Importance of clean filters for indoor air quality and equipment longevity.

Air filters can be hard to keep up with. They need to be replaced often, and many people don't believe that they're necessary to replace. But this is not true; in fact, air filters improve the air quality inside your house, and keeping them clean results in longer lasting air systems. This is much cheaper than having to replace them more than needed!

There are many cons relating to dirty air filters. First of all, they may cause dirty ducts. We offer a service for duct cleaning if this happens to be the case. You can read about it in our "Getting your Ducts in a row" blog.

Dirty air filters may also lead to impure air and foul smells in your home (see more at https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/air-cleaners-and-air-filters-home). But the huge issue is that these uncleaned filters are at a high risk of damaging the air system in your home, and creating higher priced problems further down the road.

Not only are there bad effects of not replacing your air filter, but there are benefits to changing them and keeping them clean! Regularly changed filters help reduce viruses and other contaminants that may be in the air. And the best part is, they do not disturb your air system, and even help them last for a longer time.

Need help with your air filter/system? Our services offers the help you may need! Also, filters may be purchased from our online filter store here.

Get the Most out of your HVAC System

While we would all love a home comfort system that you just set and forget without an additional thought, that is not the case. First and foremost, for the continued optimal operation of your system, seasonal maintenance is a must. That is why at Blue Ridge Heating and Air, the first year has been provided “on us”, and you can expect a call from us about six months after a system installation to schedule your first appointment. With regular maintenance you will experience the immediate benefits of maximum energy savings, clean and comfortable air in your home, dependability, and longevity. The most important benefit is the validation of your manufacturer’s warranty. Most manufacturer warranties are at least 5 years for parts, and 10 years if your installer registered your serial numbers with the manufacturer.

A trustworthy HVAC company will partner with you to keep your system running safely and comfortably for its entire life. That begins with preventive maintenance, but sometimes includes an emergency visit due to a part failure or system malfunction. We all understand that oftentimes the cost of service can be challenging. Here are some tips to minimize your need for billable service throughout the year and especially when an untimely breakdown occurs.

• Replace your air filter(s) regularly. Aside from how it affects your own health, dust and dirt collecting on your coils will significantly reduce the efficiency of heat transfer in your system. It can act like an insulating blanket. This causes your system to work harder, and consume more energy. In fact, a study completed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at UC-Berkeley found that typical coil fouling from dust and environment effectively cuts the life of the coil in half.

• Keep debris and overgrowth away from the outdoor unit.

• Make sure your switches, breakers, and disconnects stay in the “On” position.

• Make sure your gas valves are in the open position. In the case of LP (propane), be sure there is sufficient gas in the tank. A level under 15% can begin to affect the performance of your furnace.

• Make sure your thermostat mode is set properly for the operation you desire, heating or cooling, and the temperature is adjusted correctly. Additionally, make sure you have working batteries if your thermostat requires them.

• Be sure that all your supply and return grilles/registers are open and not blocked.

• If you have a gas furnace, make sure that you have carbon monoxide detectors installed on every floor in your home and near sleeping areas.

Remember, your new system warranty only offers coverage for parts that fail and possibly the labor to replace them. To avoid billable service calls, be sure to look over this list and you may wind up being your own “favorite service tech”. If you are unsure of any of these steps, please do not hesitate to contact Blue Ridge Heating and Air. Ultimately, our goal is your safety and comfort.

Getting your ducts in a row

I'm sure we all know about seasonal allergies. The pollen, or perhaps the falling leaves are usually to blame for our excessive sniffling and coughing. But what if I told you that the air inside of your home is actually 2-5 times worse than outdoor air? Yes, many of your allergies come from the air in your own home. Luckily, Blue Ridge Heating and Air has a solution for this!

Are air ducts to blame?

Many things can occur in your air ducts to create allergies and impure air. They can be infested with vermin, overgrown with mold, or even have excessive dust resting in them. If any of these issues apply, it possibly suggests an underlying problem that may reoccur if not specially treated. You can read more about these issues on https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq

Believe it or not, air ducts are ranked one of the top 5 environmental risks to public health. This is why we have an efficient air duct cleaning solution using our Rotobrush cleaner!

Benefits of getting your air ducts clean:

• Improved indoor air quality

• Cost savings on energy and maintenance

• Longer operating life

• Improved efficiency of your system

• Almost immediate results

Soon, you may notice a lower energy bill, less allergies caused by indoor air and dust, and a decreased need for simple house cleaning!

Rotobrush air

Our new system, the Rotobrush air, is a precise cleaner that does the following:

• Cleans registers

• Cleans supply and return ducts

• Cleans air handler

• Fogs the system (this is an extensive measure for removing harmful germs)

We highly suggest that you consider getting your air ducts cleaned. Our high-tech tools will confirm that your ducts stay fresh until the next routine cleaning, and that you stay healthy inside your home!

Schedule your duct cleaning here.