During days of extreme heat, the space within your garages could become hot. This is also one of the most overlooked parts of home ventilation. If you spend a lot of time inside it, you might want to make sure it will be cool enough for summer. Even if you don't spend a lot of time in your garage, you could still enjoy proper ventilation. This is particularly true if it connects to your home as its heat might find its way into your living spaces. Your Vehicles One of the main reasons for ventilation is to bring down high temperatures. Take note though that cars heat up when they’re used. Leaving a car on in the garage will contribute an amount of warmth. When driving home from work, your car will most likely have been in operation for a rather long time. It will still be hot minutes after turning it off. If possible, park your car in a shaded area if you’ve arrived at a scorching time of the day. Park it inside once the sun has set or when the environment is much cooler. Of course we don’t expect everyone to be able do this. Given your awareness, you should consider this when ventilating your garage. Your system will have to accommodate the added heat produced by your vehicle.

Ducts are the passageways for air to enter into your home. As a responsible homeowner, we cannot ignore these air ducts. If we do, we ignore the presence of toxic particles in the air and allow them to circulate in our home. Safe and Healthy Environment Our loved ones expect to be safe inside the walls of our house, but dirty air ducts might do the exact opposite. Dirty vents might send harmful airborne contaminants inside. People who have asthma or respiratory illnesses will not fair so well. Toxins and particles trapped in the air vents and end up inside the home can cause them to become even more sick. Even if everyone in your family is healthy, poor air quality will worsen a person’s well-being. Longer Lasting Hardware The different parts of your heating and cooling system may not be living and breathing. That does not mean they don’t need a clean environment. Dust build-up on equipment can cause inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and damage. In every 10 system performance mishaps, dirt causes up to 9 of these. Particles on the surfaces of air ducts, somehow, do find their way to the equipment of your HVAC system.

Valentine’s day, the day of hearts, is one of the sweetest day of the year. But however cozy your heart gets from all the heartwarming gestures of love your significant other may do for you, keeping yourself and your partner physically warm can’t be done with “I love you’s” and kisses. Make Adjustments To Your Home It doesn’t take a genius to know that the sun is a natural source of heat. When the sun is up take advantage of it. Open up your curtains or blinds and let it in. If you have a ceiling fan, invert its direction by reversing its motor. Having your fan go the other way pushes warm air down. Use tinfoil to reflect heat from your radiator or furnace. Seal even the tiniest of cracks in your window frames and under your doors. If your floors are made of wooden boards, place rugs or carpets on them to prevent heat from escaping through the small spaces between them. Preferably, these rugs or carpets should be made of wool or other materials of the same nature.

Your current system may have broken or become too old, which leads you to want to replace it. Of course we want to get the best value for our money. Understand that cheaper doesn’t always save you more money. You could buy an HVAC system that’s inefficient and fragile. This costs you more in the future than what you’d spend on a better quality one. Questions To Ask When Buying An HVAC System What system best fits my home? You need to consider any changes made to the home. Have you increased the size of your house since your last heating and cooling system? More room needs a more powerful system. Also, you might want to improve the filters of your system. This helps you keep out certain particles to keep its air cleaner and better for breathing. Certain filters work with specific HVAC systems, so this is something else to think about. Does my system have a maintenance program? Make sure you have a maintenance program in place for your system. This will save you money in case you’d need to replace it earlier than its usual lifespan. The technician will make two visits yearly to check your system and make needed repairs.

  Buying a home is an exciting experience, but it can sometimes be quite stressful. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration. Something you should focus on is the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. They play a huge role in maintaining comfort in every home.   Buying a home without knowing certain things about your HVAC system can cause issues. You could have to deal with unexpected breakdowns and expensive repairs. Make sure you ask these questions before signing any paperwork. That way, you will know what to expect with your HVAC system.   What Kind of HVAC System Does It Have?   Every home is different and certain HVAC systems may be more compatible than the others. A system that is not the right match the home it is in will not function to its highest potential. Your family’s comfort will suffer because of it.   As you consider buying a home, ask whether the home has central air or forced heating. Be sure to ask if each floor has a separate system or if it is a heat pump or a ductless system. You may also want to ask if it is a renowned brand or a generic model. If the HVAC system comes with a thermostat, you might want to check if it is programmable. These allow you to set the temperature for different days ahead of time.    How Old Is The System And Is It In Good Condition?   HVAC systems wear out after 10 to 15 years. With exceptional care, they can last a little longer. Still, if the HVAC system is too old when you buy it, it will break down. The cost to repair it will be yours to shoulder.    It is wise to get a good knowledge about the HVAC system’s age and condition beforehand. That way, you would know if it is too old and inefficient. If it is you can even negotiate a new system into the deal.  

  Do you feel that it is still way too hot in your house, even when the cooling level of your HVAC unit is at its highest? Does it take longer than it used to for your air conditioning to cool down your house? If you’re facing these problems, then there must be something wrong with your thermostat.    Here are signs to pay attention to and some helpful ways to check if your thermostat is working or not.   Must be the Switches   Check whether the thermostat switches aren’t loose or broken. Mercury and analog thermostats contain plastic parts which can snap off or break. If your furnace won’t turn on or off, don’t assume that there must be something wrong with your furnace yet. It could be your thermostat that’s causing your furnace not to turn on or off. It may also be that your thermostat might be in an area that’s too cold or is in a bad location.   If the switch also has a short in the wiring, then it won’t allow the furnace to turn on and heat or cool the air. It could also be that your thermostat is having electrical or programming issues. If you’re finding it hard to tell which is which, have a professional technician check it for you.   The Thermostat is Unclean   Dirt and grease residue can also be one reason why your thermostat is malfunctioning. The dust can build up on the components and wiring which can cause it to misbehave. If you see that your thermostat is unclean from the inside, then it’s time for you to clean it up. Use a can compressor to get rid of the dirt. You can use a small, soft paintbrush to get into the tight spots.   The Screen Won’t Turn On