Archive for August, 2015

Why Does the SEER Rating in My Air Conditioner Matter?

Monday, August 31st, 2015

There’s a lot of technical specifications on your air conditioner to denote how well it does its job. But the one laymen should pay the most attention to is the SEER rating, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s a handy number designed to tell you how efficient your system is, and conversely, how much it saves you money when doing its job. That is a huge consideration here in Portland, OR, where hot days demand an efficient system. Why does the SEER rating matter? Here’s a quick breakdown of how it works. (more…)

How to Select the Right Air Filter

Monday, August 24th, 2015

Almost every centralized heating and air conditioning system comes with a filter, designed to strain out the dust and dirt circulating through your home. There are numerous different types of filters you can install in your home – above and beyond the types specific to your particular air conditioning system – and with dust and pollen counts here in Portland, OR, they should probably be cleaned or replaced several times a year.  Selecting the right air filter is very important as a homeowner: something that can do the best possible job without working against your best interests. Here’s a few tips on how to select the right air filter. (more…)

Don’t Wait to Get Your Air Conditioner Repaired

Monday, August 17th, 2015

When late summer hits Portland, OR, a lot of homeowners are more willing to let minor air conditioning repairs sit until the fall arrives. They reason that they can hold tight until they no longer need their air conditioners on a daily basis, instead of taking it offline for a day or so while the technician fixes the problem. It may seem like sound reasoning, but in fact it can make an already difficult situation much worse. You may think you can live with a minor air conditioning problem, but don’t wait to get your air conditioner repaired. (more…)

3 Reasons to Have Your Home Radon Tested

Monday, August 10th, 2015

Household nuisances come in all shapes and sizes: anything from leaky rooftops to dents and dings in your ductwork. But few of them are as hard to spot, or can cause the most potential damage, as radon. It’s a gas created by the breakdown of uranium in the soil: naturally occurring, but dangerous nonetheless. Here in Portland, OR, qualified professionals can test for radon in your home and help mitigate it if they find it. Here are 3 reasons to have your home radon tested today. (more…)

What Causes Restricted Air Flow in Your Air Conditioner?

Monday, August 3rd, 2015

Your air conditioner may be perfectly good at cooling the air, but that doesn’t mean much if it can’t circulate the air through your home. In centralized systems, cool air is distributed through your ductwork via a fan to all the corners of your home. But when the air flow is restricted, that can’t happen. Your air conditioner thus needs to spend unnecessary energy to properly cool your home, and wear and tear on individual systems increases: raising the chances of a major breakdown as well as increasing your monthly bills. With summers becoming increasingly hot and humid in Portland, OR, a repair session is the last thing you need. So what causes restricted air flow in your air conditioner? Here’s a list of the most common culprits. (more…)