Problems that Come Up with Dirty Air Ducts

When you have dirt in your air ducts, you might not consider the problem to be too dangerous or impactful at home.

But, the truth is that dirty air ducts are linked with numerous health issues and structural challenges across the home space. To help explain the importance of keeping your air ducts clean, we’re highlighting the problems that come up with dirty air ducts, in this latest post.

Higher Energy Costs

Energy costs are rising incrementally across the country, and homeowners now spend thousands of dollars a year trying to keep their equipment running at peak performance.

Dirty air ducts can prevent peak equipment performance. They can lead to the equipment working harder to reach the optimal temperature, using more energy in the process.

Long-Term Maintenance Problems

Because your systems have to work harder to push through the optimal supply of air into the home, you might also encounter HVAC maintenance problems. And so, you could be spending thousands of dollars more per year having to call out heating and cooling professionals to your home.

Keeping your ducts clean with regular cleaning will ensure your HVAC system runs smoothly and doesn’t need to work as hard.

Asthma-Related Problems

The dirt in your air ducts can cause those with asthma to experience breathing difficulties.

Over time, it may even increase the risk of those with asthma experiencing asthma attacks. That’s because they aren’t able to breathe clean air into their lungs.

Sinus Infections

Your sinuses are susceptible to infection if your surrounding environment is unclean. With unclean ducts spreading germs and pathogens throughout the home, you and your loved ones are likely to experience increased instances of sinus infections over time.

These infections can be dangerous by themselves, but can also lead to lung infections, which are a serious condition.

Respiratory Infections

Your respiratory system depends upon a clean exterior environment to function effectively. Make sure that your air ducts are cleaned by professionals to reduce the chances of an infection impacting your throat and lungs. This simple task can help safeguard your health for the years to come.

Our team is here to guide you in cleaning the air ducts around your home while saving you money on HVAC maintenance and reducing home health risks.

How To Get Your Air Conditioning Ready For A Hot Summer

We’re seeing the end of spring draw near for the nation’s capital. That means that the days are getting longer, school is soon going to be out, and there will be plenty of time for vacations, great weather for outdoor activities, and, of course, much hotter days.

Sometimes, that temperature can be so high and the air so humid that it can be difficult to live and work, but that’s where technology comes in.

Air conditioners can be a real lifesaver during the hottest days of summer, but you should do some preparation ahead of time to get your unit ready for another season of keeping you cool.

Examine & Maintain Your Condenser

Typical AC systems for the home often have a very large, fan-like unit that is installed just outside the residence.

This hardware is called a condenser.

Its job is to draw in air from the outside, expose that air to a coolant to lower its temperature, then pump that cooled air into the home.

The function of this unit means that it has been built to promote optimal air flow.

That means there’s a lot of space, much of it open, which can then allow detritus to enter in and settle at the bottom of the unit.

If your property has plants or trees, then take some time before summer begins to inspect your condenser and, if a lot of leaves have accumulated, clean it out.

They can impact the performance of your AC otherwise.

Schedule a Filter Replacement

An efficient and very common design for a centralized HVAC system has air conditioner integrated with the furnace, allowing them to share the same ventilation system.

However, this means that the same filter a furnace relies on is the one that the air conditioner will need to use as well.

In these cases, where filters are used all year round, you should schedule regular replacements if you’re using one-time only, disposable filters.

Every seasonal change, that is, four times a year, every three months, is a good schedule to follow.

Make Optimal Use of Your Thermostat

Homes with older thermostats that predate digital controls may want to consider upgrading to a modern system for a couple of reasons.

Newer thermostats tend to be more accurate with reading temperatures, meaning your AC won’t be working any harder than necessary.

But new models can also operate more efficiently because they can be scheduled.

You can program them to remain inactive during the day if no one is at home.

Then, shortly before people start arriving, it can turn on the system and start cooling down the home automatically.

Some new models can even be operated by your phone.

These Easy Monthly HVAC Maintenance Tips Will Prevent Costly Repairs

Replacing your whole HVAC system is a major expense, and it is usually one that takes you by surprise. Avoid having your system fail right when you need it most to keep cool this summer.

By making a list every month and dedicating a couple of hours to HVAC maintenance, you can prolong your HVAC’s life and fix small problems before they have a chance to develop.
Ready to roll up your sleeves and get started? Here are some helpful tips.

Call for a Tune-Up

If you haven’t yet done your HVAC’s annual maintenance, make your appointment today.

It’s a wise investment because an annual tune-up will effectively prolong your system’s lifespan. In some cases, it is even required to keep your warranty valid.

During the tune-up, you can expect the technician to clean and inspect all HVAC components.

This task helps to get your system in optimum shape to run reliably and efficiently to keep you cool this summer.

The technician will also look for wear and tear and alert you to any problems to keep on the radar. You’ll have great peace of mind.

Maintain Exterior A/C

Always make sure that there is substantial clearance around your exterior A/C unit.

That means trimming hedges, bushes, and trees to reduce the risk of something falling inside and getting caught in the fan.

Remove anything that has collected on top of the unit. Cleaning the unit on a regular basis is helpful. Start by turning off the power.

Remove the access panel and wipe down fan blades, fins and the inner and outer A/C coils.

Another important task is to ensure monthly that the unit is on even ground. Using a level, determine if it is off kilter.

Use concrete slabs or crushed stone to even it out.

Filter Change

This simple job can have big impact on your HVAC.

If you leave a dirty filter in your HVAC, not only are you compromising your air quality, you are making your unit work harder than it has to.

What’s more is that dirty filters often cause HVAC units to fail. It’s recommended that you change your filter every 30-90 days.

If you run your A/C constantly, it is best to stick to the 30-day rule. Same goes if you have pets.

Get a filter that is the most energy efficient (highest MERV rating) for the maximum energy savings benefit.

Going Green This Earth Day: What You Should Know

Earth Day on April 22nd provides an opportunity for you to learn more about your impact on the environment. Small actions that we take on a day-by-day basis can have a monumental impact on local water and energy resources.

Our team has significant experience in helping property owners create a high-efficiency space in their home, and in this latest post, we’ll explain some of the steps you can take for a greener lifestyle.

Use Tankless Water Heaters

Water heater tanks require you to take a large amount of water from the city’s system ready for use around your home. Now, however, there’s a new solution that’s helping property owners to mitigate their high water usage levels. Tankless systems provide you with hot water on demand.

They draw water from the local system only when required. This on-demand method of water consumption ensures you don’t overuse local resources, and you don’t spend hundreds of dollars each year heating up water that isn’t being used.

Commit to Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Your carbon footprint relates to the amount of carbon you contribute to the atmosphere through your day-to-day activities. By working together as a family, you can have a significant impact on reducing your overall footprint. For example, instead of driving with the kids to their schools each day, you can take a few minutes to walk. This ensures you waste less gas and contribute less carbon to the atmosphere. Reducing your carbon footprint can be the central element to your new environmental focus around the home.

Install Water Filtration Equipment in the Home

One of the challenges many people face is that they don’t have access to clean drinking water in the home. This means they rely on water from plastic water bottles bought at their local store. Plastic water bottles are then taken to landfills in their millions, where they take many years to biodegrade.

In order to minimize the impact of plastics and the local water bottling companies, you might consider using water filtration equipment in your home. Systems such as water softeners and reverse osmosis equipment can ensure a clean supply of water is available to your families around the clock.

It’s the Beginning of Spring on March 20!

Put away your winter coats and schedule that pedicure! Get out the barbecue and dust off your bike because spring officially arrives in Washington on March 20. While we’re happy to see winter go and excited for the new things that spring will bring, there are a few things we need to address beforehand to keep your family healthy this season.

Invest in Seasonal Maintenance Early in the Spring

Over the winter, you probably kept your doors and windows tightly shut to ensure efficient heating. In spring, our tendency is to throw open the windows and let some fresh air inside. However, by doing that you could be stirring up months of dust and allergens that have been cooped up inside your home. In addition to spring-cleaning, the best way to fight allergies in your home is with timely HVAC maintenance.

Cleaning your ducts, replacing your air filter and making sure your AC system is clean and ready for summer is a vital part of spring-cleaning and maintenance. By getting this task done early, you won’t worry about it and when the temperature rises, you can simply turn on your AC without wondering what might happen.

How to Reduce Allergens in the Air

No matter what you do, unless you live in a bubble, you will have allergens in the air. The severity of the issue and how much it affects you are the only factors you can control. While you’re throwing open your windows this spring, flowers are blooming, and pollen is floating through the air just waiting to enter your home. Here are a few ways to reduce allergy symptoms from pollen and allergens floating through the air:

1. Keep your doors and windows closed during peak pollen times. The pollen count is usually at its height between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 a.m.

2. Change your clothes or take a shower after being outside.

3. Keep your windows closed when it’s windy because there is a greater chance of pollen blowing into your home.

4. Invest in annual duct cleaning services.

5. Get a UV air sanitizer to clean the air.

6. Vacuum the floors or mop them on a regular basis.

7. Always make your bed, so dust and pollen do not settle in your sheets.

8. Depending on the unique needs in your home, invest in a dehumidifier or whole-house humidifier to help ease allergy symptoms.

9. Pet Dander is a Problem for Allergy-Sufferers, Too

Although we love our four-legged friends like they are our own children, it’s sometimes hard to live with them if you suffer from pet allergies. Their dander and shedding can cause serious allergy symptoms that are difficult to live with. Here are a few tips and tricks for managing pet allergies in your home:

1. Keep your dog or cat off the couch and other furniture to limit the areas where their hair collects.

2. Get your dogs groomed and brush the cats to reduce shedding.

3. Feed your animals fish oil supplements if the vet recommends it. This supplement prevents dandruff and has been known to help reduce shedding.

4. Vacuum and dust on a regular basis.

5. Invest in air filter replacement on a regular basis.

Call 703-765-9400 for easy and reliable heating and cooling services in Washington, DC today. The experts at Cyprus Air Heating and Cooling have all your needs covered.

Did You Know This About Your Air Conditioner?

The need for something that makes a process or condition better is what makes the mind tick and inventions come to life. That’s exactly what happened with the invention of the first air conditioning system: a concept made to make a process simpler turned into a modern day necessity. Watch below to learn more!

The experts at Cyprus Air Heating and Cooling, in the Washington, D.C. area, are always willing to share their knowledge with you. If you’re interested in learning more contact us at 703-765-9400.

How to Plan for Healthy New Year in Your Home

You’ve accomplished your juice cleanse, your gym membership is renewed, you’ve got a new haircut, and you’re ready to sign up for that half-marathon you said you’d always do. New Year’s resolutions are a great way to improve your health, change your lifestyle for the better and accomplish goals you never thought possible. If you can do it for yourself, why not take things a step further and plan some healthy changes in your home?

Get started with these few healthy HVAC ideas for 2017:

Invest in a Humidifier or Dehumidifier

Is your home too humid or too dry? There’s a small comfort window that most homes cannot reach without the help of a dehumidifier or humidifier. These units are designed to maintain your home at the most comfortable level to prevent respiratory problems and reduce mold. Whether you need a dehumidifier or humidifier will depend on your unique home needs. The main differences between the two are:

Dehumidifier: If your home is overly humid you will notice a sticky or clammy feeling. Things will feel damp, and your windows will most likely drip with water. Overly humid homes are at risk for mold growth and increased allergy symptoms. It also makes breathing difficult and can contribute to other respiratory illnesses. A dehumidifier will reduce the humidity in your home without changing the overall temperature, making it ideal to complement your AC in the summer and use in the winter as well.

Humidifier: Air that is too dry is also a nuisance for homeowners. Not only will your skin feel dry and parched, but also you may experience more frequent nosebleeds and dry, irritated eyes. Dry homes are also dangerous in homes with wood floors or beams, as the dry air can cause the wood to warp and disfigure. A humidifier will add just the right amount of humidity into your air to keep your family comfortable without putting you at risk for mold.

Schedule a Duct Cleaning Appointment

As your ducts carry conditioned air throughout your home, they collect debris such as dirt, pet hair, dander and other allergens. Over time, the ducts get filthy with this debris, making it more difficult for the HVAC systems to work efficiently and causing increased allergy symptoms and breathing trouble in your home.

Cleaning the ducts on a regular basis is a great way to make sure your air is clean and fresh and your AC or heating system is working at peak efficiency.

Clean Your HVAC Systems and Have them Inspected for Mold

HVAC systems such as your AC or boiler use water as part of the condensing process. This means the HVAC systems are at risk for mold growth. Mold is dangerous in your home for numerous reasons, but mostly because of the health concerns and respiratory issues that accompany it.

Cleaning your HVAC systems and making sure they are not producing mold is one of the most effective things a homeowner can do to make sure their home is healthy.

Contact Cyprus Air Heating and Cooling in Washington, DC today for more information and tips to make your home healthy in the New Year. Call 703-765-9400 today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.

Ways to Heat Up your Valentine’s Day

Love should be spread to every corner of your world on Valentine’s Day. That includes your house. You should use the holiday to remind you to give your home some TLC. Follow these three tips to give your home some love this Valentine’s Day.

Give Your Furnace a Break

Although spring will soon be upon us and we will get to go outdoors, you can get a jump on the fun by bringing outdoor-style heating to your living space. Get your chimney inspected so that you can enjoy beautiful gatherings around your family hearth. Annual chimney cleanings are essential to prevent the buildup of creosote, which can start a deadly fire in a heartbeat.

You should think about taking the party outside with outdoor heating options. A bonfire is guaranteed to make for a fun-filled night with friends and family. You can always go less primal by using a fire pit or an outdoor heater as well. The point is that you can always take the party to the great outdoors if you are willing to harness the power of outdoor heating.

Show Your Unit Some TLC

Valentine’s Day is a great time to perform some routine maintenance on your furnace. Give your furnace a once over or better yet hire a professional to give it a thorough inspection. At the minimum, you should change the filter and install a high-quality HEPA filter replacement to improve the air quality inside your home. You should also think about getting your ducts cleaned as part of your annual furnace maintenance routine. The air ducts will build up lots of dust over time that negatively impacts your health if it is not removed.

Love Is in the Air

It doesn’t matter how great your heating and cooling system is if your home is not properly insulated. Use this time to take a look at the insulation in your home. Check to see if there are areas where additional insulation would lower your heating and cooling costs.

You also need to use this time to think about everyday ways you can lower your energy use. For example, you need to be careful to keep doors and windows in your home fully closed in order not to waste climate-controlled air. You also need to think about the temperature settings you have set up on your HVAC system. Think about whether you can stand it a few degrees warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter in order to shrink your home’s carbon footprint and lower your energy bills.

If you want professional help getting your home’s heating and cooling needs squared away this Valentine’s Day, turn to Cyprus Air Heating & Cooling city in Alexandria, VA. When you contact Cyprus Air Heating & Cooling at 888-475-0402, we will make sure to take care and give your home the love it deserves. We will work with you to create a mixture of indoor and outdoor heating solutions to make your home a paradise.

4 Tips to Avoid Being Too Cold This Winter

Everybody likes saving money, and nobody likes being cold. Wouldn’t it be great if you could somehow combine those two things into a weekend project? Well, the good news is that you can! If you’re looking for ways to warm your home, keep your family more comfortable, and lower your energy costs, then you’re in the right spot. As promised, here are four ways that you can turn up the heat this winter without actually turning up the heat.

1. Furnace Maintenance

Did you know that the average cost of a furnace repair is about $300, while the average cost of annual maintenance is only around $100?

This comparison matters because many major furnace breakdowns can be prevented with regular maintenance and annual inspections, meaning you can avoid costly repairs just by having your heating system checked once a year. Not only that, but a maintained furnace is an efficient furnace, and that translates to a warmer house and a lower heating bill.

2. Humid Air

Humidifiers are a great way to add more moisture to the air in winter, and this can reduce dry skin, prevent chapped lips, and make your house feel warmer. Yes, that’s right—a humidifier can make your house warmer. Moist air retains heat better than dry air, so running a humidifier will keep you cozy and let you turn down the thermostat.

3. Winterized Home

A winterized home is a warm home because it’s better at keeping warm air in and cold air out. Winterizing involves seasonal measures like installing storm windows and doors, putting up window film, and reversing the direction of ceiling fans (to clockwise). But some winterizing can also be beneficial year-round, such as:-

-Repairing cracks in windows, doors, and ductwork

-Installing weather stripping

-Adding more insulation

-Blocking unused chimneys with balloons

4. Better Thermostat

Imagine you had a thermostat that you could program so that it would increase the temperature of the house before you woke up in the morning and before you got home from work in the evening.

And then imagine that the same thermostat could be programmed to lower the temperature when everybody was sleeping, out for the day, or away on vacation. Sound too good to be true? Well it’s not, and a modern programmable thermostat can do all these things, and save you money on heating bills at the same time.

These simple steps are things you can do on your own around the house in a short amount of time, and the money you’ll spend executing the tasks will be recouped quickly thanks to what you’ll save on your heating bills. Moreover, the money and headaches you’ll save on furnace repairs and breakdowns by having your heating unit maintained properly are priceless.

To book your furnace inspection today, call the heating experts at Cyprus Air Heating and Cooling at 703-765-9400