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Understanding What MERV Ratings Mean for Air Filter Efficiency

Understanding the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) for HVAC filters will help you select an appropriate furnace or A/C filter based on the needs of your household without sacrificing heating and cooling performance. MERV ratings range between 1-16 (with 17-20 reserved for High Efficiency Particulate Arresting, or HEPA, filters). As a general rule of thumb, […]

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7 Simple Tips for Keeping Pollen out of Your Southwest Illinois House This Spring

The arrival of spring is good news, but for some residents of Southwest Illinois, warm weather comes with a downside. Pollen can cause allergy sufferers a lot of aggravation at this time of year, so use these simple tips for keeping pollen out of the house this spring and early summer: Don’t track it in.

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How the Energy Star Most Efficient Label Can Benefit Your Alton Area Home

If you’re looking to upgrade your air conditioner, furnace or another appliance, the Energy Star Most Efficient designation is worth watching for. Whether you’re up in Alton or down south by Carbon Glen, Maryville, and Troy, it takes quality heating and cooling systems to deal with the highly variable Southwest Illinois climate. By looking for

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How to Use Ceiling Fans With Your HVAC System to Keep Your Home Comfortable

During the spring, your utility bills experience a pleasant drop. Yet summer is on its way, and the bills are due to increase once again. Now’s the perfect time to begin thinking of ways to keep those utility costs low year-round. One of the best ways to save money is to use commodities that you

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Is Your Programmable Thermostat Acting Up? Troubleshooting Tips to Try

Programmable thermostats allow you to program your heating and cooling system to operate at a reduced capacity when you’re away from home or asleep, which leads to lower energy bills. While most programmable thermostats work efficiently and reliably, problems can occur. Knowing what common issues to look for can resolve the issue without a call

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Keep Your Standby Generator Running Smoothly: Do a Maintenance Check

Performing a maintenance check on your home’s standby or backup generator is crucial to making sure that it will work when it is needed. There are two main steps involved with maintenance to verify normal functionality. One deals with visual aspects of the generator, while the other involves actually running it to see that everything

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Common Air Conditioner Problems and How You Can Solve Them

Even though your air conditioner is likely designed to be robust, it’s still a complex piece of equipment that can experience performance issues once in a while. Here are some common air conditioner problems and how you should deal with them. Leaking refrigerant: In order to transfer heat effectively, the level of refrigerant (the charge)

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Terms You Should Learn: AFUE, SEER and HSPF

If you are considering adding to or upgrading your whole-house HVAC system, you should learn the terms AFUE, SEER, HSPF, among others. These acronyms all stand for efficiency rating systems for heating or cooling systems. By ensuring each system – whether it’s a furnace, heat pump or A/C – is the most efficient model you

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5 Ways to Prevent Air Conditioner Theft at Your Home

Did you know that your air conditioner (A/C) or heat pump is one of the most common targets for thieves? Its outdoor compressor unit has a substantial amount of valuable copper that criminals often try to steal. Here are five ways to prevent air conditioner theft: Hide your A/C. You can either try to hide your

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5 Tips for Choosing a Whole-House Humidifier

If your Metro East Illinois home was too dry and the air had little or no moisture this past winter, it may have caused more harm than simple discomfort. Low humidity can result in dry skin and increased allergic reactions, plus it can cause wood fixtures in your southwest Illinois home to split or crack over time. Use

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