Portland, OR gets hot in the summer, and that means you’ll be running your air conditioner pretty much every day to keep cool. That process can be hindered by numerous misconceptions about how air conditioning works, which can end up costing you a great deal in wasted energy if you’re not careful. Clearing up those misconceptions is an ideal way to save money on your air conditioning bills this summer, as well as reducing the overall wear and tear on the system. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the more common fallacies out there and what you can do to combat them.
The Clean Air Act Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Portland’
Consider the Advantages of a Ductless Air Conditioner
Monday, April 25th, 2016High temperatures hit Tigard, OR quite hard, and as such you need a quality air conditioner ready to cool your entire house. Unfortunately, not every home can support the centralized format that most people think of when they think about air conditioning, and even those that do may encounter problems with theirs. The solution is a ductless air conditioning system, which gets rid of the centralized model in favor of a series of individual units, each charged with cooling one room or section of your house. They can cost more to install then centralized systems, but provide a number of benefits that you would do well to consider.
Signs You Need Duct Repair
Monday, March 14th, 2016Your ducts serve an important purpose in your air conditioning and heating system: carrying the heated and cooled air from your system to the various corners of your home. Since they don’t have moving parts, they rarely break down, but they can suffer damage. Breaches can open up with connecting sections or when the primary length of duct is damaged from animals or other factors. When that happens, you need a trained service to come to your Portland, OR home and fix the issue, but first, you need to spot the signs you need duct repair. Here’s a quick breakdown.
What Kind of Homes Most Benefit from Ductless Systems
Monday, February 22nd, 2016Ductless heating and cooling systems stand in marked contrasted to the centralized heaters and air conditioners that most of us are used to. Those systems generate conditioned air (either warm or cool) in one specific location, then blow it into your house through the ductwork to gradually raise of lower the temperature. A ductless heating system, on the other hand, uses multiple units spaced throughout your home, each one charged with heating or cooling just a single room or section. They cost more to install than centralized systems, and here in Portland, OR, not every household can benefit from them. If you’re considering a new system, however, you may want to think about whether your home can take advantage of what a ductless system can offer.
3 Reasons There’s Ice Forming on Your Heat Pump
Monday, February 15th, 2016It gets cold here in Portland, OR this time of year, and it’s natural to assume that ice will form on the outdoor part of your heat pump just like it does everywhere else. In point of fact, however, ice on the heat pump can be a big problem, and it might not be the weather that’s to blame. Of the ice seems excessive or you witness a corresponding loss of heat or similar problem accompanying its appearance, you should shut off your system and call in a trained professional right away. Here are three reasons there’s ice forming on your heat pump, most of which need a technician to correct.
Why Should I Change My Air Filter?
Monday, February 8th, 2016Every heating and air conditioning system in the world comes with a filter, designed to strain hair, dust and other particles out of the air. It helps keep your air clean and your heating and air conditioning free of dust and other contaminants. However, it needs to be replaced periodically – at least every six months, or sooner if the manufacturer recommends it – or cleaned if your filter is permanent. Otherwise, there will be significant consequences to your Portland, OR, often requiring a repair service to correct. Why should you change your air filter? Here’s a quick list of reasons:
Non-Issues Surrounding Your Furnace
Monday, February 1st, 2016Your furnace keeps your home warm and cozy in the cold of winter, and here in Portland, OR, it will be called upon to perform every day throughout the chilly season. When problems arise with your heater, you want to get them fixed as soon as possible, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry. But before you pick up the phone, make sure that the issue isn’t just a part of the system’s normal operation, and that you’re dealing with a legitimate issue instead of one that just appears to be one. Non-issues surrounding your furnace come in many forms, but here’s a few examples to give you an idea what we mean.
New Baby? Help Make Your Home Clean and Healthy
Monday, January 25th, 2016If you’re welcoming a new baby into your Portland, OR home, congratulations! You’ve embarked upon one of the most fulfilling, and challenging, chapters in your entire life. Naturally, you want everything to be perfect for your new baby, whether it’s your first child or your eighth. A good HVAC and indoor air quality service can be the best friend you have. Here’s a few ways we can help you make your home clean and healthy.
3 Ways to Lower Dust Levels in Your Home
Monday, January 18th, 2016High dust and pollen content can affect a number of homes in the Portland, OR area, increasing irritation in your sinuses and the risk of colds or flus, as well as making cleaning that much harder. High dust levels are of especial concern to those with newborns in the family, or those with family members suffering from conditions like asthma. There are a number of ways to lower dust levels in your home; we’ve listed three of the most popular below.
Benefits of a Heat Pump
Monday, January 11th, 2016A heat pump is a wrinkle on the traditional notion of air conditioning systems, which circulate refrigerant in a close loop. AC systems first vent hot air outside your home, then lower the temperature of air inside the system before blowing it into your home with a fan. Heat pumps similarly offer a “reversible” variation of that cycle: allowing you to heat the home as well as cool it with just the flick of a switch. Heat pumps are more expensive than traditional air conditioners, but provide a number of benefits that Portland, OR residents would do well to consider. Here’s a few of them laid out for you.