How You Can Upgrade Your Pipes for Your Home's Health

Your pipes will develop problems over time. Even if you don't notice these problems, there are likely to be hidden issues like gradual corrosion, rust, and decay that will eventually cause leaks and water damage unless you upgrade your pipes. Making plumbing upgrades ensures you have highly efficient fixtures and helps you lower your utility bills. But how do you go about upgrading your old plumbing? Here are some useful tips.

Watch Out for the Warning Signs

If you live in an old house, you should inspect your exposed pipes every year. Look for dimpling, pimples, flaking, discoloration, and stains. These are signs of corrosion. There may also be rust or decay inside your pipes if the water in your bathtub looks yellow or brown. Leaks may also indicate that you need to upgrade your pipes.

Remove Outdated Pipes

Some pipes found in old homes pose a significant risk to your health and property. Lead pipes were popular in the 1900s. Unfortunately, they can leach lead, which is a toxic metal, into your water. In the 1930s, galvanized steel pipes replaced lead pipes. These pipes tend to corrode internally. The materials that break off of them can affect your water quality.

Polybutylene pipes were commonly used from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. They usually deteriorate from the inside out. As a result, they tend to break and cause horrible water damage.

If your home has old pipes made of lead, polybutylene, or galvanized steel, you should strongly consider replacing them with better and more modern materials, such as copper. Copper pipes are safe and add to your home value.

Insulate Your Pipes

When upgrading your plumbing, it's a good idea to insulate your pipes. Insulation is a cost-effective way to protect your plumbing system from freezing during harsh winters. You can easily get pipe sleeves or wraps that fit over your exposed pipes from hardware stores.

Reducing Upgrade Costs

There are several ways of reducing pipe-replacement costs. You could start by replacing the exposed pipes. If you upgrade your pipes when remodeling, you will save on costs. You can limit wall demolition by opting for PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) pipes, which can be weaved into your walls.

A plumbing professional can inspect your plumbing and tell you if it's time to upgrade your pipes. Contact us at Air Assurance for all your plumbing needs in the Broken Arrow area.

Air Source Heat Pumps Tax Credit - Tulsa, OK

Air Source Heat Pumps Tax Credit - Tulsa OK

Determining the best heating method for your home in this area can be a challenge, since both heat pumps and combustion furnaces are viable choices for this climate. Weather throughout the winter tends to be mild, but there are times when the thermometer dips below freezing, which may influence your choice of the best heating method for your home and family.

These characteristics of each type of heating system might help you decide:

• Heat pumps work well in this climate for both heating and cooling. They are an energy-efficient option. Heat pumps warm your home by extracting the heat from the outdoor air. They work well until the temperature falls below freezing. At this point, there is less heat in the air, so the appliance will have to work harder. However, high-efficiency heat pumps are available that work effectively at much colder temperatures. If you require an exceptionally warm house, even during milder weather, you may want to consider a gas or oil furnace as your best heating method.

• The typical heat pump uses one unit of energy to provide three units of heat. A gas furnace or oil furnace never reaches such high efficiency, although high-efficiency systems can be 97% efficient, compared to 300% efficiency from a heat pump.

• Heat pumps have a high degree of safety compared to a gas or oil furnace. Any time that combustible fuels are used indoors, there is a risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fuel leaks.

• A heat pump contributes to outdoor noise even in the winter. It uses the compressor inside the outdoor condenser to transfer heat in the same way it removes heat from your home in the summer. If you want a quiet yard in the winter, consider a furnace as your preferred heating method.

• If you need to replace your air conditioner along with your heating method, it makes financial sense to choose a heat pump. 

  ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME IMPROVEMENT TAX CREDIT (25C) PROGRAM

  The previous Nonbusiness Energy Property credit (25C) for installing high-efficiency equipment was extended through 2022 and provides federal tax credits of up to $500.
  The amended Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) begins in 2023 and extends through 2032. It increases the tax credit limits for high-efficiency equipment as follows:

  1. Eligible equipment includes:

     • Heat pumps and heat pump water heaters

     • Energy-efficient HVAC systems (including furnaces, boilers, and central AC)

  2. The 25C credit has an annual cap of $1,200 (except heat pump):

     • Up to $600 each for a qualified air conditioner or gas furnace, with an annual cap of $1,200

     • Up to $2,000 with a qualified heat pump, heat pump water heater, or boiler

  There are no income requirements for this tax credit, and it cannot be combined with other federal programs.

  WHO CAN USE THIS CREDIT?

  PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE OWNERS

  Must be an existing home & your principal residence. New construction and rentals do not apply.

  A principal residence is the home where you live most of the time. The home must be in the United States. It can include a house, houseboat, mobile home, cooperative apartment, condominium, and a manufactured home.

For professional advice about the best heating method based on your home and family, contact the pros at Air Assurance. We provide trusted HVAC services to Broken Arrow homeowners.

Insulation And Ventilation: Rx For An Attic That Running A Fever

Tulsa Blown In Insulation

Hot attics can be a major source of excess heat throughout your home. As sunshine beats down on the roof, temperatures in unfinished and unconditioned attics can reach 150 degrees or higher. This heat is easily absorbed and transferred by building materials such as wood. The heat radiates downward, increasing temperatures in all areas beneath the attic. In most homes, this translates to practically everywhere within the structure. By maintaining proper levels of both insulation and ventilation in your attic, you can limit the effects of excess heat that accumulates in this part of your house.Heat transferred from your attic to your living spaces can make your home uncomfortable and cause your air conditioning system to work harder than necessary, increasing wear on the unit and causing spikes in your utility bills. Adequate attic insulation and ventilation will prevent this problem by reducing the amount of heat that accumulates in your attic.

• Insulation: Install plenty of insulation in the attic to keep out heat. Fiberglass roll or blanket insulation is commonly used between beams and joists in the attic wall, floor and roof. Irregularly shaped or difficult-to-reach areas can be insulated using loose-fill pellet insulation. Use insulation with the highest R-value possible. R-values are a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The Energy Star program recommends using insulation with R-values of R30 to R60 in the Tulsa area.

• Ventilation: Attic fans will increase ventilation and airflow, which moves both heat and moisture from the attic to the outdoors. Attic fans should be able to replace the entire volume of air in the attic 10 times an hour. Increased airflow will be very effective at keeping your attic and your home cooler. Contact your local trusted HVAC provider for assistance with finding an attic fan that will create sufficient ventilation for your space.

For more than three decades, Air Assurance has been a leading source of HVAC sales, installation and maintenance in and around Tulsa. Contact us today for more information on attic insulation and ventilation and how improving these factors can make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.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). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

How to Know If Your Home's HVAC System Is Up to Code

An HVAC system that doesn't measure up to existing code requirements can pose a serious risk to your home and to your family's safety, as well as develop significant problems later. But how can you determine whether your system is up to code? Read on to learn more.

Correct Sizing

For your heating and cooling equipment to be code-compliant, it must be sized based on your home's energy load. That requires a qualified HVAC technician to come to your house before HVAC installation and look at your home's size and conditions, such as:

• The placement of doors and windows

• The number of windows

• How much insulation is in your ceiling and walls

Your technician will consider these factors and calculate the size of the HVAC system you need for optimal efficiency.

Energy Efficiency

According to building code provisions, the efficiency ratings of your new or replacement HVAC equipment must be equal to or higher than the minimum that federal law requires in the geographic location where you're installing the equipment. In Oklahoma, the minimum SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) required for new air conditioning systems is 15 for units rated less than 45,000 BTU and 14.5 for units rated 45,000 BTU and above.

Equipment Location

HVAC equipment location is also critical to compliance with rules and regulations. Your home's HVAC equipment should be located where it allows for repairs, maintenance, and replacement. According to the Oklahoma Building Code, your condensate drain shouldn't discharge into an alley, street, or any other place where it can cause a nuisance. If the condensate drain terminates at a French drain or pit, the pit or drain should be at least 30 inches away from your foundation's outer edge.

HVAC Tuneups to Stay Up to Code

Getting regular tuneups is crucial to ensuring your system complies with the local HVAC codes and standards. For example, during a furnace tuneup, an HVAC professional will ensure your system is up to code by checking the gas supply and ensuring your unit burns safely.

Simply put, having a local, licensed HVAC professional install your HVAC equipment and perform regular maintenance checkups will help ensure that your heating and air-conditioning system is always up to code. If you need HVAC installation, repair, or maintenance services in Broken Arrow and the greater Tulsa area, contact us at Air Assurance.

Do You Have an Energy Efficient HVAC Unit in Your Home?

Energy efficient HVAC units do more than simply keep you comfortable at a lower cost. Today, the most efficient air conditioners and furnaces also tend to incorporate the latest technology and provide the most effective cooling and heating performance.

But how do you know whether a unit installed in your home — or a new one you’re considering purchasing — is an energy efficient HVAC model or a standard model? Established industry metrics can help you determine the efficiency of a furnace or AC.

Energy Efficient HVAC

Gas-furnace efficiency is indicated by the unit’s AFUE rating. Short for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, it’s a percentage that expresses the amount of useable heat energy generated by a furnace versus the amount of heat lost in the heating process.

• A standard-efficiency furnace generally has an AFUE of 80%. Standard furnaces typically intake combustion air from the house and incorporate a single heat exchanger.

• High-efficiency furnaces have AFUE ratings above 90%. These units bring air in through a dedicated intake pipe. In addition, they include a secondary heat exchanger that extracts additional heat from the exhaust flow.  

• While the upfront cost of purchasing and installing a high-efficiency model is higher than a standard-efficiency unit, over a period of time, the reduced gas consumption can be expected to compensate for the initial higher cost.

AC Efficiency

Air conditioner efficiency is indicated by the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating. This numerical rating is computed by dividing the total BTUs of cooling in a typical season by the watts of electricity consumed to operate the air conditioner.

• The higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient the AC will be.

• The current required minimum air-conditioning standard-efficiency rating is SEER 13. A high-efficiency SEER rating today may rise as high as the mid-20s.

• High-efficiency air conditioners typically incorporate improvements like advanced coil materials, a multistage compressor, and a variable-speed blower to produce improved cooling at lower costs.

For experienced advice and help selecting an energy efficient HVAC unit, contact the professionals at Air Assurance.

Understand the Link Between AC and Plumbing in Your Home

AC and plumbing share an important connection that many homeowners may be unaware of. Reducing indoor humidity by condensing water vapor from the air makes an air conditioner function more efficiently and cools the house more effectively.  A central air conditioner may generate up to 20 gallons of condensate daily. If anything goes wrong in that process, the relationship between AC and plumbing quickly becomes very obvious.  

All that condensate has got to go somewhere. Your air conditioner typically handles it like this:

• Warm humid indoor air passes through the frigid, indoor AC evaporator coil. The sudden temperature drop causes humidity present in the air to condense into water.

• Condensation generated by the evaporator coil drips down into a drain pan that's typically located underneath the coil.  

• As the drain pan fills, condensate flows out of the pan through a drain pipe. The drain pipe may extend through an exterior wall and release condensate outside. Alternatively, the condensate drain pipe may connect to the main household plumbing drain.   

As long as nothing goes wrong, this process continues without incident. However, if algae or mold growth forms in the condensate drain pan, or other objects fall into the pan, the drain line may become clogged, creating a problematic issue between AC and plumbing. As the air conditioner cycles on and off and more water enters the drain pan, eventually the pan overflows. By the time this is noticed, substantial indoor water damage may have occurred. 

Prevention is the best recourse to avoid potential water damage due to AC condensate overflow.  

• Schedule annual preventative maintenance on your air-conditioning system by a certified HVAC technician. This provides a systemwide inspection, as well as preventative maintenance procedures, including inspecting the condensate drain system for clogs or other malfunctions.

• Treatment includes cleaning the drain pan to kill algae and mold, as well as verifying that the drain line is clear.

• Another available option is installing a float safety switch that prevents overflow by shutting down the air conditioner if the drain pan fills up.

For more information about potential problems with the connection between AC and plumbing, talk to the experts at Air Assurance.

Spring HVAC Tips to Get Your Unit Ready for Warm Weather

Although the spring season doesn't have horrendous weather, you really don't want your HVAC equipment to break down. We'd like to help you keep everything running smoothly, so we've put together a quick list of spring HVAC tips for your unit.

Schedule HVAC Maintenance

The best way to keep your HVAC equipment running properly throughout the spring season is to schedule maintenance. A certified technician will visit your home, check for any problems with the equipment, then make adjustments or repairs as needed.

Start by Cleaning the Air Filter

One of the first things you can do — which also happens to be the easiest of all the spring HVAC tips — is to clean the unit's air filter. Some systems may require replacement of the filter. If that's the case, you may want to upgrade the type of filter you use so that more contaminants are captured.

Clean All Vents and Registers

As dust moves throughout your home during the winter months, vents and registers can get clogged up. You can fix this by thoroughly vacuuming these areas. This will also allow cool air to blow more freely, thereby improving the system's efficiency and effectiveness.

Test Out the HVAC Equipment

All the spring HVAC tips in the world won't help if the equipment isn't running well. If you get a chance prior to the start of the season, turn the system on and take a look. If it's making loud noises or has an odor coming from it, call a certified HVAC technician to take care of it.

Clean Out the Home's Air Ducts

In order for your HVAC equipment to do its job properly, it needs to be able to deliver air throughout your home through its air ducts. To make sure this happens, clean out any dust and debris that you find in the duct. You also need to look for any damage that may cause air leaks.

If you need further assistance with spring HVAC tips or you'd like to schedule an appointment, reach out to Air Assurance. We've been proudly serving the needs of Broken Arrow and the nearby areas since 1985.

The Best Window Sealants You Can Use During the Spring

Window sealants can play a major role in holding heat indoors in winter and keeping heat outdoors in summer. According to the Department of Energy, fully 25% of heat loss in a home is due to air leaks around windows and doors. Most window air leakage occurs due to small gaps in individual window panes, as well as around the main frame around the window. Over time, common putty and other materials frequently used in the original construction of a house dries out and shrinks, allowing air infiltration into the structure.

Newer window sealants have improved measurably over the years. Basic types of window sealants include:

• Silicone caulk. This is the standard today, and the best types of this variety are 100% silicone, with no other additives. Silicone caulk resists mold and mildew and is very dimensionally stable over the years, meaning it does not shrink like putty or other materials. It not only stops air leaks, it prevents water damage.

• Polyurethane caulk. Polyurethane is similar to silicone but usually only applied to exterior surfaces of the window frame (not indoors). The sealing properties of polyurethane are also similar. However, unlike silicone, polyurethane caulk can be painted.

• Acrylic latex caulk. This is a water-based caulk and not appropriately durable against the effects of exterior weather. However, it’s suitable for many interior applications, including the indoor side of window frames. Acrylic can be painted any color and, once it has dried, it can be cleaned with water.

• Polyurethane foam. Provided in a can, this expanding foam can be injected into gaps and small voids around the main frame of the window to prevent intrusion of outdoor air and moisture, as well as to reduce energy loss from the interior of the home. Foam air seals better than other insulating materials and is a permanent substance that does not deteriorate. After the foam dries, it can be trimmed, sanded, or painted.

For more about the varieties of window sealants to help reduce heat and cooling loss in your home, contact the professionals at Air Assurance.

How to Tell If You Are Using a Certified HVAC Tech

The HVAC technician you allow to work on your heating system or air conditioner should be a competent professional. Certifications are among the best indicators of an HVAC specialist's knowledge and skill. These certifications are granted after a technician meets the certifying body's precise requirements, which may include participating in technical or professional programs, demonstrating technical knowledge, and passing rigorous exams. Here's how to know if you're working with a fully certified HVAC tech.

Verify the HVAC Certificate

You should start by asking to see the local heating and cooling specialist's HVAC certificate. Contact your state's department that's in charge of licensing and registration after noting the HVAC professional's certification number. The department representative will confirm whether the certification number exists and belongs to that HVAC contractor. If the number can't be found, you can ask the department representative to search for the professional's name to verify that they are a certified HVAC tech. You can also ask the representative for more information on the HVAC professional's training and education.

Check the EPA Certification Card

The Environmental Protection Agency requires HVAC technicians who handle refrigerants to hold the EPA 608 Certification, making them a certified HVAC tech. Passing the EPA's exams shows that an HVAC specialist can safely handle these dangerous chemicals. To verify a technician's certification, ask the technician for his or her certification card. The card should have the technician's name, certification number, and the date the technician took the certification test or became certified.

Keep in mind that hiring an HVAC technician who hasn't been certified may void your manufacturer's warranty. Therefore, make sure you do your homework and only work with a certified HVAC tech. If you're looking for outstanding technicians to handle your HVAC needs in the Broken Arrow area, contact us at Air Assurance. We've won many awards over the years and were the first in the country to provide customers with an all-NATE-certified technician staff.