Winter Season Home Safety Precautions

Winter is coming to Oklahoma, and that means practicing winter home safety. Some types of heating systems represent greater hazards than others, so be sure to be up on how to operate yours safely.

Furnace Checkup

At the start of the heating season, perform a few basic tasks, such as checking the furnace filter. A clean filter will help the furnace run more efficiently, promoting good airflow. Also make sure that there are no obstructions around the vents so that heated air can flow without hindrance and warm the room properly.It's always recommended to schedule a furnace checkup by a professional as you start the heating season. Your technician should perform several critical tasks, including these:

• Check thermostat and controls, adjusting if needed.

• Clean and adjust burners and pilot assembly.

• Clean and adjust burners for most efficient operation.

• Check for gas leaks.

• Adjust tension in belts if needed.

• Lubricate moving parts, particularly in the blower.

• Inspect draft pipe and draft diverter.

• Test manifold pressure.

• Inspect the heat exchanger for cracks that might emit carbon monoxide, an odorless, tasteless, invisible byproduct of the combustion process.

Electrical Heating

With all types of electrical heating systems, make sure electrical connections are tight and frayed wires replaced. With heat pumps, make sure refrigerant levels are properly charged and that there are no obstructions on the outdoor compressor.

Fireplace

Check fireplace flues and chimneys, ensuring they are clean and clear of obstructions. Keep flammable objects well away from the fireplace. Place a screen cover in front of the flame so that no sparks fly out and start a fire in the living space.

Space Heaters

Keep space heaters a safe distance from furniture, bedding or any other objects that might catch fire. Make sure electrical connections are tight and that cords are not frayed.

Carbon Monoxide Monitors

Install carbon monoxide monitors in your home if you have any combustion-powered appliances. Install them on every floor at least 5 feet from the ground.To learn more about winter home safety, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow and Tulsa at 918-894-5760.

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 winter home safety and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “openclipart-vectors/Pixabay”

HVAC Home Comfort Solutions to Be Grateful For

In Broken Arrow's climate, your home HVAC system is something to be grateful for. Keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer, it does a lot of work to keep the Oklahoma environment livable.But if you want a bit of extra gratitude for your home comfort solutions this year, consider some of these perks to make a good thing even better:

• A programmable thermostat. You can save money on your heating and cooling by setting back your thermostat when you're out of the house for a while — but that means having to remember to reset it when you get home, and waiting for the temperature to adjust when you do. A programmable thermostat lets you tell the house to do all that for you, saving you money without you needing to remember a thing.

• A smart thermostat. Like a programmable thermostat, a smart thermostat can manage your heating and cooling schedule. It may also provide a number of other benefits, such as learning from the adjustments you make and offering you a way to check in or change the schedule from your phone or mobile device.

• Air purifiers and cleaners. Americans spend a lot of time indoors — away from the natural breezes that continually renew the outdoor air. Indoor air is typically more polluted than outdoor air, but an air cleaner or purifier can address this issue and leave your indoor environment healthier.

• Whole-house humidifiers or dehumidifiers. Whether it's too dry or too humid, humidity problems can tank your home comfort. In some cases, they can also make your home environment less healthy, contributing to excessive dust production or the growth of bacteria and mold. A humidifier/dehumidifier combination can keep your home humidity balanced.

• Home zoning system. Not all parts of your home are in use at the same time — so why heat them and cool them as a single unit? A home zoning system lets you direct conditioned air where you need it, when those rooms are occupied.

To learn more about home comfort solutions available to you, call Air Assurance today!

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 home comfort solutions and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “petelinforth/Pixabay”

5 HVAC Considerations When Buying a House

When you’re buying a house, it’s only human nature to pay attention to the look and feel of the home. It’s just as important to explore the HVAC system as well, since it’s likely the most expensive appliance in the home and the one that keeps you comfortable year-round.

1. Find out its age. Like all mechanical systems, HVAC systems age over time. As you inspect the home, write down the brand and model number if the homeowner can’t tell you its age. Any system that’s over 12 years old may need replacing sooner rather than later.

2. What kind is it? In our region, homes might have a gas-pack HVAC system, which means it has a gas furnace and an air conditioner. Heat pumps are becoming more common and provide both cooling and heating by means of heat transfer. It’s important to know which type the home has.

3. What’s the configuration and condition of the ductwork? The ductwork for the home may reveal some efficiency aspects of the home. Ductwork configurations that are simple and direct provide better efficiency, as do insulated ducts.Duct leakage is a common energy waster that can be fixed. Look for areas of dust around the registers to spot potential leakage. Have the HVAC system and its ductwork inspected by a licensed HVAC contractor if you’re serious about buying a house in particular.

4. What’s its efficiency? The outdoor condenser’s cabinet may state the SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) of the cooling system, and the air handler indoors should have an AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating inside the cabinet if the home has a gas furnace. Higher ratings for both indicate better efficiency.

5. Has it been adequately serviced? Ask the homeowners for their receipts and records of professional HVAC maintenance and repairs. Routine maintenance increases the longevity and efficiency of all HVAC systems.

Paying attention to the HVAC system when buying a house will help you avoid surprises as you go forward, since this system is a crucial home appliance. To learn more, contact 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 TOPIC and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “geralt/Pixabay”

Smart HVAC Systems: What You Should Know

In your busy life, the temperature and comfort level of your home is just one more thing to worry about. How high or low is your thermostat set? Is it heating or cooling your home adequately? Are you sending air to a bunch of empty rooms? And how much energy is all of this costing?Fortunately, there's a way to deal with all of these issues automatically. It's called a smart HVAC system, and it can make your home comfortable without your having to think about it. Here are some features that can help make an HVAC system smart.

• Thermostat. A smart thermostat does more than just read and program the temperature. It measures both temperature and humidity, and can even tell how many people are in a room. The more people, the more heat they generate. Whereas if there's no one in a particular room, it doesn't need air at that moment. Either way, a smart thermostat can adjust accordingly.

• Air and ventilation. Once the thermostat determines each room's comfort needs, the ventilation system sends the appropriate amount of air. If one room is too cold, air can be diverted from that area and sent to another section that's still too hot. This is standard for zoning systems. But a smart system can also tell if any one zone is using more energy than it should. Maybe a vent is blocked, causing the system to work harder to cool that room. Maybe someone adjusted their zone's thermostat significantly lower than the others. A smart HVAC system can detect these things and let you know what's going on.

• Compressor and air handler. These are the two HVAC features that use the most energy. Therefore, a smart system monitors their use and makes sure they run only when they're needed. Additionally, it can adjust their use based on time, monitoring usage during peak hours to reduce energy consumption both for you and your community.

To learn more about how a smart HVAC system can benefit your home, contact us at Air Assurance. We're Broken Arrow's trusted source for quality HVAC solutions.

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A Timeline for HVAC Maintenance and Replacements

HVAC systems are sophisticated machines that, hopefully, keep your home comfortable year-round. If you are like many homeowners, you may have questions about maintaining your system, how long it should last, or even how often you should change your furnace filter. That's normal. Read on to get a clear picture of the suggested HVAC maintenance timeline and the average service life.

HVAC Service Life

The service life of an HVAC system depends on many factors. The first factor is the quality of the installation. Installing an HVAC system entails calculating your home's load, sizing the HVAC units, and a ductwork evaluation for sizing, repairs, or replacement.The second factor for estimating service life is the manufacturing quality of any HVAC unit. In the long run, it's best to stick with a reputable, factory-authorized HVAC contractor that offers a good warranty and workmanship guarantee.

Lastly, the quality and frequency of HVAC maintenance determines how long your HVAC system lasts before you need to replace it. Following are widely accepted estimates of expected service life for common HVAC units:

• Central air conditioner: 10 to 15 years

• Central heat pump: 10 to 15 years

• Geothermal heat pump: Indoor components 25 years and outdoor ground loop 50 years

• Furnace: 15 to 20 years

• Ductless mini split: 20 to 30 years

• Ductwork: Metal ducts may last a lifetime

HVAC Maintenance Timeline

Scheduled professional HVAC preventive maintenance is a win-win situation to boost your comfort and save money by minimizing repairs and lowering energy bills. Your HVAC technician should visit your home in the spring and fall so you don't have to call him or her for repairs in the summer and winter!Following is a suggested HVAC maintenance timeline:

• Central air conditioner: Every spring

• Central heat pump: Every spring and fall

• Geothermal heat pump: Every spring and fall

• Furnace: Every fall

• Ductless mini split: Every spring or fall

• Ductwork: Every spring or fall

Don't push back your HVAC maintenance timeline or you may be replacing it sooner rather than later. Contact Air Assurance in Broken Arrow to schedule regular service today!

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Protecting Your HVAC System While You're Remodeling

When planning remodeling projects, make sure you put HVAC protection on your prep list. Dust stirred up during home projects can infiltrate the system and cause many problems down the line. Here are steps to keep your HVAC system safe.

Seal Off Ductwork

You probably won’t see all the dust that enters vents and registers, but you will experience the effects of it later on. Debris in the ductwork can wind up in the machinery. There it is likely to coat A/C coils and get into furnace burners and other components where it will interfere with normal, safe operation.Dust in ductwork also diminishes air quality in your home. It can attract allergens, such as mold, and these will be blown into the home. Cover all vents and registers and you will reduce the amount of remodeling debris that enters ductwork.

Use Plastic Sheeting

When you cannot simply shut a door to seal off work areas, make sure to hang plastic sheeting to confine debris. This keeps the mess in single areas, which makes it easier to clean up and prevents particles from entering your home’s air supply.

Use Good Cleanup Methods

You should turn the HVAC system off when doing any demolishing, sawing or sanding, but also make sure the air is clear and surfaces clean before turning it on again. It is not enough to let the dust settle because it will easily become airborne again. Instead, keep windows open and use a vacuum cleaner to remove dusty messes on floors. Sweeping stirs dust around and isn’t as effective.

Use a High-Quality HVAC Filter

Thick, pleated air filters will trap smaller particles of dust, and these filters are extra helpful during a remodel because of that. Fine particulates are created when working with drywall or sanding grout, for example, and cheap filters won’t always keep these out of your heating and cooling system. If your project lasts for several weeks, check the filter weekly and change it when it is clogged.

For more information about protecting your HVAC equipment, please contact us at Air Assurance.

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What the "Feels Like" Temperature Means For Your Home

Great home climate control means more than having a powerful furnace or air conditioner. Other factors influence the "feels like" temperature and the comfort of all residents in the home. Here is more information about those variables and tips for improving your home's climate.

Humidity

Humidity has a very direct effect on the "feels like" temperature. In order to understand why the apparent temperature is often different from the actual temperature, it is helpful to understand how humidity affects us.

High humidity makes temperatures feel warmer. This is because perspiration, which cools the body through evaporation, evaporates only slowly when the air is already heavy with moisture. Alternatively, when humidity is low, perspiration evaporates rapidly and you feel cooler.With this in mind, you will feel more comfortable by reducing home humidity levels in summer. A properly working air conditioner will reduce humidity levels to an extent. However, during the dog days of summer when humidity starts to soar, an air conditioner might not be enough for this purpose. When this happens, consider adding a dehumidifier. Dehumidifying the home can quickly make the "feels like" temperature several degrees cooler.

In winter, the same holds true regarding the warming affect of higher humidity. As humidity levels fall, you will feel chillier. By adding humidity to your home in winter, you will feel warmer and might be able to save a bit on heating costs.

Fans and Drafts

Flowing air is another factor that affects how you feel in your home. When air moves across your skin, it removes heat from your skin’s surface and you feel cooler. The principal is the same as the wind chill factor you’ve heard about on cold and breezy winter days. In summer, you will feel cooler when a fan is running and, in winter, you might feel overly cold in a drafty room. This, paired with your home’s humidity level, has a big influence on the apparent temperature in your home.

For more information about improving the "feels like" temperature in your Broken Arrow area home, please contact us at Air Assurance.

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Tips for Spring Cleaning Your HVAC System

Spring is a time of new growth and new beginnings, and a time to prepare yourself for the year ahead. When it comes to your home comfort, spring can also be a time to get your house in order – and part of that process should be HVAC spring cleaning. Here are a few tasks you won't want to neglect when you're getting ready for the coming year:

• Schedule your annual maintenance. The time is coming when you'll need to put your heater to rest, and get your air conditioner ready to run at full efficiency. Scheduling spring HVAC maintenance can make sure all your appliances are in working order, and will stay that way.

• Change your furnace air filters. Ideally, you should change your air filters once a month. If you've been neglecting that, then make sure to get them done now! You'll also want to keep an eye on them through the spring, as pollen and other allergens can clog them easily.

• Clean floor registers and return air vents. Your air filter catches a lot of the dust that travels through your home, but it can't get all of it. Dust, dander, and other debris can gather in registers and vents, so use a vacuum with a hose attachment to clear them up.

• Change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. These appliances help keep you and your family safe – and changing the batteries early lets you avoid the beeping "low battery" warning.

• Clean your air conditioner coils. An air conditioner works by taking heat energy out of your indoor air, and releasing it outside. Its job is much more difficult if an insulating film of dust collects on the coils. Check your owner's manual for instructions on cleaning them.

HVAC spring cleaning can have a big effect on your comfort throughout the spring and summer months. To learn more about taking care of the HVAC system in your Broken Arrow home, contact us today at Air Assurance!

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Buy the Whole System, Not Just the Unit

When an HVAC system needs replacement due to a breakdown, it's usually due to the failure of just one of the two main components. If you're faced with buying an HVAC system and one of the units is still functional, it may seem logical to save some money by replacing just half of the system. Investing in a whole system is a wiser choice for a number of reasons.

Better Energy Efficiency

The energy efficiency ratings on new equipment are based on a complete system with matching components. Mismatched indoor and outdoor units may run, but you'll lose out on the enhanced efficiency and energy savings you'd get by upgrading the whole system.

Increased Reliability

Pairing a new, efficient component with an older unit puts added strain on the existing equipment and increases the likelihood of a sudden breakdown or failure, especially when it's under the heaviest workload at the peak of the cooling season. If you opt for an entirely new HVAC system, you can expect reliable service for the next 10 to 15 years.

Operating Cost Savings

The efficiency and reliability you gain with a complete new system can translate into savings on energy, repairs and maintenance over that long service life. If you replace just the failed component, you're not only losing potential energy savings, but you'll also still face the cost and inconvenience of replacing the other component when it fails in the near future.

Beneficial Features

By investing in a whole new system, you can benefit from the latest advancements in HVAC technology and design. Today's HVAC systems offer features like variable-speed air handlers, scroll compressors, better coil designs and thermal expansion valves that enhance energy efficiency, durability, comfort and humidity control.

New Equipment Warranty

If you replace just half of a central split system, it's impossible to install it to meet the manufacturer's specifications, so you'll end up without a warranty that protects you against equipment defects.

To learn more reasons why it's better to upgrade both units when buying an HVAC system for your Broken Arrow home, contact us today at Air Assurance.

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