www.asiheatingandair.com
The most important part of keeping your furnace and air conditioner properly maintained is keeping it clean. Dust, dirt, and other debris are your heating and cooling system’s worst enemies.
It is equally important to keep both you indoor and outdoor unit clean. Either of these units being dirty will cost you money and wastes energy. A dirty A/C or heater leads to excessively high utility bills, repair bills and premature equipment failure.
To avoid these inconvenient and costly breakdowns, we recommend that your heating and cooling system be checked and serviced twice a year; ideally spring and fall or summer and winter. We also recommend changing your air filter regularly, depending on the type of filter you have. This alone can eliminate many of the most common problems and reduce the likelihood of a serious breakdown
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Furnace Filters - What are Merv Ratings
Furnace Filters - MERV
What does MERV rating stand for? Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value.
MERV ratings are a method of determining the efficiency of an air filter used with heating and air conditioning equipment. The efficiency is determined by adding particles of varying sizes (1-12) into a controlled testing environment. The particles are added upstream of the test filter and a laser particle counter samples the air before it enters the filter and after it leaves the filter. The two particle counts are compared to calculate the Particle Size Efficiency of the tested filter. Once this is determined, a MERV Parameters chart is used to determine the MERV rating.
MERV ratings range from 1 - 16 and measurements are in microns. Some of the common particles related to MERV ratings are household dust, pet dander, viruses, tobacco smoke, mold spores, bacteria and pollen.
The most common filters found in homes today have a MERV rating of 1 to 4. Typically these are disposable fiberglass filters purchased from a big box store and do not do a good job of air filtration because they don’t stop particles smaller than 10 microns. Improper air filtration can lead to air conditioner and/or furnace problems as well as poor indoor air quality.
Merv 5 to 8 rated filters are a better choice. These filters will not only keep your equipment running clean and efficient when properly maintained, they also do a better job of filtering smaller dust particles (as small as 3 microns) that trigger symptoms with allergy sufferers. Filter replacement it is recommended a minimum of one time per season depending on usage.
If your air filter becomes clogged up with dirt and other indoor pollutants they will decrease the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning system leading to wasted energy and may cause damage or premature breakdown to your heating and air conditioning equipment.
Filters with a MERV rating of 9 to 12 are considered high-efficiency filters and capture particulate in the 1 to 3 micron range. These filters are a great choice for home owners who want the best air filtration at an affordable price. Much like the higher rated MERV 5-8 filters, these filters should also be replaced at regular intervals to avoid wasted energy, premature repairs or breakdown to your heating and air conditioning equipment.
The most efficient filters have MERV ratings of 13 to 16 (HEPA air filter) and will stop particles as small as .3 microns. These filters are hospital grade and have been adapted for use in residential applications. Super high efficiency air filters should be installed by a professional heating and air conditioning contractor. Improper installations could lead to severe damage to your furnace or air conditioner.
The most common benefits of using a high-efficiency air filter are:
1. Energy savings because of cleaner furnaces and cooling coils.
2. Allergy and asthma relief (in many cases) because of reduced airborne particulates and allergens.
3. Longer heating and air conditioning equipment life.
4. Cleaner homes leading to less need for repainting and furniture cleaning.
ASI Hastings offers a complete line of high-efficiency air filters, UV air purification, humidifiers and other indoor air quality products. Call 1-800-481-COOL (2665) or visit us at asiheatingandair.com for a free in home consultation. For your convenience, ASI Hastings offers evening and weekend service at no extra charge.
What does MERV rating stand for? Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value.
MERV ratings are a method of determining the efficiency of an air filter used with heating and air conditioning equipment. The efficiency is determined by adding particles of varying sizes (1-12) into a controlled testing environment. The particles are added upstream of the test filter and a laser particle counter samples the air before it enters the filter and after it leaves the filter. The two particle counts are compared to calculate the Particle Size Efficiency of the tested filter. Once this is determined, a MERV Parameters chart is used to determine the MERV rating.
MERV ratings range from 1 - 16 and measurements are in microns. Some of the common particles related to MERV ratings are household dust, pet dander, viruses, tobacco smoke, mold spores, bacteria and pollen.
The most common filters found in homes today have a MERV rating of 1 to 4. Typically these are disposable fiberglass filters purchased from a big box store and do not do a good job of air filtration because they don’t stop particles smaller than 10 microns. Improper air filtration can lead to air conditioner and/or furnace problems as well as poor indoor air quality.
Merv 5 to 8 rated filters are a better choice. These filters will not only keep your equipment running clean and efficient when properly maintained, they also do a better job of filtering smaller dust particles (as small as 3 microns) that trigger symptoms with allergy sufferers. Filter replacement it is recommended a minimum of one time per season depending on usage.
If your air filter becomes clogged up with dirt and other indoor pollutants they will decrease the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning system leading to wasted energy and may cause damage or premature breakdown to your heating and air conditioning equipment.
Filters with a MERV rating of 9 to 12 are considered high-efficiency filters and capture particulate in the 1 to 3 micron range. These filters are a great choice for home owners who want the best air filtration at an affordable price. Much like the higher rated MERV 5-8 filters, these filters should also be replaced at regular intervals to avoid wasted energy, premature repairs or breakdown to your heating and air conditioning equipment.
The most efficient filters have MERV ratings of 13 to 16 (HEPA air filter) and will stop particles as small as .3 microns. These filters are hospital grade and have been adapted for use in residential applications. Super high efficiency air filters should be installed by a professional heating and air conditioning contractor. Improper installations could lead to severe damage to your furnace or air conditioner.
The most common benefits of using a high-efficiency air filter are:
1. Energy savings because of cleaner furnaces and cooling coils.
2. Allergy and asthma relief (in many cases) because of reduced airborne particulates and allergens.
3. Longer heating and air conditioning equipment life.
4. Cleaner homes leading to less need for repainting and furniture cleaning.
ASI Hastings offers a complete line of high-efficiency air filters, UV air purification, humidifiers and other indoor air quality products. Call 1-800-481-COOL (2665) or visit us at asiheatingandair.com for a free in home consultation. For your convenience, ASI Hastings offers evening and weekend service at no extra charge.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Cash for clunker appliances now includes central air conditioners, furnaces and heat pumps
www.asiheatingandair.com
Effective July 28, the California Energy Commission (CEC) will be administering an estimated $20 million for the California State Energy Efficient Appliances Rebate Program (SPEEARP), also known as cash for clunker appliances.
For the first time central air conditioners, furnaces and heat pumps will be included in this program. Funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible residential consumers who purchase California qualified residential Energy Star appliances. The new heating and air system must replace equipment of the same type that is properly recycled; limit one system per household.
This program will provide up to $1300 in rebates on high efficiency central air conditioners, high-efficiency furnaces and high-efficiency heat pump systems. This $1300, combined with federal tax credits, utility rebates and manufacturer rebates will enable homeowners to get as much as $4,200.00 towards the installation of a new heating and cooling system.
$4200 is huge amount; in my 36 years in the industry I have never seen rebates and incentives like this. Qualifying homeowners will be able to get the most energy efficient equipment ever designed for a fraction of the price. And best of all you will be able to slash the cost of heating and cooling your home 30% to 70%.
This truly is the best time in the history of heating and air conditioning to buy a new furnace or air conditioner. Money for this program is expected to go quickly as it will be providing funds for the entire state of California on major appliances, boilers as well as the replacement of heating and air conditioning equipment.
Restrictions do apply, contact ASI Hastings Heating and Air Conditioning for details. We have energy rebate specialists on staff to answer all your questions.
Effective July 28, the California Energy Commission (CEC) will be administering an estimated $20 million for the California State Energy Efficient Appliances Rebate Program (SPEEARP), also known as cash for clunker appliances.
For the first time central air conditioners, furnaces and heat pumps will be included in this program. Funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible residential consumers who purchase California qualified residential Energy Star appliances. The new heating and air system must replace equipment of the same type that is properly recycled; limit one system per household.
This program will provide up to $1300 in rebates on high efficiency central air conditioners, high-efficiency furnaces and high-efficiency heat pump systems. This $1300, combined with federal tax credits, utility rebates and manufacturer rebates will enable homeowners to get as much as $4,200.00 towards the installation of a new heating and cooling system.
$4200 is huge amount; in my 36 years in the industry I have never seen rebates and incentives like this. Qualifying homeowners will be able to get the most energy efficient equipment ever designed for a fraction of the price. And best of all you will be able to slash the cost of heating and cooling your home 30% to 70%.
This truly is the best time in the history of heating and air conditioning to buy a new furnace or air conditioner. Money for this program is expected to go quickly as it will be providing funds for the entire state of California on major appliances, boilers as well as the replacement of heating and air conditioning equipment.
Restrictions do apply, contact ASI Hastings Heating and Air Conditioning for details. We have energy rebate specialists on staff to answer all your questions.
Energy Saving Tips
www.asiheatingandair.com
One of the easiest ways to reduce high air conditioning bills is to keep your inside window coverings closed on the sunny side of your house. Homes with a large amount of windows, especially on the west side of the house, can save you as much as 28% on cooling costs.
Central air conditioning systems keep you comfortable by removing heat from your home. The better job you do of keeping heat from entering your home the less work your air conditioner has to do.
Heat gain from a window with no inside shading can be as much as 2 1/2 times greater than a properly shaded window. Therefore, keep your inside shades closed whenever possible. If it's practical use outside awnings to shade your windows, this will completely eliminate any heat gain from the sun through your windows.
This simple measure will reduce the runtime of your central conditioner saving your money three ways:
1. Lower utility costs.
2. Reduced A/C maintenance costs.
3. Less air conditioning repairs.
In addition to saving you money and energy, you'll find your home is more comfortable and you will be helping America towards reducing our carbon footprint and energy independence.
One of the easiest ways to reduce high air conditioning bills is to keep your inside window coverings closed on the sunny side of your house. Homes with a large amount of windows, especially on the west side of the house, can save you as much as 28% on cooling costs.
Central air conditioning systems keep you comfortable by removing heat from your home. The better job you do of keeping heat from entering your home the less work your air conditioner has to do.
Heat gain from a window with no inside shading can be as much as 2 1/2 times greater than a properly shaded window. Therefore, keep your inside shades closed whenever possible. If it's practical use outside awnings to shade your windows, this will completely eliminate any heat gain from the sun through your windows.
This simple measure will reduce the runtime of your central conditioner saving your money three ways:
1. Lower utility costs.
2. Reduced A/C maintenance costs.
3. Less air conditioning repairs.
In addition to saving you money and energy, you'll find your home is more comfortable and you will be helping America towards reducing our carbon footprint and energy independence.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
My Air Conditioner Doesn't Seem To Work Well On Humid Days
HIGH HUMIDITY CHANGES THE WORK LOAD ON YOUR AIR CONDITIONER
www.asiheatingandair.com
Humidity refers to the moisture that has evaporated into the air and exists as an invisible gas.
When trying to determine if an air conditioner is cooling properly you need to take into consideration the amount of moisture in the air.
As the heat is removed from air passing over the evaporator coils, moisture condenses out of it. We know this moisture as condensation and provide a drain line for its disposal.
When the humidity is high there is more moisture in the air and more condensation will be formed. There is a price to be paid for extracting this moisture from the air and we pay in the form of BTU’s. For every pound (1 gallon equals 8 pounds) of condensate water that we produce 970 BTU’s are consumed. (12,000 btu’s equals 1 ton of air conditioning)
These BTU’s are busy removing moisture from the air, so they are not available to help actually cool down the interior of the home. This is why an air conditioner doesn’t seem to be working very well on a really humid day when in fact it is operating perfectly. With so many BTU’s being used to remove moisture there are simply not enough left to do the job of cooling the home.
Here are a few tips to get the most out of your air conditioning system when it’s really hot and humid outside.
1. Close up the house and get your air conditioner turned on early in the morning so it can get the moisture out of your home and get a head start on the cooling process. ( a rule of thumb - it can keep up… but it can’t catch up…)
2. Make sure to use the bathroom exhaust fan when showering to exhaust the extra humidity outside instead of adding it to the air conditioners work load.
3. Pull the shades on any windows that have direct sunlight beaming thru them. This radiant heat will add to the amount of work your air conditioner has to do.
4. When cooking, turn on the exhaust vent to keep the heat added to your home to a minimum
www.asiheatingandair.com
Humidity refers to the moisture that has evaporated into the air and exists as an invisible gas.
When trying to determine if an air conditioner is cooling properly you need to take into consideration the amount of moisture in the air.
As the heat is removed from air passing over the evaporator coils, moisture condenses out of it. We know this moisture as condensation and provide a drain line for its disposal.
When the humidity is high there is more moisture in the air and more condensation will be formed. There is a price to be paid for extracting this moisture from the air and we pay in the form of BTU’s. For every pound (1 gallon equals 8 pounds) of condensate water that we produce 970 BTU’s are consumed. (12,000 btu’s equals 1 ton of air conditioning)
These BTU’s are busy removing moisture from the air, so they are not available to help actually cool down the interior of the home. This is why an air conditioner doesn’t seem to be working very well on a really humid day when in fact it is operating perfectly. With so many BTU’s being used to remove moisture there are simply not enough left to do the job of cooling the home.
Here are a few tips to get the most out of your air conditioning system when it’s really hot and humid outside.
1. Close up the house and get your air conditioner turned on early in the morning so it can get the moisture out of your home and get a head start on the cooling process. ( a rule of thumb - it can keep up… but it can’t catch up…)
2. Make sure to use the bathroom exhaust fan when showering to exhaust the extra humidity outside instead of adding it to the air conditioners work load.
3. Pull the shades on any windows that have direct sunlight beaming thru them. This radiant heat will add to the amount of work your air conditioner has to do.
4. When cooking, turn on the exhaust vent to keep the heat added to your home to a minimum
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Allergy and Asthma Checklist
http://www.asiheatingandair.com
Below is an asthma and allergy checklist to help you fight airborne allergy, asthma & upper respiratory problems. Keeping indoor dirt, dust, pollen's, and other indoor air pollutants out of your home will help you improve your indoor air quality. (IAQ) Many of these allergy solutions below cost little or no money.
1. Remove your shoes before entering your home. Wears slippers or have a pair of indoor shoes that never see the outdoors.
2. Don't use a large whole house or large exhaust fan as they draw unfiltered air into your home. You can easily design system to ventilate your home with clean filtered air. An HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) professional can assist you with such a design and installation.
3. Use your kitchen exhaust hood while using your stove to eliminate cooking smoke or products of combustion. This is especially critical with gas stoves.
4. If you have a large exhaust fan in your kitchen, be sure to have a makeup air system. An HVAC professional can assist you with the design and installation
5. Use of a HEPA or central vacuum system will minimize the amount of small irritating particles that become airborne while vacuuming your home.
6. If you don't have a central vac system, vacuum your home while allergy sufferers aren't home.
7. Circulate the air in your home with your furnace or heat pump while vacuuming. This will move the air through your air filter. This can generally be accomplished by going to your thermostat and operating your system in the “fan on” position. Older systems may not have this feature.
8. Use a whole house a high-efficiency air filtration & UV air purification system to remove and purify the air in your home.
9. Use vertical blinds in place of fabric draperies or horizontal blinds to reduce dust to accumulation on window coverings.
10. Use hardwood and tile floors whenever possible. Carpet traps many allergens and indoor air pollutants.
11. Use a portable air filter in areas that are most commonly occupied by allergy sufferers. Bedrooms areas are highly recommend.
12. Have you air conditioner and furnace maintained annually to keep mold, dirt and other pollutants from accumulating in your system.
13. Be careful when choosing and using household cleaners and solvents. Gases from these products create VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and are a major source of indoor air pollution.
14. Adding a whole house humidifier will help minimize the discomfort cause by dry air associated with running your heating system in the winter.
15. Remove large numbers of stuffed animals from bedrooms, at the very least be sure they're clean.
16. Wash sheets and pillowcases in hot water weekly. Use pillow & mattress covers to avoid skin flakes and household dust from impacting mattresses.
17. A properly ventilated bathroom minimizes potential mold build up
Be careful about using disinfectants deodorizers and air cleaners, if you wouldn't drink it you probably shouldn't breathe it.
18. Have the ductwork in your home inspected. Leaky ductwork is a major source of indoor air pollution and wasted energy.
19. Remove or isolate pets that might cause children severe allergy symptoms.
20. Keep pets out of beds and off furniture whenever possible.
Below is an asthma and allergy checklist to help you fight airborne allergy, asthma & upper respiratory problems. Keeping indoor dirt, dust, pollen's, and other indoor air pollutants out of your home will help you improve your indoor air quality. (IAQ) Many of these allergy solutions below cost little or no money.
1. Remove your shoes before entering your home. Wears slippers or have a pair of indoor shoes that never see the outdoors.
2. Don't use a large whole house or large exhaust fan as they draw unfiltered air into your home. You can easily design system to ventilate your home with clean filtered air. An HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) professional can assist you with such a design and installation.
3. Use your kitchen exhaust hood while using your stove to eliminate cooking smoke or products of combustion. This is especially critical with gas stoves.
4. If you have a large exhaust fan in your kitchen, be sure to have a makeup air system. An HVAC professional can assist you with the design and installation
5. Use of a HEPA or central vacuum system will minimize the amount of small irritating particles that become airborne while vacuuming your home.
6. If you don't have a central vac system, vacuum your home while allergy sufferers aren't home.
7. Circulate the air in your home with your furnace or heat pump while vacuuming. This will move the air through your air filter. This can generally be accomplished by going to your thermostat and operating your system in the “fan on” position. Older systems may not have this feature.
8. Use a whole house a high-efficiency air filtration & UV air purification system to remove and purify the air in your home.
9. Use vertical blinds in place of fabric draperies or horizontal blinds to reduce dust to accumulation on window coverings.
10. Use hardwood and tile floors whenever possible. Carpet traps many allergens and indoor air pollutants.
11. Use a portable air filter in areas that are most commonly occupied by allergy sufferers. Bedrooms areas are highly recommend.
12. Have you air conditioner and furnace maintained annually to keep mold, dirt and other pollutants from accumulating in your system.
13. Be careful when choosing and using household cleaners and solvents. Gases from these products create VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and are a major source of indoor air pollution.
14. Adding a whole house humidifier will help minimize the discomfort cause by dry air associated with running your heating system in the winter.
15. Remove large numbers of stuffed animals from bedrooms, at the very least be sure they're clean.
16. Wash sheets and pillowcases in hot water weekly. Use pillow & mattress covers to avoid skin flakes and household dust from impacting mattresses.
17. A properly ventilated bathroom minimizes potential mold build up
Be careful about using disinfectants deodorizers and air cleaners, if you wouldn't drink it you probably shouldn't breathe it.
18. Have the ductwork in your home inspected. Leaky ductwork is a major source of indoor air pollution and wasted energy.
19. Remove or isolate pets that might cause children severe allergy symptoms.
20. Keep pets out of beds and off furniture whenever possible.
Furnace Filters - Merv Ratings
http://www.asiheatingandair.com
1. Define MERV rating?Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value
2. MERV ratings are a method of determining the efficiency of an air filter used with heating and air conditioning equipment. The efficiency is determined by adding particles of varying sizes (1-12) into a controlled testing environment. The particles are added upstream of the test filter and a laser particle counter samples the air before it enters the filter and after it leaves the filter. The two particle counts are compared to calculate the Particle Size Efficiency of the tested filter. Once this is determined, a MERV Parameters chart is used to determine the MERV rating.
3. MERV ratings range from 1 - 16 and measurements are in microns. Some of the common particles related to MERV ratings are household dust, pet dander, viruses, tobacco smoke, mold spores, bacteria and pollen.
4. The most common filters found in homes today have a MERV rating of 1 to 4. Typically these are disposable fiberglass filters purchased from a big box store and do not do a good job of air filtration because they don’t stop particles smaller than 10 microns. Improper air filtration can lead to air conditioner and/or furnace problems as well as poor indoor air quality.
5. Merv 5 to 8 rated filters are a better choice. These filters will not only keep your equipment running clean and efficient when properly maintained, they also do a better job of filtering smaller dust particles (as small as 3 microns) that trigger symptoms with allergy sufferers. Filter replacement it is recommended a minimum of one time per season depending on usage. If your air filter becomes clogged up with dirt and other indoor pollutants they will decrease the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning system leading to wasted energy and may cause damage or premature breakdown to your heating and air conditioning equipment.
6. Filters with a MERV rating of 9 to 12 are considered high-efficiency filters and capture particulate in the 1 to 3 micron range. These filters are a great choice for home owners who want the best air filtration at an affordable price. Much like the higher rated MERV 5-8 filters, these filters should also be replaced at regular intervals to avoid wasted energy, premature repairs or breakdown to your heating and air conditioning equipment.
7. The most efficient filters have MERV ratings of 13 to 16 (HEPA air filter) and will stop particles as small as .3 microns. These filters are hospital grade and have been adapted for use in residential applications. Super high efficiency air filters should be installed by a professional heating and air conditioning contractor. Improper installations could lead to severe damage to your furnace or air conditioner.
8. Some of the benefits of using a high-efficiency air filter are energy savings, allergy and asthma relief (in many cases), longer equipment life, cleaner home, less need for repainting and furniture cleaning.
1. Define MERV rating?Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value
2. MERV ratings are a method of determining the efficiency of an air filter used with heating and air conditioning equipment. The efficiency is determined by adding particles of varying sizes (1-12) into a controlled testing environment. The particles are added upstream of the test filter and a laser particle counter samples the air before it enters the filter and after it leaves the filter. The two particle counts are compared to calculate the Particle Size Efficiency of the tested filter. Once this is determined, a MERV Parameters chart is used to determine the MERV rating.
3. MERV ratings range from 1 - 16 and measurements are in microns. Some of the common particles related to MERV ratings are household dust, pet dander, viruses, tobacco smoke, mold spores, bacteria and pollen.
4. The most common filters found in homes today have a MERV rating of 1 to 4. Typically these are disposable fiberglass filters purchased from a big box store and do not do a good job of air filtration because they don’t stop particles smaller than 10 microns. Improper air filtration can lead to air conditioner and/or furnace problems as well as poor indoor air quality.
5. Merv 5 to 8 rated filters are a better choice. These filters will not only keep your equipment running clean and efficient when properly maintained, they also do a better job of filtering smaller dust particles (as small as 3 microns) that trigger symptoms with allergy sufferers. Filter replacement it is recommended a minimum of one time per season depending on usage. If your air filter becomes clogged up with dirt and other indoor pollutants they will decrease the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning system leading to wasted energy and may cause damage or premature breakdown to your heating and air conditioning equipment.
6. Filters with a MERV rating of 9 to 12 are considered high-efficiency filters and capture particulate in the 1 to 3 micron range. These filters are a great choice for home owners who want the best air filtration at an affordable price. Much like the higher rated MERV 5-8 filters, these filters should also be replaced at regular intervals to avoid wasted energy, premature repairs or breakdown to your heating and air conditioning equipment.
7. The most efficient filters have MERV ratings of 13 to 16 (HEPA air filter) and will stop particles as small as .3 microns. These filters are hospital grade and have been adapted for use in residential applications. Super high efficiency air filters should be installed by a professional heating and air conditioning contractor. Improper installations could lead to severe damage to your furnace or air conditioner.
8. Some of the benefits of using a high-efficiency air filter are energy savings, allergy and asthma relief (in many cases), longer equipment life, cleaner home, less need for repainting and furniture cleaning.
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