Tag Archives: A/C

HVAC Zoning

Is your existing HVAC zoning system appropriate for your home? It is important to note that you would probably benefit from having a zoning system for your home’s heating and cooling needs. When you have such a zoning system, it allows your A/C and heating systems to activate on the basis of the areas where they are being used. Those areas have to show heating and cooling efficiency more than the rest of the home that is being heated and cooled with a central air conditioning system. With the HVAC zoning system, you will end up saving more money and increasing your home’s energy efficiency.

HVAC Zoning Systems and How They Work?

If the lights were located on a single switch in your home, what would happen? When you go to sleep at nights or you are away from home, it is obvious that you would probably switch off all lights. However, what happens when you are actually home? If you were to turn on the lights with that one switch, then all lights would be on at the same time. That is a waste of energy and more importantly, you would have to constantly replace light bulbs. Many homes are cooled and heated with that same concept. Each room, whether someone is in it or not, tends to be equally cooled or heating with a central air conditioning system. If you were to create specific zones, then this would change the dynamics.

Different Thermostats

HVAC zoning systems incorporate different thermostats in each zone. For that reason, you are able to control temperature in each room, dictating how much energy is used to heat or cool a specific room. In the end, you will save on utility and you will improve the comfort that your air conditioning unit or heating unit provides.

Zoned Temperature

When the temperature is zoned, then each zone in the home has an exclusive thermostat to turn the temperature to various comfort levels. All of these thermostats then have one control panel. With this control, the environment in the home is dictated by the homeowner. If you wanted to keep a specific bedroom cooler than it was without having this affect other areas of the home, zoning would work for you. The zoning system depends on a sequence of automatic dampers located in the air ducts. These shift the heating or air conditioning systems according to your needs.

HVAC Zoning System Installation

For homes that would receive the largest energy savings with an HVAC zoning system installation, there would have to be specific architectural features. Here are some of the features of the home to bear in mind:

• Many large windows
• Higher ceilings
• Above garage apartment or room
• Attic living space
• Basement living space
• Sunroom
• Loft
• Two or more story homes

Conclusion

With a zoning system, you will end up paying a lower monthly utility bill. The environment in your home would be more comfortable and the wear and tear on your HVAC system would be reduced. If you want to discuss your zoning system options, it is best to speak to an HVAC contractor.

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Air Conditioning Unit

Air conditioning and heating are essential to a person’s comfort. It is also important to energy efficiency. Therefore, if you have a heating and air conditioning system, it is best that they cover these two things. If you really want to know the facts about HVAC, then you also have to become aware of some of the common myths that people have spread as it relates to your A/C and heating system. Let’s explore some of these myths.

Temperature Adjustment

Some people will say that temperature adjustment to your A/C unit and heating system is not necessary when you leave your house. However, this is not true. Paying attention to the temperature is important if you want to save on your utility bill. To save on energy during the winter months, it is best to lower the temperature and during the summer months, the opposite is true. You could invest in a thermostat that you can set to automatically adjust on schedule.

Regular Maintenance

Some homeowners don’t place a lot of emphasis on regular maintenance of their HVAC system. However, this is necessary if you want your units to last you for a longer period of time and operate efficiently. Don’t wait until your HVAC system breaks down to call a contractor. If your system is properly and regularly maintained, it could save you the headache.

Higher Temperatures

Don’t believe the myth that if you turn up the heater temperature, the entire house will heat up faster. The same thing is true for your air conditioning unit. The temperature will reach to the desired threshold in the same time period, no matter what you set it at. So, don’t waste your energy by setting it at high temperatures.

Standing Fans

Some people believe that using both the standing fan and air conditioner unit will lower the energy used. That is not true. Fans only circulate air and not keep the area cool. Therefore, the energy expended to circulate air carries no weight, if you are looking to cool your home. Moreover, you would be using unnecessary energy to operate the fans.

Flexibility

An A/C is not only beneficial if you want to keep an area of your home cool. No, an air conditioning unit does much more. In fact, it helps to lower the humidity in the air, making cooling more effective.

Using Space Heaters

There are people who genuinely think that the use of space heaters in a few rooms is less costly than operating a gas heater. A space heater only heats up a small portion of the space in comparison to your gas heating system. The best option is to have one heating system in a home instead of several space heaters.

Conclusion

If you have any issues with your air conditioning system or heating system, it is best to get the facts from a reputable and experienced HVAC contractor and not listen to what others say. Before making any decisions as it relates to your A/C and heater, it is best to speak to a professional.

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Central Air Conditioner Unit

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If you are an HVAC contractor or specialist, you should have all the products in your inventory necessary to do a heating and cooling system installation. The only time the manufacturer should be involved is when they are creating and testing the product. Air conditioners and furnaces take thousands of dollars in tools to repair or replace. This means that the contractor has to invest in tools to get the job done right. Now, an experienced contractor who has done installations over and over again will know the ins and outs of the HVAC system and what brands are the best and which ones aren’t. Do you agree? It makes sense! It would be safe to say then that the contractor is the middle man when it comes to HVAC parts and products.

The Recommendation

What if your central air conditioner broke down or wasn’t performing? You would call on a HVAC contractor to advise you if replacement is necessary and if it is, which brand is best to purchase. That would be the wise thing to do since you don’t know yourself. The contractor is the expert since you may not be able to reach the manufacturer directly for the appropriate solution. In that case, the recommendation should come from the middle man who is the HVAC contractor. You could rely on reviews and testimonials from customers who have purchased the product, but they don’t have hands-on experience and knowledge of the makeup of the air conditioner unit and what it takes to operate it.

The Most Popular

While several brands of air conditioner units exist, most of them are manufactured by a handful of well known companies and not necessarily a wide range of companies. The most popular brands of air conditioner units are:

• Carrier
• Trane
• Lennox
• Goodman
• Rheem
• York
• Maytag and Westinghouse

The Stand Outs

Most people would recommend the Maytag because of its years on the market and its selling points such as how quietly it runs and its efficiency. Its SEER ratings are up to a 25.5 level and its EER ratings are up to a level of 15 if you take the cooling capacity into consideration. Lennox, Trane and Carrier are all regarded fairly well by HVAC contractors and many consumers. It may have to do with the reputation of the company and its policies as it relates to qualified and quality installation. All three of these companies are very particular about their product installation, being selective as to which HVAC contractor does the installation. Lennox boasts an efficiency rating level of up to 26 SEER. Carrier does the same thing at a rating of 21 SEER. Trane is a hot competitor with also a 21 SEER rating.

Conclusion

So, it is safe to say that Carrier, Lennox and Trane are the better brands and have received national coverage to prove that they are products to contend with. However, when you get ready to change out your air conditioner unit, speak to a qualified HVAC contractor for the best recommendation and solution.

Air conditioner Unit Repair

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If you are having trouble with your heating and cooling system or just ac system, then you may have to consider whether you should repair or replace it. There are several things that go into making that decision. However, first, it will depend on your budget. If you are contemplating on the decision, this means that you may have to check with an HVAC specialist to discuss your best option. In the meantime, though, if your system is not running as efficient as it used to or you have absolutely no A/C or heating capabilities, it may be time to replace it. In the long run, though, repair could be the better choice instead of replacement.

HVAC Contractor

When you are ready to make your decision for ac system repair, contact a local HVAC contractor for answers. If the contractor tells you to purchase new equipment without inspecting the old one, you may have to reconsider using their service. If the repair is going to be expensive and the replacement cost is less, then the obvious choice is replacement. If the repair cost is within your budget and once repaired, the equipment can operate effectively for a few years down the road, by all means, repair would be the perfect solution. First, however, let’s explore the replacement option some more.

The Replacement

If your air conditioner unit was built prior to 1992 and you own a standing pilot furnace, then you may think about replacing both, whether these need to be replaced or not. With this type of furnace, you are only receiving 65 percent efficiency and 8 SEER or fewer with the air conditioner unit. Replacing these units will save you tons in utility cost. Take some time to conduct a research and make plans on replacing your unit sooner rather than later. If you find that your A/C compressor is failing and you have no warranty, you could replace the compressor instead of the entire unit. This would cost you less.

The Repair

If you have to spend thousands of dollars in repair cost on your ac system, it is not wise to replace, but to buy new equipment. If you are unsure of whether to repair or replace, have an experienced technician inspect the equipment.  However, if you have a furnace that is 15 years or older and the repair cost is $750, then it is time to replace the unit. As long as you are receiving 95 percent efficiency out of the equipment, you can keep it after repairing and not replace it.