How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint (And Save Money)
January 31, 2012
It’s always great to do something good for the environment. It’s even better if you can do something good for your wallet at the same time. If you’ve ever looked for easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your energy bills, read on:
- Upgrade old appliances. Dishwashers, ovens, water heaters, furnaces, boilers and most any other household appliance you can name all run up energy costs if they aren’t upgraded. Appliances are getting more and more energy efficient all the time. If your appliances are more than 10+ years old, you may be able to save money in the long run by upgrading.
- Fix refrigerant leaks. Refrigerant is expensive, and when it leaks, it can cause huge harm to the environment. Additionally, if moisture reacts with the refrigerant, it can cause damage to your compressor and other parts of your air conditioner. If you notice any refrigerant leaks, get them fixed right away!
- Seal your home. Up to 30% of your heating bill can be attributed to tiny leaks and drafts that leave your home chilly no matter how high you crank the heat. Use caulk or insulation to fill small gaps and cracks in your windows, walls or floor. You may also want to consider having a home energy audit to determine the most cost-effective ways to reduce your footprint.
- Seal outside ducts. If you have ducts in your garage, attic, basement or crawlspace, they may be subject to extreme temperature variations. Seal and insulate your ducts for a more constant, consistent temperature.
Stay tuned for more easy ways to help the environment and lower your home energy bills!
Why Humidifiers Are Good for Your House
January 26, 2012
Humidifiers aren’t just a way to keep yourself and your family healthy and comfortable: they can also help to protect your home and your valued belongings. How? Moisture is the enemy of wood. Too much moisture and it rots; too little and wood c0ntracts, causing cracks and warping. This can lead to bowed wooden floors, cracks in antique wooden furniture or wooden architectural details. If you have valuable musical instruments, too much or too little moisture can warp strings or cause significant damage. And it isn’t just wood you have to worry about. Moisture can cause wallpaper to curl and unstick from the wall and paint to flake. It all adds up to bad news for the things you love.
And it isn’t just moisture you have to worry about: dry air can cause just as many problems as wet air. Dry air causes static electricity to build up, which causes those shocks you sometimes feel when touching a piece of metal. But those shocks are actually tiny sparks of electricity, and it can cause major problems when they’re combined with a piece of electronic equipment. A shock at the wrong time in the wrong place can lead to a damaged piece of equipment.
So how can you protect the things that mean most to you? Use a humidifier to keep your home’s humidity at 30-50%. This is the range for maximum comfort, while limiting mold growth and damaging dryness. At York’s Quality Air, we’re always happy to help you choose the humidifier that’s right for you and your family. Or, stay tuned to our blog for your chance to win a free humidifier! Details coming soon.
How to Choose an HVAC Preventative Maintenance Plan
January 25, 2012
Precision tune-up and cleaning on your home HVAC system is key to keeping your system running smoothly and efficiently. One of the best ways to make sure you’re staying on top of preventative maintenance is to use a service plan. When you work with York’s Quality Air, we call these arrangements Preferred Customer Agreements, and they go far beyond simple cleaning and maintenance. Our agreements include an inspection of your heating system in the fall and an inspection of your cooling system in the spring, with any additional work needed is performed at a discounted rate.
Whether you choose a Preferred Customer Agreement with us or someone else, here are a few things you should always make sure are included in any maintenance agreement:
- Cleaning of furnace blower motor
- Cleaning or replacement of furnace filters
- Examination of blower bearings, sheaves and belts
- Lubrication of all bearings and motors
- Check refrigerant filter, driers and valves for problems
- Verify the system operating pressures and temperatures
- Check airflow
- Tighten all electrical connections
- Check and clean heat exchanger
- Check gas valve and adjust as needed
- Clean the flame sensor and verify proper operation of all safety controls
Before entering a service agreement, make sure you’re going to get the kind of attention and quality you deserve. For more information about how we can help, call us at 1-800-AIR REPAIR.
How Maintaining Your HVAC System Can Save You Money
January 16, 2012
Most of the time, your furnace and air conditioner just work. They’re always there, humming along quietly in the background. You never notice them until something goes wrong. But paying a little attention to your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner now can save you money every month.
Over time, your HVAC system starts to slow down. It doesn’t run as efficiently anymore. Maybe it’s because the filter hasn’t been changed, or there’s some small mechanical problem with a quick fix. Whatever the reason, a licensed HVAC tech can identify the problem and fix it in a jiffy. You’ll be able to benefit from lower heating and cooling bills.
Besides being great for your wallet, regular maintenance can help to catch small issues before they become large issues and prevent a total system failure.
Typically, we recommend that you have maintenance performed on your heating and cooling system twice a year: once in the fall and once in the spring. This ensures that before your system starts working overtime in the heat of an Indiana summer or the cold of an Indiana winter that everything’s in ship-shape. We can even make it easy for you to remember and stay on track with one of our easy maintenance plans. We’ll make sure your furnace or air conditioner is always in the best condition. Call 1-800-AIR-REPAIR to find out more!
A Legacy of Caring: Aaron York II
January 12, 2012
Aaron York’s Quality Air has always been a family business. While it was originally named after Aaron York, Sr., his son Aaron York II has also played an instrumental role in the company’s development.
Born just eleven minutes after his twin sister Karen—he claims he was a gentleman who let his sister go first—Aaron started working at York’s Quality Air in 1977 when he was just 14 years old. He’s never left since. Aaron’s held nearly every job in the company, from installer/service technician to residential and commercial salesman to management. In 2009, when the elder Aaron York sold the company to his daughter Karen and her husband Kris, Aaron stayed on to continue supporting the family business he loves.
“I stay with the business because I want to see our company be highly successful,” Aaron said. “Working with Karen and Kris, I know where their hearts are and know they’re in this for the right reason. I want them to be successful.”
When you call the office, you might just hear him answer the phone. He loves being involved in unusual or complex problems, and the tricky problem-solving skills they require. “When a customer has a challenge or problem that’s not the norm, that falls to me, and that’s what I enjoy the most.”
Most importantly for Aaron, the success of the business allows York’s Quality Air to give back to the community, through their charitable giving foundation Shared Blessings and in other, everyday ways.
And Aaron continues to be committed to being an example of honesty and integrity in the Indianapolis HVAC industry. “As I get older, the values of leaving a legacy of caring about others more than oneself becomes more important to me,” Aaron said. “It’s important not only for the success of our organization, but it’s important to share our values with others.”
New Year’s Resolutions
January 5, 2012
It’s that time a year again, the time when you make promises to yourself that you plan to uphold throughout the coming year. Unfortunately, if you’re like me, it’s also the kind of promise that gets broken, more often than not, within a few months’ time. I’m talking, of course, about New Year’s resolutions. We all consider a new year to be a new start and a chance for a new and improved outlook, lifestyle, you name it. This year, we can help you keep one of your new year’s resolutions! All you have to do is resolve to improve the comfort of your home for you and your family. We will take care of the rest!
Here are a few of our most popular services during the winter months:
• Furnace Tune-Up and Repair
• Heat Pump Tune-Up and Repair
• Installation and Testing of Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Filtration System Installation and Tune-Up
• Air Cleaner Installation and Tune-Up
• Humidification System Installation and Tune-Up
• Thermostat Installation and Replacement
If your home is too warm, too cold, or different rooms in your home are different temperatures we can fix it! Imagine every room in your house comfortable at the same time. A tune up, by itself, may or may not solve these issues, but it will definitely make your system more efficient and save you money on your utility bills. In fact, you will save more in utilities than you will spend with us. Save even more with a programmable thermostat.
Are you suffering from skin irritation or static electricity, or finding it difficult to breath during the winter months? Are you prone to respiratory infections? Your home could actually be the cause. A little known fact is that the quality of the air in our homes is generally much worse than the air outdoors. Installing a filtration system or an air cleaner could minimize the effects of indoor contaminants. Also, installing a whole house humidifier will help keep the relative humidity in your home at a comfortable level and protect your family from the effects of dry air.
Whatever your new year’s resolution is, Aaron York’s Quality Air is here to help you uphold it. Call us today at 1-800-AIR-REPAIR for more information. We’ll see that your year gets off to a great start!
