Quality Repair vs. Replace in Tulsa?

Quality Heating & Cooling services in Tulsa

At Air Assurance, we undestand it's one of the most difficult decisions a homeowner will have to make — whether to have a quality repair on an old HVAC system or bite the bullet and replace it. But how do you decide the quality repair vs. replace dilemma, in the Tulsa Oklahoma market? Ask the following questions to determine whether to repair that old A/C or furnace one more time, or replace it entirely.

How old is your system?

Experts tend to agree that a combustion furnace reaches the end of its service life between 15–20 years, while an A/C or heat pump is closer to 10–15.

Are other factors affecting the longevity of your HVAC system?

Where you live and its climate will have a big effect on how many years you get out of a furnace or A/C. A furnace, for instance, will last longer in a Southern climate, while an A/C will last longer in a Northern climate where it's not running 24/7). Professional maintenance is another important factor. A well-maintained HVAC system can be expected to last longer than one that has been neglected. A system with proper air filter maintenance also will last longer.

Is your older system breaking down a lot?

This is usually a good sign that an "experienced" HVAC system is nearing the end of its service life. At a certain point, you'll have to decide whether it's time to quit throwing good money after bad, and go ahead and invest in a new high-efficiency furnace, A/C, or heat pump.

Are you energy bills going up?

If your utility bills are rising and there's no obvious reason, such as a more severe winter, utility rate increases, or some other household use that's consuming power, the culprit might be an older HVAC system that no longer operates as efficiently as it used to. Investing in a new high-efficiency furnace, A/C, or heat pump system, fortunately, can start a new era of lower energy costs, eventually reimbursing you for much of the cost of that new HVAC system.

To discuss the repair vs. replace question in your Broken Arrow home, please contact us 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). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Geralt/Pixabay”

Here's How to Check Insulation Levels in Your Home

Attic insulation costs - tulsa ok

If you'd like to lower your energy bills and improve your home comfort, addressing sources of air leakage and areas with inadequate insulation can help. Checking two key areas where these problems often occur can help you decide if it's time to hire a professional to boost the insulation level and seal up air leaks.

Up in the Attic

For home attics in our region, the Department of Energy (DOE) advises insulating the floor to R-60, and correcting air leaks to reduce heat transfer with the living areas below. You can perform a couple of easy checks to assess these issues:

• When it's dark out, turn on the lights in the rooms below the attic. Go up there, close the hatch and take a thorough look around the floor to locate any leak sources where light bleeds through from below.

• To judge the insulation level, turn on your attic lights and look around again. If you see the tops of the floor joists in any spot, there's not enough insulation. If the joists are well-hidden, you likely have a sufficient amount installed.

You can fix areas of energy waste and increase the efficiency of your home by sealing the attic, installing a vapor barrier on the floor, and increasing insulation to the recommended level.

Your Exterior Walls

According to the DOE, your exterior wall cavities should have R-19 in insulation installed, and you should seal leaks in the exterior shell by weatherstripping and using caulk and expandable foam insulation. To assess these areas:

• Take off the electrical box covers on the exterior walls, then shut their breakers off. Using a flashlight, look inside each box for signs of insulation. If none is visible, your walls probably need insulation.

• At night, shut off all the interior lights in your home, then walk around shining a flashlight at the exterior walls. Get a helper to follow you outdoors to identify any spots where leaks let the light shine through from inside.

Contact us at Air Assurance for more advice about increasing the insulation level and sealing leaks in your Broken Arrow home.

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 insulation and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “john-kasawa/Shutterstock”

What Is the Potential Future of Solar Power and HVAC?

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Given Broken Arrow's hot, sunny summers, solar power and HVAC are a natural pairing for keeping cool in our area. While air conditioners powered by solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are the most common now, the future holds much more.

Cooling From the Sun

The solar market has grown steadily over the past decade, driven by homeowners' desire for lower energy bills and interest in sustainable living, as well as by federal tax credits for new solar PV systems, which produce electricity that can power most brands of air conditioners, heat pumps, and other HVAC equipment. It's possible to power your existing AC or heat pump with solar, but this route works best with high-efficiency systems. As systems that are more energy efficient enter the market, combining solar power and HVAC becomes increasingly practical.

Hybrid systems, which rely primarily on solar DC electricity and use AC grid electricity when necessary, offer another option. Thermal air conditioners combine solar power and HVAC in yet another way: Instead of using electricity converted from the sun's energy, they use the sun's energy directly to heat water. The hot water boils a solution containing refrigerant. When the refrigerant gas is recombined with the solution, its temperature is lower and can be used for cooling. These systems tend to work best in dry climates, but advances in technology may make them more practical for our area.

Warmth in Winter

Radiant-floor heating systems are another part of the future of solar-powered HVAC systems. The efficiency of underfloor heating makes it ideal for use with solar energy. You can use solar PV panels to convert the sun's energy to electricity to power your electric underfloor heating system or use a solar thermal store cylinder combined with a boiler for a hydronic (water) system. Solar-evacuated tubes, a relatively new technology, make hydronic systems even more efficient, particularly on cold, cloudy days.

If you're looking for new ways to combine solar power and HVAC in your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance.

What Kind of HVAC Pad Should Your Outside Unit Sit On?

Over time, the rapid vibrating motion of AC units can make them sink into the ground. AC condenser pads are designed to offer a flat, unmovable surface for the units. They protect the AC components from the damage that can occur when the units sink. When purchasing an HVAC pad, you should get one that meets your unit's specific needs. Here, we discuss the factors you should consider.

Size

HVAC pads come in various sizes and shapes. It's advisable to get a pad with slightly larger dimensions than your unit's footprint dimensions. Such a pad offers better stability and support over the unit's useful life. It's also important to check the local zoning codes, as they may dictate the size of pad you can use depending on the part of the city where you live.

Durability

Your pad will be exposed to different weather conditions. Therefore, you should get a pad that's waterproof and UV-resistant. During the warm season, the sun's UV light can cause cracks in a pad that lacks UV protection. As time goes by, a pad that isn't waterproofed can become waterlogged. As a result, it may break down and cause your AC to sink.

Material

AC condenser pads are made of different materials. Concrete AC pads work well for large-capacity units. However, most modern units are lighter and smaller. What's more, concrete pads tend to sink over time. Rubber pads are usually resilient and waterproof. However, they don't handle UV rays well.

Recycled plastic offers benefits that are comparable to those provided by rubber pads. The pads made from recycled plastic are environmentally friendly, UV resistant, and they usually don't crack when exposed to too much rain. AC pads made from composite material are also a good option, as they typically consist of an assortment of materials that efficiently resist UV light and water.

No matter how excellent the HVAC pad you purchase may be, it will be ineffective if installed improperly. A local HVAC professional can install the pad correctly and ensure it's up to code because of his or her familiarity with the local zoning laws. If you need any HVAC services in the Broken Arrow area, contact the professionals at Air Assurance.

Should You Link Your Plumbing and HVAC Systems to Save Money?

Though your plumbing and HVAC systems serve different functions, there are certain places where links between the two units may connect inside your house. Both your central air conditioner, as well as a high-efficiency, two-stage furnace, produce condensation which must be effectively drained from each unit.

Here are two scenarios where plumbing and HVAC links are vital, as well as what might go wrong with each.

Central Air Conditioner

On a humid summer day, the indoor evaporator coil for a central AC can produce more than 20 gallons of condensation. All that water flows from the coil into a condensate drip pan situated beneath the indoor air handler, then into a PVC drain pipe connected to the home-plumbing drain system.

What Might Go Wrong

Algae or mold growth may occur in the drip pan and clog the condensate drain pipe, causing the pan to overflow. In that case, serious water damage to the house may occur.

Annual cooling system preventative maintenance by a qualified HVAC service technician includes an inspection of the condensate drip pan. If algae or mold growth is noted, the pan can be cleaned and the drain line blown out to ensure proper drain function. Algicide tablets may also be placed in the pan to prevent a recurrence.

High-Efficiency Furnace

A high-efficiency furnace also produces condensation. This water may flow through a drain pipe to be discharged outside the house or into a connection with the home drainage system.

What Might Go Wrong

In cold weather, the drain pipe may freeze where it terminates outside, blocking flow. In this case, a safety sensor will automatically shut down the furnace to prevent internal damage.

An HVAC contractor can verify that the condensate drain line is properly slanted so water drainage flows rapidly and does not freeze Alternatively, the drain line may be connected to the household drain system. However, because furnace condensate is caustic, it must be routed through a condensate neutralizer installed at the furnace connection to prevent corrosion of home drain pipes.

For professional service to prevent or resolve issues with plumbing and HVAC links, contact the experts at Air Assurance.

Is It Better to Combine or Separate Your Heating and Cooling Systems?

Your AC and furnace are both essential to your home comfort. However, both units require a significant amount of care and maintenance. Replacement costs can be high as well. Would it just be easier to combine heating and cooling systems into a single unit that does both? Here are some of the advantages.

Advantages of Combining HVAC Systems

The biggest advantage to consolidating your heating and cooling into a single system is that it saves space. Rather than having two different units in different areas of the house, you only have one. If you have a smaller home or want to free up some storage space, combining systems might be a good option.

It also saves money. Rather than having to buy both a furnace and an AC, you can just pay for a single system. It may be a bit more expensive than either of them are individually, but it's still cheaper than the combined cost of both.

Additionally, since you'll have just one system, you can get it serviced just once a year, rather than scheduling an AC tuneup in the spring and a furnace inspection in the fall. Finally, a combined system can save you energy. How, you ask?

Saving Energy with Heat Pumps

The best way to combine heating and cooling systems is with a heat pump. They're perfect for milder winter climates like Oklahoma's, and they can save you energy. Whereas gas furnaces burn fuel to heat the air, heat pumps are electric and operate on the same principle as air conditioners.

In the summer, it operates just like a regular AC. A heat exchanger absorbs heat, leaving you with cool air to circulate through your house, while the heat is vented outside. In winter, it's reversed: The heat that's absorbed is pumped into your home, while the cool air is vented outside. This not only saves energy, but it provides you with home comfort year round, from a single system.

If you want to combine heating and cooling systems in your home, contact us at Air Assurance today. We proudly serve all of Broken Arrow's home-comfort needs.

HVAC Questions to Ask During a House Hunt

When conducting a house hunt, remember to ask a few important HVAC questions before making an offer. In addition to knowing the condition of vital structural elements like the roof and the foundation, it’s important to also learn a few things about the heating and air-conditioning units. The condition of these units directly impacts monthly cooling and heating costs and may indicate whether expensive repairs will be needed soon.

Here are a few HVAC questions to ask while you’re looking for a good buy on the housing market:

• How old are the units? Central air conditioners typically have an expected service life averaging 12 to 15 years. Gas-fired furnaces may last 20 years or more. As a prospective buyer thinking ahead, it’s important to consider that replacement of the entire A/C or furnace is usually the most financially viable option if the unit needs major repairs and has exceeded approximately 2/3 of its expected service life.

• What recent repairs or component replacements have been required? A history of excessive repairs may indicate a poor-quality — and one which will likely need replacement soon — or one that has not been properly maintained or has been operated incorrectly.

• What are typical monthly heating and cooling bills? This figure will vary according to the number of occupants and temperature preferences. However, if the present owners have been paying unusually high costs to warm or cool the house, it could be a red flag that the HVAC system is not operating up to the manufacturer’s efficiency specs.

• Has the system received regular annual maintenance by a qualified HVAC professional? Regular annual maintenance supports optimum heating/cooling performance as well as maximum efficiency and low operating costs. It’s associated with longer service life and fewer breakdowns and repairs. A written record of regular annual maintenance is also required by most HVAC manufacturers in order to transfer the warranty on the units.

For more about important HVAC questions to ask when house hunting, contact the professionals at Air Assurance.

How Do You Know When Replacement — and Not Repair — Is Your Best Option?

If your heating or cooling components aren’t functioning up to standards, it might be time to make a choice between HVAC replacement and repair. Time passes, and furnaces and central air conditioners don’t last forever. The reliability and average service life of HVAC systems is constantly improving. However, mechanical issues or the simple passage of years takes their tolls eventually and causes you to consider your options. Here are some factors to think about when you’re faced with making a decision about HVAC replacement or repair:

• Consider the age of the unit. A typical gas-fired furnace averages about 20 years before it's time to replace it. A central air conditioner lasts about 12 to 15 years. Another aspect to consider, however, is the unit’s efficiency life span. If you’re continuing to operate an aging furnace or A/C that is out of date as far as energy efficiency, you’re probably paying more for monthly electricity and/or gas bills than is necessary. By replacing a marginal, outdated unit now, rather than repairing it, you’ll start saving money every month.

• What will it cost to fix it? Major HVAC repairs may not be the best option financially. It depends on the age of the unit and how much effective, efficient service life still remains. Certain repairs, such as a failing compressor in a central A/C or a cracked heat exchanger in a furnace, are so costly that they usually aren’t justifiable in a unit that has exceeded two-thirds of its life expectancy. At that point, replacement of the unit is a more viable option to get higher efficiency, increased reliability, and a new warranty.

• Are you missing out on new technology? Current HVAC units incorporate advanced options not available in that older model still installed in your home. Wi-Fi connectivity, remote monitoring and control and smart systems that learn your household habits and temperature preferences are among the many benefits available by upgrading to new HVAC components now.

For professional advice when facing a decision about HVAC replacement or repair, contact Air Assurance.