Month: September 2018

Humidity problems can make your home in Longview, Texas, uncomfortable. In addition, it can pose a significant threat to your family’s health and cause damage to your property. To create the most comfortable conditions in your home, you need to maintain an indoor humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. Follow these four tips to properly manage indoor humidity in your house:

Improve Ventilation

Improving ventilation in your home can help control moisture levels in the air. Therefore, when it’s humid outside, close your doors and windows. Use fans to circulate air throughout your home. Also, turn on exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms when you’re cooking, showering, doing laundry, or performing any other activity that generates heat and moisture. Exhaust fans will extract moisture from the air and release it outside. As a result, it’ll freshen the air inside your home.

Eliminate Sources of Moisture

Leaks, damp ground conditions, and moisture from household activities can increase indoor humidity levels. Locate and eliminate moisture sources in and around your home. Make sure your plumbing system and roof aren’t leaking and that water isn’t gathering around your home’s foundation.

Add Plants to Your Space

Plants not only make your home more aesthetically pleasing but also reduce humidity levels by absorbing moisture from the air. They’re also effective at improving the air quality in your home because they can remove harmful airborne particles and contaminants. Therefore, consider adding peace lily or snake plant in your home.

Invest in a Dehumidifier

Finally, if your home still feels humid after you have taken the aforementioned measures, consider investing in a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier works by absorbing moisture in the air and turning it into water droplets, resulting in clean, dry air. Depending on the severity of the humidity problem in your home, consider a portable or whole-home dehumidifier.

Managing indoor humidity can benefit you and your family in many ways. If you need help maintaining comfortable humidity levels in your home, contact JD’s A/C at (903) 759-7483.

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As the summer heat continues in Overton, Texas, one of the last things you want is for your HVAC system to fail. But you also don’t want to live with an old system that requires costly maintenance and isn’t energy efficient. If you see any of these warning signs, consider upgrading to a newer, more efficient HVAC system.

Your System Requires Constant Repairs

Even small repairs can turn into big expenses if they happen frequently. How do you know when repairing an older system isn’t worth the expense? Here’s a formula that can help you determine whether repairing or replacing the unit makes more sense.

Consider replacing your unit if: (Cost of repairs for the existing unit) x (Age of existing unit in years) > (Cost of a new unit).

Your System is Less Energy Efficient

If you have an older HVAC system in your home, chances are good that it’s not an Energy Star-rated or an energy-efficient unit. This means you might see a significant rise in your monthly utility bill as your system runs more frequently to keep your home cool. You might also consider upgrading your system if you start to experience high humidity levels in your home. This can be a sign that your system isn’t efficient enough to control both temperature and humidity.

Your System is Older Than 10 Years

HVAC systems generally last 10-15 years — maybe a few years longer if they’ve been well-maintained. So if your system is in the double digits, be prepared to replace it. One issue with older systems is that the United States is phasing out products using R-22 refrigerants and is switching to R-401A refrigerants. As this happens, you may find yourself unable to get replacement parts (like compressors) for your older system.

At JD’s A/C, we want to ensure you stay comfortable in your Texas home. Contact our experts at (903) 759-7483 for an analysis of your current system and information on the new HVAC systems that meet your needs.

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