What Heating Systems Are Best For The Environment?

January 6, 2020

Of course, you want your home to be warm and comfortable during the winter but not at the expense of the environment. These days, there are choices to reduce your carbon footprint and lessen your contribution to climate change while still maintaining a pleasant indoor habitat in the winter. Here are some of the best ways for heating your home while limiting your negative environmental impact. Solar Power Throughout large swaths of the United States, solar energy is a great way to power your home. There is a fairly large initial investment, but your energy bills thereafter will be significantly lower. You can even make money if you generate more electricity than you consume. If you have south-facing windows, you can also generate heat in your home by simply opening the blinds on sunny days. Geothermal Geothermal systems take heat from four to six feet beneath the surface of the ground and use it to heat your home. Even in the winter, this underground area can provide warmth. A geothermal system has buried pipes that collect heat while a compressor is utilized to send it throughout the home. For customers in and around Mount Airy, North Carolina, can install this...

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3 Benefits of Crawlspace Renovations

December 18, 2019

The crawlspace is a room in your home that is usually out of sight and out of mind. However, it has a big impact on your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. That’s why more and more homeowners in Mount Airy are choosing to renovate their crawlspaces. Here at , we’ve renovated countless crawlspaces, and we know first-hand how the procedure can transform a home. What are some of the benefits of crawlspace renovation? 1. Improved air quality Did you know that up to 40% of the air inside your home comes up from the crawl space? That’s the air you and your family breathe day in and day out, so you want to make sure it’s as clean and healthy as possible. Encapsulating the crawl space lowers the levels of moisture and unhealthy contaminants in the air, which makes it safer to breathe. 2. Greater energy efficiency Unrenovated crawlspaces are susceptible to extreme changes in temperature. When this air inevitably makes its way into your home, your heating and cooling system has to work hard to stabilize the temperature. Not only does this consume more energy, but it also raises your bills and puts stress on the system. Crawlspace renovation...

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The Pros and Cons of Space Heaters

November 8, 2019

On winter nights, there’s nothing like being warm and cozy. Space heaters offer a way for you to heat one area in your home without changing your thermostat. Before you buy a space heater, though, you should know what to expect. Here are the pros and cons of space heaters. Pro: Reduce Utility Costs Heating costs can rise substantially during the winter months. That’s one of the reasons that space heaters are popular. To maximize your savings, buy an energy-efficient space heater that’s suitable for your home’s size. Pro: Easy to Install Installing a space heater is quick and easy. After you take it out of the box, the only thing you have to do is plug it into an outlet. Be sure to read the directions before you use your space heater. These directions will tell you everything you need to know about the space heater and installation process. Once you’re done with the heater, you can store it neatly in a closet. A space heater is portable. This makes it easy for you to use it in another room. Con: May Cause a Fire Space heaters can overheat and start fires. If you have pets, flammable objects and...

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Early Fall Issues Your HVAC System Might Encounter

October 17, 2019

If you’re looking forward to turning off the air conditioning and turning up the heat for fall, you’ll want to watch out for some issues. Common problems are easily resolved through simple DIY tasks that will only take a small amount of time. If you need some professional help, you can always reach out to . We’re familiar with all of the following early-season issues you may encounter with your HVAC system. Issues When You First Turn on Your System If you turn your heating on for the first time and it’s emitting funny smells or noises, don’t be alarmed right away. However, these should clear quickly. You may have a bigger problem if the system is still making weird noises or odors a day into operation. If no heat is produced by the unit, schedule a service call with . Debris and Dirty Air Filters You’ll want to check the air filter to ensure that it’s clean and free of excessive pollutants. Allergens can quickly spread throughout your home with a dirty filter. It’s a great idea to change them every month or at least at the interval that’s specified. Furthermore, outside foliage and other debris may cause clogs...

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Is Air Conditioning Good for Your Home?

September 15, 2019

With modern air conditioning systems, a lot of thought is put into their effectiveness, parts, energy efficiency, and the air quality they provide. According to many studies, AC is the first line of defense in helping to prevent heatstroke and many other heat-related illnesses. is happy to provide you with the benefits of air conditioning and why it’s a necessity in many homes. Your Health Depends on Air Conditioning In a climate such as ours where summers are long and humidity is high, your cooling system should be used regularly. This is especially important in homes with children or seniors that are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Asthmatics and allergy sufferers also depend on air conditioning to reduce the humidity level and prevent breathing problems and allergies caused by pollutants outside the home. Dehydration should be a top concern for everyone. Using AC will help to reduce sweating, excessive loss of fluids, and other issues related to dehydration. Your Home Depends on Air Conditioning Without AC, you’re running a risk of having mold grow in your home and your air ducts. Once mold forms, it causes many health problems and can be incredibly expensive to remove, especially when black mold...

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Why a Clean Air Filter is Important

August 5, 2019

Regularly changing your air filter may not seem like a big deal. However, this simple task can make a significant impact. During the hot North Carolina summers and the cold chill of January and February, it is best to change your air filters once a month. For the rest of the year, once every three months is fine. Here are the top two reasons why a clean air filter is important. 1. Saves Money When air filters get clogged, it interrupts the flow of air into the home. This makes it harder to keep the house at the proper temperature. Furthermore, the HVAC system will work harder and burn extra energy, which makes your utility payments go up. It also stresses the system, causing it to break down more often. Besides needing repairs more frequently, it also reduces the overall life span of your system. By changing the air filters every thirty to ninety days, you can save yourself time and money. 2. Controls the Temperature With a clean air filter, conditioned air can reach every room and stay at the desired temperature. When the filter is clogged, you may find that some rooms are warmer or colder than others....

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3 Reasons to Utilize Comfort Zoning

July 9, 2019

As the cost of energy can fluctuate and increase over time, more homeowners are looking to utilize comfort zoning with their HVAC systems. Zoning systems allow different areas of the home to have separate temperatures. Here are a few of the top reasons to consider using comfort zoning for your property. 1. Increased Comfort You can have more control of the internal temperature in the building, especially if certain residents prefer to have the space cooler or warmer. Each zone will have its own thermostat installed, which can allow family members to set different temperatures for certain rooms in the home. 2. Energy Savings Comfort zoning is known to save more energy because the HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the entire home cool at one time. With a programmable thermostat also installed, it will reduce the energy usage and will allow you to only use as much energy as you need. Not every room in your home needs the light on when it’s not occupied, and the same guideline applies when cooling the property. You can avoid having to cool specific rooms that are rarely used by the residents, which will reduce your carbon footprint...

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How Do I Check My Home for Air Leaks?

June 25, 2019

Are you searching for air leaks in your house? Here are a few suggestions. A Leak Detector This method is best when the indoor and outdoor temperatures are quite different. Start by pointing the detector where you suspect there may be leaks. The detector will scan the area with a light. If there’s a leak with cool air, the light will turn blue. It will turn red for warm air leaks. The light color will not change if there are no air leaks. An Incense Test It’s recommended that you depressurize your dwelling on a windy and cold day for this test. Turn on fans in the bathrooms and kitchen, and turn off the furnace. Close windows and exterior doors too. Then, walk around your home with a lit stick of incense. Next, put the incense over the edges of doors, windows, vents, and wherever else you suspect a leak. You’ll know that you have an air leak if smoke is being siphoned into or out of your house. The Hand Test When the heat is on during a cold day, put your hand by the edges of exterior doors, windows, bathroom and kitchen fans, and air vents. You have...

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What You Can Do to Maintain Excellent Indoor Air Quality

May 22, 2019

You’ve probably heard before that the air inside your home is worse for your health than outdoor air. In order to maintain excellent indoor air quality, you should have your ducts professionally cleaned every three to five years. In addition, you should also invest in annual maintenance for your heating and cooling system as well as an air purifier. Have Your Ducts Professionally Cleaned Every once in a while, your ducts need to be cleaned because dirt and debris gather inside. Dust in the ducts will be pushed into your home when the heating and cooling system operates. Odors that have accumulated over time in the ducts can cause a musty smell to circulate throughout your house as the system runs. J’s HVAC Unlimited offers duct cleaning and indoor air quality services for residents of the Mount Airy area. We can pinpoint the causes behind your home’s poor indoor air quality to help you improve it. Schedule Annual Maintenance for Your Heating and Cooling System Your home’s heating and cooling systems each need maintenance at least once a year. We recommend heating maintenance in autumn and cooling maintenance in spring. Scheduling maintenance during these seasons lets us prepare your system...

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5 Ways to Save Money on Energy Bills

April 16, 2019

Every year, energy bills seem to get higher and higher. Sometimes, you may feel like way too much money goes towards paying energy bills. At in Mount Airy, we agree, and that’s why we’re going to give you five ways to save money on your energy bills. 1. Change Air Filters Regularly When your air filters are dirty, they make your unit struggle to push air through. Air filters should be replaced once a month, which is far more often than most people replace them. 2. Find Out When Non-Peak Hours Are Sometimes you can get discounts for moving your power usage to off-peak hours. The times vary based on where you live, but arranging your schedule so that doing laundry, running the dishwasher, and watching TV are done during these hours can save you plenty of money. 3. Lower Your Water Heater Thermostat Hot water takes up a lot of power. Lowering the thermostat on your water heater 10 degrees can make a huge difference in your energy bill. 4. Change Your Thermostat Schedule When it’s hot outside, raise the temperature a bit. You’ll soon get used to the change, and a couple of degrees still makes a difference....

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