The Top HVAC Replacement Signs

Even the best HVAC equipment will need to be replaced over time. So how do you know it's time for a new HVAC system? Watch out for the following top HVAC replacement signs.

Age

Generally, HVAC systems last 10 to 15 years before requiring replacement. As they get older, they tend to become more prone to breakdowns. If your unit is older than 10 to 12 years old, chances are good that you'll need to replace it soon.

HVAC Problems Are Occurring More Frequently or Are Costly to Fix

If your system has needed HVAC repair service three or more times in the past few months, it's probably time to think about replacing it. The repairs you've paid for are prolonging the unit's life for only short periods. Rather than getting caught in the vicious cycle of repair — one of the key HVAC replacement signs — it's likely to be more economical to purchase a new system.

It's also advisable to invest in a new system if your older system needs an expensive repair, such as a new compressor.

Rising Energy Bills

Your HVAC system may need replacement if your energy bills suddenly shoot up inexplicably. The system may have worn-out and inefficient parts that need more energy to do their work. An HVAC technician can check the system to determine whether there's an issue with your thermostat or ductwork, or your unit could be nearing the end of its life span, which is one of the major HVAC replacement signs.

Your System Uses Freon

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) phased out R-22 refrigerant, commonly referred to as Freon. That helped ensure that new HVAC systems utilized more eco-friendly refrigerants. Freon is becoming more and more challenging to find, which has led to a spike in costs. Therefore, even routine maintenance of an air conditioner that runs on Freon can be a significant expense. If your system uses Freon, it's highly recommended that you consider replacing it.

When you notice these HVAC replacement signs, you can contact a trusted HVAC professional to assess the overall state of your system. For more helpful advice on replacing your HVAC system, contact Air Assurance. We provide HVAC repair, replacement, and maintenance services to Broken Arrow homeowners.

How to Switch from Heating to Cooling in Spring

The annual ritual of transitioning to cooling after a long winter of heating your house involves more than flipping one switch “Off” and another “On.” There are good reasons for following a recommended sequence of shutting down the furnace and starting up the central air conditioner. You’ll be leaving the furnace in good shape for the heating season next fall while also preparing the A/C to provide optimum cooling performance at the lowest costs during the long, hot summer ahead.

For shutting down the furnace and transitioning to cooling this spring, here’s a brief checklist:

• Schedule annual preventative maintenance with your HVAC contractor. This includes a full checkup, plus a list of manufacturer-recommended maintenance procedures performed by a qualified HVAC service technician. In addition to ensuring maximum cooling and reliability all summer long, professional preseason maintenance supports reduced energy consumption and lower monthly bills.

• Shut off the furnace. Change the thermostat setting from “Heat” to “Off.” At the furnace, turn the main gas valve to the “Off” position to stop the flow of gas.

• Replace the air filter. The system filter in your indoor air handler needs changing after winter heating operation. Replace it with a pleated cotton or polyester filter that has a MERV efficiency rating of at least 8. All summer, continue to replace the filter monthly.

• Check air vents in all rooms. Make sure HVAC supply and return vents in each room are open and unobstructed. Closed vents can disrupt air balance in rooms throughout the house and cause your A/C to run longer cycles.

• Inspect the outdoor unit. Make sure the outdoor A/C condenser unit isn’t covered and that no objects are placed on top. Weeds or vegetation around the unit should be cut back to clear 2 feet of space on all sides.

• At the thermostat, set the function switch to "Cool" and also review programmed temperatures.

When it's time for transitioning to cooling, contact the Air Assurance pros for professional service and advice.

Different HVAC Care for Winter vs. Summer

All homeowners have a common goal of wanting to keep their homes comfortable and energy-efficient throughout the year. To achieve that, you'll need to know how to optimize HVAC system operation in both the summer and the winter. Below are some useful tips on seasonal HVAC care.

Open High Returns in the Summer

Hot air rises and cool air sinks. Therefore, opening the right return vents in the summer and winter significantly improves the distribution of air by your forced-air system. You'll also enjoy more even heating and cooling throughout your home.

In the summer, open your high returns and close the low ones. That will allow the warm air that has risen to be sucked out of your room and taken to the air conditioning coils for cooling. What's more, the space created will allow the cold air that's coming into the room to flow up more easily.

So what would happen if you opened the low returns instead? In that case, it's the cold air that your HVAC system is delivering to the room that would be pulled out again. The hot air that has risen would remain up top.

Open Low Returns in the Winter

In the winter, open your low returns. That allows your HVAC system to pull out the cold air that has collected at your floor.

What About the Supply Vents?

If you live in a two-story house, you'll want to optimize the supply air as well. Because hot air rises, you won't have to make many heating adjustments to optimize the delivery of warm air to your upper floor in the winter.

However, in the summer, the rising warm air will pose a problem to the second floor. What's more, your hot attic will add more heat to the area. For those reasons, you'll need greater airflow to the second floor to keep it comfortable.

Open all the higher-floor dampers and partially close the dampers to the rooms on your lower floors. Your air conditioner will now force cold air to the rooms on your upper floor more efficiently.

Remember, even if you follow these steps, airflow will be restricted if your air filters are dirty. If you'd like to know more about effective seasonal HVAC care, contact us at Air Assurance. For more than 30 years, Broken Arrow residents have entrusted their HVAC needs to us.

Your Go-To Fall Maintenance Checklist

Now that the summer season is over and the kids are back in school, you may be wondering what's next for your household. Well, like any responsible homeowner, it's time to fill out that fall maintenance to-do list. Here are a few of our favorite tasks:

Set an Appointment with Your Technician

If you want to improve the performance of your HVAC system while also prolonging its operational lifespan, set up an appointment with a technician. He or she will check to make sure that everything is running smoothly, perform maintenance on the unit, and inform you of any problems.

Clean Your Floor and Ceiling Fans

Using your floor and ceiling fans is a great way to save energy and money by giving your HVAC equipment a bit of a rest. Just keep in mind that dust has possibly accumulated during the months prior to the season, so you should definitely wipe them down so that the dust doesn't spread and clog up your air.

Clean or Replace Your Air Filter

Once your HVAC system’s air filter has been clogged up with debris, harmful particulates can enter your air and your equipment won’t work as efficiently. Check your filter every 30 days and replace it as necessary for the best results.

Seal Cracks and Gaps Around the Home

For small problem areas, such as around your doors and windows, use caulking or weather-stripping to prevent air leakage. Bigger problems, such as gaps large enough where a rodent could get through, can be covered up with heavy-duty hardware cloth.

Unblock Your Registers

Many households experience a lot of activity over the summer, so it’s easy for registers to become blocked by boxes, furniture, or other such items. Take the time to go around to each register and make sure nothing is impeding its airflow. Also check to see that the registers are open and clear of dust and debris inside.

If you have any other questions about fall maintenance or home comfort needs, then the professionals at Air Assurance can help. We've been serving Broken Arrow and the surrounding area since 1985.

Types of Air Filters

You need to change your HVAC system's air filter regularly to keep your air clean and your system functioning efficiently. Do you know what kind of filter you need? Here's a brief guide to different types of air filters and how they work.

Fiberglass

The cheapest and most basic type of air filter, fiberglass filters are the lowest rated ones on the MERV scale. They can capture and remove large dust particles, but things like mold, pollen, and other allergens remain in your air.

Pleated

Made of cotton fabric and folded into pleats like a curtain, these filters are designed to remove smaller particles from the air, such as dust mites and pet dander. The more pleats the filter has, the better airflow it allows through it, and the more efficiently your HVAC system can heat or cool your home.

Electrostatic

Rather than simply creating a barrier to trap allergens and contaminants, this one actually generates an electrostatic charge, which attracts contaminants to it. They stick to the filter, while the clean air passes through. Electrostatic filters can remove things like mold, mildew, bacteria, and even cigarette smoke, which makes them ideal for allergy and asthma sufferers.

HEPA

High Efficiency Particulate Air filters. Designed for medical uses and laboratory clean rooms, these filters can remove 99.97 percent of impurities from the air, down to 0.3 microns. That includes viruses, sea salt, milled flour, and more. Unfortunately, these filters are too thick to fit into a regular HVAC system without damaging it. If you want extra air protection, you'll need to invest in a separate air purifier for your home, that's designed for the HEPA filter.

Washable

There are two types of air filters that are washable. Some cloth filters can be washed regularly instead of replaced. More common, though, are washable electrostatic filters. Washable filters last three to five years, making them much more practical than the expensive disposable ones, which must be replaced every few months.

To learn more about different types of air filters, contact us at Air Assurance. We proudly serve all of Broken Arrow's HVAC needs.

How to Care for Your HVAC Condensor Fan Motor

The condenser is located in the outdoor unit of the HVAC system, along with the compressor and condenser coils. This HVAC condenser fan motor is key to the proper operation of the entire HVAC system, keeping the air conditioner cool as the fan motor turns the blades, blowing air across the condenser coil where the refrigerant is cooled from hot gas into a liquid. During this process, warm air from the house is exhausted outdoors.

It's important to keep the condenser from overheating or working too hard. Regular maintenance includes lubricating the fan and other parts at least once a year, before you turn the air conditioner on for the season.

Condenser Problems

Some of the main things that can go wrong with the condenser are these:

• Motor can go bad. If the motor is incorrectly sized in the unit, it is likely to malfunction.

• If the fan blades are not installed correctly, airflow may be impeded and the motor may overheat.

• An incorrect start run capacitor or incorrectly sized fan blade may cause a condition called overamping.

• Poor air flow can also result from obstructions near the unit, such as weeds, leaves, grass, shrubs and garden furniture. Clear all vegetation and debris away from the condenser so it can properly exhaust warm air.

• Dirty coils can prevent the unit from transferring warm air, which will result in inadequate cooling in the home. The coils should be cleaned annually.

• Refrigerant leaks can develop in the condenser and the lines leading to it. Insufficient refrigerant can result in inadequate cooling, as well as strain on the compressor, leading to breakdown.

To tell if your condenser fan motor is overheating, place your hand on the unit. You can also check the temperature of the condenser fan motor with a regular thermometer, but it's best to hire an HVAC professional with proper equipment to do the job.

For more on your HVAC condenser fan motor and other HVAC parts, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow. Call us to schedule repairs, maintenance or new installations; we've served Broken Arrow since 1985.

New Home HVAC System: Your Checklist

If you're moving into a new home, it's a good idea to get to know your new appliances and equipment. Turn things on, look at the owner's manual and find out all the dos and don'ts. And nowhere is that more important than with your new home HVAC system.

The HVAC encompasses the heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems, all of which, when working at their peak, are designed to keep you comfortable. Of the several different kinds of systems, the most common is the forced air furnace and air conditioner, which use ductwork to distribute conditioned air. Whatever type of system you have, be sure to schedule a maintenance visit from your HVAC technician to check it for any potential problems. It always pays to fix things before they turn into major repairs or breakdowns. You don't want a breakdown in the midst of the cooling or heating season.

Here are a few tips for caring for your new home HVAC.

Caretaking for Your HVAC System

1. Change the air filter. This is the most important thing you can do with a forced air system. Change the filter whenever it's dirty to improve airflow and indoor air quality. Learn which type of filter works best with your system.

2. Maintain good airflow with your outside compressor/condenser. Clear away dirt, debris, leaves, weeds, grass, shrubs and limbs, as well as garden furniture and tools so that your condenser can adequately exhaust the heat that the refrigerant carries from the home.

3. Find out whatever you can about your HVAC system. How old is it? If your system is 10 years old or older, schedule a visit from the HVAC technician to check it out and see if it's the right capacity for your home so you can plan for the right size replacement when the time comes. Also, have the ductwork assessed to see if it needs repair or if it is adequate to deliver the right volume of air for your home.

To learn more about new home HVAC issues from Air Assurance. We serve Broken Arrow and the surrounding area.

Signing an HVAC Contract? What You Need to Know Before Agreeing With Services

Are you thinking of signing a contract for HVAC maintenance, but you're leery of what it might contain? Knowing what you should expect in an HVAC contract can make a signing decision easier, and provide peace of mind that you'll receive dependable HVAC care. If your HVAC company doesn’t have any literature, here is a sample template to view HVAC Contract. Here's what your contract should contain:

Covered Components

Your contract should list the specific HVAC components in your home that will be covered by the agreement.

Number of Maintenance Visits

While two visits per year is the norm, the contract should state exactly how many you'll receive.

Tasks Completed During Maintenance

It's important that a contract includes a complete list of the tasks a technician will perform on your cooling and heating systems, so you know they're being thoroughly inspected and serviced during each maintenance visit.

Beneficial Cost Savings

A detailed contract should mention the specific savings signing brings you – like the parts/labor for maintenance visits, or discounts on certain services and repairs.

Specific Exclusions

As well as stating what it includes, a contract should also specify any exclusions – such a extra fees for after hours service calls, additions for travel time, or charges for priority service.

Explanation of Labor Calculations

The contract should explain whether the company charges a set service call fee, an hourly labor rate or a combination of the two.

How Minor Repairs Are Handled

It should be clearly stated whether minor repairs will taken care of during maintenance visits (up to a certain dollar amount), or you'll receive an estimate for any needed repairs and be charged for another service call.

Scheduling Responsibility

You need to know if the contractor sends out reminders about scheduling maintenance, or if you'll need to remember to call and make an appointment.

Renewal Details

Will the maintenance agreement renew automatically, or does it expire and leave you without any preventive care coverage on a specific date?

Payment Terms

The payment terms should be clearly spelled out, along with any discount offerings or flexible payment options.

To find out more about the HVAC contracts we offer Broken Arrow homeowners, contact us at Air Assurance.