• Keep moisture out: Moisture leads to mold growth, which is one of the most prominent causes of indoor allergies and asthma. Seal cracks, leaks and drips that allow water in. Installing a dehumidifier can also help keep your home at the ideal humidity level.
• Check and clean the filter often: The filter in your heating and cooling equipment traps airborne pollutants as the air circulates through the system. You can help allergy-proof your home by installing a high-efficiency filter and changing it every month to prevent it from becoming clogged.
• Keep windows closed: You should rely on your HVAC equipment for comfort during the spring and fall instead of opening windows. Outdoor allergies are triggered when you open windows, especially between the hours of 4 and 10 a.m. when pollen counts are highest. It’s worth a slightly higher energy bill to allergy-proof your home by keeping windows closed.
• Choose a natural-gas fireplace: Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves add smoke and gases to the air, which can be huge allergy agitators. Natural gas fireplaces don’t cause higher levels of indoor air pollution, so if you can’t live without an operable fireplace, natural gas should be your choice.
• Use exhaust fans: These are most often found in the kitchen and bathroom where moisture and pollution are at their highest. Help allergy-proof your Triangle-area home by using these fans to draw humidity and pollution out.

These tips to allergy-proof your Triangle-area home will soon have you breathing more comfortably all year long. For more information, please contact us at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We have served the Triangle area for more than 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about allergies and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

• Switch your air conditioner fan mode to “auto” instead of “on.” The blower fan runs constantly when in the “on” position and can cause a rise in your home’s humidity level. Air conditioners create condensation that generally drain out of the home via condensation lines. When the blower fan is running, the condensation re-evaporates and is distributed throughout your home.
• Increase the temperature on your air conditioner thermostat and turn on ceiling fans. Ceiling fans help keep the air in your home moving, which helps reduce the chance of mold growth. Furthermore, always turn on bathroom vents when showering to ventilate the excessive humidity.
• Consider installing a whole-house dehumidifier or a whole-house ventilation system. Dehumidifiers remove the moisture in the air lowering the humidity level and reducing the possibility of mold growth. Ventilation systems help push impurities — such as mold spores — out of the air and decreases the chance of future mold problems.
• Remove mold spores from the air with an air purifier. Air purifiers are one the of most well known mold prevention tips and will provide your home with continuous protection against air contaminates such as mold spores.
• Have your HVAC system regularly maintained by a trusted and reliable company, and consider signing a service agreement. By doing so, an HVAC professional can spot mold-related issues early. Regular servicing also will prolong the life of your system, increase its energy efficiency and save you money.

For more mold-prevention tips, contact the experts at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We have been faithfully serving North Carolina’s Triangle area since 1979.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about mold-prevention tips and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

The best solution, then, is to remove the humidity from the air. And the way to do that is with a dehumidifier. Since the humidity won’t be confined to a small space like a basement, the best type of dehumidifier is a whole-house dehumidifier integrated into your HVAC system. A whole-house system pulls the air out of each room in your home, removes the excess moisture, and returns the drier air. Portable dehumidifiers are good for small spaces, but they would be noisy and bulky and would waste a lot of energy if you used them to dehumidify your whole home. A whole-house system is quiet, unobtrusive and energy efficient, and will maintain the proper humidity level throughout your home without much effort from you.

The Environmental Protection Agency says you should keep your humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. Maintaining your humidity within this range will help control the mold, mildew, bacteria and dust mite growth that high humidity can cause. These potential consequences of high humidity are far more important than mere discomfort, as they can lead to asthma and allergies. High humidity can also cause wet stains on your walls, rotted wood and other structural damage to your home.

A whole-house dehumidifier will work with your air conditioner to prevent the discomfort, health problems and home structural damage that high humidity might otherwise cause, and will prevent you from wasting energy overcooling your home to deal with the humidity.

For more advice on dehumidification or other home comfort areas, contact the experts at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving the Triangle area for more than 25 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about dehumidifiers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Savings

The savings that result from replacing your heating system at this time comes primarily from three sources:

• The current recession has forced many heating system manufacturers to reduce their prices.
• The installation cost of a furnace is lowest during the spring, when HVAC companies are not as busy.
• High-efficiency heating systems also may be eligible for tax credits.

You should also get an appraisal from a qualified HVAC contractor regarding the feasibility of replacing a poorly functioning furnace. A heating system that fails catastrophically may not require an appraisal to determine that you need to replace it.

Designs

Modern heating systems are becoming more energy efficient due to technological advances, causing the demand for high-efficiency designs to increase dramatically since 2007. Some heating systems use photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity, which greatly reduces their operating costs. Geothermal heating systems transfer heat from the earth to the house.

Efficiency

The annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of a furnace is the standard method of measuring the efficiency of a heating system. The AFUE is the percentage of the energy consumed by the furnace that is converted into heat. The heat production in the AFUE calculation does not include heat lost through the chimney, but it does include heat lost through the ductwork.

High-efficiency furnaces generally have an AFUE of at least 95 percent. They are initially more expensive, but your fuel will be lower and you will also receive tax credits. Replacing your heating system in the spring typically allows you to recoup the addition cost within a few years.

For more expert advice about installing furnaces and other issues related to home comfort, contact us at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving the Triangle area of North Carolina since 1965.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about heating systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Smart models are the new generation of programmable thermostats that make it easier than ever to understand your home comfort equipment. They have a variety of features that nobody would have imagined just a few years ago.

• It all starts with the Internet connection: Smart thermostats are always connected to the internet and they use it to monitor your system and communicate with you when necessary.
• Communication and operation is simple and straightforward: They even come with a smartphone application, web interface and touchscreen display that give you access to all the information you need to set your system for maximum savings.
• You get access to information you never had before: The Internet connection is also used to track peak hour rates from your energy provider. Smart programmable thermostats then adjust the settings to use less power during the times it is most expensive.
• Your air stays clean and comfortable: In addition to communicating with you, these models can “talk” to any other smart thermostats in the home and your ventilation system. They test your interior air for proper levels of humidity and balance the air in your home to keep moisture levels comfortable. They also test for toxins and use the ventilation system to remove unhealthy air.

All of the information these programmable thermostats gather is readily available to you so you can be smart about your energy usage. They do most of the work on their own but, more importantly, they give you the knowledge to understand your system and use it wisely.

For professional advice on selecting the best smart thermostat for your needs, contact Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We help Triangle area residents find the right model, install it correctly and walk you through the initial programming and features.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about programmable thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Clicking, Ticking And Cracking

Clicking, cracking, ticking and similar noise in the ductwork can be caused by the metal of the ductwork expanding and contracting as conditioned air travels through it. Warm air makes ductwork expand, while cold air makes it contract. When there is no air flowing through the ducts, they return to their original state. As the ducts move in and out, they make contact with your house frame, rafters, floorboards or other structures. This contact produces the noise in the ductwork. A building or HVAC contractor can give the ductwork more room to move by repositioning the ducts or expanding the area where it makes contact with other material.

Rattling, Banging And Clattering

If there are loose or detached ductwork sections, they can cause noise in the ductwork related to metal hitting against metal. Rattling, banging, tapping, clattering or similar noises could be caused by a loose section of ductwork moving and making repeated contact with another metal section as air moves through the system.

It may take the services of a professional HVAC contractor to find the source of the noise in the ductwork, especially if the ductwork is difficult to reach. If you can find the loose section yourself, you can refit it within the adjoining section until the connection is tight, which should stop the noise in the ductwork. Seal the connections with the specialized sealing compound mastic or with metal tape. Avoid using standard duct tape for sealing or securing ducts; the adhesive can dry out and fail.

Since 1979, Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning has provided trusted, reliable HVAC sales and service to residential and commercial customers in the Triangle area. For more information on solutions to noise in the ductwork, please contact us.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about noise in the ductwork and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

No-Cost Ventilation Strategies

Opening your doors and windows is a free and immediate way to get fresh air flowing through your home. It will also help lower your cooling costs. When the temperature at night is pleasant, leaving the windows open and turning the air conditioning off helps cool down a warm house. Unfortunately, ventilation strategies that use doors and windows depend on the weather. When it’s raining, too cold, too hot or pollen is at its peak season, opening them will not be a viable option.

Low-Cost Ventilation Strategies

If the weather does not permit opening the windows and doors but your home feels stuffy, turning on your air conditioner can help alleviate the problem. An air conditioner will help distribute fresh air throughout your home via mechanical ventilation. Unfortunately, ventilation strategies can increase your utility bills.

Fans are one of the cheapest ventilation strategies and will get air circulating quickly. Ceiling fans work well in both the winter and summer months. They keep the air flowing while providing a cool breeze in the summer and help push heat down away from the ceiling during the winter. Another option is window fans, which pull fresh air outside into your home.

Complete Ventilation Strategies

The most extensive ventilation strategies incorporate your entire home. A whole-house ventilation system or a whole-house fan unit will help prevent stale and stuffy air despite the weather outside. These ventilation strategies are more expensive but will protect your entire home.

For more ventilation strategies, contact the experts at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide on-time service and quality workmanship to the Triangle area of North Carolina.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about ventilation strategies and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Lowering Your Cooling Load

The term “cooling load” refers to how much energy your HVAC system uses to condition your home. The higher your load, the harder your air conditioner has to work in the summer. This can cause your energy bills to skyrocket, and it can also shorten the life span of your air conditioner and require that you have it repaired or maintained more frequently because it is working so hard.

Fortunately, your cooling load is, in some ways, under your control. Although one big factor, the size of your house, can’t usually be changed, there are several things you can do to lower your cooling load and make it easier to cool your house. For instance:

• Shut off rooms you are not using. Your air conditioner shouldn’t cool unused space.
• Consider adding extra insulation, especially in the attic, to keep cooled air from escaping and warm air from coming in.
• Insulate your ducts to avoid the escape of conditioned air as it travels through your home.
• Seal gaps and cracks that let hot air in and warm air out. To find these cracks, look especially around the windows and doors of your house and around electrical sockets and light fixtures. You can also turn off your HVAC system, close your windows and light incense to identify cracks by watching where the smoke goes.

For more tips or help lowering your cooling load, contact the friendly pros at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about cooling loads and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

• Seasonal pollen allergies.
• Dust allergies.
• Pet allergies.
• Asthma.
• Respiratory illnesses.
• Mold and mildew allergies.

How It Works

Electronic air cleaning gives particles in your home’s air a charge. The charged particles then settle out of the air, because they stick to oppositely charged surfaces. The two types of electronic air cleaners are ionizers and electrostatic precipitators. Ionizers cause charged particles to settle on surfaces around your home, such as windowsills and walls. Electrostatic precipitators cause particles to stick to charged plates within your air ducts. They remove many pollutant types, including mold spores, dust, pet dander and pollen.

Considerations

Each type of electronic air cleaning has its benefits and drawbacks. Ionizers may cause more dust to settle around your home, so you might have to clean more often. Electrostatic precipitators keep dust confined within the air ducts, but their charged plates need regular cleaning to keep them working.

Other things to consider when choosing an air-purification system include efficiency and the types of pollutants removed. Electronic air cleaning is very efficient. It also takes place within your HVAC ducts without taking up living space, like portable air cleaners do. One shortfall of some electronic air-cleaning systems is that they don’t all sanitize your home’s air. To get rid of germs and viruses in the air, consider a combined electronic air cleaning and ultraviolet light system.

For help choosing and installing an air-purification system in the Triangle area, contact the experts at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about electronic air cleaning and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

A heat pump is an excellent investment. It heats and cools your house in a manner that is much more energy efficient than air conditioners and furnaces can manage. It is one unit that does the work of two. During the warmer months, it takes the heat energy from the inside of your home and moves it to the outside, releasing it into the air, ground or a nearby water supply. Because it also dehumidifies your house while removing the heated air, it cools more efficiently than an air conditioning unit.

During the cold months, the heat pump extracts heat energy from outside. The heat pump uses this energy to heat your home. Although a heat pump runs on electricity, its ability to extract heat energy from other sources means that it can often produce more energy than it consumes. This results in a significant savings on your electrical bill. As the months go by, this savings adds up to where the heat pump may pay for itself.

You may have heard that heat pumps are usually only recommended for areas where the winters are mild. You can still enjoy the savings a heat pump provides even if the temperatures drop during the winter months. By pairing the heat pump with another heating unit, you can use the heat pump during the day and on milder nights. When the weather drops low enough, your thermostat will automatically start up your other heating unit, providing the extra heat you need. You will still see a significant savings over just using the other heating unit.

For more information about heat pumps and your other HVAC needs, contact Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We have proudly served the Triangle Area since 1979.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!