Clean and Sanitize Your HVAC System With UV Lights

Close Up Of Caucasian Service Worker Fixing Central Heating Furnace System

Installing UV lights inside your HVAC system can ensure cleanliness and sanitation. Many times in HVAC systems, microorganisms build up in the ductwork and can significantly lower your air quality. You might be wondering how effective these UV lights are and whether you need them installed. Let’s look at what they do for your HVAC system.

Will UV Lights Kill Bacteria and Viruses in My System?

Viruses and bacteria in your HVAC system are a health concern. When HVAC systems are contaminated, they contribute to diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, bacterial and viral infections, and pneumonitis. 

Today, you can find UV lights in hospitals, grocery stores, and restaurants for germicidal use. These lights have proven to be effective in sterilizing and killing viruses, mold, and bacteria in HVAC systems. Don’t take your health for granted; installing UV lights in your HVAC system can prevent contamination in your home.

How Air Quality Increases In Your Home

If installed properly, UV light will help air quality increase in your home. Professionals with experience in UV light installation must keep conditions in mind when installing the system. Their placement, direction, and the number of lights will determine how effective they are. They must factor in the humidity levels and temperature within the home as well.

Additional Steps to Take to Ensure Cleanliness

UV lights are an effective solution to keeping your HVAC system and ducts clean and sanitized. However, there are a few other steps you can take to prevent problems in your system.

Regular maintenance is critical, as it will make sure your system and lights are working correctly. You also have to keep filters clean and replace them when necessary.

And lastly, hire a professional to seal ductwork correctly. Gaps in ducts allow allergens, bacteria, and more to be pulled in the system. 

UV Lights For Indoor Air Quality: Kay Heating & Air Conditioning

If you are ready to install UV lights to improve your indoor air quality, Kay Heating & Air Conditioning can help with installation and maintenance. Keep your home clean and sanitized. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that no viruses or bacteria are accumulating in your HVAC system.

GET UV LIGHTS IN YOUR HVAC SYSTEM

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Summer Energy Costs And How To Reduce Them

It’s well-known that the summer months bring substantial surges in energy costs. Half of energy bills, on average, goes towards cooling, and even more so during this time of year. However, cooling down your house doesn’t have to spike your utility bills. There are a few ways to help you stay cool, save energy, and contribute to the environment.

 Only Use Your Air Conditioner When You Need It

If you plan on leaving your house and nobody will be there while you’re gone, you can turn your AC off. You could also consider turning it off during the night, as temperatures drop and less cooling is needed. It’s important to note that during the summer, your thermostat must be set between 78-80 degrees. Raising your thermostat yields savings in cooling costs.

Use Natural Ventilation While You Can

You can eliminate electricity usage completely by opening windows when it cools down outside if you live in a climate that has cool nights and regular breezes. You could maximize natural ventilation by using a fan. Although the fan uses electricity, it will consume a lot less power than your air conditioner. It’ll also help increase the airflow from your open windows.

Block The Sun

Blocking the sun is a great way to keep your home from heating up. Using drapes and blinds to cover your windows will reduce heat and add a decorative touch to your home. Since blinds are not as thick as blackout curtains, some natural light will still be able to shine through, allowing you to save energy on lighting as well.

HVAC Maintenance & Repairs

For an optimally working air conditioner, you need regular maintenance. Did you know that when your unit is not working correctly, it will consume more energy? That’s right: your HVAC system might be a reason for energy bill spikes. Conducting inspections and regular maintenance will keep your filters and ducts clear from anything that could obstruct airflow. This solution will lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption.

Lower Your Energy Costs With Kay Heating & Air Conditioning

At Kay Heating & Air Conditioning, we provide HVAC maintenance and repair services. We can inspect your system to ensure that it’s running and performing at its best. When you don’t service heating and cooling systems regularly, they can break and waste energy. If you want to save energy this summer, call us. We will make sure your air conditioner is not causing energy spikes but reducing costs. 

CONTACT US FOR HVAC MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SERVICES TO SAVE ENERGY

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HVAC Tips for the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  We agree with this favorite Christmas song lyric.  Though we also agree that with all the visitors and extra lights and up-and-down thermostat, the most wonderful time can also mean a less wonderful January power bills.  But with a little attention to common sense and heat management details, the January bill can be less Scrooge-like.  Keep these miserly tips in mind this season:

Mind the Temperature

When you are home and awake, set your thermostat as low as is comfortable.

When you are asleep or out of the house, turn your thermostat back 10° to 15° for eight hours.  A smart or programmable thermostat can make it easy to set back your temperature.

If you have a heat pump, maintain a moderate setting or use a programmable thermostat specially designed for use with heat pumps.

Reduce Heat Loss from the Fireplace

Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like leaving a window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney.

When you use the fireplace, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly–approximately 1 inch–and close doors leading into the room. Lower the thermostat setting to between 50° and 55°F.

Check the seal on the fireplace flue damper and make it as snug as possible.

 

Share more Hot Water with Holiday Guests

Reduce the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F). You’ll not only save energy, you’ll avoid scalding your hands.  And you’ll leave more water for extra visitors during the holidays!

Use fans to circulate air.

Set your fan on low to circulate air upward toward the ceiling. This will force the warmer air that rises and gets trapped at the ceiling downward, leaving your house feeling warmer.

 

 

Keep vents and radiators clear.

Ensure your vents are not blocked by rugs or furniture, or that you don’t have any large objects in front of your radiator. This allows the air to circulate freely and you to get the full benefit of the warm air and put less strain on your furnace. This is also safer!

Clean vents, radiators, etc.

Not only is dust an allergen, it is a wonderful insulator. Clean the built-up dust from your radiators and baseboard heat vents often. This allows the air to flow freely into your rooms and promotes equal heat radiation. It is healthier too!

Pay attention to your windows.

Approximately 10-25% of your house’s heat loss can be attributed to windows. To reduce this, open curtains and shades on south facing windows during daylight hours to allow the sun’s heat to enter your house and warm it. Keep curtains and blinds closed at night and when the sun is not shining on them to insulate your house and keep the heat inside. Another tip – place blankets over uncovered windows and drapes, especially at night when the windows are not being used and the temperature is at its coldest.

Shut the doors.

If the room is not used, why heat it? Shut the doors and close the vent when you are not in the room. When you are in the room, shutting the door can increase the room’s temperature by keeping in your body heat and the heat produced by lights or other electronics such as a computer.

Lower Your Holiday Lighting Costs

Use light-emitting diode — or “LED” — holiday light strings to reduce the cost of decorating your home for the winter holidays.

Most Important: Safety and Security

While saving on your monthly energy bill is important, safety and security are the top priority.  Be sure to give your home that lived-in look while you’re away by using programmable timers that allow you to manage which lights to turn on, when and for how long while you’re away from home.

Enjoy your holidays! As always, call Kay Heating and Air Conditioning for any needs that arise during this busy season. 336-274-6323 or contact us at www.kayheating.com.

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Why Closing Your Air Vents Won’t Save You Money

Air Vent

It’s a common misconception that closing the vents of a room is a good way to save energy and money. But this can actually hurt your home. When you close the vents, air can’t circulate properly and this puts stress on your air conditioning system. In addition, it can cause your air conditioner to work harder and use more energy. Here, we’ll go through how closing your vents can hurt you.

 

Closing Your Air Vents Damages Your HVAC System

Many people believe that closing vents in unused rooms will save money on their energy bill. However, this is not the case. Unless you change the setting on your thermostat or turn the air off altogether, the blower is always trying to maintain a certain pressure difference, and the coil or heat exchanger is always trying to cool or heat the air that passes through.

 

In other words, closing one vent does not spare your HVAC system – it only makes it more difficult for the system to maintain the proper pressure. As a result, your system has to work harder, which uses more energy and costs you more money. So next time you’re tempted to close a vent in an unused room, remember that it’s actually costing you more in the long run.

 

You’re Not Doing Your House A Favor

As anyone who has ever tried to cool a single room in their home can attest, it is impossible to do so without affecting the temperature of the entire house. Most air conditioning systems are designed to cool the air in a house evenly, using a network of air vents. Closing off one or more air vents will therefore disrupt this process and can actually end up making the room you are trying to cool even warmer. 

 

Not to mention, it can also lead to air quality issues as toxins and pollutants build up in the room. So next time you’re tempted to close the vents in an unused room, remember that it’s not doing your home any favors. If you have problems with a room, call air conditioning services instead. They’ll be able to help you troubleshoot the issue and find a more energy-efficient solution.

 

Find Your Ideal Temperature In Greensboro, NC

If one of your rooms is too cold, closing a vent won’t help – it will just put your unit under stress. You’re much better off addressing the root of the problem with the help of a certified HVAC company. At Kay Heating & Air Conditioning, our team of technicians can find a solution that works for you. Our contractors will save you money on vents by finding a solution to make your HVAC system more efficient.

 

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Plant Trees to Cut Your A/C Bills This Spring and Summer

Shade Trees

As the temperatures start to rise, you may be looking forward to the extra sun but dreading the spike in your electricity bill. WalletHub® calculated that North Carolinians had the eleventh highest average electricity bills in 2017 – $144 per month – compared to residents in all other states and Washington D.C.1 Over the course of a year, that can really add up!

While you don’t have control over utility prices, you can reduce your energy consumption and lower your bills in an unlikely way.

The Effect of Planting Shade Trees

As it turns out, there isn’t much trees can’t do. Besides increasing your home’s value by 7 to 19 percent and providing beauty and privacy, trees can also potentially slash your energy bills for years to come.2 According to the U.S. Department of Energy, optimizing your landscaping could save you anywhere from 15 to 50 percent on your A/C bill due to significantly lower temperatures provided by shade trees. If an entire neighborhood is covered in shade trees, the temperature can drop by 6 degrees Fahrenheit!3

Why Shade Trees Work

We already know intuitively that trees lower the temperature; it’s why we prefer to stand under a tree on a sweltering summer day than directly in the path of the sun’s brutal rays. There are two main reasons for this cooling effect.

• Shading – Tree leaves can block sunlight from hitting your home and streaming in through your windows.

• Evapotranspiration – This is a combination of evaporation and transpiration, two major parts of the water cycle. Evaporation is the transformation of liquid water into water vapor after heating. Transpiration is the process by which water moves from the ground up through a tree’s roots and is released through the leaves’ stoma to become vapor.

What Types of Trees to Plant

In general, it’s a good idea to choose trees that are compatible with the climate of your state and the microclimate of your town. North Carolina is in a temperate region of the United States, so you will want to plant shade trees that are native to the area and can survive in the region’s climate and with the annual rainfall.

You will also need to decide between planting deciduous or evergreen trees. The main difference is that deciduous trees will lose their leaves in fall and be barren in winter, whereas evergreen trees remain lush and full year-round. While this doesn’t make much of a difference during spring and summer, an evergreen tree will also block the sunlight during the fall and winter, which you may not want. For instance, you may want to offset winter heating costs by allowing sunlight to hit your home. When it comes to the deciduous versus evergreen debate, there is no right or wrong answer. Choose the tree that will give you your desired shade for every season.

Here is a list of popular shade trees you may want to consider. Those native to North Carolina are marked with an asterisk:

• *American Hornbeam
• Chinese Elm
• Crepe Myrtle
• *Flowering Dogwood
• Ginkgo
• Japanese Zelkova
• Littleleaf Linden
• *Red Maple
• *Sugar Maple
• *White Oak

To check what trees may be appropriate for your home, reference the native plant list provided by NC State University or one of the plant lists provided by the Natural Learning Initiative at the NC State College of Design.

Where to Plant Your Trees

• Keep sun and shade angle in mind – Even if you plant your tree right next to your home, it might not provide shade at the time of day you want, if at all. In general, plant trees with lower crowns on the west side of the house to block afternoon and sunset rays. Tall deciduous trees with high crowns are better suited for the southern side of the house, unless you have solar panels or rely on the winter sun to heat your home. When in doubt, ask a landscaping professional.

• Watch out for roots – Make sure you know how large the root system of your tree will be once it’s fully matured. Overgrown roots can destroy a home’s foundation or your driveway. You may also accidentally plant trees too close to each other, stifling their ability to grow.

• Give your house some room to breathe – While you want shade, you also don’t want to damage your home. How far you plant your tree from the house will depend on the species and your homeowners insurance policy.

• Maximize curb appeal – There is an art to landscaping. If you space trees out haphazardly, they may reduce the curb appeal of your home or cause damage. Consult with a tree service company if you don’t have much landscaping experience.

Save Money on Your Bills With Kay Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.

While shade trees are a great way to boost your home’s energy efficiency, it’s more important that your HVAC system is running smoothly. If your air filter is dirty or the system’s parts are worn down, your A/C has to work twice as hard to pump cool air into your home, driving up your energy bill every month and potentially causing costly damage to the unit!

At Kay Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., our CFC-certified technicians can take care of any HVAC tune-up or repair. We’ve been serving North Carolina since 1972, so we know HVAC systems inside and out. If you’re in the Triad area, give us a call at 336-274-6323 to schedule your service today!

1https://wallethub.com/edu/energy-costs-by-state/4833/
2https://www.hgtv.com/design/real-estate/increase-your-homes-value-with-mature-trees
3https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-saver-101-infographic-landscaping

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