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.

How Can You Make Your Home a Healthier Environment?

The agricultural production and manufacturing around Broken Arrow can make maintaining a healthy home environment difficult at times, but there's still plenty you can do to keep your home clean.

Keep the Contaminants Out

Because chemicals such as paint, pesticides and harsh cleaners give off harmful fumes, these products should be stored outside your home. Choosing paint, carpeting and other household materials labeled low-VOC can also reduce chemical fumes in your home.High humidity encourages the spread of dust mites, mold and bacteria. Aim to keep your indoor humidity level between 40 and 50 percent. Run your exhaust fans after showering or cooking, and repair leaks in your plumbing, roof or basement. Regularly disinfecting your sponges, mops and other cleaning supplies also cuts down on the bacteria and mold spores floating around your home.Using an HVAC air filter with a MERV rating between 5 and 10 and replacing it on schedule will reduce the level of dust, pollen, mold spores and pet dander in your air.

Good ventilation helps remove contaminants from your air and controls your humidity, doing double duty to support a healthy home environment. If you live in a modern airtight home or an older one that's been air sealed for energy efficiency, you'll benefit from a whole-house ventilation system.

Stay on Top of Health Risks

Any fuel-burning appliance, such as a gas stove or fireplace, can release carbon monoxide. Even trace amounts can cause headaches and fatigue. To protect your health, install CO detectors on every floor and within 15 feet of every sleeping area.Around one in 16 homes has a dangerously high level of radon, a natural yet cancer-causing gas that enters through the foundation or water lines. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality's Radon Program offers test kits for this gas.Investing in professional air quality testing is another way to find out what harmful contaminants are in your home's air so you can take steps toward getting rid of them.

For more information on maintaining a healthy home environment, contact Air Assurance. We've been serving Broken Arrow since 1985.

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). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “design36/Shutterstock”

Mold In The Drain Pan Of Your A/C: Your 3-Step Preventive Strategy

As your air conditioner works to keep the inside of your home cool, it also removes moisture from your indoor air. The water collects in the unit's drain pan and is drained away, but the constant presence of moisture creates an increased chance for mold to develop. Not only can this mold cause problems with water overflows, but it can also contribute to allergies and respiratory problems.You can tackle the problem of mold in the drain pan using the following three steps.

1. Keep your home's inside environment clean: A clean home reduces the amount of dust, microorganisms, pollen and other contaminants that circulate through your air conditioning system. By limiting the presence of these substances, they are less likely to get into your cooling system's ductwork and make their way into the air conditioner's drain pan. Since these contaminants contribute to mold growth, reducing their presence reduces the likelihood of mold in the drain pan of your A/C.

2. Maintain clean filters in the air conditioner:Filters are important for capturing dust and airborne contaminants in the air flowing through your air conditioning system. They keep your indoor air clean and prevent microorganisms and particulates from accumulating in the air conditioner's drain pan. Filters also help keep mold spores from other parts of the house from establishing themselves within your air conditioning system. Check filters every month and change them if they are dirty. Filters should be changed every three months as part of regular maintenance.

3. Watch for drainage problems: Regularly check the drainage system and drain pan to make sure water is being effectively removed from the system. If there is standing water in the drain pan, there is probably a clog somewhere within the drain pipes. Keep the drain pan clear of excess water and call for repair of drainage problems when you notice them.

Air Assurance has more than 30 years of professional experience in the HVAC industry, which means customers in Tulsa and the Broken Arrow areas can count us for reliable, expert service. Contact us today for more information on controlling mold in the drain pan of your air conditioner.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). Image courtesy of Shutterstock