Spring Into a Healthier Home

As a heating and cooling specialist, we understand how to provide you with a more efficient system and the ability to properly control the temperature in your home. We, at Pharo Heating & Cooling, are also Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) specialist and know how to provide you with a healthier, more comfortable home throughout the changing seasons.

Indoor Air Quality plays a major role in the comfort and health of your home. In fact, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has said that Indoor Air Quality is among the top five environmental risk for public health because the air inside your home often contains 2-5 times as many pollutants than the outdoor air; occasionally as much as 100 times.  The problems they cause can be subtle and do not always result in easily recognized or immediate impacts on health, but if left unresolved can leave you feeling subpar.

TOP REASONS TO CONTROL IAQ

 For your comfort – Controlling your humidity levels will aid in maintaining comfortable temperatures in an efficient way.  Good IAQ will help you avoid dry and itchy skin, stuffy and humid conditions, and static shocks by keeping good humidity levels year-round.

 For your health – Maintaining proper humidity levels throughout the different seasons can reduce dust mites, mold growth, bacteria and viruses; while controlling air quality removes harmful airborne contaminants, such as pollen, dander, and dust. Providing proper ventilation will help control volatile pollutants that build up in your home.

For energy efficiency – Maintaining proper humidity levels will allow you to feel more comfortable while keeping your temperature settings at an affordable level.  Also, high efficiency air cleaners used in place of a standard 1” filter keep HVAC systems running at peak performance.

For protecting your home – Humidity control helps protect woodwork and floors from separating, cracking or warping, and reduces the environment for mold and mildew.  Air cleaners protect your family from the spread of airborne contaminants, while keeping your HVAC system cleaner and healthier.

WAYS TO KEEP A HEALTHY HOME

• Keep your HVAC system free from obstruction and change your filter on a regular basis.
• Maintain proper humidity levels with the use of a humidifier and/or dehumidifier. Proper humidity levels are generally between 30-50% relative humidity.
• Reduce triggers for allergy and asthma by using a high efficiency air cleaner.
• Keep chemicals, cleaners and pesticides tightly sealed to limit the uncontrolled release of pollutants into your home.
• Maintain proper ventilation to remove pollutants from your home, while bringing in fresh outdoor air.

AIR CONDITIONER TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

We often get asked by our customers, “Is there anything I can check, before having Pharo make a trip out to my house?”  The answer is yes and we have included these simple things to try before calling:

1. Check to make sure that your thermostat is set to the “Cool” position.
2. Make sure that your desired temperature setting on the thermostat is set below the indoor temperature showing on the thermostat.
3. Ensure that there is power to the thermostat.

◦ Turn the fan to the “On” position on the thermostat.  If your furnace fan turns on, then there is power.

◦ If the fan doesn’t turn on, try replacing the batteries in the thermostat. (If there are batteries; not all thermostats have batteries)

4. Check the circuit breaker or fuse at the electrical panel.

5. Check the switch located on the side of your furnace. Is it turned ‘On’?

◦ Most furnaces will have a switch installed on the side of the furnace for service purposes.  Your furnace needs power in order to distribute the conditioned air.

6. Has your furnace filter been changed recently?

◦ Dirty filters can shut down the furnace due to not having enough air moving through the system.

◦ Also, a dirty filter will decrease the efficiency of your system.

7. Check all return air grilles to make sure they are not blocked by furniture.

◦ Your system needs to pull air from these returns in order to operate.

◦ Blocking return grilles will also cost you efficiency as the equipment needs to work harder.

8. Check the outside condensing unit (air conditioner) to make sure it is not packed with debris.

◦ It is important to remove all lint, cottonwood seed, grass clippings, etc. from the air conditioner.  By keeping the exterior fins clean, you’ll boost efficiency.

◦ ◦ You may simply clean the exterior fins with a hose.