Why It’s Important to Choose the Right AC Filter

September 20, 2022

The AC filter in your return vent can only trap so many pollutants, and it has limits as to what kind of pollutants it can trap. There are, in fact, different kinds of filters from fiberglass and pleated filters to high-grade HEPA and electrostatic filters. Not just any filter will work well with your home. Below, we’ll give a few reasons why it’s important to be careful when choosing an air filter. Effect on Indoor Air Quality Fiberglass filters are the cheapest, but they capture only large particles of dust and dirt. This means that if you own pets or someone in your home smokes, the pet hair and tobacco smoke will circulate freely throughout your home. Bacteria and mold spores will also float around, making life miserable for allergy and asthma sufferers. Besides that, fiberglass filters don’t last long; one must usually change them out every 30 days. The cost can add up, making a higher-grade, pleated filter more worthwhile. Consider Airflow Each filter comes with what’s called a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating. The higher this rating, the finer the particles it can trap. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should go to the opposite extreme and...

View Article

Read More

3 Signs That Your Thermostat May Need to Be Replaced

September 10, 2022

If you’ve been feeling a little too warm in your home lately, or if your energy bills have seemed higher than normal for the season, you may want to consider your thermostat. Here are some signs to look out for to help you determine whether it may not be working well. 1. Short Cycling When your HVAC unit turns on, it goes through a complete cooling or heating cycle in order to reach the desired temperature. However, if your thermostat is malfunctioning, your system may turn on and off more frequently, a process known as short cycling. Not only is this extremely inefficient, but it can also put unnecessary wear and tear on your HVAC system, potentially leading to costly repairs down the road. 2. AC/Heating system Won’t Turn On If your AC/Heating System won’t turn on, it could be a sign the wiring has failed. The thermostat reads the temperature in the air and tells your unit when it’s time to turn on and off. If the thermostat isn’t working, it may not be sending the proper messages to your system, causing the unit to stay off. 3. Thermostat Having No Power If your thermostat suddenly has no power,...

View Article

Read More

Subtle Signs That Your AC Might Need Repairs

August 20, 2022

You don’t want to wait until your AC breaks down to realize that it needs repairs. Fortunately, a central AC can give off certain warning signs that it’s malfunctioning, some of which are obvious: extremely short cycles, for instance, or extremely long ones. Here are some of the less obvious signs. Low Air Pressure Maybe the air isn’t coming out so forcefully from your supply vents; you can usually tell just by putting your hand in front of them. This can be caused by a number of things, such as a clogged filter or a dirt-covered evaporator coil, but whatever the issue is, your system may have trouble reaching the set thermostat tempature like it’s supposed to, Which can result in poor energy efficiency. Continuous Noises It’s normal to hear some clicking noises at start-up, but an AC shouldn’t emit any noise during operation. For example, squealing sounds may indicate a bad fan belt while banging and rattling may point to a loose component. A gurgling sound is a sign of a leak in your refrigerant line, which will require immediate attention because refrigerant is a toxic chemical. Many unusual sounds will come from the compressor, the outdoor unit, so...

View Article

Read More

Why You Should Clean Your Condensate Drain and How to Do It

August 10, 2022

Your AC system has a condensate drain that is critical to its performance. This drain removes water that is produced when the evaporator coil removes humidity from the air. When it functions as it should, water goes into the condensate drain and is safely conveyed away. If it gets clogged, water backs up and can cause all sorts of problems. Why Should I Clean the Condensate Drain? Condensate drains are wet, warm, and dark. They provide ideal environments for algae to grow. Eventually, the algae can increase enough to clog the condensate drain. If the condensate drain is clogged, water will back up into the AC system. The water will then flow out of the system, which can cause damage to your home and the AC unit itself. As part of our HVAC spec check maintenance service in Gonzales, TX, and the surrounding areas our team at cleans condensate drains by blowing them out. We recommend having preventative maintenance performed on your AC system twice each year. This precaution can help keep your system running efficiently, avoid serious repairs, and prolongs the life of your equipment. Between these maintenance visits, however, we recommend cleaning your condensate drain once a month....

View Article

Read More

Save Money with Ceiling Fans

July 20, 2022

There are a number of ways you can lower your energy bills with ceiling fans. Here are some things to consider. Use Your Ceiling Fan Wisely The cost to run a ceiling fan is about 36 times less expensive than the cost to run your HVAC. With this in mind, you can run your ceiling fans in the milder months of spring and autumn to cut back on electricity. However, running ceiling fans along with the HVAC is also beneficial—especially in the winter when fans set to spin clockwise push warm air back down. Since warm air rises, this adjustment helps circulate heat that collects near the ceiling. Understand How Cooling Works Many people think their AC pushes cold air into their home, but it does not. Technically, it cools by removing warm air from the home and pushing it outside, replacing it with air cooled by the system. Unlike an AC unit, a ceiling fan does not cool a room or a general space. Ceiling fans promote circulation which evaporates the moisture on the skin as it crosses over your body, making you feel cooler. Thus, it is almost always a good idea to turn off your ceiling fans...

View Article

Read More

Trend to Watch: Geothermal Heating

July 10, 2022

Geothermal heating is an efficient, low-emission heat source that is becoming a popular heating option for some homeowners. This has residents in Schertz , Texas and surrounding areas wondering what, exactly, geothermal heating is. It works by taking advantage of the Earth’s natural heat energy found just below its surface. Geothermal heat pumps are used to convert that energy into warm air that can provide you with an efficient way to heat your home. Geothermal Heating Misconceptions Geothermal heating is not only available to specific homes in certain geographical locations. While there is a higher output of geothermal energy in areas near active volcanoes, homeowners in some other places can use residential geothermal technology as a low-cost, environmentally friendly way to heat their homes. This means geothermal heating may become a growing trend in the near future when it comes to home comfort options. How Does Geothermal Heating Work? Up to 50% of the sun’s energy is absorbed into the ground. This energy, in addition to the decay of minerals found in the ground, creates geothermal energy. Liquid-filled pipes are buried several feet underground in your yard where the liquid traps the heat made from that geothermal energy and carries...

View Article

Read More

GVEC Offers Top-Quality AC/Heating Systems

June 15, 2022

At GVEC we believe in offering quality products that make life more comfortable. We offer a range of heating and cooling systems, and we make installation simple. Central Air Conditioning and Heating Systems We focus on providing our customers with products and services to keep their home comfortable with affordable, efficient HVAC systems. Our professional staff can recommend and install a unit that will suit all of your needs. Delivering the Best Brands Heating and cooling your home make up approximately half of your home’s monthly electricity bill. This means having a quality, energy efficient system is important to your budget as well as your comfort. At GVEC, we deliver competitive pricing, sales and service on all major HVAC brands including Champion®, Bryant®, Trane® and Maytag®. Additionally, we offer low-interest financing options for customers with qualified credit. Our energy solutions specialists and technicians are non-commissioned professionals. We’ll help you decide on an affordable AC/heating system that’s right for your home without trying to upsell you. Beyond HVAC Sales and Installation [company name] is happy to repair or perform maintenance for all makes and models of air conditioning and heating systems. Our HVAC Spec Check seasonal maintenance program can help ensure...

View Article

Read More

Five Tips to Help Manage Energy Costs During the Summer Season

June 4, 2022

With kids home from school and increased demand for daytime air conditioning, many homeowners in Gonzales, TX, find themselves fearing a sizeable rise in their electricity consumption. Fortunately, there are five easy ways to keep your home energy bill at a modest, manageable level this hot season. With the tips that follow, you can enjoy acceptable levels of home comfort, affordably. 1. Raise Your Thermostat Setting Raising your thermostat setting by just two to three degrees can have a remarkable impact on your energy bill. Best of all, this will create a minor change in your indoor environment that everyone can easily adapt to. You can save on usage throughout the summer while conditioning everyone’s internal thermostat to be more resilient during times of warm weather. 2. Get Everyone at Home on Board With Your Energy-Saving Goals Round up your family and have a talk about your energy-saving goals. This way, you don’t have to worry about people leaving windows or doors open while the air conditioner is running or adjusting the thermostat setting without your knowledge. Give your younger children helpful tips for keeping cool on their own, such as by shedding layers, staying hydrated, taking cooler showers, and...

View Article

Read More

How Well Does an HVAC Air Filter Work Compared to an Add-On Filtration System?

May 18, 2022

The air inside of the average home is filled with a huge number of allergens, contaminants, and pollutants. Therefore, the one of best ways to overcome these indoor air quality issues is to install a whole-home air filtration system. Many people wrongly believe that they don’t need a separate filtration system since their HVAC system already has its own air filter. However, as you will soon see, there’s a huge difference between a standard HVAC air filter and an actual filtration system. What Does an HVAC Air Filter do An HVAC air filter serves one primary purpose, and that is to keep dirt, dust, and debris from getting inside of your HVAC equipment and potentially damaging it. Unless you use a more expensive, more efficient air filter, it won’t really have any impact on the air quality inside of your space. This is because most standard air filters can only trap large particles like dirt and dust. This means they don’t do much of anything to trap allergens or the various airborne chemical contaminants found in many residential and commercial properties. Understanding Filter Ratings Air filters are usually rated using the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) scale, which measures how...

View Article

Read More

Is the MicroPure Total Home Active Air Purifier a Good Investment?

May 12, 2022

The MicroPure® Total Home Active Air Purifier is a state-of-the-art home cleaner based on a patented NASA-developed photocatalytic ionic oxidation technology. The purifier attaches to your ductwork and works closely with your HVAC to eliminate dust, contaminants, viruses, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and odors from your indoor air. It works by generating a haze of “ionic scrubbers” pushed into your home through the ductwork to clean all pollutants safely and efficiently on surfaces and in the air. Installing this whole home purifier can benefit your home in many ways. Powerful Air Purification Technology MicroPure utilizes broad-spectrum UV light and powerful oxidizers that react to form nontoxic seeker-destroyer compounds that kill pathogens and contaminants. NASA developed the proprietary technology, and its goal is to offer fast and efficient indoor air cleansing. Known as ionic scrubbers, the compounds are potent enough to permeate indoor air and zap VOCs, bacteria, mildew and viruses. Once installed, MicroPure can boost your home’s indoor air quality and save you from pollutant-caused allergies and illnesses. Improves Efficiency of Your HVAC System By eliminating contaminants from the air introduced into your home, the purifier can help boost your HVAC’s reliability and energy-efficiency level. The purifier helps prevent air...

View Article

Read More