Your Pup – Fun Fall Activities & HVAC Facts for Your Pets

Your dogs are part of the family! With fall having officially arrived in Missouri, there are a lot of great options for outdoor activities to spend time with you pet. There are also a lot of considerations you should make when it comes to how your pet can affect your HVAC system. Royal Heating & Air is bringing you tips on both in the rest of today's blog! Keep reading for inspiration for fun fall activities and important HVAC facts for your dogs. 

FALL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GREAT FOR DOGS

Play in the Leaves

When you're raking up all the leaves in your yard, don't bag or burn them right away. First, have a great time jumping in the pile with your best pal. Jumping, running, tunneling through... A lot of dogs love playing in piles of leaves!

Visit a Dog-Friendly Apple Orchard or Pumpkin Patch

Look for an apple orchard or pumpkin patch that allows dogs. (You might be surprised how many do!) Your dog will love running around with you, trying to find the perfect apples or pumpkin. Let them sniff around and "pick" their favorite pumpkin. You could carve them their own dog-themed Jack-o-Lantern later! If you choose an apple orchard, don't forget to give them a slice. Apples can actually help keep a dog's teeth cleaner. (BUT, make sure to remove the seeds and core first as these can cause digestive issues and choking.)

Dress Up for Halloween

Who doesn't love photos of dogs dressed up in adorable costumes? Make it a family affair and include your dog in a group costume with you and the crew. There are lots of great ideas on Pinterest for dog costumes you're definitely going to love. You can even find dog-safe recipes for treats online to make sure your pup gets in on the trick-or-treating fun. 

Take Advantage of All the Pumpkin

Fall is the season for pumpkin for sure - It's everywhere! True pumpkin, without additives, can actually be really healthy for both you and your dog. Put a little bit of puree in with their food for a special treat that's full of fiber. (Don't put too much in though. Too much fiber can cause digestive issues.)

Go Hiking Together

In the summer, hiking can be a little more strenuous for your dog, especially if they have thick fur and can easily overheat. In the fall, on the other hand, your dog will love hiking alongside you! Take them with you to explore the fresh air and beautiful nature. They'll love you for it! 

HVAC CONSIDERATIONS WITH PETS

Mind Your Air Filter

Air filters help clean the air in your home, catching particles of dust, dander, and more depending on the type of filter you get. Your pets can create a lot of extra debris that the filter has to deal with to keep you and your family breathing easy. That's why it's a good idea to get the right kind of filter for your home and be sure to change it often. 

Protect the Outdoor Unit

If your outdoor unit is accessible to your pets, they could potentially cause expensive damage to your HVAC system. Whether your dog likes to dig around the unit, scratch at it when it makes noise, or mark it as their territory, your unit could be at risk for needing expensive repairs. Consider putting a fence around your unit that prevents any pet damage while still allowing enough airflow for it to work efficiently.

Clean Your Air Ducts

Pet hair is inevitable when you have dogs running around the house. It’s best to have your air ducts cleaned on a regular basis because the air ducts are a hot spot for fur and other debris to build up. While a filter can help keep some of this pet debris from circulating around your home, not all particles are filtered out. A thorough cleaning can help reduce the chance of this kind of pet hair and dander from making its way around your home. It's best to have your air ducts professionally cleaned at least once a year - maybe more depending on your pet's size and level of shedding. 

FALL AT THE LAKE OF THE OZARKS 

Royal Heating & Air loves the fall season at the Lake of the Ozarks. Not only can everyone enjoy the fresh air and nature with their pets, but it also gives us an opportunity to take care of you - our valued customer. As the best HVAC company at the Lake of the Ozarks, we love helping you keep your home comfortable year-round, and we are here to help in any way we can. Give us a call to schedule a maintenance check or ask how we can help you with our other services. Call today! 573-480-4313

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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HVAC Hazards to Watch Out for This Fall

Fall is just around the corner at the Lake of the Ozarks, and that means it's time to start preparing your HVAC system for colder weather. Royal Heating & Air is the best HVAC Company at the Lake of the Ozarks, and we are ready to help you prepare for the season and avoid the common hazards that can come with fall weather around your home. Keep reading to learn more and give us a call to schedule your maintenance check! 

Carbon Monoxide 

Soon the temperatures will cool off and you'll turn on your heater to keep the house warm and toasty. The number one danger of a failing heating system is a carbon monoxide (or CO) leak. This is one of the important reasons why you should schedule heating maintenance early and install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. CO detectors should be installed just like smoke detectors; this means they should be installed in all of the major areas in your home... Preferably on every level of the house and outside of each bedroom. It’s also a good idea to test all of your CO and smoke detectors once a month.

Fire Hazards

Any time you're dealing with a heat source, there is a potential for fire. That is why it's incredibly important to keep your furnace and pipes clear from anything that might catch fire. Make sure there is nothing combustible within 6 inches of your ventilation pipe. Periodically inspect your vent pipes to make sure there is nothing obstructing them, such as leaves, snow, or even bird nests. All fuel-burning systems need ventilation for proper safety. Also maintain a minimum 3-foot clearance around your furnace, fireplace, and other heat sources. Keep the area around heaters unobstructed and free from any flammable items. You should also never store any paint, chemicals, gasoline or any other combustible material anywhere near your furnace.

Frozen Lines

Any lines outside of the house that carry water or condensation need to be drained and protected to prevent freezing and cracking. To prevent your irrigation lines from getting damaged this winter, call your landscaping company before the ground freezes to drain the water. Any residual water left in your irrigation system over the winter season will freeze, expand, and likely cause serious damage to the entire system. It is also a good idea to disconnect and drain the hoses around your house. Also, if you have a high-efficiency furnace, there is likely a condensation line to keep the moisture from puddling around your furnace. If the temperature drops to very cold levels, then this line could freeze all the way back to the furnace and cause it to not be able to kick on. Keep this line insulated away from the cold weather in the fall and winter months. 

Get a Fall Maintenance Check

There are a lot of things to consider when getting your home and HVAC system ready for the cold season. If you want to make sure your home is going to be comfortable and safe all season long, give Royal Heating & Air a call! We'll come out and do a maintenance check on your HVAC system to make sure everything is in working order. We can also schedule a Whole Home Comfort Check, install a Programmable Thermostat, and more! Call today to work with the best heating and cooling company at the Lake of the Ozarks. We are here for you! 

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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Your HVAC Fall Maintenance Check – Why You Shouldn’t Skip It!

 At Royal Heating and Air, we know your HVAC system is one of the more expensive systems in your home. It is also one you rely on every single day, 24/7 and DO NOT want to be without due to an unexpected failure. Just like with your car, HVAC maintenance is critical to keeping your system running efficiently and reliably. So today, we wanted to talk to you about important benefits of a fall maintenance check.

Efficiency and Lifespan

As parts wear and dust accumulates on your components, your furnace and air conditioner can become less efficient and have to work harder. Over time this can slowly increase your energy bill and reduce the lifespan of your system.  In fact, consistent maintenance can lengthen the working life of your system up to 48% and reduce loss of efficiency up to 15%.

Prevent Bigger Problems

Regular preventative maintenance can not only increase efficiency and lifespan, it also helps you discover and repair things before they lead to bigger problems, more expensive repairs, and potential outages.  If you have not had your furnace serviced yet this year, we have HVAC technicians at the Lake of the Ozarks ready to help

What It Entails

When one of our technicians arrives for a fall HVAC maintenance check at the Lake of the Ozarks, the first thing that will happen is your system and its components will be inspected.  If parts are dirty, they will be cleaned, if there are signs of wear or damage, those will be addressed.  Moving parts will be lubricated and if the filter is clogged it will be replaced. The air handler will be checked out to make sure it is in good working condition and cleaned if needed. Airflow efficiency will be measured and your thermostat will also be tested and calibrated if necessary.  In addition, the technician will monitor the system while it is on to make sure it is functioning properly and not using more power than it should be.  If you have a gas furnace the burner will be cleaned and the heat exchanger checked for signs of cracking or corrosion, too.  Any issue that is found will be brought to your attention and discussed along with repair solutions.

While it is easy not to think about your heating and cooling system … it is no fun if it stops working.  It is far better (and less expensive) to fix a small problem before it becomes huge issue or leaves you without service in the coldest season. At Royal Heating and Air, we love to help people get the most out of their HVAC systems and we know how much preventative maintenance can help. We work hard to make HVAC preventative maintenance at the Lake of the Ozarks convenient for you and even have a program where you can sign up for regular maintenance checks and not even have to think about it.  We let you know when it is time, and you get to relax, and rest assured knowing your HVAC system is in tip-top shape.  Even though you are still using your air conditioner, you will want to get on the schedule now for your fall maintenance check.  Make sure all is good when the cold winter weather is upon us, give Royal Heating and Air a call today!

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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Heat Pump versus Traditional Air Conditioner and Furnace - Which is Best For You?

When it comes to replacing an HVAC system at the Lake of the Ozarks, people sometimes inquire about heat pumps and whether they might be a better option.  At Royal Heating and Air, our technicians hear it all the time, but the answer to that question is unique to each client depending on a number of factors.  To help you understand why, we thought we would take some time today to talk about heat pumps and how they work, what makes them different, and how to make a good decision on which one is right for you. 

Similarities.

A traditional air conditioner does not add cool air to your home, it removes heat from the air in your home.  It does this as it draws air into the indoor air handler through the return vents in your ductwork.  The warmer air passes over cooling coils filled with refrigerant and the heat is absorbed into the refrigerant.  The refrigerant circulates through the system to the outdoor unit where it releases the heat into the great outdoors.   A heat pump will work based on the same principle to cool the air in your home. 

Differences.

Where they differ is in the heating side of the HVAC system.  Air conditioners only cool, so for heating you have to have a separate furnace unit.  Heat pumps are able to heat AND cool with the same unit.  It does so by basically reversing the process it uses for cooling … taking heat from outside and absorbing it into the coils and releasing it into the inside air handler to be circulated in your home.  

But because heat pumps take heat from the outside, they are limited in their heating efficiency when temperatures are  below 25-30 degrees.  In areas where it is not uncommon for temperatures to fall below that, it may be recommended to have a backup heat source or furnace as well.  On the other hand, a traditional air conditioner is only very efficient when the indoor and outdoor temperatures are only about 20 degrees apart or less.  But a heat pump will remain just as efficient in those higher temperatures.

Cost Analysis.

To compare price differences you really have to look at several factors to know which one will cost you more in the long run.  Because it is not just about upfront cost, it is also about efficiency and what it costs to run each type of unit where you live.  Here in Missouri that can be tricky.  If you live somewhere that often has extreme heat and rarely gets below freezing, the heat pump is a no brainer.  But if you have more days per year below freezing days than above 90 degrees a traditional HVAC system may make more sense.  In Missouri we get quite a mix. It also matters if you really only need to replace the heating OR cooling part of your system whether it is a good idea to switch your type of system.

In reality a reputable HVAC company at the Lake of the Ozarks is needed  to help you analyze all these factors.  Our owner would be happy to look at your current system and, talk with you about your options so you could really compare costs and make a fully educated decision.   If you have questions about heat pumps versus air conditioner and furnace systems, give us a call anytime.  We are the king of comfort and are always on your team to provide for all your HVAC needs. 

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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