LaGrange, GA

Why You Should Upgrade to a Wi-Fi Thermostat in 2018

Access Your Home From Anywhere With a Wi-Fi ThermostatThanks to technological HVAC innovations, creating a comfortable home without busting your budget is easier than ever. You don’t need deep pockets to conserve energy and customize your indoor environment. If you want to take more control of your comfort at home and save on energy costs in LaGrange, Georgia, upgrade to a Wi-Fi thermostat.

Save More Money With a Wi-Fi Thermostat

Every homeowner in LaGrange, Georgia, wants to conserve more energy and save more money on their utility costs. A Wi-Fi thermostat helps you achieve that. While Wi-Fi thermostats are constantly improving, most models let you:

  • Adjust your home’s temperature from anywhere at anytime via a mobile device
  • Set daily or weekly automated programs with up to four different periods per day
  • Receive energy reports that summarize your usage and provide tips for efficiency

According to HVAC experts, a Wi-Fi thermostat can help you save between 10 and 15 percent on your monthly heating and cooling bills. Depending on your heating and cooling habits, you can save hundreds annually.

Save the Environment With a Wi-Fi Thermostat

Climate change is hot-button issue, and it’s on the back of every homeowner’s mind. Conserving energy is one way to do your part to help the planet. But what exactly does climate change have to do with your energy bills?Homeowners in LaGrange still rely heavily on fossil fuels to cool and heat their homes. When those fossil fuels burn, they release carbon dioxide into the air. When there’s too much of it in the atmosphere, it can’t escape and causes what’s known as the greenhouse effect. As a result, the planet becomes warmer and its conditions more unstable.

According to HVAC experts, Wi-Fi thermostats help homeowners lower their energy consumption and decrease their utility costs. This, as a result, helps them lower their impact on the environment and climate change.
Are you still manually adjusting your home’s thermostat? If so, it’s time to step into the 21st century. Contact Airforce Heating & Air today to learn more about our Wi-Fi thermostats and other control systems.

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4 Common Heating Problems to Watch For This Winter

Heating problems are a homeowner’s worst nightmare, especially during the holidays when guests are visiting. While investing in heating maintenance reduces your risk of a breakdown, normal wear and tear can also lead to malfunctions. If you notice any one of these four common heating problems in your LaGrange, Georgia, home this winter, don’t wait to remedy it right away.

Heating System Is Unusually Noisy

It’s normal for your heating system to make sounds as it turns on or off. If you hear it rumbling, rattling or squeaking, though, chances are there’s an issue that needs professional attention. These sounds can indicate a mechanical problem, a clogged burner or a reduction in airflow.

Heating System Has Pilot Control Issues

If you have a malfunctioning ignition or pilot, it’ll be difficult to heat your home efficiently and safely. An unlit pilot light might signal drafts or clogs in the system, while a flickering flame or yellow light might mean your unit is producing carbon monoxide. Normally, your pilot light’s flame should burn blue.

Heating System Doesn’t Heat Enough

Unless your heating system isn’t properly sized for your space, changing its filter will unusually fix this common problem. For efficient operation, you should change your heater’s air filter every 60 days – the best time is before the heating season begins. If you schedule professional heating maintenance, a service technician will take care of this task for you.

Heating System

Doesn’t Heat At All

If your heating system doesn’t produce any heat at all, check your thermostat settings. Increase the thermostat setting, and check if the heater starts producing warm air. If it doesn’t, there’s either an issue with the pilot light or you’re low on fuel. For your family’s safety, schedule an inspection by an HVAC professional to pinpoint the problem.

If you’re experiencing problems with your heating system this winter, contact Airforce Heating & Air. With 24/7 emergency heating repair services available, you can count on us to restore your comfort as soon as possible.

How to Save Household Energy This Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time filled with love, laughs and lots of joy. From family feasts to gift exchanges, the celebrations result in many memorable moments. Whether it’s paying higher energy bills in LaGrange, Georgia, or shopping for the perfect presents, the holidays can also break your budget if you aren’t careful. Follow these four simple tips to save household energy through the holiday season and start the new year with as little debt as possible.

Use LED Decorations and Lights

If you’re still using incandescent lights to decorate your home for the holidays, it’s time to step into the 21st century. According to U.S. Department of Energy, LED lights use up to 75 percent less energy and last 25 times longer. Since they don’t overheat and burn out like incandescent bulbs, they’re also easier to replace and maintain.

Unplug Phantom Energy Wasters

Are you planning to spend the holidays in an exotic location this year? When you consider flight and accommodation costs, the last you want is to return home from vacation to a high energy bill because you forgot to unplug phantom energy wasters. Before taking off for your trip, unplug all of the unused appliances and electronics in your home.

Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat

Another way to upgrade your home to the 21st century is to install a programmable thermostat in it. That way, if you take a vacation for the holidays, you won’t have to return to a cold home. Simply program the thermostat to maintain a cool yet consistent temperature while you’re away for savings, and set it to heat your home before you arrive.

Schedule Professional Heater Maintenance

Autumn is nearly over. But that doesn’t mean it’s too late to schedule professional heater maintenance before the winter weather arrives. By maintaining your heating system in the fall, you’ll ensure lower energy bills and a reduced risk of a major breakdown in the winter.

Give your heating system the gift that keeps on giving. Invest in professional heater maintenance to save household energy this holiday season by contacting Airforce Heating & Air.  We look forward to serving you. Contact us with all your questions.

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3 of the Scariest Air Quality Concerns in Your Home This Fall

Fall and football season are in full swing, and Halloween is hiding right around the corner. While the cooler temperatures are a relief from the oppressive heat in LaGrange, Georgia, allergy sufferers aren’t rejoicing for joy just yet. To improve your quality of life and breathe easier at home this fall, keep your home’s air as clean as possible.

Change Your Air Filter to Deter Dust Buildup

Your HVAC system’s filter cleans the air that circulates throughout it, trapping and holding many types of particles that impact health and comfort. This includes dust, pollen and pet dander. But when it’s filthy, it pushes those contaminants right back into your home. To avoid polluted indoor air, change your air filter at least every three months.
In the news: Scientists have recently found that household dust harbors toxic chemicals that have been linked to an increased risk to cancer in adults and developmental problems in babies. The toxic chemicals are shed from a range of common household items, including electrical goods, beauty products and cleaning supplies.

Eliminate Ragweed With an Air Cleaner

If you’re an allergy sufferer, you likely already know how much ragweed can haunt you during the fall. During its peak growing season, a single ragweed plant produces a billion pollen grains, which can travel up to 400 miles in the wind. While an HVAC filter helps reduce allergy symptoms, an air cleaner works even harder to eliminate ragweed.

Use a Whole-Home Dehumidifier to Prevent Mold

Georgia is known for its hot summers that increase at-home humidity. Too much humidity in your home can encourage mold growth. High humidity can also make your HVAC system work harder and cost you more in monthly utility costs. With a whole-home dehumidifier, you’ll ensure your home’s humidity is within a healthy range of 40 to 60 percent.

Don’t put your family’s health at risk. To schedule professional duct cleaning, HVAC maintenance or IAQ testing, contact Airforce Heating & Air. We look forward to helping you breathe easier this fall.

Why Fall is the Best Time to Schedule Heating Maintenance

Whether they’re cheering for the Bulldogs, the Yellow Jackets or the Falcons, residents in LaGrange, Georgia, love when the fall arrives. That’s because it signals the start of football season. But if you’re hoping to watch your favorite team in a comfortable home environment – hopefully into the playoffs – you’ll need a heating system that operates efficiently. Here’s why you should schedule heating maintenance in the fall instead of waiting until the winter or skipping it altogether.

Lower Monthly Energy Costs

The number-one reason to invest in heating maintenance during the fall is to make sure your utility costs remain under control. That’s because, with routine maintenance, you can save up to 20 percent on your monthly bill. During heating maintenance, a service technician will ensure every component in your heater functions at full capacity.

Reduce the Health and Safety Risks

Securing your family’s safety through the winter months should be a priority. Whether it’s because of a blocked vent, a dirty burner or a cracked heat exchanger, a carbon monoxide leak is a danger that you should take seriously.
When you invest in heating maintenance, a service technician will carefully inspect your system for issues. As a result, you reduce the risk of a major breakdown on a cold winter night while securing the safety of your loved ones.

Extend Your System’s Life

If your heating system is constantly operating inefficiently and in need of repair, it’s safe to assume that it’ll eventually wear out and break down for good. And that might happen well before the 10-year mark that most units last for. Simply put, it’s more affordable to invest in maintenance today than pay for a replacement tomorrow.

Although your air conditioner might take priority over your heater, you shouldn’t completely ignore the latter. Doing so will lead to increased utility costs, a higher chance of a breakdown and a a premature replacement. To schedule professional heating maintenance this fall, contact Airforce Heating and Air today.

Geothermal Heat Pump Offers Renewable and Efficient Energy

Geothermal heat pumps are an energy efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional HVAC systems. For those in Newnan, Georgia, and the surrounding area, geothermal technology can help you save a lot of money on your heating and cooling bills. While geothermal equipment promotes renewable energy and fossil fuel preservation, these complex systems should only be installed by an experienced service technician.

Geothermal provides the Best Energy Efficiency

Conventional forced-air heat pumps move heat from one area to another depending on the season. Severe outdoor temperatures negatively impact the efficiency of these units. In contrast, geothermal systems use the earth itself as the heat transfer medium. While the ambient air temperature can change by as much as 60 degrees, the ground temperature hardly changes at all.
Ground source heat pumps are available in either closed-loop or open-loop configurations. Open-loop systems need a permanent source of water, but closed-loop systems use an antifreeze solution in a sealed piping network. Closed-loop systems have become quite popular because they’re easier to install and service.

Carrier Geothermal Heat Pumps

Carrier offers a complete line of geothermal heat pump products designed to fit comfortably into every budget. Airforce Heating and Air is a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer, which means all our geothermal heat pump installations conform to Carrier’s demanding standards for quality, reliability and performance.
Comfort Geothermal Heat Pump GB: A water-to-air heat pump that provides true geothermal operation at an economical price.
Performance Geothermal Heat Pump GT: Available in forced-air or water-to-air configurations, these units incorporate a two-stage compressor and a variable-speed blower for the ultimate in comfort and savings. Performance Split System Indoor Geothermal Heat Pump GS: This unit combines high-efficiency geothermal performance with a gas furnace for those who prefer higher winter heating temperatures.

For Everything Geothermal

If you live in Newnan, GA, or the surrounding area, contact the pros at Airforce Heating and Air today to learn more about the benefits of geothermal technology.

Daily Rituals to Save Energy in Your Pine Mountain, GA Home

Enjoying a fresh cup of coffee, brushing your teeth and walking the dog are all daily morning rituals that most homeowners in Pine Mountain, Georgia, partake in. Unfortunately for their utility bills, some energy-saving practices haven’t become as habitual. Here are four tasks you can complete every day to help you save more money.

S is for Set Your Thermostat Wisely

Getting accustomed to a warmer indoor temperature takes time, but it can put a lot of money back in your pockets. The closer the thermostat’s setting is to the temperature outside, the less your air conditioner will have work. During the summer, the ideal setting is 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re at home. For every degree higher, you can save up to 8 percent on your monthly energy bill. In the winter, your thermostat’s temperature reading shouldn’t exceed 68 degrees.

A is for Always Unplug Your Chargers

It’s likely that you charge your smartphone daily, and that you never unplug the charger after your smartphone’s battery is full. Form the habit of unplugging your charger after every time you use it. Once it’s become a daily ritual, apply that same practice to appliances around your home that you use on occasion to save even more.

V is for Verify That Your Lights are Off

If you haven’t already, replace all of your home’s light bulbs to either Light Emitting Diodes or Compact Fluorescent Lights. You’ve probably heard it a hundred times, but remember to also turn the lights off when exiting a room.

E is for Enjoy Your Ceiling Fans

Although a ceiling fan isn’t of much use if you aren’t in the room it’s located in – think of it as a light and turn it off when exiting the room – it can make it feel 4 degrees cooler if it’s set correctly, which can allow you to set your thermostat to a higher setting. In the summer, the ceiling fans should rotate in a counterclockwise direction.

For more information about how to save energy this summer in your home in Pine Mountain, Georgia, or if you’re in need of an immediate HVAC repair, consider the benefits of spring AC maintenance or contact Airforce Heating and Air. We look forward to helping you conserve more energy and cut utility costs.

2 Reasons an Air Purifier Is a Good Idea for Your Home

If you have allergies, Georgia springtime pollen can be insufferable, yet the EPA tells us that outdoor air is much cleaner and fresher than indoor air. Because we spend most of our time inside, we can be bombarded by high concentrations of indoor allergens all day long. Nausea, headaches, coughing, fatigue, burning eyes, respiratory and sinus infections and frequent colds and flu can all be byproducts of indoor air pollution. Today’s tightly-sealed buildings and the lack of ventilation have made poor indoor air quality a fact of life. Fortunately, help is available. Here are two good reasons why an air purifier can benefit you and why having one in your LaGrange home might be a good idea:

1. Protection From Microbes

Bacteria and viruses are two common microbial indoor air contaminants. They can cause colds, flu, infections and other illnesses. Pollen can trigger allergic reactions. Mold is a microbe that releases spores into the air. The spores can cause lung infections, wheezing and other breathing difficulties.

2. Protection From Other Airborne Toxins

Dust mites are microscopic insects that live in dust and can cause skin rashes.
Dander and pet fur can trigger allergic reactions and irritate your eyes, nose and throat.
Secondhand cigarette smoke is almost as toxic as if you were smoking yourself.
Building materials like asbestos and lead can and do cause serious and long-term health problems.
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are gasses released by common household cleaning agents, pesticides, permanent markers, printers, paint, glue, paneling, adhesives, upholstered furniture, new carpeting, plywood, fiberboard, particleboard and photocopiers. VOCs are toxic and can irritate your eyes, nose, throat and lungs; they can cause dizziness, headaches and nausea over the short term or cancer and CNS damage down the road.

The Carrier Infinity® Air Purifier traps and zaps 95 percent of pathogens in your indoor air. To learn more about it, visit Airforce Heating & Air or contact us.

We Use Carrier, So Should You

Of all the companies claiming to be the leader in the HVAC industry, there’s none worthier of the classification than Carrier. If you still haven’t heard of this heating and cooling manufacturer, here’s why you should start to take notice.

Shop the Latest in HVAC Technology

From programmable thermostats to smart heating and cooling systems, this industry leader is always striving to refine its line of products and take advantage of what technology brings to the table. With more than a century of experience manufacturing HVAC systems, there’s clearly no one else revolutionizing the industry like this giant.

Find the Greatest in Energy Efficiency

When you focus on using advanced technologies in your products, the result is energy-efficient systems that help people save money. And that’s exactly what homeowners and business owners are looking for in today’s economy.

Take Advantage of Rebates and Other Options

Many of its products offer different options for rebates throughout the year, helping people save even more money on parts and systems. One of the rebates even helps you turn your home into a smart space. You can find more information about rebates and financing on this official website.

Look for Carrier’s Stamp of Approval

When you find an official Factory Authorized Dealer, you know that heating and cooling contractor has had to meet a strict set of standards for customer service, training and quality of workmanship. The point of this is to motivate local contractors to provide better services and to help customers make better choices.

At Airforce Heating & Air, we’re proud to have earned this coveted stamp of approval. With it, we’re able to offer the best products on the market and full confidence in the services we offer. For more information about how we can help optimize your heating and cooling system for efficiency, check our our services page or contact us.

What is Bubble Wrap Duct Insulation?

Originally published October 2013, updated February 2017

Insulating the ductwork in your LaGrange, Georgia, home will conserve energy, so you save money on utility costs. One type of material currently used to insulate ductwork is radiant bubble wrap. This kind of insulation is a relatively new material, introduced to the construction industry within the past few years. HVAC experts are split with regard to opinions about this product. Some experts believe that bubble wrap duct insulation is an effective way to insulate the ductwork and conserve energy. However, other pros are of the opinion that the material is not effective.

Bubble Wrap Duct Insulation Defined

Bubble wrap insulation looks like a sheet of bubble wrap sandwiched between two panels of reflective material similar to foil. The premise behind this type of insulating material is that the reflective surface provides more heat resistance. However, this is where experts’ opinions differ. Some claim that the material provides a radiant barrier that is ineffective for insulating ducts. Other experts state that with proper installation, bubble wrap insulation is a beneficial and inexpensive way to save a few dollars each month on utility costs.

Advantages of Bubble Wrap Insulation

Bubble wrap insulation is easy to install, lightweight and versatile. This material will handle temperatures up to 180 degrees and as low as 60 degrees below zero. According to EcoFoil, a manufacturer of bubble wrap insulation, benefits of the material include:
It handles extreme hot and cold temperatures.
It is flexible and lightweight.
It is easy to install
It is safe to handle
No special equipment or clothing is necessary during installation
It reflects 97 percent of radiant heat
It can be nailed, stapled or glued
It is waterproof and non-Absorbent
Easier to install than some other forms of insulation

Manufacturers of bubble wrap insulating material state that the material must be installed properly for you to reap the benefits. Spacers must be installed to create a layer of air between the insulation and the duct. Without this cushion of air, the insulation is not nearly as effective. If you choose to insulate your ducts with radiant bubble wrap, be sure to install the material according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Consult the Experts

Airforce Heating and Air is a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer providing LaGrange, GA, businesses and homeowners with top quality heating and air conditioning service and sales. If you would like more information about the best way to insulate your ducts, please contact us. Our technician will inspect your ductwork and HVAC system, and help you to determine the best way to reduce your system’s energy use.