Air Source Heat Pumps Tax Credit - Tulsa, OK

Air Source Heat Pumps Tax Credit - Tulsa OK

Determining the best heating method for your home in this area can be a challenge, since both heat pumps and combustion furnaces are viable choices for this climate. Weather throughout the winter tends to be mild, but there are times when the thermometer dips below freezing, which may influence your choice of the best heating method for your home and family.

These characteristics of each type of heating system might help you decide:

• Heat pumps work well in this climate for both heating and cooling. They are an energy-efficient option. Heat pumps warm your home by extracting the heat from the outdoor air. They work well until the temperature falls below freezing. At this point, there is less heat in the air, so the appliance will have to work harder. However, high-efficiency heat pumps are available that work effectively at much colder temperatures. If you require an exceptionally warm house, even during milder weather, you may want to consider a gas or oil furnace as your best heating method.

• The typical heat pump uses one unit of energy to provide three units of heat. A gas furnace or oil furnace never reaches such high efficiency, although high-efficiency systems can be 97% efficient, compared to 300% efficiency from a heat pump.

• Heat pumps have a high degree of safety compared to a gas or oil furnace. Any time that combustible fuels are used indoors, there is a risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fuel leaks.

• A heat pump contributes to outdoor noise even in the winter. It uses the compressor inside the outdoor condenser to transfer heat in the same way it removes heat from your home in the summer. If you want a quiet yard in the winter, consider a furnace as your preferred heating method.

• If you need to replace your air conditioner along with your heating method, it makes financial sense to choose a heat pump. 

  ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME IMPROVEMENT TAX CREDIT (25C) PROGRAM

  The previous Nonbusiness Energy Property credit (25C) for installing high-efficiency equipment was extended through 2022 and provides federal tax credits of up to $500.
  The amended Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) begins in 2023 and extends through 2032. It increases the tax credit limits for high-efficiency equipment as follows:

  1. Eligible equipment includes:

     • Heat pumps and heat pump water heaters

     • Energy-efficient HVAC systems (including furnaces, boilers, and central AC)

  2. The 25C credit has an annual cap of $1,200 (except heat pump):

     • Up to $600 each for a qualified air conditioner or gas furnace, with an annual cap of $1,200

     • Up to $2,000 with a qualified heat pump, heat pump water heater, or boiler

  There are no income requirements for this tax credit, and it cannot be combined with other federal programs.

  WHO CAN USE THIS CREDIT?

  PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE OWNERS

  Must be an existing home & your principal residence. New construction and rentals do not apply.

  A principal residence is the home where you live most of the time. The home must be in the United States. It can include a house, houseboat, mobile home, cooperative apartment, condominium, and a manufactured home.

For professional advice about the best heating method based on your home and family, contact the pros at Air Assurance. We provide trusted HVAC services to Broken Arrow homeowners.

Gain Heater Knowledge: Learn How Your Heater Actually Works

Having some heater knowledge is useful for a couple of reasons. Knowing how heating systems work can help you select a new one for your Broken Arrow home if needed. Being familiar with how heaters work can also help you notice when something is wrong with your heating system so you can have it repaired right away.

Forced-Air Furnace

Forced-air furnaces use gas, oil, propane, or electricity to generate heat. These heating systems take in air, then heat it up and send it through ductwork and vents to warm homes. A blower motor pushes the heated air into the ducts, where it flows to different areas of your home. Colder air in your home is pulled into the furnace through return ducts, and the heating cycle begins again when your heating system is on.

Heat Pump

Heat pumps exchange heat rather than produce it from gas, electricity, oil, or propane. Heat pumps take heat from the air outside or from the ground and use it to heat a home's interior. Air-source heat pumps pull heat from above ground, while geothermal heat pumps pull heat from underground. This provides one energy-efficient way to heat homes in winter. These heating systems can also cool homes by moving hot indoor air outside in summer.

Radiant Heat

Radiant heat produces heat through coils or pipes that are placed in floors, ceilings, or walls. These coils or pipes use either electricity or heated water to keep rooms or areas in homes warm. The heat from these pipes and coils flows into the room rather than coming through vents.

If you’re interested in heater knowledge so you can choose a new heating system, our experts can help. Contact Air Assurance for more heater knowledge about our HVAC services in the Broken Arrow area. We can assist you with choosing the most efficient heating system for your home.

Why Is My Heat Pump So Loud?

When your heat pump suddenly becomes noisy, the first thing that may come to your mind is that it's about to break down. But don't panic just yet. Loud heat pumps could be just that — loud. At times, the loud noise could be a sign of a problem. So how can you tell the difference? Read on to find out the common noises that heat pumps make and what they indicate.

Normal Noises

Heat pumps usually make some strange sounds while they operate. For instance, those that have a Scroll-type compressor make clicking and tapping sounds as they shut down. When coming on, they make rickety sounds. Swooshing sounds are also to be expected when heat pumps go into defrost mode. Shifting valves are responsible for the sounds, which shouldn't be a cause for concern. Rattling sounds at startup or shutdown that resemble an unbalanced washing machine are also typical.

Unsettling Noises

Some loud noises can be signs of trouble. They include:

• Gurgling — Low refrigerant charge often causes gurgling noises. It can severely downgrade your heat pump's performance.

• Rattling — Frequent rattling or vibration-like sounds could be caused by loose components or unsecured ducts.

• Metal-to-metal noises — At times, a heat pump can make banging or clanging sounds like metal hitting against metal. The fan blades could be hitting a chunk of ice or other components. The contact could damage the fan or the parts that the fan blades are hitting. To avoid costly repairs, turn the unit off as soon as you hear these noises.

• Popping — This sound could be as a result of liquid refrigerant entering the compressor. You should have it fixed soonest possible.

• Squealing — A high-pitched squealing sound could indicate your unit's motor is going bad. It could also be due to your compressor putting too much pressure on the refrigerant.

If your heat pump is making any of these worrisome sounds, call in an HVAC professional to examine it. If you need help with a noisy unit in the Broken Arrow area, contact the heat pump specialists at Air Assurance.

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). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

Celebrate High-Tech Month with These HVAC Products

Why not add some HVAC products embedded with high-technology to honor the month of January. They’ll bring a new level of function to your home that will be as useful as it is interesting.

Wi-Fi and Smart Thermostats

By their nature, thermostats that you can control from anywhere have to be among the smartest products to use in your home to control its energy use. These thermostats let you monitor your home from anywhere you can get a Wi-Fi signal.Some thermostats track room occupancy to adjust the temperatures. Others have features that tell you when the unit needs servicing or when a part is malfunctioning. Overall, smart and Wi-Fi thermostats save considerable amounts of energy for people who aren’t home 24/7 or travel a lot. They’re also useful to control temperatures remotely.

Air Purifiers

Considering the high volume of air that you breathe daily, installing a central air purifier will clean the air and reduce the symptoms of allergies or asthma. You can choose from UV (ultraviolet) air purifiers and the advanced systems that eradicate the pollutants in the air without using filtration.

Air Quality Monitors

If you’re not sure you need an air purifier, start smaller with an air quality monitor. If your garage is attached and someone in your home has a hobby that uses chemicals, an air purifier will alert you when the air isn’t necessarily safe to breathe. Harmful but all too common airborne chemicals include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that cause a variety of complaints and serious illnesses will show up on the monitor, as well as. Other dangerous gases include carbon monoxide and dioxide and radon.

Advanced Heat Pumps

If you need a new heating and cooling system, consider an advanced heat pump with variable-speed operation. These kinds save tremendous energy and ensure your comfort using high-tech sensors to monitor indoor and outdoor temperatures and adjust their running speeds accordingly.

If you’d like more information about any of these HVAC products and others, talk to a pro at Air Assurance, providing HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners.

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). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

Tips To Manage Home Heating Load

If you're heard the phrase “heating load” but you're not sure what it means, it's simply the amount of energy consumed by your heat pump or furnace to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your home. If you'd like to save energy and reduce your utility bills, you can use these tips to better manage your home heating load:

Seal Air Leakage Sources

Heated air losses make your heating system work harder and waste energy. To curb these losses, use weatherstripping, expandable foam and caulk to seal gaps and leaks around your exterior doors, windows, and where wiring, pipes and vents penetrate the exterior shell. Seal spots where air leakage occurs between the attic and your finished living areas and the access hatch too, and have your accessible HVAC ducting runs sealed and insulated as well.

Maintain Your Heating Equipment

Well-maintained equipment consumes less energy, so get yours professionally serviced every year. To keep your equipment running efficiently throughout the heating season, check the system's air filter once a month, and put in a fresh one when you see any dirt accumulation.

Install Sufficient Attic Insulation

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), you should have a total of R-30 to R-49 installed between your attic floor joists to limit energy losses that add to your heating load. When you're insulating the attic, don't forget to do the access hatch too.

Keep Heating Vents Open and Unobstructed

When some vents are closed or blocked, it puts extra strain on your heating equipment and increases its energy consumption. You can avoid this by keeping your vent louvers open and checking periodically that they're unobstructed by household items like furniture, rugs or long window treatments.

Switch to a Programmable Thermostat

If you still have an older manual or digital thermostat, install a programmable model that allows you to automate energy-saving temperature setbacks. Ideally, these should be daily eight-hour periods, such as when everyone's away all day, or at night when your family is sleeping.

For personalized advice about managing your home heating load, contact the Broken Arrow HVAC pros at Air Assurance.

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). For more information about heating loads and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “geralt/Pixabay”

Five Things You Need to Know About Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are a highly versatile climate control option for just about any home, offering excellent performance as well as tremendous savings. But before you decide to buy one, consider a few things you should know:

1. There are actually two types of heat pumps. Heat pumps can be divided into air-source and ground-source variants.

   • An air source heat pump uses outdoor air to gather latent heat during the heating season and release latent heat during the cooling season.

   • A ground-source heat pump, on the other hand, draws its latent heat from below-ground water sources. It also sends latent heat underground during the cooling season.

2. They use refrigerant to cool and heat your home. The average air conditioner uses its refrigerant as a medium for collecting latent heat found within indoor air and expelling that heat outdoors. A heat pump follows the same principle during the cooling season, but it completely reverses the process during the heating season, when it uses its refrigerant to draw latent heat from the outdoor air instead.

3. They can be used with supplementary heat sources. Most heat pumps are designed to be paired with electric, gas, or even oil heat. This can give you an effective fallback if you need a little extra heat during the winter.

4. Having one installed in your home can help save you money. A typical heat pump is designed to use far less energy for heating and cooling than other types of HVAC systems. An Energy Star-qualified system can save you even more money, as these units use up to 20 percent less energy than standard models.

5. Buying one can qualify you for a tax credit. Purchasing a ground-source heat pump can qualify you for a federal tax credit toward 30 percent of your system’s total cost.

To learn more about how a heat pump can help keep your home comfortable year-round, contact us at Air Assurance. We proudly serve Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas.

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Consider These Air Conditioner Options When Cooling Your New Home Addition

If you're planning to add a room or section onto your home, one of the major decisions you'll have to make is how to cool and heat the added space. The decision could have far-reaching consequences; if you choose the wrong alternative, it could prove quite costly. Here are three main options for heating or cooling your new home addition.

Extending an Existing Cooling and Heating System

This is the simplest option if your existing HVAC system has the capacity to cool and heat the added space. It just requires the labor and materials to extend existing ductwork. You can also have a zoning system installed, which allows for independent temperature control in the new area.

Replacing an Existing HVAC System

This option is practical if your existing system is nearing the end of its useful service life. This usually happens after 15 years or more for a furnace, and 10 to 12 years for an A/C or heat pump. When replacing your old system, you can upgrade to high efficiency heating and cooling, setting yourself up for lower energy bills. For even more efficiency, combine this with a weatherization project throughout your home by sealing air leaks and enhancing insulation.

Install an Independent System

If either of the first two options are too expensive or otherwise impractical, consider installing independent cooling and heating. A variety of options are available, including a ductless mini split, a small furnace-A/C setup, or a mini-duct HVAC system. With all of these options, you get independent temperature control in your home's added space.

For more advice on heating and cooling your new home addition, please contact us at Air Assurance. We've provided superior HVAC services to Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding communities since 1985.

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The Importance of Sizing a Geothermal Heat Pump

A geothermal heat pump is an inexpensive, renewable way of heating and cooling your home by using energy from the ground. However, before you invest in a geothermal system, it's important to get the correct size for your space. Otherwise, you could end up wasting energy instead of saving it. Let's look at why sizing a geothermal heat pump is so important, and how to do it properly.

How a Geothermal System Works

No matter what the weather is like outside, the temperature about 10 feet underground is a constant 50 to 60 degrees. A geothermal system buries a loop of pipe beneath the ground, then circulates liquid through it to absorb that heat energy and bring it into the home. During the summer, a geothermal heat pump extracts heat energy from indoor air and uses the ground as a heat-sink to dispose of the unwanted heat. The cool air is the result of this heat extraction.

Problems With Improper Sizing

If you size your system too small, it won't have the capacity to heat or cool the air as it should. It has to work harder to do the job properly, using extra electricity and putting undue stress on system components, which can cause unnecessary damage and ultimately shorten system life.Sizing a geothermal heat pump too large causes problems as well. A system that's too big will cycle on and off too frequently, which also causes damage and uses excess electricity. It also creates a disparity in temperature from one area to the next and can fail to dehumidify the space, making things wet and clammy.

So what size should your geothermal system be? It depends on the size of your home, as well as climate, soil type and other factors. Talk to a professional HVAC contractor, who can measure these factors and make sure your geothermal system and piping loop are the proper size for your home.

For help sizing a geothermal heat pump for your home, contact us at Air Assurance.

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Let's Debunk Common Geothermal Heating & Cooling Myths

Geothermal heating and cooling is generating substantial interest as more homeowners adopt the ultimate in low-cost and environmentally friendly indoor comfort. Just six feet beneath the earth's surface, temperatures average about 55 degrees. This convenient geological fact, combined with efficient heat pump technology, turns the earth itself into an available energy source for geothermal heating and cooling.

Misunderstandings and myths surround some of the basics of geothermal heating and cooling, however. Here are a few you may hear—plus the actual facts of the matter.

Geothermal Consumes Electricity

The nominal electricity consumed by a geothermal system is utilized only to power the heat pump compressor, circulation pumps and blower. Heat produced by a geothermal system is extracted from the earth by a ground heat exchanger consisting of buried tubes that continuously circulate a heat-absorbing solution. In summer, the system reverses and extracts heat from the home, dispersing it back into the earth through the ground heat exchanger.

Geothermal Requires Lots of Space

In a horizontal installation, tubing can be arranged in loops and “slinky” type configuration to reduce the required square footage. Moreover, heat exchange tubing can also be installed vertically, in a deep bore drilled into the ground. Vertical installations can be adapted to almost any size lot.

Underground Components Degrade

High-density polyethylene tubing utilized for the ground heat exchanger is typically guaranteed for 50 years or more. Because they are not exposed to weather extremes, buried components typically incur less wear and tear than surface components of a conventional A/C system.

Geothermal Heat Pumps Make Noise

All above-ground components of a geothermal system are installed indoors. Because heat is absorbed and dispersed by the buried heat exchanger, there are no noisy coil fans running.

Solar Panels and Wind Generators Are More Efficient

For every unit of energy consumed, a geothermal system returns four units of heating or cooling. Reduction in power demand of a geothermal system is equal to or up to four times greater than solar or wind.

Ask the professionals at Air Assurance for more facts about the advantages of geothermal heating and cooling.

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