Your Guide to Hydronic Heating

As winter approaches, you're again faced with the age old question of how to heat your Oklahoma home as efficiently and effectively as possible. There are many ways to reduce energy bills and maximize your furnace's efficiency. However, you may want to take things a step further, outfitting your home with a hydronic heating system. What is hyrdronic heating, and how can it benefit you? Here's a basic guide to forced air vs hydronic systems.

What Is Hydronic Heating?

In a traditional forced air system, air is heated by the furnace, then blown through ducts and vents to each room of your home, to warm it up. With hydronic heating, water is heated instead of air, using a boiler instead of a furnace.

Hot water or steam then flows through pipes throughout your home. Each room is outfitted with its own heat exchanger, either in the baseboards or mounted somewhere. The heat exchanger extracts heat from the water and uses it to warm that room.

Pros and Cons of Forced Air Vs Hydronic Systems

Since a hydronic system circulates water through your home instead of air, there are no dust particles or other contaminants blowing into a room, which reduces the risk for allergy and asthma sufferers. There's also no air filter to change. A hydronic system does take longer to heat a room than forced air, but the heat also remains in the room longer.

The main appeal of hydronic heating, though, is that it's energy efficient. Extracting heat from the water uses much less energy than heating the air - and the lack of vents means there's no energy loss from ductwork, either.

Forced air, on the other hand, is much less expensive to install - especially if you're retrofitting an existing home. A heat exchanger in every room, plus additional plumbing to pipe hot water through the walls, can end up costing about twice as much for a hydronic system than it would for forced air.

To get more information about forced air vs hydronic systems, contact us at Air Assurance. We're Broken Arrow's source for home comfort service.

Locate a Goodman Service Repair Dealer – Tulsa, OK

Goodman Air Conditioning - Tulsa

Has your Goodman heating and air conditioning system quit? Air Assurance offers residential and commercial heat, air, and plumbing service for residential and commercial clients. We provide service for Greater Tulsa, Broken Arrow, and all surrounding areas. Air Assurance services include: repair, planned maintenance, estimates, and installation services. We have been proudly serving the Tulsa community for over 35 years. We service all makes of air conditioning equipment including Goodman, Trane, Carrier, American Standard, Goodman, Lennox and more.

About Goodman Air Conditioning

For over three decades, the Goodman® brand has concentrated on something more important than simple brand-recognition consumer advertising. Since 1982, we've focused on helping millions and millions of homeowners achieve reliable, high-quality and affordable indoor comfort with products that continue to be designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S.A. As a result, the Goodman brand has earned the loyalty and respect from thousands of local independent heating and cooling professionals across North America.

When to replace your heating and air conditioning system

It’s not easy to know whether you should repair or replace your home’s heating and cooling system, especially if you’re facing an emergency situation. Factors like the age of the equipment, the overall condition and maintenance history, and most importantly the repairs. When these systems are aged between 12-14 years, it’s time to begin the process to explore replacement options, and planning a budget. At Air Assurance, our team of professional comfort consultants will carefully account for the design of your home, indoor air quality, and most importantly making it affordable with several options – We take the guess work out.

You can reach Air Assurance, serving all of Greater Tulsa, OK, for any heating, air conditioning, and plumbing services anytime. Call on the professionals you can trust.

Can I Put Off A/C Repairs in Heating Season?

Has something seemed amiss with your Broken Arrow HVAC system? Maybe it's not cooling as well as it should, and you suspect a refrigerant leak. Or perhaps the air handler blower motor is working sluggishly and failing to deliver enough cool air. You might even be hearing the telltale drip-drip of a plugged condensate drain. All of these are signs you need an A/C repair.

But you're just about ready to turn the A/C off for the season, and you're thinking there are more urgent things to spend that money on. Before you just ignore that repair and put it off for next year, read on, and let us show you the reasons why you should address it now.

1. Warmer Days in Fall and Winter

Everyone knows unseasonably warm days are becoming the norm in fall and winter. Just when you think it's time to turn on the furnace, you get a hot day in the 90s and you need the A/C again. With that in mind, you don't want to be caught offguard and have the A/C fail during a surprise hot spell this fall because you put off a repair.

It's best to get it done right away, as continuing to use the A/C when something is going wrong could damage other parts, and cost you more in the long run. For instance, a refrigerant leak can lead to a damaged compressor -- and then you're going to be out major bucks.

2. Combine Repairs With Fall Maintenance.

You need to schedule fall maintenance for your furnace anyway, so why not get the A/C looked at while the HVAC tech is at your home? That will eliminate the need for two service calls.

3. Take advantage of unbusy times.

Getting your A/C repair done before there's a rush of service calls in the winter is a good idea. Your HVAC tech won't be so jammed up, so should be able to respond to your call for service in good time.

For more on why not to delay an A/C repair, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow.

Getting the Right Humidity Levels for Your Home

Most of us don't realize we can control the humidity levels in our homes for greater comfort. Too often, our homes are too damp in summer, or too dry in winter. Read on for ways to control home humidity.

Best Relative Humidity

The best humidity levels are usually between 35 and 55 percent. In summer it's best if the humidity is lower — around 35-40 percent — because warm air holds moisture, which can make us feel even more uncomfortable on a hot day. Relative humidity higher than 50-55 percent prevents perspiration from evaporating on our skin, so that we feel sticky and can't cool off.

In winter, it's best to keep the humidity a little closer to the 50-55 percent range so that the air retains some moisture. This helps prevent skin and respiratory tract irritations that result from too-dry air.

How to Control Humidity

To monitor humidity in the home, you will need an inexpensive humidistat.

When you want your air to be drier, do the following:

1. Install exhaust ventilation to the outdoors in wet areas such as bathroom and kitchen.

2. Make sure you change the air filter in the HVAC system, and have the evaporator coils cleaned. The HVAC won't dehumidify your home effectively with a dirty filter and coils.

3. Sequester plants to one room so they don't give off moisture throughout the home.

4. Limit shower time, as well as the boiling of water.

5. Fix plumbing and ceiling leaks.

6. Air seal your home and fix your ductwork to prevent the intrusion of moist air.

7. You may even need to install a dehumidifier if your home is excessively damp.

For more on controlling home humidity, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow.

Your Guide to HVAC Air Purifiers: What to Know Before You Buy

Air purifiers, once a bit of a curiosity among ultra health-conscious individuals, have become mainstream, as more homeowners snap to the fact that the airtight construction of their homes is contributing to greater levels of airborne pollutants. These levels are much greater, in fact, than the level of pollutants found in outdoor air.

But before you go out and plop your money down for an air purifier, it's good to know something about the different pollutants in your home, and the technology needed to corral them. Here's the latest on HVAC air purifiers.

Airborne Pollutants

Among the airborne pollutants you may have in your home are these:

• Pet dander

• Viruses

• Bacteria

• Pollen

• Volatile organic compounds

• Cigarette smoke

• Dust and dirt

• Dust mites

These pollutants can all aggravate allergies, trigger asthma attacks and cause other problems for those who are sensitive to them.

Improving Indoor Air Quality

While the best way to control airborne pollutants is to eliminate them at their source, air purifiers can help.

One of the best air purifiers is the flat media filter in your HVAC system -- that is, if you use a good quality, pleated filter. These should be changed regularly to effectively trap dirt, dust, pollen, pet dander and dust mites. Electrostatic filters may also help, although the collector plates have to be washed now and then or they can't trap particles effectively.

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) filters are lights installed in HVAC ductwork and near the coils. They can help dispatch bacteria and mold. The lights must be changed every couple of years.

Activated carbon filters are helpful for absorbing tobacco smoke and VOCs from the air. These may be used in a separate unit, or installed in an HVAC system.

If you don't have an HVAC system, you might choose a portable air purifier, with either a flat media-type or electrostatic filter. Some portable models use extremely effective HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters, which are too dense for your HVAC system. The drawback is these HEPA filters are quite expensive.

For more on HVAC air purifiers, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow.

Time-Variant Pricing & Energy Efficiency

More and more electric utilities across the country are offering time-variant pricing to residential customers. It’s not only a money-saver for those who take advantage of this new pricing method, it also makes basic energy efficiency habits pay off more than ever.

In years past, electricity was typically priced at a flat rate: no matter what time you used it, you paid the same price. Time-variant pricing, however, means electricity costs more in high-demand periods of the day and substantially less during periods of low consumption. By synchronizing electricity use to take advantage of lower-priced periods — as well as taking common sense measures to increase home energy-efficiency — you can realize meaningful savings on your monthly electrical bills.

Most time-variant plans divide electricity prices into three levels:

• Peak hours. This is typically daylight hours from late morning through early evening. Rates are higher during this period.

• Off-peak hours. Usually beginning at around 8 p.m. and continuing overnight, off-peak pricing provides electricity at bargain rates.

• Critical peak periods. During limited periods of unusually high consumption—for example, a severe heat wave—utilities may temporarily impose above-market electricity rates. However, customers who keep consumption below specified levels during the period will frequently be exempt from critical peak cost increases.

To maximize the benefits of time-variant price scheduling, here are a few suggestions:

• Check with your utility to determine the exact timing of each price level, then set your programmable thermostat accordingly to enhance savings. For example, you may want to bump up the A/C thermostat setting a few degrees during the peak pricing period and lower it during off-peak hours.

• Schedule high-consumption activities—like running the washer and dryer or using the dishwasher—to take advantage of off-peak hours at nights and on weekends.

• If critical peak pricing takes effect, try to keep consumption below the trigger point that imposes special increased rates. Open windows at night for cooling, run efficient ceiling fans to keep air moving, turn off lights, etc.

For more ways to make the most of time-variant pricing, ask the professionals at Air Assurance.

Fall IAQ Concerns: Pumpkins, Candles, and More

Some day soon that bridge of high pressure that's been driving the extremely hot weather in the Southwest will break up and we'll start feeling some relief in Broken Arrow with cooler fall temperatures.

As the weather cools, we think about Halloween and fall harvest parties. Perhaps you enjoy enhancing the autumn ambiance by burning candles in carved pumpkins or by simmering clove-scented potpourri.

Some people find the airborne pollutants these items give off harmless, but others may suffer irritating symptoms, such as burning eyes, coughing and runny nose. What's more, closing up the house for cooler fall weather can trap these pollutants and worsen symptoms.

Read on for some information about dealing with fall IAQ concerns.

Fall IAQ Concerns

Candles. Candles may look pretty and add entrancing fall ambiance to your home, but depending on the type you burn, they can give off a lot of pollutants. Soy and beeswax candles are less harmful, while paraffin, which is petroleum based, gives off the most harmful pollutants. Also, these airborne pollutants, which include soot and volatile organic compounds (a product of off gassing), can dirty your air filter so that you have to change it more often.

Potpourri. The fact is, no matter how good or bad the fragrance, potpourri gives off VOCs, so may adversely affect allergies, asthma and other respiratory ailments.

Air fresheners. Just as with any scent-producing devices, these give off VOCs and can be harmful to those who are sensitive to them.

Fire logs. Artificial fire logs give off fewer emissions than wood, but are made from sawdust, cellulose and wax. They provide some ambiance for the home but give off less heat than wood.

Reducing VOCs and Other Pollutants

Obviously, the best way to reduce airborne pollutants in the home is to eliminate them. If you're not willing to do that, use a good quality air filter in your HVAC system. Exhaust ventilation to the outdoors and an air purifier with activated charcoal filter may also help.

For more on fall IAQ concerns, contact Air Assurance. We serve Broken Arrow and the surrounding area.

How to Transition Your Home and HVAC into Heating Season

Cooler fall temperatures are a welcome relief after the summer heat and humidity, and they are also a sign that Broken Arrow residents need to think about switching from cooling to heating their homes. By transitioning seasons wisely, you can ensure the comfort and safety of your family throughout the winter months while saving money on the cost of heating and repairs, using these tips.

Enhance Airflow

Supply and return vents are an important part of your HVAC system and those which are closed or obstructed can upset the pressure balance and cause a loss of efficiency or equipment malfunction or breakdown. Check your registers to ensure they remain open and they are not blocked by drapes, furniture, area rugs, or other items.

Turn Off Your A/C at Night

Milder daytime temperatures translate into colder nights, so rather than leaving your A/C running and burrowing under the covers, set the temperature several degrees higher or turn it off altogether. Ceiling and floor fans can help to circulate the air while you sleep without breaking the bank.

Clean Your Air Filter

An air filter is the first line of defense to prevent particulates such as allergens, dander, dirt, and dust from traveling throughout your HVAC system, and it should be cleaned or changed before you first turn on your heating system each fall, and again every four to six weeks as needed.

Schedule Annual Maintenance

Annual preventive maintenance each spring and fall can help make transitioning seasons easy, by ensuring your HVAC equipment is cleaned, tuned, and optimized for maximum efficiency and performance.

Change Direction on Your Ceiling Fans

During the summer months, your ceiling fan should be set to rotate counter-clockwise to push the cool air towards the floor, but in winter, your ceiling fans should be set to rotate clockwise at a slower pace to create an updraft that redistributes rising warm air back down the walls.

Contact Air Assurance for expert assistance with transitioning seasons, with services that include residential HVAC installation, replacement, and repair. We have been proudly serving Tulsa area residents for more than 30 years.