Information on electric heat pumps

When my husband, Dave, and I built our home, we relied heavily on the advice of the building contractor.  We should have either done a lot more research ourselves, or hired professionals in the various fields. Unfortunately the building contractor only had general knowledge of plumbing, wiring and heating/cooling.  We took his recommendation and invested in an electric heat pump to handle our year round temperature control. The general contractor assured us that the heat pump would effectively and efficiently combat local weather.  This is not the case. The heat pump is absolutely wonderful during the summer months. It operates very much like a central cooling system, extracting heat from the air and pumping it outside through the use of refrigerant.  The equipment is extremely quiet and energy efficient, and it successfully reduces humidity levels. During the cooler months of the fall, the heat pump is able to maintain comfort. The equipment actually reverses operation to find ambient heat in the outside air and transfer it into the house.  This process if exceptionally energy efficient, and keeps our heating costs quite low. We get into trouble when the outside temperature drops below freezing. At that point, there is not sufficient ambient heat available and the heat pump can’t keep up. It doesn’t matter how high we set the thermostat or how hard the heat pump struggles, our house is downright chilly.  Since the heat pump is running non stop, it costs us a lot in monthly heating bills. We’re not happy spending a fortune for heat and then bundling up in layers of sweaters to keep warm.  

Air Conditioning that works well in the south

I live in the deep south, and heat and humidity is a year round problem.  I’ve spent a small fortune on a central cooling system which runs just about non stop.  The air conditioner is extremely powerful and wonderfully energy efficient. It is equipped with variable-speed capability, which allows the equipment to adjust speed in tiny, one percent increments.  It can operate anywhere between forty and one hundred percent capacity. Because of this, the air conditioner runs for longer cycles at lower speeds, and achieves greater efficiency and dehumidification.  Despite this state-of-the-art cooling system, excess moisture is still a concern. The air conditioner is designed to create a cooling affect, and not specifically to remove moisture. Since high humidity makes the air feel warm and sticky, it encourages lower thermostat settings.  The air conditioner ends up working harder, using more energy and costing more to run, and yet the house isn’t entirely comfortable. Freezing cold temperatures don’t offset an abundance of moisture. There’s the potential for health hazards such as a higher dust mite population, and mold and mildew growth.  Condensation can lead to property damage. In the my local area, it’s necessary to partner the air conditioner with a whole-home dehumidifier. The dehumidifier pays for itself through lower thermostat settings and reduced strain on the air conditioner. It makes very little noise, requires hardly any upkeep, and allows customized settings.  Because the dehumidifier draws excess moisture out of the indoor air, my home is far more comfortable, cleaner and healthier. I sleep better at night and have more energy during the day.

How zone control systems work

Last winter, I got injured in a car accident and spent almost a week in the hospital.  The experience was horrible. Although the doctors and nurses were wonderful, the hospital is unpleasant in every way.  I was in quite a bit of pain and simply wanted to sleep. The bed and pillow were uncomfortable, and the sheets were thin and scratchy.  The room was never dark enough, and there was constant noise. Nurses repeatedly entered the room and woke me up. The food was downright awful, and I hated the antiseptic smell of the air.  The worst was the freezing cold temperature. I understand that the hospital maintains a very low temperature to combat the spread of bacteria and infection, but I shivered the whole time. There were half a dozen vents in the ceiling, and no escape from the blast of air conditioning.  I kept asking if the thermostat setting could be raised just a bit and was assured it would be taken care of. Nothing was done, and the air conditioner never shut off.

I finally begged my husband to bring in warm clothes and a heavy blanket from home. I couldn’t wait to get out of the hospital and enjoy my own bed.  At my house, I have zoned heating and cooling, as well as a smart thermostat. I can make adjustment to everything from fan speed to temperature from an app on my phone. I can target the bedroom without affecting the rest of the house. I was so much happier and more comfortable once I was back home. This new technology has made my home more comfortable. I highly recommend zone control and a smart thermostat.

Outdoor pollutants can cause issues with your HVAC system

A couple of years ago, my husband and I moved from a small apartment in the city into a big farmhouse in the country.  We were extremely excited to finally have a garage to park our cars, a big kitchen, plenty of closets, and a huge backyard.  Our home is surrounded by pastures and fields with a large pond in the backyard. We are located on a dirt road, nearly fifty miles from the nearest town.  We moved in during the fall, when the weather was already quite chilly. There was no opportunity to sit on the front porch, take advantage of the lawn, hang laundry on the clothesline or open the windows.  The furnace installed in the home is rather old and outdated, and it struggled to handle the severe winter temperatures. We hired an HVAC contractor to thoroughly clean and service the heating system, and got a free estimate for replacement.  We were hoping to upgrade to a more modern, energy efficient furnace within the next year. Because we are located in the northern part of the country, with long winters and short summers, we didn’t anticipate the need for air conditioning. However, once the weather warmed up and we opened our windows, we realized our mistake.  The dirt road is horribly dusty, and every time a car drives by, the dust wafts directly into the house. Sheep, cows and horses graze on the pastures surrounding our house, creating a terrible odor and drawing in an abundance of flies. We have no choice but to keep our windows closed, but then the house becomes overheated. Instead of spending our savings on a new furnace, we purchased a central cooling system.  

It’s always nice to have a friend who works in HVAC

At twenty-seven, my brother, Sam, has still not found a career path. At that age, most young men have finished college or trade-school, and are anxious to start earning money, if they aren’t doing so already. I don’t know whether he is lazy or merely indecisive. One thing is certain, those of us he has been sponging off are going broke, so he has to find a way of earning a living, and quick.

          Sam is good at fixing things so I have been advising him to get trained as a repair man. Whenever the HVAC system technician comes by to check our unit, my brother is constantly at his elbow. Whether he is changing filters or checking vents, Sam is always there. Sometimes I wonder if the technician isn’t tired of him, but they appear to get on well together. 

          Then, a few days ago, Sam surprised us all by electing to fix our HVAC system. It was still working but the air from the A/C had begun to get musty. I was so scared that he would mess up the entire unit, but we had to acknowledge his skill when fresh, clean air began flowing from air conditioner again, after Sam was done with it. My mother and sister joined me in encouraging him to get serious about becoming an A/C repair man.  With HVAC systems being installed in homes all over the country, my brother’s skills as an A/C technician would always be in demand. 

          The best thing about that is that since Sam will be earning his own money, the rest of us will be able to keep ours in our pockets! 

Adjusting your thermostat to save energy

I find it really interesting that heat and air conditioner settings vary quite regularly among all my friends’ and family members’ houses. Some of our friends have even complained that our house is too warm in the summer. We keep the air on the main floor set at 78 degrees in the warm months, which is quite comfortable for us. We have a second A/C unit that provides air to the top floor, and over the years, I have noticed we are having to keep the thermostat set lower and lower. We used to be comfortable with it at 78 degrees as well, but then at night, we started dropping it to 77 degrees. During the really hot months, we have had to drop it at night to 75 degrees. I sometimes wonder if our second HVAC unit isn’t working properly or maybe it’s just because it’s warmer upstairs and requires more to cool it down. Some people I know keep their thermostat set on 70 or below all day long, and I need a sweater just to walk in their house! I don’t think I want to know what their utility bill is in the summer. It’s also interesting how you grow accustomed to the cooler or warmer temperatures. Your body seems to adjust. However, mine seems to adjust better to the warmer temperatures, and my husband can adapt better to the cooler thermostat settings. Generally though, he and I are on the same page, and I just grab an extra blanket when the air conditioning gets a little too chilly for me.

Reasons why you should call an HVAC technician for service

Most people don’t really think about their HVAC system. They just know that it blows cold air when it’s hot outside and warm air when it’s cold outside. They don’t think about the inner workings or installation procedures or even preventative measures and easy upkeep. But when something breaks, they definitely think about the cost! I personally have had some expensive repairs but also some not so expensive quick-fixes that have increased the life of my A/C unit. It’s nice to have an A/C serviceman you can trust because no one wants to go without heat and air conditioning or have to pay for a whole new unit before they were financially ready. Some of the preventative maintenance I have been told about requires a professional, but some of it I can do on my own. For example, I can easily replace the air filters. But most of the work requires the special knowledge and expertise of a certified HVAC repairman. The can check the air flow and heat exchanger. The know how to replace any worn out parts on the unit. And all HVAC techs should be able to clean evaporator and condenser coils and clean pans and drain lines. To my knowledge, you can basically purchase preventative maintenance typically through a contract. You would have scheduled visits where the HVAC service providers would come to your house to provide the cleaning and any basic repairs. Obviously older HVAC units would require more visits and may cost more, but it’s better than having to replace the entire heating and cooling unit before its time!

This is why you shouldn’t fix an air conditioner with no training

When my air conditioner malfunctioned, I was reluctant to call for professional repair.  I am currently living on a very tight budget, and hated to spend the money. Since my cooling system is fairly new, I doubted the problem was all that involved.  I figured it was most likely a maintenance issue. Hoping to save money, I had neglected to have the air conditioner professionally serviced for the past three years.  I suspected that a buildup of dust within the inner workings had caused the equipment to quit. I decided to attempt the repair on my own. I first did some research into air conditioner repair online.  I read up on how to take the cooling unit apart, and studied all the various parts. I learned about the motor, belts, cooling coil, fan blades, condenser, evaporator, condensate drain, and refrigerant. I was a little surprised by the amount of parts involved but hoped the cleaning process would be fairly simple.  Once I opened up the air conditioner, I was able to see the accumulation of dust, mold, and some green slime that I assumed was algae. I tried to be extremely careful and not damage anything, but I ended up bending several fan blades and breaking a belt. This required the purchase of replacement parts, and I had some trouble installing them.  When I put the whole thing back together, the air conditioner wouldn’t start up. I went without air conditioning for several weeks, until I couldn’t tolerate my overheated house any longer. When I finally hired a licensed contractor for air conditioner repair, he got the cooling system running within twenty minutes. I was relieved, but also a bit aggravated. 

An electric heat pump can be a great choice

I am an exceptionally light sleeper.  Every little noise wakes me up out of a deep sleep.  I get disturbed by traffic, birds, neighbors, and barking dogs.  In the winter, whenever the furnace starts up, I am woken up. Although I’ve had the furnace professionally serviced, I still hear the rattle of the ductwork and the whoosh of air coming from the supply vents.  I’ve invested quite a bit of money into insulating the ductwork, and adding soundproofing insulation to the walls and ceilings. I still need to sleep with earplugs to avoid hearing the heating system. In the summer, I tried getting by with box fans and open windows.  I hoped that the operation of the fans would drown out the exterior noise pollution, but it didn’t work. When a road crew started construction directly in front of my house, I knew it was time to invest in air conditioning. I was worried, however, that the air conditioner would be as noisy as the furnace. 

I started researching to figure out which make and model achieved the lowest sound levels. I came across electric heat pumps, which are supposed to be exceptionally quiet. Although a heat pump is quite expensive to purchase and install, they are wonderfully energy efficient. Plus, the heat pump provides both heating and cooling capacity. 

In the summer, it works exactly like a central cooling system. When the weather turns colder, it reverses operation, finding ambient heat in the outside air and pumping it indoors. The ductless heat pump is far more energy efficient than my furnace, and much quieter. Unfortunately, it is only able to handle demand until the outside temperature drops below freezing.  At that point, the furnace takes over and I need to rely on my ear plugs again.

Updating our new house with a new HVAC system

My husband, Joe, and I recently purchased a very large, extremely old house.  It is in need of some major renovations. We’re planning to replace the roof, install new windows, gut the kitchen, and update the wiring and plumbing.  We hope to make the home far more energy efficient. Because of the many rooms, high ceilings, and big windows, the heating and cooling bills are going to be a major drain on our budget.  Improving insulation, weatherstripping and caulking are necessary projects. Joe and I are also looking into making some upgrades to the heating and cooling equipment. We’ve been consulting with a local HVAC contractor, who’s provided some helpful and knowledgeable recommendations.  He suggested we invest in a zoned controlled system, which would enhance comfort while saving us money.

With the installation of a thermostat in each room and a series of valves within the existing duct system, we would be able to set independent temperature. There’d be no need to heat or cool empty rooms, and we could cater to personal preferences.  We could target those rooms that tend to feel a bit overheated or chilly. Joe and I are still debating over whether or not to replace the furnace and air conditioner. While the heating and cooling units are still operational, they are old and not exceptionally energy efficient. Combining modern, efficient components with zoning capability would significantly trim our monthly energy bills.  Despite the expense of the project, I think we would recover our investment within five years. Plus, the heating and cooling system would be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, eliminating any repair costs.