Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I buy a new air conditioning or heating system?

Cost Savings And Efficiency

We understand that it is no small matter to buy an air conditioning or heating system. However, if your current system is inefficient, needs to be repaired or is old, buying a new unit, one which could be up to 60% more efficient compared to a system you bought only ten years ago, is able to offer you important long-term benefits.

Instead of continuing to pay expensive monthly and ongoing maintenance bills, you could make an investment into a new one today that can save you money for many years into the future.

How can I determine which system is best for me?

Get facts and advice from an expert.

These days, there are many different air conditioning and heating systems to choose from. Your dealer can draw on his wealth of experience and knowledge about air conditioning and heating systems to help you determine which system will fit your individual needs the best. The number of rooms, age and size of your home, climate, regional and local utility costs, as well as utility rebate or incentive programs all are factors that can affect functionality and, as a result, the selection of your specific system. When helping you to select the best system to use in your house, we consider all of the above factors and make use of the latest technology.

Consumers who are looking to replace their existing system frequently select a new unit that has a higher or equal efficiency rating as their old system. When a 10 to 15 year old unit is replaced it could lower your electricity or natural gas cost by as much as 30 to 50%.

Give us a call so we can help you determine your initial cost, service options, warranty protection, proper installation and operating cost. We can also provide you a copy of the warranty for the product.

How can I determine my HVAC system’s capacity or size?

Schedule a visit

The factors that affect your new system’s size include the number of individuals living in your residence, the kind of insulation you have, how many heat-producing appliances you have in your house, the direction your house faces, your home’s total square footage, the number of windows in your house, humidity level, and your region’s climate.

We can do the right calculations in order to determine the appropriate cooling or heating unit for your lifestyle and home.

What is involved in having a new system installed?

It is all in the ductwork.

If you are installing a new system into a house that hasn’t had central heat and air before, you will need to have ductwork installed, in addition to a evaporator coil, drain pans, grills, registers, driers, filter, slabs, chimney liner, flue terminations, flue piping, condensate piping, thermostat, wiring, electrical service, refrigerant piping and insulation.

Ductwork is comprised of two parts, return and supply. The supply duct attaches to the new system’s outflow, which delivers air into each zone in your house. How much air reaches each of the zones will be determined by the ductwork supply that connects to your system. The dealer can help you with determining the size of the ductwork supply into your house.

The return duct attaches onto the new system’s inlet and draws air from the spaces that are to be cooled or heated. The filter is attached to the system’s return duct. The filter needs to be placed as close to the air handler or furnace as possible. The ductwork can be made out of either metal or fiberglass and needs to be sized properly so that it evenly distributes the right amount of air into every room.

What occurs when my old system is replaced?

Begin with having a detailed inspection performed

In order to get the most efficient HVAC system install into your house, you need to first have an installation contractor perform a detailed inspection.

At minimum, the inspection should include inspecting your house’s evaporator coil, drain pans, grills, registers, driers, filter, slabs, chimney liner, flue terminations, flue piping, condensate piping, thermostat, wiring, electrical service, refrigerant piping, insulation and ductwork.

How long can I expect my system to last?

The key is proper maintenance

Service and maintenance play key roles in an air conditioning or heating system’s life-cycle. If all recommended service and maintenance is performed, a gas furnace can last 20 to 25 years and an air conditioner 12 to 15 years.

Will my indoor coil need to be changed?

In general, replacing the indoor coil is a good idea if you are going to replace your heat pump or air conditioner. There is a correlation between how efficient your cooling or heating system is and the indoor coil’s performance. Putting in a new indoor coil can be critical to optimize the performance, savings potential and efficiency of your new system.

Where should my furnace system or air handler be located?

Depending on your home’s design you might have different options.

There are several different places where the system can be located. You can locate a system that has an up-flow application in your basement. A system having a horizontal application can be in the attic. A single package or self-contained unit may be located outside on the roof or a slab. Your garage can house a horizontal application, down-flow or up-flow system.

What does a heat pump do?

Moves air from one point to the next.

A heat pump is a kind of device that is used to either cool or heat a space through transferring cold and hot between two reservoirs.

Your heat pump has the ability to act as an air conditioner does. It transfers heat from inside to the outside. Or it can act as a heater and transfer exterior heat into the interior. On a winter day that has a 32 degree Fahrenheit temperature, there is still enough heat produced to warm an area whenever a heat pump transfers the air.

How can I control the levels of humidity inside my house?

It all has to do with variability

You can reduce humidity levels through the use of a variable-speed air handler or furnace as part of your overall HVAC system. The advantages are that a variable speed unit runs at lower speeds for longer, which allow air to circulate constantly against the cooling oil so that more moisture is removed.

Less electricity is also used by variable speed motors compared to regular motors, which reduces your energy costs.

What steps can I take before I call somebody to have my system serviced?

HVAC systems are complex networks of machinery. A certified professional should service them. However, if the HVAC system appears to be malfunctioning, there are a couple of basic steps you can try, which might correct the problem, before you call a service professional. You shouldn’t hesitate to contact an HVAC contractor if you aren’t comfortable performing any of the following tasks.

• Ensure that the system switch is on the right heat or cool setting.
• Checking your thermostat settings
• Open the return and supply vents and check to make they aren’t obstructed
• Keep the filters clean
• Check to ensure that the circuit breaks are all in the On position
• Disconnect and reconnect the outdoor and indoor switches.

What is AFUE?

The acronym is short for Annual fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio. It is used for rating furnace efficiency. The heat output ratio is divided by the heat input. The measurement details how well oil, gas or fuel is consumed by a furnace to produce heat. As your AFUE rate goes up, your furnace’s efficiency increases, which reduces your fuel expenses. Furnaces made in the U.S. are required to have an 80% AFUE at least.

What is HSPF?

It stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. This rates the heating operation efficiency level of a heat pump. When HSPF is higher, the heating performance of the heat pump is more efficient. New U.S. units must have 7.0 to 9.4 HSPF ratings.

What is R-22?

This is the common name used for hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). It has been used by HVAC manufacturers as a refrigerant for more than 40 years. However, studies conducted over the past 10 years have shown that chlorine is contained in HCFCs, which is an ozone-depleting agent. That is why a January 1, 2010 target date has been set by the U.S. Clean Air Act when HVAC manufacturers most stop producing making nay products using R-22.

What is R-410A?

This refers to emerging hydro-fluorocarbon (HFC) that is used within the HVAC industry as a refrigerant. It is more environmentally friendly compared to R-22. Most HVAC manufacturer see it as the most likely R-22 replacement. By 2010, HVAC manufacturing will be required to use alternate refrigerant.

What is ENERGY STAR?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created this program to help individuals and business make purchases that are energy efficient.

An ENERGY STAR label, which is a white and blue logo, is placed by the program on items meeting high energy efficiency standards. The label is an easy way for consumers to identify high efficiency, quality products.

Visit www.energystar.gov for more information regarding the Energy Star program.