Month: October 2021

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) filters and the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield have a lot in common. They both can tout, “I don’t get no respect!” Most people do not realize how pivotal the HVAC air filter is to both their homes and their HVAC systems.

Respect Yourself, and Your Air Filter

Here in Arizona, you may think about your filter only when the seasons change, particularly transitioning from the warmer temperatures of summer to the cooler temps of fall, but filters need more attention than that all year long. Both our ACS Air Conditioning Services HVAC professionals and ENERGY STAR^® recommend replacing your filter as frequently as every month, but at the very least every three months. Here’s why.

1. Keeps Your Indoor Air Quality High

The purity of the air you breathe inside your home, your indoor air quality (IAQ), is not always high. By changing your filter on a monthly basis, you can improve it. Here are a couple worthwhile statistics to know.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Americans now spend as much as 90 percent of their time indoors. And according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), our indoor air is two to five times as toxic as our outdoor air.

These indoor pollutants cause or can worsen allergies and respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, as well as other long-term conditions and diseases like heart disease and cancer. In other words, keeping the air you breathe in your Oro Valley home as clean as possible should be a priority. Change your HVAC filter monthly to help keep those toxic particles out of your lungs.

2. Increases the Efficiency of Your System

By changing your filter on a regular basis, you can help increase the efficiency of your HVAC system. A dirty filter is a common reason for breakdowns due to overworking furnaces and air conditioners.

With a clogged filter, the air can’t get through, causing the system and its motor to work harder and run longer. When everything has to work harder and longer than designed, it causes system stress and decreases your system’s efficiency. So keep it running smoothly with regular filter changes.

3. Saves You Money

Despite the argument that changing your filter on a monthly basis costs you more money, in actuality, regularly changing your filter can save you money. By giving your HVAC system clean filters, your system does not have to work as hard to heat or cool your Oro Valley home. Less stress on your system’s components extends their life making them less likely to need premature replacement.

4. Leaves a Green Footprint

Being a good steward of Mother Earth and all her resources is more important than ever. When your filter is dirty and causing your system to work harder—since it is stressed—using more energy. These days, HVAC systems are designed to run efficiently, in an eco-friendly manner, so you will be doing your part simply by changing your filter.

Call ACS Air Conditioning Services for All Your Air Filter Needs

Now it’s plain to see; so much of both your indoor air quality and your HVAC system’s health depend on a clean filter. This everyday item wields mighty power and certainly deserves more attention, and respect, than it usually receives.

Give your filter that attention by replacing it on a regular basis, and the dividends will outweigh the investment. If you have any concerns or questions about your HVAC system’s filter, speak to one of our ACS Air Conditioning Services HVAC specialists at 520-230-5668 or request service online today here in Oro Valley, AZ.

In many places, evidence of fall’s presence is obvious by way of beautiful fall colors. But many only experience fall with its subtlety through lower humidity levels.

No matter which way you experience it, one thing is evident in them all––fall brings drier air. The cooler air simply can’t hold as much moisture as warm air, resulting in the dry air. While it can make for crisp mornings for walking, the lack of moisture in the air can also take its toll on you, your home, and your overall comfort.

That’s why we at ACS Air Conditioning Services recommend a humidifier for your home, especially for the cooler months. It helps to maintain the necessary humidity in your Marana home, making everything, including you, run as it should.

Which Type of Humidifier?

There are several types of humidifiers out there, but essentially they boil down to either a whole-house humidifier or a portable humidifier. The whole-house humidifier attaches to your furnace and the fan blows across the humidifier pad, which is hooked up to a water supply, sending the moisture throughout your home via the ducts. This type of humidifier benefits your whole house at once.

A portable humidifier is exactly that. It’s a smaller humidifier that’s portable—you can put it exactly where you need it in a room. It benefits one area at a time. At ACS Air Conditioning Services, we prefer a whole-house humidifier as the benefits are more comprehensive at once. But we encourage you to call and speak with one of our professionals to assess which type would work best for you and your home.

Protecting Yourself

The ideal humidity level for a home is between 30 and 50 percent. When and if your Arizona home’s humidity drops below 30 percent, you’ll definitely have noticeable issues, especially when it comes to your body. It’s best to monitor your home’s humidity level to protect yourself.

Some of the most prevalent negative issues have to do with your breathing and skin. Lower humidity levels affect your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ). With decreased indoor air quality, if you or anyone in your home suffers from allergies or asthma, you’ll notice more breathing problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, humidifiers may help ease breathing problems for those with allergies or asthma, especially children.

Also, though many people think the increase in spreading of germs and bacteria through the cooler weather is due to the lower temperatures, the cause is actually more-susceptible body membranes. Germs and bacteria actually spread less in cooler weather because there’s less moisture in the air in which for them to travel. But due to that same lack of moisture, the body’s membranes are drier and crack, thus making them more receptive to these alien body invaders.

With proper home air humidity, you’ll suffer less bouts of colds, flu, and viruses in general. Your skin will also be properly hydrated, resulting in less dry, cracked skin and the issues that can result.

Protecting Your Home

Just like your body, your home’s contents need protecting from the fall’s lower humidity. Your furniture, especially your wood furniture, needs a certain level of moisture to maintain its beauty and proper function.

With drier air, wood furniture will dry out and crack. You may notice your home’s woodwork and trim cracking or separating from your walls, ceilings, or floors. This could be due to lower humidity.

The same issue can affect your home’s systems and electronics. To run smoothly and properly, certain air conditions need to be met. Too dry of air can sometimes be as damaging as too moist of air.

Increasing Your Comfort

Along with protecting you and your home, humidifiers simply add to the overall comfort in your home. Humidifiers help you sleep better at night. Have you ever woken up with a nosebleed, dry throat, or a cough? These are all symptoms of dry air. The too-low humidity dries out your nasal passages while you’re sleeping, causing interruptions in your night’s sleep. Putting the humidity where it needs to be will allow you a comfortable night’s sleep, making your day that much better.

Another way a humidifier can increase your comfort at home is eliminating static electricity. Getting a small zap, known as electrostatic discharge (ESD), every time you touch something in your home can be unpleasant and annoying. But did you know it can also cause damage to your home’s electronics? Again, a home humidifier can take care of that uncomfortable issue as well.

Contact Us Today

Maintaining your home’s humidity is important for many reasons, especially as the weather shifts to cooler temperatures. While it definitely increases your home’s comfort, it has more far-reaching advantages—protecting both you and your home.  If you don’t currently have a humidifier in your home, or if you do and are still noticing any of the issues described above, call 520-230-5668 or request service online and speak with one of our ACS Air Conditioning Services professionals today. We want to help you make your Marana, AZ, home the best it can be.