What Are the Effects of Dry Indoor Air?

You may be surprised to learn that breathing dry air can make you more susceptible to becoming sick from bacteria that you breathe in. Moist membranes in the upper respiratory system help to trap airborne bacteria so your immune system can neutralize them before they make you sick. Breathing dry air can cause these membranes to dry out and even crack, making it easier for bacteria to infect you.

Dry air also affects other parts of the body. Consistently breathing dry air can cause the sinus passages to dry out and become irritated. This causes pain, itching, and even nosebleeds in some people. Dry air can also cause chapped lips and painful cracks in your skin and may irritate existing conditions such as eczema.

Why Is Dry Air Common in Fall and Winter?

The air outside naturally becomes dryer as the weather gets colder because cold air isn’t able to hold as much moisture as hot air. The air that your HVAC system draws in during the fall and winter is already dry. Your furnace heats the air, but it doesn’t add moisture, which leads to warm, dry air circulating through your home. Warm air also causes your body to lose moisture more quickly as it evaporates from the nose, throat, and skin.

Excessively dry air in the fall and winter can also be a sign that your home is poorly insulated. Warm, moist air rises, so it often eventually finds its way into your attic. Normally, air is drawn back into the HVAC system through a return duct, which alleviates some of the dry air problems in many homes. If your attic is poorly insulated, this moist air could be escaping outside and making your dry air problem worse.

How Can You Resolve Dry Indoor Air?

Gaps in your attic insulation and drafts around windows and doors throughout your home can both let moist air out and let dry outdoor air in. Sealing and insulating your home should be a priority to keep your air more humid and increase your energy efficiency in the fall and winter.

Making a few adjustments to your habits in the home can help to improve indoor humidity without altering your HVAC system directly. Tasks as simple as air-drying clothes, boiling a pot of water on the stove, or leaving the bathroom door open during a shower or bath can add moisture to your air when it is feeling uncomfortably dry indoors. Adding more houseplants to your home will also help to moisten and purify the air.

The best add-on for an HVAC system to fight dry air in the fall and winter is a whole-house humidifier. These devices are installed in your ductwork near the furnace and connected to your main water supply. Steam is produced inside the humidifier that is added to the air before it’s routed into your ductwork. These devices use a minimal amount of energy to ensure that every room in your home is at a comfortable humidity level.

Dry air is a problem that many homeowners have come to expect with cold weather, but it isn’t one you have to live with. If you are having problems with indoor humidity or any other aspect of your HVAC system, call Jeb Air Solutions today.

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Uncomfortably Humid Home

Is your home unbearably humid? Central air conditioners don’t just cool the air. These systems also remove excess humidity. While an over-sized AC system may quickly cool the interior air, it may not efficiently remove the moisture. This leaves your home damp and uncomfortable.

If your AC system is properly sized, a drop in thermostat setting will result in a cooler, less humid home. An improperly sized (over-sized) unit won’t allow this to happen. Instead, the central AC will turn on, quickly cool the air, and just as quickly turn off. These mini cooling cycles won’t last long enough to effectively remove the moisture.

Even though moisture and temperature are two different aspect of your home’s indoor air, a humid environment can feel warmer than it really is. The resulting muggy or sticky feeling may make it more likely you’ll turn thermostat down to a lower setting, which can waste energy.

Mold and Mildew Growth

Not only is a humid home uncomfortable, but the excess moisture can also support mold or mildew growth on walls and other solid surfaces. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the ideal indoor humidity level should fall between 30 and 50 percent. While a dehumidifier can remove some of the moisture, it won’t correct the AC sizing problem.

Beyond the aesthetic issues of mold growth on your home’s walls and other interior spaces, the fungal spores can affect household members who have some types of respiratory conditions or allergies. Even though mold is associated with adverse health-related effects, you can take steps to reduce the risks or prevent moisture-induced growth.

Contact a qualified HVAC professional to assess the indoor air’s humidity level before your incorrectly-sized system causes mold growth or other moisture-related issues. The contractor will evaluate the size of the air conditioner versus your home’s square footage, insulation, and other similar indoor air issues. If the AC system is too large, the contractor can recommend a replacement.

Energy Inefficiency

Humidity and mold growth aren’t the only potential problems the constant cycling of your incorrectly-sized AC system can cause. The constant on and off action of the air conditioner can force the system to work harder. This increases your home’s energy needs.

The average American household devotes six percent of the total energy use to cooling, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Even though a high-efficiency air conditioner can reduce the amount of energy your home uses (and can lower electricity bills), an over-sized unit may have the opposite effect.

If your new energy-efficient air conditioner costs more to use than your older system, ask a qualified contractor to evaluate the size. It’s possible the HVAC company that initially installed your new system didn’t size it correctly. A second opinion can help you to better understand your home’s cooling and energy needs.

Excessive Wear and Tear

Along with energy use, the constant on and off cycling of an over-sized system can lead to excessive or premature wear and tear. This can cause your AC system to fail when you need it most or result in expensive repairs. If your system needs constant repairs or you need to replace parts more often than necessary, ask an HVAC contractor to evaluate the air conditioner’s size.

Do you need a new air conditioner? Contact Jeb Air Solutions for more information.

The post Reasons to Size Your AC System Correctly appeared first on Jeb Air Solutions.

Maintaining air conditioning systems for large apartment complexes can be complicated, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t challenges for small rental units such as single-family homes or duplexes. These four tips will help you to keep your rental property AC systems running flawlessly, ensuring that your tenants remain happy and you save money.

1. Schedule Routine Service Visits

You should service any central air conditioning system annually, but these routine maintenance visits are particularly crucial for rental units. Since you won’t monitor the system’s usage through most of the year, an annual checkup can help to warn you of potential problems. Regular maintenance visits can also help you to understand if your tenants need help using the system in any way.

More importantly, a properly maintained air conditioner will operate more effectively and efficiently. Keeping your property’s HVAC components well maintained will help to reduce energy and prolong the life of the system. When your equipment works correctly, your tenants won’t accidently stress the system to keep their home comfortable, ultimately reducing wear and tear on critical components.

2. Add an AC Filter Clause to Your Lease

Filter changes are one of the most critical maintenance items for any central air conditioning system. Failing to change your filter regularly can reduce system cooling power, stress both the compressor and the air handler, and lead to unpleasant smells and even mold buildup. Depending on the style of filter on your properties, you may need to replace them at least once every three months.

Since replacing a filter is not a difficult job, many landlords choose to add filter replacement to their lease. In these cases, landlords provide tenants with a supply of filters, and the tenants are responsible for replacing them regularly. If you do not want your tenants performing this job, then hire an HVAC tech to change your filters at least 3–4 times per year or perform this work yourself.

3. Upgrade Your Thermostats

Unfortunately, many people may be unfamiliar with the proper usage of a central air conditioner or may attempt to use set points that are too low. Tenants may turn their thermostats down too far, thinking this will cool the house more quickly. Instead, the system will run for too long, potentially wearing out components or even causing the compressor to freeze up.

Upgrading to smart thermostats can allow you to put restrictions in place that limit the allowable temperature range. When choosing a temperature range, avoid setting a cutoff that is too high. Although you want to prevent potential damage to the system, a setting that is too restrictive may lead to tenant complaints.

4. Respond Quickly to Complaints

Remember that your tenants live on your property and use your AC system every day. When something goes wrong, they’re likely to be the first to notice. Many HVAC problems can become more severe over time, so responding quickly to tenant complaints is the best way to ensure that you catch issues quickly.

Texas law generally requires landlords to respond to problems with their properties and fix them promptly. Ignoring an issue with the AC on one of your properties for too long may allow your tenants to deduct the cost of a repair from their rent, ultimately costing you more money. Dealing with issues promptly often means less expense and less hassle.

Jeb Air Solutions can be the perfect partner to help maintain your small rental properties. Our quick response time means that you won’t need to wait when one of your tenants is suffering from an HVAC problem. Give us a call today to schedule your maintenance or service appointment.

The post 4 AC Maintenance Tips for Small Rental Property Owners appeared first on Jeb Air Solutions.

Electricity Bill Issues

Did your last month’s electricity bill double? A sudden spike in energy usage is a red flag you shouldn’t ignore during the summer cooling season. Damage, wear, clogs (in air ducts or the filter), or other similar issues can push your air conditioner to work harder. The harder the system works, the more energy it uses. This results in increased cooling costs.

If you’re not sure whether your home’s energy bills are proof the AC system could fail soon, consider:

• Normal AC energy usage. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, American homeowners spend a collective $11 billion on cooling annually. This high figure shows the clear cost of AC usage. If this is your first experience with cooling, your high bills may fit into the normal range.
• Your AC system. Older systems tend to use energy less efficiently. High summer electricity bills may indicate an inefficient system — and not an impending issue. But if you have a newer (or new) system, a sudden spike could point to a problem.
• Your home. Poor insulation, leaky single-pane windows, and use of window treatments can impact your AC system’s energy usage. If you recently made changes to your home, or need to, you could notice a difference in the electricity bill.
• Other energy usage. Did you add a new major appliance? Do you use electronics more than usual during the summer months? Other energy-drawing appliances or home items can impact your electricity bill.

A new air conditioner in a home without serious air leaks (from windows, doors, or poorly insulated areas) shouldn’t cause an increase in energy usage. If other appliances aren’t at fault and you’ve noticed a change from month to month in energy usage, contact an HVAC contractor for an inspection. Problems that limit the system’s ability to freely function could force it into using more power.

Constant Use

When was the last time you didn’t hear the hum of your central air conditioner? If you can’t answer this question, this pre-problem symptom should give you pause.

If your air conditioner won’t turn off or turns off less often than it should, you should:

• Check the filter. A clogged filter can stop cold air from reaching your home. This forces the system to work continuously. Clean or replace the filter to stop the constant cooling and reduce the risk of serious damage.
• Check the vents. Are the vents closed? Closed vents don’t allow cool air to enter your home. This can raise the indoor air temperature and make it almost impossible for the system to turn off.
• Check the ducts. Does the AC system have leaky, damage, or clogged ducts? Without adequate airflow, the system won’t cool efficiently. This can cause the air conditioner to turn on more often than it should.
• Check the size. Do you have a new system? An improperly sized system may not cool your home efficiently or remove enough humidity from the air. This can force the air conditioner to turn on continuously.

While some issues (such as a clogged filter or closed vent) are easy for homeowners to correct on their own, most AC issues require professional attention. Never attempt to repair ducts, inspect the interior or exterior unit, or make repairs by yourself. If your system won’t turn off, you need a qualified HVAC contractor to address this red flag sign.

Do you need to hire a new HVAC contractor? Contact Jeb Air Solutions for more information.

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