Author: acshvac

Can you imagine a hot Tucson summer without air conditioning? Your air conditioning system can be your very best friend on the warmest days.

Be sure you take the time to perform basic maintenance regularly as well as invest in a professional checkup at least once a year. According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), good maintenance can save you money and reduce your energy usage.

Here’s a comprehensive air conditioning maintenance checklist, courtesy of our professionals at ACS Air Conditioning Services, to help keep your system in excellent working order.

Check Air Circulation

Perhaps the most important thing to be sure you have around your air conditioner is plenty of space for good air circulation. Most air conditioners have a unit that sits outside your home.

It’s a good idea to inspect this area to be sure leaves, sticks, and other yard debris are cleared every spring. However, once the summer gets into full swing, don’t forget to mow and weed wack around your unit as well.

Change Filters

Being sure you regularly change your filters accomplishes the same goal of ensuring good air circulation. If you have a clogged filter, it can take your air conditioning system more effort to move the air throughout the unit, wearing down parts prematurely. Pay attention to the recommended life of your filters and change them on time.

Uses Your Senses

General awareness of how your air conditioning system should sound and look can be a simple thing for you to have. If you notice something doesn’t look quite right or your air conditioner is suddenly making unusual sounds or emitting strange odors, it can signal a need for air conditioning repair or maintenance.

Check Coolant Levels

Although the first three items on the checklist are easy for just about any Arizona homeowner to do, the remainder of these items may take a bit more experience. If you are uncomfortable with any of these additional maintenance tasks, be sure to call in one of our professionals to help.

The refrigerant or coolant must be at a specific level and pressure to keep your air conditioning system running efficiently. You’ll want to periodically check this level, and if your coolant is low, you’ll need to call in one of our professionals to refill your system. In addition, leaking coolant can be a significant problem for the environment, so address any noticeable leaks immediately.

Look for Ice Buildup

If you notice your air conditioning evaporator coil has ice building up on it, you probably have an air-circulation problem. Double check to be sure your filter and ductwork are clean.

If you have a great deal of ice, you may need to shut off your system, defrost all of it, ensure air circulation is fine, and then turn it back on. If the problem continues, it’s a good idea to call one of our professionals to conduct an inspection.

Inspect Connections

Be sure all the electrical connections as well as ductwork and other tubing within the system look tight and secure. Again, this may take experience to understand what a solid system should look like, and you may want to rely on a professional inspection once a year.

Most heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) companies will provide a comprehensive service of cleaning and inspection for a reasonable fee. Relying on certified, trained technicians can be an excellent investment in your air conditioning system. Call our ACS Air Conditioning Services team with any questions you may have.

Check Thermostat

A thermostat is a bit of a tangential part of an air conditioning system, but it’s an important one. If your thermostat is not working properly, it will not be sending the correct information to your air conditioner.

As a result, your system can’t work properly. In addition, if a broken thermostat causes your system to cycle on and off too frequently, it can cause longer-term damage to your entire air conditioning system.

Contact Us for All Your Air Conditioning Needs

If it’s been a while since you’ve had your air conditioning system inspected, call ACS Air Conditioning Services in Tucson, AZ. Our trained experts would be happy to come out and provide a thorough cleaning and inspection to help keep your air conditioner running efficiently throughout the summer. Call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

In modern society, average adults spend nearly all their time indoors at work or at home. In fact the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports this amount of time reaches upwards of 90 percent for most people. That puts the importance of good indoor air quality at a whole new level.

Our ACS Air Conditioning Services team wants to give you a comprehensive list of the different indoor air quality accessories available today. Investing in one or more of these technologies and tools will help you and your family breathe a little easier.

Humidifiers

Stand-alone or whole-house humidifiers can be particularly helpful in Arizona winters when the air is cold and dry. Bringing relative humidity levels back up to an ideal of about 45 percent means less static electricity, dry skin, and scratchy throats. In addition, humidifiers can help protect your wood floors, furniture, and musical instruments from warping, shrinking, and other damage.

Dehumidifiers

Fast-forward to summer, and you may find you have the opposite humidity problem in Marana. Summers can feel even hotter when humidity levels are higher. A well-maintained air conditioning system can help ensure some moisture is taken out of the air along with the heat.

However, some homeowners may want to invest in a whole-house dehumidifier or a stand-alone unit for space like a basement. Too much moisture in the air can make cooling down harder, contribute to mold and other allergen growth, and cause condensation or moisture damage to the structure of your home.

Air Filters

All heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) systems require an air filter to catch large particles before your indoor air enters your furnace or air conditioning system. Filters range in quality and price, with the most inexpensive filters trapping only large particles and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters catching some of the smallest.

It’s important to change your air filter regularly, at least every three to six months or according to the manufacturer’s instructions, to keep your air cleaner and your equipment working efficiently.

UV Air Treatment Systems

Ultraviolet (UV) lights have traditionally been used in hospitals and other health care facilities to kill bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Today homeowners can piggyback on this technology by investing in UV home air treatment systems to do the same. Air is forced through a UV purifier, which uses shortwave UV light to kill mold, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

HEPA Air Purifiers and Filters

Air purifiers, as well as air filters with the HEPA designation, remove 99.7 percent of all particles that measure greater than 0.2 microns. This includes household dust, pet dander, mold spores, pollen, and many other airborne particles. It’s important to change HEPA filters regularly. When you combine HEPA filters with HEPA purifiers and HEPA vacuum bags, you will make a big improvement in your indoor air.

Activated Carbon

Activated carbon purifiers are perfect for removing odors, gases, smoke, chemicals, and other fumes from the air. Many of these work in combination with a HEPA purifier to tackle most indoor air pollutants. Add in a UV purifier, and you’ll be successfully managing nearly all of the most common indoor air issues in your home.

Ionic Air Purifiers

Able to remove just about anything except smoke and odors, ionic air purifiers are another option to improve indoor air. Earlier models of these systems simply emitted negative ions that bonded with positively charged common indoor air pollutants. These particles grew heavy and fell onto floors and surfaces to be cleaned through dusting and vacuuming. However, the most advanced ionic air purifiers can now clean themselves.

Electronic Air Cleaners

Attached to your HVAC system, electronic air cleaners are a whole-house solution. These use static electricity, a HEPA filter, and an ionic system to trap or kill up to 99.98 percent of all allergens. Essentially, these cleaners combine the best of all available indoor air purification technologies to do a nearly complete job.

Air-to-Air Exchangers

These systems are designed to bring in and treat outdoor air while pushing out the stale indoor air from your home. These exchangers will adjust the temperature and humidity of outdoor air before circulating it through your air duct system.

Air Scrubbers

A relatively new technology, air scrubbing systems work with your HVAC system. Air is forced through a titanium dioxide-coated component and is treated with a UV light. In addition, the scrubbing system transforms contaminants into oxidizers, which can eliminate more pathogens in the surrounding air and even on surfaces. Gases, vapors, odors, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mold, viruses, and bacteria are among the substances eliminated.

ACS Air Conditioning Services Is Your Indoor Air Quality Expert

For more details on any of these indoor air accessories, call ACS Air Conditioning Services in Marana, AZ. Our team of professionals would be happy to help you review and select the technologies that would best fit your home and budget. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

One reason Arizona homeowners love heat pumps is they function as an all-in-one unit. Instead of purchasing and maintaining a separate furnace and air conditioning system, you can simply transition your heat pump from the heat setting to the cooling setting and vice versa as seasons warrant.

Our ACS Air Conditioning Services team wants you to understand how to make this transition safely and effectively.

How a Heat Pump Works

Instead of generating heat by burning a fuel like natural gas, a heat pump simply moves the heat from one location to another. Essentially, it operates just like an air conditioner but has the capability to perform the action in both directions.

Air conditioners do not create cooled air. Instead, a constantly moving refrigerant absorbs heat from inside your home, pumps it to the outdoor unit, and releases the heat outside. The result is a lower indoor temperature. A heat pump can work as an air conditioner in the summer.

During the winter, the heat pump takes heat from the outside air, which is possible even in cold outdoor temperatures, and releases that heat inside your home to warm your Tucson living space.

According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), a heat pump can reduce your electricity by up to 50 percent over conventional furnace systems, saving you in energy costs.

Homeowner Maintenance To-Do List

As a homeowner, the transition seasons of spring and fall are the perfect times to conduct some basic heat pump maintenance. These simple steps will help ensure your system is ready for the upcoming season.

First, replace your air filter. Most filters should be replaced every three to six months. This can help improve your heat pump’s efficiency and operation as well as your home’s indoor air quality. Then, take a look at the outside unit and be sure you cut down and remove weeds or other growth within two or three feet, so your heat pump has plenty of air circulation.

It’s a good idea to clean your coils before winter arrives, because the cold weather makes it much harder. Also, flush and clean out your drain line and prime the trap if needed. If your heat pump uses electric heat, look for any wire damage or discoloration.

Finally, check your thermostat settings and adjust them for winter weather.

Professional Maintenance To-Do List

If you’ve completed your homeowner checklist for transitioning your heat pump, it’s time to call in our professionals for a biannual check. Our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) team will provide a complete inspection, cleaning, and tune-up at an affordable price that will ultimately save you stress, time, and money on repairs later in the season.

A professional should check and adjust refrigerant levels in your heat pump. Only a professional can add coolant and repair leaks correctly.

If you noticed any potential electrical problems, a trained technician can repair exposed wiring or loose connections. Your blower motor should be oiled, and its wheels should be inspected for balance. Finally, your evaporator coils should be checked and cleaned during this visit.

Protect Your Heat Pump During Shoulder Seasons

When nights tend to be cold and days warmer during spring and autumn, it can get tricky to use your heat pump effectively. In some cases, switching between the heating and air conditioning modes can lead to an overworked system and related problems.

Your heat pump uses a great deal of energy to turn on and off, and switching constantly between heating and cooling can result in short-cycling types of issues like tripping the circuit breaker.

If your heat pump is in air conditioner mode, and your thermostat is set to cooling, your outdoor condensing unit will be working. If the set-point temperature is set higher to turn off the cooling function and then moved lower due to a need for heat, it can lock up the compressor. The same problem can occur in heating mode as well.

Some heat pumps incorporate a digital thermostat or an anti-short-cycling trigger to prevent this problem. However, you can also be sure you give your system a five-minute break if you’re switching between cooling and heating frequently during the shoulder seasons.

Call Us With Any Heat Pump Needs

When you’re ready for your professional maintenance service call on your heat pump, contact ACS Air Conditioning Services in Tucson, AZ, to schedule an appointment. We’d be happy to come out to perform a comprehensive inspection, cleaning, and tune-up. Or if you find you need a repair or replacement, we will help you there as well. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

Everyone loves to save money, and it’s a good idea to review different aspects of your budget now and again to see if there are more opportunities you have missed in the past. In the springtime, considering how you can reduce your energy bills is always a great idea.

According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), air conditioners use about 6 percent of all electricity in the country at a cost of roughly $29 billion to homeowners.

If you can reduce that usage in Tucson, you will be able to make a difference in our environment and save yourself some money as well. Take some of the following ideas from our professionals at ACS Air Conditioning Services to heart and make some money-saving resolutions today.

Tune Up for Efficiency

All air conditioners work more efficiently if they have clean filters, enough refrigerant, spotless coils, and plenty of room for air circulation.

Although you can take care of some of these maintenance items on your own—clearing away fallen yard debris from around your outside condenser unit and regularly changing filters, you should engage one of our highly trained professionals to help inspect and clean your air conditioning components. Our experts can also check your ductwork and be sure you are not losing your cooled air before it reaches its destination.

By investing in regular maintenance, it’s less likely your unit will break down in the dog days of summer. That’s an extra bonus.

Work with Mother Nature

Find ways to use the outdoor conditions to your advantage when it comes to saving energy. For example, during the spring and the fall when nighttime temperatures cool down, open all your windows to let the cool breezes in.

Then, first thing in the morning, close your windows and pull your shades to trap the cooler air inside. You can also consider planting trees to shade your home in the future.

Circulate Indoor Air

Consider investing in floor fans or ceiling fans to help move your indoor air. Fans use a lot less energy than air conditioning systems and do a good job cooling down your home in moderate temperatures. You can also run the fan on your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system or install a whole house fan that pulls in fresh air from the attic.

Relocate Heat Outside

The sun is not always the biggest culprit in generating indoor heat. How often do you find that your appliances are competing directly with your air conditioner?

Instead of turning on your oven or stove, consider grilling outside to keep that heat out of your home. Or get a little creative and find some great cold meals to prepare instead.

The clothes dryer is another heat producer in most Arizona homes. Instead of running your dryer, put that springtime sun and a laundry line to work.

Block and Reflect

Another idea to reduce the heat and associated energy bills is to invest in energy-efficient windows, seals, and insulation to keep the cold in and the heat out. You can also install light-colored window coverings to block sun in the warmest part of the day.

Energy-efficient, reflective roof tiles or a coat of lighter exterior paint can do wonders in reflecting the heat of the sun away from your home’s outside.

Rely on Technology

At the very minimum, install a programmable thermostat that will automatically adjust your temperature requirements while you are away or asleep. Smart technology is advancing each day, and in some homes, rooms can now detect when you are present in them and adjust the temperatures accordingly. You can also control and monitor air conditioning usage from afar using a smart phone.

Don’t Forget the Little Things

Every light that’s left on when not in use generates heat as well as all those electronic devices. Consider switching to LED lightbulbs and turning off electronic gadgets when they are not being used to save money and reduce heat.

Contact Us Today

To schedule an air conditioning tune-up or duct inspection, or to talk with us about other energy-saving ideas, call our ACS Air Conditioning Services team at 520-230-5668 or request service online. Our Tucson, AZ, professionals would be happy to help.

Though it’s a hidden element in your home, ductwork is crucial to your home comfort. It’s the system by which warm or cool air circulates throughout your home. And all your conditioned air, whether it’s warmed or cooled, has to travel through these ducts. As such, it’s essential to have a well-maintained duct system in your home.

What Is Ductwork?

At ACS Air Conditioning Services, we take ductwork very seriously. Our heating and cooling professionals know what an important role your home’s air ducts play in so many areas—your comfort, energy bills, and health most specifically. Here in Tucson, we see the difference between ductwork that is well sealed and maintained and ducts that are not on a regular basis.

Your Arizona home’s ductwork or air ducts are corridors through which your warmed or cooled air travels back and forth to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and to the vents in your home. It’s comprised of a system of ducts and pipes, typically metal, and has seams that are expertly sealed when they are first installed. Several places may also be insulated to help reduce energy loss.

Why Don’t You See Your Ducts?

Most of your ductwork is hidden behind walls or in places not as frequently used as other areas of your home are. You most likely don’t see the majority of it. Often it’s in the attic, and for most of us, ductwork can fall into the out-of-sight, out-of-mind category. But this mindset can compromise your indoor comfort, cost you money, and even affect your health.

Why Seal and Insulate Your Ductwork?

Properly sealing and insulating your ducts prevents your home’s treated air from leaking out the duct system. According to the US Department of Energy (DoE), 20 to 40 percent of energy is lost from most duct systems. Ducts are usually constructed from sheet metal or fiberglass, both thin materials. It’s easy for your circulating air to leak through these materials as well as through any duct seams.

Additionally, your duct insulation protects your ductwork from mold and mildew growth, because your home’s cool air travels through ducts located in warm areas of your house. This can cause condensation in your ducts, which encourages that mold and mildew. Insulating your ducts regulates the temperature and prevents this scenario.

Why Maintain Your Ducts?

Over time, your ductwork’s seals can deteriorate and rust, and your insulation can lose its effectiveness, both causing you problems. That’s why it’s so important to regularly have professionals inspect your duct system and address any leaks.

Poorly maintained and leaky ductwork can cause the following problems:

• An increase in your heating and cooling bills

Leaks in your ducts can occur where the ducts are joined. Leaked air is wasted air. Your furnace or air conditioner has expended energy, that you pay for, to heat or cool the air. When that air does not make it to the desired locations in your home, your HVAC unit has to work twice as hard to make up for the energy lost—it’s essentially throwing away money.

• A negative effect on your home’s indoor comfort

With energy leaking from your ductwork, your inside temperature can continuously vary and leave you without the comfort you expect. No matter what type of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system you have and how energy efficient it is, if you have leaky ducts, your system can’t provide you an efficient level of comfort and live up to its potential.

• Poor health for you

Leaks can cause undesirables from the air to leak into your duct system, meaning contaminants like exhaust, fumes, carbon monoxide, or many other pollutants can enter your duct system and circulate around your home without you knowing it. This can cause a myriad of problems including causing respiratory problems or exacerbating problems you may already have, such as asthma or allergies.

Call Us Today to Check Your Duct System

To diagnose and correct your leaky duct problem is a simple process that will greatly improve the comfort and health of your Tucson, AZ, home. Our ACS Air Conditioning Services technicians are experts with ductwork and its installation and maintenance. Call us at 520-230-5668 or contact us online for help with your air ducts.

Our highly climate-controlled indoor environments can often be extremely comfortable in our modern world. Combine that with the fact so many of our daily needs are easily met without needing to go outside, and you find a society that spends nearly all its time indoors. As a result, poor indoor air quality has become a significant area of concern as a contributor to potential health problems.

Our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services, along with many manufacturers of air filtration and air purification products, are working to provide tools to help you ensure clean indoor air for you and your family. Here are some details about currently available solutions.

Air Filters

Air filters are typically a part of your Tucson home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Before circulating air enters your furnace or air conditioner to be heated or cooled, it passes through a filter to trap and remove a wide range of particulates.

Many different types of air filters are available, ranging from very basic and inexpensive to more costly versions that filter out microscopic particles.

An industry-wide rating system promoted by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) helps consumers compare one type of filter to another in terms of performance. A minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating system measures a filter’s ability to remove particles from the air. Filters carry a rating somewhere between 1 and 16, with the higher values signaling finer filtration.

Air filters can be made of many different types of materials. You may have used a layered fiberglass filter that’s surrounded by a metal grate or a pleated polyester filter in a cardboard frame. These filters typically need to be replaced every one to three months.

Homeowners living in Arizona who have family members with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory illnesses may want to consider using a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. These filters capture 99.97 percent of all particles 0.3 microns or larger. The National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) specifies six different levels of HEPA filters.

Air Cleaners

Air cleaners are often used in conjunction with HVAC-related air filters. These are usually separate appliances typically designed for a single room or a certain square footage of space. A wide variety of different technologies and systems are available, and each one usually focuses on a particular set of particles.

For example, home ultraviolet (UV) air cleaners were developed from purifiers used in hospitals for disinfecting the air. These tackle bacteria, viruses, mold, and other pathogens. On the other hand, activated carbon filters are very effective in removing gasses, odors, smoke, and other particles.

HEPA air purifiers work in a similar way to HEPA filters and remove dust, pet dander, pollen, and mold spores from your indoor air. Although HEPA air purifiers are effective at filtering out very small particles, they are unable to remove bacteria and viruses.

Another type of air purification technology is using ions. These purifiers emit negative ions into your living space, which attract positive ions like dust. The resulting particles become heavier and land on your home’s flooring or other surfaces to be collected during vacuuming and dusting chores. Remember to use a HEPA vacuum bag to maximize the capturing of the resulting particles.

Although all of these air purification systems typically work in a single area or confined space,  you can invest in house-wide purification systems as well. For instance, electronic air cleaners work with your HVAC system by employing static electricity, HEPA filters, and ionic cleaners in a single system. Centralized air cleaners can be installed as part of your ductwork and can complement your HVAC filtration system, and air-to-air exchange systems will allow you to pull in more fresh air from outside.

Contact Us for Clean Indoor Air

At ACS Air Conditioning Services here in Tucson, Arizona, our professionals can provide more details about air filters and air purification systems. Our trained team can help you choose an air treatment system that can meet the needs of you and your family. Call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

Busy careers, bustling families, engrossing hobbies, and overwhelming responsibilities keep most people busy day in and day out. It’s understandable why worrying about the air filter in your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is probably way down at the bottom of the priority list.

However, our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services wants to pass along a gentle reminder about the importance of this small maintenance task. It’s one that takes only a minute or two but can make a huge difference in your Tucson home.

Respect Your Air Filter’s Responsibilities

Think about it. Your air filter is responsible for cleaning every bit of your indoor air as it circulates through your home, providing life-giving oxygen to you and your family. It’s responsible for filtering out dust and dirt as well as things like pet dander and allergens. It has a big, important job to do—one that can contribute significantly to your family’s health, comfort, and financial situation.

Changing your air filter in your Arizona home is something that usually needs to be done a few times a year. When you think about it, it’s really a small price to pay for such a big job.

Health Implications of Clogged Filters

When air filters are dirty, they cannot do their best job cleaning your indoor air. Since most people spend the majority of their lives inside, it can significantly impact your overall health. Outdoor pollen can make its way into your home, and daily living will generate dust and dirt easily inside your house. In addition, if you have pets, you smoke, or you have any remodeling projects underway, all of these can add to poor indoor air quality.

Depending on the type of air filter you choose, you can minimize or eliminate many of these allergens easily. Keeping a small stash of filters on hand to help you remember to change them can help.

If you have family members who suffer from asthma or allergies, they will suffer much more in a home with a clogged air filter. Even those with strong constitutions may feel the effects of poor air quality on their overall health. If you notice health effects already, it may be time to investigate higher quality air filters such as high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that filter out the majority of the smallest particles.

Comfort Implications of Dirty Filters

An HVAC system is designed to deliver either heating or cooling services to your living space so that you and your family can be comfortable. Clogged air filters can affect the overall performance of your HVAC system, making it work harder and perform less efficiently. In addition, an HVAC system helps control the humidity in your home. Dirty air filters can negatively affect humidity levels in your home. Failing to perform this simple maintenance task can then reduce the overall comfort levels in your home.

Financial Implications

Clogged air filters can significantly impact the performance of your HVAC equipment. When filters are dirty, air has trouble moving through the system. That means your air conditioner or furnace must work harder to push air through the system. This can wear out components faster than necessary, shortening the overall life of your HVAC equipment. It can also mean additional repair costs and higher levels of maintenance.

In addition, it will take more energy to deliver heat or cooling to your home, which means your utility bills will be higher on a regular basis. In fact, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE), simply changing your air filters can reduce your energy consumption by between 5 and 15 percent every month.

An Easy Solution

The solution to these issues is simple: remember to change your air filters once every three to six months or according to your manufacturers’ recommendations. This small maintenance task will take only a few minutes, and it can mean better health, increased comfort, and less impact on your pocketbook.

Contact Us for All Your Air Filter Needs

Our professionals at ACS Air Conditioning Services in Tucson, Arizona, can help answer any questions you have about air filters. We can provide recommendations or help with other regular maintenance issues. Just call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

We know how serious carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is. Our ACS Air Conditioning Services professionals provide maintenance and service on all possible carbon-monoxide-producing appliances, as well as carbon monoxide detectors for your Tucson home and office.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, odorless, and tasteless gas. It’s formed by the incomplete combustion of carbon, or by the incomplete burning of natural gas and other things containing carbon.

Many times it’s mixed with other gases you can actually detect because they emit odors. Carbon monoxide can result when you burn gasoline, kerosene, oil, propane, coal, wood, and the like. It is also a by-product of an internal combustion engine.

What Is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

When you inhale carbon monoxide, it displaces the oxygen in your blood and therefore deprives your heart, brain, and other organs of oxygen. The severity of your exposure is related to the level of carbon monoxide in the air and the duration of your exposure. If there is a large amount present, it will work very quickly, causing you to pass out or suffocate.

A small carbon monoxide leak in your home may cause gradual and mild symptoms you may not notice until it’s too late. A larger leak, typical in more industrial environments, would cause sudden exposure, loss of muscle control, and, in some cases, death.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 400 people per year die of carbon monoxide poisoning, 20,000 more visit the emergency room, and 4,000 people are hospitalized.

What Are the Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning range from mild flu-like symptoms to more serious and dramatic symptoms, like loss of consciousness and breathing issues. The severity is again related to the levels and length of exposure.

Here are just some of the symptoms you could experience:

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Weakness

• Upset stomach

• Vomiting

• Chest pain

• Confusion

• Shortness of breath

• Blurred vision

• Loss of consciousness

Carbon monoxide can be especially dangerous to those sleeping or intoxicated and for young children and elderly. It may cause death before any symptoms are noted.

What Is a Dangerous Carbon Monoxide Level?

Most people will have no symptoms at 1 to 70 parts per million (ppm). If you have someone in your house who is more susceptible, such as someone very young or old, you may see symptoms at any level.

But for the average person, you will not see any symptoms until the levels get above 70 ppm.  A 150 to 200 ppm level will cause disorientation, unconsciousness, and death.

How Can I Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

Here in Arizona, there are a number of things you can do to prevent poisoning and keep the carbon monoxide levels down in your home or office:

• Be sure you operate all appliances according to the manufacturers’ guidelines and read all owner’s manuals before attempting to service or clean anything. Never service your fuel-burning appliances yourself. Have a trained professional install, service, and clean any appliances that utilize combustion of any kind.

• Have one of our professionals inspect your heating system annually, if not more, for any leaks or potential blockages, corrosion, or disconnections.

• Never run any gasoline-powered appliance or generator in or near an enclosed space. Even with proper ventilation, carbon monoxide levels can build up rapidly and cause death or loss of consciousness. The same is true for any kind of combustible appliance, including camping stoves, gas grills, and other fuel-burning devices or equipment.

• Do not use your gas stove or other appliances to heat your home.

• Never leave your car running in the garage, even with the garage door open.

• Install a carbon monoxide detector. A carbon monoxide detector or alarm is a device that measures the level of carbon monoxide in the air and alerts you when levels reach too high. Although this is not a substitute for proper carbon monoxide safety procedures, this can aid in your protection. Install an alarm near any area where people sleep in your home. People who are sleeping are often the most at risk of death. They can breathe in lethal doses of carbon monoxide before they would ever wake up and exhibit symptoms.

Call Us to Help You With Carbon Monoxide Detection

At ACS Air Conditioning Services, we want to help keep you safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. Call us at 520-230-5668 or contact us online about installing a carbon monoxide detector today in your home or office.

Is your energy bill too high in the winter? Are you looking for ways to cut costs? There are a number of simple things you can do at home to save money. Some of them are bigger projects, but most are simple things you can do in your day-to-day life to help reduce your heat cost this winter.

At ACS Air Conditioning Services, we want to help you achieve the highest comfort in your Tucson home at an affordable price.

Air Seal Your Home

Air leaks are where outside air enters your home or where the inside air can escape your home. Reducing this leakage is a very cost-effective way to save money on your home energy bill. Two simple-and-effective techniques are caulking and weatherstripping. If you are building new construction, talk to us about air sealing for your new home.

Adjust Your Temperature

Most of us keep our thermostats up a few degrees higher than we need during the colder months. Turn your thermostat as low as you can while still feeling comfortable. When you are not going to be home, turn it town another 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can also invest in a programmable or smart thermostat to have more direct control over your home’s temperature at different times of the day. These thermostats can be a little more expensive up front, but often you will recoup the cost within the season from saved energy.

Insulate Your Attic

We all know that heat rises, and it’s no secret that heat is lost through the roof of your Arizona home. Check the insulation levels in your attic. Be sure you have adequate depth and fill coverage of insulation. You can also have one of our professionals come out for a home-energy test and evaluate your insulation needs.

Cover Your Drafty Windows

You can get plastic window-covering kits at any hardware store. They are relatively inexpensive and will save you quite a bit of energy consumption while increasing your overall comfort level. This is a fairly cheap-and-easy way to save quite a bit of money on your bill.

Use Space Heaters

Depending on how much time you spend in your entire home versus just a few rooms, you may want to invest in a space heater. If your time is spent mainly in one or two rooms, you can turn your thermostat down quite a bit and heat the rooms with an electric space heater. It’s cheaper to heat a small room than to heat an entire house. As always, follow all safety precautions with a space heater.

Dress Warmly Inside

Turn down the thermostat a few degrees and layer up. It can be nice to snuggle in blankets and sweaters on a cold winter’s night. In addition to all this coziness, you’ll save money at the end of the month.

Change Your Furnace Filter

A clean filter is essential to being sure your furnace is running as efficiently as possible. It’s also crucial to maintaining healthy indoor air quality. You should follow your furnace-industry recommendations, but we recommend changing your filter at a minimum of every three to six months. A dirty filter restricts airflow and causes your furnace to work harder than it should to maintain a constant temperature.

Have Your Furnace Cleaned and Checked According to the Manufacturer’s Recommendation

This isn’t just about safety—it’s about preventative maintenance. You can catch a problem before your furnace stops working in the middle of the night or on the weekend. This will also ensure your furnace is working at its optimum efficiency, providing you with the most heat for the least cost. Another advantage to regular maintenance is an increased system life span.

Close Your Fireplace Flue

Of course you should always keep your flue open if you are using your fireplace, but be sure you close it when it’s not in use. An open flue is like an open window, and great amounts of heat can escape. According to Indiana Michigan Power, investing in a fireplace flue sealer may be an inexpensive way to prevent air from escaping through the chimney when your fireplace isn’t in use.

Turn Down the Temperature on Your Water Heater

Most water heaters are set by default to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Check your heater’s temperature, and turn it down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind the less heat required to heat your water, the less you are paying for energy costs. This can slow mineral buildup and corrosion as well.

Contact Us Today

Call our professional ACS Air Conditioning Services team today at 520-230-5668 or request service online. We have the needed expertise here in the Tucson, Arizona, area to help you with all your heating needs.