Air Conditioning Comparison April 23, 2008
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With so many choices and factors to consider, it may seem overwhelming to begin your quest to find the perfect air conditioner (AC). Whether price, efficiency or type of unit is your main decision-making factor, you can use this list as a reference guide to get the best unit suited for you.
If money is your primary concern, and you’re really only dollar-driven, then a portable AC unit will provide you with both economical and heat relief in the summertime. They range in price from approximately $100-$1000 and can be purchased at major consumer stores like Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Sears and Kmart. They’re the perfect choice if you just have a room or small apartment to cool. The first thing to consider is how much square footage you need to cool and then buy a unit designed for your specifications. If the product does not say on the package itself, ask the sales representative about how much square footage it will reasonably cool.
If you’re anxious to get a portable unit and don’t want to labor through all of the research, an easy general rule of thumb is to look for the ENERGY STAR® label on units. This designates them as ranking in the top 25 percent of efficient models. Depending on where you live, buying this type of AC unit may even qualify you for a cash rebate! Go to www.energystar.gov for details.
Starting on the higher end of the spectrum of portable AC units is the Kenmore 75101 10,000 btu. It will cool a room up to 500 square feet. Kenmore has a reputation for magically combining value and efficiency and this unit is no exception. It has an auto-start feature that keeps it running even in power outages and has an energy-saver mode on top of being ENERGY STAR® rated! Expect to pay approximately $300.
At approximately half that price and with half as much square footage coverage (200 sq. feet) a great option is the Frigidaire FAA065P7A 6,000 btu. It runs around $175. On top of being ENERGY STAR® rated, its digital display makes it easy to use and testers say that it is very quiet. It also knows how to keep itself running if your city should ever experience a blackout. It’s a great overall choice for value, efficiency and ease of use.
If money is no object and efficiency is your primary concern, then you may opt for another type of AC system altogether: Central air conditioning. It works on the same principle as the cheaper, portable units, except it requires a split system-one on the outside of your home and one on the inside of your home in order to run. Many experts recommend the Carrier Infinity 18 as one of the most advanced central-air units. The 18 in its name refers to an 18 SEER efficiency rating, which is fairly high. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and it runs on a 13-23 scale, with 18 rating as a highly efficient unit. The unit is so advanced it even announces when its filters need changing! Environmentalists take note-instead of freon, it uses a comparatively eco-friendly refrigerant called Puron. It is the only central AC system that puts you in control, allowing you to change the fan speed, humidity levels, air quality and ventilation. Aspects like this cause it to come with a price tag of about $5,000.
If you want to save about $2,000 from the Carrier Infinity 18 but still have a highly efficient unit you may want to consider the Bryant 2-speed Puron Plus 598B. It runs around $3,000 and is only slightly less efficient at 16-SEER. Reviewers mark it as consistently reliable, running on two speeds that will automatically accelerate into high gear if the weather gets very hot outside.
At about half the cost, but not half the efficiency of the Carrier Infinity 18 is the Rheem Classic 14 (also known as the Ruud Achiever 14). Lawn-care fanatics will love this-it has a specially designed protective cabinet to keep the coil from being damaged by lawnmowers or yard debris. It takes a beating and keeps on working for you. It is a basic, high-efficiency central AC unit and it’s rated at 14 SEER.
As an alternative, if you want to save money (and the environment) you can simply upgrade any existing system that you have to a more energy-efficient system. That will save you money on electricity bills in the long run and keep you cool all summer long. Call the professionals at Air Now to determine the best type of AC unit to get for your home.
Whether it is efficiency, affordability or style, our professionals can guide you through the process.
HVAC Humidifiers for your Home April 20, 2008
Posted by acnow in Uncategorized.Tags: air quality, dry air, humidifiers, hvac
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What are they?
Simply put-a humidifier is a machine that adds water vapor to the air in your home. A central humidifier that your HVAC technician can install will humidify your entire house.
How do they work and what do they do?
The most common type of humidifier is called an evaporative humidifier. The beauty of it is that it is self-regulating so there’s very little work involved from a homeowner’s perspective. As the humidity level increases, the humidifier’s water-vapor output naturally decreases. This type of humidifier also captures virtually all minerals and pollutants, making them an ideal choice for an allergy-sufferer. If you are a highly allergic person, in some models you can even add a special filter treated with a compound that retards bacterial growth.
An HVAC tech can connect an evaporative humidifier to your home’s heating and cooling system. A metal mesh or screen is located in the duct coming from your air conditioning or furnace unit, and water from your home’s pipes flows downward over the screen. At the same time, air comes from the ducts, blowing across the screen, and gaining moisture.
If you have a forced-air system, central humidifiers can be hooked up to your heating equipment and then water is pumped directly to them. They are a highly efficient way to humidify your house, because their coverage is vast. Central humidifiers can deliver moisture across all rooms of your home. Just bear in mind that unlike the self-regulating evaporative humidifier, central humidifiers only work while your forced-air system is on. They’re controlled by a humidistat that turns the unit off and on when humidity levels fluctuate outside of a set range.
To put moisture into the air, humidifiers can use different methods. A steam humidifier disperses water vapor into the air by boiling the water. You can buy a wall-attached steam humidifier that will spray steam into a living space or into forced-air heating ductwork through a tube. Water is piped directly into a steam unit, so you don’t have to fill it yourself. The evaporated steam is pure and clean and does not contain bacteria or mineral deposits.
Ductwork systems are another option for the homeowner, though generally on the pricey side. They use your electricity to heat the water, so if you use it a lot your bills can run high.
How humidifiers are installed
Whole-house humidifiers are installed in the ductwork, next to your furnace. They add humidity to your entire home. Unless you are using an evaporative humidifier, it will often have a humidistat. This allows you to adjust your humidity level to one that is comfortable for you.
If your home has forced air, an HVAC tech will first screw the humidifier to a wall near the furnace. Then he’ll cut away insulation from the duct and line up a hole-cutting template off to the side of the duct. He’ll drill out a hole in the duct and secure the humidifier’s steam wand to the duct with screws.
Next, he’ll attach a steam hose to the steam wand and then to the wall-mounted humidifier, securing the hose with cable ties. Then a flexible drain hose will be connected to the steam wand and then on to your humidifier. A copper drainpipe is usually run from the underside of humidifier to a sump pump or floor drain. Then a copper tee fitting is cut and soldered into a neighboring cold-water pipe. This new cold-water copper is run along the piping down to bottom the humidifier. An electrician can run the electrical cable to the humidifier and to room humidistat. Don’t try this at home-let a trained professional handle it for the safety factor! A tech will then turn on the water to humidifier and install an air-proving switch in the duct. He’ll set the humidity range on the high-limit switch, and then finally set the humidistat to a comfortable level for you so humidity reaches the whole house.
With allergy suffering at an all-time high, it’s nice to know that there is a natural way to improve your health and the air quality in your home. Call the professionals at Air Now to speak with a qualified technician about adding a humidifier to your home.
Heat Exchangers April 13, 2008
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You have probably heard of heat exchangers and may be wondering what they do and how they work. Today, I will talk a bit about them and how you can keep them in good working order.
A heat exchanger is a device built for effective heat transfer from one medium to another, whether a solid wall separates the media so that they never mix, or the media are in direct contact. Antifreeze is one common example of a heat exchanger in a car. It transfers heat to air flowing through the radiator. Heat exchangers are widely used in space heating, refrigeration, air conditioning, power plants, chemical plants, petrochemical plants, petroleum refineries, and natural gas processing.
How is it done?
A heat transfer appliance takes the role of a heat exchanger to save energy by recovering wasted heat and making it useful again. When there is a waste of energy or a heat stream that is not recovered, a heat exchanger can convert that heat stream into something that can be used.
Advertisers will tell you that heat exchangers will vastly improve the quality of your indoor air, but is it truly worth the time, trouble and expense? Here I’ll address both the rights and wrongs associated with heat exchangers.
Most furnace manufacturers recommend you have your furnace serviced and cleaned annually, to maintain peak efficiency and to ensure that your furnace operates safely. The reality is, that forgetting to clean and or service furnace until a problem occurs is very widespread.
By now you may be aware of the concerns regarding indoor air pollution. In an attempt to improve indoor air quality many companies are marketing products and services for cleaning heat exchangers.
Air duct cleaning services often cost from $100 to $1,000 per heat exchanger system depending on the type and size of the system to be cleaned, the climactic region, the level of contamination and the level of a heat exchanger service is offered.
Heat exchangers generally refer to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the hot and cold air supply and return air ducts and registers, heating and cooling coils, drip pans, fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing.
Dust particles, pollen or other allergens may still contaminate the workings of an HVAC system, even though it has been properly installed, maintained, and operated. According to the EPA, if moisture is present, the potential for mold and spores is increased from such growth and may be released into the home’s living space. The EPA goes on to say that some of these contaminants, when people are exposed to them, may cause allergic reactions or other symptoms.
When choosing a company to clean your heat exchangers, it is important to understand what components will actually be cleaned and at what price. While one house might not have an air conditioning system, the next home might not have an air exchanger.
Maintaining Your Central Air Conditioner April 9, 2008
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If you want to increase the life span of your unit, there are a few easy steps that you can take to keep it properly maintained on your own.
Start from the side of the system that is outside of your home. After turning off the power at your fuse breaker, you are safe to clean the outside compressor with a garden hose. Be mindful to keep any plantings at least one foot away from your AC unit so that air can flow properly.
From inside your house, your best option is to keep the filters cleaned regularly-like every 3-6 months depending on how soiled it gets. Why is this step so important? A dirty filter will decrease the efficiency of the AC unit and increase your costs by as much as 20% or more. For the same efficiency reasons, inspect the surface of the evaporator coil located inside the air handler once a year to make sure there is no dust build-up.
Turn the fan setting on your Central AC unit from “auto” to “on.” This will help dehumidify your house and balance out your room temperature (along with your electricity bill) by continuously circulating the air.
Though you may want to get help from a trusted technician, you can still perform the following tasks on your own if you are so inclined:
l Check the belt in the air handler and replace as necessary. Typically, you will only need to do it once a year.
l Scrutinize the contactors, many of which are located inside the condensing unit. The contactors operate the compressor and as they get worn down they need to be replaced occasionally. The lifespan of contactors varies based on manufacturer.
l Ensure that all of your electrical connections are tight and make sure no wires are brushing against any metal surfaces.
Your technician can troubleshoot the problem for you and take the guesswork out of the equation.
They can also fix any leak, test the repair, and then charge the system with the correct amount of refrigerant. Ideally, your air conditioner is working efficiently and at its best when the refrigerant charge exactly matches the manufacturer’s specification. In other words, when it is neither undercharged nor overcharged. However there are times when it will need to be recharged in order to run properly. A technician will be able to inspect the situation and recommend the proper course of action.
It is important to know that only certified technicians can purchase refrigerants. Since Nov. 14, 1994 the EPA has required technicians who work on any appliance that uses refrigerant to be certified.
Central Air Conditioning – How does it work? April 3, 2008
Posted by acnow in Uncategorized.Tags: ac, central ac, central air, central air conditioning, climate control, cooling, hvac
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What do an air conditioner and a refrigerator have in common? Well, aside from providing you with a nice refreshing treat in the summertime, they also are designed to work in similar ways-using heat to get you cool. One is designed to cool a small and insulated area, while the other is designed to cool an entire room, house or business. Most central air conditioning (AC) units operate by means of a split system which means they have a “hot” side and a “cold side.” The hot side lives outside of your home and is otherwise known as the condensing unit. It contains a condensing coil, the compressor and the fan. The cold side is located inside your home. It has an expansion valve and a cold coil, and it is usually part of your furnace.
As your furnace churns air through an evaporator coil, your air begins to cool down. The furnace then pushes air through an evaporator coil, which further cools the air. You start to feel the effects of this cooling action as air passes through the air ducts located throughout your home.
If you’ve ever used a window AC unit, it was operating on the same principle as the Central Air unit-a circular exchange between hot and cold air. The only difference with a window AC is that there is no separate indoor and outdoor system. Both the hot side and the cold side are located within the same unit.
When you turn your thermostat, you are affecting the compressor, which is the core of the system. It pumps refrigerant through the system, compresses this gas and raises both the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant. This hot and highly-pressurized gas then flows to the condenser coil. The condenser coil uses a fan to pull air across it. The refrigerant then carries on its journey across valves, expanding to a cooler low-pressure gas and over to the evaporator coil.
Your furnace is connected to this evaporator coil. As indoor air is blown across it, the coil absorbs the heat from the air and then swiftly distributes your nice, refreshing, cool air on to you. This elaborate system is all hosted by your home’s duct system. The refrigerant then returns back to the compressor and begins its life cycle over and over again. It works hard to help keep you cool, so you may need to return the favor and help it out from time to time.
As with many household appliances and services, an annual inspection by an experienced technician can save you money and frustration and also save your system. The technician will inspect the coils and check your refrigerant charge, to insure that your system is running efficiently.
What can get in the way of this specialized machinery working properly? Dirty coils and faulty refrigerant levels can cause your system to work less efficiently than it should, so you won’t feel as cold as you should. In addition, an inefficient system can translate to higher energy bills. It also forces your compressor to work harder than is necessary and can actually shorten the life span of your unit.
Next time I’ll talk more about general maintenance tips for your central air conditioner.
Saving Energy – Saving Money April 1, 2008
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With the price of gas fluctuating so much and everyone talking about the price of fuel, you may want to know which fuels are most cost-effective for heating your home. Unfortunately, that’s not a simple question to answer. There are several factors to consider when evaluating fuel types for the sake of determining energy savings.
Why determining energy savings is challenging
Fuel prices go up and down, making comparisons difficult. However, you can come up with a general idea of which fuel will give you the most energy savings if you compare fuel efficiency (the cost of fuel per BTU* of heat output) and then compare the efficiency of the type of heating systems.
In our quest to determine which fuel will provide you with the most energy savings, we compiled some information you might find useful. Comparing the four most commonly used heating fuels, using the price per BTU input, ranks these fuels as follows:
Least expensive: Natural Gas
Second least expensive: Electricity
Third least expensive: #2 Fuel Oil
Most expensive: Propane
However, when you compare fuel efficiency and take into consideration what heating system you are using, you get different rankings.
Comparing fuel efficiencies and actual cost for heating space, using the price per BTU of heating output, ranks them as follows:
Least expensive: Electric Powered Geothermal Heat Pump
Second least expensive: Electric Powered High Efficiency Heat Pump
Third least expensive: Electric Powered Conventional Heat Pump
Fourth Least Expensive: Natural Gas Powered High Efficiency Furnace
Fifth Least Expensive: Natural Gas Powered Conventional Furnace
Sixth Least Expensive: Electric Powered Baseboard or Furnace
Seventh Least Expensive: #2 Fuel Oil Powered High Efficiency Furnace
Eighth Least Expensive: #2 Fuel Oil Powered Conventional Furnace
Ninth Least Expensive: Propane Powered High Efficiency Furnace
Most Expensive: Propane Powered Conventional Furnace
Part of what determines how efficient a fuel is at heating space is how efficient the type of heating system is. That’s why an electric geothermal heat pump, which puts out heat at 300% efficiency, can outrank an electric baseboard heating system, which puts out heat at 100% efficiency. Likewise a conventional furnace powered by natural gas works at an efficiency of 78%, while a high efficiency furnace also powered by natural gas works at an efficiency of 93%. When determining which fuel to use to heat your home, you need to compare heating systems as well as fuel prices.
When heating water, the differences are more dramatic than when heating space in your home. A natural gas water heater will give you the best energy savings, followed closely by an electric water heater. The propane water heater costs over twice as much to heat the same amount of water.
Energy Savings are Determined by More than Fuel Prices and Heating System Efficiencies
We wish this was all there was to it when determining which heating system or fuel will deliver the best energy savings, but it simply isn’t that easy. There are several factors to consider when determining how best to heat your home and water.
- Cost of equipment
When comparing these fuels and heating systems, you will want to investigate how much that particular heating system will cost. For example, a conventional furnace may cost less than a high efficiency furnace. Although the high efficiency furnace may cost you less in fuel charges over a period of time, you will have to decide if you will live in that home long enough for the payoff to make sense for your budget.
- Cost of installation
With some heating systems, it’s not just the equipment itself that may be prohibitive, but the installation costs. One impressively cost-effective heating system is the electric geothermal heating system, but you have to be able to afford to install one to enjoy the benefits it delivers. Because the geothermal heating system is installed under ground and requires special alterations to your home, it may not be a cost-effective method of heating for you.
- Fees charged by fuel supplier
When deciding which type of fuel to use, you will also want to consider what fees may be tacked on to the use of that particular fuel. Will you need fuel delivered to your home? Is there an extra charge for each delivery of propane to your propane tank? Are there service fees to consider? Any flat fees charged by your utility or fuel provider?
- Maintenance costs
Another aspect of energy savings to consider is the cost of maintenance of the heating system and the proposed life expectancy of the heating system if properly maintained. If you plan on being in your home for a long time, it may be well worth it to invest a little more upfront in a high efficiency heating system if you will live there long enough to enjoy the long life of the system and the lower monthly heating bills.
Deciding which kind of heating system is right for you can be complicated. Feel free to call us if you need help determining what kind of heating system would be most cost-effective and practical for you.
*BTU = British Thermal Units, a universally accepted measure of heat expended, used for comparisons such as the ones provided above.
