Save On Your Cooling Costs With Clean Coils

April 30th, 2012 Posted in HVAC Maintenance
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How would you like to save money on your air conditioning bills while extending the life of your central air conditioning system?  If this sounds good to you, then take a few minutes to inspect and clean the evaporator and condenser coils on your air conditioner or heat pump.

Most HVAC services should be handed by an HVAC professional because it requires training, skills and equipment that the average homeowner doesn’t have.  However, one thing most handy homeowners can do between scheduled HVAC maintenance visits is to clean the coils.

With a typical split central air conditioning system, the evaporator coil is located in the ductwork near the furnace, downstream of the furnace filter.  If you have a heat pump, this area is called the air handler.  Changing the furnace filter or air filter regularly will help keep the evaporator coil free of dust and debris, but over time there may be some build up on the coil.

Before cleaning the coils, turn off the power to the system.  Using a vacuum cleaner or shop vac with a soft brush attachment, vacuum the accumulation of dust, dirt, and debris from the coil. Be very careful not to bend or damage the soft aluminum fins.

The condenser coil is located in the outdoor unit.  You may need to remove the metal casing to access the coil.  Remove any leaves, grass clippings and large debris with a soft brush.  Again, be very careful so that you don’t damage the fins.

Cleaning the evaporator coil and condenser coil allows air to flow freely over the coils and helps your system operate most efficiently.

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Energy Saving Tips

April 30th, 2012 Posted in Air Conditioning Service and Repair
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Summer weather is on the way and if last year is any indication, we may be seeing another round of record breaking temperatures.  You can keep your cool while keeping your energy costs down by trying a few of these energy saving tips.

If you don’t already have one, install a programmable thermostat.  These save energy by automatically switching to a higher, energy saving setting when you and your family are away from home or asleep.

Make sure that your thermostat is installed in a location that is not affected by heat from direct sun exposure, a lamp, electronics, or the kitchen stove.  Your thermostat will think that the temperature in your home is higher than it really is and it will cause the air conditioner to work harder and waste energy.

If you have windows that get direct sunlight, keep the blinds or drapes closed during the day to reduce the warming effect of the sun’s rays. Direct sunlight can raise the temperature in a room by several degrees.

Remember to switch your ceiling fans to normal rotation.  In the winter, ceiling fans should be run in reverse to move warm air lower in the room but in the summer, ceiling fans should run in the normal direction.  The moving air can make the temperature seem several degrees lower than it is.

Change your furnace filter regularly and schedule your air conditioning service by an experienced HVAC technician before the cooling season starts.  Keeping the system serviced will help it operate efficiently.  It will reduce your energy costs and extend the life of your system.

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Energy Efficient Air Conditioners Make Swamp Coolers Obsolete

April 25th, 2012 Posted in Uncategorized
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With the advent of highly efficient central air conditioning units, swamp coolers (evaporative coolers) are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.  A swamp cooler is a cooling system that does not use refrigerant for residential cooling.  Instead, a swamp cooler relies on the science behind evaporation to cool a home.

Swamp coolers use a large fan to draw ambient air through absorbent mats soaked with a continuous stream of water.  As the air is drawn through the mat, the evaporation of the water cools the air which is then blown into the home through a system of ducts.

Swamp coolers were popular in certain areas of the country 30 years ago because they used much less electricity than a central air conditioning system.  Swamp coolers don’t have compressors or high pressure pumps that draw large amounts of electricity.  A swamp cooler only has a low pressure pump and a fan which use less electricity than a central air conditioner.

However, swamp coolers have some serious limitations.  For one, they are only effective in very hot, dry climates which limits them to certain parts of the country.  For another, they need maintenance on a monthly basis to replace the pads and to clean the system.  Their cooling capacity is limited and becomes even more limited if the humidity level rises or when it is raining.

Despite the drawbacks, many homeowners have relied on swamp coolers due to their lower energy consumption, but that advantage is nowhere near as much as it used to be.  Modern energy efficient central air conditioning systems use 30% less energy than those sold only 15 years ago and only half as much energy as systems sold 30 years ago.

The bottom line is that when it comes to HVAC system replacement or installation, the reduced energy savings offered by swamp coolers is no longer enough for most homeowners to favor a swamp cooler over a central air conditioning system.

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Installing Central Air Conditioning

April 25th, 2012 Posted in Central Air Conditioning
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Central air conditioning systems are much more efficient and provide better comfort than window air conditions.  However, installing a central air conditioning system in an existing home may present a challenge depending on how the home is currently configured.  If you have decided to take the plunge and replace your window air conditioners with a central air conditioning system, your HVAC contractor will likely offer you a choice of a traditional split system central air conditioner or a ductless mini split system.

A traditional split system central air conditioner is a good choice for a home that already has a duct system installed for the furnace.  With a traditional split system, the compressor unit sits outside the home and the evaporator coils are installed in the air handler near the furnace.

The existing distribution and return ducts are used to distribute the conditioned air and to circulate the air throughout the home.  One concern to using the existing duct system is that it may be improperly sized for the air conditioning system.  The duct system must be matched to the air conditioner in order to maximize efficiency.  Replacing existing ductwork can be very expensive, but in some cases your HVAC contractor may be able to improve the energy efficiency of the home which would allow the use of a smaller air conditioner that is better matched to the existing ductwork.

If the home does not have a duct system, installation of a duct system is usually cost prohibitive and a ductless mini split system is a good alternative.  These systems use an externally mounted compressor connected to separate air handlers mounted in each room.  With a mini split system there is no ductwork to run and each air handler can be sized appropriately.  A separate thermostat in each room provides excellent flexibility and efficiency.

 

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Duct Sealing Benefits

April 23rd, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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If your home is heated and cooled with a traditional forced air HVAC system such as a heat pump or a central air conditioning system coupled with a furnace, you may be able to benefit from having your ducts sealed.  The ductwork in your home distributes the heated and cooled air throughout you home and also allows return air to flow back to the air handler.

Over time, duct systems develop leaks that allow up to 20% of the conditioned or heated air to escape.  Sealing a leaky duct system can the system operate far more efficiently and reduce your energy bills, especially if your duct system runs through your attic, crawlspace, or other unheated and uncooled area.  The air loss in these areas can be very significant.

Signs that you may need to have your duct system checked for leakage include uneven heating and cooling throughout your home.  For example, if you have rooms that are constantly too hot or too cold, you may have some duct leakage that is not allowing these rooms to receive the heated or cooled air.

Another sign is a steadily increasing energy bill in the summer and winter.  Duct leakage will cause your bills to rise, but so slowly that you may not notice it from month to month.

Duct leakage may also cause your furnace, heat pump, or central air conditioner to run longer to keep your home comfortable.  You may notice that your system is running almost constantly to maintain your comfort setting.

If you are experiencing any of these problems, talk to a good local HVAC contractor about an energy efficiency package that includes sealing your ducts.  Start saving money on your heating and cooling bills today!

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Be Comfortable This Summer With A Whole House Dehumidifier

April 23rd, 2012 Posted in Dehumidifiers
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Don’t suffer through another hot, humid summer without a whole house dehumidifier installed by your local HVAC contractor.  When it comes to staying comfortable in your home, cooling the air is only half of the equation. Dehumidification to keep the humidity level below 50% makes the conditioned air feel several degrees cooler and keeps you and your family dry and comfortable.

If you’ve ever heard the saying “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” you probably understand the importance of drying air along with cooling it.  The reality is that it’s both the heat and the humidity – addressing one without the other will leave you feeling uncomfortably warm and sticky.

Your central air conditioning system dehumidifies as it cools the air, but dehumidification is only a secondary function of a central air conditioning system and many systems cannot keep up with high levels of humidity.  A whole house dehumidifier works with your central air conditioning system to provide increased dehumidification.

Your HVAC technician will install the system directly into your existing ductwork to allow cool, dry air to be distributed throughout your home.  Whole house dehumidifiers use a “humidistat” similar to a thermostat to keep the humidity in your home at a preset level.

A whole house dehumidifier can save you money on your energy bills by allowing you to set your thermostat a few degrees higher without sacrificing comfort.  Since the air is drier, it feels cooler and your air conditioner will not have to work as hard to cool your home.  If increased comfort with lower utility bills sounds good to you, talk to your local HVAC contractor today about installation of a whole house dehumidifier.

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Save Money By Replacing Your Old HVAC System

April 11th, 2012 Posted in HVAC Replacement
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This is an excellent opportunity to replace your old heating and air conditioning system.  If your heating and air conditioning system is getting old, don’t wait until a breakdown to replace it.  Breakdowns usually happen when you need heating or cooling the most:  in hot summer weather or cold winter weather.

Winter and summer are also the times when your HVAC contractor is the busiest and you may end up waiting hours or days for a technician to arrive.  In the spring and fall your HVAC contractor is not quite as busy and you can schedule your HVAC replacement when it is convenient for you, not when your furnace or air conditioning system decides to call it quits.

You can also save money by replacing you heating and cooling system.  If your furnace is more than 15 years old, you can save about 15% on energy usage by installing a new Energy Star qualified furnace.  You can save even more on a new Energy Star air conditioner or heat pump.  Replacing a heat pump or air conditioner that is more than 10 years old can save up to 20% on cooling energy.

By shopping now when demand is low and before your system quits, you can look for a great deal on the HVAC system that has the features you want and have it installed at your convenience.  For maximum energy savings, have your HVAC contractor inspect and seal your duct system when they are installing your system and you will be ready to enjoy years of money saving heating and cooling.

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Set Back Thermostats Not Optimal For Heat Pumps

April 11th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
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One of the most cost effective ways to save money on heating and cooling costs is to lower the temperature setting on your furnace or raise the temperature setting on your air conditioning system while you are sleeping or while your home is empty during the day.  You can do it by manually adjusting your thermostat, but savvy homeowners will realize the most savings and improve comfort by automating the process with a set back (or programmable) thermostat.

These thermostats can be programmed to adjust the temperature setting on your heating and cooling system throughout the day.  You can set them to make the adjustment to the energy saving setting after you have left home for the day or gone to bed at night and to return to the comfort setting shortly before you arrive back home or wake up in the morning.

However, these thermostats work best on traditional HVAC systems that use a furnace with a central air conditioner.  If you use a heat pump for heating and cooling, a set back thermostat will not be very effective.

Heat pumps are very efficient in heating mode, but they are often equipped with supplemental electric heat strips that kick in when the heat pump cannot keep up or when the temperature setting is increased more than one or two degrees.  These electric heat strips will activate whenever the thermostat returns to the comfort setting and any energy savings from the lower economy temperature setting will be offset by the high energy use of the electric heat strips.

With a heat pump, you are generally better off if you “set it and forget it.”  There are a few set back thermostats specifically designed to operate with a heat pump.  You should talk to a good HVAC technician about selecting and installing one of these specially designed thermostats for your heat pump.

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