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What You Need to Know About Your First Home’s HVAC System

First-time home buyers learn a lot during the home buying process, but it’s not all about your mortgage. The home has many parts that must be considered and looked at before moving in or immediately after.

One of the most important steps should be to check out the HVAC system to get an idea of how old it is and how long it can go without being repaired or replaced. Here are some tips about the system when you move into your first home:

Have the HVAC System Inspected

You can do this by yourself with a quick check or hire a professional to do a thorough check. If you’re doing it by yourself, look at the unit to see if there is any rust and listen to see if it sounds normal when running.

The general rule of thumb is that an HVAC system needs to be replaced after 10 years, but that can vary depending on how well it was cared for throughout its life up to that point. If the unit is getting close to the 10-year mark, consider that if it needs to undergo any repairs. It could be cheaper in the long run for you to purchase a new system instead of continually paying for fixes.

If you can investigate the HVAC system before you move in, consider trying to use it as leverage to get the house for a cheaper price since the unit will likely have to be replaced in the future.

Ducts Play An Important Role

Seek out the ducts that are visible in the house — check the attic or basement for those — for any noticeable problems. Any rust, condensation on the outside, gaps or loose connections can be red flags with the ducts and should be fixed by the owner or an A/C professional.

If the duct issues go ignored, it will cost you monthly on the utility bill and could shorten the life of the system because it will put more work on the HVAC system. Duct work is an important part of making sure your first home is off to a good start.

Insulation Can Ease Stress

Insulation is one of the most important elements to your comfort indoors. If helps keep the cool air inside during the summer and the warm air inside during the winter. However, it’s tough to know much about the insulation when you move into your first home. Ask your realtor or the previous home owner to try gaining more information about how you should proceed.

The insulation is one of the most important areas of the house regarding your future comfort, but it’s also one of the most difficult to account for since you can’t see it. If you don’t have enough of it, you’ll notice almost immediately after moving into the house. It’s also important to remember that some rooms could have more insulation than others.

If you’re moving into your first home and want trained professionals to make sure your HVAC system is in good shape, call Gator Air & Energy at 352-275-4827 or send us a message on our website.

When to Kick Your A/C Unit to the Curb

A/C unit repair is a frustrating option for homeowners, but when is it time to stop calling for repairs and start calling for a new unit?

This is a question many homeowners battle with, especially as their A/C unit ages. There comes a time where you should stop dealing with the frustrating, continued repairs and purchase a new unit.

Here’s how to know when that time comes:

Think About The Age

When an A/C unit passes the 10-year mark, it’s time to start planning for a replacement. It doesn’t have to happen immediately at the 10-year mark, but this is the general rule of thumb for the average lifespan of a unit. That can increase or decrease based on how well the unit is maintained throughout its life.

If you need continued repairs around the 10-year mark of a unit’s lifespan, this is the time to heavily consider starting over with a brand new unit. It’s also a good time to evaluate how long you plan to stay in the home and make the decision based on that.

Frequency of A/C Unit Repairs

A one-time repair is nothing to worry about. These small repairs aren’t uncommon and shouldn’t have you questioning the long term health of your system.

The problem comes when the repairs begin to happen frequently. When that becomes a routine and the system gets up in age, that’s when you need to start considering if it would be more cost effective to get a new A/C unit.

History of Energy Bills

It’s always a good idea to keep your eye on the price of your monthly utility bill. Any sharp spikes could be a sign of issues, but even without a quick increase, the bill can still tell you a lot about the unit.

HVAC systems are typically responsible for about half of the money in your bill. The bill will naturally go up as the system runs more when the weather gets hot, but continued increases in the bill can be a sign that there is something wrong with the unit. If the cost continues to go up and you have an old A/C unit, it’s not a bad idea to start planning for a new one.

Home Temperature

When the A/C unit gets up in age, it’s even more important to keep an eye on the temperature inside your home. If you notice it feeling hotter than normal, this can also be a sign that the HVAC system needs to be replaced.

These hotter temperatures can signal that your unit is having problems cooling the house. When that happens, it’s usually time to start looking at a replacement.

If you’re debating whether or not your A/C unit should be replaced and want the help of trained professionals, call Gator Air & Energy at 352-275-4827 or send us a message on our website.

AC Repair: What Does Regular Maintenance Entail?

Question: How often do you think you should have your HVAC serviced by an experienced contractor?

Once a year?
Every 5 years?
Only when it stops working?

A good HVAC maintenance plan calls for a comprehensive check on your entire AC system by an experienced contractor every three to six months.

There are 2 main reasons this maintenance schedule is recommended:

To make sure your system is running smoothly, at its maximum capacity, and its minimum energy consumption, BEFORE you really need to use it.
You are likely to get a more timely service if you arrange it for before service technicians get busy in heavy air conditioning season.

Regular HVAC service can be compared to regular car maintenance: you can pay a little bit for routine service or wait and pay a hefty amount for major ac repairs. Many people wait until their air conditioner is making a strange noise or isn’t running properly before they call for service but costly ac repairs can be avoided by preventing a problem before it starts.

Even if your air conditioner seems to be running smoothly, it can lose about 5% of its operational efficiency every year. According to energy.gov, regularly servicing a a unit will maintain up to 95% of its original efficiency. This means that the cost of a regular service is quickly recovered in savings on your monthly electricity bill as well as reduced repair costs. A properly serviced air conditioner will also do a better job of dehumidifying your home

What does regular HVAC maintenance entail?

A service technician looks at and listens to your air conditioning system closely. Typically, maintenance includes:

Check for correct amount of refrigerant
Test for refrigerant leaks using a leak detector
Check for and seal duct leakage in central systems
Measure airflow through the evaporator coil
Verify the correct electric control sequence and make sure that the heating system and cooling system cannot operate simultaneously
Inspect electric terminals, clean and tighten connections, and apply a non-conductive coating if necessary
Oil motors and check belts for tightness and wea
Check the accuracy of the thermostat
While it may be tempting to investigate and try to fix AC problems yourself, more often than not, taking matters into your own hands can cause more harm than good. There are, however, ways to assist a licensed contractor with his/her inspection and repair of your AC unit.

How to prepare for your service call

Outdoor Maintenance

Clean any dirt, leaves and debris outside the main cabinet.
Inspect the base pan for blocked drain openings.
Inspect the coil and cabinet for any holes and leaks.
Inspect the fan blades while they’re in motion and stationary to determine wear and damage.
Inspect and clean outside of control box associated with unit.

Indoor Maintenance

Clean or replace filters.
Check for leaks in the ductwork.
Check for any unusual odors when your system starts.
Listen for abnormal noises when your system starts.
Inspect your control box wiring and connections.

What are the benefits of regular service?

All major equipment needs routine maintenance to keep it running reliably. Regular servicing of your air conditioner will provide you with a number of benefits, such as:

Improved efficiency
Chances of a costly, major breakdown at the worse time will be reduced
Lifespan of the unit will be prolonged
Your comfort will be increased
Energy efficiency that translates to lower bills

Have more questions about maintenance and AC repairs?

Contact Gator Air and Energy for more information or to schedule your next maintenance appointment.

5 Tips to Save Money Heating Your Florida Home

Contrary to popular belief, Florida does get pretty cold in the winter. Here in North Central Florida, we spend many winter mornings scraping frost off of vehicle windshields. These colder temps mean that heating bills can be as high, or higher, than summer months. Aside from regular maintenance of your HVAC system, there are other steps you can take to save money on heating costs. Here are some useful tips for heating your home:

Set your thermostat at 68°F or lower during the winter months. For each degree you increase the temperature from the recommended setting, your bill can increase up to 4%. You can also install programmable thermostats that control set temps when you’re out of the house — reducing cost. Some models allow you control the thermostat from your smartphone.

Check your heating system’s filters once a month and clean or replace as needed. Maintaining the system helps it to run longer while using less energy.

Weatherize your home. The Department of Energy confirms that you can save 30% off heating costs by simply caulking, sealing and weather-stripping around all windows, outside doors or where plumbing, ductwork and electrical wiring penetrate exterior walls, floors or ceilings.

If you are considering buying a new HVAC system, make sure it is sized properly. An HVAC system that’s too large for your home can use more energy than necessary to heat and cool your home. A properly sized system can save you $600 a year.

Install the thermostat on an inside wall, away from windows and doors. The thermostat records the temperature of your home (specifically the room in which it is placed) and uses that information to judge whether the heating or cooling system needs to kick on. If the thermostat is located near a window and heated by direct sunlight, it “thinks” the house is warmer than it actually feels. These inaccurate readings cause heating and cooling systems to waste a ton of energy unnecessarily.

Use insulated or heavy curtains on windows that face north. Keep curtains and shades closed at night or on cloudy days. This especially helpful with drafty windows.

For more cost-saving information, visit the U.S. Department of Energy.

Your best bet when it comes to energy savings is to have your HVAC unit checked before the temperatures start to drop. A unit that is heating properly makes all the difference.

Still have questions or need an energy efficiency consultation for your home or business? Let one of our licensed HVAC energy saving experts help!

Why a Gainesville Business Should Hire Gator Air and Energy for HVAC Services

Why Gator Air and Energy is the right choice for local Gainesville companies

Here at Gator Air and Energy, we take pride in our work, and we strive to make sure that our output is the highest quality possible. Therefore, in order to explain our personal standards for our services, we have contributed this blog that sums up everything we can do for local Gainesville businesses that need commercial HVAC help and why we are a very good fit for most companies.

Why Gator Air and Energy is a Good Fit For Gainesville

Our Customer Service is Unparalleled

We strive to give the absolute best customer service to all our clients. We accomplish this by responding to every call within two hours of the time it was made during the business day. Usually, our quick response time allows us to solve your problem within the day you placed the call, though the nature of the problem could affect this. Furthermore, we put the customer’s needs first by using a “repair instead of replace” strategy as frequently as possible. Oftentimes, A/C units can easily be replaced, but replacing a unit is a huge investment, and sometimes our customers cannot fit that expense into their budgets immediately. We understand that, so we will do our best to repair your unit in order to make it last as long as possible. Gator Air and Energy is committed to getting you what you need, and we will always be honest with you about all of the different options available.

Our Prices are Perfect for Small Businesses

As a small business ourselves, we understand that the budget for a business can be very involved, so we try to price our services with budget complications in mind. We do never charge overtime, and we only send trained technicians that are able to find and solve most problems quickly and efficiently. These promises produce cheaper rates for you. However, as we keep these promises, we still refuse to sacrifice quality and service, so we always take our time to guarantee that all problems have been solved thoroughly and that you have nothing to worry about for the future.

Our Service is Brand-Friendly

Instead of being locked into a contract for certain HVAC manufacturing companies, we service all brands. This fact gives you the ability to pick and choose the absolute best HVAC system for your company building. In addition, not only does our universal approach to manufacturers supply you with choices, but also it also affords you cheaper rates.

Our Technicians are Fully Trained

At Gator Air and Energy, our technicians are extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the HVAC system. Why is this important? Well, when a technician is only trained in specific parts of an air conditioning system, they have a narrow scope of knowledge and may not notice other possible problems with their customers’ systems. By ensuring that all of our technicians are equipped with comprehensive knowledge of air conditioning systems, we are able to be proactive, not reactive, in our repairs. We can discover where there might be a future issue, and we can fix it before it happens.

Our Checkups are Always Thorough

When we perform our annual business checkups, we are sure to be as thorough as possible. Not only do we check the HVAC system for problems, but we also check the whole building to make sure there are no discrepancies. If we can find a way to help your business be more energy efficient, it makes our day.

We Keep You in The Loop

Whether we are providing a one-time repair or a quarterly checkup, we make sure that you know about the problem and about any other potential issues, and we always explain what we did or can do to fix those issues. We know that as manager of a small business, you need to know what is going on in all aspects of your company, and with that in mind, we promise to keep you updated on anything that we fix or do with your HVAC system.

We strive to make sure that our output is the highest quality possible.

Why Gator Air and Energy is a Good Fit For You

Want to learn more about how we cater to your Gainesville business? Then please contact us here or visit our page to continue to find out about our services.

Communication is Key: Why Working With an HVAC Contractor That Keeps Your Company Updated is Crucial

Why communication is so important, and what you should do to encourage communication with your HVAC contractor

When you are running a small business, you need to know what is going on in all areas of your company. So why is it that many HVAC companies fail to share all of the details of what they doing with you? Well, Gator Air and Energy has the list of reasons why, and we also have the facts you need to be more prepared for HVAC services in the future.

Frequent Checkups + No Communication = Surprise Fees

If you are a small business owner with your own brick and mortar building, you might be in a contract with a local HVAC company. If so, that contract probably affords you quarterly or offseason checkups on your system. When these checkups happen, do your HVAC technicians stop by, inspect your building’s unit, and then leave? While that kind of behavior is not necessarily a bad thing, knowing what they are doing and when they are doing it can help you as a business owner better understand what you are paying for and not be caught by surprise fees.

Surprise Fees = The Dread of Business Owners Nationwide

The fees that come along with regular maintenance, such as replacing parts or updating your system, are not generally a surprise to the HVAC technician working with your system. However, that HVAC technician is not updating you as to what is going on with your system, then any fee other than the regular maintenance fee will come as an unwelcome surprise to you the business owner. Therefore, it is in the best interests of both the contractor and the business owner to be as upfront as possible, and for the contractor to warn the business owner of possible future problems.

Communication + Information = The End of Surprise Fees

As a manager, you can take control of the situation simply by asking to be kept informed about what the technicians are doing when they visit. Some HVAC companies that work with small business do not worry about telling the managers about what they are doing because managers often do not understand what technicians tell them. HVAC companies figure that it is easier to understand how much the changes will cost rather than what the changes actually are. However, if you ask to be informed regardless of whether or not you will understand what they are saying specifically, then you will compel them to begin the habit of notifying you. With this habit, you can know whether or not you really need to spend the money they ask you to spend, or at the very least, you can prepare yourself for the inevitable expenditure.

Gator Air and Energy = The Ultimate Solution

The best way to insure that you will regularly communicate with your HVAC contractor is to hire a company that already prides itself in their tendency to keep their customers up to date. If you are a small business owner in Gainesville, the solution to your HVAC needs is Gator Air and Energy. To discover how much Gator Air and Energy is willing to share with you, contact us for a consultation, and visit our page on commercial HVAC services for more information.

What You Should Expect In Your Company’s HVAC Contractor

Helpful tips on attributes to look for in an HVAC contractor for your business

As a small business owner, you have many important decisions to make, and finding a reliable HVAC contractor is one of them. At first glance, many A/C companies offer similar products, and therefore, service is often the feature that sets them apart.

In fact, the quality of service your HVAC contractor maintains is actually so important that poor service can be detrimental to your business. So, in order to assist you in your search for the HVAC contractor that will supply you with the best service, Gator Air and Energy has compiled a list of things to look for when you are choosing an HVAC company with which to work.

What to Look For In An HVAC Company

Speedy Response Time

When your A/C goes out during a Gainesville summer, it is not hard to imagine why you would want a company that responds to your calls as soon as possible. Most companies will talk about their response time on their website, but you should definitely test them on that before locking into any contracts. Call them to ask questions and schedule inspections for various maintenance needs to see how quickly they arrive. If you don’t have the time or the resources to be calling other companies, just check their customer reviews. Most companies should have reviews on their website as well, and usually, people will rave about the speedy response if that is a strongpoint of the company.

Hidden Fees

Whether they appear in cell phone bills, online buys, or car purchases, no one likes hidden fees. Therefore, to avoid these unpleasant financial surprises, make sure that the HVAC company is completely upfront with you about what they will charge before going into long-term business with them. Generally, you can just ask them if they charge any fees that aren’t advertised on the website when they come out to inspect or fix something.

Trained Technicians

Does the company you’re considering have technicians trained in every aspect of air conditioning repair, or do they have people specifically trained for just one job? To save money, many companies will hire someone and teach them just how to change filters, and they’ll send that person out for those jobs. However, without having a fully developed eye and ear for A/C units, those technicians might not notice other potential issues that more knowledge would enable them to prevent. A technician trained in all aspects of A/C units can better service your company than one with limited skills.

Customer Reviews

Most local HVAC companies produce relatively comparable products and services, so their customer service is the reflection of their company that will really make them shine. Therefore, the most effective means of discovering if a company will suit your needs is to ask other local business owners and read the reviews on the Internet about their service.

Most local HVAC companies produce relatively comparable products and services, so their customer service is the reflection of their company that will really make them shine

What HVAC Company to Look For

If your business is located in Gainesville, FL, and you are looking for a great HVAC company that cares about its customers, then look no further than Gator Air and Energy! Feel free to contact us for a consultation, and we’d be happy to meet with you.

How to Properly Take Care of Your Ductwork – Part 1 of 2

The Preventative Measures That Keep Your Air Ducts In Peak Condition

Isn’t it every Floridian’s dream to breathe clean air within their mold-free home? If so, then Gator Air and Energy can help you turn your dream into a reality by revealing some simple ways in which you can do just that! By taking care of your ductwork, you can ensure that your air conditioning is operating to its full potential year round, so take advantage of our practical advice by incorporating these preventative practices into your regular home care routine.

Preventative Measures for Clean Air Ducts

Check Your Air Filter

Air filters are supposed to be replaced about four times a year, if not more. Dirty filters allow dirty air to flow through your house, so your air ducts will be filthy. While this occurrence usually doesn’t cause mold, it is still safer to maintain this habit as well as possible because dirty air can have unhealthy effects on you and those around you. Dirty air can trigger allergies, but clean air can help you, your family, and your coworkers avoid allergy issues and other respiratory problems.

Keep Your Condenser Coil Clean

What is the condenser coil? Technically, it converts gas to liquid, includes a refrigerant, and when air is blown over the top of it, it converts it to a cooler temperature. Essentially, the condenser coil is what makes your air conditioning cold. Unfortunately, if the coil or the fan is dirty, the air blowing over it can get restricted. From there, the air blows too cold and creates a lot of condensation. With all that water comes mold and of course, water damage. Both of these are dangerous for your house. Stagnant water not only erodes its surroundings, but it can also be breeding grounds for various insects, according to the World Health Organization.

Monitor Your Energy Bill

If you notice that you are consistently spending a lot more money for the same amount of air conditioning usage each month, then there might be a problem with your air ducts. Even if you can’t see mold, or the air conditioning doesn’t seem to be spotty, a problem such as a leak or a closed air duct valve could still exist. Therefore, it is definitely a good idea to have your air ducts inspected, just in case.

More Advice to Come

Those are the three best preventative practices to prevent you from having to deal with poor ductwork. These practices can save you money on your energy bill and keep the air in your home clean and cold.

However, if you already see mold around your vents or are experiencing erratic air conditioning, then stay tuned for part two of “How to Properly Take Care of Your Ductwork”, in which you can read about the importance of duct dnspections and duct cleanings. In the meantime, however, please contact us with questions or look up our services here.

Is Your Restaurant at Risk? The Importance of Keeping Restaurant Air Ducts Clean

Maintain safety for the customers, employees, and food of your restaurant by cleaning out the air conditioning ducts

If you own a restaurant, you should have your air conditioning ducts cleaned several times per year to make sure that your air is clean and safe for both your employees and your customers. According to TheRestaurantGuide.com, having dirty air ducts in a restaurant can be everything from a food contaminator to a fire hazard. Therefore, Gator Air and Energy has taken the time to answer many questions about why restaurant owners will want to upkeep their air ducts.

What Are the Specific Dangers of Dirty Ducts?

Here are some of the more common dangers of not cleaning one’s restaurant ductwork often enough:

Fire

Fires can be caused by a buildup of grease in the ductwork or ventilation hoods
Poorly cleaned hoods cause 21% of all fires

Bacteria such as e. coli and salmonella

These bacteria appear if the meat is not fully cooked
Bacteria can lead to irregular heating

Overheating Kitchen

An overheated kitchen leads to faster food spoilage, mold, and other bacteria

Dirty air ducts in a restaurant can be everything from a food contaminator to a fire hazard.

How Often Should You Clean the Ducts?

The best way to ensure safety in your kitchen is to set up a regular cleaning schedule. Train your employees to clean only what they can reach, and make sure that cleaning moves through a weekly schedule at least. Setting up a schedule of regular duct cleanings with professionals is also necessary. No matter who you choose to work with for your duct cleanings, just remember that a restaurant will need a thorough duct cleaning anywhere from once a year to four times a year depending on its output. HoodCleaningConsultant.com has more specific standards for how often per year your company should have the ducts cleaned.

How Can You Clean the Ducts?

As mentioned before, you need to hire a professional to clean your ducts once a year at the very least, depending on what you cook. However, you can do some of the work yourself. Remember to clean only what is within safe reach of your employees, and do not try clean out everything without the help of a professional. For instance, don’t try to clean the inside of the ducts, but work on the ventilation hood, and replace filters, etc. It’s recommended that you clean out your kitchen as much as you possibly can.

Keep Up With The Competition

As you may well know, today’s restaurant business is extremely competitive, and cleanliness is more important now than ever. Maintaining the cleanliness of your ducts is not only a necessary health practice to follow, but it is also essential to staying in competition with other restaurants and just staying in business in general.

If you are a local Gainesville restaurant and you would like to contact professionals to clean your ducts, please contact us. For more information on duct cleaning, click here.

Improve Your Air Quality: How to Eliminate Dander and Pet Odor in Your Veterinary Clinic

How the simple and often forgotten task of installing UV Lighting in your HVAC system can improve the indoor air quality of your veterinary office

Indoor air quality is incredibly important for any business, but especially so for veterinary clinics. Furthermore, ultraviolet lighting is an extremely effective way to rid your indoor air of potentially dangerous bacteria, fungi, mold, and viruses. Consequently, a potentially unknown or often overlooked quality of UV lighting is that it can remove dander and unpleasant odors for indoor air. Therefore, if you work in a veterinary office or a building plagued with pet dander, hair, and odor, keep reading to learn more about what installing UV lighting into your HVAC system can do to purify your air.

Ultraviolet lighting is an extremely effective way to rid your indoor air of potentially dangerous bacteria, fungi, mold, and viruses

What is Ultraviolet Light?

Ultraviolet light is radiation that is invisible to the human eye. It is a natural emission from the sun that causes suntans and sunburns. More importantly, ultraviolet light helps clean up some of the bacteria in the atmosphere.

Why Does Ultraviolet Light Matter?

Updated building techniques now keep new buildings more insulated, and this added insulation lowers the indoor air quality because it prevents the natural antibiotics from the sun from reaching the indoor air and helping to remove any bacteria. This situation combined with ultraviolet light’s ability to purify air means that ultraviolet extensions on your A/C units can definitely assist in maintaining the cleanliness of your clinic.

Why Do Veterinary Clinics Need Ultraviolet Light?

While every business would benefit from pristine indoor air, improved indoor air quality is particularly critical for any healthcare facility, especially one that caters to animals. As mentioned before, UV lights can purge your air of dander, odors, and bacteria. In a building bustling with animals of all shapes and sizes, having a ultraviolet light purifier installed in your HVAC system can not only improve your air quality, but also can work as a natural odor neutralizer.

What are the Benefits of Ultraviolet Light?

Ultraviolet lighting is very beneficial, as a single UV light is:

Able to cleanse the air of dander
Able to cleanse the air of bacteria, mold, and viruses
Able to deodorize the air
Generally not expensive to add to your current HVAC system
Environmentally efficient
Energy efficient

How Can You Secure an Ultraviolet Light?

Thankfully, adding an ultraviolet light to your HVAC system is pretty simple to do. Just call your local HVAC contractor and see if they have the capability to install one. If you need any more reason to install ultraviolet lights, know that they are a green choice due to their minimal energy consumption, and this quality also means that they will not add much to your annual expenses. Even more good news for those looking for UV lights in the Gainesville area is that not only can Gator Air and Energy install UV lights in your system, but we can also replace them on our annual checkups. Contact us today or visit our page to learn more about UV light installation.