If you’re like many other homeowners, you’re trying to think of ways to make life a lot more convenient for yourself. One way you can improve your household is to invest in a smart thermostat. Many benefits will come from this investment. The following are several of the leading reasons to install smart thermostat products:
Match temperatures to your household routines.
You can use a smart thermometer to set your system to temperatures your family is accustomed to being at. That way, you can always be comfortable, and you can keep electricity bills down as well.
Control other devices from your mobile phone.
Remote access is a favorite feature of many people who purchase smart thermometers. You’ll have the ability to control other items in your home while you’re at work or on vacation using a simplified mobile application.
That’s not only convenient, but it also gives you a high level of control. The power will be in your hands to lock and unlock things, illuminate or darken lighting, and perform other tasks. The tasks you’ll be able to control will vary according to your program.
Keep track of your energy bill with reports.
Smartphone thermostat programs have extra features that allow you to keep track of your energy bill. With those amazing features, you can make adjustments to keep your energy bill low if you want to.
For example, you can test a few different strategies and see how well they work from month to month. Once you find a sweet spot for keeping your electricity bill low, you can stick to that plan.
Control your HVAC system with your voice.
The latest smart thermostat systems come with a feature called voice command. With this feature, you can train the unit to learn your voice and then speak to it when you need it to perform certain tasks.
Voice command features can make life simpler when you’re trying to get the rest you deserve, or you simply don’t feel like getting up to do something.
Rest easy while using the product.
Programmable smart thermostats are most likely easier to use than you think. Many people use them and are surprised by how quickly they learn how to operate them. Furthermore, the knowledge you gather is transferrable.
In other words, once you become accustomed to using one smart thermostat system, you’ll have a very easy time learning the next one.
Get alerts when something changes.
You can also get alerts from your smart WiFi thermostat program about when temperature changes and other variations occur. If the temperature falls out of line, you can make your adjustments quickly to bring the temperature to a place where you can enjoy it once again.
Now that you know all the valid reasons to invest in a smart thermostat, you can contact a company that can help you grab hold of one. PlumbSmart can assist you with smart thermostat installation; you just need to reach out by phone or contact form and request additional information.
An air filter is a device that helps to remove contaminants from the air in your home. The filter traps these particles, including dust, pollen, pet dander, and other allergens. Doing so helps to improve the indoor air quality in your home and can reduce the symptoms of allergies and asthma.
Changing Your Air Filter Regularly
Changing your air filter regularly is essential, as filthy filters can worsen your indoor air quality. How often you change your filter depends on a few factors, such as the type of filter you have and the level of contaminants in your home. In general, however, most filters should be changed every three months.
If you don’t change your air filter with a service like PlumbSmart Plumbing Heating and Air regularly, the contaminants it traps will eventually build up and cause the filter to become clogged. This can reduce the efficiency of your heating and cooling system and lead to increased allergies and asthma symptoms. In extreme cases, a clogged air filter can even cause your HVAC system to overheat and break down.
Changing the air filter regularly will prolong the life of your heating and cooling system and improve its efficiency, especially when you get the electric bill.
A clogged air filter will cause your system to work harder, using more energy and costing you more money on future air conditioning maintenance.
How Does the Air Filter Work?
An air filter works by trapping airborne particles as air passes through the filter. The air filter traps dust, pollen, mold spores, and other pollutants that can cause respiratory problems. The air filter also helps to keep the air in your home clean and free of allergens.
Can I Run My AC Without a Filter?
If you have a central heating and cooling system in your home, it is designed to circulate air throughout the house. The system pulls in air from the outside, heats or cools it, and then sends it back into the house. An essential part of this process is the air filter.
The air filter’s job is to trap dust, pollen, and other airborne particles before entering the HVAC system. This helps keep the system clean and prevents these particles from circulating throughout your home. If the unit becomes clogged, it can reduce the system’s efficiency and will most likely damage it.
So, can you run a central unit without an air filter? Technically, yes. The system will still operate without one. However, it is not advisable to do so. Running the system without a filter can shorten its lifespan and lead to costly air conditioning repairs. It can also cause indoor air quality problems as dust, pollen, and other particles are circulated throughout the house.
How to Tell if Air Filter Needs Replacing?
The air filter in your house is there for a reason – to keep the air clean and free of contaminants. So how do you know when to change the air filter? Here are some signs to look out for:
The air quality in your home feels worse than usual. If you notice that the air in your home feels stuffy or stagnant,
Your energy bills have gone up. If you’ve noticed a sudden spike in your energy bills, a clogged air filter makes your heating and cooling system work harder to circulate the air, driving up your energy costs.
Your HVAC system is making strange noises. If your furnace or air conditioner starts making strange noises, it could be a sign that the air filter is blocked. A clean air filter will help reduce the strain on your HVAC system and make it run more smoothly.
The airflow from your vents is weak. If you notice that the airflow from your vents is weaker than usual, it’s a sign that the air filter needs to be changed. A clogged air filter will restrict the airflow from your vents, making it harder for your HVAC system to circulate the air.
You’ve changed the air filter recently, but it’s still dirty. If you’ve changed the air filter recently, but it’s already dirty again, it could indicate a problem with your HVAC system. A professional technician can inspect your system and ensure it’s operating correctly.
Does Every AC Have a Filter?
Yes, every AC has a filter in the unit, but some have one while others have more than one.
PlumbSmart Plumbing Heating and Air knows AC units and assists the customer in any way possible, even something minor as changing filters. For more information on anything air filter related, contact us today.
Summer can be draining financially.Energy rates reach peak levels during June, July and August and cooling your home during this time requires a considerably greater amount of energy, often leading to skyrocketing utility bills. Investing in energy-saving tips can relieve your wallet, giving you peace of mind and body.
Efficient energy is excellent, though it does not have to make you boil in high temperatures or scorching sun. Summer can be an energy-saving time for you and your family if you observe the following energy-saving tips from PlumbSmart Plumbing Heating and Air.
Change your air filters regularly – Routine cleaning (for reusable filters) or changing your ACs filter can increase the unit’s efficiency. Dirty or clogged filters interfere with the smooth flow of air in the AC. As the air forces its way, it can bypass the filter into the evaporator coil and interfere ring with its heat-absorbing property. A clean filter will increase the unit’s energy efficiency by significantly lowering energy consumption with a percentage efficiency of between five and twenty. During the summer, cooling is almost inevitable, and constant attention to the AC filters must be observed as it is in continuous use. Replacing or cleaning dirty air filters every two months will benefit you as a homeowner.
Mind your gadgets – All electric devices generate heat while plugged in or connected to power, even when not in use. If not in use, unplug all your gadgets, whether your tv set, radio, computer, toaster, or any other device not in use.
Close the drapes – Avoiding glaring light in the house will help reduce the need to eliminate the heat associated with the sun’s rays entering the house through the windows. The greenhouse effect is a common phenomenon during summer days as the effect of the sun reflected in the place when curtains and windows are open is retained, increasing the already high temperatures indoors. Closing the windows and drawing curtains shut will help reduce the heat retained; hence little effort is needed while cooling your house.
Use your ceiling fans – The use of ceiling fans results in a wind chill effect that will make you feel comfortable. A ceiling fan will complement your AC as they work together very well. While using air conditioning, using a fan at the same time will enable you to reduce the amount of energy used to run the air conditioning system. The fun will allow you to set a higher degree of heat without interfering with your comfort.
Maintain your HVAC unit – Your system needs to be at its optimal performance. Regular air conditioning services are crucial as its negligence may lead to poor performance, thus increasing the amount of energy required to run it. Always ensure filters are clean, proper refrigeration levels, drain lines are clear, and coils are kept out of foreign substances such as dust, pollen, animal fur, or any other thing that may hinder its ideal functioning.
Smart thermostat – Automatic adjustment of temperatures in your home may improve energy efficiency. Such intelligent devices master your routine preferences and automatically adjust when you are not in the house or asleep. A smart thermostat comes in handy as it helps reduce energy usage, as it has already adapted a schedule on your timings such that your system only runs in a certain way as long as you need it.
Dehumidifier and Strategic wash – High humidity levels will overwork your system, increasing energy costs. When you use a dehumidifier, it avoids using too much moisture in the air, which makes your unit work harder. Machines used to clean dishes and clothes generate unwanted heat as well. Be sure to wash using cold water and have cold baths during the summer season to avoid injecting too much moisture in your homes as well as losing and using too much energy.
Home insulation – Avoiding any air leakages keeps cool air in during hot seasons and prevents warmer air from accessing the house. Having your home airtight through insulation services is less expensive, easy, and effective as readily available filler is used to seal openings and cracks for stationary areas and weather-stripping for movable parts of the house like windows and door frames. Window coverings prevent heat during the day from entering your home.
Grill outdoors, turn off unnecessary lights – Grilling outside will not only avoid extreme heating in the house but is also fun. The heat from grills can be troublesome, especially when you are trying to reduce temperatures while avoiding substantial energy bills. Avoiding conventional cooking in your house will also save your AC, as unwanted heat from the oven makes your system work harder. Switching off any light not in use can also help reduce the overall energy costs. Using LED Lighting instead of incandescent bulbs will also save you a lot of trouble as they use less energy.
Air Ducts/Ductwork – It is a good idea to periodically check your attic ductwork. This will ensure there are no leaks that could be allowing the cooled or heated air from your unit to seep into the attic area and dust to likewise make its way into your air ducts and out of the vents into your living area.
Money is a scarce resource. Employing the energy-saving tips will significantly impact your life positively as resources used while cooling or heating are reduced considerably without necessarily interfering with your comfort level. Use of smart thermostats, insulation, and ceiling fans, unplugging all gadgets not in use, and ensuring curtains and windows are shut on warmer days will ensure your home remains cool, not just in summer but also warm in winter. Reduced energy loss improves efficiency as well as saving resources that otherwise would be lost in thin air.
If you are one of those people that forgets to clean your air conditioning unit filter throughout the warm months, this article will explain what happens when you don’t clean your air conditioner filter. Does my air filter need to be changed? Short answer: yes!
The air filter of your air conditioner is not just part of the unit to help the air that comes out of it stay clean, it actually plays a very important role in the overall operation of your air conditioner. By changing or cleaning the air filter, you are doing one of the most important steps that you can possibly take to head off potential problems while also improving the energy efficiency level of your unit and will allow you to avoid spending your hard-earned cash on air conditioning repairs.
Potential Issues from a Dirty Air Conditioner Filter
There are many issues that can happen if you do not know when to replace air filters in your home. What happens if you don’t clean your air conditioner filter? Let’s find out:
Freezing Up: When your air conditioner’s filter is clean, the air can flow freely out of your unit, but if your air filter is dirty, it will restrict that flow of cold air, which can then cause it to build up inside of the unit and lower the internal temperature, which could result in ice forming on the coils of your air conditioner which means it will eventually freeze up.
Short-Cycling: Your air conditioner is designed to cycle on and off throughout the day and night, but if your air conditioner filter is dirty, it can make those cycles happen more frequently than they are supposed to. This will cause more noise from your unit, along with temperature changes that are not comfortable, and energy waste.
Allergen Buildup: A major issue with not cleaning your air conditioner’s filter at least once a month will cause many people to have respiratory allergy issues. Also, if someone already suffers from asthma or some other respiratory illness, a dirty filter can cause even more problems for that person since allergens can be released into the air from the forced air system of your air conditioner. You could even have a buildup of mold in the ducts of your air conditioning unit if you do not keep the filter clean.
Uneven Cooling: dirty filters can cause your air conditioning unit to have a restricted amount of airflow which is not good for your system’s overall cooling power. This will cause more hot spots and cold spots throughout your home or business, yet you will be paying more money and energy costs for temperatures that are uncomfortable.
Longevity of the Unit: if your air conditioner is maintained properly, it will last longer than if it is not. By cleaning or replacing your air filter, you will stop any dust, dirt, and debris from building up inside your air conditioner’s internal components, which means fewer major air conditioning maintenance issues or repairs you will have down the road.
Reduction of Unit’s System Efficiency: while purchasing a replacement filter may be a little pricey, you will actually save money in the end since an air conditioning unit with a dirty filter will use much more power to cool your home so you will end up paying more in energy bills.
Maintain It
It is imperative that you properly maintain your air conditioning unit. You should definitely clean or replace your air conditioner’s filter at least once every month. If your unit has a filter you can clean, you need to handle it carefully when removing or putting it back into the unit. You can rinse it off with water and then allow it to completely dry out before putting it back in.
If you have an air conditioning unit that sports disposable filters, be sure to get the proper replacement that is specifically designed for your unit. You may pay a little more, but you will get that money back in lower utility bills due to the increased efficiency of your system as well as its better performance.
Keep in mind that you should never allow your air conditioner to operate without a filter in place. Without a filter, your air conditioning unit will pull in debris, dust, dirt, and allergens that will build up on the internal components of your air conditioner which will cause you issues down the road.
Contact Us
To achieve optimum service and filter cleaning for your air conditioner, you can call upon the air conditioning experts at PlumbSmart Plumbing Heating and Air in Mesa, AZ today! Contact us now.
Summertime is upon us, and many people will be replacing their air conditioners or purchasing new ones. If you are one of those people, keep in mind that not all air conditioners are the same and that size matters more than you may think it does.
Air Conditioner Ratings
Air conditioners are normally rated in two ways: either by energy efficiency or cooling capacity. When it comes to cooling capacity, all air conditioners will be labeled with a BTUh or BTU rating. BTUh stands for British Thermal Unit per hour while BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. The BTUh Majors the cooling ability in an hour that your air conditioner put out and it is labeled in tons of air conditioning. One ton of air conditioning means that 12,000 BTUs of heat each hour are being removed from the air. The BTU of an air conditioning unit means the amount of energy that is needed to increase the temperature of a pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency and some air conditioners are rated with this, which indicates an air conditioner’s amount of energy efficiency. The ratio is determined by the amount of cooling that is provided during the entire cooling season and then divided by the total amount of electrical energy that was used. So, basically, the higher the SEER rating is, then the more energy-efficient the whole air conditioning system is.
Why Size Matters
When it comes to the heating and cooling unit in your home, the unit size is extremely important because if you get one that is too big, you’re going to be paying out more in energy costs then you need to, but if it’s too small, then your home will not be properly heated or cold. Also, if your new AC unit is improperly sized it will not work as efficiently as it was designed to do so. An undersized air conditioning unit is going to have to run basically all the time to be able to reach the desired temperature of your home and will cause it to wear out sooner than it should.
Variables That Can Affect the Size of Air Conditioner
The main factor that is focused upon when choosing the right size air conditioning system for your home is the square footage of your house, but there are some variables that can come into play also.
One variable is climate since warmer climates require air conditioning units throughout the year instead of just during the summer months so people who live in warmer climates may want an air conditioning unit with a higher SEER rating.
Your home’s exterior, including the type of material on the outside of your home as well as the color of it, can affect how much heat is either absorbed or reflected. For instance, lighter colors tend to reflect heat from the sun, while brick homes may absorb more heat and retain heat longer and vinyl siding provides very good insulation.
How much shade you have in your yard around your home and how much exposure your home has to the sunshine can affect your air conditioning unit also. If you have a home that faces the West or the South, it may take longer to cool because of the amount of heat from the sun that it is exposed to during the summer months. Homes with plenty of shade or those that face in an eastward or northward direction, receive less sun exposure and are generally cooler.
The amount of insulation in your home will also play a role in how much heat is kept out and how much cool air is kept in during the summer and in the reverse during the winter months. If your house is very well insulated, it will help your air conditioning unit run more efficiently.
If you have a home with older windows, you may be losing cooler air through those windows, especially if they are single-pane or not energy efficient. You may want to invest in some double or triple pane windows or ones that are coated with a low-emissivity film to help regulate the temperature within your home.
A home with very high ceilings means that you will have to purchase an air conditioner with more BTUs since you will need to calculate one or two higher for the square footage of your home for it to be called efficiently with high ceilings. Also, if you have several heat-generating appliances, you will need an air conditioning unit with more BTUs to keep areas such as laundry rooms and kitchens cooler.
How to Calculate Size
To calculate the size of the air conditioning unit you will need, simply multiply the square footage of your home by 25. The answer you get is the number of BTUhs that are needed to cool your home efficiently.
With summer’s bright and sunny days accompanied by balmy nights, it’s easy to forget just how quickly the Arizona heat can become uncomfortable. So, if you’re wondering: how hot does it get in Arizona?
Well, expect temperatures of 90°F (32.2°C) to 120°F (48.9°C).
You’ll need to make sure that your air conditioners are working properly, and pools and sprinkler systems are in tip-top condition. Water bills soar when the summer heat is at its peak and anything you can do to minimize problems before the heat hits will be money well spent.
Here are 7 tips to help you prepare your home for the Arizona heat:
Tip #1 Clean Your Air Conditioner and the Surrounding Area
Air conditioners work best when they have an uninterrupted airflow. During the year, lots of dirt, weeds, dead leaves, and bushes can grow around your air conditioner and prevent it from receiving proper airflow.
Giving your air conditioner a clean as well as cutting back the bushes will ensure that it operates efficiently.
Tip #2 Change Your Central Air Conditioner Air Filter
Your air conditioner is designed to send clean, cool air throughout your home. The last thing you want is for it to introduce pollen, dust, and sand into the air.
For air conditioning maintenance, we recommend that you replace your filters every 60 to 90 days or even more often during high pollen periods. Your air conditioner will also perform more efficiently when it is not under stress from a clogged filter.
What temperature to set the thermostat in summer is on everyone’s mind and we recommend that you set yours around 75 degrees – 80 degrees.
Tip #3 Insulate Your Attic
As the sun bakes down on your roof, heat is transferred to the interior of your house if there is no proper insulation to act as a barrier.
The best time to insulate your attic is in spring. Use an insulating material that is rated R38 to R60. This is the recommended R-value rating for Arizona and relates to both the thickness and the material’s resistance to heat.
Your energy bills will drop once you don’t have to counter the effects of the hot sun baking your roof. The benefits are immediately felt in both a more comfortable interior and lower energy bills.
Tip #4 Seal Any Air Leaks
The better insulated your home is, the better you’ll be able to withstand the summer heat. Replace the caulking around windows and doors and replace or repair weather strips. Don’t forget that electrical outlets and fittings need to be sealed too, in order to keep the cool air inside from escaping.
Tip #5 Inspect Your AC Drain Line
The drain line makes sure that any excess water is drained away. If it is clogged, you can get pools of water forming inside your home that attract mold and mildew.
A technician can inspect your air conditioner to make sure that the water is draining properly and that your air conditioner is running efficiently.
Tip #6 Set Your AC to Cool
As simple as it seems, sometimes we can forget to turn our air conditioners to a cool setting.
Just setting the controls to a lower temperature won’t cause your air conditioner to turn on. You have to change it over from “heat” to “cool” so that it switches on when the thermostat detects the inside temperature is in excess of the setting you want.
Tip #7 Schedule an Air Conditioning Maintenance Appointment
Regular maintenance will ensure that your air conditioner works flawlessly when you most need it.
For advice on air conditioning in Arizona, PlumbSmart Plumbing Heating and Air is your residential expert in AC repair in Arizona. They can check your refrigerant level and ensure that your unit is running optimally.
As Arizona HVAC contractors, PlumbSmart performs regular maintenance on all air conditioning units to keep them running all summer long. And if you need a new air conditioner installed, then they will be happy to quote you for a new one.
PlumbSmart Plumbing Heating and Air believes that everyone should have access to heating, cooling, and clean water. They strive to give back to the community and support Paz de Cristo in Mesa, Apache Junction, Gilbert, and Scottsdale. This amazing organization is well worth supporting in its efforts to help all Arizonans in need. Contact us today to learn more.
