Home Comfort Quarterly - Summer 2023

A Letter From STEVE SCHMIDT

Summer is starting to wind down...

And that means we can all take a collective sigh of relief. Every year we repeat a familiar pattern. We are all enjoying a wonderful spring and its beautiful weather. That’s when the first hot day of the season hits us by surprise and gives us a wake-up call. For many, the first time they try to turn on their A/C systems is a disappointing experience. The system has been sitting for months and has had no attention or professional maintenance. Coils are dirty, filters are clogged, and electrical components are rusted or neglected. Of course, we stand ready to take these calls and our staff gets busy facilitating service calls and system installations.

Thousands of our Protection Plan members have a much different experience. They planned and allowed us into their homes and businesses to perform regular and consistent system maintenance designed to prevent emergency service calls to avoid stress and inconvenience, keep their systems operating at peak efficiency to save money on operating costs and maintain the highest level of performance to ensure comfort and safety.

While it’s still hot outside and we have a bit of summer left; now would be the time to think about your comfort needs for the fall and winter months ahead. With all your plans for those autumn outings and back-to-school activities, are you remembering to have that heating system checked to assure your comfort and safety for the rest of the year?

At Frederick Air your comfort is our number one concern. I have personally been spending my days concentrating on new and improved processes and procedures to maintain our worldclass service here in Frederick County. We are not a national conglomerate with unlimited resources. We must make sure we are operating the company at peak efficiency to keep our costs down and our place in the community secure. As I’ve stated before, there are many obstacles in business that make our job harder as the days go by. There are still large issues that affect the supply chain and our labor force that we battle daily. We have the same challenges that every other company in our small but wonderful county has. Fortunately, we have the ability to meet these challenges and overcome them better than any other team of people I know.

I highly appreciate your continued patronage of Frederick Air and look forward to serving you for all your HVAC related needs. You are aware of the saying: Frederick Air, It’s A Good Call. Why? Because we have proven for over 30 years that we truly are...

STEVE SCHMIDT | PRESIDENT

We have won the county-wide FNP contest for ‘Best of the Best’ for 8 years in a row...

and with your help we can win again this year! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for details.

Taking Care of Your HVAC System

YOUR HVAC SYSTEM IS WORKING HARD IN THIS SUMMER HEAT. MAKE SURE THAT IT’S NOT WORKING HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE.

The primary purpose of an air conditioning system is to keep us comfortable and cool during these scorching summer months, but it shouldn’t be making us shiver. If you feel relief when you walk outside, then your thermostat is probably set too low. Following the 20-degree rule for air conditioners can prolong the life of your system and help you avoid unnecessary repairs down the line.

What’s the 20-Degree Rule?

We all know that turning down the thermostat will result in cool air blowing from the vents. However, there is a point at which decreasing the temperature does not make the air cooler – it just uses more energy and costs more money!

The 20-degree rule states that you should always keep your AC unit at no more than 20 degrees lower than the outside temperature. It means that, if the outdoor conditions are at 95 degrees, you should set your thermostat at no less than 75 degrees.

The logic behind this rule has to do with how the AC unit is designed and it’s inherent limitations. When the system starts cooling space, it removes the heat but also dehumidifies the air. HVAC systems are designed to match your home’s size, insulation qualities and tightness. It needs to be big enough to cool on a real hot day but small enough to properly handle the humidity control all summer long. When the system must cool your home by over 20 degrees, its capacity to do both diminishes. As a result, your AC system must work harder and uses more energy to do so. It, in turn, will lead to faster wear and tear, which can drastically reduce its lifespan.

Alternatives

If lowering the indoor temperature by a maximum of 20 degrees is not enough to keep you comfortable, you have several options at your disposal. For starters, adding insulation, sealing ductwork and having a home energy audit performed will enable your home to keep all the cold air you are generating inside the home instead of wasting it. Having realistic expectations about what you system is capable of is key.

Another alternative would be to install a programmable thermostat. It will give you more control over which areas of your home will be cooled. During the day, for instance, you don’t necessarily need to cool your upstairs bedrooms. It will save you on energy costs and will also reduce the amount of wear. Lastly, you can also hang blinds or drapes on south-facing windows when the sun is at its brightest. It will also help you mitigate the inside temperature of your home.

How Do I Know If My System Is Struggling?

If you notice a sudden spike in your energy costs, it could be a sign that your air conditioner is working overtime to cool your home. Additionally, if you notice that your energy bills are consistently higher than normal during the summer months, this could also be an indication that your AC unit is not functioning optimally.

One of the first signs that you need AC repair is hearing a sound that isn’t normal for your HVAC system. A system that is running properly may make a buzzing or humming noise. If it starts becoming louder or you hear rattling, hissing, or whistling, then you should contact Frederick Air for a diagnostic. It’s better to fix the problem before your system completely gives out and you’re left in the summer heat without air conditioning.

Another sign is that you must continuously turn down the thermostat to feel comfortable in your home. That means your system cannot keep up with the demand, which could be a sign that it needs maintenance.

The 20-degree rule is an excellent solution to keeping you comfortable during the hot summer months, all the while keeping your AC unit running smoothly and at peak efficiency. But if you find that 20 degrees are not enough, consider supplementing it with one or more of the alternatives presented above. If you have any issues or questions about your AC system, give us a call at 301-663-0300 and we’ll be happy to answer them for you.

End of Summer Reading List

DON’T MISS THESE BOOKS FROM LOCAL AUTHORS

As summer draws to a close and the days become crisper, many of us are looking for ways to savor the last few weeks before fall. One great way to spend your days is with a good book!

To kick off the new season, why not consider some local authors who have recently released works? So, curl up in your favorite chair, grab a cup of tea (or coffee!), and check out our ultimate end-of-summer reading list. From historical fiction to nonfiction essays on innovative topics like digital marketing or coming-of-age novels set in small towns, here are twelve books from local authors that you won’t want to miss this year!

THE ROBOT GALAXY SERIES

BY ADEENA MIGNOGNA

Ruby Palmer is kidnapped by alien robots and must use all her skills to navigate a universe of quirky mechanical chaos, balancing her desires to return home against unique cosmic adventures.

Find it on Amazon >

THE TANGIBLES

BY NATALIE BLANK

This award-winning Young Adult read features a schizophrenic teen, Rachel, who falls for her neighbor, Arnold. He convinces Rachel to ditch her medication completely for marijuana. Eventually, Rachel’s untreated mind starts to unravel, bringing her face to face with the traumas of her past.

Find it on Amazon >

MRS. NASH’S ASHES

BY SARAH ADLER

A starry-eyed romantic, a cynical writer, and (the ashes of) an elderly woman take the road trip of a lifetime that just might upend everything they believe about true love.

Find it on Amazon >

PLAYING FOR KEEPS

BY TRISTEN CRONE

Workaholic Sebastian and freespirited board gamer Farren are thrust together after they both try to purchase the last specialty croissant at their local café, and decide to duke it out over a board game—winner takes the pastry. As the competition heats up, the two will have to decide just how far they are willing to go to let love win.

Find it on Amazon >

HOLLY HORROR #1

BY MICHELLE JABÈS CORPORA

After her parents’ painful divorce, Evie Archer hopes that moving to Ravenglass, Massachusetts, is the fresh start that her family needs. But Evie quickly realizes that her new home—known by locals as the Horror House—carries its own dark past after learning about Holly Hobbie, who mysteriously vanished in her bedroom one night.

Buy now >

SEAMS A BIT QUEER

BY AVERY MORSTAN

Seams A Bit Queer is about two millennial, small town roommates falling in love during the pandemic.

Find it on Amazon >

A PILE OF STONES: TALES FROM A DEVOTIONAL POLYTHEIST

BY SUZANNE THACKSTON

Gain new appreciation of deities you may never have connected with before, and fall in love all over again with the complex light and dark sides of your most beloved and familiar gods.

Buy now >

BY LISA MAY BENNETT

Wicked hangovers. Scary blackouts. Ugly fights with friends. The results of binge drinking weigh heavily on Lisa May Bennett. She tries repeatedly to savor “just a few” glasses of wine—only to find herself passed out on the couch again.

Find it on Amazon >

FLIPPED FAIRY TALES (5 BOOK SERIES)

BY STARLA HUCHTON

Think you know what happened once upon a time? Think again. Get ready to get hooked on these gender-flipped fairy tales.

Find it on Amazon >

TELL THE TRUTH, PANGOLIN

BY MELINDA BEATTY

In this delightful, thoroughly entertaining picture book about the importance–and difficulty–of telling the truth, the queen’s trusty servant, a pangolin, breaks the royal swing and doesn’t know what to tell her!

Buy now >

THORNS IN EDEN AND THE EVERLASTING MOUNTAINS

BY RITA GERLACH

In Thorns In Eden and The Everlasting Mountains, love and faith are the sustaining forces that cannot be overtaken by the vines of adversity.

Find it on Amazon >

SACRIFICIAL LAMBS AND OTHERS

BY SHERI WHITE

From quiet horror to bloody violence, these flash fiction pieces and short stories are chilling and emotionally visceral. These stories will stay with you long after you’ve closed the book.

Find it on Amazon >

MY UNFURLING: EMERGING FROM THE GRIP OF ANXIETY, SELF-DOUBT, AND DRINKING

GET FREE TICKETS TO

There are only a few Thursdays left and we have about 50 tickets to giveaway!

CALL OUR OFFICE AT 301-663-0300 AND ASK FOR YOUR TICKETS.

We will be giving them away until we run out.