As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can have a big effect on your utility bills — and your comfort.  For more information, on how you can save your hard earned money contact us today. Change your air filter regularly Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool — wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system — leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure. Tune up your HVAC equipment yearly Just as a tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve efficiency and comfort. Install a programmable thermostat A programmable thermostat is ideal for people who are away from home during set periods of time throughout the week. Through proper ...Read More

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Indoor air quality is one concern that homeowners have when they decide to investigate air duct cleaning. In a typical six-room home, up to 40 pounds of dust is created annually through everyday living. Your heating and cooling system is the lungs of your home. The system taken air in and breathes air out. Through normal occupation in a home, we generate a great deal of contaminants and air pollutants, such as dander, dust, and chemicals. These contaminants are pulled into the HVAC system and re-circulated 5 to 7 times per day, on average. Over time, this re-circulation causes a build-up of contaminants in the duct work. While dirty ducts don’t necessarily mean unhealthy air in your home, school or workplace, they may be contributing to larger health issues or harboring contaminants that could cause serious problems for people with respiratory health conditions, autoimmune disorders or some environmental allergies.The general rule of thumb for consumers is that “if your ducts look dirty, they probably are,” and that dirty HVAC systems should be inspected by a reputable, certified HVAC professional. Below are some other reasons homeowners choose to have their air ducts cleaned.

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Until now, you might have assumed the sun only added to the energy consumed by your HVAC systems. At least, you know your cooling system will have to work harder when the sun is out. By heating up the environment, the sun is requiring your air conditioner to run more often to cool your home on a hot day. However, when solar energy is harnessed as a source of power, it could actually help you spend less on both heating and cooling.Here are 6 surprising facts about solar tied HVAC systems: 1. Using solar energy may not require a whole new HVAC system. Some systems can simply be modified and solar modules attached. 2. You’ll not only save money on monthly utility bills, but you may also be eligible for federal government and state tax credits to make the install more affordable. 3. Efficient heating and cooling systems that use the sun’s energy increase your home’s value. 4. If the sun’s energy is not needed to power your HVAC systems, it can be redirected to appliances like your refrigerator and entertainment system. 5. Some utility companies allow you to sell back extra energy when your system is tied into the ...Read More

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Maintain your equipment to prevent future problems and unwanted costs. Keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance by having McCarthy Mechanical do an annual pre-season check-ups. It's best to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall. To remember, you might plan the check-ups around the time changes in the spring and fall. A typical maintenance check-up should include the following. Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling and heating system keeps you comfortable when you are home and saves energy while you are away. Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components. Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increases the amount of electricity you use. Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels. Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts ...Read More

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Proper Sizing of Equipment Installing the right size equipment for your home is essential to getting the best performance for your heating and cooling equipment and maintaining the comfort you deserve. Some believe that bigger is better when buying new equipment, but a system actually operates best when each component is properly sized. Oversized equipment may cycle on and off more frequently, which can make the home less comfortable and shorten the equipment life. At McCarthy Mechanical we will take measurements of your home then do calculations to determine the appropriate size for your air conditioner, furnace or heat pump. Sealing Ducts Ducts circulate air from the furnace, central air conditioner or heat pump throughout the house. Often ducts have damage or poor connections that leak the hot or cold air and waste a lot of energy. Sealing ducts can greatly improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. At McCarthy Mechanical we measure duct leakage and make necessary repairs to minimize losses. Optimizing Air Flow To operate well, a heating or cooling system needs to have the proper volume of air flow. If air flow is too high or too low , it may make the home less comfortable ...Read More

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