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It’s HOT in Arizona. Our team has put together a few tips that will keep you COOL and ensure you make the MOST out of the summer season. Read the simple infographic below to find out.
The post Here’s How To Keep COOL In Arizona! appeared first on Cool Touch Air Conditioning & Heating.
If you’re in the process of researching the best air cleaner for your home, you’ve probably come across a couple different types: mechanical and electronic. Now begs the question: what’s the difference between the two? In this blog, we’ll cover the main differences between mechanical and electronic air cleaners.
Mechanical air cleaners are designed to remove large particles, like dust, dander and pollen from your indoor air. They work by moving air over a media filter in which anything larger than a certain size is captured. The finer the filter, the smaller the particles that are captured. The most common type of mechanical air cleaner is the HEPA (high energy particulate filter) that captures contaminants as small as 0.3 microns or larger. It’s recommended that mechanical air filters be replaced every 3 months or so in order to remain effective.
Electronic air cleaners are sometimes known as ionizers or electronic air purifiers. They offer further protection by actively removing gas and smoke particles through a process called ionization. This process charges the particles in the air and separates them from the airflow. It only works well for those smaller particles, though, so it’s not effective alone for common allergens such as dust. Electronic air cleaners are 10 to 20 times more efficient at trapping particles in the air than your standard fiberglass HVAC filter.
The main difference between mechanical and electronic air cleaners is that electronic cleaners aren’t filters at all, unlike mechanical air cleaners. Instead, electronic air cleaners create an electric field that ionizes the particles that try to travel through the air.
Another big difference between the two is that electronic air cleaners are designed to remove small particles, like gas and smoke, and mechanical air cleaners are designed to remove large particles, like dust and pollen. If your household has sensitive members or lots of pets, then electronic air cleaners may be the better choice. Most heating and cooling systems will come equipped with a mechanical filter that is “built in.”
Last but not least, another difference between the two is the cost. Electronic air cleaners tend to be more expensive than mechanical filters. However, electronic air cleaners also tend to be more effective – so many people find the cost to be worth it.
Depending on what you need, knowing these differences can help you make the best decision for your household.
We are here for all your mechanical and electronic air cleaner needs in the Phoenix and Prescott Valley Metropolitan Areas! For over 20 years, we have been your trusted home comfort specialists for all things HVAC, plumbing, and indoor air quality. Contact us today to schedule your appointment by visiting us online here.
The post Mechanical vs. Electronic Air Cleaners: What’s The Difference? appeared first on Cool Touch Air Conditioning & Heating.
Clogged drains is one of the most common plumbing problems homeowners face. There are many different causes of clogged drains, and many different ways to fix them.
Hair is a big culprit of clogged drains – especially in bathroom drains, like your shower and sink. If enough hair gets down in your drains, it can cause water backups and clogs.
We are all familiar with soap scum that can accumulate over time in bathroom and shower drains. When combined with other materials, like hair and dirt, it can lead to clogs.
Oil, grease and fat should never be washed down the drain as it solidifies and hardens in your pipes, ultimately causing clogs. Contrary to popular belief, even running hot water down the drain won’t resolve this problem.
The only items that should be flushed down a toilet are waste and toilet paper. Flushing non-flushable items, such as cotton balls, hair, toys, feminine hygiene products, and paper towels can cause clogs. Even flushable wipes aren’t the best, as they don’t disintegrate as well as regular toilet paper and could clog your pipes overtime.
If you have a crack in your pipes, even if a very tiny crack, tree roots can get inside and cause blockages. Eventually, this will obstruct water flow and cause damage to your plumbing.
Even though toilets are meant to handle toilet paper, too much toilet paper can lead to clogs. If you’re using more than a few squares at a time and noticing frequent clogs, then this could be the cause of your problem.
We see this a lot, especially in the summertime. You’re outside a lot, spending time at the beach or watching your kids play in the pool. After all the fun is over, it’s time to take a shower. If you don’t wash off before stepping into the shower or bath, all that dirt and sand can get into your drains and clog them.
Drain clogs can be vert inconvenient to deal with. Whether you’re noticing clogs in your kitchen, bathroom, or somewhere else around your house, make sure to ditch the store-bought drain cleaner. This stuff can really do more damage to your pipes. It’s best that you contact a professional drain cleaner to help clear your drains once and for all. After your drains are back to new, consider taking the following preventative measures to avoid these problems in the future:
We are here for all your drain cleaning needs in the Phoenix and Prescott Valley Metropolitan Areas! For over 20 years, we have been your trusted home comfort specialists for all things HVAC, plumbing, and indoor air quality. Contact us today to schedule your appointment by visiting us online here.
The post Causes Of Clogged Drains And How To Fix Them? appeared first on Cool Touch Air Conditioning & Heating.
September is baby safety month and the perfect time to think about how best to babyproof your HVAC system! Young children and babies are curious, and want to touch anything and everything. To keep them out of harms way, here are some ways to protect them when it comes to your heating and cooling unit.
Do you have metal vent covers? Babies are attracted to shiny objects – like metal! Unfortunately, metal vent covers tend to have sharp edges that can cut little fingers and toes. Not only that, but if the covers aren’t secured tightly, your baby may be able to pull up on them. The last thing you want is for your baby to get cut, bruised, or injured in another way by running around with your vent cover. Secure it in place by screwing them down so they can’t be lifted up and taken apart by curious little hands.
The thought of a metal vent cover hurting your pride and joy got you feeling uneasy? There are other options – like ditching the metal vent covers and switching to plastic. Plastic vent covers still do its job, but without the risk of injury. With plastic registers, there’s also not really a need to screw them down so that frees up some of your time.
If you’re a parent, then you know all too well that you find toys and other objects in the most random places. By adding screening to your ductwork, you don’t have to worry about small little toys getting dropped in there.
Just like shiny objects, babies and young kids love to push buttons – literally. Make sure your HVAC remotes are stored away so your little one can’t grab it and mess with it. Not only can they turn your heat up and down and mess with your settings, but handling the remote unsupervised can be dangerous. The last thing you want is for them to accidentally swallow the remote battery and cause serious injury.
While you don’t think much about your outdoor unit, if you have an “on-the-go” tiny little human running around, then you may want to start paying attention to it. The unit has sharp, spinning fan blades and live electrical wiring that are most certainly not babyproof! To avoid any potential harm, consider fencing in your outdoor unit or enclosing it in a lockage cage so it’s untouchable by your little one.
We are here for all your HVAC needs in the Phoenix and Prescott Valley Metropolitan Areas! For over 20 years, we have been your trusted home comfort specialists for all things HVAC, plumbing, and indoor air quality. Contact us today to schedule your appointment by visiting us online here.
The post How To Babyproof Your HVAC System For Baby Safety Month appeared first on Cool Touch Air Conditioning & Heating.
You’ve probably heard time and time again from your local HVAC company that a furnace maintenance is important to schedule every year. Despite being told this, most homeowners forgo maintenance as long as the equipment is working as it should be. However, just like your car needs regular oil changes, your furnace needs regular tune-ups. In this blog, we will cover the importance of furnace maintenances, what a maintenance entails, and when you should schedule yours.
Furnace maintenances are important for a number of reasons. First, they prolong the life of your system. The better shape your furnace is in, the longer it will last. In fact, annual maintenance can prolong the life of your heating equipment by up to 10 years. Second, it’s important to the health of you and your family. Your furnace circulates warm air throughout your home, but if it’s not well-maintained, it’ll circulate dust and other particles, too. By catching small problems before they become serious and costly, you’re improving your safety and comfort. Thirdly, it helps prevent repairs. Did you know up to 70% of heating repairs can be prevents with proper maintenance? Neglecting maintenance can lead to expensive repairs, breakdowns, and other problems that are easily avoidable. And last but not least, it helps improve efficiency. Your furnace needs annual maintenance to run efficiently. A dirty air filter, for example, can decrease efficiency because it restricts airflow and causes your entire HVAC system to work harder. That’s why we recommend you change your air filter every 1-3 months.
A professional HVAC technician will arrive at your home, ready to perform a number of maintenance tasks. They’ll make sure your unit is clean and free of mildew, mold, dust, pollen and other contaminants that impact your health and overall indoor air quality. They will check and clean the burners and heat exchanger, replace any dirty air filters, lubricate the blow fan motor bearings, and check the electrical connections throughout your system. Most technicians, like the ones at Cool Touch, will also check your ductwork and closely inspect your air handler to make sure they’re working properly, too. A furnace maintenance, when done professionally and properly, will ensure your system runs efficiently and remains effective for years to come.
Now for the million dollar question – when should you schedule your annual furnace maintenance? The best time of year to schedule yours is before you need your furnace the most. A lot of homeowners wait until winter, or until an HVAC breakdown happens, which isn’t recommended. The last thing you want to deal with is no heat on the chilliest day of the year. We recommend you schedule your maintenance in the early fall and conversely, your AC in the early spring. That’s because HVAC technicians are less likely to be tied up and busy with emergency calls around these times and it shouldn’t be too difficult to get on the schedule right away.
We are here for all your furnace maintenance needs in the Phoenix and Prescott Valley Metropolitan Areas! For over 20 years, we have been your trusted home comfort specialists for all things HVAC, plumbing, and indoor air quality. Contact us today to schedule your maintenance appointment by visiting us online here.
The post When Should I Schedule My Furnace Maintenance? appeared first on Cool Touch Air Conditioning & Heating.
