During the long winter in Charlotte, your furnace will be cranking to warm your home. You’ll enjoy cozy nights, nice fires, and a warm house. Nevertheless, using the furnace to heat the house consistently will result in low humidity, and your indoor air will be extremely dry.

When the humidity in your home falls below a manageable level, the outcome could become unpleasant in various ways. There are often unforeseen problems in this situation. The common issue is drying of the skin, which can be painful and irritating. You may experience sore spots and cracks on your body, especially on the hands, head, and face. You may also experience drying of the inside of your nose and eyes, resulting in increased vulnerability to viral diseases.

Other than your body, low humidity can affect the contents of your home, such as wood flooring and furniture. With these items, lack of humidity can dry out the material, leaving the wood cracking and separating. While a high level of humidity causes the development of mold and mildew, it is important to find a balance to avoid running into any of these issues during the winter. Here are several ways you can achieve this balance by increasing the humidity level in your home during the cold months.

Use a Humidifier

Using a humidifier to get that extra humidity in your home is one of the most effective methods of combating dry air. Various types of humidifiers are available on the market, which means you can select the one that suits your needs the best. For the individual rooms in your home, you can go with portable humidifiers. These are convenient in small spaces, such as bedrooms, so that you can increase humidity where there is an issue with dry air.

The downside of getting a small humidifier is that it uses a lot of energy to get a limited area of your home to the desired level of humidity. Consider getting a whole-home humidifier that is tied to your furnace. In this case, as long as your furnace is running, you will constantly enjoy humidity circulating with the warm air.

Based on your needs, the humidity level you require for your home, and the size of your house, our specialists at [company_name] can help you make the right decision when purchasing a humidifier.

Seal drafts and leaks allow cold air to infiltrate your home and can frustrate your efforts to attain an optimal humidity level. These leaks and drafts act as pathways through which dry air finds its way into your house and disrupts the balance of humidity in your indoor air.

We recommend that you seal door and window frames with weather-stripping. You can also apply caulk around penetration points such as vents, wiring, and pipes through exterior walls.

The ceiling, attic, and basement could also have hidden cracks. Check them out and seal them to stop air leakage and prevent further humidity loss. When you prevent cold drafts, you will reduce pressure on your HVAC system, which dries air even more. You’ll also be able to save on heating costs.

Water-Based Oil Diffusers

The diffuser has an element that works by converting water into vapor. All you have to do is mix a base of water with a few drops of essential oils. The essence is to diffuse water into vapor directly into the room. Your home will not only have an adequate level of humidity but also an amazing fresh scent.

Consider positioning stylish diffusers in frequented areas such as workspaces, bedrooms, and sitting areas. In these places, one might also function aesthetically as an attractive tabletop unit. Make sure you clean your diffuser regularly to prevent the formation of slime and the buildup of bacteria, as this is a common tendency with diffusers and fountains.

Showering

Taking a shower may sound like the most basic of solutions, but it works. Showering results in increased levels of moisture buildup from the heated water as steam condenses on your bathroom walls. Don’t underestimate it. The warm water vapor exits the bathroom into the neighboring indoor air.

Next time you hop into the shower, take a long bath, and don’t close the bathroom door. This will maximize the humidity benefits. You can also leave the hot bath water to cool on its own after the shower. This will give your room a boost of moisture, which can then circulate into the neighboring rooms.

House Plants

House plants add an aesthetic appeal to our spaces. Moreover, they are also an excellent way to add much-desired moisture to your home during the winter. Plants contribute to natural humidity through their leaves and the process of transpiration.

When plants transpire, they release excess moisture absorbed through their roots and given off through the tiny pores on the leaves. You can achieve great benefits by combining various types of home plants to enjoy a multiplied humidifying effect.

You can also use double-potting, pebble trays, and terrarium enclosures to further increase moisture levels around your home plants. Monitor window condensation carefully to avoid the development of mold and excess dripping.

Boil Water and Cook More

If you have ever boiled water for tea or boiled a pot of corn, you will notice the amount of time you spend trying to dry up the condensation from the walls and kitchen surfaces. Boiling and heating water converts the water into humid vapor. You can also generate helpful humidity when cooking normally, such as by making oatmeal, blanching vegetables, and simmering big pots of soup or stews.

When you are done cooking or boiling water, allow some moisture to permeate the air instead of venting all of it aggressively outside. You can also benefit from steamers and crockpots for that extra humidity. It is advisable, however, to pay keen attention to the buildup of condensation around the windows and wipe away any excess to discourage the growth of mold.

Use a Water Fountain or Aquarium Small aquariums and tabletop fountains are decorative features that make our spaces look attractive, but they are also important humidity boosters. These water features give off humidity through the evaporation of their surfaces. They function just like ponds and lakes. This means that if you have an exposed surface, the moisture will get passively diffused into nearby air.

Ensure you position your water fountain or aquarium near heat ducts to aid the evaporation process during the winter. You may also need to refill water features frequently to replace the evaporated water and ensure that your indoor air feels less parched.

What Are Your Options Today?

Maintaining a good balance of moisture in your Charlotte home during the winter is crucial for your health, your comfort, and the preservation of your valuables. You do not want to spend the winter worrying about your susceptibility to infections, dry skin, respiratory problems, and even damage to your household items.

Our team at [company_name] will walk with you through the various choices available to ensure you an optimal humidity level this winter, and our HVAC experts will give you information on how you can improve the quality of your indoor air year-round. We also offer heating, cooling, and electrical services for your Charlotte home.

Contact us at [company_name] today for more information.

Charlotte, NC, has a truly enviable cold season. While outside temperatures do get low, they rarely remain below freezing for any length of time. However, this doesn’t mean that your HVAC system isn’t at risk of experiencing some seasonal stress. Although moderate, the winter weather can still be cruel. To keep your heating and cooling equipment duly protected and performing like it should, the following are 10 effective strategies to employ:

1. Schedule a Heater Tune-Up

From December to February, average daytime highs in Charlotte are usually in the 50-degree Fahrenheit range. At night, outside temperatures tend to hang steady at or just above freezing. All things considered, you’ll definitely need your furnace for day-to-day comfort. In the event of a sudden temperature drop, having a functional heating system will also prevent your pipes from freezing.

The best way to keep your furnace or heat pump running reliably and efficiently is by scheduling a pre-season tune-up. During these services, we:

Test and calibrate all thermostats

Clean air registers, vents, and grilles

Perform voltage and current checks

Lubricate moving parts

Clean furnace burners and heat exchangers

We also swap out worn bearings, check for and tighten loose electrical connections, adjust the tension on fan belts, and inspect furnace venting systems.

2. Raise Your Thermostat Setting

One easy way to limit the amount of work that your furnace has to do is by raising your thermostat setting by just one to three degrees. This adjustment won’t greatly affect your indoor comfort, but it will have a remarkable impact on your home energy bills. 

According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), over an eight-hour stretch, you may be able to shave as much as 1% off your energy bill for each degree of thermostat adjustment. A slightly higher thermostat setting will mean fewer and shorter heating cycles for your heater. This translates to less cumulative wear and fewer stress-related repair issues.

3. Check for Closed HVAC Air Vents

Some people prefer the crisp temperatures of winter and hate the way heating systems dry out both building interiors and their nasal passages. As such, there could be a few residents who have closed some of the HVAC air vents in their homes. Unfortunately, extended vent closures can cause a substantial buildup of air pressure within HVAC ducting. As airflow through HVAC systems declines, furnaces can overheat and stop working.

If certain rooms throughout your home tend to be hotter than others, consider scheduling air-balancing services. Air balancing is a series of adjustments to HVAC air duct dampers and vents that help furnaces establish uniform temperatures throughout their entire service areas.

If building residents have dramatically different temperature preferences, having your HVAC system zoned for customized air delivery is the better choice. Zoning incorporates a central control system, bypass ducts, and internal duct dampers so that people can independently control the temperatures in their own rooms. With zoning, vent closures don’t cause undue system stress. Zoning also eliminates the need to heat spaces that no one is using.

4. Stock up on HVAC Air Filters and Establish the Right Filter Change Schedule

Neglected filter changes are easily the most common cause of heater problems throughout the cold season. You should always inspect your HVAC air filters once each month, replacing them every 30 to 90 days. 

To ensure that you always have fresh filters on hand, stock up on these components before the cold weather arrives. If you have indoor pets, residents with chronic respiratory issues, or other ongoing indoor air quality (IAQ) concerns, you’ll always want to have clean air filters on hand. 

5. Choose the Right Thermostat Location

In winter, many homeowners fire up a number of heat-generating appliances. Whether you have a new fireplace insert or a larger and higher-performing oven, the placement of these recent additions could impact the functionality of your thermostat. 

If your home has a single thermostat that controls the delivery of heated air for the entire building, it should be in a neutral, central location. The residual heat from ovens, fireplaces, and clothes dryers could impact its ability to provide accurate temperature readings. By scheduling a pre-season furnace tune-up, you can have your thermostat strategically repositioned before cooler temperatures arrive. 

6. Compare Your Energy Bills

Among the many telltale signs of heater problems are significant and inexplicable increases in your home energy bills. Even if your furnace, heat pump, or boiler isn’t exhibiting any glaring symptoms, you can use your past energy bills to spot problems and schedule repairs before things spiral out of control. Each month, when your new energy bill comes in, take a look at your energy bill from the same month last year to check for changes. 

7. Maintain Your HVAC Air Vents

Even a single delayed filter change can leave you with dirty air registers, vents, and grilles throughout your home. When thick accumulations of particulates become too heavy in these areas, they can inhibit airflow throughout the entire HVAC system. This could lead to a substantial increase in indoor humidity, poor heater performance, overheating, and a lower IAQ. You can use a damp cloth to wipe these features down. You can also unscrew HVAC vent covers and carefully vacuum behind them.

8. Protect Your Outside AC or Heat Pump Condenser Unit

Frosty temperatures and heavy precipitation can wreak havoc on your air conditioning system’s outside condenser. While covering this unit and keeping it covered throughout the entire winter season isn’t always necessary, you should take steps to protect it.

Start by removing leaves, twigs, and other organic debris from around its perimeter. Then, limb any trees that tower over the condenser unit to minimize the likelihood of damage caused by falling branches. When the risk of dropping icicles or heavy snow loads is severe, it can even be beneficial to install a simple, open-walled shelter.

9. Establish a Solid Pest Management Plan

During the winter months, mice, rats, raccoons, and other pests are looking for a warm place to hide. You can keep them from taking up residence in your HVAC system by eliminating all points of access and having them sealed off.

10. Have Your HVAC Air Ducts Sealed and Insulated

Ducted HVAC systems can lose as much as 40% of their efficiency through ductwork. To minimize these efficiency losses, have your HVAC air ducts professionally insulated and sealed. It’s also important to have the integrity of your air ducts regularly inspected and to replace these features approximately every 15 years.

[company_name] has been helping residents of Charlotte, NC, maintain warm, comfortable homes all winter long since 1973. We offer heating and cooling system installation, repair, and maintenance services. You can also turn to us for EV charger installation, electrical panel repairs, surge protection, and backup generators. To find out more or to schedule an appointment, contact [company_name] today.

The holidays in Charlotte are full of wonder and joy, so you do not want an issue with your HVAC system to derail your celebrations. As you progress through the season, there are several things you can do to keep your system running smoothly. Just tackling some basic chores and being diligent will help to reduce the risk that you have an HVAC issue when you are busy with your friends and family.

Schedule Routine HVAC Maintenance

Before the holiday season begins, contact an HVAC professional and have them perform maintenance and do a thorough inspection. Since the holidays often bring with them more guests, your home usually has to deal with more pet dander, dust, and other airborne particles. This can clog up the filter faster, reducing your system’s efficiency and making it work harder, which can wear out the components. 

A professional will start by checking your system and letting you know of any needed replacements or repairs. They will also give the components a full cleaning and replace the filters. A professional can show you how to check your filter so that you know when to replace it. If your home is busy during the holidays, you might need to replace it more often to prevent dealing with a clogged filter. 

Consider Your Thermostat Settings

Your schedule likely changes during the holiday season due to seasonal obligations and festivities. When you have a lot of people over, you can lower the temperature a couple degrees since more bodies in your house will compensate and still keep everyone warm. When no one is home, you can turn down the temperature to save on energy, too. 

You might consider discussing a programmable thermostat with an HVAC professional. These thermostats allow you to pre-program temperature changes so that you do not forget to make them. This helps to save energy and give your system a bit of a break during certain times of the day.

Take Advantage of Ceiling Fans

During the winter months, turn your ceiling fan to the reverse setting. Use a low speed to help push the warm air throughout the space. This helps your house feel warmer without needing to increase the temperature. You can even reduce the temperature a few degrees and the ceiling fan will compensate and still keep your home comfortable. 

Before you reverse the direction of your ceiling fan, take a few minutes to wipe off the blades. Dust can accumulate on them, and then, when you reverse the direction your fan spins, any loose dust can fly off the blades and make a mess. 

Insulate and Seal Leaks

Insulating and sealing leaks is vital to keep your home comfortable without having to crank up your HVAC system. Take a minute to walk around your house, and check your doors and windows to see if there are any drafts. Sealing these drafts with caulking or weatherstripping keeps your heat in and the cold out so that your home’s temperature is more stable.

A professional can inspect your property to see if you need to replace or repair your home’s insulation. They will look at your walls, floors, and attic to see if there are any insulation issues. With proper insulation, there is less heat loss, so your house is warmer no matter how cold it gets outside. 

It is best to have a professional deal with insulating and sealing. This will ensure that they do the job properly so that you get the most benefit. 

Check Your Registers and Vents

One of the most common mistakes people make is accidentally blocking the registers and vents throughout their home. This is even more common during the holidays since you might bring up extra tables and seating to accommodate your guests.

Blocking the vents will disrupt airflow, resulting in uneven heating in your home. When you are moving furniture around, make sure that all of your registers and vents are clear so that the air can easily pump into your rooms. You also want to be mindful about the placement of your holiday decorations since it is common for them to get in the way of your registers and vents. 

Ensure Proper Ventilation

The more people you have in your home, the higher the risk of reduced air quality. You also have to consider that you are probably cooking a lot more and having people come in and out more frequently. If your ventilation is not adequate, this could lead to a significant reduction in your household’s indoor air quality. 

Improper ventilation may also increase the risk of mold growth due to moisture accumulation. Plus, odors will linger longer if you do not have good ventilation throughout your house. 

If you have any exhaust fans, have an HVAC professional inspect them before the holidays roll around. They will make sure that they are working properly and can give them a good cleaning. These help to keep your indoor air healthy by assisting with odor and moisture removal. You should have these fans in your bathrooms and kitchen. 

Consider Your Holiday Cooking

Extensive baking and cooking are a major part of the holiday season. Whenever you are cooking, you will increase the temperature inside of your home. This excess heat could put some additional strain on your HVAC system. 

When possible, try to do your baking and cooking during the late night or early morning when it is the coldest. You should also try to complete these tasks when there are fewer guests. All of this will help to minimize the temperature impact that cooking and baking have inside of your home. 

Mind Your Fireplace

A roaring fire is a great way to relax during the holidays, but you want to ensure that it is clean and that you use it properly. Ideally, you want to keep usage to times when you have fewer guests, everyone is relaxing, and no one is baking or cooking. 

When you are not using your fireplace, close the damper. This helps to reduce drafts and prevents the warm air inside of your house from escaping via the chimney.

If it has been a year or more, have a professional come in and inspect your fireplace. They will make sure everything is in good working order and ensure that it is clean and safe to use.

HVAC Professionals in Charlotte

The last thing you want to deal with during the holidays is an HVAC issue. Our team can help to maintain your Charlotte home’s HVAC system and provide additional advice on how to keep it going strong throughout the holidays. Once the festivities end, we also offer cooling services if you want to get a head start on preparing for the summer. We can even assist with a variety of electrical tasks throughout your house.

Call [company_name] in Charlotte today to learn more about how to keep your HVAC system healthy during the holidays.

Just like a residential heating and cooling system, your commercial HVAC system will benefit from regular maintenance. The smartest way to handle your routine maintenance needs is to join an HVAC maintenance plan from [company_name] in Charlotte. Your membership will include a variety of perks to help you keep your heating and cooling units in great shape throughout the year.

Annual Maintenance

You want your customers and employees to be comfortable in your building. A well-running heating and cooling system can help you achieve your goal. For optimum performance, you’ll need regular HVAC maintenance.

Every air conditioner, whether residential or commercial, can benefit from a spring tune-up. You’ll want to schedule this visit before you start using your AC on an everyday basis. Our technicians will visit your property to clean and inspect your cooling system. We’ll get your units ready for the season and make sure that everything is operating just right.

Your commercial facility can benefit from a second tune-up in the fall. This one will be to look at your heating system. We’ll do many tasks similar to those that we took care of for your air conditioner in the spring. This visit can improve the efficiency, longevity, and safety of your system.

Common tune-up steps include:

• Clearing out any dust
• Checking the filter
• Lubricating the bearings
• Retightening the electrical connections
• Testing the thermostat
• Unclogging the drain lines

While twice-annual maintenance should be a top priority for facility managers and business owners, it’s easy to let this responsibility fall by the wayside. That’s a great reason to join the Acosta Club from [company_name] in Charlotte. Your membership fee covers two maintenance visits per year. You may be more likely to follow through with scheduling tune-ups when you know that you’ve already paid for the appointments.

Environmental Protection

Businesses have a social responsibility to minimize their impact on the environment. Keeping up with HVAC maintenance is one way that you can protect the planet as you go about your everyday work.

All heating and cooling systems use energy, but they don’t all do so to the same extent. The more efficient your commercial HVAC system is, the less energy it will demand. Annual maintenance visits will improve this efficiency.

Cleaning your units is included in our technicians’ tune-up services. We’ll remove dust and debris, and we can replace the filter as well. Those steps will improve your furnace or air conditioner’s ability to easily move air through the system. Its energy efficiency will improve as a result.

Lubricating the moving parts may be included in your tune-up too. Oil reduces energy-sucking friction, so the system will be able to operate without as much energy input.

Annual heating and cooling maintenance is an easy way for your company to care for the environment. Plus, you’ll directly benefit from the improved efficiency. As your power demands decrease, so, too, may your company’s utility bills.

Better Indoor Air Quality

Your employees deserve to breathe high-quality indoor air. Not only that, but clean air may improve your team’s productivity. The more allergens your workers are exposed to, the more likely it is that they’ll develop respiratory symptoms that keep them home from work. For a team that’s feeling great and ready to work, make air quality a priority.

Plus, the clients or customers who visit you will prefer a healthy environment. They don’t want to feel stuffy or sniffly after a trip to your business. While good air quality might not be something that most visitors will readily identify about your business, they’ll certainly take notice if the air quality is unpleasant.

The maintenance services included in your Acosta Plan membership can do wonders for your indoor air quality. When your system benefits from regular cleanings, less dust and other allergens as well as fewer mold spores will be picked up by the air moving through your ducts. Frequent filter changes can also improve how effective your HVAC units are at pulling contaminants out of the air. As a result, your workers and your customers will have cleaner air to breathe.

Longer Life

Commercial HVAC units do a lot of work. Every day, they fill large buildings with climate-controlled air. That’s a big job, and it can put a great deal of wear on the system.

While there’s no way to get your furnace and air conditioner to last forever, there are steps that you can take to preserve your units for as long as possible. Annual maintenance is near the top of the list.

Regularly cleaning and oiling the system protects against daily wear and tear and reduces damage. The parts are less likely to give out prematurely.

Plus, maintenance visits help our technicians detect repair concerns early. When we catch problems right away, we can implement a speedy fix that keeps your system up and running. If you don’t deal with repairs while they’re still small, you could end up with a major project on your hands. You might decide that it’s more sensible to install a new unit than to pay a hefty repair bill.

Priority Service

No matter how careful you are about keeping up with an annual maintenance schedule, your system may require some repairs every now and then. As an Acosta Club member, you can rest easy when that happens. You’ll be able to trust that [company_name] is looking out for you.

The customers who belong to our maintenance plan receive priority scheduling. We’ll get to your property as soon as possible to take care of your repair needs.

Uncomfortable temperatures during an HVAC breakdown can affect your business. Customers may avoid visiting a facility that feels too hot or too cold. The sooner you can get your building back to your preferred temperature, the better. When you belong to our membership plan, you can rest assured that we’ll do everything in our power to get your system up and running again in no time.

Repair Discounts

When repair situations arise, priority scheduling won’t be the only membership advantage that you’ll appreciate. You’ll receive a discount on your service as well. Our commercial Acosta Plan members save 15% on their HVAC repair bills.

Unexpected service bills can be a hit to your company’s bottom line, especially if you’re a smaller business. This discount can make HVAC repairs more affordable. You may be less likely to put off necessary repairs for fear of the cost. Instead, you can schedule your service and get your system back in excellent shape. In some situations, the repair discount alone is enough to cover the annual cost of your membership.

[company_name] provides heating and cooling services, including repairs, installations, and maintenance to both residential and commercial customers. We offer electrical care, including electrical panel repairs and lighting installations, as well. In business for over 50 years, [company_name] is firmly committed to the local community. We aim to build a great reputation among our customers, and we prioritize community involvement as well. Whether you need residential or commercial heating, cooling, or electrical services, we hope you’ll turn to our experienced team. Call today to learn more about commercial maintenance plans and additional services from [company_name] in Charlotte!