Upgrading Your Old Furnace

Depending on where you live and how old your home is, you may be using an outdated furnace that does not deliver the same kind of energy efficiency as newer, high tech furnaces. If this is the case for you, it may cause a few problems that you will wish to fix in order to keep your furnace in good repair and your home comfort at a proper level. This article will go on to describe the difference between many old and new furnaces and why it matters for you, when you should seek to upgrade your furnace, and what you should look for when you are shopping for a new furnace. Of course, this is only a short guide. For a more in depth discussion of these matters, call one of our representatives to learn what options are best for you, your home, and your budget.

Old vs. New

Many old furnaces have a single problem that causes a homeowner to need a replacement, and that is the fact that they will often use a chimney as their source of ventilation. It may not sound all that terrible, but if it uses a chimney, that means you will not only have to spend money to upkeep your furnace, but the chimney as well, which will end up costing you a lot more. Chimneys can often become clogged up or can be too narrow to serve as a proper source of ventilation, and you will have to maintain it whenever it becomes a hindrance to your furnace. Newer furnaces use a ventilation system that guides the fumes out the side of your home rather than through the top and need no more maintenance than you get with annual maintenance checks. Also, as technology has advanced, so has the energy efficiency of our furnaces. So even if you do not have issues with ventilation through your chimney, upgrading to a new furnace may save you more money in the long run because of how much you will save on your heating bills. 

When to Upgrade

You may be wondering at what point it is most cost efficient to spend money on a new, more efficient furnace. To find out, you may have to do a little bit of research, as you will have to find out about your current furnace to know how its performance compares to a newer one. One way to get that information is to call us and make an appointment for one of our professionals to come show you the differences you will see if you invest in one of our furnaces. Beyond that, if you know you will have to end up paying extra costs, either in chimney repairs or higher heating bills, the sooner you switch to a more efficient heating system, the more money you will have saved five years from now.

Looking for a New Furnace

After deciding to replace your old furnace with a newer model, you should consider three things when choosing the new one. First, how much money are you willing to spend on it? Second, what size furnace do you need to fit your home? Third, how energy efficient is the furnace you are considering? Consult with our professionals to get a better idea of how you can find the best furnace for you home without overextending your budget.

Improving Energy Savings in the Home

High energy prices are a concern for most people, and the majority of us would like to make more energy savings, especially during the winter months. So what is the best and most cost-effective way to do this? Most people have a regular fall maintenance schedule to prepare their home for winter. This can include a number of basic things such as checking furnaces, boilers and any other heating systems are working properly. This really isn't difficult to do, and sticking to any manufacturer required maintenance schedules or booking a regular fall furnace tune up will often be sufficient to make sure all the home appliances are working efficiently and most importantly safely. However home heating systems often operate inefficiently as they age, and signs that yours may need some attention include noticing increased energy bills, extra dust, or rooms that heat up unevenly, so you may notice cold spots developing where previously there were none.

Replacing an Old Furnace with a More Energy Efficient Model

Rather than shelling out on yet another furnace repair to keep an old system trundling along through the winter months, it might be more cost-efficient to invest in a new energy efficient model. Older boilers and heat pumps often require more energy to operate, and are less effective at providing adequate heat for home comfort. If your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old, or if your heat pump is more than 10 years old, then it may be time to think about replacing them. This could lead to considerable energy savings, and more importantly you'll probably be pleasantly surprised at how much your home comfort improves. Modern systems are far more efficient, and can often incorporate sophisticated air cleaners and air handlers, and electronic zoning to make sure different areas of your home are heated more efficiently and comfortably. For instance you may have particular rooms in your home that you like to keep a little cooler than the main living areas, as many people prefer sleeping in a slightly cooler bedroom and this is something that can easily be done with the use of individual thermostats.

Getting Furnaces Properly Installed

It's essential not to cut corners when getting a new furnace installed, as an incorrectly installed furnace could cost you far more to run than a properly installed piece of equipment. In addition incorrectly installed heating equipment is not likely to last as long. It's definitely not something that can be done by an amateur. In addition an incorrectly installed furnace could prove unsafe for use, so it really isn't worth taking any chances.

Maintaining your New Furnace

Once you have installed a nice new furnace then it's important to keep up with any manufacturer required maintenance schedules as these may be required under the terms of the warranty. Having a regular furnace service and filter changes will help ensure your indoor air quality is the best it can be, and that your energy savings are the maximum possible. In addition regular maintenance helps ensure that your home is safe. Inefficient older appliances are far more at risk of emitting higher levels of carbon monoxide, something which could endanger your family's health.

Greener Ways to Keep Warm Over Winter

If you have been putting off your winter maintenance, now is the time to get to grips with it, and to book any manufacturer required maintenance checks, or that essential furnace service. However, all furnaces have a limited life and it could be that an essential furnace repair really isn't worth doing. You might be better off putting the money towards a new heating and cooling system. Unless your system is relatively recent, you're likely to be amazed by how much technology has advanced during the past few years, as the newest systems are able to increase home comfort while giving greater energy savings. There are quite a few different systems to choose from, as there are geothermal heating and cooling systems, solar heating and cooling systems, or hybrid systems that utilize two different fuel sources. Although the initial outlay for these types of systems may seem a little higher, homeowners will quickly realize the benefits that can be obtained from utilizing energy that is essentially free and renewable.

The Advantages of Choosing Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems utilize an electric heat pump with some type of furnace that can be powered by gas or oil. The advantage of this type of system is that it automatically switches to the most economical fuel source, provided the system is correctly set up. The efficiency and savings offered by this system do depend upon the level of home comfort required, as some people like a warmer home than others, as well as the temperature outside and current energy prices. This may sound complicated, but really it's quite easy to setup. The basic premise of hybrid systems is that during the cooler months the system absorbs heat from the outside air to channel inside, while during the warmer months it does the reverse, channeling heat within the house to the outside, creating a cooling effect.

Advantages of Solar Heating and Cooling Systems

Solar heating and cooling systems are really quite versatile. They collect the light from the sun to transfer into a storage system so it can be used throughout the home whenever it is needed. The heat is usually collected through the use of photovoltaic panels that tend to be installed on the roofs of homes. These types of systems can be used with radiant hot water systems, boilers and heat pumps, and some people find they can meet most of their heating and cooling needs in this way. However solar heating and cooling systems do need to be properly installed to be fully effective. They also need to be properly maintained in order to make sure they are working at an optimum level.

Advantages of Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems

Geothermal heating and cooling systems utilize the temperatures of the earth. Whereas air temperatures tend to fluctuate, the temperature underground is much more stable. A geothermal heating and cooling system will extract the warmth from the earth so it can be used to comfortably heat a home. One of the major advantages of this type of heating system is that it is quite low maintenance, and this tends to mean that geothermal heating and cooling systems will last a little longer than other types of heating systems.

Proper Humidification Can Increase Home Comfort in the winter

During the summer your home is probably well ventilated through open windows and doors, but it's quite a different story during winter when your home is sealed up as tightly as possible and the heating is on much of the time. While heating obviously improves home comfort, one of the biggest side effects is that the air can become far too dry. If the air in your house is too dry then it can create a whole host of problems for the occupants. It can increase the risk of allergies, and make it less comfortable for asthma sufferers. At the very least, you're likely to notice you have dry skin, and that your nose may be constantly irritated or more prone to sinusitis. Heating systems that force air through the ducts are especially bad for reducing the amount of moisture in the air. Choosing a system that is able to increase the amount of the humidification during winter months can lead to much greater home comfort. 

How do Humidifiers Work?

Humidifiers can work in several different ways, as they can work through evaporation, or through warm mist, or you can purchase ultrasonic humidifiers. Humidifiers that use evaporation are the most basic and simple to use, and disperse the moist air into the room using a fan blowing over a wet wick. These types of humidifiers tend to be quite loud to use due to the fan. The warm mist humidifiers boil or preheat the water before it is dispersed into the air as vapor. Some of these humidifiers incorporate the UV light to kill any germs so the moisture dispersed is free from microbes and bacteria. Ultrasonic humidifiers use high-frequency vibrations to break up the water into very fine droplets before it is sprayed into the room. These vibrations are quite effective at killing microbes. You can also purchase humidifiers that are capable of raising the moisture level throughout the whole house, and which can be adjusted to deal with both summer and winter.

Choosing the Best Humidifier for Your Home

There is a huge range of home humidifiers to choose from, as you can purchase relatively small and portable models designed to work on a tabletop or floor. These types of models need to be closely monitored as they are likely to need cleaning out regularly. One thing to check if you intend to purchase this type of model is that it is able to cope with the size of room it is intended for. It could be that you'd be better off buying a system that is able to humidify the whole house, as this will ensure the comfort of everyone living in the home.

Advantages of Having the Correct Level of Humidification in Your Home

Obviously the immediate advantage of having the correct level of the humidification in your home is that it will increase the comfort levels, and can greatly help the health of all the occupants. It'll also help the health of your home, as dry air can be quite damaging to furniture and paintings and to any wood work. If the air is too dry then these items are more at risk of cracking.

Standard Air Handlers for Your Home

If you are getting tired of your current heating and cooling systems or how expensive it is to operate them, you may want to look into an alternate form of heating and cooling through a single home unit known as an air handler. Air handlers are devices that connect directly to your duct system that ventilates air throughout your home. The air handler is also compatible with other home comfort systems like central air or home humidifiers, and can work to circulate whatever conditioned air you need throughout your home. One might think that such a system would be bulky and take up too much space, but air handlers can come in smaller sizes and can be positioned to fit where your home needs them. 

Types of Standard Air Handlers 

There are a few types of standard air handlers to choose from, depending on your budget and housing situation. The multi speed air handler is a good choice when you are looking to have quality heat throughout your house but are working with a tighter budget. If you are looking for an even higher quality air handler with more features, a variable speed unit offers a system that, unlike traditional furnaces, adjusts the speed of the fan to the heating and cooling needs of the house. This allows your home to stay more consistent at a comfortable temperature, because the fan is not alternating between pumping out hot air and doing nothing at all. Since the fans will not necessarily be running at full speed, you will experience a much quieter heating experience. There is also a vertical wall mount air handler option, which offers more versatility for the placement of your air handler. To make sure which air handler is right for your home, call one of our consultants to discuss your situation and the best options to meet your needs.

Air Handler Benefits

Many of the benefits of air handlers come in the form of the variable speed air handler, which offers a great number of home comforts that other heating systems do not. The system is often more quiet than other more traditional heating units, and you will have a more controlled home temperature that will not fluctuate like an ordinary stop and start system. The fact that an air handler is always running may make it seem inefficient, but the air handler is actually uses very little energy, since it rarely runs at top speed like furnaces do. Having your air constantly circulating through your home also means that it will be constantly running through your air filter, greatly increasing your indoor air quality. One other potential benefit is that air handlers run on electricity, so you will not have to pay as much money on rising fuel costs.

Air Handler Maintenance

Air handlers are very technical heating systems and should have regular maintenance checks, usually twice a year before and after winter.  Be sure to call and have one of our professionals come to check and clean out your air handler as part of your yearly maintenance. A clean unit will be much more efficient than a clogged, dirty one, and we can help you keep it running at top efficiency.

Importance of Regular Home Maintenance

In the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) world preventative maintenance is key to saving money on costly repairs and replacements. The small amount of money you may be spending on annual or biannual checkups is nothing compared to the costs involved when repairing or replacing worn equipment. Regular maintenance checks or the lack thereof will also affect the state of your indoor air quality and your home comfort. With so many potential problems that can be avoided, why not just take a day or two out of the year to ensure you won’t have any unexpected expenses? Just to make things easier for you, you can even call our offices and schedule regular maintenance checks, so you do not have to worry about remembering to make them yourself. 

Spring and Fall Maintenance

There are two times during the year when regular maintenance is recommended—Spring and Fall. These checks should be observed before the following season requires your heating or cooling system to be reactivated and put into constant use. Your air conditioning system should be checked in the spring when it is warming up, and your heating system should be checked in the fall before temperatures drop for Winter. During both of these times there are maintenance checks that you can do yourself, but for most of your heating and air conditioning equipment you will want a trained professional to check and clean out your systems.

Maintenance You Can Do

There are a lot of simple maintenance checks you can do to help ensure your heating and air conditioning systems are running as efficiently as possible. You can check your air filter throughout the year and change it whenever necessary. A dirty air filter can cause serious issues for the efficiency of your HVAC systems and for your indoor air quality. You can perform another simple check by listening for any odd noises in your equipment that might show a need for a professional to come look at your systems more thoroughly. You can also continually check your carbon monoxide monitors to make sure they are working, since they are your main defense against carbon monoxide build ups that can happen from faulty furnace equipment. 

Professional Maintenance Checks

Scheduling professional maintenance checks is probably the most important thing you can do to elongate the life of your heating and air conditioning systems, thus saving money down the road. Modern furnaces and air conditioning systems are complicated pieces of machinery that require training to be able to work with properly. Our professionals are trained to work with your systems and know how to take care of them without causing damage to the system or to themselves. It may seem like an annoying or even unnecessary expense, but the benefits of taking advantage of the experience and knowledge these professionals have is much greater than the small cost of a yearly visit. Our goal is to ensure that you are living in an environment that has the highest indoor air quality, so you can experience the home comfort you deserve.  You want it. We want to help you get it.

Getting Ready for Winter with a Furnace Tune Up

Halloween is a distant memory and the stores are full of holiday goodies, but is your home ready for winter? Now is the perfect time to think about getting a furnace tune up booked so any problems can be sorted out before the temperatures really begin to plunge. This is especially true if you haven't had a full furnace tune up for a while. In fact when was the last time you furnace was turned on? Most people use their furnace right way through winter and then turn it off through spring and summer and don't think to check it before turning it back on. The truth is that wear and tear can make your furnace much less efficient, and even minor problems can create hazards. Booking a fall furnace tune up will help ensure your system is working efficiently, giving you lower fuel costs and improving home comfort right through the winter.

Steps Be Included in a Fall Furnace Tune up

Different furnaces may need manufacturer required maintenance, and although they will need slightly different tune ups, all makes and models are likely to have something in common. During the tune up, the technician is likely to give your furnace a thorough inspection to ensure it is working properly and is safe for use. After this they are likely to conduct a number of different tests to help improve efficiency, and to replace parts that are either faulty or worn due to general wear and tear. Most will need the filter changes as these can become very dirty over the course of a year and can affect indoor air quality. Other inspections include looking at the air exchangers and any air cleaners, and making sure all the electrical and any gas connections are tight and leak free. Any moving parts will be lubricated, and pipes, belts and hoses will be checked for maintenance. If your furnace has any particular safety controls they will all be tested to make sure they are functioning properly. This type of maintenance can greatly extend the life of a furnace, and in addition gives valuable piece of mind during those cooler months.

Replacing Furnaces or Heat Pumps with More Efficient Models

Unfortunately, no one's furnace or heat pump will last indefinitely, especially if its regular maintenance program has been somewhat neglected. It can sometimes prove to be more cost efficient to replace the unit rather than try to continually repair it. Newer models are much more efficient and offer greater energy savings and of course lower fuel costs. However any new unit must be installed by a skilled technician to ensure it works properly and to its optimum level.

Different Furnaces and Heat Pumps to Choose from

The choice of heat pumps and furnaces on the market can be quite bewildering, so you may need to get professional advice as to the best equipment for your home. The choices range from high-efficiency gas furnaces, hybrid systems, boilers, electric furnaces, air conditioning systems, radiant heat systems, geothermal heating and cooling systems, solar heating and cooling systems and gas and oil boiler systems. Some of these systems, such as geothermal heating and cooling systems, may work more efficiently than others depending on your area.

Humidifiers for the Winter

With the onset of winter comes the season of chapped lips, dried hands, and painfully cracked skin. This is all due to the fact that winter air does not carry much moisture, but besides applying hand lotion and chap stick every few hours, there is something we can do to make our individual homes more comfortable for the next several months. Humidifiers offer a solution to the dry air we experience this time of year by dispersing moisture back into the air that is circulating throughout our homes, raising the general indoor air quality and your home comfort. If you want to purchase a humidifier for your home or just want to know more about the benefits of humidification, just call one of our representatives, and we can discuss your options.

Types of Humidifiers

Humidifiers come in three different types to meet your particular needs. On a small scale you can buy portable humidifiers that offer humidification to small rooms or spaces where you need it the most. You can also move the humidifier wherever you need it at any given time. The next step up from the portable humidifier is the console type which is larger and installed more permanently into cabinets or other permanent fixtures. These are designed to improve the indoor air quality of a single or a few rooms, but they do not have the reach to improve your entire home’s comfort level. An option like this is best picked when you only have a certain space that needs to be humidified, since you will not be able to move it around like the smaller models. The biggest option is the central humidifier which takes advantage of your home’s ventilation system to humidify your entire home with a single unit. As you can expect, the price of each unit increases as their size does, so analyzing what your home needs can help you to find the best possible value.

Reasons to Own a Humidifier

Aside from the general home comfort that a humidifier provides, especially during the winter, a humidifier provides some important health benefits. People who suffer from asthma, colds, and congestion will often see an improvement in their living conditions after installing a humidifier. The moisture helps to prevent dry throats and nasal passages, helping the body to be better equipped to fight off the common sicknesses that occur during this time of year. 

Maintaining Your Humidifier

It is very important to note how necessary it is to keep your humidifier properly maintained. A humidifier that has not been cleaned at least every three days may be prone to gather unhealthy collections of bacteria, which will decrease your indoor air quality and possibly cause a variety of health problems for the people in that home. When cleaning out your humidifier, be sure not to burn yourself on any heat sources. Consult a manual or one of our professionals before you begin the process of cleaning out any filters. Our goal is to help you improve your home comfort and indoor air quality, so do not hesitate to call with questions about your existing or future humidification systems.

Knowing Your Thermostat

You may be surprised at how influential a thermostat can be in heating your home efficiently, potentially producing lower fuel costs if it is used with energy savings in mind. Your thermostat should be able to meet your needs by making the appropriate adjustments to your furnace’s heat output at certain times. More complicated scheduling may result in a need for a more complicated thermostat, but often, simpler thermostats will do the job, as long as they are used correctly.

Electromechanical Thermostats

Electromechanical thermostats are the simplest and oldest kind of thermostat. They use a mercury based device to measure your home’s temperature and turn the furnace off and on when it goes above and below the set temperature. This type of thermostat is cheaper and less complicated that the other digital options, but it does not offer any programmable functions. It is also less accurate than the digital thermostat options that have grown quite popular. If you do have an electromechanical thermostat, any changes in temperature settings will have to be input manually. For instance, you will have to adjust it every time you leave your home so your furnace is not working to heat an empty home. These thermostats are not necessarily less efficient than newer ones; they simply need to be maintained to lower fuel costs and create energy savings.

Digital Manual Thermostats

With an upgrade to a digital manual thermostat, you will have several benefits that are not available in the older, electromechanical models. Due to the more advanced device that measures the temperature in a home and the more precise controls, these kinds of thermostats are more accurate and are able to keep your home at the desired temperature without as much fluctuation, adding some energy savings. Also, they do not contain any mercury, making them safer and more environmentally friendly to have in your home. While these thermostats tend to be more efficient, they still require you to be actively adjusting the temperature to match what your home needs at the time. This option offers a great deal of opportunity to increase your energy savings as long as you are willing to adjust it when your furnace does not need to be used.

Digital Programmable Thermostats

Digital programmable thermostats are the most advanced but often the most complicated type of thermostat. They offer all the benefits of the manual digital thermostats and a great deal more through programmable options. They allow you to set your furnace to your schedule without having to put the effort into changing the temperature every time you leave for work or go to bed. Each product will have varying options, of course, and it is important that, when buying a thermostat, you consider if it has the features required to meet your needs. It may also be wise to find a user friendly unit that will be easy to use and program when you need to make changes. This option is the least time consuming while remaining quite energy efficient, but you will still need to make manual changes for unexpected events, since the unit cannot predict them. As long as you continue to pay attention to your home’s heating needs and react accordingly, energy savings will flow your way.

Improving Your Indoor Air Quality

Ensuring your home’s indoor air quality is important to maintain home comfort and a healthy living environment. There are many harmful substances that can seep into your home, endangering you and your family. Some of the most common threats are radon gas, carbon monoxide, and molds. All of these things, once present in your home, will circulate via the ventilation system and spread throughout your living space. Thus it is important to have a system of prevention set up and regularly test for these harmful substances to ensure you and your family are not inhaling them for long periods of time if they are present. Thankfully, there are many solutions to these problems.

Radon

Radon is a natural gas that seeps up from the earth into your home, and long exposure has been shown to increase the likelihood of developing lung cancer, second only to smoking. Unfortunately, radon gas is invisible, has no smell, and has no taste; but there are tests that can be done to make sure your home’s radon levels are safe. If your home does test positive for unhealthy levels of radon gas, there are radon cleaning and radon mitigation methods that you can use. If radon gas is a concern for you, our HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air condition) professionals can help by performing radon tests and radon cleaning, filtering the harmful radon gases outside your home where it can dissipate. Also ask about preventative methods to guard against radon gas building up in your home again.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is another deadly gas that has no smell or taste, but, unlike radon, carbon monoxide is released via burning fuels, such as your furnace. Too much exposure results in flu like symptoms and, eventually, death. One of the easiest ways to know if you are at risk is to install carbon monoxide detectors over any potential hotspots like your furnace and kitchen. Bedrooms are also good places to have detectors, so you do not spend a whole night unconsciously breathing in deadly gases. During your regular HVAC check-ups, ask our specialists to look for any carbon monoxide leaks, so they can be repaired before any damage is done. If your carbon monoxide detectors are kept in working order and you actively prevent any carbon monoxide leaks, your indoor air quality will have much higher odds of being free of this dangerous gas, and knowing that will surely increase your home comfort and peace of mind.

Mold and Allergens

Molds have become an increasing problem in modern homes, especially when humidity builds up in places like bathrooms, where mold can grow easily. Furnace filter changes are effective at reducing the amount of mold and other allergens circulating through your ventilation system. You might also want to consider installing air exchangers in parts of your home that produces a lot of humidity in order to reduce the amount of moisture in those areas. Duct cleaning—a service our technicians can provide—is another method to improve your indoor air quality. The cleaner your air, the healthier you will be, and the healthier you are, the more home comfort you will experience. 

Alternative Heating and Cooling Systems

If you are looking to replace or buy a new heating and cooling system but want something that may be more efficient or more environmentally friendly than a traditional furnace system, you have a few options to choose from. Keep in mind that each of these alternative heating and cooling systems can operate efficiently but it depends on your home’s location, size, and layout. Hopefully this will give you an idea of what your options are, but remember to talk with one of our professionals to get more personalized information about what kind of system would create the most energy savings for you.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling

Geothermal heating and cooling uses heat pumps to harness the Earth’s natural heat supply. This type of heating system offers high energy savings because the heat is already there. It only needs to be redirected into your home. The cooling process is similar, only the heat is directed out of your home and into the ground. This kind of heating and cooling system’s level of efficiency fluctuates based on the location of your home. After all, some parts of our planet are warmer than others, and in certain areas, this type of heating and cooling system competes very well with more traditional furnace systems. If you live in a region that often becomes quite cold, you may need to have another type of heating system to pick up the slack, but since a geothermal system features such low fuel costs, it may still pay for itself over time. Speak with our professionals about whether or not this kind of system is a good fit for your home.

Solar Heating and Cooling

While solar heating and cooling systems offer tremendous energy savings and extremely low fuel costs, they operate best in locations and times when they can get the most out of the sun’s energy. During the summer months when the sun is out and the solar panels can soak up a lot of sunlight, a solar cooling system will be able to run quite efficiently, but in colder and rainier months, when the sun is further away and often covered by clouds, a solar heating system may not be able to keep up with the heating needs of your home. Ultimately, you will need to consider if your home is a viable candidate for a solar heating and cooling system based on its location and whether or not it will be able to provide you with the required home comfort during the various seasons.

Infrared Heating

Infrared heaters produce radiant heat; so, unlike a heating system that circulates warm air through your home, infrared heaters affect the specific areas they are in. This type of heater runs on electricity, but it lowers all other fuel costs to zero unless you have a supplementary heating system, which may be necessary for larger living spaces. If you live in a smaller home or only need certain areas heated, infrared heaters can be very energy efficient, as they produce heat quickly and can be placed wherever they are most needed. Whether or not they are for you depends on your personal living situation, which you can discuss with one of our professionals to choose the best heating and cooling options for you.

Four Things to Remember about a Fall Furnace Tune Up

Now that the fall is approaching, you may be thinking about your upcoming heating costs. If you are, a good place to start is to perform a fall furnace tune up. Tuning up your furnace is very important to the not only your bottom line, but also to your health. Keeping your furnace in optimum condition will keep your indoor air quality at a comfortable and healthy level. There are four things you should remember when you are performing your tune up.

Not all furnaces are alike.

There are many manufacturers that produce furnaces and each manufacturer have parts for their furnaces that are uniquely theirs. They have their own plans of how their furnace is to be maintained. Parts of one brand of furnace may be located in a different area than on another brand of furnace. You should take time to read the manufacturer required maintenance schedule that is recommended in the product manuals. The manuals will show you how to perform the cleaning, which parts should be moved and how to move them, and where to locate and how to replace parts that can be replaced by you. 

Do not forget the filters.

When you are inspecting your furnaces, do not forget to check the filter. The filter can get clogged and that can decrease your indoor air quality. Dust and dirt can be released into the air and it can be a serious problem for people with breathing conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. It could also trigger allergy attacks to those who are sensitive to dust, pollen, and pet dander that could be circulating thorough your home. A dirty filter can also make your furnace work harder than it needs to, causing your fuel costs to rise. To lower fuel costs and see real energy savings, make sure you keep to a regular schedule of filter changes for your furnace.

Do not forget your humidifier.

If you have a humidifier in your home, you should also inspect it and change or clean the filter. The humidifier is important to the indoor air quality and improving home comfort. If the humidifier is not working properly, it could release too much moisture in the air that can cause damage to your home such as mold and mildew which could lead to lung infections and fungal respiratory problems. It could release too little moisture, which could also cause damage to your home and affect your health, especially if you have breathing difficulties. You should regularly clean or change the filter to make sure that it remains in good condition and provide years of service. 

Clean and inspect your ductwork.

The ductwork is part of your HVAC system and should be maintained as well. Duct cleaning will make sure that the heat that is produced by your heater is allowed to flow freely throughout your home to maintain home comfort. Keeping your ventilation and ductwork clean will also keep your furnace from overworking and using extra energy. It is important that you check to make sure that you do not have any leaks around the seams and that there is no accumulating moisture or cracks. You can also have a contractor to inspect and clean your ductwork for you. 

Protecting Your Home From Radon Gas

In order to keep your home safe and your indoor air quality high, it is important to make sure that radon gas is not seeping in and causing harm to you and your loved ones. The harmful effects of inhaling radon gas can be prevented by proactively testing and, if necessary, cleaning and mitigating the radon from your home—services that your local HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) provider can perform for you.

Effects of Radon Gas

Radon gas is currently one of the leading causes of lung cancer next to smoking. It is unidentifiable by human senses like smell and taste, and thus is especially dangerous if your home goes untested. It is released through the natural decay of uranium in the ground from where it rises above the soil, into the air and, unfortunately, our homes. Much like the cancer causing agents from smoking, radon gas is a carcinogen that over time will raise your chance of developing lung cancer. If left alone, a house contaminated by radon gas will severely decrease your indoor air quality and home comfort. There is no reason to take the risk that you and your family might be breathing in this toxic gas.

Testing for Radon Gas

Even though the existence and effects of radon gas are frightening, the solution to preventing risk of exposure is quite easy. Testing for radon gas is relatively quick and inexpensive. There are tests you can buy and do yourself that take several days to get a reading, or you can have a professional test your home for you. If your home tests above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), your indoor air contains above the safe amount of radon gas and further action should be taken. However, radon levels do change, so taking another test might be prudent before spending money on unnecessary services to clean and mitigate the radon gas. If the testing continues to score above the recommended level, more aggressive action should be taken to ensure the safety of you and your family while improving your indoor air quality. This may even be something you want to have measured before buying a new home. Also, keep in mind that a level of 4 pCi/L has a far less chance of causing a person to develop lung cancer, but the chance is still there. The lower the amount of radon in your home the better. 

Radon Cleaning and Mitigation

When it has been determined that your home contains an unsafe amount of radon gas, you should contact your local provider who will be able to deal with lowering the amounts of radon gas within your home. They will be looking for ways to decrease the amount of radon by removing it from your home and by preventing more from seeping in, often by using pipes and vents to suck radon gas away from your home and into the outside air. These measures will bring you peace of mind as you and your family continue to live in your home, ensuring you of your indoor air quality and improving your home comfort and, very possibly, your health.

Importance of Home Humidifier

As cold weather approaches and the air gets dyer, a home humidifier is a good option for putting moisture back into your home’s air, improving your indoor air quality, home comfort, and health. They can also help to keep your home from suffering undo wear in the dry winter months. There are several different kinds of humidifiers to choose from, so do not forget to consult with your local HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) provider to learn what humidifier is right for you.

Health Benefits

The dry air during winter has a way of making you more susceptible to common seasonal illnesses. A humidifier will help to resupply your home’s air with moisture, which will help your body to maintain its ability to fight off colds, the flu and other such winter related illnesses. It can help keep your skin from becoming chapped and cracked—a painful annoyance throughout the whole season. Humidifiers can be especially helpful for people with asthma by increasing their overall indoor air quality. They can even help to lower the level of static electricity, reducing the likelihood of receiving unwelcome static shocks. Keep in mind, however, a humidifier will only provide these benefits as long as it is being frequently cleaned and maintained. A dirty humidifier will collect bacteria that will then be released into a home’s air supply, possibly causing more susceptibility to illnesses. Be sure to ask your local provider on how to maintain your home humidifier, so you and your family continue to reap the benefits they offer.

Home Benefits

Not only do humidifiers help to keep you healthy, they also help keep your home and furniture safe from the dry winter air. Your wood floors and furnishings can shrink from the dry air created from the season and your heating system, which can cause wear and creaking, especially in wood floors. Having a home humidifier will put moisture back into your home and prevent your wood furnishings from unneeded damage. Other parts of your home that will benefit from a humidifier are wallpaper, paint, and houseplants. Even your electronics will benefit from the reduced amount of static electricity in your home. Having a humidifier in your home during the winter months will lower the amount of time and money spent on upkeep, which will create a higher level of home comfort and relaxation during long winter months.

Picking a Humidifier

It may seem reasonable to buy smaller portable humidifier units for individual rooms, but there are few reasons why you should consider a larger home system. Individual units often operate from a standing pool of water inside a tank at the bottom of the unit. If these units leak, it can actually cause damage to your home and furnishings. Also, individual units will not be able to distribute moisture evenly throughout your home like a bigger home unit, which releases the moisture into your ventilation system, working along side your heater. More units will also mean more to upkeep and more chances of forgetting to clean out filters and stagnate water sources, which can lead to unhealthy particles being released in your home, reducing your indoor air quality, home comfort, and health. Keep in mind that your local HVAC professionals can answer any questions about the benefits of a home humidifier. 

Heating Your Garage

Most people would agree that having a heated garage is something of a luxury, but for those of us who use their garage as a workspace know how necessary heat can be in the dead of winter when the temperatures drop below freezing. It is very difficult to do any sort of task with your hands when they are cold and stiff. Whether you use your garage space for car repair, woodwork, or other such activities and projects, the cold will inhibit you from doing quality work, and it may even affect your health. For those who need a warmer environment for such work activities, there are some things to keep in mind while shopping for the right garage heater for your space.

How is the Space Used

Depending on what you use your workspace for, there are some options that need to be taken into consideration. If you work with wood or any kind of project where you need the air to be still, you might consider a radiant heat system that does not require airflow to be effective. If you will be working on cars or doing something that requires spending a lot of time close to the ground, it may be better to get a different system that has more airflow throughout the garage, so the lower areas stay warm as well.  By expressing your needs and concerns to your local provider, they will be able to guide you to the right garage heater for your purposes.

The Right Heater for Your Garage

There are several different options when it comes to the kind of heat system you can buy for your garage. Some use electricity while others use propane and other traditional heat sources. Some will run independently while others can connect with your home’s heating system. You will have to consider what is cost efficient for you and the set up of your home and garage. Say you have an attached garage; it might be easier to heat it through your home’s current heating system. If it is a separate garage, it might be easier to run an independent electric heater. Another thing to consider is the size of the space being heated and if you need the entire area to have heat coverage. How big is your workspace? Can you get away with just heating a single corner or wall, or do you need the entire garage to be heated? Certain systems may require more ventilation and others may require you to increase your fuel costs. A professional from your local heating provider will be able to help you find the best and most economic garage heating option for your situation.

Insulating Your Garage

Depending on the state of you garage, you may want to invest in making hold its heat more efficiently. Look for any cracks or gaps where heat can escape easily and seal them up. Also, most garages have concrete floors and very little insulation to prevent the heat from escaping. Upgrading your garage’s insulation and by strategically placing your garage heaters and ventilation will help lower fuel costs, and keep your workspace warm and usable during the winter months.

Solar Heating and Cooling and You

Have you ever thought of switching to a solar heating and cooling system or purchasing a one for a new home? There are many reasons why a solar heating and cooling system may or may not be the right choice for you, depending on factors like where you live, the set up of your home, and the amount of money you want to spend. Taking these things into account will help guide you in your efforts to create a more energy and environment friendly heating and cooling system, but do not forget to consult with your local HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) provider for a more personalized analysis. 

Solar Heating and Cooling Pros

Of course, one of the biggest pros of solar heating and cooling is the lower fuel costs that come with it, since the sun is a completely renewable energy source. The money saved this way may often be worth the cost of integrating such a system into your home, old or new. A benefit of solar cooling is that on hot sunny days, when your home needs cooling the most, you will be receiving the most solar energy to keep your cooling system running efficiently. The solar heating and cooling systems can also be fit to best suit your home by placing the solar panels to strategically collect the most solar energy. They are also very quiet and require little maintenance. All of these reasons, as well as the environmental benefits of solar heating and cooling, offer support for why buying such a system can be a wise decision for your indoor air quality, and your checkbook. To be certain you will be able to reap these benefits, be sure to consult with a professional from your local HVAC provider.

Solar Heating and Cooling Cons

Beyond the fact that many people believe solar panels are unattractive, there are a few factors to keep in mind when buying a solar heating and cooling system that may direct you away from this form of heating and cooling and towards a more traditional option. Solar heating and cooling is much more effective in certain areas of the world. While it is true that your heater will be running most efficiently on sunny days, areas that experience more cold, overcast weather will have more issues heating homes that use solar energy. In such areas, solar heating and cooling may be implemented more practically as a supplement to an existing heating and cooling system. Also, keep in mind that the purchasing and installation prices can be high, so if those costs outweigh the savings in other areas, it may be prudent to ask your local HVAC provider about other options. 

Is Solar Right for You?

These are just a few of the reasons for and against solar heating and cooling. If you are considering switching to this type of system, be sure to search out a local professional to help you weigh the costs. He or she will be able to examine your situation and tell you what options are best for you and your home, creating a cheaper, more fuel efficient heating and cooling system without detracting from your personal home comfort.

How Air Exchangers Work and Why You Should Have Them

The most important part of any HVAC unit is the ability to alter the temperature inside of the home to be the temperature that you want. The problem is that this general means that all of the air that you are using is recycled within the home. Making the most out of your unit is possible whenever you are using air exchangers. This is a system that not many people are aware of. It provides fresh clean air inside of the home without having to use the temperature of the air that is outside of the home. This is because the air that is coming into the home crosses over the path of the air leaving the home so it will alter the temperature slightly and take the edge off of converting the temperature.

Improving Home Comfort

The main purpose of the HVAC unite is to provide the maximum home comfort based on the temperature of air that you want in the home. By using air exchangers, it is possible to achieve these temperatures. The cross section in which the air is altered is little more than what appears to be an X shaped interval. The vent coming in from outside is crossed over the vent that is leaving the home. As the air leaves the home, it interacts with the air leaving the home to alter it by at least a few degrees. This can also happen when recycling air inside of the home.

Cheaper than Geothermal Heating and Cooling

Those who have been thinking about using geothermal heating and cooling are looking at the inexpensive overall nature of using the system. Of course, installing the system is very expensive which is why not many people are using it. By using air exchangers instead, it is possible to get a lowered heating and cooling costs without a huge expense. The interchange between the inside and outside air allows for an easier time for the HVAC unit to achieve the temperature you desire for your home. The situation that is created allows you to save money and taxes the unit less.

A Better System for Ventilation

The best part about using air exchangers is the fact that it is an efficient ventilation system. Rather than opening windows, you can get fresh air into the home simply by using the system. The indoor air quality gets a major boost by using these items rather than using the open window method to get new air into the home. The installation is very simple and you may not even realize that it is installed in the home. The changing pressure in the home will allow for an easy flow of air in and out of the home. As the HVAC unit is operating, it will create the positive pressure inside of the home to force old air out that creates a negative space filled by new air from outside. There are no working parts to worry about breaking and there is no maintenance which is necessary to make sure that the system is working correctly. After installation in your home, it will operate without any help from you.

How to Get Better Circulation without Replacing Air Handlers

Large homes have several challenges where heating and cooling is concerned. One of the kinds of concerns you might have when you have a large home is the kind of ventilation you can get in the far rooms of the home. Many people will start thinking about replacing the air handlers in order to get the kind of home comfort they are looking for. While getting a more powerful handler will certainly solve the problem, it is a very expensive way to solve the problem. You can get the help you need to get comfort throughout the home when installing something simple like a duct fan. Doing so can help you to get the comfort you need in the rooms that do not get the right amount of heat or cool.

Installing Duct Fans for Ventilation

One of the great ways to get the kind of home comfort you want in your home is to install a duct fan in the ducts. The duct fan engages whenever the ventilation system is being used for heating or cooling. It provides the necessary suction to pull more hot or cold air from the existing air handler. It will engage whenever the HVAC unit is engaged to make sure that even the far rooms of the home are getting all of the air needed to enjoy the right temperatures in the home. These need to be installed by a professional in order to make sure that they are connected correctly and that they will engage when necessary.

Duct Cleaning for Easier Circulation

Ducts can pick up a lot of dirt and grime over the years. Even when using good air filters it is possible for the ducts to get filled with all kinds of problems. Investing in duct cleaning will remove everything from the ducts so that the air can move throughout the home even easier. The amount of money you will pay in order to get the clean ducts is fairly low. The amount of money it will help you to save whenever you are heating and cooling your home will make up for any of the costs you are spending to clean them. The indoor air quality is also improved whenever you are cleaning the ducts because all of the bacteria in the ducts are removed.

Individual Heaters for Home Comfort

If there are only one or two rooms that you feel do not have the home comfort you desire, you may consider simply purchasing individual heaters. These are small and portable so you can put them where you need them when you need them. Purchase ceramic heaters so that they will not only heat quickly, but will cool quickly as well. These are safer when using inside of the home because they have automatic shutoff features when they are tipped over in any direction. The feature can help to prevent a fire from occurring. It is still necessary to practice safety whenever using these heaters so that fires will not occur. When used properly, it is possible for you to get the comfort you are looking for without the expense involved in making the change.

How to Get the Most Out of AC Repair

Maintaining the temperatures inside of the home throughout the summer means that it is necessary to have an air conditioning unit that works properly. Of course, just spending money for someone to come to your home to fix the unit that you have is not enough to get the most out of the process. You will also need to invest in making sure that you are able to improve the indoor air quality in your home as well as reducing the costs for cooling your home. This is possible when you install ultraviolet air cleaners in the air handler and electronic zoning throughout the home. By using these, it is possible to get the most out of the AC repair you are investing in.

Get the Right AC Repair Professionals

One of the best ways to make sure to get the most out of your AC repair is to make sure that you are hiring the right repair professionals. This includes HVAC specialists in your area. Look for those who are certified to work on your HVAC unit based on certification given to them by the state. This certification indicates that the professional has gone through training and has taken a test to show that they have the right knowledge about the kind of work they are trying to provide. Always make sure to read all of the reviews for these professionals before hiring them to do the work.

Cleaning the Air with Ultraviolet Air Cleaners

As you pay to receive AC repair, it is a good idea to install ultraviolet air cleaners as well. These help in improving the indoor air quality by removing a lot of the bacteria and other contaminants which might be in the air. These are easily installed in the intake vents for the home. The unit that is installed does not take up a lot of space and does not use a lot of electricity either. Ultraviolet light is applied to all of the air circulating through the home. As the ultraviolet light is applied to the air, it helps to kill the bacteria. It gives the effect of ‘scrubbing’ the air as it passes through the system. It does not slow the air transfer in any way because there is no resistance for the air to go through. It is simply passing through light.

Maintaining Temperatures with Electronic Zoning

Another thing to consider when investing in AC repair is to get electronic zoning. This allows you to better control the flow of air so that you will not have to use the HVA unit as much. The important thing about using these is that it allows you to have control over which rooms in the home have the kinds of temperatures that you desire. You can save a lot of money by keeping rooms you do not spend a lot of time in at a temperature you might not normally want them to be. The zone control includes a thermostat that is easy to program for controlling all of the different zones from one location. It will save you a lot of money in the long run.

How to Regulate Temperatures with Electric Zoning

One of the keys to home comfort is the ability to regulate the temperature of your entire home. The problem is that if you have a sizable home, you may not want to heat or cool all of the rooms to the same temperatures. In the past, the only way to alter this was to manually open or close the registers throughout the home which was an ineffective manner of regulating the temperatures. It is now possible to use electronic zoning to get the help needed to enjoy maximum home comfort without having to spend a lot to get it. This is possible when having the system installed by an HVAC professional in your home.

Setting the Temperatures in Zones

To get the best results, you can alter the temperatures throughout the home so that the temperatures are just slightly higher or lower in the rooms you are not using all of the time. Remember that the ability to control the temperatures allows you to get the best results. As your home is heated or cooled, it will direct more of the air to the parts of the home that want to have the biggest temperature changes. Make sure that the different temperatures are only a few degrees away from the rest of the home. This will make it more manageable.

Using Remote Digital Thermostats 

The digital age has made it possible to provide you with more control over the electronic zoning. This is because it is not only possible to get the results you are looking for by controlling the temperatures within your home from thermostats. There are now apps you can install on your smartphone which allow you to control your thermostats that way. This way, even on your way home, you can start making changes to the temperatures in the home. It is a great way to start preparing for guests to be in the home or if you are away from the home and the kids are having trouble working the thermostat. The changes in temperatures can be altered whether you are in the home and do not feel like getting up or you are at work and decide to alter the settings.

Altering Temperatures for the Best Results

The best way to get the most out of electronic zoning is to know how to set the temperatures. This is because the kinds of temperatures that you will need to have throughout the home allows you to maintain a steady temperature throughout. Set temperature ranges which do not alter too much from the rest of the home so the rest of the home will not be compensating for the cooler or hotter rooms. Also, make sure that you are not trying to cool your home less than ten degrees below what it is outside. Heating has a bit more latitude, but making sure that you are not trying to heat your home too much beyond what your system can handle will help to save you from having to invest in repairs soon. Following these instructions will help you to save money and will help you to get the most comfort throughout your home.

What You Need for Radon Cleaning in Your Home

There are several people who are more interested than ever in how to do radon cleaning and removal of other air contaminants. This is because we know more than ever about how the indoor air quality in our homes can affect our health. Studies have shown that bad quality air in our homes can be the cause of serious diseases such as cancer after regularly breathing radon contaminated air.  This is a problem which occurs in more homes than you might know. This is because radon has no odor and no color. You could be breathing radon right now without knowing it. It is extremely important to invest in radon mitigation if it is discovered that you have radon in your home.

Testing Indoor Air Quality

There are several home improvement stores are now selling kits which allow people to test for radon kin their home. These kits are also being sold online through several vendors. Most of these kits are sold at low and reasonable prices. Many of them are easy to use and some with simple instructions. These kits allow you save money by not having a professional come out of your home or other building and conduct radon testing which can cost into the thousands. These kits allow people the peace of minds of knowing whether or not their home has radon and if they are in need of tasking action to remove it. If the radon level is present, but low people can take matters into their own hands and remove the radon themselves.

Radon and Radon Mitigation

Radon is a radioactive gas which can be found in home and other forms of dwellings. This gas is thought to cause cancer in some people who have exposed to it in the air they have been breathing in the home or workplace. Radon exposure which has been linked to cancer suggest that most of the people who affected in this way have had years of exposure to the gas. Although, there have been some recent studies which suggest that there are some people who have developed cancer after shorter terms of exposure to radon than previously thought possible for disease development. When it comes to radon and radon mitigation, it is extremely important to hire a professional who specializes in radon mitigation. They will test the air in your home again to verify you have radon in your home. They will then systematically go through your home sealing any possible locations for leaks.

What to Do After Radon Cleaning

It is highly important to make sure that you are investing in better ventilation even after radon cleaning. Better ventilation in your home will make sure that if another leak should occur in your home that it will cause fewer problems to those living in the home. Investing in a radon detector will also help you to know if there is a leak in your home you need to take care of. Radon detectors can be purchased from home improvement stores and are installed easily in your home. You can even have the radon detector installed by professionals with a professional security company.