How the dry air in your home is affecting you.

When you think of the fall and winter season, you might not think of quality of your breathing air.  When you first turn on your furnace the forced air systems will start to dry out the air in your home.  This is not a good thing because with the winter months cold air can decrease the humidity in the air also.  Both contributing factors can lead to sinuses being dried out, and with the lack of moisture it can cause nose bleeds and swollen sinuses.  The lack of humidity it the air can also lead to headaches, fatigue, difficulty sleeping and many other ailments.

A great way to start helping the humidity levels of the air in your home is to purchase a couple of humidifiers and place in the rooms that are used most often.  Then at bedtime move the humidifiers into the bedrooms to help with breathing and to keep nasal passages moist.  Air humidity levels should be somewhere around 35-50% at all times.  This will more than likely solve the issue, but there are cases that a person will need to also use a few sprays of a saline solution nasal spray to daily.  Also, make sure you are drinking enough water every day to keep your body hydrated to counter the dry air you are breathing in.

Remember your body is made up of about 60% water, you need to replace what you might lose.

To read more about how breathing in dry air can affect your body click on the link.

Has the change in the weather got your allergies acting up?

When the colder weather hits it is time to start using that furnace again.  You might notice that this can make you sneeze, cough, and even start wheezing.  No one likes to be stuffed up and miserable, but what you might not know is that dust and allergens settling in your air ducts are the culprit.

Heating ducts have all summer long to sit and accumulate allergens and dust and when the fall weather hits they get forced into your family’s breathing air with the use of your furnace.  This can make you feel congested and perhaps run down.  Keeping the breathing air in your home as clean as possible is helpful to keeping you and your family feeling good.

Some helpful tips to keeping your heating ducts clear of dust and allergens is to get them routinely cleaned.  Hire a professional to come in before you start using your furnace to remove the dust and allergens.  If possible, make sure when they are being cleaned you arrange to leave for a few hours.  Having the heating ducts cleaned can cause a lot of dust and mold particles to be released and this can be harmful to your body.

Also, another helpful tip is to use HEPA filters in your furnace to help eliminate the production of allergens in your home.  These specialty filters are formulated to catch allergens from entering your environment.  Filters should be changed every month if you are still using the 1” pleated filter, and if you are using the 3” filter then it should be changed every three months.

If you would like to know more, click on the following link about Allergies (Check Your Furnace)

Get Your Home Ready for Winter!

In San Diego, it's easy not to give much thought to the inspections and changes you should make to your home to get it ready for the cold season, but you could help yourself save some money by checking for leaks and maintaining your furnace.  It makes your home safer and more comfortable.  

Right now is really the best time to begin getting your home ready for winter and here are some ways that can help:

-Check for Leaks: by checking for leaks you're looking for anywhere air can get in or out of your home.  The most prominent places to look are doors and windows.  If you see any cracks or gaps, a silicone sealant placed in these areas can seal them.

-Get Your Furnace Serviced: A lot of people have yearly maintenance plans with heating and cooling companies to get their furnace checked and maintained twice a year, usually before the summer and before the winter.  This is will give you the assurance that your furnace will be working in good shape during the winter months.

Contact us at A+ Heating Cooling and Electric if you need any help getting your home ready for the winter.  Our friendly and knowledgeable technicians are ready to help you with any repair or maintenance your furnace may need!

Why Is My Furnace Blowing Cold Air?

Winter nights in San Diego can get pretty chilly and the last thing you want to experience is cold blasts of air coming from your heating vents.  There are many reasons why this could be happening--some of them can be surprisingly simple and others require the help of an HVAC professional. 

Here are a few of the most common reasons why your furnace may be blowing cold air:

-It takes a few minutes for the warm air to reach the vents.  This is similar to the way it takes a couple minutes for hot water to come through your water faucet.  This wait time is completely normal and in no way means that your furnace isn’t working properly.

-The fan setting is not set on “auto.”  It the fan setting is set to “on,” that means air is being blown through your vents whether your furnace is on or not.  By switching it to “auto,” air will only blow when you need heat.

-The pilot light has gone out. If you have an older furnace then it's possible that the pilot light has gone out.  To fix this, following the manufacturers directions on how to re-light the pilot light.  If the pilot light is persistent on blowing out, we recommend contacting an HVAC professional because your furnace may need maintenance.

-The flame sensor needs to be cleaned.  If your furnace is blowing warm air but then it quickly goes cold, this could be because your flame sensor needs to be cleaned.  The gas burner will not stay lit when the flame sensor is dirty.  If this is the issue, then you will need to contact an HVAC professional and schedule a service call.

-There is a more complex technical problem.  If your furnace is blowing out cold air and none of the previous reasons seems to be the answer, you may have a more technical problem which will require the help of an HVAC professional.

Whatever problems you're experiencing with your furnace, call us at A+ Heating, Cooling, and Electric.  We can help fix all of your furnace issues and answer any questions you may have!

The Differences Between One-Stage, Two-Stage, and Variable Speed Furnaces

So it’s that time of year again in San Diego—the days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder—and it’s got you thinking about your furnace that needs replacing.  Maybe you’re happy with the kind of furnace you have now and you just need to install a new one, or maybe you’re looking for a furnace that’s more efficient and will save you money.  In any case, here is some information on the three different types of furnaces that you can get installed in your San Diego home.

One-Stage Furnace

The one-stage furnace does exactly what its name describes: it heats your home using one setting.  This means that no matter how cold or warm it is, your furnace will be functioning at full capacity.  Imagine getting in your car and only being able to drive 0 mph or 75 mph.  That’s pretty much how the one-stage furnace works.  Initially it will cost you less to install a one-stage furnace, but in the long run it may not be the most efficient way to heat your home.  This kind of furnace only works at full blast and expends the maximum energy it is designed to use whenever it’s on. If this is the kind of furnace you’re looking for, great! If not, there are two other kinds of furnaces that will heat your San Diego home to comfort.

Two-Stage Furnace

Unlike the one-stage furnace, the two-stage furnace has (you guessed it!) two different speed settings, low and high.  Your two-stage furnace will run for a longer period of time, but it will be on low for the majority of the time.  This will provide your home will better heat distribution and make sure that there are no cold spots.  When the weather outside gets particularly cold, the high setting will turn on to ensure that your home stays at the perfect temperature.  Because your furnace will not be working at full capacity all the time, it will be much more energy efficient and it will work more quietly, not to mention that it will emit less carbon dioxide into the environment. 

Variable-Speed Furnace

The variable-speed furnace is pretty much the best type of furnace you can get.  You can get a variable-speed speed two-stage furnace.  Its variable speed is a reference to its interior blower motor and how it operates at different speeds.  With this advanced technology, the furnace will be able to control the heated air flowing into your home more accurately.  It does this by monitoring and adjusting its blower settings to account for things such as your duct work, furnace location, and dirty filters, which are all things that can restrict airflow.  What a machine!

Because a variable-speed furnace is able to constantly adjust its blower motor, your furnace will be running more efficiently than a one-stage or two-stage furnace without variable-speed.  Even when your furnace isn't on, its motor will be continually running ensuring greater air circulation.  As the air continues to circulate, the air in your home will constantly be going through the filter.  This means that the air in your home will be healthier and of better quality, since it will be rid of bacteria, viruses, mold spores, and other contaminants through the filter.  Need I say again, “What a machine!”?


So we hope you've been informed by our little spiel on the different kinds of furnaces you can get.  If you have any further questions on which kind of furnace will work best for your San Diego home, feel free to ask!  We’re here to serve you!

What Are You Breathing?

Primary cause of indoor air quality problems are pollution sources such as: oil, gas, kerosene, asbestos, cleaning supplies, pesticides, chemicals, outdoor air pollution, etc. 

“Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In addition, it can cause headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue. People who already have respiratory diseases are at greater risk.”-American Lung Association

Knowing your alternatives and how to improve your family’s indoor breathing experience is highly important to A+ Heating, Cooling and Electric.  We want to know that you and your family feel well taken care of. 

Other indoor sources such as mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses, pollen, and dust mites can also become an issue.

The effects of breathing in mold and mildew can be quite similar to seasonal allergies.  Symptoms include itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, fatigue, headaches and in severe cases infection or development of asthma.

Breathing in bacteria/viruses can lead to many different ailments including bronchitis, pneumonia, croup, etc., which can lead to a start of many doctor bills.

Allergies and asthmatic diseases can be traced back to dust mites.  These pesky little mites can be found on bedding, mattresses, upholstery, carpets and other textiles in your home.  Symptoms of breathing in dust mites are very comparable to other allergens.  Concerns should rise when you develop asthmatic symptoms or symptoms comparable to a common cold.

Between mold/mildew, bacteria/viruses, pollen and dust mites, A+ provides services to help.

The filtration systems we provide are: room air purifiers, whole home air filtration, dehumidifier, humidifier, UV lamp, ventilators, and ductwork.

Also, make sure you are washing bedding, carpets, upholstery and other textiles regularly to cut back on allergens in your home.  Using natural cleaners and keeping chemicals and other chemical pollutants locked away, where they won’t affect your family and their health.

Get to Know A+ Heating, Cooling and Electric

Located in San Diego, California, A+ Heating, Cooling and Electric (A+ HCE) has made it their mission to provide top quality service in their field.   A+ HCE creates a warm, friendly and positive experience for all their residential and commercial customers.  Yet their vision is to be the leading provider of amazing and affordable service to Christian Churches and Organizations in the San Diego County area.

A+ HCE creates a top leading team of technicians by making sure they fit their company’s mission and vision.  Hiring technicians that have a warm, friendly and inviting disposition and having top experience with heating and cooling is top priority. 

Mike, their heating and cooling technician manager, has been in the field for over 40 years and can fix almost anything.  Knowing that Mike is leading the team of technicians can leave you feeling assured that you will get the best quality service and they will provide A+ service for years to come.

Reasons to call A+ Heating, Cooling and Electric:

• Free Estimate
• Free Service Call-after doing the repair, they will be happy to waive the service call for you.
• Upfront Pricing-know the price before the service is provided, no hidden fees or hourly rates.
• Professional A+ Service-leading technicians provide superior service with a warm, friendly and professional disposition.
• Affordable-provide very affordable pricing, and have senior and military discounts.
• Patience-taking time to listen and communicate so you feel at ease with your decision.

Guarantees satisfaction, have comfort in knowing that nothing beats A+ Heating, Cooling and Electric.