Rain Can Affect Your HVAC System
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If you have a traditional forced-air HVAC system, it has both indoor and outdoor components: the air handler/evaporator/furnace that’s located inside, and the compressor/condenser unit that’s situated outside. Half of your system is well-protected from the elements, but since the other half sits fully exposed all year long, you might wonder how rain affects your HVAC unit.
Outdoor HVAC Units Are Designed Durably
HVAC manufacturers know that one half of a split system is going to have to withstand foul weather. They also understand that you shouldn’t have to worry about safety issues from running your HVAC system when it’s raining, so they construct these outdoor units to higher durability standards by:
Sealing internal electrical components like the wiring and connections to shield them from the rain.
Building essential parts from corrosion-proof metals like aluminum and copper.
Extreme Weather Situations Can Pose Problems
While your HVAC equipment is designed to function properly in everyday weather conditions such as rainstorms, there are certain extreme weather situations that can harm or even ruin the outdoor unit:
If the unit gets partially or fully submerged if flooding occurs during a heavy rain, a short in the electrical circuits can damage the wiring, fan motor and electronics.
When lightning strikes near your home and causes a power outage, there’s a higher risk of damage to the outdoor compressor. The hazard isn’t due to the outage, per se, but from the power surge that’s likely to occur when the grid comes back on.
High winds or hail. When a rainstorm is accompanied by high winds, or the atmospheric conditions are just right and falling rain turns into hail, the outdoor unit can sustain impact damage that negatively affects its performance and reliability.
If your outdoor HVAC unit is submerged during a flood, hit by a power surge or damaged by airborne debris or hail, don’t attempt to start it again without having it thoroughly inspected by one of our HVAC technicians.
Call us, we are here to help.
Call (731) 689-3651
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5 SIMPLE WAYS TO REDUCE ALLERGENS IN YOUR HOME THIS SPRING
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Spring can be a wonderful time of year…unless you’re one of the 50 million seasonal allergy sufferers in the U.S. For those people, spring can be one of the most miserable times of the year. Luckily, spring HVAC maintenance can drastically reduce the amount of allergens throughout the home and help to breathe easy.
THE PROBLEM: ALLERGENS
Allergens are annoying.
They are carried into your home through the air, settle on the surfaces of your home, and make you and your family uncomfortable. Airborne particles like pet dander, dust mites, mold, and cockroach droppings make the air in your home harder to breathe and cause coughing and sneezing, red eyes, itchy throats, and runny noses.
THE SOLUTION: HVAC MAINTENANCE
Proper HVAC maintenance, especially in the spring, removes allergens that may already be in your air and helps keep new allergens from entering the air you breathe. Try these five spring HVAC maintenance tips to get rid of the pesky allergens in your home:
Purchase high quality furnace filters.
If you’ve read our blog before, you know that high-quality furnace filters are your first defense against poor air quality in your home. Look for filters with at least a MERV 8 rating to trap more microscopic particles, reducing indoor allergens. Check filters monthly, and replace them at least every three months. A dirty furnace filter won’t trap debris, and could make your system less efficient.
Get rid of debris around the outdoor unit…and the indoor one.
The outdoor AC unit pulls air from outside through your HVAC system, and that air eventually circulates throughout your home. Check for dust and debris, and clear it away from the unit as often as possible to keep it from being pulled into your home.
Don’t forget about the indoor unit, either. Just like the outdoor unit, if dust and debris are around the indoor unit, it will eventually end up circulating throughout your home. Sweep, vacuum, and dust the area around the indoor unit often to reduce excess allergens in your system.
Check for mold.
Mold thrives in humid, moist environments. Take a look at the ducts, condensate drip pan and drain, evaporator coils, and the air handler every few weeks to check for signs of mold.
Mold spores don’t just cause allergies. If left unchecked, certain molds can cause sickness and even death. If you find mold, you can remove small amounts on your own, or call a professional for bigger problems.
Dust registers and return vents first, then everything else.
Most people dust their homes at least once a week, but many forget about the registers and return vents. These vents circulate all the air from the HVAC system, so if they are dusty, your home will be dusty.
Tackle these first in every room, using a damp or treated rag when dusting anywhere in your home to keep from kicking up dust mites and other dust particles that may cause allergy and breathing issues.
Schedule an HVAC maintenance appointment
Spring — or allergy season, as a lot of people call it — is a great time to schedule an HVAC maintenance appointment. Not only does regular preventative maintenance keep your system healthy, service by our HVAC professionals will help reduce indoor allergens and ensure your system is dust and blockage free.
Schedule an appointment
Call today 731-689-3651
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THE OPTIMAL HVAC TEMPERATURES TO SAVE THE MOST ON YOUR POWER BILL
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When stifling summer or frigid winter temperatures set in, homeowners have a tendency to reach for the thermostat and crank it up or down in order to stay comfortable. A few weeks later, they discover that their energy bill has skyrocketed and wonder why it drastically increased.
The equation is simple; the more your indoor temperatures differ from the temperature outside, the more expensive your utilities will be. It can be difficult to find a temperature range that keeps your house cozy without raising your expenses, but fortunately, the US Department of Energy has identified some of the optimal energy-saving temperatures for your home. Additionally, we’ve outlined some tips and alternatives to heating and cooling that will make things more comfortable during the extreme seasons, without raising your bills.
USE BEDTIME AND NIGHTS OUT OF THE HOUSE TO CONSERVE ENERGY.
When your family is asleep or away from the house, you don’t need the HVAC system to run at maximum capacity. Even though you might enjoy coming home to a pre-heated or -cooled home, you’ll save a lot of money by giving your heating and cooling system a break while you aren’t there. In fact, by raising your indoor temperature just 7 to 10 degrees when you leave the house for a few hours, you will be able to save up to 10% on your cooling bill.
According to a study by the National Institute of Health, the body experiences more restful sleep at night when it reaches thermoneutrality — a state of thermal balance between the person and their environment. In order to achieve this state, the surrounding nighttime environment should rest at 86 degrees with minimal clothing and bedding, or 60 to 66 degrees with pajamas and light covers. So, one way to get a good night of sleep and save on energy during the summer is to raise the thermostat to a warm temperature of, say, 80 degrees, dress in lighter pajamas and cover yourself with a sheet. If this is too toasty, use the soft breeze of a fan to lull yourself to sleep. In the winter, bundle up and turn the thermostat down.
INVEST IN A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT AND ADJUST IT TO SUIT YOUR SCHEDULE.
If you don’t want to manually turn off the thermostat every time you go out for the day or retire to bed, you might consider investing in a programmable thermostat like Nest’s learning thermostat. This saves running the system while you aren’t there, but you also don’t return home or wake up to a stuffy or chilly house. The thermostat will have begun to warm or cool the environment shortly before you arrived, or just before your wake-up time.
As you program your thermostat temperatures for your at-home time, keep the US Department of Energy’s seasonal recommendations for resting temperatures in mind. When you’re at home in the summer, they recommend staying at 78 degrees. This might seem like an uncomfortable indoor temperature for the summer, but it actually prevents heat from flowing into your home as quickly and reduces the energy required to cool things down when you do decide to lower the thermostat. In the winter, 68 is a good temperature to stay at when you’re at home, but you can lower it slightly when you plan to be away from home — just make sure to keep it above 55 degrees to keep your pipes from freezing.
EXPERIMENT WITH THE THERMOSTAT TO DETERMINE WHICH TEMPERATURES YOUR FAMILY CAN COMFORTABLY TOLERATE.
If you are concerned about your growing energy bills, it’s time to experiment. See how much you can wean your family off of the HVAC system by turning the temperature up or down by just a couple of degrees each day over the course of a few days until it reaches the energy-saving temperatures recommended by the US Department of Energy. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers has stated that people are most comfortable between 73 and 79 degrees in light clothing. Your family may not even notice a 4-degree temperature change if it occurs within this range.
Once you reach a temperature that your family reacts negatively to, however, you’ll know you’ve found your limits. Stay just above or below that temperature from there on out to save on power.
CALCULATE THE COSTS OF YOUR PREFERRED TEMPERATURES AND MAKE INFORMED CHANGES.
Before you settle on a summer or winter temperature for your home, consider this: for every degree you raise or lower the thermostat, you are either raising or lowering your HVAC power costs by 3 to 5%. For example, if you keep indoor temperatures at 71 during the summer and your current bill averages $150, raise the thermostat just 4 degrees and you could save up to 30 dollars on the next bill.
While this might not sound like much, the savings add up over time to a substantial amount of money. If the savings aren’t worth it to you, having this information will at least help you feel more in control of your HVAC bills and allow you to make more informed decisions about your heating and cooling usage.
FIND OTHER WAYS TO STAY COMFORTABLE.
When you’ve decided to cut back on HVAC costs, it’s time to find new ways to stay comfortable in the heat or the cold that won’t make you suffer and won’t cost you anything at all. Here are some top tips:
Summer:
Make use of fans
Use a dehumidifier to cool the house
Wear lightweight clothing
Keep blinds closed during the day
Make sure all weatherstripping seals properly
Eat a chilled treat
Stay hydrated
Winter:
Dress in layers, wear socks, and use blankets
Cover hard floor surfaces with rugs
Seal all cracks in windows and doors
Keep curtains and doors closed
Cook with the stove and the oven
Spend time upstairs — the destination for rising heat
Drink warm beverages
For further advice on lowering your HVAC expenses, contact our expert team at Harbin HVAC.
Give Us A Call Today To Get A Quote For Service.
731-689-3651
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What is the difference between an Air Scrubber and Air Purifier?
Did you know we spend over 90% of our time indoors? The bad news is the air we’re breathing indoors may not be as fresh as you may think. According to the EPA, indoor air can be as much as 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. You may be thinking you need a whole house air purifier!
Homes are being constructed “tighter” than ever with better seals, improved insulation, and less porous materials. While this results in a more efficient home, the paths for fresh air to get in are limited – and the same for polluted indoor air to get out. Normal activities like cooking, cleaning, and sweating in your home gym add pollutants to your indoor air. Without any fresh air being introduced to your home, the air in your home is simply recirculating. Traditional air filters only capture larger dust particles – the smaller airborne contaminants will still be in the air you and your family is breathing.
Fortunately, there are technologies available for whole house air purification. At Harbin Heating & Air we offer Air Scrubbers, that can help clean the air you breathe.
Let’s talk about dust atoms
Before we dig in to how these technologies work, let’s revisit a bit of chemistry basics. Recall that molecular atoms consist of positive, neutral, and negative elements called protons, neutrons, and electrons. An atom is neutral if it has equal numbers of protons and electrons. An ion is an atom that has missing or extra electrons. When an atom is missing electrons, there are more protons in that atom so it is called a positive ion. When an atom has extra electrons, the atom is a negative ion. An atom will always seek to be neutral. So, when an atom is ionized, it will seek out another ion to bond with to become a stable and happy atom.
This is important, because most pollutants in the air have a positive charge. To truly clean the air at the molecular level, we need to infuse the air with negative ions. Both air scrubbers and air purifiers use negative ionization to wipe out contaminants, but the approach is different for each technology.
What is an Air Purifier?
An air purifier is an air cleaning device that captures and kills contaminants within the purifier itself. The air purifier is installed inside your existing ductwork. As air recirculates through your air handler it passes through the device.
The first component in an air purifier is an ionization array, which creates both positive and negative ions. Then the polluted air – along with the positive and negative ions – then passes through a fiber filter material that has been electrically charged. The electrical charge causes the positive and negative ions to separate – like positive and negative ends of magnet. This process is called polarization. The ions then attach themselves to opposite sides of the filter.
‘The air particles within the pollutant atoms suddenly become attracted to both sides of the filter – seeking to join up with the positive ions or the negative ions. This causes the atom to stretch and ultimately separate – destroying the pathogen. Finally, air travels through a filter with an high MERV rating – capturing any larger particles that were not destroyed by the electrical ionization process.
So, do air purifiers work? In a word, yes. dirty air enters the air purifier, and clean air leaves it. After several recirculations of the air in your home, all of the air will become pure.
What is an Air Scrubber?
An air scrubber is an air cleaning device that utilizes a search and retrieve method to eliminate contaminants in indoor air. As air flows through your ductwork system, the air scrubber continuously produces negative ions. Those negative ions are sent out on a mission to find and bring back the pollutants floating in your air that are too small to be captured by your normal air filter.
To create the negative ions, an Air Scrubber contains small metal tubes. The tubes are arranged in the shape of a honeycomb which have a special coating. Air travels through the tubes and then passes through a section that contains an ultraviolet (or UV) light. As a result negative ions are created and sent on their way to clean your air.
Once the negative ions are in the air in your home, they seek to match up with positively charged particles, like bacteria, pollen, or other allergens. When the negative ions and positive particles bond, they create larger, heavier particles that can no longer float in the air. Instead, they fall to the ground or on surfaces. When your air handler’s fan is turned on, it will pull the newly-formed, larger dirt particles through your ductwork system, ultimately landing and sticking to your air filter.
During the first week of operation – while the air scrubber is first cleansing your home’s air – you may notice an increase in dust around your home which can be swept, vacuumed, or wiped up. Think of this like a one-time spring cleaning. After the first operation, you shouldn’t notice much dust at all.
To summarize, the air scrubber creates ions that do the heavy lifting within the spaces of your home, with the dirt and particles coming to their final resting place on your air handler’s filter.
So, which air cleaner is right for me?
Both air purifiers and air scrubbers use the chemistry of ionization to clean the air. This means that both devices will deep-clean your air, eliminating up to 99% of airborne particles. If you are seeking to purify the air in your home, both choices will get you there.
The advantage to an air purifier is that the cleansing process happens within the device itself. Pure air leaves the device, delivering clean, fresh air to your space immediately after installation. On the downside, an air purifier will require regular maintenance to replace the high-efficiency MERV filter. Filters of a higher MERV rating – which are the kind that air purifiers have – will be more expensive than the more common air filters used in an air handler.
By comparison, the air scrubber does not have any components that will require regular replacement – set it and forget it. And while it may seem disconcerting that the cleansing work is happening in your space rather than within the device itself, the air scrubber has a key advantage in the fact that the negative ions will also attach to particles on surfaces in your home like countertops, doorknobs, and light switches. An air purifier can only clean particles that are airborne. So – if you are seeking both clean air and clean surfaces, an air scrubber is the way to go.
Contact us today to discuss your home’s indoor air quality with one of our comfort advisors.
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Our Maintenance Plans
Have you been considering a maintenance plan for your HVAC?
It is important for your HVAC system to receive prompt repairs and yearly maintenance to ensure it runs smoothly when you need it to. Neglecting your HVAC system means that your system may fail when you try to use it, leaving your family and home uncomfortable.
Here is our Expansive 21-Step Process Maintenance List:
1. Chemically clean and thoroughly wash condenser coils
2. Check air filters and replace at owner's request
3. Wash and observe condensing unit for proper motor and bearing wear
4. Lubricate motor and fan bearings as well as other moving parts as needed
5. Clean and inspect evaporator coil and drain pan when readily accessible
6. Clean and inspect condensate drain lines and fittings
7. Clean, level, and calibrate thermostat
8. Inspect blower motor and fan assembly as needed
9. Inspect, tighten, and test all electrical connections
10. Inspect all cooling system electrical wires, connectors, and terminals
11. Test system starting and running capacitors
12. Test all controls, switches, relays, transformers, contactors, motors, and fans
13. Measure starting and running amperes, line voltage, and control voltage
14. Test system-starting capabilities
15. Test system for proper airflow and air delivery
16. Inspect and adjust all safety controls
17. Monitor refrigerant pressures and temperatures
18. Test and record super-heat and sub-cooling. Compare to factory specifications
19. Adjust Freon metering control device per factory / manufacturer's recommendations
20. Test and measure air conditioning system for proper production and capacity
21. Complete and present a full written report
How to Protect Your Family from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Frigid temps mean our heating systems are working overtime. This also means homeowners should be aware of potential dangers with their heating system — including carbon monoxide leaks, which are hard to detect without special alarms. Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is produced any time gas is being used, and it can be deadly to humans and pets.
Leaks can come from many different sources — water heaters, boilers, gas appliances, and furnaces. It’s very important to know the risks and understand how to protect your family for carbon monoxide poisoning. Here’s what we recommend:
1. Install an Alarm
Fortunately, carbon monoxide detectors are cheap, reliable and easy to find. These alarms will alert everyone in your home to even the smallest of leaks. When shopping for a carbon monoxide alarm, be sure to choose a model that not only plugs into an outlet, but also has a battery backup in case you experience a power outage. We highly recommend purchasing several alarms, at least one on every floor and ideally one in every bedroom.
Unlike smoke, carbon monoxide is heavy and tends to gather on the ground; therefore, plug your carbon monoxide alarms into outlets closer to the floor. Each month when you test your smoke alarms, use that as an opportunity to also test your carbon monoxide detectors.
2. Know the Symptoms
If you have carbon monoxide poisoning, you may experience dizziness, nausea, headaches, weakness, confusion or chest pain. In prolonged exposure, you may also lose consciousness. If you are suspicious of a carbon monoxide leak in your home, it’s crucial that everyone (including pets) goes outside into fresh air as quickly as possible. If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, call 911 and seek medical attention immediately.
Don’t go back into your home until you’ve had an HVAC professional survey the area. Your home will need to be completely ventilated before it’s safe to go back inside. If your alarm ever goes off but you are not experiencing symptoms, evacuate pets, children and elderly and call your HVAC company for an emergency inspection.
3. Get a Full Heating Inspection
The best way to stay safe from carbon monoxide leaks is have your HVAC system inspected by a professional once a year. We can find small issues that may not be causing any problems now, but could lead to gas leaks in the future. This will not only save you money, but it will keep you and your family safe from things like carbon monoxide poisoning.
If you’re not sure when your last inspection was, that probably means it’s time to schedule an appointment.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment
Give us a call or click the link above (731) 689-3651
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THE BIGGEST REASON YOUR HEATING BILL IS TOO HIGH
Winter is here. With temperatures outside dropping, many homes will start to see their heating bills increase. Learn what factors can cause your bill to go up and what you can do to lower it while still keeping your home warm.
WHAT INCREASES YOUR HEATING BILL?
There are a few factors that can contribute to your heating bill being higher than normal in the winter months.
Seasonal Changes
Obviously, as it gets colder outside, we want to be warmer inside our homes. This causes people to set their thermostats higher than normal to really crank up the heat. Depending on the temperature change between your home and the outside world, your furnace could be working overtime to maintain the heat that keeps you comfortable.
Additional Laundry
One way to combat the chill in the winter is to pile on layers. Whether it’s extra clothes or multiple blankets, all of these items are going to need to be washed at some point. This will result in having to do more laundry, and constantly running the dryer will also increase your energy or heating bill.
Poor Insulation
If your home is older, or not properly insulated, you could be losing heat through leaky windows or drafty doors. Since the heat is leaking freely due to poor insulation, you might find that you’ll need to run your heater more often or at a higher temperature to maintain your comfort levels. This will significantly increase your heating bill and you’ll be left wondering why your house doesn’t seem as warm as it should be when the heater is always running.
Inefficient Furnace
Another large hit to your wallet could be the fact that your furnace isn’t functioning as it should. If the heating system is outdated or hasn’t been serviced in a while, it could be struggling to hit optimal performance.
HOW TO LOWER YOUR HEATING BILL
If you want to bring your heating bill down, there are a few steps you can take to reduce the amount of energy you are using in your home.
Set Your Thermostat to a Lower Temperature
While this may seem counterproductive when you want to stay warm, you likely won’t feel it if you drop the temperature a few degrees. However, those few degrees could save about 5% to 10% on your heating costs.
Purchase a Programmable Thermostat
When you set your regular thermostat, it will cycle at all hours of the day and night to ensure that your home stays at the temperature you desire. With a programmable thermostat, the system can be set to only run when people are home. This helps reduce the cost of your heating bill since you are only using the heat when you need it instead of heating or cooling an empty house.
Bundle Up With Layers
Keeping your home at a lower temperature and staying warm with layers can help you stay comfortable while also keeping your heating bill down. With the thermostat lowered, the extra laundry won’t adversely affect your energy or heating bill. Wear thick socks, layer shirts and sweaters, or cuddle up under some blankets so that you can stay warm without spending extra money.
Increase Insulation
Whether you need to add weatherstripping around doors or want to upgrade to double-paned windows, taking these steps can increase the insulation in your home and help keep the heat inside. Not only will the added insulation help keep you warm in the winter — it will also help keep you cool in the summer and save on year-round energy costs.
Get Your Furnace Serviced
To prevent your furnace from overworking, you’ll want to get it checked to ensure that everything is working properly. It is recommended that furnaces are serviced at least once a year, especially before the colder months set in. Our HVAC specialists can check all aspects of the furnace and perform a quick tuneup to get your system functioning correctly.
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