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How a Central
AC Works:
Facts:
• The typical central air conditioning system is a split
system, with an outdoor air conditioning, or "compressor
bearing unit" and an indoor coil, which is usually installed
on top of the furnace in the home.
• Using electricity as its power source, the compressor
pumps refrigerant through the system to gather heat and moisture
from indoors and remove it from the home.
• Heat and moisture are removed from the home when warm
air from inside the home is blown over the cooled indoor coil.
The heat in the air transfers to the coil, thereby "cooling"
the air.
• The heat that has transferred to the coil is then "pumped"
to the exterior of the home, while the cooled air is pumped back
inside, helping to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.
• Central air conditioning can also be provided through
a package unit or a heat pump.
Benefits:
• Indoor comfort during warm weather -
Central air conditioning helps keep your home cool and reduces
humidity levels.
• Cleaner air - As your central air conditioning
system draws air out of various rooms in the house through return
air ducts, the air is pulled through an air filter, which removes
airborne particles such as dust and lint. Sophisticated filters
may remove microscopic pollutants, as well. The filtered air is
then routed to air supply ductwork that carries it back to rooms.
• Quieter operation - Because the compressor
bearing unit is located outside the home, the indoor noise level
from its operation is much lower than that of a free-standing
air conditioning unit.
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How a Heat Pump Works:
Facts:
• Using electricity as its energy source, heat pumps are
used for either the heating or cooling of your home by transferring
heat between two reservoirs.
• In the warmer months, the heat pump acts like an air conditioner,
removing heat from the air inside your home and transferring it
outside.
• During colder months, heat from outdoor air is extracted
and transferred to the interior of your home. Believe it or not,
even a 32º Fahrenheit day produces enough heat to warm a
home via a heat pump.
Benefits:
• Year-round, energy-efficient indoor comfort for
moderate climates - A central heat pump helps maintain
comfortable temperatures inside your home and reduces humidity
levels year-round. Homes located in regions with severely cold
temperatures may either require supplemental heating or be better
served with an air conditioner/furnace combination.
• Cleaner air - As your heat pump system
draws air out of various rooms in the house through return air
ducts, the air is pulled through an air filter, which removes
airborne particles such as dust and lint. Sophisticated filters
may remove microscopic pollutants, as well. The filtered air is
then routed to air supply ductwork that carries it back to rooms.
Whenever the air conditioner is running, this cycle repeats continually,
constantly filtering and cleaning the air in your home.
• Quieter operation - Because the compressor
bearing unit of the typical central heat pump system is located
outside the home, the indoor noise level from its operation is
much lower than that of a free-standing air conditioning unit.
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How a Central
Heating System
Works:
Facts:
• A furnace works to keep a home warm in the winter and
plays a critical part in the operation of an air conditioning
system.
•Furnaces produce heat through the combustion of natural
gas in the furnace's burner. The heat produced from this process
then passes through a heat exchanger. Air from your home's return
air ducts is blown over the heat exchanger, thus warming the air.
•The furnace's blower then blows the warmed air into the
ductwork, which carries and disperses the warmed air throughout
the home.
•During warmer months, the blower inside a furnace continues
to circulate return air throughout the home--only this time, the
return air has been cooled by being blown over the indoor coil
portion of the home's split-system air conditioning system. The
evaporator coil is typically installed downstrean of the furnace.
Benefits:
• Indoor warmth any time it is required.
• Energy efficiency - The efficiency of
a furnace can be determined by its AFUE--or Annual Fuel Utilization
Efficiency. The minimum efficiency level for furnaces currently
manufactured in the U.S. is 80% AFUE. A rating of "80% AFUE"
means that for every dollar you spend heating your home; 80 cents
are actually applied to the generation of warmth. Compared to
many of the 60% AFUE furnaces in older homes, 80% AFUE furnaces
are a significant improvement. However, for enhanced energy efficiency,
you may wish to consider a 95% AFUE furnace, such as Goodman's
line of 95% AFUE Furnaces.
• Cleaner air - As your HVAC system draws
air out of various rooms in the house through return air ducts,
the air is pulled through an air filter, which removes airborne
particles such as dust and lint. Sophisticated filters may remove
microscopic pollutants, as well. The filtered air is then routed
to air supply ductwork that carries it back to rooms. Whenever
the HVAC system is running, this cycle repeats continually, constantly
filtering and cleaning the air in your home.
• This cleaning process improves with the installation
of a variable-speed furnace. Variable-speed furnaces
use variable-speed blowers, which shift between several speeds.
These furnaces will run longer at a low speed, which causes them
to filter the indoor air more frequently.
• And remember - because the furnace plays
an important role in the operation of the air conditioner, its
variable-speed blower helps maintain both a consistent indoor
temperature and improved air quality year-round.
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How a Packaged
System Works:
Facts:
•Package units are unique, all-in-one systems that supply
both cooling and heating equipment in one "package."
These units sit on the ground or rooftop outside of your home
or business.
•Package units come in three forms:
1. Packaged heat pumps offer heating and cooling using heat pump
technology.
2. Packaged air conditioners cool your home and can heat it as
well, using electrical strip heat.
3. Packaged gas-electric units offer all-in-one air conditioning
and natural gas-powered furnace performance.
Benefits:
•Space efficiency - Unlike split-system
units, all components of a complete heating and cooling system
are contained in one location, making package units ideal for
situations in which indoor space is at a premium.
•Energy-efficient heating and cooling performance
- All Goodman package units offer 13 SEER or higher cooling performance.
Our package gas/electric units offer 80% AFUE heating performance,
as well.
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Frequently
Asked Questions:
Q. Why should I purchase a new heating
or air conditioning system?
A. We realize that purchasing a heating or air conditioning system
is no small matter. However, if your existing system is old, in
need of repair or simply inefficient, purchasing a new unit, one
which can be as much as 60% more efficient than a system purchased
just 10 years ago, can offer long-term benefits.
Rather than continuing to pay for ongoing maintenance and costly
monthly bills, invest in a new system today that will save you
money for years to come.
Q. How can I find the system that’s right for me?
A. There are many heating and air conditioning systems to choose
from today. ASAP can draw on a vast degree of heating and air
conditioning knowledge and experience to help you decide on the
system that best fits your specific needs. The size and age of
your home, as well as the number of rooms, climate, local and
regional utility costs, and utility incentive/rebate programs
are all factors that will affect the functionality and, therefore,
selection of your system. ASAP, utilizing the latest technology,
consider all these factors while assisting you in choosing the
best system for your home. Consumers seeking to replace an existing
system often choose a new unit with equal or higher efficiency
ratings compared to their previous system. Replacing a unit that
is 10- to 15-years-old may reduce natural gas or electricity costs
by 30 to 50%.
Q. How do I determine the size, or capacity, of my HVAC
system?
A. Schedule an ASAP visit! Factors affecting the size of your
new system include the climate in your region, humidity levels,
the number of windows in your dwelling, total square footage of
your home, the direction your home faces, the number of heat-producing
appliances in your home, the type of insulation you have and the
number of people that live in your residence. An ASAP comfort
advisor can perform the proper calculations to determine the appropriate
heating or cooling unit for your home and lifestyle.
Q. What happens when I replace my old system?
A. To install the most efficient HVAC system in your household,
a detailed inspection should first be performed by your ASAP contractor.
The inspection by your ASAP contractor should include, as a minimum,
the inspection of your home’s ductwork, insulation, refrigerant
piping, electrical service, wiring, thermostat, condensate piping,
flue piping, flue terminations, chimney liner, slabs, filter,
driers, registers, grills, drain pans and evaporator coil.
Q. How long will my system last?
A. Proper maintenance is key. Maintenance and service play a key
role in the lifecycle of a heating or air conditioning system.
If all recommended maintenance and service actions are taken,
an air conditioner can last 12 to 15 years and a gas furnace 20
to 25 years.
Q. What does SEER mean?
A. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It is a number
that rates the efficiency of your air conditioner or heat pump
according to procedures established by the Department of Energy.
In simple terms, it is the BTU capacity of your system divided
by the power consumption in WATTS. Thus, the higher the SEER rating,
the more efficient a unit is and the less it will cost to operate.
Most fifteen to twenty year old units are in the 6.00 SEER range.
Replacing a 6.00 SEER unit with a 12.00 SEER unit would result
in a 50 % reduction in cooling costs.
Q. My home has hot and cold areas. What
is the cause?
A. These areas are not receiving the correct amount of air from
your system to provide comfort. This could be corrected by something
as simple as repairing a leaky duct or by adjusting manual balancing
dampers located in the round branch ducts that feed air to the
rooms. (Many older duct systems had balancing dampers). The problem
could relate to zoning. Homes with only one system don’t
do a very effective job conditioning areas with different comfort
requirements (zones), i.e. upstairs areas, and Florida rooms.
If that is the case, a separate heating and cooling system or
a motorized zone damper system may be the answer to your problem.
An in-home evaluation would need to be conducted to determine
which approach would be best.
Q. What can be done about the excessive
dryness in my home during the winter?
A. A central humidifier attached to your system would raise humidity
up to a comfortable level, and provide a healthier and more comfortable
environment for your family and all of the many wood products
that make up your home and furnishings.
Humidifiers
Low winter humidity levels outside and furnace operation can combine
to drive indoor humidity down to uncomfortable levels. Doctors
mention dry air as one of the causes of nose, throat and skin
discomfort. Dry winter air can also damage furniture, musical
instruments, flooring and other wood components that make up your
home. A quality humidifier connected to your central heating system
is the answer to winter dryness problems.
Q. My home is very dusty. Can some sort
of better filter be added to my system?
A. In most applications there is sufficient room around your furnace
or air handler to permit adding a high efficiency media or electronic
air cleaner. These filters remove microscopic particles of dust,
pet dander, dust mites, bacteria, and other airborne particles.
The electronic type is more efficient on smaller particles, but
generally requires more maintenance. Many of our customers have
been pleased with a pleated media filter that is changed annually.
This technology combines the efficiency of an electronic filter
with the ease of maintenance of a media filter. Air Cleaners cleaner,
healthier indoor air is a concern of most homeowners today. Dust,
pollen, smoke, pet hair and pet dander are a few of the particles
contained in indoor air that can trigger allergic reactions in
certain individuals. A high-efficiency air cleaner can filter
many of these particles from the air in your home. Many doctors
today prescribe high-efficiency air cleaners for their allergy
patients.
Q. I have noticed that the air in my
home has a damp “clammy” feel during certain times
of the summer. What is the cause of this condition?
A. Proper humidity removal is absolutely necessary to attain acceptable
indoor comfort. If your air conditioning system is oversized it
may not be running enough on mild humid days to remove a sufficient
amount of moisture from the air in your home. When you get ready
to replace your system you likely will be able to downsize your
system and correct this problem. A smaller unit will run for a
longer cycle and remove more humidity. A smaller unit may even
enjoy a longer life due to running a longer cycle, which is less
stressful on the compressor than frequent cycles. You might also
want to consider the dehumidification advantages afforded by a
variable speed blower motor when you replace. If your system is
not close to replacement age, a possible solution to your problem
would be to reduce the indoor blower motor to a slower speed to
increase the dehumidification capacity of your system.
Q. What is AFUE?
A. AFUE is the abbreviation for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency
ratio. AFUE is used to rate furnace efficiencies by dividing the
ratio of heat output by heat input. This measurement describes
how well fuel, gas or oil is consumed to produce heat by a furnace.
As the AFUE rate increases, the efficiency of your furnace also
increases, lowering your fuel costs. Furnaces manufactured in
the United States are required to have at least an 80% AFUE.
Q. What is HSPF?
A. HSPF is the abbreviation for the Heating Seasonal Performance
Factor, which is a rating of the efficiency level of the heating
operation of a heat pump. The higher the HSPF, the more efficient
the heating performance of a heat pump. New units in the United
States have HSPF ratings from 7.0 to 9.4.
Q. What is R-22?
A. R-22 is the common name for hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC).
R-22 has been used as a refrigerant by HVAC manufacturers for
over 40 years, but studies in the past decade have shown that
HCFCs contain chlorine, an ozone-depleting agent.
EPA’s R-22 Refrigerant Phase out
Program
To help preserve the Earth’s protective ozone layer, the
United States is gradually phasing out the use of R-22 refrigerant
in all air conditioning equipment. Because R-22 depletes the ozone
layer, production and import will be further limited in 2010.
For this reason, the United States Clean Air Act has set a target
date for January 1, 2010, on which HVAC manufacturers must cease
the production of products that use R-22.
Q. What is R-410A?
A. R-410A is the common name for an emerging hydro-fluorocarbon
(HFC) that is being used as a refrigerant in the HVAC industry.
R-410A is more environmentally friendly than R-22 and is being
seen as the most likely replacement for R-22 by HVAC manufacturers.
At the beginning of 2010, the use of alternate refrigerant will
be required in HVAC manufacturing.
Q. What is ENERGY STAR?
A. ENERGY STAR is a program that was created by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to help businesses and individuals make
energy efficient purchases.
This program places the ENERGY STAR label, a small blue and white
logo, on items that meet superior energy efficiency standards.
This label provides an easy way for consumers to identify quality,
high efficiency products.
For more infomation about the Energy Star program, please view
their website at www.energystar.gov.
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Heating &
Cooling 101
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