Author: acshvac

What do you think of when you hear about air pollution? You might immediately imagine a giant cloud of smoke, cars spewing exhaust, or a trash incinerator––but have you ever thought about your own home in Oro Valley?

The reality is airborne contaminants, such as dust, dirt, and pet dander, can negatively impact the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your AZ home. At ACS Air Conditioning Services, we want you to breathe in fresh air, which is why we offer maintenance to keep your HVAC in top shape.

How Can I Improve My Indoor Air Quality?

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you may be exposed to two to five times more airborne pollutants by staying indoors rather than outside. To protect yourself and your loved ones, here are five ways you can help your home have better indoor air quality (IAQ):

1.  Use Fans and Dehumidifiers

Any area in your home harboring moisture is bad for your air quality. This is because mold and mildew thrive in these areas. If you or a loved one have allergies or asthma, you could be in for some trouble.

To prevent this, turn on fans in your kitchen and bathrooms. Doing so keeps the area dry, which will help prevent the growth of mold. If your basement gets damp, consider purchasing a dehumidifier or talking to our team about a whole-house dehumidifier to reduce the moisture.

2.  Tidy Up

Dust can add to your indoor air pollution. Be sure to routinely sweep, vacuum, and mop the floors in your home to prevent a buildup of dust.

Another great way to prevent excess debris from getting inside your Oro Valley home is by placing a doormat at its entrance. Be sure to vacuum the doormat you keep inside as well. (Vacuums with disposable bags, especially high-efficiency particulate air [HEPA] bags, are better for dust reduction than reusable ones.)

3.  Replace Air Filters

Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system air filter should be regularly replaced or cleaned. Industry standards recommend changing your filter every 90 days—more so if you have pets or a smoker inside your home.

Air filters trap dust, dirt, and other airborne contaminants that might otherwise circulate throughout your home. If you do not replace or clean the filter, you risk breathing polluted air.

4. Clean Your Air Ducts

Failing to routinely change or clean your air filter can also lead to an accumulation of dirt and grime in your air ducts. This can result in poor indoor air quality as well. While this is one of several causes of dirty ducts, taking care of your air filter is essential in order to have fresh air to breathe in your home.

To prolong the life of your air ducts and ensure you have clean air to breathe, request an air duct cleaning by our ACS Air Conditioning Services professionals. Our team of HVAC specialists will remove the collection of dirt and thoroughly clean your air ducts for you.

According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), you may want to have air duct cleanings more often if you or a household member smokes, suffers from allergies or asthma, has a pet that sheds, or recently moved into a new home.

5. Schedule Maintenance Service

One of the best ways to improve your indoor air quality is by having our ACS Air Conditioning Services  team of specialists perform maintenance on your HVAC. During a maintenance visit, our professionals will perform an overall inspection and tune-up on your HVAC system.

This includes checking and cleaning your air filter, condensate line, and all other system components to ensure each part of your system is in good, working condition.

Call Us for Your Indoor Air Quality Needs

Our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services understands how important indoor air quality is. That’s why we provide high-quality installation, repair, and maintenance services in Oro Valley, AZ. You can always contact our highly trained experts for more recommendations by calling (520) 230-5668 or you can request service online today.

A furnace is a big part of your life—whether you realize it or not. It keeps your Littleton home warm and can help with your indoor air quality (IAQ).

So it is important to gain a better understanding of furnace fundamentals.

Furnace Basics Training

If you are a curious new Littleton homeowner or someone who is not as familiar with how home systems like furnaces and other types of heaters actually work, then here’s a quick rundown.

While you read on and learn more about a key component of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, please keep in mind our highly trained Cool Sunshine Heating and Air Conditioning HVAC professionals are here to explain things in more depth and lend a hand with any furnace issue that arises.

Furnace Basics: Ignition

For the gas furnace to work to provide heat, the first part of the process is for it to be ignited. The ignitor on older furnaces is called a pilot light. Newer models typically use electronic ignition.

The pilot light is a concept you may already be familiar with. It is a tiny gas flame that stays on all the time. It is used to ignite a larger flame when the furnace gets switched on.

In contrast, electronic ignition uses a chain reaction, similar to a filament light bulb. This ignites the gas burner. When triggered by the thermostat, a current of electricity runs through the filament, which ultimately creates enough heat to light the gas on fire.

According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), gas furnaces operated by pilot lights are considered heating systems with lower efficiency while furnaces that use electronic ignition are classified as mid-efficiency systems.

Furnace Basics: Combustion

The combustion chamber is where natural gas and air are combined. (As you may know, oxygen is required in order to create fire.) The furnace ventilates this chamber, feeding the fire enough oxygen to burn smoothly and efficiently. The ventilation also extracts the by-products of the combustion.

When you have a home with a furnace, it is critical to keep your combustion chamber clean by having regular maintenance appointments with one of our skilled, professional team members at Cool Sunshine Heating and Air Conditioning here in Colorado. This gives you higher indoor air quality and provides you with a system that operates more efficiently.

Furnace Basics: Heat

Ultimately, the warm air from your furnace is produced in the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is located right above the combustion chamber and collects the chamber’s heat waves.

When the temperature inside the exchanger gets warm enough, the motor turns on and distributes the hot air through the ducts of the house. This process repeats until the desired temperature is reached.

Furnace Basics: Conclusion

Each of these parts of the process for heating your Littleton home is important because they work together to give off heat, which is responsible for keeping you and yours cozy. As you can now see, it is far too easy to underestimate a gas furnace and the process behind its ability to function.

We Are Your Gas Furnace Experts

We at Cool Sunshine Heating and Air Conditioning hope we helped you learn a thing or two about your furnace. Our team wants you and all our valued customers in Littleton, CO to be informed buyers. When the time comes, call Cool Sunshine Heating and Air Conditioning today at 303-287-1846 or request service online to schedule your furnace installation, repair, or maintenance.

There are many advantages to adding a whole-house humidifier to your Arizona home. Adding a humidifier can increase the comfort level in your home and lower your annual energy expenses. Proper humidity levels can allow you to maintain indoor comfort levels at a lower temperature which uses less energy for heating.

At ACS Air Conditioning Services, our professionals will walk you through the design process and ensure that your Tuscon home is the ideal design to properly utilize a whole-house humidification system. We believe you should have total control of your indoor health, safety, and comfort—our mission is to provide you with practical solutions so that you can achieve that goal!

How a Humidifier Keeps You Healthy

Benefits to a properly installed whole-house humidification system include:

• Soothing cold and flu symptoms by moisturizing your nasal passages and throat and bronchial tubes.
• Reducing some allergy symptoms.
• Relieving some dry skin conditions.
• Lessening snoring.
• Protecting wooden flooring and furniture from cracking due to low humidity.
• Reducing utilities.
• Increasing general comfort.

Between work and home, most of us spend the vast majority of our days indoors. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the concentrations of some indoor pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations.

Choosing a Whole-House Humidifier

You never want to buy a car that is too large for your garage—nor do you want to buy a humidifier that is the wrong size for your home! Similar to your other heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, you want to be sure you are purchasing a humidifier system that suits your needs.

Here are a few types of humidifiers to choose from:

Bypass Humidifiers 

Bypass humidifiers add moisture to air passing through your furnace or air handler. These types of humidifiers are the most basic of your options and pass the warm air from the heating system over the humidifier to collect the evaporating moisture.

The newly collected moisture is then distributed throughout your Tuscon home using your existing duct system. Because these units require a home heating system, they work much better with furnaces as opposed to heat pumps because of the higher air temperatures generated by furnaces.

Bypass humidifiers require a drain and water line for proper installation. They are the least expensive of your options for a whole-house system, but also deliver the lowest amount of humidification because they require system operation for evaporation.

Fan-Powered Humidifiers

The only real difference between a fan-powered humidifier and a bypass humidifier is the need to use the fan to increase airflow and therefore increase evaporation. Fan-powered humidifiers can produce up to a gallon more of humidity per day compared to bypass humidifiers. The internal fan motors within these units are also very efficient, using the same amount of energy as a 25-watt lightbulb. This system is considered much more efficient than bypass humidification systems.

Steam Humidifiers

Steam humidifiers create steam to input humidity in the HVAC system. They use electricity to boil the water. The steam is then distributed throughout your home using the existing airflow system. Steam humidifiers are the fastest and most efficient way to increase and maintain the desired level of humidity in your home.

Steam whole-house humidifiers also provide the purest and most natural form of humidity you can have within your home.  They are also the most vulnerable to rapid corrosion and system damage due to poor water quality.

Advantages With a Whole-House Humidifier

Any whole-house humidifier is installed directly into your home’s central heating and cooling system. Location and ease of access to your humidification system is another important factor to consider. Your comfort adviser will review the different options for you, including the pros and cons of each type of system.

Once properly installed, a whole-house humidifier is less work than a portable one. Portables require constant monitoring of water tanks and regular cleaning. With a whole-house humidifier, you could perform routine maintenance as little as two times a year. This depends heavily on both proper installation and the quality of water going through your humidifier. If your water is heavily calcified, it will rapidly cause build-up on the humidifier and may require additional water purification devices for the humidifier to function properly.

A properly designed and installed humidification system can make a world of difference in your home but only if designed and installed properly. A poorly installed system can cause a world of headaches for the unsuspecting homeowner. Improper humidification and design can lead to mold throughout the home or attic.

Along with the installation of a humidification system, it is always important to make sure your ductwork is in proper shape to prevent unwanted bacterial growth. Equipment failure due to poor installation can lead to leaks and damage your home’s ceilings, walls, insulation, framing, or even roofing.

Call Your Air Quality Experts Today!

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can lead to a variety of health problems. Schedule an appointment today with ACS Air Conditioning Services to have one of our professionals test the air quality inside your Tuscon, AZ home or business. Call 520-230-5668 or visit us online to learn more about whole-house humidifiers and other products designed for your comfort.

We often hear from Arizona customers who want to understand the risks of carbon monoxide (CO). At ACS Air Conditioning Services, we’re glad to share as much information as possible about protecting your indoor air quality (IAQ)—especially when it comes to the deadly nature of this silent killer.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas virtually impossible to detect without equipment. Like air, it is invisible and produces no scent. Inhaling enough of it can quickly cause adverse health reactions and even death.

Each year, CO poisoning is responsible for 20,000 emergency room visits, 4,000 hospitalizations, and 400 deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To promote safety and well-being for our community in Oro Valley, here’s what you should know about this harmful airborne pollutant.

How CO Is Produced

Various substances can create CO gases from burning. Flammable materials like wood, gas, oil, coal, and propane contain carbon. CO molecules are a result of carbon that has only partially combusted.

Know the Risks

CO poisoning is a serious risk. It is toxic to the human body and can be fatal. When it enters the lungs, the bloodstream absorbs it. From there, it begins to displace oxygen, which is vital for the brain, heart, and other key organs to function.

The extent of harm depends on how much CO you inhale and the duration of time you’re exposed. Smaller amounts may produce subtle effects, whereas high concentrations may cause vomiting or fainting.

Leaks in homes tend to be smaller, which means they may go unnoticed. Residents may develop a headache, upset stomach, or feel dizzy. As a result, the poisoning may be mistaken for illness. In industrial settings like a steel mill, CO leaks are often much larger in scale. This can quickly create adverse symptoms and lead to death.

Protect your family from an unnoticed lead. Install a CO alarm in your Oro Valley home.

What Are the Symptoms? 

As a general rule of thumb, the more severe the symptoms are, the higher the level of exposure. However, vulnerable groups like small children or the elderly may be more sensitive to lower concentrations of CO.

Milder symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Feeling dizzy
• Chest pains

More severe symptoms include: 

• Throwing up
• Breathing difficulties
• Confusion
• Blurred vision
• Loss of consciousness

In addition to higher sensitivity, vulnerable groups are at greater risk of death as a result of exposure. Additionally, being asleep and/or intoxicated is a risk factor, since these states of consciousness make it harder for a person to detect symptoms.

How Much Is Too Much? 

Inhaling any amount of CO is bad for you. However, healthy adults don’t usually display symptoms at concentrations of 1 to 70 ppm (parts per million), according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Still, vulnerable people may begin to display symptoms at this stage.

The real danger zone is past 70 ppm. At 150 to 200 ppm, exposed persons are at risk of muscle failure, confusion, fainting, and death.

How Can I Protect My Home? 

Stay diligent and keep your living space CO safe for yourself, your family members, and your pets. By keeping up with a few simple things, you can save lives:

Purchase a carbon monoxide detector for each floor, preferably for each bedroom. Replace the batteries when needed and be sure to test run once a week.

Take the time to read over the instruction manuals for your natural gas appliances. This includes furnaces, stoves, water heaters, and natural gas fireplaces. When you need a repair, always let a professional take care of it. Keep up with seasonal maintenance, as well. Maintenance visits allow a professional to check and fix any CO risk factors.

Never run gas-powered appliances in spaces that aren’t well ventilated. This is a surefire way to create massive amounts of CO.

Never leave your gas stovetop running when you’re not using it. Always double-check the burners are off when done cooking. Do not use your oven to heat your home.

Never idle your car in the garage. Even with the garage door open, it still presents a major risk for CO inhalation.

Need Service? 

ACS Air Conditioning Services hopes you found these tips helpful. Our goal, as always, is to help keep all of our neighbors in Oro Valley, AZ stay safe and healthy. If you need service on your home air conditioner or furnace, call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

The sound of a well-maintained heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is like a lullaby for a good night’s sleep.

If odd sounds, such as banging, squealing, or rattling, from your HVAC system are keeping you up at night, it is time to schedule maintenance and regain a peaceful nighttime environment in your Arizona home.

Let our qualified technicians at ACS Air Conditioning Services inspect, clean, and, if necessary, repair your heating and cooling system. Your HVAC equipment will operate at peak efficiency and with minimal sound after a tune-up. You will notice the enhanced comfort and improved bedtime atmosphere in your Tucson home.

Sleep Helps Maintain Health

Although the U.S Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends adults sleep seven or more hours per night, one in three adults say they log fewer hours.

Insufficient sleep is related to the development of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic conditions. It can affect mental agility and energy level and lead to accidents resulting in injury and possibly death.

What Causes Sleepless Nights?

Some adults seek professional medical help for sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea, that prevent them from getting quality sleep. Lifestyle and environmental conditions also may cause restless and interrupted sleep.

Sleep experts recommend that you stop using electronics, such as cell phones, television, and computers, at least a half-hour before bedtime. Skip the alcoholic or caffeinated beverages when you are preparing for sleep and maintain a consistent bedtime schedule. Set your alarm clock for the same time each morning.

Too Hot or Cold

You will sleep better if you feel comfortable. Keep your bedroom dark and slightly cool at night. Try keeping the temperature from 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Because a lower body temperature makes you sleepy, dropping the temperature at bedtime can help to promote sleep.

Consider installing a programmable or smart thermostat to maintain precise temperature control in your Tucson home. After you program your comfort preferences, the device will change the temperature for you at night and then increase it in the morning.

Controlling Humidity

The amount of moisture in your living space also affects the quality of your sleep. ACS Air Conditioning Services can assess your indoor air quality (IAQ) and recommend a solution to control humidity.

If you have too much moisture in the air, your bedroom may feel stuffy, making it hard to breathe and fall asleep. A high humidity level in your home can encourage the growth of mold and dust mites, which in turn triggers allergies, respiratory issues, and asthma symptoms. Itchy eyes, sinus problems, and allergies can interfere with quality sleep.

Humidity is at an ideal level between 35 to 50 percent. If it consistently drops below the minimum percent, it will result in dry air that can cause dry skin, chapped lips, and irritated nasal passages.

ACS Air Conditioning Services can recommend a whole-house dehumidifier to reduce the amount of water vapor in your home’s atmosphere. Or we can suggest a whole-house humidifier to add moisture if the humidity is too low.

These comfort systems integrate into your heating and cooling equipment to improve the air throughout your home. Schedule your free consultation today.

Improve Air Quality

Improve indoor air quality by having your HVAC system’s ductwork cleaned. Change your furnace filter every three months during the heating season, and consider installing an air filtration system to work in conjunction with your heating and cooling system. You will breathe easier at night.

Regularly cleaning your bedroom will remove dust, pet dander, and other contaminants that can interfere with your comfort at bedtime. Polluted indoor air can cause health problems, including sore throats and congestion, and can interfere with your sleep.

Make Quality Sleep a Priority

Get a good night’s sleep by controlling temperature, humidity, and indoor air quality with the help of your HVAC system. Let ACS Air Conditioning Services help you create the perfect sleeping environment in your Tucson, AZ home. Call us today at 520-230-5668 or request service online.

Most people do not necessarily think of artificial intelligence (AI) and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in the same space. However, the reality is that AI is already part of many modern HVAC systems with much more potential ahead.

Our ACS Air Conditioning Services professionals want you to stay informed about the latest developments in this arena. In the long run, AI can help you increase your comfort level, decrease your energy costs, and improve the condition of your HVAC equipment in your Marana home.

Boost Creature Comforts

Ultimately, an HVAC system is designed to help you and your family stay comfortable no matter what the outside weather is like. As developments and technology advance, you’re experiencing fewer drafts, cold or hot spots, and other discomforts that your ancestors took for granted. In the future, AI will contribute even further to boosting creature comforts.

For example, heat- and motion-detection technology is already available in many applications. Eventually, it may become commonplace for multiple detectors in a home to essentially “follow” you and your family members as you go about your daily business.

When you enter a room, your HVAC system will increase or decrease the temperature, air circulation, and humidity to reach an optimal level. When you leave a room, the system will go down to a minimal operation.

Increase Energy Efficiency

Perhaps one of the first basic applications of AI in the HVAC industry revolved around programmable thermostats. When these first arrived on the market, they allowed Arizona homeowners to drop the temperature after family members left for work or school or during the night. The thermostats would then increase the temperature shortly before family members arrived home or woke up for the day. One of the biggest benefits was energy savings.

More advanced AI technologies are doing the same things today. Smart thermostats can “learn” how you like your temperature to fluctuate during a given week and adjust its settings appropriately. In addition, many people can now control their thermostats or HVAC systems remotely through a Wi-Fi connection.

The heat- and motion-detection technology available saves even more energy by only providing heating or cooling in the areas of the home family members are currently using.

Better HVAC Equipment Care

Most people don’t think much about their HVAC system until it’s not working correctly. After a breakdown or malfunction, a homeowner will call a professional technician to come and repair the problem.

On the other hand, some people work hard to maintain their HVAC systems, regularly changing their air filters and adhering to a regular maintenance schedule recommended by their local HVAC provider.

However, AI promises to ratchet this level of maintenance another notch higher by providing sensors that can monitor your HVAC system around the clock. According to THE ACHR NEWS, smart systems will detect HVAC problems more quickly, leading to greater comfort and reduced energy usage. Certain vibrations, temperature changes, electric current levels, or fluid amounts may provide an early signal for a potential malfunction.

This type of AI sensor will be able to alert you or the HVAC company of impending problems before you have an interruption of your heating or cooling. This often means problems are caught in very early stages, which can result in both reduced repair bills and energy savings. It can also prevent further damage of your HVAC equipment, thereby lengthening the life span of your furnace or air conditioner.

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in learning more about the latest AI developments in the heating and cooling industry, turn to ACS Air Conditioning Services in Marana, AZ. We work hard to keep our team up to date on the latest developments in both AI and in other HVAC areas and are always interested in sharing the latest developments with our customers. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

Congratulations, you’re planning to remodel your Oro Valley home! Breathing new life and comfort into your charming older home is a grand adventure, and you can count on our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services to be there every step of the way to help however we can.

But before you begin picking out the paint colors and fabric swatches, don’t forget about your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Upgrading your heating and cooling system can lower your monthly utility bills by more than 40 percent. And the best time to replace older equipment is when you are updating your home.

ACS Air Conditioning Services is your trusted source for all your HVAC services in Oro Valley, AZ. We install, replace, repair, and maintain all brands and models. Give us a call today for a free consultation about your next home project.

Why Upgrade Your HVAC Equipment

Most homeowners wait until their heating and cooling system is on its last legs before they replace it. That’s a mistake. After the 10-year mark, your equipment starts to wear down. The energy bills go up, and the repairs become more frequent.

Unless your system is relatively new, replacing it while remodeling makes a lot of sense. The equipment you now have is based on the square footage of your home. If you are adding new living space, that equipment is going to work extra hard to keep you comfortable.

The same goes with your air ducts. Most ductwork, over time, tends to lose up to 30 percent of the airflow because of leaks and tears. A remodeling project allows you to seal those leaks and patch any tears.

Tightly sealed ductwork helps your equipment run more efficiently and improves your indoor air quality (IAQ). Be sure to ask about our convenient financing options that make it possible to create a dream home for your loved ones.

HVAC Remodeling Ideas

Plan ahead when it comes to upgrading your HVAC equipment. Think about adding new fan venting for your kitchen and bathrooms. Create a zone control system with your ductwork that allows you to set different temperature zones around your home. Take control of your energy use by upgrading to smart thermostats.

For a new addition, consider upgrading your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump. You can also install a ductless mini split system in parts of your home without ductwork—such as the basement, garage, or attic.

Our licensed and knowledgeable professionals can recommend the best equipment and materials to suit your project. We can then work with your or your contractor to create an energy-efficient home that’s safe, healthy, and comfortable. Our accurate up-front pricing removes any surprises or stress. Give us a call today.

Call Your HVAC Experts Today

Waiting to upgrade HVAC equipment after you already remodeled your Oro Valley, AZ, home adds unnecessary expenses. Call ACS Air Conditioning Services, and let’s map out a proactive strategy that fits your budget and needs. Call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

Indoor humidity is a drag. It makes relaxing extremely difficult—after all, you are sweating inside your home! It can affect your health, triggering asthma attacks and flaring allergies. It tends to put everyone in a sluggish mood—even the goldfish. Let’s zap that excess moisture right out of the room, and look at ways to manage your Arizona home’s relative indoor humidity.

At ACS Air Conditioning Services, we always strive to find ways to improve your comfort and energy savings. We believe you should control your comfort, and it starts with your indoor air quality (IAQ) and relative indoor humidity.

How to Manage Your Home’s Humidity

First of all let us answer the main question: what humidity level do I want in my Tuscon home?

The answer is going to be different for every person! It’s like the temperature—some like it hot and others like it cold. Typically, you want your humidity between 30 and 50 percent for ideal comfort levels.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reducing indoor humidity levels to below 60 percent helps control the growth of mold and reduces potential heath problems associated with mold exposures such as allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory issues. A relatively inexpensive instrument called a hygrometer can measure the indoor relative humidity at your home or business.

Dehumidification

Your air conditioner (AC) removes humidity from the air, but this is not always sufficient to maintain ideal humidity levels in the home. The best recommendation for managing the excessive humidity levels in your home is to install a whole-house dehumidifier. This device works with your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment to remove moisture from the air before it circulates through your Tuscon home.

A dehumidifier helps to keep your home comfortable all summer long. It operates similarly to your AC unit in that moisture is collected by a refrigeration coil within the device. This excessive moisture is then drained and the conditioned air is distributed throughout the home.

Signs that you have too much humidity at home:

• Moist or sticky air
• Damp or musty smell
• Condensation on your windows
• Wet walls
• Bacterial growth (in either the home, attic, or crawlspace)

Too much humidity in the air can cause:

• Poor indoor air quality that could lead to illness
• Mold, mildew, and bacteria growth
• Worse or more frequent symptoms for asthma or allergy sufferers
• Damage to your home from extensive exposure to moisture

Humidification 

There are a few different options for whole-house humidifier systems, but they all essentially add moisture to the air in your central heating system to increase humidity levels to the desired range.

A properly designed and installed humidification system can make a significant difference in a home, but only if designed and installed properly. A poorly installed system can cause a world of headaches for the unsuspecting homeowner. Improper humidification and design can lead to mold or bacterial growth throughout the home or attic. Equipment failure due to poor installation can lead to leaks and damage ceilings, wall, insulation, framing, or even roofing.

Signs that you do not have enough humidity at home:

• Asthma and allergy symptoms worsen
• Dry skin and chapped lips
• Wooden floors or furniture which dries out and cracks
• Your home never feels as warm as the thermostat indicates

A lack of humidity can cause:

• Sickness to spread more easily
• Home damage from dry/cracked wood
• Increase in utility bills

Fix Your Ducts!

Before considering a whole-house system to add or remove humidity from your home, first ensure your home and ductwork is properly sealed and insulated. No system can keep a home comfortable if these things are not up to standard. Schedule an appointment with ACS Air Conditioning Services to have one of our professionals inspect and seal your ductwork so we can determine the next step to maintaining ideal humidity levels in your home.

Call Your Air Quality Experts Today!

In both humidification and dehumidification, there are a wide range of products and price points to consider. At ACS Air Conditioning Services, our professionals will walk you through the selection and design process. We take into account the many variables involved in creating the perfect system so you are comfortable through all of the seasons in your Tuscon, AZ, home. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online today to learn more about tackling humidity.

Heating and cooling a commercial building in Marana presents different challenges and needs than heating and cooling a Marana home. This is primarily due to the size of the building and how many people it needs to accommodate at one time. There might be many offices in various parts of the building, along with the possibility of a number of floors, and each may require a different temperature simultaneously.

Despite these differences, commercial buildings have some of the same issues to face as an Arizona home––inefficiency in heating and cooling resulting in unnecessarily high utility bills and inconsistent comfort levels. To address these, the most efficient thing to do is install a zone control system. Call one of our professionals at ACS Air Conditioning Services, and we will be happy to discuss your specifics with you.

What Is a Zone Control System?

A zone control system allows one heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to be utilized efficiently by many users simultaneously in different areas, or zones, of one building. Each zone is operated independently of the others without the temperature choices of one zone significantly impeding or affecting the others.

Zones can be designed to be as small as one office or as large as an entire floor. The zoned system uses thermostats, a control panel, and zone dampers in the ducts, working in tandem with the HVAC system to meet the needs of the users.

Fact is, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) states HVAC systems account for 40 percent of electricity usage when it comes to commercial buildings.

How Does an HVAC Zone Control System Work?

In an Arizona commercial building, the zone control system provides precise control over the temperature in each designated area or office space using only single-zone unitary HVAC equipment. Thermostats connect to a central control panel to open and shut dampers distributed throughout the building’s ductwork, thus blocking or releasing hot or cold air.

Each area’s temperature is set, and the zone control system does the rest of the work. The system warms or cools the spaces used the most at the time they’re needed. Every zone has its own thermostat and damper system controlling the heating and cooling provided to that space.

It’s an efficient system, for example, for buildings that may have office space using a lot of technology. An area with many computers may need to be cooled more to offset the equipment’s heat, but the cooler temperatures won’t affect the adjacent offices or areas in separate zones.

What Are the Benefits of a Zone Control System?

A zoned HVAC system has several benefits for commercial buildings:

• Consistent heating and cooling. It’s all about temperature control. If a space, or zone, requires more heating or cooling, simply adjusting the thermostat will meet that need. Even in areas of a building that may traditionally be harder to heat or cool, this precise temperature control compensates for the inconsistency. Measures can be even more efficient with programmable thermostats.

• Less energy use. Since unused areas are now zoned, the heating or cooling can be shut off to avoid heating or cooling them unnecessarily. Also offices or areas where tenants need less heating and cooling will only be heated or cooled upon demand. This all means less energy use.

• Cost savings. Precision heating and cooling makes for less energy wasted through the year. A zone control system can reduce the heating and cooling cost in a building by as much as 25 percent. Also, less HVAC system usage and stress means fewer repairs, another cost savings.

Contact Us for Your Zone Control System Needs

At ACS Air Conditioning Services here in Marana, AZ, we are HVAC zoning professionals. Please call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online today. We know how much is riding on your business and the regular care of your HVAC system.

Are you shopping for a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in Oro Valley, AZ, or the surrounding area?

If so, you will want to read this first.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will raise the minimum efficiency requirements for central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps starting in 2023. Systems sold in the U.S. beginning January 1, 2023, must meet those minimum standards.

Additionally, in 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin phasing down the manufacture and importation of R-410a, a commonly-used refrigerant for residential cooling systems.

The two changes will create a new generation of HVAC systems designed to be more efficient and eco-friendly. But you’ll also pay more to enjoy these new features, a factor to consider if you plan to replace your equipment in the next few months.

ACS Air Conditioning Services is a trusted name for providing quality HVAC service to Oro Valley households and businesses. Give us a call for any questions you have about your next home improvement project!

What Is SEER and How Does it Impact HVAC Systems?

The seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) measures cooling system efficiency. The higher the number, the better the efficiency.

Beginning next year, SEER ratings for AC units and heat pumps will increase from 13 to 14 in northern states and 14 to 15 SEER in the South and Southwest regions of the country.

In terms of heating efficiency, air-source heat pumps will increase from 8.2 to 8.8 HSPF (heating seasonal performance factor).

The increase in efficiency means you will use less electricity for the same amount of cooling. Your Oro Valley home’s carbon footprint will shrink, and so will your utility bills. But you can expect manufacturers to increase prices to accommodate the new SEER ratings.

Is your cooling system more than eight years old and less than 15 SEER? Now is the perfect time to replace it before prices increase next year. Why keep outdated, obsolete equipment that will drive up your electric bills? Call ACS Air Conditioning Services today for a free consultation and upfront pricing.

What Is SEER2?

SEER2 represents new testing standards for cooling systems beginning in 2023. The testing standards give consumers a more accurate picture of how an installed HVAC system will perform.

Similar to the changes in the SEER rating, these new testing standards do not impact your current system. But they will drive up purchase costs in the future. The new testing requirements mean any equipment the manufacturers produce must now adhere to SEER2 standards.

New Refrigerants in 2023

Since 2010, residential cooling systems have contained a refrigerant called R-410a, a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) that has high global warming potential and could harm the environment if it leaks from a cooling system.

For that reason, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is phasing down the manufacture and importation of HFCs by 85 percent over the next 15 years.

Beginning next year, new cooling systems will contain a refrigerant called R-454b with a lower global warming potential.

This refrigerant is more environment-friendly than its predecessors but also mildly flammable. You can rest assured our ACS Air Conditioning Services technicians know how to handle it safely.

What If My Cooling System Uses R-410A?

Although R-410a will be available for equipment repairs over the next few decades, no new air conditioners or heat pumps will contain R-410a beginning in 2023 [LINK: epa.gov].

You do not have to replace any equipment because of the new refrigerant changes.

A well-maintained AC system will last 15 to 20 years. If you need a new unit, buy it this year. There should be enough R-410a to last the life of your system, but the cost of replacing the refrigerant might creep up eventually if you need a repair.

Can I Retrofit My AC to Use R-454B?

No. Refrigerants operate at different pressures. An R-410a air conditioning or heat pump system will not be calibrated to use R-454b.

Even if you could retrofit your equipment to handle different refrigerants, the cost of doing so would likely approach the price of a new system. Plus, you would more than likely void your existing warranty.

You can save money immediately on utility bills by upgrading today to a high-efficiency system. Plus, you’ll pay less in purchasing costs. Otherwise, wait until 2023 to buy a system with the new refrigerant and SEER ratings. Our trained professionals can walk you through the pros and cons.

Call Your HVAC Experts Today

Our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services looks forward to sharing new information about HVAC systems with all our customers in Oro Valley, AZ, and the surrounding areas. That includes changes to refrigerants and SEER ratings. Schedule a free consultation today—call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online.