Does Changing Your Air Filter More Often Make For Cleaner Air?

Our team of HVAC technicians at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling always stresses how important it is to change your air filter at least once a year when you change from heating to cooling or vice versa. Depending on the type of filter, how often you use the heating or cooling system, and other factors like if you are a smoker or the presence of pet hair, they will likely recommend you change it much more often. You may think it is for optimum air quality, but that is not quite true. While one of the benefits of changing an air filter is that you get better indoor air quality, the truth is that the air filter isn't necessarily there for you.

What the air filter in your HVAC system does is it keeps debris, dust, and other contaminants from the internal working parts. The air filter doesn't filter the air directly pumped into your home, instead it filters the air coming from the return duct as it goes into the blower fan. In its own way, because the air is filtered before it goes into the system, it does improve your air quality.

Unfortunately, air filters are often mistaken for being here to improve air quality. If you are really looking to improve the air quality in your home, then you will want to ask one of our experts at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling about adding a whole home air purification system into the mix. This will specifically target contaminants in the air being pumped in your home and can do a lot to improve your overall air quality. Air filters come with qualities that state they can reduce allergens or other air contaminants, and they will, but it is too often confused that doing so is your air filter's primary job. Instead, it is meant to protect your HVAC system from damage or excessive wear from the air coming in.

JR Perkins Heating & Cooling is the first heating and air conditioning company in the East Valley, servicing the Phoenix area, specifically Scottsdale. To learn more, please visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com.

Proper Humidity Levels Contribute to the Comfort and Health of Your Home and Family

Most people don't give much focus to the humidity levels in their home, but indeed they should. Humidity levels contribute to the overall comfort and health of your family as well as to the well-being of your home. Incredibly dry air can have a variety of effects from increasing asthma symptoms and causing mold issues to ruining valuable artwork or even your home electronics.

With that said, the team here at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling wants to offer insight on the importance of maintaining proper humidity levels in your home and how you can accomplish this important task.

When you are faced with a moisture problem in your home, your first step should be to measure the current humidity levels with a hygrometer. If your levels come in at the 40 to 45 range, then your indoor air is satisfactory. If outside of these ranges, then you will need to give focus to resolving the problem at hand.

If the humidity levels are high, here are a few tips for you to follow:

• Repair any plumbing or roof leaks
• Ensure that your clothes dryer is adequately vented
• Minimize the number of indoor plants you have
• Install exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathrooms
• Schedule annual routine, preventative maintenance on your HVAC system.

If your measured humidity levels come in low there is an increased risk of dry skin, cracking furniture and wood floors, or increased static electricity that can damage your home electronics. If the levels are low, try these helpful tips:

• Add house plants to overly dry rooms
• Hang your clothes indoors to dry
• Boil water and distribute the steam with exhaust fans
• Install a whole house humidifier to control the amount of water vapors in the air.
Maintaining an adequate amount of moisture in your home's atmosphere will not only improve your quality of life, but it will help your family to breathe easier and healthier all year round.

For more information on how to combat humidity in your home, or if you are in need of an expert whole house humidifier installation, then we are the team for you. Simply give a shout out to the professionals here at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling today for your free consultation and estimate.

JR Perkins Heating & Cooling is the first heating and air conditioning company in the East Valley, servicing the Phoenix area, specifically Scottsdale. To learn more, please visit our website at www.JRPerkins.com.

Easy Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

As the months roll by in Scottsdale, AZ, we here at J. R. Perkins are constantly thinking about how we can keep your home as cool and comfortable as possible, while ensuring that your HVAC system is promoting optimal overall air quality. With this in mind, we wanted to take a minute to point out simple ways to improve air quality within your home.

Keep the Chemicals Away 
Chemicals, like those found in cleaning solutions, can be damaging to the air quality within our home. Consider keeping cleaning products in storage outdoors to avoid filling your home with unnecessary air pollutants. Another option is to switch to all-natural cleaning products.

Assess Air Filters 
Checking, changing, and cleaning your air filters regularly will not only allow your HVAC system to perform efficiently, but it will promote better air quality.

Allow for Ventilation 
Air pollutants can become trapped inside your home and will greatly decrease overall air quality and health. To avoid this, open the windows to let in some fresh air or run bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans. A little extra air circulation can go a long way!

Block Off the Source 
Search your home for sources of unnecessary air pollutants to determine if they should be removed. For example, wood-burning fireplaces should be blocked off when not in use, and asbestos products sealed away. Even the smallest changes can really make a difference.

For more information on ways to improve your indoor air quality, contact us today!

What Is a "Home Performance Audit" and Why Should You Get One?

Here at J. R. Perkins, we are dedicated to much more than just making sure your home stays cool and comfortable in the Arizona heat. We also stress the importance of keeping your home as safe and energy efficient as possible, while considering your overall personal health. To assess these factors, we recommend getting a Home Performance Audit.

A Home Performance Audit is a full assessment of your home’s energy performance through an in-depth home inspection, as well as research into past utility bill payments and trends. This will help identify potential issues throughout your home that may need professional attention or repair. Home Performance Audits can be very helpful to homeowners for many reasons, a few of which are as follows:
• They improve the safety of your home. A Home Performance Audit will help you discover dangerous sources of air pollutants throughout your home, such as mold or dust in attics, which may be affecting your health.
• They save you money. By conducting a Home Performance Audit, you will learn details about your energy usage and ways to save money in the future. Whether you identify issues with your home that are causing unnecessarily increased energy usage, or notice patterns in your overall usage, the findings of a Home Performance Audit will greatly benefit your costs.
• They will make you more comfortable. Home Performance Audits will point out necessary repairs throughout your home. Once you know what kind of work needs to be completed, you can get started on working to make your home a healthier and more comfortable environment.

Schedule your Home Performance Audit today to put you on the road to an energy-efficient, cost-effective, comfortable home. Contact us with questions, concerns, or to schedule your upcoming service!

Featured Product: Trane CleanEffects™ Air Cleaner

Trane, the leader in air filtration technology, has released a revolutionary new product: the CleanEffects™ Air Cleaner. This system uses patented technology to effectively remove up to 99.98% of particles from the air in your home. This new system has set a new industry standard for efficiency, far surpassing any filtration devices we have seen thus far.

Managing indoor air pollution should be a critical concern for all homeowners. There are many serious health concerns associated with air pollution, and it is important to take an active role in protecting yourself from the harmful effects of poor air quality. The CleanEffects™ Air Cleaner filters air down to .1 micron, allowing the system to clean air more thoroughly than ever before. With the precision of this expert devise, you will be able to protect yourself from the inhalation of many common household pollutants.

For more information on Trane’s CleanEffects™ Air Cleaner, check out the full brochure on our website. Or give us a call! We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have about it!