Author: Kevin

Every year, many deaths are attributed to home heating hazards which cause fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other calamities. Here are some very important steps you can take to reduce or eliminate some heating safety hazards:

Steps You Can Take

First, check the area around your furnace. Is there adequate clearance all around the system?  Or are you using the area for storage, thus limiting the system’s air intake?

Next, notice any leaks or moisture sources near the furnace, or signs of rust in the furnace.  Something as simple as condensation dripping from a cold water pipe onto the furnace can cause rust.  Rust on the inside or outside, or along any of the vents is a carbon monoxide hazard.  Other potential carbon monoxide hazards include animal or bird nests obstructing the flue, soot build-up, improper venting, and damage or deterioration to any vents.

Carbon Monoxide Dangers

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an average of 430 deaths per year in the United States from unintentional, non-fire-related carbon monoxide  poisoning.  The older the furnace, the more likely there could be a problem. Carbon monoxide is a sneaky problem for many reasons.

• First, carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless… it’s not like natural gas which has the smell of rotten eggs!  Thus, it is difficult to know that you’ve developed a carbon monoxide leak. That’s why it’s nicknamed “the silent killer.”
• Second, your heat may be operating (keeping the house warm) so you do not know that your heat exchanger or vent is beginning to rust out and building up the deadly gas..

• Lastly, low-level carbon monoxide poisoning mimics the symptoms of common winter ailments – such as the flu, or an over-indulgent night out, or even seasonal depression – so many cases are not detected until permanent damage to the body has occurred.

Tips for Prevention

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, recommends these tips:

1. Have all fuel-burning home heating systems inspected and serviced annually by trained service technicians.
2. Install CO detectors with battery backup in hallways near each sleeping area and in the garage.  Test the CO alarms and replace the batteries every year.

Test your knowledge.

Following these important tips can keep illness or death from claiming your life or the lives of your loved ones.

Well, the short answer is, “it depends.”  Ask yourself these questions:

What is included?

If the contract is very cheap, it may be just a ploy to get a technician into your house and try to sell you something you don’t need.  However, if the contract entitles you to a discount on parts or labor, or priority service or emergency/after-hours support, then it might be very well worth it!  If a system is going to break down, it will typically do so at extreme temperatures: the air conditioning will fail on a very hot, humid day, or the heat will fail during a prolonged stretch of frigid weather.  These are times when you can ill afford to be without a working system and when all HVAC companies are inundated with calls.  Without having a company that will put you to the front of the line, you might find the wait with any company you call will be measured in days, not hours!  Additionally, most HVAC companies will charge extra for after-hours support.  You could wind up paying up to twice the labor charges for getting your system serviced on a Saturday versus getting it serviced on Monday.  But in extreme temperatures, you may not be able to wait until Monday!  So, if your service contract entitles you to no additional up-charges for after-hours emergencies, the savings in the labor on just one visit could be worth it.

How old is your unit?

If you have a brand new unit (less than 6 years old), the chances of it breaking down might be less than if you have a unit that is more than 10 years old.  Also, if the unit is still under warranty, then it could be that some portion of parts and/or labor may be covered by the warranty.  But be aware that manufacturers may not honor the warranty if they think the unit has not been properly maintained by the homeowner. Having a service contract where you can prove the unit had regular preventive maintenance might make all the difference.  Certainly, if you have an older unit, or a unit with a history of previous failures, having a service contract might be a smart move!

How diligent are you in doing preventive maintenance?

If you’re following the tips we provide on our HVAC News page, videos, and in our Fall Maintenance eBook, and are diligent about changing filters on time, cleaning the coils, keeping the condensate line clear, and doing other recommended tasks yourself, then you might not gain that much from having a service contract, especially if it only includes these same types of services.  Of course, some preventive maintenance tasks require special equipment, measuring devices, certifications or licensures (such as adding refrigerant to a unit), so there’s no such thing as never needing service.  But if you’re pretty handy and diligent about doing all you can, you certainly will lessen the chances of some things going wrong.

Consider Potential Savings

Annual maintenance is vital to keep your HVAC system in good working condition and at peak efficiency, so you’ll benefit by (a) avoiding big repairs bills, since minor problems could be spotted before they escalate, (b) lowering your utility bills, since your unit will be running more efficiently, and (c) extending the life of your system, so purchasing a new system can be delayed. Like your car, it is cheaper to maintain it in good working order than to deal with large repair bills when it breaks down.

Read  the Fine Print

Always read the contract, so you understand exactly what’s included, and what’s not.  For example, if you purchased a service contract from the gas company thinking it will cover your furnace maintenance, you may find it only covers repairs to the gas lines from the street up to the furnace; the gas company won’t be coming out twice a year for tune-ups and regular preventive maintenance on your HVAC unit.

Consider the Company, Not Just the Price

Remember, the service contract is only as good as the service provider backing it up. Are they honest, trustworthy, and reputable? Are their technicians trained, certified, licensed and insured?  Do they have experience with the type of equipment you have?  Do they treat their customers with respect?  Do they have good online reviews by homeowners (or business owners) and by the Better Business Bureau (BBB)?  Have they been in business a long time?  If you base your service decisions solely on price, you may not be getting a good value for your money.

Heat pumps provide both heating and cooling, so they are very practical for Tennessee’s climate. High-efficiency heat pumps also dehumidify better than standard central air conditioners, resulting in less energy usage and more cooling comfort in summer months. However, the efficiency of most heat pumps as a heat source drops dramatically at low temperatures, generally making them unsuitable for cold climates.

Technology Advances

The new crop of heat pumps offer technology advances that not only make heat pumps perform much better during extreme temperatures, but also double the efficiencies of 10 years ago. Indeed, the market has been heating up for heat pumps growing by double-digits in each of the last 2 years! Here are a few of the advanced features:

• Inverter Technology: varies the flow of refrigerant and adjusts the speed of the compressor according to the desired temperature and the current room temperature. By eliminating the cycling on and off of the compressor, efficiency is increased, and the temperature stays more steady.
• Two-Speed Compressors: save energy, reduce compressor wear, and allow zone control (keeping different rooms at different temperatures).
• Variable-Speed Blowers: allow the fans to keep the air moving, minimizing cold drafts, reducing noise from the blower, while also maximizing electrical savings.
• Scroll Compressor: consists of two spiral-shaped scrolls – one remains stationary, while the other compresses the refrigerant. Compared to the typical piston compressors, scroll compressors have a longer operating life, are quieter, and provide 10-15°F warmer air when in the heating mode.
• Back-up Burners: rather than using electric resistance heaters as a backup heat source during extreme cold weather, some manufacturers now use a combustion fuel source such as propane, natural gas, oil, coal, or wood, thus reducing the use of electricity.
• Refrigerants: the new crop of heat pumps use the more environmentally-friendly and less costly refrigerants, and new refrigerant formulations transfer, hold and deliver heat more effectively. Plus, the copper tubing through which the refrigerant travels has grooves on it to increase surface area, which also boosts efficiency.
• Computer-controlled motors and valves: consume less electricity and provide more precise control of the refrigerant flow.
• Electronic, programmable  thermostats: many of which are now wireless or Internet-capable, allow additional savings and conveniences. Check out our previous blogs on thermostats.

What to Look For

When shopping for a new heat pump system, check the Energy STAR® label and compare the HSPF rating (heating season performance factor) which is an indicator of the efficiency of the compressor and the electric-resistance elements and the SEER rating (seasonal energy efficiency rating), which rates a heat pump’s cooling capacity (see our post What’s Your SEER?).  HSPF should be between 8 and 10 and SEER should be greater than 14. In both cases, the higher the number, the more efficient the unit.

In Tennessee, the humidity can be stifling, especially in the summer! The average morning relative humidity in Nashville during the months of May through October is 85-90%, yet the optimal comfort zone, as published by ASHRAE, is 30-60%. We’re taught to seal up cracks and tighten up our homes so as not to waste energy, but tighter homes can also trap moisture, creating an unhealthy environment. Excessive humidity encourages the growth of mold, mildew, dust mites and bacteria, which in turn worsens allergies and respiratory ailments. In addition, excess moisture can lead to wood rot or warping of floors, beams, cabinets and molding, and cause paint to peel and wallpaper to curl.  If your windows are wet with condensation or you’re having to run your air conditioner so much that you need to sleep with a blanket in the summer, then dehumidification may be necessary.

Portable vs. Central Dehumidifiers

Portable dehumidifiers treat the air in just one room and have a reservoir that needs to be emptied daily in most cases. Central dehumidifiers are connected to your home’s heating and cooling system and treat the whole house. A central dehumidifier pulls air from every room in your home through the return ducts, removes the moisture, and then sends dry air back throughout your home. Unlike a portable dehumidifier, a central dehumidifier is located out-of-sight, is quiet, and hassle-free because you never have to empty a reservoir it is attached directly to your house plumbing.  A central dehumidifier is up to 4-times more energy-efficient than the leading portable dehumidifier (look for ones that are Energy Star rated). Portable systems can remove 5-7 gallons of moisture per day, while a central system can remove 40+ gallons per day.

Features, Functions, and Savings

A central dehumidifier measures the condition of your home’s air to decide when to run and is automatically controlled. The desired humidity level can be set to a fixed percentage for a constant comfortable humidity, regardless of how the outside air increases or decreases in humidity. Although the method of control varies depending on the model and manufacturer, many whole-house dehumidifiers have user-friendly digital controls or remote controls. By using a dedicated central dehumidifier along with air conditioning, you can save energy because you’ll be able to increase your thermostat in the summer by at least 3 degrees and be more comfortable.  Many dehumidifiers also provide ventilation and/or air purification, thus greatly increasing the quality of your indoor air and helping allergy sufferers.

The Downside

• Central dehumidifiers can be expensive, ranging from $400 for a 1200 sq.ft. space, to $16,000 for a 2500 sq.ft. home.
• Installation requires specific tools, electrical wiring and plumbing. It generally is not a do-it-yourself task. A trained HVAC technician would need to install it.
• Because central dehumidifiers are built into the ductwork of your home, when you move, they will need to be left behind.

Moisture can lead to costly renovations or mold remediation, so a central dehumidifier may be a wise choice.  But even the best dehumidifier may not work effectively if too much outside moisture seeps into your home from leaky ductwork, a damp crawlspace or basement, improper drainage around your home, or an improperly-sized HVAC unit. You’ll want to investigate and fix these issues before spending money on a whole-house dehumidifier.

As we enter the summer months, high air-conditioning bills seem just as inevitable as death and taxes.  Something most people don’t think about is that incandescent and halogen bulbs act as miniature space heaters, dumping over 90% of the energy they consume into heat… heating up your already-hot home. This means your air-conditioning has to work harder to keep you cool.  LED lighting uses a fraction of the energy consumed by traditional light sources.  They generate very little heat  (3 BTUs/hr vs. 85 BTUs/hr for incandescent bulbs) and remain cool during operation, thus easing the burden on your air conditioning system during hot weather and reducing your overall energy costs.  For every 60W incandescent (traditional) light bulb, you’re spending about $13.86 more in cooling costs per year (based on Nashville/TVA’s current electricity rate of 10.252 cents per kilowatt-hour) versus an equivalent LED bulb, so it can quickly add up!  Even when you consider the initial cost of LED bulbs (currently about $2.48 for a 60W equivalent bulb, compared to about $1.00 for a traditional 60W bulb), the payback period is just 6 months for a light that stays on 8 hours per day..  The savings come from reduced electricity to produce the light as well as the reduced cooling costs.  And just in case you’re thinking that the heat generated from traditional lighting might be beneficial in the winter to help keep you warm, it’s an extremely inefficient heat source, costing over 5 times as much as the typical gas furnace to generate the equivalent amount of heat.  Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) were promoted as an energy-saving alternative, but they’re no match for LED lighting, and are falling out of favor.

LED stands for light-emitting diode. The light is generated by a semiconductor, creating an effect known as electroluminescence.

Residential Advantages

• LEDs do not contain mercury or toxic materials. However, CFLs contain mercury, which makes them hazardous to handle and to dispose of.
• LEDs are much more durable than incandescent bulbs because they will not shatter when jarred or hit, and are not sensitive to humidity.  Both CFLs and incandescent lights are fragile.
• LEDs have a longer life than any other lighting source on the market.  This means reduced hassle and inconvenience of replacing burned-out light bulbs. You would need 42 incandescent bulbs (changing the bulb 41 times!) to equal the typical 50,000 hr lifespan of an LED bulb.
• Because LEDs run so much cooler than other bulbs, they are safer.  Lighting a holiday tree or other lighting decorations using incandescent lights presents a fire hazard due to the extreme concentrated heat they produce.  Plus LEDs won’t overload wall sockets by stringing multiple strands together.
• LEDs are available in a range of hues, from remarkably bright white, to warm golden, to cool blue.
• LEDs offer design flexibility, and are available in unique styles and shapes.
• LEDs are an easy retrofit.  LEDs can be run with a dimmer (not true of most CFLs), which allows you to adjust the light level to suit your needs and create mood lighting.

Industrial Lighting Advantages

• For industrial lighting applications such as warehouses, high ceiling environments, parking garages, traffic lights, etc. ─ the conversion to LED lighting would save many thousands of dollars in operating costs due to reduced electricity consumption, reduced need for bulb changes, ability to withstand shock, vibrations, and impact, and reduced demand on cooling. Plus, they are “instant on” (don’t have to warm up before emitting a bright light, quiet (no “hum” typical of high-powered fluorescent lights), and don’t require ballasts.
• LEDs are a “green” solution, due to their vastly reduced energy consumption, reduced waste, and reduced toxic hazards ─ a win-win for health, safety, and the environment.

It’s time to convert to LEDs now!

• Why make your air conditioning work harder than it needs to? LEDs provide significant long-term cost savings and help you keep cool.
• If you are looking for ways to reduce your utility bills, increase the energy efficiency of your home and business with aesthetically pleasing lighting solutions, LEDs are currently an outstanding solution.

Repairing or replacing your heating and cooling system is one of the most critical decisions home owners face. Learn more in this short video or read the paragraph below

While there are no hard-fast rules to answer the repair or replace question, we’ve put together some general guidelines in an earlier post.  But perhaps the more important question is ‘Do You Trust Your HVAC Specialist?’ That’s the REAL issue because most of us don’t have the technical expertise to know whether their recommendations are sound.  Many HVAC companies pay their technicians on commission rather than an hourly rate, which means it’s in their best interest to get you to replace your unit when a repair might be all you need.  Repairing often requires higher-skilled technicians, and they may need to spend more time troubleshooting the problem or retro-fitting a part. You want a company that can advise you reliably whether to repair or replace a unit based on what is in your best interest, not based on what is convenient or what earns them the most money.

If you’re on the fence about whether to repair or replace your system, the best solution is to have a highly trained and qualified technician who will give you an honest assessment, and will spend the time to find the best solution to fit your needs. If you don’t feel this way about your current HVAC technician, then you for sure need a replacement… a replacement of your HVAC service company, that is!

Read our HVAC News page, call us, and let us help you with what may be one of the most critical decisions for your home.