Heating & Cooling Articles

According to the most recent insurance industry research, 14,000 people in the United States experience an emergency caused by water damage each day. About 37 percent of those homeowners have suffered losses from water damage, including many in Corpus Christi, Texas. Here are seven ways your home can experience water damage:

Invasive Tree Roots

That beautiful shade tree near your living room window might help keep your home cool during the summer. But unfortunately, it might be causing more harm than good by having invasive roots that snake around your underground pipes. Over time, the pressure from growing roots can break pipes and result in flooding near the base of your house.

Clutter in the Gutter

Do you clean your home’s gutters every spring? Most homeowners don’t, especially if they own multi-story homes that have high gutters. Clutter in the gutters can back water up and lead it to spill over. When that happens, the water can pour through your roof or on your home’s exterior walls. It can then soak into the building materials.

Roof Damage

Speaking of roofs, water can damage yours in a number of ways, including a clogged gutter. Water damage on roofs also often happens during major summer storms in Corpus Christi, when they aren’t able to keep out the heavy rainfall. Inspect your roof annually. If you suspect water damage from a storm, inspect and repair it immediately.

Leaks in Your Plumbing System

A kitchen faucet leaking at the rate of one drop per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. And about 10 percent of homes in the United States contain leaks that waste at least 90 gallons of water each day. If you do the math, you’ll realize that it pays to repair leaks in your plumbing system as fast as possible. Not only will doing so prevent further water damage inside your home but it’ll also help keep utility costs from skyrocketing.

Busted Water Heater

About 75 percent of water heaters fail before they reach 12 years old. If your water heater is more than 10 years old, it’s important to schedule an inspection to ensure it’s in good working order. Otherwise, you risk your water heater suddenly busting and damaging everything in its vicinity, including your property and personal belongings.

Clogged Condensate Drain Pipe

Your air conditioner’s condensate drain line plays a major role in getting rid of water that can otherwise damage your home. When the evaporator coil in your AC system removes humidity from your home’s air and converts it to water, the condensate drain line moves that water outside. When the line becomes clogged, the drain pan will eventually overflow. This can cause ice to form on the AC coils and damage the system. It can also cause pools of water to collect near the indoor air conditioning unit, damaging your floors, carpets, ceiling or furnishings in the process.

Storm Flooding

Of all the most damaging ways water can damage your home in terms of costs, flooding is the most expensive. The average cost of water damage resulting from flooding ranges from $19,000 to $26,000, depending on the severity. Flooding can expose you to black water, which contains contaminants that can cause illness or even death. If you’ve experienced water damage caused by flooding, repair it right away to avoid endangering your health and safety.

Are you dealing with a plumbing emergency that can cause extensive water damage and even impact your health and safety? Contact Bodine-Scott at 888-481-8511 for immediate assistance. Whether it’s leaking pipes or a busted water heater, our service technicians know how to repair the plumbing problem immediately. We’re here 24 hours a day, seven days a week to make sure you feel comfortable and safe in your home.

Image provided by Thinkstock

For many people, owning a solar panel system seems like a fantasy, because the installation costs are intimidating. Despite that costly concern, though, the solar industry has experienced an average annual growth rate of 68 percent in the last decade. Thanks to financial incentives and government programs, any homeowner in Corpus Christi, Texas, can conquer the costs of renewable energy. With that said, here’s what makes solar energy worth the initial investment:

Read More

Turning off lights and maintaining your HVAC system are great starts to improving energy efficiency. But there’s more you can do. Unfortunately, other sources of energy loss aren’t as apparent as a light left on in your Corpus Christi, Texas, home. To stop wasting energy and start saving money, conduct a home energy audit. Doing so will help you find where you can improve your efficiency.

Read More

If generous tax incentives and utility rebates aren’t enough to make you want to install solar power on your Portland, Texas, home, the energy savings should. Getting solar power requires the help of a professional, but there are things you can do yourself to make the transition easier.

Read More

Remember your life before having a smartphone? Remember flip phones and Blackberries? Actual keypads? Can you imagine going back to that era of disconnectivity and buttons? Smart technology and Wi-Fi connectivity have certainly made our lives more convenient and accessible. It’s helped us save many headaches and time, while arguably causing us to become a bit too connected to our devices.

Now that tech has come to your home in Corpus Christi, Texas, bringing with it the same benefits you’ve had because of your smart devices. Wi-Fi thermostats will take you to the next level of efficiency and convenience while continuing what every thermostat has always done: establish comfort. Just like there are a plethora of smartphones to choose from, the same goes for Wi-Fi (or smart) thermostats. Here are three of the best Wi-Fi thermostats currently available.

Carrier Wi-Fi Thermostat

One of the greatest features of any Wi-Fi thermostat is its capability to program specific temperatures for certain times of day, enabling you to keep your home a little warmer (and more efficient) while you’re away for a long day of work. The Carrier Wi-Fi thermostat allows you to program your thermostat for seven full days in advance. And with a connected mobile app and online control features, you can adjust temperatures from anywhere, or switch the system to a more energy efficient “Quick Save” mode.

The Online Runtime Tracking system displays when and how your energy is being used so you can adjust your lifestyle for more savings and greater comfort in the long run. The Carrier Wi-Fi thermostat works with many types and brands of HVAC systems, and in the winter,, it can work with your furnace or heat pump to save even more money with a Hybrid Heat system.

Cor Wi-Fi Thermostat

The top-of-the-line Cor Wi-Fi thermostat boasts the slogan: “The Heart of a Smarter Home,” and it certainly owns up to that. Since your HVAC system is the heart of comfort and energy efficiency in your living space, it’s only natural your smart thermostat would be the center of your smart home. The Cor Wi-Fi thermostat features a full-color touch screen that includes intuitive, on-screen prompts to make your heating and cooling quicker and easier. A local four-day forecast also makes it easier to maximize the programmable capabilities of the Wi-Fi thermostat.

In addition to the remote access common in smart thermostats, the Cor also provides detailed energy reports and a convenient system that allows you to make quick changes to your settings. But monitoring temperature and energy efficiency isn’t all the Cor thermostat does. Since indoor air quality is such a crucial aspect of your home, the Cor thermostat lets you choose between UV lamp, filter, or humidifier pad replacement reminders based on either a fixed schedule or according to runtime. If you have multiple comfort zones in your home, the Cor thermostat is compatible with three additional zones and thermostats.

Infinity Remote Access Touch Control

Not only can the Infinity Remote Access Touch Control watch over temperature and indoor air quality, but it can also manage humidity, ventilation, and airflow throughout your home. And where the Cor thermostat was only compatible with three different temperature zones, the Infinity thermostat is compatible with up to eight, each of which you can program with individual, personalized settings.

While it certainly includes all the other energy-use-tracking and programmable capabilities of other thermostats, the Infinity thermostat also comes with a Greenspeed intelligent system that ensures your HVAC system is cooling your home according to the load requirements of your living space. It’s an important factor that will lead to far greater comfort and much lower utility costs.

In the end, smart thermostats do just what smart technology was intended to do: save. No matter what thermostat you choose in the end, you’ll save money with greater energy efficiency, you’ll save your health with high indoor air quality, and you’ll save time with the easy-to-use, convenient features. To see firsthand the benefits of these smart thermostats on your air conditioning, call Bodine-Scott Air Conditioning today at 888-481-8511.

Image provided by Shutterstock

Volatile organic chemicals, also called VOCs, evaporate or off-gas at room temperature from some materials, including air fresheners, perfumes, the glues in particle board, paints, varnishes, cleaners, carpets, and many other common household items. These chemicals lower your Corpus Christi, Texas, home’s indoor air quality, which can cause sinus problems, eye irritation, headaches, asthma, and even cancer. Some of the most common volatile organic chemicals are formaldehyde, acetone, xylene, toluene, and benzene. You can protect your family from VOCs by installing ventilation, adding houseplants, avoiding products with VOCs, and using natural cleaners and air fresheners.

Read More

For residents of Corpus Christi, Texas, staying cool in summer while keeping utility bills low can be a real challenge. The U.S. Department of Energy offers a number of conservation tips designed to help homeowners manage costs and reduce energy waste throughout their properties. Here are five of the most effective ways to lower consumption of energy and improve the efficiency of your HVAC system in the Lone Star State.

Consider Alternative Energy Sources

Depending on your location, installing solar energy systems can provide lasting savings on your electric bills and can reduce your carbon footprint to a considerable degree. Wind energy is also a preferred method for lowering utility bills and reduce dependency on traditional energy sources. These alternative ways to generate electricity are expected to see even more use in the future as more consumers and businesses opt for green-friendly energy sources and strategies.

Take Small Steps at Home

Especially during the heat of summer in Corpus Christi, making a few small changes can have a big impact on the overall energy efficiency of your HVAC system. Installing a ceiling fan can increase comfort inside your home and can reduce the workload of your heating and cooling system. Investing in smart power strips can also reduce electric consumption, allowing you to lower your utility bills at a relatively low initial cost to you and your family. Looking for little ways to decrease your use of electricity can help you manage costs without dramatic changes to your current lifestyle.

Install Programmable Thermostats

The ENERGY STAR program offers guidance and recommendations for consumers on reducing the amount of wasted energy and lowering utility bills throughout the year. Programmable thermostats can provide added control over temperatures inside your Corpus Christi home even when you are not home to adjust them. By setting your programmable thermostat to cool things down before you arrive home and to allow warmer temperatures during times you are likely to be away, you can enjoy the lowest possible utility costs while ensuring comfort for you and your family.

Invest in a Home Energy Audit

For even greater savings, you can schedule a home energy audit with a professional air conditioning company. These audits include a number of essential steps, including the following:

• Visual inspections to identify cracks and gaps
• Assessment of utility costs
• Thermographic imaging
• Blower door testing

In some cases, perfluorocarbon tracer gas (PFT) testing may provide even more information about the current condition of your home and can help you to close any gaps or leaks. This can allow you to enjoy the greatest efficiency from your current furnace or air conditioning system.

Upgrade Your Current System

If your current cooling system is more than 10 years old, you may be able to reduce your energy costs and enhance your comfort with a new air conditioning or heat pump system. Upgrading to an energy-efficient system can also reduce the chance of unexpected breakdowns that can have a serious impact on your budget and your indoor temperatures. A new Carrier system can help you lower your utility bills while ensuring that you enjoy cool comfort during every season of the year.

The friendly and knowledgeable professionals at Bodine-Scott Air Conditioning Co. can provide you with the emergency air conditioning repair and replacement services your family needs to stay comfortable even on the hottest summer days in Corpus Christi. We are a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer with more than 55 years in the air conditioning industry. Bodine-Scott Air Conditioning offers 24-hour service for our valued customers. Our team of NATE-certified technicians can provide you with professional energy audit services, indoor air quality assessments, solar and wind energy installations and customized recommendations designed to help you save money on the cost of keeping your home cool and comfortable. To learn more about our full lineup of services and how they can help you save energy and increase your comfort throughout the year, call us today at 888-481-8511. We look forward to the chance to serve all your heating and cooling needs.

Gain energy savings and environmentally friendly benefits when you bring solar and wind power solutions to your George West, Texas, home. Today’s solar panels and wind turbines are reliable, efficient, and cost-effective renewable energy sources.

Read More

Although winter and summer are the seasons when you spend the most money on heating and cooling, you should still watch your energy bills during the rest of the year. Without proper monitoring, bills can easily spiral out of control. If you’re looking to save some money on energy bills in your Portland, Texas, home this fall, follow these simple tips.

Change Your Air Filter

It seems counterintuitive to spend money when you’re looking to cut your energy bills, but purchasing a new air filter is an inexpensive way to improve HVAC efficiency. Air filters are responsible for keeping allergens and contaminants out of your home. However, when these filters become clogged, it causes your HVAC system to work harder to produce the same results. That’s why changing your filter is so important. Not only does it improve your indoor air quality, but it also reduces the workload on your HVAC system. This translates to lower energy bills and fewer maintenance calls throughout fall and the rest of the year.

Get a Furnace or Heat Pump Tuneup

Another small expenditure that translates to big savings is a tuneup for your furnace or heat pump. Your furnace has not been in use for several months. Problems may arise as a result of this period of dormancy, causing your furnace to suffer inefficiencies that can even be dangerous. That’s why it’s important to get a tuneup. Not only will your furnace function at its highest level of efficiency, but our technicians will also provide valuable tips for getting the most from your system.

If you have a heat pump, tuneups are vital because these devices have twice the workload of conventional HVAC systems. Not only do they heat, but they also cool the home. Without proper checkups, the heat pump can lose its efficient edge, giving you higher energy bills in the process.

Grab the Caulking Gun

As temperatures drop during fall, you may notice drafts coming from doors and windows. Because you notice these drafts, it’s easier to identify the source. Once you’ve pinpointed just where the draft is coming from, it’s time to grab a caulking gun and seal any leaks or cracks in the trim. Caulk comes in several colors, so it’s easy to match to the color of the wood, paint, or vinyl. If you can’t find a matching color, paint over the caulk for the desired effect.

When you seal these cracks, it’s an important step in preserving your home’s comfort level and saving money at the same time. It prevents warm air from leaving the home and cool air from entering.

Add Some Insulation to Your Attic

Although most air escapes through doors and windows, a substantial amount leaves the home through the attic. That’s why it’s important to have adequate insulation. Most homes come with at least some attic insulation. Your HVAC technician can check to determine if you have the right amount of insulation, the right type, and that it is in good condition. If you need more, consider adding rolls of fiberglass insulation or even loose-fill cellulose. Just remember that having some insulation is better than having none at all, so find something that works for your budget.

Set Your Thermostat

If you have an old thermostat, it probably only has a heating or cooling setting. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, it’s extraordinarily inefficient. You can’t adjust settings on the fly, and you can’t set a program to run throughout the week. If this describes your current thermostat situation, it’s probably time to spring for a smart thermostat.

When you purchase a smart thermostat, you have a device that learns your particular habits and adjusts your home’s temperature accordingly. In addition, modern thermostats have WiFi capabilities that let you change the temperature from anywhere in the world. All this adds up to great savings and a home that’s always the perfect temperature.

This fall, don’t spend extra money on energy bills when you can avoid it. If you need someone to help you along the way or provide a tuneup, give Bodine-Scott a call at 888-481-8511. With our top-notch service team, you’ll never be left out in the cold.

Image provided by Shutterstock

Losing the air conditioner in the middle of the night can be a hassle during a hot Kingsville, Texas, summer. When your AC breaks down after normal business service hours, it’s nice to know you have a few options to stay cool until the unit can be repaired.

Read More