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.

Snakes on an HVAC

Every so often, wildlife makes its mark on a homeowner's heating and air system. Blue Ridge Heating and Air is not a wildlife removal company, but we find ourselves having to do so on occasion, as long as we feel safe doing so.

This past spring, we performed a preventive maintenance on an air conditioner and gas furnace for a Blue Ridge Comfort Maintenance Plan customer and left the system in "factory fresh" running condition. To our surprise, the customer called us about a month later claiming that their air conditioning unit was not cooling their home.

Upon investigating the condensing unit outside of the home, it was readily apparent what the issue was. You can see for yourself in the video below. A snake had been crawling through the unit when the fan was activated. The fan caught the snake, while the snake prevented the fan from turning.

You can view the video on YouTube subscribe to our YouTube channel below.

https://youtube.com/shorts/zoPVkdg1520?feature=share

Sometimes failures are truly random. Blue Ridge Heating and Air is always here to help you get your system running smoothly again.

Best Thermostat: Guide to Finding the Best Thermostat

In hot times such as these, you and your family will want a way to cool down from the scorching heat. Going inside, you are immediately met with a rush of cold air. You can thank your thermostat! A thermostat is a device that tells your system to adjust the temperature of the air in your home. So whether you need to cool down from the heat with cold air or need warmth from the harsh winter, it is your thermostat's job to regulate those temperatures. However, there are so many types and brands, and it can be overwhelming to choose the thermostat that best suits your family and home. Thermostats have many different features that appeal to the customer. It may be confusing and a handful, so I’ll be analyzing two brands and their models to present the information and features of the thermostats.

First, Ecobee: Ecobee is a brand that produces many models, and the ones we like to use are the ecobee3 lite and the Ecobee Smart Thermostat premium. Both models look the same and are very similar in their screens. However, there are slight differences in price, size, and different Bluetooth connections. The primary difference is in its accessories; the ecobee3 lite is more simple and has fewer features but does the same job, and the Ecobee Smart Thermostat premium contains more features. Both have can connect to Wi-Fi and can use Google, Alexa, Apple Home Kit, and Samsung SmartThings and are touch screens. Plus you can program them, in case you need to go on a vacation, or on a day-to-day basis, to suit your schedules. This allows your thermostat to work less while you are not there, saving you money on your energy bill. In addition, your thermostat will send you notifications for things like maintenance and temperatures. Now I’ll analyze the differences in accessories because the ecobee3 lite is an entry-level model, while the Ecobee Smart Thermostat contains more features for comfort. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat comes with portable temperature sensors which help your thermostat adjust to temperature changes from room to room. If your home contains multiple floors, when the heat rises, it may heat the floors above, making the rooms unevenly cooled. Having a portable monitor allows for accurate readings of temperature between spaces. Plus, some models include motion sensory. The thermostat will monitor when you walk into a room and walk out a room, so your thermostat can make immediate adjustments to suit you at that very moment. Also, this can help you save money because when motion is not detected for long periods, you can reduce the usage of your thermostat and energy, saving you money. Ecobee branded products are very affordable, especially from what you get. In conclusion, Ecobee produces many different models for different situations and satisfaction for the customers and each is well made and very high-end.

Second, Honeywell: Honeywell is another excellent company that produces high-grade thermostats. Some of their products include the T6 Pro and the Vision Pro 8000. The T6 Pro is like an entry-level thermostat from Honeywell. The T6 Pro contains many neat features like UWP Mounting Systems, meaning all the T series products have similar mounting plates, so if you want to replace your thermostat or get another one, all you have to do is replace the cover plate. And it doesn’t use screws, or wires, so all you have to do is use its simple push tab terminals for wires and a hinged door to prevent drafts. You can program it for the weekdays and weekends with the thermostat’s 5-2 or 5-1-1 programs and can change temperatures throughout the day; however, be careful about changing the temperature on heat pumps because it can result in higher energy costs if your heat strip comes on during use. To end, the T6 is a very affordable thermostat making it an entry-level option.

Now the Vision Pro 8000, another Honeywell thermostat, is another recommended thermostat. It is the more luxurious model for extra features and comfort. It is a smart thermostat meaning it can connect to Wi-Fi, is a touch screen, and works remotely from your phone or device. Plus, it works with Alexa, Google, and Cortana. Like most other smart thermostats, it will adjust to your lifestyle, making it warm and cool when you want it using programming. Plus, it uses geofencing which is an invisible boundary around your house that tracks Wi-Fi and GPS, so you can adjust temperatures. Advanced features include control of whole-home humidifiers, dehumidifiers, or ventilators for fine-tuned comfort. And depending on where you purchase your thermostat, making it a pretty affordable option with advanced accessory control.

In conclusion, both Ecobee and Honeywell make good quality thermostats with unique features to suit the customer in different ways. Though there are other models and brands, these are the two that we recommend. Because in the end, your thermostat’s main job is to control the indoor air temperature and help you stay comfortable while saving you money. With these thermostats, you will have customer satisfaction, along with practicality. Everyone wants to cool down when it is hot and warm up when it is cold out. And it is important to understand what your thermostat’s job is and how you can properly decide which brands to use and which models are excellent.