• Top Tips About Your HVAC System

  

Does your HVAC system seem mysterious to you? Don’t worry! We’re here to help with this great article that will give the low-down on how it works.

         HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. It’s 3 systems in one (although not all homes have all 3 systems in place).

There’s the Heating System, which is the furnace. It draws in the fresh air, heats it, and pushes that air through a filter and out into your house. Some homes have electric heat, others have oil heat and others have natural gas.

·         There’s the Air Conditioning System, which is your air conditioner. It draws in the fresh air, runs that air over cold coils, and then pushes that air out into your house. Some homes have an external air conditioning unit, others have a window unit that is not actually connected to your ventilation system (but just cools the air in the room), and some homes don’t have any air conditioning.

·         There’s the Ventilation System, which includes your ductwork that runs through the walls, delivering hot or cold air to each room.

 These 3 systems work together to make sure your home is as warm or as cool as you want. Some can be very complex (including special filters and programmable thermostats) and others can be very simple.

 So, what do you need to know about your system?

 First, it’s good to be familiar with where your furnace and air conditioner are located. Second, it’s good to know which circuits power the plugs that your furnace and air conditioner use (so you can shut them off if necessary). Third, it’s good to know if there are filters that each system uses so that you can clean and replace them regularly.

 Here’s what to do with your system regularly:

  Make sure your system runs from time to time. Use your sense of sight, smell, and hearing to detect anything unusual about your system. (Note: if you are starting your system up after a long time of not running, you may detect a very slight burning smell, which is probably a light accumulation of dust on the heating unit. As long as it disappears quickly, this is usually nothing to worry about, although you should call your local HVAC company if you are at all concerned.

 #2. Keep vents clear. There are intake vents where fresh air is drawn in, and exhaust vents where warmed or cooled air is pushed out. Keep these vents clear so you can create circulation throughout your home.

 #3. Have your ducts cleaned regularly. Dirty ducts will distribute dust and allergens throughout the house, and plug up your furnace filter. Clean ducts will move warmed or cooled air freely.

 #4. Clean your filters regularly (about every 1-3 months) and replace them regularly (about every 3-4 months) for maximum efficiency and the cleanest air.

 #5. Check for cold spots or hot spots. Your home should be comfortable but sometimes you may find that some areas of your home are colder or warmer than others. This can be fixed by running fans or by calling your local HVAC company to see what they recommend.

 #6. Have your local HVAC company service your HVAC system regularly and recommend ways to improve efficiency and cost savings. They probably have many tools and strategies that you weren’t even aware of, which can help you save money and breathe easier.

 Summary

 Your HVAC system may seem like a complicated system but it’s really quite simple. It warms or cools the air, and it moves the air around your house, all so you can keep your family safer and more comfortable. Get to know your system and learn how to keep it running smoothly and you’ll enjoy it for a long time to come.

 

• Why is Your Natural Gas Bill Going Up?

 

·                                                                              It’s that time of year when it’s still cool outside and houses are running their heat (at least at night). Your natural gas utility bill might also be going up! Let’s have a quick look at why your natural gas bill can still be high this time of year and what you can do to reduce the expense.

 

Why is your natural gas bill so high?

Where do you use natural gas in your home? You probably have a natural gas water heater. You might have a natural gas stove and maybe the clothes dryer. So for much of the year, your natural gas bill is probably fairly predictable and low, but when the temperature drops and you start running your natural gas furnace, the bill can spike up fast! On colder days, depending on where you live, you could be heating your house to be 20, 30, 40, or even 50 degrees above the outdoor temperature. That takes a lot of energy.

 

Now, if you do have a natural gas stove, you might be using it more this time of year. People tend to like more warm meals and baked favorites. And if you have a gas dryer, we do tend to layer up our clothes in cooler weather and this ultimately means washing more clothes and drying more clothes.

 

What can you do to reduce your natural gas bill?

 

●        Turn the thermostat down

This is the #1 way to reduce your natural gas bill. According to the Department of Energy, if you lower the thermostat by 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day, you can reduce your gas bill by as much as 10 percent. This is easy to do if you’re away from home for work during the day or you can get used to sleeping in a cooler home.

 

●        Install a smart thermostat

You can program a smart thermostat to lower the temperature of ten degrees during the day when everyone is away and then raise it back up 60 minutes before the first person returns home.

 

●        Get your furnace serviced

An HVAC technician from your preferred home services company can ensure that your furnace is running at maximum efficiency. Annual inspection and maintenance is vital to keeping your furnace working at its best. And the technician can also advise you on when it’s time to replace an older furnace with a new, more energy-efficient model.

 

●        Lower the water heater temperature    

Check the temperature on your water heater. It doesn’t need to be 150 degrees. The Department of Energy recommends 120 degrees.

 

●        Cook smarter

Crockpots are awesome and much more energy efficient than using the oven. Toaster ovens and convection ovens also save energy.

 

●        Air dry your laundry

You can purchase racks for air drying your laundry. Even if you only air dry half your laundry, that’s still a 50 percent savings.

 

Summary

Your natural gas bill is likely to go up in colder weather, but of course comes down in warmer weather. But no matter when you run it, there are many things you can do to keep it from skyrocketing.

        

Don’t Wait - R22 Refrigerant is Being Phased Out January 1 2020!

If your air conditioner uses R-22 refrigerant, it’s time to consider your replacement strategy. 

The United States government, specifically the Environmental Protection Agency, has mandated that due to effects which lead to the depletion of the ozone layer, the production and import of R22 refrigerant will cease on January 1 2020.  The only way to acquire it will be through recycled or stockpiled supplies, which will rapidly cause repairs on existing equipment to become extremely expensive.

You can read more about the EPA’s January 1 2020 mandate in a downloadable PDF here.

  

Does My Cooling System Use R-22?

You can look on the data plate on your outdoor unit, or your indoor coil that sits in front of, or on top of, your furnace.  Most air conditioning systems state ‘HCFC-22’, and amount in ounces and/or pounds will be listed on the data plate. The 2020 R22 refrigerant phase out will impact systems made up to 2010. As of January 1 2010, R-22 systems were no longer manufactured.  It’s important to note, however, that R-410A systems were also produced during the same period of time, so if you aren’t sure or need assistance contact us and we can send out a local, professional hvac technician to take a look.

Do I Have to Replace My Unit This Year?

Not necessarily.  You can certainly keep using the system until it fails.  We would strongly recommend that if you have to call someone out, and they tell you that you need to add refrigerant for any reason, you start evaluating options for replacement. This symptom always indicates a leak of some sort, since refrigerant isn’t consumed by the machine over time, it’s constantly circulated in a specific, measured amount to generate the desired cooling effect.

What If I’m Not Having Any Problems With My Current System?

As long as your heating and cooling system is being properly maintained, you shouldn’t need any new refrigerant.  Professional maintenance and regular service helps keep your system running strong as long as it can, and covers you on minor parts and repairs that, if left alone, can cause catastrophic failures. Prescott Valley Heating and Cooling offers three tiers of maintenance agreements that keep your current unit running properly for as long as possible.  We check things like capacitors, contactors, and refrigerant levels.  These days, we generally use temperature splits to test the system, and try not to put gauges on whenever possible.  This best practice avoids the release of 6 ounces of ozone depleting R-22 per visit.

How Can Prescott Valley Heating and Cooling Help?

When it comes to maintaining your existing system, we don’t only offer maintenance agreements.  PVHAC also offers duct cleaning and sealing services, air purification equipment, whole home humidification, attic ventilation, and other accessories to give you total control of your indoor environment.

If it's time for system replacement, we offer a wide selection of Ruud heating and cooling equipment, including water heaters, with pricing set to meet just about any budget. 

We also have multiple financing options to help ease the burden of replacing your equipment. We have some of the best financing available in our market, with 0% interest on many systems for up to 72 months, or low-interest, low-payment options up to 144 months!  We’re also offering a $100 per ton discount on any complete R22 system replacement, up to a maximum of 5 tons, or $500 per system.

Visit pvhac.com and check out reviews from our awesome customers, and when you're ready click the Book Online button, or call (928) 458-8177, to schedule a free in-home estimate TODAY!