PREPARE TO SAVE ENERGY THIS FALL IN FLORIDA

October 1st, 2018

With the mild weather of fall coming, now is the perfect time to make a few improvements around your home. If you are suffering from high utility bills, here are four easy ways that you can reduce energy consumption in your Southwest Florida home:

Have Your HVAC System Serviced

Things like clogged air filters, poorly-lubricated blower motors and dirty condenser or evaporator coils can make your HVAC system work harder than necessary to keep you comfortable, increasing your energy consumption and utility bills. To save energy and extend the life of your system, have an HVAC professional inspect it and perform any routine maintenance that may be required. After the visit, check the air filter often and change it as necessary to keep your system running efficiently.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

By adjusting the temperature in your home while you are at work or asleep, you can reduce the energy consumption of your HVAC system by as much as 10 percent. A programmable thermostat is the easy way to do this, as it can automatically adjust the temperature, then return it to normal so that your home is comfortable when you come back from work or wake up. In warm weather raise the temperature 10 to 15 degrees, and in cool weather reduce it.

Seal and Insulate Your Home

Air leaks can significantly increase energy usage in any season by allowing conditioned air to escape and outside air to enter.. Use weatherstripping and caulk to seal around drafty windows or doors, and use caulk or expanding foam insulation to seal penetrations made for pipes, cables, dryer vents and other openings in your exterior walls. Have your insulation levels checked, especially in the floors, walls and attic, and add more if necessary.

Reduce Your Water Heater Temperature

Many water heaters are set to 140 degrees or higher from the factory, which not only wastes energy but also may cause scalding. A setting of 120 degrees can reduce your costs, while still providing plenty of hot water.

For more ways to reduce energy consumption, talk to our HVAC professionals at Conditioned Air today.

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Why Indoor Air Quality Should Matter To You

September 28th, 2018

Our friends at Carrier discusses in this blog Why Indoor Quality Should Matter To You and why it’s important especially during the Red Tide Event we have been experiencing now for twelve months. Read more from Carrier here.

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SICK OF RED TIDE? HERE’S 3 BENEFITS OF A WHOLE-HOUSE AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM

September 18th, 2018

It has been a rough summer dealing with Red Tide here in Southwest Florida. Just remember the quality of your Southwest Florida home’s indoor air is just as important as the air quality outdoors. Considering how 90 percent of an average person’s time is spent indoors, it pays to have an effective way of keeping your home’s indoor air healthy. Fortunately, a whole-house air filtration system offers the perfect solution to your indoor air quality concerns.

Whole-house air filtration systems are designed to tackle airborne pollutants that come from inside and outside of your home through a wide variety of methods. For example, many air filtration systems use HEPA filters and ultraviolet (UV) lamps to capture and neutralize an array of pollutants, including microorganisms and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from common household sprays.

To understand how whole-house air filters can benefit your home, consider these three pieces of information:

  1. As the name implies, a whole-house air filtration system takes care of the entire home. Most portable air filters can only handle one or two rooms, at most. This makes buying a whole-house system a more cost-effective investment than buying multiple portable units.
  2. Whole-house air filters can also extend the life of your heating and cooling system by reducing the prevalence of dust and other airborne particles throughout the system. A cleaner HVAC system offers better performance and greater longevity.
  3. Whole-house air filters have the added benefit of being able to purify your home’s air without being seen or heard. By integrating filtration systems neatly into the existing HVAC, they’re able to operate with little to no noise.

With a whole-house air filtration system, you’ll be able to enjoy cleaner, healthier indoor air, with the peace of mind that comes in knowing that your whole-house air filters are more effective at capturing airborne pollutants than most ordinary air filters.

To learn more about how whole house air filters can benefit your home, or if you need air conditioning repair in Southwest Florida, contact the professionals at Conditioned Air today.

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DEALING WITH INDOOR ALLERGY ISSUES THIS YEAR? YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

September 5th, 2018

As summer rolls on in Southwest Florida area and both the temperature and humidity rise, many people will be spending the majority of time indoors comforted by air conditioning. This can present problems for those with allergies, as indoor allergy issues will become more prevalent. There are, however, several steps that you can take to successfully cope with indoor allergy issues during the summer.

Keep Doors and Windows ClosedWhen pollen counts are high, it’s best to keep your windows and doors closed and use the air conditioning as much as possible to avoid unnecessary allergens. This is especially true in the early morning hours — from about 5:00 to 10:00 a.m. — when pollen counts tend to be the highest.

Avoid Bringing Allergens Inside

When you do work outside during the summer, such as mowing the lawn or cleaning the yard, pollen, dust and other allergens can easily hitch a ride indoors on your clothing. To avoid adding extra allergens to your indoor air, change your clothes and take a shower after the job is finished and wash your work clothes often.

Clean Often

Minimize the accumulation of allergens by vacuuming and dusting often, using a vacuum with a HEPA filter and either moist or electrostatic cloths. Install hypoallergenic sheets, pillowcases and mattress covers in each bedroom, and wash them at least once a week. Reduce clutter throughout your home and reduce the number of surfaces that can collect dust and allergens.

Keep Your HVAC System Maintained

Have your HVAC system professionally inspected and cleaned twice a year to prevent system problems and reduce dust accumulation. Check the air filters monthly and replace them as necessary, and upgrade to filters with higher MERV ratings for better air filtration. Consider installing a whole-home air cleaner or ventilation system to improve indoor air quality and to reduce the amount of allergens and dust in your home.

For more suggestions about coping with summer indoor allergy issues, talk to our air quality experts at Conditioned Air. We have been serving the Southwest Florida region since 1962 including Naples, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch.

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TOP 4 AIR CONDITIONER TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS-TRY THESE FIRST!

August 24th, 2018

Air conditioning problems can be inconvenient and uncomfortable even on mild days in Southwest Florida, but in many cases, the cause may be simple, such as airflow problems from a dirty filter or a compressor that overheats on an especially hot day. Before calling a professional, there are a few air conditioner troubleshooting tips that you should try first, possibly saving valuable time and money.

Check for Power

When the air conditioner will not turn on, make sure that the thermostat is set correctly and that it has power, replacing the batteries if necessary. If the thermostat is working, check for tripped breakers, and reset them, even if they are not tripped. This will often reset the control systems or safety systems. If the compressor has an overheat safety switch, reset it, as well.

Check for Airflow Problems

Poor cooling performance or frozen coils could be the result of airflow problems. Check for a dirty air filter and replace it if necessary. Check all vents and ducts for obstructions, such as furniture or curtains that block the vents, or items that have fallen into floor ducts. If the problem remains, check the evaporator and blower fan for dust or dirt accumulations, and carefully clean them with the power off.

Clean the Condenser

Poor cooling performance can also be caused by a dirty condenser outside. Make sure the area around the condenser is free of debris, such as tall grass or lawn furniture. Check the condenser coil for debris, such as leaves and grass, and clean it with a garden hose, if necessary. Make sure the fan spins freely and operates properly.

Clean the Condensate Drain

If you notice water leaking from the air conditioner or it will not turn on, make sure the condensate drain is clean. Some systems will shut down automatically if the drain is clogged. Use a shop vacuum or a thin wire to remove dirt and algae from the drain line.

For more air conditioner troubleshooting tips, talk to our professionals at Conditioned Air today. We have been serving homeowners throughout Southwest Florida since 1962.

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DEHUMIDIFICATION: THE KEY TO SUMMER HOME COMFORT

August 20th, 2018

In areas of high humidity, such as Southwest Florida, controlling the amount of moisture in the air is as critical to your comfort as controlling the temperature. In many areas, air conditioning alone is enough to maintain comfortable humidity levels. But in more humid areas, or in homes with poor ventilation, additional dehumidification may be necessary.

How Humidity Affects Comfort

In the summer, a hot day with low humidity feels much cooler than a similar day with high humidity. This is because the humid air prevents sweat from evaporating, interfering with your body’s natural cooling system and leaving your skin feeling sticky and uncomfortable. High humidity can also make it harder to breathe for those with allergies, asthma or other respiratory illnesses, and it can encourage the growth and reproduction of bacteria, mold, mildew, dust mites and other irritants. By maintaining healthy humidity levels of 50 percent or lower, you can make your home much more comfortable and avoid moisture-related problems.

How to Improve Dehumidification

Any home with a properly-sized, well-maintained air conditioning system and decent ventilation should be able to control humidity sufficiently in all but the most humid areas. If a home lacks proper ventilation, however, moisture from cooking, bathing, washing dishes, and fuel-burning appliances can accumulate, increasing humidity levels. Likewise, an air conditioner that’s oversized and doesn’t run long enough to properly dehumidify will leave moisture in the air; and if vents are blocked, the air filter is dirty or there are other maintenance problems, it may make the problem worse.

To improve dehumidification, make sure your home is properly ventilated, that your air conditioner is sized correctly, and that it is professionally maintained annually. If you live in an excessively humid area or still have moisture problems, then you may want to consider installing a whole-home dehumidification system to supplement your air conditioner.

To learn more about dehumidification systems and how they can improve your comfort, talk to our experts at Conditioned Air. Our team can help solve your humidity problems throughout the Southwest Florida area, including Naples, Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch and Ft. Myers.

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Florida: Save Money on your Electric Bill This Summer

August 10th, 2018

Check out the infographic for stats and tips on how to save money on your electric bill this summer in Southwest Florida. In Sarasota, Bradenton, Naples or Fort Myers, Conditioned Air is here to keep you cool all summer long. If you have any further questions about how to save energy this summer in florida, please feel free to give us a call at 1-888-COLD-AIR.

We are here to help you!

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Naples Daily News features Shorty’s 50 Years at Conditioned Air

August 6th, 2018

Our friends at Naples Daily News did a nice feature on Shorty’s 50th celebration here at Conditioned Air. Read more here

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The Life of “Shorty”

July 24th, 2018

Today marks a big milestone in the life of William “Shorty” Sander, our longtime service professional and Field Supervisor. Longtime does not do it justice as today is Shorty’s 50th anniversary with Conditioned Air. Yes, five zero, 50. He came to work on July 24, 1968 when CAC had only 12 people. 50 years of loyalty to the people of Conditioned Air, our customers and clients all over southwest Florida and the industry and profession he loves. What a landmark day in Shorty’s life and fortunately for all of us, our lives as well.

 

Shorty is part of the foundation and fabric that is Conditioned Air and his contribution to the lives of people here and the people we serve cannot be overstated.

 

Congratulations Shorty!!

 

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The right conditions for succession

July 3rd, 2018

Read the story from the Business Observer here

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