April 2024

As temperatures start to drop, heating bills can put a strain on budgets. But there are things you can do to save on heating costs this winter. Here are 10 great hacks from your trusted HVAC company in Mount Pleasant and Charleston, SC to help you spend less on heating your home. Service Your HVAC System for Save on Heating A well-maintained, efficient HVAC system can lead to significant energy savings. Replace filters once a month and have your system serviced before winter truly sets in. A technician can check for leaks, make sure refrigerant levels are correct, and ensure your heat pump or furnace is running properly. This prevents expensive repairs down the road. Caulk and Weatherstrip Sealing air leaks around doors and windows prevents drafts and helps your home retain heat. Carefully apply caulk and install weatherstripping to keep out cold air. Don’t forget entry doors, which can be a major source of leaks! Properly sealing your home can reduce heating costs by up to 20 percent. Insulate Attics and Walls Your HVAC system must work harder when heat escapes through poorly insulated areas. Adding insulation, especially in attics and exterior walls, creates a blanket that traps warm air inside your home. Target areas with old or missing insulation. Insulating and air sealing projects can offer one of the fastest returns on investment. Install Window Coverings Window coverings add insulation and an extra barrier against cold windows that can rob a home of heat. Close blinds and curtains at night and on cloudy days to add a layer of insulation. For maximum effectiveness, install thermal cellular shades or insulated drapes. Adjust the Thermostat Simply dialing down your thermostat can cut costs significantly. Set the temperature as low as comfortable when home and awake. At bedtime and when away, turn it down even more. Install a programmable or smart thermostat to take the guesswork out of temperature adjustment. Wear extra layers until your body adjusts to the new normal. Let the Sunshine In On sunny winter days, open blinds, and curtains to harness solar heat. The sunlight coming into your home will naturally raise temperatures. Close them at sundown to lock in the free heating. Position furniture and rugs to absorb the sunlight rather than block it. Check HVAC Filters Monthly A dirty filter makes your HVAC system work harder to keep you warm. Check the filter once a month and swap it out if it looks dirty. Sign up for a yearly service plan from your HVAC company for regular maintenance and filter changes. A clean unit runs more efficiently, keeping your energy bills lower. Run Ceiling Fans in Reverse In winter, setting ceiling fans to run clockwise on low pushes warm air down from the ceiling into occupied areas of the room. The gentle circulation helps maintain even temperatures so you can dial back the thermostat a bit. Turn fans off when rooms are empty. Let the Sun in and Block It Out During winter days, open curtains, and blinds on sunny exposures to capture some free solar heat. Close them at dusk to keep the heat gained inside. Install thermal curtains or insulated shades to provide additional insulation and keep rooms warmer in cold months. Seal Air Leaks Over time, gaps and cracks develop around plumbing, wiring, vents, and more. Cold drafts enter through these breaches, forcing your HVAC system to work harder. Caulking and weatherstripping seals leaks to prevent heat loss. Start by inspecting areas with pipes and wiring penetrations. An HVAC technician can help pinpoint leak sources. Sealing air leaks can reduce heating and cooling bills by up to 30 percent annually. Stay Cozy and Save This Winter Minor upgrades and simple habit changes make a real difference in home energy efficiency. Maintain your HVAC equipment, add weatherstripping, adjust the thermostat down a few degrees, and harness the natural warmth of sunlight in your home. To learn about additional tips or schedule a winter maintenance check, contact your top-rated HVAC company in Mount Pleasant, SC and Charleston, SC today. With a few DIY tweaks and regular tune-ups from the professionals, you can stay warmer while keeping heating bills lower this winter.

If you have a gas or electric furnace heating your home in Mount Pleasant, SC or Charleston, SC, chances are you’ve heard some strange sounds coming from the unit at times. While some heater noises are totally normal, others can signal a bigger problem that requires professional HVAC attention. As your local heating experts, we want to help you interpret the most common heater sounds so you know whether it’s something to be concerned about or not. Rumbling Noise When It First Turns On This low, rumbling noise when you first turn your furnace on for the season or even just first thing in the morning is generally nothing to worry about. It comes from the initial combustion when the furnace burns fuel to create heat or from the fan motor and blower components spinning up to operating speed. This rumble tends to last only a few seconds to a minute or two and often quiets down once the entire furnace system is up and running. Whistling or High-Pitched Squealing A whistling, squeaking, or squealing noise, especially a high-pitched one, usually indicates a problem with your furnace blower motor, specifically the motor bearings. Motors rely on lubrication to spin smoothly. When the grease or oil lubricants wear thin or break down over time, motor components rub directly on each other, creating friction and noise. Have your HVAC technician lubricate or replace the blower motor before the squealing causes a full breakdown. Intermittent Clicking Sounds If you hear a distinct clicking noise coming from your gas furnace intermittently, this is likely caused by your ignition system producing sparks to light the burners. Older furnace models relied on standing pilot lights instead of electronic igniters. The igniter systems make clicking sounds on and off all winter long as they produce small sparks to relight the furnace each time it cycles on. This is completely normal so there’s no need to worry. Most Common Heater Sounds Loud, Repetitive Banging or Clanging Loud banging noises coming from your furnace, especially repetitive clanging sounds, typically indicate serious issues with the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the burners to the blower to be circulated through your home’s ductwork. Cracks or holes in the exchanger allow combustion gases to leak and accumulate inside the unit. When the furnace starts up, these gases ignite and cause loud bangs or explosions. A damaged heat exchanger needs immediate replacement as it can leak dangerous carbon monoxide into your home. Hissing Sounds Near the Burners If you mostly hear hissing sounds localized to the burner area of your gas furnace, this points to a couple possible causes. Low gas pressure reaching your furnace can prevent the valves from closing completely. Gas then continues leaking from the burners in a long hiss even when the furnace shuts off. Low pressure usually results from blockages or bends in the gas line infrastructure leading to your home. The other possible cause is a faulty gas valve not sealing off the burners completely. Have your HVAC company check the gas pressure and valves and make any necessary repairs. Water Trickling Sounds Since most furnaces include air conditioning coils that produce condensation in warmer months, they have a drain system to remove this water. If you notice trickling water sounds coming from your furnace year-round, even during winter heating operation, this often signals a plugged condensate drain trap or tube. The water has nowhere to go and slowly builds up inside the furnace, potentially causing rust, electrical shorts, and other damage over time. Getting the drains cleared out and sealed to prevent future clogs is the solution. Understanding Common Furnace Sounds While hearing strange clanging, banging, and hissing coming from your furnace can be unsettling, not all sounds are warning signs of immediate trouble. We want you to recognize the difference between normal operating noise vs. critical red flags signaling it’s time to call a professional. Listen closely, document the specific noises you’re hearing and contact us anytime something seems seriously amiss with your heating system. We’re happy to assess the situation and let you know if repairs are required. With proper maintenance and care, your furnace can run smoothly and quietly for years to come. Call Mount Pleasant Heating & Air Conditioning 803-837-4115

It’s a steamy Summer day in the Charleston area and you’ve just turned your thermostat down to a nice, cool 68 degrees. But 20 minutes go by and your Mount Pleasant or Charleston house still feels hot and muggy. Uh oh. Could your AC be breaking down? And what signs your AC needs repair? Your air conditioner works hard during South Carolina’s long, hot summers. After years of use, air conditioning systems can break down or become less efficient. Catching small AC problems early on can save you money on costly repairs down the road. Keep reading to learn the top signs that your air conditioner in Mount Pleasant, SC, or Charleston, SC needs some TLC from an HVAC technician. Here Are The Signs your AC Needs Repair: Sign #1: It’s Not Keeping Your Home Cool Anymore Something could be amiss if your AC unit isn’t keeping your home as chilly as it should be. An inability to properly cool is one of the most common signs of AC trouble. Start by checking your air filter. A dirty, clogged filter makes your system work harder to push air through. Replacing a filter takes just minutes but can instantly boost your cooling. If new filters don’t do the trick, problems like refrigerant leaks, busted compressors, and worn parts may be to blame. An HVAC pro can test your Freon levels, check for leaks, and diagnose issues. Recharging refrigerant or replacing worn components restores cooling capabilities. Sign #2: It Turns On and Off Frequently You expect the AC to cycle on and off occasionally to maintain a set indoor temperature. But if it short cycles on and off constantly, that signals problems. Frequent cycling strains compressor parts which can lead to early breakdowns. It also doesn’t give your home time to properly cool down before the AC shuts off again. Faulty thermostats, clogged air filters, low refrigerant charges, and failing parts can all cause irritating short cycling. Having an HVAC technician diagnose the specific cause is key to stopping the constant on/off. Sign #3: It Makes Strange Noises Clunks buzzes, whistles, and loud hums coming from your AC are all problematic noises. They indicate failing parts that need fixing ASAP. Screeching, grinding, or clicking noises point to serious compressor issues. Ignore the racket for too long and you risk total system failure. Hire HVAC experts to inspect what’s making the commotion start. Rebuilding or replacing the compressor often quiets things down. Random knocking or banging from the AC ductwork may mean parts have come loose inside—time for some expert ductwork debugging. Sign #4: It Blows Warm Air Sometimes Air blowing from your vents should be around 20 degrees cooler than the air entering your home. If you ever feel blasts of room temperature or warm air, your AC needs attention. This points to refrigerant leaks that must get sealed or failing compressors and coils in the condensing unit outside. Left unfixed, rooms won’t get adequately chilled on the hottest Charleston days. HVAC techs have the equipment, skills, and experience to sniff out the issue and get your unit blowing crisp, cool air once more. Sign #5: Your Energy Bills Skyrocket Summertime power bills always climb thanks to 24/7 AC runtime. But rate hikes well beyond the normal point to brewing system trouble. When air conditioners run inefficiently, energy waste goes up. Parts like dirty filters, failing fans, and compressors on the fritz make your unit work much harder to cool. Getting problems corrected improves efficiency and cuts wasted energy. Don’t want to foot the costs of repairs upfront? Consider financing AC replacements, tune-ups, or upgrades to keep things cool long-term economically. When to Call for AC Service in Charleston and Mount Pleasant Ignoring early signs of AC trouble allows bigger, costlier problems to arise down the road. Nip issues in the bud by having your Charleston or Mount Pleasant home’s HVAC system inspected at the first hint of problems. Our skilled technicians have advanced tools and hands-on expertise to troubleshoot all makes and models of air conditioning equipment. Whether it’s tuning up your current AC unit or recommending a suitable replacement, we work closely with each customer to find economical, effective solutions to beat the Lowcountry heat. Stay comfortable in your home when hot summertime temperatures arrive. Contact our team today to schedule comprehensive AC service, repairs, or replacements!

As temperatures continue to drop across the Lowcountry, residents of Mount Pleasant, Charleston, and surrounding areas are cranking up their thermostats to stay warm. But high heating bills often come along with chasing away the cold. Luckily, there are steps you can take to reduce your energy usage and save money this winter. One of the best ways is adding insulation. What Is Insulation and How Does It Reduce Heating Bills? Insulation is material placed in walls, floors, attics, and other parts of your home to prevent heat loss. Heat flows naturally from warmer areas to cooler ones. So, during colder months, the heat inside your home tries to escape to the chilly outdoors. Insulation provides a barrier that slows down that heat transfer. The more heat that stays inside instead of being lost, the less your HVAC system has to work to maintain a comfortable temperature. This translates to lower energy bills. Insulation also makes your home quieter by damping sounds and reduces condensation by warming surfaces. Well-insulated homes stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer, creating a more comfortable living space year-round. Recommended Insulation Levels for the Charleston Area The amount of insulation recommended for your Charleston, SC, or Mount Pleasant, SC house depends on your local climate conditions, HVAC setup, and other factors. Here are some general guidelines from the Department of Energy: Attic insulation: R-38 to R-60 Exterior wall insulation: R-13 to R-23 Floor insulation: R-19 to R-30 The R-value refers to the insulation’s resistance to heat flow. So higher numbers mean more effective insulation. Building codes usually set minimum standards, but going above them can lead to even more energy savings. An insulation contractor can help determine the ideal levels for your home. How Insulation Can Reduce Heating Costs Let’s look at how upgrading attic insulation can put dollars back in your wallet this winter. The average Charleston home has R-30 insulation in the attic and uses around 262 gallons of heating oil per winter. By bringing that up to R-50 attic insulation, oil usage could fall to just 196 gallons – a savings of 25%! For most area homes that rely on a central heater and A/C unit, that could mean over $200 in savings this winter season. And remember, better insulation also keeps your home cooler in summer, leading to air conditioner energy savings. So, the investment pays dividends year after year. Upfront costs for an insulation upgrade can usually be recouped in energy bill savings within just a few years. Air Sealing Works Hand-in-Hand with Insulation Adding insulation may not help as much if warm air is still escaping through hidden cracks and gaps in your home’s outer shell. Air sealing involves sealing those sneaky openings with caulk, spray foam, weather stripping, and other barrier materials. Common trouble spots include attic hatches, electrical outlets, windows, fireplaces, pipes, wiring holes, and unfinished spaces. Like insulation, air sealing prevents indoor air from leaking out and being replaced by unconditioned outside air. The two strategies go hand in hand when it comes to lowering heating and cooling bills. Proper insulation levels are most effective when paired with comprehensive air sealing to maximize energy savings. Getting an Insulation Inspection If your home is more than 20 years old and still has the original insulation, an inspection is a wise idea. Over years of settling, damage, and wear, insulation can become compacted or displaced. An insulation contractor uses special equipment to check your insulation levels in areas like the attic, walls, and crawl space. They can then recommend fixes to get your insulation back up to optimal condition. Newer insulation materials like spray foam and insulated siding have higher and more consistent R-values than traditional fiberglass batts. Blown-in loose fill insulation is another great option. Don’t assume that insulation installed decades ago is still in good shape – get a professional inspection first. Get the help of a local HVAC company Are you looking for ways to stay warmer while opening less heating bills this winter? Contact us today for a free quote on insulation upgrades and air sealing! Our locally owned team has been making Charleston-area homes more comfortable for many years. Let our team of experts deliver a comfortable living environment to you throughout the year. Call today 803-837-4115