Your Landlord Can’t Withhold Air Conditioning Indefinitely

On a hot summer day in San Antonio, there are few things more enjoyable than sitting in a room cooled by an air conditioning system. In some cases, having access to such a system can prevent significant issues for small children, the elderly, or those who have breathing or other types of health problems. If the cooling system in your rented apartment or house is not working properly, your landlord is obligated by Texas law to remedy the issue in a timely manner. Similar laws exist in most states with extreme heat where air conditioning is a public health consideration. How Long Does a Landlord Have to Repair Your Rental Home’s Air Conditioner? In most cases, your landlord has 10 days to get your rental property’s cooling system back into working order. To expedite the process, he or she can call the folks at in San Antonio. Our trained technicians will be able to repair or replace cooling system components in a timely and affordable manner. The owner of the property that you occupy may also want to consider signing up for a maintenance plan to prevent significant cooling system problems from occurring again down the road. The Timeline May...

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A Guide on How to Clean Your Window AC Unit

Your window air conditioner is an important appliance that helps to keep your home cool and comfortable during the hot summer months. However, if your AC unit is not properly maintained, it can become dirty, which can affect its ability to operate at the highest level of efficiency. Thankfully, it’s not difficult to clean your unit. Here are some tips on how to clean your window AC unit clean and get it in great shape. Tools and materials that you needed Before you start cleaning your window AC unit, you will need to gather a few tools and materials. These include: Screwdriver Vacuum cleaner with hose attachments Soft cloths or brushes Water hose with a spray nozzle Cleaning solution (mild detergent and water) Protective gloves and safety goggles AC Window Cleaning Steps After you have gathered the necessary tools and materials for cleaning your window AC unit, there are a few steps to follow to disassemble, clean, and reassemble your AC unit. 1. Turn Off Your AC Unit and Unplug It From the Power Outlet The first step in cleaning your window AC unit is to turn off the power and unplug it from its power outlet. This will prevent...

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5 Benefits of Smart Thermostats

These days, there are many different ways that you can modernize your home with innovative technology. In that vein, one of the most beneficial decisions that you can make is to install a smart thermostat. These advanced thermostats typically come equipped with special acute sensors and Wi-Fi, and they’re relatively inexpensive. In addition to saving you money, having one in your household can truly revolutionize your home comfort. 1. Saving Money on Energy Bills The primary reason that most homeowners purchase smart thermostats is to conserve energy and reduce their monthly bills. With one of these advanced thermostats, you’ll no longer need to worry about leaving the air conditioner or heater running for longer than you actually need it. You can program your preferred comfort temperature, and your HVAC system will only circulate enough air to maintain that temperature. Plus, there are most likely chunks of time each day when you don’t need the AC or heater cranked up, such as when you’re at work or in bed. You can program the smart thermostat to automatically shut down for those hours, which can potentially save quite a bit of costly energy. If you’re someone with a tendency to leave your...

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Reasons to Hire a Professional HVAC Contractor

Trying to keep your home cool in San Antonio, TX can be a task. HVAC systems are in overdrive trying to maintain comfortable temperatures. The warmer season is a common time for unit repairs, and these HVAC repairs or replacements are not something you should attempt on your own. If you try to be frugal with an attempt to DIY, you usually end up spending more money in the long run. It is always advised to hire a licensed HVAC contractor to do the work for you. Professional Technicians Provide Regular HVAC Maintenance Your HVAC system works incredibly hard at performing its basic functions. All of that constant stopping and starting on top of its general operations can really wear it down just like any other machine. That’s why professional maintenance is needed to keep your HVAC system in optimum operating condition during the seasons you need it most. When you schedule regular maintenance, you’re maximizing the life of your HVAC system and preventing a wide range of common equipment failures. Having a preventive maintenance inspection performed on your AC can result in uncovering problems from corroded electrical components, frayed wires, and general wear and tear. Regular HVAC maintenance and...

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6 Potential Remedies for Uneven Heating in Your Home

If you’ve noticed that your home’s heating is uneven or inconsistent, you’re far from alone. When everything’s working smoothly, you should be able to count on even heat distribution throughout the different areas of your household. However, it isn’t always that simple. There are numerous reasons you may experience uneven temperatures, and some of them have nothing to do with your furnace. When you’re dealing with this comfort issue, there are several troubleshooting techniques you can try to address it. 1. Have Your Heating System Inspected Sometimes, the cause of uneven heating is as simple as a struggling or malfunctioning furnace. If your heating system is approaching the end of its lifespan, it may start to produce a weaker heat output. As a result, the warmth won’t always reach every part of your home when you crank up the thermostat. The heating unit could also be short-cycling, which means that it’s turning on and off too quickly to finish its heat distribution. If left unchecked, a short-cycling furnace can cause lots of problems, but a repair technician should be able to nip it in the bud. In most cases, a call to your local heating experts should be your first...

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8 Ways to Clean a Furnace or Heat Pump

If you’ve noticed low heating efficiency or a change in the sound of your furnace or heat pump, it may be time to clean it. Dirty furnaces and heat pumps require more energy to operate, which can lead to breakdowns. Below are eight tips on cleaning your furnace or heat pump and maintaining its efficiency. 1. Inspection Before Cleaning Before you can begin cleaning your furnace or heat pump, it’s essential to inspect it to determine if it needs any parts replaced. Your technician can perform a thorough inspection of your unit by checking its dust collector, air filters, and oil filter. Based on the results, the technician may recommend replacing any parts that have reached their lifetime limit or are dirty and inefficient. 2. Clean the Condenser The condenser is the part of your heat pump or furnace that transports heat from the house to the unit. First, it’s essential to clean around the outer sides of your casing, which is located in a room like the garage or basement. When this part of your unit is dirty, it can cause air leakage, resulting in lower efficiency and more energy use. If you need to clean the condenser in...

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Why Do Heaters Smell Like They’re Burning When First Turned On?

Although you might not know that winter is around the corner, some smells will remind you. While for some people it’ll be the smell of pine trees and dinner in the oven, for others, it’ll be the burning smell when they turn on their heaters. This burning smell is a concern for many homeowners in San Antonio, although it’s avoidable. Thus, you shouldn’t be worried. Here’s all you need to know about the burning smell from your heater and how you can avoid it. A Burning Smell From Your Heater If you reside in San Antonio, you’re aware that the weather all year round is conducive and that a heater is not necessary. Thus, once you turn off the heater during Fall, you’ll turn it on during Winter. When the heater is not in use, dust will settle on the equipment. Hence, once you turn on the heater in your home, the fine layer of dust on your heater will first burn off. Therefore, the burning from your heater that you smell once you turn it on is that of burning dust. Is the Burning Smell Normal? This burning smell is a normal and natural phenomenon that occurs in every...

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Tips for Conserving Heat in Winter

The winter is fast approaching, and temperatures can get ridiculously low, especially in San Antonio, TX, making your living space unbearably cold. This means your HVAC system will likely work longer and use more energy than usual, contributing to a sharp rise in energy bills. The situation is even worse with poor heat conservation efforts. This winter, combat the chill with these tricks from . Install a Smart Thermostat A smart thermostat is a crucial solution for cold weather and will help you save up to 30% of your heating cost. This thermostat learns your schedules and preferable room temperature and then saves the data. Using that information, it adjusts itself accordingly every time you are in the home.​ The thermostat has sensors to detect the presence of people in the home, so it can avoid overworking and unnecessary temperature fluctuations. If you are not comfortable with the current temperature settings, you can easily adjust them to your liking through your smartphone. With a smart thermostat, you can zone your home accordingly to avoid heating rooms that are not in use. This feature helps you save money and conserve energy to heat only required rooms. If you are deliberate about...

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Space Heater Safety Tips

A space heater in San Antonio is a helpful item that can take that chill out of the air in certain rooms of your home. While they’re effective, they can also be dangerous. Thirty-two percent of house fires in the United States each year are caused by space heaters, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. While some fires occur because of a faulty unit, there are steps that you can take to reduce the risk of a house fire when you have a space heater around. Don’t Leave Your Space Heater Plugged In When Not in Use A space heater must be turned on, and it must be plugged in for it to run. Many people choose to turn the unit off when they’re done with it, but they leave it plugged in for convenience the next time they want to turn it on. Taking that extra step to unplug the unit can provide you with extra safety if the switch wasn’t completely turned to the off position or the unit is malfunctioning. The Location of Your Space Heater Is Important Positioning your space heater in the right location decreases your risk of a fire. You should always have...

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Take Control of Your Winter Heating Bills This Year With These Tips

Winter is an expensive time of the year for people who have inefficient heating systems. Some people spend upward of $500 on their heating costs every month during the winter, and it can be frustrating when you know that you should be able to heat your house for less and be comfortable at the temperature that you choose. Thankfully, there are a few techniques that you can use to reduce the amount of money that you spend every year on your heating costs. Open Up the Shades If you’re interested in a completely free way to partially heat your home, consider opening the curtains and lifting the shades. The sun is a completely free source of warmth, and when you open up the draperies, you’ll spend a lot less money on heating because you can get the heat from the sun without any charge. When the blinds are up, the heat can get inside the house, and you can simply lower the shades when the sun goes down, which will reduce the amount of energy loss that you experience. Assess Where You Need More Insulation Most people understand that you need insulation in the attic, but you might not realize...

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