Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling
Several years ago, we wrote about a topic that affects virtually every homeowner – dryer vents. Now, we want to revisit this idea to reiterate the value of keeping ducts clean. We also want to offer some safety tips along with signs that your ducts need attention. Keep reading to learn more.
You likely clean the clothes dryer lint catch before or after drying a load of clothes. That trap can sometimes miss a piece of lint here or there, and those pieces may end up in the dryer vent hose. If too many of those small pieces collect over time, the vent can become clogged, forcing potentially dangerous fumes back into your home.
Additionally, dryer lint is flammable. And clothes dryers use warm – often hot – air to dry a load of laundry. In some instances, flammable lint mixed with hot air can be an unsafe combination. Each year, clothes dryer fires cause death, injury, and millions of dollars in property loss or damage. Failure to keep up with dryer maintenance is the leading cause of clothes dryer fires. As such, keeping the vent clear of obstruction dramatically helps keep you and your family safe.
A clogged dryer vent slows the drying process and makes the unit work harder and longer to get clothes dry. This creates undue stress and added wear-and-tear on the dryer itself. Keeping the vent clean and clear helps improve function and allows the dryer to run more efficiently. You’ll save money on energy bills and help cut down on repairs.
There are some signs to watch for that could indicate it’s time to clean the dryer vent – or call on a team of professionals to get the job done. Pay attention to things like:
When it comes to safety, the value of keeping ducts clean cannot be overstated. These are simple ways to be on alert to help protect your home, your family, and your appliances. If you notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment with the professionals at WestAIR Heating & Cooling. Our duct cleaning service provides removal of dirt and other debris from your home’s ductwork, delivering peace of mind and cleaner air. Contact us today to learn more.
This entry was posted in Duct Cleaning and tagged clothes dryer, dryer vent, Duct cleaning, Duct cleaning service, Ducts, Ductwork
Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling
Spring officially began on March 20 and despite some chilly days and “surprise” snowfall, cooling season is on its way. You may be ready for the shift, but is your air conditioner? Use these spring HVAC reminders and tips to help prepare your system for the hot summer days ahead.
Whether you’ve already finished your spring cleaning or have yet to bust out the rubber gloves, don’t forget to incorporate your HVAC system into your routine:
While regular dusting, mopping, vacuuming, and cleaning of the vents and registers helps minimize the amount of debris that gets into your ductwork, there’s no way to prevent it entirely. Duct cleaning helps prevent dust, pollen, and other harmful particles from accumulating and impacting the health of your HVAC system and indoor air quality.
Don’t let the cool air your HVAC system produces go to waste. Check windows, doors, and exterior walls for cracks and seams that could let indoor air escape and hot, humid outdoor air sneak in. Seal them with caulk to help maintain efficient cooling.
Providing fresh air and adequate ventilation are vital to maintaining indoor air quality. Open windows on nice days for natural ventilation and air flow. Consider installing an air exchanger that simultaneously removes stale, recycled indoor air while supplying fresh, filtered air from outside.
Don’t wait for the first hot, humid day of the year to test your air conditioner. Turn the system on now to check for any issues, and schedule annual preventative maintenance with the local HVAC experts at WestAIR to ensure optimal performance, efficiency, and safety.
With Minnesota’s unpredictable weather, spring can feel like little more than a brief break between the last snowfall and the first hot, humid day of summer. Don’t let the window sneak by without giving your home’s air conditioner some much needed TLC! Use these spring HVAC reminders to help ensure your system is ready to keep your home cool and cozy all season long.
For all your heating and cooling needs, trust the knowledgeable, experienced HVAC professionals at WestAIR. Contact us to learn more about our services.
This entry was posted in AC,Air Conditioning,Cooling,Duct Cleaning,Energy Savings,Health Tips,HVAC Maintenance,Indoor Air Quality,Spring,Tips and tagged Air conditioner, Air conditioner maintenance, Air conditioner tune-up, air conditioning, Annual check-up, Annual service maintenance check, Cooling Season, Cooling Season Prep, Cooling system, Cooling Tips, Duct cleaning, Duct cleaning service, Professional duct cleaning, Spring, Spring Cleaning, Spring Heating and Cooling, Spring HVAC, Spring HVAC Reminders, WestAIR Heating & Cooling
Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling
In a previous blog, we discussed air duct cleaning and maintenance. Because these duties help provide better indoor air quality, we wanted to mention them again and reiterate their importance to your home and health. Learn more about some reasons for keeping air ducts clean and ways to do so.
Wherever you go, it only makes sense that you want to breathe the cleanest, healthiest air possible.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average American spends 90 percent of their life indoors. As such, it’s important for your home’s air to be free of as many contaminants as possible. This is especially important since the accumulation of indoor air pollutants is exponentially higher than regular outdoor concentrations.
Some effects of poor indoor air include respiratory issues and disease, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Oftentimes indoor air pollutants can increase the intensity of issues like asthma and even cause eye, nose, or throat dryness and irritation. Protect yourself and your family by keeping air ducts and your home’s air clean.
Your HVAC system often pulls in outside air to condition and distribute through the home, so dirt, dust, and other allergens find their way in. Since the ductwork throughout your home is hidden, you probably don’t give it much thought. And because it’s hidden, it’s more difficult to access and clean.
So how do you know if your ductwork is hiding something unhealthy? Look for telltale signs, such as:
Routine home maintenance can help keep your air ducts cleaner and your indoor air fresher.
Check and change HVAC filters. This could be every 30 days or every few months, depending on how often your system runs, if you have pets, or if you have younger children or allergy sufferers in the home. Check the filter on a regular basis and change it as needed.
Have your HVAC system inspected at least once a year to ensure it is operating at peak performance. This will also allow you to catch and fix any smaller issues before they become potentially bigger problems. Routine maintenance can extend the life of your heating and cooling systems, saving you money in the long run.
Complete household chores each week. This includes dusting hard surfaces and flooring, vacuuming carpeted areas (and vent covers), and running bedding through the wash. Also, vacuum and wash pet bedding as needed, and consider a high-quality HEPA filter vacuum to further reduce indoor air contaminants.
A few upgrades will also go a long way toward improving air quality at home.
Small changes to daily, weekly, and yearly routines can help with keeping air ducts clean while increasing overall indoor air quality. If you think your ductwork should be checked, rely on the experienced professionals at WestAIR Heating & Cooling.
Contact us today to learn more about our duct cleaning or other services.
This entry was posted in Duct Cleaning,Health Tips,Humidifier,Humidity,HVAC Maintenance,Indoor Air Quality,Spring,Tips and tagged Air ducts, Clean Air Ducts, Duct cleaning, Duct Cleaning and Indoor Air Quality, Duct cleaning service, HVAC Maintenance, HVAC System Efficiency, Keeping Air Ducts Clean, Professional duct cleaning, Residential HVAC, Signs of Dirty Ductwork, westair heating and cooling
Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling
We rely on our heating systems a lot during Minnesota’s long, brutal winters. As we continue through the coldest months of the year, homeowners should take steps to minimize stress on their HVAC system to help prevent inconvenient breakdowns and costly repairs. Use these winter furnace maintenance tips to enjoy optimal performance, efficiency, and comfort all season long.
It may be the beginning of a new year, but we have a lot of cold days and harsh weather ahead of us yet. Follow these winter furnace maintenance tips to help your heating system run safely, efficiently, and uninterrupted for the rest of the season.
Trust the highly knowledgeable and experienced HVAC professionals at WestAIR for all your heating and cooling needs. Contact us to learn more.
This entry was posted in Duct Cleaning,Energy Savings,Furnace,Health Tips,Heating,HVAC Maintenance,Indoor Air Quality,Tips,Winter and tagged Duct cleaning, Duct cleaning service, Ductwork, Energy efficiency, Furnace Education, Furnace Maintenance, Furnace Maintenance Tips, Furnace Tips, Heating, Heating System, Heating System Education, Homeowner Education, Homeowner Tips, HVAC Maintenance, HVAC Maintenance Tips, WestAIR Heating & Cooling, Winter Furnace Maintenance Tips, Winter Heating Tips, Winter HVAC, Winter HVAC Safety, Winter HVAC Tips
Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling
With the recent snowfall and chilly temps, there’s no denying that winter is almost here. Time to prepare! As heating season makes its way to Minnesota, we must remember to keep the air in our home clean as well as warm. Use this guide to winter indoor air quality maintenance to keep your family cozy, healthy, and happy throughout the season.
When cold weather hits, we seal our homes to prevent the warm air produced by our furnaces from escaping. While this helps increase comfort and energy efficiency, it also traps dust, pollen, and other airborne contaminants inside the home that then decrease indoor air quality. Common signs of poor winter indoor air quality include:
Escaping the bitter cold of Minnesota winters means spending more time inside our home, making clean indoor air crucial to our comfort and health. Thankfully, homeowners can improve and maintain air quality with these helpful tips.
This year has presented us all with new and unique challenges. But no matter how unpredictable 2020 has been, we know we can always plan for harsh winter weather here in Minnesota. We’re already seeing the temps drop and snow fall, so don’t wait! Use these winter indoor air quality maintenance tips to enjoy clean, comfy air inside your home this heating season.
For all your heating and cooling needs, trust the HVAC experts at WestAIR. Contact us today to learn more.
This entry was posted in Duct Cleaning,Furnace,Health Tips,Heating,Humidifier,Humidity,HVAC Maintenance,Indoor Air Quality,Tips,Winter and tagged Air cleaner, Air exchanger, Duct cleaning, Duct cleaning service, Heating, Heating Tips, Humidfier, Humidity, Humidity Management, HVAC tips, Indoor air quality, Indoor air quality solutions, Professional duct cleaning, Residential HVAC, Ventilation, WestAIR Heating & Cooling, Winter, Winter HVAC, Winter HVAC Tips, Winter Indoor Air Quality, Winter Indoor Air Quality Maintenance, Winter Tips, Winterize
Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling
We can finally see that spring is on its way! With the weather warming up, it’s time to start preparing the home for the cooling season. Will yours be ready? To help out, we put together a list of HVAC tips for spring cleaning.
A dirty or clogged air filter makes your system work harder, leading to higher bills and increased wear and tear. It also negatively affects indoor air quality. Change your air filter (or clean it if re-usable), and plan to do so monthly to keep the system working properly.
If dust gets into your HVAC system, it can negatively impact both energy efficiency and your home’s air quality. Use a vacuum to clean your floor registers and return air vents. You can get a deeper clean by removing the vent, brushing the individual grill spaces with a rag and butter knife, and then rinsing with warm soapy water.
Though you should do these chores regularly throughout the year, dusting and mopping are especially important during spring. With windows and doors being left open more often, airborne particles like dust, dirt, and allergens accumulate on your surfaces and eventually make their way into your HVAC system.
Air ducts supply your HVAC system with fresh air, but they can quickly become dirty from all the dust, pollen, and other harmful particles floating in the air. Keeping them clean helps prevent these harmful pollutants from accumulating in your ductwork and impacting the health of your HVAC system and air quality. Spring cleaning is the perfect time for a professional duct cleaning service, which you should do annually.
Clean and properly functioning, bathroom exhaust fans help with odor and moisture control, which helps prevent mold and mildew. Be sure the power is off, wash it with soapy water, and clean dirt and debris off the fan blades with a toothbrush.
If your outdoor unit doesn’t get enough air or has dirt-covered coils, it could overheat. Turn off the power and clear away plants, weeds, leaves, branches, etc., and then rinse the condenser coils with a garden hose.
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are a crucial line of defense against two common household dangers. Check the batteries and replace them if necessary. You should also dust or vacuum them to optimize performance.
Don’t get caught with a failing A/C or expensive repair bill down the road. Schedule a preventative maintenance service with your local HVAC contractor to ensure your system is running smoothly and ready for the cooling season.
During Minnesota winters, at times it feels like spring will never come. But when the days get longer and the temps rise, we know it’s time to start getting ready. Use these HVAC tips for spring cleaning to help make sure your home is ready for a safe, comfortable, and happy cooling season.
The HVAC professionals at WestAIR offer experience and expertise to cover all your heating and cooling needs. Contact us today to schedule service and learn more.
This entry was posted in AC,Air Conditioning,Cooling,Duct Cleaning,Health Tips,Indoor Air Quality,Spring,Tips and tagged air conditioning, Duct cleaning, Duct cleaning service, Family Health, Family Safety, Heating, Home Heating, Home Safety, Homeowner Education, Homeowner Tips, HVAC Safety, HVAC tips, Importance of Indoor Air Quality, Indoor air quality, Professional duct cleaning, Spring Cleaning, Spring Heating and Cooling
Posted on by WestAIR Heating & Cooling
Air ducts are like the lungs of your home, supplying your HVAC system with a steady stream of fresh air. With so much dust, pollen, mold, and other harmful particles floating in your indoor air, your ductwork can quickly become a home for dirt. Professional air duct cleaning can keep harmful pollutants from circulating and settling in your ductwork.
Your technician will inspect the system to make sure there’s no asbestos-containing materials, as those materials require specialized procedures to disturb or remove. They may cut out small holes in the ductwork to get inside. Using vacuum equipment and bristled brushes, your technician will dislodge and draw out particles and dust. Then, they’ll seal and re-insulate holes. Make sure to research and hire a qualified contractor with the resources and expertise to clean your air ducts safely. If not properly cleaned, you could face problems like damaged HVAC components or holes that have not been tightly sealed, compromising an airtight system.
According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), air pollutants like dander, dust, and chemicals are re-circulated in your home five to seven times a day, on average. You should have your air ducts cleaned every three to five years, or more, depending on your lifestyle. In a home with pets, cigarette or cigar smoke, water damage, or renovation projects underway, more pollutants may be circulating. Schedule duct cleaning service if
Follow these tips from the pros:
WestAIR Heating & Cooling provides duct cleaning service with our innovative Rotobrush equipment. Using a powerful, specialized vacuum and cleaning devices, we draw air through your duct system to dislodge any debris that may be stuck on interior surfaces. We also offer air exchangers, air cleaners, whole house humidifiers, replacement filters, and more to improve indoor air quality. Contact us to learn more.
This entry was posted in Duct Cleaning,Indoor Air Quality and tagged Clean HVAC ducts, Duct cleaning, Duct cleaning service, Indoor air, Indoor air quality, Professional duct cleaning
With RSS feeds, you don't have to visit our site everyday to keep up to date. Simply subscribe to our blog via RSS or Email and our posts will come to you!