FAQs

Humidifiers are very important to have during our cold winters because the air is much drier during the winter time. Not only does dry air bad make your skin dry, but it can also damage your woodwork and furniture. It can even make you feel colder because your body recognizes heat as a combination of humidity and temperature. With the addition of a humidifier in your home, you can save money and energy because you’ll want to lower your thermostat.

Our Columbia HVAC experts recommend that you set it to 65° F if you plan on leaving during the winter. This is low enough to save you money and energy, but warm enough to keep your pipes from freezing. We also recommend that you turn your main water supply off when you go on trips. Water leaks can cause excessive damage if you’re not there to address the problem.

SEER is short for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. This rating essentially tells you how efficient your system is. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the system. Every unit must be rated as a 13 SEER or higher according to federal law. AFUE, or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, symbolizes how many heating dollars are being converted to the heat energy that enters your home and how many heating dollars are lost. A majority of older heaters are 60% efficient, meaning that for every dollar you spend to heat your home, 40 cents of it goes up the chimney. According to federal law, all furnaces must now be at least 80% efficient. Our team of professionals can help you find a furnace that’s even more efficient! Our customers often receive excellent returns on their new furnace investments because the reduced costs of the bills cover the costs of their new heaters!

A standard 1” filter should be changed every 6-8 weeks. Surprisingly, filters actually become more efficient once they’re a little dirty. However, after peak efficiency is reached, the efficiency drops again. Not only are clogged filters less efficient, but they can also cause damage to your unit.

Most of these devices last less than five years. It’s important to keep in mind that all carbon monoxide detectors eventually wear out. If yours is at least three years old, it’s probably time to replace it. You can also test your detector using a CO test kit, which is available at many retail stores.

Your AC unit is most likely either low on refrigerant or it doesn’t supply enough air flow. We recommend replacing the air filter and allowing the unit to thaw out. If the same problem keeps occurring, get in touch with us and we can quickly diagnose the problem for you.