Four Simple Ways to Improve Air Quality

Posted on March 22, 2016 by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

The quality of air we breathe inside our homes is important for comfort, but it’s also critical for maintaining good health. Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been tied to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Some diseases have even been linked to specific air contaminants or indoor environments, like asthma with dampness.

Here’s 4 simple ways to improve your home’s air quality:

Eliminate the Source of Allergens
Cleaning your home regularly reduces the amount of dust, pollen, mold and pet dander in the air. Frequent dusting and vacuuming removes particles trapped in carpets and on counter top surfaces.

Change Your Air Filter Regularly
Using a high efficiency air filter can remove harmful allergens and dust pollutants from the air in your home. Set a calendar reminder to change your air filter 30 to 60 days (for 1″ filter) or annually (for air cleaner filter).

Our WestAIR Heating & Cooling professionals can install an air cleaner in your home to trap floating particles and clean the existing air you breathe.

Get More Fresh Air
Not all home heating and air conditioning units allow fresh air to come in from the outdoors. Opening windows and doors when weather permits can help circular fresh, clean air indoors.

Installing a high quality air exchanger can also help to bring fresh, filtered outside air into your home.

Bring The Outdoors In
Houseplants like aloe vera, mums, bamboo palm, golden pothos, ficus, Chinese evergreen, peace lillies and even Gerber daisies help filter allergens and pollutants from the air. Consider keeping plants in areas of the home where toxins are the strongest such as the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room.

At WestAIR Heating & Cooling, we have the knowledge and experience to ensure you and your family are breathing healthy air into your home throughout every season. Give us a call at 763-498-8071 today to learn more.

This entry was posted in Indoor Air Quality,Tips,Uncategorized and tagged Air cleaner, Allergies, Dust, Filters, Indoor air quality, Mold, Service, Tips & advice, WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Money Saving Tips for Heating Your Home

Posted on February 22, 2016 by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Winter has arrived in Minnesota and with it, increasing costs to heat our homes. Here’s a few ways you can save money on your heating bill this winter:

Turn Down The Thermostat
You can save 5%-15% a year on your heating bill by simply turning down your thermostat to 68°F while you’re awake, or lower while you’re sleeping or away from the home. An easy way to do this is to purchase a programmable thermostat so you can set it and forget it.

Winterize Your Windows
Purchase plastic film to help seal leaky windows from cold air drafts.

Use The Fan
Toggle the fan on your thermostat to ‘on’ to force warm air into rooms throughout your house.

Keep Vents Open and Unblocked
Be sure vents are open and furniture isn’t blocking them so air can properly circulate the room.

Let The Sun Shine
Open drapes and shades over windows facing sun to naturally warm up your home.

Layer Up
Wear a sweatshirt, socks or cover up with a blanket before reaching for the thermostat dial.

Service Your Furnace
It’s important to have annual service performed on your furnace to ensure it’s running safely and efficiently. If your unit isn’t working properly, it can end up costing you more to heat your home.

The team at WestAIR Heating & Cooling would be happy to come to your home and personally assess your heating system. Give us a call today at 763-498-8071.

This entry was posted in Energy Savings,Furnace,Tips and tagged Energy efficient, Energy savings, Furnace, Heating, Service, Setback thermostat, Tips & advice, WestAIR Heating & Cooling

New Year; New Filter!

Posted on February 9, 2016 by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

The start of a new year is a great reminder to change your furnace air filter.

A filter removes dust and dander from the air we breathe in our homes, and eventually becomes laden with dirty particles. Build-up reduces the efficiency of your furnace, making the fan work harder and shortening the lifespan of your unit.

The frequency of changing your air filter depends on several factors including how many people live in your home, how many pets reside there, if it’s a smoking home, or if you live in a particularly dusty area. The more various factors are present, the more frequently you’ll need to replace your filter. WestAIR Heating & Cooling suggests a replacement schedule of 30 to 60 days (for 1″ filter) or annually (for air cleaner filter).

We have a variety of humidifier and air cleaner filters in stock and ready for shipment:

• Aprilaire model 550 Humidifier
• Aprilaire model 560/600 Humidifier
• Honeywell model 220 Humidifier
• Aprilaire model 2200
• Aprilaire model 2410
• Honeywell Air Cleaner
• Trion Air Bear Air Cleaner
• York Air Cleaner

Click here to complete our online order form. Once submitted, you will be contacted within 24 hours to confirm your order and pricing.

This entry was posted in Furnace,Indoor Air Quality,Tips,Uncategorized and tagged Air cleaner, Aprilaire, Buy filters, Dust, Filters, Furnace, Indoor air quality, Tips & advice, WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Tips to Keep your Furnace Working Properly

Posted on January 22, 2016 by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Remember that improper care of your furnace may be lessening its efficiency.

• Regular/Monthly filter changes.  A dirty filter forces your furnace to work harder, which leads to a decrease in energy efficiency and can wear down the working components of the furnace.
• Regular system Check and Cleans. Your furnace requires regular maintenance just like your car. An annual check and clean of your furnace will help it to run at its peak ability. Smaller problems may be detected early before they develop into big problems requiring unexpected service.
• Clear the space around your furnace. Keep the area around your furnace free and clear of clutter. This reduces a fire hazard and helps the furnace to get all the air it needs for proper combustion.
• Use a Set-back Programmable Thermostat. Lowering your temperature settings when there is no one home and/or sleeping at night will reduce the load on your furnace and help you save money.

Follow these tips to extend the life of your HVAC equipment and help prevent breakdowns.

As your furnace continues to battle the Cold Days of Winter, remember to call your local professional at WestAIR Heating & Cooling if your furnace is giving you any trouble. We’d be happy to come out to your home and personally assess your heating system. We want you to be comfortable in your home, all year long.  Contact us today at 763.498.8071

This entry was posted in Energy Savings,Furnace,Heating,Tips,Uncategorized and tagged Energy efficient, Energy savings, Filters, Furnace, Heating, Setback thermostat, Thermostat, Tips & advice, WestAIR Heating & Cooling

It’s Time to Change Your Air Filter!

Posted on June 3, 2015 by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Following up from last week’s post on benefits of a Whole House Air Purifier to help with alleviating stubborn allergies, we want to give a friendly reminder to change your furnace air filters! A simple and yet extremely effective way to help keep the air in your home clean and keep your system running smoothly. Here’s a few reasons why changing your HVAC or furnace filter is so important:

• A dirty filter slows down the air flow and in turn makes your system run harder to keep your home cool (or warm in the winter months). This not only wastes energy, but it also drives up your energy bill.
• Changing your filter can also increase the life of your HVAC system for similar reasons. If the system doesn’t have to work so hard to push air through, it can run for a lot longer. A clean filter can also prevent dust and buildup from clogging your system, which can lead to expensive repairs.
• But most importantly, a clean filter helps to keep you and your family healthy. By changing your HVAC or furnace filter on a regular basis you help improve your home’s indoor air quality by eliminating dust, mold, pollen, spores, and other pesky contaminants that can worsen allergies and asthma or potentially cause sickness.

Many filters these days are washable or replaceable.  Not sure what your system takes? Call WestAIR Heating & Cooling to learn more about changing out your HVAC air filters. We always have air filters in stock and are happy to help you with any questions you may have. Call us today at 763.498.8071

This entry was posted in Energy Savings,Spring,Tips and tagged Air filters, Allergies, Changing your HVAC air filter, Energy savings, Filters, Indoor air quality, WestAIR Heating & Cooling, Whole house humidifier

Indoor Air Quality in the Twin Cities Area, MN

Posted on June 6, 2014 by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

Many people think that the air inside their home or workplace is cleaner than the air outside. However, in the majority of situations this is not the case. The air indoors at times is not as fresh as outdoor air and may be polluted with things such as dust mites, pet dander, mold, aerosols and bacteria. These such things may cause allergies, dry or runny nose, itchy eyes and throat or headaches.

It is important that we take the necessairy steps to be concerned with the quaility of the air that we breathe just as we are with the food that we put into our bodies. The best solution for indoor air quiality is proper ventilation which can be satisfied with an air exchanger from WestAIR. For more details and information please visit our website to read more on air exchangers.

Proudly delivering the “Quality Service you expect” for 25+ years. Contact WestAIR Heating and Cooling today for a free estimate (763)498-8071. Location: 11184 River Road NE Hanover, MN 55341

This entry was posted in Indoor Air Quality,Tips and tagged Air exchanger, Allergies, Dust, Indoor air, Indoor air quality, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mold, Outdoor air, Pollution

Fighting the Common Cold

Posted on March 20, 2014 by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

The winter to spring transition is wonderful in terms of cutting down on energy bills and warming up. However, it may bring the common cold to your home. At WestAIR we offer three products that can help keep your family healthy during this time and throughout the entire year.

1. Air Cleaners: These are best in homes where family members have allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions.  Air cleaners filter the air and remove the tiniest microfibers and particles. This includes small dust particles, bacteria, and viruses.
2. UV Lights: By installing a UV light this can help to eliminate mold, dust mites and bacteria. In fact, the majority of hospitals and health clinics are now installing UV lights to make the environment cleaner and healthier.
3. Humidifiers: In the Midwest and especially in Minnesota, it gets very dry during the fall and winter months. Installing a humidifier is a great way to control the humidity in your home and benefit from reduced cases of the flu, the common cold, and other sicknesses.

Proudly delivering the “Quality Service you expect” for 25+ years. Contact WestAIR Heating and Cooling today for a free estimate (763)498-8071. Location: 11184 River Road NE Hanover, MN 55341

This entry was posted in Indoor Air Quality,Tips and tagged Air cleaner, Clean air, Energy savings, Fall, Health, Humidifiers, Spring, UV lights, Winter

Savings on Winter Heating Bills

Posted on February 20, 2014 by WestAIR Heating & Cooling

A cold cold winter has struck the Midwest this year. Many of us in Minnesota are struggling to stay warm as well as keep up with our energy bills from heating our homes. With a warmer week ahead it is a good time to turn that thermostat down 2-5 degrees. Some may be surprised by how much of a difference that can make in energy savings just from one warmer week. This may be an adjustment to some in their comfort levels. Try these tips to stay warm. Wear a sweatshirt or sweater when you’re at home instead of just a t-shirt. Make sure to wear socks to keep your feet warm.

There are two times during the day to save big on energy bills by just turning your thermostat down a few degrees. First, if you aren’t home during the day turn your thermostat down when you leave for work or school in the morning. Reset it to your comfort level when you return home in the evening. The second time is when you go to sleep. Turn it down once again and put an extra blanket on the bed. You’ll be surprised by how much of a difference this can make in energy savings.  To make matters easier call WestAIR today for a setback thermostat. Setback thermostats can be set to adjust the comfort level based on your schedule. The best part about a setback thermostat is that it can be used during the summer months for the same energy savings with air conditioning. Give us a call today for more information and a free estimate.

Proudly delivering the “Quality Service you expect” for 25+ years. Contact WestAIR Heating and Cooling today for a free estimate (763)498-8071. Location: 11184 River Road NE Hanover, MN 55341

This entry was posted in Energy Savings,Heating,Tips and tagged air conditioning, Energy savings, Furnace, Heating, Setback thermostat, Tips & advice