Royal Heating & Air

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

5 Ways To Ensure Your AC Unit Will Last All Summer Long

Memorial Day Weekend is right around the corner, which means many people will be visiting their home at the Lake of the Ozarks for the first time this year. There is nothing worse than arriving at your vacation home to find out your HVAC system has failed. Don't let this happen to you! Lake of the Ozarks' best heating and cooling company has five tips to make sure your AC unit won't fail on you this summer.

1. Keep outside unit clear of debris. During the fall and winter, leaves, twigs and other debris may have gotten stuck in and around your AC unit. Before the season really kicks into high gear, make sure your AC unit is clear of any debris. In addition, make sure you clear away lawn clippings after doing any yard work.

2. Check the air filter. While you may not have to change it every time, it's best to check the air filters at least once a month. If you have pets, children or smoke, you may need to change it more often. When the air filter is dirty, it makes your AC unit work harder, which could cause it to break down.

3. Clean the vents. Just like a dirty air filter, having dirty vents could also cause the AC unit to work overtime. Cleaning your vents isn't something you need to do on a regular basis, but it's a good idea to clean them at least twice a year. However, just like with the air filter, under certain circumstances, you may need to have your air vents professionally cleaned more often. When you have your air vents cleaned, you'll see a difference not only in the performance of your HVAC system, but also with the quality of your home's indoor air.

4. Seal up your home. No matter the season, it's a good idea to ensure your home is properly sealed. During the winter, it will help keep your home nice and cozy warm, while in the summer, it will help keep the cold are inside. Check all the window and door frames in your home. Take caulk and seal up any areas where you can feel a breeze. In addition to checking the frames, make sure the weather stripping along the bottom of your doors are intact.

5. Call "The King of Comfort." The best way to ensure your home's AC unit will last all summer long is to call Lake of the Ozarks' best heating and cooling company. It's important to get your AC unit serviced to ensure it's working properly at the beginning of the season. While your unit may turn on and work, there could be an internal issue you're not aware of that could cause it to break down. Royal Heating & Air can ensure the AC unit's coils are clean and everything is working properly. Don't spend the summer worrying about your AC unit and call the best HVAC repair company at the Lake of the Ozarks at 573-480-4313.

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com
CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Natural Ways To Reduce Humidity In Your Home

Summer is just around the corner and you may already be feeling some of the effects. One of those may be the increase in humidity. With the warm weather we are getting here at the Lake, plus the recent storms, the humidity levels are inching up, and they will only continue to increase. If your home is feeling a bit muggy, Royal Heating & Air has a few tips to help you feel more comfortable.

Why Humidity Is Bad For Your Home

Your home's humidity levels should be around 30 - 50 percent for optimum comfort. When the humidity in your home begins to increase, it starts to get uncomfortable and things can begin to happen in your home.

- Your hair begins to frizz, which isn't a huge deal, but it can become hard to manage.

- Your home will feel hotter. Even when you have your AC set to a comfortable level, when your home has too much moisture, it won't feel that way.

- In addition to your home feeling hot, it will also feel wet. Your sweat won't be able to cool you off because it won't be able to evaporate.

- You may experience sleep problems.

- Mold spores will begin to grow and spread, which could cause health issues.

- Wood will begin to swell and doors can become stuck.

- Your pets will begin to smell. While this isn't a huge deal, nobody wants a stinky pet, especially when it can be prevented!

- Rust and oxidation can occur and when the humidity is high it can speed up the process.

How To Get Rid Of Humidity

- Ventilate. Ventilation in your home will increase the air flow, which can reduce the humidity levels.

- Fix leaky pipes. Check the pipes in your home and fix any leaky ones you may find. In addition, it's also best to remove any condensation from hot or cold pipes with insulation.

- Use fans. Fans will help get the air moving in your home and help with evaporation.

- Change the air filter regularly. When your air filter is dirty, it slows down the air flow in your home, which could result in your home's humidity levels rising.

- Take shorter showers. Long hot showers produce extra steam, which increases the humidity.

- Install a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier offers soothing relief from high humidity and cooling costs. It draws excess moisture from your home's indoor air and lets you feel comfortable without over-cooling your home.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can feel more comfortable in your home, call the "King of Comfort" at 573-480-4313. Royal Heating & Air can help you with everything from preventative maintenance to complete furnace and air conditioning installations. The best heating and cooling company at the Lake of the Ozarks can provide you with affordable, dependable and trustworthy service.

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com
CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Be Prepared For Summer

With the weather getting warmer, now's the perfect time to contact your Lake of the Ozarks HVAC company for routine service. Manufactures recommend getting your heating and cooling systems serviced to ensure it's working at its optimum efficiency. At Royal Heating & Air, we recommend having your system checked twice per year - once in the spring and once in the fall. Servicing will help extend the life of your equipment, lower your utility bills and help provide consistent performance for your equipment. Nobody wants to get stuck on the hottest day of the year without air conditioning! Make sure your HVAC system is in tip top shape by having it serviced by Lake of the Ozarks' best heating & cooling company.

Importance of Preventative Maintenace

If you've turned on your air conditioning system for the season and it's working fine, you may think you don't need to have it serviced. However, AC units can continue to cool your home even if they have mechanical problems. There are many working parts that make up your cooling system. If one of these parts develop an issue, the problem will only get worse over time. It's possible for the other parts of your AC unit to run longer to make up for the malfunctioning part. This additional strain on your HVAC system can cause even more parts to break down.

When you call Royal Heating & Air to service your HVAC system, we can detect small and developing problems and address them before they become expensive or difficult to resolve. Preventative maintenance can also ensure your system is able to keep your home at a comfortable temperature no matter what the weather is like outside. When your HVAC system is working properly, it will run more efficiently, which can help decrease your heating and cooling costs.

When your HVAC system is properly maintained, it could help extend its life. Preventative maintenance helps reduce the wear and tear on your HVAC system, which means you shouldn't have to replace parts as often.

What Does Royal Heating & Air Do?

When you have Royal Heating & Air come to your home, we'll inspect your AC unit in the spring and your heater in the fall. During the spring service check, we will ensure you have enough coolant, the coils are clean and there are no leaks. If coolant is leaking or the coils are dirty, it's harder for your AC unit to cool your home. In addition, we will do a standard check of your thermostat to make sure it's accurately reading and keeping your home at the temperature you set it at. We will also ensure your air filters are clean and change them if necessary.

Royal Heating & Air recommends that your have your HVAC serviced at the Lake of the Ozarks twice per year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Preventative maintenance will help extend the life, lower your utility bills, and help provide consistent performance from your equipment. To schedule an appointment, contact us at (573) 480-4313 or (573) 346-8370.

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com
CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Benefits of a Programmable Thermostat

Programmable thermostats are quickly becoming the standard in new homes. Many homeowners that have switched from a manual thermostat to a programmable one are seeing the benefits in their home and their comfort. If you are thinking of installing one in your home, here are a few benefits you may experience brought to you by Royal Heating & Air.

Save Money On Utilities

One of the main benefits of installing a programmable thermostat is the amount of money you could save on your utilities. Programmable thermostats can help you reduce your energy usage, which in turn, can save you money on your utility bills. With a programmable thermostat, you don't have to keep your air conditioning or heat on high while you're away from home because you can create a schedule that follows your family's routine, which eases up on the energy usage when you're not home.

Maintain Constant Temperature

Programmable thermostats can help your home maintain a comfortable, consistent temperature. Instead of cranking up the AC during a heat wave, programmable thermostats can run at a constant level that keeps you and your family comfortable no matter the weather outside.

Spend Less Time Adjusting

With a manual thermostat, it can take some time to know what temperature it should be set at during the different times of the day. In addition, with a manual thermostat, you need to remember to readjust the temperature when you leave, when you come home, when you go to bed and when you wake up. That is if you even make the adjustments at all, which wastes energy. With a programmable thermostat, you could eliminate all of that time spent in front of the thermostat. Just set a schedule one time per season and then forget about it.

Increase Your Home's Efficiency

A programmable thermostat can help your HVAC system become more efficient. This can help your home reduce energy waste and reduce its workload, which could help extend the lifespan of your HVAC system.

Schedule Your Day

A programmable thermostat can allow you to schedule out your day so your thermostat knows what temperature it should be set at throughout the different times of the day. Your thermostat can be set at a lower temperature when you're away at work or sleeping and it can be set at your preferred temperature right before you come home or wake up.

Take Advantage of Technology

Newer programmable thermostat come equipt with WiFi, which allows you to control your thermostat using your laptop, tablet and smartphone. This allows you to have control of your thermostat from virtually anywhere. If you're away on vacation, and you notice that there is an unseasonable warm or cool day back home, you can adjust the temperature of your home easily from your device.

Maximize Zoned Heating & Cooling

Having your home zoned can help increase the energy efficiency of your property. When paired with a programmable thermostat, you can customize the temperature in each zone. No matter where you're at, your entire home can be set at a comfortable temperature.

Installing a programmable thermostat in your home is an easy task that can help you save money and feel more comfortable in your home no matter the season. If you would like to learn more about the different thermostats available, call the best heating and cooling company at the Lake of the Ozarks at 573-480-4313. Royal Heating & Air can help you pick the right thermostat for your home and even help you install it.

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com
CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

How To Choose The Best Air Filter For Your Home

When it's time to change the air filter, many homeowners go to the hardware store and pick whichever filter fits their return air duct. While this method tends to save time in the store, it may not be the best when it comes to choosing the right filter for your HVAC system's needs. Ill-fitting, overly restrictive or inefficient filters can run up your energy bill and produce poor air quality in your home. Royal Heating & Air is here to explain the different type of filters you may find the next time you go to change out the air filter on your HVAC system.

Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) Ratings

Before explaining the different type of air filters, you need to learn about the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) ratings. The MERV ratings are the effectiveness of the air filters. They measure the number of particles a filter can trap as compared to the total number of particles it's trying to filter.

The Best Filter For Your Home

You may think that the filter with the highest MERV rating would be the right one to choose. The higher efficiency one would be better than the lower efficiency, right? Unfortunately, that's not always the case. High-efficiency air filters can sometimes make your HVAC system less efficient because they block too much airflow. This means the system can't heat or cool enough air to control the temperature in your home correctly, resulting in your energy bills increasing and risking damage to your furnace due to overheating.

The best filter for your home is the one that removes the most pollutants from the air while allowing your HVAC system to perform at peak condition. Older HVAC systems, or those with leaky ducts, may need filters with lower MERV ratings.

Types of Filters

Fiberglass Filters

With a MERV rating between 1 and 4, fiberglass filters tend to have the lowest rating of all filters. They were originally developed to protect your heating and cooling equipment, not to improve your indoor air quality. They tend to only remove less than 10 percent of the air pollutants from your home. They are very thin and have a simple flat panel surface for trapping particle from the air.

Pleated Filters

Pleated filters tend to be very similar to fiberglass filters, however, they can remove around 45 percent of air pollutants from your home. They're comprised of folded sheets of cotton or polyester blend fabric. They're folded accordion-style so that more fabric surface can fit into a smaller area. The number of pleats per foot impacts the overall efficiency of the air filter. They're typically the most popular air filter due to their efficiency and their price range.

Disposable Electrostatic Filters

These filters typically have a MERV value of 10 or more, so they're very effective at decontaminating the air inside a home. They contain multiple layers of polyester blend materials framed by a polyester mesh. As air passes through the positively-charged outer material, the particulate matter becomes charged and is attracted to the negatively-charged inner material. It can trap all kinds of particles including mold and pollen. These filters work extremely well, however, they can be a bit on the pricey side.

Reusable Filters

These filters act very similarly to their disposable counterparts, however, they're usually framed in aluminum mesh and made of washable material. They're incredibly cost effective, as you only have to replace them every three to five years. However, it's important to wash them regularly to maximize their effectiveness. While they can have a MERV rating of 10 or more, they're not always reliable. If they're not fully dry when you replace them, they could grow mold and bacteria that is then circulated throughout your home. If you go with a reusable filter, it's important to check the MERV rating, clean it regularly and thoroughly dry it before replacing.

If you are unsure which air filter is right for your home, call Lake of the Ozarks' best heating and cooling company. Our expert technicians can help you decide which air filter is best for your home. Royal Heating & Air is happy to discuss your Lake of the Ozarks heating and cooling needs. Don't forget, now is the best time to have your HVAC system serviced. To schedule your spring service check, call 573-480-4313.

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com
CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

Thursday, April 13, 2017

3 Things You Shouldn't Do With Your Thermostat

Heating and cooling your home makes up nearly 50 percent of your yearly utility bills. If you're looking to save a little bit on your bills, that would be the best place to start. Unfortunately, there are a few things regarding our thermostat that we do that could be wasting energy (and causing our utility bills to increase). Luckily, the best heating and cooling company at the Lake of the Ozarks has three tips to keep in mind when dealing with your thermostat.

1. Heat Or Cool Your Home Too Fast

If you get home from work and your home is at 79 degrees, but you want it at 75 degrees, so you set it at 72 degrees to cool your home more quickly, you should think twice. You may think this helps your air conditioner work faster, however, it doesn't. It just makes your AC unit run longer to reach 72 degrees. This could actually result in your utility bills increasing, as the AC unit is running inefficiently.

2. Leaving The Thermostat At The Same Setting

If you set your thermostat at a specific temperature and never touch it, you could be wasting as much as $180 per year according to Energy Star. Instead, it's recommended to change the temperature setting whenever you leave your home for 8 hours or more. However, it's important not to change it dramatically, as this would cause your HVAC system to have to work harder to heat or cool your home once you return. Sometimes, though, it can be difficult to remember to set your thermostat every time you leave. That's where a programmable thermostat can be handy. They can be programmed so it automatically makes the adjustments for you. There are even smart thermostats that can be controlled from your smartphone.

3. Changing Your Thermostat Too Much

A study conducted by GasNetworks found that people who micromanaged their thermostats use more energy than those that leave them alone for long periods of time. That's because constantly changing the set temperature on the thermostat causes the AC unit and the furnace to stop and start back up too much, which causes them to run inefficiently. If you have your thermostat set at 78 in the summer. Your AC unit will run until it reaches that point then shuts off. However, you realize you're still too hot, so you lower the thermostat a couple degrees. The AC unit must now immediately turn back on. Your AC unit and furnace should be running for longer, steadier times to save you money. It's similar to your car's MPG. You'll get better mileage on the highway rather than on streets with lots of stoplights.

If you remember these three things, it could help you save a little bit of money on your utility bills. If you need help with your HVAC system at the Lake of the Ozarks, Royal Heating & Air can help. Contact us at 573-480-4313.

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com
CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313