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IAQ Tips for Pet Owners

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We all love our furry family members dearly! However, if you live with pets, there are a few things to be aware of regarding how to maintain excellent indoor air quality within your home. Here are a few tips to help keep your home healthy and pet friendly. These tips will not only keep your home free of airborne pollutants, but will also keep your HVAC system running great all year long!

  • Have your HVAC system serviced: An easy way to ensure your family and pets are living in a healthy home is to get regular maintenance checks on your HVAC system from a professional HVAC company. With regular maintenance, your HVAC professional will be able to determine if your HVAC system is running optimally, and will be able to help you fix it if it’s not. Additionally, regular maintenance checks can catch small problems before they turn in to much larger ones.
  • Check your air filter once a month. You should inspect your systems air filter once a month and replace it if it appears dirty – like with pet hair, fur instance! If the filter is noticeably gray in color and you can see dirt and build up on the filter then you will need to replace it. This will not only improve the indoor air quality of your home, but also make your HVAC system more efficient. Quick Tip: Air filters such as HEPA filters are made especially for pet friendly homes, and will prevent hair and dander from blocking your filter!
  • Keep your home clean: As most pet owners know, a routine deep cleaning of your home becomes a necessity when our furry friends are running around, outside the house and inside, all day – or maybe just walking, for pets that are older! Be sure to vacuum regularly, and dust often in order to keep debris, dander, and pet hair to a minimum in your home.
  • Consider installing an air purifier or air scrubber: Pet dander often stays in the air for several hours before it settles down on your carpets, clothing, and furniture. This can negatively impact your indoor air quality and contribute to your allergy symptoms. Installing an air purifier or air scrubber will help remove these impurities from the air. Added Bonus: having an air purifier/air scrubber installed can also remove pet odors!

Don’t let pet dander cause you and your family to suffer from poor indoor air quality. If you’d like more information on ways to improve your air quality while keeping your pets at home, contact Clay’s Climate Control today.

Save Money On Your Utility Bills And Save Your Tax Return Money!

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It’s no secret that high-efficiency HVAC products use less energy and can save you money on utility bills. The South Jersey Gas Smart Energy Partners program is designed to help make energy efficiency more affordable for homeowners. Whether you’re converting to natural gas, or already heating with it, financial incentives are available.

There are both high efficiency rebates and high efficiency loans available; however, it’s important to distinguish between the two. If you install high efficiency natural gas equipment, such as a furnace, boiler, or water heater, you may qualify for rebates from SJG Smart Energy Partners program. Click here to fill out a rebate application!

On the other hand, if you’re interested in an affordable monthly payment loan, SJG Smart Energy Partners program offers a 0% loan for 7 years with no money down! Fill out an application to apply!

Upgrading your HVAC equipment to be more energy efficient can save you tons of money in the long run! Contact Clay’s Climate Control if you have any questions.

Benefits of Air-Sealed Ductwork

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Heating and cooling your home in our area of New Jersey can already be expensive even if your home is relatively efficient; however, if your air ducts are not sealed and insulated properly, you could be wasting your heating and cooling energy, increasing utility bills, and adding wear and tear to your HVAC system by forcing it to work harder than it needs to! There are several benefits of air-sealed ductwork, including:

  • Saves energy and money: Anything that puts more stress on your HVAC system will inescapably raise your energy bills. When you have duct leaks, your furnace and air conditioner must work harder to sufficiently heat and cool your home. By sealing those leaks, your HVAC system will run more efficiently and your energy bills will be kept in check.
  • Improves indoor air quality: Beyond saving energy and money, sealing your air ducts can prevent dust, pollen, and other potential allergens from entering the system through leaking ducts. This will help prevent corrupting your indoor air quality and potentially causing breathing difficulties for those with asthma or allergies.
  • Improved comfort: When conditioned air or heat is leaking out of your ducts, it doesn’t get completely transported to all of the rooms that need it. This makes it very difficult to evenly heat and cool your home. By sealing up your ductwork, your home will have more consistent temperature levels and you’ll decrease the amount of stuffy rooms and hot and cold spots around your house.
  • Improves safety: If you have a leaking duct near a gas-powered appliance, the gasses that are normally vented out of your home, such as carbon monoxide, get sucked back into your home’s indoor air. This can be very dangerous, which is why it’s so important to seal any duct leaks.

Even though it may not be considered standard procedure to all, we are very proud to say that we seal all of our ductwork, all of the time.  If you have any questions about duct sealing, or if you’d like your heating and cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Clay’s Climate Control today!

Why You Should Try Our Mobile App!

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Making an HVAC appointment has never been easier! With our mobile app, you’re able to book and track your service and connect with us on the go. And it gets even better; our app also allows you to…

  • Select the specific service needed for HVAC: Service, Maintenance, or Estimate
  • Upload images and videos to help describe the area of concern
  • Schedule a convenient date and time
  • See the technician assigned to your job
  • Receive real-time notifications on your technicians arrival time

We understand having an HVAC issue can be stressful, so it’s our priority to deliver the most professional and stress-free heating and cooling (HVAC) service available by way of an unmatched client experience.  Whether you need HVAC repair, installation, or advice on how to keep your home comfortable all year long, you can book an appointment without having to make a phone call.

You can download our app on the App Store or Google Play. You can also book your request via our website if you’d prefer not to download the app. If you have any concerns about your HVAC system or have yet to schedule your system’s annual maintenance, give us a call at (609) 653-2295 or click here to visit our website. We look forward to hearing from you!

Steam Humidifier FAQs

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Clay’s Climate Control is dedicated to providing superior indoor air quality solutions and serving our customers to the highest degree. With that goal in mind, we have compiled a list of FAQs to provide you with quick answers to common questions about steam humidifiers.

  • What is a steam humidifier?

Steam humidifiers help make dry air more comfortable by releasing moisture into the air and can be installed to humidify your whole home. It adds humidity to the air by heating water electrically until it boils to create humidity in the form of steam even if the furnace isn’t on. Adding humidity to your indoor air in the winter has many benefits including health benefits and energy savings. Steam humidifiers offer the fastest and most efficient way of increasing and maintaining the appropriate and comfortable level of humidity in your home.

  • What is the ideal humidity level I should maintain?

A comfortable humidity level in your home typically measures between 30% and 50%. Humidity levels that measure above 50% create a breeding ground for mold, bacteria, dust mites, and other bacteria. Humidity levels that measure below 30% can lead to uncomfortable respiratory symptoms and increases the likelihood that cold and flu viruses will spread. Air that is too dry can also cause damage to your home’s foundation. To avoid the problems of too little or too high of humidity, it is recommended that you maintain a humidity level of between 45% and 50%.

  • How much energy does a steam humidifier use?

It’s difficult to predict how much an impact that a humidifier will have on your monthly energy bill, and it depends on a variety of factors including the type of humidifier you’re using, speed settings, and the number of hours that it is on each day. Be sure to compare the efficiency of different models, and please be sure to give us a call if you have any questions!

Our team of professional HVAC technicians here at Clay’s Climate Control is always happy to help when it comes to keeping you and your family comfortable. All you have to do is make the call, and we’ll handle it all!

The Importance of Planned HVAC Maintenance

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With the fall and winter chill quickly approaching we strongly advise having professional maintenance done to your HVAC system, if you haven’t already done so this year.

It’s important to safeguard that your air conditioner is prepared for long hibernation as well as waking up your heating system without any problems. The last thing you want is to have your heating system break down in the middle of winter; and although breakdowns can’t always be prevented, it’s still important that you don’t give up on doing all that can be done to take the precautionary steps to try and avoid it.

Having that said, you should have your heater checked at least once a year. Continual HVAC maintenance is similar to getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist, as it doesn’t need to be done before or after you eat, just every six months to a year.

Another way to think about it is getting your car’s oil changed. This task must be done to keep the engine running at peak performance but it doesn’t need to be done before a long road trip, for example; every 3,000-5,000 miles is suggested.

Okay, back to HVAC! With the benefits of planned maintenance noted below, we hope to hear from you with any questions and/or planned maintenance requests that you might have. It’s always our pleasure to keep you well informed on all things HVAC related.

  • Increased efficiency: Having a routine HVAC checkup will help to better ensure that your energy bills are low and that your system is working as efficiently as possible.
  • Improved indoor comfort: There’s another important advantage of maintaining your furnace… Your comfort! A well-maintained furnace will deliver optimal performance throughout the colder months, which means you can expect to stay warm all winter long with far less of a chance of encountering any furnace problems. Additionally, a well-maintained furnace may also help to improve indoor air quality and humidity levels for added comfort.
  • Consider the age of your unit: No HVAC system is meant to last forever; and the older the system, the less efficient it is. If it’s time to purchase a new system, give us a call and we can help you make an informed decision and purchase a system that’s designed to be long-lasting.
  • Get a professional inspection: The team here at Clay’s Climate Control will help to make sure that your system is working as it should. Also, we will perform a full inspection to check all elements of your system and fix any issues that arise.

Contact us to get your HVAC system tuned up today!

Why Ductless Climate Control is a Groundbreaking Development

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Most people have heard of ductless heating and cooling systems, and they have probably seen them, on walls in homes, restaurants or office buildings, but most people don’t really understand how beneficial ductless systems can be. A ductless system mounts on interior walls and is connected to an outside condensing unit through a refrigerant line. These ductless systems stay cool and clean all year round, and will save you a lot of money on energy bills. Unlike room air conditioning units, they are permanent fixtures and they don’t let in humid air within the areas surrounding the unit, as room units usually do.

Ductless AC systems will save you on overall heating and cooling costs because they are designed to cool one room or one area of your home, not the entire house like central air conditioning. Ductless systems function on less power as they are smaller than traditional window units; also, you’ll save on efficiency because it allows you to control temperatures room-by-room so there won’t be wasted energy on rooms that aren’t occupied.

In addition to saving energy and money, a ductless AC system helps to improve your indoor air quality with its efficient filtering system. Traditional HVAC systems’ air ducts have to be cleaned by a professional on a regular basis; and even after a cleaning, dust and particles can be left behind. A ductless system’s multi-stage filtration significantly reduces the amount of particles and allergens that end up in the air of your home.

Ductless systems are quick and easy to install, and the team here at Clay’s Climate Control can help you achieve maximum indoor comfort. Contact us today to learn more about our services, or to schedule an installation.

What is an Energy Savings Calculator and How Does it Work?

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We’re all looking for ways to increase the energy efficiency of our homes and small businesses in order to save ourselves some money in our back pockets. As many of us may already know, a calculator has always been a trusty gadget at hand; we’ve used calculators since elementary school up until good old taxes season.  But what is an energy savings calculator exactly? How is it different than your trusted hand held calculator?

Well, for starters, an energy savings calculator estimates how much money you can save by using your thermostat’s energy efficient features. Heating and cooling can account for about half of a home’s total utility bill… did you know this? Given that, it’s certainly something you’ll want to keep your eye on as it can add up. By upgrading to a high-efficiency system, you can cut your energy costs while keeping your family comfortable all year long.

Reducing energy use in your home is important because it saves you money, increases energy security, and reduces the pollution that is emitted from non-renewable sources of energy. Here’s a quick tip:

To improve the performance of your AC unit, make sure to clear any debris, leaves or obstructions around your unit, so that you get better and more efficient air flow.

The efficiency of air conditioners is measured by their SEER ratings: the higher the SEER rating, the better the energy performance, and the more your save! We encourage you to check out our energy savings calculator to see how you can increase your efficiency to increase your savings.

If you have any questions about a high efficiency air conditioner, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact us at Clay’s Climate Control today!

House at the Shore? Here’s what you should know about Dehumidification

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If you own or rent a house in South Jersey including Egg Harbor Township, Northfield, and surrounding areas of the NJ Shore region, humidity is an important concern. Humidity in your home can cause a great amount of discomfort during the scorching heat in the summer months. Even worse, humidity in your home can also cause serious health hazards because of the excessive moisture in the air.

Moisture allows mold and rot to grow and flourish, which poses significant health risks when you’re breathing in that air. Your air conditioning will work persistently to reduce your humidity to a more comfortable level, but there’s an additional step you can take to reduce the amount of humidity in the air: get a dehumidifier.

A dehumidifier removes the moisture from the air inside your home, eliminating the risk for mold to grow and increases indoor air quality. By dehumidifying the air, you make the conditions of your home feel cooler. Therefore, you can increase the temperature of your AC and save money.

Here are some additional benefits of installing a dehumidifier in your home:

  • It will reduce odor, musty and rusty smells caused by mold and mildew.
  • It helps you to breathe in clean air easier by eliminating the irritation of the respiratory system and skin.
  • High humidity in a home makes your air conditioner work harder because it has the double function of cooling and removing moisture. This will increase your energy bill because the harder your air conditioner works the more energy it consumes.

If you’re ready to eliminate high indoor humidity and improve indoor comfort, give us a call today to schedule a consultation!

What Causes my Air Conditioner to Freeze Up?

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An air conditioner freeze up can be frustrating, but it is not an uncommon problem. Your air conditioner can freeze up for a variety of reasons that we will discuss within this blog post. This is a problem that can turn a beautiful summer day into a scorching hot one in minutes so it’s important that you know what exactly can be the cause of it. Here are some common causes for your air conditioner to freeze up:

Blocked air flow

If your air filters are really dirty, then air flow is restricted throughout your house as a result. When air flow is restricted throughout your house, there’s no air moving through your AC system to keep the condensate from freezing.

Refrigerant leaks

If your AC unit is leaking coolant, it’s best to get it fixed immediately or invest in a new unit. This depends on the age of your current system, which a professional HVAC technician can assess. A leak causes a drop in pressure, allowing the coolant to expand too much and become too cold.

Cooler nights

Air conditioners are designed to function in a very specific temperature range. When summer nights are colder than the optimum temperature threshold in your AC unit, the pressures inside of your system will drop. This can cause a freeze up of your air conditioner.

At Clay’s Climate Control, we fix all types of HVAC problems for businesses and residents, including AC freeze-ups. We know that the summers in southern New Jersey can be quite warm and will respond quickly for any HVAC repair – contact us today!

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