm
  • Money Plant
  • Chinese Evergreen
  • Flamingo Lily
  • English Ivy
  • Peace Lily
  • Red-Edged Dracaena
  • Florist’s Chrysanthemum.

Use plants inside your home to help control pollutants affecting your health. It’s likely you will notice fewer headaches, eye irritations, and respiratory problems.

Harmful chemicals are removed from indoor air using plants every day, such as:

  • Xylene: Causes mouth irritation and headaches when exposed in small doses. Long-term effects will lead to heart, kidney and liver problems.
  • Ammonia: This chemical causes throat and eye irritation and promotes coughing.
  • Trichloroethylene: Exposure to this chemical causes nausea, vomiting, headaches, loss of consciousness and coma.
  • Benzene: Exposure on a small scale produces eye irritations, confusion, accelerated heartbeat and headaches. High doses of benzene cause loss of consciousness.
  • Formaldehyde: A wide range of problems, including irritations of the nose and mouth and swelling in the lung and larynx.

Clean Air Conditioning Filter Throughout the Year

Your air conditioning filter is responsible for trapping and eliminating allergens, dust and other pollutants. Check your filter every month for excess dirt. If you notice it’s dirty or clogged, replace it.

This avoids contaminants circulating around your home when your HVAC system operates. If you are unsure how to change your filter, contact Douglas Cooling & Heating for help.

Our NATE-certified technicians will inspect your filter and replace it when necessary, including when maintenance is performed.

Air Conditioning Maintenance Key to Healthy Indoor Air

You can improve your indoor air quality by scheduling preventative maintenance on your air conditioning unit before and after summer. Preventative maintenance clears away dirt, dust or other debris accumulated inside the air conditioning equipment.

When a unit remains dirty, the buildup gets transferred throughout the ductwork. Then it continues to circulate through the vents into your home.

If you’ve felt your family can’t shake a virus, consider the airborne particulates repeatedly circulating through your air conditioning. Maintenance also ensures your air conditioning system:

  • Operates safely by inspecting the air conditioning unit for irregularities indicating potential breakdowns later.
  • Increases efficiency, so your energy bills are lower.
  • Reduces the number of unexpected and expensive air conditioning repairs.
  • Prolongs the lifespan of your air conditioning equipment. Service visits identify and can replace components which show increased signs of wear and tear.
  • Improves the reliability of your air conditioning unit. You can rest easy when the heat and humidity rise.

Keep your home’s indoor air clean and healthy. Use plants and schedule maintenance on your air conditioning unit. Clean air is more than an air filter change every few months. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating today to schedule service on your air conditioning unit. You’ll be glad you did!

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Benefits of Ductless Mini Split Installation

September 17th, 2018

ductless-ACIn the market for a new heating (or air conditioning) system? Not sure which system to go with? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. It’s a pretty common problem for homeowners to become overwhelmed and discouraged by the task of sorting through the HVAC market to find the system that fits their needs the best. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through it alone!

We recommend consulting with a professional in person to find the best HVAC system for your home’s needs. While you’re waiting for your appointment, though, there’s no reason you can’t do some research on your own! Today, let’s go over some of the reasons why you might want to install a ductless mini split system in your home.

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Holy Heat Pumps Batman!

September 12th, 2018

Heating and Cooling Unit or Home Mechanical Hero?

As an Alabama resident, you have more options for heating and cooling needs than traditional air conditioners and furnaces. Heat pumps offer efficient heating and cooling year-round. Let’s determine if heat pumps are a viable option for your home.

How Heat Pumps Work

A heat pump provides both heating and cooling year-round using a mechanical-compression to cycle refrigeration. The refrigerant can be reversed to supply hot or cold air to your home. Heat pumps are comprised of the outdoor unit, similar to an air conditioner and an indoor air handler. A compressor circulates the refrigerant as it travels between the indoor and outdoor units.

A heat pump works by continually moving warm air from one location to another, depending on the season. Heat energy is present in all air, including cold air. During the winter, a heat pump extracts heat from outside and transfers it inside your home. It does the opposite during the warmer months by pulling heat out of your home and releasing it outside.

Types of Heat Pumps

Heat pumps come in a variety of options, depending on your needs and the fuel source. All options collect heat from one location to another. The most common heat pump is an air-source heat pump. It transfers heat from the air outside or inside your home. Air-source heat pumps deliver close to three times more heat energy to a home than the energy it consumes.

The second type of heat pump is a geothermal heat pump. These are sometimes referred to as GeoExchange, ground-source, water-source or earth-coupled. Geothermal heat pumps use the temperature of the earth to heat or cool a home.

They pull the heat from the ground or water to warm your house or cool it. Geothermal units last longer and perform more quietly. They require less maintenance and are unaffected by the outside temperature.

Absorption heat pumps are the third option. Their power source uses natural gas, solar-heated water, geothermal-heated water or propane. Natural gas is the most common source for absorption heat pumps.

Referred to as gas-fired heat pumps, they use an ammonia-water absorption cycle to heat or cool a home. First, the ammonia condenses in one coil to release heat and reduce the pressure.

Second, the ammonia evaporates to absorb the heat. Third, the ammonia releases into the water. Lastly, the heat source boils the water and removes the ammonia.

Why Heat Pumps Are a Great Option For You

Heat pumps move heat instead of generating it, which offers more energy efficiency when heating or cooling your home. Typical air-forced heat pump units use electricity, so fuel consumption isn’t an issue when heating your home in the winter.

As you can see, heat pumps are best for homeowners who live in a moderate winter climate, such as Alabama!

Need more help to decide? Call and ask questions of our professional staff. A member of our sales team can visit your home, take the appropriate measurements and perform the necessary calculations. He or she will prepare recommendations for you and can connect you with financing if necessary.

Ready to purchase or upgrade? Our NATE-certified technicians will expertly install your heat pump and show you basic care. Contact Douglas Cooling & Heating today and bring this home heating and cooling hero to your squad. We are your HVAC repair, service and installation experts.

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Protect Your Family with a Carbon Monoxide Detector!

September 10th, 2018

Carbon monoxide is a serious threat to homeowners everywhere, one that you should do your best to protect yourself and your family from. The best way to do that is to make sure that you have a carbon monoxide detector installed in your home. The sooner you can be warned of a carbon monoxide leak, the sooner you can remove yourself from the situation until the issue is fixed. Right now, we’re offering a FREE carbon monoxide detector when you purchase and install a Bryant system from us! Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our professional technicians.

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