November 13, 2014
Learn about the most important points to consider when shopping for a high-efficiency furnace. Did you know that according to the US Department of Energy, about 56 percent of the energy consumed in the average American home goes to heating and cooling? The heating system alone accounts for an average of 30 percent of the total home energy consumption. Naturally, your HVAC system is an excellent place to target when you want to cut your energy consumption, your carbon emissions, and your costs. Here is some helpful information to consider when shopping for a high-efficiency furnace. Furnace Size First and foremost, you must look for a furnace that is correctly sized for your home if you want it to work efficiently. Furnace size should not be based purely on square footage, but must also take into account the energy loss rate in your home. A professional HVAC contractor can analyze your home and tell you what size furnace you need. Fuel Type Next, consider the type of fuel you wish to use. While electric furnaces are more efficient than gas ones because they have no flue and hence no potential for energy loss through this opening, the high cost of…...
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October 23, 2014
Understanding These Key HVAC Acronyms Will Help You Select Efficient New HVAC Equipment. When shopping for a new air conditioner, heat pump, furnace, or other equipment, you will no doubt encounter a veritable alphabet soup of acronyms describing various aspects of the equipment’s performance. You can familiarize yourself with the specifics of these acronyms below, but the most important thing to remember is that the higher the rating, the higher the efficiency and the lower your utility bills. SEER: Air conditioners and heat pumps have their cooling efficiency rated in terms of the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. All new equipment sold in the US must have a rating of at least 13 SEER, but for maximum efficiency look for products with up to 20 SEER. EER: While the SEER accounts for performance over a range of temperatures designed to mimic the conditions of a typical cooling season, the EER or Energy Efficiency Ratio is a purer measurement. It is calculated based on an outside temperature of 95 degrees, and shows you how efficient a new air conditioner would be on this kind of sweltering summer day. Since AC units are only required to carry SEER ratings, you might not always…...
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October 17, 2014
3 common problems that excessive dust can cause in your home. Are you fighting a never-ending battle against dust in your home? Do you clean one morning only to have a new layer of dust fuzzing every available surface the next? This dust isn’t just an aesthetic problem. It can actually be costing you money in terms of reduced energy efficiency, more frequent HVAC repair needs, and increased health care costs. Here are the three main problems excessive dust could be causing in your home right now. Reduced Airflow The more dust is circulating around your home, the quicker dust will build up inside your HVAC system. A good portion of this dust will be captured by your air filter as well it should. The only catch is that dirty air filters are harder for air to pass though. This will cause reduced airflow through your ducts, so that you will no longer have the flow volume you need to quickly and evenly heat or cool various portions of your home. You may have to adjust your blower to compensate, which will make your system use more energy. Failed Coils Once your filter becomes overloaded, other parts of your HVAC…...
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October 15, 2014
Know the meaning of various HEPA and MERV ratings before you buy your next HVAC filter. Considering how much time the average American spends indoors, having good indoor air quality is no doubt important, both for your health and for your comfort. While many factors affect air quality, filtration is definitely one of the most important. Without adequate filtration, you’ll end up with high amounts of airborne contaminants like: Dust Dust mites Pollen Pet dander Mold Skin flakes Viruses Of course, not all filters are created equal. Before you purchase your next HVAC filter, make sure you understand how it affects your indoor air quality and energy efficiency. What is MERV? Most residential HVAC filters carry MERV ratings. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. This is not to say that MERV filters are poor quality in reality they are more than adequate for the needs of most homeowners. Just be sure to remember that the higher the MERV rating, the better the filtration. A filter with a MERV rating of 13 to 16 is considered a high-ranking MERV filter and can remove up to 75 percent of all airborne particles 0.3 microns or greater from the air. What is…...
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October 13, 2014
Don’t let your HVAC system serve as a conduit for mold contamination. There are thousands of types of mold in the world, and about 10 percent of them actually prefer to live indoors. Considering that you can’t keep every inch of your property perfectly clean at all times, it’s highly likely that you already have some amount of mold on the premises. But just because mold is present doesn’t mean you have to let it take over. If mold gets out of control, you will end up with issues including odors, headaches, skin irritation, and allergy or cold-like symptoms. In fact, some experts believe that many people mistakenly believe they are coming down with a cold when in reality they are suffering from mold exposure in buildings with poor indoor air quality. If mold spores get into the HVAC system, individuals far from the original source of the mold can experience symptoms. To help keep mold from causing indoor air quality issues in your property, make sure your commercial HVAC contractor has a plan for mold control. This plan should incorporate the following 3 methods. Humidity Control: Mold can feed on all kinds of building materials from carpet to drywall, but…...
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October 10, 2014
Get your annual furnace checkup now to ensure reliable and efficient performance. With winter weather coming up soon, you need to make sure your furnace is up to the task of keeping your home cozy through the chilly nights. If you haven’t already done so, now is an excellent time to get your annual furnace maintenance done. This will provide peace of mind that your furnace is in good operating condition and can get you through the winter with no service interruptions. Key Elements of Furnace Maintenance An annual furnace maintenance visit from General Heating & Air Conditioning is packed with services designed to support not only the reliability of your furnace, but also its efficiency, safety, and maximized service life. Inspection: The first step in an annual furnace maintenance visit is to perform a detailed inspection of the entire system, including gas lines, electric components, wiring, etc. This is very important for safety, as well as for the identification of any worn or damaged parts that may pose a risk for a system failure in the future. Filter Change: A dirty filter can not only hurt your indoor air quality, but also reduce your overall HVAC efficiency. The dirtier…...
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September 29, 2014
The specialized field of server room cooling offers lessons for all AC applications. At General Heating & Air Conditioning, cooling solutions for computer server rooms is one of our specialties. Server room cooling is a very sensitive business, and our mastery of this area shows that we are able to provide superior service for more mundane home and business cooling needs as well. Here are some specific lessons from the world of server room cooling that can benefit the average AC consumer. Humidity Control is Vital Server rooms house tons of valuable equipment that must be protected from moisture. Humidity levels must be controlled to prevent the sorts of corrosion issues that can lead to system crashes, random reboots, and even data loss. High humidity can be costly both in terms of the damage to the equipment as well as the damage to the information housed on that equipment and the interruption of business processes that rely on that information and equipment. While the average home or business owner may not have quite so much at stake, humidity control is nonetheless important for comfort and cost savings.. Keeping humidity low can help make air feel cooler, which enables you to set…...
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September 26, 2014
Ask the pros at General Heating & Air Conditioning which method is best for your home. Do some rooms or areas in your home always seem too warm? You might think your only option is to crank the AC, but using this method to correct a hot spot will just create cold spots everywhere else. Instead, try one of these 5 methods to improve the evenness of temperatures in your home. Check Your Ducts It is important to have your ductwork inspected regularly by a trained professional. Otherwise, the ducts could develop holes, leaks, or blockages that prevent cooled air from reaching its destination. If you have a particular room that always seems hot, the problem could be that no cooled air is reach it. Try putting your hand over the air register while the AC is on. Can you feel cooled air? Is the flow as strong as at other registers in the home? If the answer is no, you definitely need to get your ducts inspected. Get New Curtains Solar heat gain is a top cause of hot spots. If you notice that a room with a southern exposure is getting hot, heat from the sun could definitely…...
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September 25, 2014
Carrier home comfort systems address 5 important aspects of your comfort. If you’re in the market for a new HVAC system for your home or business, chances are you’ve heard the term “home comfort” bandied about quite a bit. But do you really understand the elements of home comfort and why each is important to your overall heating and cooling plan? Carrier does, and so does General Heating & Air Conditioning. As an award-winning Carrier dealer, we are ideally positioned to help you select and install a whole line of reliable, efficiency Carrier products that are designed to work together to deliver the best in home (or business!) comfort. Carrier’s systems hit on all 5 of these important aspects of your comfort. Temperature Obviously, any HVAC system must control temperature in order to keep interior spaces cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Carrier offers a variety of different heating and cooling solutions, including energy-saving heat pumps. Plus, they also offer zoned systems and smart thermostat controls to help ensure temperatures are even and comfortable in every corner of your property at all times. Humidity Humidity levels can also have a big impact on personal comfort. The more…...
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September 24, 2014
Many consumers end up calling the pros for help after failed DIY attempts at thermostat installation. According to industry reports, the market for DIY smart home products is projected to more than quintuple between now and 2019. Right now consumers are spending about $1.3 billion on products and devices designed to given them a “smarter,” more automated, more efficient home. By 2019, this figure is expected to increase to 2019, and the growth is all driven by devices that consumers can buy, install, and manage on their own. Smart thermostats that have the ability to respond to changing temperature and humidity conditions inside and outside the home automatically (based on preprogrammed conditions) are definitely part of this trend. Smart thermostats have the potential to save consumers lots of money on their home energy bills. However, they need to be installed and configured properly in order to achieve good results. According to contractors surveyed by The Air Conditioning Heating Refrigeration News, HVAC techs are definitely seeing an increase in the number of consumers who attempt DIY smart thermostat installation but need help to get the job done right. Here are 3 common pitfalls that DIY thermostat installers face and how a professional HVAC…...
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