Category: Featured

Acree Maintenance Plan: Why It’s Worth the Investment

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Many contractors and HVAC service providers have maintenance plans to help HVAC users stay on top of their unit maintenance. These plans offer various discounts, financing options, priority services, and more. If you live in Tampa FL and need professional services to keep your HVAC unit in proper condition as well as a good HVAC maintenance plan, look no further than Acree! We provide high quality services and our maintenance plan allows exclusive discounts and warranties. Below are some more detailed reasons why the Acree Maintenance Plan is worth the investment!

1. Bi-Annual Tune-Ups Every Year

Your HVAC unit needs at least two tune-ups or maintenance checks every year. During these checks, technicians will inspect for refrigerant leaks, issues with the unit’s coils, clogged air filters, etc. Biannual inspections will uncover any issues and whether or not immediate repairs are needed. While you might think that a biannual tune-up is unnecessary and costly, keep in mind that it can actually save you time, effort, and money on major repairs in the future. Costly problems can be prevented by simple and consistent maintenance. If you choose to get access to Acree’s maintenance plan, you will receive two annual tune-ups every year.

2. Exclusive Discounts

In addition to having annual tune-ups every year, you will have access to exclusive discounts that non-members will not have. You will also get priority service, warranties and other saving options. If you want to learn about the discounts available to members in detail, give the pros at Acree a call!

3. Utility Bill Savings

By simply changing your air filter, you can reduce your unit’s energy consumption by 5-15%. Imagine the savings when you perform more holistic maintenance twice a year! Proper maintenance for your air conditioner and/or heater ensures you save on your energy bill while keeping your HVAC in good shape – and your entire home comfortable!

4. Build a Relationship with Your HVAC Technician

Having a good relationship, built on trust and reliability, with your local HVAC technician is more important than you think. The experts at Acree guarantee that all our technicians are respectful, reliable, and highly skilled. Whether you need your HVAC unit maintained, repaired, or replaced, our pros will be more than happy to assist you and troubleshoot the problem in no time.

5. Extend HVAC System Lifespan

While your unit is supposed to last 10-15 years, it can last for a longer period if it is maintained consistently. By taking advantage of Acree’s maintenance plan, you can extend your heating and cooling unit’s life and ensure it keeps you and your family comfortable for longer!

Have more questions about Acree’s maintenance plan? Get in touch with our professionals by calling us today at 800-937-6736. Need to schedule service? Go to our website for fast, convenient scheduling. Whether you need heating, cooling, plumbing, or indoor air quality improvement services, our experts will be here to help you out in no time!

 

How to Clean Air in Your Home with UV Lights

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Certain pollutants and allergens have a higher chance of being found indoors rather than outdoors. To make sure they have good indoor air quality free of these allergens, many homeowners opt to use air purifiers. Air purifiers use all kinds of technology to reduce toxic, allergy-inducing particles in homes; HEPA filters, carbon filters and UV lights are just a few. While there is a lot that can be written about air purifiers and how you can keep your air clean, today the team at Acree is going to focus on how you can clean air with UV lights.

What is UV Light?

UV light or “ultraviolet light” is an electromagnetic form of radiation much like radio waves and x-rays. Radiated from the sun and other sources such as tanning beds, UV light can be detrimental to your skin and prolonged exposure can lead to skin cancer. It is divided up into three types of radiation—UV-A, UV-B and UV-C.

How Does UV Light Purify Air?

While UV light isn’t particularly good for you or your skin, it can help purify your air. Essentially, the UV lights rid indoor air of harmful airborne particles by destroying cells. When a UV light technology air purifier is plugged in, air is sucked into the purifier and passes through a filter, often a HEPA filter. After the air makes its way into the air purifier it passes through a small compartment containing UV-light. The UV light will then destroy the nucleic acids in the allergens’ cells, which can either kill them or stop them from performing vital functions.

What Particles Can UV Light Prevent?

UV light is especially effective in protecting your home from:

  • Mold and mildew
  • Bacteria
  • Viruses

Air purifiers with UV lights won’t be as effective in removing dust and dander particles, though some UV light air purifiers have been modified to perform this function as well.

Will I be Exposed to UV Radiation?

If your main reservation about UV light air purifiers is that you will be exposed to UV radiation, you don’t need to worry. While air purifiers will use UV lights to kill airborne mold and bacteria, you will not be exposed to UV radiation at all.

Is A UV Air Purifier Worth It?

If you are worried about mold growth in your home and you or your family members have had reactions to microorganisms such as mold spores or bacteria present in your air, a UV purifier might be what you need. With a germicidal UV air cleaner mounted in your duct system, you can rest assured that your indoor air will be far healthier and cleaner.

Have More Questions About UV Light Air Purifiers? Contact Acree Plumbing and Air!

If you want to learn more about how you can clean your air with UV lights, get in touch with the pros at Acree Plumbing and Air! Call us today at 800-937-6736 or schedule a service on our website!

How to Tell If Your Home Has an Air Leak

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how to tell if your home has an air leak

You’ve tried everything to lower your energy bill:

  • Set your thermostat at a temperature you’re almost uncomfortable with.
  • Used fans to cool you off or space heaters to warm you up instead of using the central system.
  • Watched less TV.
  • Diligently turned off lights in rooms you weren’t currently in.
  • Even unplugged appliances you’re not using.

So why is your energy bill still so high?

You could have an air leak in your home. It doesn’t matter what steps you take to conserve energy in your home if outside air is seeping into your house. It compromises your air circulation and makes it harder for your thermostat to maintain your selected temperature.

But how can you know for sure?

How to Tell If Your Home Has an Air Leak and What to Do About It

Window Test

When it comes to energy inefficiency, your windows are almost always the culprit. Especially if you have single-paned glass or archaically structured frames, air can escape through the sides, top, or bottom of your windows.

To see if you have an air leak through this source, simply place your hand near the edges of each window to see if you feel a draft. If your hands are already cold, you may not be able to properly tell if there is a draft. Instead, you might take a tissue and let it hang from your hand to see if it moves with a breeze.

Door Test

Just like the window test, the door test is simply feeling for a draft at the edges of your exterior-facing doors. A door draft is a little less likely, as weather stripping usually provides enough of a barrier between your cozy home and the blustery outdoors. However, your weather stripping can age and wear down over time.

Here are the doors that should be checked during this test:

  • Front Door
  • Back Door
  • Patio Door(s)
  • Balcony Door(s)
  • Garage Door

Light Test

The window and door tests can be difficult if you’re not entirely sure where the air is coming from. If it’s cold and breezy and in your home, due to a ceiling fan, box fan, or central AC that’s really putting in overtime, then you may not be able to tell if you have an air leak, just by feeling for a draft.

The light test lets you use your eyesight, rather than your tactile sense, to detect an air leak.

This test works primarily with doors (as, of course, you would be able to see light through a window). You’ll need a partner and a flashlight. While it’s dark out, have your partner stand on the other side of your front door and shine the flashlight at the door, taking extra care to shine the beam on the weather stripping and bottom of the door. If you can see light, that means your central air can escape and outside air can get in, compromising the energy efficiency in your home.

Repeat this test with all exterior doors in your home.

Repairing an Air Leak vs. Replacing Your HVAC Unit

Were your windows or doors compromised? If so, you’ll need to patch up your air leaks. You can have the weather stripping at your doors replaced by a professional or have your window edges re-caulked.

But what happens if your home doesn’t have an air leak and your energy bill is still really high?

In this case, it may be that your HVAC unit is old and unable to withstand your temperature demands. Call one of the friendly representatives at Acree to have your HVAC unit replaced by a licensed, skilled professional.