Press Releases Archive - Page 17 of 28

Air Ducts May Need to Be Replaced

Is Air Duct Replacement Necessary?

Replacing an air duct is not the same as changing an air filter. While they help provide air quality, fixing ductwork is more advanced. Homeowners looking to save money on their monthly electric bill often examine the air ducts first.

Signs of Damaged Ductwork

One can find air ducts inside the vents. They are responsible for pulling air into the vent so it can be cooled or heated before exiting the ducts. If air ducts are clogged, indoor air may become dirty while circulating throughout the house.

It’s not always easy to spot air contamination. If the air ducts need to be replaced, there are a few tell-tale signs homeowners should pay attention to.

Strange noises can occur if an air duct is blocked. This can be due to outdoor or indoor debris. Whistling sounds are not normal and can be extremely loud. The replacement may be necessary if an air duct sounds similar to a tea kettle.

The ductwork that is over 15 years old is likely to have experienced damage. Even if the damage cannot be seen, air ducts are not designed to last forever. Many homeowners believe the air ducts must be new if they live in a modern home. This is not always the case.

Older air ducts sometimes give off an unpleasant odor. Usually, this is due to the buildup of debris. The most common smell associated with old air ducts is musty. This can negatively impact the air quality and affect the health of any household, especially if mold or mildew is present.

The Benefits of Air Duct Replacement

Not only can ductwork improve a home’s airflow, but it also saves money on energy bills. When an HVAC system must work twice as hard to cool or heat the home, this raises monthly living costs.

Keeping track of monthly electric bills is a consistent way to judge a home’s efficiency. If a heating or cooling system is working at maximum efficiency, this helps both save and the environment. With a decrease in carbon, the local environment can naturally thrive.

New air ducts are much quieter than damaged ones. This cuts down on sound pollution that can subliminally increase anxiety in the home. Even households used to the constant hum from damaged ductwork can notice a significant difference once the background noise is eliminated.

Air Duct Repair Methods

There are multiple types of air ducts. Electricians may use a fiberglass duct board, flex duct, or galvanized sheet metal, depending on specific building codes. Sheet metal is extremely popular because heat rises from the flooring.

To install a sheet metal system, it’s important to first find the leaking seam. If there are large gaps, these can be covered with an additional sealant. If gaps are too large to reseal, the area known as an S-lock can be separated with a utility knife. Once this is accomplished, the metal on each duct can slip into the gap.

Trained electricians understand both the building code requirements and safety measures to repair air ducts successfully. Since not all damaged ducts need to be replaced, electrical maintenance is recommended annually.

About Chad’s AC Direct

Chad’s AC Direct is transparent about its pricing options and provides reliable and quick service. For residents of Montgomery, AL, Chad’s AC Direct offers a $25 coupon for any repair service work.

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3 Pieces of Research Homeowners Should Do When Looking for An HVAC Company

It's The Busy Holiday Season: How To Find A Reliable HVAC Contractor Quickly

Because the holidays are here, even a small problem with a home's heating and cooling may seem like an emergency. Finding HVAC contractors who can do work at the last minute may be difficult, but if they do the proper research, a homeowner can be confident in their choice of someone to do their heating and air conditioning repair. This article will suggest the best things to look for when finding someone to repair HVAC.

Find Positive Reviews Online

While a business's website may have many good reviews, this is not the best place to look. This is like asking a restaurant's head chef if the food is good. He or she is likely to say that it is excellent. Looking for positive reviews online where the public can freely post is the best way to find a more balanced one. Sites like Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Yelp, and Angi all have reviews that are truly based on the company's overall performance. A homeowner should look for words and phrases that show professionalism and attention to detail, such as:

Prompt
Knowledgeable
On time
Answered questions
Worked quickly and efficiently
Efficient
Good work ethic
Communicated clearly

Of course, any company can make a mistake and get a bad review, but if the company has mostly positive feedback, that is what a potential customer should look for.

Check That They Are Licensed and Insured

An average person cannot decide one day to start a medical practice and call themselves a doctor. There are training and exams that have to be done successfully for someone to become a fully-fledged doctor. Likewise, training and licensing must be completed for someone to say that they can repair HVAC systems. A potential customer should verify that a company is licensed and insured so that if the worst-case scenario happened and something went wrong, the expense would be covered by the company's insurance and not the homeowners. This also ensures a homeowner has hired a qualified individual to do their repair work.

See If They Offer Regular Maintenance

One of the best ways to prevent problems with a home's central heat and air is to get regular professional HVAC maintenance. Sometimes companies offer discounts and coupons to make it even more cost-friendly, so homeowners never have to worry about what it takes to keep their appliances working properly. This gives homeowners the security of knowing someone is there and ready to help if they are needed

About Chad's AC Direct

Chad's AC Direct offers full-service heating and air in Montgomery, AL and the surrounding areas. Why not buy direct and save money? Call them today for more information about their commercial and residential HVAC installation and repair services.

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Top Reasons to Hire a Professional HVAC Technician

Air conditioning unit with tools on top, including screwdrivers and pliers, for HVAC maintenance at Chad's AC Direct.

Avoid DIY HVAC Repairs

Information is more accessible than ever before in human history. Within minutes, determined homeowners can watch a few videos, read a few articles, and feel confident about making repairs around the home. This has led to an explosion of a DIY culture where homeowners and hobbyists attempt to save money by doing work themselves.

While it can be a good thing to empower people to take on bigger challenges, some things have to be left to professionals. DIYers should never attempt these when it comes to trades like plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work. Stubborn homeowners may ask why. Here are the best answers to that question from some local experts.

Mistakes Can Be Costly

The main inspiration for most DIYers is saving money. There are plenty of examples of people saving money doing repairs on their homes, but HVAC work is not a good source of savings. DIY HVAC repairs can be costly, and the costs can add up fast when not done correctly. Add that to the fact that a contractor will likely need to be called anyway, and it's easy to see that maybe the best choice is to call one first.

HVAC contractors are less likely to make mistakes that could cause extra damage, but they also have two ways to mitigate costs to the customer if their repairs are faulty. First, most HVAC contractors guarantee their work, meaning they will fix their mistakes for free since they have a reputation to maintain. Secondly, HVAC contractors carry insurance that protects their clients from the consequences of their actions.

Professionals Save Time and Effort

When there is a problem with the HVAC system, time is of the essence. Losing the air conditioner or heater usually means that the family will be left in the brutal heat or frigid cold while repair attempts are made. DIY folks usually have to waste time researching before they work on a project, and when it comes to AC repairs, they usually discover that they lack the tools and skills to make effective repairs. HVAC contractors have the knowledge, tools, and parts to make effective repairs immediately, saving the family the time and effort of trying to make repairs.

In addition to saving time and money, professional HVAC technicians see things that DIYers can't. Their experienced eyes are more adept at identifying the cause of trouble and seeing the system as a whole. This means they can offer better advice about the maintenance and care of the unit, which will help homeowners get more from their equipment over the long run.

Keep Peace of Mind

HVAC contractors are licensed and insured; these two things give peace of mind that one can't gain from DIY projects and cost savings. Any home improvement project carries certain risks to those doing the work and the property itself. Homeowners insurance doesn't protect DIYers from the consequences of their actions, but the insurance carried by HVAC contractors does. Hiring a professional means owners to know the problem will be fixed quickly with no unexpected costs.

About Chad's AC Direct

Chad's AC Direct is a local, licensed, and insured HVAC contractor. They aim to provide savings to their customers with clear pricing and handwritten estimates. Call Chad's AC Direct for hassle-free HVAC repair and maintenance in Montgomery, AL.

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3 Ways to Reduce Electric Bills to Save Money for Holiday Shopping

Family enjoying time together with a pink piggy bank, illustrating financial literacy and home improvement concepts.

Get the HVAC System on Your Side for the Holidays

It's no secret that the budget is one of the biggest stressors of the holidays. The holidays have all of the regular expenditures that homeowners expect every month, but they also have the added expenses of holiday parties and buying holiday gifts. As if on cue, to add more difficulty to budgeting, it is also the season when heating bills can peak for the whole year. But, most people need to learn that one of their biggest expenses can be a source of their biggest savings.

As winter cools off, heating bills rise, putting the crunch on already cramped budgets. Luckily, one can use a few simple strategies to reduce bills drastically to free up plenty of money for more fun things to do during the holidays. Here are the best tips from local experts to help homeowners start saving money now.

Install a Smart Thermostat or Programmable Thermostat

The key to reducing energy bills and saving on electric bills is to reduce the time heating equipment stays on during the day. How can this be accomplished without sacrificing comfort? Easily with one easy tweak!

Installing a programmable thermostat is a great way to start. One can program programmable thermostats to allow the home to cool off while no one is home and warm up before everyone returns at the end of the day. These affordable devices will pay for themselves within a year and drastically lower bills during the cold of winter and the heat of the summer.

For added convenience, Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats and smart thermostats can accomplish the same without the owner's input. One can control these devices remotely from an app, and they also learn the movement patterns of the family and adjust temperatures accordingly to maximize savings and comfort.

Change the Air Filter as Necessary

Air filters should be changed every three months to maximize the cleanliness of the air in a home as well as the reliability of the HVAC. But another added benefit is keeping clean air filters in service during every season.

When air filters are in service, they collect all of the dust that floats around the home. Slowly, all of that dust restricts airflow through the filter. This causes the blower to have to work harder to distribute air. Additionally, longer cycles will waste more energy. By replacing the air filter, homeowners can clean up the air in their homes and reduce the workload of their climate-control system.

Remember the Maintenance Checklist

The final recommendation for reducing electric bills is HVAC maintenance. HVAC maintenance isn't just about reducing wear and tear on heating equipment. It also can be a boon for energy bills. By allowing an HVAC technician to change belts, lubricate moving parts, and test the unit's efficiency, homeowners can expect lower energy bills and repair bills.

Maintenance is recommended twice per year. One visit in the spring and fall is standard, but there is always time to start reaping maintenance benefits, so call as soon as possible to start saving money for the holidays.

About Chad's AC Direct

Chad's AC Direct is ready to help every home reduce the cost of heating bills and HVAC repairs. They offer handwritten estimates for every job and itemize all their parts and labor. Call today for residential and commercial AC service in Montgomery, AL.

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How to Get the HVAC System Ready for Fall

Chad's AC Direct HVAC service offers a charming white house surrounded by trees and colorful fall landscaping.

Learn About These Preventative Maintenance Tricks

As autumn approaches, everyone has pumpkin spice lattes and the holidays on their minds. They seldom give thought to how their HVAC adjusts to the new season––that is until the HVAC system malfunctions. Then, it's all homeowners can think about.

There are many things homeowners can do to ease the HVAC's transition from summer into fall. Even one of the following measures can save time, money, and stress. Some of those measures include:

Scheduling an Appointment with an HVAC Maintenance Professional

The U.S. Department of Energy suggests that homeowners schedule annual appointments with HVAC maintenance professionals. These specialists employ a host of services when evaluating a heater or air conditioning system, such as:

Checking the system's refrigerant levels
Testing for any leaks using specialized equipment
Evaluating the belts for any above-average wear-and-tear
Measuring airflow
Testing for any excess pollen, mold, or mildew growth
Cleaning the coils

Most HVAC systems, with proper maintenance, last about 15 years. Having a professional service the unit can make it last even longer.

Change the Unit's Air Filter

EnergyStar stresses the importance of changing the HVAC system's air filter. It notes that, for optimal usage, one should change the air filter once every three months––even if they don't notice anything different with their HVAC system. EnergyStar reports that if a home has a lot of occupants (especially furry friends), one should change the air filter even more often than tri-monthly.

But why are air filters so important? Well, imagine the HVAC system like the home's respiratory system. Depending on the homeowner's preferences, it draws in air and makes it hot or cold. The air filter prevents hair, dust, dander, and other indoor pollutants from clogging up the system. When the air filter is clogged, the HVAC system can't breathe. This can:

Make the home's air feel stagnant
Prevent the thermostat from working properly
Lead to higher-than-average energy bills
Increase the home's energy usage
Increase the home's humidity
Lead to mold and mildew growth

A clogged air filter also strains the HVAC system, making it "live" shorter than it should.

Monitor the Home's Energy Usage

Problems with the HVAC system don't come out of nowhere. Usually, there are small signs that indicate a problem is brewing. One of those signs includes increased energy usage. Homeowners should have a rough understanding of how much their gas, water, and electricity bills are each month. Any deviation from the average bill could mean that the HVAC system is working longer than it should.

When the HVAC kicks into overdrive to regulate the home's indoor temperature, this can:

Increase the likelihood of a fire
Cause the AC system to short cycle
Lead to higher and higher energy bills
Put unreasonable strain on the heater and AC system
Cause problems to occur more frequently

High energy bills do not equal high efficiency. They generally point to an underlying problem with the HVAC system, whether an old air filter or a worn belt.

About Chad's AC Direct

Out of more than 300 Google Reviews, Chad's AC Direct boasts a solid five-star rating. That's because residents of Montgomery, Alabama, have turned to them for years. They offer discounted, same-day, and a host of other services. If one wants help prepping the HVAC system for the fall, they can make an appointment today.