HVAC installation Archives - Page 2 of 4

January 9, 2014

Heat Pump or Furnace? What’s Best for Your Charlotte Area Home?

Charlotte area homeowners are lucky to have mild weather for much of the year. In the winter, temperatures can fall below freezing, but usually for only short periods of time. This gives residents a choice between using a heat pump or a furnace for winter heating. How Furnaces Work Furnaces send heat throughout the home in one of two ways. Forced air furnaces directly heat air and send it into each room through a vent system. Other furnaces heat an intermediary fluid such as air, steam or water which is then pumped through pipes into a radiator in each room....

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December 23, 2013

Are the Disadvantages of Geothermal Outweighed by the Benefits?

Any homeowner considering a shift to geothermal heating and cooling should take the time to carefully evaluate both the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal systems. Though there are some notable disadvantages to geothermal heat pumps, they’re easily outweighed by the significant advantages in efficiency, performance and economical operation that geothermal heating and cooling provide. High cost of installation – The initial investment in a geothermal heating and cooling system can be substantial, often several thousand dollars more than a comparable furnace, air conditioner or heat pump. Geothermal installations are more expensive because they require significant digging and trenching. This earth-moving...

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December 9, 2013

What Is the Life Span of a Furnace?

The furnace in your Harrisburg home works 24/7 during the winter to keep you comfortable. How long your furnace will last depends mostly on how well you maintain it. What Is the Life Span of a Furnace? A typical furnace will last about 15 years. With regular maintenance and filter changes, you can expect your system to last 20 years or more. However, a poorly maintained system will only last about 13 years and will operate inefficiently for many of those. Extending the Life of the System There are several things you can do to ensure your system has a...

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November 13, 2013

9 Tips to Boost Wintertime Home Energy Savings

If winter gives you the energy bill blues, there are several things you can do to maximize the warmth in your Concord home without breaking the bank. These nine tips will help get you started on wintertime home energy savings. 1. Schedule furnace maintenance. A yearly tune-up will increase system efficiency, lower your heating bills, help prevent breakdowns and extend the life of your equipment. 2. Install a programmable thermostat. Properly installed and programmed, a programmable thermostat can save you a considerable amount of money by maintaining lower settings at night and while you’re away. 3. Use your ceiling fans....

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November 6, 2013

Why Won’t Your Furnace Turn On?

If your furnace won’t turn on, it might be simple to fix. You may be able to troubleshoot the problem yourself with this step-by-step guide. If there’s no heat: Make sure the thermostat is set to heating mode. Check that power switch is set to the On position. If it’s on but not working, there could be a short in the breaker box. If you’ve tried all of these, it could be the thermostat. When the furnace won’t fire: If there’s a pilot light, make sure that it’s lit and touches the thermocouple. If it’s lit but the burners don’t...

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October 25, 2013

How Does Geothermal Heating and Cooling Work?

Geothermal heating and cooling may sound like a great idea, but if you’re used to conventional furnaces and boilers, it can be hard to imagine how geothermal energy can sufficiently warm or cool your home. While certain components in geothermal systems may be complex, the basics of how these systems operate are fairly simple. Geothermal: The “Other” Heat Pump Geothermal systems, also known as geothermal heat pumps, work in a way that’s similar to conventional air-source heat pumps. In winter, an air-source heat pump doesn’t create heat, but draws heat from the outdoor air and transfers it into your home....

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October 8, 2013

Get the Performance Edge with a Carrier Programmable Thermostat

One of the simplest ways to save energy on your conditioning bills if you have a Carrier Performance or Comfort system is with a Carrier programmable thermostat. It’s intuitive, easy to use and manages more than your indoor temperature. Having such a thermostat cuts your energy bills by automatically changing the temperature settings indoors without having to remember yourself or relying on family members to make the changes. This thermostat’s features include: Easy to read illuminated display that shows the time, as well as indoor and outdoor temperatures. Simple prompts to follow for programming. Automatically switches from cooling to heating....

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July 8, 2013

A/C Features Your New System Should Have

Most people feel some degree of stress when they’re about to make a big-ticket purchase. But if you’re shopping for a new central air conditioning system, here’s a fact that should lift much of the worry from your shoulders: Thanks to some truly revolutionary A/C features, today’s systems need between 30 and 50 percent less energy to run than their clunky counterparts from the 1970s. In fact, even if your air conditioner is less than 15 years old, you stand to save as much as 20 to 40 percent on your energy bill by replacing it with a new, energy...

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May 17, 2013

Ensuring Optimal Performance From Your New Heat Pump

Buying a heat pump is a big investment, which will pay for itself over time by providing years of comfort for your Pineville home. Selecting a pump based on your needs, budget and efficiency rating is important, but one of the best ways of ensuring optimal performance is by making sure your home is prepped prior to installation. Here are some tips to get you started. Return to the basics: Ask your contractor to install a return register in each room to maximize airflow and efficiency. If that can’t be done, discuss your options for maximizing airflow in all of...

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February 1, 2013

Go Green with a Geo Thermal Heat Pump

Solar energy isn’t just about glass panels perched on rooftops. Around 10 to 20 feet beneath the Earth’s surface, energy generated by the sun heats the soil, maintaining a constant temperature of between 50 and 60 degrees. Geothermal heat pumps tap into that buried energy, moving and concentrating the heat to provide warmth to homes in Harrisburg NC in the winter. In the summer, the pump’s operation reverses into a cooling system with the ground used as a heat sink. Efficient and economical, geothermal heat pumps are a green alternative to conventional HVAC systems that can deposit some extra green...

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