The Importance of Good Ventilation in Your Home

Most Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors. Therefore, it's important that the atmosphere inside your home promotes good health and safety. Good ventilation is a crucial part of being comfortable in your own home as well. It prevents air pollutants from affecting your health, reduces unwanted smells and more. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of good home ventilation from your premier HVAC company at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Ventilation Controls Moisture 

One of the main reasons that ventilation is so important is because it controls the moisture levels in your home. Good ventilation will remove/prevent condensation from areas of your home. Excess moisture in your home can cause all sorts of issues, like mold, wood rot and drywall damage. This can eventually lead to compromising the structural integrity of your home, and mold can cause health problems for you and your family.

Ventilation Filters Out Allergens 

Without good ventilation in your home, pollutants and allergens can take over. This can cause sickness among your family, especially those members with bad allergies. Proper ventilation will help remove large particles, such as pollen, dust or other irritants, from the air. This can effectively reduce allergy symptoms and create a comfortable environment for your family to live in. Most notably when it comes to health, good ventilation will protect respiratory health and help prevent asthma. It can also prevent rashes and other skin irritation that results from pollutants or impurities in the air.

Ventilation Prevents Backdrafting 

Another common issue with poor ventilation is that it can cause backdrafts in your home. This is when outdoor air is pulled inside due to the pressure inside your home being less than that outside. This backdrafting can actually become dangerous if that air is coming from a chimney or other areas of the home  with an opening. Proper ventilation can help to control the pressure within your home.

Good ventilation supplies fresh air to your home - and there's no denying that fresh air is critical to making your home comfortable. Make sure you have exhaust fans located throughout your home, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms. You should also have air ducts installed around your home; some older homes don't have them. In addition, they need to stay clean.

Royal Heating and Air is here to help with your ventilation issues! We do custom duct work, and we can also keep them clean by installing UV lights. Your AC system also plays a role in airflow and ventilation. We can help you keep it maintained. Call 573-480-4313 for all your Lake of the Ozark HVAC needs!

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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Benefits of Custom Ductwork in Your Home

Ventilation systems are rarely on the top of people's minds. No one thinks about their HVAC system or their ductwork, and how it all works, until something goes wrong. Custom ductwork can make a huge difference in efficiently keeping your home comfortable. Keep reading to learn about some of the benefits of custom ductwork from Royal Heating & Air.

1. Increased Performance. 

With ductwork that's custom fit to your home, you'll have greater overall performance of your HVAC system. The improvement in airflow will help regulate temperatures in rooms throughout the home. Keeping the temperature constant, with fewer temperature swings, prevents your system from overworking. This can be especially beneficial for upstairs rooms or other rooms that typically get hotter or colder than others. Controlled temperatures throughout your home not only increases performance of your system, but promotes a longer life for your HVAC system.

2. Improved Efficiency. 

With custom ductwork, air can travel through the ducts more easily, without interruptions. It allows the air to get to you more quickly, without losing energy. This improved efficiency not only reduces a significant amount of waste, but it can save you money on your monthly energy bills. Greater efficiency means that hot or cold air will travel through your ductwork without any interruptions. Proper ductwork, designed specifically for your home, keeps your HVAC system working more efficiently.

3. Better Air Balance & Flow. 

One of the biggest issues with ductwork is poor installation. If typical, pre-made ductwork is installed in your home, it may be shoved into place which can cause pinching or collapsing. These problems can seriously interfere with the system’s air balance and flow. Getting ductwork custom designed for your home's specific measurements ensures that air flows without any hindrances. It will also help make sure that the air moving through your ducts gets to your rooms on the shortest possible path. With a custom ductwork system, you can rest assured that your system is perfectly balanced.

Royal Heating & Air specializes in sheet metal fabrication for custom ductwork at the Lake of the Ozarks. Custom ductwork allows for better airflow, distributes air evenly between rooms, and reduces leaks in unwanted areas. It also puts less strain on your HVAC system, allowing it to last longer. For all your HVAC related needs at the Lake, trust "The King of Comfort."

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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Keeping Your Home Cool Without Overworking Your AC

The summer months at the Lake of the Ozarks are hot! There's no better feeling than walking into a nice cool home after being out in the heat. Constantly blasting your AC though, can cause high electric bills and can shorten your HVAC system's life. Keep reading for a few ideas on how to keep your home cool without overworking your Lake of the Ozarks AC system.

1. Switch Out Your Light Bulbs. 

Incandescent bulbs waste about 90% of their energy through the heat that they emit. By switching to LED or CFL bulbs, you'll not only be able to keep your home cooler, but also lower your electric bill.

2. Put Ice in Front of a Fan.

Fans, in conjunction with your AC, are a great way to get cool air circulating throughout your home. Fill a bowl with ice or grab an ice pack to sit in front of a large fan. This will help keep the room much cooler and get that cool air circulating around the room, allowing the AC to work less.

3. Cook Outdoors Instead of Inside. 

Appliances, such as your oven and range, emit quite a bit of heat. Grilling out during the summer months is not only fun, but also a way to keep your home cooler. Cook outside when possible or prepare meals that don't require cooking.

4. Cool Down From the Inside Out. 

Cooling down your body temperature can make it feel cooler inside without actually changing the temperature of the air around you. Drink plenty of ice water throughout the day, and apply a cold cloth to your neck and wrists. Drinking a glass of cold water before bed will lower your body temperature and reduce the likelihood of you sweating during the night.

5. Swap Out Your Bedding. 

During the hot summer months, consider swapping out your bedding. Cotton sheets breathe easier and stay cooler than flannel, fleece or polyester linens. Cotton bedding will also transfer moisture away from the skin. Buckwheat pillows are also cooler, as the buckwheat hulls have a naturally occurring air space between them. They also won't hold in your body heat like conventional pillows.

6. Close the Blinds During the Day. 

By simply closing your blinds to keep the sun's rays from entering your home, you can keep your home cooler and allow your AC system to work a little less hard. Most of the unwanted heat during the summer months comes from your windows. Therefore, utilizing blinds and curtains can lower the temperature inside your home drastically.

7. Open the Windows at Night. 

The Lake area typically cools off quite a bit during the night hours. Take advantage of this cooler time of day by opening the windows to let the naturally chilled air flow indoors and lower the temperature in your home. Just make sure that you close them in the morning before it gets too hot.

Another way to ensure your home stays cool and your system isn't overworked is to schedule regular maintenance with your Lake of the Ozarks HVAC company. Keeping your unit clean and changing the filters regularly will help in the effort of keeping your equipment working efficiently. For all your AC needs at the Lake, give Royal Heating and Air a call at 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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5 Tips for Improving Your Indoor Air Quality

Not only is it important for the air inside your home to be a comfortable temperature, you want the quality of the air to be good as well. While some things may be out of your control, there are little things you can do around your home to improve the quality of the air that you and your family are breathing in on a daily basis. Keep reading for tips to improve your indoor air quality from Royal Heating & Air.

1. Keep Your Floors Clean. 

One of the easiest ways to keep pollutants out of the air in your home is to clean your floors regularly. Chemicals and allergens easily settle and accumulate on the floors of your home. From carpet to tile or wood flooring, you want to keep them all clean. By vacuuming often, you reduce concentrations of lead, brominated fire-retardant chemicals (PBDEs), pollen, pet dander, and dust mites. Mopping the floors picks up the dust that's left after vacuuming. To keep your floors from getting too dirty in the first place, be sure to put a doormat down for people to wipe their shoes on. You can even ask people to take their shoes off at the door to cut down on the pollutants brought into your home. 

2. Assess the Chemical Use in Your Home. 

Consistently using chemicals inside your home is not good for your health. While keeping your home clean is essential to improving your indoor air quality, how you complete that cleaning is also important. When possible, try to use all natural cleaning solutions such as vinegar and lemon. Industrial cleaners leave a residue that affects your air quality. Many household products, cleaning and otherwise, contain volatile organic compounds. You can reduce your exposure to VOCs by: purchasing natural cleaning products and air fresheners, avoiding aerosol sprays, purchasing fragrance-free or all-natural soaps and detergents, using soy or beeswax candles instead of petroleum-based wax, and using houseplants known to filter the air. 

3. Improve Your Ventilation Systems. 

Poor ventilation in your home can directly impact indoor air quality. Air flow is crucial for good indoor air quality. You can easily improve the airflow in your home by: opening a window, operating attic & ceiling fans, hiring a professional to clean and inspect the ducts in your home, and running exhaust fans when you cook, clean or bathe. Airtight homes, while "energy-efficient," tend to have poor indoor air quality because the pollutants can't escape, and fresh air isn't introduced.  

4. Reduce the Humidity in Your Home. 

Dust mites and mold, both contributors to poor air quality, love moisture. Controlling the humidity levels in your home is another way to improve your indoor air quality. Keeping the humidity level inside your home around 30-50% will help keep these, and other allergens, under control. Using a dehumidifier is one of the best ways to monitor and control the humidity levels inside your home. Learn more about this in our blog titled, "Benefits of Using a Dehumidifier in Your Home." 

5. Keep Your AC Clean. 

Keeping your HVAC unit clean is another great way to improve your indoor air quality, and you're giving your system a longer life in the process. Changing the air filter on your HVAC system monthly is one of the easiest things you can do to keep your system clean and running efficiently. The purpose of an air filter is to keep pollutants out of your air. It needs to be clean in order to do it's job. It's important to keep the rest of your system clean as well. Be sure to check the coils and drip pan regularly too.

Many of these steps are things you can accomplish on your own, but when it comes to a properly working HVAC system, you know who to call. Our Lake of the Ozarks HVAC company is here for all your heating and cooling needs. We want to help you with improving your indoor air quality by ensuring your system is in tip-top shape. For any HVAC maintenance needs at the Lake of the Ozarks, give us a call at 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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The Annual Great Bagnell Dam Duck Drop

Royal Heating and Air loves getting involved in the Lake of the Ozarks community! We are proud to be a Prize Sponsor for this year's Great Bagnell Dam Duck Drop. From the tournament to the family fun zone and actual duck drop, this event offers something for the entire family to enjoy! Keep reading to learn more about this great annual event from your favorite Lake of the Ozarks HVAC company.

Photo Credit: www.GreatDamDuckDrop.com

Quacky Golf Tournament 

The 6th Annual Duck Drop Golf Tournament features a quacky "twist." Crazy holes and fun obstacles will be placed around the course to test your game! This 4-person scramble will take place on Friday, August 3rd at The Ridge Golf Course at The Lodge of Four Seasons. Registration and lunch will begin at 12:30 pm, with a 2:00 pm shotgun start for the tournament. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Lake Area Big Brothers Big Sisters & Ozark Coast Kiwanis. Both organizations help LOCAL children at the Lake! For more information about the tournament or to register, please visit: www.GreatDamDuckDrop.com

Photo Credit: www.GreatDamDuckDrop.com

Family Fun Zone & Duck Drop

Celebrating their 10th year, the 2018 Great Bagnell Dam Duck Drop will be better than ever! The family fun zone opens at 10 am on Saturday, August 4th below the Bagnell Dam. There will be games, a dunking booth, bounce houses, martial arts and dance demonstrations, food and lots of prizes and goodies! Fun Zone Wrist Bands are FREE and include all fun zone events, games and prizes. You can purchase Duck Drop tickets at the Fun Zone until 11 am for $5 each for your chance to win $5,000, plus 10 other great prizes.

The official Duck Drop happens at Noon! You can walk to the viewing area from the family fun zone. Ducks will be dropped by helicopter, as well as from pontoon boats on the river. They will "race" to the finish line! The first duck to cross the finish line wins the $5,000 grand prize! 10 additional ducks will also win prizes! You do not have to be present to win. All funds raised from the Duck Drop event will remain local & are distributed to non-profit organization via the Ozark Coat Kiwanis organization. For more information about the event, please visit: www.GreatDamDuckDrop.com.

We're lucky to be a part of such as great community here at the Lake of the Ozarks. Royal Heating & Air is your full-service, locally owned and operated HVAC company at the Lake! From preventative maintenance to complete furnace and air conditioning installations at the Lake of the Ozarks, we can provide you with affordable, dependable, trustworthy service!

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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Determining the Best AC Unit for Your Home's Needs

When choosing an AC unit, you have several different options to weigh. From a whole-home cooling system to ductless systems, each type addresses different needs in your home. Royal Heating & Air is here to help educate you on these systems. Keep reading to learn about the differences in systems to determine which is right for your needs.

Air Conditioners

Likely the most commonly used cooling systems for residential properties would be your typical whole-home air conditioner. This uses your homes duct system to cool the entire home. Heat is transferred outside using indoor cooling coil components, refrigerant lines, an exterior condenser, fans and other equipment. Our Lake of the Ozarks AC company installs Bryant heating and cooling systems. All of their products give you economical performance, comfort and value. When looking at AC units, those with high SEER ratings can help keep your cooling bills under control.

Heat Pumps 

Another option for cooling your home is a heat pump. Heat pumps remove heat from your home and are also a whole-home solution. Heat is extracted from inside your home and transferred outside. This allows cooler air to be delivered back into your living areas. Heat pumps have both an exterior unit and an indoor air handler. The Bryant Evolution System heat pump offers their highest efficiency performance and most comfort options. Heat pumps are one of the best AC options for a home when energy costs are concerned. They are highly efficient and use very little electricity to produce a high cooling output.

Ductless Air Conditioners 

If you're looking to just cool a specific area of your home, a ductless air conditioner is a great option. These also work great if you don't have any existing ductwork and you don't want to install any. Ductless air conditioners are individual-zone solutions that deliver cooling to just the area in which they are installed.  They are perfect for room additions or anywhere that ductwork is a challenge. Bryant offers single and multi-zone styles that can be installed high on the wall, in the ceiling or near the floor. Individual air handlers are installed in a space and connected to a heat pump or air conditioner exterior unit. Single outdoor units can support multiple air handlers throughout your home depending on the system's configuration.

Working with a professional HVAC company at the Lake of the Ozarks is the best way to determine what type of system is best for your needs. We can recommend products and back them up with our professional and personal service.

For all your Lake of the Ozarks heating and air conditioning needs, trust Royal Heating & Air. From new installations to repairs and maintenance, we've got all your heating and cooling needs covered! Give us a call at 573-480-4313 for a free estimate.

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

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How to Keep Your HVAC System Mold Free

During the hot summer months in Missouri, humidity can become an issue. Unfortunately, high humidity levels in your home and/or in your Lake of the Ozarks HVAC system can lead to mold growth. Mold thrives in conditions of high humidity levels and warm temperatures. These conditions are created during the heating/cooling process of your HVAC system. Below are a few tips for how to keep your HVAC system mold free.

1. Ensure Your HVAC System is the Proper Size for Your Home.  

Not only does your HVAC system work to either heat or cool your home, it also dehumidifies the air. If your system is too large for your space, it will kick on and off so quickly that it doesn't have time to dehumidify correctly. This causes excess moisture in your HVAC system because there's not enough time for the dehumidifying process to be completed properly. Humidity levels of 60% or higher inside your system create an environment where mold can easily begin to grow. An undersized system can also cause humidity issues, as they are overworked and can't keep up with both heating/cooling and dehumidifying. Mold in your HVAC system doesn't just impact the system itself, but also the indoor air quality of your home.

2. Keep Your HVAC System Clean & Maintained. 

Just like with any other piece of equipment, you need to keep your HVAC system regularly maintained. Not only will this help your system last longer, but it will decrease the likelihood that mold develops in your system. Make sure that you change your AC filters regularly, which is typically monthly during the hot summer months. In addition, you'll want to check regularly for leaks. Be sure to drain any excess water you find and clean the drain pans regularly. Standing water in your drip tray can lead to active mold growth. Last, but not least, clean your air ducts regularly as well.

3. Invest in a Dehumidifier for Your Home.

Dehumidifiers work with your HVAC system and help take some of the pressure off of it. Anytime there's excess moisture in your home, which is a common problem during the humid summer months, you'll want to consider running a dehumidifier. One of the main benefits of running a dehumidifier in your home is that it prevents mold growth, in your home and in your HVAC system. By removing a lot of the water from the air before it even makes it to the HVAC system, the dehumidifier is allowing the HVAC system to work less hard to dehumidify the air. Learn more about this in our recent blog titled, "Benefits of Using a Dehumidifier in Your Home."

4. Keep Your Windows and Doors Closed. 

While it may seem like a great idea to open your windows and let a breeze in on a hot summer day, you may want to think twice about that. Keeping the humidity outdoors will not only decrease the humidity levels in your home, but it will allow your system to work more efficiently. This will result in less condensation build up inside your system, with reduces the chances of mold development. In addition, the less hard your system has to work, the longer its going to last you. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep your windows and doors closed on hot, humid summer days.

5. Have Your HVAC System Serviced Regularly. 

Last, but certainly not least, be sure to have your HVAC system serviced regularly by a professional HVAC company at the Lake of the Ozarks. Not only does this ensure your system is performing at its optimal efficiency, making it last longer, but it will help prevent mold growth. Your HVAC contractor will be able to see if there's any excess moisture in your system and help you remedy the situation. The best way to prevent mold growth, or any other issues with your system, is to monitor it regularly.

Royal Heating & Air is your locally owned and operated HVAC company at the Lake! We're here for all your heating and cooling needs. From preventative maintenance to complete installs, we can provide you with affordable, dependable and trustworthly HVAC service at the Lake of the Ozarks!

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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