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Case8 Heating & Cooling Company Posts

Published May 13, 2022

Ductless Heat Pump – Real Advantages That Keep You Safe And Save You Money

Fossil fuel prices will keep climbing and there is nothing that can be done. Except, maybe, by changing our choices in terms of what we use. To combat the high cost of comfort, many homeowners are looking into getting a ductless heat pump. This is mainly to keep costs down, especially during winter. With other types of heat pumps, particularly those that are powered by gas and fuel oil, homeowners cringe at the thought of paying a high cost for keeping their homes warm.

We used propane-powered heating in the past and we even have our very own corn burner. However, that only provides supplemental heat. It does not produce enough heat to sufficiently keep our home warm and comfortable.

We do have access to a hot water heater, but we do not have forced air, which means our options for heating and cooling are rather limited. Thankfully, we discovered the ductless heat pump.

Energy-Efficient Heating

A mini ductless system is the best solution for many homes, including ours. Ductless systems have become increasingly popular because they offer solutions for certain situations that other types of heating systems cannot.

I am quite familiar with this type of technology. For many years, I have learned of and heard about the advantages of heat pumps. Many friends who run HVAC businesses promote the use of ductless heat pumps. Not much actually changed from the time ductless heat systems first became available in the market during the 70s, except for the increase in the prices of fuel and heating costs.

Heat pumps have a number of benefits. Here are just a few of the advantages that I know they have, based on my experience.

 

Fast and Easy Installation

Mini ductless heat pumps are easy to install. We found that out as a pleasant surprise, given that our home does not come with a ductwork system. This was the best solution for us because ductless systems are designed to work in structures that do not have ducts. As such, a ductless system is the only solution for older homes, particularly those that were not built to accommodate vents for forced air systems. Ductless systems are also the perfect choice for small apartments and room additions where the installation of ductwork is not feasible.

Another top-notch benefit that I love about a ductless heat system is that they allow you to set different temperature zones in a home and control each one independently. In fact, you could even set these zones to turn on or off at specific times.

This type of technology also lets you enjoy heat during winter and cool air during summer. You could say that the ductless heat system works similarly to a refrigerator in that it eliminates warm air from the outside air before pushing it inside the home to heat it.

A mini ductless heat unit is composed of two major parts – the outside unit and the inside unit. The outside unit, which resembles a small central A/C, is installed outdoors. The inside unit looks like a baseboard heater and is naturally placed indoors, usually installed high up on the wall. The indoor and outdoor units are connected by a wire. The outside unit should also be placed not more than 50ft. away from the indoor unit.

Cost-Saving

With programmable features at the tip of your fingers, you get to enjoy more cost savings using ductless heat pumps than any other type of heating system. Here’s a look at how it works.

So let’s say you intend to stay out for a day. Since you will not be at home, you really do not need to heat or cool your home while you are out. With a ductless heat system, you can program the temperature using a remote control, then set it to turn on a few minutes before you go home. That way, you go home to a nice, comfortable house.

Since it is programmable, the ductless heat pump will turn on by itself. This is the feature I love the most. Of course, other central heating systems can be programmed as well, but most of them do not offer zoning.

With zoning, you can turn off the system within, say, a guest room, or you can turn the temperature down if you want. You can change the temperature or turn it off in other zones as well, such as the attic, the bedroom, the kitchen, etc.

When you do not use energy to warm/cool an area, you do not pay for it. As a result, the savings you get is money you save. Estimates claim a drop in energy consumption with the use of a ductless system to be at most 60%. That is more than half of the cost you pay each month, and it’s money that goes back into your pocket.

Local Availability

Anything that increases in popularity is a sign that the free market is working as it should. This is why the number of companies that sell and install mini ductless heat pumps is increasing. If you want a ductless heat pump installed, your local HVAC contractor could likely help, but there are options you can explore.

First, you can have these units shipped via UPS. They are compact units and lightweight, which means you could order them online and have one shipped directly to your door. We discovered some companies selling ductless heat pumps online that manufacture them according to certain specifications. They also import excellent quality and high-value units.

Research and Reviews Help

We suggest that you do your research and use online resources to help you with your decision. You could compare different companies and their brands, models, and types. Many of these companies have been doing business for many years.

Next, check out independent review websites to determine which companies and brands offer the best deals. Once you have zeroed in on the best candidates, call up someone at the company’s customer service department and talk to them about your concerns. A company’s customer service department says a lot about them, which is why I get in touch before buying.

After you have made your choice and your order has arrived, always check and inspect the box, along with the unit and its parts for damage. If you find any issues, call up the company for questions and requests for repair or replacement.

Before installing the unit, make sure to read the Owner’s/User’s Manual thoroughly. Make sure you understand how the unit works so you know exactly what to do with it.

With enough care, effort, and a good understanding of the product, you will be enjoying clean, quiet, and highly efficient zone heating with your new ductless heat pump in no time.

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Published May 13, 2022

How To Solve Home Air Flow Problems

Solving Home Air Flow Problems in Your Home

Basic things that the homeowner can check to help airflow:

The first thing you should do is check your furnace filter to determine if it is dirty. If it is, you remove it and install a new filter. If your furnace filter is dirty or clogged, this will create a pressure drop because the airflow will be restricted. After you have done this, you should walk around the house and carry out an investigation. Find out if your couches, rugs, cabinets, settees and other furniture are impeding airflow or blocking your vents. If this happens to be the case, you should remove these obstructions. Now, look around your home and find out if all the supply registers are open. Just so you know, supply registers are heat vents that blow out air. Ensure they are all open so that everything will function smoothly.

Many homeowners have the impression that shutting off certain air vents in the house will make other vents to blow harder. This is not true because shutting off supply registers or air vents creates pressurization problems with the overall system. As you probably know, CFM (cubic feet per minute) is usually determined by the pipes diameter. It follows that shutting off registers will not make the other vents to blow harder. In fact, shutting down too many supply registers may cause your furnace to short cycle on a high limit. This increases the cost of your utility bill and may even reduce the life expectancy of your HVAC system. Again, you should never buy and install heat vent filters because they cause pressurization problems. If you notice there is too much dust blowing out of the vents, the smart move is to get the vents cleaned using the power vacuum/ air sweep method. The average cost of this cleaning service is $300-$700 but this depends on where you live and the company handling the job for you. Note that the company you patronize must be an ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) member. It is important you get this cleaning done without delay because a dirty or clogged system will reduce the life span of your HVAC system. On the other hand, keeping your HVAC system clean all the time will give you the following benefits. First off, you reduce unpleasant odors, improve energy efficiency and increase the life expectancy of your cooling and heating system. You also improve all-around airflow and spend less on both maintenance and repair.

Some solutions that an HVAC company or contractor may suggest:

If you live in an older building, you may notice certain problems with your cooling and heating system. In some of these buildings, air ducts were sized incorrectly and this is because of two reasons. The relevant authorities at the time did not carry out effective supervision so standards were compromised. Another reason is that some builders and contractors wanted to cut cost by doing their own ductwork instead of contracting the job to a qualified and competent expert. These days, the relevant supervising and regulatory agencies insist on the right thing and this is why home comforts (in terms of heating and cooling) have improved dramatically. If you live in an older building, your licensed HVAC contractor may recommend that you carry out some of the measures below.

– Let me get rid of all of your ducts and start over! Well, on paper this sounds good, but in practice, it is not realistic because of time, cost and convenience.

– I can improve your home’s HVAC system by getting rid of the old furnace and give you a truly impressive and efficient one. In this case, the HVAC expert is talking about technicalities and the effective functioning of your HVAC system. You have to go with his expert assessment because he will give you an improved system. A better system will improve efficiency and the best part is that you even qualify for a $50.00 EPACT tax credit. Apparently, even the federal government wants you to go for this, so you should take advantage of the offer.

– Your home does not appear to have enough return air openings and this is a huge problem because enough air does not enter the duct system. In this case, the HVAC experts will tell you that they need to add more openings to the existing ones. This way, they can get additional CFM into the HVAC system. This way, your AC indoor evaporator coil can stop freezing. This sounds good because you’re already paying more money on cooling and then there is the fact that your AC doesn’t even keep your house cool enough! You need to let the HVAC experts solve the problem so that you can save good money on your monthly utility bills and enjoy a cool summer this year.

– You know, your ducts are sized correctly. The problem is that all of the air is escaping into certain areas of the house because the construction of the ductwork is not as good as it should be. If we go ahead and seal up these places, the system will work better for you. There is nothing wrong with this move because it will ensure you have a more efficient HVAC system and you will even save money on your utility bills.

– You know, it seems to me that all of your ductwork is correctly sized. However,  the return leg attached to your furnace is undersized. This is where the problem lies because it is acting as a choke point. If we rip this leg, we can simply install a bigger one with a greater dimension and this will improve the air supply.

– You know, your home builder was too busy cutting corners. He should have installed two separate systems considering the size of your home. We recommend you have two smaller systems because this will actually cost you less and will provide greater comfort.

– You know, we recommend you zone your current system. Having three different thermostats to control different temperatures in your home is an excellent idea and it will not cost that much.

– Your evaporator coil is completely plugged and this restricts a lot of the air that should be circulating freely. With a  power vacuum air duct cleaner, we will get the job done and solve the problem for you.

You see, some of these jobs will cost just a few hundred dollars or less. Some of the more elaborate solutions discussed here will cost thousands of dollars. The point is that at the end of the day, the job will be done and you will enjoy peace of mind. Now, some experts may offer may than one solution. If you have any questions, you should not hesitate to ask because it is your home and it is your money. Discuss all the options with the expert and be sure you understand what is involved before paying for the service. One thing you should do is check out the experts even before you start discussing with them. The right professional for you is the one registered with and licensed by the ACCA. When you have found the right professional, you can go ahead and let them work their magic on your cooling and heating system. At the end of the day, the price will be worth it because you get to enjoy an efficient and effective cooling and heating system. This means that your home is cool on hot days and delightfully warm on cold days. In addition, you save money on utility bills and your HVAC system gives you many years of effective service. It doesn’t get much better than this. Find a great HVAC Westminster professional and you will be happy.

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