Category: HVAC

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As colder weather rolls around, the dryness in the air increases our possibility for that predictable little shock we get as we exit the car, walk across the carpet, or change clothes. A shock from static electricity is not a true electric shock, but a pain of hot sparks jumping to or from our fingers to our other body parts.

There are several ways to reduce or eliminate the risk of static electricity this season, some of which may surprise you. The air is naturally drier this time of year, which increases the frequency and severity of shocks, so increasing moisture is key.

In Your Home

• Add a humidifier- this adds moisture to the air and decreases static electricity.
• Walk barefoot or better yet, cover your shoes with aluminum foil. Either of these decrease static build up and our chances for getting shocked.
• Moisturize your skin anti-static hand lotion can be rubbed all over the skin to reduce that unforeseen shock that starts with the hands.

In Your Clothing

• Natural fibers again wearing natural fibers such as cotton, greatly decrease your risk of walking across the floor and being shocked.
• Wear a thimble on your finger or carry a coin to reduce the static build up in your finger tips when you touch something.
• Use dryer sheets add dryer sheets to your laundry drying cycle or rub on top of your clothes to minimize the static in them. Rubbing the dryer sheet on your hair can also eliminate the static that occurs when you brush it and it begins to stand straight up. Dryer sheets neutralize the charge that can cause static cling or unruliness.
• Hairspray can also eliminate or reduce static cling in clothes you have already put on for the day.
• Wire hangers glide the long side of the wire hanger across your clothing before putting them on to neutralize the static effect.

In Your Car

• Rub the metal handle of the car door before exiting or touch the keys to the to the metal handle to transfer the shock away from you.
• Dryer sheets also work if rubbed on a car seat to reduce static electricity.

These remedies will greatly help your chances of static build up and shock when heating your  home this fall and winter.

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We are often asked about how low to set the thermostat to save money on your heating bills. Obviously, you save more money the less your equipment operates. So, how cold can you stand it in your Southern Indiana/Louisville home?
Are you a Scrooge and want to keep it 40°F in the house? Well, there is a limit. When a furnace is operating, all of the combustion gases are just that – gases. We don’t want any of them to condense into a liquid while in the primary heat exchanger or vent. So, manufacturers recommend keeping the temperature above 60°F.
What happens if the gases condense in your furnace or vent? When they condense, they form acids. These acids will eat the metal in the vent and heat exchanger. This drastically shortens the life of your system.
So, what’s the answer? Set your thermostat as low as you can bear but keep it above 60°F in the winter.

So that’s what is inside your furnace… It’s most likely a clam shell heat exchanger. This one happens to be cracked. The top center eyelet of each heat exchanger has a crack of above and below it. The others are nearing failure. However, one crack is all it takes to condemn.

What’s wrong with a crack? In the modern furnace, the primary risks is a fire. Over time the crack will open and allow flames to hit the cabinet. The secondary risk is carbon monoxide poisoning. This scenario is less likely due to the pressure switches that monitor the negative pressure inside the heat exchanger. You’re more likely to get air from the blower inside the heat exchanger rather than flue gases escaping.
How do you prevent this type of failure? It all goes back to proper air flow. Your ducts should provide design air flow per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Often, we find that the duct system needs to be modified to achieve desired air flow.
Second, you must change your air filter regularly. Although some filters state ‘Three Months”, it’s important to check them monthly. You may find that your system draws more dust and animal hair than the filter can handle in three months.
Finally, regular furnace maintenance by a professional service company keeps your system operating properly. You should have your HVAC system serviced twice a year — once for heating and the other time for air conditioning.
Give us a call today for all of your heating and air conditioning needs in Southern Indiana or the Louisville area — VanKleef Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. (812)280-0510.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_color=”” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” padding_right=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=””][fusion_text]Do you find yourself this time of year itching your eyes, feeling stuffy inside ,or sneezing each time your walk outside? In the Louisville area, this is a particularly difficult season for allergies including dust, pollen and mold. But did you realize that these particular allergens can also be a prominent problem inside your home?
If you find yourself more tired, itchy, and irritated, you can help to improve your overall allergy symptoms and your overall health with a few basic improvements.

1. Dehumidifiers – Sometimes the air in our homes can be overly damp due to leaking pipes or wet concrete basement floors. Dampness can promote mold and dust mite population. Dehumidifiers help alleviate the extra humidity in the air.
2. Humidifiers -Just as you do not want the air at home to be too humid, you also don’t want it to be too dry, which is the tendency this time of year. Overly dry air is irritating to the lungs and can spread dust particles and pet dander that don’t have humidity to weigh them down. Another simple step to help add humidity to the air is to leave out a clean bowl of water or a fresh vase of flowers.
3. HEPA filters – These filters added to your furnace help re-circulate, clean and dehumidify the air all at once. They also help to trap smaller allergen particles before they hit the air we breathe. Also remember not to sleep with the windows open which brings in more unfiltered allergens from the outdoors.
4. Use exhaust fans to reduce moisture levels that may come from cooking, showers or clothes dryers.

Other helpful ways to eliminate harmful allergens without spending a penny include: not smoking inside the house, remove all particle board furniture which is made with formaldehyde which is a toxic substance and eliminate any carpeting you can. Carpets collect dust and dander.
Tackle your allergies from the inside out and eliminate harmful items that put you at higher risk. By making a few minor adjustments in the equipment of your furnace, you can breathe a sigh of relief with cleaner air inside your home.
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As colder weather begins to roll around, many preventative measures in our homes are important to protect us from the elements and common indoor hazards. One hazard that is more prevalent in the winter season is gas leaks. These leaks can come from a furnace or water heater and may produce carbon monoxide (CO) fumes that can be deadly.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced by incomplete burning of fuels like coal, wood, charcoal, oil, propane or natural gas. If your furnace or water heater’s burners become dirty or are not working properly, you could be at risk.
Since carbon monoxide can’t be detected by the senses, you might not even know it’s there until you begin to experience symptoms. With low-level exposure you may begin to detect:

• headache
• fatigue
• shortness of breath
• nausea
• dizziness

When exposure becomes ongoing, symptoms worsen and become more severe:

• mental confusion
• vomiting
• loss of coordination
• loss of consciousness
• death

Experiencing these symptoms inside your home is very serious and requires further investigation by a professional. Here are some common tips to avoid furthering carbon monoxide invasion.

• Have electrical and burning appliances inspected and serviced regularly
• Never use portable generators with gas engines in an enclosed space
• Never leave the car running in the garage (even with the door up)
• Don’t use appliances for warming the inside of your home
• Never use portable fuel or burning camping equipment inside your home or garage

Most importantly, buy and install a carbon monoxide detector. Most detectors will sound before the CO reaches a dangerous level, which will allow preventative measures to be taken. Having a carbon monoxide detector can literally save your life.