7 Reasons Why You Have a Burning Smell Coming From Your Heater

When you turn on your heater to escape the cold temperatures of a San Antonio winter, you expect to feel cozy and comfortable. But have you ever turned on your heater only to have a burning smell fill the room? Residential heaters are designed to deliver clean air into your home, so you may be alarmed when you smell something abnormal wafting out of the vents. Odors from heating systems are common, and some indicate issues that require the attention of an expert technician from , while others are just temporary nuisances. Here are the seven most common reasons why a heating system may emit a burning smell and what you should do in each situation. 1. Dust Accumulation Dust is the most common reason homeowners in San Antonio smell a burning odor sifting through their heat vents. The distinctive odor is a sign your heating system hasn’t been used since last winter. The smell tells you the heating elements of the system is burning the dust particles, and the aroma should only last a few minutes. If that initial smell goes away, and you notice a new smell, there might be something else going on with the system. 2....

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Your Guide to Understanding How SEER Ratings Work

If you are in the market for a new HVAC system, you will notice that a machine’s SEER rating is frequently discussed. This rating provides crucial insight into how an HVAC unit works, so it helps to understand what a SEER rating is and why it matters. Ultimately, getting the right SEER rating can save you hundreds of dollars. What Does a SEER Rating Mean? SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating on a machine tells how much power the system will use to cool a home. The SEER scale uses lower numbers for a less-efficient machine and higher numbers for one that is more efficient. Typically, the SEER rating you see on an AC system will be its maximum rating. This means that the system will operate at that SEER level when run in optimal conditions, but its SEER rating may drop if you take too long between maintenance appointments or do other things to impair efficiency. SEER ratings for residential machines can range from as low as eight to as high as 27. Modern air conditioners are required to reach a rating of at least 13 SEER by the U.S. Department of Energy. A SEER...

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Common Problems That Can Develop With Zone Control Systems

Zone-control systems regulate airflow and efficiently manage the amount of warm or cold air getting into the rooms. Zone control can reduce incidences of cold spots and, in the process, enhance comfort. Also, temperature regulation is more accurate, and therefore, it cuts down on energy consumption. Unfortunately, the installation has many components that can complicate troubleshooting your AC in your San Antonio home. Here are some common problems you may encounter with zoning systems in the River City. Faulty Thermostats The thermostat serves as the central point for temperature regulation in your home. It sends signals to the dampers, which are responsible for regulating airflow through the duct. A faulty thermostat will, therefore, not efficiently condition the rooms. Sometimes the problem may be a simple issue with the thermostat settings. Temperature regulation across different zones depends on the accuracy of the device. That’s why it should be accurately calibrated right from the time of its installation. It is also worth noting that the location of the thermostat in your home can also affect its accuracy. The placement of your programmable device should be away from sunlight, lamps and electronics. The ambient heat around these items can force your AC to...

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How Are Indoor Air Quality and HVAC Related?

Indoor air quality is a severely underrated aspect of your home. No matter how clear it looks, impurities may be lurking about. If the air is unclean, it can pose a serious threat to your health. Individuals with preexisting health conditions such as asthma and allergies are at an even greater risk. Fortunately, HVAC systems are a great way to solve the issue of air quality. With the right appliances, you can circulate fresh air throughout your entire home. In this post, we will learn how indoor air quality and HVAC are related. Air Conditioning First, it’s important to note that HVAC isn’t strictly a good thing when it comes to indoor air quality. Some devices such as AC units can actually have negative effects. An AC constantly sucks air in and out of the device, stirring up particles that already exist in your home. If you have a pet, strands of hair could float into the air. Dust will be moved around as well. Although it’s not as severe as the debris from a portable fan, be aware that air conditioning can stir up fine particles in your home. Air Purification Fortunately, an air purifier is an easy solution...

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How to Read HVAC Gauges

The ability to read HVAC gauges is an important skill because allows someone to troubleshoot their heating, cooling and ventilation system in San Antonio, TX. When an HVAC unit is not operating as expected, sometimes there are obvious signs. Then, there are times when there are no obvious signs. At , our qualified technicians read gauges to troubleshoot the systems of our customers. The goal is to solve the issue in an efficient manner. If you want to learn how to read these gauges, here is an overview. The Right Equipment To successfully read the gauges of your HVAC system, you must have the right equipment. Today, there are analog devices on the market as well as digital. Since professionals work in this area on an almost daily basis, they acquire the gauges that help them do their job best. The most common device is the gauge manifold. It delivers an analog readout. Other versions can also deliver a digital readout. If you would like to determine the device that will help you troubleshoot your HVAC unit best, consider heading over to your local hardware store. You can speak with a salesperson who is knowledgeable in this area. They can...

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Summertime Indoor Air Quality Concerns

Your home is a refuge from the stresses and problems of the world. Naturally, you want your time there to be as comfortable and pleasant as possible. Indoor air quality is an important aspect of your home environment. The air inside your home can have hidden irritants and pollutants that you cannot see but that can cause allergic reactions and other health issues. Common issues that can harm your indoor air will often increase in severity during the summer. Thankfully, there are many steps you can take to remove these contaminants and improve your air significantly. However, you should first identify what’s causing your indoor air to suffer. 1. Increases in Humidity Levels During the summer, humidity levels will increase exponentially. The main reason behind this is that warmer air retains more water vapor than cold air. High levels of humidity can affect your comfort and health negatively. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that maintain a relative humidity level of under 60%. Furthermore, you should aim for a target range between 30% and 50%. Even cities like San Antonio will have elevated levels of humidity in the summer. High humidity level causes physical discomfort because it interferes with your body’s...

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What are the Types of Smart Thermostats?

If you are looking for ways to save money on your heating and cooling, you may have come across information about smart thermostats. These devices come packed full of features, and the selection may feel overwhelming. Here is a breakdown of the types of smart thermostats that you can find at for homes and businesses in the San Antonio area. 1. Basic Models of Smart Thermostats Also known as programmable thermostats, the basic models of smart thermostats that offers can be pre-set with specific temperature settings by the time of day. These are great options if you want an affordable way to reduce your utility bills. You can set temperatures for when you are home, away, or sleeping, and the thermostat will regulate the HVAC system accordingly. 2. Smart Thermostats That Learn Smart thermostats that can learn are one step above traditional programmable thermostats. Instead of pre-programming the device, you simply put it in learning mode and adjust your temperature settings as normal. The thermostat records your temperature preferences by setting and time of day. At the end of the learning mode, which is normally about two weeks, you can put the thermostat on auto, and it will use the...

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What are the Health Benefits of Humidifiers?

Humidifiers are small machines that add moisture to the air. They’re available in a range of sizes from units that humidify a small room to whole-house humidifiers. At in San Antonio, we offer installation and maintenance of whole-house humidification systems. We can help you to strike the right balance of indoor humidity levels so that you can reduce or eliminate problems caused by dryness and avoid issues created by humidity levels that are too high. Achieving the right indoor humidity level in your San Antonio home offers many benefits to your comfort and health, including the following seven advantages. 1. Prevention of Influenza A few scientific studies have determined that an indoor humidity level of at least 40% quickly inactivates the viruses that cause influenza. This makes the particles less infectious, so another person in your house is less likely to get infected by someone else’s germs. Higher humidity levels could also be helpful against other respiratory viruses, including rhinoviruses that cause the common cold and the coronavirus co-variant that’s causing the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. Help With Creating a Productive Cough A dry cough associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, COVID-19, and other respiratory conditions and...

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Which Electric Heating Systems are the Best?

Electric heating systems offer a safe and efficient way to warm your home and improve indoor air quality. If you are looking for an electric heating system, you have plenty of options. In fact, you may even be confused by all the possibilities. Here are five popular types of systems on the market. 1. Heat Pumps Heat pumps are the most popular electric heating systems that our technicians install. Here’s how they work: This system uses electricity and a refrigerant to remove heat from outside. After it extracts the outdoor air, it transfers it to the electric system. This air is used to heat and cool your home. Exchanger coils, refrigerants and compressor pumps are primarily responsible for this process. There are two different types of heat pumps. These include absorption heat pumps and compression heat pumps. Absorption heat pumps are powered by natural gas or electricity. Compression heat pumps are powered solely by electricity. Heat pumps provide a quick and efficient source of hot and cool air. Furthermore, these systems can be cheaper to operate than other types of HVAC systems. Electric heat pumps are safer to operate than gas furnaces. 2. Electric Wall Heaters Electric wall heaters contain...

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Do Plants Help Indoor Air Quality

We already know the importance that trees have on the environment with how they help clean the air. Therefore, it would make sense that having plants in your home could improve its indoor air quality. In fact, there have been studies performed by NASA in the controlled environments of its space station that showed that plants do help clean the air. While their studies showed that plants had a positive effect on the air, these results do not really carry over into real-life settings. Why Plants Cannot Improve IAQ on Their Own The American Lung Association has estimated that you would need to have over 680 plants in your home to remove pollutants from the air in your home. There are other factors to consider too, like the: Species of plants How much light the plants receive Temperature in the home Size of plants Adding a few plants to your home could slightly improve indoor air quality, but not completely. Try to stick to plants like leafy ferns, snake plants or spider plants that have larger leaf surfaces. Why Plants Might Not Be Such a Great Idea There could be a downside to depending on plants to clean the air...

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