Duct, Duct... Mold?

When your heating and air duct, or equipment, is installed inside the crawl space, the temperature of the air is being delivered. The duct work is around 45 to 55 degrees. When that mixes with the warm (100% +) humid air, then, condensation is the end result. Some homes have drainage issues or rain water run-offs that go under the foundation walls, and the moisture starts to mix with warm humid air. Either way, it results in mildew growing in the crawl space - which will result in heavy molding if nothing is done to stop the issue.

To correct the issue, you have to do 3 very important things:

Install a Moisture Barrier

Installing a plastic moisture barrier (minimum of 6 mil. thickness) will lay on the ground. First, you need to clean any debris from the crawl space. Then, lay the material down on the surface. Roll the plastic up the wall 12”. Also, cut around each foundation pier. Roll the plastic up 12”, as well. Then, foam the plastic to the walls and piers to keep moisture from seeping up the moisture barrier. 

Install a WHOLE House Dehumidifier

We used to tell our customers to go to your favorite big box store and purchase a 65-pint dehumidifier (a window unit). Now to our knowledge, they unfortunately break a lot. So, now we rely on a Honeywell DR65. This is a whole house machine that goes in the crawl space and suspends from the floor joist. We duct the system to each end of the crawl space to warm and dry up the moist areas. We install an independent drain line either in the sewer line or outside away from the foundation.

Seal Your Duct Work

Once you have completed steps 1 and 2, then you are ready to seal your duct work. There are two rules for doing this. You can seal the duct work by removing the duct wrap insulation and painting the seams with a liquid mastic. Then, install new duct wrap insulation around each duct. Some customers decide to replace the entire duct system and seal it completely while installing the new duct work. 

For more information, you can reach me at kevin@harbinair.com.

OZ the Wizard of Clean

Ozone's Effective Applications:

•  Ozone kills bacteria, viruses, molds, spores, and mildew
• Ozone destroys chemical contaminants such as: aldehydes, which can be discharged from paneling, carpets, insulation, paints, stains, and plastics
• Ozone eliminates odors from cigarettes, cigars, pets, mildew, airborne molds, locker rooms, and shoes.

Some Area Application:

• Hotels
• Offices
• Housing
• Dental and Doctor Offices
• Basement and crawl spaces
• Kitchens
•  In Air-Treatment
• Pet Areas

If you have questions about this topic, please send me questions at: kevin@harbinair.com.

This is the Harbin Heating & Air blog. We serve Corinth, MS, North MS, Savannah TN, South West TN, & North West AL.

Why Should I Add Attic INSULATION?

If you live in the south you know all about the hot summers and somewhat cold winters. Insulation is a filter to slow the heat or cold air down. This predicts how excessive your utility is. Most all energy rater in the country recommends from 6-14” minimum. This will range from R-19- R38. The R factor is a term which is the thickness and the rate of air leakage. Our team is paramount at installing your insulation to make your home energy efficient. We can also add to your existing attic. We can take a R-12 attic to a R-38 attic and save $ hundreds. If you are in the TVA area there are rebates available. 

TVA Rebates

Attic insulation - $200.00
Seal Ductwork - $200.00 per system
Replace Duct Work - $200.00 per system
Install a new energy star efficient heat pump - $250.00 per system

Sign up for our $19.00 Precision Tune Up on our website.
Get your dryer vent cleaned out for only $ 69.00 plus tax.

www.harbinair.com/residential-services/

Too Much Humidity?

TrueDRY™ DR65 Dehumidification System

Remove 65 pints of moisture per day with this whole-house dehumidifier

Moisture leads to humidity, which leads to being uncomfortable in your own home. Our TrueDRY™ DR65 Dehumidification System can help. It’s a whole-house dehumidifier that can remove up to 65 pints of moisture per day from the air and replaces it with fresh, filtered air. You can dehumidify the whole house or a certain area. Everything about the dehumidifier makes it homeowner-friendly. Unlike portable units, it’s not out in the open. It’s also super quiet and efficient. Maintenance? Minimal. The dehumidifier drains automatically.

• Removes up to 65 pints of moisture per day
• Minimal maintenance
• Increased comfort and energy savings
• Remove excess moisture from the air, delivering fresh, filtered air in the home
• Less moisture in the home reduces the strain on your air conditioner and also allows you to set your thermostat higher to run your air conditioner less
• Can remove moisture evenly throughout the entire home or focus specifically on problem areas that can lead to costly renovations
• Unlike portable units, Honeywell whole-house dehumidifiers provide unobtrusive, quiet and efficient operation
• Professional installation

Bad Air Quality?

Not sure about your home’s air quality? Ask yourself these questions about your home's environment:

• Does anyone in your family have breathing challenges?
• Do you ever smell pet odors in your home?
• Do you ever smell cooking odors or musty odors in your home?
• Do you have cigarette smokers or smoke odors in your home?
• Would you like to reduce approximately 90% of airborne bacteria, viruses, and germs?
• Would you like to reduce up to 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and germs such as Staph, MRSA Superbug, E. Coli, Strep, and Mold on surfaces?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you’ll want the 24/7 active air cleaning power of an air scrubber — a device that hospitals use to keep their air clean.

What are Geothermal Systems?

Our Team Can Teach You About Geothermal Systems

The word “Geo” is Greek and means “Earth.” The word “Thermal” is Greek and means “heat.” Geothermal energy helps to reduce emissions that cause harmful climate changes. Emissions endanger children and pose a health risk to everyone. The Earth is packed full of energy that can be harvested quite easily.

Geothermal energy has been in the Earth since the beginning in many forms including decaying minerals and more. Back in the ancient Roman times, people used geothermal energy to heat homes and baths.

Geothermal Heating Doesn't Need To Be Complicated

Customers who choose to use geothermal power can save a lot of money on their energy bill. Geothermal power is not only affordable; it is reliable and environmentally friendly. Emissions produced from geothermal systems are much lower than other products.

Geothermal systems can greatly reduce global warming throughout the community and world if it was used over fossil fuels. The first geothermal generator was running in Italy in 1904. The largest geothermal power plant is located at The Geysers in California.

Geothermal Systems Are Environmentally Friendly

Several countries throughout the world including El Salvador, Kenya, and Iceland use geothermal power for over 15% of their electricity. Because we get the warmth of the sun for free, the use of geothermal power sources is efficient and saves you money. This environmentally friendly source of power helps improve heating in your home, and even a few degrees makes a huge difference.

Sources are waste heat supplied by co-generation from a geothermal electrical plant or from smaller wells or exchangers.

Consider The Benefits Of Installing A Geothermal System

Water produced in hot springs is able to be piped directly into radiators. When the shallow ground is hot but dry, earth tubes can be used without the need for a heat pump. Where the shallow ground is too cold, it is still warmer than the winter air.

Seasonal variations in the ground’s temperature disappear and diminish below 10 meters of depth. The heat can then be extracted through a geothermal heat pump quickly and more efficiently than the heat a furnace creates. Geothermal pumps can be used nearly anywhere.

To Learn More About Geothermal Systems Call 731-689-3651

Maintenance Tips for Your HVAC

Keep your HVAC system in its best shape to enjoy maximum comfort with a long operating life:

• Regularly replace the filter - We recommend changing the system filter at least twice a year – once before the heating season and once before the cooling season. Make sure to also Keep components clean, especially the outdoor condenser/compressor unit. Removing dirt & debris and cutting back vegetation to at least two feet on all sides can greatly improve the your AC results. 
• Use a programmable thermostat - When you’re away from home or at night when sleeping, allowing the temperature to change by 10 degrees closer to the air outside for 8 hours or more can save 5%-15% on heating and cooling costs. 
• Have your HVAC system serviced by a trained technician twice a year - HVAC tasks like checking combustion in gas or oil furnaces or ensuring there are no leaks in a refrigerant line are best left to experts. Make sure to schedule regular system checks with Harbin.
• Insulate and air-seal your home properly – HVAC equipment is much more efficient if the home’s shell is efficient. (for a diy guide, check out this one from EnergyStar.gov.) 
• Make sure your system is the correct size - When planning for a new HVAC system, insist that the HVAC contractor perform exhaustive “Manual J” calculations to calculate the system size. Systems that are either too small or too large will not run efficiently, provide poor comfort, not properly address the home’s humidity needs, and will likely fail earlier than necessary.
• Make safety a priority - Install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for your family’s safety.
• Upgrade to geothermal heating - Geothermal heating doesn't need to be Complicated. If you heat and cool with electricity, consider upgrading to geothermal heating and cooling. Customers who choose to use geothermal power can save a lot of money on their energy bill. Geothermal power is not only affordable; it is reliable and environmentally friendly. Emissions produced from geothermal systems are much lower than other products.

Happy Thanksgiving!