Now is the time to get ready for spring cleaning. As you’re making your list of jobs, don’t overlook duct cleaning. Duct cleaning is not appropriate for every home, but it could make a difference in your indoor air quality, particularly if your ducts have been neglected for a long time — perhaps while your home was sitting empty — or if your ductwork has been infested with mold or pests.

Here are three good reasons to consider putting duct cleaning on your spring to-do list:

• To remove mold. If you have noticed any visible mold on the inside hard surfaces of your ducts, you should have the ducts cleaned to avoid further spread of spores in your home. If you’re unsure about whether a substance is mold, you can take a sample of it (on clear, sticky household tape) to a microbiology lab, and they can test it for you.
• To remove other contaminants. If your ducts are so contaminated with dust or debris that you can see it wafting from your registers when you turn on your HVAC system, consider having your ducts cleaned.
• To help combat allergies and asthma. Some airborne substances don’t bother the majority of the population but can make life miserable for those with asthma and allergies. Pet dander, dust and debris, and refuse from rodents and insects can become airborne when you turn on your HVAC system, triggering respiratory problems for allergy and asthma sufferers. HEPA filtration equipment used during duct cleaning ensures that allergens in the ducts don’t become airborne in other parts of the house.

If you are thinking about having your home’s ductwork cleaned, it’s important to work with an experienced, professional heating and cooling contractor. Done improperly, duct cleaning can actually release more contaminants into the air than if you’d done nothing.

For expert advice about cleaning and maintaining your air ducts and other issues related to home comfort, contact a contractor in the AC Pro network. Serving Southern California and Nevada, they’ll be happy to help you make a home-comfort plan.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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AC Pro Home Comfort Blog

Are you suffering from surprisingly high utility bills? Your home’s ductwork might be to blame.

Leaky ducts shed as much as 20 percent of the air that travels through them, which forces your cooling or heating equipment to work harder than it should have to to keep your home comfortable.

A comprehensive duct sealing could help, though. Among benefits of a leak-free system of ducts, you will:

• Pay lower utility bills. The conditioned air arrives at its intended destination, and your A/C or furnace catches a break. In some cases, professional duct sealing pays for itself quickly in energy savings.
• Feel more comfortable. It can be difficult to keep some rooms comfortable during hot Southern California or Nevada summers. Leaky ducts don’t help. After duct sealing, more cool air travels to even the farthest rooms in your home.
• Enjoy cleaner air. Chemicals, insulation particles and dust in your attic or garage can enter your HVAC system through gaps and cracks in your ductwork to be delivered throughout your home. For some people, this can provoke allergies or asthma attacks. Sealing these leaks helps you enjoy cleaner air.
• Promote safety. Gas-fueled appliances in your home usually exhaust carbon monoxide or other byproducts of combustion fumes to the outdoors through a ventilation system. However, leaky ducts can draw these gases back into your home, putting your family’s safety at risk.
• Do your environmental duty. With duct sealing done, you reduce the amount of energy your household consumes — which helps reduce the emissions put into the atmosphere each year and other environmental damage caused by power production.

To learn more about saving energy in your home — or any other heating and cooling issues — don’t hesitate to contact a contractor in the AC Pro network today. Our network extends from Southern California to Nevada.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

AC PRO services the Southwestern United States including Southern California and Nevada.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!

Duct image via Shutterstock

AC Pro Home Comfort Blog

Just as your body loses heat and needs a layer of protection on a cool evening, so does your home’s ductwork. In fact, between 10 percent and 30 percent of the energy used to warm or cool your home’s air is lost if your ducts are inadequately insulated.

The result? Higher utility bills and multiple trips to the thermostat as you try to regulate your home’s temperature. The solution? Duct insulation, which prevents the transfer of heat out of or into the air in your ductwork, keeping that conditioned air cool or warm, depending on the season. Here is a homeowners guide to duct insulation:

• For best results, be sure to seal air leaks before adding insulation. Use duct sealant (also known as duct mastic) or metal tape to seal ducts that run through areas that get especially hot in the summer and cold in the winter, such as those in your attic, crawl spaces, basement and garage.
• Next, choose insulation, which is graded by its “R-value.” The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power. For example, in inland California and western Nevada, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends insulation totaling R-4 to R-8 for ducts in unconditioned attics and R-2 to R-8 insulation for unconditioned basements and crawl spaces. If you’re in doubt, err on the side of adding more insulation rather than less.
• Wear protective clothing, a dust mask and protective eyewear to install insulation.
• Measure the circumference of the ductwork and cut the insulation in easy-to-handle pieces — at least 4 feet and probably no longer than 8 feet long. Then wrap the insulation around the duct, leaving a 4-inch overlap to make a seam up and down the duct.
• Secure the seams with foil tape, leaving no gaps or holes. Continue this wrapping procedure until the entire length of the duct is covered.

If this sounds like a job you need assistance with — and many homeowners do — contact a certified contractor in the AC Pro network. Serving Southern California and Nevada, we’re always happy to help.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Ductwork image via Shutterstock

AC Pro Home Comfort Blog

Hearing spooky sounds at night — and they’re coming from inside your house? Ticking, banging and clatter from inside your walls might indicate problems with the design or installation of your ductwork. Ducts deliver the conditioned air from your HVAC equipment to your living spaces and then back again; duct noise probably means it’s time to call your contractor.

The ticks, bangs and clatter likely result from the expansion and contraction of your ducts, which are made of metal, and any associated pipes or drain lines, probably made of plastic. Ducts and pipes naturally expand when they’re conveying heated air or liquid. The problem begins when installers fail to account for this expansion during construction. The expanding tubes rub up noisily against wood framing in your house. Other duct noises may result from poorly connected sections of ductwork that may rattle as air passes through them.

Your HVAC contractor will do his best to isolate the source of the noise. Unfortunately, this may involve removing some of the drywall or plaster in front of the problem area. But then the contractor will be able to see the exact problem and make adjustments to eliminate the noise. This could mean making cuts in the wooden structure of your home to enlarge the space through which the duct or pipe travels.

Keep in mind that a professional should do the job. Do not start cutting away at joists or studs. Even an ill-executed notch in a framing member can imperil the integrity of your home.

Sometimes, though, the problem requires no cutting at all, but rather an inspection and repair of your ductwork’s accessible stretches. Repairing and sealing up loose connections in some sections of poorly maintained ductwork could significantly reduce the bangs in the night at your house — not to mention reduce your utility bills by plugging the source of conditioned-air leaks.

If duct noises are keeping you up at night, contact a certified heating and cooling professional who can identify and repair the problem. Contact a contractor in the AC Pro network today to get started. Serving the Southern California and Nevada areas, we’re always happy to help.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Ductwork image via Shutterstock

AC Pro Home Comfort Blog

Ousting dust from your home may seem like a battle you can’t win. You might carefully wipe down your belongings and vacuum your rugs and drapes, only to find the next day that those pesky particles are back — and they’ve brought friends. However, there are some strategies you might not have considered to combat dust in your home, which goes a long way toward improving your family’s indoor air quality.

Among housekeeping tasks, reducing the presence of dust is an important one. Tiny dust particles can damage your heating and cooling equipment or reduce its performace — not to mention aggravate allergies or other respiratory problems. Here are five ways to help keep your home as dust-free as possible, protecting your HVAC system and your indoor air quality:

• Clean or change your HVAC equipment’s air filters regularly, at least once every three months and more often during high-use periods. Air filters that are dirty from months of use can’t continue to trap dust and other airborne contaminants — or keep them out of your expensive equipment.
• Repair leaky ductwork. Gaps and cracks in your ducts can allow dust to sneak in to be distributed along with your warm or cool air throughout your home. Also, consider getting your ducts cleaned.
• Vacuum regularly. Dust buildup on carpets and furniture will inevitably take to the air.
• When you’re dusting, don’t neglect your electronics. Televisions and computer monitors attract dust, so they require more frequent dusting than other household belongings.
• Invest in an air purifier to go the extra mile. The potential sources of airborne contaminants are many, especially if you have pets. An air purifier can help round up dust as well as cigarette smoke and pet dander — both major contributors to poor indoor air quality.

Contractors in the AC Pro network are proud to serve homeowners throughout Southern California and Nevada. Contact us today to find a home-comfort specialist who can help you get your ducts into shape or find other dust-busting strategies for improving your indoor air quality.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Dusting image via Shutterstock

AC Pro Home Comfort Blog

Ductwork circulates warmed or cooled air from your heating or air conditioning equipment to the rooms in your home, and then back again.

Leaks in the ductwork can lead to increased heating and cooling costs and may aggravate or cause health and safety problems for occupants of your home. Duct sealing is a cost-effective way to improve energy efficiency and safety.

Among the benefits of sealing your ductwork:

• It will help resolve problems with some rooms remaining too hot or too cold. When conditioned air escapes where it’s not supposed to — such as in your basement or attic — your living spaces suffer uneven heating or cooling. Sealing keeps the air moving to the right places.
• Sealing ductwork leaks can keep your ducts clean. Holes in a duct system can allow dust, chemicals and insulation particles to enter the ductwork to be distributed throughout your home. This can worsen health problems, such as allergies and asthma.
• Fixing leaks will increase the efficiency of your HVAC system and reduce your utility bills. Leaks force your system to work harder, using more energy to maintain your desired temperature. According to Energy Star, a leaking duct system can increase heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent.
• Sealing ductwork leaks can make your home safer. Many household appliances give off gases such as carbon monoxide during normal operation. In a system with properly functioning ductwork, the harmful gases are expelled outdoors. If there are leaks in your ducts, gases can “backdraft” into the interior of the home, creating a safety risk.

For questions or to find a qualified ductwork repair technician in California or Las Vegas, contact a certified contractor in the AC Pro network.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Ductwork image via Shutterstock

AC Pro Home Comfort Blog

Ductwork and vent problems are quite common in California and Nevada homes. When conditioned air leaves your A/C unit or furnace, a lot can happen on the way to the rooms of your home. If areas of your house never seem to get cool enough for comfort, or if the air in your home is stale, the problem may lie in your ductwork or vents. 

Here’s a list of seven common ways that ductwork and vent systems fail, courtesy of the California Energy Commission. Schedule a professional duct inspection to diagnose these problems and make sure your home comfort system operates at peak performance:

• Air supply. Leaks can occur in the supply portion of the ductwork, where conditioned air is routed throughout your home from the air conditioner or heating system.
• Return ducts. Ideally, these parts of the duct system should freely funnel air back to your A/C or furnace. But the return vents or ducts may be blocked or inadequate.
• Duct connectors. Leaks often develop at former repair sites and at the normal joining points of your ductwork. Bad duct layout and design, poor installation or sloppy repairs may be the culprits.
• Duct tape dry-out. Some of the duct tapes used in the past haven’t stood the test of time. The adhesives have dried out and the tape is leaking or has fallen off completely. Fortunately the duct tape used today has been designed specifically for use in duct systems and can be counted on to do the job.
• Damaged or insufficient insulation. Duct insulation can fall off or get wet.
• Twisted ducts. These may block airflow due to poor duct design, improper installation or age.
• Filters. Air may leak around a badly fitted air filter.

Do you have questions about ductwork and home ventilation? Contact AC Pro. Serving Southern California and Nevada, we would be happy to connect you with one of our network of local contractors who can inspect your ductwork and find solutions to your home’s airflow problems.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about home maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

AC Pro Home Comfort Blog

Most people do not even consider the possibility that the ductwork in their homes should be cleaned. But dirty ducts can contribute to diminished air quality in your home. Ductwork can harbor dust particles, mold, mildew and other contaminants.

Consider having ductwork cleaning done if:

• You can see significant mold growth inside your ducts, vents or fans in your heating and cooling system. If you see thick dust, excessive moisture or oil, duct cleaning may be in order.
• You see rodents or insects — or their droppings — in your ductwork.
• Your ducts have so much lint, dust or debris in them that you can see layers of it inside or particles being released from your air vents.

If you decide to have the ductwork in your home cleaned, it is important to hire a qualified professional to perform the job. A duct cleaner should complete certain procedures to ensure all contaminants are removed from the system. To ensure your duct cleaner removes all contaminants from the system:

• Ask your contractor to inspect the ducts for leaks while cleaning out the systems. Much of the moisture and dirt inside a duct system gets in through leaks.
• Make sure the duct cleaner vacuums out all duct lines, fans and blowers. Ask to see results of the cleaning, such as photographic evidence.
• Have the cleaner replace all air filters in your heating and cooling system.

For more information about duct cleaning in Nevada and California, contact us at AC Pro. Our network of certified air conditioning and heating contractors can perform professional duct cleaning, inspect your air conditioning and heating system, and offer expert advice on HVAC topics.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about duct cleaning and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

AC Pro Home Comfort Blog

All heating and cooling contractors are not made equal. Whom you hire to service your HVAC equipment makes all the difference in the quality of the work you receive as well as the professionalism of the technician who’ll arrive on your doorstep. Unfortunately, these days, many contractors are cutting corners, performing slipshod maintenance and using substandard parts. Those practices can lead to inefficient performance that wastes energy. So how do you know whom to trust?

Checking out a technician’s certifications can tell you a lot about their quality of service. For example, NATE-, NADCA- and AC Pro-certified technicians have demonstrated high levels of skill and experience. They understand the importance of ensuring their work is up to national standards, offering homeowners peace of mind.

• NATE. North American Technicians Excellence is a third-party, nonprofit organization that offers testing for heating and cooling professionals in the U.S. and Canada. NATE’s tests are developed by industry seniors with years of experience in many aspects of the industry. They don’t make their tests simple, either; the majority of technicians don’t pass their first time around. However, earning and maintaining NATE certification is worthwhile. Contractors employing NATE-certified technicians are more successful in the long term.
• NADCA. The National Air Duct Cleaning Association is another nonprofit, focused on safe and effective ductwork cleaning. NADCA has set high industry standards for removing source contamination, which some research indicates is the most important step in improving indoor air quality, a problem many Americans underestimate. NADCA members and certified technicians are dedicated to protecting your home and health during the cleaning process and for years after.
• AC Pro. AC Pro-certified contractors are fully licensed to service heating and cooling systems in Southern California and Nevada. AC Pro-certified technicians are also committed to maintaining their certifications by NATE, the Environmental Protection Agency and other organizations. Ongoing education to keep up with advances and state-of-the-art equipment in the industry is a must, and AC Pro-certified contractors attend at least four annual training sessions.

To find an AC Pro-certified contractor near you, contact us today. We’ll help you find an excellent contractor.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about choosing an HVAC contractor and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

 AC PRO services the Southwestern United States including Southern California and Nevada.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!

AC Pro Home Comfort Blog

Are you suffering from a case of high utility bills? Do your rooms seem stuffy? Does dust build up quickly in your home? All of these problems could stem from one problem: your leaky ductwork. Well-sealed ducts can significantly improve your living conditions — while reducing your utility bills.

Here are five good reasons from the federal government’s EnergyStar program to have your ducts sealed.

• You’ll be more comfortable. The temperature in your home has a lot to do with how comfortable it is. Rooms that are too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter can be remedied with sealed ductwork.
• You’ll improve your indoor air quality. Indoor pollution exists because of household chemicals, dust and insulation particles. If these enter your duct system, they re-circulate throughout your home, aggravating your allergies and asthma. There’s a decreased chance of pollutants entering your ductwork if they are sealed well.
• You’ll be safer. Gas appliances such as dryers, water heaters and furnaces expel gases such as carbon monoxide through venting systems to the outdoors. Leaky ducts may draw these harmful gases back into your home instead of outside. Sealed ducts reduce this risk.
• Your utility bills are likely to fall. Leaky ductwork can cost you 20 percent more than a sealed system. Plus, you may be able to downsize to a smaller air conditioning and heating system that is less expensive to operate thanks to your more-efficient ducts. That could save you even more on energy costs.
• You’ll help protect the environment. The fossil fuels that must burn to generate electricity produce greenhouse gases. By consuming less energy in a more efficient, sealed duct system, you will play a role in reducing emissions.

If your home has a forced-air cooling and heating system, you could benefit from ductwork sealing. Wondering if this service is right for you? Contact an AC Pro contractor.

Our goal is to help inform our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about duct sealing and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

AC PRO services the Southwestern United States including Southern California and Nevada.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

AC Pro Home Comfort Blog