Whole Home Humidifiers & Dehumidifiers in Tulsa

Whole Home Humidifiers & Dehumidifiers in Tulsa

From dry, itchy skin, to chapped lips, and static electricity, low humidity in the home affects your quality of life. It can affect breathing, irritate the nose and throat, cause nosebleeds, and is especially hard on asthma and allergy sufferers. It can also suck the moisture out of hardwood floors, pianos, guitars, furniture, and other expensive wood-based items, costing you a small fortune.These things can happen if the relative humidity in your home falls below 30 percent.

Benefits Of Whole-House Humidifiers

In the winter, that level can easily dive as low as 15 percent, drier than the air in most desserts. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma should not feel like the Sahara desert. To regulate moisture in your home you need a good humidifier.While most portable units don’t regulate actual humidity levels, and can only humidify one or two rooms, whole-house humidifiers have an immediate connection to your heating system, providing comfort and consistency throughout the home. Portable units run the risk of adding too much moisture to the air, which can lead to mold, mildew, dust mites, and insects. If portable units are not cleaned often, they can become sources of mold and bacteria. Some benefits of whole-house units are that they only need to be cleaned once or twice a year, and don’t use a reservoir, eliminating the dangers of stagnant water in the home. Once ideal humidity levels are set, whole-house humidifiers regulate moisture levels, humidify air as needed, and distribute it to every room in the home.Maintaining humidity levels reduces the chance of respiratory infection by reducing viruses, bacteria, and dust. By eliminating dust you also reduce the time, effort, and cost of cleaning your home. In addition, as dry air feels colder, maintaining proper moisture levels will help you to feel warm naturally, allowing for lower thermostat levels, and lower utility costs.In terms of health, cost, and energy efficiency, whole-house humidifiers are the most beneficial way to regulate humidity in your home. With several models available, the best humidifier for you will depend largely on your existing heating and cooling system, as well as the size of your home.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas.  To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.

What Are the Best Ways to Conserve Energy This Winter?

Exploring ways to conserve energy will give you a road map to energy savings in your home. The effort and financial outlays it takes to improve your home's energy efficiency will pay for itself all year long via lower heating and cooling costs and greater health and comfort. Read on to learn about the best ways to conserve energy.

• Have your heating system serviced. The technicians from Air Assurance go through the entire system cleaning, adjusting, and verifying that it's running as efficiently and as safely as possible.

• Add a programmable thermostat. When you have your system serviced, ask the technician about installing a programmable or smart thermostat to help you save energy. You can reduce heating costs by turning the temperature down when you're away and during the night. Smart thermostats give you even more options for controlling home comfort that can help you save energy.

• Check the doors and windows for air infiltration and thermal losses. Dual- or triple-pane windows prevent much heat loss through the glass, while single-pane windows have almost no insulating value. You can use storm windows or plastic window film kits from local or online retailers.

  Over time, the weatherstripping around doors and windows wears out and needs replacing. Locking the doors and windows helps prevent drafts. Draft blockers placed at the base of the doors and windows are one of the best ways to conserve energy.

• Look for other signs of air leaks around the exterior walls and the ceiling plate. Electrical switches and outlets could be leaking cold air into your home. Recessed lighting that protrudes into the attic is another source of energy loss. Vents and fans can also need additional insulation or sealing.

• Check insulation levels in the attic. Then add more insulation if you can see the tops of the ceiling joists.

• Lower the water heater's temperature to 120 degrees. Water heaters rank high on the list of energy-hungry home appliances. This temperature also prevents accidental scalding injuries and hard-water deposits from forming in the tank.

If you'd like more ways to conserve energy, contact the pros at Air Assurance. We provide HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners.

What Is the Most Reliable AC Rating?

When you need to get a new air-conditioning system, it’s important to find the right one based on the AC rating. Which AC-rating systems should you use to choose a new central air conditioner? Keep the following in mind to make sure you end up with a dependable AC unit for your home.

Online Ratings

You can find many online sites that offer online ratings of AC systems, but you should be careful about which ones you use. Look for sites that are known for providing consumers with reliable AC ratings of different systems, such as Consumer Reports. These sites can help you find the highest-rated AC systems to choose from among different brands. You can use these sites to compare AC systems in order to find one that best fits your home’s cooling needs.

Energy-Efficiency Ratings

Online ratings aren’t the only rating systems to pay attention to when you need to choose a new AC unit. You should also check the SEER ratings to make sure you get an AC system that provides better energy efficiency. The seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) rating lets you know how efficient an AC system is. When you’re going over your options, you’ll notice that AC systems have a SEER rating of 13 or higher. Keep in mind that 13 is the minimum SEER rating required for AC systems. Choosing a system with a higher SEER rating provides you with even better energy efficiency.

Professional Ratings

HVAC professionals are familiar with the top-rated AC systems. Having HVAC experts assist you with choosing a new AC system can help ensure that you get the best AC unit for your home.

If you need a new air conditioner for your Broken Arrow home, please contact Air Assurance. We can help you choose a system with the right AC rating so you’ll have reliable cooling throughout the summer months.

How to Make Sure You Get Energy Efficient AC Motors

With warmer weather just around the corner, you may be wondering if your utility bills are going to be as high as last year's. It's true that your energy bills have a lot to do with the HVAC system. So, maintaining energy efficient AC motors will certainly help keep energy usage lower and while also keeping your home cool and comfortable. Here's what to know about getting your AC motor ready for summer.

Energy Efficient AC Motors: AC Maintenance List

When speaking of an "AC motor," we're referring to the blower motor that drives the indoor blower fan. One of the things that helps the blower motor run more efficiently is to be free from dirt and grime buildup. That means staying on target with air filter changes. You don't want your air filter to become totally clogged up with dirt. It will slow down air movement and cause the blower motor to work harder and use more electricity.

Another task on your DIY AC maintenance list is clearing away debris and vegetation that may be hindering airflow at the outdoor unit. Keep at least 2 feet of free and clear space between the outdoor unit and any other vegetation or barriers. Spray the unit off with a garden hose to clean the fins.

Last on your list is keeping the supply air vents and return air grilles free of dirt buildup. This too can hinder airflow through the AC system, which uses up more energy and can degrade indoor air quality. 

Energy Efficient AC Motors: Upgrading Your AC Unit

AC systems typically last about eight to 12 years. It depends on how well energy efficient AC motors are maintained, both pro and homeowner maintenance, and how often the system is used. If your AC is getting up there in years, you may be better served with energy efficient AC motors via upgrading to a new AC unit with a variable-speed motor. Variable-speed motors save energy and boost home comfort!

If you would like to schedule AC maintenance to promote energy efficient AC motors in your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance today.

How Can Sustainable Design Factor into the Next Home You Build or Buy?

If you're moving to a new home, an important concern should be that house's carbon footprint. Does it promote energy savings, or does it encourage wastefulness? The way a house is designed has a significant impact on its energy usage. Whether your home is built or bought, here's how to implement a sustainable design.

Sustainable Design for New Homes

Building a new home is the best way to ensure efficiency. You can literally make sustainable decisions from the ground up. Consider insulating the walls. A great supplement to your attic insulation, this helps reduce heat loss and boosts HVAC efficiency. It's fairly simple to put in when building a home, and it's very expensive to retrofit later.

Another essential sustainable design factor is window placement. Large windows provide natural light, reducing your need for electric lighting during the day. South-facing windows also let in direct sunlight, providing natural heating. Complement it with a deciduous tree next to the window, as its leaves will provide natural shade and cooling in the summer. When it loses its leaves in the winter, it will let in the warmth.

Sustainable Design for Existing Homes

Even if you're moving into an existing home, there are still plenty of sustainable ideas to implement. Try investing in a smart thermostat. From your mobile device, you can control heating and cooling, humidity, and other home-comfort factors. You can even receive notifications of ways to improve energy efficiency, when to change your filter, and more!

Your sustainable design might also include a zoning system and a tankless water heater. A zoning system heats and cools homes evenly, without sending air to areas that don't need it. A tankless water heater is similar, heating water on demand, rather than keeping gallons of it warm when no one is using it.

Finally, purchase Energy Star-certified appliances, such as your HVAC system, refrigerator, washer/dryer, etc., whenever possible. Energy Star appliances use less energy than similar models without sacrificing performance or comfort.

For more sustainable design tips for new and existing homes, contact us at Air Assurance. We help Broken Arrow homes get the quality home-comfort solutions it needs.

The Best Ways to Improve Your Home's Value Through HVAC Upgrades

Although it’s not a showy or obvious improvement, making HVAC upgrades to your home could pay off should you want to sell your house down the road. Even though your system still functions, replacing it might be a sound investment, especially if it’s more than 10 years old or has required excessive repairs.

Homebuyers look at HVAC systems as an essential, must-have component of homes. If yours is compromised in any way, a prospective buyer may not even consider your home as a possibility. Being able to list HVAC upgrades on the features’ list can give potential buyers the incentive to prioritize your home over others they’re seeing. 

The National Association of Realtors surveys home buyers annually and has found that new HVAC upgrades have one of the highest rates of return compared to other home renovations. They report that the rate of return is 71%, which ranks above many that cost much more than a new HVAC system.

Best HVAC Upgrades

Our region requires both heating and cooling to maintain comfort. Since buyers put a high value on energy efficiency, it makes sense to make HVAC upgrades that deliver savings. The best system for your home depends on its floor plan and its heating and cooling load, which an HVAC pro can help you discover.

Besides the size of the system, you’ll also have different types of HVAC upgrades from which to choose, such as:

• Zoning systems for sprawling, ranch-style or two-story homes.

• Ductless mini-splits for homes with additions.

• High-efficiency systems that meet the Department of Energy’s Energy Star or most-efficient requirements.

Each of these types of systems might help your home qualify as energy efficient, a designation that helps homebuyers receive more favorable financing. In fact, the DOE and the U.S. Green Building Council have found that people are willing to pay more for a home with high-efficiency HVAC upgrades. As a homeowner, you may also qualify for incentives to install high-efficiency equipment. 

The pros at Air Assurance can evaluate your current home and system to see which HVAC upgrades could add value to your Broken Arrow home. Please contact us today to learn more. 

What Local Laws Can Help You Save Money on Your AC Bill?

With hot temperatures throughout the summer in the Broken Arrow area, having air conditioning in your home is essential. One drawback to having central air is that it can cost a lot in terms of your energy bills. Local money-saving laws and a few other tips can help you lower the cost of cooling your home this summer.

R-22 or HCFC-22 Laws

If you have an older air conditioning system that still uses R-22 or HCFC-22 — also known as freon — keep in mind that these use a lot of energy. Throughout the United States, this type of refrigerant is being phased out gradually. With these phaseout laws in place, this is a good time to consider switching to a new AC system. In addition to using less energy to cool your home, you’ll also have an easier time having repairs made if needed. Although the phaseout laws don’t require you to buy a newer AC system that doesn’t use R-22 or HCFC-22, you can save considerable money on your energy bills.

Local Money-Saving Laws

In the Broken Arrow area, Power Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) offers ways to save money and energy. PSO has several instant rebates available for homeowners who have certain upgrades done, such as purchasing an eligible energy-efficient HVAC system. Homeowners can save up to $800 with this type of upgrade — or even more money when two or more qualifying upgrades are done. Air Assurance is among the service providers that can help you qualify for these HVAC upgrades.

Tips for Reducing Energy Usage

You can also save money on energy bills this summer by scheduling routine HVAC maintenance, which keeps your AC working efficiently. Using a programmable thermostat, changing your air filters, and turning your thermostat up a few (or more) degrees are other ways to lower the cost of cooling your home during the summer months.

If you’re looking for more ways to save money on cooling your Broken Arrow home, contact Air Assurance today.

Which HVAC Units Are the Most Environmentally Friendly?

The cold comfort that your HVAC unit provides can feel like a lifesaver on hot summer days. But have you ever thought deeply about the environmental harm that the unit causes? Most air conditioning units run on electricity derived from the burning of fossil fuels. Many also use ozone-depleting HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons). Luckily, there are several ways to make your HVAC unit more eco-friendly and reduce the environmental risks it poses.

Size Matters

Having an air conditioner that's the right size is great for your comfort as well as the environment. An undersized unit will struggle to balance the cooled air in the condenser with the expended air drawn out from your home by the evaporator. It will waste electricity as it tries to keep the house cool.

Thermostat Scheduling

A programmable thermostat offers an easy way to make your air conditioner greener. Simply program it to turn your AC off when you're away from home and automatically turn it on when you return. That will save a significant amount of energy — and help save the planet.

Proper Maintenance

A clean and well-maintained HVAC system is more environmentally friendly. The recommended maintenance practices you should carry out include:

• Regularly replacing dirty filters with clean ones

• Having your HVAC unit tuned up by a professional at least once a year

• Sealing and adequately insulating your ductwork

Two-Stage Cooling

Typically, it's the compressor of your AC unit that uses the most electricity. It works hard to expel heated vapors to enable the refrigerant to return to its previous cooled state. A two-stage compressor automatically compresses less on the cooler days and more on the hotter days, saving energy. Therefore, when replacing your old unit, it's a great idea to look for a model that has a two-stage cooling option.

Energy Star Certification

When looking for an eco-friendly air conditioner, go for a model that has the Energy Star label. Energy Star-rated products adhere to strict energy-efficiency guidelines.

The environmentally helpful HVAC changes you make, no matter how small, will save you money and help the environment in the long run. If you need environmentally friendly HVAC products and solutions in the Broken Arrow area, please contact the experts at Air Assurance.

Indoor Air Quality in Your Tulsa Home - Ways You Can Improve It

How's the Indoor Air Quality in Your Tulsa Home? 3 Ways You Can Improve It

AIR DUCT CLEANING - Broken Arrow

At Air Assurance, we provide many indoor air quality solutions. Many homeowners have dealt with allergies, dust, or other problems in their home never realizing that the indoor air quality can be improved. If too little outdoor air enters a home, pollutants such as dust, mold, bacteria, fungi, and other contaminates can accumulate to levels that can pose health and comfort problems. Health concerns, such as allergies, asthma or the hazards of carbon monoxide can often be attributed to a poorly maintained, designed, or installed heating and air conditioning system. We provide duct cleaning service in Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Coweta, Tulsa and more!

AIR DUCT CLEANING REQUIRED?

Indoor Air Quality is important. Air duct cleaning helps maintain the hygiene of your household. Unclean ducts make the air unfit for breathing. Bad indoor air quality is one of the major causes of many respiratory problems like asthma and allergies. But did you know, you don't always need a duct cleaning? Often times we can help elimnate the source of the duct problem.

The system cleans your air ducts by brushing and removing debris and dirt directly out of your HVAC system and into our hepa filtration silencing box. We can then apply an anti-microbial protectant inside your duct work that kills most germs and microbes on contact for up to an entire year, greatly reducing or eliminating air-borne pathogens.

An HVAC air filter captures only about 7 percent of airborne debris in the average home. That means that roughly 93 percent of the dust in your air keeps circulating through the heat vents and HVAC system. To improve your air quality and protect your costly HVAC equipment from damage, it's wise to have the condition of your ducts checked every two years. When duct cleaning is needed, make sure you hire an experienced professional who adheres to standards established by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) and uses the correct cleaning procedures to safeguard your home and HVAC system.In between checkups, watch for these telltale signs that your ducts need cleaning.

About indoor air quality

Everyone deserves to breathe healthful air, especially at home. Doing so can be a challenge in today’s modern world, however, when homes are well insulated for energy efficiency. Airtight homes have a downside: They trap contaminated air inside. Many products that we use daily at home contribute to bad indoor air quality, too. Cleaning fluids, pesticides, hobby materials, home improvement dust and even wet carpets emit harmful particles, polluting your air supply. Combustion debris and gases from cooking/home heating float through our indoor air along with pet dander, dust and bacteria. Here in the Tulsa area, we have the added challenge of a humid climate, which encourages mold growth.  

Safeguarding indoor air quality: the three ways 

• Source control: Your goal is to eliminate or minimize sources of poor indoor air quality. Limit the use of harmful chemicals in your home and ensure proper storage. When cooking or showering, use your exhaust fans (properly vented to the outdoors) to clear out cooking odors and humid, moist air. Schedule preventive maintenance to ensure your appliances and HVAC system work properly, limiting the possibility of gas leaks. For safety, install CO (carbon monoxide) monitors/detectors near sleeping areas and test regularly.

• Ventilation: Proper, balanced airflow throughout the home depends on a properly designed, sized and maintained duct system. Have your ductwork sealed to prevent energy loss and maintain air quality. Duct cleaning is advisable in some cases. Since A/C systems can’t provide adequate ventilation, whole-house mechanical ventilation is recommended.

• Air cleaning: No one air sanitizing method is perfect, but using a few specialized tools in combination can provide greatly improved IAQ. Whole-house air cleaning with UV lighting, when incorporated into your home’s air cleaning, heating and cooling system, helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Consider asking your home comfort contractor to apply broad-spectrum antimicrobial microbiocide to further inhibit harmful bacteria. For the best air quality, include a whole-home air cleaner with an advanced filtration system and highly effective air filter.

Concerned about indoor air quality? Contact the experts at Air Assurance. Visit our website to learn more or give us a call.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).