Thinking of Replacing your AC next Summer? Fall is Actually the Best Time!

With fall on its way, holiday shopping is likely at the forefront of your mind. In addition to your Black Friday purchases this year, we suggested adding a new air conditioning system to your list. If your air conditioner struggled through the summer, leaving you sticky and uncomfortable, or you’re tired of the frequent maintenance and repairs your older system requires, fall is the ideal time to make an upgrade. With warm weather winding down and several more months before its return, why consider a new system now?

You Can Take Your Time Shopping

In the fall, when sweltering weather isn’t right around the corner, you can take all the time you need shopping for a new system, considering different brands such as Amana, Rheem, Lennox, and Bryant air conditioners. You may also wish to consider a different system style, such as ductless mini-split systems. Today, there are many more options for climate control than there used to be, offering more flexibility of use and long-term energy savings opportunities. Be careful when searching online, as the glut of information out there can be overwhelming. Instead, book a consultation with your local heating and air conditioning experts, who can help you reduce research to find the right air conditioner and accessories to meet your needs.

You’ll Get A Better Deal Off-Season

Lower demand for air conditioning systems in the fall means a greater selection and lower prices. Talk to your local heating and air conditioning contractor, who has a direct line of contact with air conditioning system suppliers. They can quickly help you find the best deals from the industry’s leading manufacturers. You can often get a significant fall discount from manufacturers stocking systems that didn’t sell over the summer that they need to move to make room for new models come spring.

You’ll Suffer Less Construction Delays & Costs

With the moderate climate this time of the year, it is also an excellent opportunity to get your new quiet air conditioner installed, before inclement weather puts a damper on any needed remodeling/construction. Replacing your system in the fall before freezing weather sets in, and before next summer, when living without an air conditioner could leave you sweating it out until a replacement can be scheduled during “busy season,” is ideal timing. If you wait until weather is warm again, you’ll be in line with everyone else who suddenly realized they’d better hurry up and schedule an installation to ensure a cool, comfortable home this summer, and you’ll pay much more.

Shopping for great deals this holiday season? Investing in a new air conditioner in the fall offers tremendous opportunities. Contact H & H Heating & Cooling today to learn more about available deals on a new system and energy efficiency upgrade incentives today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/thinking-of-replacing-your-ac-next-summer-fall-is-actually-the-best-time/

How to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution In the Fall When Trapped Indoors

This year, with the COVID pandemic, reducing the levels of the pollutants in the air circulating throughout your home is crucial. Research has shown air trapped inside residential homes is significantly more polluted than outdoor air. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cleaners, off-gassing of furnishings, allergens like pollen and pet dander, and mold, bacteria, and viruses can quickly buildup in your home, creating an unhealthy environment. How can you protect your family from these contaminants and breathe easier?

5 Ways to Combat Indoor Air Pollution (IAP)

1. Eliminate sources of pollution.
   The EPA identifies one of the most effective ways to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in the home is to eliminate these potential pollutants at the source:
   • Cleaning chemicals and air fresheners, which produce VOCs.
   • Tobacco products, which emit carcinogens, toxic metals, and other poisons.
   • Combustion appliances that burn oil, gas, kerosene, and wood as a fuel source, which can leak deadly carbon monoxide into the home without proper maintenance.
   • Pressed wood/particleboard and laminated furnishings, which continuously release formaldehyde.
   • Pesticides, which are inherently toxic.
   • Wet furnishings and building materials, which serve as a breeding ground for toxic mold.
2. Boost ventilation.
   Open windows to flush out indoor pollutants and circulate clean, fresh air throughout your home whenever possible. Talk to your local HVAC pro about incorporating mechanical ventilation to bring fresh air into your home in the winter.
3. Upgrade your air filtering equipment.
   Add a few bells and whistles to your heating and air conditioning system to remove dangerous particles from the air in your home:
   • Upgrade your home air filter to remove more pollutants from the air.
   • Add a UV light air purifier to your HVAC to kill dangerous viruses, bacteria, and mold.
   • Kill up to 99% of airborne and surface viruses, bacteria, and mold with the revolutionary Air Scrubber by Aerus.
4. Install a whole-house humidifier.
   Winter air is dry, causing particles like pollen, dander, bacteria, and viruses to disperse and remain suspended in the air. Using a whole-house humidifier in the fall and winter quickly solves this problem. These devices operate in conjunction with your central heating system, monitoring humidity levels. When air is dry, humidifiers add moisture to the air, distributing it throughout your home with conditioned air.
5. Have your home heating system regularly inspected.
   Maintenance is about more than a well-functioning, quiet air conditioner. It’s about safety. An inspection in the fall, before winter weather extremes put your system under duress, ensures peak performance. This maintenance is especially crucially for combustion appliances, identifying faulty equipment that could lead to potentially deadly carbon monoxide leaks.

Stand up to the pollutants that put the health of your family at risk. Ensure a safe, healthy home throughout the cold-weather season with the help of H & H Heating & Air Conditioning. Contact us to learn more about making your home safer in the COVID era today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/how-to-reduce-indoor-air-pollution-in-the-fall-when-trapped-indoors/

Did You Know? Early Fall is the Best Time for Gas Heating Maintenance

It’s easy for time to get away from you, especially with the heavy workload you are hauling due to COVID. Scheduling maintenance for your gas heating system is no exception. However, winter weather will be here before you know it, and the last thing you want is to end up with a heating system that is down for the count during a winter storm in these uncertain times. Fall is the ideal time for gas heater maintenance, giving you ample opportunity to address any system issues before frigid winter weather arrives.

Schedule Professional Maintenance

Regular maintenance offers many benefits, from reliable, efficient performance to quiet operation and safety. Routine preventative care at the start of the cold weather season ensures your system will run as smoothly as possible. An HVAC professional can check your gas furnace for issues you cannot, inspecting for dangerous carbon monoxide leaks, verifying wire conditions and electrical connections, and identifying worn parts and other mechanical issues that could cause your system to break down in winter weather extremes.

Verify The Condition Of Your Gas Heating System

Test your gas heater now, making sure it starts up and shuts down as it should. This is the time of year when you’ll likely be switching between heating and air conditioning. It will also help you verify the conditioner of your system and its capacity to last the upcoming season. While you probably don’t relish the thought of replacing your gas heater, if you must, NOW is the time to address it, before subzero temperatures set in. If you stall and your system gives out in you, you’ll be in line behind everyone else who hoped their system would make it through “just one more” season.

Start Fresh With A Clean Air Filter

Don’t leave in that dirty, dusty filter from last season. Now it’s more important than ever to ensure clean, healthy air within your home. Swap out your old filter for a clean, new one. While you’re at it, talk to your local HVAC pro about things you can do to improve your home’s air quality, from upgrading your air filter to integrating a UV light air purifier or Air Scrubber to your HVAC system.

Reconsider Thermostat Settings

Reset your thermostat with cooler fall temperatures and energy usage in mind. Simplify the task with a programmable thermostat, reducing energy usage while you’re away so you’re not paying to heat an empty home. Change settings to a minimum temperature of 56 degrees F while you’re out, and you can achieve annual savings up to fifteen percent while still enjoying a warm, comfortable home.

Consider An Energy Audit

Consider an energy audit to identify air leaks and insulation issues that can impact system performance and home comfort.

Stay warm and healthy this winter. Make sure your gas heater is in tip-top shape with the help of H & H Heating & Air Conditioning. Schedule fall maintenance for your system today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/did-you-know-early-fall-is-the-best-time-for-gas-heating-maintenance/

5 Easy Things You Can Do to Keep Your HVAC Running This Fall

Another year is behind us and we are facing an even tougher fall and winter than in season’s past. COVID concerns and weather extremes mean prepping for the season has never been more important. Ensure a comfortable home and peak heating system performance with these tips.

Get Off To A Fresh Start With A New Air Filter

Don’t let your system struggle to push air through a dirty air filter. Reduce energy bills and ensure fresh, clean air with a new air filter. This season, consider an air filter upgrade to remove even more pollutants from the air, such as dust, pollen, dander, mold, bacteria, and viruses. Throughout the season, be sure to change your air filter every 30-90 days, at a minimum, for optimum performance and air quality.

Clean The Area Around Your Outside Heat Pump Unit

Clear away any grass and weeds that may have grown around your outside unit over the summer. Keep a clear zone of at least two feet surrounding your system to reduce the likelihood of pest infiltration, as well as fire hazards. Keeping this area clear dramatically impacts performance, preventing your system from struggling to operate and extending its lifespan.

Adjust Thermostat Settings For Cooler Weather

Now that summer is over, adjust temperature settings to a tolerable winter temperature to avoid astronomical heating bills. Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat for additional savings. Smart thermostats have come down considerably in price in recent years. They are easy to operate, learning your schedule and altering temperatures so that you aren’t paying to heat your home while you’re away. Learn more.

Put A Stopper In Leaks

Do you know that old joke about heating the whole neighborhood? Properly insulating, including sealing leaks around windows, doors, and pipes, keeps more of that warm, conditioned air where you want it – in your home.

Plan For Annual Preventive Maintenance Before The Winter Rush

Avoid the need for repairs during extreme weather conditions. Prep your unit for winter now to ensure low energy bills, quiet air conditioner operation, and dependable winter performance. Now is the time for a tune-up before emergency calls lead to extended wait times.  Remember, routine maintenance is key to preserving the warranty on a newer heating system.

Schedule A Professional Evaluation If You Rely On An Older Furnace For Heat

If your system is older, it’s a good idea to have your system evaluated for safety and performance before freezing winter weather arrives. An HVAC pro can let you know in advance if your older system is likely to last another winter. They can also ensure it’s running safely, cleaning it, checking electrical connections, testing airflow, and inspecting it for issues that could lead to dangerous carbon monoxide leaks.

Stay warm and save money this winter. Contact H & H Heating & Air Conditioning to schedule fall heating system maintenance today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/5-easy-things-you-can-do-to-keep-your-hvac-running-this-fall/