Page 5 October 16, 2014

Fall Home Improvements Guide

Fall Home Imp-
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949 or 1-800
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ecycling & San
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Time to clean out
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315 Main Street Tarkio, MO
660-736-5765
Toll Free
877-736-5766
Fall Home Imp-
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408 S. Main Rock Port, MO
(660) 744-2200
WATTS CLEANERS
We can freshen up your: Curtains,
Bedding and much more for your
Fall house cleaning!
Fall Home Imp-
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Northwest Missouris Premier Kitchen
and Bath Showroom!
Cabinets, Countertops, Flooring and Paint!
1315 South Main Maryville, MO (Next to Sears)
Call for an appointment 660-562-AURA (2872)
KITCHENS - BATHS - HOME RENOVATION
Northwest Missouris Premier Kitchen
and Bath Showroom!
Cabinets, Countertops, Flooring and Paint!
1315 South Main Maryville, MO (Next to Sears)
Call for an appointment 660-562-AURA (2872)
KITCHENS - BATHS - HOME RENOVATION
Many homeowners consider having the
ductwork in their homes cleaned. Mailers
often tout the benets of this service and
warn of the potential hazards that could
be lurking inside uncleaned vents and
ducts. But whether or not air ducts need
to be cleaned remains open for debate.
A quick review of air duct cleaning can
help homeowners make a more informed
decision.
What is duct cleaning?
Before looking into the advantages
and disadvantages to duct cleaning, it
is advantageous to examine the process
involved when cleaning air ducts. There
are two ways to have the ducts cleaned in
a home:rotary vacuum brushing or high
pressure air washing.
Vacuum brushing utilizes a spinning
brush to scrub dust and debris off the air
vents and a vacuum to capture whatever
is dislodged.
High pressure air washing uses
pressurized air blown through the air
ducts. A truck-mounted industrial vacuum
is attached to the furnace, and all of the
air register vents in the home are covered.
Once all the air ducts have been blown
clear, another air wand is fed into the end
of the hot and cold air supply lines. Dust
and debris is then drawn backward into
the vacuum.
Pros
One of the more obvious advantages
of air duct cleaning is improved health
and hygiene in the home. Those prone to
allergies may nd that routine cleaning
helps ameliorate the problems of sneezing
and watery eyes. Duct cleaning can remove
allergens and dust.
The Environmental Protection Agency
says air duct cleaning is handy if there is a
noticeable accumulation of dust and debris
in ducts or if particles are actually released
into the home from supply registers. If
ducts are infested with rodents or insects,
cleaning will make indoor air much safer.
Mold is another factor to consider when
determining if ducts need to be cleaned.
Mold spores oating in the air can lead to
Pros and cons
to air duct cleaning
illness. Professional cleaning may be the
only way to remove mold and mildew from
the system.
Homeowners who have replaces may
nd the air becomes dirtier faster. That's
because of the residue put into the air from
burning wood and other fuel. This residue
not only builds up inside of the chimney
in the form of creosote, but also can form
a sticky, sooty layer inside of ductwork.
Cleaning the ducts can remove this soot.
Cons
The EPA advises that no research has
definitively shown that duct cleaning
prevents health problems. Neither do
studies conclusively demonstrate that
particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase
because of dirty air ducts. This is because
much of the dirt in air ducts adheres to duct
surfaces and does not necessarily enter the
living space. What's more, dirty air that
enters the home from outdoors or indoor
activities, such as smoking or cleaning,
can actually cause greater exposure to
contaminants than dirty air ducts.
There also is no evidence that cleaning
ducts and components of the heating/
cooling system will make the furnace or
air conditioner work any more efciently.
Air duct cleaning is an expensive
undertaking. On average the cost of such
a service can range from $400 to $1,000,
depending on the extent of the cleaning
and the size of the home.
Cleaning the ducts also can be dirty
and time-consuming. Cleaning may spread
contaminants that were lodged inside of
the vents throughout the air more readily.
Some cleaning services will advise
the use of chemical biocides to treat the
interior of vents. These are designed to
kill microbiological contaminants. The
EPAwarns chemical biocides have yet to be
fully researched, and homeowners should
be fully informed before deciding to permit
the use of biocides or chemical treatments
in air ducts.
Homeowners should never attempt to
clean air ducts themselves. If the decision
is made to have the cleaning done, it should
only be on an as-needed basis
and completed by a reputable
cleaning service.
Before you turn off your
AC system for the season,
consider having it checked
out by a certied contractor.
If its older or has been giving
you problems, you might want
to replace it.
It may not be top of
mind, but fall is actually the
ideal time to think about
your homes cooling system,
says Frank Landwehr, VP
of Marketing at Emerson
Climate Technologies.
There are ve reasons
why consumers who
consider this important
home upgrade during
the off-season often
have much better
outcomes, say the
experts at AC & Heating
Connect.
C o n t r a c t o r
considerations: Give
yourself plenty of time to
identify the best AC contractor
f or your i nst al l at i on.
Contractors in between
cooling and heating seasons
will be more available to help
solve your specic problems.
New features: Learn
about the latest technology
and features available for
HVAC systems, as a lot
has changed in the past 20
years. Consider systems
with features ranging from
superior humidity reduction
to noise reduction to remote
control systems and energy-
efficient programmable
thermostats. Dual fuel heat
pumps that can use either
electricity or natural gas for
Five good reasons to replace
your old AC in Fall
heating are another recent
innovation to consider.
Zombie heat pump:
So-called zombie heat
pumps appear to be alive
and running, but in reality are
not performing optimally, or
at all. If your air conditioner
doubles as a heat pump, fall is
the time to have your system
checked
o u t
f o r t h e
heating season. Fall is
also a good time to have a
conventional furnace checked
out by a contractor. If its older
like the AC unit, you might
be better off having them both
replaced at once.
Recalculations: Have
your contractor run new
calculations on your home.
Changes since that old AC
system was installed can affect
your needs. For example,
if you added insulation,
upgraded to more efcient
windows, knocked out walls
or added a room, you might
Content from StatePoint
need a different system size
than before -- and the wrong
system can be problematic.
A system thats too small
wont keep up on the hottest
days. A system thats too large
will cycle too much, causing
wide swings in temperature --
and wont necessarily remove
all the humidity from your
home.
Further, if you plan
to close the AC vents
in seldom-used rooms,
look for a system with
at least two steps of
capacity modulation.
Closing room vents and
doors effectively makes
your house appear
smaller to your HVAC
system, which could
signicantly damage the
system or cause it to fail
prematurely.
Regulations: Know the
latest government regulations
and rebates before you buy.
New regulations going into
effect January 1, 2015, might
affect the minimum efciency
standard in your region. Give
yourself time to consider
whether you want to replace
your system ahead of the
change.
Replacing HVAC systems
in fall can be a smart maneuver.
By planning ahead, you can
make smarter choices for your
home and your comfort.
Check out www. ac-
heatingconnect.com for free
resources and to learn more
about what type of system
might be best for your home.
Fall Home Imp-
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Sears Product Lines: Kenmore Appliances
Craftsman Tools
Mattresses
Televisons
Snowblowers
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1315 S. Main St. | Maryville, MO
Lifetime
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Smartphones can make
the home improvement
process that much easier.
Various smartphone apps
now exist, and many were
designed with the intention
of making it easier to
plan and execute home
improvement projects. Some
apps allow smartphone
users to more easily
match the colors of their
furnishings with certain
accents and accessories,
saving homeowners the
time spent wondering if
certain items will match or
clash with their existing
furnishings. Homeowners
can even make use of
apps that make it easier
for them to see how new
furniture will ft in their
existing spaces. Of course,
homeowners also can take
photos of their furnishings
on their smartphones as
well, and then compare
those photos to shades
of paint or carpet to save
themselves from making a
second trip to the store.
Did you know?