How a Heat Pump Air Handler Works

If your home’s heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system features a heat pump, it probably has an air handler. Air handlers are commonly used in conjunction with heat pumps. It’s an essential component that’s responsible for moving the conditioned air through your home. To learn more about heat pump air handlers and how they work, keep reading.

What Is an Air Handler?

Also known as an air handling unit (AHU), an air handler is a large cabinet-like system that contains several different HVAC components. Like traditional air conditioning systems, heat pumps feature outdoor equipment and indoor equipment. The heat pump itself is installed outside of your home. The air handler, on the other hand, is installed inside of your home.

The Different Components of a Heat Pump Air Handler

Heat pump air handlers contain several different components, all of which are contained within a cabinet-like system. One of the main components in a heat pump air handler is the blower. The blower is a fan that circulates air through the ductwork. It pulls unconditioned air through the return vents, and it releases conditioned air out the supply vents.

In addition to a blower, heat pump air handlers typically have an air filter. Air filters are screens that collect and remove debris from the air. After sucking up the unconditioned air, the air handler will force it through the air filter. Only after passing through the air filter will the newly conditioned air enter your home’s living spaces. You can usually find the air filter inside of the air handler.

Another important component of a heat pump air handler is the evaporator coil. Heat pumps aren’t all that different from traditional air conditioning systems. They still have an evaporator coil, and they still have a condenser coil. The former type of coil is found inside of the air handler.

The Mechanics of a Heat Pump Air Handler

When using your HVAC system to cool or warm your home, the air handler will circulate and move air throughout your home. This is the task of the blower, which is found inside of the air handler.

The air handler’s evaporator coil will also play a role in cooling and warming your home. When cooling your home, the evaporator coil will absorb heat and humidity. When warming your home, on the other hand, it will release heat. In the latter scenario, the evaporator coil will essentially act as a condenser coil.

Exploring the True Cost of Leaky Air Ducts

Does your home have leaky air ducts? Air ducts are one of the main “ventilation” components of a heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system. Even if the air conditioning system and furnace work flawlessly, your HVAC system’s performance will suffer with leaky air ducts. Leaky air ducts, in fact, can have several adverse effects on your HVAC system.

Loss of Conditioned Air

Leaky air ducts will result in less conditioned air entering your home’s living spaces. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over two-thirds of all homes have leaky air ducts, which causes them to lose up to 30% of their conditioned air.

After being conditioned by the air conditioning system or furnace, air must flow through the ducts before entering your home’s living spaces. Leaky air ducts means that some of this conditioned air won’t reach your home’s living spaces. It will leak out of the ducts and into unoccupied areas, such as the attic, basement or crawlspace.

Decreased Comfort

Because they cause a loss of conditioned air, leaky air ducts can lead to decreased comfort. Your HVAC system may struggle to maintain a cool indoor temperature during the summer, and your furnace may struggle to maintain a warm indoor temperature during the winter. With leaky air ducts, some of the conditioned air will be lost.

Higher Energy Consumption

Your HVAC system will consume more energy with leaky air ducts. It will force you to run the air conditioning system or furnace for a longer period. And the longer these systems run, the more energy they’ll consume. As previously mentioned, leaky air ducts can make your HVAC system lose up to 30% of its conditioned air, in which case you can expect about 30% higher consumption.

Neglecting to get your leaky air ducts fixed can prove costly. Your HVAC system will consume more energy, so you’ll inevitably spend more money on utility bills to cool and warm your home.

Safety Hazard

In some cases, leaky air ducts can be a safety hazard. While most air ducts are designed to move conditioned air through your home, others are designed to ventilate combustion gases. Gas-powered appliances like water heaters, dryers and even furnaces produce combustion gases. These combustion gases must be vented to your home’s exterior.

Air ducts are typically used to ventilate combustion gases. If any of these ducts are leaky, the combustion gases may build up inside of your home where they pollute the air while creating a safety hazard.

Don’t Forget to Flush Your Water Heater

There’s no such thing as a maintenance-free water heater. Like most appliances, water heaters require ongoing maintenance to prevent premature failure. Assuming you have a traditional tank-based water heater, for instance, you’ll need to flush it periodically, Flushing will remove sediments that could otherwise affect the performance and longevity of your water heater.

What Is Water Heater Flushing?

Flushing is the process of draining all of the water within a water heater so that it can be replaced with fresh water. Most water heaters have a tank in which water is stored. Some of them hold 50 gallons of water, whereas other tanks hold 80 or more gallons of water. Regardless, water heater tanks store water while simultaneously heating the water so that it’s readily available to use at any given time.

As you use the hot water in your home, some of the water within the tank will be depleted. Fortunately, water heaters are designed to automatically replenish this water. The problem, however, is that sediments are oftentimes left behind in the tank. Over time, calcium and magnesium sediments will build up inside of the tank. Flushing your water heater will replace all of the water inside out while simultaneously removing all of these sediments.

The Importance of Flushing Your Water Heater

Flushing your water heater is important for several reasons. It will make your water heater more efficient, for instance. When sediments build up inside of the tank, your water heater may consume more energy. Gas water heaters will burn more gas, while electric water heaters will pull more electricity.

Your water heater will also last longer if you flush it. Sediment buildup can degrade your water heater. It can weaken the interior of the tanks while also wearing down seals and connectors. In some cases, sediment buildup can even cause water heaters to burst – which can prove highly dangerous.

How Water Heater Flushing Works

Water heaters should typically be flushed at least once per year. You can do it either yourself, or you can hire a professional heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) technician to flush your water heater. Most water heaters can be flushed using a water hose. Connecting a water hose to your water heater will flush the tank so that it can be refilled with fresh water. If you’re not comfortable flushing your water heater, you should leave this task in the hands of a professional HVAC technician.

What Is a Hybrid Central Heating System?

There are different types of central heating systems. Some of them consist of an electric or gas-powered furnace, whereas others consist of a heat pump. A third option, however, is a hybrid central heating system. Hybrid central heating systems are still relatively new, so they aren’t found in as many homes. Nonetheless, they’re becoming more and more popular thanks to their efficient operation.

The Basics of a Hybrid Central Heating System

Also known as a dual-fan central heating system, a hybrid central heating system consists of two independent heating systems: a traditional furnace and a heat pump. Most homes only have a single heating system. Homes with a hybrid central heating system have a furnace and a heat pump.

How a Hybrid Central Heating System Works

A hybrid central heating system will warm your home by running either the furnace or heat pump. Whether electric or gas, furnaces will almost always consume more energy than heat pumps. With that said, furnaces also produce more heat than heat pumps.

With a hybrid central heating system, you can switch between your home’s furnace and heat pump. During mild winter weather, you can use the heat pump. On the colder winter days, you can switch to your home’s furnace.

Benefits of a Hybrid Central Heating System

What benefits does a hybrid central heating system offer exactly? Even if your home has a heat pump, it may not create a sufficient amount of heat. A heat pump can cool your home, and it can warm your home. Since they work by transferring heat, though, heat pumps don’t produce as much heat as furnaces.

Rather than relying entirely on a heat pump, you can upgrade your home with a hybrid central heating system. It will offer a furnace as an alternative heating solution.

You can program a hybrid central heating system to switch from the heat pump to the furnace at a specific temperature. When the temperature inside of your home drops low enough, the hybrid central heating system will automatically switch over to the furnace. Most hybrid central heating systems also support manual switching. Rather than programming a specific temperature, you can manually switch it from the heat pump to the furnace.

Choosing a hybrid central heating system may save you money in heating expenses. Heat pumps are generally over twice as efficient as furnaces. They still consume some energy, but heat pumps consume far less than furnaces. With a hybrid central heating system, you can use the heat pump to save money.

The 2 Types of Fans in HVAC Systems

Coils aren’t the only components of your heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system. There are fans in your HVAC system as well. Most HVAC systems have two different types of fans. While they both feature spinning blades, they serve different purposes. To learn more about the two primary types of fans in HVAC systems and how they differ, keep reading.

Condenser Fan

Your HVAC system has a condenser fan. The condenser fan is installed inside of the condenser unit. It’s shaped like a propeller with blades attached to a shaft. When running your air conditioning system, the condenser fan will spin. This spinning action will force air over the adjacent condenser coil. The condenser fan will stop spinning once your air conditioner system has performed its cooling process and turned off.

Furnace Fan

In addition to a condenser fan, your HVAC system may have a furnace fan. The term “furnace fan” is somewhat of a misnomer. While they are installed inside of furnaces, they are used for both heating and cooling purposes. Whether you’re running your air conditioning system or furnace, the furnace fan will turn on. The furnace fan consists of blades that, while spinning, force air over the evaporator coil and into the ductwork.

Differences Between the Condenser Fan and Furnace Fan

The condenser fan and furnace fan are used for different purposes. The purpose of the condenser fan is to expel heat from the refrigerant. As the hot refrigerant travels from the evaporator coil to the condenser coil, it will be exposed to air created by the condenser fan. The condenser fan will force air over the condenser coil, thereby releasing the refrigerant’s heat.

The furnace fan serves a few purposes. When running your air conditioning system, it will force air over the evaporator coil. As air blows over the evaporator coil, heat will be transferred to the refrigerant. If you’re running either your air conditioning system or furnace, though, the furnace fan will push air into the ductwork. It will push either cool or warm air into the ductwork so that it can be distributed throughout your home.

Another difference between condenser fans and furnace fans lies in their technology. Condenser fans are typically axial fans. They force air along a fixed axis. Furnace fans, on the other hand, are typically centrifugal fans. Centrifugal fans are characterized by the use of a rotating impeller, which allows for the creation of high speeds and pressure.

Non-Condensing vs Condensing Furnaces: What's the Difference?

Furnaces are one of the most common types of central heating systems. They consist of a heating element that, when activated, produces warm air. Some furnaces are powered by gas, whereas others are powered by electricity. Regardless, they’ll consume gas or electricity to create heat. A fan will then push air over the activated heating element. Furnaces, however, are available in different types, including non-condensing and condensing.

What Is a Non-Condensing Furnace?

A non-condensing furnace is a type of gas furnace with a single heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is part of the furnace’s overall heating element. During use, gas furnaces will burn gas inside of a closed system known as a combustion chamber. The heating element sits next to this combustion chamber. As the combustion chamber heats up, the newly generated thermal energy will be transferred to the heat exchanger. All non-condensing furnaces have a single heat exchanger.

What Is a Condensing Furnace?

A condensing furnace is a type of gas furnace with two heat exchangers. Gas furnaces are considered non-condensing or condensing depending on how many heat exchangers they have. Non-condensing furnaces have a single heat exchanger. Condensing furnaces, on the other hand, have two heat exchangers.

The heat exchangers in condensing furnaces are used for the same purpose as those in non-condensing furnaces: They absorb heat from the furnace’s combustion chamber. There are simply two heat exchangers in condensing furnaces rather than just one.

Differences Between Non-Condensing and Condensing Furnaces

Condensing furnaces are more efficient than non-condensing furnaces. With two heat exchangers, they’ll absorb more heat from the furnace’s combustion chamber. Non-condensing and condensing furnaces may burn the same amount of gas. With a condensing furnace, though, more heat will be transferred from the combustion chamber to the heat exchangers, resulting in a higher level of efficiency.

Non-condensing furnaces are typically less expensive. If you’re on a budget, you may want to choose a non-condensing furnace. They feature a simpler design than condensing furnaces that manifests in the form of a lower price. You’ll save money by choosing a non-condensing furnace.

Non-condensing furnaces are also easier to install. Condensing furnaces generally produce more condensation, so they must be installed with a proper drainage system. Non-condensing furnaces produce less condensation, making them easier to install. There are ventilation considerations associated with condensing furnaces as well. Contact a professional heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) company today to learn more about condensing and non-condensing furnaces.

Refrigerant Charging: How It Works and When to Seek It

Many air conditioning problems stem from low refrigerant. If your air conditioning system isn’t cooling your home like it used to, it could be low on refrigerant. Low refrigerant levels means that it won’t be able to transfer a sufficient amount of heat out of your home, in which case your air conditioning system may struggle to cool your home. Fortunately, refrigerant charging may fix this problem while restoring your air conditioning system’s cooling power.                                                           

What Is Refrigerant Charging?

Refrigerant charging is a service in which a heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) technician injects refrigerant into your air conditioning system. The purpose of refrigerant charging is to bring your air conditioning system’s refrigerant back to normal levels.

Air conditioning systems are designed to accommodate a specific amount of refrigerant. For most air conditioning systems, 2 to 4 pounds of refrigerant is used per ton of cooling power. If you have a 3-ton air conditioning system, for instance, it should accommodate about 6 to 12 pounds of refrigerant.

During a refrigerant charging service, an HVAC technician will pump new refrigerant into your air conditioning system. The HVAC technician will also monitor the refrigerant levels.

When to Seek Refrigerant Charging

You should seek refrigerant charging if your air conditioning system is low on refrigerant. Refrigerant operates in a closed environment. It will travel between your system’s evaporator coil and condenser coil to release heat. If there’s a leak somewhere, though, the refrigerant may escape.

If your air conditioning system is low on refrigerant, you may notice any number of different problems. Low refrigerant can cause ice to develop on the coils. When there’s still some refrigerant inside of the coils – but not enough refrigerant to absorb a sufficient amount of heat –  the coils may develop ice. Alternatively, low refrigerant can simply manifest as poor cooling power. Your air conditioning system may fail to cool your home if it’s low on refrigerant.

Keep in mind that refrigerant charging isn’t something you can do yourself. Refrigerant isn’t sold to consumers.  As explained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it’s only sold to certified technicians. More importantly, perhaps, only HVAC technicians know how to safely perform a refrigerant charging service. Using diagnostic tools, they can add the correct amount of refrigerant to your air conditioning system.

The Benefits of Choosing a Two-Stage AC System

If you’re planning to replace your air conditioning system in the near future, you should consider choosing a two-stage model. Two-stage air conditioning systems have become increasingly popular among homeowners. Like their single-stage counterparts, they consist of coils, a compressor, a blower and other cooling components. Two-stage air conditioning systems, however, feature a different type of compressor than single-stage air conditioning systems.

What Is a Two-Stage AC System

A two-stage air conditioning system is a type of centralized cooling system in which the compressor operates at two different speeds. The compressor, of course, is the part of an air conditioning system that compresses the refrigerant. It’s typically located outdoors where it’s installed inside of the condenser unit. As refrigerant moves the compressor, the refrigerant will change from a low-pressure gas to a high-pressure gas.

Longer Cooling Cycles

One of the benefits of choosing a two-stage air conditioning system is longer cooling cycles. A cooling cycle is simply the duration for which your air conditioning system runs. It begins with your air conditioning system turns on, and the cooling cycle ends once it has achieved the appropriate temperature and turned off. With a two-stage air conditioner, you can achieve longer cooling cycles.

Longer cooling cycles are typically better than shorter cooling cycles because they reduce wear and tear on your air conditioning system. With short cooling cycles, your air conditioning system will turn on and off many times throughout the day, which can wear down its parts. A two-stage air conditioning system allows you to switch between a high and low compressor setting. Selecting the low compressor setting will reduce the cooling power of your air conditioning system so that it has longer cooling cycles.

Lower Energy Bills

A two-stage air conditioning system can save you money on energy bills. Single-stage air conditioning systems don’t allow you to change the compressor speed. The compressor in a single-stage air conditioning system will run at full speed all the time – unless, of course, your air conditioning system isn’t running.

For lower energy bills, you may want to choose a two-stage air conditioning system. If the weather is mild outside, you can switch the low compressor setting. The low compressor setting means the compressor will operate at a speed of about 60% to 70%. As a result, it will consume less energy while driving down your monthly energy bills in the process.

Dirty Sock Syndrome: Is Your AC System Causing Bad Odors?

Have you noticed bad odors when running your air conditioning system? Maybe your home smells damp, or perhaps it smells stale or musty. Conventional wisdom should lead you to believe that bad odors such as these are not normal. If they occur while running your air conditioning system, dirty sock syndrome could be to blame.

What Is Dirty Sock Syndrome?

Dirty sock syndrome is a phenomenon that’s characterized by bad odors when running an air conditioning system. It’s typically the strongest when you initially turn on your air conditioning system. During those first few minutes, you may notice strong, bad-smelling odors originating from the supply vents.

Depending on the severity of the problem, the bad odors may go away shortly after – or they may linger.  Some cases of dirty sock syndrome can create lingering bad odors that remain for hours. Other and less-severe cases only create temporary bad odors that last for a few minutes. Regardless, dirty sock syndrome refers to the production of bad odors while running an air conditioning system.

Common Causes of Dirty Sock Syndrome

Most cases of dirty sock syndrome involve mold. If there’s mold inside of your ductwork, your air conditioning system may release it. Each time you turn on your air conditioning system, the blower will push the mold-filled air out of the ductwork and into your home’s living spaces.

A dirty evaporator coil can cause dirty sock syndrome as well. Not to be confused with the condenser coil, the evaporator coil is the heat exchanger unit that’s found inside of your home. Air conditioning systems work by blowing air over the evaporator coil. This in turn will remove heat from the air, thereby creating cool air that’s pushed into the ductwork.

If the evaporator coil is dirty, you may notice bad odors while running your air conditioning system. The blower will pick up the dust and debris from the evaporator coil, which will then enter the ductwork before entering your home’s living spaces.

You should check the air filter if you notice bad odors while running your air conditioning system. A dirty air filter is a common cause of dirty sock syndrome. Air must through the air filter before it can be cooled at the evaporator coil. Even if the evaporator coil clean, the air filter might be dirty. With a dirty air filter, contaminants will enter the ductwork that manifests in the form of bad odors.

5 Signs Your Furnace’s Flame Sensor Needs Replacing

The flame sensor is an important part of gas furnaces. As the name suggests, it’s designed to detect or “sense” a flame. All gas furnaces produce a flame when running, which is how they create hot air. The flame sensor is a rod-shaped component within gas furnaces that checks to make sure a flame is present while the gas valve is open. If there’s no flame present, the flame sensor will shut down the furnace and close the gas valve. Here are five signs your furnace’s flame sensor needs replacing.

#1) Corrosion

Is there are corrosion on your furnace’s flame sensor? If so, you may need to replace it. Most flame sensors are made of metal. Metal, of course, can rust and corrode when exposed to moisture. Depending on how much corrosion has built up on your furnace’s flame sensor, it may no longer be able to detect a flame.

#2) Burners Don’t Stay Lit

Burners that fail to stay lit is a potential sign of flame sensor failure. Burners are hollowed passages in gas furnaces where combustion takes place. Most gas furnaces have multiple burners. Within these burners, gas and air is mixed together and burned to generate heat. A bad flame sensor, however, can prevent the burners from staying lit. They may initially light, only to burn out just a few minutes later.  

#3) Physical Damage

Physical damage is a sign that your furnace’s flame sensor needs replacing. Flame sensors aren’t immune to damage. Like all other parts of your furnace, they can sustain damage – even from regular usage. Cracking, for instance, is a common form of damage sustained by flame sensors. The porcelain shell of a flame sensor may crack, in which case it may no longer function as intended.

#4) Poor Heating

Of course, poor heating can be a sign that your furnace’s flame sensor is bad. If the flame sensor is bad, your furnace may turn off prematurely. Your furnace won’t heat your home when it’s off. Therefore, you should beware of poor heating when investing problems with your furnace’s flame sensor.

#5) It’s Loose

If your furnace’s flame sensor is loose, you may need to replace it. This component should fit snug within your furnace. You can try pulling it out and reconnecting it. If the flame sensor is still loose, however, replacing it might be the best option.

Home Energy Audits: How They Work and Why They Are Smart Investment

Home much energy does your home use? According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average home uses about 10,649 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. If you discover that your home is consuming more than this, you should consider a home energy audit. This comprehensive inspection and analysis process will often reveal ways to make your home more energy efficient.

What Is a Home Energy Audit?

Also known as a home energy evaluation or assessment, a home energy audit is exactly what it sounds like: It’s an audit of your home’s energy usage. It involves an analysis of how much energy your home uses, which devices and systems are consuming the most energy, and where your home is losing the most energy.

DIY vs Professional Home Energy Audits

There are do-it-yourself (DIY) home energy audits as well as professional home energy audits. DIY home energy audits are those that you can perform yourself, whereas professional home energy audits are those performed by companies. Heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) companies, for instance, often offer professional home energy audits.

DIY home energy audits, not surprisingly, are more basic than their professional counterparts. You don’t need any special tools or equipment to perform a DIY home energy audit. You can simply go from room to room while analyzing your home’s energy usage. If you spot an air leak, for instance, you can seal it so that thermal energy doesn’t escape your home. If your home uses incandescent light bulbs, on the other hand, you can replace them with energy-efficient bulbs like light-emitting diode (LED).

Benefits of a Professional Home Energy Audit

While it requires the services of a company, a professional home energy audit is typically a smart investment. It offers several benefits over a DIY home energy audit.

For starters, a professional home energy audit will ensure that your HVAC system is operating efficiently. HVAC equipment consumers energy. If your air conditioner, furnace or heat pump isn’t efficient, it will consume more energy. A professional home energy audit, however, can reveal problems with your HVAC system to ensure peak efficiency.

A professional home energy audit will offer a deeper analysis of your home’s energy usage than a DIY audit. The professionals who perform them often use tools like infrared (IR) thermometers and portable blower doors to identify leaks that would otherwise go unnoticed. With these tools, they can spot thermal leaks so that they don’t lead to higher energy expenses.

Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Replace Your Furnace

Is your furnace on its last leg? Maybe it consumes an excessive amount of energy, or perhaps it fails to warm your home. Rather than waiting until the winter to replace it, you should consider replacing your furnace during the summer. Summer is the perfect time to upgrade your home’s central heating system for several reasons.

Identify Air Conditioning Problems

Replacing your furnace during the summer allows you to identify problems with your air conditioning systems. Contrary to common belief, furnaces don’t operate completely independently air conditioning systems. Rather, your furnace and air conditioning system will use many of the same parts to achieve their respective heating or cooling processes.

Your air conditioning system and furnace, for example, use the same ductwork. They also use the same fan and air filter. By getting your furnace replaced during the summer, a heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) technician can check these parts for signs of failure.

Save Money

You might be able to save money by replacing your furnace during the summer. Some HVAC companies offer discounts on furnace-related equipment and services during the summer. To move their inventory of furnaces, they offer them at a discounted price. You can take advantage of these low prices by purchasing a new furnace with an installation service during the summer.

To further save money, you can bundle your new furnace with other HVAC services. If your ductwork needs cleaning, for example, you may want to purchase this service in addition to a new furnace. Bundling your new furnaces with other HVAC services will often result in a lower price.

Ensure Your Home Is Prepared for Cold Weather

Of course, the main benefit of replacing your furnace during the summer is that it prepares your home for the upcoming cold weather. After summer comes to a close, you can turn on your new furnace to maintain a warm and cozy living environment in your home.

Replacing your furnace during the winter, on the other hand, means you could be forced to endure some cold nights. You can avoid this headache by taking a proactive approach and replacing your furnace during the summer.

Don’t wait until the winter to replace your furnace. Replacing your furnace during the summer offers several benefits. It can help you identify problems with your air conditioning system; it will save you money; and it will ensure your home is prepared for the cold weather.

5 Common Causes of Heat Gain

Maximizing your air conditioning system’s cooling performance, as well as efficiency, requires an understanding of heat gain. Heat gain is essentially what makes your home warmer. It’s defined as the transfer of heat from one place to another place. Heat can enter your home where it reduces the performance and efficiency of your air conditioning system. What causes heat gain exactly?

#1) Uninsulated Exterior Walls

A common cause of heat gain is uninsulated exterior walls. Exterior walls are those that separate your home’s living spaces from its exterior. Without insulation, heat will be able to easily travel through the exterior walls and into your home. You can reduce heat gain in your home by ensuring that all exterior walls are thoroughly insulated.

#2) Open Curtains

Leaving window curtains open can lead to heat gain. According to research cited by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), medium-colored curtains can reduce heat gain by as much as 33%. Curtains, of course, are only useful at reducing heat gain when they are pulled closed. Leaving window curtains open means that more solar heat will enter your home.

#3) Single-Pane Windows

While heat gain can occur with all types of windows, it’s more prevalent with single-pane windows than double-pane windows. Single-pane windows are designed with a single layer of glass, whereas double-pane windows are designed with two layers of glass. Each layer of glass acts as insulation. Double-pane windows have twice as many layers, so they offer greater protection against heat gain than single-pane windows.

#4) Lack of Natural Shade

If there’s little or no shade covering your home, it will likely experience high levels of heat gain. Shade offers natural protection against heat gain. It will shield certain parts of your home’s exterior from direct sunlight. And without being exposed to direct sunlight, those areas will absorb less heat. You can grow trees in front of your home to create natural shade that minimizes heat gain.

#5) Artificial Lighting

Heat gain can occur from artificial lighting as well. Not all forms of heat gain involve solar heat. Heat gain can encompass other sources, including artificial lighting. Many types of artificial lighting produce heat. Incandescent lighting, for instance, is known for generating a substantial amount of heat. If your home currently uses incandescent fixtures, it may experience high levels of heat gain.

Why Your Furnace Smells Like It’s Burning

Does your furnace smell like it’s burning? When the temperatures begin to drop, you’ll probably rely on your furnace to stay warm and comfortable. Conventional wisdom, however, should lead you to believe that a burning smell isn’t normal. If you notice a burning smell when running your furnace, you should try to determine what’s causing it.

Excess Dust

The most common cause of this phenomenon is excess dust. Whether gas or electric, all furnaces have a heating element. As air flows over the heating element, the air will become warmer. This newly warmed and conditioned air will then enter your home’s ductwork where it’s distributed into various rooms. Allowing dust to accumulate on your furnace’s heating element, however, can create a burning smell.

Dust is highly combustible. Even if it’s not directly exposed to a flame, it may ignite and burn. If your furnace’s heating element is covered in dust, you may notice a burning smell. The burning smell typically only occurs the first one or two times that you run your furnace during the winter. After running your furnace for a few times, the dust will be burned off and, thus, will no longer produce a smell.

As long as the burning smell goes away after running your furnace once or twice, you typically don’t need to worry about it. It the burning smell persists, on the other hand, you should get your furnace professionally inspected.

Electrical Damage

While not as common as excess dust, electrical damage – or electrical failure – can cause your furnace to produce a burning smell. Furnaces have a variety of electrical components. Electric furnaces, of course, have an electric heating element. With that said, even gas furnaces have electrical components like circuit boards and relays.

The burning smell from electrical damage is different than that of excess dust. Excess dust has a cleaner, albeit still unpleasant, burning smell. With electrical damage, you may notice a plastic-like burning smell that’s stronger and more pungent.

If you believe your furnace has sustained electrical damage or electrical failure, you should get it professionally inspected as soon as possible. Allowing electrical problems to go unnoticed can lead to a house fire.

In Conclusion

Furnaces often produce a burning smell from either excess dust or electrical damage. In the former scenario, dust will build up on the heating element where it’s ignited. In the latter scenario, electrical components may burn while creating a stronger plastic-burning smell.

The Impact of Landscaping on Your Home’s Cooling Costs

It may sound unusual, but your home’s landscape can affect its cooling costs during the summer. A poorly designed landscape can lead to higher cooling costs. You’ll have to run your air conditioning system for a longer period to achieve a cool and comfortable interior. And the longer you run, the higher your utility bills will be. With a well-designed landscape, however, you can create a more energy-efficient home with lower cooling costs.

Trees Cast Shade

Including trees in your home’s landscape can lead to lower cooling costs. They’ll cast shade over your home that reduces the amount of solar heat it absorbs. Your home will inevitably absorb some heat from the sun. Trees simply reduce the amount of solar heat it absorbs by casting shade over it.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), trees positioned in the right area can cut a home’s total energy usage – including its costs – by as much as 25%. When planting trees, consider placing them in areas that receive direct sunlight during most of the daylight hours.

Plants Provide Insulation

You can use plants to lower your home’s cooling costs. When grown directly against your home or in a flowerbed close to your home, plants will provide insulation. They’ll serve as a physical barrier between your home’s conditioned interior and the outdoors. As a result, your home will absorb less heat through the walls.

Some homeowners grow plants vertically to achieve a superior level of insulation. You can grow climbing plants on a lattice that’s installed directly against your home, for instance. As the climbing plants grow, they’ll provide insulation that makes your home more energy efficient.

Groundcoves Minimize Heat Gain

Using groundcovers in your home’s landscape can reduce its cooling costs. Groundcovers are plants that grow quickly and close to the ground. When used in areas around concrete and asphalt, they’ll minimize heat gain. Less heat will be able to transfer from the concrete or asphalt to your home.

Groundcovers offer other benefits. In addition to minimizing heat gain, they’ll protect the soil from erosion. They’ll disrupt rainwater so that it doesn’t wash away the soil.

In Conclusion

When planning your home’s landscape, you should consider how it will affect your home’s cooling costs. Trees can cast shade; plants can provide insulation; and groundcovers can minimize heat gain. With the right landscape, your air conditioning system won’t have to run as long or work as hard to cool your home.

Air Conditioning Cycles: Everything You Need to Know

Nothing compares to the feeling of walking into an air-conditioned home after spending time outdoors during the summer. Georgia is known for its hot and humid summers. Air conditioning systems, however, operate in cycles. Your air conditioning system won’t run indefinitely. Rather, it will run for a period of time, after which it will cut off. For a better understanding of air conditioning cycles, keep reading.

What Is an Air Conditioning Cycle?

An air conditioning cycle is essentially the runtime that’s needed to cool your home. When the temperature inside of your home rises above that for which you’ve set the thermostat, your air conditioning system will turn on. It will continue to run until the indoor temperature has reached the temperature on the thermostat. The duration for which your air conditioning system runs while cooling your home is a cycle.

It’s known as an “air conditioning cycle” because the process repeats itself. If your air conditioning system isn’t running, the temperature inside of your home will likely rise – assuming it’s hot outside. Once rising above the temperature on the thermostat, your air conditioning system will turn back on, thereby repeating the process.

It’s important to note that your air conditioning system’s fan may continue to run after it has cooled your home. Thermostats generally have two fan settings, one of which synchronizes the fan with the air conditioning system, whereas the other setting runs the fan constantly. If you use the latter setting, the fan will always run.

How Long Should an Air Conditioning Cycle Be?

There’s no universal rule for the length of an air conditioning cycle. On mild summer days, most air conditioning systems will experience shorter cycles. On excessively hot summer days, conversely, they’ll experience longer cycles.

Mild temperatures means that your air conditioning system won’t have to work as hard to cool your home. Therefore, it will experience shorter cycles when compared to excessive hot summer days. With that said, most air conditioning systems have a cycle length of 15 to 30 minutes.

If your air conditioning system experiences shorter cycles than 15 minutes, it could be suffering from short cycling. Short cycling means that it’s cooling your home too quickly. This is a concern because it encourages premature wear and tear. As it constantly turns off and back on, your air conditioning system will degrade. Short cycling can also cause humidity problems since it doesn’t allow your air conditioning system to dehumidify the air.

Should AC Refrigerant Lines Be Insulated?

When optimizing your home’s air conditioning system for maximum performance, you might be wondering whether or not to insulate the refrigerant lines. Insulation is inexpensive and easy to install. With that said, not all parts of your air conditioning system need to be insulated. So, should the refrigerant lines be insulated?

An Introduction to Refrigerant Lines

Refrigerant lines are the pipes – typically copper or sometimes aluminum pipes – that carry refrigerant into and out of your home. Most air conditioning systems have two refrigerant lines. They both run from the indoor evaporator coil to the outdoor condenser unit.

While both refrigerant lines carry refrigerant, they operate under different pressure. There’s a low-pressure refrigerant line and a high-pressure refrigerant line. The low-pressure refrigerant line carries low-pressure refrigerant from the evaporator coil to the condenser unit. In comparison, the high-pressure refrigerant line carries high-pressure and condensed refrigerant from the condenser unit to the evaporator coil.

Why the Low-Pressure Line Should Be Insulated

You typically don’t need to insulate the high-pressure refrigerant line. You should, however, insulate the low-pressure refrigerant. Insulating the low-pressure refrigerant line will protect against condensation.

Also known as the suction line, the low-pressure refrigerant line is usually larger than the high-pressure line. It’s designed to transport refrigerant from the evaporator coil to the condenser unit. Without insulation around the low-pressure refrigerant line, condensation may form. The low-pressure refrigerant line will develop condensation that can cause moisture damage. To protect against condensation, the low-pressure refrigerant should be insulated.

With a barrier of insulation around it, the low-pressure refrigerant line shouldn’t develop condensation. The foam pipe insulation will prevent the loss of thermal energy so that condensation doesn’t develop.

Insulating the high-pressure refrigerant line may actually prove counterproductive. If it’s insulated, the high-pressure refrigerant won’t be able to release as much heat. Therefore, refrigerant will remain warmer as it travels from the condenser unit to the evaporator coil, which could result in poorer cooling performance.

In Conclusion

Refrigerant lines are the pipes that transport refrigerant through your air conditioning system. Most air conditioning systems have a low-pressure and a high-pressure refrigerant line. Of these two lines, you typically only need to insulate the former. Insulating the high-pressure refrigerant will protect against condensation. At the same time, it will ensure that the refrigerant remains at an appropriate pressure while it’s being carried to the condenser unit.

Programmable vs Smart Thermostats: What’s the Difference?

Manual thermostats have largely been replaced with newer and more advanced thermostats. In the past, all heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems had a manual thermostat. To turn on the furnace or air conditioner, you’d have to manually raise or lower the temperature on the thermostat. While some homes still use a manual thermostat, most of them now use a programmable or smart thermostat.

Programmable and smart thermostats both support automated changes. You can still change the temperature manually on either type of thermostat, but you’ll have the ability to program them to change the temperature automatically as well. What’s the difference between programmable and smart thermostats exactly?

What Is a Programmable Thermostat?

A programmable thermostat is a type of thermostat that allows you to program the temperature inside of your home. Maybe you prefer a temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit during the midday summer hours and a slightly higher temperature during the evenings and nighttime. Alternatively, if your is unoccupied during a specific time, you may want to avoid running the air conditioner during that time. With a programmable thermostat, you can program schedules that tell your air conditioner and furnace when to run.

Common features of programmable thermostats include the following:

·         Program heating and cooling schedules

·         Energy-efficiency mode

·         ON and AUTO fan speed settings

What Is a Smart Thermostat?

A smart thermostat is a type of thermostat that offers many of the same features as programmable thermostats but with a few additional perks. Like programmable thermostats, smart thermostats support temperature programming. You can program a smart thermostat to raise or lower the temperature inside of your home automatically.

Smart thermostats are a type of smart device. Therefore, they are connected to your home’s Wi-Fi. There are different ways to control them. You can control a smart thermostat by programming it at the interface, or you can control it using a mobile companion app. Smart thermostats are also intuitive. Many of them will collect data on your home’s heating and cooling activities. Using this data, they’ll optimize your home’s HVAC system to provide the perfect balance of energy efficiency and comfort.

Common features of smart thermostats include the following:

·         Program heating and cooling schedules

·         Energy-efficiency mode

·         ON and AUTO fan speed settings

·         Supports a mobile companion app (you can control a smart thermostat’s settings using a smartphone or tablet app)

·         Energy usage tracking

·         Intuitive optimization

How a Hot Attic Can Affect Your AC System’s Performance

How hot does your attic get during the summer? Attics, of course, are typically hotter than lower floors because of the physics of hot air. Hot air has a lower density than cold air, which creates an upwards force. When hot air meets cold air, the former will rise above the latter.

As the hot air in your home rises, your attic will inevitably become hotter. It’s not uncommon for attics to reach temperatures of up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. While a hot attic may seem harmless enough, it can affect your air conditioning system’s performance.

The Impact of a Hot Attic

The hotter your attic, the more your air conditioning system will have to work to cool your home. Air conditioning systems typically don’t cool attics. Your air conditioning system may have supply vents for all lower-level rooms, but it probably doesn’t have any supply vents for the attic. Therefore, running your air conditioning system won’t cool the attic.

With no conditioned air flowing to it, your attic’s temperature during the summer can quickly rise. Some of this heat may then pass through the floor or walls while being absorbed by the other rooms inside of your home. This means your air conditioning system will have to consume more energy to cool your home.

A hot attic does more than just force your air conditioning system to consume more energy; it promotes premature wear and tear. Your air conditioning system will have to run longer if the attic is hot. All of this running can cause some of its parts to fail prematurely.

Ways to Cool Down Your Attic

There are a few things you can do to cool down your attic. If there are windows in your attic, for instance, covering them with curtains can make a positive difference in the temperature. There are curtains that are designed specifically to block the transfer of solar heat. Known as solar curtains or blackout curtains, they’ll prevent sunlight from beaming through the windows and heating up your attic.

You can also install a ventilation system to regulate the temperature of your attic during the summer. Attic ventilation systems are designed to transfer hot air inside of an attic to the outdoors through the use of exhaust vents. Exhaust vents are placed on the roof or side of a home where they connect to the attic. With that said, some attic ventilation systems feature intake vents. Intake vents are designed to transfer cool air into the attic.

What Is a Water Heater Expansion Tank?

The expansion tank is an important part of your home’s water heater. Whether you have a gas or electric water heater, it probably features an expansion tank. As a homeowner, though, you might be unfamiliar with this otherwise common and important part. To learn more about the expansion tank and how it works, keep reading.

How the Expansion Tank Works

The expansion tank is a container that’s designed to temporarily store excess heated water. It looks like a small metal cylinder, and you can usually find it connected to the top or bottom of your home’s water heater. It’s known as an “expansion tank” because it supports the thermal expansion of water.

Water heaters become pressurized during usage. As it heats the water entering your home, the water heater will become pressurized due to thermal expansion. Heat causes water to expand. Water heaters, of course, have a limited amount of space, which is why they are often equipped with an expansion tank.

Your water heater’s expansion tank offers a safe place for excess heated water. If there’s too much pressure inside of your water heater, some of the heated and pressurized water will be diverted to the expansion tank. This process occurs automatically with the assistance of a diaphragm-like valve. Pressure will push the valve open so that water can travel into the expansion tank.

Do All Water Heaters Have an Expansion Tank?

While it’s a common part for most water heaters, there are some water heaters that don’t have an expansion tank. Tankless water heaters, for instance, generally lack this part. Most tankless water heaters don’t need an expansion tank because they don’t store heated water. They feature an open plumbing system that doesn’t require the use of an expansion tank. For all other water heaters, though, an expansion tank is needed.

Signs of Expansion Tank Failure

How do you know if your water heater’s expansion tank is failing? Leaking water is a potential sign of failure. Like water heaters themselves, expansion tanks shouldn’t leak water. If there’s a puddle of water underneath the expansion valve, you should consider getting it inspected by a professional technician.

Another potential sign of expansion tank failure is excessively hot or cold water. The expansion tank may store too little water, or it may store too much water. In cases such as these, you may notice that the water coming out of your home’s faucets is excessively hot or cold.