Posts Tagged ‘hvac’

How to determine if you should replace your heating and air conditioning system

Saturday, March 13th, 2010
It’s not always easy to determine if you need to replace your home’s heating and air conditioning system.  A professional HVAC engineer can work with you to determine whether fixing or replacing it is the best option.
But here are the some points to help you make your decision if you are considering replacing your HVAC system:

 ❏ Some of your rooms are too hot or cold. 

Duct problems, inadequate air sealing or insulation could be the cause. No matter how efficient your heating and cooling system is, if your home is not properly sealed and insulated against air leakage, you will not be as comfortable and your system will have to work harder.  

❏ Your home has humidity problems and/or excessive dust.  

Poorly operating or improperly sized equipment could be to blame. Leaky ductwork can also cause these problems, so having it sealed may be a solution. Monthly maintenance of your heating and cooling  equipment’s filters may also help.  

❏ Your cooling system is noisy.  

Your duct system could be improperly sized or there may be a problem with the indoor coil of your  cooling equipment.  

❏ Your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up.  

In addition to the rise in energy costs, the age and condition of your heating and cooling equipment may have caused it to become less efficient.  

❏ Your air conditioner or heat pump is more than 12 years old.  

Consider replacing it with newer, more efficient equipment. And, remember, high efficiency levels begin with ENERGY STAR.  

❏ Your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old.  

Consider replacing it with ENERGY STAR® qualified equipment. ENERGY STAR has set high efficiency guidelines for both types of heating systems.  

❏ You leave your thermostat set at one constant temperature.  

You could be missing a great energy-saving opportunity. A programmable thermostat adjusts your home’s temperature at times when you’re regularly away or sleeping.  

❏ Your score on the ENERGY STAR Home Energy Yardstick is below five.  

That means you’re using more energy at home than most Americans and probably paying more than you need to on energy bills. Get personalized recommendations to improve your home and/or heating and cooling system. Find the Home Energy Yardstick at www.energystar.gov. Click on Home Energy Analysis.  

The professional HVAC engineers and technicians at Marshall Mechanical can help you determine what’s best for you, your family’s comfort and your home.  Simply call us at 804.323.0189 today.

Source: “A Guide to Energy-Efficient Heating and Cooling,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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Shopping for a new furnace? What is AFUE, BTU, EER, SEER, HSPF?

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

If it’s time to replace your furnace, talk to the  HVAC professionals at Marshall Mechanical to determine the correct size system you’ll need. If the heating unit is too large for your home, it will waste energy by frequently cycling on and off.

Marshall Mechanical will help you choose an ENERGY STAR® qualified system that will allow you to save money on energy bills by heating or cooling your home more efficiently.

Here’s a guide to some of the common terms you’ll encounter when shopping for a new heating or cooling system.

What does AFUE mean?  

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency: Like your car’s miles-per-gallon rating, a higher AFUE rating means a higher efficiency unit. A furnace’s AFUE of 90% means 90% of the fuel is used to heat your home, while the other 10% is wasted in gases vented outside. Choose a higher AFUE to save more energy.

What is a BTU?  

BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, the unit of heat energy that’s necessary to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit, from 58.5 to 59.5. How does this apply to your home? Well, a 10,000 Btu air conditioner can remove 10,000 Btus of heat per hour.

 What does EER mean?

 The EER, or energy-efficiency ratio of a cooling system, measures how efficiently the system will operate when the outdoor temperature is at a specific level (usually 95F). A higher EER means a higher efficiency.

What is the difference between EER and SEER?  

 The SEER (seasonal energy-efficiency ratio) is a measure of air conditioning system’s efficiency over an entire cooling season, as opposed to a single outdoor temperature.

 What is HSPF?  

Heating System Performance Factor: This is the measure of a heat pump’s estimated seasonal heating output during spring and fall. Heat pumps with higher HSPFs are more efficient than heat pumps with lower HSPF ratings.

We hope this helps you to understand the common rating associated with furnaces and other heating and cooling systems.  If you have further questions, simply call our office at 804.323.0189 and we’ll be happy to answer them.

 

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7 Things to Look for in a Home Heating and Air Conditioning System

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Purchasing a new home heating and air conditioning system is often more important than people recognize.   Not only does your HVAC system need to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the hot Richmond summer months, it needs to run at high efficiency to save you money, have noise reduction features for quiet operations and both balance air flow and keep it at the right moisture level. 

In this way, you’ll enjoy a comfortable home all year long and for many years to come.  It is truly an investment in your home that you should not rush into purchasing, just like any other investment.  Take your time, check the facts and ask questions of your HVAC contractor.

To help you make the best decisions in purchasing your new HVAC system, here are 7 things to consider:

  1. Reliability.  Chances are, your heating and cooling system is one of the most expensive pieces of equipment you will purchase for your home.  That’s why it’s important to choose proven products from a reputable manufacturer.
  2. Efficiency.  A new ENERGY STAR®-labeled system, when properly sized and installed, can save you up to 20% on your annual heating and cooling costs. Plus, it may qualify you for utility rebates and tax credits.*
  3. Quiet operation.  The sound of a standard furnace can be as loud as 100 decibels, comparable to the sound of a kitchen garbage disposal! Air conditioners can produce sounds as high as 80 decibels. Look for technologies and features that help keep operating sound at a comfortable level.
  4. Consistent temperatures.  With a typical furnace or single-speed air conditioner, indoor temperature can vary as much as seven degrees from the thermostat setting. Variable speed and/or two-stage systems give you the assurance of precise temperature control.
  5. Balanced humidity.  To maintain proper moisture levels in your home, choose a thermostat that controls both temperature and humidity. You might also consider a variable speed and/or two-stage comfort system and dehumidifier.
  6. Proper Airflow.  A typical furnace motor runs at one speed and circulates a constant volume of air, so it responds to changing comfort demands by repeatedly cycling on and off. This frequent cycling increases air stratification and stagnation. For optimal air circulation, choose a variable speed model.
  7. Healthy air.  One of the best ways to combat indoor pollution is to attach an air cleaner to your furnace or air handler. That way, you can have peace of mind knowing your system is working to capture small contaminants in every room of your home.

Here at Marshall Mechanical, we partner with Lennox because of their superior heating and air conditioning equipment and because they are the innovation leaders in high efficiency technology.  Their products are superior in many ways.  But we will always talk with our customers to find out exactly how they use their HVAC system and take into consideration their home specifications to make the best choice for each individual family and home. 

For a free consultation on what heating and air conditioning system is the best choice for you and your Richmond-area home, please call the HVAC professionals at Marshall Mechanical at 804.323.0189 today.

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Cooling, Energy Efficiency, Heating System, Humidity Control, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), Lennox, Residential, hvac | 1 Comment »

With Lennox® Fall HVAC promotion plus Federal Tax Credits, homeowners can save up to $2,700 on new heating and air conditioning system.

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
Lennox Indoor Comfort Systems. Innovation never felt so good.

Lennox Indoor Comfort Systems. Innovation never felt so good.

Today’s cooler temperatures means it’s perfect timing to kick off the 2009 Lennox Fall heating and air conditioning consumer rebate promotion!

Lennox has given us the ability to customize a heating and air conditioning system based on your personal home comfort requirements.  Which means we can create a Lennox HVAC system from a range of qualifying products from Lennox’s outdoor, indoor, healthy climate and temperature control lines and the homeowner will be then eligible for a rebate of up to $1,200 for buying one qualifying product in each category.

The rebate includes up to $1,000 for select systems purchased and installed by November 30, 2009, with a $200 Early Bird bonus rebate if system is purchased and installed by September 27th, 2009.

Or, as an option, you can choose the 12-month, no payment, deferred interest financing through GE Money  –  available for qualified applicants.* 

As you probably know, the stimulus plan has provided for Federal tax credits on energy-efficient products. This means that homeowners can qualify for tax credits in addition to the Lennox rebate program. In addition to either the up to $1,200 in rebates OR the 12-months zero percent financing options, you can also receive Federal Tax Credits of up to $1,500, for all qualifying HVAC equipment installed in 2009 and 2010 in existing homes.

So if you replace your HVAC system with a Lennox Comfort System before September 27th, you can be eligible to receive:

  1. Up to $1,200 in Lennox product rebates OR 12-months same-as-cash financing, AND
  2. Up to $1,500 in Federal Tax Rebates.

Which gives you a total savings of up to $2,700!  Early bird offer expires September 27th!

And what’s more is that you continue to save on your heating and air conditioning bills each and every month with a new, more energy-efficient HVAC system that will provide you with comfort all year long.  We can show you how much you’d save compared to your current system with a simple savings calculator.

So don’t wait to take advantage of the 2009 Lennox Fall Rebate offer. Please call your Richmond heating and air conditioning professionals at Marshall Mechanical today at 804.323.0189. For more details, you can click on our website’s home page — see “home” button above.

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Cooling, Energy Efficiency, Heating System, Lennox, Marshall Mechanical, Residential, Save Money, Stimulus Energy Efficiency Rebate, Tax Credits | 1 Comment »