Money Saving Thermostat Tips

July 31st, 2012 Posted in Thermostats
Comments Off on Money Saving Thermostat Tips

Your thermostat is the key to saving energy and money on your heating and air conditioning bills.  You can maximize your energy savings by making sure your thermostat is properly installed and adjusting the settings to conserve energy without sacrificing comfort.

Proper installation is important to maintain an even, comfortable temperature setting throughout your home.  First, professional installation is an excellent idea. Thermostats  that were designed to work with older HVAC systems only had a few wires and installation was pretty straightforward, but modern HVAC systems are designed to work with newer type thermostats to squeeze maximum efficiency out of the heating and cooling system.

Modern, energy efficient thermostats and HVAC systems may have up to 10 wires and various settings to help the system operate efficiently.  Professional installation can help ensure that your thermostat is properly matched to your HVAC system and is installed and set up correctly.

When choosing a location to install the thermostat, look for a spot that is not exposed to extraneous heat or cold.  For example, locate the thermostat away from doors, windows, the kitchen or bathrooms.  Be sure that it is not exposed to direct sunlight or discharge from a heating or cooling register.

Set the thermostat to maintain a comfortable temperature while you and your family are at home, but adjust the temperature 5 to 8 degrees higher in the summer or lower in the winter while your family is away from home during the day or asleep at night.  You can automate your energy savings by having your HVAC technician install a programmable thermostat that will automatically make the adjustments for you.

, ,
Read More

Energy Efficient Air Conditioning Systems

July 31st, 2012 Posted in Air Conditioning Service and Repair
Comments Off on Energy Efficient Air Conditioning Systems

If you are tired of high energy bills for cooling your home, consider replacing your old central air conditioning system with a modern energy efficient unit.  Even a central air conditioner that is only 10 years old may be just half as efficient as the energy efficient central air conditioning systems on the market today.  Older, worn out units are even less efficient.

Government regulations that took effect in 2006 set the minimum seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER) for central air conditioning systems at 13 and some new energy efficient units have SEER ratings as high as 26.  Central air conditioning systems sold just a few years prior to 2006 had SEER ratings as low as 6.

As a central air conditioning system ages, it slowly becomes less and less efficient.  Regular HVAC system maintenance can help any system operate as efficiently as possible, but over time the energy efficiency of any air conditioning system declines.  Older, worn out systems have to work harder to cool your home and use more energy as a result.

Even if your central air conditioning system is working well, it may be using more than twice the energy that modern air conditioners need to maintain the same level of cool comfort in your home.  Depending on the cost of energy in your area, you may be able to save so much money on your cooling costs that a new unit could pay for itself in as little as 5 to10 years.  Your local heating and air conditioning contractor can help you determine whether it makes sense to replace your old central air conditioning system.

, ,
Read More

Control Humidity With a Dehumidifer

July 12th, 2012 Posted in Dehumidifiers
Comments Off on Control Humidity With a Dehumidifer

Controlling the humidity in your home is almost as important as controlling the temperature level.  Experts vary on the optimal humidity level, but the general consensus is that keeping the humidity between 40-50% is best for both comfort and health.

Depending on where your home is located and the season, you may need to increase the humidity by adding moisture to the air with a humidifier or decrease the humidity level with a dehumidifier.  In hot, dry climates the humidity levels are usually too low.  In warm, moist climates the challenge is reducing the humidity levels.

Humid air feels warmer than dry air.  In the winter, maintaining the humidity level at the higher end of the optimal level will make your home feel warmer.  You can keep the temperature a few degrees lower and save on your heating costs.

The opposite is true in summer months.  Keeping humidity levels at the low end of the optimal range will help you feel cooler and allow you to set your thermostat a little higher and cut your electricity bills.

Too much humidity promotes the growth of mold and mildew that can aggravate allergies and causes condensation problems on toilet tanks and windows.  If the air in your home is too dry, it can cause respiratory problems, itchy skin, and static electricity.

Whether you need a humidifier, a dehumidifier, or both, the most efficient and effective solution is to have them integrated into your HVAC system.  Portable units don’t provide uniform humidity levels throughout your home and are usually noisy and intrusive.  Your HVAC technician can help you select and install a humidifier or dehumidifier that will keep your home comfortable.

 

, ,
Read More

Beat the Heat With a Dehumidifier

July 12th, 2012 Posted in Dehumidifiers
Comments Off on Beat the Heat With a Dehumidifier

Record summertime temperatures have many homeowners reaching for the thermostat. Lowering the temperature a few degrees can help keep you cooler, but with the cost of running your central air conditioning system around the clock, having a dehumidification system installed in your home may be a better solution.

As anyone who lives in the steamy south knows, “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.”  Actually, this saying is only partially true.  The fact is that it’s the heat and the humidity that makes us miserable in the summer months.  Maintaining a comfortable indoor environment in a hot, humid climate requires reducing both the heat and the humidity.

A central air conditioner or heat pump cools and dehumidifies the air inside your home, but they are not designed or sized to handle the very high levels of humidity commonly found throughout the southeastern U.S. In addition, there is no way to control the humidity level and temperature separately.  To make matters worse, they are often oversized which means they don’t run as much as they should to minimize humidity levels.

A great solution for homeowners in humid climates is installing a dehumidification system that works in conjunction with your existing central air conditioning system. Your HVAC professional can install a dedicated dehumidifier that uses your existing ducts and has a separate controller called a humidistat.  Similar to a thermostat, the humidistat can be set to the desired level and it will automatically maintain that level of humidity whether your central air conditioning system is running or not.

Installing a dehumidifier allows you to set your thermostat a few degrees higher which saves you money on your energy bill while keeping your home cool and comfortable.

, ,
Read More

Use An HVAC Contractor For Duct Cleaning

July 6th, 2012 Posted in HVAC Maintenance
Comments Off on Use An HVAC Contractor For Duct Cleaning

Have you seen those commercials for duct cleaning?  The ones that suggest that your ducts are lined with a mat of dust, dirt, pet dander, mold, mildew, and dust mites?  After seeing those commercials, just the thought of turning on the central air conditioning can make some homeowners start sneezing.

Fortunately, the air ducts in most homes are not like the ones in those scary commercials.  Regularly changing your furnace filter and using a high efficiency pleated filter will prevent most dust accumulations inside your ductwork.  Duct cleaning is probably unnecessary under these circumstances.

However, if your home is more than a few years old and you haven’t exactly been diligent with changing your furnace filter, your ducts are probably lined with a layer of dust.  If moisture has found its way into your duct system, mold and mildew may also be growing inside your ducts.

To prevent mold spores from being spread throughout your home via your air conditioning system and to improve indoor air quality, have your ducts cleaned by an HVAC contractor. There are companies that specialize in air duct cleaning, but the better option is to have your ductwork inspected and cleaned by an experienced HVAC contractor.

HVAC technicians can not only clean your ducts, but they can also spot and correct other air duct issues like poorly sealed ducts, improperly sized ductwork, or a poorly designed and installed duct system.  They can seal leaky ductwork which will not only improve the efficiency of your system, but also reduce the amount of airborne contaminants the enter the ducts and contribute to the dust buildup.

, ,
Read More

Save Big This Summer With A Programmable Thermostat

July 6th, 2012 Posted in HVAC Accessories
Comments Off on Save Big This Summer With A Programmable Thermostat

With record high temperatures across the country and summer just getting under way, you may be seeing record high electricity bills for running your air conditioner.  You can save energy and money without sacrificing comfort by having your HVAC technician install a programmable thermostat.

Programmable thermostats are also referred to as “setback” thermostats because they set the thermostat temperature back while you are away from home during the day or asleep at night.   Programmable thermostats allow you to set a cooling schedule that adjusts the temperature to a warmer setting while your home is unoccupied or at night while you are asleep.

For example, the thermostat could be set to cool your home to 78 degrees in time for you to wake up in the morning, automatically increase the temperature setting to 85 degrees after you leave for work, cool your home back to 78 degrees by the time to return home for the evening, and allow the temperature to climb to 82 degrees overnight.  The next morning the cycle will start over again.

You can achieve the same effect and savings by manually adjusting your existing thermostat, but a programmable thermostat has at least two advantages over the do-it-yourself method.  First, a programmable thermostat relieves you from remembering to change the setting throughout the day.  Since it works automatically, it never “forgets” to adjust the temperature setting and maximizes your energy savings.

In addition, a programmable thermostat adjusts the temperature so that your home is comfortable as soon as you wake up and when you return home from work.  If you turn the temperature setting down when you get home from work or wake up in the morning, you will have to wait for the temperature to reach the desired setting.

, ,
Read More

Puddles Under Your Furnace or Air Handler?

July 6th, 2012 Posted in HVAC Maintenance
Comments Off on Puddles Under Your Furnace or Air Handler?

If you’ve been running your central air conditioner and have puddles under your furnace or air handler, don’t panic.  No, you don’t have some strange plumbing leak that’s getting into your heating and air conditioning system – you probably just have a plugged condensate drain line.

Your central air conditioning system or heat pump not only cools the air inside your home, it also dehumidifies the air which helps your home feel cooler and more comfortable.  Moisture is extracted from the air as it passes over the evaporator coil located in chamber above your furnace or in the air handler of your heat pump.

Moisture (called condensate) condenses and collects on the evaporator coil and drips into a collection pan below.  The pan drains out through a condensate drain line which is typically made of PVC pipe.  In some installations, the drain line is routed directly outside or to a drain.  In other cases, the drain line goes to a small sump pump that pumps the water outside or to a drain through a clear plastic hose.

The condensate drain line can sometimes become clogged with dust or mold and mildew growth.  When that happens the condensate will back up and drip out onto your floor.

It is usually pretty easy to clear a clogged condensate line.  If you are fortunate enough to have an air compressor, a blast of air will usually do the trick.  Sometimes you can suck the clog out from the end using a wet/dry vac.  Otherwise, running a small plumbing snake or even a wire coat hanger through the condensate drain line will clear the clog.  Once you have the clog cleared, you can help prevent new clogs from forming by mixing a cup of bleach with a  gallon of warm water and pouring through the condensate drain line twice a year. Be very careful and take all necessary safety precautions when handling bleach.

, ,
Read More

Why Is My Central Air Conditioner So Noisy?

July 6th, 2012 Posted in Air Conditioning Service and Repair
Comments Off on Why Is My Central Air Conditioner So Noisy?

Everyone enjoys the cool, dry comfort that central air conditioner or heat pump system brings to a home, but if you have a traditional split system, sometimes the noise from the outdoor unit (called a condenser) can be annoyingly loud.  If the condenser has been located outside of a bedroom, it can even interfere with your sleep.

All condensers make some noise although some brands are quieter than others.  If you have an older, inefficient unit this may be a good time to upgrade to a quiet new energy efficient system.  Depending on your old system and how often you run your air conditioner, you may be surprised how quickly the savings on your energy bills will cover the cost of the new unit.  Meanwhile, you will be enjoying your quiet new air conditioner.

If a new central air conditioning system is not in the budget for this year, have your noisy air conditioner serviced and inspected by your HVAC technician.  You could have a bent fan blade striking the housing or a piece of the sheet metal housing could be loose and vibrating.

If the condenser checks out, you may need to investigate other options such as relocating the condenser to a less obtrusive spot or building an enclosure around the unit.  If you opt for the enclosure, be sure to allow plenty of space around the condenser for adequate ventilation and so it can be serviced.  A partial enclosure that is open on the side away from the house can often do the trick.

, ,
Read More

Find Local Company | HVAC Directory | Find Local HVAC Companies