Envirotech Air Quality Services Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Singer Island’

West Palm Beach Air Conditioning Tips: Cleaning Your AC Condenser in Three Easy Steps

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

Keeping your West Palm Beach air conditioning unit clean can help to maintain efficiency levels and prevent repair needs. It can also help the system last longer and improve indoor air quality. Because the condenser is part of the outside unit, it’s constantly exposed to outside dust, dirt, and yard debris; therefore, it is very important that you take the time to hire someone to thoroughly clean the condenser coil and fan. To scheudle this service, feel free to call Envirotech Air Quality Services. In general, we can clean the air conditioning condenser unit in three steps, which are outlined below:

  1. We always start by ensuring that there’s nothing blocking the airflow to the unit. We may have to trim low braches or prune back bushes that are obstructing the airflow. It’s also important to clear away any dead grass clippings, or weeds that have grown up around the unit.
  2. Once the unit is free of debris and dirt, we clean the condenser with a professional coil cleaner. Although some contractors recommend washing down the entire outside unit with a garden hose, you have to be very careful not to bend the fins. It’s best to use a specialized condenser cleaner and let it air dry.
  3. To clean the fins, we can use a dry, soft brush to remove dust and dirt. We clean the fins carefully because they are bendable and damage easily. We the straighten bent fins with a fin comb.

When your AC is not in use, keep it covered with the condenser cover that came with your air conditioning system. If you don’t have a cover that fits properly, call one of our West Palm Beach air conditioning experts to help you find a replacement cover or one that will fit your particular model. Don’t use anything that could come off easily in inclement weather. Covering your AC unit in the winter will help prevent damage or corrosion.

If you do happen to notice physical damage to your outdoor condenser unit, call Envirotech Air Quality Services so that we can send one of our West Palm Beach air conditioning technicians to assess the damage or make any necessary repairs.

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West Palm Beach HVAC Q/A: Mold…What if I Have Mold?

Monday, June 25th, 2012

No one wants to find mold. But, even if you’re not aware of it, mold is might be lurking somewhere in the damp, dark crevices of your West Palm Beach home. And mold is particularly likely to grow in homes with improperly regulated humidity. Luckily, because we know that, there are quite a few things we can do to stop the growth of mold in its tracks and save your home from unsafe air quality and the damaging effects of those little spores.

The Dangers of Mold

As mold grows, it can do damage to your woodwork and other areas of your home. It also contributes to indoor air quality issues because mold spores are a significant indoor air contaminant. Many people are allergic to mold spores, so if you or someone else in your household has experienced allergy symptoms that you can’t explain, mold spores are a likely culprit.

If you find out there is mold in your home, don’t panic just yet. There are some things you can do to address the problem and get mold out of your house for good. Your main task will be getting rid of the mold that is already there. This isn’t necessarily easy because of the areas mold tends to grow in. But, even with the proper air quality treatment, your home and health is still at risk if you don’t target that existing mold fast.

Stopping Mold in Its Tracks

Just getting rid of existing mold won’t solve the problem, though. Mold keeps coming back as long as there is an environment to support it – and that means moisture. Mold requires water to grow, so the chances are that if you have a mold problem in your home, you also have a humidity problem. Getting your indoor humidity under control will make it much easier to remove and keep mold out of your home for good.

There are plenty of good humidification systems on the market today. They can be easily integrated into your home heating and cooling system and provide great, consistent humidity control. Make sure you get one that’s large enough for your home. An West Palm Beach indoor air quality professional can help you make that determination. Once you have a good humidification system in place, you’ll notice a huge difference in your overall indoor air quality, and hopefully the problem won’t return anytime soon.

For mold remediation services in the West Palm Beach area, give Envirotech Air Quality Services a call today!

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West Palm Beach HVAC Guide: Simple Filter Tips to Keep Your Ducts Clean

Monday, May 14th, 2012

If there’s one thing you can count on with your West Palm Beach HVAC system, it’s that there will be higher energy bills in the summer and an increase in dust and debris in your ductwork. But, luckily the latter can be fixed with a few simple filtration upgrades in your home.

The Nature of a Forced Air System

When you flip the switch on your thermostat and your air conditioner or furnace turns on, it starts drawing air from inside your house, conditioning it to the right temperature, and then circulating it back into your rooms through an air handler and ductwork. Of course, a good system should have proper ventilation to circulate new air into the house, but let’s face it – no matter how much ventilation you have in your home, there will always be dust and debris from things like pets, plants and other common household items.

So, when the air gets circulated back through the ducts, all sorts of debris and sediment build up. That’s not to mention the possible presence of actual contaminants like bacteria or mold. Luckily, because of how your forced air system is built, these are not tough problems to deal with.

Installing the Right Filters

Filtration is incredibly important for adding the right level of protection to your home’s ductwork. Usually placed directly within your air handlers, whole house air filters are designed to capture particles as small as 0.3 microns (if you purchase a high quality HEPA filter). That pretty much covers all dust, sediment, pollen, dander and other common allergens.

There are a number of other upgrades you can make to capture just about everything you house spits into those ducts – from bacteria and viruses to smoke and other air pollutants, but at the very least a good filter system will save your lungs, cut back on duct cleaning costs and make it much easier to maintain your home’s air quality throughout the year.

To learn more about HEPA filters and the specific ratings offered in various products, here is a link to the EPA’s guide to home air cleaners. It has a handy breakdown of different types of filtration and what each filter grade can capture.

For more information about how improve indoor air quality in West Palm Beach, give Envirotech Air Quality Services a call today!

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West Palm Beach Air Conditioning Repair Question: Why is My Central Air Conditioner Making Noise?

Monday, April 9th, 2012

A good West Palm Beach air conditioner is a life saver in the midst of a hot and sticky summer, but just because the system makes you comfortable and makes the hottest months bearable doesn’t mean you want to hear it clanging and banging all summer. If you notice excess noise coming from your air conditioner, it might be a problem that can be fixed by your  West Palm Beach air conditioning technician. Here are some common causes of excess noise from an air conditioner and what you can do to fix them.

  • Blower – The blower is a motor and fan blade assembly. If the blade touches the housing or if the motor needs a tune up, it might start to make excess noise. Loose screws, foreign objects, or a need for oiling or new parts will all cause noise problems but they are all easy fixes.
  • Ductwork – If the sounds you’re hearing are in the ductwork or vents, it may be due to expansion and contraction in your ventilation system. This is normal and while it may be obnoxious, it tends not to persist during the hottest months as temperature won’t fluctuate as much.
  • Bubbling Sounds – If you hear a gurgly or bubbly noise coming from your indoor unit, it may be due to a blockage in the condensate line. The easiest solution is to clean the condensate line and check for any clogs or blockages in the system.
  • Clicking Sounds – If you hear a clicking sound, it is likely from the relay or contactor in the system. If this is the case, have a professional check it right away. Electrical problems are not to be taken lightly where your air conditioner is concerned.
  • Foreign Objects – Sometimes, the condenser fan will make a lot of loud noise because foreign objects get stuck in there. Sticks, leaves, toys, food from small animals – it can all get stuck in the fans and make a tremendous amount of noise. Keep the area around your condenser unit clear of debris and check it often if you hear loud noises.

Most noises from your central air conditioning unit are explainable and can be fixed relatively easily. If you cannot find the source of the noise, however, and it is only getting worse, call Envirotech Air Quality Services before the problem grows.

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West Palm Beach Indoor Air Quality Tip: Preventing and Cleaning Up Attic Mold

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

It’s a nightmare situation – going up to the attic to retrieve a box of Christmas ornaments or an old suit and finding patches of mold growing on the rafters or insulation in your West Palm Beach attic. Luckily, if you act quickly enough it’s possible to not only remove that mold but to prevent it from coming back.

Getting Rid of Attic Mold

Mold removal is a tricky process, especially if it gets into the insulation or the plywood of the roof. However, if it’s a small amount of mold or if it has yet to get into the wood, cleaning and replacement of certain woods and insulation patches can get the job done. The key is to call a West Palm Beach mold remediation firm to provide an estimate.

Why not clean up the mold yourself? Mold is a rooting spore. It may appear on surfaces, but even if properly cleaned, there may still be mold underneath the surface. This can only be removed by a West Palm Beach mold removal professional who can perform biological tests and implement prevention tactics as the mold is removed. The real key to stopping mold in your attic is to ensure it never appears in the first place.

Attic Mold Prevention

The vast majority of attic mold problems occur because of moisture and a lack of ventilation. Many homes simply seal up the attic with insulation and ignore the space. If the attic is small and can’t be used for storage or living space especially, it’s just a liability during the summer and winter when heat enters and exits through the roof.

But, if moisture develops in the attic, either through poorly sealed windows or a leak in the roof, and there isn’t enough ventilation to keep air moving through the space, mold will grow at record speeds. Even without a leak, the warmer air in your home can produce condensation on the floorboards of the attic. It doesn’t take much moisture to produce mold, especially if there isn’t any ventilation to allow it to dissipate.

Another common problem is when the vents from your bathrooms, laundry room or garage empty directly into the attic and then have no way to exit that space. The moisture from your bathroom alone can turn your attic into a moldy nightmare.

If ventilation is your problem, there are many possible solutions. Soffit vents are recommended for air flow while an attic fan can not only vent out that moist air, but keep the attic cooler in the summer and save you money on your cooling bill.

If you have any more questions about how to deal with mold in your home, give Envirotech Air Quality Services a call today!

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