How to Add Central A.C. to Your Old House Without Breaking The Bank According to the last Census, about 50% of houses in America were built prior to 1975. Combine summer's scorching temperatures with aging homes and the result is a lot of homeowners sweating their lack of central AC. If this includes you, what are your options? Well, that depends… CENTRAL AC Does your house have pre-existing ductwork? If the home already employs a forced-air heating system — indicated by air

Recently a friend of mine whose opinions and recommendations I value — on anything from movies to marriage to motor oil — told me he had just had his home’s air ducts cleaned. In fact, he couldn’t stop raving about it. He claimed he’s never breathed easier, the air is fresher and he regrets not doing it years ago. I politely nodded and tried to change the subject. Working in the HVAC industry, I’m no stranger to the debate on duct cleaning. Debate? Yes. The fact is, empirical

Bat-proof your home to protect yourself and our winged friends. Does the sight of a bat send shivers down your spine? Or are you thrilled knowing that a single brown bat, one the most common bat species in North America, devours 1,200 insects an hour? Hopefully, you’re in the second category. Be a bat lover! Bats get a bad rap. Not one of them has ever actually been found to be Dracula. And our only flying mammals eat so many insects that they’re essential to controlling the

Sleigh bells are ringing, Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, and you are freezing your behind off! Unless you’re literally sitting in a snowbank, this means the heater ain’t working. So, after you put on a couple extra sweaters, but before you call the HVAC professional, there is a host of usual suspects to check off the list of probable malfunction causes. Troubleshooting and fixing some common problems regarding the furnace is not out of the realm of possibility; it’s not

An old, temperamental heating and cooling system can be a pain in the neck on so many levels. It’s inherently inefficient which puts a hurt on your wallet. It’s an inconvenience, in that one minute you feel on the verge of hypothermia, and the next minute you swear you’ve been relocated to a sweat lodge. These old units, with their “bangs” and “clangs,” are jarring. They can also be tremendous space hogs where square footage is coveted. The best way to overcome all these issu

Now that Autumn is in full swing, and crisp, cooler temps are the norm it’s time to devote some TLC to your air conditioner. In less than an hour you can fully prep your outdoor air handler so it can easily withstand harsh winter weather; not only will it be shielded from snow and ice, it will also thwart potential rust and corrosion. Here are some simple steps that anybody can undertake to safeguard their HVAC investment. First, hit the kill switch on the exterior power to t

Take a second and mentally fast-forward to that first prolonged cold front that will arrive in your area. It’s inevitable. And it’s not far off. This is the exact moment when you DO NOT want your heating system to quit. Realistically, however, this exact scenario is what prompts the most calls to HVAC techs come winter. That first cold snap. Due to the constant output required by your heater to ward off the freezing temps the risk of a breakdown increases. This is especially

Chances are that if you talk to a friend who recently had the ductwork in their home cleaned out, they’ll babble incessantly about all the benefits to be recouped by undergoing the process. “I can breathe so much easier!” “The house smells fresher.” “My allergies have practically disappeared!” Etcetera, etcetera. Well, all those benefits could be figments of your friend’s imagination. In other words, there are opposing factions of HVAC professionals who debate the efficacy of