AC Drain Line in Charlottesville, VA

3 Tips for Unclogging Drain Lines in Your AC

Your air conditioner is one of the most important appliances in your home. Having a cool room is a luxury that most of us take for granted. But if your air conditioner is constantly getting clogged, it will be a continual source of frustration until you find a professional to unclog your AC. If you’re looking for some tips for unclogging your drain lines in your AC, you’ve come to the right place. Follow these tips to unclog your AC drain lines. 1. Access the Clog A drain line can be clogged by leaves, debris, algae, or other foreign objects. If you see signs of a clog in the drain lines, then you should unplug your AC and remove the front grille. After that, look for any debris. If you find any debris in the drain line, clear out those substances. 2. Use Suction From Wet Vacuum The first thing a professional will do is to suck the water out of your drain lines with a wet vacuum. This will eliminate any debris that may have built up in your drain lines. If you don’t have a wet vacuum, then you can use a shop vac to suck the water...

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How Do Ductless Air Conditioners Work?

How Do Ductless Air Conditioners Work? There are many reasons why you would want to check out ductless air conditioners. Some homes can’t fit ductwork into them, while other homes with central cooling have an additional room or an outbuilding that the ducts don’t reach. Whether you need one room or several cooled, you can hardly go wrong with ductless ACs (also known as mini-splits). How a Heat Pump Operates The first thing to know about mini-splits is that they’re basically heat pumps without the ductwork. They’re composed of the same two indispensable units: an outdoor compressor and the indoor air handler, with a refrigerant line to connect them. The refrigerant courses back and forth, absorbing heat from inside and releasing it outside (and vice versa when in heating mode). What Makes Mini-Splits Different The air handler for a ducted heat pump usually goes in the attic or the basement, but mini-splits are mounted on the wall of the room they’re supposed to cool. Installation is very easy; all you need is a three-inch hole drilled into the wall for the refrigerant line to pass through. The distance between the air handler and compressor can be as much as 50...

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New Home in Charlottesville, VA

3 Easy Ways to Assess the HVAC System of Your New Home

Moving into a new home is an exciting time in your life and the perfect way to start over new. However, before you get settled in, you should consider the health of your new HVAC system. You’ll want to make sure everything is in tip-top shape before the hot months of summer arrive. Here are three simple ways you can assess the health of your new HVAC system. 1. Schedule a Tune-Up and Inspection Self-assessment is a great starting point, but hiring our team to thoroughly assess and to tune-up the system is a necessary part of the process. We’re able to more accurately gauge the age of your system, how well it’s been cared for, and whether you’ll be in need of any replacement units in the near future. 2. Visually Inspect the System A quick visual inspection can tell you a lot about the condition of your new HVAC system. Check ductwork for cracks, gaps, or other signs of damage. Do a walkthrough of each room, and see if the temperature seems consistent throughout the home. Check the air conditioner and heating system for signs of leaks, rust, or other damages. Lastly, try to determine how much, if...

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Air Purifier Versus Dehumidifier in Charlottesville, VA

When to Use an Air Purifier and When to Use a Dehumidifier

The air quality in your home makes a big difference in both the comfort and health of your family and guests. Two ways that you can improve the air in your home are purification and by helping to create the right level of humidity in your home. These are two different processes, so it is best to understand each of them to make the best decisions for your home air quality. Air Purifiers Air purifiers are designed to remove undesirable particles from the air you breathe. Included in this category are things like allergens, spores, mold, viruses, bacteria, pet dander, and smoke. If you are considering an air purification system, make sure that it is designed to filter particles from the air. Dehumidifiers A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air inside your home. You can determine if your home needs a dehumidifier with a few simple tests. Signs of too much humidity include the following: Musty smells Mold or mildew growing in small patches on your walls or ceilings Latex paint or wallpaper separating from the wall Laminate flooring starting to warp Most people do not need to dehumidify all year but, rather, just when the weather is warm and...

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Heat Pump vs Furnace in Charlottesville, VA

Comparing Home Furnaces and Heat Pumps

A new heating system is a major investment for your household, and it’s important to seek out the investment that’s going to provide the best value in the long run. If you treat it well, your new furnace or heat pump will last you up to 15 years, so it would be wise to take your time and make an informed decision. Heat pumps and furnaces both have the primary goal of keeping you warm, but other than that they are quite different. Energy Cost Gas-powered furnaces burn fuel, such as propane or natural gas, to create the heat that they circulate through your household. Electric furnaces, on the other hand, blow air over a hot element and then distribute that heated air to the different parts of your home. Both types of furnaces generate heat, but heat pumps operate on a different principle. Instead of generating heat, heat pumps pull heat from the outside of your home using pressurized refrigerant coils. They don’t create warmth; they simply move warmth from one place to another. Because moving heat uses up less energy than generating it, heat pumps usually cost far less money to operate than furnaces do. Factoring the Climate...

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Furnace Rust in Charlottesville, VA

Reasons Why Rust Appears on a Furnace

Anything out of the ordinary could raise some alarms when dealing with furnaces and HVAC systems. The presence of rust, for example, isn’t something to ignore, as there may be a serious problem that requires attention. A “little rust” may indicate a potentially dangerous issue developing. Gas Meets Metal When hot gases cool, they turn into vapors. These vapors could cause corrosion on metal parts. The heat exchanger is one such part, and rust on this component could be dangerous. Cracks may develop, necessitating costly repairs. Worse, cracks and defects in a heat exchanger might result in deadly gases, such as carbon monoxide, flowing into the house. Charlottesville residents could place a call to to inquire about furnace repair, maintenance, and installation work. Our team handles cooling systems, as well. Water Hits the Metal Directly Sometimes, it is more than vapors that cause the metal to rust. A leaky pipe or roof may result in water coming through the ceiling and hitting the furnace. Once the metal inside the furnace gets wet, the metal may rust. Water could enter the system due to flooding. Burst pipes or floods from storms may result in a furnace taking on water and ending...

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Best Furnace Temperature in Charlottesville, VA

What’s the Best Temperature to Set My Furnace to This Winter?

When temperatures start dropping as winter settles in, people often ask themselves what’s the best temperature to set their furnace to. There isn’t any one answer, as everyone has their preferences. However, there are best practices when it comes to saving energy and reducing utility bills. What Should I Set My Thermostat To? When you’re home, you should set the furnace to between 68 degrees and 70 degrees. When everyone is gone from home or asleep, reduce the temperature to between 62 degrees and 66 degrees. There’s no point in keeping an empty home comfortably warm and blankets warm you at night. But That’s Too Cold! You can ease into cooler temperatures over time, as the human body is great at adapting. If you’re used to 75 degrees in your home, try slowly setting it back to 70 degrees over the course of a few weeks. It’s likely you won’t even notice the cooler temperatures, and you can also dress a little warmer. Make Use of a Programmable Thermostat You can make it easier for yourself to change temperatures in your home by investing in a programmable or smart thermostat. Both of these types of thermostats eliminate the need to...

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Optimal Sleeping Temperature in Charlottesville, VA

Achieving Your Ideal Sleep Temperature

If the temperature in your bedroom makes it difficult to sleep, it can have effects that are worse than a grumpy morning. Over time, a sleep deficit can lead to clouded thinking, anxiety, and depression. The team at wants to be part of the solution when it comes to a restful sleep cycle. When you find the proper conditions for your best sleep, we will work hard to give you the consistent temperature you need. Determining Your Perfect Bedroom Temperature If you are looking for the perfect sleeping temperature, 65 degrees is a great place to begin. That thermostat setting may seem a bit cold for daily living, but your sleeping needs are different than your waking needs. If you have a programmable thermostat, you can set it to cool down the room about an hour before bedtime. That way, your room will be ready when it is time to slip under the covers. Your body is different from everyone else’s. While 65 degrees is the average, your ideal sleep temperature may fall somewhere between 60 and 67 degrees. A well-designed climate control system will help you experiment by letting you see how small temperature adjustments change your sleep patterns....

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Light Your Furnace Safely in Charlottesville

Proper Procedure to Light Your Furnace Safely

If you have a gas furnace, the pilot light can go out for a variety of reasons. When this light goes out, your furnace will not come on. Relighting your pilot light is simple. Finding the Instructions Label on Your Furnace You will first want to look for the instruction label on your furnace. It will tell you exactly how to relight your pilot. You may have to search around for it depending on what type of furnace you have. The printing may be small, so make sure that you have a magnifying glass handy. Locate the Pilot Light Look toward the bottom of your furnace, and there will be a switch. This switch will be labeled “pilot” and will have an on and off label. Turn the switch to the off position. Wait five minutes before attempting to relight it. This will allow the gas to dissipate. Never try to light the pilot light while gas is present. While you are waiting, locate the reset button. Re-Light Pilot Light After five minutes, turn your knob to the “on” position and then hold the reset button down. Get a long lighter and have it close to the opening. Turn the...

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Low Water Pressure in Charlottesville, VA

Why Your Water Pressure Is Suddenly So Low

Proper water pressure is imperative for daily life at home. With the amount of water most of us use, low water pressure is an inconvenience for obvious reasons. Homeowners can find themselves suddenly stuck with low water pressure and often don’t know why or how to fix it. Simply understanding some possible causes can give you the confidence to take action. While there are countless possible reasons your water pressure could be affected, three of the most common are a water meter valve that isn’t fully open, pipes that are clogged, and pipes that are leaking somewhere. The Water Meter Valve Isn’t Fully Open The water meter valve is one of the valves that controls water intake into your house. Since this valve belongs to your water company, most people won’t deal with it directly, especially since it can be difficult to reach. If you’ve done work on your home recently, giving the water company a call might be a good idea. It’s possible that whoever was doing the work didn’t open the valve all the way when they finished. Your Pipes Are Clogged Contrary to popular belief, clogs can occur anywhere in your pipes, not just beneath drains. Even...

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