The Pros and Cons of Space Heaters

November 18, 2019

From ceramic to infrared, there are several types of space heaters on the market. While it’s true that space heaters are an affordable source of heat, they can be dangerous. Are you thinking about using a space heater in your Austin home this winter? Here are some pros and cons you should know. Pro: Can Heat a Room Quickly When you’re cold, you don’t have time to wait for the thermostat to warm up your room. Space heaters offer a good source of quick heat. Depending on the model and wattage of your heater, you can

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How to Cut Heating Costs This Winter

November 8, 2019

During the winter, the cold weather forces you to crank up the heating system to keep the inside of your home from feeling like a winter wonderland. Unfortunately, the hot air from your furnace can come with high costs. Gas and electricity bills go up when you run the heater for hours on end. Thankfully, there are ways to keep your heating expenses down. Get a Tune-Up Before Winter Inefficiency drives up the costs of running a heating system. When a furnace is dirty or relies on old, worn parts, the system might work a bit

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Understanding Airflow in Your Home

October 20, 2019

We use airflow in our homes every single day, whether we want to cool or heat our homes. However, many people are unaware of how airflow actually works, which is unfortunate because understanding how it works has many benefits. One of the most important benefits is that it can save you money on your electric bill. Totally Cool Heating & Air in Austin, TX is here to teach you about airflow how it works inside of your home. Ventilation 101 Airflow comes in and out of each vent through your home. A central air conditioning unit pumps this air through

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Common Thermostat Issues

October 5, 2019

A sign that your thermostat isn’t working as well as it should is that your home’s interior temperatures aren’t comfortable. Here are four common thermostat issues. Thermostat Is in an Improper Place If one side of your home is typically warmer or colder than the other, then it’s likely that your thermostat is in the wrong place. To keep your home comfortable, it’s important that your thermostat is centrally placed. Thermostats that are placed centrally are usually able to distribute temperature evenly. If uneven temperatures are a big issue in your home, consider zoning your home

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Planning for Your HVAC Service Visit

September 23, 2019

If you’re planning on having HVAC service or maintenance done, a professional will take care of the difficult tasks. However, there are simple tips that can boost your system’s performance and potentially save you money on your energy bills. Totally Cool Heating & Air will be happy to provide you with these tips as well as professional maintenance services. Check Your Air Filter The first step is to check your air filter and see if it needs cleaning or replacing. A clogged or dirty filter can slow down your system and even cause it to fail if left for long

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Changing Air Filters: Simple But Crucial to Your AC

August 15, 2019

Air filters are an inexpensive part of your AC, but they are important for their health. Failing to change the air filters can cause all sorts of damage to your air conditioner. Three of the top reasons you should change your air filter are to prevent excessive wear and tear, maintain strong airflow, and protect it from overheating. Prevent Excessive Wear and Tear Clogged filters hasten the wear and tear on your air conditioner, which decreases its lifespan and increases the chance of it breaking down. You can minimize the need for AC repairs and extend

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Should I Turn My AC Off When I Go on Vacation?

July 19, 2019

If you’re like most of our customers in the Austin region, you want to conserve as much energy as possible. Between higher utility costs and a more environmentally conscious mindset, many people want to do their part to lower their carbon footprints. Does turning off the AC when you go on vacation help in this effort? A Multi-Faceted Question Turning off your AC obviously conserves energy while it is disengaged. However, the situation gets more complex when you consider what happens when you get back. If you’ve been away for a few days

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Solutions for Uneven Cooling in Your Home

July 9, 2019

You may notice that your home is warmer in certain spots than others during the summer. For example, upper-level rooms tend to be warmer because hot air rises. Thankfully, there are some easy solutions that can help regulate the temperature throughout your house. Open Up Necessary Vents First of all, you should be sure that all of the upstairs vents are open in each room. They could have accidentally been shut off. In addition, you should move any furniture that could be obstructing your vents. Furthermore, extra objects on your vent will restrict airflow and create

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What is a SEER Rating?

June 25, 2019

A SEER rating is a measure of the efficiency at which your air conditioning system or heat pump operates. “SEER” is an acronym whose letters stand for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The rating is calculated by dividing the average output of a piece of cooling equipment over the course of a season by the amount of energy that the equipment consumes. The higher its SEER rating, the more efficient a piece of equipment is. SEER ratings aren’t a constant, though. Rather, they represent the maximum amount of efficiency a unit is capable of when it’s running smoothly.

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Old Vs. New Air Conditioners

June 6, 2019

Why should you upgrade your air conditioner? Well, as technology advances, air conditioners have been improved in every aspect of their design, including in cooling capacity, energy efficiency, size and more. If you’re tired of high energy bills and inconsistent cooling, a modern air conditioner might be just what you need. More Environmentally Friendly Modern manufacturers are certainly more environmentally-aware than they were in decades past. For this reason, modern AC units have almost completely phased out the old standard refrigerant R-22, which has been proven to hurt the planet’s ozone layer. The new refrigerant is

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