Why Does My Air Conditioner Smell?

May 10, 2021

As the hot weather has settled in around Meridian, you have finally started up your air conditioner. To your surprise, when you did, there was an awful smell that accompanied the cooler air. Find out what is causing the distinctive aroma and what you can do to fix it. The Wrong Size System Having the right size system for your home is important to keeping the temperature comfortable. When your system is too big, the cooling cycles are very short, preventing it from dehumidifying your air. If your home’s humidity is greater than 50%, it can lead to a musty smell. Dirty Evaporator Coil The evaporator coil is located inside the unit, usually with your furnace or air handler. The air passes through the coil, transferring heat to the refrigerant to be vented outside. As air passes through the coil, it deposits small particles that already made it past your air filter. These particles collect over time, restricting air from flowing through the coils effectively. As the system runs, it condenses moisture from the air, which these particles absorb. The air and particles compound and emit a dingy smell as the air circulates back into your house. Clogged Condensate Drain...

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What Does Electrical Maintenance Include?

April 14, 2021

It is easy to forget about your electrical system, casually turning electrical appliances on and off every day. Some simple annual maintenance can help prevent catastrophic problems down the road. But what should that maintenance include to ensure your system is as safe as possible? Why Electrical Maintenance Is Important Most of your electrical system is hidden, with the face of outlets and light switches being all that some people see. However, what happens behind the plates and panels is what leads to major problems. Dust, moisture, and age are all problems with an electrical system. Dust near your connections can risk igniting a fire. Moisture can cause corrosion on your electrical connections, increasing resistance as electricity flows through the circuit. Increased resistance increases heat and can ignite dust. It is this increased resistance that leads to most electrical house fires. Taking a few minutes to inspect and maintain your electrical system will improve your electrical performance and protect your home. Inspect Your Breaker Panel One of the best places to start is your breaker panel. However, you want to go beyond the face of the panel to see if any breakers are tripped. Rather, you want to pull the...

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Is It Normal to Smell Gas Near a Furnace?

March 16, 2021

Your furnace is one of your most-used appliances, especially during the chilly fall and winter months. Although your unit works hard to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, noticing an unusual smell coming from your system can seem alarming. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to detect strange smells coming from their furnaces. In many cases, the smell of gas or other odors may point to a minor problem. However, it’s quite possible that these strange smells could point to a major issue that needs prompt attention. Following are a few common causes for a gas smell coming from the furnace and how you should respond if you do smell gas. Turning on Your Unit After It’s Been Unused for Awhile Your furnace sits unused during warmer weather. When you first turn your unit on again when temps turn cooler, it’s normal for accumulated dirt and debris that have settled in your furnace to produce a smell that could resemble gas. You can easily reduce the unpleasant smell by opening up your windows to allow for cross-ventilation. However, if you notice a strong smell of gas in your home or if you hear a hissing noise, leave the house immediately....

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Can Humidity Cause Electrical Problems Inside Homes?

February 4, 2021

A home is a unit made up of interconnected systems. Therefore, if one system in your home is malfunctioning, it could affect one or more of the other systems. One problem that could affect multiple areas of your home is an issue in your home’s ventilation infrastructure. If your Meridian home isn’t circulating air properly, you could end up with excess humidity. This excess humidity, unfortunately, could cause problems with other systems. That’s why the pros at encourage you to keep an eye on your home’s humidity so that you can prevent these problems from happening. How Does Humidity Collect in a Home? Anything you do that involves water can increase the relative humidity in your home. Washing clothes, taking showers, and even cooking can all release water vapor into the air. One of the biggest contributors to indoor humidity, though, is the water vapor that’s in every breath you exhale. Combined with the water vapor from other sources, it’s easy to see why many homes have high humidity levels. If your home is sealed tightly, very little of this water vapor can escape, meaning that it will remain in your home for extended periods. Problems With Electrical Wiring In...

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How Often Should You Replace A Furnace Filter?

January 21, 2021

Winters in Idaho can be brutal, so you want to make sure your furnace is working throughout the season. One of the most important maintenance tasks is keeping your furnace filters clean and working properly. With so much conflicting information available online, how do you know how often you should replace them? There is no magic number, but rather some ways for you to tell if it is time. Ultimately, one of the best things you can do is to pull them out and visually inspect them. Why Your Filter Needs to Be Changed Your entire HVAC system works by drawing air into your system, heating it, and then circulating it throughout your home. Without that air movement, the system cannot work properly and will cause repairs and higher heating bills. While there are many causes of airflow restrictions throughout your house, the most common is your furnace filters. When your system draws in air, the first step is for the air to pass through the filter. This helps keep contaminants out of the furnace to minimize airflow restrictions and reduce fire hazards. As your system runs, the filters will continue to collect contaminants. This means your system’s efficiency will...

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What Causes Flickering Lights and Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Them

December 15, 2020

You rely on electricity to keep your home safe and comfortable. When an electrical issue arises, it could put your family, home, and well-being in jeopardy. While flickering lights might seem like a minor problem, it could, in fact, be a sign of a much larger issue. Flickering lights can be incredibly annoying, but electrical problems that cause this issue can actually be quite serious. An occasional light flicker may be normal, especially if you live in an older home. However, if you begin to notice flickering that hasn’t happened before, you need to investigate. Flickering lights can be caused by a number of minor problems that you may be able to quickly address on your own without calling in a pro. If a bigger electrical issue is the culprit, though, it could be incredibly dangerous to try to fix the problem without professional help. The following are six common causes of flickering or blinking lights that you should watch for so you can get back to full brightness in no time. 1. Issues With the Light Bulb Itself If the flickering only happens in one light, the cause might be as simple as a loose bulb or the use...

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6 Simple Ideas for Winterizing a Home and Cutting Heating Costs

November 19, 2020

Once winter arrives, the temperature not only drops outside, but it will dip in your home, too. Firing up the furnace could restore your interior to a comfortable level. Of course, it costs money to heat a house. Does that mean each winter comes with an excessively high heating bill? Homeowners who take steps to winterize their residences might cut costs significantly. Here’s a look at some steps for winterizing a humble abode during the cold season months. 1. Change the Furnace’s Filter A filter serves several different purposes. Yes, the filter captures dirt and other impurities and keeps them out of the ducts. However, a filter also keeps dirt and dust from building up inside the furnace. Such buildups could lead to the system running inefficiently. Inefficiency could translate to the unit drawing more power to heat your interior spaces. More energy means higher bills. Changing the filter could address this problem. Ultimately, filters require timely changes regardless of winterizing and money-saving concerns. An old and clogged filter doesn’t help the furnace. 2. Sealing Up Drafts Drafts cause hot air to escape, and they let cold air inside. Not every homeowner takes steps to determine if windows and doors...

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Determining Which Thermostat to Use With Your Heating System

October 20, 2020

Keeping your Meridian home comfortable can be a bit of a balancing act. On one hand, you want to ensure that you always come home to a warm and enjoyable temperature. On the other hand, you don’t want your heating bills to be so high that you can’t afford to enjoy any wintertime activities. Fortunately, finding the right thermostat for your heating system can help you achieve this balance. The good news is that we at have a few suggestions to help you find the best thermostat for your needs. Understand Your Daily Routine When choosing a thermostat, it’s important to understand your daily routine. By understanding your routine, you can understand if you need a sophisticated smart thermostat or a simple mechanical thermostat. If you spend most of your time at home, for example, you may not have to program your thermostat since your temperature needs remain largely the same throughout the day. However, if you lead a busy life and spend quite a bit of time away from home, then a programmable thermostat will help you strike a better balance between comfort and energy usage. Understand Your Heating System At , we’ve seen a lot of different heating...

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Avoiding AC Repair Scams

September 19, 2020

Most families depend on their air conditioners to keep them cool through the spring and summer months. And when there is a problem with an HVAC system, you will more than likely turn to an AC service technician to repair it. The unfortunate truth is that not all AC repair companies operate with the level of ethics needed by their customers. This fact is bad news for a family who needs the problem with their air conditioning system addressed in a hurry. It may help a bit to familiarize yourself with common AC repair scams. The following covers some tips about how to avoid these scams before seeking to have your system serviced. 1. Replacing Parts That Still Work A shady repair technician may tell you that parts contained within your air conditioning system need to be repaired or replaced when there is nothing wrong with the AC part identified as the problem. Often this scam includes a quoted price for the new AC part that is so high it causes the customer to conclude a new HVAC system is a better option. One evidence of this scam is the claim by a technician that multiple parts are not working...

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Benefits of AC Surge Protectors

August 9, 2020

An aging or compromised power grid in your community is a safety issue that can affect an AC system. Installing an AC surge protector can put a stop to the potential damage caused by power surges and brownouts. The impact of a surge during hot weather can bring down your AC unit quickly. Here’s more information on the value of surge protection for your air conditioner. What Is Surge Protection? Our nation’s power grid has weaknesses. Electrical surges are spikes in voltage that can flow from the grid into your home’s electrical system. Every year, property owners are faced with electrical surges that can damage their home’s power system and appliances. These surges happen in microseconds and can occur without you even knowing what’s happening. With surge protection in place, the swell of power is stopped or diverted. This protects equipment connected to the electrical system from damage. What Causes Electrical Surges? Stormy weather can cause a surge in the power grid and result in problems for whole communities. Whole neighborhoods can suffer the effects of lightning hitting power lines or blowing a transformer. High winds and rain can also affect already degraded power lines and cause surges. Spikes in...

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