HRV or ERV? Choose the Right Ventilation System for Your Home's Needs

The choice between an HRV or ERV depends heavily on your climate. Because Broken Arrow sees both high summer temperatures and cold winters, the right choice isn't so obvious around here. Getting a better understanding of how these ventilation systems work will help you decide.

How HRVs and ERVs Differ

A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) uses exhaust fans to draw out stale, humid indoor air and supply fans to bring in fresh, outdoor air. Equal amounts of air are removed and replaced to provide continuous, balanced airflow.

Because just blowing out indoor air and letting in outdoor air would waste energy, an HRV contains a heat exchanger to minimize this waste. In winter, the heat exchanger collects heat energy from the outgoing warm air and transfers it into the incoming outdoor air, effectively pre-warming the air. In summer, it does the opposite to pre-cool the incoming air.

Energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) work the same way as HRVs with one difference. Their heat exchanger also transfers moisture. This means ERVs let in less humidity than HRVs in summer.

Making Your Choice

In a cold winter or mixed climate, an HRV is usually the best option. That said, there are other factors to consider when choosing between an HRV or ERV. These include the age and energy efficiency of your home, its size and the number of occupants. A large, drafty house with only two or three people is more likely to suffer from uncomfortably low humidity in winter, particularly in the drier parts of town. In this situation, an ERV may be a better choice.

Modern homes are built to be airtight, increasing their tendency toward high humidity. These homes, especially the smaller ones, are best suited to HRVs. Older homes were often intentionally built with cracks to provide airflow, meaning they're more likely to become dry during our cold winters. This makes some older homes better candidates for ERVs, although air sealing should also be considered.

For help deciding whether an HRV or ERV is right for your home, contact the pros at Air Assurance in the Broken Arrow area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Jezper/Shutterstock”

What's the Easiest Way to Make Your HVAC System More Efficient?

Keeping your HVAC system's air filter clean may not seem like it would make much of a difference in terms of performance. In reality, it's the most important thing you can do to keep your system running both efficiently and durably. Dust found on your filter and inside your air handler can significantly reduce your system's overall performance. 

Importance of Airflow

Engineers design forced-air HVAC systems to pull a specific amount of air through the air handler for peak efficiency. A dirty filter slows airflow, reducing the volume of air that passes through the ductwork. As a result, it will take longer to heat or cool your home, driving up energy consumption.Air handlers also house the components that exchange heat in both the heating and cooling mode. A gas furnace has a heat exchanger, while a heat pump has an evaporator coil that can both heat and cool. When your heat exchanger and coil are dust-free, the heat exchange process is faster and more efficient.

Reducing Dust

Air filters trap airborne particulates of varying sizes, depending on the quality of the filter. Running your system with a dirty filter will eventually cover the parts inside it with dust. A heat exchanger that's covered with dust holds onto heat longer, which can cause it to crack. When the cracks go all the way through, carbon monoxide can escape into your home's air. An HVAC system with a cracked heat exchanger needs to be repaired or completely replaced.When too much dust covers the evaporator coil, the refrigerant inside it will stay cold long enough to freeze the condensation coming off the coil. Unless your system shuts off to give the coil a chance to thaw, the exceptionally cold refrigerant can burn out the compressor inside the outdoor condenser. Keeping your filter clean reduces the likelihood of compressor failure or water damage from a frozen coil.

To learn more about keeping your HVAC system running as efficiently as possible, contact Air Assurance. We've been providing top-notch HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Fulop-Zsolt/Shutterstock”

Did You Skip Your Furnace Inspection Last Fall? Schedule It Now

If you skipped your annual furnace inspection last fall, you can check two items off your to-do list by scheduling it now and having your technician perform an A/C check-up too. Regular HVAC maintenance can help you:

• Avert dangers such as gas and deadly carbon monoxide (CO) leaks, and the risk of explosions and fires.

• Find and fix small issues before they grow into expensive repairs.

• Prevent undue wear on key system components, which can help you avoid an inconvenient and costly equipment failure.

• Extend the service life of your vital HVAC equipment, and satisfy the requirements of your manufacturer's warranty.

• Improve the energy efficiency of your entire heating and cooling system, which will save you money year round.

The tasks performed during a comprehensive HVAC system tune-up can vary, but typically, a reliable professional will:

• Check that the thermostat is functioning correctly to ensure that you have a comfortable living environment, and that you're saving as much energy as possible.

• Measure the voltage and current on your system's motors, and tighten all the electrical connections.

• Lubricate all the moving parts to reduce friction and prevent excessive energy consumption.

• Inspect and clean the system's condensate drain to prevent a backup and the risk of water damage in your home.

• Test the system's built-in safety controls to ensure proper operation.

• Check the equipment's startup cycle to ensure that it starts, runs, and shuts off as it should.

• Clean the blower components, and make any necessary adjustments to increase your comfort and improve the overall system efficiency by as much as 15 percent.

• Clean the condenser coils to ensure effective and efficient cooling.

• Check the A/C refrigerant level to maximize efficiency, and prolong the equipment's service life.

• Examine the heat exchanger(s) for signs of corrosion or cracks.

• Test for correct gas pressure, and check all fuel connections.

• Check for proper combustion, and clean the furnace burner(s) if necessary.

To learn more about the benefits of scheduling an air conditioning and furnace inspection, contact us at Air Assurance. We've proudly served the HVAC needs of Broken Arrow area homeowners for over 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Fall Furnace Inspection: Highly Recommended for Your Tulsa Home

Broken Arrow will soon see winter weather arriving in force, and if you haven't already scheduled your fall furnace inspection, now is a good time to do it. Your furnace works 24/7 throughout the winter to keep you comfortable, and over time it loses efficiency. Maintaining your furnace will lower your energy bills, increase system safety and efficiency, extend its life and help prevent common problems this winter. 

A comprehensive tune-up by a reputable company should include these key tasks:

• Lubricate the system to prevent damaging friction.

• Clean and inspect the blower assembly, heat exchanger and other essential components.

• Measure the voltage and current on the motor to ensure they meet system specifications.

• Test the burner combustion and gas pressure for safety and efficiency.

• Check for dangerous carbon monoxide leaks.

• Measure the flue gases to ensure they comply with system standards.

• Inspect the ventilation system for proper venting of combustion gases.

• Inspect your ductwork for obstructions and loose joints that can restrict airflow.

• Check your thermostat for accuracy and calibrate it if necessary.

• Inspect the wiring and terminals for corrosion, and apply a nonconductive coating.

Maintaining the efficiency of your system is essential for season-long comfort and savings. These tips will help you lessen the load on your furnace to keep it operating efficiently all winter long:

• Check your furnace's air filter every month. When it's caked with dust, replace it with a good-quality, pleated filter. A dirty filter restricts the air flow to your system and can cause overheating and expensive related damage.

• Reverse the direction of your ceiling fan blades to push warm air down and throughout your rooms, keeping you comfortable at lower thermostat settings.

• Seal around doors and windows with caulk and weatherstripping to keep warm air in and cold air out. The typical home loses up to 20 percent of conditioned air through leaky doors and windows.

If you would like to schedule your furnace inspection with one of our qualified technicians in the Broken Arrow area, please feel free to contact us at Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.

Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Right Furnace Sizing: It's Fundamental for Comfort, Savings

Right Furnace Sizing: It's Fundamental for Comfort, Savings

When you're choosing a new heating system, the most important step is the furnace sizing process. It involves a thorough analysis of your home to find the right Btus (British thermal units) so that you avoid installing a system that's too big or too small.Heating equipment that's too large will short cycle, which means it runs in short spurts and shuts off quickly, leaving you chilled between cycles. This drives up your energy bills, increases the wear and tear on the equipment and can cause rust in the heat exchanger, which may prompt an early furnace replacement.One that's too small will leave you cold when the weather is exceptionally cold, and it will run continually, increasing energy bills and wear of all the components.Your contractor should use software tools called Manuals J, D and S to select the best size for your home before you select the energy efficiency of the system. The inputs include your home's energy efficiency, its cubic footage, floorplan layout and your lifestyle.The result of this furnace sizing exercise will yield the Btus you need, and from there, you can move onto selecting the AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency). The minimum you can purchase is 80, and the ratings go as high as 98. The AFUE indicates how much of the fuel the system actually uses for heat. In the case of an 80 AFUE system, it uses 80 percent and wastes the other 20 percent.If your home needs 80,000 Btus of capacity and you select a furnace with an 80 AFUE, it means that you'll need a furnace that has a capacity of 96,000 Btus. By selecting a system with a 90 AFUE, you'll only need a system with 88,000 Btus. Selecting a more efficient system will cut your energy bills each time it turns on.The experts at Air Assurance can help you with furnace sizing and selecting the best AFUE for the short and long term. Please contact us to learn more. We've provided outstanding HVAC services for the Broken Arrow area for nearly 30 years.Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Key Components Of An Annual Service Check

An annual service check is near the top of the U.S. Department of Energy's  HVAC to-do list for homeowners. It's #2, right after monthly filter changes. And it's money well spent: You're protecting major investments, namely your heating and air conditioning system, and you're ensuring the comfort and safety of your family.Annual service checks catch problems before they happen and keep your system running efficiently year-round. A professional service technician will perform the following services to your oil, gas or electric HVAC system:

• Inspect and clean burners and heat exchangers
• Check vent flow and clean obstructions from the venting
• Test the thermostat and electrical connections to be sure they're working properly and at correct voltage, so the system starts and stops as it should
• Inspect oil fans and and other moving parts
• Clean A/C condenser coils
• Check/adjust the refrigerant level as needed
• Make sure the drain is clear for A/C and dehumidifier (if applicable)

These are just a few of the major things a check/tune-up will provide.  Air Assurance provides over 30+ checks while doing their maintenance.Everything runs smoother and more efficiently when cleaned and lubricated.  Your HVAC system is no exception. Burners and coils are the heart of your system. Furnace burners, like those on a stove, need cleaning to prevent the dirt and dust accumulation that leads to corrosion, rust and breakdowns. Without regular cleaning, burners become clogged, burn inefficiently and can cause damage to the heat exchanger. Cracks in the heat exchanger can allow combustion gases (like carbon monoxide) to escape into the air in your home.Coils need regular cleaning to remove the cottonwood, dust, grass clippings, etc away from the unit so that it can breathe, otherwise, putting too much strain on the compressor causes  it to prematurely give out.Don't let this happen to you. Call us today for more information. Ask about our preventive maintenance plan that keeps your system clean with annual service checks. It also offers priority service; no extra charges for emergency service; a 15 percent savings on any repairs (service and labor) and more. It also is a big part in the exclusive Limited Lifetime Repair Warranty only offered by Air Assurance! Visit us at the Air Assurance website, and don't hesitate to contact us for more information. We're always happy to help.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.