Don’t Get Sick This Winter

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Keep Airborne Viruses Under Control In Your Home

Don’t Get Sick This Winter

Many feel that if they get a flu shot this winter, then they are not going to catch any illnesses, but this is far from the truth. The flu shot only prevents the flu, and this means that any other airborne illnesses that are floating around can be caught by this person.

Alexandria, VA Flu Season TipsMany don’t realize that their own Alexandria home is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to catching airborne illnesses because they feel that these illnesses are caught outside of the home.

If a family has people over for get-togethers, which is very common during the holidays, then any one of the persons coming into the home can bring in illnesses.

If a person has a cold or the flu, then if they sneeze or cough, they are exposing others in the room to the illness. These germs go into the air, and they can be sucked up into the HVAC system and passed throughout the house.

Keeping an HVAC unit working properly may be the best and first defense against getting airborne illnesses in your Alexandria home, especially during the wintertime.

Is Your HVAC Unit Ready For The Cold Weather?

You have to check your HVAC unit before you turn it on for the winter, especially if it’s been off since the summer. In some regions of the USA, those with an HVAC unit that is both an air conditioner and a heater may have the unit turned off for a couple months after the hot weather disappears.

During the months of September and October, it’s possible to have mild weather that doesn’t require the use of the HVAC unit, but then when late October and early November roll around, the weather may start getting cold.

Before you turn on the HVAC unit again, make sure it’s ready to deal with the cold weather by doing what’s necessary to keep the unit running properly.

Make Sure Maintenance Is Performed

If you want to prevent any airborne illnesses from roaming from room to room through your HVAC system, make sure that the filter in the unit is changed.

It’s a good idea to change the filter before turning on the heat, even if the filter is still usable. Call out a professional HVAC maintenance person to check out your unit, and you’ll also want to make sure to clean the unit as well as the air ducts and vents in the home.

Keep your Alexandria, VA home free from germs of the flu season. Call Cyprus Heating and Cooling today at (888) 775-5640, to get tips on how to keep your home flu free.

Prevent Yourself from Furnace Disasters

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Prevent a Furnace Disaster this Winter Season

Your home’s furnace plays an important role in keeping you warm over the winter. If your Alexandria home furnace breaks, you are not only left with no heat, but there’s a good chance your pipes will freeze, which causes twice the amount of damage.

Alexandria, VA Furnace-Repair-ServicesIt’s important that you keep your furnace system in top shape in order to avoid any disasters over the winter. Here are some things you can do to prevent furnace mishaps.

Change and Clean Your Furnace’s Filters

You should change or clean your furnace’s filters at least once a month. A clean filter will improve your furnace’s energy efficiency, which reduces your heating bills, and increase the life of your Alexandria home furnace system.

But more importantly, cleaning your furnace’s filters prevents the machine from breaking down because of clogged air flow and improves the quality of the air in your home.

Seal Your Furnace’s Ductwork

Air ducts can leak about 30 to 40 percent of the heated air that is pumped through them to heat your home. As you can imagine, this increases your heating costs significantly.

Because leaking air is not as easily detectable as other noticeable substances like water, it is difficult to find holes and repair them.

In order to prevent this leakage, seal your ductwork from the inside using Aerosol duct sealing spray. This will save you money and improve the life of your heating system because it circulates the air through the home more evenly and eases the workload for your furnace.

Periodically Check Your Furnace for Any Noticeable Defects

Typically, before your furnace breaks down, there will be signs that something isn’t working right. If you smell, see, or hear anything abnormal when checking your furnace, consult a professional immediately. If you handle problems early on, you have a better chance of avoiding costly repairs down the road.

Taking all of these precautions before the winter weather begins will not only help your furnace run more efficiently, but it will also prevent any furnace disasters from happening during the winter months.

It is a good idea to consult with a professional before the weather gets too cold in order to ensure that your furnace system is running effectively and efficiently.

Don’t suffer from a furnace disaster in your Alexandria, VA home this season. Call Cyprus Heating and Cooling at (888) 775-5640 and get assistance now.

See What Geothermal Heating Can Do For You

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Geothermal Heating Benefits

Geothermal heating is a type of environmentally friendly energy powered by the earth itself. Because the ground absorbs the majority of thermal energy the earth receives in the form of sunlight, it remains a stable temperature just below the surface all year long. A series of pipes through which water circulates is placed into the ground.

Alexandria, VA geothermal_heating_servicesThe water is then heated or cooled by the energy within the earth, cycled into the home, and then the leftover is pushed back into the underground piping.

This method of heating is extremely efficient and a preferred method for more and more people today.

There are also a number of different benefits to geothermal heating, including the following.

1. Reduced Energy Bills.

Geothermal heating can save as much as 25% to 50% over conventional heating systems. A standard 2,000 ft home can be heated and cooled for as low as $1 per day.

Many families struggle with energy bills; geothermal heating can help alleviate some of the burden.

2. Eco Friendly

Geothermal heating is one of the most environmentally friendly methods of keeping a home comfortable. In fact, it’s recognized by the EPA as the most effective way of keeping a home heated or cooled. Using a geothermal energy system is the equivalent of planting 750 trees ore removing two cars from the road.

3. Free Hot Water

A geothermal heating system produces hot water that can be used by a Alexandria homeowner. This eliminates the need for the hot water heater to run, which reduces the amount of energy used in a home and lowers the costs of heating water.

While it won’t provide the total amount of hot water a home uses, roughly 70% of the average household hot water use will be covered by a geothermal heating system.

4. Longevity

A geothermal heating system can last more than 20 years if properly installed and maintained. This outstrips other systems by at least a decade.

While initial costs may be higher when installing the system, the investment is more valuable because it lasts longer and provides a better ROI than conventional heating and cooling systems.

While geothermal energy may seem like a unique way to provide comfort within a home, it’s the same system used in hot spring communities for hundreds of years.

With the environmental movement becoming bigger than ever before, Alexandria homeowners who wish to do their part and save a bit of money should look into investing into geothermal energy.

If you haven’t had your Alexandria, VA heating system checked out, there’s no better time than now to call Cyprus Heating and Cooling at (888) 775-5640.