Tips: Buying a New Air Conditioner

When summer weather is coming, homeowners turn to thoughts of air conditioner maintenance. If this is the year you'll be buying a new air conditioner, make sure you enter the process wisely. Here are some tips to help you find the right air conditioner.

Purchase the Proper Size

Sizing the air conditioner properly for your home is going to be crucial as you seek to properly and efficiently cool your home. If the new air conditioner is too large for your space, you will struggle with high humidity levels. If it is too small, it will work too hard and struggle to keep up on extremely hot days.

Check Efficiency Ratings

If your air conditioner is 10 or more years old, chances are it is less efficient than newer options. Purchasing a highly efficient air conditioner will help lower energy bills. To find an efficient air conditioner, look for labels from the federal Energy Star program and SEER ratings. The higher the SEER rating on the air conditioner, the more efficient it is. Currently, a 13 SEER rating is the minimum requirement, and 16 or above is considered highly efficient.

Properly Match the Indoor and Outdoor Unit

If you are only replacing one part of your air conditioning system, you will need to ensure that the indoor unit and outdoor compressor are properly matched. Recent refrigeration changes mean that not all systems will match properly. Your HVAC professional will be able to help with this.

Remember to Check for Rebates

Rebates for high efficiency air conditioners are common, on both the federal and state levels. Find out what rebates are available, and take advantage of them. Keep in mind that you may be able to offset the cost of a new air conditioner with a higher efficiency rating using a rebate, so research rebates before you buy.

If you are looking for more advice about choosing the ideal air conditioner for your Broken Arrow home, consider consulting with an HVAC professional. Air Assurance has a team of dedicated professionals who are ready to help you. Contact them today.

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The Essential Home Energy Evaluation Checklist

Broken Arrow's climate gives us a wide range of weather to deal with, but with a few simple upgrades, you can make sure your home is ready for whatever comes. A home energy evaluation helps you choose the upgrades that will benefit you most.

Perform a Basic DIY Inspection

Look for leaks — Tiny cracks around doors, windows, plumbing and wiring penetrations, exhaust vents, and other areas waste your heated and cooled air. Test for these by holding a smoke pencil up to potentially leaky areas. If the smoke blows sideways, there's a leak. Caulk and weatherstripping can be used to seal leaks like these.

Inspect your insulation — To block unwanted heat loss and gain, your attic needs at least an R-30 (9-inch) layer of insulation. Adding more to achieve an R-60 layer further improves your home's efficiency.

Check your ducts — Ducts with poorly sealed joints and insufficient insulation drag down your furnace and A/C's efficiency. Sealing the duct joints with mastic and applying duct wrap insulation helps.

Assess your appliances — Appliances more than 10 years old run inefficiently and are at risk for failure. Upgrading to new models will help lower your monthly energy bills.

Consider your lighting — If any of your light fixtures still hold incandescent bulbs, consider upgrading to more efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or LED lamps.

How a Pro Can Help

During a professional home energy evaluation, your technician will use specialized knowledge and equipment to pinpoint energy wasters you wouldn't be able to find by yourself. With blower door equipment, the technician can depressurize your house to spot small yet significant air leaks. Duct blaster equipment allows your technician to test your ducts for leaks, so they can be sealed for maximum efficiency.

To assess the insulation inside your walls and floors, your technician will scan your home with an infrared camera, which shows where your home is losing or gaining heat. If these areas are short on insulation, adding loose-fill insulation is a convenient solution.

To schedule a home energy evaluation, contact us at Air Assurance in the Broken Arrow area.

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Are You a First-Time Home Buyer? Don't Forget These HVAC Tips

As a first-time home buyer, it's advisable to only consider homes that have been professionally inspected. That said, many home inspectors aren't familiar enough with HVAC systems to make accurate reports. Follow up with your own HVAC questions, consult an HVAC contractor if needed, and consider the following tips:

HVAC Tips for the First-Time Home Buyer

• Types of HVAC systems - First item on the agenda is to familiarize yourself with the HVAC system. Is the heating system a natural gas furnace, oil furnace, boiler, or dual-fuel system? Is a split-system heat pump or A/C used for home cooling?

• System age - If the homeowner or realtor doesn't know the age of the HVAC system, contact the manufacturer with the model number to find out the age of the heating and cooling systems. Generally speaking, if the furnace is more than 12 years old and the heat pump or A/C are more than 10 years old, consider the expense to your pocketbook to replace them in the near future—especially if professional maintenance wasn't performed semi-annually.

• Add-on systems - Add-on systems can greatly enhance home comfort, indoor air quality and energy efficiency. Find out if the HVAC system includes a zoning system, whole-home humidifier or dehumidifier, a ventilation system, WiFi thermostat, and air-purification system. Zoning systems and ventilation systems, for example, are going to provide you enhanced comfort.

• Transferable Warranty - If the HVAC system is new or only a few years old, ask to see the warranty. Check if the warranty is transferable. This will give you peace of mind for the remainder.

• Maintenance report - Regular professional HVAC maintenance is vital to maximize efficiency and to extend HVAC lifespan. If a homeowner has been mindful to schedule regular maintenance, they probably kept all records. Review the records to learn the HVAC system's history.

• Ductwork - Don't forget the air ducts. Ask for the latest ductwork inspection. Poor duct design and leaky ducts will cost you substantially in higher energy bills.

If you're a first-time home buyer, it pays to consult a professional to perform an HVAC evaluation. For more information, please contact Air Assurance today.

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How to Use Your Programmable Thermostat Correctly

Using a programmable thermostat is one of the easiest ways to cut down on the costs of staying comfortable. For the greatest savings, though, it helps to follow some simple guidelines.

Choose Your Temperatures Carefully

The number of temperature schedules you can set depends on the type of programmable thermostat you have. For example, 1-week models allow only one schedule, 5-2 models let you choose separate workday and weekend schedules and a 7-day model allows you to select a different schedule for every day of the week. Most let you choose four temperature settings per day.Put your energy-saving set points at least eight hours apart. For example, you might set your air conditioner to 78 degrees or your furnace to 60 degrees while you're in bed. Then program your system to turn off while you're out at work and come on again an hour before you get home. Selecting extreme temperatures doesn't heat or cool your home faster. If it's important for your home to be at a specific temperature at a certain time, choose a thermostat with "adaptive recovery" or "smart" technology.

Use the Settings as Intended

The "override" option allows you to temporarily change the temperature on unusually hot or cold days without wiping out your programming. Avoid the temptation to use it whenever you're slightly uncomfortable or you'll negate your energy savings. If you're frequently too hot or cold, program in more comfortable temperatures.Use the "hold" or "vacation" setting to keep your home at a constant, energy-saving temperature when you're gone for more than a day. Using it to control your temperatures every day makes it hard to save because you're likely to forget to reset the thermostat to your energy-saving temperatures.

Change your thermostat's batteries at least once a year. Weak batteries can cause the thermostat to malfunction and fail to maintain your preferred temperatures.

For more tips on using your programmable thermostat or other ways to lower your energy bills, contact us at Air Assurance. We serve the Broken Arrow area.

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Good Ductwork Design: Some Guidelines

The way the ductwork in your house is designed is as important as the way it's built. You may not have thought about it, but good ductwork design can make a noticeable difference in your energy bills. Badly designed ductwork won't work efficiently, and it can wear out your HVAC system by making it work harder than it should. You'll also have trouble keeping your home at a comfortable temperature. 

Guidelines for good ductwork design:

• The ducts should be located inside the air conditioned or heated part of the house. Ducts in the non-conditioned areas will work less efficiently. When it's necessary to install a duct in the attic or crawlspace, use an insulation with a higher rating than required. This is also important when your home has a variable-speed furnace and air conditioner.

• All the joints between ducts need to be fastened together mechanically. They also need to be sealed with mastic (a type of putty) and fiberglass mesh. The installation crew should also check for air leakage after the install and confirm it doesn't exceed five percent of the total air flow rate.

• Hard ductwork is preferred over flexible styles. If you're retrofitting an older house, you may need to use flexible ductwork, but it's less efficient than hard ducts and easier to damage. It's also hard to install and seal correctly.

• Dampers (the device inside the duct that regulates airflow) work better when they're installed closer to the end of the duct instead of near the supply register. This allows you, or the installer, to more accurately balance the system. The dampers also need to be fixed in position after balancing.

• Supply outlets (the vents that supply conditioned air) should be on interior walls so the heated or cooled air has less distance to travel.

• If you have a larger two-story house, think about installing two separate heating and cooling systems with separate ductwork. Two systems, along with good ductwork design, will work more efficiently in two-story or large homes.

If you're building a new home, and need quality ductwork design, contact Air Assurance in Broken Arrow.

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). 

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3 Important Terms to Know for Your System: AFUE, SEER, HSPF

Whenever you’re buying a new major HVAC appliance or having repairs done, it’s good to be able to understand what your technician or salesman is talking about. It will help you learn about your HVAC system, which will in turn allow you to make better decisions that will benefit you and your home. Here are three important terms you should learn about: AFUE, SEER, HSPF.

AFUE

Annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) is a value that shows how well a furnace or water heater is able to turn your fuel into usable heat. The word annual in the acronym indicates that this is an average value that was determined over the course of a typical year. This is important because some units will perform better or worse than others in extreme temperatures. The current minimum AFUE level in the U.S. has been set at 78 percent by the Department of Energy.

SEER

Air conditioners (A/Cs) have a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) value that demonstrates how efficiently your A/C cools air. A high SEER number indicates that your A/C wastes less energy to cool air than a comparable air conditioner with a lower SEER value. The minimum standard for A/Cs in terms of SEER rating is currently 13.

HSPF

A final HVAC term you should understand is the heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) of your heat pump. This number is again a type of efficiency rating that measures how well your pump translates the energy it consumes per hour into hot or cold air. High efficiency air conditioners will have the highest HSPFs, and will save you money on energy bills.

Understanding your HVAC system can only help you as a homeowner. If you have any questions or confusion about your Broken Arrow home’s HVAC system, please contact Air Assurance to clear them up.

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). 

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Tips on Stopping Air Leaks in Your Home

Your Broken Arrow home may be plagued with air leaks, which can lead to a wide array of unpleasant problems. Poor indoor air quality, reduced home comfort, and increase in energy bills are just a few of the troubles that air leaks can cause. Fortunately, the following tips on stopping air leaks can increase your home’s energy efficiency, improve your indoor air and save you money on your heating and cooling costs.

Locating Air Leaks

Before you can stop the air leaks, you must first find them. Homes typically have leaks near windows, doors, floors, ductwork, baseboards, fireplaces, walls, outlets, rim and floor joints, ceilings, switch plates and the home’s foundation. Air leaks can also occur near pipes and vents that exit through basements and attics.

Stopping Air Leaks

Depending on where the air leak is located, it may only require a simple fix. For example, leaks around doors and windows can usually be fixed by installing inexpensive weather stripping available at hardware stores and home improvement centers. Expanding foam can fill in small holes and cracks in your foundation.

Homes with forced air heating and cooling often experience leaks due to damaged ductwork. If the problem area is located at an easy-to-reach location, you may be able to fix the problem with duct sealant. For areas that you cannot get to, such as behind walls and under floors, you will need the help of a professional to repair the damaged.

Energy Audit

Obtaining a whole-house energy audit from a respectable HVAC company is the first step in ensuring your home is running at maximum energy efficiency. During the audit, a highly trained technician will use the latest equipment to test your home’s efficient level. These tests will determine exactly where you are wasting energy and provide you with the information to go about stopping air leaks.

For more information about stopping air leaks, contact the experts at Air Assurance. We are a family-owned business providing heating, cooling, plumbing and air quality services to the Broken Arrow area 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). 

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Surge Protectors Help Your Home's Energy Efficiency

A surge protector protects your electronics in the event of a lightning strike, electrical system failure, or power outage. Spikes or drops in the electrical current traveling through your home’s electrical system can damage appliances, HVAC system components, computers, and home theater equipment. These fluctuations, which may be the result of lightning strikes, tripped circuit breakers or short circuits, are unavoidable, but installing a surge protector helps prevent these surges from causing damage.

These devices can provide more than just protection, though. They can also help lower energy and maintenance or repair costs. Homeowners have a few options in terms of the types of surge protectors available. These can be divided into two categories:

1. Whole house: controls the flow of electricity into your home.

2. Point of entry or use: Controls the flow of electricity from the outlet to the item plugged into it.

A whole house surge protector is wired into your home’s electrical system to protect your entire home. Point of entry devices are connected directly to the items you wish to protect and are available in a few different types. These include:

• Computer surge protectors have inlets for coaxial cable, standard plugs and Ethernet cables.

• Standard surge protection devices consist of multiple outlets on a power strip. These should not be confused with a standard power strip, which works like a multi-outlet extension cord, but does not provide surge protection.

• Home theater surge protectors have numerous outlets, as well as inputs for coaxial cable.

• Energy conservation surge protectors protect most types of electrical equipment, and help reduce the amount of energy used in your home. They consist of two outlets that are always on, and additional outlets that can be turned off when not in use.

A combination of whole house and point of entry devices typically provides the best protection and energy savings.

For more information about surge protection and its benefits in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow area 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). 

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Water Heater Temperature: Why It Doesn't Need to Be So Hot

Whether you are looking for greater efficiency in your home energy usage to lessen your environmental impact, or to cut down on your energy bills, take a look at your hot water system. You may be surprised to find that savings can be made by simply lowering your water heater temperature.

Saving Money with Lower Heat

Due to a mix of different regulations and standards across states, you may find that your hot water system is set anywhere between 120 and 140 degrees. For most people, 120 degrees is just fine for their needs, but there are some exceptions, including:

• old dishwashers without preheat functionality, may need to run water at 140 degrees to properly sanitize household utensils.

• water with a detectable odor may have bacteria in the system, and a good flush at 140 degrees could be needed to kill off the bacteria.

In most other circumstances, you can save costs with a lower water heater temperature at 120 degrees. Turning the thermostat down saves you money in a couple ways:

• heat lost into the surrounds is at a lower cost than if the temperature was set higher.

• hot water used in the home for washing is available at a lower cost as well.

Also, if you are going to be away from home for some time, consider switching the temperature down low, and then turning it back up when you arrive home. Otherwise, all that energy devoted to heating the water is simply wasted.

Keep Your Hot Water System at Peak Efficiency

To support your efforts at minimizing hot water costs, regular preventative maintenance of your hot water system will help considerably. Get a HVAC contractor to clean out the system, checking for any signs of corrosion, unusual sediment levels, and serious wear and tear.

Free Expert Advice

If you are unsure about any of this, and need expert advice about any issues around lowering the water heater temperature in your home, please feel free to contact us at Air Assurance. Since 1985, we have been looking after the home comfort needs of the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 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). 

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