Author Archives: matthew.tyner

Do you know what you would do if your air conditioner went out in your Loxley, Alabama, home on a hot summer day? Before you panic, here are a few tips that can help you stay cool while waiting to have your AC repaired.

Close the Windows

The first thing you should do after your air conditioner goes out is close all the windows, including the blinds and curtains. This is where blackout curtains can come in handy. The more light you can block, the less heat comes through, helping you keep rooms as cool as possible.

At night, however, if there’s a nice breeze and the temperature outside is cooler than inside your home, feel free to open a few windows to get some air circulating.

Turn on the Fans

Homes have ceiling fans for a reason, so take advantage of them. Ceiling fans produce a windchill effect on the skin that makes it feel like the temperature in the room is cooler than it actually is. Now would also be the time to break out any box fans. Position them in such a way that they blow directly on you, and consider putting a pan of ice in front of the fan to create super-cool air. Just be sure to turn them off when you leave the room, since there’s no benefit in running the fans when you’re not present.

Hydrate

To keep your body temperature down, drink plenty of cool water. You may be tempted to kick back a few cold ones or enjoy a refreshing glass of soda, but alcohol and caffeine will only make you feel dehydrated when you’re struggling to stay cool. You can also help hydrate your body by jumping in a cool shower, which can help you feel chilled long after stepping back out again.

While these tips are certainly helpful, you can avoid the problem altogether by adhering to your annual HVAC maintenance schedule. Contact Keith Air Conditioning at 251-476-3610 to schedule your next appointment.

Are you considering a new air conditioner for your Orange Beach, Alabama, home? This is a major upgrade that requires plenty of thought and consideration. Research your options carefully to make sure you understand your needs and can choose the best air conditioner possible.

Schedule a Manual J Calculation

It’s important to choose an air conditioner that’s properly sized for your home. If the unit is too large, it will cycle on and off often, sucking up too much energy. An air conditioner that’s too small may run continuously without ever delivering the cooling you really want. Both situations create excessive wear on your system.

To determine the best size for your new unit, you need to determine your home’s cooling load. Don’t trust a contractor who uses “rule of thumb” calculations that rely solely on square footage. Instead, ask about Manual J calculations. These provide you with a more accurate load calculation so you can choose the right system for your home.

Check SEER Ratings

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER, rating on an air conditioner tells you how efficient the unit is. The higher the SEER rating, the less energy it will use. Today’s systems must have a SEER of at least 13. Look for the highest SEER rating you can fit into your budget.

Consider Your Comfort Needs

A new air conditioner is just one of many appliances you can turn to for enhanced home comfort. While you’re upgrading your AC unit, you may want to consider other products as well. A whole-home humidifier or dehumidifier fits in your central HVAC system to help you manage humidity levels as easily as you manage the temperature. An air cleaner offers advanced filtration. There are many indoor air quality products you can add to your system.

If you’re looking for a new air conditioning system, we can help. Call Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. at 251-476-3610 to learn more about the best AC units on the market for your needs.

There are many DIY projects you can do around your Daphne, Alabama, home, but HVAC repair shouldn’t be one of them. Only a licensed and certified HVAC technician should ever touch your system, and here are a few reasons why.

You Might Void Your Warranty

Attempting to repair an HVAC issue yourself voids the manufacturer’s warranty agreement. More than that, most warranties require an HVAC professional to provide your system with regular maintenance. Failing to uphold your end of the deal voids the warranty and could result in costly replacement or repair bills you could have otherwise avoided.

Safety Concerns

HVAC systems rely on chemicals and electricity to run, which can be fatal with improper handling. HVAC professionals know the risks and how to avoid them, and they have the proper certifications to handle dangerous chemicals. You simply don’t want to take the risk of injuring yourself — or worse.

Lack of Proper Training

It takes years for an HVAC technician to hone the skills required to tackle HVAC maintenance and repairs. In addition to spending time as an apprentice, an HVAC technician must be certified to use the proper equipment. At Keith Air Conditioning, our technicians have access to the latest tools, gauges, and safety equipment.

Mistakes are Expensive

Most DIYers take on a project because doing it yourself seems to cost less. When it comes to HVAC issues, however, a simple mistake can result in hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars in repair and replacement costs. It simply isn’t worth it. An HVAC system is an expensive piece of equipment that’s a worthwhile investment for your home, so don’t treat it like just any old tinkering project.

This isn’t to say that you can’t perform simple HVAC tasks. Homeowners should regularly change their air filters, clear the exterior unit, and keep an eye on the system for any signs of wear and tear. When it’s time to call in the professionals, contact Keith Air Conditioning at 251-476-3610 for all your maintenance needs.

It’s no secret that pet dander aggravates asthma symptoms, so what’s a pet lover in Mobile, Alabama, to do? Fortunately, certain pet breeds are considered hypoallergenic, which is good news for asthma sufferers. Here are just a few pets worth considering.

Bichon Frise

A toy breed, Bichon Frise don’t shed fur and dander like other dogs, making them a good choice for asthma or allergy sufferers. Keep in mind, however, that these adorable pups do require grooming upkeep, otherwise they can end up with skin issues.

Poodle

Poodles have long been a preferred breed for asthma sufferers because they come in various sizes, from toy and miniature to standard-size. These curly-coated dogs have a single layer of fur instead of two, which means less shedding that could float into the air and circulate throughout your home. Just like the Bichon Frise, poodles do require a professional grooming every few months.

Portuguese Water Dog

The Portuguese Water Dog has grown in popularity thanks to Bo Obama, the pet of the former First Family. In fact, the Obamas chose Bo because of Malia’s pet allergies, as Portuguese Water Dogs are hypoallergenic. They’re also highly intelligent and have a look similar to that of the poodle, although this breed doesn’t require the same extensive grooming.

Sphynx

Cat lovers will be happy to know the Sphynx breed doesn’t spread allergens around the home. These bald kitties do require frequent baths to get rid of the oils that build up on their skin, but other than that, they’re a low-maintenance pet that’s great for the whole family.

Balinese

Although the Balinese cat breed resembles a Siamese with long hair, they actually produce less dander than most cats. Plus, when they groom themselves, they don’t release irritants or have the same allergy-inducing proteins in their saliva.

If you’re a pet owner already dealing with asthma symptoms, HVAC maintenance can help keep allergens in check. Call Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. at 251-476-3610 to schedule an appointment and discuss our indoor air quality solutions.

When the temperatures start to increase during the summer months in Fairhope, Alabama, you may notice that your energy bills begin creeping up as well. You can save money on utilities without suffering in an uncomfortably warm house by following a few simple tips.

Get Your Ducts Cleaned

The ducts within your heating and cooling system transport air between the vents and the furnace, so it’s critical to keep them clean. Regular duct cleaning can play a major role in the overall efficiency of your unit, which can help to save you money. When the ducts get clogged with pet hair, dander, dust, dirt, pollen, and other contaminants, the system has to work harder to move the air to the various rooms of your home. Bringing in an expert to keep the ducts clean can help reduce your costs and improve indoor air quality.

Replace the Filter

The filter within your central air conditioning system also helps with efficiency. When the filter is overloaded with dirt, it can’t keep the debris from moving into the system. Change your air filter at least once every month or two. If anyone in your home suffers from allergies, consider using filters with higher MERV ratings, which offer finer filtration to remove more allergens from the air.

Avoid Heat Buildup

When the temperature could rise above 90 degrees outside, try to keep the heat-producing activities indoors to a minimum. Using hot appliances, such as the dryer, stove, and dishwasher, can add heat to the rooms of your home, requiring your air conditioner to kick on and cool the air back down. Try to hold off on these activities until the sun goes down for the evening.

Keep Windows Covered

When sunlight comes through your windows, the UV rays can add a lot of heat. Keeping the windows covered during the hottest parts of the day can help lower the indoor temperature without having to turn on the air conditioner.

If you’ve tried these ideas and still have high energy bills, call us at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. at 251-476-3610 for a cooling system tuneup.

The air conditioning system at your Loxley, Alabama, home, relies on an outdoor unit that houses the compressor and other important components. Since it remains outside at all times, it can suffer the effects of changing weather conditions. The rainfall, humidity, and other moisture in this area can lead to corrosion of your outdoor unit, but you can take some steps to prevent it.

Causes of Corrosion

The most common causes of corrosion on the outdoor air conditioning unit are damp conditions in the atmosphere, including humidity, rain, and snow. A housing typically protects the unit, but moisture can seep through the openings where air flows through, leading to corrosion of the metal components. Moisture can also cause damage and corrosion to the coils, which help provide cool air to the rooms within your home. Your outdoor unit also contains the compressor, which is one of the most expensive components, so it’s important to keep it protected to prevent expensive repairs.

Corrosion can also happen as a result of exposure to chemicals and acids. Some of these come from household cleaning products, so using natural products can help reduce the risk.

Corrosion Prevention

During the wettest months of the year in Loxley, you can take some steps to keep moisture out of your outdoor unit. Use a blanket designed for protecting the air conditioning unit or cover the top of it with a board to prevent water from seeping inside. Bring in an expert at least twice a year to clean the coils. During this maintenance service, a technician will remove deposits that can cause corrosion, which can also help improve efficiency.

You can apply a protective coating to the coils, something that is highly recommended in areas with high humidity. Options for coating of the coils include epoxy, silane, fluoropolymer, and polyurethane. An experienced HVAC technician should always handle the application of the protective coating.

Prevent corrosion by scheduling your air conditioning maintenance service with Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. at 251-476-3610.

If you’re always hot, then agreeing on a thermostat setting with family members who are often chilly can be difficult. Neither of you is being difficult; some people genuinely feel too hot or too cold more often. To keep a thermostat battle from happening in your Alabama home, set ground rules about the thermostat and find other ways to compromise.

Stress Plays a Part

Your body temperature rises when you’re stressed because your blood starts pumping faster. It centers on your organs, making you feel hotter overall, as your body prepares for fight or flight. If you’re often hot, check your stress levels. The solution to your temperature woes could include taking some deep breaths and doing some yoga or another exercise.

Women Tend to Be Chillier

Some physiological factors come into play that cause women to, on average, be colder than men. This rule isn’t hard and fast, though, and everyone probably knows at least one man who’s always cold or one woman who’s always hot. At the same time, young people tend to be warmer than older folks, though again, this is just a generalization.

Psychology Might Be Involved

When you feel too cold or too hot, glance at the thermostat. Chances are, it’s not as cold or as hot indoors as you think it is. The best way to work with family members arguing over the thermostat is to put down a set temperature schedule. Go by what HVAC pros recommend: 78 in the summer and 68 in the winter for the hours you’ll be home and awake. If family members are too hot or cold, they can use other methods to adjust.

HVAC maintenance will help keep the temperature in your home consistent, making it easier for everyone to get comfortable. Call a Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. technician over to do your yearly AC service or to sign up on our maintenance plan for significant savings. Give us a call today at 251-476-3610.

Home cooling myths prevent you from effectively cooling your Alabama home, and sometimes they waste your energy. We’re here to set the record straight on four cooling myths we hear all too often.

The AC Only Produces Cold Air

If an air conditioner only produced cold air, it would be called an air cooler or an air chiller. Part of the conditioning process is removing humidity from your home. The humidity is part of what makes you feel so hot. An AC that doesn’t remove humidity needs to be repaired.

Ceiling Fans Cool Rooms

A ceiling fan does not cool down a room. It moves the air within a room, and when that moving air hits your skin, it causes sweat to evaporate. That makes you feel cooler, even when the room’s temperature doesn’t change. Only turn on your ceiling fans when you’re in the room.

Installing a Big Air Conditioner Works Best

Bigger is not better with air conditioners. Your air conditioner needs to be sized correctly, so it can do its job of both pumping in cool air and removing the humidity. If it’s too big, it won’t stay on long enough to dehumidify your home, so the right size depends on the size of your home.

You Should Never Change the Temperature

Some people leave the thermostat set at the same temperature all day, because they believe the AC has to “work harder” to cool down the house when you get home. In fact, cooling a house nobody is in for eight hours is a big energy waste. Set it to 78 when you’re not home for energy savings.

One more myth that does serious harm? That your HVAC system doesn’t need maintenance. To keep it running, you need a yearly maintenance appointment for both the air conditioner and the furnace, which you can get from us at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. Don’t spend extra on big repairs when maintenance would’ve caught them when they were small. Call us today at 251-476-3610.