How To Test Indoor Air Quality For Mold

Most homeowners in Eatonton, GA, are shocked to learn that the indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Excessive humidity and mold spores are two common indoor air quality problems. If you suspect that your home’s air is filled with mold spores, it’s important to arrange for indoor air quality testing. Here are three ways you can test your home’s air for the presence of mold and mold spores. 1. Look for Visible Mold Growth Look around your home for visible mold growth. If you can see mold, then your home’s air is contaminated with mold spores. Look on bathroom and laundry room walls and ceilings, under the vanities, plumbing connections, and near faucets, hoses, and windows. These are areas with high levels of moisture and condensation. Also, check your storage areas for visible mold or a musty odor. 2. Evaluate Your Health Many people are allergic to one or more types of mold. If you’ve noticed eye, nose, and throat irritation, itchiness, unexplained rashes, nasal congestion or a runny nose, sneezing, coughing or headaches, you could have a mold allergy. An allergist can check you for this and determine which types of molds affect...

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What does SEER Rating Mean?

The SEER rating that you see on air conditioners and heat pumps describes their energy efficiency or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. SEER ratings on modern cooling equipment range from 13 to 24. The higher the number the greater the energy efficiency of a cooling unit. Calculation of SEER Rating British Thermal Units or BTUs measure the cooling capacity of an air conditioner or heat pump. The BTU figure is then divided by the electrical watt-hours needed to run the unit throughout the entire cooling season. The result equals the SEER rating. How to Compare SEER Ratings Essentially, an AC unit with a low SEER rating will use more electricity and cost more money to run than one with a high SEER rating. To achieve higher SEER ratings, manufacturers must build more complex machines that cost more. Basic air conditioners will have ratings from 13 to 15. They only have one operational setting regardless of how hot it is. They cannot adjust operation downward when conditions do not require maximum cooling output. Once you get into the range of 16 to 19 SEER, you get an AC unit that can run at a lower cooling capacity when conditions are not extremely...

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5 Benefits of Energy-Efficient Heating System

Homeowners may have more choices than they realize when it comes to installing a new heating system. Before purchasing, consider it wise to look at the features and specs. Buying an energy-efficient system might be best. Here are five reasons why. Lower Heating Bills Energy efficiency, by its nature, means you use less fuel to heat a home. With a gas-powered furnace, efficiency could save a homeowner a great deal of money. Less fuel consumption means reduced bills, and the money saved with a more efficient furnace could go towards the cost of installing a new one. Think of how much money someone may save over the life of the furnace. Reduced Emissions Excess energy consumption not only wastes money, but it also wastes resources. Today, many homeowners want to be a little “greener” and cut down on their carbon footprint. Improving energy efficiency helps the cause, so why not go with a more efficient heater? See if the furnace comes with an energy star rating revealing its efficiency level. Deliver the Right Size An energy-efficient heating system is often the right size for a home. By choosing an appropriately sized heater, homeowners avoid problems with too small or oversized...

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How Do Gas Furnaces Differ From Electric Furnaces?

Before you can have a new furnace installed by , you must decide how you want your new furnace to be powered. Although there are alternatives for keeping your home warm, most of the time, it comes down to two basic choices – electric or gas furnaces. While gas furnaces are certainly more common, both types of furnaces have benefits that you should be aware of as you make your choice. Cost of Operation When it comes to the overall cost of operation, a gas furnace from wins, every time. Largely, this is due to the lower cost of natural gas versus electricity. Since the fuel is cheap, natural gas furnaces are less expensive to operate, even though gas furnaces can’t come close to the efficiency of an electric furnace. Efficiency To understand furnace efficiency, it’s important to remember high school physics, where you learned the Law of Conservation of Mass, that says matter can neither be created nor destroyed. Thus, when fuel is burned in your furnace, it’s not lost, just changed in form. In the case of a gas furnace, though, some of the potential energy is lost in the form of light energy, while very little potential...

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Why Is Ventilation Important for Proper Indoor Air Quality?

Looking at ways to improve the quality of air in your home or business is essential to creating a healthy environment. Ventilation plays a crucial role in keeping the indoor air fresh and free of containments. Reaching out to an HVAC company is always a good idea if you are looking for ways to improve the quality of your indoor air. Here are a few of the top reasons why ventilation is critical to indoor air quality. 1. Limits Indoor Air Pollutants Most people spend the majority of their time indoors. However, indoor air pollutants can quickly occur due to secondhand smoke. Combustion pollutants from improperly vented appliances can also cause major health concerns. Reaching out to an HVAC company is always a good idea to limit indoor air pollutants. These HVAC professionals can help you determine the best option to improve the quality of air in your house whether you need ventilators, humidifiers, air filtration systems, or UV lamps. 2. Prevents High Humidity Levels Not enough ventilation in your residence can cause higher than normal humidity levels. This type of environment is perfect for the growth of mold and mildew. Ultimately, this can cause significant health issues while also...

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All About Carrier’s Greenspeed Technology

Carrier is a leading heating and cooling brand delivering the latest innovative solutions for indoor comfort. Their Greenspeed Technology offers a brand-new level of ultimate indoor luxury. Here’s why Carrier products should be part of your comfort system upgrade. Industry-Leading Efficiency Not only is Greenspeed Technology Energy Star certified, it exceeds those requirements for even more savings. The Infinity 26 air conditioner and the Infinity 24 heat pump include Greenspeed Technology. Because Carrier has created such value, these products may qualify for further rebates. Check with your local utility company to see if your purchase qualifies. Enhanced Dehumidification Getting rid of damp air is a must if you want more control over the quality of the air you breathe. Greenspeed Technology includes advanced humidity control features that operate longer to remove more moisture than other models. Less moisture makes your indoor air cooler and more comfortable. That means you can drop the thermostat setting more often and save money. has skilled NATE-certified technicians available to install new air conditioners, heat pumps and furnace systems for customers in Eatonton. We’re ready to serve your indoor cooling and heating needs. Let us know if you’d like more information about the latest heating...

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Could Geothermal Heating or Cooling Be Right for You?

If you are getting sticker shock in the winter and summer when you get your electric bill, you should know that there is another way. Geothermal heating and cooling can cut your bill while giving you a more reliable system. Here are three reasons why a geothermal system may be the right choice for you. 1. Energy Efficient Your geothermal system will use a small fraction of the amount of energy that an HVAC system would. All it needs to do is keep exchanging the air with the ground in order to heat and cool your home. The process will begin to cut your electric bills immediately as less is needed to heat and cool your home. This will be an especially welcome development in the dead of summer and winter when your power bills would otherwise skyrocket. 2. More Reliable The HVAC system needs maintenance practically every year to ensure that it runs well. There are a large number of parts that can break at any time. Your geothermal system consists of much fewer parts. In fact, there is a pump and the piping, and that is largely it. Geothermal systems can last for decades without much, if any,...

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What is Super Cooling?

Cooling your home doesn’t only consist of turning the AC down in the daytime. A smart approach such as supercooling can prove to be very effective. Here’s a guide describing what supercooling is and why you should try it. What Is Supercooling? Supercooling is all about running your AC at the maximum cool setting when energy costs are low. Depending on your city, the energy cost is usually lower in the early morning. If you want to supercool your home, you’ll chill it at the start of the day, and this climate will stick around for the hottest part of the day. Supercooling takes advantage of off-peak hours when other customers aren’t consuming as much energy. Why Supercool? The primary reason for supercooling is the cost. Many electric companies offer reduced rates during off-peak hours, whereas peak hour rates are quite high. While you can’t bank electricity, you can bank cool air if your home is decently insulated. Supercooling gets the job done at a fraction of the normal cost and might even be more effective because it keeps your home cooler during the hottest part of the day. Supercooling Tips Converting your home into a confined space is at...

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How Does Air Filtration Work?

Air filtration is an amazing process that leads to high-quality air inside your home. There are many moving parts that work together to provide clean air for you and your family. Let’s examine how air filtration works. Filter Media First, the air passes through a filter media that catches any large particles. These particles can include dust, hair and insects. This is why it’s so important to change out your filter regularly. If this filter media becomes saturated with debris, no air can pass through at all, and the filtration becomes wholly ineffective. Airflow Airflow is at the heart of air filtration. When the filter is clean, the maximum volume of air can pass through without hindrance. As debris piles up, less air can get through, although this is not necessarily a bad thing. When the filter is moderately full, the gaps become even smaller, and even smaller particles are caught. However, once the filter is fully clogged, no air can flow through. Fibers Fibers are your primary way of controlling filtration. If your fibers are spaced far apart, less debris will be trapped. If your fibers are spaced close together, fewer particles will be able to get through. It...

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What Size Air Conditioner Do I Need?

It’s important that your house has the right size air conditioner or else your home won’t be comfortable and you’ll be wasting money. An AC unit that’s too big will turn on and off all the time, reducing its lifespan and costing you a lot of money. A unit too small, on the other hand, will operate all the time since it won’t be able to cool your residence. Here’s how to get the right-sized air conditioner for your property. Load Calculation The technician who will install your new air conditioner will perform what’s known as a “load calculation.” This takes into account factors like how big your home is, how much direct sun exposure it gets, your climate, the number of exterior windows, the amount of insulation, the type of home construction, and so on. The technicians at in Eatonville, GA, perform load calculations before installing a new air conditioner in a customer’s home. This ensures your new AC unit will be the most effective choice for your space and conditions. Decide Which Air Conditioning Unit to Buy You’ll have a number of choices for which air conditioner is right for you. The size of the system, measured in...

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