Why Cold Air Vents Are Important to a Heating System

November 8th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Cold air vents, also called return vents, are an integral part of many heating systems, especially various types of furnaces. The idea is to pull or suction cold air from various rooms in a building or home and bring it to the furnace to be heated. This warmed air is then redistributed through the building through the furnace vents. This system operates very efficiently by both removing the cold air and adding the warmer air. 

Location Of Air Vents

Most cold air vents will be located on or near the floor. Since warmer air rises, the coolest air in most rooms will be at the floor level. If vents are put too high, it can leave pockets of cold air down low, making it difficult to heat the room thoroughly. The hot air vents can be located at any level, although many will be on the floor as well. The hot and cold vents may even look identical, but you can tell the difference when a furnace turns on. Some vents will blow air (hot), while others suck air in (cold).  

Number Of Vents

The amount of vents in a building or home depends on the design of the system. Many homes will have both cold and hot air vents in all rooms. However, depending on the building, sometimes there are only limited numbers of cold air vents that are situated throughout, maybe only one or two per floor. 

Using cold air vents make heating systems more efficient. Removing the cold air and adding warmed air means the furnace needs less fuel for heating, saving both energy and money for the building or home owner.  If your home suffers from warm spots or cold spots, talk to your your HVAC contractor.  They can conduct a system efficiency analysis and recomment improvements to your HVAC system such as sealing leaky ductwork or installing a modern, efficient duct system. 

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What is Geothermal Heating?

November 8th, 2012 Posted in Heat Pumps
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Traditional heat pumps use the outside air to either warm the air inside a home in the winter or cool it in the summer. Geothermal heating is a form of heat pump that uses the temperature of the earth to do the same thing. While it may seem strange to pull heat from the ground in cold temperatures, it is actually a very effective and efficient method of heating a home.

 These pumps are similar to air heat pumps, but instead of using air to keep homes at an even temperature all year round, they use the earth. A series of pipes are placed in loops under the ground that transport a liquid, usually either water or antifreeze. To heat the home, the liquid absorbs the heat or energy from the earth and is brought back up to the home and is processed through a compressor and heat exchanger. This concentrates the earth’s energy into a higher temperature and it is dispersed throughout the home. 

For the warmer months, these heat pumps do just the opposite. They siphon heat from the home and circulate it underground, where the earth absorbs the heat. This is similar to how a refrigerator cools the air inside. Instead of blowing cold air in, it draws out the heat, leaving the interior cold. 

Geothermal heat pumps can be an efficient way to keep your home at an even temperature all year round. Although electricity is used for the pump itself, there is no fuel cost like a furnace. The initial set up is the most expensive aspect, since pipes must be put down below the earth’s surface. However, once they are installed, these can be a a very economical heating solution.

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Different Types of Baseboard Heat

November 8th, 2012 Posted in Commercial HVAC Service & Repair
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Baseboard heating falls into two main categories; room-by-room electric baseboards and central baseboard heating that circulate liquid through the system. Both types use radiant heat, in which cold and warm air is used to create a radiant effect to heat a room. Baseboard heat is better for smaller rooms and is commonly used in apartments and small homes. 

Electric Baseboards

The traditional electric baseboards are individual heaters that each has their own temperature control. Generally situated under a window, these baseboards have electric heating elements that radiate heat out through aluminum fins. The warm air then goes up into the air and cold air is pulled down into the bottom of the baseboard. This is why they are usually placed under windows, to negate the cooling effect of the cold glass panes.  

Central Baseboards

Central baseboard heating still uses baseboards to transfer warm and cold air like the electric individual baseboards, however they use a centralized form of heat. These are whole home heating systems, versus individual heaters. There are two main kinds of central baseboards, hydronic and solar.  

  • Hydronic. These systems use hot water as the heating element instead of electric coils. The system is integrated through a boiler tank that pushes hot water through pipes that go into the baseboards. 
     
  • Solar. Similar to the hydronic systems, these systems use water or fluid that is warmed and transferred to the baseboards as well. However, they use solar energy as a heat source. 

Basically, all these units will work similar and even look the same, but the energy source is different. These systems are some of the less expensive types of heat to implement, which is why they are so often seen in apartments and commercial HVAC systems.

 

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Commercial Rooftop HVAC Units

November 8th, 2012 Posted in Commercial HVAC Service & Repair
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For many commercial buildings, it makes sense to use a rooftop heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) unit. Rooftop units are used often for air conditioning in large buildings primarily due to the fact that they are all-inclusive, less expensive and are easier to install. There are many different types and features, depending on what types of temperatures the region has and what energy source they use. 

Air Conditioning

The main function of a rooftop HVAC unit is to cool the air throughout the building, while filtering and circulating it as well. This function also helps with controlling humidity by dehumidifying the air. These large units have anywhere from 1 ton to 100 tons of air-conditioning capacities. 

Heating

Some HVAC units also come with heat pumps or heating equipment, depending on the climate where they are sold and obviously the temperature extremes. The heating elements can be gas or electric and use the ventilation system to keep the temperature warm in the cooler months. 

Choosing A Commercial HVAC Unit

The biggest issue with choosing the correct HVAC unit for a commercial building is to get the correct size and capacity. An undersized unit will not do the job, but often buildings go too far the other way and buy units that are too large. These not only cost more initially, they will cost much in power usage and are inefficient. Anyone choosing an HVAC unit for a commercial building needs to consult with a commercial and industrial HVAC contractor and discuss internal load conditions, which takes into consideration the amount of space, people and other factors which affect the indoor air temperature. 

These self-contained rooftop units are responsible for cooling almost 50% of all the U.S. commercial floor space. Due to their popularity, there are many choices and options to choose from.  A commercial and industrial HVAC contractor can help you choose the right system for your office, restaraunt, shopping center, or other commercial and industrial facility.   

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HVAC Maintenance for Your Office Complex

November 6th, 2012 Posted in Commercial HVAC Service & Repair
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You’ve created a professional environment in your office complex to attract high quality tenants. If you want to keep those tenants and attract more, having a trouble-free HVAC system is important. Failure of the air conditioning during the hottest week of the year or chilly offices during the year end stress of January will make for lots of unhappy tenants and bad publicity for prime office space. 

To prevent these types of catastrophes from happening, a building manager needs to invest in an inspection and maintenance program with a high quality commercial and industrial HVAC maintenance contractor. A truly thorough program will include routine inspections and maintenance on your entire HVAC system. This is a proactive type of program that takes a preventative approach rather than a repair approach. 

Emergency repairs may still have to be done, as some issues cannot be predicted and eliminated. However, when you have a maintenance contract, your commercial and industrial HVAC maintenance contactor will be someone who is intimately familiar with your systems. This means a quicker response and shorter down times.  

In addition to keeping your tenants happy, inspection and maintenance programs are generally known to be less expensive than simply paying for repairs as work is required. Less time at lower rates makes up part of the cost savings. The other part of the savings come from the lower cost of minor repairs and maintenance versus the often, major expenses of repairs required due to inadequate maintenance. Your accountant will also like the fact that your maintenance costs can be easily budgeted for at the beginning of the year. Save yourself added stress and expense by establishing an annual HVAC maintenance contract.

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Why Does My Office Smell Moldy?

November 6th, 2012 Posted in Commercial HVAC Service & Repair
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If you’ve got salespersons or other individuals who have been complaining about their office space smelling moldy, you might not think to call an HVAC contractor, but it is just who you should call. Look for a commercial HVAC service and repair contractor who specializes in air quality testing; not all of them do. 

Mold and pollutants can be circulated through a commercial building through the HVAC vents. This isn’t simply a matter of uncomfortable odors that you can try to cover up. Mold and pollutants in the air can be serious health hazards to your employees. If you seem to have a high amount of respiratory related health issues in your office, this may also indicate an air quality problem. As an employer, you are responsible for providing a healthy work environment for your employees, which includes the quality of air they are breathing everyday. If you are the owner of a building with tenants, you could be faced with serious liability issues if air quality issues are affecting your tenants, as well. 

If an air quality issue is identified by the HVAC contractor through their testing methods, the contractor can also work with you in developing a plan for determining the source of the problem and coming up with a plan for correcting the problem as well. 

Don’t ignore repeated complaints of negative odors in your building. It’s not worth risking the health of the occupants. Contact an HVAC contractor who is qualified to perform the air quality tests required.

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Energy Efficiency Testing for Your Business

November 6th, 2012 Posted in Commercial HVAC Service & Repair
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For some reason, many of us seem very energy conscious when it comes to our homes, but not as cognitive about the energy inefficiencies which may be draining funds out of our business. 

How much would you save on energy costs if all the lights were shut off when they weren’t in use or were put on timers? Could the thermostats be adjusted up or down a degree or two? The utility costs associated with operating a business make up a big piece of the overhead expense. Why not make some effort to curb those costs? 

If you’re HVAC system is more than a couple of years old, you might want to start your energy savings program by scheduling an energy efficiency test on the system by a qualified commercial HVAC maintenence contractor. A contractor can make a thorough inspection of the system and make any repairs or maintenance required. When a system is running properly it will consume less energy. 

Sometimes, even when a system is operating at its maximum efficiency, you may still be experiencing higher energy bills than you would with a newer more efficient system. Your HVAC contractor can assist you in weighing out the costs of replacement against the potential energy savings. An upgrade may save you money over time. 

Don’t leave your ‘green’ hat at home. Saving energy in your business can be ‘green’ in more than one way.

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Are Some Rooms Warmer Than Others in Your Home?

November 6th, 2012 Posted in Reducing HVAC Energy Costs
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Are family members always battling over the thermostat in your home? Is someone too hot and someone too cold? Is one person throwing off their blankets while another person is asking for extras? 

These differences can often be just different comfort levels between different individuals, but if you find that certain rooms or areas of your home really do feel cooler or hotter than others, then you may be dealing with improper distribution of heating and cooling air through your HVAC system. 

An HVAC system that has been properly designed and is operating properly should provide evenly distributed heat and cooling and maintain comfort levels throughout the home. If this is not the case, you may want to schedule a complete system efficiency analysis of your HVAC system, including the distribution system. 

For a forced air system this will include ductwork and vents, in addition to the furnace itself. For a boiler system, it will include the entire hot water distribution system. Thermostats will need to be tested to be sure they are operating properly. 

Following the inspection, the HVAC contractor should be able to give you a full report with maintenance and repair issues that have been uncovered, as well as their recommendations for addressing those issues and how they might be affecting the temperature levels in your home. In some cases, it may be determined that heating and distribution system were not properly sized or designed to meet the needs of the home. Again, a reputable HVAC contractor will be able to explain exactly what the flaws are in the system and make recommendations for correction. 

Don’t keep fighting over the thermostat and putting sweaters on and then taking them off again. Schedule a full HVAC system inspection.  Your home will be more comfortable and you will save money on heating and cooling costs.

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Selecting a Heating System for Your Home

November 6th, 2012 Posted in HVAC Replacement
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If you’re having a new home built, you have lots of decisions to make. One of those decisions will be in regard to the heating and cooling system for your home. Today, there are lots of options. Gas forced air remains a popular choice, but heat pumps are an energy efficient option for homes in many areas of the country. In floor radiant heat is another current choice worth considering. So how do you decide? 

  • System Cost. Comparing the initial costs of installing different types of HVAC systems is the first, but not the final step in deciding on which system to use in your home. In comparing competitive bids for similar systems, be sure to look for differences in sizing of the furnaces and AC units. Bigger is not necessarily better when it comes to HVAC systems. What is important is that the system is properly sized for the home. A system that is too large will not operate efficiently, just as one that is too small will be working too hard trying to keep up with the demand of the system.
     
  • Operating Costs. The cost of your HVAC system doesn’t end with the building of your home. The energy costs associated with operating the heating and cooling systems need to be compared as well. There are energy efficiency systems that may be more expensive to install but less expensive to operate and vice versa. How many years will it take to offset those extra costs with energy savings? Will you be in the home long enough to reap those energy benefits? 

Always be sure to request detailed estimates from HVAC contractors that are bidding on your home heating system. Ask them about expected energy costs and for references from their other customers with similar systems. It’s a big purchase and worth careful consideration.

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