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Gas Furnace &
Maintenance Questions
Question: How can I make sure that
my HVAC system is safe for operation?
Answer:
Always have your system checked annually to make sure that the unit is
safe. In many cases, tiny cracks or perforations in the heat exchanger
occur. If your furnace is burning inefficiently or incompletely, carbon
monoxide can escape and fill the house causing serious health problems
and/or death to those inside.
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Question: I see the arrow on my
furnace filter but I`m not sure how to correctly position it? What should
I do?
Answer:
A: The arrow should point
in the same direction as the air flow. In most cases, it will point
towards the furnace and should fit between the return air part of the
system and the furnace. The filter screens out the dust and other
impurities before the air is warmed in your furnace and then distributed
through the duct system.
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Question: My thermostat is equipped
with a two position setting for the fan, "automatic" and "on". Where
should I set it?
Answer:
The two positions are
usually used in conjunction with a central air cleaning system. The normal
setting is on "automatic" and the fan`s cycle will be controlled by the
temperature in the room. However, if your home is equipped with an air
cleaner (media or electronic) or you wish to keep a continuous flow of
air, switch the setting to "on". Remember, central air cleaning devices
only work when the furnace is circulating air. If you wish to get the most
from your air cleaner, you should keep the setting to "on".
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Question: Do I need to get my
furnace cleaned every year?
Answer:
Naturally, you would
expect a heating contractor to recommend an annual furnace cleaning as we
do. But we do so for a number of reasons. A cleaning means that your
furnace will operate more efficiently, getting more heat for your fuel
dollar. More importantly, however, the cleaning also includes a thorough
safety check of the entire unit for cracked or defective/damaged parts.
This annual maintenance check will assure you a carbon monoxide free
winter. An annual cleaning is also recommended by all manufacturers as
well as utilities (ie: VEPCO, HRPCO, etc.)
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Question: If I go away for a few
days or even longer during the winter, at what temperature should I set my
thermostat?
Answer:
We recommend 55 degrees.
It`s low enough to save you energy and money but warm enough to protect
your pipes and other vital parts of your structure. Also, it`s a good idea
to turn your main water supply off even if you`re only going to be gone
for a day. A water leak could cause serious and very costly damage to your
home.
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Question: I have trouble getting
even amounts of heat/cooling to certain parts of my house. How can I get
more heat/cooling to the upstairs/downstairs of my home?
Answer:
Adjust the louvers inside
the registers on the wall or floor in the room where too much heat/cooling
is present so that the registers are partially closed. For example, to get
more cooling upstairs during hot summer months, partially or fully close
the registers downstairs to force more airflow to the upstairs
registers.
Another possible solution
is a furnace equipped with a variable speed blower motor. These furnaces
are designed to overcome airflow problems in a home and will keep the
airflow steady all over the home. These types of furnaces also use about
1/3 the electricity of a standard furnace and can save considerable
amounts of money in operating costs.
A zoning system is
also a possible solution to this problem. Zoning is the controlled
delivery of heated or cooled air to a particular area of the home, without
heating and cooling the entire home. Temperatures can be set and
maintained indpendently throughout the home through the use of multiple
thermostats.
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Question: How often should I change
the standard throw-away 1" filter on my furnace?
Answer:
You should change your
standard 1" furnace filter every 6-8 weeks. Believe it or not, a filter
actually becomes more efficient as it get dirtier…up to a point. After
peak efficiency is reached, the efficiency drops again. Make sure to
inspect the filter and use your own judgment. Don`t let the filter get
"clogged" as this can cut down on the efficiency and/or cause damage to
the unit.
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Question: How efficient is my
standard 1" throw-away filter as far as how much it will remove from the
air?
Answer:
A standard 1" throw-away
furnace filter is between 5-10% particle efficient. This means that across
the particle size spectrum, these filters will only trap about 5-10% of
what passes through them. You can improve the efficiency of the filtration
of your heating and/or cooling system by upgrading to either a media or
electronic style filter. Their particle removal efficiencies are 60-65%
and 90-95%, respectively and either is quite an improvement over standard
1" filtration capabilities. By doing an upgrade like this, you will also
cut down on maintenance costs on the system as dirty systems are the #1
cause for malfunction. This will also boost the efficiency of the system
as the heat and cooling transfer coils will be able to operate with the
least amount of resistance.
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Question: How can I make sure that
my HVAC system is safe for operation?
Answer:
Always have your system
checked annually to make sure that the unit is safe. In many cases, tiny
cracks or perforations in the heat exchanger occur. If your furnace is
burning inefficiently or incompletely, carbon monoxide can escape and fill
the house causing serious health problems and/or death to those
inside.
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Question: How do I know when my
Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector needs to be replaced?
Answer:
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
plug-in detectors have a limited lifespan – 10 years and some are fewer
than five years if you purchased your detector somewhere else. Many people
think they can just plug in their CO detector and forget it. What`s
important is that all detectors eventually lose their sensory capabilities
and must be replaced. If your CO detector is up there in age, it`s best to
replace it. You can also test the detector using a CO test kit available
at many retailers.
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Question: What is an A.F.U.E.
(Annual Fuel Utilization Efficienty) rating and what do they mean to
you?
Answer:
The efficiency of a
furnace is measured in a rating known as A.F.U.E. (Annual Fuel Utilization
Efficiency). A lot like your car’s miles per gallon rating, A.F.U.E. tells
you how efficiently the furnace converts fuel (gas, oil or propane) into
heat. An A.F.U.E. of 80% means that 80% of the fuel is used to heat your
home, while the other 20% basically goes up the chimney.
In 1992, the government
mandated a minimum A.F.U.E. rating of 78% for furnaces installed in new
homes. (In contrast, many furnaces manufactured before 1992 had A.F.U.E.
ratings as low as 60% — so nearly half the fuel was being wasted.)
Furnaces with A.F.U.E. ratings of 78% to 80% are considered
"mid-efficiency", while those with ratings of 90% or higher are termed
"high efficiency."
In general, a higher
efficiency furnace usually means two things:
lower monthly operating
costs
higher comfort
levels
If you have an older
furnace (10-15 years old with an estimated A.F.U.E. of around 60%), you
could save up to 40% on your heating bills by replacing it with a new
high-efficiency furnace. So the cost to replace your older, inefficient
furnace is paid back through lower utility bills.
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Question: What is a Modulating or
Two-stage furnace?
Answer:
Modulating Furnace
Most
furnaces are either "off," providing no heat, or "on" at full capacity,
with the burner and blower operating at 100 percent. This causes the
temperature in your house to go up and down by several degrees - affecting
both your comfort and your energy bills. Furnaces are designed to keep
your home warm on the coldest of days. But in most cases, those days
account for only 2-1/2 percent of the heating season. The rest of the
time, your furnace is providing more heat than is needed to satisfy your
comfort requirements. Modulating furnaces solve this problem by
"modulating" between different capacities (40-100%), depending on the
comfort requirements of the homeowner and the temperature outside. This
results in lower operating costs, quieter operation and much more even
temperatures throughout the home. It`s like having a separate furnace to
handle the unique heating requirements of each day - all in one unit!
Two-stage Furnace
A two-stage furnace has
the same concept in mind as a modulating furnace. The difference lies in
the fact that while a modulating furnace can operate at any capacity
between 40% and 100%, a two-stage furnace operates on a low-stage and a
high-stage. The low and high stages have preset BTU outputs. On most days,
the furnace will operate at its first stage to only provide the heat you
need to stay comfortable. On those very coldest days of the year, this
furnace will ramp up to its second stage and give the full BTU output of
the furnace to keep satisfying the heating requirements of the home. It`s
basically like having two furnaces in one - one for the warmer days and
one for the very coldest.
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Air Conditioning Questions
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Question: I have trouble getting
even amounts of heat/cooling to certain parts of my house. How can I get
more heat/cooling to the upstairs/downstairs of my home?
Answer:
Adjust the louvers inside
the registers on the wall or floor in the room where too much heat/cooling
is present so that the registers are partially closed. For example, to get
more cooling upstairs during hot summer months, partially or fully close
the registers downstairs to force more airflow to the upstairs
registers.
Another possible solution
is a furnace equipped with a variable speed blower motor. These furnaces
are designed to overcome airflow problems in a home and will keep the
airflow steady all over the home. These types of furnaces also use about
1/3 the electricity of a standard furnace and can save considerable
amounts of money in operating costs. A zoning system is also a possible
solution to this problem. Zoning is the controlled delivery of heated or
cooled air to a particular area of the home, without heating and cooling
the entire home. Temperatures can be set and maintained indpendently
throughout the home through the use of multiple thermostats.
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Question: Should I cover my outdoor
air conditioning unit during the cold winter months?
Answer:
The one thing you should do is cover the top of the condensing unit
(with a piece of plywood with something to hold it down) so that no debris
can get in. We recommend putting some sort of a hard cover over at least
the top of the unit to also protect against damage from falling ice, etc.
A specially made cover is a good idea but it`s not absolutely essential. A
cover will also protect the finish and guard against rodents making the
unit their winter home. Any cover, however, must be removed before the
start of operations the following Spring.
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Question: Can I turn off the power
to my central air conditioning system during the cold winter
months?
Answer:
Yes, you can. There is a disconnect in your panel box or at the outside
unit. Turn it off over the winter and save energy. But when you turn it on
again in the Spring, do it at least 24 hours before turning on the cooling
equipment. A day`s delay will give the oil time to warm and lubricate the
essential parts upon startup.
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Question: How does an air
conditioning system actually work to cool the air in my home?
Answer:
An air conditioning system consists of 2 parts: an outdoor unit (where
liquid refrigerant is contained) and an indoor coil (where the refrigerant
is pumped into). As the air moves across the air conditioning coil
(usually located on top of the furnace), the refrigerant removes the heat
from the air as well as the moisture by condensing it on the cold surface
of the coil. In this way, an air conditioner not only cools but also
dehumidifies the air. Virtually any system can have air conditioning
hooked up to it provided that it is a forced air system. In cases where
there is not forced air heating or a duct system, "ductless" air
conditioning systems to cool an entire home or small business.
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Question: What is a S.E.E.R.
(Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating and what does it mean to
you?
Answer:
S.E.E.R. stands for Seasonal Energy ,Efficiency Ratio, the standard
measurement of air conditioning efficiency established by the U.S.
Department of Energy. What does this mean to you? Higher S.E.E.R. ratings
translate into greater energy efficiency which means lower summer cooling
bills. The most important thing to remember is the higher the S.E.E.R.
rating, the more money you save.
Why a higher efficiency rating (SEER) saves energy: If your current air
conditioner or heat pump is more than 10 years old, it could be operating
at lower than 8.00 S.E.E.R. Compare the estimated annual bill of an 8.00
S.E.E.R. system to that of a higher S.E.E.R., such as a 12.00 or 13.00.
For instance, if the annual cooling bill of an 8.00 S.E.E.R. system in a
particular area is $1,000, it would cost only $615 for a 13.00 S.E.E.R.
system to operate at the same capacity in the same area. This is an annual
savings of 38%. Now that makes sense, doesn’t it?
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