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A question I often get from my readers is how to pick a great thermostat. Thermostats can make a huge difference in how well your HVAC system operates. The ideal thermostat will help the HVAC system run efficiently and make life easier.
I’m glad to help because there are many new options when it comes to thermostats—the technology has advanced fast! Below I’ll provide you with advice about picking a thermostat in Knoxville, TN.
If you’re a regular reader of my blog (and thank you!), then you know my expertise as a blogger dog is in the HVAC world. So you wonder why I’m writing about a surge protector. “Olive, are you also an electrician dog?” Well, not a licensed electrician, but I have some important knowledge about electricity because it applies to HVAC equipment. And that’s why I want to talk to you today about the importance of surge protection—it’s closely connected to your home’s heating and cooling!
I recommend to my readers that they keep a steady setting on their thermostats during the day. This is true in winter as well as summer—it helps the HVAC system avoid continual stopping and starting, which drains extra power. For a comparison, I like to sleep on a couch in the sunlight, and if I had to keep getting up and moving every ten minutes because the sunlight kept switching position, I’d use up a lot more energy than if I just could stay in one place.
But what if you are keeping the thermostat steady, but notice that the furnace is turning on and off rapidly anyway? If your furnace isn’t running for at least 15 minutes at a time before it cycles down, something may be wrong. I’ll go over some possible problems to help you see if you need furnace repair in Knoxville, TN to solve the problem.
Hey everybody! Happy October, a fun time of the year—but also one where I have to get serious about discussing cold weather. It’s coming up fast and everyone here at Russell & Abbott wants you and your family to be safe and cozy through the season. But we don’t want you to have to pay too much to be cozy, and, unfortunately, many people don’t realize they’re paying for extra heat they don’t need.
That’s where our team comes in! I’m going to explain how we can find the ideal amount of supplemental heat for your heat pump so you can make it through the iciest winter day without burning through your bank account. Except we don’t call it “supplemental heat.” We call it “grandma heat,” and I’ll dig into why below.
“Olive, what does any of that in the title have to do with my AC?” Yes, I know you may not connect basic gardening with keeping your house cool, but taking proper care of your central air conditioner isn’t all about fretting over technical terms like R-22, R-410A, and THX-1138. (One of those isn’t an AC term at all, can you guess which?*) But activities you may not connect with the air conditioning system can have a big impact on it.
So … let’s get into protecting that outdoor condenser cabinet with good lawn and garden care. We don’t want you to need a new AC installation in Knoxville, TN just because of gardening mishaps!
No, you cannot.
I almost feel like ending my post there, because that simple answer can save you time, money, and general headaches. But I have a special obligation as an HVAC blogger dog to provide more information—I’m an “explainer,” so when I give an answer, I back it up with the best info. All around me are professionals who handle great air conditioning installation in Knoxville, TN, so when I need to know why it takes professionals to put in a new air conditioner, I have people I can turn to.
And all of them agree: you should only allow professionals to put in that new central air conditioner! Here are some of the reasons why:
Greetings everyone! I’ve gotten some questions about just how cool I can be!
Okay, maybe it wasn’t phrased exactly that way. People want to know just how cool an air conditioning system can make their house. It’s a good question: air conditioners do have limits, the same way that your car can’t do 300 mph no matter how well-built it is. And although we dogs can get super-fast—did you know that Greyhounds can run as fast as 45 mph?—none of us are going to outpace a Bullet Train no matter how healthy we are. Not meant as a criticism! Just basic facts about how things work.
So, what’s your air conditioning system’s “top speed”? I’ll get into that below. Please hang around, this can be helpful with setting your thermostat during summer.
“But Olive, it isn’t summer yet!” That’s true, but I’m here to help you get started for summer, which is not too far away. We can start getting full summer temperatures in May. This is why I encourage all my loyal readers to have any big jobs they need to be done for their HVAC system scheduled now. For example, if you think you need a new AC installation in Knoxville, TN, now is the time to talk to us about it.
If you don’t have any major HVAC service need, there are still some “summer starter” jobs you can do to help your air conditioning system work its best. Here are a few of my top tips.
Ever heard these phrases before? “You need to top off the refrigerant in your AC,” or “It’s time to get a refrigerant refill on your AC.” These are based on very common misunderstandings about how air conditioners work, and sometimes unscrupulous people who claim they are HVAC “technicians” try to use them on homeowners.
Here are the facts, straight from your favorite HVAC blogger dog: the only time you’ll need to have more refrigerant put into your air conditioning system is if there is a refrigerant leak. Otherwise, you can expect the amount of refrigerant in the AC will stay the same and keep circulating through it for the lifetime of the system.
When winter comes to an end, it’s time to think about how your furnace managed over the season. This will help you know if you need any important furnace service in Knoxville, TN (such as repairs or a full replacement) during the coming stretch of the year when you won’t need to rely on your heater daily.
This is when I get out my pen and help you go through a checklist “performance overview.” I’d love it if I could tuck the pen behind my ears, but I don’t have stand-up ears like German Shepherds, so I’ll just have to grip the pen in my mouth when not using it. Anyway, let’s get into this informal overview.
Please note: This casual exercise is not a substitute for annual heating maintenance in fall. When you need actual heating work done, you’ll want our pros to be there to do it!
