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FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions

 Q  What is SEER?
A   SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The higher the SEER rating, the more energy-efficient the equipment is. Higher SEERs can result in lower energy costs.

 Q  What are BTU's?
A    BTU stands for the British Thermal Unit, which is a unit of heat energy. The BTU is defined as the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
A BTU is commonly used to indicate the heating and cooling capacity of a system (heat losses and heat gains). To give an example of system capacity, a 10,000-BTU window air conditioner is capable of removing 10,000 BTUs of heat per hour. To give an example in terms of heat gains, the typical heat gain added to a room by a person at rest is about 230 Btu/hour.

 Q  What is a Ton of Air Conditioning?
 A    A ton is the unit of measurement for air-conditioning system capacity. One ton of air conditioning removes 12,000 BTUs of heat energy per hour from a home. Central air conditioners are sized in tons. Residential units usually range from 1 to 5 tons.

 Q   I have forced hot water heat, can I have central air?
 A   Yes. Though there are some considerations that we have to check out, we can install a separate system solely for air conditioning.

Q   What is the difference between an 80% and a 90% efficiency furnace?
 A   An 80% efficiency furnace has an older style flue which vents through your chimney, while a 90% one has a direct vent to the outside using PVC pipe. You can expect a 10% savings in fuel cost with the direct vented 90% efficiency furnace.

Q   What is ventilation air?
 A   Simply put, ventilation is a system or means of providing fresh air.  It also refers to the air movement or circulation of air.

Q   Why is ventilation air important?
 A   Ventilation air is required in houses for people to breathe more easily.  Air moving through the house can remove moisture and increase the longevity of the building materials.  Proper ventilation can save you money, save your health and save your home.

Q   Is there a simple way to tell if my house is properly ventilated?
A   In winter, if the windows sweat, the house is too tight.  If the house is very dry, the house is probably too loose.

Q   Why should I be concerned about humidity?
A   Excess humidity can cause damage to structures and people living within those structures.  Examples of this range from peeling paint and wallpaper in your bathroom to dangerous spores and molds that grow in a humid, wet crawl space or basement.  Humidity and lack of adequate ventilation are the source of costly renovations and medical bills.
Q   Why should I be get my air filter changed regularly?
 A   Dirty air filters reduce airflow and result in less comfort and higher operating costs. Worse, the reduced airflow is a primary cause of equipment failure. Inadequate airflow can cause stress that will crack a heat exchanger in the heating season and can create pressures that cause compressor failure in the cooling season.

 Q   Why is it important to keep my equipment maintained?
 A   Regular maintenance on your furnace or boiler will keep your equipment operating at peak efficiency and avoid breakdowns. Regular maintenance will add years of useful life to your equipment as well. Comfort systems are a big investment – take care of them.

Q   Should I use a programmable thermostat?
 A    Although programmable thermostats are not necessary to make your system work properly, they can provide significant savings – 5 to 10% of your fuel bill in some cases - over a non-programmable thermostat. And today’s programmable thermostats are very user friendly.

 Q   How can insulation effect my heating and cooling bills?
 A    In a nutshell, the more insulation you have, the less you'll spend on your heating and cooling bills.  If you don’t have at least R-30 (about 9”) of insulation in your attic, consider adding insulation here. If your sidewalls are not insulated, that too is a must. The amount in the sidewalls will be determined by the construction of the home. Another area of the home where energy savings can be achieved through insulation is the basement. Insulating your basement and/or your crawl space can save up to 10% of your heating energy – every year. That adds up quickly.

 Q   How can multiple thermostats (zones) improve the comfort level in my home?
 A   An all-too common comfort problem is the two-story or tri-level home. There is usually only one thermostat located on the main floor. The upstairs gets a lot of heat because heat rises. The lower level of a tri-level is cold for the same reason. You try to set the cooling to a lower temperature to cool down the upstairs and it helps a little but turns the downstairs into a meat locker. Or you turn the thermostat up in the winter to try and get comfortable in the lower levels and the upstairs overheats. Zoning is the solution. Put a separate thermostat in each area, controlling automatic dampers and ensuring even comfort throughout your home.

Q   Can using a different type of blower on my furnace save me money?
 A   The latest technologies in home comfort systems are dual-capacity and variable speed. Dual capacity matches the equipment output more closely to the load, providing more even heating and quieter operation. Variable speed technology allows indoor blowers to operate at different airflows, matching the airflow to the system output, and enhancing humidity removal during the cooling season. And, in addition, variable speed blower motors save $200 to $400 per year on electricity costs – and that’s on a gas furnace.

 Q   What are the benefits of humidification in the winter?
 A   In the winter our homes become drier due to the dry outside conditions. As the home gets drier, it makes us feel colder. This is because our skin regulates body temperature partly through evaporation – and when it is dry evaporation rates increase. The evaporating moisture makes us feel colder – the opposite of what happens in the summer when high humidity makes us feel hotter. Automatic humidifiers will add needed moisture to the home – making you feel more comfortable and saving the cost of the humidifier in energy savings.

 Q   What are the benefits of high efficiency air cleaners?
 A   If air-borne pollen, dust, dander and other particles are making you or a family member uncomfortable, you could benefit from a high-efficiency air filter. A good filter will clean the air whenever the blower is operating. One strategy for relief is to put the blower on “constant fan” setting. This will allow the air cleaner to clean the air even when there is no call for heating or cooling.