Choosing an Energy Efficient Furnace

January 24th, 2012 Posted in Furnaces
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If you heat with fossil fuels such as heating oil, natural gas, or propane and the furnace in your home is more than 15 years old, it may make sense to replace it with a new energy efficient furnace even if your old furnace is still in good working order.  As an initial matter, most older systems were only designed to have a 15 to 20 year service life so even if your system is working today, it is likely to start needing expensive furnace repairs soon.

More importantly, older furnaces are far less energy efficient than modern furnaces.  Just like a fuel efficient car can save you money on gasoline, an energy efficient furnace can save you money on energy costs for heating oil, natural gas or propane while keeping your home warm and comfortable.  In addition, by burning fewer fossil fuels you will be reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental harms.

Older gas and oil fired furnaces are typically only 50 percent to 65 percent efficient.  That means that they convert about 50 percent to 65 percent of the fuel to home heating.  The rest goes out the exhaust.  Modern furnaces are at least 78 percent efficient.  Conventional furnaces are typically 80 percent to 85 percent efficient and high efficiency furnaces can range from 90 to 97 percent efficient.

Higher efficiency means that furnace uses less energy to create the same amount of heat.  Over the life of the furnace, these energy savings can add up to thousands of dollars which offsets the cost of the new furnace.

Your local HVAC contractor can help you choose and install a new energy efficient furnace in your home.

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Replace Heat Exchanger or Install New Furnace?

January 24th, 2012 Posted in Furnaces
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If your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, you have two options:  you can either replace the heat exchanger or install a new furnace.  Doing nothing and continuing to use your existing furnace is not a safe option.

A cracked heat exchanger is dangerous.  It can leak deadly carbon monoxide into your home and cause you and your family to suffer from carbon monoxide poison.  Every year, thousands of Americans are hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning and about 400 people are killed every year by this deadly gas.

Replacing the heat exchanger is a relatively expensive furnace repair, but it is less expensive than installing a new furnace.  While this might seem like the obvious choice, there is more to consider than just the cost of the repair.  Installing a new furnace might cost more up front, but it could save you money in the long run.

Most cracked heat exchangers are found in older furnaces.  Furnaces that are more than 15 years old are much less efficient than modern furnaces.  Older gas furnaces are often only 55 percent to 65 percent efficient.  The minimum efficiency rating for a new gas furnace is 78 percent and can be as high as 97 percent.

Higher efficiency means lower heating costs and these savings can add up.  You could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the life of your new furnace.  These savings would more than cover the cost difference between replacing the heat exchanger and installing a new furnace.

Your HVAC contractor can help you decide whether replacing the heat exchanger or installing a new energy efficient furnace is the right choice for you.

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Heat Exchanger Replacement

January 24th, 2012 Posted in Furnaces
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One of the most frustrating repairs to your gas furnace is a cracked heat exchanger.  In many cases, the furnace seems to be working properly, and the cracked heat exchanger is found during routine service by your HVAC technician.  Other times, the cracked heat exchanger is found when the gas company turns on service to the residence.

Homeowners often understandably question whether a repair is really necessary since often the furnace otherwise works normally.  Unfortunately, it is dangerous to use a furnace with a cracked heat exchanger because it can result in carbon monoxide poisoning.

A gas furnace heats your home by burning natural gas or propane.  In addition to creating heat, the combustion process produces various gasses including deadly carbon monoxide.  The heat exchanger extracts the heat from the combustion process while allowing the combustion gasses to be safely exhausted out of your home.

When there is a crack or hole in the heat exchanger, there is a danger that carbon monoxide will leak into your home.  Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless gas that is toxic to humans.  Every year, hundreds of Americans die from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning by having the cracked heat exchanger replaced or by replacing the furnace.  If you have concerns about whether your heat exchanger is cracked, have it inspected by  a reputable local HVAC contractor with experience in furnace repair and replacement.  Your HVAC technician will be able to identify a cracked heat exchanger and review your options with you.  Replacing a cracked heat exchanger can be expensive, but it is necessary for the safety of you and your family.

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Air Conditioner Lightning Damage

January 24th, 2012 Posted in Air Conditioning Service and Repair
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Like any electrical appliance, your air conditioner or heat pump can be damaged by a power surge caused by a lightning strike.   Most homeowners protect sensitive electronics like computers and audio visual equipment from surge damage by using a surge protector strip, but relatively few homes have surge protection for their air conditioner.

A power surge can cause damage to your air conditioner ranging from moderate to severe.  It can fry wiring and knock out the compressor, fan, or condenser.  The lightning does not have to strike your home to cause this kind of damage.  A lightning strike anywhere in your neighborhood could cause a harmful power surge.

If you suspect that your air conditioner may have suffered lightning damage, have the system inspected by a reputable HVAC contractor with experience in residential HVAC repairs.  In some cases the damage can be repaired but in others an HVAC system replacement will be in order.

Air conditioning repairs for damage due to lightning strikes are usually covered by your homeowners insurance, but proving the cause of the damage can be a problem.  It’s up to you to convince the insurance adjuster that the damage was caused by lightning and not some other source.

Ask your HVAC technician to show you the damage and take photographs or video of the damaged components.  Damage to other household electronics is another good indication of a lightning strike.  Contact your homeowner’s insurance carrier promptly and show the adjuster your documentation.

You can protect your air conditioner or heat pump from most power surges by having a surge protector installed.  Talk to your HVAC technician about surge protection for your air conditioner or heat pump.

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Choosing an HVAC System for Your Home

January 18th, 2012 Posted in HVAC Equipment
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When it comes to HVAC system replacements, today’s homeowner has many different types of heating and cooling systems to choose from.  Those choices are almost unlimited for new home construction, but for most existing homes a homeowner will be choosing between a heat pump and a traditional furnace combined with a central air conditioning system.

The location of the home plays a very important role in the choice of HVAC system.  One of the best things a homeowner can do is to talk to an experienced local HVAC contractor.  They will have a good handle on the types of systems that make the most sense for your area.

For example, in the Pacific Northwest and in other mountainous regions, many homes are not equipped with an air conditioning system because temperatures rarely exceed comfortable levels.  In these areas, a high efficiency furnace may be a good choice.  A heat pump might be a more efficient user of energy, but unless you have a need for at least occasional cooling, you would be wasting money on a system that heats and cools, no matter how efficient.

On the other hand, in warmer climates a heat pump is an excellent alternative.  Heat pumps offer energy efficient heating and cooling in a single system and are a great choice where air conditioning is needed and winter temperatures do not routinely stay below freezing for extended periods of time.

In northern climates that get cold in the winter and hot in the summer, a heat pump can be an excellent energy efficient heating and cooling system for most of the year, but they lose some efficiency in extremely cold temperatures.  One alternative is to use a heat pump with a traditional fossil fuel burning furnace installed as a secondary heat source for the coldest winter temperatures.

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Understanding Variable Speed Fans

January 18th, 2012 Posted in HVAC Equipment
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If you have been shopping for a new HVAC system for your home, you probably know that there are many confusing options and features on most new HVAC systems.  The good news is that most of these features help increase the efficiency of your HVAC system and reduce operating costs.  One feature commonly found on many of today’s energy efficient heat pumps, furnaces and air conditioning systems is a variable speed fan.

A variable speed fan is sometimes referred to as a variable speed blower.  Not matter what nomenclature the manufacturer gives it, the purpose of the fan or blower is to circulate the heated or cooled air through your home.

Variable speed fans are primarily designed to increase the energy efficiency of the system.  Unlike a traditional fan that operates at the same speed under all conditions, a variable speed fan runs faster or slower depending the demand for warm or cool air.  When the demand is low, the fan will run at a slower speed and reduce energy consumption.

A variable speed fan has other advantages as well.  Some homeowners prefer to set the fun to run all the time, continuously circulating the air in the home.  The home is more evenly heated and cooled and the furnace filter can do a better job of removing airborne contaminants.

If you are one of these homeowners, an HVAC system equipped with a variable speed fan is an excellent choice.  When running in continuous mode, the fan will run quietly and use far less energy than a traditional fan.

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Energy Savings With Heat Pumps

January 18th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
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Modern heat pumps are an excellent, energy efficient heating and cooling system for most American homes.  A heat pump is an HVAC system that handles both the heating and cooling of your home.  Despite a slow start when they were first introduced, heat pumps are now considered to be one of the most cost effective, energy efficient heating and cooling alternatives.

Heat pumps are very efficient heating systems because they use electricity to move heat rather than creating it.  Since they don’t create heat, they are much more efficient than most other heating alternatives such as furnaces that burn fossil fuels or use electric heating elements to create heat.

Most homes with a traditional furnace and central air conditioning system can be easily retrofitted with a split system heat pump.  These look a lot like a traditional central air conditioner and operate like a traditional central air conditioner in the summer when they are in cooling mode. They absorb warmth inside the home and discharge it outside the home.

When switched to heating mode in the winter, the heat pump operates in reverse to absorb warmth outside the home and discharge it inside the home.

The first heat pumps that were mass produced in the 1970’s were poorly designed and installed in homes with inadequate weatherstripping and insulation.  The result was that heat pumps initially earned a reputation for needing frequent repairs and for poor heating performance, especially in colder climates.

Today, heat pump technology has improved to the point that the opposite is true.  Modern heat pumps have excellent reliability and do a great job of heating in all types of climates, even those with prolonged periods of below freezing temperatures.  They are very efficient in both heating and cooling modes and can save homeowners a bundle on energy costs.

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Geothermal Heat Pumps

January 18th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
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A heat pump is an excellent, energy efficient heating and cooling system. The two most common types of heat pumps are geothermal (also called ground source) heat pumps and air source heat pumps.   Heat pumps work by using electricity and a refrigerant to move heat from one area to another.  In cooling mode, they absorb heat from inside your home and release heat outside your home in pretty much the same way a conventional central air conditioner does.

In heating mode, the cycle is reversed – the heat pump absorbs heat outside the home and releases it inside your home.  An air source heat pump absorbs heat from or releases heat to the outside air using an outside above ground condenser and fan unit just like a central air conditioner.

Instead of the above ground condenser, a ground source heat pump uses a network of pipes buried under ground to absorb or release heat depending on whether the system is in cooling or heating mode.

Geothermal heat pumps are even more efficient than air source heat pumps because the ground stays at a relatively constant temperature.  They are also quieter because they don’t have an above ground condenser and fan.  The lack of a condenser and fan means they last longer than an air source heat pump and need fewer repairs.

The main disadvantage of a ground source heat pump is their initial cost.  A ground source heat pump can cost three to four times as much as an air source heat pump.  However, the higher initial cost will be offset by lower energy costs.  Your local HVAC contractor can help you decide if a ground source heat pump or an air source heat pump makes better sense for your home.

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Saving Energy on Heating and Cooling Costs With a New HVAC System

January 18th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Managing your home heating and cooling costs is a great way to put a few more dollars back in your pocket each month while doing your part to cut down on greenhouse gasses and our dependence on foreign oil.  Energy prices have been on the rise for years and there does not seem to be any relief in sight.

One of the best ways to reduce energy consumption and costs is to replace your older heating and air conditioning system with a new, energy efficient furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump.  Today’s heating and cooling systems are far more efficient than systems installed only five to ten years ago.

If your existing system is ten years old or more, you will likely see a dramatic decrease in your heating and cooling costs by having a new energy efficient HVAC system installed by a good local HVAC contractor, especially if your existing system is the original “builder’s grade” system installed in most new homes.

Even if your existing system is still working well, you may be surprised to find out how little time it can take to recoup the cost of a new energy efficient system.  In many cases it only takes five to ten years for your savings in energy costs to pay for the cost of the new system. Once you have recovered the cost of installing a new system, you will enjoy year after year of inexpensive heating and cooling.

When you have your new HVAC system installed, be sure to ask your HVAC contractor to do an HVAC system efficiency analysis including an inspection of your duct system to make sure it is properly sealed.  According to EPA estimates, duct leaks account for energy losses of up to 20% to 30%, especially if your ducts are located in the attic, crawlspace or other unheated area.

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