Benefits of a Furnace Tune-Up before Winter

October 2nd, 2017

removing-furnace-coverIt’s October and people are already planning Halloween parties and costumes. And, if they want to be prepared for the change in the weather, they should also be planning for maintenance for their heating systems. In our last post we put up a friendly reminder for homeowners who have heat pumps that they must have a fall maintenance visit as well as a spring one.

Today, we’re going to look at the most common type of home heating system, the furnace, and why scheduling a fall furnace tune-up in Shreveport, LA is vital. You definitely want this job done before the cold weather arrives, and that can sometimes strike before the official start of winter. When you sign up for our Proactive Service Agreement, you’ll receive a 16-point inspection on your furnace—and the same for your air conditioner in the spring.

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Have a Heat Pump? It Needs a Fall Tune-Up as Well

September 18th, 2017

heat-pump-unitWe just went through a hot couple of days here in Shreveport—that’s how it goes sometimes in September. Just because kids are going back to school doesn’t mean the weather of summer is suddenly over. Air conditioners are receiving a workout before they finally get to shut down for the change of seasons.

However, September is always a good month to start thinking about cooler weather and preparing to cope with it. That means arranging for maintenance for your furnace, boiler, or heat pump…

“Wait, my heat pump? My heat pump already had its regular maintenance this year. It was back in spring, right before the hot weather hit.”

If this is your reaction when hearing that a heat pump needs maintenance in fall, we understand the confusion. When people hear about getting their comfort system tuned-up, they’re told that it needs it once a year, in the season before it’s needed. That means in arranging for a fall heating tune-up and a spring air conditioning tune-up in Shreveport LA. But with a heat pump, it’s a bit different.

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Consider Going Ductless for Your Next AC Installation

September 4th, 2017

behold-a-ductless-mini-splitThe fall is an ideal time to take care of HVAC installations in your home, both heating and cooling. The period between the harshest weather of the year allows you to take stock of your home’s comfort needs without feeling rushed. It’s also a good time to take advantage of the slower schedules of HVAC professionals, who aren’t under the burden of handling numerous AC or heating emergency repair calls.

So as we wrap up another hot and humid summer here in Louisiana, we encourage you to think about whether it’s time to retire your current cooling system and have a new air conditioner installed. If you think that, yes, 2017 is the year when you have a new AC put in, then you might want to think about the possibility of going with a ductless air conditioning system. Our technicians are experienced with working with ductless mini split systems, and they’re glad to help you make the choice and take on the installation duties.

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What’s the Best Temperature for a Commercial Wine Refrigerator?

August 21st, 2017

thermometer-going-redOne of our specialties in the field of commercial services is installing, repairing, and maintaining commercial refrigeration equipment. Many businesses in the Shreveport area rely on refrigeration systems every day to operate. They are particularly important in food service industries, from large restaurants to small convenience stores.

If you operate a restaurant or bar where wine is important part of the menu—and an important part of your revenue—then having the right wine refrigeration equipment is essential. Wine is extremely sensitive to temperature changes, and a few degrees can make or break a quality wine with your customers. This is a place where you want precision and quality, and that’s why you should trust to our professionals for wine refrigerator services in Stonewall, LA.

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Why We Don’t Recommend Portable Dehumidifiers

August 7th, 2017

water-dropletsHumidity is often worse than the heat here in Louisiana. The high moisture levels in the air are like having an extra layer of clothing on: the moisture makes it harder for your body to release heat, and that extra heat trapped in your body makes the temperatures around you feel hotter than they are—sometimes as much as 8 to 10°F! The moisture can cause other troubles as well, from simple things like making it harder to dry off towels, to more serious issues like the growth of harmful molds in a home that lead to triggering allergies.

One of the best ways to deal with the high humidity of the summer is to use a dehumidifier. But if your first instinct is to go online and search for a portable dehumidifier (also known as a ­room dehumidifier), which can cost anywhere from $100 to almost $2000, we recommend you instead contact our technicians to arrange for a whole-house dehumidifier installation in Haughton, LA.

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Why Bad Ductwork Is Bad News for Your AC

July 24th, 2017

vent-cover-roomWe once did a post on how problems with ductwork can mean a spike in winter heating bills. But it’s not a problem that’s limited to the winter and times when you need your heating system working. The standard central air conditioner that uses ductwork (which is the majority of systems) can suffer from major issues if there are breaks, gaps, and other leaks in the ducts of the ventilation system.

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What Does “Tonnage” Mean for an Air Conditioner?

July 10th, 2017

outdoor-condenser-units-ACThe world of HVAC has a set of terms that often sound bizarre to people who aren’t professionally trained. This is true of any technical field, and part of our job is breaking down details of air conditioning, heating, and ventilation in ways that make sense to laypeople. We want to maintain good communications with our customers and keep them informed every step of the way.

One bit of HVAC lingo that people find hard to understand is tonnage. This is a vital part of new air conditioning installation and replacement. Although you can always trust to our experts to do the best job of air conditioning installation so you end up with the ideal new AC, we’d like to share a bit about what tonnage means and how it fits into the installation process.

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How a Dirty Evaporator Coil Affects Your Air Conditioner

June 26th, 2017

Air-conditioner-repairmanWhere does the actual “cooling” in an air conditioner occur? It happens along the surface and fins of the evaporator coil, located in the indoor cabinet of the air conditioner—which is also known as the (surprise) evaporator. Warm air drawn through the return air ducts by a blower fan passed over the coil, and the cold refrigerant moving through the coil evaporates. This draws heat from the air (as well as moisture), lowering the temperature of the air. The air continues into the ventilation system and then to the various rooms around the house.

It’s important for an the evaporator coil and fins to have a clean surface. During regular air conditioning maintenance, HVAC technicians always make a check of the coil and fins to see if they are developing dirt and grime across their surfaces. If they are, the technicians clean off the dirt so the air conditioner will work at its best during the summer.

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We Recommend Wi-Fi Thermostats—But Here’s Something You Need to Know

June 12th, 2017

remote-home-controlsIn a post we wrote at the beginning of the year, we talked about why we recommend having a Wi-Fi thermostat installed for your home’s comfort controls. Here’s a quick rundown:

  • Wi-Fi thermostats help you save energy by allowing you to control the your home’s climate remotely from anywhere you have Internet or satellite access with a smart phone, laptop computer, desktop computer, or tablet.
  • The smart capabilities of Wi-Fi thermostats improve upon your own settings to find new ways to save energy. You don’t have to do the work—the thermostat will take care of it.

When you’re planning to have a new HVAC system installed, there’s no reason not to have a Wi-Fi thermostat included as part of the installation. You want to receive the best performance from any new comfort system, and including the best type of thermostat will help see you get that best performance.

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3 Major Myths about Air Conditioning We’d Like to Debunk

May 29th, 2017

spinning-ac-fanWe love the Internet! It’s the best way for us to reach customers and let them know the services we can provide for them. We bet you love the Internet as well, since it puts information and services at your fingertips in a way never possible before.

But there are also those times when we all sort of hate the Internet. If you’re an HVAC contractor, one of your pet peeves about the web is how easily it spreads bad information about air conditioning and heating systems through DIY blogs and amateur websites without credentials. This has kept a number of old air conditioning myths alive that should’ve been buried a long time ago.

We’re here to try to put to rest 3 of the biggest myths we still hear and read about. Knowing the truth will help you better care for your AC, as well as let you know when it’s time to contact us for air conditioning service in Bossier City, LA and throughout the Shreveport area.

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