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Finding an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system right for your home is a serious business. It is a major investment- not only in terms of its initial cost but in the energy bills you will be paying to run it. You want to find a system that will provide comfortable temperatures, comfortable humidity levels, and quality air in your home. You are investing a good amount into your HVAC system. Make sure it provides comfort, is energy efficient, and fits your budget.

 

 

Shopping For HVAC

When looking for a heating and air conditioning system, arm yourself with knowledge before you begin the hunt. Here are some points to consider:

How much power

Many think more power is better. For an HVAC system, this is a mistake. You are looking for something just right. If your unit is not big enough, it could run non-stop (expensive,) and it still wouldn’t be able to cool your home effectively. On the other hand, if the unit is too big, the temperatures will reach the desired level much too quickly before the moisture in the air is drawn out. The unit will continue running short cycles, and your interior air will be cold and humid. Either way, the system will be working overtime, either through long cycles that never reach the desired temperature or through many short cycles that could leave your home feeling like the inside of a cave. This added wear and tear means mechanical breakdowns that could have been avoided.

What Kind of Warranty on my HVAC unit

Look at the manufacturer’s warranty and the contract offered by the installer. A cheaper unit with a poor warranty could cost more. Consider the initial cost, but do not lose sight of the running, maintaining, and repairing it in the coming years. If a known brand costs a bit more, there is a reason it does. Quality is equivalent, and you usually get what you pay for.

Easily Understood Controls

Make sure you purchase a system you feel comfortable operating. Newer thermostats can be intimidating for many of us who may be technologically challenged. Ask questions and ensure you understand the directions and your role in maintaining a system in peak operating condition.

Quiet HVAC System

Don’t even consider purchasing a system that can’t offer quiet comfort.

What is Included?

Added features, like a dehumidifier to limit humidity, a humidifier to eliminate dry air and static, and quality HEPA filters to reduce allergens and dust are all valuable additions to a system.

Serviceable Ductwork

You can have a top notch system, but if your ductwork is leaky, you could lose your comfortable air. Before you have the unit installed, ask for an inspection of your ductwork. Get any holes or cracks are repaired. Failing to do this could lower the efficiency of your unit- up to a whopping twenty percent.

Customized Comfort

An HVAC system that is zoned can save you money and allow you to optimize your comfort. With a zoned system, you control which rooms get the conditioned air. Rooms that are not being used can be shut off. This means a more efficient operation and savings for the homeowner.

Furnace Options

When choosing a furnace, you can go with a single or two stage unit. The single stage is the type of furnace with which most people are familiar. It has on and off settings. It simply maintains the selected temperature by turning on and off. The two stage unit has a low and high setting. The low setting can be used when the weather is more temperate and the furnace doesn’t have to work as hard, saving running costs. When the temperatures drop and the wind blows, a high setting will make the furnace will work a little harder to keep the inside environment comfortable.

Rating Efficiency

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It allows the consumer to know how efficient a system is.

The greater the rating, the more efficient the system well keeping

lower operating costs. Generally, older units have lower ratings. Newer AC units require to have a minimal rating of thirteen. A SEER rating can also be impacted by other factors. For example, the amount of insulation in a home, or the condition of the ductwork can raise or lower the rating.

 

Choosing the right system is a first step. The next step is finding an HVAC contractor known for quality service. A reputable contractor will answer your questions and give you peace of mind. If you find a contractor who cannot answer your questions, walk away. You need someone trustworthy and knowledgeable because an HVAC system is only good if it has been installed properly.…

If air ducts in an air conditioning system leak, keeping the home cool will take more work. Using more energy means those same leaks will also drive up the utility bills. But, inefficient air conditioning ducts are common in houses across the country.

Effective home air conditioning systems require more than simply venting cooled air into the home. The process involves the exchange of heat to change the temperature of inside living areas. The system circulates cooled air to work efficiently while removing heat and humidity from inside spaces. When the system has leaky ducts, this process is less than efficient.

20% Waste

According to Energy Star summaries, home air conditioning systems can lose up to 20% efficiency due to leaking air ducts. By addressing the problem, homeowners are able to experience the following benefits:

– Reduced utility bills
– Lower costs for routine and nonroutine repairs
– Fewer surprise repairs
– Improved efficiency of the cooling system
– Greater comfort inside the home
– Cleaner air due to fewer allergens and irritants
– Sense of pride in reducing environmental waste
– Satisfaction in knowing the system is operating optimally

The Process of Addressing Leaks in the Ducts

Though it sounds like a simple job, inspecting the home cooling system ducts is a hot, sticky, and somewhat hazardous job. If there is no basement, the repairs will require getting into crawl spaces and sometimes going into the attic. It may require coming in contact with insulation, working in dark spaces, and working in tight spaces.

Before the ducts can be inspected, it is best to prepare. Using a flashlight to look into the crawl space is a good start. In some homes, the crawl space is so tight even air conditioning specialists don’t look forward to the job. If you don’t like spiders, snakes or are claustrophobic, it’s time to call a local Syracuse air conditioning repair professional. It’s not a good idea to attempt inspection and/or repair of your air conditioning system if you are extremely uncomfortable.

Prepared to Do AC Repair on your own? Here’s what you need to do:

1. You need protection in the form of a mechanic’s jumpsuit or a disposable coverall. You can buy an inexpensive one for about $15, or you can buy a more durable one, depending on your budget. The jumpsuit provides protection from dirt, dust, and things that crawl. It also provides several pockets for holding necessary tools.

2. Gather the right tools. Sealing air ducts does not require an extensive list of tools. You need these basics:

** Closing box cutter and additional blades
** Adjustable flashlight for working in tight spaces
** An inch-wide paint brushes with a long handle
** Dust mask
** Tie straps or tie downs to hang fallen ducts
** Tin snips for trimming joints
** Second flashlight to serve as a backup
** A roll of 2″ or 3″ cold weather HVAC
Aluminum tape
** A 4 ft. section of 1″ PVC pipe with an elbow for moving insulation that is falling or has fallen, as well as to move debris or the occasional snake that doesn’t want to leave on its own.
** Heating and air system sealant that meets testing procedures for low flammability and other safety measures, such as low smoke development rate. The sealant is available in caulk tubes. However, a brush should also be used to push it into any areas that need to be sealed.

3. The sealing process and making ducts airtight

This is a process involving visual acuity to find holes in flex ducts, where animals often try to make their home in the colder Winter months. This is one of the areas where you may need to use the cold weather foil tape and possibly replace the flex duct and the insulation around it.

When sealing connections and split joints, the tape and sealant appear to work best for the job. If the joints are not cut property, the box cutter or tin snips can help you get a better fit prior to sealing or taping the joint.

To seal vents where they enter rooms, use the certified sealant applied carefully. Make sure the caulk is spread around the area completely, especially around the floor joists. It may also be helpful to seal the walls where the flashing runs through them.

If needed, the same procedures can be used in the attic or garage.

Notes about sealing home air conditioning duct work

Maybe these steps seem unnecessary. But consider this. Your lungs would have to work much harder if they were full of tiny holes. Small leaks in the home duct work make it harder for your air conditioning system to do the job it’s supposed to do and do it efficiently.…

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, an HVAC system is composed of mechanical and electrical equipment that provides heating, cooling, and air quality control for a building. In modern buildings where at least one tenant is a business whose function involves keeping records, computer equipment, and sensitive electronics are often housed in a raised floor structure inside the conditioned space. The HVAC system supplies the heat exchangers with filtered outside air for direct cooling or heating of the raised floor structures using multiple supplies and returns plenums to distribute conditioned air.

A raised floor is a grid of metal strips forming a platform between surrounding floor and ceiling surfaces used to conceal the space below. Raised floor structures are often installed in conditioned spaces such as computer rooms, telecommunications equipment rooms, and electrical equipment areas (EEAs) in order to facilitate the cooling of sensitive electronic devices with outside air instead of recirculated air. The metal flooring provides a level, flat surface that enables easy installation of equipment support systems such as Ciscos Integrated Service Routers (ISRs) and Switches.…