North Central Florida Air Conditioning Blog

The Best Ways to Keep Cool This Summer

April 15th, 2019

woman-sitting-in-front-of-ceiling-fanYou may have read this title and thought, “well I already know the best way to stay cool—run my air conditioner at full blast all day, every day like I do every summer.” We get it, your cooling system is a necessity, not a luxury. But it’s no secret that this is expensive, and we’d like to help you cut costs at least a little bit!

The good news is, there are ways to use your air conditioner more efficiently so that you’re not paying more than you need to on your cooling bills. This is vital for Florida residents since our “summers” are practically a 9-month affair. Keep reading for some great tips on staying cool while letting your air conditioner relax at least a little bit.

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When Is the Best Time to Schedule AC Maintenance?

April 1st, 2019

air-conditioner-being-worked-onThe short answer to this is, if you want to prevent sudden AC repairs, right now is a great time! Most HVAC professionals will recommend that this service is done in the spring. This allows you plenty of time to get the service on your schedule at your convenience, without worrying about techs being too busy with emergency service calls. Of course, it gets warmer even faster here, so the earlier you get your tune-up, the better.

There really is no better time than now to start preparing to use your air conditioner on an hourly basis. There are a couple of things you can do on your own, like cleaning debris away from the outside unit of your air conditioner and making sure you change the air filter of your HVAC systems every 1-3 months. But to truly protect the efficiency and performance of your air conditioner, you’ll want to invest in professional AC maintenance.

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The Impact of Humidity on Your AC (And Why This Means You Need Maintenance!)

March 18th, 2019

young-woman-looking-hotWere you aware that humidity can actually hurt your air conditioner?

Consider this—humidity is excess moisture that comes with the high summer temperatures we deal with here in the Gainesville area and beyond. The moisture makes us uncomfortable and feel even hotter since we can’t sweat, so we turn our air conditioner’s thermostat as low as it will go to try to cool off faster. This makes your air conditioner work harder (harder than it should have to, by the way) and therefore increases wear and tear on the system.

In addition, you’ll have done nothing to actually rid your home of that excess humidity, leaving you still uncomfortable, prone to property damage, and prone to illness brought on by the development of mold and mildew.

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Why Proper Insulation Is So Important

March 4th, 2019

cellulose-insulation-in-attic-cornerIf you’re like the average homeowner, you probably associate insulation with cold weather. We certainly wouldn’t blame you for thinking this—after all, when you are cold you want to be well insulated, right? Of course, living in our area, you don’t need to worry about cold weather too much, so you may ignore the importance of proper insulation.

But insulation does more than just protect you from the cold. In fact, it benefits your comfort year round! Sure, insulation helps in chilly weather, but this is not all professional insulation service is for. It’s for guarding against heat transfer, which we’ll get to below.

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What Is Lurking in Your Ductwork?

February 18th, 2019

ductwork-being-worked-on

If you are like most homeowners, chances are that you don’t give the condition of your home’s ductwork much thought. We understand! After all, most, if not all, of your air ducts are hidden from sight, traveling through spaces between walls and through your attic. Exposed ductwork might look fine in places like quirky restaurants and commercial businesses with high ceilings, but you don’t want it showing in your home.

This doesn’t mean your ductwork should be completely out of mind, though. Ductwork that has suffered damage or accumulated too much dust, dirt, and debris will lead to poor HVAC performance and subsequently high energy bills. What you need to avoid this is professional duct cleaning services!

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Before You Shut Off You Furnace This Season, Tackle These Repair Needs

February 4th, 2019

technician-looking-over-furnaceIt’s hard to say “it’s cold out” and not feel a little guilty, considering what Midwest residents have been dealing with lately. But, let’s face it, around here our baseline temperatures for summer is so high that when winter hits, it does feel cold to us! At least, cold enough to use our furnaces on a nightly basis for at least a couple of months.

Yet, temperatures are warming again, and that ever familiar humidity is rising, which means it’s almost time to shut off our furnaces for good this season in favor of our AC systems. This doesn’t mean you should just forget about your furnace until next year, however! If you were alerted to any repair needs during your pre-season maintenance appointment, or if you detect signs of disrepair, now is the time to call our pros for an inspection. But, what exactly are the signs that you need heating repairs?

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Your Heater Use May Be Brief, But Should Also Be Efficient

January 21st, 2019

Life is great. Joyful young girl is relaxing at home. She is sitting near window and drinking coffeeLet’s face it, here in Florida, we don’t get a lot of use out of our heating systems. Especially if you are one of the many homeowners around here that are using a furnace rather than a year-round heat pump or ductless system. Just because you’re using a furnace though, and just because you won’t be using it for as many weeks as homeowners in colder parts of the country, doesn’t mean you can’t save money while keeping your home comfortable.

Nobody should have to overpay for their comfort. This is especially true if you call on our team for expert HVAC services in Lake City, FL, as we will help you maintain both your heating and cooling systems for optimal longevity and peak performance. And the good news is that there are very simple things you can do around your home to boost the efficiency, and therefore the cost-effectiveness, of using your furnace. Keep reading for some tips on how to do so!

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What Can a Smart Thermostat Do for Your Home?

January 7th, 2019

Remote home control system on a digital tablet or phone.There is a particular component of HVAC systems that doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention but is extremely important to the functionality of those systems. We’re talking about the thermostat!

The old manual “slider” thermostats are very much out of date, and inaccurate. Even digital thermostats without programming options are becoming obsolete. The option that many homeowners are now turning to is the smart thermostat, or rather the WiFi thermostat. If you’re interested in checking out options for yourself, be sure to give our pros a call. Our technicians are experts in home automation, including the installation of these smart thermostats.

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“Does the Size of My Furnace Matter?”

December 24th, 2018

furnace venting outsideIf you’re shopping for a new furnace this time of the year, you likely have a lot on your plate. True, we obviously don’t need to worry about frigid temperatures in our part of the country. However, given the baseline of temperatures we’re used to the majority of the year, when those temperatures do drop in the wintertime, we’re thankful for efficient and effective heating systems!

So when it comes time to replace yours, you may be tempted to rush out and just buy the biggest one that will fit your budget. Well, we don’t recommend this. One of the most important reasons we don’t is because size truly does matter, in this case. If your furnace is too large, or too small, you’ll be unpleasantly surprised by the impact.

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When Should You Schedule Your Heating Tune-Up?

December 10th, 2018

white question mark in blue circle on white backgroundIf you lived in the Midwest, the answer to this would have been “probably a couple months ago!” But fortunately, Florida residents have a bit more leniency. In fact, most winters are extremely mild and you may not even need your heater that much. Still though, even if you only need it for a week, you want it to work at its best, right? If this is the case, then scheduling maintenance for this system once a year is essential.

Delaying the call to schedule your maintenance inspection and tune-up could leave you without a properly functioning heater right when you need it the most.

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