Posts Tagged ‘reliable heating and air’
Friday, June 17th, 2011
by Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air
When it’s finally time to replace your old heating and cooling system, there will be many choices and different decisions to be made that will affect your comfort, efficiency and overall happiness with any new system selected. It would benefit anyone to become familiar with the different components and terms you will face when that day does arrive.
There are 3 separate pieces of equipment you have to replace when purchasing a new HVAC system and they are the furnace, the indoor cooling coil, and the outdoor condenser or air conditioner. You have choices of different furnaces and condensers, but generally there is only one coil for any system.
There are many different manufacturers of furnaces and many different models available, but there are really just two distinctly different types of furnaces, single speed, single stage furnaces and two stage, variable speed furnaces. A single speed single stage furnace comes on full blast anytime it runs and the motor in it consumes $250 a year of A/C electricity. A two stage variable speed furnaces comes on gradually and only uses the amount of gas needed at any given time to heat your home and it’s blower consumes only $30 annually of D/C current. The Variable Speed furnace also comes with a special thermostat that actually allows the furnace to reduce the amount of humidity in your home by an additional 5 to 10%, and when it is drier in your home, you can actually keep it warmer and feel the same comfort level, which will save you money.
You have many choices in different outdoor condensers and what you pick is critical in your comfort. There are two different types of outdoor units, single speed units and two speed units. The two speed units are the best choice for most homes in the south, as they can be large enough in capacity to handle the extreme hot days, but because of their two speed design, they slow down to remove more moisture than a regular single speed condenser. The efficiency of these two speed units is usually so much better than a single speed unit that they can reduce the electric consumption by over 50% compared to your old cooling system you have in place now.
There are “builder grade units”, consumer grade units and top of the line units in both single speed and two speed. Builder grade units are units designed for a low, upfront price point and come with short warranties and will usually provide a shorter life span, as most builders are only interested in how a particular appliance operates for one year, which is the standard warranty a new home comes with.
Consumer grade units today come with a 10 year parts warranty and some companies offer a 10 year labor warranty or even a lifetime warranty if properly maintained. Units such as these can last 18 to 20 years often times and are available up to 16 seer in most cases.
Top of the line air conditioners are loaded with safeties and controls that allow them to last 20+ years and cut operating costs up to 60% while doing the best job in dehumidification and cooling and come in single speed, two speed single compressors, two speed twin compressors and even solar powered. Units such as these are more expensive up front, but are a better investment in the long run, by offering superior operation, efficiency and comfort.
It helps in any market place to know about the different products that are available and it is always a good idea to get at least 3 different estimates to see if there is a general consensus to what each company recommends.
Tags: a/c broken woodstock, a/c freezing, a/c frozen up, a/c maintenance alpharetta, a/c maintenance atlanta, a/c maintenance marietta, a/c maintenance roswell, a/c maintenance woodstock, a/c not cooling, a/c repair alpharetta, a/c repair atlanta, air conditioner, air conditioner broken, air conditioner icing up, coolray heating & air marietta, dan jape, flood damage, leak repair atlanta, reliable heating and air, reliableair, Trane R410a
Posted in Air Conditioning, Awards, Care and Maintenance, Commercials, Dan Jape, Going Green, Heating, Plumbing, Safety, Saving Money, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, May 16th, 2011
Dan Jape, Reliable Heating & Air
Now that warm weather has arrived, it is very important that your cooling system is checked to make sure it is operating at peak efficiency. If your system is low on refrigerant or coils are dirty, it can cost you hundreds of dollars more each year to cool your home. Make sure you do not waste your money operating a cooling system that is not operating at peak efficiency.
Most HVAC companies offer a service contract which provides two visits a year to clean and tune up your heating and cooling systems and the summer inspection should include cleaning the outdoor unit of mud and debris lodged in the outdoor coil. This cleaning helps a unit give the best efficiency possible. It is always best to sign a service agreement with your company, as it gives your priority treatment during peak times and a discount on parts. At Reliable, we offer a lifetime warranty on most parts if a service agreement is put into effect at time of repair. If that same problem or part ever fails again, we fix it for free, no questions asked.
There are some big changes in the HVAC business brought about by the passage of the new Georgia State Energy Code, which goes in effect this year. It calls for some new tough policies regarding the heating and cooling systems that are installed in new homes.
Blower door tests are now required on all new homes to check the infiltration rate of a new home. The result must be less than 7 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals . Companies such as Reliable Heating & Air are required to have a DET certified specialist on staff to check the tightness of the duct systems and the thermal envelope of the structure. Duct leakage now has to be tested and certified to meet the new standard for tightness. Duct mastic has to be used to seal ducts to make sure they are tight and not leaking conditioned air.
Programmable thermostats are required with every system as are attic tents or covers over the attic staircases. Attic vent fans can no longer be installed in a new home unless they are solar powered. Electric furnaces cannot be installed in any new homes after January 1, 2011. A heat pump must be installed as the primary heat source if natural gas or propane is not used.
There are many other facets of this new energy code, but these are some of the highlights that might affect your HVAC system in the future.
For over 33 years, Reliable Heating & Air has been known as the company to trust for all your heating and cooling needs, providing top quality service at affordable prices. Many times, our customers have looked to us for referrals to handle their plumbing needs also since they have always felt a high level of trust and satisfaction from conducting business with Reliable. We have searched for many years for the right plumber who gave the same great service experience we like to provide our customers and have never been able to give a recommendation without worrying about the outcome. We are now proud to announce we have opened up a plumbing division offering the same great pricing and helpful cheerful service our customers have always had counted on for their heating and cooling needs and we guarantee 100% customer satisfaction. Call us today for any plumbing or heating and cooling needs.
Dan Jape, Owner – Reliable Heating & Air
Tags: a/c broken woodstock, a/c freezing, a/c frozen up, a/c maintenance alpharetta, a/c maintenance atlanta, a/c maintenance marietta, a/c maintenance roswell, a/c maintenance woodstock, a/c not cooling, air conditioner, air conditioner freezing, Carrier Puron, Carrier Woodstock, coolray heating & air marietta, dan jape, flood damage, freon leak repair atlanta, furnace repair, leak repair atlanta, no free lunch, Puron, reliable heating & air, reliable heating and air, reliableair, tax credits, Trane Marietta, Trane R410a
Posted in Air Conditioning, Awards, Care and Maintenance, Commercials, Dan Jape, Going Green, Heating, Plumbing, Safety, Saving Money, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, April 18th, 2011
Courtesy of HGTV.com
To keep your house in top shape, give systems an annual checkup.
Spring cleaning is a tradition, but there are some other chores that should be part of your springtime routine, too. Most of them take only a few minutes, so get started!
1. Check your air-conditioning and heating equipment before the beginning of a new season.
2. Check and replace your furnace and air-conditioning filters every month. There are several types from which to choose, depending on your needs. Fiberglass filters last only one month, while the filters typically last three to four months. HEPA filters last up to six months and can be cleaned with a vacuum nozzle.
3. Most air conditioners have a drainage hole on the base of the cabinet, beneath the evaporator fins. This hole needs to be kept clear in order for the air conditioner to work properly. It’s a good idea each spring to use a paper clip or wire to poke through the hole and clear it.
4. To keep a dehumidifier working properly, remove its housing and let the unit dry completely. Vacuum every accessible surface and crevice.
5. Clean your bathroom fans once a year. Take the cover off, wash it in soapy water and clean dirt off the fan blades with a toothbrush. Be sure the power is off when you do this!
6. Check the flappers on your toilets at least once a year. If they are showing their age, replace them before they start leaking and wasting water.
7. Remove all faucet handles and clean their insides to keep the screws from corroding. Use a rust remover if necessary.
8. Replace the batteries in smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors twice a year: when the time changes to daylight savings time and then back to standard time. While you’re at it, dust or vacuum the detectors to keep them working at peak performance.
9. Make sure you have a fully charged fire extinguisher that you can reach quickly and easily.
10. Inspect and, if necessary, caulk around your home’s windows and doors annually. That will help keep out heat and humidity in the summer and cold drafts in the winter—and save money on your utility bills all year round.
11. Open and close all windows. Do they all open easily, yet close tightly? If not, check the weather stripping. There are a number of different types to consider.
12. The best time to caulk a joint outdoors is during the spring or fall. That’s when the width of the joint is halfway between its seasonal extremes. A plastic drinking straw or a length of plastic tubing makes a handy extension tube for caulking hard-to-reach places. Secure the extender with duct tape.
13. To really clear and clean screens for springtime, rub them with kerosene on both sides, then rinse with soap and water. Kerosene fumes are dangerous, so make sure to do this outside or in a well-ventilated area.
14. To fix a small hole in a window or door screen, dab clear household cement over the hole with a toothpick. If the screens are plastic, test the cement on a scrap to make sure it won’t melt the material.
15. Use the same technique to repair screen tears. Pull the two halves of the tear together and hold them in place with masking tape on one side. Apply the household cement to the tear, then smooth with a putty knife. When it’s dry, gently remove the tape and apply cement to the other side.
16. Clean out the gutters of winter debris and check them for damage from ice. Install gutter screens or protectors to help keep debris out of the gutters.
17. If a roof gutter is sagging, pitch it back to a level position by tightening its strap with pliers. The tighter the strap is twisted, the more the gutter will rise.
18. Be sure the gutters slope properly toward the down-spouts.
19. To prevent basement flooding, make sure there is at least three feet between the side of the house and the down-spout’s outlet. Use one of the following methods to reach that distance:
- Add an elbow for pipe and extension, although that often leaves the outlet still too close to the house.
- Use a splash guard that stretches about three feet.
- Attach a flexible extension hose to the end of the down-spout and bend it in away from the house.
20. To prevent foundation erosion as well as basement flooding, build up soil around the house and slope it away from the foundation.
-For more home improvement tips and money-saving ideas, visit HGTV.com
-Dan Jape
Tags: A/C, a/c broken woodstock, a/c freezing, a/c frozen up, a/c maintenance alpharetta, a/c maintenance roswell, a/c maintenance woodstock, a/c repair alpharetta, a/c repair atlanta, ac repair, air conditioner, air conditioner freezing, air conditioner icing up, be careful, Carrier Woodstock, dan jape, dan jape table of contents, freon leak woodstock, leak repair atlanta, reliable heating & air table of contents, reliable heating and air, reliableair, Trane, Trane Marietta, Trane R410a
Posted in Air Conditioning, Care and Maintenance, Dan Jape, Going Green, Saving Money | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
by Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air
Two years ago when the tax credit program started, December 31, 2010 seemed so far down the road it would never come. Well, here we are at the end of one of the best deals we have seen and there is only a few months left to take advantage of the $1500 credit that has allowed millions of homeowners to replace old inefficient heating and cooling systems. There have been many negative reports in the media about the stimulus plan and its success or failure has been debated to death by the press and talk radio, but the positive side of this bill is the impact it has had on every average homeowner who had old worn out heating and cooling systems that needed upgraded. These people have been able to purchase top of the line super high efficiency heating and cooling systems for the same price as an entry level system. A very nice added feature to these new systems is a special thermostat that not only controls temperature but also controls and removes more humidity than a regular system. The increased moisture removal makes one feel more comfortable at higher temperatures saving cooling dollars.
There are many new models and sizes available today that earn the tax credit and they give homeowners many more choices that were not open to them just a few months ago. Another positive side of this tax credit program is that all the different manufacturers of heating and cooling systems have advanced technology and efficiency to meet the government standards and these new models will be around for years after the credit program goes away in a few months. If you have not looked into the tax credit program, you should call your heating and cooling provider and at least explore this program as it ends December 31, 2010 and there is no extension or plans to extend this program, so do not miss this opportunity to cut your utility bills in half and increase your comfort by two fold.
The cold weather is here now and it is time to get your furnace checked for proper operation and safety. A properly adjusted furnace can save hundreds of dollars in cost of operation and make sure that your heating system is in top working order. Furnaces should be cleaned of rust and soot and have the heat exchanger inspected thoroughly each year. Gas pressure should be adjusted and the gas jets cleaned to assure proper operation and efficiency. Your air filter should be changed every 2 months and the blower wheel and assembly should be kept clean and free from dirt build up.
Another nice addition to your comfort system this season would be a central humidifier that adds moisture to your homes heating system. These units prevent damage to your homes hardwood floors, cabinets and furniture. They also prevent dry skin and static electricity and reduce the heating bills as it is more comfortable at a lower temperature when the moisture is increased. This is the opposite of the summer when comfort is increased with lower humidity.
Tags: a/c atlanta, a/c broken woodstock, a/c freezing, a/c frozen up, a/c maintenance alpharetta, a/c maintenance roswell, a/c maintenance woodstock, a/c marietta, a/c not cooling, a/c repair alpharetta, a/c repair woodstock, a/c woodstock, air conditioner, air conditioner freezing, air conditioning marietta, Carrier Puron, coolray heating & air marietta, dan jape, economic stimulus, freon leak repair atlanta, furnace atlanta, furnace marietta, furnace repair, furnace woodstock, HVAC alpharetta, HVAC tax credits, no free lunch, Puron, reliable heating & air, reliable heating and air, Reliable Hvac, tax credits
Posted in Air Conditioning, Heating, Saving Money | No Comments »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
by Dan Jape of Reliable Heating & Air
After a ten year phase out, Freon is now dead and gone forever and this change will have an impact on most every home and business in the country. Back in the early 1990′s, law was enacted that called for the phase out of CFC’s, halons, and HCFC,s due to the fact they destroy the ozone layer and are responsible for creating an ozone hole over the South Pole. Freon is an HCFC and whether you believe in the ozone issue or not, everyone who currently has an old air conditioner that runs on Freon will be affected by the phase out since the law mandated that no new Freon based a/c units can be built after January 1, 2010 and after January 1, 2015, there is a ban on the sale and use of Freon in residential use. As the production of new Freon is limited, the price of this gas is going up to the point to where if you have an old leaky a/c system that uses Freon R-22, it will be a better idea to replace your a/c system instead of spending hundreds of dollars fixing leaks and recharging the system with Freon. Freon is going to be expensive this summer and to keep adding more to a leaky system is not a good use of your money. The state of the economy has the price of new systems lower than ever before and warranties have been escalated to 10 years parts and labor making this the best of times to cut ties with your Freon based a/c system.
New units now use R410a refrigerant which is far better than Freon in removing heat and moisture and is the only refrigerant available for home use. New units can cut your electric bill by 50 percent while giving you comfort you have never known. There are tax credits available of $1500 from the federal government which will pay the cost of upgrading to the very best furnace and a/c system. You will get a variable speed furnace with a built in dehumidifier and a 16 seer a/c system that will keep your home cool and dry in the summer and an even temperature in the winter. There are also factory rebates of $1000 or 36 months same as cash to help with the cost of upgrading your comfort system.
Every year people who know they have to replace their cooling systems get estimates over the winter when business is slow and they get the best prices of the year. But instead of going ahead and getting the work done early before the warm weather arrives, they procrastinate until it get hot and contractors are already busy, then they call and try to get off season deals. The heating and cooling business is all about supply and demand. In the warm months, there is an abundance of jobs and customers waiting to have work performed and no contractor can give you a special deal because the time to do your work could be sold at full price to the next person waiting in line. Do not wait until spring to try and repair or replace your a/c if you already know you need service. Get it done early if you want the best price and experience no waiting in a hot house.
Tags: a/c broken woodstock, a/c freezing, a/c frozen up, a/c maintenance alpharetta, a/c maintenance atlanta, a/c maintenance marietta, a/c maintenance roswell, a/c maintenance woodstock, a/c not cooling, a/c repair alpharetta, a/c repair atlanta, Carrier Woodstock, dan jape, free, freon leak woodstock, reliable heating & air, reliable heating and air, reliableair
Posted in Air Conditioning, Awards, Care and Maintenance, Commercials, Dan Jape, Going Green, Heating, Safety, Saving Money, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
For Immediate Release Contact: Colleen Hughes, AHRI Public Affairs
Direct: 703.600-0331
(excerpts)
Homeowners Urged to Replace Storm Damaged Heating and Cooling Equipment
Arlington, VA (June 12, 2008) — After a flood or hurricane, homeowners are advised to take important safety precautions with regard to their home’s heating and cooling systems, according to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), the trade association representing manufacturers of this equipment.
“A house or basement exposed to standing water can damage a home’s heating and cooling equipment — putting families at risk,” said AHRI President Stephen Yurek. “We advise homeowners to play it safe and replace, rather than repair flood-damaged heating and cooling equipment and systems.”
AHRI recommends that all inspection and replacement work on flooded equipment be performed by qualified heating and cooling contractors, not by homeowners.
“Homeowners can turn misfortune into opportunity by considering new, energy-efficient models that will lower their future energy bills,” said Yurek. “They also should ask their local utility about available rebates for installing new, energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment.”
Gas Furnaces and Boilers If there is any question whether flood water has reached a gas furnace or boiler, it should be checked by a qualified contractor. This equipment gas valves and controls that are especially vulnerable to water damage from floods — damage that might not be visible. Corrosion begins inside the valves and controls, and damage may not be apparent, even if the outside of the device is clean and dry. At a minimum, this damage can result in reliability problems.
Electric Furnaces An electric furnace consists of electrically heated coils, a fan to provide air circulation across the coils, and controls that include safety relays. As with a gas furnace, an electric furnace is susceptible to corrosion and damage from flood water, creating potential reliability problems or safety hazards. If there is any question whether flood water has reached an electric furnace, homeowners should have it checked by a contractor.
Propane Heating
Use extreme caution where there is the potential for propane leaks and have propane equipment checked, repaired and/or replaced by a contractor as quickly as possible after a flood. In every case, contractors must replace all valves and controls that have been in contact with flood water. The gas pressure regulator on a propane system should also be checked. This regulator contains a small vent hole to sense outside pressure. For effective gas pressure regulation, this hole must always remain unobstructed. During a flood, debris can easily plug the hole, causing dangerous malfunction or corrosion.
AHRI News Release Page 2
Radiant Ceiling Heat With this type of heating system, electrically-heated cables are embedded in the plaster or drywall ceiling. The cables warm the ceiling, which in turn warms the room by radiant heat. If the ceiling becomes wet from a flood, it can weaken and perhaps crack and the ceiling will need replacement. Although the electrical cables themselves may appear to be undamaged due to their tough, waterproof coating, there may have been large mechanical stresses on the cable, and a qualified electrician should be consulted to determine whether the cable can continue to be used.
Heat Pumps and Air Conditioning Systems Split air conditioning and heat pump systems have power and control wiring between the indoor and outdoor parts of the system, and piping through which refrigerant flows through the system. If flood water has repositioned either the indoor or outdoor units of a split system even by a small amount, there is a potential for refrigerant leaks. The system will then require major repair or full replacement.
If the refrigerant system remains intact after the flood, the entire system should be cleaned, dried and disinfected. Homeowners should have a contractor check the indoor and outdoor units’ electrical and refrigeration connections, including all control circuits. The decision to repair or replace should be made after consultation with a qualified professional on a case-by-case basis.
Ductwork If a house under storm repair contains a central forced-air system, attention should also be paid to the ductwork. A contractor will not try to salvage duct insulation that has been in contact with flood water, but will replace it because it is impossible to decontaminate. The contractor also will clean, dry and disinfect the ductwork itself. A thorough job will require disassembling the ductwork, but the silver lining is that such repairs will allow the contractor to seal joints in the ductwork and improve insulation to reduce heat and cooling loss.
Water Heating Systems Whether a water heater uses gas, oil or electricity, and it was exposed to flood water, the unit should be replaced. A new water heater is a relatively small investment, and replacing it is fairly easy to do. If the water heater was more than five years old, chances are a new unit will be more efficient, saving the homeowner money in the long run.
In a gas unit, valves and controls can corrode. In an electric unit, the thermostat and controls can corrode. In both types, the insulation surrounding the unit will likely be contaminated and will be nearly impossible to disinfect. In addition, the insulation takes a great deal of time to dry and can lead to corrosion of the tank from the outside.
Even if water heater components have been cleaned and the unit seems to operate properly, parts may corrode in the future. Both gas and electric water heaters have a pressure relief valve that can corrode and stick after being exposed to flood water. Homeowners should be sure, therefore, to replace this valve as well.
Government Aid For victims of some natural disasters, government aid may be available to help consumers finance the replacement of flood-damaged HVAC equipment. Homeowners should contact any of the offices set up by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help flood victims in their area.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating and commercial refrigeration equipment. An internationally recognized advocate for the industry, AHRI develops standards for and certifies the performance of many of these products. AHRI’s more than 350 member companies account for more than 90 percent of the residential and commercial air conditioning, space heating, water heating and commercial refrigeration equipment manufactured and sold in North America.
Tags: a/c broken woodstock, a/c repair alpharetta, a/c repair atlanta, a/c repair woodstock, air conditioner, air conditioner broken, flood damage, flooded furnace, furnace repair, reliable heating and air, storm damage
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
These are two of the most common questions I am asked by homeowners all spring and summer and they are the area of the most confusion and misinformation in the air conditioning business. Every year we get new customers from other companies and we loose customers to other companies because of this one commonly misunderstood areas.
First, let me state unequivocally, that if you ever had to add any Freon to your cooling system, you have a leak. No question about it, period. Final answer. There is no reason you ever have to add Freon to an air conditioning system unless there is a leak. An air conditioning system is a sealed system that if properly installed and maintained, should never leak and never need even a few pounds of Freon added.
I stress this due to the misconception that it is normal to have to “top off” your Freon in your air conditioner. While this has been common practice for years due to the fact it was less expensive to add Freon than it was to find and repair a leak, it is not the case anymore. Freon is in its last years of production and will be taken off the market soon. The quantity of Freon being produced is being curtailed each year and the price is going up. Expect Freon to cost around $60 to $90 a pound this year with the price increasing as we reach the end of the production of air conditioners utilizing it in the end of 2009.
If your cooling system needs Freon every year, it will soon be more expensive to keep adding it than it will be to buy a new system. Every summer I speak to new customers of ours who are unhappy with their old heating and air contractor because they simply ”pumped up” an old leaking air conditioner with out telling them they had a leak. Think of your cooling system as a big car tire, if it goes down, the air had to go somewhere. Freon does not wear out or need to be freshened up or replaced, ever. No matter what you have heard in the past, you have a leak.
“Why can’t you find my leak and fix it”? This is also a very common question I am asked every year and the answer is simple. Normally the leak is not one big leak, but rather many small leaks where the copper tubing is stressed or ruptured by the bonding of a dissimilar metal such as aluminum. These dissimilar metals expand and contract at a different rate and wear a hole in the copper tubing and also react to each other to form corrision and lack of heat transfer. This is why an air conditioner with a same metal coil is more leak proof than a coil with copper tubing aluminum fins.
Most air conditioning companies have Freon leak detectors to sniff out leaks and with enough time, patience and diagnostic money, they can tell you exactly what you already know. You have a leak! To try and repair these leaks, one would have to melt away the aluminum fins to get to the copper tubing in the middle of the coil and weld up the stress areas. This would render that area of the coil useless and the chance you could repair all the possible leaks and weak areas in a coil are slim to none. Most of the time, these leaking air conditioners are old and inefficient and your money would be better spent simply cutting the cord on them as opposed to throwing good money after bad. What difference does it make where the leak is in that 12 year old machine?
I see person after person spend hundreds of dollars each year finding a leak only to be told it can’t be repaired or worse, fixing one leak only to find they have another the next month after all their Freon has leaked out. Do not get to attached to your old air conditioner as it is just another appliance in your home like your dishwasher or water heater that needs to be updated after 12 to 15 years to assure you are afforded the comfort and energy savings a new system can give you.
Tags: dan jape, freon leak, freon leak repair atlanta, freon leak woodstock, leak repair atlanta, reliable heating and air
Posted in Air Conditioning | No Comments »
Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
by DAN JAPE of RELIABLE HEATING & AIR originally published July 2008
In the thirty years I have been repairing air conditioners in the greater Atlanta area, this is one of the most asked questions from frustrated, hot homeowners And the answer is usually lack of tonnage or capacity and lack of proper airflow.
The capacity or tonnage of your air conditioner is the measurement of it’s ability to move heat from inside your home to the outside of your home. Air conditioners are produced from 1.5 ton to 5 ton in half ton increments. A ton of air conditioning is 12,000 Btu’s and a Btu is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree in one hour or lower it one degree in your cooling system. A Btu is about the same amount of heat generated by burning one stick match. The tonnage of your system is picked by your heating cooling installer using a number of criteria such as sized of your home, insulation in your home, the amount of and type of glass in your home, the roof color, the amount of shade, which way your house faces and a number of other qualifiers that help determine the size needed to overcome the “heat gain” in the summer. The more tons an air conditioner is, the more expensive it is, so many times the builder of your home uses a unit that is not large enough to remove the heat properly in the summer. An air conditioner can’t be sized too large because it will not remove the moisture in your home, but it need to large enough to cycle off and on and maintain your desired temperature. Often when replacing an old cooling system, a slightly larger unit is needed to accomplish this goal. People often spend days researching the SEER rating of an air conditioner and the brand of the units available, and do nothing about what ton cooling unit to purchase. There is nothing more efficient than an air conditioner that is not running. A properly sized air conditioner will cycle off and on all but the hottest days of the year. Then it should be able to maintain a reasonable inside temperature.
Inadequate airflow from your supply vents can be the cause of both poor heating and cooling performance and with the advent of complete ducts system constructed of flex ducting with many twists and turns, many homes today have very little air delivery. Airflow in older homes with all metal ducting was far superior to the modern home of the last 15 years and often times there is very little that can de done about this due to the fact that this flex duct is sealed up behind sheetrock walls and ceilings. Many times it is not cost effective to replace all the ducting in your home with new proper metal ducting or properly installed flex duct. The airflow for your home originates with the furnace blower and it is often a good idea to increase the size of the furnace blower “drive” to help deliver more air to the remote rooms in your home. A variable speed blower furnace will also help deliver the correct amount of air without the need of spending thousands of dollars on duct modifications.
A few small adjustments when replacing your furnace and air conditioner can result in thousands of dollars of energy savings and enhanced comfort for years to come.
Tags: a/c broken woodstock, a/c repair alpharetta, a/c repair woodstock, coolray heating & air marietta, dan jape, reliable heating and air, reliableair
Posted in Air Conditioning | No Comments »
