Fall Getaway: Escape the Heat, Head North and Tour the Fall Leaves
After a long, hot and humid summer, it’s good to head to cooler places on a fall getaway. If you’re thinking of heading north to see the fall color, you might not have to go as far as you think to see spectacular fall displays of red, gold, bronze and copper. Within just a few hours’ driving distance from central Florida, you can view beautiful fall foliage.
Torreya State Park
Located in the panhandle and on the southern edge of the Appalachian mountain range, Torreya State Park is one of the best places in Florida to see the seasonal color change. Torreya’s high hills and mountains sit 50 to 262 feet above sea level, providing climactic conditions rarely seen elsewhere in the state. As well as the gold, orange and red of elms, sweet gum, hickory and maple, you can see fall wildflowers in shades of yellow, blue and purple. View the fall display from the bluff overlooking the Apalachicola River, where you can see the contrast with the surrounding evergreen landscape.
Three Rivers State Park
Pine and mixed hardwood trees provide a home to white-tailed deer, fox squirrels and gray foxes in Three Rivers State Park, and in fall the hardwood leaves take on autumn shades. The Chattahoochee and Flint rivers merge to form Lake Seminole in this scenic, peaceful area. Hiking and fishing are the main activities visitors on a fall getaway enjoy among the attractive foliage.
F.D. Roosevelt State Park
The largest state park in Georgia, F.D. Roosevelt State Park, features a burst of golden fall color that cloaks its mountains. The park is named for its association with the former president. He would picnic at Dowdell’s Knob where, as well as a life-size statue of the president, you can view the fall foliage of the park’s hardwood trees. Alternatively, bike or hike more than 40 miles of paths and trails and experience the golden hues up close.
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Though it isn’t quite the mountains, you can see plenty of fall color at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Black gum, cypress and maple trees turn yellow, rusty-orange and red when temperatures begin to drop. What’s more, red huckleberries and cassine holly berries appear and yellow sunflowers bloom. To see the colors at their best, take a canoe or motorboat into the swamp. Fall is a great time to visit the Okefenokee because it’s one of the quietest times in terms of visitors, so take advantage.
Programming Your Air Conditioning While You’re Away
Escaping on a fall getaway gives your air conditioning a rest after it’s worked hard all summer. You might not want to turn it off entirely, however. A hot spell while you’re away could result in peeling wallpaper and warped wood, while a burst of cool humidity could mean dampness and even mold. Set a programmable thermostat to a moderate temperature to help prevent nasty surprises when you return from your trip. Even better, install a smart thermostat, which receives local weather reports and adjusts the setting appropriately to keep your home’s interior dry and cool.
Fall colors are one of nature’s most beautiful displays, and worth taking a little time off to go and see. When your air conditioning system has a programmable or smart thermostat, you can have peace of mind knowing that your home is at the optimum temperature while you’re away. Contact Cox Heating & Air Conditioning for more advice and information.
5 Green Tips to Stay Cool During the in Hot Days of Early Fall
Hot, sticky weather is one of the downsides of late summer that can last well into the fall, and running your home’s air conditioning often results in high energy bills. Fortunately, by following a few green tips, you and your family can enjoy a cool house without wasting energy or stretching the household budget. Avoiding late summer heat is a simple matter using air conditioning wisely and keeping the cool air in and the heat out of your home.
Programmable Thermostats
One of the best green tips for using air conditioning effectively is to install a programmable thermostat, which cools the house to a comfortable temperature when the family most needs it. With a programmable thermostat, the air conditioning can be set to a lower temperature during morning and evenings when most people are home, and at a higher temperature during the main part of the day when the house is often empty.
Air Conditioning Temperatures
A common misconception about air conditioning units is that setting the temperature very low cools a room quickly. In fact, low-temperature settings on air conditioners don’t increase the speed that the room cools, but they do increase energy costs. Most people are comfortable at 78 degrees Fahrenheit, but you can experiment to find what temperature suits your family best. Higher temperature settings use less energy.
Air Conditioning Maintenance
A poorly maintained air conditioning unit requires more energy to achieve the same reduction in indoor temperatures as a well-maintained unit. Arrange regular services for your unit, including filter changes and coil cleaning. If your air conditioning system is older than 10 years, it’s time to consider an upgrade. Modern HVAC systems are often more energy efficient and more effective at cooling the home than older models.
Fans
Using fans in tandem with air conditioners boosts cooling power. Ceiling fans and portable fans cost little to run but move the cool air around the room. Consequently, you can set your air conditioner at a higher temperature and achieve the same cooling effect.
Sealing Gaps and Cracks
Just as heat can escape through gaps and cracks during winter, cool air leaves the home through the same routes. As a result, air conditioners must work harder and use more energy to keep indoor temperatures down. Seal gaps around door frames and windows with silicone caulk, and tape up leaks in HVAC ductwork.
Making the best use of your air conditioning unit means you don’t have to sacrifice your peace of mind to keep your home cool and comfortable. Contact a professional contractor for more advice about how you can improve the efficiency of your air conditioning.
5 Tips to Keep Your Air Conditioning Cool in Summer
There’s no avoiding the fact that summer months in the Tampa area mean famous heat and humidity, with the main goal for residents and tourists alike being finding ways to keep cool. To make sure your air conditioner is equipped for the Florida heat, it’s critical to prepare ahead of time and take care of your unit to prevent any kind of summer crisis.
Here are five tips to keep your air conditioning running at peak performance this summer:
Take a test
Does your AC system make loud or otherwise strange noises? Have you noticed any leaking or fluids around the unit? Is it making your home as cool as it should? Before you really start running your unit for the summer, you want to test it out to make sure all is well before you have house guests or the temperatures hit triple digits.
Keep the unit clear
Make sure your AC unit is free of all debris that may have collected over the winter or grown up during the spring. Ensure that the unit has room around it so that nothing can clog or jam the mechanisms. If you need to clean inside of the system, make sure to power down the unit first.
Replace your filters
Ideally, your filters should be changed every 60 days or so, but be sure to swap yours out heading into the summer months. Clogged and dirty filters make your entire unit work harder and they reduce the amount of airflow, which means your home won’t be as cool as it could be.
Check your thermostat
A programmable thermostat can help cool your home at the right times and help drive down costs. To lower your energy bill, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends that you keep your house warmer than normal while you are away and set it to turn on right before you arrive home to maximize its effectiveness.
Get an inspection
When your AC is keeping everything cool, it’s easy not to give it a second thought. But you shouldn’t go more than six-to-eight months without having your system inspected, according to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, the same way you keep your car tuned up. Ignoring maintenance may result in greater costs when repairs are needed.
Keeping your home and family cool in the sweltering Tampa area summer begins with taking the right steps now to ensure your AC unit is ready for the warmer weather. Contact an expert HVAC provider to make sure you’re prepared.
Protect Your HVAC System with a Maintenance Plan
Air conditioning is a must have when facing the searing heat and humidity in the Tampa region, and when everything is firing on all cylinders, it’s easy to forget that your HVAC system is a complex piece of machinery that needs to be maintained.
According to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, you shouldn’t go more than six-to-eight months without having your system inspected, similar to the way you keep your car tuned up. Ignoring maintenance may result in greater costs when repairs are needed.
Here are the top reasons to invest in an HVAC maintenance plan:
Better air quality
The filters inside your air conditioner help improve the air quality in your home, but over time, the build-up of dust, pollen and other contaminants can block air flow and reduce the quality of air when using your system. Investing in an HVAC maintenance plan will help identify the optimal filter change schedule for your system.
Improved equipment function
After a while, if untreated, the internal components in your HVAC system will start to weaken due to usage. Worn or damaged elements could decrease the airflow rate in your system, causing your system to constantly run to reach the proper temperature. A maintenance plan is a great way to ensure all parts are in working order.
Lower energy costs
When all the components of your HVAC system are not working properly, the equipment will run longer than normal to overcompensate, consuming excess energy each day and leading to a higher utility bill. Regular maintenance will keep the equipment functioning properly and efficiently, leading to as-expected bills.
Priority service and savings
When people face an air conditioning emergency, it might take days for a service provider to address the issue, creating an uncomfortable situation in the home. Investing in a maintenance plan often puts those customers in a priority position to receive service without having to wait. In addition, plans can lead to discounts on the services offered.
Better lifespan
According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the average lifespan of an HVAC system is 15 years. Having a maintenance plan in place to deal with small issues over the years can help ensure that your unit keeps your home cool for that long, and perhaps even longer than expected.`
Don’t wait until the Tampa area heat wreaks havoc on your AC. Contact a trustworthy and knowledgeable HVAC service provider and inquire about a maintenance plan for your AC system and what it entails.
What is the life expectancy of my unit?
Dependable Carrier products are among the longest lasting heating and cooling products available. For your specific equipment, there are many variables that affect life expectancy, and of course, the regularity of routine maintenance.
What does my warranty cover?
Under the standard factory warranty, Carrier covers parts that fail during the warranty period due to defect in the part. The warranty does not cover labor. A warranty certificate was included with your homeowner information packet and is specific to the model numbers, serial numbers and installation dates of your products. If you cannot find your warranty certificate, Cox Heating & Air Conditioning will also be able to provide you with the information.
Which Carrier equipment will best fit my home?
There are many factors that affect the sizing and specifications of your system, including square footage, insulation, window surface and configuration, geographic location of your home, duct sizing and arrangement, and many others. Cox Heating & Air Conditioning can perform an in-home load analysis to determine which equipment combinations will perfectly suit your home and your family’s needs. Depending upon the construction of your home, one (1) ton of air conditioning can cool anywhere from 300 to 800 square feet of home. The only way to insure the size of the system you purchase will be large enough to cool your home, but not any larger than you need, is to have your home’s individual heating and cooling needs evaluated by a licensed professional.
Where can I get parts for my Carrier equipment?
As a Carrier dealer, Cox Heating & Air Conditioning is the best resource for identifying and supplying the correct, current parts for your system, as well as pricing and availability.
Why can’t I find the correct size furnace filter at my local home improvement store for my Carrier Brand Equipment?
The filter shipped with your Carrier unit is made from higher-quality materials than those of the disposable filters found in retail stores. For that reason, replacement Carrier filters can only be purchased through a Carrier dealer. However, keep in mind that some Carrier filters are reusable and can be washed by hand in cold water.
What type of filter should I use? And how often should I replace it?
Standard filters work to keep your system and its ductwork clean, but they don’t really improve indoor air quality. To do that you need a media filter. The media filter rests between the main return duct and the blower cabinet and will improve dust and particle removal by seven times that of a standard filter. However, upgrading to a pleated media filter will remove everything from insecticide dust to airborne viruses from the filtered air. Always choose a filter that matches your blower’s capacity. For optimum efficiency and filtration, Cox Heating & Air Conditioning recommends that you replace your disposable filters at least once a month. If you have washable filters, they should be cleaned once a month.
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