Depending upon the Season, My Office Feels Hot or Cold!

July 30th, 2013 Posted in Commercial HVAC Service & Repair
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One of the biggest complaints that commercial HVAC companies hear about is the lack of heating or cooling in specific offices.  Often this comes down to either a design issue or unauthorized modification of the system.  In may smaller office buildings the type of HVAC system installed is often a constant volume system, where the airflow into specific area is not regulated.  In many cases this type of system is used in order to keep building costs down. 

While this type of system works well, it can have design issues.  Imagine a row of offices with a southern exposure, where the summer sun is beating down of the windows for most of the day. All of the offices are being supplied by a single HVAC unit, which is pumping air out at a constant rate.  The thermostat is also located in the last office in row and continues to send a message to the HVAC unit to send more air until the temperature is met at the thermostat.  Depending upon the season, this causes more and more hot or cold air to go into the offices closer to the mechanical unit.   As a result, those occupants feel either hot or cold, depending upon the season! 

Often mechanical contractors will find that the problem has been made worse due to unauthorized modifications to the HVAC system.  Often these modifications involve blocking either the return air or supply air feeding the office.  This effects the “balancing” of the system, which makes the issues worse! 

There are real solutions available to modify an existing constant volume system to make individual offices more comfortable.  A qualified HVAC contractor will be able to survey your office space and make specific recommendations that are easy and affordable.

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How Long Will My HVAC Last?

July 30th, 2013 Posted in HVAC Maintenance
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The life span of a typical residential HVAC system depends upon a number of variables including the initial proper design of the system as well as proper HVAC system maintenance.  In general the equipment will last 10 years or more, while the ductwork will last for the life of the home. 

The key is the proper design of the system, which includes the proper sizing of the equipment.  This means that the HVAC contractor will consider a number of factors while designing the heating and cooling system including the outdoor temperatures during the winter and summer.  In addition, they will calculate the heat loss and gain of the home thru the building envelope, especially the exterior doors and windows.  A system that is undersized will typically run into issues before one that is properly sized.  This is due to the undersized system running more than a properly sized system because the heating and cooling needs can never be met. 

However, the biggest factor impacting the lifespan of a HVAC system is the lack of maintenance, including regular filter changes, cleaning of the units, checking the refrigerant levels, periodic duct cleaning and thorough periodic inspections.  The best way to increase the lifespan of your HVAC equipment is to have a periodic check of the system prior to the heating and cooling systems.  Most qualified HVAC contractors have a dedicated service department that can provide this periodic service at a very reasonable cost, which will extend the life of the mechanical equipment in your home!

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Is My Single Zone System Inferior To A Two Zone System?

July 30th, 2013 Posted in HVAC Replacement
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Most homes in the Unites States will have either one or two HVAC systems, while some very large homes will have three or systems.  A system includes an indoor air unit as well as a condenser, which is located on the exterior of the home.  The number of systems depends upon several factors including the size of the home and the layout.  

A qualified HVAC contractor will make a series of calculations to determine the heating and cooling load on the home, while looking at the insulation, windows and doors, which factor into the heat gain and loss.  The results of these calculations, as well as the requirements of the building and mechanical code, will determine the size of the system.  Once the size is determined, the HVAC contractor will then determine if a one or two zone system will be required, based upon the load and the layout of the home.  Often, while it is possible to use a single system based upon the heating and cooling load, the layout of the home, as well as the structural design, prevents the HVAC contractor from providing heating and cooling to all parts of the house. 

The HVAC contractor will install the most efficient system in your home to meet the heating and cooling needs.  This design will be the most economical to install as well as the most economically to operate.  As a homeowner, there is not need to worry that a single zone system is inferior to a two zone system!

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All About Indoor Air Quality

July 30th, 2013 Posted in HVAC Maintenance
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One of the biggest concerns people have in their homes and offices alike is the indoor air quality (IAQ), which refers to the quality of the air that the occupants breathe.   The quality is impacted by the presence of both naturally occurring items as well as man-made pollutants.  Examples of items impacting indoor air quality include plant pollen, mold spores, germs and fumes given off by building products.   All of these items ultimately impact the health of the building’s occupants with such items as asthma and other respiratory conditions. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are three means to improve indoor air quality in homes.  They include source control, improving ventilation and air cleaners.  A qualified HVAC contractor that specializes in both commercial and residential HVAC service and repair can assist in improving indoor air quality by limiting the source, improving ventilation and air cleaners. 

While the complete elimination of the sources of both naturally occurring, as well as man made pollutants is not possible, they can be greatly reduced by a modern HVAC system that brings in fresh air continuously to condition the air within the home or office building.  As the air is brought in and continuously distributed thru the HVAC system, where it is filtered using modern air filters or state of the art electronic air filters.  This process is continuous, resulting in cleaner and cleaner air for the occupants to breath, which ultimately improves the indoor air quality positively impacting the occupant’s health. 

HVAC contractors have a great deal of experience in designing and installing complete modern HVAC systems that will result in improved AIQ.   In addition, they can also make recommendations to improve and existing system quickly and economically.  There is no need to suffer from the results of bad indoor air quality!

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Condensate Drains

July 30th, 2013 Posted in Air Conditioning Service and Repair
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All HVAC units with air conditioners will have condensate drains, which drains water created during the air conditioning process, into the home’s plumbing system.  This is even the case on homes where the unit is located in the attic of the home.  While it may seem that there is no maintenance involved in a condensate system, it is critical that this be regularly checked, especially on HVAC units located in the attic of a home. 

On the ground floor of the home, the condensate line usually terminates into a floor drain connected to the homes plumbing system.  There is a gap between the two, so the homeowner can see if water is flowing into the drain.  On attic units, the unit itself, the condensate line is also terminated into the home’s plumbing system.  In addition, there are two backup system in place as well to protect water created during the air conditioning process from leaking onto a ceiling and causing damage to the home.  First the unit is placed in a sealed “tub” so that the “tub” catches the water if the primary drain fails for any reason.  There is an independent drain in the tub that is usually terminated in the soffit of the home over a window.  It is located there so that if the homeowner sees water dripping out of the soffit and will be aware that the primary drainage system is not working properly.  Finally the “tub” has a “float” system installed, which will shut off the HVAC system if water rises within the “tub” because of a drainage issue. 

It is critical that these systems be periodically checked to verify that they are working as designed.  A qualified HVAC contractor that specializes in residential HVAC service and repair will check that as a part of their regular seasonal maintenance of your home.  If you fail to see water draining into the floor drain, see water dripping out of the soffit or you attic unit stops working, call your HVAC contractor immediately!

 

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Uneven Cooling Solutions

July 8th, 2013 Posted in Central Air Conditioning
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Many homes with central air conditioning systems have problems with some rooms not being cooled as much as other rooms.  This is especially true for two story homes or additions.  Some homeowners use window air conditioning units to provide extra cooling in warmer rooms.  A window air conditioner has the advantage of low initial cost and easy installation, but they are noisy and take up space in the window.

A quieter, less obtrusive, and more efficient alternative is to install a ductless mini-split system.  The initial cost of a mini-split system is higher and they must be installed by a professional HVAC contractor, but they are much more efficient than a window air conditioner.  In addition, since the outdoor condenser/compressor unit is mounted away from the window, the noise level is much lower and they are not as obtrusive.  Also, most mini-split systems are heat pumps so they can be used for heating as well as cooling.

A mini-split system works much like a central air conditioner.  It has an outside condenser/compressor unit which is connected to the indoor evaporator cooling coils by refrigerant lines.  In a standard central air conditioning system, the cooling coils are located inside a duct system.  A fan cools the air by blowing it across the coils and through a system of ductwork that distributes the cool air around the home.

In a mini-split system, the cooling coils are located in a small enclosure inside the room and fan blows air across the coils and directly into the room to be cooled.  Some mini-split systems use a single outdoor unit to indoor wall units in several rooms.

If your home has uneven cooling issues, talk to your HVAC contractor to see if a mini-split system would be a good solution for you.

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Ductless Mini-Split Systems

July 8th, 2013 Posted in Central Air Conditioning
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Central air conditioning systems or heat pumps are the most common types of systems used for cooling most homes.  These systems are very similar.  They each have an outside compressor unit connected to the indoor cooling coils by refrigerant lines.  The indoor coils are located inside of the ductwork and a fan or blower blows air across the cooling coils.  The ductwork distributes the cooled air throughout the home. The primary difference between a heat pump and a central air conditioner is that a heat pump can operate in reverse to heat a home in cooler months.

In some homes, a ductless mini-split system may be a better alternative than a traditional central air conditioner or heat pump.  A mini-split system is similar to a central air conditioner or heat pump.  It has an outdoor compressor unit connected to an indoor cooling coil.  However, in a mini-split system the cooling coil is mounted in a small wall mounted unit inside the room.  A fan blows cool air across the coils directly into the room. In larger mini-split systems, a separate wall mounted unit is installed in each room of the home.

Since mini-split systems do not rely on a system of ducts to distribute the cool air, they are more efficient than traditional central air conditioning systems or heat pumps.  Also, the temperature in each room can be controlled independently.  This makes mini-split systems an excellent alternative for homes that may cool unevenly such as two story homes or homes that more direct sunlight in certain rooms.

Mini-split systems can also be an excellent choice for a home that does not have a duct system such as home that use baseboard heating or some other type of radiant heating system.  They are also a great alternative for room additions or for finishing unheated and cooled space such as an attic or basement.

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