Contrary to popular belief there, is no rule of thumb for sizing a system to a home. Depending upon the construction of your home, one (1) ton of air conditioning can cool anywhere from 300 to 800 square feet of home. The only way to insure the size of the system you purchase will be large enough to cool your home, but not any larger than you need, is to have your home’s individual heating and cooling needs evaluated by a professional.

Heating and Air Conditioning equipment, no matter what kind you have, need to be inspected, cleaned, and serviced a minimum of once a year. Any warranty you may have on your equipment will likely be void without recorded annual maintenance. The best scenario is to have the heating system checked in the Fall and the air conditioning checked in the Spring. Oil-fired equipment must be cleaned and serviced annually - at the beginning of each heating season - to continue to operate safely. Benefits of maintenance include: - Increased dependability - Find potential problems and fix them quickly - Provide maximum efficiency which lowers energy cost - Prolongs the life-span of the equipment - Maintains safe and healthy operation - Can help to protect the environment - Drastically reduces the chance of a break-down which usually happens at night or on weekends when repair rates are higher *** MAINTENANCE PLANS MAY ALSO INCLUDE: - Discounts on repairs - Discounts on purchases and future replacement - Priority Status for Scheduling - Increased warranty duration

You’ll know your old HVAC system is ready to call it quits when you notice it’s running for longer periods more often or it’s making a lot of noise. If you’re having to perform constant repairs or the unit is more than 10 years old, chances are it’s time for a replacement. The cost of paying for repairs outweighs the cost of a new system when you’ve reached this point in your HVAC system lifespan. And while a new HVAC system carries a large upfront cost, it can make your home more efficient and save you money in the long run. It also ensures your home is not only comfortable but safe.

The short answer is, no, they’re not all the same. In fact, there are many different types of air filters available and choosing the right one can make a real difference in the lifespan of your HVAC system. It is a general recommendation that you should change your air filter in your home every 30 days when using less expensive fiberglass filters. High-end pleated filters can last as long as 6 months, but these typical guidelines assume average use and don't take into account the size and type of filter. To understand the differences in the filters available, there’s a couple of things you need to know. 1. All filters are rated using the MERV scale. Filters for residential use are generally rated from 1-13, with higher-rated filters being used in places like hospitals and laboratories. 2. Higher-rated filters have smaller openings, which is supposed to make them able to catch smaller particles in the air. A MERV 2 filter will only catch the largest particles, while a MERV 10 filter is supposed to catch very small particles like pet dander. 3. You might think you should just get the highest MERV rating you can find for a price you can afford. But it’s not quite that simple. You see, the higher the MERV rating, the more the filter restricts air flow. 4. If the air flow is restricted by the filter, then the HVAC unit has to work harder to pull air through it. This means that a higher MERV filter can cause the unit to burn out or the coils to freeze. Uh oh. 5. The truth is that the higher-MERV residential filters don’t really do that great of a job cleaning the air. Plus, they get clogged up with dirt and dust very quickly, which reduces the air flow to your HVAC unit even more. For our customers, we recommend using the cheapest, lowest-MERV disposable filters, combined with the above. These filters will protect your HVAC unit from the dust and dirt that could actually harm it, while allowing the air to flow freely. That way your unit won’t work too hard and shorten its lifespan. Plus, these filters only cost about $2 each, making it easy to replace them every month. Regularly replacing your air filter is the best thing you can do to help keep your HVAC system humming along. A clean, basic filter beats a fancy, dirty filter every time!

The heating and cooling systems are sized according to their tonnage. One (1) ton equals 12,000 BTU/H. Residential systems can range from 1 to 5 tons.

The S.E.E.R. (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) is the amount of cooling your system will deliver per dollar spent on electricity. For example, a 3-ton unit may have a S.E.E.R. efficiency rating of 13, 14, or 15. The higher the S.E.E.R. the more efficient the system will be. The S.E.E.R. rating of any given unit can range anywhere from 13 to 17.

Other than preventative maintenance, the most important thing you can do is clean and replace your filters frequently. Also, a system heats and cools more evenly when the blower is in the “on” position. The blower provides constant air movement throughout the home, and allows for better filtration. Finally, shades, drapes, shutters, or screens should be installed on windows that are exposed to extreme sunlight.

No. A larger system with more capacity delivers less comfort and costs more to operate. An air conditioner is at its least efficient when first turning on. A system with too much capacity will run in numerous short cycles, turning on and off repeatedly, therefore causing it to be less efficient. Also keep in mind that an air conditioner only removes humidity when it’s running, so a system with shorter run cycles doesn’t remove humidity from the air very well.

There is no exact answer for how long your system should run during each cycle. The average air conditioner is sized to remove the heat from your home as fast as it comes in, on a 110° day. Therefore, ideally, on a 110° day the system should be able to keep up with the incoming heat, but not gain on it and be able to turn off. The cooler it is below 110°, the more the system will cycle on and off.

Every time your system starts up, it will use a lot of electricity and not produce much cooling. Usually a system that is too small to cool the home is more economical to run but delivers less comfort. Even though it runs nonstop, it will usually consume less power than a larger system that cycles on and off. As a rule of thumb, a unit that is either on or off is less expensive than one cycling on and off.

The air temperature your system produces depends on the temperature of the air going into the system. Generally, the air produced should be 18°-20° below what enters the system. So if the air entering the system is 80°, the air exiting should be about 60°-62°. However, that only works on a system that has been running at least 15 minutes on a warm, dry day with a home that is about 80° inside. On a mild day, with an indoor temperature in the low 70’s, or during humid conditions, the air coming out may only be 15°-17° cooler than what enters.

Obviously the time of year becomes a big factor for desired temperature settings. In the summer months the average temperature setting is 78°-80°, in the winter 70°-72° seems to be the most common setting. Remember, when leaving your house, try to avoid drastic temperature changes. Do not set your temperature back more than 5°; this will cause your unit to work harder to achieve the desired temperature setting.

Different programmable thermostats offer many different features. However, because they are electronic, they are all more accurate and efficient than thermostats that contain mercury. With programmable thermostats you can control the temperature in your home at different times of day without ever touching your thermostat. Because everything is automatic, you will never forget to change the setting on your own.

The most important maintenance you can do is to change your filters regularly. Ground mounted outdoor units need to be kept clear of debris, clutter; weeds or landscaping that can grow too close and reduce the airflow to the unit. Also, keep pets away from the unit because pet urine can cause expensive damage. Use caution with a weed trimmer around the unit to prevent damaging control wiring. Any additional maintenance should only be performed by qualified personnel.

Yes. Check to be sure that the air handler or furnace is plugged in or the switch on the side is turned to 'ON'. Check that the breakers and the disconnects are turned on and be sure the thermostat is set correctly.

Due to the many different makes, models and customer needs, price is an issue that can only be solved by doing a thorough evaluation of your home and existing equipment. There is no charge for an in-house replacement proposal.

Yes. Several manufactures have developed new systems that contain the environmentally friendly R410A, or Puron, refrigerant. Visit our products page to view our entire line of Puron products.

Yes, they can actually play a big part in your complete home comfort. We have a variety of whole-house filtration devices. Some electronic air cleaners can even remove dust particles and pollen as small as .10 micron. Visit our products page for more information about the electronic air cleaners we offer.

No. Closing the registers will decrease the systems’ airflow and efficiency. Every system is designed to cool a certain number of square feet. By closing registers and doors in certain rooms, you disrupt the airflow and cause your air conditioning system to work harder to distribute air to other areas of your home. Your system will work harder, to cool less space, making it cycle more and become less efficient.

When cool outdoor air enters a home it tends to dry out as it warms up, which increases the static electricity in the home and causes sinus problems. Adding a humidifier with help to add moisture back into the air and limit sinus problems. In the summer, even with outdoor relative humidity hovering around the single digits, the humidity in your home tends to be around 40%. The average comfort range for relative humidity in a home is from 35 to 45%.

Yes, this is normal. A heat pump generally produces air that is 80°, which is considered warm, and will heat the house evenly. However, 80° may feel cool to your hand, which is usually closer to 90°.

Yes. During the cold weather months, frost will accumulate on the outdoor coil. This will cause the heat pump to go into a defrost cycle anywhere from 1-10 minutes, depending on the amount of ice on the coil. The system will return to the heating mode once the ice is gone.

Before purchasing a replacement system you should always make sure your system is sized properly. Our representative will provide a heat load calculation to determine the proper size and make the appropriate recommendation. Remember, bigger is not always better.