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Misconceptions about Heating Systems

Your heating system gets a workout during the winter.  There are some things you should know in order to make sure it keeps up with your demands.  The last thing anyone wants is for their heating system to fail when it’s most needed!
  • Misconception #1:  As long as it’s running, everything is okay!  Without annual maintenance, you don’t know what shape your heating system is in.  In older furnaces, heat exchangers and other components need to be regularly checked for safe operation.  Furnace problems can silently escalate without warning.  Prevention is an important part of safety as well!
  • Misconception #2:  Maintenance agreements are a waste of money.  Heating systems are complex mechanical systems, similar to your car, that require regular tune-ups to keep them working efficiently and safely.  An annual scheduled check-up can help spot problems before they happen, preventing unplanned repairs and replacements that are as expensive as they are inconvenient.  Ask us about the great benefits of our Blue Guardian Maintenance Agreements.
  • Misconception #3:  You should hire the company with the lowest price. Make sure you are specific about the services you want performed and always check out the reputation of the company you hire. Low price may be an attention-getter, with hidden costs to follow.
A.J. Perri has been in the business of helping our New Jersey neighbors for over 40 years.  Our trusted professionals have a reputation of integrity and getting the job done with 100% satisfaction guaranteed. 
Give us a call today and schedule your system’s annual tune-up.  You’ll have the peace of mind that your system is operating efficiently and safely this winter.





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Improve Your Health and Comfort this Winter

Dry, winter air can wreak havoc on your overall health and comfort; from dry skin, to allergies, to colds and flu.  By adding a whole-house humidifier to your heating and cooling system you can regulate the amount of moisture in the air throughout your home, making a better, healthier and more comfortable environment for your entire family.

Whole-house humidifiers can help ease congestion without the use of medicine.   With more moisture in the air, the mucus in your nasal passage and sinuses thins so that it’s easier to breathe. 

Humidifiers soothe dryness, irritation or itchiness in the nose, nasal passages, sinuses, mouth, throat and eyes.  They can even prevent nose bleeds to those prone to them when their nose is dried out, according to the Mayo Clinic.  Dry nasal passages can become sore when you have a cold, and a humidifier can help lubricate the passages for a more comfortable night’s sleep.  Humidifiers act much like a hot shower to help clear your head and sinuses when you’re suffering from congestion issues.  Humidifiers can benefit those suffering from colds, flues or allergies.

During the winter, the indoor humidity levels of furnace-heated air can drop to 10 percent or less, according to Mount Sinai School of Medicine dermatology professor Hillard H. Pearlstien, M.D (MotherNature.com).  Dry winters cause dry, itchy skin, chapped lips and even frizzy hair.  A whole-house humidifier can help keep the air moist so that your hair and skin don’t suffer.  And moist skin means less chapping and dryness.   Whole-house humidifiers not only benefit your family, but your home as well.  They reduce static electricity in the air and help preserve a room’s appearance by slowing the pealing of wallpaper, and preventing cracks in paint and furniture.

If you’re looking for relief from the dry, uncomfortable air this winter, a whole-house humidifier is a great tool to provide relief to your family and home. 

Sources:   http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
                 www.mayoclinic.com
                 www.mothernature.com
                 www.livingstrong.com








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Put “Save Money” on the Top of Your New Year’s Resolutions

Statistics show that every year 40-45% of adults will make one or more resolutions for the New Year. While a lot of people who make New Year’s resolutions do break them, research shows that making resolutions is useful. People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't do so. Be among those who attain their goals in 2012.

We know that after the holidays saving money is an important and often necessary goal for many of us. At A.J. Perri we came up with some easy, no-cost tips to help you attain this New Year’s resolution.

• Change your furnace air filter monthly. A dirty air filter causes your heating & cooling system to work harder and longer. A clean air filter will keep your system working as efficiently as possible, ensuring your utility costs remain as low as possible.
• Turn down the temperature control thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees F. For each 10 degrees F reduction in water temperature, you can save about 3-5% in home energy costs. Although most water heater thermostats are set at 140 degrees F, most households have plenty of hot water when set to 120. Reducing your water temperature can also extend the life of your water heater and pipes by slowing mineral buildup and corrosion.
• Turn off lights when leaving a room. Turning off just one 60-watt incandescent bulb can save about $15 per year. (Of course, replacing your incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LEDs will cut your lighting electric bill by up to 85 %!)
• While brushing your teeth, stop running the water. Although running water does not use energy per se, heating the water does so avoid wasting hot water in particular.
• Turn off power strips or unplug appliances - especially when leaving for vacation. Most appliances when plugged in still draw power when turned off - this is called phantom power. So, stop the ghosts from costing you money when you're away!
• Close the blinds to block direct sunlight in the summer and keep the cold out during winter nights. These measures help to stabilize the temperature indoors and reduce the burden on your home heating and cooling systems, which typically use about 50% of the energy in your home.
• When you are asleep or out of the house, turn your thermostat back 10°–15° for eight hours and save around 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills. A programmable thermostat can make it easy to set back your temperature.


Sources: www.proactivechange.com/resolutions/statistics.htm
                www.myenergysolution.com/
                www.energysavers.gov
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Ease Your Water Heater’s Burden This Holiday Season, Conserve Resources, and Save Money

During the holidays you want to be able to guarantee plenty of water, especially hot water, to go around. Extra loads of laundry and dishes, as well as extra showers and baths for guests, all create added demand on your water heater. Thankfully, there are simple ways to help lighten your water heater’s load, with the added bonus of saving energy and money.

First, make sure your water heater is ready for its upcoming marathon. If you haven’t had your water heater maintained, now is the perfect time. A qualified technician will look out for any problems that may occur with heavy usage and can ensure your water heater is running as efficiently as possible.

Second, set your water heater no higher than 120 degrees. This way your water heater will have about 10 percent less work to do. That doesn’t seem like much, but when you consider that your water heater is constantly working, during just one day it saves 2.4 hours of work.

Third, remove any sediment that has collected in the bottom of your water heater; simply drain about 5 gallons of water from the bottom. This sediment makes your water heater less efficient and shortens the tank’s lifespan.

Last, install a water heater blanket to reduce standby heat loss. While you’re at it, buy some pipe insulation for the pipes leading to and from the tank. Insulation is inexpensive, easy to install, and helps keep the water in the tank warm, while helping your water heater run more efficiently. Any age of water heater benefits from this added insulation, but if your water heater is more than 5 years old, located in an unheated space, or both, these upgrades can make a huge difference.

Now that your water heater is in tiptop shape, think about how you can lighten its load even more in the room where we use water the most during the holidays: the kitchen.

Aim for using cookware that goes from fridge to oven to table. Just think of how many dishes you will not have to wash by mixing, cooking, serving, and storing the green bean casserole all in the same bowl.

Dishwashers are at their most efficient when full. Luckily, it’s not hard to fill these appliances during the holidays so this one’s a piece of cake. When you use your dishwasher efficiently, you’ll use 37 percent less hot water than hand washing.  When cleaning up, scrape dishes instead of using water to rinse. You’ll save two gallons of water per minute. If you must rinse, use cold water instead of hot. And, soak any stuck-on foods instead of scrubbing under running water.

The holiday season is a huge burden on your water heater. The best way to ensure that it runs at peak performance is to have it serviced. Then insulate it, lower its temperature, and simply ask it to do less. It won’t fail you.


Sources: www.ajperri.com
                www.energysavers.org
                www.consumerenergycenter.org


 

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Will Your Heating System Be Safe This Winter

October is National Fire Safety month. Your heating system, when not properly maintained, is one of the biggest fire and safety hazards in your home. In 2008, U.S. fire departments responded to 61,000 home fires that involved heating equipment, resulting in 480 deaths, 1,660 fire injuries and $1.1 billion in direct property damage.

To operate safely, heating systems need to be inspected annually including being tuned up and cleaned by a professional. If you have a problem with your air conditioner, you’re going to be uncomfortable, but if your heater malfunctions it can actually be dangerous. A gas furnace in particular needs to be checked every year. All the safety switches need to be tested and the combustion checked.

If your furnace has a pilot light, it’s extremely important to make sure there aren’t any leaks in the heat exchanger. Leaks in the heat exchanger can allow combustion products such as carbon monoxide to get into your home, creating a serious safety concern. Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning is known as the “silent killer,” because you cannot see it, smell it or taste it, but it claims nearly 300 lives each year, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC).

If you have an electric heating system, it needs to be checked annually as well. Running electric heat puts an enormous load on your electrical circuits. The heating up and cooling down of the wires can lead to expansion and can loosen connections. A loose connection can lead to higher amperage and could burn wires. During a tune-up, all of the connections are checked to make sure they are tight. There are also safety switches and relay points that are checked during an annual tune-up to make sure the system is operating properly. For example, if your heat strip sequencer isn’t working properly and sticks closed, it can cause the heat strip to run continuously, greatly increasing your monthly electricity bill.

The investment in a comprehensive annual tune-up of your heating system is well worth the money. Even if there is nothing wrong with the system, you can sleep better at night with the peace of mind of knowing it’s in good shape and working to its highest efficiency.

SAFETY TIP: According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission smoke detectors should be tested every month and batteries changed once a year.


Sources: www.nfpa.org
                www.firepreventionweek.org
                www.cpsc.org
                www.ajperri.com
 

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Hurricane Season is Here … Are you prepared?

According to the AOML (Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory) we are in the most active part of the hurricane season – 96% of the "major" hurricanes occur from August to October.

With Hurricane Irene threatening the East Coast, locals are bracing for the storm. Being prepared for a hurricane can keep you and your family safe and comfortable during the storm and will help save time and money in the aftermath. Getting your home’s air conditioning system ready for hurricane season is a critical part of being prepared.

Your air conditioning system is a key contributor to your overall home comfort and one of most expensive investments, after your home. It’s important to make sure it weathers the storm, not only for you and your family’s comfort, but also to your pocketbook.

Below are some important steps to take in order to prepare an air conditioning system for hurricanes or extreme weather and some precautions to take in the aftermath of a storm.

• Turn off your air conditioning system. Make sure your entire system is turned off, at the thermostat and the circuit breaker. This will help avoid any unnecessary damage. Power to your air conditioner can be a fire hazard or cause electrical shock, in the event of flooding.
• Batten down the hatches! Securing your equipment is one of the most important steps you can take. The hardware holding your air conditioning unit in place can rust or come loose over time, and loose equipment can move and cause significant damage. Make sure to use hurricane straps or bolts to secure your system to the base.
• Eliminate loose items near or around the air conditioning unit. Remove any items near the outside of the air conditioning unit that might become airborne and cause impact damage to the unit such as patio furniture, plants, toys, and bikes.
• Flooded air conditioners. If you live in an area that flooded, make sure conditions are dry before you try to operate your air conditioner. NEVER restore power to the system until you know you are completely safe to do so. It’s best to have a professional technician do a thorough inspection to determine if it is safe to operate.
• Impact damage or debris. Before turning the air conditioner back on, check it for damage or debris around that could cause it to malfunction or overheat. If you are unsure, have a professional technician check your system.
• Salt water damage. Salt water has a corrosive affect on air conditioning systems, if not addressed immediately it can destroy your system over time. A professional technician will know how to gently clean the affects of salt water from your equipment.

These simple steps can be the difference between major and minor repairs and being prepared for severe weather can lessen the aftermath in terms of reduced home comfort as well. If your air conditioning system is compromised in any way after a storm, make sure to contact a professional technician. They will ensure the safety of you and your home.


Sources: www.ajperri.com
                www.fema.com
                www.aoml.noaa.gov
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Interesting Plumbing Facts

Plumbing is the system in our homes consisting of “pipes and fixtures for the distribution of water or gas in a building and for the disposal of sewage.” Sounds straightforward enough, however, you might be surprised by how much you don’t know about your plumbing.
Did you know?
• Indoor plumbing dates back to at least 2500 B.C.
• Sir John Harington is credited with inventing the flushable toilet in 1596, hence the American nickname for it, “the john.”
• Copper piping, which is the #1 material used for plumbing work in today’s world, is the same material that the Egyptians used to lay their own pipe – some 3000 years ago!
• Since 1963 (the year CDA [Copper Development Assoc] was established), more than 28 billion feet or about 5.3 million miles of copper plumbing tube has been installed in U.S. buildings. That’s equivalent to a coil wrapping around the Earth more than 200 times. The current installation rate now exceeds a billion feet per year.
• In a typical household, toilet flushing constitutes up to 38% of all water-use in the home.
• A low flush toilet can save you up to 18,000 gallons of water per year.
• An invisible leak in the toilet will waste up to 15 gallons of water a day or 5,475 gallons a year.
• In a typical home, more than 9,000 gallons of water are wasted while running the faucet waiting for hot water. As much as 15% of your annual water heating costs can be wasted heating this extra 9,000 gallons.
• At 140 degrees, it takes five seconds for water to burn skin. At 160 degrees, it takes only half of a second. Your water heater should be set to no hotter than 120 degrees.
• Approximately 1 in every 318 homes or buildings has a leak.
• If a drip from your faucet fills an eight-ounce glass in 15 minutes, it will waste 180 gallons per month and 2,160 gallons per year.
• A slight trickling faucet or showerhead can waste up to 100 gallons of water or more in a week (depending on the size of the drip).
• A dripping faucet/hose bib can lose up to 180 gallons a month or 2,160 gallons per year.
• A 1/8 inch hole in a metal pipe, at 40 psi, leaks 2,500 gallons of water in 24 hours.
• A leak the size of a pinhead can waste 360,000 gallons per year, enough to fill 12,000 bathtubs to the overflow mark.
• Consider this, a failure at 70 pounds of pressure can expel up to 650 gallons of water per hour. That’s what you could be faced with if your washing machine hose fails. Washing machine hoses are usually made of reinforced rubber, which can lose resiliency and burst as it gets older. It’s important to replace this hose every 3-5 years.

Sources: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/plumbing
                www.ajperri.com
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Cut Costs & Stay Cool This Summer

As electricity prices are expected to rise along with hot summer temperatures, it’s causing many to look for ways to cut back on expenses. Beat the heat this summer, reduce your air conditioning usage, all while enjoying savings with these simple tips.

One easy tip is to seasonally adjust your window treatments, blinds or shades. By closing your blinds or drapery on east or west facing windows, you can keep the sun’s direct rays from entering your home. This helps reduce the amount of effort your air conditioner puts forth to keep your home cool. In the evening, open window treatments, blinds or shades to allow the heat to escape back out through the windows of your home.

Another simple task is to shade your outdoor air conditioning unit. The ideal location for your air conditioner is on the north side of your home, however, this is not always feasible. Landscaping such as trees or shrubs can provide shade, keep the direct sun off of your house, while making your yard look nice. Just keep in mind your air conditioner needs to have at least 2 feet clearance around and above for proper air circulation. Also, you need to maintain access to your outdoor unit for maintenance and repair.

During the summer when your system is running more frequently it’s especially important to be diligent about checking and changing your filter. Changing or cleaning your air conditioning filter on a regular basis increases system efficiency and helps lower your utility costs. Conversely, a dirty filter lowers the efficiency of your cooling system, increases your utility costs, while making your system run harder and longer.

An air conditioning tune-up can also help you save money this summer. A tune-up ensures that your system is running efficiently and safely, while saving you money and giving you peace of mind. Air conditioners at peak efficiency will use up to 20% less electricity and last years longer. In most cases, the savings you get in lower utility costs more than makes up for the cost of the tune-up.

Using fans around your home is another way to help cool your home while reducing air conditioning usage. Fans help move cool air and ease your air conditioners workload. In some cases, fans provide enough cool air so that you can turn your air conditioner above 78 degrees, saving a great deal of energy.

Also, don’t forget to use an exhaust fan when cooking; this helps expel hot air from the house. If you don’t have an exhaust fan, you can cool the room by using a floor fan. This will not only cool the air but also help move it out of the kitchen.

As they say, “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.” A dehumidifier rids your home of humidity while helping your family feel more comfortable. A dehumidifier may even allow you to feel more comfortable at a higher thermostat setting (like 78 degrees), helping to reduce your energy usage.

And lastly, if you can, leave chores like cooking, washing (or drying) clothes, and dishwashing for the cooler parts of the day. They generate extra heat in your home. Also taking on labor-intensive tasks during the hottest times of the day will make you feel uncomfortable. If possible, do them in the early morning or evening when the heat isn’t as bad.

By following a few simple tips you can decrease your air conditioning usage, reduce your energy usage, cut your costs, and still stay cool this summer.


Sources: www.energystar.gov
                www.saveenergy.about.com
                www.ajperri.com
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Money Down the Toilet

When looking for ways to cut costs many homeowners try to do the around-the-home projects themselves. However, there are certain jobs, especially those dealing with plumbing, which should be left to the professionals. One such example was recently posted on the internet. . . a homeowner seeking to change a toilet seat.

It starts out innocently enough, the homeowner using a wrench to try to remove the bolts, but unfortunately he keeps turning them the wrong way (because they are upside down) and ends up rounding off the nuts. He then decides to try removing the seat with a chisel and hammer. When the bolts prove to be too stubborn, he pulls back with the hammer and strikes a mighty blow that breaks the toilet tank flooding the area with cold water. The shock of the cold water causes this poor do-it-yourselfer to drop his hammer into the bathtub, taking a big chunk out of the porcelain, which pops off the tub floor.

Realizing his situation, our poor homeowner runs to the basement (two floors down) to shut off the water supply to the house. In the meantime the water is flooding the floors and has saturated the plaster in the ceiling below, causing it to collapse into the living room.

Next, we find our homeowner trying to remove what’s left of the toilet tank from the floor flange and once again out comes the chisel and hammer. With a mighty THWAK - no more toilet bowl - and unfortunately, no more closet flange either and since this was attached to a lead closet bend, it will now need to be replaced too.

Our homeowner is now determined more than ever to fix the problem himself. He goes to the Home Depot and decides to use nifty PVC, as opposed to the old lead piping currently in his home. In order to replace this piping, he tries to cut the cast iron stack with a hacksaw to no avail, then a sawzall, and finally out comes the good old chisel and hammer (although a bigger hammer this time).

He whacks on the stack a few times hard and finally it splits into several pieces with one tiny segment still holding it together. He then pries the last of the solid pipe out of the wall with a crowbar and the remaining section of pipe (the vent going through to the roof) lets go with a mighty crash. Oh, this just gets better and better! This piece comes out of the wall through the sub floor into the now plaster-less ceiling of the living room, continues until it hits the TV, proceeds through the living room floor until it hits the electrical panel plunging the entire house into darkness and finally comes to rest - but not before shearing off the main water valve and flooding the basement.

This poor guy is now famous on the Internet for his “$27,000 toilet seat replacement”. Needless to say, this is not how you want to be remembered. Some jobs are just meant for the professionals.


Source: Forte Electric Inc., Paul Forte.
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Breathe Easier this Spring

For many Americans spring means uncomfortable outdoor allergies. Coughing. Sneezing. Wheezing. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, asthma and allergies strike 1 out of every 4 Americans and are the leading chronic diseases in the U.S. among all age groups. And it’s not just outdoor air that’s the culprit. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) reports indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasionally, more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels. Indoor air pollutants are particularly concerning because statistics show most people spend as much as 70% of their time indoors.

The consequences of airborne contaminants are reduced health and comfort, as well as a decrease in the efficiency and increase in the costs associated with your heating and cooling equipment. Here are some tips to help improve the indoor air quality in your home.

Change your heating (and/or cooling) system air filter
Air filters are designed to collect dust, dirt and other nasty things; such as pollen, bacteria, smoke, smog, pet dander and plant and mold spores. By changing or cleaning your filter monthly you’ll help cut down on the amount of dust and pollutants in your air. Keeping a clean air filter in your system also helps increase the energy efficiency and prolongs the life of your heating and cooling system.

Upgrade your filter

You can switch from a standard 1” filter to a higher quality HEPA filter to increase the filtration of particles in the air in your home. A MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating is the standard method for comparing the efficiency of an air filter. The higher the MERV rating, the better the filter is at removing particles from the air. Filters with higher ratings not only remove more particles from the air, they also remove smaller particles.

Air cleaners

Air cleaners can improve your health by keeping your entire house cleaner. Air cleaners help protect your furnishings and save you the time and aggravation of continuous dusting and cleaning. A whole-house cleaner can help provide relief from irritants – up to 40 times more efficiently than standard furnace filters. Air cleaners also prevent the buildup of dust and dirt in your heating and cooling equipment, which can otherwise reduce the efficiency of your system by as much as 25%.

Air purifiers

An air purifier whole-house filtration system is the most effective air cleaning system available. It thoroughly cleans and filters out 99.98% of allergens from the filtered air. It is up to 100 times more effective than a standard 1” filter. An air purifier will deliver cleaner air, and more of it!
Clean your ducts
NADCA (National Duct Cleaning Association) recommends homeowners take off the cover of an air vent and look down the vent with a mirror and flashlight or digital camera. If the ducts are covered with dust or debris, it’s time to have your ducts cleaned. NADCA says a thorough duct cleaning will not only clean up the air inside your home but also help your system to work more efficiently, saving you money.

Keep a clean home
Dusting and vacuuming on a regular basis helps reduce the dirt, dust and dust mites in your home. Make sure to dust around windows and doors as well as your window treatments. Don’t forget to dust those hard to reach places as well! Use a dusting tool that captures rather than re-distributes the particles, such as a microfiber or damp cloth. Another good tip is to use a vacuum cleaner that utilizes a HEPA filter so that you’re not releasing the dust right back into the air. And having your carpets cleaning annually (more frequently if you have pets) helps reduce contaminants in the air as well.

Prevention
Stopping dust at the source is a great way to control it. Place floor mats at all entrances of your home to prevent dust from entering via shoes, boots, paws, etc. Removing shoes at the door is another good tactic. Also consider installing hardwood floors in your home versus carpets. Carpeting traps particles and with every step you take those particles are released back into the air.

Keeping the air clean inside your home helps you and your family breathe easier and stay healthy!

Sources:
www.aafa.org/
www.epa.gov
www.lungusa.org
www.healthyhomeinstitute.com
www.NADCA.com
www.carrier.com
www.ajperri.com


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“Spring Clean” Your Plumbing

Each season brings its own set of household tasks and spring certainly has its share. While it’s okay to do little plumbing jobs around your home, the big plumbing projects are best left to the professionals. If you don’t know what you’re doing, messing around with your plumbing can result in serious damage, expensive repairs, not to mention possible health hazards your family.

Below are some “good” spring cleaning tips for the plumbing in your home:

  • Clean drains, gutters and downspouts to make sure they are free of debris.
  • Check plumbing vent pipes to make sure they are free of birds’ nests.
  • Make sure your sump pump operates properly. Check the pump by pouring several buckets of water into the sump pit. If it’s working correctly, the pump will quickly turn on, discharge the water and then shut off.
  • If you live in an area where sewers back up into homes, install a backflow valve in the floor drain which will prevent future backups.
  • Check to make sure water flows freely from faucets and hose bibs. If the first time you turn on an outside hose the faucet drips or leaks inside your home, you may have had a frozen pipe that cracked and needs replacement.
  • Looks for signs of leaks in exposed pipes under sinks and in your basement.
  • Fix leaky faucets and save water (and money)!
  • Check your toilets to make sure they don’t have hidden leaks. An easy way to check is through a simple food coloring test. First, remove the tank lid, then flush. Wait for the flapper to drop and the tank to refill, and then add several drops of dark food coloring. Wait 20-30 minutes and if you see any trace of color in the toilet bowl then there is a leak.
  • Check to make sure all your drains have strainers to prevent hair, soap and other debris from clogging the drain lines.
  • Check water supply valves under sinks and toilets to make sure they aren’t sticking.
  • Check toilets to make sure they flush properly. If your toilet is running you may need to replace worn tank parts. These parts on not only inexpensive but can lower your water bill.
  • Check your water heater to make sure the temperature is set no higher than 120°F. This prevents scalding and reduces energy usage.
  • If you have a water heater over 15 years old, consider replacement. Newer water heaters are more energy efficient and will lower your monthly utilities.
  • In infrequently used drains (and floor drains), pour a gallon of water to fill the trap and prevent odors from entering your house.
  • Consider having slow floor drains snaked to ensure they will carry away water quickly in the event of a flood.
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“If it Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix it!”

Isn’t that the old adage most of us go by? When things are moving along smoothly in our lives we often don’t pay attention to the details, one of those details being regular maintenance on our heating and cooling system. We figure why fix something that’s not broken, right? We let it go year after year with our system humming along until one day, unexpectedly - well before the projected expiration date of our system and on the hottest, most inconvenient day ever - the humming stops suddenly and we’re faced with major repairs.

Don’t skip the maintenance! Regular maintenance ensures that your system runs day after day without fail while providing efficient, comfortable cooling to your home.

According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), as much as half (often times more than half!) of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling, so it makes sense to keep your equipment working as efficiently as possible. Regular maintenance on your heating and cooling system can increase the efficiency of your system and have a large affect on your utility bills. In fact, studies show that properly maintaining your heating and cooling system improves efficiency and can reduce energy bills by up to 35%!

Left unchecked, a year’s build-up of dirt and dust increases the likelihood of future breakdowns. In fact, according to the EPA, this build-up is the #1 cause of air conditioning system breakdowns. Increased breakdowns mean higher maintenance costs to you. Your system will last several years longer with proper maintenance.

Routine maintenance not only increases the longevity of your system but it can also determine the “age-correctness” of your system as well. Your technician will be able to help you determine when the life cycle of your system is at an end (when repairs and maintenance costs escalate and become too expensive) and get it replaced before your system breaks down (like on the hottest day of the year!)

We all expect our heating and cooling system to be able to deliver the temperature we want, to be comfortable in a variety of conditions, and to deliver it all day long – which is the case most of the time. However, if your system is not maintained properly, it may be working too hard or inefficiently to effectively deliver the comfort of a consistent air temperature.

Having your air conditioning system regularly maintained will pay for itself in lower repair costs, less aggravation and more efficient operation, not to mention increased home comfort! Most of the time the money spent on a tune-up you more than save with lower utilities and fewer repair bills.


Source: www.epa.gov
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Technology Advancements – Traditional vs. Variable Speed Furnace

Technology has increased greatly in the heating and cooling industry over the last 10, even 5 years. For example, let’s compare a traditional furnace to a variable speed furnace. The difference is like comparing a regular light switch to a dimmer switch. With a traditional furnace the heat switches on until your home reaches a certain temperature and then switches off. A variable speed furnace operates like a dimmer switch, it can be turned down (“dimmed”) when your heating needs are less demanding and then turned up when your comfort needs increase.

“Variable speed” actually refers to the furnace’s indoor air blower motor. The blower motor is the component that determines the amount of air the blower is required to deliver to your home. A variable speed blower motor moves at different speeds to precisely control the flow of heated and cooled air throughout your home.

A variable speed furnace works by using sensors to control the flow rate of the flue through the burner. On chilly – but not cold – days, the furnace runs at the low setting, but for a longer period of time. This allows it to operate at the most efficient temperatures without the many stops and starts that create inefficient burning. Conversely, on cold days it burns at full capacity to accommodate the more demanding workload. Most variable speed furnaces run at low setting approximately 90 percent of the time.

In addition to saving money, running the burner and blower longer at a lower setting distributes air in rooms more evenly and pushes more air through the furnace filter, resulting in cleaner air. Saving money and better indoor air quality, this technological improvement sounds like a winning combination!


Sources: www.howstuffworks.com
               www.carrier.com
               www.ajperri.com
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Holiday Overspending Leads to Long-term Cost-Cutting

It’s January and the mad rush of the holidays is over, so take a deep breath, sit back, and relax.  But no – wait - you just realized that you over spent during the holidays and now you need to look for ways to cut costs!  Don’t worry we can help you out.  You won’t look farther than inside your home.  One of the biggest expenses in your home comes from your heating and cooling system, and a close second is your water heater.  If you have older, inefficient equipment, one of the best ways to lower your costs for years to come is to install newer, energy efficient systems.   In addition to big savings on your utility bills, a new system will also eliminate the need for expensive repairs and escalating maintenance costs associated with an aging system.

As much as half (and sometimes more) of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling according to Energy Star, a government agency dedicated to the awareness and promotion of energy efficient products for both consumers and manufacturers.  The newer heating systems have much greater efficiencies than they did even 10 years ago.  This means that they use a lot less energy to produce the same amount of heat. 

AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is the efficiency rating on gas heating systems.  It is a ratio of heat output of the furnace compared to the total energy consumed by a furnace.  What this means is if a furnace has a 90% AFUE, 90% of the energy in the fuel becomes heat for your home and the other 10% escapes up the chimney and elsewhere. 

 In the graph below, you can see how much money you can save by upgrading your old heating equipment to a new higher efficiency system. The greater the gain in efficiency from a new furnace means the greater the energy savings to you.    

 

 

   

   

 






 




Water heating is the second largest energy user in your home.  According to the Department of Energy, water heating can account for as much as 14-25 percent of your total home energy use.  Replacing an older unit with a high-efficiency one is another way to make a big impact on your monthly utility bills.   Many homeowners are considering tankless water heaters, instead of traditional  storage tanks, as an option to reduce costs.

According to research, most homes use hot water for a cumulative total of about one hour per day, yet they typically keep 40 or 50 gallons (oftentimes more) of water hot 24 hours a day. Having a system that eliminates the storage and heats water only as you use it can dramatically reduce your energy consumption. Tankless water heaters (also called instant water heaters) eliminate this water storage need, as they instantly heat water only when you need it.  On average, tankless water heaters are 30% more energy efficient than traditional tank water heaters and they can reduce water heating costs by up to 50% in most households. 

Lastly, all equipment has a life cycle, something you need to keep in mind.  If you have an air conditioner over 8 years old, a furnace (or heat pump) over 10 years old, or a traditional water heater over 7 years old, replacement may be a consideration not only for the energy savings, due to improved technology, but also due to the increasing repair and maintenance costs associated with older equipment.   Don’t wait until your equipment becomes a never-ending money pit.  Consult with your heating and coolingtechnician or plumberbefore you fix something that you’d be better off financially replacing.

The holidays may be over but saving money is a year-round project.  By using energy efficient heating, cooling and plumbing equipment you can save energy and money for years to come.

You can find out more information about energy efficient equipment at the following website: www.energystar.gov and www.ajperri.com.

 Sources:  http://www.energystar.gov/

www.rinnai.com

www.ajperri.com

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Is “Peace of Mind” a gift worth giving?

During the holidays every year heating service companies experience a large number of “no heat” calls from panicked homeowners whose furnace has broken down when they’re expecting a house full of guests.  It happens every year, but it doesn’t have to.  We all have our to do lists around the holidays, everything from preparing meals, to making sure the house is in order.  Most of us realize the importance of having a furnace check-up on our list, but put it off for one reason or another.   Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to check that task off your list right now?  I bet if you asked one of those people who experienced this panicked situation last year they’d wish that they’d checked furnace tune-up off their list before the holidays.  Avoid being one of “those people”, call today to schedule maintenance on your furnace and give the gift of “peace of mind” to yourself or someone you love! 

Your heating and cooling system is the “heart” of your home.   It needs regular check-ups, just like your car.  If you stop all maintenance on your car it won’t run efficiently and eventually it will seize up and quit working altogether.  The same applies to your heating and cooling system.  Routine maintenance helps your system operate efficiently and effectively.

According to the EPA, as much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling, so it makes sense to keep your equipment working as efficiently as possible.  Regular maintenance on your heating and cooling system can increase the efficiency of your system and have a large affect on your utility bills.  In fact, studies show that properly maintaining your heating and cooling system improves efficiency and can reduce energy bills by up to 35%!

We all expect our heating and cooling system to be able to deliver the temperature we want, to be comfortable in a variety of conditions, and to deliver it all day long – which is the case most of the time.  However, if your system is not maintained properly, it may be working too hard or inefficiently to effectively deliver the comfort of a consistent air temperature. 

Lastly, we all want our heating and cooling system to last as long as possible and be “age appropriate”, but without proper maintenance, performance will decline at a quicker rate as it ages.  According to Energy Star, your system will last several years longer with proper maintenance.  Routine maintenance not only increases the longevity of your system but it can also gage the “age appropriateness” of your system as well.   Your heating technician will be able to help you determine when the life cycle of your system is at an end (when repairs and maintenance costs escalate and become too expensive) and get it replaced before your system breaks down (like on Christmas Day when your home is full of guests!)

Having your heating and cooling system regularly maintained will pay for itself in lower repair costs, less aggravation and more efficient operation.  Remember, don’t become one of “those people”… someone who has to get a technician out to the house for an emergency call on Christmas morning in order to fix the problem and restore heat to the home before guests arrive!

Sources:           www.ajperri.com
                         www.epa.gov 
                         www.energystar.gov

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Avoid the Greasy Stuff!

While preparing your holiday dinner this year, remember that not everything should go down the drain. Putting the wrong things down the drain can cause serious and expensive damage to your household plumbing system.  You also don't want to spend your holidays trying to contact a plumber to unclog your drain while the dirty dishes pile up!

Many of us think that when we see something disappear it is gone for good – out of sight, out of mind!  This type of thinking is especially harmful when it comes to our plumbing. Not everything is designed to go down the drain. Pouring the wrong thing into your kitchen sink will eventually mean that you have a big problem in your pipes, costing you a lot of time and money in order to fix the issue at hand. 
 
There are a lot of materials that when poured down a drain will accumulate, clog pipes, and some will eventually corrode the joints, causing leaks and severe damage. The most common item is grease. This includes meat fats, lard, cooking oil, shortening, butter and margarine.   Grease is a liquid that seems like it should go okay down the drain, but remember it is only a liquid while it is hot. As soon as grease cools down, it will begin to form into a solid. As it sits in your pipes it catches other particles, and eventually plugs up your system. It may also start to smell! Running hot water as you pour grease down the drain will not help and home garbage disposals won’t keep grease out of your plumbing system either. These units only shred solid material into smaller pieces but do not prevent grease from going down the drain. 
 
While it’s safe to run hot water from the sink through the garbage disposal, it’s best to use cold water when you are operating the disposal. Using a strong flow of cold water and keeping the disposal running at least 30 seconds after grinding has stopped helps flush food particles through the drain line. Cold water will solidify any excess fatty and greasy waste so it is chopped up and flushed down the drain, however, the best way to dispose of grease is to avoid putting it down the drain to begin with, and instead, put it into a container to harden and then throw it away in the trash.
 
If you do end up with a clogged drain this holiday season and are planning on fixing it on your own using liquid drain cleaners, avoid chemical drain cleaners. Most drain chemicals are very toxic in nature and not a good thing to keep around the home if you have children or pets. (Note: By putting them down the drain you’ll also be contributing to global pollution!)
 
Chemical drain cleaners can have a negative effect on your piping. Over time these chemicals may deteriorate your pipes from the inside out. When this happens, the drain line(s) will have to be replaced. Don’t confuse toxic drain cleaners with the various drain care products that are on the market today. These products contain “friendly” bacteria and enzymes. They work great to keep any drain sludge and grease from building up in the pipes. 
  So, remember while you are cooking your holiday dinner, don’t put any grease down the drain. Instead scrape food off plates into the garbage and let grease solidify into a container before disposing of it into the trashcan. A moment of convenience is not worth the cost of repairs down the road!

Sources:          www.ajperri.com
                        www.getwithgreen.com
                        http://www.todaysmodernwoman.com
                        http://lesstoxicguide.ca  Misconceptions about Heating Systems - A.J. Perri HVAC
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Is it Time to Repair or Replace?

If your heating and/or air conditioning system fails, you are often faced with a choice, to repair the existing unit by replacing parts and other remedies or by buying a new system. When faced with this decision there are three main factors you should consider: life expectancy, efficiency and current condition of your unit. 
 
Life expectancy. Most units will last between 12 to 15 years for air conditioners and 15 to 20 on heating systems, after that point they become expensive to repair and break down more often. Also parts are sometimes discontinued which causes them to be more expensive, if not completely unavailable. Consider the age of your equipment and if a unit it’s an 8 or more years old  air conditioner or a 10 to 15+ year old  furnace (or heat pump) it is nearing the end of its life expectancy. (Note: You can add at least four years onto this number if you’ve consistently had it professionally maintained during this time.)
 
Efficiency. Even if you completely restore an aging unit (which is expensive to do!), you will still only have the efficiency that it was rated for when it was manufactured, at best. Newer unit efficiencies, due to constant improvement and increasing government-imposed energy standards, have greatly improved over the past 20 years. In a lot of cases, installing a new heating and/or air conditioning system can pay for itself in energy savings within a relatively short period of time. 
 
Current condition. The condition of your unit is the third factor to consider. Take into account the quality of your current unit, number of breakdowns you’ve experienced, and how often your unit has been maintained. If you have not maintained your unit and breakdowns are frequent, replacement should be a serious consideration. In this situation, no matter what the skill of the installer or service technician, there is little that can be done except restore the unit.
 
So when faced with the decision to repair or replace your heating and/or air conditioning system, make sure to consider all of these factors. This will help you make an informed decision that is most beneficial to you!
 
 
Sources:          www.ajperri.com
                        www.inspection-perfection.com
                        www.energystar.gov
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Warranties vs. Maintenance

In the heating, cooling & ventilation (HVAC) industry, we often hear the comments, ”We don’t need planned maintenance, we’re still under warranty.”   Nothing could be further from the truth! 
 
Manufacturers, to help compensate for problems caused by manufacturing defects, provide warranties on new equipment. If a piece of equipment fails during the warranty period and if the manufacturer accepts that the failure was not caused by outside influence (through improper use or lack of routine maintenance procedures), then they will generally provide a replacement part, free of charge.   Equipment manufacturers, however, don’t typically cover labor and the necessary materials needed to replace a failed/ broken part.
 
In some cases, if a manufacturer determines that a lack of routine maintenance has contributed to the failure of equipment then the warranty coverage can be revoked leaving the homeowner to accept the full cost of repair.
 
Planned Maintenance inspections are important to not only keep your warranty valid, but also to keep your heating & cooling system working efficiently and safely. Most of us think that after we’ve bought our heating and cooling system, we’re done.  We put out the money to pay for this expensive equipment (the most expensive equipment in most homes!) and we expect it to work, without any more effort.

I doubt that any of us would think the same of our cars.  We know that our cars require regular maintenance if we want them to keep performing day after day.  If you were to stop all maintenance on your car it would eventually seize up and quit working.   The same applies to your heating and cooling system, which without regular maintenance will eventually breakdown or fail in approximately 2-3 years.  After spending a bunch of money on a HVAC system no one wants to turn around and have to shell out this same money 2-3 years down the road.  Your heating and cooling equipment, like your car requires regular maintenance.

Looking back at our records, we were able to determine that 50% of our repair calls could have been avoided by regular maintenance.  By having a yearly tune-up on your system, you can avoid much more expensive repairs.

During a typical tune-up, your technician will have a long list of checks that they perform on your heating & cooling system.  These checks enable the technician to catch things like a loose electrical connection or parts with visible wear.  These problems caught at the time of a tune-up can easily be fixed and will help avoid costly repairs later.

Lack of maintenance will lead to dirt and dust build-up in your system as well.  According to Energy Star, a division of the EPA, “Dirt and neglect are the #1 causes of heating and cooling system failure.” This build-up will cause your system to run harder and longer and greatly decreases its efficiency.  As your system works harder to beat the heat or cold, your monthly utility bills will increase.

Lack of maintenance on your heating & cooling system can also lead to safety issues.  During a tune-up all of the electrical connections are examined, and the unit disconnect switch along with all of the safety devices are checked.  If you do not have your system checked out annually you could be running a serious safety risk and not even be aware of it.

As with our cars, we realize that if we don’t do regular maintenance, like oil changes and tune-ups, we will void our warranties.  If something major goes wrong with our car we won’t be able to go into the dealership and have it fixed under warranty.  Well, the same goes for your heating and cooling system.  Most appliances have a 5-10 year warranty, and if you don’t maintain the equipment and something goes wrong, you’re out of luck and the warranty will be void.  You’ll end up spending a large amount of money to fix it or even replace equipment that would have been covered under warranty, had you kept up with maintenance.

A lack of maintenance leads to repairs and early equipment failure, inefficiency, higher utility bills and an overall decrease in the system’s ability to keep your home comfortable, not to mention, invalidating your warranty and creating an unsafe environment in your home.  When you look at all of this, the cost of a yearly tune-up is cheap in comparison!
 
 
 
Sources:           www.ajperri.com
                        www.energystar.gov
 
 
 
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Save Water, Energy, and Money with Green Plumbing

“Going green” is not a new term for most of us, however, it might be as it applies to the plumbing in your home.  Green plumbing is plumbing that is designed to be the most energy efficient and at the same time conserve the most water.  A great by-product of saving on water and energy is that you will also be saving on your monthly utility bills.  Green plumbing involves anything from changing traditional fixtures and faucets, to water saving fixtures, to installing energy saving water heaters.  Some basic green plumbing products include toilets, sinks and showerheads, water heaters, hot water re-circulating, and high-efficiency appliances.

Toilets and water fixtures for sinks and showers on the market today offer a great way to reduce your water usage.  Low flow, dual flush toilets are a significant water saver.  The dual flush mechanism allows you to choose the amount of water required for waste.  For your sinks, low flow aerators are efficient devices that save water without compromising on your pressure.  They can be directly fitted onto the faucet head and control the water flow.  Low-flow showerheads are also based on control flow technology to manage the water flow and save considerably on water consumption.

Water heaters are a very important part of green plumbing.  High efficiency water heaters conserve water along with energy.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy, hot water heating can account for as much as 14-25 percent of your total home energy use.   Replacing an older unit with a new, high-efficiency one can have a big impact when it comes to reducing your home heating costs.

Tankless or instant water heaters are another way to reduce not only water usage but also to gain energy savings.  Tankless water heaters obtain hot water without first storing water in a tank.  They heat the water instantly, providing it as needed, so you will only pay for heating water that you actually use.  Because you do not store water in a tank you will eliminate standby heat losses associated with a traditional tank water heater. 

A hot water circulation pump is another green plumbing method.  Every year thousands of gallons of wasted water go down the drain, costing homeowners thousands of dollars. A significant amount of this waste occurs when homeowners wait for their water to reach a comfortable temperature before they shower or wash their hands.  A circulation pump eliminates this wait and unnecessary waste of water by providing instant hot water.
 
A last step to take to be more “green” with your plumbing is to replace older appliances with new energy efficient appliances.  High-efficiency washing machines and dishwashers will save you on energy usage as well as water.  Newer appliances use less water and energy.  You can check with www.energystar.gov for products that are energy efficient in both of these categories.  

Green plumbing is a way to reduce your water and energy usage.  As you begin to replace fixtures or appliances in your home you should seriously consider replacing them with “green” plumbing products.  Most people do not have the money to make all of these changes at once, but as you implement them over time, you will be able to decrease your carbon footprint and conserve our natural resources with the added benefit of lower utility bills!


Sources:     www.energystar.gov
                   www.energysavers.gov
                   www.ajperri.com
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Is Water Pressure Getting You Down?

When you open a faucet in your home most of us take for granted that the water will flow out.  Of course, this is really dependent upon the pressure that water is under.  Water pressure is created by water forcing its way through the distribution system to your tap. Water pressure should generally be between 60 and 75 PSI inside your home.   You can experience problems when your water pressure is higher or lower than this range.  Too low or too high of water pressure can cause a variety of problems around your home.

There are several factors that can affect the water pressure in your home.  The water pressure at your home depends on the elevation of your home and the proximity to the water storage tank, which serves your home. The closer your home is to the elevation of the storage tank serving you, the lower your pressure will be. Similarly, the lower your home is in relation to the storage tank, the higher your water pressure.

Water pressure can also vary at different times of the day. Pressure is normally higher late at night when very little water is being used and most people’s taps are closed. In the morning, when everyone is running taps – or on a hot evening when many people are using garden hoses and sprinklers – the pressure in our water mains may be lower. 

Many problems are created in the home due to low water pressure. In these cases, your home has adequate water pressure, but pressure at fixtures drops off when another fixture is turned on.  This situation is most commonly encountered when someone flushes a toilet when another person is in the shower. Usually the problem is that the water volume is lowered, therefore reducing the amount of water that comes out of the fixture. 

If you are experiencing unusually low water pressure throughout your entire home, below are some suggestions to help your troubleshoot the problem.
  • Has any plumbing work been done lately? If so, check all your main and shut-off valves to be sure they are wide-open.
  • Do you have a pressure-reducing valve (PRV) installed? If so, it may be out of adjustment or need to be replaced.  Incorrectly adjusting the regulator could cause water pressure that is too low or too high inside your home.  It is highly recommended that you have a qualified plumber make any adjustments.
  • Your home may have a PRV, but not actually need it.  A PRV installed in a low pressure area will greatly restrict water volume or flow.
  • Water pressure loss can be caused by an undetected leak.  Your water meter can help you detect a leak.  Always call a plumber and get leaks fixed immediately!
  • In older homes, water pressure problems may be caused by calcium deposits that build up on the inside of your home’s water pipes, with hot water lines more susceptible than cold.  This is especially common in iron pipe.  Plumbers can sometimes remove this kind of blockage by blowing high pressure air through the water lines.  DO NOT try to do this yourself; attempting to address this without the proper experienced often ends up causing leaks in the pipes, which leads to piping replacement jobs costing thousands of dollars.
  • Another problem, prevalent in older homes, is undersized water pipe.  Homes built in an era when the typical house had only a single toilet and tub required a three-eighths inch diameter water pipe.  Since then many households have added bathrooms, along with many more water using appliances.  In these cases, re-piping may be the only permanent solution to the home’s water pressure problems.
  • A frequent cause of low water pressure is a valve that was closed during routine servicing of a water softener or other water conditioning device.  If you have a water softener and the servicing company has recently visited your home to replace the canister, check to see if the service person fully reopened the valve.
  • Is there a water softener in your home? It may be malfunctioning or starting to ‘bind-up.’  Try bypassing it to see if flow is restored.
  • Do you have a whole house filter? If so, check and/or replace the filter cartridge.

If you are experiencing low pressure at one fixture, consider the below factors:
  • Has the fixture been repaired or replaced? New fixtures can be more restricted and may make it appear to be flowing slower than older fixtures.
  • Mineral deposits from hard water can clog hose filters carrying water to your washer or the aerators on faucets or showerheads, resulting in lower water pressure.  Mineral deposits are not harmful and can be easily removed by soaking the filter or part in vinegar periodically.
  • If you have low pressure in your shower, the balancing or anti-scald valve may be malfunctioning and restricting flow. Also, some massage-type and hand-held showerheads may restrict and impede flow.

The opposite problem to low water pressure is, of course, high water pressure.   High water pressure is rough on pipes as well as water using appliances.  Too high of pressure can lead to leaks in your pipes and cause your appliances to “burst” from the pressure, leading to potentially expensive damage to your home.

The symptoms of excessive water pressure in a home include; banging pipes, a leaking water heater, a stinging shower spray, running out of hot water quickly and faucets that leak again a few months after washers have been replaced.

If you live in a high pressure area and experience some of these symptoms, you may need a plumber to install a pressure reducer.  If you have a pressure reducer and are experiencing problems, the pressure reducer may need repair. A pressure reducer might not be working properly if:
  • You hear a loud or banging noise when fixtures are turned off.
  • Water bursts out very strongly when fixtures are first turned on and then returns to normal.

Lastly, if you are experiencing high pressure at one fixture, consider installing low flow showerheads and/or faucets.

When dealing with too high or too low water pressure in your home, it’s always best to consult a professional plumber to help not only diagnose your problem, but to come up with the best fix as well.  Don’t wait until it becomes a bigger problem – leaky faucet or burst pipe – and an even more expensive fix!



Sources:     www.ajperri.com
                    www.irwd.com
                    www.nwwater.com Misconceptions about Heating Systems - A.J. Perri HVAC
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Times Have Changed – What You Might Be Missing!

If you have an older heating and cooling system, you need to be aware of all of the changes that have occurred over the last 20 years.  We have seen a true revolution in heating and cooling equipment.  Today’s technology is over two times as efficient (SEER), has advanced humidity control along with sophisticated temperature controls, provides built-in air purification options and has the ability to program and monitor your system from a remote location.  If you haven’t kept up, here’s what you’re missing …

  1. SEER

    In the 1990s the DOE (Department of Energy) mandated a minimum SEER rate of 10 for all new air conditioners sold in the United States. Since January 23, 2006, all air conditioners manufactured in the United States now must have a Seer of 13 or higher. 

    If you have a 10 SEER air conditioning system from 20 years ago, you can upgrade to a 16 SEER and experience a 50% savings in your monthly cooling costs.  That’s a huge savings!  The efficiencies of heating and cooling equipment have greatly increased and with these energy savings, if you are considering replacement of old equipment, you will experience a much quicker payback on your equipment.  
     
  2. Heat or Humidity?

    What makes you feel hot – is it the heat or the humidity?  I remember last summer sitting by the pool with friends and one of them said, “You know it wouldn’t be so bad out here if it weren’t so humid.”  Heat and humidity are a very uncomfortable combination, however, it’s humidity that most affects your body’s ability to cool itself.  Your body is cooled when you sweat and the sweat evaporates off of your body.  When the concentration of water vapor in the air, or humidity, is high it affects the potential for evaporative cooling.  Basically, there is too much moisture in the air and the sweat on your body can’t evaporate.  

    Twenty years ago if you wanted to add or take away humidity from your home you could have purchased a room humidifier/dehumidifier and it would have done an adequate job for a small area.   Current heating and cooling systems have integrated humidifier and dehumidifier options.  You can now control the humidity in your whole home and by controlling humidity levels you can greatly increase the comfort of your home.  In the summer, by decreasing the level of humidity in your home, you will even be able to turn down the air conditioning, as it will feel cooler in your home.   Turning down the air conditioning means lower utility bills for you!  
     
  3. Digital Thermostats

    Today's electronic thermostat models are a vast departure from earlier mechanical styles, which basically allowed you to set and adjust temperatures manually. Digital thermostats offer more accuracy than ever before - perfect temperature control within 1º F.   The new digital thermostats have microprocessors that allow you to program your home temperatures to suit your lifestyle, so you can keep things comfortable while you're home and automatically set back temperatures to save energy when you're away or sleeping.  

    Did you know that properly using a digital programmable thermostat in your home is one of the easiest ways you can save energy, money, and help fight global warming? (http://www.energystar.gov) A programmable thermostat helps make it easy for you to save by regulating your home's temperature in both summer and winter - when you are asleep or away. The settings that come with programmable thermostats are intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort. Depending on your family's schedule, you can see significant savings by sticking with those settings or adjust them as appropriate for your family. 

    Unlike the older, mechanical thermostats, a digital room thermostat also offers users a large LCD screen for easy reading.  This is especially beneficial for people with poor eyesight or aging eyes, as the older mechanical thermostats of the past are very difficult to read.

  4.  Remote Access

    Remote Access is a major innovation in heating and cooling.  We have nothing to compare it to 20 years ago.  Systems with this feature allow homeowners to monitor the components and get system status feedback. It can also halt the system when a major problem is detected. 

    Another benefit of Remote Access is the ability for homeowners to adjust temperatures when they are away from home.  This is a great feature for those individuals that travel a lot for work or for those on vacation.  Remote Access gives homeowners peace of mind, knowing that when you are away from home everything is functioning, as it should.  This feature saves homeowners money, by adjusting temperatures while away and resuming them to a comfortable level prior to returning home. So that you’re not heating or cooling your home when you are not there.
     
  5. Built-in air purification

    Twenty years ago air quality was not recognized as an important issue like it is today.  The products on the market were for single room air purifiers.  Today, indoor air quality has become a major issue in our lives.  According to the EPA (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/insidest.html), “In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.”

    The HVAC (heating, cooling and ventilation) industry has responded to these concerns and many products available on the market today help with poor air quality problems.  You can add whole home air purifiers and air cleaners to your heating and cooling system.  So now instead of merely cleaning the air in one room, your HVAC system is providing clean air to your entire home. 

    The heating and cooling industry has come a long way in 20 years.  The innovations that have occurred during this time are allowing homeowners to conserve energy, lower utility costs, and increase overall comfort and convenience.  If you are still living in the dark ages with a 15-20 year old heating and cooling system, now is a great time to upgrade and reap the many benefits!

 

 

 

Sources:         www.ajperri.com

                       www.epa.gov

                       www.energystar.gov

 

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Help the Environment, Go Green & Save $

Going green is a popular trend these days, and by going green you are helping conserve our natural resources.  Fortunately for homeowners, the by-product of conserving natural resources is often a reduction in monthly utility bills.  The home services industry (i.e. heating & cooling and plumbing) offers products on the market today that are more efficient than ever.  By choosing these energy efficient products you can save money and “go green” without losing anything in home comfort.

“The term ‘energy efficiency’ is heard a lot these days and what it means to homeowners is that they can get the same amount of comfort, or hot water, while using less energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” states Kevin Perri, President of A.J. Perri, a local heating, cooling and plumbing company.   According to experts, energy efficient choices can save families about one-third of their energy bill with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions - without sacrificing features, style or comfort.  This allows you to save money in lower utility costs while doing something positive for the environment.

On average, 50% of your home energy usage goes to heating and cooling your home.  Heating and cooling systems of today have increased in efficiency over just the last 10 years.    By replacing older equipment you can realize significant energy savings.

AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is the rating system for heating systems.  The higher the percentage, the more efficient a system is. 

The minimum efficiency allowed by the government is an 80% AFUE.  What this rating means is that 80% of the energy output used goes to heating your home and 20% goes out the chimney as waste.  Carrier®, a leading heating and cooling manufacturer, offers systems with efficiencies as high as 96.6% AFUE. With a high efficiency system very little energy is wasted. 

The same applies to air conditioning systems.  These systems are rated by S.E.E.R. (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating).  Just like heating systems, the higher the S.E.E.R. the more efficient the system is. 

The government standard is 13 S.E.E.R.  If you have an old 10 S.E.E.R. system in your home and upgrade to a 16 S.E.E.R. system you will see savings of up to 50%.  These savings will easily help offset the initial cost of your new system.

The plumbing industry has also made great strides in providing “green” energy-efficient products for homeowners.  A tankless water heater is a product that accomplishes the goals of both resource conservation and money savings for homeowners.

Homeowners can conserve two natural resources, water and energy, by switching from a traditional water heater to a tankless water heater.  A traditional water heater works by constantly heating and reheating the water in your tank.  A tankless water heater only heats water as it is needed.  Because it does not store water, but rather heats water instantly when needed, you will not be paying to constantly heat the same water over and over again.  Also, because the hot water is instant there is no need to run the tap waiting for the warm water, which results in wasted water.

Going green may be a popular trend, but is quickly becoming a way of life as homeowners look for ways to not only conserve our natural resources but also save money in this struggling economy.  The heating, cooling and plumbing industries recognize these issues and have products that are helping homeowners address them.    Conservation of natural resources makes good sense too! (dollars and cents)


Sources:    www.energystar.gov
                   www.ajperri.com
                   www.rinnai.com   
                   www.carrier.com

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Basics of Air Conditioning

Most people don’t realize how their central air conditioner actually works.  They think that an air conditioner functions by pumping cool air into their home.  But your air conditioner actually removes warm air and recirculates it as cool air.  An air conditioner is basically a refrigerator.  It uses the evaporation of a refrigerant, like Freon, to provide cooling.  A central air conditioning system includes both the cooling and heating of air and cleans the air as well as controls the moisture level. 

There are a number of ways you can cool your home, but with any central air conditioning system the basics are the same; you will have a method of removing warm air to create cool air, a way to distribute the air to all of the rooms in your home, typically your duct system, and a way to control or regulate your system (thermostat).

The first component of your air conditioning system is temperature control.  When the air temperature rises above a preset level on your thermostat, the thermostat sends a signal to the air conditioner.  This signals the air conditioner that it is time to turn on.

The compressor (which is controlled by the thermostat) is the "heart" of the system. The compressor acts as the pump, causing the refrigerant to flow through the system. Its job is to draw in a low-pressure, low-temperature, refrigerant in a gaseous state and by compressing this gas, raise the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant. This high-pressure, high-temperature gas then flows to the condenser coil.

The condenser coil is a series of piping with a fan that draws outside air across the coil. As the refrigerant passes through the condenser coil and the cooler outside air passes across the coil, the air absorbs heat from the refrigerant, which causes the refrigerant to condense from a gas to a liquid state. The high-pressure, high-temperature liquid then reaches the expansion valve.

The expansion valve is the "brain" of the system. By sensing the temperature of the evaporator, or cooling coil, it allows liquid to pass through a very small opening, which causes the refrigerant to expand to a low-pressure, low-temperature gas. This "cold" refrigerant flows to the evaporator.

The evaporator coil is a series of piping connected to a furnace or air handler that blows indoor air across it, causing the coil to absorb heat from the air. The cooled air is then delivered to the house through ducting. The refrigerant then flows back to the compressor where the cycle starts over again.

Most central air conditioning units operate by means of a split system. That is, they consist of a "hot" side, or the condensing unit—including the condensing coil, the compressor and the fan—which is situated outside your home, and a "cold" side that is located inside your home. The cold side consists of an expansion valve and a cold coil, and it is usually part of your furnace or some type of air handler. The furnace blows air through an evaporator coil, which cools the air. Then this cool air is routed throughout your home by means of a series of air ducts.

Heat pumps and geothermal systems are other options for cooling your home.  The basic principle of removing warm air and replacing it with cool air applies to these systems as well. 

It is important to understand how air conditioning systems are rated for efficiency.  They are rated by what is known as S.E.E.R., Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating.  Air conditioners with a higher SEER are more efficient, less costly to operate and more environmentally friendly.  The current government minimum is 13 SEER. 

So those are the basics of your cooling system, the thermostat for control, the central air conditioning unit to remove warm air in order to create cool air, and a duct system to move the air through your home.  And that how your central air conditioning system keeps you cool!

Sources:   
www.energystar.gov
www.energysavers.gov
www.howstuffworks.com
www.ahrinet.org
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Why You Shouldn’t “Super” Size Your New Heating & Cooling System

Don’t pay too much for Your Heating & Cooling System

We as Americans, think that bigger is better and buy products that are “jumbo”, “extra large”, or “mega” size.  We generally think we are getting a better value and more of what we want.  But when it comes to a home’s heating and cooling needs, super-sizing your system can cost you in both money and comfort. If you are in the market to replace an older, inefficient heating and cooling system with a new energy efficient one an understanding of the critical importance of sizing the system correctly is needed.  The correct size of heating and cooling equipment in your home will improve your comfort while reducing costs, maintenance and energy usage.

To give you some history, homes were not as tightly constructed in the past as they are today and it was not uncommon to install furnaces and air conditioners that were two to four times the necessary capacity.  Now most people have added new windows, caulking, weather-stripping, and insulation to their homes.  Making improvements such as these to reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer allows you to install a much smaller system while still being comfortable and saving on your monthly utility bills.

The most common mistake made in new heating and cooling systems is oversizing.  This will make the new system not only more expensive to buy and install, but also forces it to operate inefficiently.  An oversized system will also breakdown more often and cost more to operate.  Oversized heating equipment creates uncomfortable and large temperature swings.  Oversized air conditioners (and heat pumps) do not run long enough to dehumidify the air, which results in the air feeling “clammy” and the potential for unhealthy mold growth in your home. 

Oversized equipment experiences frequent starts and stops (known as “short cycling”) and will accelerate the wear and tear on the equipment, which can lead to premature failure.  Oversized equipment also uses more fan power for the blower, which often leads to duct leakage due to higher operating duct pressures. On the other side, undersized equipment, with airflow that is too low, can reduce the efficiency of the air distribution and accelerate wear on the system components, leading to earlier failure.  Basically, your system will be working longer and harder to keep up with your comfort demands.  Your system will have to run constantly and will wear itself out at a quicker rate.

A home “load calculation” is critical when homeowners are looking for a new heating and cooling system.  This is basically a list of factors that determine what size system you need.  A good contractor/technician will look at things such as wall measurements, floor space, windows, R-value of home’s insulation, overall square footage of livable space, etc.  A close estimate of a building’s air leakage is also necessary.  This estimate should also include an inspection of the size, condition of seals on joints and insulation and location of distribution ducts in a forced air system. 

Beware of a contractor/technician who only checks the “nameplate” (the label listing BTU’s) of the existing unit and tries to sell you one just like it or even worse, one that’s larger.  This is not the correct way to size equipment and is not in your best interest.  Another method includes using simple “rule of thumb”.  They may base the size of your home on similar homes like it, using a chart that takes into account a variety of factors.  This method can be used for a first estimate, but should not be used to size the actual system.  You should include a requirement to produce a written sizing calculation when negotiating with your heating and cooling contractor/technician.

So remember when you are looking to buy a new heating and/or cooling system correctly sizing of your system will directly affect the comfort level in your home, as well as the long-term life of the system and overall cost to you.  Pick the right size and skip the super-size!


Sources:    
www.energy.gov
www.energystar.gov
www.hgtvpro.com
www.energysavers.gov

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Inside Your Air Ducts

The air duct system within your home is responsible for distributing air (cold or hot) throughout your home and returning it back to your equipment so that it can be treated, heated or cooled again, and then redistributed.  Clean, maintained and well-installed ductwork enables your heating and cooling system to run more efficiently and maintain consistent temperatures, while providing better overall comfort to you and your family. 

Layers of dirt in ductwork can affect your operating costs and comfort.  Most dirt accumulates in the return ducts of your system, which leads back to your heating and cooling system.  The dirt that does not get filtered by your filter will blow right back into your home.  Did you know that air passes through the duct system at an average speed of 1000 feet per minute? Air moving at that speed kicks up a lot of harmful contamination and sends it right back into your living and breathing space!

Dirty ducts will quickly clog up a furnace filter and cause your furnace or air conditioner to work harder.  And a system that has to work harder means higher utility bills for you.  This dirt build-up will also affect the longevity and performance of your equipment.  As your system works harder it will also work less efficiently, breakdown more frequently and cause more wear and tear on the equipment, decreasing the life of your equipment. 

Changing air filters on your heating and cooling system regularly can help prevent this build-up.  Also having your air ducts professionally cleaned will also greatly improve the quality of air in your home.

Maintaining your ducts is also important.  You should have your ductwork periodically checked by a professional heating and cooling technician for leaks.  Leaky ductwork can cause your utility bills to be 20-30% higher than they should be.  Leaky ducts will affect a system’s ability to deliver even heating and cooling throughout your home. 

Poorly installed ductwork will result in poor performance as well.  It can cause bad airflow, leaky ductwork systems and higher than usual utility bills.  For these reasons it is important to have your ductwork installed correctly by a qualified installation technician whether for retrofit or new construction.

A qualified technician will take into consideration the load size.  They will look at factors such as square feet of your home, number of occupants, which direction the house is facing, shading around your home, the number of doors and windows and many other factors.  This is important because undersizing ductwork causes the system to strain mechanically and can be noisy and oversizing a system costs more and does not maintain the desired airflow.

The condition of your ductwork plays a key role in the overall energy efficiency of your home’s comfort system and affects how comfortable your home is.  As a major part of your heating and cooling system, your ductwork should be cleaned, maintained and installed correctly.  All of these factors will help ensure high efficiency equipment performance and equipment longevity, as well as decreased utility costs and increased home comfort.

Sources:      www.ajperri.com
                     www.energysaver.gov
                     www.energystar.gov Misconceptions about Heating Systems - A.J. Perri HVAC
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Instant Hot Water with Tankless Water Heaters!

The average household spends $400-600 per year on water heating, making it the second largest energy expenditure after heating and cooling. Water heaters have come a long ways in the last 20 years and are now much more efficient. Yet most Americans still have older conventional water heaters that do not take advantage of these efficiencies. Some consumers are finding tankless water heaters to be an excellent way to cut utility costs and be more energy efficient.

First of all, it helps to understand the difference between traditional and tankless water heaters.  Traditional water heaters are designed to heat and store water in a tank, usually 40-50 gallons at a time.  When this water is used, the tank is filled again with new water from your water source, which is then heated and stored until the next time, an endless cycle. 

Tankless water heaters, however, provide hot water only as it is needed.  They heat water directly without the use of a storage tank, thereby eliminating the standby energy losses associated with storage water heaters, which will save you money.  By heating water only when it’s needed, gas tankless heaters can cut expenses by 30%, while providing a continuous supply of hot water.

Rinnai, a manufacturer of tankless water heaters (EnergyStar rated), reports that you can see energy efficiencies as high as 50% with their tankless water heater.  With an 84% EF (energy-efficiency rating) these units will recoup their initial investment in a short period of time through savings realized when you are only heating water when you need it.

Tankless water heaters have a lot of benefits for homeowners.  They have about twice the life expectancy of a traditional water heater and are wall mounted so they don’t take up any floor space.  Tankless systems also feature flash heating technology, which combines ultra-efficient consumption with low-emission technology, reducing CO and NOx emissions and your home’s carbon footprint.

An important factor if you are considering a tankless water heater is whether to go with an electric or gas unit.  If you have a big house, with more than one bathroom, you will need a large unit that can keep up with the heating.  The best choice would be a gas heater because the capacity is much higher and it can heat the water faster than an electric heater.  For a smaller house or an apartment, an electric heater is best.  It is smaller and easier to install.

With a tankless water heater you are able to provide an endless supply of hot water efficiently throughout your home, you have the capacity to provide hot water to multiple appliances simultaneously with significant energy savings, and with the compact installation you save on valuable square footage that can be better used in your home.  Don’t pay for something 24 hours a day you’re not using 24 hours a day!

Sources: www.rinnai.com
                www.ajperri.com
                www.energysavers.gov
                www.energystar.gov
                www.energy.gov Misconceptions about Heating Systems - A.J. Perri HVAC
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The Value of Quality Installation & Maintenance

These days the internet has become a very valuable tool for making price comparsons when considering purchases, especially major purchases. Everyone uses it. However, if you are considering a new heating and cooling system you need to consider more than just what the best price is and who carries the top brand. The largest factors when buying a heating and cooling system are the installation and maintenance.

Industry research shows that 90% of the value you receive is tied directly to installation and maintenance. The evaluation, installation and maintenance of your system have a greater impact on your wallet and overall comfort than the equipment itself! It is important to make sure it is installed properly, by a reputable company, and maintained to keep it working properly long after you buy it.

A properly installed heating and cooling system starts with a qualified technician performing a load calculation on your home prior to system selection. This calculation is necessary to insure that you get the correct size system to meet the needs of your home. A unit that is too big (oversized) may have a higher upfront cost, raise your utility costs, remove less humidity and fail more quickly. A unit that is too small will have to work harder to heat and cool your home and will most likely fail prematurely as well. A load calculation takes into consideration factors such as, the square footage of usable space in your home, the number of windows, types of windows, insulation amounts, the direction your home is facing and many other factors.

Another major factor in insuring that your system in installed correctly is to hire a reputable, trained technician. A professional service technician will know that your ducts need to be checked before installing a new HVAC system. If the ducts are too small they will cause your HVAC system to use more energy and will deliver less comfort. Too small of ducts will lead to early equipment failure as well. A trained technician will also know to measure and document your airflow, to measure refrigerant charge, to ensure that your unit is safe electrically, to test the firing rate on a new furnace or boiler and to test your thermostat to ensure it is compatible with the new equipment.

By choosing a reputable HVAC company for installation they should be able to provide you with a copy of the installation checklist with a record of all measurements taken during installation, as well as provide a copy of the owner’s manual, manufacturer’s warranty and their warranty. Along with this you should get a list of recommended maintenance requirements. Maintenance is key to keeping your system working at peak performance.

Many people don’t think that they need to maintain newly installed equipment. Not only is this necessary to keep your warranty in effect (most equipment manufacturers will state in the terms of their warranty that an annual maintenance must be performed by a qualified technician), but also to assure that your new equipment is operating safely and at its peak efficiency.

There is nothing better for your heating and/or air conditioning system than annual maintenance. Annual maintenance allows your system to continue to work at peak efficiency year in and year out. A system that is maintained annually experiences considerably fewer breakdowns and costly repairs along with using less energy. You’ll enjoy the peace of mind in knowing that your system is saving you money on your utility bills every time it comes on. In some instances, the energy savings are enough to pay the cost of the planned annual maintenance service.

So, when you’re in the market for a major purchase like a new heating & cooling system to maximize your home comfort do your research and pick a reputable, experienced HVAC company. Leave the internet to products that do not rely on the value of installation and maintenance!


Sources:
www.ajperri.com
www.carrier.com
www.energystar.gov


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Plumbing 101

If you're lucky, you rarely need to worry about your plumbing. Your toilet flushes and your sink drains smoothly; you have plenty of hot water and your shower has good water pressure. But luck doesn't last forever. Many problems can occur in this system. Pipes can break, drains can plug, and valves can leak. When trouble arises, it's helpful if you know how the system works. This knowledge can help you save money, prevent damage to your home and keep your family safe.

The basics of plumbing are easy to understand. There are two separate subsystems in the plumbing system of your home, one that brings water in and one that takes wastewater back out. Water enters you house through a pressurized water line. The pressure of the water coming in allows it to move around corners and even upstairs. After being split into hot and cold water lines, the water supply runs to each fixture in your home.
The second subsystem in your home is for drainage. Once used, fresh water becomes wastewater, and it enters the drain-waste-vent (DWV) system. Gravity now takes over, pulling the wastewater down a series of sloped, ever larger pipes where it will flow to a sewage treatment facility or septic tank.

Water volume is vital to plumbing. All fixtures operate within a range of water volume. The plumber must ensure that each fixture, from the faucet to the laundry hose receives the correct amount of water volume. Plumbers rely on the internal diameter of the water pipes to control water volume. Surprisingly water pressure and water volume are not the same. The pressure remains the same, but the volume may change due to the variations in pipe size.

Gravity is another crucial part of a plumbing system. Plumbers use gravity to move the drainage and waste removal of the system. Drainage leaves your house because the pipes all pitch, or angle downward. Your system must also be properly vented in order to release air pressure, or it will lose its flow.

When designing or repairing a system, a plumber’s job is often dictated by local, state and federal codes. These codes will specify the internal diameter of pipe that must be used for a particular plumbing section or function. An example of this would be, pipe of increasingly smaller diameter is called for as the supply pipes branch out from the water main that enters the house. This is because the water coming out of the main is under too much water pressure for an individual fixture (sink, toilet, etc.) to handle. This decreasing drop in pressure as water moves away from the main to primary supply lines then to secondary supply lines, ensures that each appliance receives the correct amount of pressure and volume of water.
As mentioned previously, a plumbing system must be vented. Vents are the pipes you see sticking out of the roof of your house. These allow air to enter the drainpipes. Without this air supply coming in, wastewater would not flow out properly and the water in the traps (under a sink) would need to be siphoned away.

Traps are another important component of the drainage system. Every sink will have one under it; it is the S-shape section of pipe under the drain. Water that flows from the basin of the sink goes through this trap and out through the drainpipe. Enough water remains behind to form a seal that prevents sewer gas from backing up into your house. Every fixture must have a trap. This area under your sink is where you will often get a build-up of hair and grease and need to break up the clog or call a plumber to remove the clog.

In a plumbing emergency, it's vital that you quickly close the main shutoff valve. Every homeowner should be aware of is where the emergency shut-off valves are located in their homes. Otherwise, when a pipe bursts, it can flood your house in no time. If the emergency is confined to a sink, tub, or toilet, however, you may not want to turn off your entire water supply. Therefore, most fixtures should have individual stop valves.
The most important valve in your house is the whole house shut-off valve. This is usually located near the foundation, either inside or outside your home, often in the basement or garage. If you ever have problems with this valve you should have it replaced immediately. The whole house hot-water turn-off is usually located on top of the water heater. Other fixtures in your home will have individual shut-off valves, such as toilets, sinks, dishwashers, and clothes washers.

Knowing some basics about the plumbing in your home can help save time and money when you encounter a problem. This knowledge can also save your home from serious damage if you ever have a pipe burst or a leaky fixture. And not least of the reasons, knowing your plumbing system will help you and your family stay safe if you ever have a plumbing emergency.

Sources:      www.howstuffworks.com
                    www.bobvila.com
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Basics of Heating

According to the U.S. Federal Government heating and cooling accounts for around 45% of Americans’ annual energy bills. They estimate that on average homeowners will spend more than $10,000 for heating and cooling over a 10-year period.

We are a comfort-based society and most of us have high expectations for comfort in our own homes. Nobody wants to toss and turn in a cold house this winter because something has gone wrong with the heating system. When problems hit, it helps to understand how your heating system works and knowing the basics can also help troubleshoot when there’s a problem. Along with understanding how your system works, you should know what different options are available with various systems, what standards or regulations these systems adhere to and lastly, how far these systems have come in what they can do to provide added comfort in your home.

“A heating system is a mechanism for maintaining temperatures at an acceptable level; by using thermal energy within a home, office, or other dwelling.” Heating systems, often part of an HVAC (acronym for “heating, ventilating, and air conditioning”) system, may be centralized or distributed. A central heating system provides warmth to the whole interior of a building (or portion of a building) from one point to multiple rooms.

There are various types of heating systems options that homeowners can utilize. Furnaces fueled by natural gas are the by far the most common heating system for homes in the United States. Furnaces heat your home by circulating heated air through a series of ducts, known as a forced air duct system. As the fuel burns, the hot gases that are generated move through curved metal tubing called a heat exchanger, and then exit your home through a vent pipe. At the same time, the air circulating through the ducts passes over the exterior of the heat exchanger, and gathers heat from the hot metal. This warmed air is then circulated throughout your home.

Boilers, another forced air system, heat water, providing either water or steam for heating. Steam is distributed via pipes to steam radiators, and hot water can be distributed via baseboard radiators or radiant floor systems, or can heat air via a coil.

Heat pumps are another option for heating your home. Like your refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a cool space into a warm, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. A heat pump is an air conditioner in reverse. With an air conditioner, heat is extracted from the building as it is absorbed into refrigerant inside the fan unit in your basement or closet. The refrigerant then carries the heat to an outdoor unit where it is transferred outside. This leaves the air in the building cooler.

In a heat pump, heat is extracted from the air outside and brought into the house. Surprisingly, there is a decent amount of heat to be extracted until the outdoor air gets to approximately 30 to 35 degrees F. Because they move heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can provide up to 4 times the amount of energy they consumer. Heat pumps work best in climates with moderate heating and cooling needs and offer an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners.

Geothermal heat pumps (GHP) are a very energy efficient way to heat (or cool) your home. Geothermal heat pumps use the constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature. This allows the system to reach fairly high efficiencies (300%-600%) on the coldest of winter nights, compared to 175%-250% for air-source heat pumps on cool days. While many parts of the country experience seasonal temperature extremes—from scorching heat in the summer to sub-zero cold in the winter—a few feet below the earth's surface the ground remains at a relatively constant temperature. Depending on latitude, ground temperatures range from 45°F (7°C) to 75°F (21°C). Like a cave, this ground temperature is warmer than the air above it during the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. The GHP takes advantage of this by exchanging heat with the earth through a ground heat exchanger. As with any heat pump, geothermal and water-source heat pumps are able to heat, cool, and, in some cases, provide you with hot water as a side benefit.

Radiant heating systems involve supplying heat directly to the floor or to panels in the wall or ceiling of a house. This system depends largely on radiant heat transfer; the delivery of heat directly from the hot surface to the people and objects in the room via the radiation of heat, also called infrared radiation.

Radiant heat has a number of advantages; it is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced-air heating because no energy is lost through the ducts. This has advantages for allergy sufferers. Hydronic (liquid-based) systems use very little electricity and can use a wide variety of energy sources, including standard gas- or oil-fired boilers, wood-fired boilers, solar water heaters, or a combination of these heat sources.

The last type of system is a solar heating system, which utilizes two types of substances – either liquid or air – that are heated in the solar energy collectors. The collector is the device in which a fluid is heated by the sun. Liquid-based systems heat water or an antifreeze solution in a “hydronic” collector, while air-based systems heat air in an “air” collector. Both of these systems collect and absorb solar radiation, then transfer the solar heat directly to the interior space, from which the heat is distributed. Both of these systems (liquid and air) can help supplement a forced air system.

Solar heating systems are most cost-effective when they are used most of the year – in cold climates with good solar resources. They are most economical when they are displacing more expensive heating fuels, such as electricity, propane or oil heat.

AFUE is the ratio of heat output of the furnace or boiler compared to the total energy consumed by a furnace or boiler. An AFUE of 90% means that 90% of the energy in the fuel becomes heat for your home and the other 10% escapes up the chimney and elsewhere. AFUE does not include the heat losses of the duct system or piping, which can be as much as 35% of the energy output of a furnace when the ducts are located in the attic.

Something to note, even though the all-electric furnace or boiler has higher AFUE ratings between 95-100%, due to the high cost of electricity in most parts of the country this is not an economic choice for most. If you are looking for electric heating, you should consider a heat pump.

In the graph below you can see how much money you can save by upgrading your old heating equipment to a new higher efficiency system.
 

EnergyStar™, a division of the EPA, is an organization that can guide homeowners into making more energy efficient decisions for their homes. By making your home more energy efficient with ENERGY STAR rated products you can help to reduce high energy bills, improve comfort and help to protect the environment. Improving energy efficiency is an important first step for homeowners interested in green remodeling.

As our desire for improved comfort increases, so have the technological advances in the heating and cooling industry. You can now “Zone” your heating and cooling system. Zoning is simply a way of dividing a home into areas with similar cooling and heating needs. Just as you wouldn’t have just one light switch for your entire home, with zoning you can have the same flexibility with your temperature, by independently controlling different areas of your home according to needs and occupancy.

Another great advancement has been in the programmable thermostat. Now you can adjust your temperatures for when you are not at home and have them readjust before you return. This allows you to save energy when you are not there and still have a comfortable home to come back to. The power of modern technology – while features vary from global remote access to simple ventilation controls, today’s programmable thermostats have several things in common; they are: easy to use, contribute to overall system performance, maximize energy savings and provide complete comfort control.

Last but certainly not least, is the importance of maintenance and safety of your heating system. It is extremely important to maintain your heating system. As much as half the energy used by your home goes to heating and cooling. By properly maintaining your heating system you can ensure it is running efficiently which will largely affect your monthly utility bills. Also improperly maintained gas heating equipment can become a fire and carbon monoxide hazard, causing a health risk or even death. Holes in your system’s heat exchanger or firebox can leak carbon monoxide or allow flames that are normally contained inside the system to reach your living space causing a potentially dangerous situation.

Whether its troubleshooting a problem, looking to replace your current system with a new energy efficient system, performing proper maintenance or just wanting to save money and reduce your energy output, all of these efforts are made easier by understating the basics of your heating system.

For more information on heating systems you can go to the websites listed below.



Sources: www.ajperri.com
               www.trane.com
               www.honeywell.com
               www.energysavers.org
               www.consumerenergycenter.org
               www.wikipedia.com
 

Misconceptions about Heating Systems - A.J. Perri HVAC
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The Importance of Heating & Cooling System Maintenance

According to Energy Star, a division of the EPA, “Dirt and neglect are the #1 causes of heating and cooling system failure.” Most people wouldn’t dream of driving their car without performing regular oil changes and tune-ups, but they will go year after year without servicing their heating and cooling systems. Your heating and cooling system, like your car, needs a tune-up to prevent breakdowns and unnecessary repairs. Your system requires a maintenance check-up twice a year, once in the fall before you use your heating system and once in the spring before you start your air conditioner. These check-ups will insure that your system is performing at its most efficient and providing optimum home comfort. A maintenance check-up will also extend the life of your equipment, increase cost effectiveness, and insure safe operations of your equipment.

According to the EPA, as much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. Making smart decisions on your heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can increase the efficiency of your system and have a large affect on your utility bills. In fact, studies show that properly maintaining your heating and cooling systems can reduce energy bills by up to 35%!

When we turn on our central heating and air conditioning we expect them to be able to deliver the temperature we want to be comfortable in a variety of conditions and to deliver it all day long. If your HVAC unit is not maintained properly, it may be working too hard or inefficiently to deliver the comfort of a consistent air temperature.

We all, of course, want our heating and cooling system to last as long as possible. But just like a new car will decline in performance without regular maintenance, so will your heating and cooling system. According to Energy Star your system will last several years longer with proper maintenance.

Many people avoid routine maintenance because of the expected high cost. You can get regular maintenance done on your equipment for around $150/year (and even less with multi-year agreements). Don’t wait until your air conditioner won’t cool or your furnace won’t ignite before you call for service. At this point you’ll typically pay more (because it’s an emergency call) and have to wait (because it’s usually around the hottest or coolest day of the year). Having your HVAC system put on a yearly maintenance schedule will pay for itself in lower repair costs, less aggravation, and more efficient operation.

One of the most important reasons to schedule routine maintenance is for safety – for you and your family. A typical maintenance check-up will include tightening all electrical connections, measuring the voltage and current on motors and checking for small holes in your system’s heat exchanger or firebox. These issues can be very dangerous … even fatal. Faulty electrical connections can cause shorts and unsafe operation, while carbon monoxide leaks or open flames in your living space can create fire or a serious health hazard.

According to Carrier, a manufacturer of HVAC systems, proper air conditioning maintenance can help your unit last decades. On the flip side, a neglected air conditioner loses roughly 5% of its efficiency each year that it operates without upkeep. “So that green machine you bought to stay cool could start to function like the most inefficient thing on the market, if you fail to perform regular air conditioning maintenance.” Proper maintenance will increase the longevity of your heating and cooling system and increase the overall comfort of your home year round.


Sources: www.ajperri.com
               www.carrier.com
               http://www.energystar.gov

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Important Changes Regarding the R-22 Refrigerant

As of January 2010, R-22 refrigerant, a HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbon), will no longer be manufactured. This refrigerant has been the refrigerant of choice for residential heat pump and air conditioning systems for over four decades. The Title VI of the Clean Air Act implemented by the EPA has established a schedule to phaseout HCFCs, including R-22, which contain ozone-destroying chlorine. Manufacturers of residential air conditioning systems have started offering equipment that uses ozone-friendly refrigerants. This transition will cause changes that homeowners should be aware of. It will affect future availability, provide new replacement refrigerants, and cause price increases for R-22. Additionally, this transition will affect homeowners’ decisions when they have repairs done on existing equipment and when they are thinking of purchasing new air conditioning systems or heat pumps.
The Clean Air Act does not “allow any refrigerant to be vented into the atmosphere during installation, service or retirement of equipment”. This means that R-22 must be “recovered and recycled (for reuse in the same system), reclaimed (repossessed to the same purity levels as new R-22), or destroyed.” After 2020, the servicing of R-22-based systems will rely on recycled refrigerants. According to the EPA, this reclamation and recycling should ensure that existing supplies of R-22 will last longer and be available to service a greater number of systems.

Existing units using R-22 can continue to be serviced with R-22. There is no EPA requirement to change or convert R-22 units for use with the new non-zone-depleting refrigerants. In order to change a system over to 410A it would need to change the condenser (outdoor unit), the evaporator coil and the refrigerant copper line set in most cases. Service technicians who repair leaks to the system will be able to continue to charge R-22 into the system as part of the repair so that this conversion would be unnecessary.

As R-22 is gradually phased out, non-ozone-depleting alternative refrigerants are being introduced to the HVAC industry. One of these substitutes is R-410A. This is manufactured and sold under various trade names, including GENETRON, AZ-20 ®, SUVA 410A ®, and Puron ®.

Another thing to be aware of is the possible price increases of R-22. The price is expected to go up as the supply of dwindles over the next 20 – 30 years. The EPA, however, believes that consumers are not likely to be subjected to major price increases due to the lengthy phaseout period.

The average life expectancy of an air conditioning unit or heat pump is around 15 years. What this means to homeowners, for example, is if you had installed a new R-22 air conditioning system in the year 2002, you will be able to get refrigerant for your system at least until the year 2020 when it will no longer be manufacturered. Chances are, within that much time you will need a new system, so you shouldn’t base a purchase on freon alone.

The new systems will incorporate compressors and other components specifically designed for use with specific replacement refrigerants. This significant change in both the product and production processes will require new testing and training. Consumers should be aware that dealers of systems that use substitute refrigerants should be schooled in installation and service techniques required for use of that substitute refrigerant.

Homeowners that have older equipment and decide to replace their old system should strongly consider purchasing high-energy efficient systems. Energy-efficient systems will result in costs savings. Today’s energy efficient air conditioners use much less energy to produce that same amount of cooling. According to the EPA, Energy Star ® labeled products can save homeowners 10 – 40% on their heating and cooling bills every year.

This is a change that benefits everyone, including our planet. Homeowners just need to understand how it will affect them and to be prepared.  You can go to www.energystar.gov for more information on energy efficient systems.

Sources: www.energystar.gov
               www.epa.gov
               http://www.ajperri.com

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Problems of Poor Indoor Air Quality

There are a variety of health and environmental effects that are caused by poor air quality.  According to the EPA, asthma is a growing public health problem with about 23 million people suffering from asthma, 6.8 million of which are children.  Other problems caused by poor air quality are rhinitis, bacteria, sinusitis, dust and dirt build-up, excessive molds and mildew, smoke, increased utility bills (decreased air flow) and unpleasant fumes and odors.  Fifty percent of illnesses, such as colds and flu, allergies and asthma, are caused or aggravated by mold, mildew, bacteria and fungi according to the American College of Allergists. 
 
The American Lung Association states that the average American spends 70% of their time indoors and that the quality of indoor air can be 5 times worse than the air outside.  In our quest to be more energy efficient, we are adding insulation, vapor barriers, caulk and weather-stripping to help retain our heated or cooled air in our homes.  Unfortunately, this reduces air infiltration from the outside so that air and pollutants remain inside longer. 
 
The HVAC (heating and cooling) industry has already come up with ways to improve the air quality in your homes.  There are a variety of products currently on the market today to help combat poor air quality as well as some simple preventative measures homeowners can take.
 
A great way to improve indoor air quality is through an air purification system.  This whole-house filtration system connects to your heating and cooling system.  The Infinity Air Purifier, by CARRIER is one of the most effective whole-house air systems available on the market today.  This system will remove 99.98% of allergens from filtered air and traps particles down to .3 microns in size.  This system is also 100 times more effective than 1” filters.  This system delivers clean air to the whole house and more of it. 
 
Another option is an Air Cleaner which will also attach to your heating and cooling system.  An air cleaner can improve your health and comfort by keeping your entire home cleaner, protect your furnishings and save you time and the aggravation of continuous dusting and cleaning.  Whole-house air cleaners are up to 40 times more efficient than standard furnace filters.  It cleans irritants from the air such as bacteria, allergens, respirable dust and other airborne contaminants.  Another benefit of a whole-house air cleaner is that it protects against the build-up of dust and dirt in your heating and cooling system, which if left alone can lead to increased and expensive maintenance as well as premature failure. 
 
Ultraviolet (UV) Germicidal Lamps are another way to remove airborne contaminants from your home.  Mold and bacteria can easily grow on air conditioning coils as a result of normal condensation that takes place during the cooling process.  A UV Germicidal Lamp is designed to eliminate the mold and bacteria on the air conditioning coils.  The elimination of mold and bacteria will reduce your family’s risk of allergic reactions and illnesses as well as get rid of foul odors.  It also allows your home comfort system to run less often, for shorter periods of time and at peak efficiency. 
 
Whole-house duct cleaning is also a great way to improve air quality inside your home.   Duct cleaning dislodges dirt and debris in the airflow systems and is followed by a thorough cleaning.  This cleaning will kill germs and bacteria, remove dust from your home, improve the efficiency of your system, and make your home smell clean and fresh.
 
A last simple thing that homeowners can do is change the filters on their heating and cooling system once a month.  This will cut down on the amount of dust and pollutants in the air.  Filters remove dust and other particles from the air such as pollen, bacteria, smoke, smog, pet dander, and plant and mold spores.  They will also help increase the energy efficiency and prolong the life of your heating and cooling system.
 
The air we breathe in our homes is loaded with pollutants and since we spend so much of our time indoors, we owe it to ourselves and our families to provide the cleanest air we can.  Removing dust, allergens, bacteria and odors can do wonders for your health and the quality of your life. 


Sources:        www.ajperri.com
                      www.carrier.com
                      www.epa.com
                      www.lungusa.org
                      www.acaai.org


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