A moldy air conditioner is one of the most common complaints among Wasatch Front homeowners. Mold can be a tricky problem to deal with. For starters, it’s practically everywhere in your home, albeit in the form of inactive mold spores. But once the right conditions develop, those spores can quickly take hold of an area and flourish with little difficulty.

When mold takes hold of your air conditioner, the consequences often go beyond poor cooling performance. Once mold gets inside of your AC system, it has the potential to spread throughout your entire home. Exposure to mold can also trigger a range of upper respiratory tract symptoms, from coughs and nasal stuffiness to skin irritation and asthma.

Regardless of the season, you should always check your air conditioner for signs of possible mold growth. If you happen to find mold inside your air conditioner, you can take these steps to eliminate it.

Change is a constant in the HVAC industry, so it’s not unusual to see standards come and go and new technologies emerge. One such change is the current phase-out of R-22 refrigerant from use in air conditioners, heat pumps, and other appliances. While many older air conditioners still use R-22, the latest models are designed to use different, non-ozone depleting refrigerants. As part of the ongoing phase-out, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seeks to end new production and import of R-22 and other hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) by 2020. After 2020, HVAC technicians will only have dwindling stocks of new HCFC refrigerant and used refrigerant scavenged from non-functioning systems to rely on.

The upcoming spring offers a needed respite from bone-chilling winter weather. While you’re ready to welcome warmer temperatures with open arms, the same can’t be said of your air conditioner.

After spending the previous months in dormancy, your air conditioner will need plenty of work done before it’s ready to keep your home cool and comfortable. Here are six ways you can prepare your air conditioner for spring.

When you think about poor air quality you may picture summertime issues like pollen and ragweed, city smog, and seasonally high humidity levels. You may assume that as temperatures decrease, so does your need for an air purifier.

However, while icy air can feel crisp and clean when you walk out of your home, your indoor air quality during the winter months is likely at it the worst level you’ll experience through the entire year.

In this blog, we list five reasons to continue using your existing air purifier year round or to add an air purifier to your HVAC System this winter.

Chances are you haven’t started your furnace since last winter, especially given how hot it can get on the Wasatch Front. After giving your air conditioner a thorough workout, it’s finally time to put your furnace back into service. But as you do, you start smelling some rather strange odors — odors that give you plenty of concern about the state of your furnace.

The following provides a rundown of some of the more common odors you might encounter the first time you start your furnace for the winter. You’ll also find out what these odors mean for your furnace and how you can successfully clear the air.

Hard water is a common problem in Utah. In Layton, our water hardness falls between 112 and 169 mg/L, which means that we have moderately hard to hard water. Hard water is a problem for water heaters because it causes a mineral buildup that can reduce the efficiency of the unit and shorten its service life. Knowing how to recognize the signs of hard water and taking action to protect your water heater can help lengthen its lifespan and improve its efficiency.

Proper home ventilation carries many benefits, including the reduction of odors and allergens, and it may also help home occupants who suffer from certain respiratory problems. Unfortunately, many homes are not properly ventilated, even those that use central heating and air conditioning systems; furnaces and air conditioners merely circulate existing air and don’t effectively exchange stale, interior air with fresher outside air.

One of the most effective means of increasing ventilation in a home is through the use of whole house ventilation. Whole house systems can be used in addition to existing heating and air conditioning systems and come in several types. Below is more information about the three most common types of whole house ventilation systems.

A conventional HVAC system contains both a furnace and an air conditioner. In the winter, the furnace warms the home, and in the summer, the air conditioner cools it. But for Utah homeowners who hope to maintain the most energy-efficient home possible, there is an alternative to this conventional setup. Heat pumps are single appliances that provide either heating or cooling functions, depending on the season. Here is a closer look at this heating solution and why it’s becoming such a popular choice among eco-conscious homeowners.

As the leaves fall and the temperatures drop, you know that soon you’ll need to turn on your furnace to keep your home cozy and comfortable for the winter. Before you do so, there are a few steps you should take to ensure your furnace is in safe, working order.

Below, we discuss nine ways to prepare your furnace for winter.