How to Handle Humidity Levels in Every Season

As the seasons change, this not only means the temperature will fluctuate, but the humidity as well. While we often blame the changes in temperature on how uncomfortable we feel, unseen humidity change often plays a big role in that as well.

In the summer when the air holds more moisture and the humidity is high, it often feels more sticky and muggy. In the winter when the air holds less moisture, the less humid air can make everything feel so dry that it is almost painful.

The optimal humidity level for your home is between 45 to 55 percent, and by keeping that optimal percentage, it will help you feel cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

The most obvious advice to keeping these optimal levels is to install a whole home humidifier and dehumidifier. Obviously this will help a lot to keep optimum levels, but not every home needs it. In fact, sometimes small changes can be enough to control your humidity level.

In the summer, your air conditioner will naturally help dehumidify your air. However, it may not be able to keep up with the levels. In this case, you want to also use exhaust fans when showering or when boiling water on the stove. This will help to get rid of excess humidity to keep levels optimal.

In the winter, sometimes a small portable humidifier in sleeping areas can be enough to keep your house comfortable. Unlike an air conditioner, a furnace will not humidify your home. This is why if you have low humidity issues in the winter, you may want to consider a whole house humidifier. 

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.

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.

Top 4 Reasons to Hire a Professional Air Conditioning Contractor

Whether you have a simple or complicated HVAC issue at your home or place of work, it's strongly recommended that you hire a professional air conditioning contractor to help you get it fixed. Here at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling, we think the following reasons are why you should consider doing so:

1. Safety
Attempting to repair an air conditioning unit yourself can be very dangerous, especially if it involves an electric fault. There are also risks of you getting injured by frayed wires, hanging fan blades or other sharp metallic objects. Refrigerant leaks and fumes can also cause serious health problems to children and pets. To be on the safe side, look for a professional who is trained to diagnose and fix HVAC issues without putting anyone in danger.

2. Knowledge of HVAC Systems
Professional air conditioning contractors have the relevant knowledge needed to keep heating and cooling systems in good working condition year-round due to their training and experience in the field. Apart from having the ability to diagnose various issues, they are also fully equipped with state-of-the-art tools that enable them to do their work in a timely and efficient manner.

3. Warranties
Most air conditioning models require regular professional servicing and preventive maintenance to work effectively. Hiring professionals gives you an added benefit of setting up an ongoing maintenance plan with the company. They will always update you on the servicing tasks needed and the right time to perform them.

4. Saves You Money
Being that our HVAC professionals at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling will be coming with our own tools and safety gear, you won't have to hire or buy any equipment for your project. You can only imagine how much you could have spent by worsening the problem.

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.

Does The Cleanliness of an Air Conditioner Matter?

Leaves, dirt, dust, basically anything that can waft in on the breeze – your air conditioner will be subjected to it. Usually outdoor air conditioning units are installed in pretty protected areas, meaning they won't see excessive exposure to a lot of debris. However, the cleanliness of an outdoor air conditioning unit is crucial to the health of your cooling system.

What many AC unit owners don't realize is part of yearly maintenance done on your air conditioner by a professional is just cleaning the unit. Our JR Perkins Heating & Cooling technicians ensure that during a maintenance check, they also go inside and apply lubrication and make sure everything seems to be working as designed, and go in and remove debris and clean the interior so that everything keeps working that way for another year.

Air conditioners are designed to be pretty adept at dealing with moisture such as rain exposure. It drains away and evaporates well, but debris on the interior will impede that ability. Furthermore, even if there aren't leaves, sticks, or large debris, dust and dirt must also be regularly cleaned away. It tends to stick onto the inner workings, which will inhibit the air conditioners ability to disperse heat. It makes the whole system work harder to cool your home and can shorten the lifespan of it. This is primarily why it is so important to have at least yearly maintenance. As an outdoor unit, the air conditioner is exposed to dirt and that needs to be cleaned away to keep it working.

While it might be tempting to keep your air conditioner cleaner by covering it, this should generally be avoided. Covering an air conditioner when it is used prevents it from getting the air intake that it needs. Covering an air conditioner outside of air conditioning season will prevent moisture from evaporating efficiently, making rust a likelihood. It is best to just make sure it is as clean as possible and leave the rest to your JR Perkins Heating & Cooling HVAC technician.

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.

5 Reasons Your Air Conditioner Is Struggling To Cool Your Home

Is your home not at the temperature you set your thermostat to? Does it seem like your air conditioner needs to run forever to get results? Does the air feel pretty warm? This means your air conditioner isn't working as it should be. When working correctly, an air conditioner unit should never fail to meet cooling demand. If any of the above problems have started, here is what could be causing them according to our team of HVAC experts at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling.

Lack of Maintenance

While you can miss a year if you forget, the longer your air conditioner goes without maintenance, the more strain it puts on the system. Lack of maintenance not only puts strain on the working parts, it may not allow them to work as effectively. If it is has been a few years since your last maintenance call, it is long overdue.

The Air Filter Needs Changed

It is widely believed that the air filter is there to improve indoor air quality, but that is actually a byproduct. The air filter is in place to protect the inner workings of your HVAC system by filtering the air coming in. If you have not changed the air filter in a while, it is not only very dirty, but it is struggling to draw in air.

Refrigerant Leak

If your air conditioner is not producing cold air, you could have a refrigerant leak. It is not excessively common, but it can happen, particularly if your air conditioner is very old or has suffered physical damage. If this is the case, you may notice ice built up on the air conditioner unit or a severe loss of cooling power.

Breached Ducts

If your ductwork has clogs or holes, the cold air produced by your air conditioner may not actually be getting to your home. It could be leaking out before it even gets to the vents. This is why if your air conditioner is struggling to meet the thermostat setting, you need to get those ducts checked out.

Improper Installation

If your air conditioner is actually new, you may not have an air conditioner that was appropriately sized for your home. Furthermore, even a unit too big can cause similar cooling problems due to short cycling. Count on our team at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling to install units that are sized according to your home’s unique measurements.

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.

Hire an Air Conditioning Contractor to Cool Down Your Sunroom

At JR Perkins Heating & Cooling, something we understand about living in a warm climate is that you may rely on your air conditioning system throughout a large portion of each year to stay comfortable in your home. This may allow you to roam from the kitchen to the living room and then the bedroom without ever feeling uncomfortable.

If you have a sunroom, you may like to use it for part of the year. But, this room may get hot without air conditioning, so you should hire an air conditioning contractor to add cooling. Here is what one of the HVAC technicians at JR Perkins Heating & Cooling can handle for you.

Temperature Control
A huge benefit that you will get to enjoy when you add powerful cooling to the sunroom is being able to manage the temperature so well. Throughout spring and fall, you may know that the room can feel somewhat comfortable, but you may like the room to feel even cooler.

Take an Optimal Approach
Although you could add a window air conditioner to the sunroom, you may not want to have a separate cooling system in your home when you have central air already. Another alternative is trying to get by with cooling the sunroom with airflow and fans. While constant airflow from a ceiling fan and floor fans can make the room tolerable, you may still not be fully satisfied.

By extending your air conditioning system to the sunroom, you can feel confident that you are taking the optimal approach to cooling down the space for your household. You are also ensuring energy efficiency.

Allow for Seasonal Usage
In the summer, your family members may know to avoid the sunroom altogether. The outside heat may turn the sunroom into a sauna, which may not be somewhere you want to go. With the addition of air conditioning, you can start using the sunroom throughout the entire summer. This will help you enjoy the ample sunlight that you can rely on during the summer months. Expanding your air conditioning system is a great way to increase usage in your sunroom.

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.