Purl's Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Air Filters’

What You Need to Know About Air Filter Strength

Monday, October 28th, 2024
pleated-air-filter

When it comes to improving indoor air quality, many homeowners turn to whole-house air filters in Fresno, CA. But selecting the right air filter strength is more complex than you might think. It’s not just about picking the filter with the highest rating—choosing the wrong one can negatively affect your HVAC system’s performance and efficiency. 

Let’s take a closer look at how filter strength is measured, why it matters. We can help you select the right solution for your home.

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Friday Blog 3/15/19

Friday, March 15th, 2019

Importance of Air Conditioning Maintenance

Get peace of mind with regular air conditioner maintenance from Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning.

As spring approaches, it’s time to think about getting your HVAC system ready for the summer. It’s been months since most of us have used our air conditioner. Finding out the air conditioner in your home does not work during the first heat wave can be a big problem. Below are some of the important reasons why routine scheduled maintenance will help get your Air Conditioning system serviced and ready for summer.

Replacing the Air Filter

Forgetting to change the air filter can cause big problems for your HVAC system. When the air filter is clogged, it means that the air conditioner has to work harder to move air throughout your home. The harder your air conditioner has to work it could cause stress to your system and lead to costly breakdowns. There are many options to update your filters and improve your indoor air quality.

Unclogging the AC Drains

It’s easy to see the problems from clogged drains in the sinks and showers in your home. It is much harder to see the problems from a clogged AC drain.  Often by the time you see evidence of a clogged AC drain in your home it has led to damage. A professional HVAC technician will make sure the drain is clean and flowing smoothly.

Cleaning the Air Conditioning coils

Cleaning the condenser coils is an important part of maintenance. A qualified service technician will clean the dirt and debris from the coils and this will help your system operate more efficiently.

Checking the Thermostat

It’s a good idea to check the batteries, programming and operation of your thermostat each season. A thermostat problem can be a direct cause of a cooling issue.

Schedule a certified HVAC Professional

Be sure to schedule maintenance for your air conditioner with a professional and qualified service technician at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. Maintenance and tune up’s will increase the life of your equipment, find potential break downs and make sure your air conditioner runs efficiently so you are ready for the hot summer temperatures.

At Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning, “Quality Is the Cornerstone of Our Success” since 1952. Leave all your air conditioning maintenance to our experts.

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The Wrong High-Efficiency Air Filter Might Spell Disaster for Your HVAC System!

Tuesday, July 17th, 2018

pleated-air-filterAlmost any modern home can benefit from air cleaners of some type. Indoor air quality is often poor because homes are built today to seal out the heat in summer and seal it in during winter—and that means not much fresh air circulation.

What type of air cleaner is best for a home? There are plenty of options, and our IAQ experts at Purls Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning are happy to help you find the best. In most cases, improving air quality starts with putting in filters and then finding what other devices might help. Filters are almost always a good idea…

…except when the wrong type of filter goes in. When it comes to high-efficiency filters, such as the HEPA filter, you can have too much of a good thing. Too strong a filter can damage your HVAC system.

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Allergy Season and Your Indoor Air Quality

Monday, May 8th, 2017

woman-with-allergiesNow that it’s May, we’re deep into the allergy season. This time of year can be miserable for people who suffer from pollen and grass allergies, leading to the dreaded “hay fever.” Even for people who don’t have specific allergies like these, the high pollen count in the air can add an extra level of irritation to the day from an itchy nose to mild headaches.

You don’t have to suffer during allergy season. There are ways to reduce the problem, and we’ve recently looked at how installation of indoor air quality products in your home can make a big difference in how allergy season affects people in your household. Talk to our professionals to find out more about our indoor air quality services in Fresno, CA and throughout the Central Valley. We’ll find a solution for you!

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Breathe Easier This Allergy Season with Our Help

Monday, March 27th, 2017

house-shieldingThe early spring brings with it warmer weather. But it also brings with it allergy season. Bad allergic reactions to pollen, mold, and other pollutants floating in the air can turn a pleasant spring into an extremely unpleasant one—even for people who don’t normally suffer from allergic reactions.

You can take steps to alleviate allergy problems during the spring with various medications. But taking a whole-house approach with the help of our indoor air quality professionals cuts to the source of the problem, making life easier for everyone in your household. IAQ installations such as air purifiers, air cleaners, UV germicidal lights, and whole-house dehumidifiers can change a sniffly and wheezing allergy season into a healthy and enjoyable spring. Talk to our staff today to learn about the many options available for lowering the amount of allergens circulating through your house.

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Which Is Better: Electronic Air Cleaners or Air Filters?

Monday, January 9th, 2017

This is the type of question that you’ll be asking if you’re considering improving the air quality in your house. We think this is an excellent idea: almost any home can benefit from indoor air quality installations to remove airborne pollutants.

But the question of “electronic air cleaners/purifiers vs. air filters” is actually a deceptive one. This isn’t a situation where it’s either one or the other. You can have both. And in many cases, both is the best choice! We’ll explain below.

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Improving Indoor Air Quality and Improving Your Family’s Health

Monday, June 27th, 2016

Because of concerns about air pollution from industrial sources, people often tend to think of poor air quality as something that only exists outdoors. But this isn’t true. A report by the Environmental Protection Agency has discovered that the air inside commercial and residential buildings is often three to four times worse than the air outside. The reason for this is the high number of contaminants and pollutants that become trapped inside a building because there is so little fresh air moving through them.

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What Kind of Air Filter Do I Need to Clean My Home’s Air?

Monday, June 8th, 2015

If your home has a forced-air heater or central air conditioning system, then it is probably equipped with a filter located near the air handler. This filter consists of a mesh of fibers that traps contaminants coming in through the return air ducts, preventing them from entering the AC’s cabinet. This filter is designed to protect your air conditioner, which is an important job. But it is not designed to protect the quality of the air circulating through your house. If your home is suffering from an excessive amount of airborne pollutants that are triggering asthma and allergy symptoms among the people who live there, you need to have special filters or air purifiers installed.

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Problems Caused by Dirty Air Filters

Friday, June 27th, 2014

air filters, old and newEvery air conditioner has an air filer, deigned to catch particles of dirt and dust and keep them from moving through the system. Air filters need to be changed periodically (though some models have reusable filters that can be washed instead of being replaced) or else they can cause a considerable number of problems. Here in Fresno, air conditioning services can usually treat the problems cause by dirty air filters, but the more you know about the issue, the better you can prevent such problems from starting in the first place. Call us today if you need your air filter replaced in Fresno.

Dirty air filters tend to clog the flow of air through the system, which means your air conditioner needs to work harder in order to do its job. Not only does this increase strain on the entire system (raising the risk of repairs), but it forces your AC unit to expend more energy, which results in higher monthly bills. In addition, the excess dirt blown through the system will spread throughout your household via the air ducts. If you have sensitive family members, such as the elderly or those suffering from asthma, this can constitute a health risk, and even in healthier family members, the excess dust can result in a scratchy, irritated throat and lungs.

On top of that, the excess dust can coat the inside components of your air conditioning system itself. This can create friction in moving parts, increasing the overall wear and tear and raising the chances of a more serious breakdown in the future. It can also create ice on the evaporator coils, clog lines and other key components, and cause no end of slow, long-term damage over time.

You can reduce the risk of problems caused by dirty air filters by having them changed regularly, ideally as part of a larger maintenance session from the experts at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We have the skills you need to do the job right, and we can help you stop a number of issues before they start.

Here in Fresno, air conditioning systems are an absolute necessity during the heat of summer. Give us a call today and let us make sure it’s ready when you need it!

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Summer Air Conditioner Start Up Tips

Wednesday, April 30th, 2014

Summservice pageer temperatures have arrived Fresno, CA and the Central Valley. Many people will be turning on their AC for the first time in the next few days as temperatures are expected to reach the mid 90’s for the first time this season. Here are a couple of tips to help keep you cool and to get your HVAC system ready for the summer months.

Replace air filters

It is a good idea to replace your air filters at the start of the cooling season. This will help your cooling system to operate at peak condition. (Filters should be changed every 3 months).

Service System Regularly

Servicing your home’s heating and cooling system is as important as changing the oil in your car. Schedule a seasonal service appointment to have your unit checked and cleaned for the summer season. Efficiency decreases when the system is dirty. Service Technicians will also check your condensate line to make sure it is draining properly. A clogged and dirty condensate drain can cause water damage to your home.

Program Thermostat

Program your thermostat for the summer season. Avoid making large thermostat adjustments during peak cooling times. If you turn your system completely off it can take many hours to bring the indoor temperature back down to your comfort level. Set your thermostat to 78 or whatever is comfortable while you are home and raise the temperature level while you are away.

Visual inspection of your system

Remove any debris or plant growth from outdoor condensing units. Make sure any outdoor winter covers are removed before turning on your unit. Keep area around units clean

Check to make sure all vents are open

Make sure all of the supply vents in the home are open for cooling.

Test your system

Turn on your HVAC system and let it run for about an hour. Make sure the vents are blowing cold air. If Heating Pagethe vents are blowing warm or hot air you may need refrigerant for your system. You can damage the cooling system components if you operate the system when it is low on refrigerant. Contact Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning to schedule a service appointment in Madera or Fresno, CA.

It is a good idea to do a visual inspection and to run your HVAC system through a test cycle at the beginning of every season. It is also recommended to have your system serviced routinely to keep it clean and to spot any possible problems before they lead to an unexpected breakdown. Call Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning to schedule an appointment with one of our service technicians today.

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