Whole Home Humidifiers & Dehumidifiers in Tulsa

Whole Home Humidifiers & Dehumidifiers in Tulsa

From dry, itchy skin, to chapped lips, and static electricity, low humidity in the home affects your quality of life. It can affect breathing, irritate the nose and throat, cause nosebleeds, and is especially hard on asthma and allergy sufferers. It can also suck the moisture out of hardwood floors, pianos, guitars, furniture, and other expensive wood-based items, costing you a small fortune.These things can happen if the relative humidity in your home falls below 30 percent.

Benefits Of Whole-House Humidifiers

In the winter, that level can easily dive as low as 15 percent, drier than the air in most desserts. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma should not feel like the Sahara desert. To regulate moisture in your home you need a good humidifier.While most portable units don’t regulate actual humidity levels, and can only humidify one or two rooms, whole-house humidifiers have an immediate connection to your heating system, providing comfort and consistency throughout the home. Portable units run the risk of adding too much moisture to the air, which can lead to mold, mildew, dust mites, and insects. If portable units are not cleaned often, they can become sources of mold and bacteria. Some benefits of whole-house units are that they only need to be cleaned once or twice a year, and don’t use a reservoir, eliminating the dangers of stagnant water in the home. Once ideal humidity levels are set, whole-house humidifiers regulate moisture levels, humidify air as needed, and distribute it to every room in the home.Maintaining humidity levels reduces the chance of respiratory infection by reducing viruses, bacteria, and dust. By eliminating dust you also reduce the time, effort, and cost of cleaning your home. In addition, as dry air feels colder, maintaining proper moisture levels will help you to feel warm naturally, allowing for lower thermostat levels, and lower utility costs.In terms of health, cost, and energy efficiency, whole-house humidifiers are the most beneficial way to regulate humidity in your home. With several models available, the best humidifier for you will depend largely on your existing heating and cooling system, as well as the size of your home.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas.  To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.

What Are the Best Ways to Conserve Energy This Winter?

Exploring ways to conserve energy will give you a road map to energy savings in your home. The effort and financial outlays it takes to improve your home's energy efficiency will pay for itself all year long via lower heating and cooling costs and greater health and comfort. Read on to learn about the best ways to conserve energy.

• Have your heating system serviced. The technicians from Air Assurance go through the entire system cleaning, adjusting, and verifying that it's running as efficiently and as safely as possible.

• Add a programmable thermostat. When you have your system serviced, ask the technician about installing a programmable or smart thermostat to help you save energy. You can reduce heating costs by turning the temperature down when you're away and during the night. Smart thermostats give you even more options for controlling home comfort that can help you save energy.

• Check the doors and windows for air infiltration and thermal losses. Dual- or triple-pane windows prevent much heat loss through the glass, while single-pane windows have almost no insulating value. You can use storm windows or plastic window film kits from local or online retailers.

  Over time, the weatherstripping around doors and windows wears out and needs replacing. Locking the doors and windows helps prevent drafts. Draft blockers placed at the base of the doors and windows are one of the best ways to conserve energy.

• Look for other signs of air leaks around the exterior walls and the ceiling plate. Electrical switches and outlets could be leaking cold air into your home. Recessed lighting that protrudes into the attic is another source of energy loss. Vents and fans can also need additional insulation or sealing.

• Check insulation levels in the attic. Then add more insulation if you can see the tops of the ceiling joists.

• Lower the water heater's temperature to 120 degrees. Water heaters rank high on the list of energy-hungry home appliances. This temperature also prevents accidental scalding injuries and hard-water deposits from forming in the tank.

If you'd like more ways to conserve energy, contact the pros at Air Assurance. We provide HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners.

What Is the Most Reliable AC Rating?

When you need to get a new air-conditioning system, it’s important to find the right one based on the AC rating. Which AC-rating systems should you use to choose a new central air conditioner? Keep the following in mind to make sure you end up with a dependable AC unit for your home.

Online Ratings

You can find many online sites that offer online ratings of AC systems, but you should be careful about which ones you use. Look for sites that are known for providing consumers with reliable AC ratings of different systems, such as Consumer Reports. These sites can help you find the highest-rated AC systems to choose from among different brands. You can use these sites to compare AC systems in order to find one that best fits your home’s cooling needs.

Energy-Efficiency Ratings

Online ratings aren’t the only rating systems to pay attention to when you need to choose a new AC unit. You should also check the SEER ratings to make sure you get an AC system that provides better energy efficiency. The seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) rating lets you know how efficient an AC system is. When you’re going over your options, you’ll notice that AC systems have a SEER rating of 13 or higher. Keep in mind that 13 is the minimum SEER rating required for AC systems. Choosing a system with a higher SEER rating provides you with even better energy efficiency.

Professional Ratings

HVAC professionals are familiar with the top-rated AC systems. Having HVAC experts assist you with choosing a new AC system can help ensure that you get the best AC unit for your home.

If you need a new air conditioner for your Broken Arrow home, please contact Air Assurance. We can help you choose a system with the right AC rating so you’ll have reliable cooling throughout the summer months.

How to Make Sure You Get Energy Efficient AC Motors

With warmer weather just around the corner, you may be wondering if your utility bills are going to be as high as last year's. It's true that your energy bills have a lot to do with the HVAC system. So, maintaining energy efficient AC motors will certainly help keep energy usage lower and while also keeping your home cool and comfortable. Here's what to know about getting your AC motor ready for summer.

Energy Efficient AC Motors: AC Maintenance List

When speaking of an "AC motor," we're referring to the blower motor that drives the indoor blower fan. One of the things that helps the blower motor run more efficiently is to be free from dirt and grime buildup. That means staying on target with air filter changes. You don't want your air filter to become totally clogged up with dirt. It will slow down air movement and cause the blower motor to work harder and use more electricity.

Another task on your DIY AC maintenance list is clearing away debris and vegetation that may be hindering airflow at the outdoor unit. Keep at least 2 feet of free and clear space between the outdoor unit and any other vegetation or barriers. Spray the unit off with a garden hose to clean the fins.

Last on your list is keeping the supply air vents and return air grilles free of dirt buildup. This too can hinder airflow through the AC system, which uses up more energy and can degrade indoor air quality. 

Energy Efficient AC Motors: Upgrading Your AC Unit

AC systems typically last about eight to 12 years. It depends on how well energy efficient AC motors are maintained, both pro and homeowner maintenance, and how often the system is used. If your AC is getting up there in years, you may be better served with energy efficient AC motors via upgrading to a new AC unit with a variable-speed motor. Variable-speed motors save energy and boost home comfort!

If you would like to schedule AC maintenance to promote energy efficient AC motors in your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance today.

How Can Sustainable Design Factor into the Next Home You Build or Buy?

If you're moving to a new home, an important concern should be that house's carbon footprint. Does it promote energy savings, or does it encourage wastefulness? The way a house is designed has a significant impact on its energy usage. Whether your home is built or bought, here's how to implement a sustainable design.

Sustainable Design for New Homes

Building a new home is the best way to ensure efficiency. You can literally make sustainable decisions from the ground up. Consider insulating the walls. A great supplement to your attic insulation, this helps reduce heat loss and boosts HVAC efficiency. It's fairly simple to put in when building a home, and it's very expensive to retrofit later.

Another essential sustainable design factor is window placement. Large windows provide natural light, reducing your need for electric lighting during the day. South-facing windows also let in direct sunlight, providing natural heating. Complement it with a deciduous tree next to the window, as its leaves will provide natural shade and cooling in the summer. When it loses its leaves in the winter, it will let in the warmth.

Sustainable Design for Existing Homes

Even if you're moving into an existing home, there are still plenty of sustainable ideas to implement. Try investing in a smart thermostat. From your mobile device, you can control heating and cooling, humidity, and other home-comfort factors. You can even receive notifications of ways to improve energy efficiency, when to change your filter, and more!

Your sustainable design might also include a zoning system and a tankless water heater. A zoning system heats and cools homes evenly, without sending air to areas that don't need it. A tankless water heater is similar, heating water on demand, rather than keeping gallons of it warm when no one is using it.

Finally, purchase Energy Star-certified appliances, such as your HVAC system, refrigerator, washer/dryer, etc., whenever possible. Energy Star appliances use less energy than similar models without sacrificing performance or comfort.

For more sustainable design tips for new and existing homes, contact us at Air Assurance. We help Broken Arrow homes get the quality home-comfort solutions it needs.

The Best Ways to Improve Your Home's Value Through HVAC Upgrades

Although it’s not a showy or obvious improvement, making HVAC upgrades to your home could pay off should you want to sell your house down the road. Even though your system still functions, replacing it might be a sound investment, especially if it’s more than 10 years old or has required excessive repairs.

Homebuyers look at HVAC systems as an essential, must-have component of homes. If yours is compromised in any way, a prospective buyer may not even consider your home as a possibility. Being able to list HVAC upgrades on the features’ list can give potential buyers the incentive to prioritize your home over others they’re seeing. 

The National Association of Realtors surveys home buyers annually and has found that new HVAC upgrades have one of the highest rates of return compared to other home renovations. They report that the rate of return is 71%, which ranks above many that cost much more than a new HVAC system.

Best HVAC Upgrades

Our region requires both heating and cooling to maintain comfort. Since buyers put a high value on energy efficiency, it makes sense to make HVAC upgrades that deliver savings. The best system for your home depends on its floor plan and its heating and cooling load, which an HVAC pro can help you discover.

Besides the size of the system, you’ll also have different types of HVAC upgrades from which to choose, such as:

• Zoning systems for sprawling, ranch-style or two-story homes.

• Ductless mini-splits for homes with additions.

• High-efficiency systems that meet the Department of Energy’s Energy Star or most-efficient requirements.

Each of these types of systems might help your home qualify as energy efficient, a designation that helps homebuyers receive more favorable financing. In fact, the DOE and the U.S. Green Building Council have found that people are willing to pay more for a home with high-efficiency HVAC upgrades. As a homeowner, you may also qualify for incentives to install high-efficiency equipment. 

The pros at Air Assurance can evaluate your current home and system to see which HVAC upgrades could add value to your Broken Arrow home. Please contact us today to learn more. 

What Local Laws Can Help You Save Money on Your AC Bill?

With hot temperatures throughout the summer in the Broken Arrow area, having air conditioning in your home is essential. One drawback to having central air is that it can cost a lot in terms of your energy bills. Local money-saving laws and a few other tips can help you lower the cost of cooling your home this summer.

R-22 or HCFC-22 Laws

If you have an older air conditioning system that still uses R-22 or HCFC-22 — also known as freon — keep in mind that these use a lot of energy. Throughout the United States, this type of refrigerant is being phased out gradually. With these phaseout laws in place, this is a good time to consider switching to a new AC system. In addition to using less energy to cool your home, you’ll also have an easier time having repairs made if needed. Although the phaseout laws don’t require you to buy a newer AC system that doesn’t use R-22 or HCFC-22, you can save considerable money on your energy bills.

Local Money-Saving Laws

In the Broken Arrow area, Power Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) offers ways to save money and energy. PSO has several instant rebates available for homeowners who have certain upgrades done, such as purchasing an eligible energy-efficient HVAC system. Homeowners can save up to $800 with this type of upgrade — or even more money when two or more qualifying upgrades are done. Air Assurance is among the service providers that can help you qualify for these HVAC upgrades.

Tips for Reducing Energy Usage

You can also save money on energy bills this summer by scheduling routine HVAC maintenance, which keeps your AC working efficiently. Using a programmable thermostat, changing your air filters, and turning your thermostat up a few (or more) degrees are other ways to lower the cost of cooling your home during the summer months.

If you’re looking for more ways to save money on cooling your Broken Arrow home, contact Air Assurance today.

Which HVAC Units Are the Most Environmentally Friendly?

The cold comfort that your HVAC unit provides can feel like a lifesaver on hot summer days. But have you ever thought deeply about the environmental harm that the unit causes? Most air conditioning units run on electricity derived from the burning of fossil fuels. Many also use ozone-depleting HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons). Luckily, there are several ways to make your HVAC unit more eco-friendly and reduce the environmental risks it poses.

Size Matters

Having an air conditioner that's the right size is great for your comfort as well as the environment. An undersized unit will struggle to balance the cooled air in the condenser with the expended air drawn out from your home by the evaporator. It will waste electricity as it tries to keep the house cool.

Thermostat Scheduling

A programmable thermostat offers an easy way to make your air conditioner greener. Simply program it to turn your AC off when you're away from home and automatically turn it on when you return. That will save a significant amount of energy — and help save the planet.

Proper Maintenance

A clean and well-maintained HVAC system is more environmentally friendly. The recommended maintenance practices you should carry out include:

• Regularly replacing dirty filters with clean ones

• Having your HVAC unit tuned up by a professional at least once a year

• Sealing and adequately insulating your ductwork

Two-Stage Cooling

Typically, it's the compressor of your AC unit that uses the most electricity. It works hard to expel heated vapors to enable the refrigerant to return to its previous cooled state. A two-stage compressor automatically compresses less on the cooler days and more on the hotter days, saving energy. Therefore, when replacing your old unit, it's a great idea to look for a model that has a two-stage cooling option.

Energy Star Certification

When looking for an eco-friendly air conditioner, go for a model that has the Energy Star label. Energy Star-rated products adhere to strict energy-efficiency guidelines.

The environmentally helpful HVAC changes you make, no matter how small, will save you money and help the environment in the long run. If you need environmentally friendly HVAC products and solutions in the Broken Arrow area, please contact the experts at Air Assurance.

Indoor Air Quality in Your Tulsa Home - Ways You Can Improve It

How's the Indoor Air Quality in Your Tulsa Home? 3 Ways You Can Improve It

AIR DUCT CLEANING - Broken Arrow

At Air Assurance, we provide many indoor air quality solutions. Many homeowners have dealt with allergies, dust, or other problems in their home never realizing that the indoor air quality can be improved. If too little outdoor air enters a home, pollutants such as dust, mold, bacteria, fungi, and other contaminates can accumulate to levels that can pose health and comfort problems. Health concerns, such as allergies, asthma or the hazards of carbon monoxide can often be attributed to a poorly maintained, designed, or installed heating and air conditioning system. We provide duct cleaning service in Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Coweta, Tulsa and more!

AIR DUCT CLEANING REQUIRED?

Indoor Air Quality is important. Air duct cleaning helps maintain the hygiene of your household. Unclean ducts make the air unfit for breathing. Bad indoor air quality is one of the major causes of many respiratory problems like asthma and allergies. But did you know, you don't always need a duct cleaning? Often times we can help elimnate the source of the duct problem.

The system cleans your air ducts by brushing and removing debris and dirt directly out of your HVAC system and into our hepa filtration silencing box. We can then apply an anti-microbial protectant inside your duct work that kills most germs and microbes on contact for up to an entire year, greatly reducing or eliminating air-borne pathogens.

An HVAC air filter captures only about 7 percent of airborne debris in the average home. That means that roughly 93 percent of the dust in your air keeps circulating through the heat vents and HVAC system. To improve your air quality and protect your costly HVAC equipment from damage, it's wise to have the condition of your ducts checked every two years. When duct cleaning is needed, make sure you hire an experienced professional who adheres to standards established by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) and uses the correct cleaning procedures to safeguard your home and HVAC system.In between checkups, watch for these telltale signs that your ducts need cleaning.

About indoor air quality

Everyone deserves to breathe healthful air, especially at home. Doing so can be a challenge in today’s modern world, however, when homes are well insulated for energy efficiency. Airtight homes have a downside: They trap contaminated air inside. Many products that we use daily at home contribute to bad indoor air quality, too. Cleaning fluids, pesticides, hobby materials, home improvement dust and even wet carpets emit harmful particles, polluting your air supply. Combustion debris and gases from cooking/home heating float through our indoor air along with pet dander, dust and bacteria. Here in the Tulsa area, we have the added challenge of a humid climate, which encourages mold growth.  

Safeguarding indoor air quality: the three ways 

• Source control: Your goal is to eliminate or minimize sources of poor indoor air quality. Limit the use of harmful chemicals in your home and ensure proper storage. When cooking or showering, use your exhaust fans (properly vented to the outdoors) to clear out cooking odors and humid, moist air. Schedule preventive maintenance to ensure your appliances and HVAC system work properly, limiting the possibility of gas leaks. For safety, install CO (carbon monoxide) monitors/detectors near sleeping areas and test regularly.

• Ventilation: Proper, balanced airflow throughout the home depends on a properly designed, sized and maintained duct system. Have your ductwork sealed to prevent energy loss and maintain air quality. Duct cleaning is advisable in some cases. Since A/C systems can’t provide adequate ventilation, whole-house mechanical ventilation is recommended.

• Air cleaning: No one air sanitizing method is perfect, but using a few specialized tools in combination can provide greatly improved IAQ. Whole-house air cleaning with UV lighting, when incorporated into your home’s air cleaning, heating and cooling system, helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Consider asking your home comfort contractor to apply broad-spectrum antimicrobial microbiocide to further inhibit harmful bacteria. For the best air quality, include a whole-home air cleaner with an advanced filtration system and highly effective air filter.

Concerned about indoor air quality? Contact the experts at Air Assurance. Visit our website to learn more or give us a call.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

How to Check Your Home Insulation Levels

On cold winter nights, people start thinking a lot more about proper home insulation levels. Insulation installed in the attic and often inside walls prevents both heat loss from the house during winter and heat gain in the summer. Most homes are insulated by either fiberglass batts or cellulose loose-fill.

How Much Is Enough?

Insulation is rated according to its R-value per inch. The higher the R-value, the more effectively the material inhibits the movement of heat.

In our Oklahoma climate zone, current standards recommend insulating the attic to a level of R38 to R60. For fiberglass batts, this translates to 12 to 18 inches. For cellulose, the depth should be 10 to 16 inches.

Wall cavities should be insulated to at least R13. The material should fill the cavity from top to bottom.

Checking Your Level

As the prime location for heat loss and heat gain, the attic is the most important part of the house to insulate adequately. Here's how to measure the level in the attic:

• Wear a long-sleeve shirt and long pants. A face mask to prevent inhalation of insulation fibers or other airborne particulates is a good idea too.

• Take a yardstick with you.

• Stay safe. Make sure you step only on the center walkway boards. Don’t step on insulation, as the ceiling below may collapse.

• To measure fiberglass batts, insert the yardstick down between the edge of the batt and the adjacent attic joist until it stops.

• Measure cellulose loose-fill by pushing the yardstick down into the mound of material until you feel it contact the ceiling below. Because cellulose depth may vary across the attic, take several measurements at different spots to arrive at an average.

Wall Insulation

If your home has insulated wall cavities, measuring isn’t a practical option for the do-it-yourselfer. Manual measurements would require opening up walls to access the enclosed insulation. A better alternative is to have a qualified HVAC contractor utilize thermal imaging to verify the amount and type of insulation inside the wall.

For professional advice and service to determine your home-insulation levels, contact the experts at Air Assurance.

How to Keep a Garage Warm in the Winter

An unheated garage is suitable for very little beyond storing your vehicles, your yard equipment and whatever else you can't stow away in the house.

But what if you'd like to make better use of that garage space? Maybe you'd like to create a workshop where you can do projects, for instance. Winters here in Broken Arrow can make that problematic.

The solution is to heat the garage. Read on for suggestions on creating a warm garage.

First, Insulate

Before you start shopping for heating equipment, do make sure your garage is air sealed and insulated. That can be a big project in itself, because some garage doors tend to fit loosely around the edges.

Finish the garage with drywall and don't stint on the insulation. Choose from these types of insulation: fiberglass batts or rolls; wet applied or blown-in cellulose; spray foam or injection foam.

Types of Heating for the Garage

Electric space heater: Electric space heaters are the simplest solution, but they are not necessarily the most efficient. While newer models cost less to run than in former days, they don't heat up the space as quickly as other types of heating.

Combustion space heater: These are inexpensive to run and do an adequate job of heating a small space, but a major concern is that they give off carbon monoxide. You will have to make sure the garage is well vented and that you are running a CO detector if using these.

Ceramic heater: These require electricity to run, but the heating element is ceramic instead of metal. Similar to the metal element heaters, they use a fan to distribute the heat.

Ductless mini split: These systems can provide cool air and/or heating. They are a type of heat pump, consisting of an outdoor condenser and an indoor air handler. They can be small and compact and are ideal for conditioning the air in a smaller space. They can be somewhat expensive but are efficient to run.

For more information on how to attain a warm garage, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow.

How to Get Energy Efficiency Improvement Rebates

Rebates offered by utilities and other public sources can help reduce the up-front expense of making energy efficiency upgrades to your home. Though most federal rebates expired by 2018, here in Broken Arrow, both Oklahoma Natural Gas and PSO (Power Service Company of Oklahoma) still sponsor rebate programs for local residents who make these energy efficiency upgrades. More information, as well as applications, are available at the utility websites.

Oklahoma Natural Gas

• $1,950 rebate for upgrading from an electric resistance furnace to a standard-efficiency, gas-fired furnace. If you upgrade to a high-efficiency gas furnace with 95%+ AFUE rating, the rebate increases to $2,500.

• A $400 rebate is available for purchasing a new natural gas-fired clothes dryer. If the dryer is a more efficient Energy Star-certified unit, the available rebate is $450. The plan also offers a $100 rebate on the cost of installing or extending natural gas piping necessary to connect the dryer.

• $250 rebates are offered for two types of water heater upgrades: a natural gas tankless water heater with an energy-factor rating of at least .82 or a natural gas-condensing water heater with a .82 energy-factor rating.

PSO

• Purchasing an Energy Star central air conditioner or heat pump with an efficiency rating of SEER 16 up to SEER 20 qualifies for a rebate ranging from $500 to $800, depending on the SEER rating of the unit.

• Replacing a standard HVAC blower with an efficient ECM blower qualifies for $25.

• Upgrading attic insulation above an R-22 rating can be eligible for a $400 rebate.

• Depending on your HVAC system capacity, rebates for ductwork sealing can range from $500 up to $800.

• Upgrade to a Honeywell Programmable Wi-Fi Thermostat and receive a $110 rebate.

• Get $500 back on an Energy Star-certified heat pump water heater.

• $50 rebates are available on each of the following Energy Star certified upgrades: electric clothes dryer, refrigerator, and clothes washer.

For more information about energy-efficiency upgrades available from local utilities, contact Air Assurance.

Do Your High Ceilings Affect HVAC Efficiency?

High ceilings add a soaring, spacious feel that expands the enclosed indoor environment. While the standard 8-foot ceiling has been the norm for decades, increasingly, homeowners are opting for a high ceiling in at least one central area of the home.

However, a ceiling 4 feet or more above standard height may alter heating and cooling dynamics in a room. Here are some ways that high ceilings may affect HVAC performance and efficiency:

Heating

In a room with a vaulted ceiling, naturally rising heat collects much higher above floor level. Occupants of a high-ceilinged room may be more likely to feel heat-deprived in winter.

Cooling

A room with a high ceiling contains a greater volume of air that must be kept cool during summer. While rooms with standard ceilings may receive sufficient circulating cool air, a coolness deficit can occur in rooms with a high ceiling.

Strategies to resolve comfort issues in rooms with a high ceiling include:

• Install a ceiling fan. A ceiling fan mounted in a room with a vaulted ceiling can be set to continuously blow air downward. In winter, the fan gently circulates heat accumulating at the ceiling back down into the living area to optimize comfort.

• Run the system fan. Most central HVAC systems provide the option to run the system fan continuously, even when the furnace or air conditioner function cycles off. This continuous air circulation helps mix cool and warm air more effectively and tends to keep temperatures in rooms with a high ceiling more consistent.

• Make sure your air conditioner capacity is properly sized. Air conditioner cooling performance is rated by BTU capacity. If one or more rooms in the house has a high ceiling, however, an air conditioner with insufficient BTU capacity may not produce sufficient cooling power to accommodate the substantially larger air volume in the room. Higher cooling costs and a lower comfort level may result.

For professional advice about effective, efficient cooling and heating in homes with high ceilings, contact the experts at Air Assurance.

10 Steps to a Green Home

The effort to build and live green is not going away. In fact, energy efficiency will just continue to be more important as we move away from fossil fuels and find alternative, more efficient energy sources. But right now, there's a lot you can do to have a green home. Have a look at some of these tips and adapt them in your dwelling space.

1. Change the air filter frequently. A dirty air filter makes your HVAC system work harder. Change the filter as often as is needed.

2. Switch to a permanent, washable air filter. This eliminates having to dispose of filters, which end up in the landfill. Make sure you clean it so it works properly.

3. Seal air leaks. You'll get greater energy efficiency and reduce your carbon footprint by sealing air leaks around plumbing, light switches, baseboards, doors and windows.

4. Use a programmable or Wi-fi thermostat. Set your schedule to reduce power use during the day when everyone's gone and at night when they are asleep. Stick to the schedule.

5. Reduce humidity in the home in summer. A humid home can make you feel warm so you use more energy to cool. Fix plumbing leaks, reduce shower times, and install exhaust ventilation to reduce relative humidity.

6. Look into solar solutions. Look into installing energy-efficient solar lights and other solar solutions around the home to reduce energy use. You may even want to install solar batteries for all your energy use.

7. Fix air duct leaks. If your air ducts are leaking, you're losing conditioned air. Have them checked out during HVAC maintenance.

8. Install efficient windows. Install double pane, efficient windows recommended by Energy Star to reduce solar radiation in the home, and to keep cold winds out.

9. Install window tinting. This can help reduce solar radiation in the home.

10. Install Energy Star appliances. As your older appliances wear out, look for efficient Energy Star-rated replacements.

For more on creating a green home, and to schedule repairs, maintenance and installations, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow.

Measure Your Home's Energy Efficiency

While the Department of Energy recommends having a professional energy audit as the most effective method of accessing your home's energy efficiency, it is possible for DIYers to conduct their own audit to pinpoint some of the troublespots and improve efficiency.

What is Home Energy Efficiency?

Simply put, energy efficiency is the use of less energy to power more things. As a homeowner, the more efficient your home, the less you spend annually in electricity.

Major Problem Areas

Perhaps the greatest problem for most homeowners are the drafts that occur in your home. Air escaping through leaks around door frames, baseboards, and window ledges can reduce home energy efficiency by as much as ten to twenty percent each year. Check for cracks around areas where different materials join together. Simple caulk or weatherstripping will alleviate a majority of these issues.

Insulation

Another common problem is an inadequate amount of insulation. Insulation in the attic and walls helps to prevent energy loss throughout your home. While it is difficult to check and replace insulation in preexisting walls, checking the attic is far less intrusive. Review local building codes to identify the minimum required amount of insulation for your home and measure the amount you currently have. Chances are you can improve your home energy efficiency by simply adding insulation.

Lighting

It may be surprising but lighting your home can account for as much as ten percent of your monthly energy bill. Consider replacing incandescent bulbs with more efficient bulbs like LED or compact fluorescent bulbs. Look for ways to better manage the amount of light you use. Dimmer switches and timers can be a viable option.

Heating and Cooling

Your HVAC system should be inspected annually to ensure proper performance. Change filters on a regular basis to reduce the amount of strain put on your unit. If your unit is older than 15 years, consider replacing it with a more efficient system.

Appliances

Appliances can affect your energy bill whether you use them or not. Unplug all appliances when not in use and always consider energy ratings when purchasing new appliances.

To schedule a professional home evaluation, contact us at Air Assurance. We serve the Broken Arrow area.

Understanding Airflow in Your Home

Understanding Airflow in Your Home

Most of us don’t give airflow much thought, but it’s a physical phenomenon surrounding us every moment. Inside our homes, the movement of air, or lack thereof, drives its air quality and the costs for keeping it comfortable. Even though it’s largely intangible, air has some of the same physical qualities as water. Air moves just as easily as water does, but instead of being affected by gravity, it’s affected by pressure that’s always trying to equalize itself. Where positive pressure exists, it moves into a negative space and vice versa. 

Why It Matters

A home’s energy efficiency depends on a few important factors. Insulation in the attic and walls makes a big difference, as does its degree of air infiltration. A leaky home will be hard to heat and cool because air is either moving in or out. You’ve probably experienced how a drafty room feels on a cold day. The draft probably came from a window, exterior door, or around the floor. Another way to encourage the movement of air from positive to negative is to close off a room in a home that has a forced-air HVAC system. Closing off the duct without stopping the return airflow will create a negative pressure gradient that will pull unconditioned outdoor air inside. 

Air Infiltration and Quality

While homes with low air infiltration rates cost less to condition, they may have air quality issues. The U.S. EPA reports that the air quality in many homes is among the worst that people encounter. Pollutants include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from products made from hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and radon, dust, pollen and dander. All homes need some fresh air ventilation. The most energy efficient way to introduce fresh air without driving up energy costs is with a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) that uses technology to capture the energy in the outgoing air and put it into the incoming air. If your home isn’t as comfortable as you’d like or your air quality is low, you may have airflow issues.

To learn more, contact Air Assurance, providing HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners. 

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics,download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 918-217-8273.

How Cleaning Your Windows Enhances Energy Efficiency

Spring cleaning the windows is a great way to refresh your home's exterior and give its aesthetic a boost. Shiny window panes are great for zesting up curb appeal, but for improving HVAC performance and your home's overall efficiency, you also need to focus on window maintenance.

Why Windows Matter for Energy Efficiency

Statistics from the Department of Energy tell us that 25 to 30 percent of a home's HVAC-related energy consumption can be wasted by heat gains and losses through the windows. You can trim that percentage by cleaning and enhancing your windows' efficiency. Having more efficient windows also reduces your HVAC equipment's workload, which translates into better performance and longer component lifespan.

Tips for Enhancing Window Efficiency

Along with tackling your normal spring cleaning, try taking a few of these measures to improve your windows' efficiency:

• Before shining and polishing the glass, inspect the windows to locate any areas of cracked/missing caulking or damaged/missing weatherstripping. To stop air leakage in these spots, remove any damaged material, then seal them with add new caulking or weatherstripping.

• If your windows are leaking badly or in poor condition, spring is an ideal time to replace them with energy-efficient units. A less costly option is purchasing interior inserts. These acrylic or plexiglass units are made to size, so they fit tightly and prevent air leaks.

• If your home has casement or double-hung windows, pay special attention to the tracks and moving parts when you clean. You need to remove all built-up debris in these areas so the windows close snugly and won't leak air.

• Give your home's interior a revamp with new insulated window treatments that you can close during the day to keep out solar heat.

• Shade your windows by adding awnings on your home's exterior and/or by planting a few strategically-placed trees.

• Put window cleaning on your fall home maintenance list too, because squeaky-clean glass lets in more of the sun's energy, which can help warm the interior during the winter.

To learn more effective ways to enhance energy efficiency in your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance.

Pros and Cons of Skylights on Energy Efficiency

When most people think of skylights, they may not be focusing on energy efficiency. The most notable feature of a skylight is simply natural light. Technology still hasn’t provided an artificial equivalent for the aesthetic and mood-lifting benefits of sunlight streaming downward into living spaces from above. While windows allow indirect light into the house laterally, an overhead skylight provides the most direct way to gain the beneficial exposure to real sunlight indoors.When it comes to efficiency issues, however, a residential skylight presents both good news as well as downsides. Here are some skylight pros and cons:

Energy Efficiency Benefits

• Extra heat in winter. Sunlight passing through glass carries heat energy along with it that warms rooms and helps reduce furnace expenses during daylight hours. Energy costs can be reduced during the heating season.

• Free lighting. During daylight hours, a skylight reduces dependence on other electrical light sources.

• Passive ventilation in summer. Skylights that are openable permit enhanced cross-ventilation by letting out rising warm air that naturally accumulates at the ceiling. This upward flow of air creates a “stack effect” in a room that continuously exhausts heat through the open skylight while pulling in fresh air through open windows.

Energy Efficiency Drawbacks

• Heat gain on summer days. Solar heat entering through a skylight in summer may cause your air conditioner to run longer to compensate and increase energy costs. Placement of a skylight—such as selecting the north-facing side of the roof with less solar exposure—can reduce heat gain.

• Nighttime heat loss. Once the sun goes down, glass in a skylight may allow indoor heat to radiate out of the house into the colder outdoors. In winter, this may require more heat from your furnace to compensate and energy consumption may rise. Skylights that utilize glass with low-emissivity coating can help reduce heat loss in winter.

If you're considering installing a skylight, ask the professionals at Air Assurance for more information about the potential energy efficiency pros and cons.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

How Your Roof Affects Your HVAC System

Running the HVAC system accounts for about half of the total energy used in an average home. If you're looking for ways to reduce your household energy consumption and save money, one vital factor to consider is how your home's roof affects the HVAC system.

The HVAC System – Roof Relationship

The amount of energy needed to maintain comfort in your home is directly affected by the sun beating down on the roof. When there's a lot of heat getting absorbed through the roof, and it radiates down into your attic and living space, your HVAC equipment has to work harder to compensate, and you'll pay higher energy bills.

Factors Affecting Rooftop Heat Absorption

Research in recent years has given us a greater understanding of the role roofing material plays in how much solar heat enters homes and other buildings. This has led to the development of roofing with two key qualities that help it stay cooler and more energy efficient:

• High solar reflectance. This allows a material to reflect sunlight better, so there's less solar heat absorbed into the roof system.

• High thermal emittance. These materials release a high percentage of solar radiation that does get absorbed, which reduces how much heat can be transferred into an attic and conditioned living space.

Roofing Options That Improve Efficiency

If you want to increase your home's efficiency and you're planning to have new roofing installed in the near future, here's are some materials to consider:

• Cool asphalt shingles. Regular asphalt roofing is a poor solar reflector, so it tends to soak up heat. New cool shingles are topped with specially-treated granules to reflect the sun's rays.

• Coated metal. Bare metal can reflect sunlight, but it doesn't emit heat well. More efficient versions feature painted or granular-coated surfaces that provide both qualities.

• Clay or concrete tile. While some types of tile roofing naturally reflect sunlight and shed heat, there are also products available with treated surfaces to provide better solar reflectivity and heat emittance.

To learn more about improving HVAC system efficiency in your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

How to Locate Cold Air Leaks Around the House

Air leaks allow cold outside air to sneak into your home and steal your comfort and money. As the cold air gets into your home, your heating system is forced to work harder to deliver more hot air continuously, driving up your energy bills. The first step to winning the fight against cold air leaks is finding out where exactly the leakage is occurring. Here are some useful tips to help you achieve that.

Visual Inspection

The most common place for warm air to leak out of your home is around doors and windows. You can spot existing gaps by simply looking over door and window frames. If you see daylight around the frame, that's a sign of a leak. Having someone go outside at night and shine a flashlight over window and door frames will also reveal locations of large air leaks. If you observe from inside dark rooms, you'll see the light in the areas where the leaks are taking place.Also check for gaps and cracks around:

• electrical outlets

• baseboards

• switch plates

• light fixtures

• attic hatches

• vents and fans

Smoke Test

You can locate the leaks that are less easily visible by conducting a smoke test.

1. Turn off your furnace and any other combustion appliances on a cool, windy day.

2. Walk around the potential leak sites with a lit incense stick. You'll know you have a leak if the smoke wavers or is blown back into the room.

Call in a Pro

If you want an accurate gauge of your home's cold air leaks, hire a technician to conduct a professional energy audit. He or she can perform a thermal infrared scan or a blower door test to measure your home's airtightness and locate sources of air leaks.

The energy you lose through cold air leaks can be equivalent to leaving a window open throughout the winter, so locating and sealing these leaks is well worth the time and effort. If you want to truly maximize your Broken Arrow home's energy efficiency by scheduling an energy audit, contact the professionals at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.