Humidity Levels Affect Home Comfort

Humidity levels in the air affect the comfort of your home. 

Particularly true when you want to tailor the heating and cooling preferences to meet your home needs. Unfortunately, this is no exception during winter. Aside from the short days associated with the cold months, winter also brings along cold and dry air. The only way to make your home comfortable is by maintaining proper humidity level.
Indoor Humidity Levels
Ensure that your home has the right levels of moisture all the time. Proper humidity levels make your home feel warm in the winter making them more comfortable to live in.
It’s important to remember that indoor humidity levels within your home will be affected by many factors including the number of people in your home, the frequency of showers that were taken and the amount of laundry done.
When your indoor humidity level drops below 25%, it may affect your comfort and your loved ones. Therefore, it’s important to keep the correct humidity level.
What Can You Do About It?
To help address the problem in humidity levels within your home, you’ll need a humidification system. A humidifier is an obvious solution to the dry air present in your home. They are specially designed to not only increase comfort in your home but also to reduce the problems associated with dry air.
However, you need to be careful because too much humidity can be equally harmful bringing in molds and bacteria. A humidifier will help you manage indoor humidity during the winter usually with an average relative humidity level of 30 – 40% recommended for the dry winter months.
This range provides you and your family the best comfort within your home while protecting your wooden floor and furniture. Consider settling for a cool mist humidifier or whole house humidifiers though make sure they are properly maintained and cleaned for positive results.
Monitoring Your Home Humidity Levels
Want to maintain proper humidity level during the dry winter months? Well, a hygrometer would work perfectly so consider settling for one. This small, useful instrument often used alongside a properly maintained humidifier will show you the relative humidity level in your room. It helps you monitor air allowing you the opportunity to adjust the humidity level quickly whenever you want.
Problems Associated With Dry Air
The cold winter makes air within your home dry leaving you and your loved ones feeling pretty uncomfortable. Aside from the significant dry air symptoms like nosebleeds, chapped lips and itchy skin, you may also get colds, flu and sinus infections.
Moreover, your home furniture would equally feel the impact of the winter dryness. It may damage hardwood floors and furniture; this is no good news to any home owner.
Final Thought
It may not be easy to keep the correct humidity level. Fortunately, with this article, you now have relevant information to help maintain your indoor humidity level.
Make the right adjustments with your humidifiers while using a hygrometer to monitor the level of humidity in your home carefully. By doing this, you’ll be creating a comfortable and healthy living environment for you and your loved ones during the dry winter months.
However, it’s important to seek help from a professionally trained heating and cooling expert if you have any concerns about how to maintain proper home humidity levels. You can reach Morgan Air at 813-501-7765

10 Ways to Use Vinegar Around the House

Vinegar is a very affordable and natural alternative to many products that we regularly buy. Try using these tips to not only save money, but to be kinder to the environment.

1. Glass and Mirror Cleaner
Replace chemical cleaners with vinegar as a natural and cheaper alternative. Glass and mirrors will shine when cleaned with a mix of white vinegar and water.

2. Hair Rinse
Both white and apple cider vinegar make a great hair rinse. It removes built up residue and restores shine to hair without using oily hair products. This is great for people who are susceptible to dandruff or an oily scalp.

3. Clean Coffee Maker
Soak your coffee pot in vinegar to dissolve the built up residue. Run vinegar through the coffee machine to clean the inside of it. The vinegar will evaporate, leaving otherwise impossible to clean parts of the coffee maker clean. Be sure to run water through after you’re finished with the vinegar.

4. Unclog and deodorize drains
To unclog a drain: Pour one-half cup of baking soda and then 1 cup of vinegar down the sink or tub drain through a funnel. The mixture will foam up as it unclogs your drain.

5. Shine Your Silverware
Take a soft cloth and dip it in white vinegar. Gently rub off any water stains and dullness from the silverware. Alternatively, you can fill the bottom of your (clean) sink with vinegar and toss all your silverware in for a complete makeover. Dry as usual.

6. Make a Homemade Orange Essence Cleaner
Save your orange peels and soak them in vinegar for two or three weeks. The white vinegar will become orange, meaning you’ve extracted the essence necessary for cleaning. Strain the peels and use the liquid as any other strong surface cleaner.

7. Remove Pet Odors
Simply soak the smelly area in vinegar. If the odor is really bad, add a few tea tree oil drops to the vinegar soak.

8. Cleanse Retainers and Dentures
To cleanse and disinfect, leave your retainers or dentures in some white vinegar for several hours.

9. Brighten Your Laundry
Add a half a cup to any laundry load to brighten the colors

10. Ant Deterrent
Spraying white vinegar wherever ants congregate in the house will deter them without damaging the area. This is especially great if you notice ants coming in from a carpeted room. Mopping with vinegar regularly is a great preventative measure if you know an area is susceptible to ants.

Fun Facts About Christmas Lights

Fun Facts about Christmas Lights

You see holiday lights almost everywhere you go these days. From roof to ground and all around, they help make the holidays festive and bright. Here are a few fun facts about the early days of these lights.

The first electric Christmas lights were displayed in the home of Edward Johnson, a colleague of Thomas Edison, just three years after the light bulb was invented. Johnson's tree had hand wired lights in the patriotic colors of red, white and blue.

Many of the earliest Christmas lights burned so hot that they were about as dangerous as the candles they were advertised to replace.

It was a common but incorrect belief in the early days of electric Christmas lighting that Christmas light bulbs would burn longer in an upright position. Early decorators spent a lot of time making sure that the lamps were positioned upright on the tree.

Early in their history, Christmas lights were so expensive that they were more commonly rented than sold. An electrically lighted tree was a status symbol in the early 1900's.

Electrically lit trees did not become "universal" in the United States until after World War II.

True outdoor Christmas lights were not introduced to the public until 1927-1928, almost 45 years after the first electric tree lights were demonstrated. There were sets offered for sale as safe to use outside before 1927, but they were small, dangerous and extremely impractical for the average family.

Many of the earliest figurative light bulbs representing fruit, flowers and holiday figures were blown in molds that were also used to make small glass ornaments. These figurative lights were painted by toy makers.

General Electric was the first company to offer pre-wired Christmas light strings. Prior to this, lights had to be hand wired on the tree. GE was unable to patent their string (or festoon), and suddenly the market was open to anyone who wanted to manufacture the strings.

Save Money with Proper Ceiling Fan Direction

What Direction Should My Ceiling Fan Move?

Save Money with Proper Ceiling Fan Direction for Summer and Winter. Who knew? The direction of your ceiling fan can actually save you money. While you can save money by using less electricity alone, sitting in a room that’s uncomfortably cool or warm is, simply put, uncomfortable. When you use ceiling fans to maximize your comfort, you use less of your heat or air conditioner, resulting in less energy and lower power bills. Most homes in Florida have ceiling fans. If you have noticed that they help more in the winter and less in the summer, or vice versa, then the problem might be that your ceiling fan is not set for the correct season.

To help make a room cooler in the summer, set your ceiling fans to rotate counter clockwise. The airflow below the fan will create a wind chill effect, resulting in a breeze that feels cooler. Then, during the winter you should reverse your fans to rotate clockwise. This will create a gentle updraft that forces warm air near the ceiling down into the occupied space.By switching the direction of your ceiling fans, you’ll maximize your comfort by keeping all the cool air from collecting near the floor during the summer and all the warm air from collecting near the ceiling during the winter. And running ceiling fans uses less electricity than running your air conditioner or heater, it can help you start saving energy and saving money right away.
How to Switch the Direction of a Ceiling Fan: After you turn off your fan and let the blades stop, all you have to do is toggle a little switch between the lights and the fan blades that usually goes up and down. One sets the ceiling fan to spin clockwise, and the other sets it to spin counter-clockwise.Set your ceiling fan to spin counterclockwise during the summer. The leading edges of the fan blades should point up, allowing the fan to move air down and create a breeze underneath the fan.Set your ceiling fan to spin clockwise during the winter. The leading edges of the fan blades should point down, allowing the fan to pull cool air upwards and push warm air near the ceiling down towards the floor.And here’s another tip. If you are one of the thousands of people who rarely clean your fan blades, you might want to consider doing this before you change directions of the blades. If not, the dust that has collected on the edge will be blown off into the floor, onto the counters and into your mother-in-law’s hair.
For help with ceiling fans, more energy saving tips, or if you have questions, feel free to contact Morgan Air at 813-500-7765.

Smell of Fall in the Air.. or is that something else?

Fall Maintenance Programs at Morgan AC 813-500-7765

Funky Furnace Smell?

Ahh, the smell of the crisp autumn air and promises of apple pie and pine trees. Fall weather brings us cooler, welcomed temperatures. While this can be a relief from hot summer days, the temps at night can dip and bring frigid air. It has been many months since your HVAC system has run your heater, and during the latest temperature drop you turned it on. Those pleasant fall smells have disappeared into burning, musty odors. While you should never ignore a foul smell, there may be a simple fix to your smell.

Furnace smells are actually normal and not usually a cause for concern, though can be so strong that homeowners get worried. Here are some of the possibilities causing this strange odor.....

Dust: This is the most common cause for the smell, your furnace has been out of use for a few months and dust settles in the combustion chamber. It can collect in the duct work, and when the furnace is turned on for the first time in the season it gets blown throughout the house. The dust can also burn off and release an odor, though it should disappear within a few hours or the first couple of uses. This scent cannot be completely avoided. Try turning on your attic fan or open windows to help reduce the smell the first time you turn in on.

Dirty Filters: HVAC Maintenance not only keeps your system running smoothly and increases the longevity of your unit, but dirty filters can cause this odorous effect if not changed regularly. Air becomes blocked and cannot flow freely. There is also a possibility that the unit could overheat. It is important to install a clean filter regularly and have it tuned up once a year by a professional to keep it in the best condition in order to save you money and make your home comfortable.

Electrical burning smells, smoke or mildew may be causes for concern. Blocked chimneys and furnace motors overheating require an experienced technician to check electrical components and blockages. Don’t hesitate to call and ask a professional if you have any questions.

Often times, early in the season AC Contractors will offer maintenance and filter specials, Call Morgan AC today and schedule a heating inspection and let the experts help.

Indoor Air Quality Issues

How to Identify Indoor Air Quality Issues (IAQ) in your home…
And what to do about it when you discover them.

Many of us do not realize the quality of the air we breathe can be the source of many health issues. We go on day to day thinking it is allergies, or the common cold. So how do we know when it is a health and safety concern? And what are the common factors to look out for? Most importantly, what do we do to rectify the situation if we discover a problem?

There are a variety of risks we take each day, some we choose to accept and others we might decide to avoid if we were informed of our choices. Indoor air quality is a risk you can do something about, with minimal effort.

In the hot days of Florida sunshine, we spend a large majority of our time indoors enjoying the controlled temperature of air conditioning. You might even say that your risk for pollutants is greater indoors, than out. High temperatures and high humidity levels can increase the potential for susceptibility to pollutants. A good air filter can make all the difference in your home’s air quality. Proper ventilation and filters can fresh air into your home and pollutants out.

So what are the signs you may have poor air quality? Some of the common symptoms are:

·         coughing
·         sneezing
·         watery eyes
·         fatigue
·         dizziness
·         headaches
·         upper respiratory congestion

If you begin to notice relief from these symptoms once you leave a room or your home, your symptoms may be caused by indoor air contaminants. Causes of these indoor air quality IAQ problems can range from dust, dust mites, mold, fungi, bacteria, insufficient outdoor air intake, humidity, lighting, gases (from carpets, furniture, paint etc.), odors, carbon dioxide, tobacco smoke, perfume- to name a few.

This sounds serious, and for many it should be take very seriously.  Not all people are affected the same way and to the same extent. Some people may be more sensitive than others. As the quality of air deteriorates or your exposure becomes lengthier, more people tend to be affected.

So, what can be done?

Your ventilation system should be checked to make sure it’s operating properly. Look for causes such as mold etc. and consider having the air tested by a professional. There are state of the art products today that can cure most indoor air quality issues that are common to Florida households.

Consider a whole-house air purifier to clean the air of mold, germs, allergens and contaminants. Dirty coils on your air conditioning unit can also be a culprit of germs and bacteria. Having your AC unitmaintained could be a simple solution.

Always ask the help of a professional, there are plenty of services that offer free consultation. Morgan Air offers a free second opinion and plenty of discount options on maintenance or air quality products on their website. Check it out today, give us a call if you suspect any of these symptoms to be related to the indoor air quality of your home.

Morgan Air

Tampa, FL

813-500-7765

www.morganair.net

Back to School - Fall HVAC Maintenance Tips

Fall HVAC Maintenance Tips

It’s that time of year again! Check-ups for your AC unit are usually planned around the seasons change for fall and spring. Start thinking about your maintenance plan now, and schedule ahead! It is always best  to maintain your equipment in order to increase longevity and prevent future problems with unwanted costs. Your cooling and heating system will be at peak performance by having a local licensed contractor do annual pre-season check-ups. Contractors get busy once summer and winter come, so it's best to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall. Here are some basic tips to help you get started!

For the fall and heating season, these are the basic maintenance check up items:

·         Thermostat settings Check this to ensure the cooling and heating system keeps you comfortable when you are home and programmable settings save energy while you are away.

·         Make Sure All electrical connections are tight- we will measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.

·         Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that lack lubrication cause friction in motors and increases the amount of electricity you use.

·         Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner, furnace and/or heat pump (when in cooling mode). A plugged drain can cause water damage in the house and affect indoor humidity levels.

·         Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation. Check the starting cycle of the equipment to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off properly.

·         Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump. Your contractor can show you how to do this. A dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage your equipment, leading to early failure.

As leaves fall, and debris builds with the cooler days of fall, always remember to clear your AC unit of any fallen leaves or pollen and twigs. Protect your family and home by ensuring your HVAC equipment is running safe and efficiently. Save money by reducing your energy usage with a well maintained unit and add value to your home by extending the life of your unit. Many maintenance programs and specials are often available for early birds. Call Morgan Air today and schedule your maintenance, check their website for ongoing deals. www.morganair.net