Your attic requires natural ventilation, and a solar attic fan will help nature get the job done. On a summer day here in the San Joaquin Valley, attic temperatures can approach 150 degrees. That accumulated heat conducts through the ceiling into living spaces. It also saps coolness from air conditioning ducts routed through the attic. In winter, unventilated attics may accumulate water vapor rising from the living spaces below and provide a moist environment for mold and mildew. These unwanted particulates may later infiltrate your home, not to mention rotting the wood structure and degrading electrical wiring. Most existing home construction incorporates lower attic vent openings at the soffits — located under the eaves of the roof — and upper vents at the gables on either end of the roof. Natural ventilation depends upon the chimney effect of warm air rising out of the gable vents, pulling fresh air into the soffits.
An Attic Fan May Be The Answer To Your Attic Heat And Humidity Problems
June 21st, 2012Summer Allergies Acting Up? 5 Tips To Alleviate Indoor Symptoms
June 19th, 2012
With the warm weather settling in, many people are plagued by allergies. Often, the air inside your house can be more polluted than the outside air, and this means there’s no escaping summer allergies when you go inside… unless you take steps to remove allergy-causing dust and debris from the air. Here’s five tips for alleviating your summer allergies:
The Basics Of High-Efficiency Air Conditioning — What To Look For
June 14th, 2012
Given our long the cooling season in the San Joaquin Valley, choosing high-efficiency air conditioning systems for your home can increase your indoor comfort and lower your electric bill. The minimum SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ration) for new air conditioners and heat pumps stands at 13 in the United States. The SEER rating gives you a good idea of how efficient an air conditioner is over an entire cooling season. Some features of cooling systems increase the SEER number, including:
A/C Trouble? It May Be Time To Make A Repair Or Replace Decision
June 12th, 2012With the average daytime temperature in Fresno about to hit the 90 degree mark, you need your air conditioner to be reliable and efficient. If you experienced A/C trouble last cooling season, you may have a decision to make before things really heat up. Here are some tips to help make the decision to repair or replace a little easier:
An A/C Upgrade Is A Long Term Investment, So Consider The Lifetime Costs
June 7th, 2012
Making an A/C upgrade can be a very difficult process to get right. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that almost half the money you spend in your home goes toward heating and cooling it. In the Fresno region, many of those costs occur during our long, hot summers. Running an older air conditioner that requires frequent maintenance and repair is a lot like throwing good money after bad.
Air-Source Heat Pumps — How They Provide Efficient Home Comfort Year Round
June 5th, 2012If you’re in need of a new heating and cooling system for your home that offers high energy-efficiency levels year-round, consider an air-source heat pump. The only fuel these systems use is electricity and their efficiency comes from their ability to move heat from one place to another. In the summer, they remove the heat from your home and in the summer, they harvest it from the air, bringing it inside.
7 Facts About Mold That Every Homeowner Should Know
May 31st, 2012
Toxic mold poses serious risks to both your health and the structural integrity of your home. As a homeowner, it’s important that you know the facts about mold so you can prevent it from developing, or deal with it safely and effectively if spores have already gained a foothold. With that in mind, here are seven key facts about mold:
R22 Refrigerant Prices Rise As Phase Out Date Nears
May 29th, 2012The next time you have to add refrigerant to your old air conditioner, you may be a bit surprised by the R22 refrigerant prices.
And it’s not a pleasant surprise. Since late 2011, R22 refrigerant prices have increased by about 300 percent. And it seems a fairly safe bet that R22 prices will continue to rise in the coming years.
Summer will soon be upon us, and the last thing you want to happen during the upcoming hot months is for your air conditioning system to break down. This is why it’s so important to schedule an annual A/C service before things start sizzling in the San Joaquin Valley.