- formidable power bills: this is always the first selling point that most heating, ventalation, and air conditioning contractors will propose, and it really is something that should be considered. older furnaces are often around 65% or less efficient with the gas that they consume. that translates into formidable utility bills every month, and the problem will only get worse with time. a new formidable efficiency unit will greatly reduce those bills, and pay itself off in savings in a matter of a few years.
- age of the heater: if your heater is in the 15 to 25 years old range, replacement should be considered. the typical forced air gas powered heater lasts for about 25 years with correct maintenance. even if the unit is working fine right now, the older it gets, the higher the chances are that you will experience failure of some of the major components in the unit.
- cracked heat exchanger: if your old heater has been diagnosed with a cracked heat exchanger, now is the time to replace the unit. cracks or cracks in the heat exchanger can lead to carbon monoxide cracks into the breathing air of the house, and heat exchangers are very costly to replace. you would be higher quality off just replacing the entire system because there is a preferred chance that the rest of the unit is in just as bad of shape as the heat exchanger.
- formidable rebuild costs: if your old heater has been diagnosed with several problems that add up to expensive repairs, you should replace the unit. it doesn’t make much sense to put hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars into a heater that is on its last leg.
- going green: the “green movement” has captivated much of the country, and maybe you have already begun implementing certain green improvements in your house. if so, one of the best ways to reduce your home’s carbon footprint is to setup formidable efficiency heating equipment. these systems use much less gas to generate the same amount of heat as your old system and the less gas your house uses, the less of a negative impact you will have on the environment.
- erratic heating: ice cold rooms and chronic system failure are just a couple of the problems caused by unpredictable heating systems. your family deserves comfort this cold seasons, so now may be the time to setup a heating system that actually meets your heating needs.
- flooded basement: this past warm seasons, thousands of heating and cooling systems were destroyed by floodwater. if you have been putting off replacing the heater, do not wait any longer. water damaged furnaces have an increased risk of failure, carbon monoxide cracks, and electrical fires. the devastation caused by any one of these problems is not worth the risk.
- tax credits: through the end of 2010, the government is offering up to $1,500 in tax credits on new formidable efficiency heating and cooling systems. don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get big bucks back come tax time.
Archive for the ‘safty’ Category
repair or replace?: 8 tips to consider
Friday, February 10th, 2012Understanding Your Heat Exchanger
Friday, January 27th, 2012The heat exchanger is the core of a home heating system. Whether it is a furnace or boiler, the heat exchanger is one part of the unit that cannot be ignored in regards to maintenance and efficiency. To do so may be deadly. So whether your unit has recently been diagnosed with a bad heat exchanger, or if you are just curious as to what your heat exchanger does, hopefully this will clarify your understanding of this vital component to your heating system.
childproofing your home
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012bringing a child into a house can be an exciting and frightening experience for any new parent. you have to take the time to look around the house and see it through a baby’s eyes. many parts of the house that were once safe in your eyes are now hazardous obstacles for your baby. however, your house can be made safe by installing childproofing devices in certain areas. with the number one cause of death in children listed as accidental injury, your house should be the safest place for your baby to grow.
heating fire prevention
Monday, December 26th, 2011with cold seasons just around the corner, it is time to think about fire safety and your heating systems. many homes have a heater or boiler, but you may also have a wood burning stove, a space heater, or fireplace. all of these systems, including their chimney or flue, can cause a house fire. according to the united states fire association (usfa), 54,500 residential fires are caused by heating units every year! this makes heating systems the second most standard source of house fires following cooking. fires can not only severely damage your house and property, they can also take lives. luckily, there is an easy way to prevent heating fires in your house this cold seasons seasons.
furnace filters: merv ratings
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011if you do nothing else to care for your heater, you should at the very least replace the heater filter on a regular basis. some people get lucky and the only negative consequences of heater neglect are poor air quality and low efficiency, but failing to replace the filter regularly could potentially choke the life out of your heater. chances are you don’t want any of these problems in your house, so now is the time to give your heater and the air in your house a little tlc by replacing the air filter. but, how do you know which one to choose?
Duct Cleaning Extremes
Friday, December 16th, 2011Over time many of us have grown accustom to dealing with very visible and reputable companies. In many ways many of us, myself included, have grown to expect the best from companies and assume that every company is concerned about it’s reputation. Unfortunately this is not as true as you would home.
winter house fire precautions
Friday, October 28th, 2011cold seasons is on the way, and that means trading in our tank tops for thick sweaters and our sandals for snow boots. we also need to take certain precautions to prevent house fires. according to the u.s. fire administration, the cold seasons months have the highest occurrence of house fires. initially you may think that this is a result of all of the holiday decorations, candles, and fireplaces, but there is one cause of house fires that you may not even realize. this appliance causes 15,000 house fires a year, and it is responsible for 15 deaths and around 400 injuries a year as well. any guesses?
prevent heater breakdowns
Wednesday, August 31st, 2011heater preparations can really help prevent breakdowns and potential hazards. a thorough heater clearing, when done correctly can save you money, time and improve the efficiency of your current heating system.
get your boiler ready for winter
Saturday, August 27th, 2011with cold seasons encroaching on our warm seasons fun as every day passes, now is the time to review the heating system and make sure that we are all prepared for the snow, sleet, and freezing temperatures that are soon to become our reality. if you have a boiler system, you have special steps that you must take to correctly care for your type of system.
UV Lights in Your Duct Work
Sunday, June 19th, 2011When you think of ultra violet light chances are the first thing that comes to mind are the harmful rays of the sun and not your HVAC systems. However, UV light can be harnessed and put to good use in the duct system of your home. If installed properly by a reliable HVAC contractor, UV lights can improve indoor air quality by destroying odors and harmful particles, and it may even boost the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning systems.
What is a UV light and how does it work?
A UV light is a machine that is mounted into your duct works supply and return vents or over the air conditioning coil. It uses a light bulb that emits powerful UV-C rays into the duct system. UV-C is an invisible part of the sun’s light spectrum. It has the ability to alter the DNA and RNA of microorganism which will sterilize them. Once sterilized, the microorganisms can no longer grow or reproduce and are killed off in a short amount of time.
The duct work in your home is a breeding ground for microorganisms that produce odors and that can be harmful to your health. By placing a UV light in the duct work, you are able to kill off these organisms as the air circulates through the home. On average, the air in your home can be circulated through the duct work as much as 75 times a day. As more and more air is exposed to the UV light, the cleaner the air in your home becomes.
What does it work on?
If you have a central air furnace, then you probably have an air filter inside that unit. The standard air filters that are used can only capture particles down to a certain size. Many microorganisms are so small that they can still get through the filter and continue to plague your HVAC system. Your standard air filter also does little to decrease odors in the home. But, UV air purifiers work on a broad range of microorganisms. These are some of the ways that a UV light can purify your home:
- Kills mold spores
- Destroys pollen spores
- Removes damp musty smells
- Gets rid of pet odors
- Eliminates allergy irritants
- Kills viruses
- Eradicates bacteria
- Removes smells caused by smoke, paint, wood stain, and food
Most of these can be cleaned up in the surfaces of your home, but the reason why they stick around so long is because they get trapped up in the duct work. The best time to have a UV light installed is after a duct cleaning. You should have a professional duct cleaning company come out to your home and perform a thorough duct cleaning. Once that is complete, have them install a UV light to take care of any particles that are still floating in the air. This combination will not only drastically improve your indoor air quality; it will also improve the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning systems. The cleaner the duct work is the cleaner the furnace and air conditioner will be. Clean units run more efficiently, and clean duct work allows for better air flow which allows the units to work less often. Both of these save you money on your energy bills.
Is it safe?
Yes, UV lights are safe to use in your home if they are installed properly. UV light cannot travel through plastic, metal, or glass, and when it is inside your ducts you should never be exposed to the light. Also, many people will warn you that UV lights create ozone emissions. Ask you serviceman if the unit he offers creates ozone before you allow him to install it. Overall, you should not have anything to worry about. UV lights have been used in hospitals and to sterilize medical instruments for years. So if it is safe enough to be used on instruments that are used in surgery, it should be more than safe enough for use inside your home.
If a UV light sounds like it will solve your indoor air problems, contact a trustworthy local HVAC contractor or duct cleaning specialist, and have one installed today!