Mildew around air vents is an indication of sweating vents or ductwork. This can be caused high humidity inside the home or poorly insulated ductwork.

High humidity can cause extreme damage to your home as well as a number of health concerns. High humidity promotes mold and mildew growth and if left unchecked can cause damage to floors, windows, walls, doors, and furniture. Proper humidity levels will change the comfort level in your home and how well you breathe. Lower humidity levels in the summer will make your home feel cooler at higher temperatures saving money on utilities.

Most manufacturers estimate 12-15 years but with proper routine maintenance it could be extended to 20 years or more depending on the system.

In most cases 4-8 hours. If extensive ductwork needs to be corrected or upgraded it takes longer.

In this region during the colder months, outside humidity levels drop significantly. Also if your heat source a natural gas or a propane furnace system it tends dry the air as it passes over the heat exchanger. Oftentimes in these applications a whole home humidifer is needed to raise humidity levels during the heating season. Too little humidity can cause skin irritations such as eczema and other dermatitis as well as sinusitis and nose bleeds.

Even new units break down. Obviously no matter how dilligently a unit is maintained sometimes some breakdowns are unnavoidable. If a system is routinely maintained there is a much greater chance of reducing inconvenient breakdowns by catching the failing part before it completely fails. The number one reason for routine maintenace is that most manufacturer warranties are contingent upon routine maintenance for claims approval.

We recommend twice per year, once in the heating season and once in the cooling season. This ensures all functions and components are being checked regularly for proper operation in all seasons. Our maintenance plans are very affordable at $175 per year for each system or $14 per month.

In most circumstances filters need to be changed monthly but may need to be changed more frequently if the dust load is high for example if there are pets in the house or if you live in a wooded area. We don't recommend expensive filters. High Merv rated filters filter out more fine particles but clog very quickly causing unneccesary strain on the system and reducing airflow making it work more to condition your home and placing more strain on the systems compressor. The best filters to use are the cheapest paper pleated filters.

There are a few simple things the homeowner can do to extend the life of their system and improve performance.

1. Routine filter changes

2. When mowing, blow the grass away from your unit so the condenser coil doesnt get clogged as fast.

3. Make sure your dogs aren't urinating on your unit. This may sound strange but a common cause of refrigerant leaks is damaged condenser coil due to dogs urinating on them which usually will result in a non-covered claim by warraty companies.

4. Make sure rodents cannot get to your ductwork, they will destroy it.

5. Routine maintenance is key to maximizing the lifespan of any system.

If you're concerned with energy savings, most recommend 1-2 degrees higher in the summer and lower in the winter. If energy savings is not a concern then set it for your comfort. As long as your not setting extremely low temps on mild days the system will be fine.