Three Tips from Comfort Zone to Keep Your Air Conditioner Working

The one thing you don’t need to deal with on a scorching summer’s night is a problematic air conditioner. Your air conditioner has to be functional for you to be able to have a relaxed summer. Comfort Zone, the heating and cooling experts of Harrisburg PA, have the following tips to ensure you don’t need air conditioner repair this coming season:

1. Maintain your outdoor unit
   An unclean unit can become a nonworking unit. Avoid challenges by removing from your unit cottonwood and grass clippings. When dirty, the central air unit can overheat and shut off, which will reduce its life and prevent proper cooling.
2. Install clean filters
   The filter that helps keep your warm in the winter is the same as the one that will keep you cool in the summer. A dirty filter can result in higher costs, and affect cooling capabilities, which will mean more discomfort in the summertime.
3. Leave the air conditioner on at night
   Many clients ask if they should turn off their AC at night. The night air, despite being cooler, still contains humidity. If you turn off your cooling unit, all the humidity will sit there, and the air conditioner will have to work much harder to remove it. Save the appliance the effort by letting it run at night.

Enjoy the weather in comfort by contacting Comfort Zone for all your heating and cooling needs. Have a happy and safe summer!  

Your Money - Household Ways To Save Thousands

As the average home owner or renter, you have a full time job at home. You just don't realize it. And because you don't keep up on the maintenance, as you should, you're only making yourself and your loved ones suffer as victims. That may sound extreme, but the average home owner usually let's the simplest maintenance slip by unnoticed. You may say, "I'll get to it tomorrow.", but it's always tomorrow. I'm talking about basic monthly maintenance on the little things. When was the last time you cleaned your refrigerator coils? Did you cut those bushes back away from the house yet? What about the two most important and simplest tasks such as draining the sludge from your water heater and changing out your air filter in your air conditioner system? Why haven't done those tasks? They only take about 10 - 15 minutes. You might as well be throwing your wallet down on the sidewalk for someone else to pickup.

What!? That's right. By not changing your air filter once per month, your air conditioner needs to work harder. Your filter is dirty so the air conditioner needs to suck the inside air through all that dirt just so it can blow a lot of that dirt and allergens back in through your air registers. Think of the old vacuums that used bags. Would you take that old vacuum bag out in the house just to have that plume of dust and dirt fly up in your face? Your allergies don't react well to this. How much money do you spend on antihistamines and other allergy medications? This contributes to your allergies acting up even when you are inside your house.

By not following a regular filter change schedule, your air conditioner gets tired and worn out faster. This means that after years of abuse, instead of lasting 12 - 15 years, you'll be calling a service technician several years sooner. You wouldn't think that a little dirt and dust can do that, but a little adds up quickly. That's not a big concern though is it? The average hourly labor charge for a service technician in any trade will run you about $70 and up. In fact, count on at least $60 just for the technician to turn that key in his ignition and say, "Good afternoon." The cost not only can, but will be at least several hundred dollars. I'm not trying to scare you, but the truth is the truth.

What about your water heater? What sludge? Every water source pumps very small particulates of minerals and dirt into your house and goes through your water heater, even if you are on city water. Over time, these particulates can corrode the anode rod inside your water heater (which is a good thing). This "sacrificial rod" is what degrades over time instead of your water heater, and it settles as rusty sediment and dirt at the bottom of your water heater. You need to flush out this sludge from your water heater at least once per year. If you are on a well, then I would recommend flushing your water heater out at least 3 times per year and install a sediment filter on the main pipe that flows into your water heater. You will need to periodically replace the sacrificial anode rod as well; more frequently if you are on a well system, or you will find yourself replacing the water heater itself.

If you fail to perform basic preventive maintenance around the house, you won't be buying just a filter or anode rod for a few dollars. You'll be new equipment years before you need to do so. If you are unsure of how to do the maintenance, schedule a service call from a qualified technician, and observe them as they do the job properly. You will be better prepared to do it yourself the next time, and you can get your questions answered by someone who brings their experience into your home.

For more information and guidance about saving money in home repairs for water heaters, air conditioning, heat pumps, etc, visit Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA. Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Your Water Heater Heats Your Water and Burns Your Money Up

With energy costs constantly on the rise and the housing market in a huge slump it is surprising to find home builders not taking steps to enhance a new home's features when it doesn't cost any extra. Basic upgrades which don't really carry an "upgrade" price tag would only facilitate a quicker sale. This would relieve some financial stress on builders from trying to carry the cost of an unsold home. Instead, homeowners are having to refit the home with new appliances in order to achieve a more efficient and economical cost of living. Perhaps the wisest and most efficient upgrade a homeowner can make is changing out their current traditional water heater for an on-demand tankless water heater.

Traditional water heaters store large quantities of hot water. For the average home the typical water heater stores 40 to 60 gallons. In order for the water to remain hot these types of water heaters need to continuously cycle on and off to maintain the preset temperature of the hot water. Even when there isn't any hot water being drawn at the faucets the water heater is still wasting the homeowners money by trying to maintain the water temperature at a consistent high level.

On-demand tankless water heaters only expend energy when the hot water faucet is opened. This type of water heater quickly and almost instantly heats the water to the preset temperature and can provide an unending supply of hot water. This means no longer would the homeowner run out of hot water for a shower while the washing machine is running or the whole family needs to take a shower one person after another.

Most on-demand tankless water heaters for the entire home utilize gas instead of electricity. There are electric tankless water heaters available, however they are designed for lower demand water usage such as at the kitchen sink. This is the limitation of electrically powered water heaters.

Depending upon the homeowners needs, one or a combination of both will pay for themselves in short order. The do-it-yourself handyman should be aware, regarding attempting to replace a water heater with a new tankless water heater, that in most locales a permit and inspection may be required for safety. Gas can be very hazardous to deal with and unless the homeowner is a professional this upgrade should not be done by a novice or amateur. A professional will be able to steer the homeowner in the right direction.

Learn more about water heaters and receive a free estimate from Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA. Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Overlooked Preventative Maintenance That Will Save Time, Money, and Frustration

Now that spring is here, it's time to clean out the garage, fertilize the lawn, and do all of the other hundreds of chores that have gone forgotten this past winter. Three things that are commonly overlooked are the simplest tasks to get done ... and one of them doesn't even get done by the homeowner themselves.


Water heaters and boilers need to have the build up of sediment flushed out periodically, especially if the home is on a well system for its water supply. Nothing will shorten the life of water heaters faster than sediment build up. It's fairly simple. A simple garden hose is what is needed to hook up to the drain valve to flush the build up away.

The HVAC system isn't quite as simple for the everyday homeowner. The home's air conditioner and heating system should be inspected once per year, especially after a harsh winter in the Northeast. Specialized tools are required to service and test the system. If the home has central air, then the coolant level needs to be checked and possibly recharged.

This is inexpensive preventative maintenance that will save a lot of cost and discomfort in the heat of the summer. Nothing is worse than having to wait for a service technician in the summer when everyone else didn't get their HVAC system tuned up either.

A cursory visual inspection of the water pipes in the basement is a must. Any moisture around the joints should be inspected more closely. Any piping that passes through an exterior wall should be paid close attention to for expansion and contraction. Breaks in the pipe can be a common occurrence at these points.

It's amazing how often the above tasks are overlooked which only take a few minutes and the main focus is always put on the tasks that require the most time, such as window washing, dusting, and the floors. It's always gratifying if the house is presentable and clean, but if the temperature inside is unbearable or the house is flooded, who would want to spend time inside?

For more information on heating and cooling maintenance, visit Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling of Lewisberry, PA.

Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.