Hi Ladies and Gentlemen, John Winn here, General Manager AirCo One Hour in Hurst. We are often asked if it is better to repair a comfort system and try to squeeze another year out of it or just replace the system. The answer is always, it depends. If your system is let’s say 10 years old and you are presented with a repair bill of $400, then the answer is usually to replace. (Please see the chart to the right)

Many of our customers take advantage of a unique program with us that helps make the decision to repair or replace much more palatable. They actually do both! Imagine yourself in this position, you have a 12 year old system and it just stopped working. Now, your significant other is at home with your kid’s age 3 months, 3 years and 5 years. (Two boys and a girl to be specific) It’s 11:00 pm at night and oh by the way, it’s August 4th. What do you do? You call us (817-591-1225) or click here. One of our highly trained and customer friendly techs (yes, even friendly at 1:00 am in the morning) comes out and diagnoses a bad capacitor but also checks the condition of the air conditioning compressor (the main part of the outside unit).

The cost to repair including the diagnostic fee is $476. You feel like that is expensive but hey, your significant other is really uncomfortably hot, so you decide to fix the air conditioner. But wait, remember the tech checked the condition of the compressor (again, the compressor is main part of your outside unit) and told you that the compressor is really struggling to meet your needs and is consuming A LOT of energy which suggests it might not make it through the end of the season. GOOD NEWS, you just spent $476 on something that might last another hour, week or month. So what is good about that? The $476 dollars you just spent is money you get back if you decide to replace the complete system with us in the next 30 days. It’s a WIN WIN situation. You fix your old air conditioner, you like the technician who came out and you decide you should investigate a new system. One of our comfort consultants comes to your home, spends some time with you to show you how a new system can actually save you money in the long run, and you get your $476 back. (It is taken right off of your new system installation agreement) And I have not even mentioned the great deal the comfort consultant is going to get you, especially this time of year.

So, repair or replace? Now you can feel comfortable doing both!

It is more important than ever to save energy. The cost of energy is expensive while the economy is at a new low. Fortunately, some changes around the house can mean savings on the monthly electric bill. Remember, the more you change, the more you save.

• It is important to make sure heating and cooling systems are properly maintained and insulated.
• Choose a programmable thermostat if possible so that the temperature can be set according to your schedule.
• Never place a lamp or television near the thermostat. It will sense the heat given off by these items and not run efficiently
• Some appliances continue to draw electricity even when they are turned off. Plug your electronics into a power strip and just turn off the power strip when the items are not in use.
• Laptops use less electricity than desktops. Screen savers don’t save energy. Choose sleep mode instead, or better yet, turn your computer off when it’s not in use.
• Always wash and dry full loads of laundry. Clean the lint filter on your dryer after every load and don’t run the dryer longer than necessary.
• Take advantage of daylight. Let in the sunshine instead of turning on the lights.

Unfortunately, this is a very  common complaint among  homeowners. If not the master  bedroom, then some other room is “out  of balance” with the rest of the house. 

There can be several underlying factors  that cause this imbalance. At the root of  the problem is always air flow. There is  too much air to one area and not  enough to another. Why? How much is  enough? How much is too much? 

Understanding why a certain area  needs more air flowing into it than  another is critical – and measurable. 

The master bedroom is often the room  that is not getting enough air flow. The  door is closed most of the time and  often there is not a return air duct  connected to that room. Why does that  matter? Well, with the door closed, air  cannot get out of the room and back to  the blower system. Air pressure builds  up in the room because air is being  pushed through the duct into the room and that pressure is not being relieved. So, the air goes somewhere else. The best fix for this problem is to add a return air duct to that room. Ideally, all bedrooms will have a return air duct.

Of course there are several other reasons that a room can be poorly heated and cooled, again, they all relate to air flow issues. We can find solutions to air flow problems in your house. Give One Hour A/C a call today at 817-591-1225 to schedule a visit by one of our experts.

If you have a home, a window, and some sunlight, why not have Gerbera Daisies somewhere near? It’s a known fact that these happy, colorful, wonders of nature purify your indoor air unlike any “cover up” spray could pretend to do. With closed windows in the warm months, chemicals in the air have no place to go.

Wait, what chemicals? Well, there are many, but some of the most lethal and common chemicals found floating around in the typical home are:
* Formaldehyde
* Tricholorethylene
* Benzene
And where do they come from you ask? Formaldehyde comes from such places as foam insulation, plywood, particleboard, clothes, carpeting, furniture, paper goods, household cleaners, and water repellents. And tricholorethylene comes from dry cleaning, inks, paints, varnishes, lacquers, and adhesive. And the always present benzene comes from tobacco smoke, gasoline, synthetic fibers, plastics, inks, oils, and detergents.
Most people know that plants give us fresh oxygen and take in the stale carbon dioxide that we exhale – a life sustaining relationship that we all too frequently take for granted. But, recently we discovered that certain plants go a bit further and filter out these deadly toxins and pollutants in our air. Recently, NASA researcher Dr. Bill Wolverton placed houseplants in sealed chambers and exposed them to hundreds of chemicals, and found plants like the gerbera daisy suck the chemicals out of the air. There has never been a more appropriate time than now for people to get back to their roots and embrace plants for pollution free homes and work places.

Top 10
“Green” Air Cleaners
Besides Gerbera Daisies, there are several other species that perform this air purification miracle. Wolverton found the top 10 houseplants that help to filter and clean indoor air most efficiently are:
1. Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema pseudobracteatum)
2. Peace lily (Spathiphyllum ‘Clevelandii’)
3. Arrowhead vine (Syngonium podophyllum)
4. English ivy (Hedera helix)
5. Corn plant (Dracaena fragran ‘Janet Craig’)
6. Devil’s ivy (Scindapsus aureu)
7. Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
8. Rubber plant (Ficus robusta)
9. Gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
10. Florist’s mum (Chrysanthemum morifolium

Remember to turn off your outdoor unit when mowing your grass. If cut grass and debris is blown into the outdoor unit it will interfere with the airflow and decrease the efficiency of your air conditioning and heating system.

We’re lucky with lower spring energy bills. But keeping them lower during the summer requires a few smart moves, such as:

• Clean the filters monthly and replace as necessary to save energy and reduce dust and pollen in the air. (Ask us about filter upgrades.)
• Raise the temperature setting when you go out to reduce operating costs. Better yet, we’ve got simpleto- use programmable thermostats. Set it and forget it!
• Shade your air conditioner from direct sun. This will reduce it’s workload. Often, simply planting a tree or shrub can do the trick, but don’t let it restrict airflow.
• Tune Up your heat pump or air conditioner since poor maintenance is the number one factor in system inefficiency and failure. This is fast, painless, and can save big.
• Install ceiling fans. The air circulation promotes cooling in the summer and heating efficiency in the winter.
• Close drapes to keep out the hot daytime sun, especially on south and west-facing windows. Sunny windows make air conditioners work 2 to 3 times harder.
• Position your refrigerator away from sunny windows, hot water heaters, warm air from heating ducts, radiators, stoves and other heat sources.
• Close fireplace dampers or glass doors. Going up the chimney with a bound may serve as a dramatic exit for Santa, but don’t allow your cooled air to use that same escape hatch.
• Upgrade appliances. Consider replacing old appliances with new energy-efficient models. Upgrades will pay for themselves over time through savings on your utility bills.
• Weather-strip windows and doors. If air is leaking, you are throwing money out the window. Roughly 40% of the unwanted heat that builds up in your home comes in through windows.

And remember to insulate… Make sure you seal and insulate leaky ducts to ensure your ductwork delivers all the energy you’re paying for.

Poor insulation can be a drain on your budget – and a waste of good climate control. Simple Insulation Test:

- Place one thermometer in the middle of a room.
-Tape a second thermometer to an exterior wall. If the difference in temperature between these two thermometers is more than five degrees, this may be a sign of hidden problems. Call us at 817-591-1225 or click here for more information.

This might be the best time in a decade to replace an old, inefficient, air conditioner. Now is the Time to Act The new government Stimulus Package contains a substantial incentive for upgrading your old air conditioner to a new high efficiency model. With tax savings, lower electric usage, and freedom from breakdowns and repairs, it makes sense to find out the facts and then judge for yourself just how beneficial a new air conditioning and heating system would be. CALL NOW 817-591-1225 or click here for a no-charge, no-obligation appointment to learn more!