If you feel like you’re not yet master of your own wood fireplace, here’s a crash course on how to advance your skill set by creating and sustaining longer-lasting fires with greater heat generation. Wood Stove vs. Fireplace It’s easier to get a fire started in a conventional fireplace, but easier to keep one going…
How to Avoid Costly AC Mistakes
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, air conditioners use about 6 percent of all the electricity produced in the U.S. Today, in fact, more than 90 percent of US households rely on some sort of air conditioning to help them beat the heat. Can that level of energy consumption be reduced without depriving anyone…
Back to School Health Tips for Students
It was bound to happen: a fond farewell to summer and perhaps a tepid greeting to a brand-new school year. How’s the state of readiness in your household? Well, for purposes of this blog, we’re going to assume you have clothes shopping, new school supplies, a return to normal bed times, and other such matters…
“Must” Home Maintenance Chores
You know the old expression: “If these walls could talk!” Quaint and wistful, don’t you think? But its core message is that walls really CAN’T talk Not to mention lights, furnaces, AC condensing units, windows, doors and other inanimate objects. Here at Optimum Air, we respectfully disagree. Oh, sure, they can’t actually speak any more…
How Your AC Evaporator Coils Can Freeze, and What Happens When They Do
Time for a little AC 101 – at least until we get to the meat of this blog. Your home air conditioning system consists of three main parts: the outside condensing unit, indoor air handler, and the air ducts that deliver cool, fresh air through your vents or registers. While companies like ours perform countless…
How Improved Air Circulation Can Reduce Your Energy Costs
The older your AC system, the more it costs to run it – just a simple fact of life in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. But that doesn’t mean you should be content with those ever-climbing utility bills. In fact, go ahead and get mad at them if it helps. Even better, resolve to do something…
Does My Home Need More Attic Ventilation?
Roofing experts claim the majority of U.S. homes do not have proper attic (or roof) ventilation. That can lead to severe roof damage plus big spikes in your energy bills. Without proper ventilation, attic temperatures can climb to 140 degrees and higher during the summer months. What does it feel like? Just like the inside…
What You Need to Know About Automatic Zoning
If this is not your first Optimum Air blog, you may recall us talking about signs that your air conditioning system might need some professional attention – one of those being hot and cold spots throughout your house. Well, that same phenomenon can be caused by having only one thermostat, especially if yours is a…
How to Remove Allergens from Your Home
Even if you see your house as small, it really isn’t – at least not when it comes to ridding your home of allergens. Allergens can gather and multiply just about anywhere and, room by room, there are different ways to keep the problem under control. Since taking on your entire house is just too…
What to Ask About a Home’s HVAC Systems
If you’re looking to buy someone else’s home (vs. building your own), there’s a lot to consider. That, of course, includes the home’s heating and cooling systems. And unless you bring in your own HVAC contractor to inspect them, you’re going to have to take the word of the seller and the person selected for…