Replacing your HVAC Equipment

When is the right time to replace your heating, ventilation or air conditioning unit? You should keep your eye out for signs that indicate it’s time for an HVAC system replacement. If some particular signs occur, it’s best to call an HVAC professional to help you decide about upgrading your system. 

If your heat pump or air conditioning unit is over 10 years old, and your furnace or boiler is over 15 years old, consider replacing it with a system that is certified with an ENERGY STAR label. These high-efficiency units can save you up to 20 percent on energy costs for cooling or heating your home. 

You should also weigh your options and consider replacing any units based on the following criteria: 

  • Rooms in your home become excessively cold or hot — this likely can be blamed on poor circulation or your system running inefficiently.
  • Your cooling or heating equipment is inefficient, needs regular repairs or the cost of using them steadily increases — older equipment will continue to need more maintenance as they increase in age.
  • No one is at home for extended periods and your system does not have a programmable thermostat — consider purchasing or using a programmable thermostat to maintain an equal temperature.
  • Your home has humidity problems — this could be a sign of poor or failing equipment, or leaks in your home’s ducts that allows the air to become too humid or dry, depending on the season.
  • Your home regularly becomes very dusty or dirty — loose or leaking ducts allow dust and dirt particles in the air, as well as air from attics, basements and crawl spaces, and allow them to spread through your house.

 

Invest Your Tax Refund In Lower Energy Costs

Many families receive a sizable tax refund each year that they can use to invest in improving their homes. One great investment to make with that extra money is to update your heating and cooling system to save you money all year round on your energy bill. What better way to get the most out of your refund then to use it to make your home more efficient and comfortable for years to come? 

Energy efficient heating and cooling systems can make a large difference in your utility bills each month. As much as 50% of energy bills go toward keeping your home at an even, comfortable temperature. If your system is 10 years old or older, you could save up to 30% on your annual heating and cooling costs by replacing your HVAC system with a new energy efficient system. Over the years, the new system can almost pay for itself! In addition to ongoing savings, there are several other reasons to look at upgrading your HVAC system:

  • If you struggle to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, a new energy efficient system can solve many of these problems. Having a trained professional evaluate your home and recommend the best system for your needs can make a huge difference in how comfortable your home stays in both the winter and summer months.
  • New efficient HVAC systems can lower your carbon footprint. New technology has made many of the newer models healthier for the environment and can reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted.
  • A new system can also add to the value of your home when it comes time to sell. Many people are looking for homes that have energy efficiency when they are in the market to buy. 

What better way to use your tax refund then to invest it back into your home and see a return on that investment for years to come!

Why to Hire a Heating Contractor with Years of Experience

When you hire a heating contractor, you are trusting them to advise you on the best approach to your heating solution, whether it relates to repairs are the installation of a new furnace. As in any field of work, classroom education is no replacement for experience on the job. Years of experience offer a wider range of problems encountered and solutions found.

The more experienced the contractor, the more likely he is to spot energy efficiency issues and provide you with information on how to cut down on your heating costs. He’ll also have experience with a broader range of furnace brands and types of heating systems. This can be especially important if you have an older home with an older heating system. You want someone who isn’t trained in just the newest models, but someone who has hands on experience with the type of system you have in your home.

Another benefit of having someone with experience is that they tend to work faster. The more experience a person has in his line of work, the more efficient he will be with his time. His experience is also likely to help him determine the root of the problem faster than someone with less experience. That can make a big difference when you’re paying hourly labor rates for a furnace repair.

If you want the job does fast and done right, always opt for the heating contractor who has the most experience and highest recommendations from their previous clients.

5 Tips for Hiring a Heating Contractor

When you are looking for a heating contractor for HVAC repairs or for a new HVAC system installation, it can be difficult to make a choice from the many different companies available. Here are 5 tips to help you choose the right contractor.

1)    Check the Reviews- Search for reviews of the company on the Internet. You may be surprised by what you can find. Ask for references from former clients and then take the time to call and talk to them before you make your decision.

2)    Make sure they offer a detailed estimate- If the contractor is not willing to offer a detailed estimate, they may not be upfront about the costs and work involved. This could end up costing you more than you are willing to pay, if you do not get the estimate upfront.

3)    Make sure the contractor gets any appropriate permits- If permits are required for the type of work that you need done, make sure that they get the permits prior to the work being done. If you’re not sure if permits are required, call your city planning and zoning office to find out.

4)    Request proof of license and insurance- When you are paying someone to work on your heat, you need to make sure that they are licensed for the work and that they have insurance coverage to protect you if something should go wrong.

5)    Establish a relationship.  Any good contractor will be willing to answer your questions pertaining to the work that he will be doing. If you don’t feel comfortable with your contractor or they do not answer your questions satisfactorily, it is best to trust your gut instinct and move on to another choice.

 

Multiple Thermostats for Greater Temperature Control

It is not uncommon for a home to have some areas that are cooler or warmer than others. Part of this is due to the fact that heat rises. A second story of a home will typically be warmer than the main level or the basement of a home. To overcome this inequality in temperatures from one area to another within your home, many people choose to have their heating and cooling system ‘zoned’ and a separate thermostat installed for each zone. 

With a separate thermostat located in each zone, you are no longer dependent on the temperature of just one area of the home to control the heating system for the entire house. However, if you still have only one furnace to heat the entire home, when the furnace turns on and off or the air conditioning kicks in or off still must be controlled by only one thermostat, so what do the other thermostats do? How do multiple thermostats affect the temperature control of a home that only has one heating and cooling system? 

The answer lies inside the ductwork. Dampers are place within the different zones of the ductwork. When one area is calling for more heat and a second area does not need heat, the thermostats open the dampers for the area needing heat and close them for the area that has already reached the desired temperature. Zoning your heating and cooling system with multiple thermostats to control the system can also help your system to be more energy efflicient.

Zoned heating and cooling systems are best installed during the initial installation of your residential HVAC system or during an HVAC system replacement, but they can be installed on extisting systems in many cases.  Talk to your HVAC contractor about your options.

Selecting a Heating System for Your Home

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.

Save Money By Replacing Your Old HVAC System

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.