Posts Tagged ‘Energy Savings’

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No Fret Furnace Buying

Tuesday, November 27th, 2012

Sign of Cost, efficiency, Speed, Quality

Choosing a new furnace for your home doesn’t have to be torture. I’m going to give you a few things to look for to make it much easier.

1. Gas or Electric?

Gas

A gas furnace is less costly to operate than an electric if gas is readily available in your area. The downside to these is that burning fuel generates fumes. If you buy a new gas furnace though, or even a well maintained one, and maintain it well yourself, the fumes it generates are enclosed in its exchanger which remove them from your home via an exhaust fan.

Be sure to keep in mind a gas furnace really needs to be checked by a qualified professional at least once a year. This person will make sure there are no holes, leaks, or cracks which could let carbon monoxide escape into your home, which can be toxic or potentially lethal.

Electric

An electric furnace usually costs a little more than a gas furnace does. However, these do not use flames and do not generate carbon monoxide. These are safer and cleaner to use than the gas versions.

2. Quality

As with most things in life, the quality of the furnace will factor in as to how long it lasts and how well it performs. Deciding on a brand that costs a little more but has higher reviews and ratings can actually end up saving you more in the long run. Your local professionals can help you choose the brand that best meets your needs. You can usually easily find companies that give free estimates.

3. Efficiancy

A gas furnace’s efficiency is determined by the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) ratings. This tells you how efficient the particular unit uses the fuel, or gas. Usually, a higher AFUE rating means it uses less fuel to heat your area.

Unless you can find a sale or are just a deal seeker, the higher AFUE units will cost more than a lower AFUE unit but will cost less to run and will save you money over time. The government established standards for these ratings many years ago and set the minimum at 78%. Most furnaces only rated about 60% before 1992.

Mid-Efficiancy

These can be called “induces draft furnaces” or “non-condensing furnaces” as well and are set the minimum standard of 78% up to about 80%.

High-Efficiancy

These are also known as “condensing furnaces” or “sealed combustion furnaces”. They have an AFUE rating of up to 96% and can even offer two-stage valve and as well as an efficient variable-speed motor to raise comfort and effectiveness.

4. Comfort Features

There are many furnaces that offer features to increase comfort and efficiency.

  1. 2 Speed Furnaces
    1. Can function at low speed for most of the time and allows for quieter operation for longer time periods compared to a single speed furnace. Longer run times keep it from having to turn on and off as often, causing less drafts and very little temperature fluctuations.
    2. These also limit the temperature swing within 2 degrees as compared to the single speed competitors. 2 Speed units circulate air better creating a more consistent temperature in your home.
  2. Variable Capacity Furnace Features
    1. Variable capacities provide a combination of efficiency and comfort with a motor regulating your needs by automatically adjusting air volume and speed. These furnaces offer the most efficient heating and cooling available.
    2. These come with a fan that will reduce your cost during those hot summers. The central A/C benefits from increased efficiency, thereby saving you money on your electric bills, by using its fan throughout the summer.

5. Noise Levels

All furnaces will make some noise but each one has a rating for noise. 2-speed and variable-capacity units generally are quieter than others though they do run for longer periods of time. Some var-cap units offer features that reduce temperature differential to almost completely eliminate the “creaking” noises made from ducts expanding and contracting from temperature changes.

I hope this helps and you can stay comfy year round with whatever you choose. Always remember to contact a company or other professional for any questions you may have. It’s always better to ask than wind up regretting a decision and having to spend more money. Also keep in mind that self installs can void your warranty and potentially end up costing you a lot more.

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Spring Efficiency Tips: What Are the Most Efficient Upgrades for Your Home?

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

Before you decide which upgrades will make your Spring home more efficient, it would be best to get a home energy audit. You can do this yourself with a few simple tests, or you can hire a professional auditor. The auditor will use advanced equipment and techniques, such as blower doors and infrared cameras, to detect air leaks and places that need more insulation.

When your home is properly insulated and sealed, here are some upgrades you’ll want to think about to make your home more efficient.

High-Efficiency Furnaces & Heat Pumps

If you have an old single-stage furnace, it is time to upgrade. These furnaces were designed to run on two settings—either off or on, and when they are on, they run at full speed. Not only do they lose heat this way, but they also take longer to warm up your home. The new two-speed and multispeed models run at lower speeds to maintain a constant temperature. You can also buy ones with variable-speed blowers that operate on various speeds, which are the most efficient. Heat pumps are a good option if you need both heat and A/C in your home. While most heat pumps are manufactured to be efficient by design, the newer models are the most efficient way to heat and cool your home. If you have a heat pump older than 15 years, talk to an Spring HVAC technician about a heat pump replacement.

Solar & Tankless Water Heaters

When you’ve upgraded your heating system, it may be time to install a more efficient water heater. Solar water heaters are gaining popularity, and they are the most efficient way to save hot water if certain factors are in place, such as sunlight exposure and high fuel costs.  Tankless water heaters heat your water with individual units located near hot water applications. You also have the option of installing a single, whole-home tankless water heater, or for appliances that use more hot water, such as dishwashers and washing machines, you can install tankless models just for their use.

Water-Saving Toilets & Low-flow Plumbing Fixtures

Duel flush, or water-saving toilets are an excellent choice for an upgrade if you want to save water. These toilets use less water overall, and you have the option of using more or less water each time you flush. Installing low flow faucets and fixtures can also provide up to 60% in utility savings. Low flow plumbing fixtures reduce the flow rate for each fixture or application, which reduces the overall amount water used in the home. These are a good option if you’ve installed a tankless water heating system. Your tankless water heaters will be more efficient if the sum of the flow rate total for every fixture in the home is lower.

Don’t hesitate to call Air National if you have any questions HVAC upgrades your Spring home.

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Houston HVAC Tip: I Have a Room that Won’t Stay Warm or Cool

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

When you have a home heating or cooling system installed, you expect it to keep all areas of your Houston home at the same temperature unless you tell it otherwise. But sometimes you’ll find that one of the rooms in your home just won’t stay warm no matter how high you turn up the heat. This can be a very frustrating situation, particularly if that room is one you use a lot.

Insulation and Ductwork Checkups

There are actually several possible reasons that a problem like this can develop. The first thing you should check is if there is adequate, proper insulation in the walls and the floor of the room. Even if you know that insulation is in place, it’s worth it to have a professional come take a look to see if the insulation there is still adequate. Even the best insulation doesn’t last forever, and once it breaks down, you could be losing a lot of heat to the outdoors in the winter.

If insulation isn’t the problem, it’s time to have someone examine your ductwork to see if it’s properly pressurized throughout or if there could be a break in the system somewhere leading to that room. If your home comfort system pumps heated and cooled air towards that room and that air is allowed to leak out along the way, you’ll never be able to maintain the comfort level you want.

Digging Deeper for Causes

Even if there is no break on the way to that particular room, a leak or blockage somewhere else can throw off the balance of the entire system, reducing how much temperature controlled air can reach that part of your home. These are all things that a Houston professional can find and fix for you relatively easily and inexpensively.

Of course, it’s always possible that uneven heating and cooling is a symptom of a larger problem in your home heating and cooling system. But if that’s the case, you’re better off finding out sooner rather than later because the problem will only get worse when not addressed. No matter what the ultimate underlying cause for your uneven heating and cooling is, you’ll need Air National Heating & Air Conditioning to come out and investigate before you can have it fixed for good.

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Tomball HVAC Guide: Simple Steps to Prevent Heat Loss

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

There are two fundamental ways to make your Tomball house warmer. One is to generate heat, which is the job of your furnace or heat pump. The second is to keep the warm air in — and thereby keep cold air out — which is the job of your system of insulation.

The idea that the physical structure of a home can be a component of the HVAC system is one that is often overlooked, but when you think about it, it makes sense. The insulation, windows, doors and building materials that comprise your home are designed to keep the place warm against the cold and vice versa.

So, when bolstering your HVAC system to promote efficient heating, it is important to also consider heat loss and how to prevent it. This is a process that can get out of hand if you go overboard, so it is important to prioritize. Let’s look at the top 3 places to start when trying to prevent heat loss.

  1. Doors and Windows:  If you have older doors and windows, they could be a source of heat loss in your house, even if they are always closed. Replacing your windows and door with Energy Star rated ones will make sure that you are not losing heat to the outside AND still getting all the heat energy from the sun. Installing storm windows or putting up heavy curtains in winter can also help cut down on your heat loss.
  1. Seal off drafts. If any opening to your house, such as windows and doors, is improperly sealed, improperly installed or if the surrounding construction is deteriorating, you can lose a lot of heat. Check any drafts that you notice that might indicate a problem, and also if your vents and air ducts are leaky.
  1. Start at the top. If you want to go farther in sealing your house up against the cold, it is time to work on the insulation. When installing new insulation, remember that heat rises, so you get the most bang for your buck by starting at the top. If you only have the budget or time to insulate one space, make it the attic. You can work down from there.

These areas should be your top three priorities on your mission to prevent heat loss in your Tomball home. If you start here, you will get the best gains with the least effort. For more information about how to prevent heat loss in your home, give Air National a call!

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Save with Insulation in Houston

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

When you are looking for ways to save money around your Houston house, it can be difficult to know where to begin. However, if you start examining things closely, you can actually find many small ways to cut here and there to save a few dollars. Of course, the savings you will generate by making these moves need to be worth the expense of making them, and it some cases that equation does not work out to your advantage.

For instance, when you are trying to save money on your heating or air conditioning bills, is it really worth it to get a top of the line system installed? Do you really need a 97% AFUE furnace? Sure your monthly heating bills will be lower, but it costs so much to install that it might not be worth it. For some people, the right choice will be to opt for the highest efficiency system, but that is far from a universal truth.

However, there is one investment along these lines that will be worth it no matter what your particular situation is. And that is making sure that your house has proper and effective insulation installed everywhere necessary. Certainly, most houses have insulation of some kind. But do you really know that your insulation is effective and that it is in the right place?

With the new technologies and types of insulation available, you should not have to pay too much to have someone come in to check your insulation and improve upon it. And you very likely will not believe the difference it can make in the way your house feels.

Proper insulation will keep heat in and cold out in the winter and the opposite in the summer. You will quite simply be more comfortable all year round. Plus, you will see a pretty dramatic drop in your home heating and cooling bills because your HVAC systems will not have to work as hard to keep your home comfortable.

This will also translate into less wear and tear on the system over all, making it possible for you to extend the useful life of your HVAC system as well. The savings that can be generated by having proper insulation put in will well outweigh the cost of that insulation in just about every case.

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How Heating Zone Control Can Save You Money: A Guide from a Kingwood Furnace Contractor

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

The costs of heating your Kingwood home have risen dramatically over the past couple of decades, thanks to higher energy costs and price increases for heating equipment. Despite the strides made in energy efficiency, there seems to be no end in sight for the steady rise in heating equipment operating costs.

Now add in the cost of heating unoccupied areas of your home, such as basements, hallways, or extra bedrooms, and the energy costs go even higher. Most of these costs are unnecessary and avoidable if you have the time and a small investment in a well-planned heating “strategy” for your home. This strategy involves using heating zone controls to make the most efficient use of your heating system.

In a nutshell, here is how heating zone control works. The rooms in your home are connected to your heating system by a series of ductwork, which carries heated and conditioned area to all corners. But some of these areas may not need to be heated as much – or possibly at all – compared to other rooms in your home. For example, do you need heat in your kitchen but not in your basement? Most people would answer yes. Or they may say they need more heat in the kitchen and some, but not very much heat in the basement.

Or try this: do most people in your house spend more time in one room, such as the family room, and less time in their bedrooms? If so, why would it be necessary to heat the bedrooms all of the time? In order to deliver heat to areas in your home that need it the most, the ductwork to these rooms should always be “open.” Ductwork to other unused areas of your home can be “closed” during various times of the day.

Opening and closing of ductwork and airflow is achieved by zone controls. A zone control is installed in the home which electronically or wirelessly opens and closes “dampers” in the ductwork, depending on the heating demand. You can divert heat to areas of your home using zone control and dampers while decreasing the heating load on your furnace. This type of heating zone control will move heated air to where you want it. Simply put, you are not heating areas of your home that don’t need the heat.

The heating zone controls can be programmed for various times of the day, too. For example, you may not need any heat in your basement while you sleep or when you are away from home. You can program the damper in your basement’s ductwork to remain closed or partially open during these times. In a sense, the heating zone control in your home acts like a programmable thermostat – only it uses a series of dampers to control indoor temperatures.

The next time you walk into an unused part of your home, think about how much money you are spending to heat it. It makes sense to consider heating zone controls. The initial costs of installing zone controls and dampers are minimal and the payback in energy savings and comfort are substantial.

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Five Very Easy Ways to Cut Your Heating Bill in Houston

Friday, November 18th, 2011

As the holidays are almost here, it is time to start thinking about getting your Houston house ready for the cold winter ahead. You can make some big upgrades, like replacing your old heating system with a newer, more efficient model, or you can make some smaller changes to increase your home’s energy efficiency. Here are five ways you can save money on your heating bills this winter:

  1. Change your filters: while this might seem unimportant, a dirty filter can seriously impact the efficiency of your furnace. If your filter is clogged, your furnace will waste more energy trying to get heat into your home.
  2. Use your programmable thermostat: why waste energy heating an empty house? While many homes have programmable thermostats, a lot of people don’t take advantage of their capabilities. Set your thermostat to lower temperatures during the day while everyone is at work or school. And if you go on vacation or away from the weekend, you can save a lot of money by not heating your empty house. Don’t turn your heat off, but there is no reason for it to be going full blast.
  3. Calibrate your thermostat: an accurate thermostat will not only help you regulate your heat better but will also help your heating system work more efficiently. If your thermostat is inaccurate or placed in a location with drafts or excess sunlight, your heating system might be turning on and off to adjust the false temperature changes. Have a professional take a look at your thermostat to check its accuracy and placement.
  4. Close the drapes: you can lose a lot of heat through windows, especially if you have older, single pane ones. You can replace them with Energy Star rated windows, but that can be big and expensive project. Putting up thick curtains or drapes can add a layer of insulating air between the window and the rest of the room, helping your house maintain its temperature.  Clear plastic barriers over your windows can have the same effect.
  5. Turn on your fan: while fans can help you feel cooler, they can also circulate heated air around your house. Heat rises, and a ceiling fan can help move the air down towards the floor. And if your house is not evenly heated, keeping your air moving will help mitigate that problem.

There are many more ways to save money this winter; these are just a few of the simplest. For more tips, talk to your Houston heating contractor.

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What is the COP and Why Is It Important? A Question From Channelview

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

If you’ve been researching air conditioners in Channelview, you’ve probably seen all sorts of numbers associated with each model. One of these numbers is the Coefficient of Performance (COP). While it’s good to gather as much data as you can before you make a purchasing decision, you also need to know what that data means if it’s going to help you make the best selection possible.

Measuring COP

Calculating the COP for any air conditioning model is relatively simple. The number you see displayed on the box is the ratio of energy input to cooling output. For the most part, the air conditioners you’re probably been looking at have a COP of between 2.5 and 4.0, although newer models are beginning to appear with COPs of up to 5.0.

The higher the COP, of course, the more efficient the air conditioner, so it makes sense to take this number into account when you’re making your purchase. You should also keep in mind, though, that the COP is not a constant measurement. The warmer it is outside, the lower your unit’s COP will be. However, this is standard across all units, so a relative COP comparison is still a viable evaluation method.

If you’re not sure what COP you should look for or whether a lower number will be effective for your home (especially if you only need to cool a small space), you should talk to a professional who can help you match the right COP level to your particular living space.

Improving Efficiency

While it’s always a good idea to get an air conditioner with the best energy efficiency ratings possible, that’s not the only thing you can do to reduce your energy usage and keep your cooling costs down. For instance, there are plenty of ways to keep your home naturally cooler without even turning on the air conditioner.

Even when you do need to flip it on, anything else you can do to reduce the indoor temperature will make it easier for your air conditioner to keep your house comfortable. So put up some awnings, run the ceiling fan and close the blinds to block out that harsh afternoon sun. The more you can do to reduce your indoor temperature naturally, the less your air conditioner will have to do, and the lower your cooling costs will be.

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A Question From Cypress: What Are the Benefits of Having a Ceiling Fan?

Monday, September 26th, 2011

There are definitely some days every year that would be pretty miserable to get through without the benefit of a central air conditioning system in your Cypress home. And since you have a central air conditioning system in place, it may seem silly and unnecessary to think about having ceiling fans put in as well. There are actually quite a few benefits of having ceiling fans, however, regardless of what kind of central air conditioning system you have or how powerful it is.

Ceiling fans are not too expensive to put in and they take very little energy to run. But the breeze they produce can have a powerful cooling effect on a room. In fact, running a ceiling fan can make you feel up to eight degrees cooler than you would otherwise.

While this certainly is not enough on a really hot day, it can actually be plenty when the weather is not all that hot. But even if you have your central air conditioning turned on, you can still benefit from running your ceiling fan. That is because the cooling effect of the ceiling fan can allow you to turn up the thermostat for your air conditioner, resulting in a considerable savings on your cooling bill.

Because ceiling fans are so cheap to run, they can complement central air conditioning systems nicely and will provide significant savings over time. Running an air conditioning system alone can certainly keep you cool and comfortable all summer long, but it will also cost you considerably more than if you were to throw a ceiling fan into the mix as well.

And that is not all a ceiling fan can do to help you stay comfortable all year long. In fact, ceiling fans can also be of use in the winter because they help to return the warmer air to the lower parts of your rooms. Warmer air will naturally rise, meaning that your heating system will have to work harder and harder to keep the air in the lower part of your room warm. But with a ceiling fan in place, that warmer air will be re-circulated throughout the house to keep you warmer and help keep your energy bills down at the same time.

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Cooling Your House Naturally in Tomball

Monday, September 19th, 2011

In this day and age in Tomball, it seems like no matter what type of problem you have, there’s a technological solution for it. But is that solution always the best? For instance, just because you can get a high-tech air conditioning system to keep your home at the same temperature regardless of the weather outside, does that mean that you should rely solely on that system?

Of course, the choice is yours, but before you decide how best to keep your house comfortable during the warm summer months, it’s a good idea to learn a little bit more about what your other options might be.

  • Cross-Ventilation – One of the easiest ways to take the edge off when the temperature starts to rise inside is to open windows on both sides of the house. This allows the breeze to come in one side and pass out the other, taking the stale, warm indoor air with it in the process and cooling off your house naturally.
  • Stack-Ventilation – If you have a two-story home, you may want to try stack-ventilation. This variation on cross-ventilation involves opening the windows on the bottom floor on one side of your home and on the top floor on the other. The differences in pressure from one area to the next cause fresh outdoor air to be sucked in on the ground floor and pushed out on the top floor, thereby creating a strong air current throughout your home.
  • Blocking Out the Sun – The number one reason that the interior of your house gets hot in the summer is exposure to direct sunlight, so anything you can do to diminish the amount of sun that actually makes it into your home, the better off you’ll be. All you really have to do is close the blinds on those windows where sun can come in to keep the majority of that heat from impacting your indoor environment.
  • Stay Away from Dark Colors – The color of the outside of your home can also have an impact on how hot it gets indoors. Dark colors absorb the heat, while light colors reflect it. So if you want to keep the temperature down inside, stick to light colors on the exterior of your home.
  • The Importance of Shade – Any type of shade will also keep the sun’s heat out of your home. Trees are a great source of natural shade. Awnings can provide great cooling power too without blocking out your view.

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