Don’t wait until your family is uncomfortably hot this summer to check in on your air conditioning unit. Make sure its ready to beat the heat by following these simple steps below.
Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing Blog: Archive for the ‘Energy Efficiency’ Category
Get Your AC Unit Ready for Summer
Monday, April 23rd, 2018Energy Saver 101: Home Performance Assessment
Thursday, March 2nd, 2017Having a qualified and experienced inspector perform a Home Performance Assessment is the first step to determining how to best prioritize efficiency upgrades and ultimately save you money on your energy bills.
You may have heard these referred to as Energy Audits, or some similarly negative phrase that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Instead of looking at this as an anxiety-inducing inspection (thank you, IRS), we find it far more accurate to think of HPAs as a tool for big-picture analysis of your home’s indoor air quality, potential energy-loss areas, evenly-heated rooms, and other issues. Home Performance Assessments are done to better your family’s well-being and safety. We’re on your side!
Your home is likely the biggest investment that you will make; getting a Home Performance Assessment can ensure it operates efficiently, comfortably and safely. A Home Performance Assessment can result in utility bill savings between 20 and 50 percent–with the ever-rising cost of utilities, the potential savings grow each year.
Through utility bill analysis, infiltrometer testing, thermographic imaging, duct leakage and repair, indoor humidity and moisture control, combustion gas analysis, weatherization services and IAQ analysis, a Home Performance Assessment is the best and most comprehensive step for you to take towards saving money and improving your home.
Go Geothermal
Tuesday, February 21st, 2017Looking for an efficient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly heating/cooling system? A geothermal heat pump is the greenest way to go.
The basics
Even though the air temperature fluctuates a significant amount over the seasons, the ground absorbs nearly half the suns energy, keeping a more consistent temp under the surface. Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of this fact by employing earth loops– usually closed-system loops made of piping– to tap into stable underground temperatures and deliver heat or cooling when you need it.
These systems work by circulating an antifreeze solution in the loop between the ground source heat pump and your house, exchanging heat and distributing it through a conventional duct system to heat or cool your house.
Geothermal heating
It’s winter and the air outside is at its coldest. A geothermal heat pump system easily absorbs ground heat from the abundant supply stored below your home, and consumes less energy than a traditional pump system in the process.
Geothermal cooling
When warm summer weather rolls around, a geothermal heating and cooling system absorbs heat from your home and transfers it to the underground loop where it is then absorbed by the cooler earth. The geothermal heat pump uses the cool water returning from the ground to create cool, dehumidified air conditioning for your home.
Different kinds of loops
Depending on what your unique space and lifestyle requires, different kinds of earth loops may be installed.
Horizontal Loops
Often used when adequate land surface is available. Depending on geothermal system needs and space available, pipes are placed in trenches that range in length from 100 to 400 feet.
Vertical Loops
The ideal choice for a geothermal heat pump when available land surface is limited. Well drilling equipment is used to bore small-diameter holes from 100 to 400 feet deep.
Pond (Lake) Loops
Very economical to install when a large body of water is available for use by the geothermal heating and cooling system. Coils of pipe are simply placed on the bottom of the pond or lake to capture the geothermal energy.
Open loops (Well-Water Systems)
In ideal conditions, an open-loop application can be the most economical type of geothermal system. These use groundwater from a well as a direct energy source.
Images and descriptions via waterfurnace.com
Fun facts
- An EPA study of energy efficiency concluded geothermal energy is the most environmentally friendly heating/cooling system.
- The United States National Renewable Energy Laboratory concluded that geothermal energy is more efficient and cost-effective compared with conventional residential systems.
- Available everywhere in the United States, geothermal energy can be found underground virtually anywhere.
- Geothermal cost savings can be increased by geothermal energy incentives, available from federal, state, local, and utility sources.
Cost comparison
Energy and cost savings of geothermal heat pumps will vary by region and type of conventional system they’re compared with. But the energy cost of geothermal versus conventional HVAC systems will always be lower — and the geothermal system will always be greener.
Click to enlarge.
How much can you save in energy costs with a geothermal system? Calculate your home’s potential geothermal system cost savings
Looking for more information? Check out energy.gov for further resources: https://energy.gov/energysaver/geothermal-heat-pumps
6 Tips to Keep Your Wallet Happy This Winter
Wednesday, December 14th, 2016Don’t let your winter heating costs get you down
Sure, in the short walk from your heated car to your heated office the cold winter air may be refreshing, but I’m sure there are few among us who don’t appreciate the comfort of a well-heated house at the end of the day. I’ll also bet there are few among us whose energy bills don’t see some kind of spike in these winter months either. That part’s not so comforting.
But before you scramble to take up residence someplace more tropical, we’ve put together 6 tips to help keep your house warm and wallet happy this winter.
1. Go smart (with a smart/programmable thermostat)
Automatically control the temperature of your house when you’re working, sleeping, or otherwise occupied with a programmable thermostat, and you can save from 5 to 20% on your heating bill. No need to worry about remembering to turn your heat down when you leave the house–programmable thermostats take the hassle out of heating.
How important is a “Home Energy Checkup”?
Wednesday, January 20th, 2016Only if you believe that a “leaky home” can waste money
And you should! Whether you are heating or cooling your home, leaky homes can waste your hard-earned dollars!
The best way to evaluate your home is to have it professionally tested. Home energy assessments, home energy audits and home energy check-ups are all pretty much the same thing. The important element is to choose the right type of professional contractor to perform any one of these evaluations of your home.
As explained in this video from the U.S. Department of Energy, a home energy checkup is a series of tests and inspections to help determine how your home can be more efficient. Finding the source of inefficiencies in the home will help you understand how you could be wasting money. It is common to find problems in most homes like:
- insulation
- trap doors/access doors to attics
- lighting
- appliances
- dirty filters
- leaky duct work
- airflow and sources of air leakage in the home
The good news is that all of these problems areas can be fixed! Many times, homeowners are tricked into purchasing new heating or cooling systems that can cost thousands of dollars. But it is quite common that a new system is not what the homeowner needs. What’s worse is that the new system will not operate as efficiently as expected because the true source of inefficiencies in the home have not been addressed. It is common that homeowners can save more money in the long run by doing a little bit of investigative work on the front end.
So why wait until those energy bills start adding up?
You may also be interested in:
Solving Drafts (and Other Common Problems) with Duct Repairs
The Importance of Sealing Attic Penetrations
Aeroseal Featured on PBS’s Hometime with Dean Johnson
Monday, January 18th, 2016This last weekend, Aeroseal duct sealing was featured on national television (again).
Check out this clip from Hometime for a great explanation of how the procedure works and how you could see improvements to indoor air quality, dust, consistent comfort and heating expenses.
I encourage everyone to ask your local heating and cooling contractor if they can provide this service. If they can’t, then make sure to find out who can!
Don’t let anyone tell you that hand sealing the duct system is “just as good” as sealing them from the inside.
If you are in BARRON HEATING’s service area, check out this page for more great information and how you can take advantage of this innovative opportunity: http://www.barronheating.com/aeroseal/
Which is the BEST HVAC brand?
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015Government and utility consumer protection authorities unanimously agree that your satisfaction depends much more on picking the right contractor than a particular equipment brand.
One question we are asked time and time again is “What brand of furnace or air conditioner should I buy?”
Once a homeowner becomes more informed about the secrets of the HVAC industry, they always realize that the brand question is almost irrelevant.
Regardless of brand, today’s equipment is very well made. Modern air conditioners and furnaces are similar to modern televisions. It’s almost impossible to buy a bad TV nowadays. All the major brands make really excellent products that rarely break down. Like a TV, modern heating and cooling equipment is also very well made and dependable.
Unfortunately, the comparison stops there. When you buy a TV you can take it home, unpack it and plug it in. While a TV works right out of the box, a central air conditioner, heat pump or furnace must be very carefully selected and installed in order to work as the manufacturer intended. It can’t be just plugged in. Unfortunately for consumers, the installing contractor is the weak link in the chain.
A replacement HVAC system is NOT a plug-in appliance. It is much more like a home renovation project – which depends much more on the contractor than on the renovation materials used.
Government and utility consumer protection authorities unanimously agree that your satisfaction depends much more on picking the right contractor than a particular equipment brand. Energy Star says a good contractor:
- Will ask lots of questions about how the old system performed, and what you are hoping the new system will do.
- Will measure and inspect your home and recommend the right size system for your home.
- Will inspect or test your existing air duct system, explain the possible impact your old ducts will have on your new equipment, and provide upgrade options.
- Will explain multiple options for equipment efficiency, comfort and noise reduction features, warranty – and brand.
- Will install and commission your new system properly to best industry practices.
Buying a new heating and cooling system is a big investment – both upfront and long term due to utility and repair costs. Invest the time to become an informed consumer. Focus on the contractor and their business practices, not on the equipment brand or brands they happen to prefer and recommend.
If you are in the market for a new system, give us a call. We’d be happy to come out and chat about your needs, and explain how we follow the best industry practices so that you are 100% satisfied!
Do you know your home? Really?
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015A little bit of useful knowledge can go a long way for homeowners.
The average suburban family home has become a much more complicated and sophisticate system than ever before! Long gone are the days of wood-burning stoves and cracking a window open to feel the cool summer breeze. Today’s home commonly has forced-air ductwork, higher efficiency HVAC systems, geothermal systems, and electronic control systems. Many of these systems are new to contractors so it is no wonder that the average U.S. homeowner does not understand how to keep their home performing well. Homeowners must rely on a hired expert – but choosing the right one and one you can trust can be a tricky path.
So, how can homeowners protect themselves? Get to know your home! There are three basic categories of knowledge every owner should have about their home:
- Required knowledge
- Useful knowledge
- Advanced knowledge
Required knowledge
What kinds of things fall into the category of required knowledge? We recommend the following:
- Water source: where does your home’s water come from (municipal water, well water, spring water)?
- Waste water: where does your home’s waste water go (septic tank, municipal sewer pipe)?
- Water main location: where is the water main for the home?
- What type of water heater does your home have?
- What type of appliance heats your home and where is it located?
- What type of fuel is used to heat your home?
- Does your home have an emergency on/off switch for the heating system and where is it located?
- What is the location of your home’s fire extinguisher?
- Does your home have air conditioning and where is it located?
- Does your home have a thermostat control and where is it located?
- Where are the locations for the main electrical panel and circuit breakers?
Useful knowledge
What kinds of things are useful and good to know about your home? We recommend the following:
- What type of roofing is on your home’s roof?
- What type of plumbing supply pipes are used in your home (copper, PVC)?
- How is your home insulated (attic, roof, walls, how much, what type)?
- Are your windows single-glazed, double-glazed or triple-glazed?
- Does your home have removable storm windows?
- Does your home have a mechanical ventilation system, if so, what type?
Gathering answers to these questions will better prepare you for work that might be performed in your home and will help prevent you from being swindled by crooked contractors.
Advanced knowledge
If homeowners take a little extra time to learn a few building science principles and consider their home as a “whole system” it will be easier to select the appropriate contractor to perform repairs, maintenance or conduct testing on your home. Some of the things that would fall into this category include:
- Why does infiltration and exfiltration matter?
- Where are air leaks most often located?
- How air movement can undermine the performance of fluffy insulation.
- How can positive and/or negative pressure affect your home?
- What kinds of conditions can lead to condensation within your home?
- What are the most cost-effective energy retrofit measures?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of different types of heating fuel?
We are not suggesting that homeowners become home performance experts, but by getting to know your home a little better you can protect yourself and save money in the long run by choosing a contractor with knowledge and confidence in home performance service work. By gathering some basic knowledge about your home, you can work with your contractor to decide how to make your home the best total system it can be for you and for your family.
3 Tips For Cleaner Indoor Air
Wednesday, October 21st, 2015Could your family be breathing unhealthy indoor air?
The Environmental Protection Agency says most of us spend over 90% of the time indoors, and that the indoor air is usually over 10 times more polluted than outdoor air. Respiratory problems such as allergies and asthma plague many families.Their suffering is often made worse by the air in their home. While many issues like poisonous carbon monoxide gas are undetectable with our senses, some homes have mysterious black stains, lingering musty odors, or visible mold. Unsightly excessive dust on the furniture is another common concern. In many homes it seems to reappear just a few days after house cleaning.
Here are some proven ways to reduce dust and help your family breathe easier:
Have A Central High-Efficiency Air Filter Installed: Typical throwaway furnace filters do not even adequately protect your equipment from getting fouled up, let alone protect you from the smallest invisible respirable particles. But be careful with retail store “high efficiency” one inch thick filters – we routinely get service calls after people put them in as they quickly get plugged. This chokes the airflow, which greatly reduces comfort and can even damage your equipment. Ask us about new options for installing a new high efficiency – high capacity air cleaner at the equipment. The best are pleated media filters, typically four to six inches thick, that only need to be changed once a year and don’t restrict your airflow. Note however that even the best filter can’t totally eliminate visible dust in the home, simply because visible dust is heavy and often settles on furniture before it gets to the filter.Test For Contaminated Air Infiltration: Where is that dust coming from? Are you breathing good air or bad air? Fresh air coming in through window and door leaks is usually less than 20% of a home’s incoming air. Building scientists have recently discovered that in the typical home, over half the incoming air first passes through the contaminated attached garage, crawlspace, basement or attic.
Air pollutants such as pollen and mold spores, carbon monoxide, automobile exhaust, crystallized rodent urine proteins, radon gas, crawlspace moisture, insulation fibers and volatile organic chemicals can contaminate this incoming air, and negatively affect your family’s health and safety. An Infiltrometer blower door test pinpoints where the bad air leaks are, and provides guidance on how to fix them. Many can be easily repaired by homeowners as weekend projects. Others such as duct leaks are better left to professionals. Finding and fixing the leaks that let in bad air will make your home healthier, less humid in the summer, less dusty, more comfortable, and even pay for itself through lower heating, cooling and repair bills.
When there are duct leaks it’s important to “Seal Your ductwork” to prevent the contaminants including dust, allergens, and pollutants from entering the air stream in the first place. Aeroseal patented technology is the most effective technique available for sealing ducts. If Aeroseal duct sealing isn’t an option, then hand sealing with mastic is better than not sealing at all. In addition to the indoor air quality benefits, duct sealing can save you up to 30% on your energy bills, while increasing your comfort level by reducing temperature differences between floors and hard to heat or cool rooms.
Repair Leaky Recessed Can Lights: One of the worst common leaks are recessed can lights. They inadvertently connect your living space to your attic – which is often the unhealthiest space in a home. Luckily most of these lights can be upgraded to LED inserts at a reasonable cost. During the Infiltrometer test, ask us to inspect your recessed can lights to see if they are an upgrade opportunity. They quickly pay for themselves through lower electric bills, and the savings on heating and cooling.
You don’t have to put up with unhealthy indoor air. Give your home performance trained HVAC contractor a call! You now have lots of options. They will be happy to chat about these and many other new ways you can help your family breathe easier.