Spring is in the air and everything is about to change.  No more winter coats.  Sun setting later.  No more wrapping-up the kids.   Trees filling with leaves.  Birds return.  It’s time to re-acclimate!

The annual transition from Midwest winters with freezing temperatures to 90˚ days can be hard on your home heating and cooling system.   Your heating system worked hard all winter to keep us comfortably warm and now it needs to be readied for cooling.

The High-Low Process.

The key to re-acclimating from winter to summer is simply to remember that warm air rises and cooler air sinks.  That’s it in a nutshell.    In a 2-story home, that means over the winter, nature saw to it that warm air rose from your furnace to the second floor.  It was automatic – little force was necessary to keep your upstairs bedrooms warm.  But now, for summer, you’ll need to ‘force’ cooler air up to the second floor to maintain a comfortable temperature.

5-Step Solution.

I recommend an easy 5-step approach for an efficient and cost-effective Winter-to-Summer re-acclimation in your home:

1) Air Vents.   Open the air vents in rooms on the higher floors; close those in your basement and on lower floors.  Since warm air rose during the winter, you probably closed the upstairs vents last fall – now it’s time to do the opposite.  With the upper floor vents now open, your air conditioning unit will efficiently force cool air to these rooms.

2) Filters.   Spring is the perfect time to replace the furnace filters – it’s amazing how much dirt and dust they collect.   This is the air your family breathes and filters are inexpensive.

Also, don’t forget to change the filter on the air cleaner and dehumidifier.  Once again, filters are inexpensive and relatively easy to change.

3) Test.   Over the winter your outside central air conditioning unit has been dormant.   Spring is the time to test your air conditioning unit – before you need it.   Simply set your thermostat to the lowest possible temperature and switching to ‘cool’ should start your outside air conditioning unit.  You should feel cool air coming through your vents.  If not, you need to contact a local HVAC professional to inspect the unit.

Even if you covered your outside air conditioning unit for the winter, it probably needs a thorough cleaning – debris removed, hoses checked, connections tightened, and eliminate any rodent or pest infestation.  Your local HVAC technician can perform a thorough cleaning service.

4) Duct Debris.  Should the ‘test’ of your air conditioning be successful and cool air is coming through the heat vents, watch for any dust coming through the vent.  This might suggest you need your vents cleaned by a professional HVAC service technician.

5) Continuous Fan.   I live in an older 2-story home and realize that older homes were not build for air conditioning – the duct work is too limited to power cool air to upper floor.   To adapt, I set my thermostat to run the fan ‘continuously’.  This gives my upstairs a constant flow of cool air when I need it on those hot days.

We Help Homeowners

Whether you’re replacing your furnace or central air conditioning, adding a dehumidifier or clean air system, or cleaning and servicing your heating and air conditioning system, we are knowledgeable and expert in delivering the service you need.    Look to us for your annual inspection.  Duct cleaning.   Diagnose malfunctions.  Improving ventilation.  Replacing Filters.   Installing advanced, state-of-the-art high-efficiency Armstrong Air furnaces and Air Conditioners.    Superior quality equipment and Trained Certified Technicians – we’re the Team that truly delivers for you.

Reliable and Trusted

We’ve been serving homes in our neighborhood for years with prompt, dependable, and reliable service that meets the highest standards.    Experience counts!  Your neighbors rely on and trust us to treat them ‘right’.

They rely on us for advanced products and expert service.  We even help you take advantage of rebates from manufacturers and energy companies.    We make the HVAC updating and maintenance process as stress-free as possible.  We’re just a phone call away.

When you make energy-savings improvements to the heating and central air conditioning in your home, you can actually save TWICE:

• First with rebates on the equipment installed by a qualified HVAC Dealer
• And, again with monthly savings on your energy bill

With more than half the energy costs for your home going to heating and air conditioning, high-efficiency equipment saves on daily energy use and costs. When you upgrade to a more energy-efficient furnace or central air conditioning system, you can qualify for Rebates and Tax Credits when it’s installed by a professional HVAC Dealer.

The Time May Be ‘Right’

If the furnace or central air condition system in your home is over 8-years old, it’s probably time to think about a replacement. Even if you’ve properly maintained it and it appears to be performing, it’s likely costing you every month when you pay your energy company.

Your local HVAC Dealer can:

• Recommend the ‘right’ equipment to meet your needs
• Provide expert installation
• And, help you file for Rebates and Tax Credits

You’ll save on the equipment and every month on your energy bill.

It’s Easy Math

Your professional HVAC Dealer does most of the work. That means identifying the ‘right’ Armstrong Air high-efficiency furnace and central air condition unit that qualifies for a Rebate or Tax Credit.

Among rebates available are:

• Up to $700 INSTANT Rebate on an Armstrong Air home comfort systems (indoor, outdoor, and ComfortSync) installed by a qualified HVAC Dealer
• $400 Rebate from the electric company on an Armstrong central air conditioning system with a 16 SEER rating (see next month’s blog for more about SEER ratings)
• $250 Rebate from your natural gas company on selected Armstrong furnaces
• $125 Rebate from the electric company on an upgraded furnace blower motor
• $50 Rebate from your natural gas company on a new SMART thermostat

There’s no high-level math formulas because it’s really all about value. Your professional HVAC Dealer can provide the documentation on whether you qualify for a Rebate and supply the appropriate claim forms. Your expert Dealer knows the details.

Added Value

Your professional HVAC Dealer can also address areas where your system can become more efficient by cleaning and sealing ducts. Yes, there are also rebates available when a qualified HVAC
professional improves the flow of air through your ducts, seals leaks in your ducts, and improves insulation.

How To Choose

Today’s furnaces and central air conditioning units are incredibly sophisticated machines – far superior to their predecessors. They’re fine-tuned, highly-sensitive operating systems designed with controls and sensors to maximize efficiency. The ‘best’ solution for your home depends on a number of variables including your climate, how well insulated your home is, your comfort preferences, your budget, and your feelings about being environmentally-friendly. Your professional HVAC Dealer can calculate the annual estimated operating cost of models you’re considering and knows which qualify for Rebates.

We Help Homeowners

Whether you’re replacing your furnace, central air conditioning, adding a dehumidifier or clean air system, or cleaning and servicing your system, we are knowledgeable and expert in delivering the service you need.

Look to us for installing advanced, state-of-the-art high-efficiency Armstrong Air furnaces and Air Conditioners. Superior quality equipment and Trained Certified Technicians – we’re the Team that truly delivers for you.

Reliable and Trusted

We’ve been serving homes in your neighborhood for years with prompt, dependable, and reliable service that meets the highest standards. Experience counts! Your neighbors rely on and trust us
to treat them ‘right’.

Your neighbors rely on us for advanced products and expert service. We make the HVAC updating and maintenance process as stress-free as possible. We’re just a phone call away.