Common Air Conditioner FAQs

Air conditioning systems do a lot more than just keep your home or office cool during the summer. 

Air conditioners help maintain the right level of humidity in your house. During some seasons, when humidity is high, the air conditioner frees the internal air from excess humidity. It purifies the air you breathe in your house by preventing micro-organisms, dust, and soot from entering the internal air stream. It also keeps the room well-ventilated. By doing so, it helps you maintain good health.

How Do I Make My Air Conditioner More Energy Efficient?

There are several measures you can take in order to make your air conditioning system more energy efficient. You can save a lot on energy bills by sealing the leaky ducts in your air conditioner and replacing dirty air filters regularly. You should also keep the evaporator coils of your air conditioner clean and check the airflow periodically. It is also advisable that you keep the outdoor unit of your air conditioner free from blockages.

How Can I Ease Excessive Strain On My Air Conditioner?

Air conditioners break down every now and then in the summer, primarily due to overuse. You can reduce the strain on your air conditioner by insulating your house. Shading windows is another measure you can take to reduce air leakage. Limiting the use of heat producing appliances in your house can decrease the strain on your air conditioner. Use of exhaust fans to remove heat from the kitchen and bathroom can also be very helpful.

Why Is Ventilation So Important?

If your house is not ventilated properly, it can lead to some serious health hazards. Your air conditioner plays an important role in ventilation. It takes a cycle of at least four hours of running an air conditioning unit to move the stale air out of your house and fill it with fresh air. It is advised to let your air conditioner complete at least one such cycle per day.

How Do I Lower the Humidity In My House During Humid Days? 

Besides controlling temperature, the air conditioner also controls the humidity level in your house. Interestingly, it was invented with a primary aim to control humidity. Too much humidity may lead to mold formation which can be hazardous to you health; you should use your air conditioner not only to keep your home cool, but also to dehumidify the house.

You can keep your thermostat fan switched on auto to keep the humidity at bay during excessively humid days. If humidity levels are too high, this may not be the perfect solution to dehumidify your house and use of a dehumidifier may be necessary. Use of exhaust fans in areas like the kitchen and bathroom can be very helpful; these fans can blow away the moisture produced by activities such as cooking or showering.

For more information on air conditioner maintenance, get in touch with Scott-Lee Heating Company at (314) 756-9444.

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HVAC Systems: How Do They Impact a Home's Property Value?

HVAC systems do more than just heat and cool your homes and offices. 

An updated and well maintained HVAC system
will increase your home's property value.

They play such an important role in your home that they even impact the value of the property. Homes that have a modern, top of the line HVAC system tends to fetch higher prices in the market compared to other similar properties in the area that have an old and inefficient HVAC system.

How the HVAC System Affects Property Value

Homeowners planning to list their property for sale tend to focus on various things such as updating fixtures and appliances, enhancing the curb appeal, painting the walls, changing the carpets, and doing other things that can enhance the appearance of the property. However, many homeowners do not pay attention to the heating and cooling system. It may be surprising to learn that the HVAC system can have a huge impact on the value of the property. Here are some ways in which the HVAC system can impact the value of your property.

Updating the HVAC System To Accommodate Additions

Many homeowners like to add a sunroom, bathroom, or convert an attic into a room to create additional space in the home. However, it is important to bear in mind that it is important to evaluate the HVAC system to check if it can handle the additional load. According to HVAC experts, it takes approximately 25 BTU to heat or cool a square foot of space. If the existing unit is already working to its full capacity, then you would need a new, larger HVAC system for optimal coverage. If you have added space, but your HVAC system does not support it, your buyers might not like it.

Fixing Drafts and Cold Corners

If the ductwork or venting is not installed properly, then the home may have drafts and cold rooms. This would also translate into higher energy bills. If any of these problems exists in your property, it is advisable that you have an HVAC technician come and inspect the vents and ducts. This will reveal all the problem areas, which can be repaired. Some simple repairs can bring back the ductwork to a good condition and help save a lot of money. This definitely has a positive impact on the property value.

HVAC and Insurance

The age of your HVAC system has an impact on insurance premiums. It is likely that the insurance company may charge you a higher premium if your HVAC system is older than a specific age. Older HVAC systems are not as energy efficient as modern ones, and may cost you more in energy bills, which potential buyers would not like.

It is also important to note that elements and harsh weather conditions can cause damage to external units. It may be necessary to conduct repairs, and in case of extensive damage, the homeowner might have to consider replacing the unit.

If you want to maintain the value of your property, it is important that you maintain your HVAC system. Poorly maintained and outdated HVAC systems can have an adverse impact on your home's property value. Call Scott-Lee Heating Company at (314) 756-9444 to learn about our HVAC maintenance program.

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Investing In a Whole House Humidifier

A whole house humidifier can make your home more comfortable.

Keep your family comfortable with a whole house humidifier.

Controlling the temperature of air inside your home might not be enough to make you feel comfortable inside your home. There are other factors that determine the comfort levels that you experience inside your home. Internal air quality and humidity levels are a just a few of them.

Controlling the Moisture Level Inside the Home

Even if your HVAC system is maintaining your home at a comfortable temperature during the winter, you might still feel cold and uncomfortable if the air inside your home is too dry. So, it is important to get all the necessary equipment in your HVAC system that can regulate the humidity inside your home.

One such piece of equipment that can make a huge difference to the internal air quality and comfort level you experience inside your home is a whole house humidifier. As the name suggests, a whole house humidifier adds moisture or water vapour to the air inside the home and controls the humidity levels. It is a great investment for homes with low humidity levels.

Benefits of a Whole House Humidifier

Homeowners looking for a humidifier can purchase a standalone portable humidifier or a whole house humidifier. The latter makes a better option, because it is integrated in the HVAC system of the house, draws water directly from the water supply of the home, and circulates moisture through the ductwork. The benefit of using a whole house humidifier is that it controls the humidity of the entire house, and not just in one room or part of the house. It ensures that the entire house has uniform humidity levels.

Another major benefit of a whole house humidifier is that it offers a set it and forget it solution to the problem of dryness in your home. Once it is integrated into your HVAC system, it requires very low maintenance, and  will maintain the home at a constant humidity level with just a one-time set up.

Improving the Air Quality Inside Your Home

There are various ways in which a whole house humidifier can prevent health risks and improve the comfort level that you experience inside your home. Once you have the humidifier up and running inside your home, you will experience substantial improvement in the quality of air inside the home. You will feel warmer even when the thermostat is maintained at the same temperature as before.

If any of your family members have been experiencing problems such as allergies, breathing problems, irritated nose, colds, and respiratory infections, you will notice a remarkable improvement in their condition. Better humidity levels will also help other health conditions such as headaches, fatigue, cracked lips, dry skin, and itchiness. It will also rid your home of the painful and highly annoying problem of static shocks.

Contact Scott-Lee Heating Company at (314) 756-9444 to install a whole house humidifier. We will recommend a humidifier that will best meet your home’s requirements.

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Geothermal Heat Pumps: How Good Are They for Residential Use?

As energy costs keep getting higher, the demand for non-conventional, renewable, and cheaper sources of energy is at an all time high.

Two such energy sources that have made their way into our homes and commercial establishments, and have bought down costs are solar energy and geothermal energy.

Geothermal energy is being widely used to heat up homes and commercial establishments during winters. Geothermalheat pumps offer an energy efficient and effective alternative to conventional heating systems. Geothermal systems require one kilowatt /hour power to generate 12,000 BTU, while the other conventional systems require as much as 2.3 kilowatts per hour to generate the same amount of energy. According to HVAC experts, you can easily save up to 50% on your annual heating costs.

Geothermal heat pumps may require higher initial investment than the conventional heating systems, but they pay themselves off quickly in terms of low running costs and even lower energy bills. So, many homeowners are opting for geothermal heat pumps for their homes. Here are some advantages that geothermal heat pumps offer over other conventional heating systems:

• Installing a geothermal system requires high initial investment. However, the energy savings are considerable when compared to conventional heating systems. This means, you can recover your investment relatively quickly.
• According to some estimates you are generally able to recover your initial investment in a period of 4-8 years.
• Geothermal systems are environment friendly. There is no combustion in these systems, so there is no emission of conservatory gases.
• An important advantage of geothermal system is that it is much more durable than the conventional systems. The average life of a conventional system is about 10 years, whereas a geothermal system can last for about 50 years without requiring much maintenance and repair.
• Geothermal heat pumps operate very quietly.
• Geothermal systems do not ruin aesthetic appeal of the property where they are installed, because all pipes are laid underground and are not visible.
• These systems can also be used for heating water by getting a few attachments installed. This can further bring down the energy consumption in your home.

By getting a geothermal heat pump installed in your home, you would not only bring down your energy consumption, and eventually the expenditure on energy, but you will also take a step towards a greener environment. So, geothermal systems are not just good for your home, but also for the environment as a whole.

Contact Scott-Lee Heating Company today if you are interested in having a geothermal heat pump installed in your home. We can survey your home, look at its energy requirements, feasibility of geothermal installment, and let you know all about the systems, energy savings they bring in, and the initial investment required.

Call us today at (314) 756-9444

Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems

Geothermal systems are fast becoming a preferred way of heating and cooling homes and commercial establishments due to their better energy efficiency and lower carbon footprint.

What is geothermal energy?

Under the earth’s crust, there is a layer of molten, hot rock called magma. In this layer, natural decay of radioactive materials such as potassium and uranium continuously produces heat. According to geothermal experts, the heat within the first 33,000 feet of the earth's surface contains energy that is 50,000 times higher than all the natural gas and oil resources in the world combined. This energy is tapped to run heating and cooling systems.

How do geothermal heating and cooling systems work?

Unlike furnaces, the geothermal heat pumps do not burn fuel to create heat. These pumps gather earth’s heat through a series of underground pipes known as loop. Depending on the climate zone, at a certain depth, the soil maintains a constant temperature all round the year. The loop carries a fluid, which gets heated. This heat is carried to the house, and concentrated using a compressor and heat exchanger. The heat is then circulated inside the home at a higher temperature via duct work. During summers, the loop extracts excess heat from the house, which is then absorbed to the earth.

What are the key benefits of using geothermal heating and cooling systems?

Geothermal systems offer a number of benefits over conventional heating and cooling systems. Here are just a few of them:

Energy efficiency: The biggest benefit of geothermal systems is that they bring in energy savings. Geothermal heat pumps consume 25% to 50% less electricity compared to conventional HVAC systems.

Low maintenance: According to United States Environmental Protection Agency, geothermal systems have the lowest life cycle cost compared to all heating and cooling systems currently available in the market.

Durability: Geothermal systems have a much higher lifespan compared to conventional heating and cooling systems. They can serve you for decades without requiring much repair or maintenance. The underground pipes can last for as long as 25-50 years, and the geothermal heat pumps may last for 2 decades.

Design flexibility: Geothermal systems can be installed in both retrofit and new homes. They occupy very less space compared to conventional HVAC systems, because the installations are underground.

Quite operation: Geothermal heating and cooling systems generally do not produce noise.

Low environmental impact: According to US department of energy, a standard 3-ton residential geothermal system produces approximately one less pound of carbon dioxide for every hour of use.

St. Louis Geothermal Solutions

Geothermal systems typically require a high initial investment, so you should be sure that the company you designate for installation has the expertise and experience in working with geothermal systems. If you have decided on getting geothermal heat pump in your new house, or an existing building, get in touch with Scott-Lee Heating Company. We have been in business for over 30 years and have the experience and expertise to provide your family with energy efficient solutions for your heating and cooling needs.

Call us today at (314) 756-9444

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