The month of September is very transitional. The beginning of it is usually hot and humid and by the end, we have various colors of leaves on the trees and a chill in the air. This means prep time for your home! Here are the things we typically handle during this time.

1. Clean the house plants! An electrostatic cloth makes this task oh so fun. It works like magic! If you’re trying to delegate tasks to your children, this is a a good one. Just be sure to remind them to be gentle.
2. Clean your garbage disposal. Pour a half cup of baking soda into the disposal drain and top with white vinegar. Pour boiling water down drain after a few minutes of the fizzing. Follow with a cup of ice and a cup of salt. Turn on the cold water and run garbage disposal till ice is gone.
3. Cut lemon or lime in 1/4 sections and put down disposal one at a time while it’s running. This will help remove any remaining smell.
4. Turn your mattress! This will help you to keep your mattress from having a permanent imprint of your body.
5. Clean every bit of your bedding. Comforter, sheets, pillow shams, bed skirt, canopy etc. A lot collects on those things you don’t wash regularly.
6. Check on your fireplace. If it’s gas, you may want to have it looked at when you have your fall visit for your heating system, just to make sure there are no gas leaks. If you used your fireplace a lot last year, you may need a chimney sweeping.
7. Start gathering firewood. Make sure you store it off of the ground so it has more air flow. Also make sure to store it away from your home to reduce the risk of termite infestation.
8. Clean any outdoor furniture you have. Be sure to store it for winter before it gets cold out.
9. Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clear. The last thing you want is for a crazy storm to come through, water not be able to pass through your gutters/downspouts and it FREEZE in those areas. That would cause a lot of extra weight to things that aren’t designed to hold up excessive amounts of weight.
10. Change your air filter! This is a no brainer and you should be changing them every month but everyone needs a reminder every once in a while.
11. If you haven’t had an air duct cleaning in the last 3-5 years, you absolutely need to schedule one ASAP at 770-672-6963. Dirty ducts are the reason we have to dust as often as we do. All the system is doing is pushing out everything it has accumulated in there. By having an air duct cleaning, you are reducing the allergens in your home and reducing your risk for upper respiratory infections.

Living in Georgia is great for so many reasons. We get to experience all four seasons and the majority of those seasons are active! Our fall festivals are plentiful and there’s something for everyone. Mark the following on your calendar!

Savannah Bacon Fest – Sept 2-3, 2016
Did someone say bacon? I know where I’ll be.

Kingsland Catfish Festival – Kingsland, GA – September 2-3, 2016
Plenty of crispy southern fried catfish fillets cooked by the Knights of Columbus.

Dragon Con – Atlanta – Sept 2-5, 2016
The world’s largest fantasy/science fiction convention held every year during Labor Day weekend.

Art in the Park – Marietta – Sept 3-5 2016
You’ll find art displays, artist market, the famous painted pots, historic walking tour and plenty more. Held at the Historic Marietta Square and Glover Park. FREE admission with free parking.

Yellow Daisy Festival – Stone Mountain – Sept 8-11, 2016
Arts and craft show.

Chattahoochee Mountain Fair – Clarkesville, GA – Sept 9-17, 2016
Held in the Northeast Georgia Mountains since 1975.

One Musicfest – Atlanta, GA – September 10, 2023
Urban music festival.

Atlanta Dragon Boat Festival – Atlanta, GA – Sept 10, 2023
Georgia’s biggest Hong Kong event of the year.

Atlanta Smooth Music Festival – Sept 10, 2023
All day outdoor smooth jazz music experience, where you can bring your own food and beverages, and enjoy great music.

Rome International Film Festival – Rome, GA – Sept 15-18, 2016
This event is known for its screenings of independent films.

Wild Georgia Shrimp and Grits Festival – Jekyll Island – Sept 16-18, 2016
Enjoy a weekend of entertainment including arts & crafts, live music, brew fest, kid’s zone and more.

Suwanee Fest – Sept 17-18, 2016
Arts & crafts, food, live music, children’s rides and more.

Sandy Springs Festival – Sandy Springs, GA – September 17-18, 2016
Artist Market, 5K/10K, live musical entertainment, food, pet parade and children’s park (petting zoo, inflatables, face painting and more).

Roswell Arts Festival – Roswell, GA – Sept 17-18, 2016
An art festival with music/dance entertainment, children’s activities, food and more.

Atlanta Greek Festival – Sept 22-25, 2016
Music, food and traditions from Greece

Plains Peanut Festival – Plains, GA – September 24, 2023
Peanut production with a parade, fun run, exhibits and other activities.

Riverfest Arts and Crafts Festival – Canton, GA – Sept 24-25, 2016
Lots of arts & crafts vendors, concession stands and entertainers. Children’s area with rides/activities. FREE parking and shuttle services. Held at Boling Park.

Duluth Fall Festival – Duluth, GA – September 24-25, 2016
Carnival, parade, 5K road race, arts and crafts, food, Man’s Corner and Kids’ Korner.

Westobou – Augusta, GA – Sept 28 – Oct 2, 2023
Music, dance, art and fun in Augusta.

We hope to see you there!

There are many things that contribute to the level of humidity in your home. Long hot showers, washing machines, dishwashers, cooking and the humidity outside coming in when doors are opened and shut all day long all attribute to higher levels of humidity inside your living space. The higher the level of humidity in your home, the warmer you will feel. Studies have shown that the level of humidity in your space directly affects your level of happiness.

If you’d like to fix this yourself naturally, perform the following:

Make sure when showers are taken, bathroom exhaust fan is running. Taking shorter, cooler showers is also helpful. If you don’t have an exhaust fan, cracking a nearby window helps. If neither of these options are available to you, be sure to call an electrician to install an exhaust fan.

Turn exhaust fan on when cooking and when dishwasher is running. Try not to open the dishwasher during the cycle. The steam that comes out creates a lot of instant humidity.

Decrease relative humidity by turning up your thermostat. Warm air holds more moisture than cool air.

Use fans to increase ventilation within your home. It may also be helpful to have a fan running on low in your basement. Basements tend to be cooler and hold more moisture. This can also help to reduce the risk of mold growth.

If you’ve done all these steps and still find that your home is extremely humid, give us a call at 770-672-6963 and we’ll be happy to give you a quote on a whole house dehumidifier.

Unfortunately for us good guys, shady HVAC contractors all over have given the industry a bad name. Some companies take advantage of the fact that most homeowners are unfamiliar with how their air conditioner operates and the names of the parts and what the function is. The other issue is that they know you’re not likely to know what the average price of each repair is and sometimes take advantage of that too by hiking up the price by up to several hundred dollars. Follow the guide below to help make sure you’re getting a QUALITY company to come out to your home.

1. Educate yourself with HVAC terms. The more you know about your system, the better you will understand the technician and the easier it will be for you to know if this sounds logical or not. See our HVAC terms guide.
2. Before calling a company, do some research about them. Make sure to read reviews on them from several different review sites. Some companies pay review sites to manage and remove bad reviews. Google+ is a very reliable source.
3. Make sure the company has an HVAC license. If anyone without a license works on your HVAC system, the warranties void per the manufacturer.
4. Find out how many years the company has been in business.
5. Make sure the company has limited liability insurance.
6. Verify that the company has a non-resident place of business.
7. If a technician shows up to your home without a company uniform, red flags should definitely go up.
8. Is the company referred to as “AccuTemp Heating and Cooling“? If so, you’ve made the best decision!

To schedule quality service, call 770-672-6963.