A Starting Point: Timed and Smart Home Thermostats
At Blue Ox Heating & Air, sometimes our St. Paul, MN customers will call for air conditioning service and we find the issue leads simply to a malfunctioning thermostat. We replace the device and everything proceeds to work correctly, but we see an opportunity to improve the homeowner’s experience by using an inexpensive timer-based thermostat. At a minimum, replacing the thermostat with one which contains a timer allows the system to schedule heating and cooling cycles for times when people will benefit, keeping energy usage to a minimum when there’s nobody home.
An Eye to the Future
Of course, if the thermostat has failed, the system is probably old enough that there are plenty of ways that the homeowner could benefit from updating, cleaning, and modifying the system. For homes that are being upgraded to smart home technologies such as programmable shades, security systems, and voice-controlled media systems, a thermostat that works with the smart home controller is the next logical step. At Blue Ox, we’re always looking to the future for our clients.
Using Zoning to Reduce Power and Fuel Consumption
Keeping bedrooms cool, living rooms warm, and adjusting other living spaces as needed isn’t really possible in older homes with a single “zone” heating and cooling. The whole house temperature is adjusted as one, depending on the temperature in the room where the thermostat is located. Zones are implemented by changing the home’s ducting to bring air to several different areas and adding thermostats to each. This allows the direction of warm and cool air, according to the season, to different parts of the house to achieve different temperatures.
You’ll be surprised at what a difference it can make in energy use and individual comfort when you don’t have to compromise on a whole-house temperature setting. In a home where everyone gathers in the kitchen, for example, it can considerably reduce energy demand. For even greater overall savings, ask for an air conditioning service quote combining zoning duct installation by our air conditioning service team with an upgrade to your heating and cooling systems.
Duct Cleaning and Disinfecting for Comfort and Efficiency
The air in St. Paul, MN can, at some times of the year, carry pollen, particulates, and other matter into your home’s air. Over time, dust and other organic material accumulate along with various pathogens in the ducting of a home HVAC system. Regular dust removal and cleaning by our heating and air conditioning service personnel helps with your system’s efficiency. They also prevent it from distributing allergens and pathogens that affect family members and visitors.
Adding Humidity for Winter Comfort, Removing Moisture for Summer Cool
People perceive comfort according to temperature and also humidity. Our heating and air conditioning service experts can modify your system to manage humidity year-round so that your air is more comfortable. The addition of an evaporative humidifier and a condensing dehumidifier allows the home heating and cooling system to manage humidity from season to season, drying hot summer air, and adding a bit of moisture to dry winter air.
Dust and HEPA Filters for Purer Air
Active homes, those with pets and children running in and out and otherwise bringing fur and dust and microscopic particles indoors, are the ones that will benefit the most from air filtration. Our heating and air conditioning service professionals can help with filter replacement and upgrades. All systems implement intake filtration to remove large volumes of dust and debris from the air being drawn in and distributed by the home HVAC system. As an option, refined filtration including HEPA filters can be added to ensure that even the smallest foreign particles are extracted from the air being circulated.
Burner and AC Unit Tune-Up, Update, or Replacement
Over time, heating system burners and AC unit cooling coils and compressors become less efficient and our heating and air conditioning service experts will note that they need either maintenance or replacement. Homeowners may choose to continue operating a less efficient system if their comfort needs are being met, but in many cases the reduction in the energy bill from a new or updated system can be motivation enough to bring in new equipment.
Making Smart Home Connections
As part of whole-home smart home automation systems, updated heating and cooling systems can be operated by programmable controllers. They can be coordinated with power shades, occupancy detectors, and other technologies that optimize heating and cooling. Our heating and air conditioning service technicians can help you integrate these systems. Smart home controllers often allow remote access by homeowners who can make changes and check system operation from anywhere a mobile phone can be used.
Accounting for Single-room Fans, Fireplaces, and Other Factors in Your Planning
Ask our heating and air conditioning service staff how to adjust your home environmental controls when you prefer to use ceiling fans, fireplace heat, or space heaters in certain rooms. We can help to ensure that your home system doesn’t receive mixed signals and try to heat or cool the whole house based on single-room temperatures.
Create a Comprehensive Plan for Your Comfortable Heating and Cooling Future
Our team can work with you to bring together your comfort goals, air quality needs and energy use budget to create a personalized system for your home. We’ll look at your existing equipment and ducts, consider their age and features, and provide you with information on efficiencies and incentives available with newer equipment. Whether your personalized solution involves specific upgrades, a phased-in approach over several years, or fast-tracked system replacement, we’ll help you meet your comfort and budget goals now and in the years to come.
Call for Your Whole-home HVAC Review or for Maintenance and Repair
Contact us at Blue Ox Heating & Air for St. Paul, MN area heating and air conditioning service and advice, upgrades, and emergency service at 952-213-3956. We’re ready for your call around the clock.
