March Articles

March 2004 Articles

These are condensed versions of the Radio Program

3/5/04

Questions continuously arise concerning heating and air system designs. The best way to answer most of them is to simply define some terms we keep hearing. First, “Split System”- that is a system where the heating portion is inside the home somewhere, and the condenser unit (cooling) is on the outside. These are most commonly used in homes that are built on slab foundations. It is very difficult to put ductwork in or under concrete, so ductwork ends up being placed in the attic. Next, the “Package Unit”- this is the system where everything for heating and cooling is contained in one package located outside the home. These are used when there is a conventional foundation (or crawl space). These easily allow for ductwork to be placed underneath the home and the vents placed in the floor. It is very advantageous for the ductwork to be underneath the house because there is a pretty constant temperature year-round. In the attic, it gets extremely cold in the winter when you’re trying to move warm air through the ducts. And, it’s just as difficult to keep cool air moving through them in the summer when the temperature in an attic can exceed 130 degrees. In construction of new homes and when adding central heat and air to existing homes, the design of the system is every bit as important as the quality of equipment. Make sure your contractor has run all the diagnostic tests and procedures to custom design YOUR system to best suit YOUR needs in YOUR home. If you have any questions, call us at Quality Service. Our phone number is 635-3452

3/12/04

Indoor air quality is the source of many questions in the HVAC industry. Let’s answer a few today. Many people suffer from allergies caused by allergens in their own home and don’t even realize it. You can be allergic to pollen, dust, or virtually anything airborne. The allergens get in your house in a variety of ways. They get in when you open the windows and doors to enjoy the fresh air, and you can even bring them in on your clothes. How do you deal with them? Well since the air/heat system in your home is a closed loop, you must get rid of as many of them as possible. How? One way is filtration. Not the “4 for $2 blue kind at the dime store. Those will stop monkeys and bricks. If there are allergy issues in your home, you need to consider media filters up to 5”, or electrostatic or HEPA filters. If you are SERIOUS about removing allergens from your home…you should check into an electronic air filtration system. These are extremely effective in stopping the allergens, and in a nutshell, work like a bug-zapper in stopping them and rendering them harmless. Also, viruses cause many allergies. The most effective tool to keep viruses out of your indoor air is a UV light. This light kills viruses and many other airborne allergens. If there are serious health risks brought on by allergies in your home, you might want to consider the use of the electronic air cleaner and the UV light in tandem. That can bring the air in your home to very near hospital quality. It’s not as expensive as you might think. If you have any questions about how to improve the quality of the air in your home please call us at Quality Service. Our number is 635-3452. Also, let us hear any questions you might like to have answered here in the paper or on our weekly “Ask Mike” show at 10 Saturday mornings on WTRB.

03/17/04

Here’s our question for today. What’s the biggest cost in the air conditioning and heating industry? It is actually one that homeowners cause for themselves. They do it when they fail to have proper maintenance and tune-ups performed on their equipment. It’s the reason thousands of homeowners across the country will sweat the summer out in houses that are uncomfortable. Another question: Of course Quality Service is going to suggest regular maintenance, that’s one way you make money, right? Yes, we do have a very reasonably priced maintenance program that has been beneficial our customers and for us. The customers save money in many ways with regular maintenance and we cut down on our costs for overtime and the like. It’s certainly not just us telling you the benefits of regular maintenance. You hear it from manufacturers, power companies, The EPA, Consumer Reports and countless other consumer publications and sources. We all tell you the importance of proper maintenance because it’s the smart thing to do. You can get by without changing the oil in your car for a while, but there will be a price to pay. If you forego maintenance, the evidence will be in higher utility bills, reduced heating capacity and breakdowns. You’ll also see it when your unit dies before its time. What are some of these benefits? Naturally, you save money. If you tune up your car, you get better gas mileage. If you care for your air conditioner-you save on utilities. Studies show that the average home that had regular maintenance performed saved around $32.76 per month during cooling season and the numbers were very much the same for heating. That means that The Quality Service Maintenance Program could easily pay for itself every year, and you’d have savings left over. Space limits detail here, but there are many more benefits that save you money and inconvenience. Also, remember our “Oldest Air Conditioner” contest. We want to find the oldest operating central air conditioner in Lauderdale County. The oldest one entered will win the homeowner a free air conditioner to use for replacement. For more information on the contest, or if you have a question for us-call us. Our number is 635-3452. You can also check our website at www.qualityserviceinc.com.