The Secret to A Cooler Home

As a Los Angeles air conditioning contractor I can assure you that I, and the Safety Sealed service technicians who work for me, would be extremely grateful if you were generous enough to cool the air in your attic. We work in attics frequently and temperatures in an uninsulated attic can reach 150 degrees. But you don't want your unfinished attic cooled by your air conditioner, that would be an unnecessary expense! Unfortunately that oppressive heat bearing down on your interior ceiling makes your HVAC system use more energy and work harder, which will increase your summer utility bill. 

Attic fans cool hot attics by drawing in outside air through attic vents and pushing hot air to the outside.

Sometimes whole-house ventilation fans that provide fresh air are confused with attic fans. They are not the same. Unlike a whole-house fan that cools the house by exhausting air from the home, usually at night, an attic fan is designed to lower the temperature of an attic by exhausting air only from the attic and replacing attic air with outdoor air, usually during the day.

One of the problems that I've run into is that some attic fans can be noisy. With attic fans it is worth it to spend a few cents more and get the better brand. Quality equipment, careful installation, and proper venting greatly decreases sound issues.

One of the secret benefits of an attic fan is that often times an attic fan is needed to preserve the warranty on your composite roofing.  You didn't know that did you? Check the fine print ;)

If you have any questions about attic fans don't hesitate to call my office at 818-780-0701 I will be happy to assist you in examining the costs and benefits of installing an attic fan in your Los Angeles or San Fernando Valley home.

Los Angeles Emergency Cooling Centers

Air Conditioning is a health necessity in Los Angeles this week. Get the word out.

The following City of Los Angeles facilities are utilized as “Cooling Centers” during extreme heat conditions to provide the public with relief from the heat.

These air conditioned City facilities are always open to the public during regular business hours and should be used for Los Angeles residents to escape the heat as needed.

Air Conditioning in Los Angeles

Library Facilities
Library facilities will be operating during their normal posted hours today and tomorrow. The general public should visit http://www.lapl.org/branches or call (213) 228-7000 for specific hours of operation.

Recreation and Parks Facilities
Normal Operating Hours. To access the list of all facilities with locations and operating hours go to:  http://www.laparks.org/dos/reccenter/reccenter.htm.

• Alpine Recreation Center 817 Yale St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 485-5448 12:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Lanark Recreation Center 21816 Lanark St.  Canoga Park, CA 91304 (818) 883-1503 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• Lakeview Terrace Recreation Center 11075 Foothill Blvd. Lake View Terrace, CA 91342 (818) 899-8087 Noon to 9:00 p.m. 
• Jordan Downs Recreation Center 9900 Grape St. Los Angeles, CA 90002 (213) 485-1835 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• North Hollywood Recreation Center 11430 Chandler Blvd. North Hollywood, CA 91601 (818) 763-7651 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• Sepulveda Recreation Center 8801 Kester Ave.  Panorama City, CA 91402 (818) 893-3700 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• Sherman Oaks/East Valley Adult Center 5060 Van Nuys Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (818) 981-1284 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
• Sunland Park Senior Center 8640 Fenwick St. Sunland, CA 91040 (818) 353-9571 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The Department of Public Health would like to remind everyone that precautions should be taken, especially by individuals who participate in outdoor activities, older adults, caretakers of infants and children, and those sensitive to the heat.  Call 9-1-1 when appropriate.

And remember, pets get overheated too. Take good care of yourselves and your families.

Air Conditioning Condensation - Can It Damage Your Home?

Clogged condensate lines are one of the most serious issues air conditioning repairmen deal with. They don't just stop your AC system from working they can actually cause damage to your home.

Any Los Angeles air conditioning contractor will tell you that our air is brimming with water; 65% average humidity. All that water is processed by your air conditioner and becomes condensation.

You know how a cold drink on a hot day creates condensation on the outside of the glass? The same thing happens when warm air from your home comes in contact with your evaporator coil. Condensation is created. A properly installed heating and cooling system is designed to deal with all the excess water produced, and there is a LOT of water at times! Proper systems are equipped with a drain pan and pipe running either to the ground outside your house or maybe into a rain gutter on the roof.  If this drain line is clogged, you can be facing some potentially serious issues.

When my company installs an AC system we take an extra step to give my customers a warning if their condensate drain is clogged. We place the secondary drain outlet over a window or in a similarly noticeable place. When the homeowner sees water dripping they call for service. This way the problem can be remedied BEFORE it causes damage to your home.