Here are some signs that it’s time to upgrade:

• It’s more than 10 years old. Homes are typically built with an eye to keeping initial costs low, and builders often assume that homeowners will upgrade their HVAC system soon after purchase.
• Signs of visible aging. Examine the ducts in your attic or basement to ensure that the tape on your ducts is firmly attached and that the joints and hangers are properly fitted. If they don’t look right, then chances are the ducts you can’t see are in poor shape too.
• Reduced air flow. Take a few moments to examine the air flow of each register in your home. If you notice that some registers are producing less air than others, it may be a sign that there’s a blockage or other problem in your ducts.

While properly fitted ductwork can save you money, repairing or replacing your ducts offer other benefits too. These include:

• An improvement in air quality. Pet dander, dust and ordinary chemicals that we use to clean our homes can lead to increased risks of allergies or asthma. Sealing your ducts mean cleaner air for your whole family.
• An increase in overall comfort. Tight ducts mean fewer drafts and discomfort. If you’re unable to be comfortable in certain rooms in your home during the cold winter months, you may be in need of new ductwork.
• Benefits to the environment. The energy that we use to keep our homes comfortable is a result of burning fossil fuels, which leads to air pollution. The less energy we use, the less pollution.

Learn more about how to care for your ductwork by contacting the friendly folks at Pepper Air Conditioning.

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

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• A higher-efficiency filter may save you money. In some climates, an impeccably maintained HVAC system may use up to 10 percent less energy when higher-efficiency filters are regularly installed.
• It doesn’t require any more effort than traditional air filters take. Most high-efficiency air filters only need to be replaced every 90 days. If you have pets, or live in an area that has a high level of allergens, you may need to replace it more frequently.
• You can notice an improvement right away. You don’t need to wait weeks, or even days to begin freshening the air in your home. A high-efficiency air filter replacement provides benefits as soon as it’s installed.
• Your family will be healthier. Replace your ordinary air filter with a higher-efficiency model and you’ll be assured of fewer impurities in the air like the cold or flu viruses that are going around now.
• Your home will be greener. A more energy efficient home means that your house will run more efficiently and you’ll be doing your part to ensure that this planet is around for years to come.

No matter what your reasons for making the switch to a high-efficiency air filter replacement, you can count on the pros at Pepper Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. to make the process as painless as possible. Call us now and find out why we’re the first choice for Texans who want to breathe just a little bit easier.

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

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Some signs that you may need better ventilation include cooking scents lingering in the home for a long time, mold or mildew smells in closet areas, condensation on the inside of your windows, and increased allergies when you’re in your home (itchy, watery eyes and sneezing, for example).

Look around your house for exhaust fans, called spot ventilation in the business. In most areas’ newer homes, exhaust fans are required by housing code in all bathrooms. In older homes this wasn’t the case. You should also have exhaust fans in your laundry room and above the kitchen stove. If you don’t have vents in these places, moisture can build up, making the space a prime habitat for mildew and mold growth.

Even if you do have vents where they should be, they may not be venting to the outside of the home. Many fans vent directly into the attic space. Pumping hot, moist air into the attic can dampen insulation and reduce its insulating performance.

Good winter ventilation is as much about bringing outdoor air in as it is about removing smelly indoor air. Using a whole house ventilation system can help filter outside air as it’s brought into the house and then distributed through existing ductwork.

For more advice on home ventilation, contact the experts at Pepper Air Conditioning and Heating. We’ve been serving the needs of customers in the Justin area since 1982 and look forward to helping you soon.

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

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In the past, you’d probably set your thermostat several degrees lower (or higher in the summer) while on vacation, or shut the system off entirely. This is good as far as it goes, but doesn’t allow you to respond to changing conditions while you’re gone. The smart thermostats available today allow you to adjust settings from afar, and notify you when there’s a problem. The standard vacation mode in a programmable thermostat offers a convenient way to keep your home at your preferred energy-saving temperature while you’re away from home for several days. This setting will keep the house at a temperature that will help prevent mold growth or freezing pipes. The thermostat will automatically revert back to its normal settings, at the end of the vacation period.

This potential for energy savings is in addition to a programmable model’s base benefit – allowing you to set energy-saving temperatures based on your daily and weekly schedules. There’s no reason to have your HVAC system operating at full capacity when nobody’s around to enjoy it.

You can save about 1 percent for each degree that you raise or lower the thermostat from the normal temperature when cooling or heating, respectively. The U.S… Department of Energy recommends that during parts of the day when you’re home and awake, set your thermostat to about 78 degrees during the summer and 68 degrees in the winter.

For more expert information about programmable thermostats or other home comfort related questions, please contact us at Pepper Air Conditioning & Heating. We have been proudly serving the Justin area for over 25 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Justin, Texas 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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Here are some of the main benefits you will experience with a standby generator:

Continuous power: As opposed to the more common portable generators, standby generators have the advantage of providing continuous power to your furnace, sump pump and air conditioner. A continuous power supply ensures that you won’t experience periods of extreme cold or heat. This can also help you to avoid expensive sump pump cleanup and repair.

Avoid hotel costs: If your family ends up experiencing a prolonged electrical outage, you may need to find alternate housing. You can save yourself the stress and expense of staying in a hotel during an outage by purchasing a standby generator.

Keep food fresh: It’s inconvenient and potentially hazardous to have a refrigerator and freezer full of rotting food. You won’t have to worry about wasting food or cleaning up a rotting mess if you  have a standby generator.

Increase home value: Although purchasing a standby generator will involve a significant initial investment, it can be a worthwhile long-term investment. The addition of a standby generator can increase your home’s value.

Peace of mind: When an outage happens, you want to know your family will be safe, secure and comfortable. Having a standby generator will provide you with the confidence and knowledge that your family is safe in an emergency situation.

If you need more information on how installing a standby generator will benefit your home, contact an HVAC expert at Pepper Air Conditioning & Heating. We have been serving Justin and other North Texas communities since 1982.

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

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Take a look at the four basic benefits of air duct cleaning:

• Having dirty air ducts doesn’t necessarily mean you’re breathing unhealthy air, but for those with respiratory ailments and allergies, the better air quality provided through duct cleaning can help alleviate asthma and allergy symptoms.
• A cleaner system can save you money. Your HVAC system has to work harder when it’s dirty. A cleaner system can move air more smoothly, so it uses less energy. This allows for a more efficient and cost-effective heating and cooling system.
• Cleaner air means a cleaner home. Air duct cleaning can dramatically reduce the amount of dust and dander that spreads throughout your home, settles into fabric and furniture, and gets into your expensive electronic devices.
• The increased air flow in your ducts allows the major components of your system to breathe much easier. This increase in efficiency will extend the service life of your HVAC equipment and help to prevent breakdowns and costly repairs.

Not every home needs ductwork cleaning. Always consult a trusted local professional to determine your heating and air conditioning needs. A technician can test your ducts for air leaks and collected dust and debris, and then if cleaning is needed, has the tools and know-how to do a proper job of duct cleaning.

In the Justin area, please contact us at Pepper Air Conditioning & Heating for help with heating and cooling equipment, ductwork and air quality concerns. We’ve been providing quality HVAC services since 1982.

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

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• Your home’s indoor air quality
• The performance level and longevity of your HVAC equipment
• Energy costs
• Ongoing air filter replacement costs

Overlooking the importance of air filters can have negative effects in several areas. You should inspect your HVAC filters once a month to see if they need to be replaced (or cleaned in some systems), and they should typically be replaced or cleaned no less than every two to three months. This will ensure that you’re getting the maximum filtration capabilities from the filters you’re using. This not only will protect your heating/cooling equipment from being subject to harmful dust and particulate, thereby minimizing repair costs, but do a more thorough job at cleaning the air you breathe indoors.

In addition to maintaining your filters on a timely basis, it’s important to take care in choosing the correct size filters, installing them properly, and most importantly, selecting filters with efficiency ratings (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Valve – MERV) that best suit your family’s needs and your equipment’s airflow requirements.

Residential HVAC air filters are usually rated on a MERV scale from 1 to 16. As numbers get higher on the MERV scale, it indicates a filter’s ability to trap smaller-sized particles, with a MERV 16 able to filter particles as small as mold spores, bacteria, smoke and microscopically small allergens. Unfortunately, MERV 13-16 filters also impede system airflow, unless serious equipment modifications are made. This will lead to energy waste and eventually equipment failure. For this reason, experts recommend most homeowners use filters with MERV ratings from 8-12 for an ideal combination of air quality and airflow maintenance. Your HVAC professional can help you select what’s most appropriate for your equipment and home.

Pepper Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. has been serving our clients in and around Justin with their home heating/cooling needs for three decades. Contact us for more information regarding air filters and indoor air quality.

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

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Whether your primary concern is heating or cooling, proper insulation is a crucial part of keeping your home’s HVAC systems running efficiently, providing comfort for occupants and saving money. Whether you’re building a new home, renovating or weatherizing, insulation is an important part of the process.

The first thing to consider when insulating a house is the type of insulation to be used. Budget restraints may be the deciding factor, but a great deal of attention should be paid to efficiency as well. The main varieties of insulation are rigid foam, flexible batting and loose fill. Rigid foam comes in the form of boards, and should generally only be used on flat and level surfaces. Fiberglass batting is durable and easy to shape around construction elements. Loose-fill insulation can be made from fiberglass, cellulose, wool or other materials, and can be sprayed into any area.

It’s important that your house is insulated in the right areas, as well. Ideally, your home will have insulation in the attic and floors, as well as inside walls and around windows and doors. You can install some types of insulation in accessible areas such as attics quickly and easily, while some projects, such as insulation in walls, should be left to the professionals.

Please contact us at Pepper Air Conditioning & Heating for more expert advice on insulation and other home improvement issues for your Justin area home.

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

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Dangerous Microorganisms and UV Lights

Microorganisms in your home’s air can include a variety of organic pollutants including mold spores, mildew, bacteria, viruses and various other germs. When some of these things get into your lungs, they can trigger or exacerbate respiratory issues such as asthma and allergies, or cause other illnesses. These microorganisms have no defense against UV light rays. The lights are typically installed within your HVAC ductwork or positioned to shine directly on A/C or heat pump indoor coils. Once microorganisms are exposed to UV radiation, the molecular bonds that hold them together break down, effectively destroying them.

Benefits of Using UV Lights

Once you’ve had a professional HVAC contractor install the UV light system, the great majority of microorganisms will be eliminated. To better illustrate what these lights are all about, check out these benefits:

• Elimination of biological contaminants – As previously discussed, the installation of ultraviolet lights is highly effective in reducing the amount of biological contaminants in your air.
• Protection of HVAC components – Mold and bacteria can grow on your system’s indoor coils or condensate pan. A UV light system can be installed to shine on these components, killing mold and bacteria, which benefits both your health and the heat-exchange efficiency of your equipment.
• Zero ozone emissions – The production of ozone emissions common in some air cleaners can irritate a person’s lungs. With a UV light system, you don’t have to worry about this.

For more expert advice about UV lights, or for questions related to home comfort, please contact the professionals at Pepper Air Conditioning & Heating. We’ve been serving the HVAC needs of Justin and the surrounding area since 1982.

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

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Here Are Five Tips to Help You Troubleshoot Your Furnace:

1. The thermostat is the place to start. Ensure that heating mode is selected, and that the temperature is set above the current temperature in your home. If it’s not firing, it’s time to find the unit for some hands-on furnace troubleshooting.
2. Look for the power switch. It looks like a light switch near the furnace. If it’s on, check the breaker box. The furnace should be labeled, if the breaker is thrown, reset it. If it’s still not working, take a look through the inspection window. There should be a blinking green light. If it’s red or there’s no light, your furnace might have an internal electrical issue and you should call a professional to diagnose and repair it.
3. If it’s not an electrical problem, check the furnace’s ignition source. It can be either a pilot light, a spark or a hot surface ignitor. If the pilot isn’t lit, carefully light it and make sure it’s about two inches long and touching the thermocouple. If you don’t hear the spark ignitor or the hot surface ignitor isn’t glowing, you need a professional to diagnose the problem.
4. If the furnace is running, but not producing enough heat, first make sure all the registers are open. Still chilly? Replace the air filter and check the blower belt.
5. Finally, if your furnace is working fine but irritatingly noisy, first make sure the access panel is secured correctly. Then, check to make sure the blower belts are tight and in good repair. Noise also can be caused by motors that need lubrication. Find the lubrication ports and top them off. If it’s a dirty burner causing the racket, call your HVAC technician.

Troubleshooting your home’s problems before calling a technician can save on service charges, but when you’re stumped and need professional advice, please contact us at Pepper Air Conditioning & Heating. We provide superior HVAC services in Justin and the surrounding area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Justin, Texas and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about furnace troubleshooting tips, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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