The Clean Air Act Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning’

How to cool your home more efficiently

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

Energy efficiency and performance often go together. When your AC performs well, it is often making an efficient use of its electrical energy, so that it uses neither too little nor too much energy, but just the right amount to keep your home comfortable. Even still, with the ever-rising costs of energy, homeowners throughout the Portland, OR area are constantly looking for ways to reduce their energy consumption. While we cannot control the price of electricity, we can control how we use it. We’d like to share with you some ways of cooling your home more efficiently. For more AC tips, or to schedule a professional Portland OR air conditioning service, call the experts at The Clean Air Act, Inc. today!

  • Install a programmable thermostat. If you have not yet upgraded from your manual, conventional thermostat, then you are missing out on customizable climate control and energy savings. Installing a programmable thermostat is a great way to cool your home efficiently. By automatically turning your AC on and off according to the time of day, and day of the week, your AC will be fully in your control, whether you’re there or not.
  • Repair your ducts. Over time, your ducts can develop cracks and leaks, due to either general wear and tear, or other physical damage. Ensuring that your ductwork is in good working order may improve your energy efficiency up to 30%. Call up to find out more information about duct repair in Portland, OR.
  • Enroll in a maintenance plan. A routine maintenance plan is the best way to ensure that your AC is cooling your system more efficiently. During these visits, a certified AC technician will inspect, clean, and tune-up your cooling system. It will not only improve the energy efficiency of its operation, but may also improve its performance and longevity.
  • Upgrade. If your AC is older, or requires frequent repairs, consider upgrading to a new AC system. A new central air, heat pump, or ductless mini split may be just what you need.

For more information about Portland air conditioning services, including those related to energy efficiency, call The Clean Air Act, Inc. today!

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How Can I Improve AC Efficiency & Indoor Air Quality?

Monday, February 25th, 2013

Keeping a home comfortable and doing so efficiently are goals that a lot of homeowners have. Unfortunately, too often they are goals that work against one another. Many homeowners think that in order to operate the air conditioning system efficiently they must seal up their homes, which results in stale, low-quality air. If they over ventilate their homes, though, cool air escapes and reduces efficiency. The air conditioning and indoor air quality experts at The Clean Air Act have some tips for you to operate your air conditioner efficiently while boosting indoor air quality in Beaverton, OR.

One way to increase the efficiency of your air conditioning in Beaverton and while simultaneously improving your  indoor air quality is to schedule professional duct cleaning in Beaverton. Dirty air ducts reduce energy efficiency and indoor air quality in a variety of ways. While it is unlikely that your air ducts will become so dirty that they are blocked off, it is possible that the dirt and other pollutants in them will clog up your air filters. This will increase airflow resistance and cost you more money to keep your home comfortable. Having your ducts cleaned allows your AC to operate with greater efficiency and also can reduce the amount of airborne pollutants circulating throughout your home.

A major cause of poor air conditioning efficiency and indoor air quality is damaged air ducts. We offer great air duct repair in Beaverton to help resolve this problem. We also offer ductless mini split installation if you are interested in a different way of keeping your house cool. Air ducts are a very effective conditioned air delivery system, but in many homes they are a serious cause of inefficiency. Ductless mini splits eliminate the need for air ducts in your home, allowing you to cool your home more efficiently and reducing air quality problems associated with forced air distribution systems.

For more information about ways to boost indoor air quality in your home call The Clean Air Act. We want to help you enjoy true comfort in Beaverton. Schedule service today to get the best, most efficient air conditioning system operation you can. Contact The Clean Air Act today!

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Is My AC Causing Indoor Air Quality Issues?

Monday, February 18th, 2013

The Clean Air Act, Inc. is here to serve all of your Beaverton, Oregon air conditioning needs, including AC maintenance to help improve indoor air quality. Whether you have a ductless mini split or central air conditioner, there are many ways in which your AC system can impact indoor air quality. To ensure that your system is not reducing the quality of air inside your home, we’ve put together a list of ways your air conditioner may be causing indoor air quality issues.

Dirty Air Filter

Clogged air filters do not work to trap particles in your home and keep them from getting distributed throughout the home. Even if you have a ductless mini split AC system, you should change air filters at least once a month, especially if you have pets or during times of heavy use.

Lack of Proper Humidity Control

In the summer, you probably know that your home gets more humid that normal. Most air conditioners have a built-in dehumidifier, but if moisture levels are extraordinarily high, then your AC system has to work harder, and indoor air quality is affected as well. Installing a whole-home dehumidifier or air cleaner may be your best option. Indoor air pollutants can get trapped inside homes that are too moist more easily. In addition, air that is too humid is also very uncomfortable.

Older AC Systems

If you have an older AC system, it may not be equipped with the proper type of dehumidifier or effective air filters. Unless you are thinking of installing a new air filtration system, you may want to consider an upgrade for your air conditioner.

Call the Beaverton air conditioning experts at The Clean Air Act, Inc. to provide all your AC and indoor air quality needs.

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When To Schedule AC Tune-Ups

Monday, February 11th, 2013

While Beaverton, OR isn’t known for its hot weather, having a good air conditioning system is a critical part of your comfort. For those few days when it’s hot you want to be able to stay comfortable in your home. Getting your air conditioning system regularly inspected and tuned up is a great way to make sure that your AC system works well when you need it. At Clean Air Act, we take our customers’ comfort very seriously. That’s why we offer high quality air conditioning tune-ups throughout the Beaverton, OR area. Here are some suggestions for homeowners in the area about the benefits of scheduling AC tune-ups and when you should do it.

When to Schedule AC Tune-Ups in Beaverton OR

During the fall and winter you likely don’t use your air conditioning system. But when the spring and summer comes around you will likely be using your AC more often. Likely, the best time to get your air conditioning system maintained and tuned up is right before you start using it again. Some companies recommend that you recommend that you get your air conditioning system tuned up in the spring before the cooling season rolls around. Call Clean Air Act if you’re interested in scheduling air conditioning maintenance in Beaverton, OR.

Benefits of Regular AC Tune-Ups in Beaverton OR

Having your air conditioning system regularly maintained, inspected and cleaned has tremendous benefits for homeowners in Beaverton, OR. During regular maintenance visits, your AC technician will inspect and clean every component of your air conditioning unit. This will allow them to find small problems before they turn into larger, more costly repairs. Not only can this potentially reduce the need for air conditioning repairs in Beaverton but it could also improve the efficiency of your system.

If you need air conditioning repairs in Beaverton OR, call the AC experts at Clean Air Act. Contact Clean Air Act today!

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Air Filtration and Indoor Air Quality

Monday, February 4th, 2013

During the summertime it is tempting to seal up your home as tightly as possible. Everyone wants to keep their home in Portland cool and comfortable, but they also want to do it efficiently. One of the best ways to achieve that goal is to prevent cooled air from escaping your home. This can have a negative impact on indoor air quality, though. Call Clean Air Act today if you are not 100% satisfied with the indoor air quality in your home. We can help you improve your indoor air quality with an air filtration system.

A mechanical air filter is one of the simplest ways in which you can improve indoor air quality in your home. Mechanical air filters are installed in your air ducts and as the air passes through them they collect pollutants on a filtering material. While your air conditioning system has a built in air filter, it is not highly efficient. It is intended more to protect your air conditioning equipment from dirt and debris than to improve indoor air quality. The addition of a more efficient air filter can help you breathe cleaner, healthier air.

An electronic air cleaner is another great way to improve indoor air quality in Portland. By pulling air into an ionization chamber an electronic air cleaner can give a static charge to pollutants in your air. These electrically charged pollutants then are trapped on a collector plate which can be removed and cleaned off. Other devices operate in much the same way but simply allow the charged pollutants to adhere to the walls and other surfaces in your home. Either way they are removed from the air and will no longer be circulated throughout your home. Air borne pollutants are a real concern for residents with asthma, allergies and other respiratory conditions.

For more information about how an air filtration system can improve indoor air quality in Portland, call the professionals at Clean Air Act. We’ll be happy to help you breathe cleaner, healthier air throughout the cooling season. Do not sacrifice air quality for comfort. A good air filtration system allows you to enjoy both. Contact Clean Air Act today!

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Maintaining Indoor Air Quality This Heating Season

Monday, January 14th, 2013

During the winter, most of us try to keep our homes sealed up pretty tightly in order to keep as much of the heated air inside as possible. While this is a great way to improve the energy efficiency of your home in Oregon City, it can potentially cause the air quality in your home to suffer. With no ventilation, the contaminants that enter your air just get recirculated through your home. In fact, the EPA estimates that indoor air quality is one of the leading threats to respiratory health in the U.S. At Clean Air Act, we offer friendly and honest indoor air quality services in Oregon City. If you’d like to learn more about how to improve the indoor air quality in your home this winter, read below. Give us a call today if you’d like to speak with one of our indoor air quality technicians.

Clean Your Home

A great way to make sure that the air quality in your home is as good as possible is to regularly clean your home. Vacuuming and dusting are especially important as dust is one of the most common air contaminants. If you have pets, vacuuming can really help to eliminate some of the pet dander that is likely accumulating in your air.

Control Moisture

If you get dry skin during the winter, using a humidifier is a terrific way to add some more moisture to the air. The winter is notoriously dry which can lead to itchy and irritated skin. Make sure that areas that typically collect moisture, like your bathroom or the basement, are able to dry out so that you don’t get mold infestations. If you use a humidifier, always use fresh water and regularly clean it.

Increase Ventilation

Another good way to improve the air quality in your home is to properly ventilate it. Opening windows is a great way to let in fresh air—as long as the temperature permits it. You can also turn on attic, kitchen and bathroom fans to get more fresh air into your home.

Consider a Whole Home Air Quality Control System

Perhaps the best way to make sure that the air in your home is clean is to invest in a home air filtration and purification system. There are many different types and brands of air filtration systems available on the market. Some of them just sit in your room filter the air while other more effective models are actually installed in your ducts and air handler to filter the air as it passes through.

If you’re concerned about the air quality in your home, contact Clean Air Act today. If you or one of your family members has a sensitivity to a particular contaminants or if they suffer from asthma or allergies, a whole home are filtration system could potentially make them more comfortable. If you’d like to talk with one of the professional Oregon City air quality technicians at Clean Air Act, just call us today.

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HVAC Repairs That Will Save You Money

Monday, September 17th, 2012

Your air conditioning and heating system operate frequently throughout the year – so much so that regular maintenance and repairs are a basic necessity if you want to ensure absolute comfort for your family year round. There are certain routine repairs or maintenance tasks that can actually save you money though, even if they are not immediately necessary for the proper operation of your HVAC system. Here are a few such repairs and the benefits you will gain.

Clean Your Ductwork

Ductwork cleaning in Portland is an important component of annual HVAC maintenance. We recommend having this done at least once a year to remove the natural buildup of debris and dust in your ductwork that will reduce energy efficiency of your system by as much as 30%.

Clean and Replace Filters

Filters are designed to block debris and dust, among other things, from entering the air flow of your Portland home or from blocking the moving parts in your home’s HVAC system. However, those same filters, when they become clogged, are an equal impediment for your HVAC system. The blocked air flow can not only reduce efficiency but also increase the risk you’ll need repairs.

Calibrate Your Thermostats

Improperly calibrated thermostats can lead to improper cooling and heating in your Portland home, resulting in higher bills or a lack of proper comfort control. These are easy to fix but calibration needs to be done regularly, especially if you have mechanical thermostats. You might also consider an upgrade to a programmable digital thermostat.

Clean the Coils

Dirty coils can be a major impediment to heating and cooling efficiency, as the transfer of heat is blocked by a layer of dust or dirt. Regular HVAC maintenance should include full cleaning of your evaporator coils, as well as your heat exchanger and fan blower motors.

When done regularly the four maintenance tasks above will greatly reduce the cost of operating your HVAC system and save you quite a bit of money over time. Call us today! Portland air conditioning and heating customers can rely on The Clean Air Act, Inc. for quality service.

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How Do Limit Switches Work in Air Conditioning Systems?

Monday, August 20th, 2012

Your air conditioning system has a lot of components which work together to cool your home.  Here is some information about the limit switches in your AC to help you better understand its operation, and to let you know when you need to call a Gresham AC technician.

What are Limit Switches?

Limit switches are used in a variety of devices for both commercial and residential applications.  Limit switches are created with two main purposes in mind.  They control electrical circuits by either activating or deactivating them, starting or stop specific electric pulses. One of the easiest examples to understand is the light which automatically turns on when the fridge door is opened, and which shuts off again once the door is closed.  Most of the time limit switches are kept out of site, and in fact we often don’t even know when they are in use.

How Do Limit Switches Work in Air Conditioning Systems?

AC limit switches are quite common.  The main example is the link between the air handler blower and the thermostat.  When the thermostat reaches the preset indoor temperature an AC limit switch is flipped. This stops the air conditioning system from creating any more cold air.  An additional AC limit switch turns off the air handling unit simultaneously so that warmer air that has not been cooled does not continue to blow through the vents.  When the temperature read by the thermostat rises once again, both air conditioning limit switches are flipped back on, creating cold air and blowing it through the vents for distribution.

When a limit switch goes bad it will cause an AC to short cycle, turning the air conditioning system off too quickly, or not turning the AC off at all.  It could be that the AC limit switch is stuck or that its wiring has short-circuited.  Whatever the case may be, it is important to contact a trained AC company in Gresham such as The Clean Air Act, Inc. for repairs. Call us today if you need AC service in the Gresham area!

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Duct Size and Central Air Conditioning

Monday, August 13th, 2012

Having proper duct size is vital to having a Portland air conditioning system that functions appropriately.  If the air ducts are too small not enough cooled air will reach the intended rooms, if the ducts are too large the air will not have enough force to make its way from the AC to the room vents.  As such there are some AC industry standards for duct sizing which should be followed by any Portland air conditioning professional.

Air Duct Sizing for Central AC Systems

While there are many misused rules of thumb in the AC industry, there are also some newer standards which have been put into place such as “Manual D” methods of design that have already begun to improve performance of AC systems in homes and offices.

There is a difference between what is needed for an AC system supply ducts and return ducts.  Supply ducts tend to need smaller ducts while return ducts will often need to be larger.

Proper air duct sizing greatly depends on the square footage of the building being cooled, the air conditioner capacity or BTUs, how many ducts will be utilized, where they are positioned, and how many vents there are.  Additionally, the entire system will need to be properly balanced so that the AC works efficiently.

Duct sizing is based on the air volume that will be produced and the velocity at which it will be flowing through the ducts.  Determining the proper combination of these factors with the AC that will be used is essential to having a duct system that works efficiently.  A good rule of thumb for proper air flow is to have anywhere from 600 to 900 feet per minute of air flow flowing through the ducts.  To reach this, the cubic feet per minute will be determined, which will then be compared with a standard friction rate of 0.1 inches of water per 100 feet.  This calculation will result in an appropriate duct size for either rectangular or round ducts based on the size of the building and how powerful the AC is.

Air ducts should be properly sized prior to being installed.   Call The Clean Air Act, Inc. today to learn more about AC installation!

 

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Features to Look for When Buying an Air Conditioner

Monday, August 6th, 2012

Air conditioning systems have come a long way from the loud window units you may remember from years past. If you’re in the market for a new central air conditioner in Portland it can be overwhelming trying to navigate through all the new models and technologies available to you. The important thing to keep in mind is not what the “best” air conditioner features are, but what features are the best for you. New and improved options are only relevant if they’re options that you’re actually interested in. At The Clean Air Act Inc. we want to make sure that you get the air conditioner that’s right for you and your home. Here is some information to give you an idea of what features are available and whether or not you will benefit from them.

Programmability

The ability to program your air conditioner’s output is a great way to fight inefficiency. Programmable thermostats paired with zoning technology will help you cut down on your energy use and reduce utility costs. By breaking your home into cooling zones, each controlled individually from the thermostat, and cooling your home only during the necessary times of day, a programmable system can really reduce the energy and monetary concerns of running your air conditioner.

Versatility

Take into account any comfort issues you know to exist in your home. If your home is consistently, uncomfortably humid, think about an air conditioner with a dehumidifying feature. Should indoor air quality be a priority for you, look into systems that continuously filter air even when the cooling system is off. Fresh air intakes and exhaust settings also allow air to be vented without cooling. With so many options available there is no reason for you to wind up with an air conditioner that will not satisfy all your comfort needs.

Keep Your Home in Mind

When it comes to a home cooling system you must keep your home’s needs in mind as well as your own. If you have preexisting ductwork then a central forced air system will be an easy installation. If you do not have the room for ductwork there are ductless mini split systems available that require only a conduit to connect the outdoor components to indoor blowers. For historic houses, look into small-duct high velocity systems to avoid virtually all renovation. There are enough air conditioning options out there to suit every individual and every home.

A home cooling system is an investment. Don’t rush into a decision. Take your time, consider your options and available features, and get the air conditioner that’s right for your Portland home. The Clean Air Act Inc. is here to answer any questions you may have, so call us anytime.

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