The trees are blooming and your lawn is turning green. Spring is here! If your house in the Greater Charlotte area smells dusty and stale, now is a good time to schedule some routine maintenance with Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical to return your air conditioning system to peak performance and improve your air quality.

Routine Maintenance Improves Your Indoor Air Quality

Just like vacuuming your carpets, a thorough spring maintenance service by a qualified air conditioning technician will bring some fresh air into your home. The condenser and fans will all get a thorough cleaning and be checked for any leaks. Your filters will be changed out and be ready to trap more pollen, dust, and allergens trying to enter your home.

Remove Dust from Ducts, Check for Mold

Heating and cooling cycles can create condensation in air ducts, especially those that are run under a home that is built on blocks. Condensation can trap more dust and smells, and even allow mold to grow. Talk to your air conditioning specialist about inspecting your ducts for leaks and checking them for dust build up. A clean duct can stop that musty smell from continuing to circulate throughout the house and improve your indoor air quality.

Spring Air Cleaning in Charlotte, NC

It might seem like an extra expense when you first call for a routine inspection and cleaning of your air conditioning system, but a little prevention can ensure that you will be able to escape the steamy heat of a North Carolina summer day. Your technician can spot a failing compressor or circulating pump and replace it well before those temperatures start to climb into the 90s. How happy will you be when your A/C unit keeps on working all summer long? That makes the spring cleaning service worthwhile, doesn’t it?

Sweep away the stale air in your Charlotte, NC home this spring with a thorough air conditioning inspection and cleaning conducted by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical and be prepared for the hot months ahead. Call or click to schedule your service with one of our friendly technicians today.

Did you know that a high-quality air filter for your HVAC system is one of the best investments that you can make?

Acosta Heating and Cooling reminds you that your HVAC will work more efficiently if you utilize a high-quality air filter. The new, high-quality air filters are more expensive, but they do a superior job of keeping your house free of dust, smoke, and pollen without interfering with the air flow throughout your house.

The prices of these filters vary, but the annual cost won’t be more than $100. There are three types:

• Fiberglass
• Pleated
• Electrically-charged

You may notice the MERV rating on the box. It’s an efficiency rating. The higher the number, the smaller the particles it filters out. Look for filters with a rating of 10 or above. The MPR rating describes the filter’s ability to catch specks below 1 micron. Look for ratings between 1500 and 1900.

Benefits of a High-Quality Air Filter in Charlotte, NC

If a family member suffers from asthma or another chronic lung disease, it’s best to invest in a high-efficiency particulate-arresting filter, usually referred to as a HEPA filter. This filter utilizes an electric charge to capture dust particles.

You can order your high-quality air filters from Acosta Heating and Cooling online. They will be delivered to your front door-no more searching in several stores to find the filter that’s designed to work with your HVAC brand.

High-quality air filters (those with a MERV rating of 10+) are designed to remove particles between 1.0 and 3.0 microns, including spores, pollen, carpet dust, mold, auto emissions and humidifier dust. Your HVAC system will operate more efficiently when you use high-quality air filters and change them at the recommended intervals.

Contact Acosta Heating and Cooling for all your heating and air conditioning needs. Whether you need a new air filter for your system or if you need to replace an existing system, Acosta serves the metro Charlotte/Fort Mill area.

Holiday Season in Charlotte, NC

Here at Acosta Heating and Cooling, we love giving back to our community here in Charlotte, North Carolina! This holiday season, we’ve been involved with several charitable causes, and it’s been a great way to end another year.

One of the charitable events we helped with was the Rockin’ Kids First Benefit Concert and Auction.  This event featured live music, raffles, and tons of items for auction. Another event we participated in was the CMPD Toy Drive, which was held to provide Christmas gifts to children. We also helped with the Subway Salvation Army Stuff the Tree “Stuff the Truck” event, where we helped make sure children who would not otherwise receive a gift on Christmas would get one.

We want to wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you get caught up in the spirit of giving this holiday season, too. We look forward to another year serving the Charlotte community and hope you’ll be a part of our success in the coming months!

Plant Effects on Air Quality in Charlotte, NC

Years ago, NASA scientists investigated how confined airtight spaces have an adverse effect on human health. Similarly, areas in our homes with poor ventilation expose us to “off-gassing” by a variety of chemicals found in synthetic materials, furniture, carpets, and other household items. If left unchecked, this situation may create a “sick-building syndrome” under our own roof.

Potted plants offer a practical and inexpensive solution. They purify the air we breathe, recycle carbon dioxide, and absorb some particles that are harmful if allowed to accumulate.

Top Performers:

Some plants do an exceptionally good job of removing chemicals such as benzene and formaldehyde from confined indoor spaces. They require minimal maintenance as well. Plants you may want to consider include:

• Garden Mums
• Dracaena
• Spider plants
• Devil’s ivy
• Boston ferns
• Weeping figs
• Peace lilies
• Snake plants
• Aloe vera

Important Considerations:

Before selecting a plant, be sure that it will not harm your pets. Do research to see what plants are poisonous to pets. Also, make sure the plant gets the proper amount of light it needs, water it, and repot when necessary.

To maximize impact, combine an array of indoor plants with a plan to keep the house clean, limit the use of synthetic air fresheners, lower humidity levels, and improve air quality with our products.

Other Benefits:

Beyond the positive effects they have on cleaning the air, indoor plants have been shown to improve our mood, reduce stress, and help to prevent memory loss.

We Can Help

Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical offers a full variety of products and services to meet your heating and cooling needs. Based in Charlotte, our service area extends throughout the greater metropolitan area, including the northeastern corner of South Carolina. We sell and service a variety of air cleaners, air purifiers, and air filters. Check out our special offers to see what’s on sale now!

We offer our famous Peace-of-Mind Guarantee on our products, as well as a popular preventative maintenance Acosta’s Comfort Club to keep your unit in top shape. Please contact us today.

If you are like most of the other residents of Indian Trail, NC, you are continually searching for ways to reduce the costs of running your heater and air conditioner. One solution to lowering your energy costs is a heat pump installation. Not only is a heat pump an economical way of heating and cooling your home, but it is also a source of renewable energy. Heat pumps basically provide the best of two worlds (going green and saving money); they help protect the environment and save on your increasing energy bills.

How Exactly Do Heat Pumps Work?

First, it’s important to note that unlike your heater, a heat pump doesn’t create heat; it simply moves heat that is available from one location to a different location. Heat pumps extract heat from the air outside and bring into your house. There is actually a lot of heat that can be extracted from the outdoors-until the air gets about 30-35 degrees (then you will need a backup heater)

• Heating in the Winter-When the heat pump is in heater mode, the exterior unit’s heat exchanger absorbs heat energy from the air outdoors. A refrigerant is used as a medium to transfer the heat. As the refrigerant heats up, it is sent through the pipes to the heat exchanger on the indoor unit, the heat energy is then transferred to the cooler indoor room air and as the air passes over the interior heat exchanger, the energy warms the room.
• Air conditioner in the Summer-When the heat pump is in cooling mode, the interior unit’s heat exchanger is used to absorb the heat energy from the indoor room air. The refrigerant works as the heat transfer medium and ultimately cools the room air. As the refrigerant is sucked back to the outdoor unit, the heat energy is sent out into the surrounding air outside by way of the outdoor heat exchanger.

To sum it up: when used as a heater, the heat pump sucks cold air in, converts it to energy, which in turn heat’s the house. When it is used as an air conditioner, it pulls the warm air out of your house, resulting in your home being cooler and more comfortable.

Heat Pump Installation in Indian Trail, NC

Just like your heater and air conditioner, regular maintenance and inspections are necessary for heat pumps. Well-designed heat pump systems that are working properly and efficiently can provide Indian Trail, NC residents competitive and economical heating, so it is essential that you have any heat pump repair work done as soon as you are aware of the problem. A heat pump installation is fairly quick and straightforward and can generally be used with your existing heating system.

To learn more information about how a heat pump can save you money on your energy costs or to schedule your heat pump installation contact Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical in Indian Trail, NC.

Home energy efficiency is something we all work to achieve. It is not merely for our pocketbooks, but we want the best air quality available while indoors enjoying time at home. A DIY energy audit is possible with a step-by-step plan.

1. Locate The Leak

Air escapes the confines of our homes. We are not always aware until the energy bill slowly begins to rise without reason.  By pinpointing the draft points, you save on home air conditioning.

• Check windows, fireplace flues, and exterior doors. You can use smoke of any kind to wave around to locate the invading draft from otherwise sealed doors and windows.
• Check exhaust fans, stove vents, and any other opening that allows outside air inside.

2. Energy Efficiency

Technology is the way we live. What many do not realize is that regardless of the size of any given gizmo, energy turns into waste without check.

• Even if you have set everything to the off position, some appliances will still suck energy. It is costly as well as dangerous.
• DVR’s, Blu-Ray players, and gaming consoles often siphon energy in a non-conservative way. Unplugging devices is best practice to save money and energy.
• Computers, printers, and speakers may be shut down. However, they still surge with energy. Putting devices “to sleep” still slurps power.

3. Initial Inspection

Inspecting home air conditioning and heating units is a sure-fire way to do a DIY home energy audit.

• Furnaces and your AC unit require attention. Energy audits are essential, but so is ensuring filters do not need changing. It is recommended you change the filter once a month.
• If your home air conditioning unit is older than 15-years-old, you may want to replace the entire appliance. New units have energy savers that older units do not have.
• AC maintenance may require you to check for dirt streaks in your ductwork and will need sealing with duct mastic.

4. Lower Lighting

Estimations are that lighting eats up ten percent of your energy usage. Home energy efficiency lies within the lights that guide you and often forgotten.

• Replacing older light bulbs with new, energy-efficient bulbs makes a huge difference in usage.
• When buying light bulbs, read the packaging for lumens and lighting facts.
• Consider sensors or automation if you tend to forget to turn out lights when they are not in use. Otherwise, make a check-list to remind you.

DIY Energy Testing in Charlotte, NC

Whether you require AC repair, AC maintenance, or a new unit, you may find it too stressful and time-consuming.  At Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical,  we pride ourselves in assisting you and optimizing home energy efficiency in the Charlotte, N.C. area for the last 45-years. Contact us today!