Attic fan came on yesterday. Its going to be a hot Summer

Residential HVAC / Duct Cleaning... is it necessary?

All homeowners have heard at one time or another that they need to clean their residential HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) ducts. But why? There are two primarybenefits to cleaning a house’s HVAC system: the removal of health risks, and energy conservation.

Indoor Air Pollution

Most people wrongly assume that they are more exposed to air pollution while outdoors than when indoors. But (barring disaster conditions outside), indoor air pollution is far more detrimental to health. One of the main reasons for this is that on average, Americans spend at least 80% of their lives indoors. (For many, that number is 90% or more.) So indoor air conditions deserve much more of our concern than the air quality outside.

Indoor Air Contaminants
Dust and biological contaminants naturally build up over time in HVAC ducts. This buildup leads to poor ventilation. As a result, biological contaminants such as mold, pollen, and bacteria are deposited into air ducts. Allergies that are thought to have outdoor sources are often actually caused indoors, by dirty residential HVAC systems. Chemical contaminants, such as carbon monoxide and harmful particulates released into the air from toxic cleaning products, cause indoor air pollution and Sick Building Syndrome (SBS).

Individuals who live and/or work in "sick" buildings often exhibit symptoms of SBS, including much higher incidence of illness than is found in populations who work and/or live in healthy buildings. Symptoms felt immediately upon entering a house with SBS include: fatigue, headache, migraine, asthma, (irritated) red eyes, and sore throat. SBS most often causes allergic reactions such as coughing, sneezing, and wheezing.

Most people who experience symptoms of SBS find that their pain or fatigue is relieved simply by leaving the building. However, there are long-term health damages from SBS that often go undetected,  mostly due to lingering neurotoxins (substances harmful to the nervous system) inhaled in "sick" buildings.

Those most at risk for these dangerous effects on their health include: children, pets, asthmatics, the elderly, and unborn babies (via polluted air inhaled by their pregnant mothers). Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are much worsened by the dust and contaminating particles inhaled from residential HVAC systems.

Adding an immediate risk to everyone living in these buildings are accumulated oils, ash, lint and other flammable materials. And not only are the effects felt almost immediately as short-term consequences of exposure; long-term health problems can also be caused by indoor air pollution.

Short-term health effects:

• irritation of the eyes, nose and throat
• upper respiratory infections 
• headache
• nausea
• allergies 

Long-term health effects

• respiratory disease
• asthma
• lung cancer
• cardiovascular disease
• nervous system damage
• premature death

Higher energy costs due to dirty residential HVAC

The effects of indoor pollution can be very expensive in terms of work productivity and healthcare costs. But residential HVAC systems also cause needless spending on energy bills. HVAC ducts are simply more expensive to run when dirty. Dirty ducts slow air circulation, making the entire HVAC system work harder. 

This waste of energy has been estimated to raise monthly energy bills as much as 20%. Additionally, debris collected in the ducts can cause damage to, and even failure of, a household's HVAC. Repair or replacement costs are very substantial.These monetary savings, added to the health benefits of maintenance and cleaning, make the case clear that HVAC ducts do need to be cleaned.

After learning about the risks and costs of dirty residential HVAC units, many homeowners ask themselves: "When was the last time I had my ducts professionally cleaned?" For health and safety, it is recommended that residential HVAC ducts are cleaned every 3-5 years. Call a professional duct cleaning service today- it will give you instant peace of mind. 

I have to buy a new AC, Should I purchase a new furnace at the same time?

Like most other appliances and equipment inside a home, home heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems must be periodically replaced. This is just a natural fact. Of course, the air conditioner and furnace, although generally run through the same vents, are two separate entities and must be purchased, or replaced separately. Due to this, when someone is considering a new air conditioner, they may wonder if they should purchase a new furnace along with it. Well, it isn't typically as simply as just saying yes or no, as a residential HVAC may not need an upgrade for both systems at the same time.

The main factor anyone considering a new furnace along with the air conditioner must take int account is the overall age of the two appliances. If the house is on the newer side, chances are both the air conditioner and the furnace were both installed at the same time. This means, theoretically, both systems are going to wear down in roughly the same amount of time, possibly give or take a year or two. However, if the house has had multiple owners in previous years, the air conditioner may actually be several years older than the furnace. When replacing both systems, it makes sense to do so if both are roughly the same age. However, if the furnace is five years or more newer than the air conditioner, it still has plenty of life in it, making it rather pointless to install a new air furnace at the given time. New furnaces and air conditioners are now Energy Star efficient, so less electricity and gas are used to run the equipment, but the cost of a new furnace far surpass possible savings when there is still life left in the equipment. So, if the furnace is considerably newer than the AC, only installing a new AC into the residential HVAC is the most logical and cost effective option.

If the furnace isn't running ragged, despite being the same age as the AC unit, a valuable option is to bring in a home HVAC inspector to see if the furnace is serviceable for an extended period of time. These professionals are able to make recommendations as to if a new furnace is necessary, or if the current equipment is able to function further into the future. 

A rather large upside to installing both a new AC and furnace into a residential HVAC system is a cost reduction. Most service provides reduce the total equipment and installation cost when both devices are installed at the same time. This way, the warranty for the two devices runs out the same time, the equipment both is able to run energy efficient, not to mention a home owner doesn't have to worry about having their utility space or basement under minor construction at two different points in time. This by far is the more convenient method to go about improving the heating and cooling of the house. 

Often times this just comes down to a personal preference. If a home owner believes they will be staying in the house for an extended period of time and the furnace does not need replacing, than installing just the AC unit is cost effective and corrects any current problem in the residential HVAC system. However, if the home owner is considering selling the house, upgrading and installing a new furnace, along with the AC, looks good to possible interested house shoppers, not to mention the new equipment improves the overall value of the house, making it easier to sell the house for a desired price.

Filtration why change your filter.

Keep system clean

The primary function of a filter is to keep the components inside the system clean. This is what the basic filters are designed for; as the air travels the ductwork and arrives at the furnace the filter will trap all large debris and particles from the air. The result is air that is cleaner passing through the furnace to be delivered back to the home.

Reduce dust

Although no furnace filter is designed specifically to dust your house, a better quality filter will trap more and smaller particles and reduce the amount of particles delivered back to your ductwork and home. One common misunderstood point is that only a small amount of the “dust” in your home will actually make its way into the ductwork to even cross the filter. It would be nice, but any filtration system will only provide minimal help with dust.

Reduce Allergens

A high quality filtration system can go along way to help reduce allergy issues. There are several type that can help, the best ones out there use heap filtration. This can provide significant relief. There are also electronic filter that provide good relief. Then the high end cartridge filters that help with minor allergies. These can be fitted into your existing system with only minor changes.

As you can see, filters can provide many solutions to your home. However if you try to accomplish a specific task with the wrong filter it will lead to frustration and wasted money. Pick your contractor carefully and be sure the are confident and educated on each type filter and how they might help you.