Oasis Heating, A/C & Refrigeration Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Information’

Why an Oversized Air Conditioner Is a Serious Problem

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2021

Oversized Air Conditioner Problems

Are you in the market for a new air conditioning system, either as a replacement for an older, ailing AC unit or as part of your new home? It’s important to have HVAC professionals involved in the process from the very beginning, not just for the actual few hours of work required to put the system in place and hook it up. You’ll want them to take the proper measurements, so you can be sure you have the correct size of unit for your home. If the air conditioner is too small, it will not provide the cooling your home needs. If it is too large, it causes its own set of problems.

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Identifying Your Home’s Heating System

Wednesday, June 16th, 2021

What Kind of Heating System Do I Have?

As a homeowner, it’s important that you know what type of heating system you have in your home. Knowing what type of heating system you have ensures you can keep your machinery properly maintained, which extends its lifetime. It also lets you potentially lower your monthly heating costs.

We’ve compiled the five most common heating systems installed in homes to help you determine what kind of heating system you have. If you’re still not sure, Call Oasis today!

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What Size Furnace Do I Need?

Tuesday, June 1st, 2021

What Size Furnace

When it’s cold outside, we want to stay comfortable inside. To ensure comfort during the winter months, nothing is as essential as a furnace — the great workhorse of domestic heating in the United States. For the furnace to work properly, however, it must be the right size. Buying the wrong furnace size for your home is an all-too-common mistake that can lead to uncomfortable temperatures and unnecessary expenses. To avoid these headaches, follow our detailed guide on how to accurately calculate the furnace size that is most suitable for your home.

The size of a furnace is based on how much heat it can produce in an hour, as measured in BTUs, or British thermal units. A BTU is the energy required to heat a pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. The higher the BTU rating a furnace has, the more warmth it can provide.

Please note: This blog is for informational purposes only. Please always consult with an HVAC professional when choosing the right size furnace for your home. 

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UV Germicidal Lights Will Cut Down on Illnesses

Tuesday, May 19th, 2020

Do you want to avoid getting sick during the winter or change of seasons? Of course you do. There a number of ways to increase your chances of staying healthy through the season. One you may not have considered is to call professionals to install a special kind of air cleaner into your HVAC system: UV germicidal lights (also known as UV air purifiers).

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Here’s What Can Happen if You Aren’t Changing Your AC’s Air Filter Regularly

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020

A part of air conditioning and heating maintenance that we stress often is changing an HVAC system’s air filter regularly. As we come to the last month of summer, any air conditioner that has a clogged filter because it hasn’t been swapped out for a fresh one can start to cause multiple problems. Below are a few of the issues your AC might face if it still has an old filter.

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UV Lights and Your Air Conditioning System Post COVID-19

Saturday, April 18th, 2020

Could UV Lights In Your AC System Prevent COVID-19?

One of the important services that we provide for homes in Springfield and the surrounding areas is the installation of UV germicidal lights into the HVAC system. This is the most effective way to eliminate harmful biological pollutants from moving through the air of your home.

The ultraviolet radiation from these lights destroys bacteria, mold spores, viruses, and various other unhealthy microorganisms that could be linked to preventing the spread of influenza-like illnesses like COVID-19. This is particularly helpful during the hot and humid weather that we experience here, which encourages the development of mold.

However, there is another important job that UV germicidal lights perform—and it has to do with your air conditioner.  Microorganisms – particularly viruses, are so tiny that filters are mostly ineffective. The UV systems have been shown to reduce problematic molds and pathogens that are found within the HVAC system and drain pan that would otherwise be introduced and distributed throughout the envelope of the building.

The Moldy Air Conditioner Problem

If you ever notice a peculiar “moldy” smell coming from the vents of your home when the AC is running, or a smell like dirty socks, then your air conditioner has probably developed mold across its evaporator coil. Appropriately, this is often called “dirty sock syndrome.”

It’s no surprise that mold can start to develop here. Water condenses across the coil as it absorbs heat from the air. Most of the water drips off into a pan below, but in humid weather too much can accumulate and make it easy for mold to grow. Not only does this create an unpleasant smell and release spores into the air, but it also makes it harder for the AC to work efficiently.

How the UV Lights Figure Into The Prevention of Illnesses

When UV germicidal lights are integrated into an HVAC system, they are set so they shine directly onto the air conditioner’s evaporator coils. This kills off mold and viruses, and prevents these harmful substances from developing in future seasons. While UV Systems have not been specifically tested against COVID-19, they have been proven effective against similar pathogens, some that need an even greater dosage for inactivation than the coronavirus.

So if you are encountering trouble with a moldy air conditioning and “dirty sock syndrome,” call up indoor air quality and HVAC specialists to have UV lights installed. Our experts know that it is better to be safe than sorry when serving our loyal customers of northern Virginia.

 

Schedule your maintenance appointment today or fill out our online contact form.

“Great timely service. Knowledgable and neat techs. Good value.”

“Would absolutely use their services again. Arrived on schedule.”

-Springfield, VA

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A Reminder about Changing Your HVAC System Air Filter This Winter

Tuesday, April 14th, 2020

Whether you use a furnace (electric or gas) or a heat pump to provide cozy indoor temperatures for your family during the winter, you need to pay attention to an important maintenance task: regularly changing the air filter. A forced-air system like a furnace must draw air from inside the home to heat it and then send it out through the ventilation system. The filter prevents debris that the blower fan will draw in from the rooms from entering into the furnace or heat pump and damaging components. (It isn’t specifically designed to improve air quality, however. You need to install a special set of filters for that.)

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Is UV Light Installation Actually Worth It?

Saturday, April 11th, 2020

You have many options when it comes to filtrating your indoor air to make your home more comfortable, and your family healthier. Each type of air filtration system has its own method of removing pollutants from your air. Air filters are beneficial, but they can only do so much, and may not be fully effective for your needs. UV germicidal lights are an excellent addition to your indoor air quality devices. But is it really worth it?

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Why a Whole-House Dehumidifier Is a Better Option Than a Portable One

Wednesday, April 8th, 2020

Proper dehumidification for a home is often vital during the humid summers here in Virginia. If the humidity is balanced between 30% and 50%, it makes a significant difference in indoor comfort: the air can feel as much as 10°F cooler, and that often means you won’t need to rely on the air conditioner. Not only will you enjoy better comfort in summer, you’ll have reduced energy bills as well.

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Top Benefits of a UV Air Purifier Today

Saturday, April 4th, 2020

Spring is allergy season, and a few weeks ago we wrote about the best ways to prepare for it with indoor air quality installations for your home. One of those recommendations was a UV air purifier, which uses ultraviolet radiation to eliminate a wide range of organic pollutants.

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