Time to Summer-ize Your Home

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Summer is almost here. It’s time to summer-ize your home. Just as winterizing your home is important for comfort and energy efficiency, it’s also important to prepare your home for the warm weather. Now is the time to have your central air conditioning checked, not when it’s already hot out.

Robison is your trusted source for everything related to home comfort quality. We provide complete HVAC services to Westchester and Putnam Counties. Robison covers the entire gamut of home comfort needs, including air conditioning, air cleaners, high or low humidity, drafts, and system balancing, everything your home needs to prepare for summer,’’ said Dan Singer, co-president of Robison. 

Air Conditioning 

Many people don’t think about their central air conditioning until that first 90-degree day. Just like your swimming pool, your HVAC system needs regular maintenance to ensure that it’s working as it should be — and circulating clean air. Regular checkups help identify potential problems before they become major ones.

You can improve your air conditioning system efficiency by 5 percent with routine cleaning and changing filters – at least every 90 days. Cleaning air supply grills will help too. 

But leave it to the pros for these important checks:

  • Configure the thermostat for maximum efficiency.
  • Make sure drain lines are clear and unobstructed. A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels.
  • Clean AC coils. Dirty coils reduce the system’s ability to cool your home, increase energy costs and reduce the life of the equipment.
  • Check on AC refrigerant levels and adjust them if necessary.
  • Clean and adjust blower components for proper system airflow for greater comfort.
  • Check electrical voltage and current on motors.
  • Lubricate moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increases the amount of electricity you use.
  • Check to make sure all ducts are unobstructed.
  • Vacuum refrigerator coils to remove dust.

Air Quality 

During the pandemic, we learned just how important clean, fresh air is to our health. 

Robison is a leader in Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) solutions. Indoor Air Quality solutions provide a way to keep your home free of dust, dander, bacteria, and pollutants. Robison carries a full line of high-efficiency air cleaners that can greatly reduce allergens in your home. Robison also has a full line of humidifiers and dehumidifiers to increase the comfort of your home.

Cleaning Air Ducts 

Having your air ducts cleaned is the first step to improving indoor air quality. You should never go more than a couple of years without having your air duct cleaned. The same dust, hair, and dirt you vacuum from your floors and upholstery builds up. This debris filters into your ducts and gets re-circulated through your house, leading to problems ranging from allergy symptoms to high energy bills.

Fresh Air Ventilation 

The air inside the home can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside. A properly functioning whole-home ventilation system is critical to maintaining a healthy home environment. Fresh air ventilation brings in air from the outside to dilute stagnant indoor air and remove airborne contaminants.

Products such as the Aprilaire Model 8145 Fresh Air Ventilator and Model 8126X Ventilation System bring in the recommended amount of fresh air, using only a minimal amount of energy. Combining fresh air ventilation with IAQ thermostats allows homeowners to easily adjust the amount of fresh air being brought into their homes.

Mold Testing 

The presence of mold can aggravate allergies and breathing problems.

Mold spores often go undetected because they are invisible to the naked eye. But reactions to this substance eventually occur. Some mold can produce allergens, irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic chemical substances known as mycotoxins. Mold can cause asthma attacks and increased allergic reactions.

If you’re experiencing problems, have your home tested for mold. Samples of both the indoor air and outdoor air are taken so the results can be compared to see if a problem exists. 

UV Light Sterilization 

Something new we recommend is to have UV lights installed inside your HVAC system. It has been over 100 years since the discovery of UV light’s sterilizing, germ-killing properties, which led to their widespread use in various settings, including hospitals, restaurants, medical and dental practices. From there, it was only a natural progression for UV light to be applied to improving indoor air quality.

What are the benefits of UV light installation for HVAC systems?

  • UV lights remove bacteria, viruses, mold, and other dangerous contaminants in the air.
  • Help keep illness at bay: You and your family will have fewer instances of colds and flu.
  • Eliminates odor-causing contaminants: UV lights help to dissipate bad smells that can permeate the house.
  • Improved cooling and heating efficiency: The HVAC system’s better airflow and performance make it more efficient and reduce electricity costs.
  • HVAC systems can utilize two types of UV lights:
  • Coil Sterilization: A “stick type” light installed in the return air duct, which sterilizes the air handler coil. The light runs 24/7 and is the most common option.
  • Air Sterilization: A complete UV light unit that works to sterilize moving air. The unit is installed in the return air duct. Unlike the coil option, this cycles on with the air handler blower.

Then for even more assurance, we recommend the iWave-R air-purifying device for your HVAC system. When air passes over the iWave, ions produced by the device reduce airborne pathogens, smoke, and odors, creating a healthy environment without producing any harmful by-products. It’s easy to install, requires no maintenance, and is long-lasting.

To learn more about UV Germicidal Light and the iWave-R air purification solutions or any of our summer-izing services, call Robison today at 914-425-5791 or visit www.robisonoil.com.

Happy summer!