Making sure that your home is safe and warm during the cold winter months is very important. When you are looking for a heating source for your home, two of the most popular options are furnaces and heat pumps. While many people use these terms interchangeably, there are actually many differences between the two heating options. Source of Hot Air The main difference between a furnace and a heat pump is how they create hot air for your home. A furnace will typically use natural gas or electricity as the fuel source to generate hot air. With a heat pump, the pumps will actually take warmth out of the outside air. This is similar in process to how an air conditioner creates cool air for your home. This process actually makes them more efficient and environmentally friendly than furnaces as they do not rely on natural resources as much to create heat. Ability to Work in All Environments Another difference between heat pumps and furnaces is that they are designed for different environments. If you live in a warmer climate where it does not generally get too far below freezing, a heat pump could be a far more efficient option....
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When the Christmas music comes on the radio, it is a sign that winter is coming. While it is an exciting time of year for Santa, it also means that the temperatures are starting to drop. Perhaps there is already some snow on the ground. Maybe it is already frigid outside. This means that the heating system gets booted up and some families might notice that it doesn’t work as well as last year. It could be time to replace that heating system. With this goal in mind, can families recycle their old heating systems? Recycling the Old Heating System: It’s Possible Sometimes, people can recycle parts of their old heating system. The short answer is that some bits and pieces of the heating system are likely recyclable while other parts are not. Some pieces that can be recycled include: The packaging that the heating system came in Some of the gears and motors that propel the heat into the home Some of the metal framing that is used to give the system its structure Compressors that are used to produce heat Some of the brass fittings that hold the system together The coils that generate the electric current that...
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Most homeowners know how often they should replace a lot of things in their home. They may, however, be confused when it comes to their furnace. Most of them wait until their furnaces can no longer work at all. This is not right. With regular maintenance services, your furnace can stay I good working condition for 15 to 20 years. This, however, does not mean that the same applies to all furnaces. Some of them may have a shorter lifespan especially if you do not perform regular maintenance services. Age If your furnace is 15 years old, it is time to start thinking about a replacement. Newer models are very efficient. They may help you to save up to 20% on energy bills. You do not need to wait for your old furnace to break down before purchasing a new one. It may cause you a disappointment when you least expect it. Frequent Repairs If your furnace is not yet that old but you are spending too much money on repairs, it may be time to replace it. You should also consider our energy bills If they have increased, it may mean that your furnace is losing its efficiency. Needing...
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It’s sweltering hot outside and you would like to crank up the AC, but are afraid it will cost too much. Here are three simple ways to make your air conditioning unit more energy efficient – and save you big bucks! 1. Install a Programmable Thermostat There is no need to keep your home chilly when no one is there, and according to the Department of Energy, if you raise the temperature by 10 degrees while you are at work, the savings could equal 15% of your total energy costs for the entire year! If there are long stretches of time when no one is in your home, program the thermostat to raise the temperature during this period. It can also be programmed to crank up the air an hour or so before you get home so you will be comfortably cool when you step through the door. One of the nice things about programmable thermostats is the ability to set it and forget it. That way the temperature inside of your home will always be exactly what you want when your family is home. 2. Clean Those Coils! Everyone knows the importance of changing the filters on your HVAC...
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The short answer is yes, AC will lower humidity. That’s a big element of why AC keeps you comfortable at home. Yet to get the right humidity control, there’s a little more to know. Cooled Air Holds Less Moisture Removing moisture from the cooled air is a key aspect of a well-functioning home air conditioning system. Cold refrigerants run through your air conditioner’s metal coils. As the system pulls air over the coils, it also pulls out the moisture, by condensing it from the air onto the coils. Your AC unit’s workload is impressive. Typically, it removes a few pints of water from the air per hour. Not All AC Units Dehumidify Air Equally Now, here’s a fact that might surprise you. The higher an AC unit’s energy efficiency (rated as a “SEER,” or seasonal energy efficiency rating), the lower its basic rate of condensing water. Thus, we stock advanced models engineered to help counter humidity as well as cool your home. Home comfort is a combination of both factors: temperature, and moisture removal. Some air conditioners fail to dehumidify the air efficiently because they’re bigger than necessary. Large units will go on and off a lot, compromising the moisture...
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One of the best things that Houston homeowners can do to make sure that their heating and cooling units stay healthy is to conduct regular HVAC maintenance. You need to keep in mind that your HVAC system is the heart and soul of your home’s comfort. You can be in a quite predicament if your system isn’t functioning properly. The best time to conduct this maintenance is in fall for your heating equipment and spring for your air conditioning unit. Proper maintenance of your HVAC system is a worthwhile investment that you shouldn’t ignore. Here are the top four benefits of having your HVAC system maintenance done. 1. Cut Your Energy Bills The US Department of Energy reports that heating and cooling accounts for more than 48 percent of your overall home’s energy bill. This is the primary reason why you need to make sure that your system is operating properly and optimally. Typically, your system will consume a lot of energy if it is overworking to achieve the desired results. Keeping your HVAC system in top-condition through proper maintenance will cut down your energy usage and make you save a lot of money on your monthly energy bills. 2....
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We all understand how hot the summer can be in Houston. It can get really, really hot and this is the time most of us turn down the thermostat and send our air conditioning systems into an overwork mode to keep us fresh and our homes comfortable. This may seem like a great idea until the time your AC unit freezes up. Keep in mind that a frozen air conditioner can ruin a hot summer day very fast. But what can make your AC unit freeze up? Here are some of the common causes of this problem. Low Refrigerant Levels Your system might be low on refrigerant if it has frozen up. This means that you either have a refrigerant leak somewhere, or your refrigerant charge is turned off. When your unit is low on refrigerant, the pressure drops in the system and the temperature also drops along with it. This will lead to a scenario whereby the evaporator coil gets too cold and freezes up. If you notice that your system is low on refrigerant, be sure to have an expert diagnose it for any leaks before you refill your container with the refrigerant. Dirty Air Filters If your...
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Maintaining your AC system is one of the most important things you can do to save yourself a great deal of money and aggravation over the years. A well-maintained system offers many benefits you may not even recognize until you find yourself dealing with a poorly maintained unit. These are just a few of the reasons it is so important to have yearly AC tune-ups. Prevent Unnecessary Breakdowns There are few things more frustrating than having your air conditioner flatline in the middle of a Houston heatwave. It can be brutal out there when the temperatures climb. It’s even worse when you’re trapped inside your home with no operating air conditioner to cool things off. Your yearly tune-up can not only help to prevent ordinary breakdowns that occur from lack of maintenance but can also warn you of potential problems on the horizon so you can take care of them before the heat of summer sets in. Extend the Life of Your Air Conditioner It’s true, air conditioners are a sizable investment in the comfort of your home and the people who live there. Extending the life of your air conditioner by even one more Texas summer is a substantial...
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According to the EPA, indoor air quality is a much greater concern than the average household realizes. It can be up to 100 times more harmful than outdoor air quality if you don’t take steps to protect the air inside your home. P & M Air Conditioning and Heating wants you to know the five benefits you can enjoy by improving indoor air quality in your home, such as these: 1. Better Health for You and Your Family Perhaps the biggest benefit of improving indoor air quality for the average household involves the health of the people living there. Improving indoor air quality can have a remarkable effect on health by reducing coughing, sneezing, eye irritations, headaches, and other respiratory concerns. 2. Fewer Allergies and Asthma Attacks While this could qualify as health, it deserved a category of its own. Indoor air quality specifically involves allergens known to cause allergies in many and trigger asthma attacks in those prone to suffer them. Common allergens associated with poor indoor air quality include: Pollen Mold Mildew Pet Dander Dust Mites Smoke The problem is that once they find their way into your home, they have a nasty habit of lingering unless you...
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Seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) rates an air conditioner’s efficiency. The Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute defined it in 2008. A machine’s SEER rating is its cooling output in a typical cooling-season divided by its total energy input in the same timeframe. It is directly proportional to the energy efficiency of equipment. In America, it is calculated by dividing the British thermal unit (BTU) with the energy consumption in watt-hours. This is important in ensuring your equipment runs efficiently and effectively. How Does SEER relate with EER and COP? A cooling machine’s energy efficiency ratio (EER) is calculated by dividing the output cooling power (BTU) with its input electrical power (Wh) at a particular operation point. To calculate the EER, you should use 95F external temperature, the internal 80F temperature and the 50% relative humidity. EER is associated with the coefficient of performance (COP).It’s common in thermodynamics whereby an air conditioners COP is a unit less than the EER. Also, EER uses several units as it is calculated by multiplying the BTU/h conversion factor by the COP. Maximum SEER Rating Some modern ductless air conditioners have SEER ratings 0f 33.also, other residential AC units have maximum SEER ratings of...
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