Timing may be based on the following:

• The type of filter. The higher the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Rating Value), the more efficient the filter will be. For instance, a filter with a rating of 11 catches more airborne particles than one with a rating of five. Since the rating loses effectiveness over time, filters still must be replaced on time. Early replacement could alternately mean unnecessary cost.

• The air quality condition. The rule of thumb for air filter replacement is once per month. Poor air quality or change in the airflow within that time frame may indicate a dirty filter. If it is not cleaned soon, it could lead to replacement.

• What’s in circulation. Air conditioner maintenance improves air quality, but the filter collects particulate matters continuously. Therefore, what goes on in your home has special significance and can help determine the timing. Pet hair, pesticides, industrial particles, carpet fibers, and even skin and hair contribute to indoor air pollution. These conditions may dictate changing the air filter more often.

If your home’s filter is not changed on time, despite regular air conditioner maintenance, you can expect deterioration in air flow. Although there is no set time for changing a filter, to be safe, you should change the filter as often as you think necessary.

If you need more help determining when your air conditioner’s filter needs to be changed, call your local air conditioning company in Irving at 817-831-3950.

Stay cool and comfortable with our thermostat savings guide!

Summer can bring many weather-related surprises. As a leading air conditioning company in Irving, Reliant Air Conditioning knows first hand that it is important to have air conditioners that keep you cool throughout the summer. Something as simple as a programmable thermostat can help you to be prepared for record high or low temperatures. Enjoy your summer and stay cool on the hottest of days while saving money with these summer saving tips!

Your Thermostat’s Settings

Use your thermostat to save money by controlling when and for how long you run your air conditioner. You will increase your summer energy savings simply by making sure that you are running your air conditioner only when someone is home to appreciate the cool air.

With a programmable thermostat, you can turn on the unit a few minutes before you return home. You will be comfortable from the moment you walk in the door, but you will not waste money running the air conditioner for all the hours that you are out of the house. New thermostat models, called “Smart Thermostats,” can even learn your preferences, setting them throughout the day automatically.

Set your thermostat to adjust the minimum and maximum temperature settings for your air conditioner based on the conditions outdoors. Typically, you want to leave your unit at 76 degrees or above during the day. If the evening turns cool, turn your air conditioner off or set it to turn on only when the temperature outdoors increases. You might also consider opening windows to create a breeze or using overhead fans for extra cooling power.

The Importance of Maintenance

The most cost-effective units are clean with parts that operate efficiently. Your air conditioner wastes money when:

• It runs while no one is home.
• Dust and debris clog its motor and filters.
• Its parts are malfunctioning.

Proper air conditioner maintenance helps to maximize your summer energy savings because you:

• Establish the timetable to repair or replace the unit when it fits your budget.
• Avoid breakdowns that force you to spend money on alternative ways to cool your home.
• Prolong the useful life of your air conditioner.

Act now to ensure that your unit operates smoothly throughout the summer. Call Reliant Air Conditioning today at 817-831-3950 and ask us about how you can start saving. Don’t forget to mention getting a programmable thermostat for your home!

The numerous particulate matters that lurk around in your home come in the form of:

• Dust
• Bacteria
• Skin
• Hair
• Dirt
• Lint

There are also airborne pollutants like:

• Allergens
• Pesticides
• Smoke
• Carbon Monoxide
• Carbon Dioxide

Can you believe all of that is actually circulating throughout your home? It’s true, and often makes your air much worse to breathe than the air located outside your home. (That’s right—the air inside your home could be worse than the air in downtown Dallas!)

Other harmful contaminants that circulate in your home include molds and mildew caused by moisture. These air pollutants are the causes of some respiratory conditions and allergies, which could explain why, every spring, your eyes begin to water and your nose begins to run.

One of the best ways to rid the indoors of these disease-causing air circulates and to ensure clean indoor air quality is to install an air purifier system. This device is designed to filter the air in your home by attracting the contaminants into the system. They will then be trapped and eliminated, thereby saving your lungs from breathing them in, ensuring pure air at all times.

There is no need for you or your household to suffer from contaminated air inside your home. If you are looking for an Irving air conditioning company to service your home, Reliant provides professional and reliable service. We have the qualified and trained technicians needed to take care of your clean air needs. Call us at 817-831-3950 today!

The Real Deal: The goal of an air conditioning system is to distribute the desired air temperature equally throughout a living space. Closing a vent throws the system out of balance and has a negative impact on how the system pulls in and pushes it out air.

2. Myth: Ceiling fans can cool a room.

The Real Deal: Ceiling fans circulate the air but do not cool it – they simply cool the skin, which is the relief we experience. Make sure fans are turned off when no one is in a room so that electricity isn’t wasted.

3. Myth: You will lower your energy bill by purchasing an energy efficient air conditioner.

The Real Deal: This is true as long as the unit is the appropriate size for your home. If not, efficiency is compromised. It is also important to factor in the duct work and airflow of your HVAC system. To find out what the right size is for your home, contact one of our air conditioning replacement specialists.

Can you imagine your AC breaking in the middle of a scorching 100-degree day? Like always, you can trust that the AC repair specialists at Reliant Air Conditioning will be there in a flash!

However, there are a few signs to look for so that you can take action before disaster strikes:

Weak airflow. Does it feel like it takes forever to cool down? Its possible your blower or some other part of your AC is damaged.

Alternatively, the issue could simply be that you’ve been neglecting to change your air filter for far too long! A filter that is soiled heavily (or even moderately) not only reduces the air flow, but puts in unnecessary strain on your entire system – making it work much harder to perform the same job. (This will also significantly increase your energy usage and, thus, energy bill!)

Another easy-to-fix culprit is that your system is low on coolant (also referred to as refrigerant).

Please note that environmental laws require that coolants  are purchased, installed, and/or removed  by a certified technician. (Also note that all technicians at Reliant are certified!)

Remember: If you have an aging AC unit, it will require repair after repair if it hasn’t given out completely.

In most cases, replacing the unit with a new, more efficient system is the wisest financial decision you can make.

2. Similarly, flow-optimized showerheads give you all the water you need without wasting what you don’t. These showerheads  use 1.5 – 1.75 gallons per minute instead of the industry standard, which is around 2.5 gallons per minute.

3. Dispose of paint cans and pesticides via a hazardous waste collection program. (Residents of the Dallas area, click here.)

4. Did you know that on average, over the course of 10 years, hand washing dishes (instead of using an ENERGY STAR-qualified dishwasher) costs you $431 more in water and energy costs?

5. A power strip not only provides more outlets, but is also a great way to save on “phantom load” energy  – energy used when devices aren’t being used. Simply put, wasted electricity and, thus, your wasted money. If the toaster on the counter is always plugged in, you’re paying for it!  You can save up to $100 a year by plugging devices into the power strip and shutting it off when not in use.

-Reliant Air Conditioning, HVAC specialists

Reliant Air Conditioning, air conditioning repair experts, now supplies the Wi-Fi Infinity ® Touch ™ Thermostat. It allows you to control the temperature of your home from a Smartphone, tablet, or other wireless device that has Wi-Fi capabilities (Internet , Apple® and Android™).

The Infinity ® Touch ™ Touch doesn’t limit itself to just temperature control. You can also manage humidity, ventilation, airflow and indoor air quality in up to EIGHT different zones. (To name a few additional benefits:  filter replacement reminders, a 5-day weather forecast, energy-use tracking in ‘real-time,’ system diagnostics  and Greenspeed™ intelligence.) What more could you ask for?

And when you’re not using it wirelessly, you get the benefit of a large, full-color LCD touch screen! Who knew (besides us) that controlling your home’s air system could be so much fun?

Have you had one installed? Give us your feedback by leaving a comment below:

The air conditioning service experts at Reliant Air Conditioning decided to do a little investigating in order to provide this list of houseplants that have air purifying elements:

1. Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis Orchids: Helpful for eliminating xylene in the air, these orchids are extremely low maintenance and require watering only once a week.

Care Tip: Avoid moving it around to different areas of the home. Once these orchids acclimate to a certain location, they tend to remain the healthiest when left there.

Phalaenopsis Orchid

2. Pothos: This plant is characterized by its golden, heart-shaped leaves. Even better, they are great for all types of office and home environments as they are not negatively impacted by lower light and colder temperatures. And even better than that, they rid air of carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.

Pothos leaves

Care Tip: Because consuming this plant is dangerous, do not place in a location where it could possibly be consumed by children, dogs or cats.

3. Spathiphyllum: Referred to as “Spath” or Peace Lilies, this plant removes harmful toxins like acetone, ammonia, benzene, ethyl acetate, formaldehyde, methyl alcohol, trichloroethylene and xylene.

Spathiphyllum

Care Tip: Spaths do best in bright locations, however, avoid direct sun.

An  annual tune-up (maintenance inspection) from a certified  expert provides you with comprehensive insight into the overall efficiency and health of your HVAC system. Our highly-trained, NATE-certified technicians are able to easily detect any issue that would prevent you from receiving your lowest-possible energy bill (and avoid costly, unanticipated repairs).

Our annual precision tune-up inspects the electrical connections, gas pressure, refrigerant level, evaporator and condenser air coil, condensation drain, and system settings and other controls in addition to cleaning and adjusting the blower, lubricating moving parts. For a breakdown of these services and why they are important to your HVAC system, visit our precision tune-up page. For other information regarding our Preferred Maintenance Agreement, click here.

Weather.com provides a “Pollencast” and overall “health forecast” shown in the images below:

Weather.com’s Pollencast

Weather.com Health forecast

For a more in-depth forecast, Pollen.com provides a useful pollen allergy forecast.

Pollen.com