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.

HVAC Tape and How It's Used

Some HVAC projects are costly and typically need a professional to perform them. Fortunately, if you're a do-it-yourselfer, there are some tasks that you can handle on your own with ease. One of the tools that will come in handy when performing such tasks is HVAC tape.

What is HVAC Tape?

HVAC tape refers to any tape that's specifically engineered for HVAC installation and maintenance tasks. For example, you can use the tape to seal flex duct, rigid duct material, and sheet metal.

How Do You Apply It?

How you apply the tape to your HVAC equipment makes the difference between dependable, long-lasting performance and expensive inefficiency. Be sure to follow the steps below:

1. Tear or cut enough tape from the roll if you're sealing a short length of HVAC material. Apply the tape directly from the roll if you're to use it on a longer material. For easy handling, just unroll a few inches of the tape at a go while applying.

2. Starting with the end you're using, remove the tape liner. Apply the HVAC tape while centered over the area you're sealing. Keep peeling off the liner while applying the tape. Make sure the tape stays unwrinkled on smooth surfaces and conforms to textured or uneven surfaces like reflective insulation and flex duct.

3. If you're applying the tape straight off the roll, tear or cut it once you establish the exact length that will ensure no leaks or gaps and total system closure. Using excess tape will unnecessarily increase your repair costs.

4. Finish your tape application by wiping it down thoroughly with a squeegee. That maximizes surface contact, resulting in a more secure bond.

Remember, HVAC tape reliability is crucial to the success of your project. Therefore, only work with a UL listed tape as it has passed a series of tests for shear strength, tensile strength, and adhesion level. If you get stuck and need responsive and reliable HVAC assistance, contact the experts at Air Assurance. We've been helping Broken Arrow homeowners with their home comfort needs since 1985.

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.

Smart HVAC: System Automation

In upgrading your HVAC system, you have a lot of different choices. One increasingly popular option is automation. It can be a bit pricey, but there are a number of benefits. Here's a brief guide to help you determine if a smart HVAC system is right for you.

What Is Smart HVAC?

A smart system learns your household's heating and cooling preferences over time and adjusts to them automatically, to provide enough air to keep you comfortable, without wasting energy. They also factor in outdoor temperature when setting the indoor temperature. A variable-speed air handler can provide more air on hotter days, or less air on milder ones.

The system learns your habits, too: whether you like things a little warmer in the morning or a little cooler at night, etc. Some systems even have sensors to detect when someone enters or leaves a room, so that air isn't sent to unoccupied areas.

And in addition to learning your preferences, the system also connects to your phone or other mobile device via an app. This way, you can remotely control the temperature, and even the vents, closing one and opening another as needed.

Benefits of a Smart System

An automated HVAC system is more expensive than your standard model, but it's an investment. It can cut your energy bill by around 20 percent, paying for itself over time. It also ensures you're always comfortable, learning and automatically adjusting to your preferences, rather than making you set and reset the thermostat throughout the day.

Is HVAC automation right for you? To find out, have a professional conduct an energy audit of your home and determine where you're wasting energy. They can also examine your current HVAC equipment, to see if it meets your needs, or what upgrades might be beneficial to you. Then, they can help you choose the smart features that will best benefit your home, and set them up for optimal comfort and energy savings.

To learn more about smart HVAC systems, contact us at Air Assurance today. Broken Arrow trusts us for all its heating and cooling needs.

Importance of an HVAC Water Filter

Everyone knows the importance of air filters in their HVAC system. They keep airborne contaminants from entering the unit and reducing the components' efficiency. But water flows through your system too. Here's why an HVAC water filter is also essential, for commercial and residential systems alike.

The Necessity of Water Filters

There are all sorts of contaminants that can come from your water and build up in your HVAC system. If you have hard water, it can cause scale: a layer of mineral deposits, such as calcium and magnesium, inside your system.

There can also be algae growth on and around the water, as well as just regular dirt. However, the calcium and magnesium cause a chemical reaction when the unit is warm, leading the other contaminants to bond with the surface and stick there. As this debris accumulates, it creates a barrier in your system that reduces heat transfer, forcing the system to use more and more energy.

A water filter eliminates these contaminants, improving energy efficiency. It also prevents corrosion and other problems that can necessitate more maintenance and ultimately shorten the lifespan of your system. Much like your air filter, a good water filter will improve efficiency, reduce overall maintenance, and help your system last longer.

Types of Water Filters

There are several different HVAC water filter types that can help keep your system clean. For a residential system, the best option is most likely a screen filter. Water passes through a screen similar to the way an air filter works. The screen captures debris, while letting clean water flow through.

For commercial or industrial systems, there are more efficient options. A centrifugal separator spins the water, so that debris sinks down to the bottom. And a microsand filter can filter out contaminants up to 50 times smaller than an ordinary screen filter. By choosing the right water filtration system for you, your system will stay healthy and efficient for years to come.

For help buying an HVAC water filter for your system, contact us at Air Assurance. We're Broken Arrow's trusted source for quality HVAC solutions.