Radon is a radioactive gas that cannot be detected by human senses. While testing for it – and preventing its ingress into your home – is a job for professional contractors, there are some basic ways all homeowners can improve IAQ.

Symptoms of Experiencing Poor IAQ

Some IAQ is so bad that people inside a space struggle to breathe; it’s clearly imperative that such spaces remain unoccupied until the problem is resolved. More frequently, though, sufferers simply feel “bad” inside a particular place, then better when they leave. If this pattern establishes, it means poor IAQ should be investigated.

Less impactful symptoms include:

• Experiencing bad smells with no apparent cause
• Noticing damp areas that have no apparent cause, and which never entirely dry up

Good Starts

Basic corrective measures can include:

Increased air circulation. Poor air circulation allows certain contaminants, such as colonies of mold, to thrive. Exchanging the air in often-enclosed spaces, such as basements and cabinets below sinks – can moderate the problem.

Improved air filtration. Effective filtration can reduce bad smells; some high-end units can even remove the odor of tobacco smoke from circulating air.

Changes in the Environment. A raft of seemingly-innocent environmental factors have, over the years, been identified as culprits behind poor IAQ. Only after a factor has been established to be a problem can it be addressed. Offenders have included:

• Carpets and furnishings
• Cigarette smoke
• Cleaning products
• Construction activities
• Insects
• Office machines
• Perfumes

Indoor air quality testing is a job for professionals with extensive local knowledge. In the southeast Michigan and greater Detroit metro area, that expert contractor is C&C Heating and Air Conditioning. Contact us to learn more, or to arrange a free in-home consultation.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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• Keep your HVAC system off. When work is being done, dust is being thrown into the air frequently. If your HVAC system is on, it will be drawing air in, which will include the dust and dirt. If you must run your system, wait until the majority of particles have settled and try to clean up the best you can.
• Close air vents. Even when your system isn’t on, it’s possible for dust to enter your system through registers. Note that this should only be done when your system is off.
• Work outside. It’s good practice to do as much cutting and other tasks outside whenever possible. The added bonus of this is that it keeps the dust outside and out of your system.
• Clean as much as you can. While you have to accept that there will be some dust, you can try and keep it to a minimum by cleaning on a regular basis. Vacuuming and sweeping as needed can go a long way to protecting your HVAC system.
• Change the air filter often. If this project lasts more than a few days, it’s a good idea to change the filter frequently. A dirty filter will place extra stress on your system’s blower and is less effective at filtering out dust and other particles.
• Use tarps for protection. Plastic tarps are cheap and effective at isolating dust into the construction area. Cover off rooms and vents to prevent debris from escaping.

Follow these tips to avoid a dusty HVAC system. For a professional HVAC inspection following your southeast Michigan home’s remodel, contact C&C Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Gimme an H!

The H in HVAC means heating, and that generally means an energy-efficient furnace. The furnace either burns fuel (customarily, natural gas or liquid propane) or converts electricity to heat and sends warm air out to the ductwork, where your home’s air handler pushes it through the supply ducts. An efficient, well-maintained furnace can provide years of worry-free service.

Gimme a V!

V is for ventilation. While sealing air leaks in your home saves money, you will never have a truly airtight building envelope, nor would you want one. Your furnace and other heating appliances need to draw in fresh air. Your household air eventually gets stale (a buildup of carbon dioxide from the family’s breathing) and must be replaced. This work, plus more, is handled by the ventilation part of your HVAC system.

Ductwork running through your home pushes freshly warmed or cooled air through supply ducts, and pulls spent air back for treatment through return air ducts. An air handler—a large fan in most cases—does the pushing and pulling. When ductwork is correctly sized and clean, your entire home and all its systems, HVAC system included, operate well.

Gimme an A and C!

A central air conditioner generally features an outdoor condenser and compressor connected to an indoor coil. The indoor coil is situated so the air it cools can be pushed through the supply side of the same ductwork your furnace and air handler use.

Additional features

Your home’s HVAC system can also include these parts:

• Deep-media or high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters
• Dehumidifier
• Humidifier
• Programmable thermostats controlling zones

All these parts work together to keep your home pleasant and comfortable no matter the season. To learn more about how the parts of your Chesterfield home’s HVAC system work, contact us at C&C Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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If your Detroit or Southeast Michigan home tends to stay dry, though, a whole house humidifier may be a better option. A whole house humidifying system is installed as part of your home’s HVAC system and releases water vapor through your home’s air ducts. There are several advantages to a whole home humidifier:

1) A whole house humidifier provides additional control. This type of system allows you to monitor and control the moisture levels in your home right from your thermostat.

2) A whole house humidifier provides an even level of moisture. With smaller appliances, you may have one room of your house that is less dry – and even then only while the machine is running. With a whole home system, you get a steady level of moisture throughout your home.

3) A whole house system helps you enjoy better health as well as a more comfortable home. Dry air in the home is a nuisance. It can cause dry skin and can even cause your flooring and wood furniture to dry out and get damaged. Unfortunately, it can also cause irritated nasal passages, sore throats, and even nosebleeds or headaches. In some cases, it can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep by irritating your sinuses. A humidifier system lets you combat some of these problems with a permanent solution.

Dry air is great for museums, art galleries, and bookstores, but your body and skin need more moisture than dusty books and manuscripts. With a whole home humidifier system, you can enjoy more comfort. If you would like information about these or other HVAC systems, contact us at C & C Heating & Air Conditioning. We have been part of the Greater Detroit metro area for more than 65 years and would be pleased to offer you advice and assistance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about humidifiers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Traditional Home Air Filtration

Many homeowners go for the least expensive air filter in the store. These filters are able to remove particles that are larger than 10 microns, but many allergens that can cause a reaction are much smaller and are not removed.

High Efficiency Filtration

The only way to remove these tiny particles is to install high efficiency filtration that can remove pollen, and other small allergens from the air. The electrostatic air filter and the dense, pleated, high efficiency air filter can remove between 90 and 98 percent of allergens in the air.

Regular Maintenance

Air filters must be regularly maintained if they are to perform efficiently. A dirty filter will reduce air flow and make the HVAC system work harder. The air pressure drop across the filter will exacerbate any air leakage and allow tiny particles to leak past. In the worst case, mold and other spores can colonize in the filter and then get spread throughout the ducting.

If you want to improve the air filtration in your home call us at C & C Heating & Air Conditioning; we have been servicing the Southeast Michigan region since 1948. Our skilled technicians will check your existing filtration and recommend a suitable high efficiency air filter and make sure that the air in your home is clean and healthy and keeping allergens and pollen outside.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air filtration and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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1. Cut off the water supply. You should use the shut-off valve on the line coming into the water heater.
2. For gas water heaters you need to turn the controls to “pilot” and in electric water heaters you’ll need to shut off the circuit breaker. This prevents heater element burnout during the draining.
3. Screw a hose into the drain valve. Find one that’s long enough that it can take the hot water away from your landscaping and places where children might be playing.
4. Open a faucet to let water into the system. Bathtubs work best for this.
5. Open the drain valve. It should take about 4-5 minutes for all of the water to drain from the unit.
6. Restore water to unit. Once the water has stopped draining on its own, you need to turn the shut-off back on. This forces more water through the unit, and removes the more stubborn sediment at the bottom of the water heater. You can stop the water when it is running clear out of your hose.
7. Close the drain valve. This will cause the tank to fill. You will know that the job is done when the faucet that you turned on starts to flow with water.
8. Restore power. Now you can turn the pilot control back to its regular settings or flip your breaker back to the on position.

Flushing the water heater is part of the preventative maintenance that you need to do as a homeowner; however, when other problems with the unit arise, it is time to call a professional.  Contact C&C Heating and Air Conditioning to schedule an appointment.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about water heaters and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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On the other hand, programmable thermostats are popular for many reasons: they are convenient, efficient, offer energy saving benefits, consistent comfort and accurate, reliable temperature control. In short, they do all the work for you.

Programmable thermostats offer many benefits:

• They are energy-efficient
• You can generally expect to see a return on your investment within one year
• They contain no mercury, and are environmentally friendly
• They help homeowners use less energy, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions caused by energy production

No matter what your schedule, there is a programmable thermostat that is perfect for your home and lifestyle. They can be set to accommodate a variety of schedules, based on whether you are at work, at home, asleep or awake, or which day of the week it is.

Which Thermostat is Right for Me?

To choose the best model for your home, examine your and your family’s weekly and daily schedule:

• 5+2 models – If you work during the day and are home weekends, you can set a separate schedule for weekdays and weekends.
• 5+1+1 models – These are best if you have a set schedule Monday through Friday, and a different schedule on both Saturday and Sunday.
• 7-day models – If you have a busy family with varying schedules, this option offers the most flexibility, as it allows for different settings each day of the week.

For more information about how a programmable thermostat can save you money and make your life easier, contact the Roseville home comfort experts at C&C Heating & Air Conditioning today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about programmable thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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When it’s cool enough, use the outside air.  Set your thermostat higher and open your windows. Turn on some ceiling fans and make sure they are set for summer use. Some days this may be all you need. If it does get hot enough for the unit to cycle on, you can close the windows, then, knowing you’ve saved some money.

Sometimes the thermostat is set lower than it should be because of uneven cooling in the house. You can look for the source of uneven cooling or schedule a visit from a professional technician.  One culprit might be when devices that give off heat, like lamps or televisions, are too close to the thermostat. If you find this to be true, move these devices further from the thermostat and you will be able to set the thermostat higher.

Clogged air ducts and vents can also keep the unit from cooling as it should, causing you to lower the temperature on the thermostat.  Check for blockages around supply and return vents, moving any furniture or drapes that might be restricting the flow of air. If you suspect air ducts may be clogged, schedule an appointment with a professional technician.

If changes in landscaping are possible, try using trees and shrubs to shade the house and the outside HVAC unit. Be careful that the landscaping does not block the flow of air around the HVAC unit.  This type of landscaping can lower the temperature inside the home by several degrees and decrease the amount of work required from the air conditioning unit.

For more information about how to keep your home cool more efficiently, contact us today at C&C Heating and Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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The reality is that in many cases an air conditioner can help with moisture problems in the home since it draws hot air as well as moisture out of the house and also dries the air. If you have ever noticed condensation on the windshield after sitting in your car on a summer day and have gotten rid of the window fog by switching on your car’s air conditioning system, you can already see how this works.

If you have an air conditioner and condensation issues, there may be a few problems:

1) Your air conditioner may have a leak. A leak caused by a pan sloping into the home could be producing additional moisture in your home and this could be contributing to condensation.

2) You may have a significant difference between the outside temperature and inside temperature. If you’ve see the condensation on a cold glass of soda on a hot day, you can appreciate what happens when there are two very different temperatures on opposite sides of glass. An HVAC contractor can help you find solutions.

3) Your air conditioner may not be functioning correctly. If your air conditioning unit is not drawing moisture out of the air, there may be problems with the system. This is especially the case if the window fog appears around the unit. A call to an A/C system professional can help you determine the root of the problem – and the solution.

If you have questions or concerns about your air conditioner, contact us at C & C Heating & Air Conditioning. Our customers have trusted us to provide them with peace of mind and HVAC services for more than 65 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/C checks and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Home Energy Audit

A home energy audit is the first step of a process to enhance comfort, indoor air quality and home efficiency. Energy audits assess how much energy your home uses in each of its systems, identifies where energy is being wasted and offers solutions to boost home efficiency, comfort and save money.

Your HVAC contractor utilizes specialized equipment and calculations to detect and assess the following elements of home efficiency:

• Reviews and assesses energy bills and energy usage habits of occupants.
• Determines air leakage rate in the home shell and ductwork using a blower door test.
• Identifies insulation deficiencies in the attic, walls and floor using infrared imaging.
• Calculates heating/cooling load of the home using HVAC industry best practices Manual J.
• Tests to determine if the furnace, A/C and ductwork are properly sized to the home’s load.
• Measures indoor humidity, and inspects walls, structure and furnishings for signs of excessively high or low humidity.
• Inspects appliances, the water heating system and hunts down those “energy vampires” (i.e. electronics and small appliances that waste energy in standby or sleep mode).
• Inspects home lighting efficiency and devices.

Many Ways to Save Energy

Energy audits typically shed light on many practical ways to save energy in the home, as well as provide recommendations for upgrading to Energy Star-qualified systems, such as high-efficiency HVAC and appliances.

For instance, simply replacing conventional light bulbs with energy-saving LEDs makes a big impact on energy bills. Sealing air leaks in the home shell and ductwork is another example of a practical project that saves big bucks, and generally lasts for the life of the home.

So, the next time you hear the word “audit,” think happy thoughts of greater home comfort and energy savings. Contact C & C Heating & Air Conditioning today to schedule an energy audit in your Southeast Michigan home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Detroit, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy audits and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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