Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for January, 2015

Cut Your Winter Heating Bills with These Helpful Tips

Thursday, January 29th, 2015

Cut Your Winter Heating Bills with These Helpful TipsIn order to cut your winter heating bills, you need to take a look at your entire home and develop a plan to help make it more energy efficient. There are plenty of ways you can cut your utility bills, but they may be expensive, such as replacing old windows with new ones, or having spray-on insulation installed in your attic.

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Common Caulking Mistakes to Avoid This Winter

Tuesday, January 27th, 2015

Common Caulking Mistakes to Avoid This WinterStudies show that up to 65 percent of your home’s energy is used to heat and cool your living space – yet almost half of conditioned air escapes through the cracks in your foundation. Caulking can help you save more energy. However, if you’re going to caulk on your own, be aware of these five common caulking mistakes.

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Steps to Take When Testing the Humidity in Your Fresno Home

Thursday, January 22nd, 2015

Dry skin and frequent colds are just a few signs there’s a humidity problem in your home. If you’ve also developed a sore throat, then it’s time to test your home for low humidity. In contrast, high humidity can damage your home’s foundation, so it’s important to keep humidity balanced in your home. You can follow these easy steps when testing the humidity in your home.

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How to Repair Torn Duct Insulation in Your Home

Tuesday, January 20th, 2015

Your ductwork system carries conditioned air throughout your home to maintain your desired comfort level. Any areas where insulation is torn can affect the efficiency of your furnace system, making your furnace work harder. This equates to higher energy costs and lower efficiency. And during the warmer season, moisture condensation buildup can actually damage the duct system itself.

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Easy Ways to Clean Your A/C Vents for Winter Use

Thursday, January 15th, 2015

Easy Ways to Clean Your A/C Vents for Winter UseBreathing clean indoor air is paramount to staying healthy, especially during the winter months when stagnant outdoor air and valley fog sets in around the Fresno area. One of the easiest things you can do to keep your IAQ (indoor air quality) as high as possible is to clean your A/C vents or radiators. 

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5 Surprising Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

Tuesday, January 13th, 2015

5 Surprising Sources of Indoor Air PollutionIndoor air pollution can be a serious problem for homeowners, especially for those with young children. Knowing some of the most common sources of indoor air pollution, as well as regularly changing your air filter, can help improve indoor air quality. Some other things to look out for include:

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What’s the Best Type of Insulation for My Attic?

Thursday, January 8th, 2015

What's the Best Type of Insulation for My Attic?A properly insulated attic not only improves energy performance, but it also helps your home maintain a comfortable temperature all year-round. Energy Star states that central California homes should add R25 to R38 insulation in attics that are already insulated and R30 to R60 insulation in uninsulated attics. The best type of insulation for your attic depends on the type of insulation already in it, its age and your home’s sun exposure.

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Can Putting in a Furnace Filter the Wrong Way Cause Damage?

Tuesday, January 6th, 2015

Can Putting in a Furnace Filter the Wrong Way Cause Damage?Furnace filter screens are designed to be placed a certain way, and not heeding this proper direction can cause issues. By taking a few moments to ensure your filter is placed the right way, these headaches can simply be avoided.

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Smart Ways to Prevent and Remove Rust from Your Home’s Water Heater

Thursday, January 1st, 2015

Smart Ways to Prevent and Remove Rust from Your Home's Water HeaterHave you started noticing any discoloration in your home’s water? Is your water heater leaking? Reddish-colored water and leaks are common signs your water heating system is starting to rust.

The typical water heater is lined with glass-lined steel. As such, if water finds an imperfection in the glass, it’s only a matter of time for the steel tank to begin rusting from the inside out — unless you stay on top of maintenance.

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