Easing Spring Allergies
Spring allergies can make outdoor activities miserable. Some people’s allergies are getting worse every year, which could be due to the fact that pollen counts are rising. A few of the biggest allergy triggers are pollen from birch, cedar, cottonwood and pine trees.
Take these steps to try and minimize allergy attacks and suffering:
1. Check Pollen Counts
Often the news reports the pollen counts, or allergy sufferers can also check online for this information. The level lets them know how much time they should spend outside and if they might need medication for the day.
2. Turn on the Air Conditioner
To limit exposure to pollen while indoors or in the car, close the windows and turn on the air conditioner.
3. Don’t Line Dry Laundry
When laundry is put on a line to dry outside, pollen can stick to it. Opt for drying inside to help keep pollen out of the house as much as possible.
4. Take Advantage of the Rain
The moisture that rain produces helps clear pollen from the air. Run errands, out do outside activities right after it has rained instead of on drier days.
5. Plan for Later
Plan more outdoor activities for the later part of the day. Pollen counts are generally much higher between 5 am and 10 am, so try to avoid being outdoors as much as possible during that time.
To avoid suffering from allergens indoors, an air filtration system can be beneficial. Diamond Heating and Cooling offers the AirRanger Air Cleaner, an electronic polarized media air cleaner. This powerful air cleaner can filter out sub-micronic allergens, reducing the allergy and asthma symptoms. Contact Diamond Heating and Cooling for more information on the AirRanger Air Cleaner.
The Importance of Air Conditioner Maintenance
Homeowners often avoid contacting an air conditioner technician until there’s something wrong with their AC. What they don’t realize is the air conditioner loses about five percent of its efficiency for each year that it runs. This means even before there is a noticeable difference or complete system failure, the system has not been running as efficiently or effectively as it should be. Not keeping up with routine maintenance could also lead to parts breaking.
Having regular maintenance done on the air conditioner is important for these reasons:
- Electric Bill Savings
To keep the air conditioner running energy efficiently and smoothly, it needs to be serviced regularly. The longer it goes without maintenance, the more power it uses, increasing the electricity bill.
- Fewer Repairs
If the air conditioner is regularly serviced, it’s less likely to break down without warning and needing to be repaired. Diamond Heating and Cooling checks all of the components during their servicing to keep them from becoming worn and breaking.
- Warranty Coverage
Factory warranties might be void if the owner neglects maintenance. Often, annual maintenance is required by the manufacturer for the HVAC warranty to be honored. Don’t end up paying for repairs out of pocket by neglecting maintenance.
Schedule annual air conditioner maintenance with Diamond Heating and Cooling. Or, become a Silver Club Member and never worry about remembering to schedule maintenance. With a Silver Club Membership, homeowners receive a huge variety of benefits, one being that Diamond Heating and Cooling calls them to schedule the routine service appointment.
Other benefits include:
- 20% discount on all parts and labor
- $19.95 diagnostic fee
- Guaranteed appointments within 24 hours
Ask Diamond Heating and Cooling about becoming a Silver Club member to learn more about the benefits and savings available. Or visit their website to read more.
Repair or Replace?
Air conditioners don’t last forever, but with proper annual maintenance, they can have a pretty long life. When repairs start becoming more frequent and costly, it’s time to decide whether to repair or replace. Here are some tips for making the decision:
Age
Probably the biggest factor in deciding whether to repair or replace the air conditioner is its age. Take the age of the air conditioner and multiply that by the repair cost that’s been quoted. If that number turns out to be more than $5,000, it’s time to replace. Also, if the unit is more than 10 years old, it should probably be upgraded to an energy efficient model.
R-22
Freon or R-22 prices have soared in recent years. This is due to the EPA’s eventual phase-out. Instead of having more Freon added to the unit if a leak develops, it may be less expensive to replace the unit instead.
Other Factors
There are some other signs that it’s time to replace the unit like the house being too hot during the summer, and not cooling off like it should. Another one is if the energy bills are steadily rising even with maintenance and repairs. With older air conditioners, sometimes they just can’t be fixed enough to keep up with the home’s demands anymore.
Wondering if it’s time to replace? Contact the experts at Diamond Heating and Cooling. They can assess the current system and let homeowners know what options are available. If it is time to replace, Diamond Heating and Cooling can also install the new HVAC system.
Optimal Office Temperature
Employees don’t often agree on the perfect office temperature. Some prefer it freezing cold, while others could do without such a low setting on the thermostat. Recently, there have been studies showing that air temperature has a strong effect on productivity.
According to many of these studies, even just a couple of degrees could have a real impact on comfort and productivity. Although not all of the studies completely agree on the perfect temperature, a majority of the research found the right temperature for productivity to be between 70 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit. A few degrees warmer or colder can have a five percent or more degradation in productivity.
While this is the perfect temperature for productivity, there are other factors to consider when setting the office thermostat such as:
- Season
The thermostat is generally set differently depending on the season. People acclimate to one temperature or another depending on the temperature outside. In the winter people can handle cooler settings and warmer settings in summer.
- Clothing
This is also related to the season. During colder months, people tend to wear heavier clothing, and can deal with a colder temperature. In warmer months, they usually wear lighter clothes and can be comfortable in a slightly warmer office.
- Age
Those older than 55 years can be more easily affected by cold. If the office staff is primarily people of this age group, they might benefit from a warmer office temperature.
Overall, it’s important to discuss with the staff and come to an agreement that makes everyone as comfortable as possible.