Insulation is Necessary in the Summer, Too?

It only makes sense. If cold air can seep in, hot air can, too. This means you’ll need to have the attic, walls and floor insulated so the temperature inside your home doesn’t become unlivable.

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While warm air and heat sound so inviting in the middle of the winter, once the temperatures begin to soar, you’ll be wanting some cool relief. All the air conditioning you could add to your house won’t help if you don’t have enough insulation, because that heat will creep in through the walls. 

Keep Your Electric Bill Low—Add Sufficient Insulation to Keep Heat Out

If you don’t want your air conditioner running from early in the morning until bedtime, you’ll have to ensure that your home is well-insulated against summertime heat. It can get hot, stuffy and downright uncomfortable if your house lacks insulation or doesn’t have enough. 

As contractors are working on your house (and adding insulation), have them check whether enough insulation has been added to every area of your attic. This includes both ends and every corner. Hot air can come in through areas where the insulation is too thin. Your contractor should know that ventilation shouldn’t be blocked at the soffits. 

Request a High-Quality Insulation

If you are having your home built to green standards, it may surprise you to learn that having a high-quality insulation added to all areas of your home can help make your home more environmentally friendly. 

Let your builder and contractor know that, while your home is being built, you want green products used. Ask them which insulation would be the best to use to protect your home from unwanted heat and cold. And, if you believe that, by not adding insulation, you’re protecting the environment, you’ll only give yourself higher energy bills. A good insulation helps your home achieve the best R values for the northeast. As a result, you’ll be able to keep your energy bills. low.

Improve Insulation During the Winter

Once your house has been built and you and your family have moved in, you’ll be able to determine whether it’s comfortable year-round. If your new home still got too hot during the summer months, this is a sign that the insulation may not be sufficient for your home’s needs. 

The winter months are the ideal time for having new insulation added. Ask for an energy audit so your contractor can figure out where the new insulation should go. It’s a given that he’ll add more insulation in the attic. 

Most Importantly Choose the Right Central Air System

You’ve had the right amount of insulation added. Now, it’s time to make sure you have the right central air conditioning system installed in your home. If your unit is too small, you could run it 24 hours a day and still feel hot inside. If the unit is too big, you’ll have too much humidity added to the rooms—not comfortable! 

As your contractor is installing ducts and vents, pay close attention to make sure the work is done correctly. Make sure the ducts are properly sealed so you don’t lose cooled or heated air.

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Air Leaks: How is Your A/C Escaping Your Home?

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If you’re uncomfortable in your home and changing the thermostat doesn’t help, it may be due to these five sources of air leaks.

1. The Fireplace

During cold weather, you open the fireplace flue so smoke and carbon dioxide can escape through the chimney. But it’s easy to forget to close the flue during warm weather.  

And if the flue is open, air will quickly leak from the home and your energy bill will have a significant spike.

If you have a traditional throat damper, poke your head inside the fireplace — assuming it hasn’t been used for months and it’s safe to do so! — and shine a flashlight on the damper. If there’s a barrier, the flue is closed. If you can see into the flue, it’s open.

Alternatively, if you have a top-mount damper, grab some binoculars, head outside and focus on the chimney to verify that the vents are closed.

In either case, if the flue is open, close it immediately to make your home energy efficient.

2. The Roof

The roof’s condition has a major impact on your comfort — after all, it’s the closest thing to the sun, and it takes the biggest beating from rain, snow, limbs and leaves.

It’s important to routinely check the roof for damage, both from the outside and inside.

First, carefully climb a ladder and walk on the roof to check for curling, cupping or cracked shingles, and make repairs or replacements as needed.

Then, visit the attic and examine the roof. If you see sunlight, that’s not the only thing that can enter the home. So can air, rain, snow, leaves and debris.   

You can patch some bad spots, but widespread roof problems can lead to structural damage. And remember: Roofs don’t last forever — an asphalt shingle roof may last 20 to 30 years. If yours is much older than that, it’s probably time to replace it.

Metal roofing is an increasingly popular alternative to asphalt. It comes in different styles and colors to match just about any home’s architecture, and in many cases, installers can lay it right on top of asphalt. 

3. The Ductwork

Sometimes, the cause of an air leak is the most expected one: the source of the air itself!

While you’re in the attic checking the roof, go ahead and check the ductwork, too. Leaks allow air from the furnace or A/C to escape.

Fortunately, the fix is easy and affordable.

You just have to locate the leak, seal it with inexpensive metallic foil tape designed for ductwork repairs and improve the seal with duct mastic.

4. The Attic

Your home can never have enough insulation. Unfortunately, a lot of homes have an inadequate amount — or worse, none at all.

While you’re in the attic checking the ductwork, make sure the ceiling joists aren’t bare. If they are, buy faced insulation, which has a paper side facing toward the living space. This blocks moisture.

If the attic has a thin layer of insulation, buy unfaced insulation to add on top. (That’s the kind with no paper on the bottom.) Choose the right R-value to match your home’s needs. Insulation’s performance is expressed by the R-value, which ranges from 2.0 to 8.0 per inch of insulation.

Hollow walls also can be pumped with insulation to prevent energy loss.

5. The Gaps

Finally, there’s no shortage of cracks and gaps that lead to air leaks. So, try this step-by-step plan to cover the most common bases.

First, caulk around windows and doors to seal the home’s envelope. Homes expand and contract due to highs and lows in humidity, so do this each summer and winter.

Second, check each entry door’s threshold for damage and replace a failing rubber seal — or the entire threshold — as needed.

Third, check for gaps between the threshold and the door and install door sweeps as needed. Some door sweeps attach to the bottom of the door; others are mounted inside the door.

You also can insulate electrical outlets, install or replace weatherstripping in windows and doors, and cover window air conditioners for a weather-tight seal.

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Tips for Controlling Moisture Levels in Your Home

Mold can post serious health risks – especially for people with allergies and asthma. The key to controlling mold growth is reducing moisture, whether from leaks, high humidity, or variations in temperature in your home.

Below are some tips to help you keep your home drier and, thus, mold-free.

1. Dry up the drips

Even a small water leak can develop into a major mold problem, so check pipes under sinks, and behind your washing machine and refrigerator (if it has a water line). Repair leaks right away.

2. Don’t be sloppy when watering your indoor plants

I can't tell you how many homes I've seen with moisture stains on the floor under or near an indoor plant. Be careful not to spill or overwater when you are watering a plant and put a dish under the pot in case the pot leaks. It's also not a great idea to put a plant pot on a carpet or rug.

3. Watch the hot water tank

Put a battery-operated floor-water alarm near your hot water tank, so you'll be alerted if the tank starts to leak. If you have a central alarm system, consider having a floor-water alarm tied into the system. If you have a gas-fired hot water heater, plan to replace it right before the warranty expires. Electric hot water heaters tend to last longer than their warranty, but still, keep an eye on its warranty date.

4. Control the relative humidity below-grade

Mold growth doesn't always require standing water. Some molds can begin to grow when the relative humidity (RH) is over 80%. As air cools, its RH rises. Below-grade (below ground level) spaces like basements and crawl spaces are naturally cool and damp, so the RH must be adequately controlled.

Use a thermo-hygrometer to measure the RH. The RH should be kept at or below 50% in unfinished basement spaces and in crawl spaces, and below 60% in finished basement spaces.

During the spring and summer months, between mid-April and mid-October in the northeast, add dehumidification as needed, even if your finished basement has air conditioning. Be sure that your dehumidifier is adequate for the space, and attach the machine to a condensate pump, so it can drain into a sink or to the exterior. That way, you won’t have to empty the reservoir (when the reservoir is full, the dehumidifier will shut off).

In the winter, you do not need to dehumidify an unfinished basement. However, a finished basement must be kept consistently warm, whether in use or not, with the thermostat set at a minimum of 57° F.

5. Don’t over-humidify above grade

In the winter, we don't open windows and doors that much, so moisture can build up in a house in above-grade (at or above ground level) rooms. If you have an exhaust fan over your cook stove that vents to the exterior, use the fan whenever you cook or bake, and try to cook and bake at the same time.

After showering or bathing, operate the exhaust fan in the bathroom for at least twenty minutes. In addition, leave the door open and operate an oscillating fan in the bathroom to help dry surfaces.

If you have a central humidification system, keep the RH in habitable rooms under 40% (lower in extreme cold). The same holds true if you use a portable humidifier in any particular room. Always measure the RH with a thermo-hygrometer.

6. Keep your exterior closet(s) warm

A closet with one or more walls facing the exterior can develop conditions of elevated RH. This can lead to mold growth on those walls, as well as on goods stored on the cool closet floor. It's best not to overstuff a closet with personal goods; keep your things off the floor and away from cool walls.

Don't install carpet or put rugs on the closet floor, as carpeting captures biodegradable dust. Remove the dust from the floor and baseboard trim.

To warm the air and help control the RH in an exterior closet, you can heat the closet with a heater specially made for the purpose (or just the light). Or, you can keep the door open to increase the flow of warm air into the space. You can also install a louvered rather than solid closet door.

7. Don’t keep some rooms cold while you heat other rooms

In the winter, it's tempting to heat only the rooms that you use and leave other rooms cool. In homes with wood-burning stoves, I've often found that some rooms near the stove are toasty, while others are uncomfortably cold. This may help you save on your heating bills, but unfortunately, elevated RH conditions can develop in the rooms that aren't adequately heated, even if they are above grade. And then you know what may happen next… mold growth.

8. Isolate your crawl space

A crawl space should be isolated from the exterior and be dehumidified. Otherwise, humid air can enter the space and lead to condensation and mold growth on cool surfaces. If a crawl space has a dirt floor, the dirt should be covered with a mesh-enforced vapor barrier, or even with appropriate cementitious material, to limit the evaporation of moisture from the soil.

9. Don’t introduce unnecessary amounts of moisture into your attached garage

In the summer, dehumidify your garage during particularly humid weather; just keep the RH under 70%. In the winter, wipe snow off your car, including kicking snow off the tires, before driving the vehicle into the garage. If snow still falls onto the garage floor, sweep it to the exterior before it melts, or sweep the water out of the garage after the snow has melted.

A good whole house dehumidifier could help, contact us if you have any questions.

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It’s Time for a Summer Tune-Up for Your A/C

Summer is just around the corner. Before it gets on your nerves, it is time to get a professional inspection and tune-up for your cooling unit. It is best to prepare your A/C as early as now to ensure a comfortable home 24/7 during these humid days.

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Before getting busy with other stuff at home such as cleaning the yard and stocking up the pantry, being proactive with your air conditioning unit is a must. Definitely, you will have to add air conditioner tune-up to your summer to-do list for the system to operate at its full capacity.

Our Expert Tune-up Service Package

Neglecting or ignoring a tune-up service for your unit increases the risk of costly breakdown, higher energy bills and an uncomfortable home. But, scheduling a regular maintenance service gives you a direct return on your investment.

A professional tune-up service includes the following:

• Complete inspection

• Cleaning of the outdoor unit, condenser coils, ductwork and filters

• Calibrating of thermostat

• Checking of coolant level

• Minor repair issues

You can take advantage of these preliminary benefits once you schedule your system for a tune-up.

Why Tune-Up Your A/C?

• Improves the system’s performance and efficiency

The advent of the hot season will require you to run your air conditioning unit for long hours every day. Thus, you have to secure that the system operates at its peak efficiency. An advanced tune-up helps in maintaining a well-performing cooling unit plus, a cooler and more comfortable home.

• Prevents unwanted service or emergency calls

What if your A/C had run out in the middle of the humid days of summer? An unexpected breakdown would mean expensive repairs. To avoid this, take advantage of the preventative maintenance package offered by your trusted HVAC provider.

• Increases your A/C lifespan

Want your system to live longer? Just like how you sustain your food for long life, your A/C also needs some pampering and a daily dose of care and maintenance. With a polished tune-up service, you can extend the lifespan of your cooling system for years.

• Keeps your family healthy

When you engage your system to a maintenance program, the package includes cleaning some of the vital parts of the system. With this, you can prevent dirt and dust from building up that may soon cause havoc to your family’s health.

So waste no time and schedule a tune-up service with our experts! 

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Time for Some Maintenance

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.

Our Expansive 21-Step Process Maintenance List Includes:

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

Ask About Our Maintenance Service Agreements

If you are too busy to maintain your system yourself, let the professionals at Harbin Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. know today!

Our team specializes in maintenance, service agreements, and more. We offer affordable pricing and flexible terms. Please contact us with any questions.

Do Air Purifiers Really Work?

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Reduce the common allergens that make you miserable with the help of an air purifier

How do they work—and do air purifiers work effectively?

Allergic rhinitis (commonly known as hay fever), as well as an allergy to pet dander, smoke, and/or dust, can make you feel as miserable as the common cold—one you can’t seem to shake (because, alas, there’s no cure for allergies). No wonder the constant sneezing, wheezing, and itchy, watery eyes have you seeking solutions! Seasonal allergies can also be a trigger for those who suffer from asthma, and exposure to increased levels of pollen and other allergens can cause flare-ups. Fortunately, whether your suffering is due to pollen in the air or your boyfriend’s cat sitting on your lap, an air purifier may provide you with some relief. Here’s how these handy little appliances can make living with allergies a bit more bearable.

An air purifier eliminates many common causes of allergies.

An air purifier is a small device designed to remove such airborne contaminants as pet dander, smoke, and dust. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a portable air cleaner is one of the most effective ways to improve the indoor air quality in a single room or area. However, no matter the quality of the air purifier you buy, there’s no model in the world that can banish all of the pollutants in your home.

Air purifiers use filters to “trap” pollutants.

Here’s how an air purifier works: Air gets sucked into the device via an internal fan system, which is then passed along to the filter inside. The filter traps airborne pollutants like dust and then a fan pushes clean air out into the room. There are two basic types of air filters in air purifiers: One eliminates particles and one removes gases—some of these even purport to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Check the packaging for acronyms that indicate effectiveness.

If you want an air purifier to remove particles like dust, dirt, and soot, check the packaging or product description for a clean air delivery rate (CADR). The higher the CADR, the more particles it can trap. Another sign of an effective air purifier is the use of a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. An air purifier with a HEPA filter is likely to have a relatively high CADR.

You’ll know it’s working when you see the evidence.

You never know just how contaminated the air inside your home is until you use an air purifier and see the particles collected on the filter. Depending on the model, you can just pop off the back panel to take a peek inside at the filter. These generally need to be changed about twice a year, or whenever the filter looks completely full.

But will you feel any different? Hopefully, yes—and perhaps in more ways than one. A small-scale study found that air purifiers not only reduced fine particulate matter in the air (dust, pollen, dander) but also improved participants’ blood pressure levels and lung function.

If you’re not feeling a positive effect on your allergy symptoms after using an air purifier for a month or two, you might want to reevaluate its placement in the room (maybe moving it closer to your bed or couch or further away from a door or window). If you notice an improvement at first only to have it wane, remember to check the filter to see if it needs to be changed.

An air purifier won’t eliminate mold or the issues mold can cause to your health and your home.

Some people are allergic to household mold (often caused by water damage inside the home), with some symptoms similar to those of seasonal, dust, and animal dander allergies. Unfortunately, air purifiers aren’t designed to remove mold, nor can the devices eliminate the musty odors associated with mold. To solve the problem, investigate and repair the source of any water damage and then contact a mold remediation service, professionals that use antimicrobial agents to remove mold.

Severe allergy or asthma sufferers should consider an air purifier.

If routine allergies or asthma symptoms negatively impact your life, the evidence that a HEPA filter improves respiratory health may encourage you to shop around for an air purifier. The best air purifiers generally cost between $200 and $900 on the high end, but since it’s recommended to run them constantly, expect a spike in your electricity bill. Though some devices are more energy-efficient than others, the average HEPA air purifier will consume 50 to 200 watts of electricity and run you an extra $30 to $90 annually to keep them plugged in and working. If you’re concerned about your bottom line, look for the blue ENERGY STAR sticker when shopping to take home a certified model that uses 40 percent less energy to operate.

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Do you really need a standby generator?

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We all love feeling snug at home while the wind rages outside. Whether we’re making a mug of hot cocoa or settling in for a night of Netflix, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of security that comes with being in a warm, well-lit home. Alas, few of us consider the ever-present risk of losing the very thing that makes us safe and comfortable in our houses—electricity.

As secure as our homes might seem, the threat of storm-related power loss is more prevalent now than ever before and a loss of electricity can have much greater consequences than spending a few hours without wifi. When power is lost for a few days or weeks at a time, property damage and human health issues are very real risks, depending on the nature of your situation. However, if you meet the criteria outlined below, you should strongly consider getting a backup generator in order to protect your property—and your family.

3 Questions to ask yourself when considering a backup generator

1. Do you live in a storm-prone area?

Severe storms—like hurricanes, severe thunderstorms, tornados —have been in the news a lot in recent years, and for good reason: Storms are becoming more frequent and more powerful. What’s more, they often develop more rapidly than they did several decades ago, leaving us with little time to prepare for their arrival. According to NASA, “Already, there is evidence that the winds of some storms may be changing. A study based on more than two decades of satellite altimeter data (measuring sea surface height) showed that hurricanes intensify significantly faster now than they did 25 years ago. Specifically, researchers found that storms attain Category 3 wind speeds nearly nine hours faster than they did in the 1980s. Another satellite-based study found that global wind speeds had increased by “an average of 5 percent over the past two decades.”

If you live in an area where hurricanes, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, or snow or ice storms occur, then purchasing a backup generator is strongly recommended. Having a generator prevents food spoilage (as the generator will keep your freezer and refrigerator running), protecting you from storm-related food shortages. It will also keep your heater and hot water tank operating normally. This is especially important if you’re dealing with a winter storm; numerous people have lost their homes or even their lives to fire after trying to heat them with just a fireplace.

2. Do you own a large home?

Large homes are a lot more prone to experiencing burst water pipes during winter storm-related power outages. As the house cools down, the water in the pipes attached to it starts to freeze and expand. This causes the pipes to rupture, incurring thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.

While it may be possible to keep a very small home warm using gas heaters (though, once again, this is not recommended for safety reasons) and thereby prevent exterior pipes from bursting, this is virtually impossible to accomplish in a large home. The only safe, practical way to protect a large home from burst pipes is to restore power—and heat—to the home via the use of a whole house generator.

3. What kind of appliances and equipment are running at home?

Does someone in your household sleep with a CPAP machine? Do you have a hot tub that could freeze over if deprived of power? Are there any older people in your home who use a stair lift? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you’re reliant on a steady stream of power. Don’t wait for an emergency to occur; install a natural gas backup generator and safeguard yourself against unexpected weather events.

Choosing a generator: Portable generators vs. standby generators

If you’ve decided you want the protection that’s offered by backup generators, the next thing you’ll need to figure out is whether you want a portable or standby generator. While portable generators look appealing at first glance owing to their lower price-tag, portability, and convenience, they have some limitations you should be aware of. First and foremost, they use up a lot of fuel. You can expect to go through about five gallons of gasoline every 8 hours. Likewise, portable generators aren’t safe for indoor use.

Standby, whole-house generators, on the other hand, have a greater upfront cost, but they can be used safely and reliably in any weather. They can also power all your appliances, whereas a portable generator will usually only be able to power a few. Finally, they can last for over 15 years and even switch themselves on automatically when the power goes out. If you live in a storm-prone area, a standby natural gas generator is a worthwhile investment.

Considerations for choosing standby generators

Before installing an emergency generator, you’ll need a consultation. We are available help you determine your specific needs. Here’s what you’ll want to clarify during your consultation:

• How many appliances you will want to run in the event of a power outage.

• Where you want your whole house standby generator to be located.

• What type of fuel you want to use to run your generator. You can choose natural gas, diesel, or liquefied petroleum.

Get the peace of mind you want and need with a standby generator

Having a generator can protect your family against food shortages, house fires, CO2 poisoning, and cold. It can also safeguard your property and appliances against costly damage. With the incidence of lengthy power outages on the rise even in metropolitan areas, a stand by generator should feature prominently on every homeowner’s list of priorities. Start planning your generator consultation today.

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