Category: Air Conditioning

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.

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.

If you want to learn a valuable lesson, try the risk of going into the winter months without getting your HVAC system tune-up. You really should get an HVAC system tune-up twice per year to keep everything running smoothly. You don’t want to face a serious HVAC system breakdown in the midst of the winter season. This happened to me and I really wasn’t a happy camper. I ended up having to get emergency HVAC system repair and that cost me a large amount of money. That pretty much made me broke for the rest of the winter season. Now I know to always get those HVAC system tune-ups before the harsh weather seasons. I’m talking about the winter and the summer seasons. While it’s worse to experience a serious malfunction with your HVAC in the winter, it’s not very comfortable when it happens in the summer season either. It’s more likely you will need emergency repairs in the winter however, because you can’t survive the freezing temperatures without a working heating system! Sometimes you will need emergency HVAC services in the summer too if you are experiencing a heatwave. You would be surprised at how many people have HVAC system breakdowns in the midst of a crucial heatwave. This is why HVAC companies get really backed up during times like this. They also make a large amount of money because of all the people who opt for emergency services. They are able to charge up to 3 times the regular cost of HVAC repairs when it’s considered emergency repair. Do yourself a favor, get your HVAC system tune-ups so you don’t face this emergency situation!