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Changing your air filters is an important part of maintaining your AC unit. It also helps reduce your energy consumption as well as helps keep the air clean.

All in all it’s an important task of owning or even renting a home!

If you have never changed an air filter before don’t worry it is a simple task.

First of all you need to purchase the correct air filter.

Before you try and change the filter make sure your HVAC unit is off! This is for your safety! If you can't figure out how to turn off the unit itself, you should turn off the breaker.

Figure out where your air filter is. It is more than likely located on the right side of the unit. Take out the old filter (you will see how dirty it is, then realize how important it really is to change them).

Now insert the new air filter that you purchased into the same place the old one was. Many air filters will have arrows telling you which side to face toward the outside air.

Changing your filters should be done often. The filters in your home usually need to be changed once a month or once every three months depending on the type of filter you're using. You should check the product information on the filters for the manufacturer's suggested frequency of change.

How often you change it can also depend on where you live and how often you use your HVAC unit.

Just remember that having dirty air filters can dramatically reduce a system's efficiency. Replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one can lower your air conditioner's energy consumption by 5% to 15%.

It is very important to keep them clean and to keep up on changing these air filters.

If you still aren’t able to figure out how to change your air filters or aren’t sure how often to do it please contact us today!

As the heat creeps up on us you probably begin to appreciate that air conditioning(AC) unit more and more!

Like with anything in this life that you appreciate such as your car, your boat or your home you have to maintain it! Prolonging the life of the things you love and lets be honest the things that cost the most is important!

AC units aren’t very cheap so if you want to make sure you have yours for the full life expectancy then you need to make sure you take care of it.

You might be wondering how do you even maintain an AC unit. You might be totally knowledgeable on maintaining your car but not many people even realize that AC units need maintenance.

No worries, we will give you some tips to maintaining that precious AC unit of yours!

• Take care of your air conditioning coils: According to Engery.gov you should minimize dirt and debris near the condenser unit. Your dryer vents, falling leaves, and lawn mower are all potential sources of dirt and debris. Cleaning the area around the coil, removing any debris, and trimming foliage back at least 2 feet (0.6 meters) allow for adequate airflow around the condenser.
• Comb your coil fins: There is a tool called a fin comb that will help you comb these back when they are bent.
• Change your air filters: Not only does this extend the life of your AC unitbut by replacing a dirty, clogged filters you can lower your air conditioner's energy consumption by 5% to 15%.

There are many more steps to taking care of your AC unit. Sometimes the best thing is to hire a professional who can do all of this for you! And give you quick tips on simple maintenance.

Contact us today to learn more!

The summer is here and it is hot!

As a matter of fact it’s getting hotter!

You probably love having the luxury of having air conditioning but you would also probably love to find some ways to stay cool so that you don’t have to constantly run the air conditioning.

Here are some tips on keeping cool during these hot summer months:

• If you work out then try to workout during the cooler times in the day such as early in the morning and later at night. Then when you come home you won’t need to crank the AC to get your body temperature down.
• Same goes for outdoor activities. It’s always fun to play outside and have some outdoor fun but when you come home you will feel the need to cool the house down even more than it would need to be without those activities. So try to do those activities during the cooler times of the day.
• Drink tons of cold water! Keep water bottles in the freezer so that you can grab a cold one whenever you need it! Cold water will cool the inside of your body down which will help with your outside temperature as well.
• Take a swim! If you don’t have a pool then just take a cold bath or shower to cool yourself down rather than cranking the AC.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will promote dehydration which will heat your body up (plus it isn’t healthy to be dehydrated).
• Eat cool foods such as salads. Keep the oven baked foods for the winter. The oven heats your house up and the hot food heats you up!
• Purchase a fan! Fan can be a great substitute for the AC.

There are many different ways to stay cool! Take advantage of these things so that you don’t have to have a constant stream of air conditioning going!

Spring is officially here and it is time to start thinking about the health of your Air Conditioner. While the blistering heat may not be here yet, it is assuredly on its way. Living in Boise, you know that the weather can change on a dime. We are used to freezing winters and scorching summers, and without a properly maintained HVAC system, the heat this summer may be unbearable.

Here are two of the main reasons you should look into servicing your HVAC before the heat sets in:

• Higher Efficiency: During the summer months, there is nothing quite like the feeling of coming home to a cool home. Maintaining your HVAC system is the first step towards higher efficiency, and in turn, a cooler home that operates utilizing less electricity than a system that has not been properly serviced.
• Lower Costs: As time goes by and if proper maintenance is not handled on a regular basis, your air conditioning system will begin to cost significantly more to cool your home. Maintenance helps to keep down the long-term costs of keeping your home cool, and also increase the lifetime of your A/C unit, saving you even more!

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to ensure your air conditioning system will be able to tackle the hot summer months ahead. Contact us today to learn how you can get started!

There are many different issues that home owners encounter with their HVAC systems each year. From increasing utility costs to the buildup of dust and inconsistent heating, there are many problems that could be triggered by a number of different issues. This is why it is vital that you perform regular maintenance on your home’s heating and air conditioning systems.

Here are some of the most common issues that we hear from those who call in with HVAC problems:

• Increasing Energy Bills: If you are experiencing increased utility costs and have not drastically changed how you are using your system, it could be because of reduced efficiency. Don’t end up paying more for less!
• Dust Buildup: Excess dust buildup in your home can be a sign it is time to perform regular maintenance on your HVAC system. Not only will regular maintenance save you money, but it will also help to keep your home cleaner and fresher!
• Fluctuations in Temperature: Improperly maintained and outdated HVAC systems can bring about inconsistencies in regulating the temperature of your home. This symptom could mean a number of things, from buildup in your ducts to a number of different issues with the HVAC unit itself.

Is it time to perform maintenance on your HVAC System? Contact us today to learn more about how you can get started with Butler Heating!

Have you noticed your allergies getting worse this season? It is that time of year again, and one of the key contributing factors to your allergies may surprise you. The system of ducts in your home are one of the main places where allergens can build up and be distributed throughout your home as you use your air conditioning system.

Having the air ducts in your home cleaned each year is one of the ways that you can help to improve the air quality within your home to help improve your allergies. We begin with a duct inspection to ensure that there is what we would consider to be sufficient buildup. If there is buildup of dust and other allergens, then the cleaning process begins.

The required frequency of cleaning your ducts varies from home to home, so for some it could be a yearly endeavor while others may be every 2-3 years. A tightly sealed home should not need these services as often as an older home, or one that is in a dusty or polluted environment.

If you would like to take the next step towards relieving your seasonal allergies, please contact us today!

Maintenance, it is something that needs to be done on basically everything. You must change your oil and your tires (and much more) to maintain your car, you must take your vitamins and eat your veggies to maintain your health and you also have to maintain your air conditioning (AC) unit to expand it’s life expectancy and assure that it runs properly.

There are certain things that must be done to maintain your AC unit and keep it running at its best, which is good for both you and your wallet since an AC unit that isn’t working properly often costs more to run.

Here are a couple tips on maintaining your AC unit:

• Change the air filter: This should be done frequently especially during the warm months and especially if you live in a very dusty area, you own pets or with someone who has allergies. Some units have filters that need to be thrown away and replaced and some can just be cleaned then put back in.
• Check the power cord: The power cord can be worn down and if it is then it might not be supplying enough (or any) power to your AC unit. It can be checked by removing the control panel, unscrewing the cord terminals then connecting it to a wire test.

Just like maintaining a car is a foreign and confusing concept to some people so is maintaining their AC unit. That is why there are car mechanics to help people figure out what needs to be done to keep the car in great health.

Same goes for the maintenance of your AC unit. If you aren’t sure what needs to be done or how to do it then contact us today! We would love to help you and be your AC unit mechanic!

Air conditioning is one of the best inventions! Why, you might ask?

Well, think about what life during the summer months would be like if you didn’t have air conditioning (AC).

While it is a scorching 98 degrees outside (or higher) you would be in your home with nothing but a fan plugged into the wall that blows around the hot air. Falling asleep at night would be uncomfortable and so would doing anything in your home besides taking an ice bath.

Many people don’t realize how important having AC is in the summer because they are lucky enough to have not been without it!

But imagine if something were to go wrong with your AC. You would be miserably hot. Would you know what to do?

That is why companies such as Butler’s Heating and Air Conditioning exist. When you are in a situation with your AC (or heat) that you have no clue how to deal with or even an idea of how to trouble shoot the problem then we come out and help you!

There are certain things that are easy and a common problem for people to figure out on their own such as when the lights shut off you go to the breaker and flip the switches, easy right? But then what if the lights don’t turn back on? You would probably call a technician to come out and fix the problem.

If your AC unit isn’t running properly and you’ve done everything you know how to try and solve the issue but it has yet to be solved then don’t wait around in an uncomfortable home. Call us!

We can troubleshoot your AC and tell you everything that is wrong with it and discuss with you the best way to fix the problem and prevent the issue from happening again!

So contact us today if you would like help with your AC unit!

Summer is on its way! We all know what that means, time to crank the AC (air conditioner). Everyone had a break from running their AC but now it’s time to turn it back up to keep your home cool and comfortable.

But what if your AC isn’t working properly? That can be one of the worst things to happen during the summer months. Being in a hot and humid house with nothing to cool you down can be awful.

Luckily there are a some cool days left to be able to test out your AC and make sure it is running properly for the summer months.

There are a number of things that can go wrong with your AC unit.

Knowing what is wrong is the first step to fixing your problem.

Here are a few things that can go wrong with your AC unit:

You could have faulty ducts: Faulty ducts can be the cause of leaking air. Ducts that are leaking air are not good because it causes your cooling bill to go up because your AC is having to work extra hard to cool your home and also it can create moisture, mold, odors and allergens in your home.

You could have a broken condenser fan: Your condenser fan’s purpose is to expel the outdoors air. If your condenser fan is broken then your AC unit cannot properly expel the hot air which will cause your cooling bill to rise and your AC unit to run insufficiently.

Your unit could be old: No matter how much money you spent on your AC unit or how nice it was when you first bought it, it still has an expiration date. Granted if you take good care of your unit it will last longer but no unit will last forever. Most AC units have a life expectancy of 7-10 years.

If any of these things are wrong with your unit then it needs to be fixed immediately before it is too hot out and you have to suffer through the heat without your AC unit.

Contact us today and we can help with any AC problems you might have!

Now that summer is around the corner many residents in Boise and surrounding areas are trying to figure out how they can be more environmentally aware and friendly this summer in regards to running their air conditioning units (AC).

These residents also want to save money on their utility bills this summer.

If you are looking for ways to reduce your cooling costs and protect the planet then follow these tips:

• Use floor fans and ceiling fans! It is cheaper to have a fan running in the room you are in then to have an AC unit cooling an entire house.
• Keep your air filters clean! If your air filters are dirty then your AC unit has to run harder and this increases your utility bill.
• If you are not at home then turn of your AC! According to the Department of Energy you can save 5 percent to 15 percent on your air-conditioning bills by raising the temperature setting on your thermostat when you're away. then it is fighting against your AC and makes the AC have to work much harder.
• If you have a basement in your home then use it! Basements are naturally cooler because they are underground. So instead of running the air conditioner all the time, turn it off and head downstairs.
• Cook outdoors and eat cold foods. The stove significantly heats up your house.

Try to implement these solutions in your household this summer to help reduce cooling costs and protect the environment.

It is important to keep your family and friends cool in your home but that doesn’t always mean you have to crank the AC!

Contact us today to learn more ways to reduce your cooling costs in your home!