by Sabrina Cox | Jan 7, 2026 | Uncategorized
Can you believe that it’s 2026? New year means change, and now is the perfect time to set some resolutions for your comfort and your home’s energy efficiency. Your HVAC system plays a crucial role in maintaining a comfortable living environment and managing energy costs. Here are five HVAC resolutions that will help you achieve a cozier, more efficient home this year.
Schedule a Professional HVAC Maintenance Check
Start the year right by scheduling a comprehensive HVAC check-up. Regular maintenance can:
- Extend the lifespan of your system
- Improve energy efficiency
- Prevent unexpected breakdowns
- Ensure optimal performance during Houston’s hot summers and occasional cold snaps
Our certified technicians can identify and address potential issues before they become major problems, saving you time and money in the long run.
Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat
Make 2026 the year you embrace smart home technology. A smart thermostat can significantly improve your HVAC system’s efficiency by:
- Learning your schedule and preferences
- Allowing remote control via smartphone
- Providing energy usage reports
- Automatically adjusting to our ever-changing weather patterns
Many Houston homeowners report saving up to 15% on their energy bills after installing a smart thermostat.
Improve Your Home’s Insulation
Proper insulation is key to maintaining comfortable temperatures and reducing energy waste. You might want to consider:
- Adding insulation to your attic
- Sealing air leaks around windows and doors
- Installing weatherstripping
These improvements can help your HVAC system work more efficiently, especially during Houston’s intense summer heat.
Invest in an Air Purification System
With increasing awareness about indoor air quality, 2026 is an excellent time to invest in an air purification system. Benefits include:
- Reduced allergens and pollutants
- Improved respiratory health
- Elimination of odors
- Enhanced overall air quality
This is particularly important for us Houstonians, where high humidity can contribute to mold growth and other air quality issues.
Start Saving for an Energy-Efficient HVAC Upgrade
If your current HVAC system is over 10 years old, it might be time to start planning for an upgrade. Modern, energy-efficient systems can:
- Significantly reduce your energy bills
- Provide more consistent comfort
- Offer advanced features like zone control
- Reduce your carbon footprint
While it’s a significant investment, the long-term savings and improved comfort make it worthwhile. We are proud to offer financing for any HVAC service from $300 up to $35,000 for residential or commercial repairs or installations. Application is fast and easy, and approvals are based on your financial situation, not just your credit score. You can manage your account and make payments online, too. Click here to learn more.
By adopting these HVAC resolutions, you’re setting yourself up for a more comfortable, efficient, and cost-effective 2026. And don’t forget that we are here to help you achieve these goals. Whether you need a maintenance check, smart thermostat installation, or advice on improving your home’s efficiency and air quality, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Here’s to a cozy, energy-efficient new year in your Houston home!
by Sabrina Cox | Nov 12, 2025 | Uncategorized
On the jobsite, we’re often asked about ideal thermostat settings. That is why we are dedicating this blog post to the thermostat, focusing on minimum cooling settings and the crucial role of dew point in your home’s air quality and your overall comfort.
Understanding Dew Point and Its Impact
Dew point is a critical factor in Houston’s humid climate. It’s defined as “the temperature at which air must be cooled to reach saturation and for condensation to form.” For optimal indoor air quality and comfort, the ideal dew point in your home should be between 40 and 60 degrees.
Minimum Cooling Settings: A Delicate Balance
- At-Home Settings: Never set your thermostat below the outdoor dew point when you’re at home. Why? When indoor air temperature drops below the dew point, it can cause your home’s structure to “sweat,” increasing condensation and potentially leading to microbial growth.
- Away Settings: When you’re away, don’t set the thermostat more than 10% above the outdoor dew point.
Real-World Example: In August 2025, Houston’s average dew point was 73.7 degrees. Based on this:
- At-home setting should not be below 73 degrees
- Away setting should not be higher than 80 degrees
Summer vs. Winter
Ever wonder why you’re comfortable at 70 degrees in summer but feel chilly at the same temperature in winter? The answer lies in humidity levels. In winter, with the furnace running, the air is drier, making a slightly higher temperature feel more comfortable.
The Importance of Proper HVAC System Design
If your system struggles to control latent heat removal (the process of removing water vapor) between these set points, it may need to be checked for proper sizing. In some cases, adding a whole-house dehumidifier might be necessary.
In our mostly swamp-like conditions, controlling dew point should be a fundamental aspect of every HVAC system design. It’s crucial for both comfort and indoor air quality, as it helps prevent the growth of molds and bacteria.
Understanding the relationship between temperature, humidity, and dew point is key to maintaining a comfortable and healthy home environment in Houston. At JW East Mechanical, we’re committed to helping you achieve the perfect balance in your home’s climate control.
If you have any questions about your HVAC system, call the experts at JW East!
by Sabrina Cox | Sep 11, 2025 | Uncategorized
If you were to ask Jim East, the owner of JW East Mechanical, what issue homeowners should be most concerned with when it comes to their HVAC system, he will tell you indoor air quality. While the HVAC system is primarily known for regulating temperature, its role in maintaining clean, breathable air is equally critical. Poor indoor air quality can lead to allergies, respiratory issues, and general discomfort, especially in Houston, where humidity promotes mold growth and allergens thrive. Prioritizing indoor air quality within your HVAC system ensures that the air you breathe is not only temperature-controlled but also free from pollutants, mold, and excess moisture—making it the most essential aspect of your HVAC setup for health.
“In recent years, I have spent a lot of my off season time in workshops, webinars, and hands-on classes on the subject of creating a “Healthy Home” indoor environment for my clients,” said East. “This takes the HVAC system to another level of comfort, and creates a healthier environment to live in and raise a family. Treating air is not limited to just removing or adding moisture or heating and cooling it. There is so much more. Treating the air should also include treating for gases, odors, microbials, and particles. In an enclosed environment, if you do not take these under consideration, that means that human lungs become the only device keeping them from entering the body. The lungs become filters and will break down at some point having to filter out extra contaminants from your system. We cannot control the air outside our home, but we can inside.”
Because of East’s passion for indoor air quality, he was recently invited to join IAQA, the Indoor Air Quality Association, which supports professionals worldwide in creating healthier indoor environments.
According to IAQA, “Our multi-disciplinary members include IAQ inspectors, consultants, remediators, contractors, facility maintenance professionals, researchers, educators, industry vendors, school officials, and government representatives. These experts identify and help solve conditions leading to compromised air quality such as mold, moisture, ventilation, asbestos, lead paint, formaldehyde, water damage, and air contaminants.”
East was recommended by another HVAC contractor who came to him for advice on solving an indoor air quality issue.
“A couple of my contractor peers asked me to help them with problem solving a client’s issue about their contaminated indoor air quality,” said East. “I was able to recommend step by step instructions on how to correct the issues. Once they performed the plan I laid out for them, it corrected the problem. These peers were the ones that recommended me to this association, which I was extremely happy to accept.”
If your home is experiencing any issues with indoor air quality, please call the experts at JW East Mechanical. We will not stop until the issue is resolved.
by Sabrina Cox | Jul 22, 2025 | Uncategorized
Houston is known for a lot of great things, but we also face our fair share of climate related issues that directly affect the air quality inside our home. With hot, humid summers, industrial activity and occasional severe weather events like hurricanes and storms, maintaining a healthy indoor environment becomes essential for both residential homes and businesses. Continue reading as we discuss key challenges Houston faces when it comes to maintaining proper indoor air quality, and what you can do about them.
First we will explain key issues that our city faces that directly impact the quality of our indoor air.
- High Humidity and Mold Growth. We live in a subtropical climate, which means we get a lot of rain. The rain mixed with heat creates an ideal environment for mold and mildew growth, especially after big storms, floods, or hurricanes. First the mold starts to develop which gets released into your indoor air, creating allergens and irritants that have the potential to make you and those living inside your home sick.
- Industrial Pollution. The Houston area is home to many petrochemical manufacturing companies, which release toxic pollutants like benzene, heavy metals, formaldehyde, and ethylene oxide into the air. Indoor environments in commercial homes or residential buildings near industrial plants may experience increased levels of pollutants due to infiltration. This can worsen indoor air quality, exposing occupants to harmful substances.
- Increased Workload of HVAC Systems. Our high temperatures and humidity force AC units to work harder, leading to more energy consumption, increased wear and tear, and a stressed HVAC system. A stressed HVAC system might run continuously or cycle improperly, recirculating indoor air that contains allergens, dust, pet dander, and other pollutants, reducing overall air quality.
If you started to get a little worried reading what you have read so far, don’t. There are many things you can do to clean and purify the air inside your home. Our first recommendation is to have a professional HVAC technician come to your home and do a thorough inspection. They should check for leaks, dirty air filters, and conduct regular maintenance on your HVAC system to make sure it is running properly. They can also make recommendations on new products that are on the market that help with indoor air quality purification and control. Other than the professionals, there are several things you can do on your own:
Install a UV-C Air Purification System: Utilize ultraviolet light to neutralize airborne bacteria, viruses, and mold spores that thrive in humid Houston climates. This purification system uses Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation or UVGI light to kill airborne microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, and mold spores as air passes through the device. This technology works by damaging the DNA of these pathogens, preventing them from replicating and spreading.
Use Houseplants That Act as Natural Air Filters
Incorporate plants like areca palm, bamboo palm, or snake plants known for their ability to absorb pollutants and boost indoor air quality naturally.
Bathroom and Kitchen Ventilation: Using exhaust fans during showering and cooking removes moisture and contaminants from the air.
Choosing low-VOC products: Opting for paints, cleaners, and furniture with low volatile organic compound emissions reduces indoor air pollution.
Create a Ventilation Schedule During Cooler Hours: Open windows during early mornings or late evenings when outdoor air quality may be better, allowing fresh air to circulate without introducing humidity or pollutants.
Use Activated Charcoal Bags or Powders: Place activated charcoal in different rooms to naturally absorb odors, humidity, and toxins without chemicals.
Insulation and Window Upgrades: Improving insulation in attics and walls, and installing energy-efficient windows can reduce heat transfer, easing the burden on AC systems and lowering energy usage.
As you can see, there are many things you can do on your own to combat poor indoor air quality. And if you try everything you can on your own and are still having problems, call the experts at JW East Mechanical – we will help get the quality back to your indoor air in no time!
by Sabrina Cox | Jun 26, 2025 | Uncategorized
Laundry is a job we all have to do that is never fun. With so many different types of laundry detergents on the market, it’s hard to know which is the healthiest one to use. And does it really get all the germs and bacteria off our clothes? But thankfully the JW East team has a laundry solution: The ActivePure Laundry Pro 3.0. This device is installed over your washing machine and its ActivePure technology uses hydrogen and oxygen based molecules, mixed with the cold water from your washing machine, to gently clean and disinfect laundry without the use of commercial detergents, bleach or softeners.
“If you’re tired of buying laundry detergent and adding harsh chemicals to your clothes to get them clean, we have a solution for you,” said Jim East, owner of JW East Mechanical. “We want to introduce you to our latest healthy home product line. The ActivePure Laundry Pro 3.0 incorporates the power of ActivePure Technology to get your clothes really clean, and also helps reduce odor-causing bacteria on fabric and inside the washing machine. We have just been approved as a dealer to start offering this product to our clients.”
How does it work?
The ActivePure Laundry Pro 3.0 works by utilizing ActivePure Technology, a form of advanced oxidation process that helps not only clean clothes, but also disinfects and purifies them. Here’s how it works:
Generation of Reactive Molecules: The device produces molecules like hydroxyl radicals and other reactive oxygen species through a proprietary process. These molecules are similar to natural purification methods found in the environment.
Disinfection and Purification: These reactive molecules actively seek out and neutralize bacteria, viruses, mold, odors, and other contaminants on laundry surfaces, often more effectively than a traditional washing machine.
Continuous Treatment: As laundry is being washed or dried, the ActivePure technology continuously works in the background, enhancing overall cleanliness and helping eliminate odors and germs.
Safe and Eco-Friendly: The technology uses no harsh chemicals, making it safe for your entire family and the environment while providing a higher level of disinfection.
As you can see, this product offers a more efficient, effective, and convenient laundry solution. Here is how it compares to a traditional washing machine:
Superior Cleaning Power: This product is designed with advanced technology that is able to remove stubborn stains and odors more effectively than standard machines.
Energy Efficiency: It consumes less power than a traditional washing machine, helping you save on monthly electric bills while being more environmentally friendly.
Enhanced Performance Features: It has features like multiple wash cycles and customizable settings to allow for tailored cleaning for different fabric types and laundry loads.
Faster Wash Cycles: As you know, traditional washing machines can take a long time to complete a cycle. The Laundry Pro comes with quicker washing options, saving you time.
User-Friendly Operation: It might not seem like it, but this product is very easy to use. It comes with intuitive controls and features that make the laundry process less complicated.
Cost Savings: Because this machine runs on cold water and the cleaning time is less than a traditional machine, you will save money on monthly bills. You will also save money by not having to purchase laundry detergent.
At JW East, we are always looking for ways to improve the lives of our customers. And we think that the ActivePure Laundry Pro 3.0 is a great way to do that. It is a step above a regular washing machine and is very easy to install. If you have any questions or are ready to move forward with installation, give us a call!
