“In that time, we've earned the trust of thousands of homeowners and businesses who love our competitive prices but most of all our integrity and reliable services,” Stephanie Marquard said in a June 30 email. "Our philosophy is simple: We take care of our neighbors.”
As part of Community Impact's annual Home Improvement Guide, we spoke with Stephanie Marquard to learn more about air conditioning and heating system maintenance. This interview has been edited for length, style and clarity.
Do you have any tips for homeowners to save money on air conditioning during the hot summer days?
On hot summer days, there's nothing more refreshing than your A/C pumping out cold air. Our Texas summers are brutal, so here's a few tips on how to save money:
- Raise your thermostat set point 3-4 degrees higher. Each degree above 72 can save you around 3% on your utility bill.
- Ceiling fans are a great way to cool your house down. Supplementing your air conditioner with a fan will allow you to dial down your A/C by approximately 3-4 degrees.
- Maintenance is important. Keep your cooling systems in tip-top shape by maintaining them. Studies prove that the annual cost of preventive maintenance is less than the added cost of operating an untuned system. An A/C tune-up is recommended yearly.
- Change your filters regularly. Dirty filters restrict the air flow and places additional strain on your A/C. Over time, dirty or clogged filters can lead to a catastrophic failure of your HVAC system.
- Install a quality smart thermostat. A programmable or smart thermostat gives you more control over the temperature in your home and can make a big difference on your energy bill.
- Replace your old air conditioner. While you may be hesitant to replace your system because of prices, remember that the new unit will most likely pay for itself before too long, as it will be more efficient than your old air conditioner.
Investing in a maintenance agreement is one the smartest things a homeowner can do for his/her HVAC system. Regular maintenance should be performed on a yearly basis. First of all, maintenance saves you money:
- It can prevent costly breakdowns at the most inopportune time by as much as 95%.
- It helps reduce your energy bill by keeping your system running at peak efficiency.
- It extends the life expectancy of your system.
- It protects your warranty provided by manufacturers. Most manufactures require proof of annual maintenance when a repair claim is submitted.
- [It gives you] peace of mind. Investing in a preventive maintenance plan gives you the comfort of knowing that if something goes wrong, you've already taken the steps to make the situation as painless as possible.
For those handy DIYers, here are a couple of pointers on maintaining/cleaning your HVAC system:
- Clean the external unit (the condenser). It's OK to spray water on your unit while it is running, [but] do not use any chemicals. In fact, hosing down your A/C to clear dirt and other debris along with a regular/preventive maintenance plan can keep your A/C running more efficiently. Be very careful not to bend the fins on the unit.
- Cut grass, plants and/or bushes away from the condenser. Your condenser needs to breathe, and it should have a clearance of approximately 2 feet radius around the unit.
- Change your filters regularly.
- We do not recommend pouring bleach into your drain line in your attic; it will rust your drain pan. We do, however, recommend using an algae tablet specifically designed to place in your drain pan.
- The most common mistake is not changing dirty/clogged filters. A lot of dirt can build in the filters, affecting airflow and [causing] parts to work harder than necessary to operate. Failing to change filters allows dust and contaminants to circulate in the home when the A/C is running.
- Installing the wrong size HVAC system: Upsizing or downsizing an HVAC system should be based on a heat load calculation. A heat load calculation is a mathematical process for measuring several aspects of a home to determine the best size and to ensure efficiency while increasing the comfort inside your home. The calculation is normally performed by a trained professional, such as a comfort adviser.
- Neglecting routine maintenance: Your HVAC system is very costly and requires maintenance. We cannot emphasize enough the impact of keeping your system professionally serviced on a yearly basis.
Having a comfortable home goes way beyond temperature settings. The quality of air inside your home greatly affects your comfort and health. Tiny particles like mold, bacteria and moisture can cause serious respiratory problems, while others like pet dander, pollen and dust can be irritating. No home is immune to indoor air quality problems. Indoor air can hold levels of certain pollutants that are up to five times higher than found outdoors.
There are air purifiers and air cleaners. An air scrubber is an appliance that purifies the air of contaminants. The device kills particulates like dander and pollen, volatile organic compounds that create odor like smoke and organisms like mold and viruses. Whole-home air scrubbers kill germs on surfaces like doorknobs and countertops. They release particles that travel through your home, attract the germs of surfaces and pull them back through the HVAC system to be filtered out of your indoor air. We highly recommend an air scrubber installed in every home.
A media air cleaner is essentially a filter. The filter traps tiny air pollutant particles. These pollutants include dander, pollen, mold and dust. Media air cleaners are installed by an HVAC professional on a return duct and trap particulates from entering your home. Not only do media filters help improve air quality, they also are much more effective than standard filters at keeping HVAC systems clean.
Kingwood Air Conditioning & Heating
22424 Loop 494, Kingwood
281-358-0955
https://kingwoodac.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sat.-Sun. (Service technician available after hours)
