We are entering mid-July.  The cooling season is in full swing.  It seems like a good time to remind people of a few tips to keep their air conditioners running efficiently.  And, to prevent the air conditioner from breakdowns and costly ac repairs. 

The number one tip is to replace or clean your indoor air filter according to manufacturer's recommendations.  This typically means every 1 to 3 months for filters that are 1" in thickness and every 6 to 12 months for filters that are 4" to 5" in thickness.  Dirty filters cause a reduction in indoor air flow which puts undue strain on the indoor fan motor and may lead to it's failure.  This reduction in air flow can also damage the outdoor compressor by not allowing for complete evaporation of the refrigerant through the indoor evaporator coil.  Dirty filters also lead to a reduction in efficiency.  Filters will pay for themselves through increased efficiency of the air conditioner and fewer ac repairs. 

One thing that can help reduce the cost of running your ac which some people do not address is solar radiation through your windows.  You should always close curtains and blinds where direct sunlight is filtering through.  This can reduce the ac run time by blocking unwanted heat gain.

Also, having your air conditioner serviced annually by a licensed HVAC contractor can increase efficiency and decrease breakdown likelihood.  I have found that most air conditioners need to have the outdoor condensing coil cleaned annually.  This improves the efficiency and decreases the likelihood of the compressor and/or outdoor fan motor failing.  Other things that the HVAC tech checks during the maintenance inspection includes :  refrigerant level, compressor and motor amp draws, high and low voltage levels, contactor relay for charring and pitting, and capacitors for proper capacitance.  Checking that all of these things are satisfactory insures that the air conditioner is running efficiently and reduces the likelihood of breakdown and costly ac repairs.

I hope these tips are helpful!

Have a nice day!

-Jim Harless

This blog is way over due.  Numerous times over the years I have had people quiz me about their heat pump operation.  Questions or observations such as :  "Why is the air coming out of my registers not warm?", "Why does my heat pump run all the time?", "The outdoor unit is running, but the fan is not turning", "A puff of steam just came out of the outdoor unit", "My outdoor heat pump is making loud and/or weird noises."  This blog will attempt to answer some of those questions.  Heat pumps truly are mysterious to the uninformed.

To understand heat pumps, first, we must understand the basic operation of air conditioners.  Air conditoners cool your home in the summer time by "absorbing" heat from your indoor air and expelling that heat outside.  Without getting into the physics of refrigeration, lets look at the basic set up of a cooling system.  There is the refrigerant, the piping to contain and transport the refrigerant, the compressor to pump the refrigerant through the system, and two coils (one inside, one outside) to exchange the heat.  Indoor and outdoor fan motors are also important to draw air across the coils and allow them to exchange the heat.  I am tempted to go into more detail here, but I think this will be sufficient.  Anyhow, when your air conditioner is turned on by the thermostat, the compressor, and both indoor/outdoor fan motors are energized.  The compressor is pumping refrigerant through the system and the fan motors are supplying air to both indoor and outdoor coils which allows the heat to be absorbed by the indoor coil, transported to the outdoor coil where it is expelled to the surrounding air.  This is why the air temperature coming out of the outdoor unit is warmer than the outdoor air and vice versa, the indoor air is cooler. 

Now that we have a basic idea how an air conditioner works, let us apply that knowledge to understanding heat pump operation.  Imagine an air conditioner with a reverse gear in regard to the direction of the refrigerant flow.  That, in a nutshell, is what a heat pump is.  There is more to it than that, but this concept will suffice.  When the heat pump is energized in the heating mode, the refrigerant flows in the opposite direction than it does in the cooling mode.  This causes the indoor and outdoor coils to exchange functions.  Now, in the heating mode, the outdoor coil is absorbing heat from the surrounding air and that heat is then discharged from the indoor coil providing heat to your home.

Next, lets look at how a heat pump is sized.  Most people don't realize this, but heat pumps are sized based on your cooling needs, not heating demand.  In northern climates, say Ohio for example, heating load (or demand) is higher than the cooling load.  Which means that your heat pump is insufficient to supply all of your heating demand.  The reason for this is that heat pumps and ducting system would have to be grossly oversized to be the only source of heat.  This is unrealistic, and heat pumps are inefficient at low outdoor temperatures (i.e. single digits or less) as well.  This is why we have an auxillary heat source to back up the heat pump in northern climates.  This auxillary heat source, whether it be electric, LP, or oil, is usually sized to provide all of your heating needs even without the heat pump running.  The reason that we don't use this auxillary source all the time is efficiency.  At outdoor temperatures above 20F, most heat pumps are providing heat more efficiently than your auxillary source.  At single temps and below...not so much.  The heat pump capacity (tons) and efficiency (HSPF or SEER) is dependent on outdoor temperature.  The lower the temperature, the lower the capacity and efficiency. 

Another term used to describe the efficiency of a heat pump is the COP.  This stands for Coefficient Of Performance.  The best way to understand COP is this :  A heat pump with a COP of 2 provides twice as much heat as electric for the same money.  Or, you get the same amount of heat from a heat pump vs electric at half the cost.  So, a heat pump with a COP of 3 provides the same amount of heat that you would get from an all electric heat source for one third the cost.  Most heat pumps today have a COP at or near 3.0.

For more info on COP and SEER go here :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_energy_efficiency_ratio

In the central Ohio area, your heating system should be able to warm your home to +70F with outdoor temperatures down to +5F.  Most systems can do better than this.  But, most heat pumps can only provide +70F indoor temperature with outdoor temperatures somewhere between +20F and +35F.  With temperatures lower than that, they need the auxillary heat source to help.  This brings us to a concept called the "balance point."  The "balance point" is the point (outdoor temp) where the rate of heat gain provided by your heat pump is equal to the rate of heat loss by your home.  Which means your heat pump is running continuously to maintain the temperature inside your home. At temperatures below the "balance point", the temperature inside your home would begin to drop.  That is when your auxillary heat source kicks in to help maintain your indoor set point temperature.  With all electric homes, the electric auxillary heat runs with the heat pump to provide heat as efficiently as possible.  In homes that use a fossil fuel (gas, LP, or oil) for the auxillary heat source, the heat pump shuts down and the auxillary heat source takes over.  While this is not ideal, it is necessary due to the fact that the indoor coil has to be after the indoor heat source with these systems (which would create havoc with your heat pump if it were to continue running).  These systems which use a fossil fuel as the auxillary heat source are called "hybrid" heat pump systems. 

As you can see, heat pumps will run continuously at and below your balance point.  So, if your heat pump is running a lot, that doesn't mean there is something wrong with it.  That said, there stills exists the possibility that may there may be a problem with the system.  If your heat pump seems to run at 2F lower than your thermostat setting, and your utility bills have jumped significantly, then you could have a problem with the outdoor unit.  Check to see if it is running outside when the indoor system is running.  If not, then you have a problem.  But, even if it is running, there could still be a problem.  In this case, you may want to call your HVAC service provider and set up an appointment to have a technician look at your heat pump.  Only a technician can tell you if your system is running ok or not.  Be prepared for the tech to say everything is ok. 

So now you know that heat pumps have a tendency to run continuously at low temps.  But, that is ok.  What about the air not feeling warm enough?  Most heat pumps provide around 20 to 25F rise in temperature.  Which means that if your set point temperature is 70F, then you can expect around 90-95F temperature coming out of your registers (some newer heat pumps can be warmer than this).  Since our body temperature is 98F, 90-95F will not "feel" that warm even though the system is providing heat to your home.  There may be times when the air temperature coming out of your registers feels warmer.  This happens when the second stage, or auxillary heat kicks in.   

"My outdoor unit is running, but the fan blade is not turning!"  If you see this, your heat pump is probably ok.  If the unit runs for more than 10 minutes without the fan kicking in, then you may have a problem.  Another related observation :  "A puff of steam just came out of the top of my heat pump!"  These two observations are a normal part of your heat pump's defrost cycle.  Several things happen when your heat pump enters the defrost mode.  Your heat pump will enter defrost mode when sensors on the outdoor coil detect a build up of frost or ice on the coil.  When this occurs, your heat pump will switch from heating mode to cooling mode (this warms up the outdoor coil to allow defrost to occur), the outdoor fan motor shuts down (to speed up the defrost process), and your auxillary heat comes on inside to temper the air.  As the frost and ice begin to melt, you will see steam coming off the heat pump.  This defrost process usually takes less than 10 minutes.  At the end of the defrost cycle, the heat pump switches back to heating mode, the fan motor comes on (a puff of steam is usually visible), and the auxillary heat switches off (unless needed to support heat pump). 

Ok, we have explored the why heat pumps seem to run continuously, why the air temperature seems cool, why the outdoor unit may be running but the out door fan motor is not, and why steam sometimes comes out of the top of the heat pump.  What about strange noises coming from the heat pump?  Usually, a noisy heat pump is due to stress on the compressor.  Before you call your service provider, check your indoor air filter and replace/clean if necessary.  Also, insure that most of your registers, dampers, and grilles are open or not blocked by anything.  Good indoor airflow is crucial to a happy compressor.  If after checking these the noise is still there, call your service provider to schedule an appointment to have the heat pump serviced.  The technician can check both indoor and outdoor coils for proper airflow, insure that the refrigerant level is correct, and that the compressor voltage and amperage are normal.  If everything checks out to be fine, then the noise is likely due to normal wear and tear of the compressor.  Replacing the compressor is the only option at this point.  That said, and considering the high cost of compressor replacement, most compressors can continue to run (for years in some cases) in spite of the noise. 

Hopefully, this blog has been helpful and informative without being too confusing.  I apologize that it is quite a bit longer than most of my blogs, but there was a lot of ground that I wanted to cover.  Honestly, it could have been a lot longer ;)

If you live in or near Columbus Ohio, and need assistance with your heat pump, you can contact us at 614-837-5062.

Thanks,

Jim Harless

Minutemen Heating & Cooling, Inc. 

Is your gas furnace old?  Is your gas bill high?  Does your furnace break down frequently?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it may be worth it to consider a new high efficiency gas furnace.  An old furnace will generally be less effcient due to age, dirt, and corrosion.  Which may lead to a higher than necessary gas utility bill.  Let's explore some of the ways that a new furnace can save you money.

Federal energy tax credits are one way to lower the initial cost of a new furnace.  The current energy tax credits are set to expire December 31st, 2013.  So time is just about up to take advantage of the energy tax credits.  A new gas furnace with an A.F.U.E. (annual fuel utilization efficiency) of 95% or higher qualifies for a $150.00 tax credit.  If you purchase a furnace with a variable speed blower motor ( a.k.a. an advanced main circulatory fan) then you can qualify for an additional $50.00 tax credit.  In addition, if you purchase a new air conditioner ( SEER 16 or higher) or a new heat pump ( SEER 15 or higher), then you can qualify for an additional $300.00 energy tax credit.  For example, let's say you purchase a 96.7% efficient 2-stage variable speed gas furnace and 16 SEER air conditioner, you would qualify for a $ 500.00 energy tax credit.  Remember, these energy tax credits are set to expire in a few weeks, so time is critical.

To learn more about the federal energy tax credits, click here :                  http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index  

Certain utility providers also have rebate programs available to help offset the cost of high efficiency HVAC equipment.  AEP has a program that offers a $50.00 rebate for a programmable thermostat (with heat pumps), $150.00 for new indoors unit with a variable speed blower, $100.00 for air conditioner SEER 14.5 or higher, $350.00 for a heat pump of SEER 14.5 or higher (both ac and heat pump would need to replace a unit that was 13 SEER or less to qualify), and a complete system bonus of $150.00.  The maximum rebate would be around $700.00 for a complete new system.

To learn more about AEP rebates, click here :        http://dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=OH97F

One of the biggest ways to save money with a new furnace is the efficiency savings over the life of the furnace.  I have a good real life example of this.  10 years ago, I replaced my mother's furnace for her.  Her old furnace was 30 years old, over-sized, and dirty.  I replaced it with a standard 80% A.F.U.E. gas furnace that was right-sized.  I did not use a high efficiency model furnace (90%+) because her house is small (only about 750 sq feet).  I replaced the furnace the first week of December that season.  The following spring (about mid-April), my step-father called to inform me that their gas utility provider had lowered their monthly budget  by $40.00.  Since, they are on the budget program, that means they saved $480.00 a year and $4,800.00 over the last 10 years (not counting utility increases over that time which would make their savings even higher).  The furnace cost a lot less than $4,800.00 which means they not only have totally recouped their inital cost of installing the furnace, but they are saving big money now.  The other upside to this story is that furnace has another 10 to 20 years of life left in it.  It doesn't take much to see the benefits of replacing an old inefficient furnace.

energystar.gov has a tool on their site that allows you to calculate your savings of one model furnace over another.  Click here :    http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=FU

And then, underneath "furnace resources" on the right side of the page, click on "savings calculator".

One final thing, Minutemen Heating and Cooling is offering a $100.00 discount towards a new furnace installation (no other discounts apply) or $200.00 discount towards the installation a new complete system (both furnace and ac).  This offer expires with the energy tax credits on December 31, 2013.  Just mention that you read this blog to qualify for the discount. 

I hope this has been informative.  Call Minutemen Heating and Cooling today for a free estimate to install a new HVAC system in your home.  You can reach us at Phone 614-837-5062.

Thanks!

Jim Harless

It's that time of year.  Temperatures are dropping and you crank up the heat only to find that it's not working.  Your furnace is old and inefficient.  And the last time that it ran, it was  noisy.  You decide that it is time to replace your furnace.  So now what? 

First of all, you need to find a HVAC contractor that is licensed, bonded and insured.  Using a non-licensed individual to assess your hvac needs and to replace your existing furnace is a recipe for disaster.  You really do not want a person who is non-licensed and without insurance/bonds installing a gas appliance in your home.  A good place to start looking for a licensed professional to replace your furnace is your friends and family.  If any of your friends and family have had a furnace replacement recently, they may be able to recommend a contractor for you.  If you have no luck with your friends and family, then you can also get referrals from the "BBB" and "Angie's List."  The "Better Business Bureau" and "Angie's List" can also grade the contractors for you.  Other factors to consider would be "how long has the contractor been in business?", and "does the contractor use sub-contractors or his/her own employees?"  There is no guarantee that a contractor who has been in business for 20+ years that uses his/her own employees will do a better job for you, but the chances are better that that will be the case.  Also, is the contractor a small family run operation?  If so, the installers (if part of the family) will have a vested interest in doing a quality job.  One last criteria which is also important is the brand of equipment that the contractor uses.  Most contractors that have high grades on referal services such as the "Better Business Bureau" and "Angie's List" usually use quality equipment as well.  But, it helps to ask which brand that they prefer to use and then check out the brand using a consumer product grading service such as "Consumer Reports." 

Now that you have found a quality contractor, it is time to have them come to your home to assess your HVAC needs and recommend the right furnace replacement for your home.  Sometimes, just replacing your furnace with a similiar model is all you need.  But, you should discuss all of your HVAC concerns with your contractor.  He/she may be able to help with more than just the replacement of your furnace and/or ac.  You may want to consider a 2-stage furnace with a variable speed fan motor for increased comfort and efficiency.  You may also want to install a humidifer to help with low humidity levels during the winter months.  You may want to install a high efficiency air cleaner to help remove dirt and allergens from the air and to help keep your new system clean through it's lifetime.  You may want to install an insulated return drop to cut down on fan motor noise.  You may need to modify your existing duct system as well to improve air flow through out your home.  These are things to address when you are replacing your furnace and/or ac. 

In summary, find a HVAC contractor that grades out well from your referral source.  Use friends, family, BBB, and Angie's List as referrals.  A contractor that has been in business for only a short time may do great work, but length of time in business is worth considering.  Also, a small family business with a member of the family doing the work is more likely to give you a tight high quality installation over a sub-contractor for a large business.  And remember, in addition to just replacing your furnace, you may want to address efficiency, air quality, humidity control, and noise issues as well.

I hope this information helps you with your furnace replacement process.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Jim Harless

Minutemen Heating & Cooling, Inc.

614-837-5062