Summer. Everyone looks forward to its arrival after a long, cold winter (and mucky, rainy spring). Warm days and fun outdoor activities make everyone look forward to the season. Until, of course, the weather starts to heat up to an unbearable point and the humidity starts to set in. Then you and your family probably start to look for ways you can beat the heat in your Nassau home.
Air conditioning is one of the best ways you can stay cool during the summer, but you might not know if you want to make the investment. There are several ways a new AC installation can make a big difference when it comes to your family’s quality of life and comfort.
Here are a few of the main reasons AC can help:
You and your family will be more comfortable. Nothing is worse than dealing with a hot, sticky home all summer long. Your home should be a retreat from the outdoor heat, but without air conditioning, it can sometimes feel hotter inside than out. When you install AC in your Nassau home, your family will thank you for it once those temperatures hit the sweltering mark.
You’ll reduce your risk of heat-related illness. For infants and toddlers, the elderly and those suffering with certain illnesses, summer heat can be more than just uncomfortable – it can be deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses are responsible for hundreds of deaths in the U.S. each year. They also agree that air conditioning, along with proper hydration, can protect people.
Allergy and asthma sufferers may see some relief. The Mayo Clinic advocates the use of air conditioning for allergy and asthma sufferers, largely because of its air cleaning capabilities. They state, “air conditioning reduces the amount of airborne pollen from trees, grasses and weeds that finds its way indoors.” They also point to air conditioning’s ability to help reduce exposure to dust mites, which are a major allergy and asthma trigger for many.
Your home will be less humid. Everyone knows that AC in your home helps you stay cool. Part of the reason it does that is because aside from cooling the air, it also helps to remove excess humidity. And, with reduced humidity comes a reduced change for mold and mildew growth, which can occur if your home is too damp.
You’ll sleep better. The National Sleep Foundation indicates that for most people, the ideal temperature for sleeping is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can imagine, that temperature might be difficult to achieve during the summer in the absence of air conditioning. When you have AC in your Nassau home, you and your family will rest easier – making for much more enjoyable days in the sun!
T.F. O’Brien is a full-service air conditioning contractor, serving people all throughout Nassau. When you decide it’s time for AC installation in your home, you can count on us to provide you with professional, quality air conditioner installation, as well as any other air conditioning service you may need. Just give us a call at 516-488-1800 and we’ll help you get the right AC for your Nassau home.
Happy March from T.F. O’Brien! We love this time of year, because it means St. Patrick’s Day is upon us, and spring is right around the corner. It also means we’re gearing up for our annual 
If you’re tired of giving the same old chocolates and flowers on Valentine’s Day, you might want to consider giving something a little bit more practical this year. Yes, we know, home heating probably doesn’t seem very romantic, but – at T.F. O’Brien, we think nothing says “I love you” more than the gift of comfort! If you’d like to give your Valentine something a little unique this year, why not new heating?
High velocity heating is a type of heating system that uses small diameter ductwork to bring heat and comfort in older, multi-story homes where larger diameter ductwork might be a problem. A high velocity heating system uses a type of indoor equipment known as an air handler, outdoor equipment, a line set of pipes that connect the indoor and outdoor units, and small-diameter ductwork which transfers the heated air throughout your home. A standard thermostat controls the system.
One of the main benefits of high velocity heating is that it requires minimal construction. Because it uses small-diameter ductwork, the installation is ideal for older, multi-story homes that don’t already have ductwork installed, or where larger diameter ductwork may be space-prohibitive.
When you choose a high velocity heating system from T.F. O’Brien, you’ll love the improved home comfort, as well as the many additional benefits a high velocity heating system provides:
If ductwork concerns are the main reason you’re considering high velocity heating, but you really only need heating in one or two rooms, you might want to talk to us about our ductless heating options.
When your home isn’t as comfortable as you’d like, and your heating bills are still on the rise, it can get frustrating as a homeowner. You probably hate the idea of turning up the thermostat, because you know that’s going to mean higher utility bills in the long run, but you might be at a point where you don’t know what else to do. If you’ve made it your New Year resolution to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient in 2017, T.F. O’Brien Cooling & Heating can help.
You might be surprised to hear it, but one of the biggest culprits when it comes to the effectiveness and efficiency of your home heating system is a
If you want to keep your heating system operating at top efficiency, an annual maintenance plan is a must. There is nothing better for your equipment, and no better way to achieve peak system performance. And, spending a little on an 
Today’s thermostats offer so much more than the old, dial-style thermostat we likely grew up with in our homes. Even basic programmable thermostats can help you keep your home more comfortable and more energy efficient. But 
Depending on the age of your system, it may be time to consider a replacement. We’re pleased to offer Long Island residents the best quality, most efficient heating systems on the market. Your 
The bottom line is, the government doesn’t want consumers or contractors to use R-22. Prices for the refrigerant have increased upwards of 200-300 percent since 2010, and they’re only expected to keep increasing. Part of the EPA’s strategy is to encourage homeowners to repair leaks or replace systems rather than continue to add more R-22 refrigerant. Making it costly to continue to pump R-22 into a leaky system – and into the environment – is one way the EPA is encouraging a conversion to newer equipment.
In a nutshell – yes. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, for you or for the environment. New air-conditioning systems use R-410A, which is more environmentally friendly than R-22 and doesn’t deplete the ozone layer. Not to mention, new air conditioning systems have improved by leaps and bounds when it comes to energy efficiency – even the lowest efficiency systems of today use significantly less energy than the best models used just a few years ago. Depending on the age and condition of your current system, you could be looking at a savings on your utility bills that nearly covers the cost of your payments on a new system.
Simply put, you can’t. These two refrigerants are not compatible and should never be mixed. All the parts inside new systems have been engineered to function with R-410A refrigerant, and use different pressures, configurations, coil sizes and types of metal. Adding R-410A to an old system can be dangerous, and at the very least would completely ruin your air conditioner.