Poor indoor air quality can lead to various health issues, such as respiratory problems, heart disease, and lung cancer. It can be affected by a variety of factors. Unfortunately, identifying the cause of poor indoor air quality is often difficult. To improve your home’s air quality, follow these four tips: 1. Change Your AC Filter AC units are one of the main culprits when it comes to poor indoor air quality. They can remove up to most airborne particles, such as dust, pollen, and smoke. However, they do not remove other substances that can cause health problems. These include VOCs (volatile organic compounds) emitted by paint and varnish. That is why you should change your AC filters regularly and consider an air purification system. 2. Ventilate Your Home Another way to improve your home’s indoor air quality is to ventilate it regularly. Ventilation systems can help you circulate the air in your home, which increases the flow of fresh air. The increased air circulation helps remove airborne particles, such as dust and pollen. You should also leave windows open whenever possible, especially during the day. 3. Use HEPA Filters Plain dust masks often do not block harmful particles, such as...
1. Air Filter Needs to Be Replaced If your furnace is running, but there is little to no hot air blowing out of your vents, you should first make sure your air filter isn’t clogged, as this will limit the amount of air coming into the furnace and, thus, how much heat it produces. A clogged air filter can also cause your furnace to overheat and shut down. Should this happen, your furnace won’t turn on again until it has had time to cool sufficiently. In some cases, your heating system will also need to be reset after overheating before it will work again. 2. Flame Sensor Is Dirty If your furnace lights and then almost immediately shuts down, it usually means that the flame sensor is too dirty to work properly. The flame sensor can also fail due to age. In either case, the flame sensor won’t detect that the burners are lit, which leads to the gas valve closing and the furnace shutting down within a few seconds. 3. Fuel or Electricity Supply Issues If your furnace won’t come on at all, you should make sure that the circuit breaker isn’t tripped. Your furnace obviously also won’t work...
While you probably don’t think about your furnace very often, it’s a critical component of keeping your home comfortable. You should schedule maintenance for it every fall. There are five ways you can save money by doing this. 1. Increased Energy Efficiency Professional maintenance keeps your furnace operating at its peak efficiency. When a furnace isn’t maintained, it will gradually have to work harder and harder to heat your home. By keeping your furnace well maintained, you’ll enjoy lower monthly energy bills. 2. Longer Furnace Life Span A furnace that receives annual maintenance will probably last years longer than one that hasn’t been well maintained. Replacing a furnace is expensive, so you want it to last as long as possible. You’ll save a lot of money by keeping it from needing to be replaced prematurely. in Aitkin, MN performs furnace maintenance. We recommend that you schedule this service every fall. 3. Prevents Furnace Repairs By having your furnace maintained professionally, you’ll save money on repair bills. The technician has the opportunity to detect small problems during a tune-up. For example, a part may be loose and just needs to be tightened, or the air filter is clogged and needs to...
An overactive furnace can quickly impact your comfort and utility bills. Constantly producing heat can also put harmful stress on the system, lowering its efficiency and potentially its life span. Here are a few of the most common reasons behind overactive furnaces. Faulty Thermostat Your thermostat should signal your furnace when to kick on and turn off. If the device is suffering from faulty wiring or incorrect settings, your indoor comfort can be impacted. Thermostats older than 10 years are more likely to malfunction and skyrocket your regular energy usage. Clogged Air Filter Your HVAC filters work to regulate the amount of air in your furnace. When they become clogged, the system can struggle to get enough air, which will make your furnace work harder. Be sure to regularly switch out your filters and use high-quality options that fit your unique household. Leaky Ductwork The heat in your home must travel through the ductwork before reaching your living areas. If your ducts are leaking air into the walls and uninsulated areas, your furnace will stay on to make up for that lost heat. You may feel perpetually cold and uncomfortable even though your heating system runs for much longer than...
Homeowners are always looking for ways to save money and be more energy efficient. One way to do both is to invest in a geothermal HVAC unit. Geothermal HVAC units have many benefits, including being environmentally friendly and cheaper than traditional HVAC units. Let’s take a closer look at geothermal HVAC units and see if they are right for you and your home. 1. Longer Lifespan and Less Maintenance Geothermal HVAC units have a longer lifespan than other heating and cooling systems because they do not use moving parts, which means there are fewer opportunities for wear and tear. Additionally, geothermal units are designed to withstand extreme temperatures, making them less likely to be damaged by extreme weather conditions. Since these units don’t use fossil fuels, there is no corrosion from combustion gases, increasing their shelf life. Geothermal systems also require little maintenance, making them a wise investment for any homeowner. While the initial cost of a geothermal unit may be higher than other types of HVAC units, the long lifespan and low maintenance costs make geothermal systems an increasingly popular option for homeowners. 2. Lower Operating Costs Geothermal HVAC units use the earth’s natural heat to provide comfortable indoor...
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipes have become widely popular due to their flexibility. This material is great for retrofitting and is an inexpensive alternative to metal pipe options. PEX pipes are also touted for being freeze-resistant because of their ability to expand. While these pipes may need to reach a lower temperature to freeze, they can still burst and flood your home. PEX Pipes PEX pipes can freeze once the temperature reaches about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. They can expand a finite amount, lowering the overall pressure on the pipe itself. However, the colder it becomes, the more likely your PEX pipes will freeze and burst. This risk is increased if the pipes are located in unprotected parts of your home, like the attic or crawlspace. You can protect your PEX pipes by wrapping them in flexible, high-quality insulation. Shut off water to outside spigots and drain any excess that could freeze during the winter. Letting your faucets drip can also keep water moving in your pipes, making it harder to freeze. If your PEX pipes freeze, call your local plumbing company for immediate assistance. Turn off your water at the main supply valve to prevent bursting. Catching the issue as soon...
As the temperatures begin to drop and winter starts to settle in, it’s important to take a few steps to ensure that your plumbing can weather the cold. Known as winterization, these steps can save you a lot of stress down the road. Here’s an overview of the winterization process for your Minnesota plumbing system. Insulate Your Pipes This is perhaps the most important step in ensuring that your plumbing can withstand the cold winter temperatures. Any exposed piping, whether it is in your crawlspace or basement, should be properly insulated with foam pipe insulation. This will act as a barrier between your pipes and the cold air, and it will help keep them from freezing. Disconnect Outdoor Hoses Any hoses that are still connected to outdoor faucets should be disconnected and stored away for the winter. Be sure to drain any remaining water from the hoses before storing them, as this will help prevent them from freezing and cracking. Cover Outdoor Faucets Outdoor faucets should be covered with insulating covers to prevent them from freezing. These covers are relatively inexpensive and can be found at most hardware stores. Bleed Your Radiator Valves If you have a boiler and rely...
Your air conditioning unit requires regular servicing to ensure optimal performance and energy efficiency throughout the year. Failure to service your AC unit can lead to several problems, including reduced efficiency, higher energy bills, and even complete system failure. So, How Often Should You Service Your AC Unit? Our experts at recommend that you service your AC at least once a year. This will help to ensure that your unit is operating at peak efficiency and catch any potential problems before they cause major issues. If you live in an area with a particularly hot climate, or if your AC unit gets heavy use, you may need to service it more often. In these cases, we recommend servicing your AC unit every six months. What Does AC Servicing Include? A typical AC service will thoroughly inspect your unit and clean all the major components. This will help to remove any dirt or debris that could be causing problems and preventing your unit from operating at its best. Your AC technician will also check all the electrical connections and test the refrigerant levels. If any of these are low, they can be easily topped up to ensure that your unit runs...
A traditional HVAC system delivers warm or cool air to all of the rooms in your home. You set the thermostat to a certain temperature, and your HVAC system works to maintain that temperature throughout your home. A multizone HVAC system puts a new twist on the traditional HVAC system by giving you more options regarding the temperature of your rooms. How Does a Multizone HVAC System Work? A multizone HVAC system involves a collection of motorized dampers inside the air ducts of a home. The number of dampers you have depends on how many zones (rooms) are in your house. Each of the zones has its own thermostat. So, when you adjust the temperature of a certain room, its damper opens up to send out cool or warm air, depending on what you want. When the room achieves the preferred temperature, the zone’s damper closes. What Are the Benefits of Having a Multizone HVAC System? One of the standout benefits is you have control over the atmosphere in each room of your home. This system makes it possible for one person to enjoy a cool bedroom and another person to snooze away in a warmer one just down the...
Various types of plumbing work can be an investment when you own a home or business. Toilet replacements are not the most common work, but they do happen. New toilets aren’t cheap, so it’s essential to understand what you’re getting into before deciding on plumbing work within your area. There are a variety of costs involved in replacing a toilet, and there are many different estimates of how much it will cost. Poorly performed plumbing service can have serious consequences, so be sure you read the fine print before deciding whether you are able to take on this type of work. Look at the following factors when considering how much a plumber might charge to replace your toilet. The Duration of the Repair The actual time to complete the job can vary greatly depending on the toilet size and any issues with the plumbing. There is a chance that the job will take longer if unexpected issues arise. Experienced plumbers can provide an estimate on the time it will take to replace a toilet, given that the other plumbing components don’t need servicing. Technician Experience You will want an experienced and licensed professional to perform your toilet replacement. It is...
