Ways to Keep Your Home Cool Without Breaking the Bank

Today is the last day of this series.  We wanted to give you a few more tips, as well as give you information on what to do if your AC does breakdown.

Create a Breeze

With the air circulating, you'll feel like a room's temperature has dropped up to 8°F.

• Use a portable fan in conjunction with your AC to move air without greatly increasing your power use (it'll even save money, because you can comfortably set the thermostat a few degrees higher).
• Be smart about ceiling fans. Since they don't actually cool — you need to be in their path to get the benefits — turn off all fans when you're heading out to avoid wasting energy. If you're buying a new ceiling fan, make sure it's sized right for your room (the fan's box should list its specs).

What to do if your AC breaks down

If your AC unit quits working or the air coming out feels warm:

• Turn the AC OFF!  I know it seems ridiculous to ask you to turn the system off when it is so hot outside, but it WILL save you money!  Running an AC unit that is not functioning correctly can cause additional parts to fail.  Also, if the system is frozen the technicians cannot work on the unit until it is unfrozen.  The sooner the system is shut down the better off you will be.
• Check your filter.  Your AC system does require a clean filter in order to run.  Be sure to check and replace or clean your filter on a regular basis.  Changeable filters should be replaced every month or so depending on the number of people and animals you have in the home.  The higher quality filters should be checked every month.  Just because the package says 3 to 6 months doesn’t mean it will last that long in your home.
• Check your breaker.  If there has been a power outage or surge, the breaker to your system may have tripped.  Reset the breaker and give the system about 10 minutes to restart.  Some systems have a built in time delay when the system has been shut down.  If the system continues to trip the breaker, give us a call you may have problems within the unit that is causing the breaker to trip.
• Is your power company implementing load control?  Some areas may be affected by the power company’s load control when temperatures sore and power usage becomes extremely high.  In those situations, your unit will not run due to the load control.  If you’re not sure whether your home has a load control on it, contact your power company.
• Call Your HVAC Company!  Don’t wait to see if your AC unit will start working again!  Call (980-235-0055) or email us right away to schedule a repair call.  The longer you wait, the higher the risk that more people could fill up the schedule causing you to wait longer!

What to do to stay cool until the repair man gets there:

 

• Turn the fan on your thermostat to the ON position.  Every thermostat has a fan button.  This just controls the blower portion of the AC.  When in the ON position, it will help to circulate air through the home.  It will not provide cold air, but moving air will make a difference.
• Be sure your curtains and blinds are closed.  This can lower the temperature by limiting the amount of sunlight entering the home. 
• Raise windows at night.  If the temperature outside is at least 3˚ cooler than the indoor temperature, raising windows will help!
• The ultimate chill-out:  As we said a couple days ago, get wet. A cool bath or shower with water around 75°F (lukewarm) will chill you out 25 times faster than a blast of cold air.

Give us a try!  Please call or contact us to schedule an appointment or just get additional information.  We are happy to help!

980-235-0055  or info@mycarolinahvac.com

Ways to Keep Your Home Cool Without Breaking the Bank

In today's blog, we have given info on not only how to stay cool, but also how to use the hot weather to save money!

Remember: Heat Rises

Attics can reach temps of 150°F or more. Take measures to properly insulate this area from the rest of the house: Install sweeps and weather-stripping around the access door (about $10 - $8 for a roll, respectively, at hardware stores). For a hatch-style entrance, invest in a stair-insulator cover like the Attic Tent ($200 to $240; attictent.com) to seal it.  This will help keep that hot air from your attic out of your house.

Harness the Heat
Hot weather isn't all bad for your electric bill.

• Line-dry clothes outdoors — there's nothing like that fresh smell! — and skip the dryer (the costliest part of doing laundry).
• Hang towels that are soggy from a day at the beach or pool to dry in the sun over a line, a railing, or the back of a chair. Bonus, if towels will be used again before laundering: Solar rays can kill some smell-causing bacteria.

Close Your Curtains and Blinds

You can drastically cut down how much your AC runs during the day by closing your curtains and blinds.  Combined setting the thermostat to a slighly higher program, you can see some major savings!

Carolina Heating & Air Design

980-235-0055 or info@mycarolinahvac.com

Ways to Keep Your Home Cool Without Breaking the Bank

Today we are going to give you tips on managine moisture in your home.  Here in the South, humidity can be horrible.  The humidity adds to the heat and creates a VERY uncomfortable environment.  Check out these tips to help you manage your indoor humidity.

Manage Moisture

An estimated 50% of U.S. homes have unhealthily high levels of moisture. What to do when "it's not the heat, it's the humidity":

• Move indoor plants outside — they produce a lot of airborne moisture.     
• Invest in a dehumidifier.  Give us a call, we can install a whole house dehumidifier.     
• Run bathroom exhaust fans for a full 20 minutes after a shower or bath to "dry" the air.     
• If your house seems extremely humid, call your HVAC contractor to see if the AC is performing properly.  Your AC unit should be designed to pull humidity out of your home.  Give us a call and we can check the unit to be sure it dehumidifying your home.
• The ultimate chill-out:  Get wet. A cool bath or shower with water around 75°F (lukewarm) will chill you out 25 times faster than a blast of cold air.
• Seal up your house.  By making sure you have a good weather seal around door and windows, you will not only keep the cold air in, but you will also keep the humidity from outside out.

By keeping the humidity in your home down, you may even find that you can raise your thermostat a degree or two!  That will create more savings on the utility bills!

Are you interested in a dehumidifier, or just want to be sure your AC system is doing all it can?

Give us a call and schedule an appointment to have a technician make sure you are getting the most out of your AC!

980-235-0055 or info@mycarolinahvac.com

Ways to Keep Your Home Cool Without Breaking the Bank

As Summer has finally arrived, we thought it would be a good time to start talking about how you can keep your home cool through the summer.  This week we will be giving you tips on how to stay cool without spending a lot of money.

Smart Ways to Save on the AC

• Have maintenance performed on your cooling system every year.  According to Goodway.com, units with dirty coils, "use 37 percent more energy than those with clean coils," and reduce cooling capacity as much as 30 percent. A less-efficient system is harmful to the environment and raises utility costs.  Dirty coils can also cause premature failure on parts and shorten the life of the entire unit.
  
• Set the thermostat at 70° to 75°F when you're home, 76 - 80°F when you're not; don't turn it off completely before leaving the house (it can cost more to cool the house back down once it overheats).
• Position electric devices like lamps, TVs, or computers at least a few feet away from your AC thermostat. Reason: The AC can sense heat from these appliances, which can cause it to run longer than necessary.
• Know when to upgrade. In terms of energy use, you may want to consider a new AC if yours is more than 10 or 12 years old — and definitely if it's not cooling as well as it used to — to shave up to 30% off your bill.

Haven't had a maintenance performed on you cooling system yet?

Give us a call to schedule a tune-up that fits your budget! 

980-235-0055 or info@mycarolinahvac.com

 

HAPPY FLAG DAY, AMERICA!!!

Today marks the 235th anniversary of the adoption of the nation's flag!  Here are some interesting facts about the origins of Flag Day.

Timeline of Flag Day

• June 14, 1777 – Congress adopts the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the U.S.
• June 14, 1885 – Bernard J. Cigrand, a Wisconsin teacher, placed a 10-inch, 38-star flag in a bottle on his desk and assigned essays on the flag and its significance.
• June 14, 1891 – The Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia hosts a Flag Day celebration.
• May 30, 1916 – President Woodrow Wilson issues a proclamation calling for a nationwide observance of Flag Day.
• Aug. 3, 1949 – President Harry Truman signs an Act Of Congress designating the 14th day of June every year as National Flag Day.
• June 14, 2004 – The 108th U.S. Congress votes unanimously on H.R. 662 that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County, WI.

Red, White and Blue Meaning

• The stripes represent the 13 original colonies.
• The 50 stars represent the number of states.
• The colors of the flag have meaning as well: Red symbolizes Hardiness and Valor; White symbolizes Purity and Innocence; Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice.

Proper Display

• The flag should be displayed from sunrise to sunset. If the flag is displayed at night it should be illuminated.
• Never allow the flag to touch the ground or the floor.
• When displayed on a wall or window the union (stars) should be in the upper left corner.
• The flag should be raised quickly and lowered ceremoniously.
• The flag is often flown at half-staff to show respect for someone who has died. When flown at half-staff, the flag should be raised to the top for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should also be raised to the top before it is lowered at the end of the day.

Happy Flag Day!

From Everyone at Carolina Heating & Air Design

Facts for this blog provided by National Flag Day Foundation, USFlag.org, PBS: America Responds, and dearborn.patch.com.  Please visit their sites for more detailed information.

Customized Services to Meet Your Cooling Needs

We are now approaching Summer, and those long, hot, humid days are right around the corner.  Is your air conditioning ready?  We have put together several different options to make sure your cooling system is ready to keep you cool throughout the summer.

The Basic Tune Up - $49



• Check All Parts of All Components
• Check Thermostat
• Check Evaporator Coil
• Check Ductwork
• Check Efficiency of System
• Check Refrigerant Levels
• Free Leak Search (if unit is low on refrigerant)
• Clean Drain Lines
• Water Wash Condenser Coil

The Deluxe Tune Up - $149   (Includes Everything Included In The Basic PLUS)

• Chemical Cleaning on Condenser Coil
• 1 LB of Refrigerant ($137 value)

Preferred Customer Agreement -
$175 for 1st system; $75 for each additional system

Our PCA gives you two (2) inspections per year which include:

• Check All Parts of All Components
• Check Thermostat
• Check Ductwork
• Check Refrigerant Levels
• Free Leak Search (if unit is low on refrigerant)
• Clean Drain Lines
• Detailed Efficiency Performance Testing
• Chemical Cleaning on Condenser Coil
• Chemical Cleaning on Evaporator Coil

You Also Receive:

• 15% Discount on All Repairs
• Priority Service Year Round

Not sure which service is best for you?  Schedule your appointment today and let our specialist and technicians ehlp you make the best decision for your situation.

Contact us today to schedule!

980-235-0055

info@mycarolinahvac.com

Should you get a second opinion on your cooling repair?

We all put more thought into where our money goes now days.  We use coupons, find daily or weekly specials, and cut back on those things that aren't essential.  So, have you ever thought about getting a second opinion on a costly cooling repair?

Several times a week, we receive a call from a person who has just received an extremely high repair quote from other repair companies.  There are also people that are told that there only option is to replace their system.  We understand that repairs and replacements can be expensive, but let's face it, no one wants to be hot!  Carolina Heating & Air Design prides ourselves on doing what is right for YOUR situation.  Let us come out, thoroughly go through the system, diagnose the problem, and give you recommendations that fit your needs and situation.  We will educate you!  We will tell you what the problem is, whether the problem can be repaired or not, what the consequences of repairing or not repairing are, what the life expectancy of the system will be, and much more.  The cooling system in your home is yours; therefore, it is our job to give you the information to make the decision of how you want to handle the problem.

Just last week we went on a second opinion for an elderly lady who was told her only option was to replace her system.  Being on a fixed income, the lady really did not know what she was going to do.  She was referred to us, and scheduled a second opinion.  After going through the system, the technician found that what the other company diagnosed as a leaking system was nothing more than a replacable part that was leaking.  Yes the unit was older and not nearly as efficient as a new system, but all the other parts were functioning as they should. The repair only cost $185.00!  The technician did take the time to inform her that it was an older system and replacement would probably be in the future.  Now she can prepare and save for the replacement when the time comes.

Now, not every situtation has such a happy ending, but we can promise to give you ALL the options.  This will allow you to make an educated decision that fits your situation.  Call us, give us a try, we promise you will not be disappointed!

980-235-0055 or info@mycarolinahvac.com

"Greener Living Tip"

Wash Your Laundry in Cold Water:  An easy way to clean green is to turn the dial on your washing machine to cold. Most loads don't need hot water, and 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes into heating. The higher the water temperature, the higher the cost to you and the planet.