Ducts are a vital component in your household air conditioning system – transporting cooled air to the various rooms in your household – and because they don’t have a lot of moving parts, they rarely require repairs with the frequency that the main system does. That doesn’t mean that repairs aren’t needed sometimes, unfortunately, or that – considering the damp weather in Portland, OR – you don’t have to deal with potential issues like mold growth in your ducts. A good technician can repair most issues with your ducts, but you still need to be able to notice that there’s a problem before picking up the phone. Here are 3 easy-to-spot signs that you need duct repair.
The Clean Air Act Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Portland’
How Do UV Germicidal Lights Help My Home?
Monday, June 15th, 2015Indoor air quality can be as important as heating or air conditioning when determining the comfort levels of your home. That’s of especial concern here in Portland, OR, where high humidity levels turn our houses into clammy nightmares, breeding germs and bacteria in hidden corners. A good air conditioner can fight some of that, but it’s not meant to specifically address your indoor air quality. A UV germicidal light can, however: improving the freshness in your air and eliminating sickness-causing bacteria to boot. They can be installed in your air conditioning system without a fuss by a trained professional, and can help your home in numerous ways.
Install a Dehumidifier to Maximize Home Comfort
Monday, June 8th, 2015If you live in Portland, OR, you know that rain and high humidity levels are a way of life around here. It gets particularly bad in the summertime, when relative humidity combines with high heat to make things unbearable. Your air conditioner can provide some relief, but cool air can only deal with humidity levels so much. If you really want to address the problem, you should talk to a service professional and have him or her install a dehumidifier to maximize home comfort.
Keep or Replace? How to Decide if You Need a New Air Conditioner
Monday, June 1st, 2015Summer is officially here in Portland, OR, and that means your air conditioning system needs to be ready to keep your home comfortable when the heat and humidity rise to sweltering levels. If your system is exhibiting signs of trouble, now may be the right time to get it replaced with a new model. But how can you tell if that time has come? You certainly don’t want to get rid of your old air conditioner if it’s still doing the job, and a replacement can be costly enough that hoping your system is still functional may trump the reality that it really does need to go. Here’s a few guidelines to help you decide whether to keep or replace your existing air conditioner:
3 Benefits of a Ductless Air Conditioning System
Tuesday, May 26th, 2015Most homeowners in Portland, OR are accustomed to centralized air conditioning: using a single unit to generate cool air which is then pushed into a series of ducts with a fan. But you may be surprised to learn that other types of air conditioners exist, most prominently ductless air conditioning systems, which use multiple units spaced throughout your home to heat each room or section individually. They can cost a little more to install, but you may find that a ductless system works better for your home than a centralized system, as well as carrying a number of other tangible advantages. Here are 3 benefits of a ductless air conditioning system that you should consider:
Why Is Short Cycling a Problem?
Monday, May 18th, 2015Short cycling refers to the tendency of your air conditioner to shut down after a brief running time, then turn back on again a brief while later. It can be caused by a number of factors, including low refrigerant, and malfunctioning components. In some cases, it’s not even a problem with the system, but simply that it’s too powerful for the space it needs to cool (which is one of the reasons why you should always have a new air conditioner properly sized for your house before you install it). On the surface, that might not seem like such a big deal, but in truth it’s a serious problem, and with summer on its way, Portland, OR, residents need to address a short cycling problem before the heat and humidity get too bad.
How Does Air Conditioning Work?
Monday, May 11th, 2015Air conditioning is one of the most important comforts of modern life, and here in Portland, OR, it’s essential to handling the high humidity and periodic heat waves that accompany our summers. But despite its prominence in our lives, comparatively few people know how air conditioners do their jobs. Specifics vary by make and model of air conditioner, but the essentials remain unchanged. The more you know about your system, the more readily you can respond when the time comes for maintenance or repair. How does air conditioning work? We’ve provided a quick primer below.
Why Correct Sizing Is So Important for Your AC Installation
Monday, April 20th, 2015Whether you are installing a whole home air conditioner for the first time or replacing an outdated system, it is imperative that you correctly size your system to avoid future problems. Many people will tell you that all you need know for correct sizing is the square footage of your home in Portland, OR, but this is simply not true. There are a number of factors that need to be calculated in what is known as a heat load calculation. The air conditioning experts at Clean Air Act can make this calculation for you, help you choose an excellent system for your home and then install it. Just give us a call today and schedule an appointment.
Does Your Home Need to be Tested for Radon?
Friday, December 19th, 2014Safety is the number one priority in your home, but you may accidentally skip over some of the key services that help protect your family and your home from dangerous toxins. Unfortunately, the air in your home may not be as clean as you think it is. Radon is a gas that seeps into your home even if you believe your air is well-protected from contaminants. And the consequences can be deadly: according to the U.S. surgeon general’s office, radon poisoning is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
But My Home Is Very Well-Sealed
You may believe that your home is well-filtered or sealed up tightly enough to inhibit such gases from invading your home. However, radon infiltrates your home in ways that you may not expect. It can enter through the soil surrounding a home, because it generally appears as uranium decays, which happens naturally in soils over time. While the home’s building material itself may sometimes contribute to allowing radon gas to enter, it’s more often due to cracks in the walls or floors or even, in some cases, the water supply.
Won’t I Notice Radon Gas in the Home?
You may believe that you would notice a gaseous intruder in your home. But radon is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Simply put, it’s time to stop making excuses and test your home for the potential presence of radon today. Experts are already equipped with the tools and expertise for the job, and know what to do to correct any areas in which leaking occurs.
If your home is found to contain high levels of radon, experts can help you to determine the source and mitigate the problem as soon as possible. At Clean Air Act, we’ll perform a thorough test, take the steps to find poorly sealed areas of the structure, and recommend services to help keep your home safe in the future. Don’t neglect this vital service for your health and safety. Schedule radon testing in Portland with our skilled technicians and get peace of mind that your family is safe from harm.
Why Isn’t My Air Handler Blowing?
Friday, December 12th, 2014For those who do not know, the air handler is the device responsible for actually circulating air throughout your house. It consists of a motor, a fan, sound dampers and, in the case of a heat pump, the heating coil. If you turn on your heater and you don’t hear the fan, it’s a good sign that your air handler is broken. Here, we’ll take a look at what can go wrong with your air handler, and what you should do about it.
Broken Fan Belt
The fan belt is a rubber loop that connects the motor to the fan itself. When the motor turns on, it rotates the fan belt, which rotates the fan and begins blowing air. The fan belt is crucial to the operation of the entire air handler. Over time, however, the fan belt can stretch and develop cracks from the stress of regular use. Eventually, the belt will break. This renders the motor unable to turn the fan and circulate air throughout the house. If you turn on your heater and you can hear the motor, but air isn’t circulating, it is possible that the fan belt has snapped.
Burned Out Motor
The motor is the device that supplies power and motion to the blower part of the air handler. A burned out motor is often caused by dust or debris entering the system from the ductwork. This is why having a clean air filter is so important. Even with a working air filter, however, the parts inside the motor will accumulate dust over time. The worst place in a motor for dust to build up is on the bearings, which are responsible for keeping friction down and allowing the motor to run efficiently. If the bearings get dirty enough, they lose the ability to lubricate the motor. When this happens, the motor eventually burns out. If you turn on your heater and air isn’t blowing, check to see if the heater is actually on, and whether you can hear the motor. If the heater is on, but you can’t hear the motor, you’ll probably need to replace it.
If you are having issues with your heating system, call Clean Air Act. Our HVAC technicians offer reliable heating service throughout all of Portland.