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3 Signs It May Be Time To Upgrade Your Pipes When you find a wet spot in your home and suspect a leak, you may roll your eyes and dial your local plumber to patch up the newly damaged spot. However, it is impossible to know what is really going on behind your walls [...]
Prevent Expensive Plumbing Issues With Inspection & Water Heater Flush It’s easy to forget how much your home’s plumbing system works for you day in and day out. From washing dishes, cleaning clothes and bathing to having clean cooking and drinking water, reliably flowing water is a necessity. A disruption in flow [...]
Let's look at some tips to make your heating and cooling system run efficiently. Some homeowners in the Southwest have gone green to save money. But there are various ways of running heating and cooling systems efficiently. Take note of these useful cooling and heating tips and you could see savings on your annual utility [...]
It's summer, and the temperature inside your home keeps rising. Sometimes it’s not your AC unit. It could be your attic is too hot and is affecting your home's overall temperature. Improper ventilation and insulation at this part of the house can make your air conditioners work twice as hard than it should, which in [...]
The average air conditioning unit life span is 12-15 years. However, air conditioners can have shorter life if not maintained regularly, installed incorrectly or if the unit size is not sized properly for the area it is serving. And when an A/C unit stops working, it almost always seems to be at a very inconvenient [...]
The Energy Guide is consumer information to help you plan and understand if your equipment is operating at peak efficiency. Choosing an air conditioning system is often a daunting task, simply due to the number of options available. By reading the yellow tag known as the Energy Guide label on the units [...]
Ductless mini split air conditioning units are now creating waves in the U.S. marketplace, although the technology has been in existence for some time. Despite the technological advances in the quality and cost associated with equipment utilized in the heating and cooling industries, in both residences and commercial organizations, these mini split units are still [...]
Maybe you have been thinking of buying a new piece of cooling or heating equipment? Well, those who want to make sure that they get the best value for money should take a look at the Equipment by Energy Star. So, what does the Equipment by Energy Star have to offer that its competitors don't? [...]
The comfort systems in your home --- heating, cooling, air cleaning and ventilating --- require a significant investment. Nowadays, home comfort systems are extremely sophisticated, in contrast to their predecessors of several decades ago. Most residents are dependent on at least one of these systems each day. And with anything that can impact the comfort [...]
With rising energy costs, most Phoenix residents are taking steps to boost the energy efficiency of their homes. Some are going as far as to upgrade their HVAC system. However, one of the most important steps is to replace the old manual thermostat using a programmable model. Then program your thermostat for the greatest reduction [...]
If the insulation in your Phoenix home is inadequate, it can result in an additional cost for cooling and heating, not to mention, it robs the home of the comfort that is possible. While most people consider insulation a necessity in colder climates in order to prevent heat loss and keep the home warm when [...]
Energy vampires do not attack only at night. They continue to suck the electrical juice from a home 24 hours per day seven days per week. Any device that continues using power when in a sleep or standby mode can be considered an energy vampire. As long as their fangs are attached to a power [...]
Probably the most overlooked, under tracked and yet simplest home maintenance task most of us have to do. As a busy homeowner, one's day is filled with important things to do. One task that can easily be overlooked when one is already busy is checking the air conditioner filters. Even though it is easy to [...]
So, she wants to decorate and you are watching the budget. Let her splurge on window treatments, on one condition, of course. The window treatments must help keep the heat out during the summer. Windows act much like the glass of a greenhouse to trap the sunlight streaming infrared energy into the house. Once it [...]
Buying a new home can be an exciting time of life. While it is likely that eventually the home will need to be inspected and mechanical equipment evaluated to finalize financing, the following items may indicate problems with the new home HVAC system. Potential New Home HVAC Problems -- Noises An odd noise in any [...]
Is your Air Conditioning leaking water again? The drips are an indicator of a clogged drain line, and could mean a serious underlying issue. A call to an HVAC professional as soon as you discover an air conditioner leaking is a very smart move. This ensures the system continues to work correctly while avoiding water [...]
Just like a car needing a tune-up every 3,000 -6,000 miles, depending on the year and the engine size, air conditioning and heating units should have regular maintenance twice a year, and sometimes more often depending age and size of the equipment. An essential part of the maintenance service should be AC coil cleaning. Neglecting [...]
Selecting the right new AC installation requires much more than simply choosing the correct equipment and an expert in installation. Quality air conditioning installation requires the contractor follow many steps. If any of these steps are neglected, the new system will not live up to the homeowner's expectations. 1. Sizing for New AC Installation One [...]
Let’s face it, for the vast majority of homeowners, we know that installing a new AC unit is not a do it yourself, weekend warrior job. So, before you call an expert, it’s important to educate yourself as a consumer in order to make the right choices for your family’s comfort. Understanding the Right Size [...]
When living in Arizona, one of the certainties of life is that summers will be long and hot. As a result the power bills will reflect the hard work the HVAC system must do to keep your home comfortable. By taking steps in weatherizing your home, Arizona homeowners are taking a step in the right [...]
An HVAC system that provides adequate air circulation is vital to the comfort throughout one's home. If the system produces adequate cooling or heating, but the air handler cannot distribute the air adequately, occupants cannot remain comfortable and the system wastes money trying to keep up with the demand for “right temperature” air. Inside the [...]
Air conditioning systems that are used today can provide homeowners with a large selection of features to improve energy efficiency along with home comfort. New improvements include everything from check filter lights to thermal expansion valves. However, one innovation many find to be useful is the dual stage compressor. Use of the traditional compressor, which [...]
Summer vacations offer a great way to leave the problems of everyday life and relax, but the expenses can add up quickly. The travel expense, vacation rental and eating out at restaurants make the vacation an expensive proposition. In order to give you the most cash for vacation, take some steps to make sure your [...]
The home cooling system is a large investment for home owners, thus deciding to repair or replace the system is often intimidating. Should you pay for a few repairs and hope the system can be patched up to make it another year? Or would it be better to replacement home cooling system and improve your [...]
A comfortable home has an efficient system for heating and cooling the air. Unfortunately, a recent report from the US government’s Energy Star Program indicates that the duct systems in typical American homes lose 20 percent of air moving through them. This is due to leaking duct work that was poorly installed or has deteriorated [...]
The heating or cooling load for your home is a measurement of the amount of hot or cold air that it takes to bring your home to a comfortable temperature. This air can either be introduced to the home or removed from the home depending on the external and internal temperatures. The first analysis that [...]
Lots of homeowners took advantage of the generous Federal Tax Credits offered for heating and air conditioning systems in 2010. Those credits have been reduced, but you can still benefit if you are considering an upgrade to your home comfort system. Now is the time to think about installing new air conditioning or an air-source [...]
What are energy management thermostats? Energy management thermostats are the latest in programmable class thermostats. They work much like programmable thermostats, but you have the additional option to control them remotely. If your schedule changes and you want to alter your thermostat settings accordingly, just log on to the Internet and make the necessary changes. [...]
The three main components that work in unison to keep your home comfortable year-round are: The thermostat, which tells the system when to turn on and off. The heat pump, furnace or air conditioner, which is responsible for producing warm or cool air, and The ductwork, which distributes the conditioned air throughout the home. By [...]
Winter, although short lived, in the in the Valley of the Sun is the time of year when we get a break from the summer heat and have our own bought with cold weather. During the “winter season”, it is important to have a strategy for saving energy. By doing so, you not only save [...]
If your AC Unit looks like this . . . .it’s not good. Air conditioning coils are one of the main components of your home comfort system and keeping them clean can be one of the best ways to maximize the efficiency of your system. Regardless of the type of unit your home has, regular [...]
When it comes to heating or cooling our home, we all want the biggest bang for our buck. Here in the Valley of the Sun, efficiency is the key to striking a balance between comfort and savings. Hobaica Services suggests the following tips to keep your system operating at its peak: Set the thermostat properly- [...]
Fact- preventative maintenance can save money and keep your system running efficiently. Regular maintenance also helps you avoid costly breakdowns. Who wants to be without AC during Monsoon season in Phoenix? When your unit is not performing at its peak, it can result in a home that has warm spots-causing your air conditioning unit to [...]
When HVAC problems arise, many homeowners struggle with the question of whether to repair or replace their system. The debate of nursing a unit along to avoid an unexpected replacement expenses vs. taking care of the inevitable now instead of later is the subject of many dinner table discussions. While we have seen well maintained [...]
Most folks are familiar with the air conditioning refrigerant called Freon, also known as R-22 as it’s called by insiders. For many years there simply wasn’t information on the harmful effects of Freon and it was widely used through the 1990s by most HVAC companies. Freon produces a chlorine gas that contributes to ozone depletion, [...]
Leaking ducts can cause a system to loose up to 20% of air or heat, and compromise air quality by allowing dust, allergens and other particulates to circulate throughout your home. Duct sealing saves you money by allowing your heating and cooling system to operate more efficiently. In addition to saving energy, sealing ducts improves [...]
Three major challenges when purchasing a new air conditioning or heating system are: Choosing a system that will provide optimal levels of cooling or heating. Purchasing a system that is energy efficient and dependable. Selecting a certified professional to install your new system. Let’s examine a few installation guidelines which will ensure your new equipment [...]
