DOE Regional Standards Effective May 2013

After years of debate, the Departement of Energy has finalized their new regional standards for HVAC equipment.  The new rules will become effective in May of 2013.

If you’re an owner of a condo or a townhome and are concerned about whether the new rules will impact you, here are a few things to consider.  Most furnaces in condos and townhomes that were built 10+ years ago are standard efficiency furnaces.  If your furnace has a metal chimney, it is a standard efficiency furnace.  A PVC vent connected to your furnace means you are in the clear.  The second thing to look as is whether the utility room is on an exterior wall.  Being on an exterior wall means running a vent out the side of your home MAY be minimially intrusive.  Keep in mind that just because it’s on the exterior wall, a number of other factors still need to be considered to determine whether a high efficiency vent will be feasible.  You can’t have exhaust fumes near a window, fresh air intake, gas meter, etc.  Lastly, running new venting is often not allowed by townhome and condo associations.  But, that will soon change!

What that means is a homeowner who needs an air conditioner charge will see a significant increase in their bill.  That leaky air conditioner is about to get much more expensive.  This is the time for homeowners to truly consider upgrading their unit, especially if they have a unit that has a continuous leak. Adding Freon to the system is just
not cost effective anymore.

The good news is the new standard refrigerant, R410a (Puron), is actually dropping in price.  This summer is expected to be a very busy time as homeowners decide to scrap the old, inefficient, leaky, system for something new, efficient and reliable.

With the busy summer approaching, right now really is the best time to upgrade your air conditioning system.  For the HVAC contractor, the “busy season” in Minnesota usually begins sometime mid June.  I highly recommend planning ahead and getting quotes to upgrade your system before the busy season begins.

Bryant 126B central air conditioner

If you are looking at replacing your central air conditioner this year, we recommend the Bryant 126B.  This air conditioner can achieve up to 15 SEER without upgrading your furnace, which qualifies it for a $300 rebate through Xcel Energy.  It has an excellent hail guard, compressor sound blanket, and comes with a 10 year warranty.  We only install equipment with a good track record, and are happy to install the Bryant 126B.  Give us a call for a quote.  We will do our best to give you the lowest price and the best service around.

Can you find the flaw?

A customer once told me he was interested in a scratch and dent air conditioner because “eventually, I’ll find a way to ding it”.  For homeowners who are not interested in maintaining perfect cosmetic appearance of their HVAC equipment, scratch and dent may be the way to go.

We sell scratch and dent furnaces and air conditioners that have minor cosmetic flaws.  These pieces of equiment come with a full factory warranty.  The major downside is availability.  So if you have your heart set on a scratch and dent Bryant Evolution 986T with 60,000 BTU, your wait may never pay off.  However, if you’re willing to be flexible with the brand and features of the equipment, you could save hundreds.

Same air conditioner, different angle

For example, we installed the scratch and dent air conditioner shown on this page and saved our customer $570.  The condenser had a minor flaw, and the cased evaporator coil had a ding that was completely hidden from view.

If you’re in the market for a new furnace or air conditioner, ask us about scratch and dent equipment to help increase your savings.

Josh Mahoney – Summit Heating & Air Conditioning, White Bear Township, MN

Summit Heating & Air Conditioning

unsightly home heating fuel oil tank

With home heating oil prices approaching record highs of nearly $3.75 per gallon, and natural gas prices at record lows, now is a great time to switch from fuel oil to natural gas.

Relative to today’s market, heat generated from a high efficiency, natural gas furnace is roughly 1/4 the cost compared to a fuel oil furnace.  Today we ran an operation/cost benefit analysis on a 1200 square foot home and the estimated heating bill savings was approximately $1400 per year.

Not only can a new high efficiency furnace save on your gas, but today’s furnaces use less electricity, are quieter, and can help combat hot & cold spots, making your home more comfortable.  Customers also enjoy the extra basement space when the large, unsightly fuel oil tank is removed from the home.

Give us a call or send an e-mail for a free quote on upgrading your home’s heating system.

Tired of digging the window unit out of storage, lugging it over to a window, and allowing the unit to occupy precious window space all summer?  If you do not have central ducts in your home, you are not stuck with window air conditioners as your only option to cool your home.  Ductless air conditioners offer the perfect solution for quiet, comfortable, and efficient temperature control.

Mitsubishi MSZ outdoor section

 A few other benefits of ductless systems are their quiet, efficient operation.  We often hear from home and business owners that they have to struggle to hear the unit running.  Ductless air conditioners are generally more efficient than central air conditioners.  Reaching 17 SEER and higher is not uncommon with these units.  Many of these systems are available as a heat pump as well, which can be a great source of inexpensive heat.  About 80% of our customers chose a heat pump over a straight cool air conditioner.  Heat generated from a heat pump can reach 400% electrical efficiency, and operate at an outdoor temperature of -5 degrees celsius.  We will discuss in more detail how a heat pump operates in another blog. 

*freon extra

Summit Heating and Air Conditioning is offering a flat rate on removal and reinstalling residential central air conditioners. 

$450 total for removal and reinstallation

Removal includes:

• Pump down or reclaim of old refrigerant
• unhook electrial
• cut refrigerant piping
• move air conditioner to a nearby location

Reinstallation includes:

• Hook up electrical
• Install new refrigerant filter dryer to keep system dry and clean
• Pull a vacuum on the system to help eliminate damaging moisture
• Recharge and balance refrigerant pressures with new, clean refrigerant
• Run test air conditioner

Optional:

• New plastic condenser pad $105

The fine print

• Reinstallation of air conditioner of more than 6″ of it’s current location would require additional fees due to modification of the electrical and refrigerant piping. 
• Work involving moving the air conditioner up and/or down a retaining wall higher than 18″, or any other major obstacle would require a 2nd technician, and an additional fee of $175
• 1/2 payment collected at removal.  Balance collected at reinstall.
• We reserve the right to refuse jobs for any reason. 
• Offer good thru 11/15/2011

Contact us at 651-775-1312 or josh@summitheating.com for more information.

www.summitheating.com

White Bear Township, MN

The most popular humidifier type is the bypass humidifier.  With the bypass humidifier, the furnace fan forces air through a 6″ duct over a moist humidifier pad.  Advantages of the bypass humidifier is that it does not require 120 volt operation, it’s easy to maintain, and operates quietly.  Disadvantages include high water use (1/4 of the water gets transferred to your airstream), and a slight drop in airflow.  The airflow decrease could impact homes that have trouble getting full air circulation throughout the home. 

A power humidifier has a small fan that blows air over a moist humidifier pad.  The humidified air is blown into the ductwork by the fan.  This type of humidifier is advantageous in situations where a bypass humidifier cannot be installed, and a drop in airflow cannot be tolerated.  A disadvantage is additional 120 volt wiring may be necessary, and it consumes more energy than a bypass humidifier.

A steam humidifier heats a collection of water above it’s boiling point, and sends the steam to the ductwork through a special rubber hose.  Advantages to a steam humidifier include a 1 to 1 transfer of water to the airstream, and very flexible installation.  Disadvantages include high electrical consumption, and frequent cleaning.

My only experience with a steam humidifier is the Honeywell TrueSteam.  This humidifier has been out for about 2 years, and I’ve been testing a model in my home.  In the past 2 years, I’ve had to clean the unit about 7 times.  The humidifier has also overflown and leaked once.  Because of my personal experience with this humidifier, I am not recommending it to my customers.

What humidity level should I set it at?  That really depends on your home.  A good starting point is 30%.  I tell my customers to keep an eye on their windows.  If condensation is appearing on their windows, the humidity is too high.   As the outdoor temperature drops, the indoor humidity should be adjusted slightly lower as well.  Many humidifiers have an automatic function, that utilizes an outdoor temperature sensor to automatically adjust the humidity setting. 

How much does it cost?  Send us a photo of  furnace and attached ductwork to josh@summitheating.com, and we’ll send you a quote.  Also let us know what city you are located in. 

Josh Mahoney

Here’s the quick answer, chose the cheapest pleated air filter you can buy.  The keyword here is “pleated”.  Cheap pleated air filters can be found at your local  hardware store for about $2-$4. 

The absolute cheapest filter on the market, made of blue fiberglass, does not do an adequate job of capturing enough dust particles to keep your furnace clean.  So stay away from this filter.

The more expensive filters that assist with removal of allergens are not good for your furnace either.  These filters do a great job of filtering your air, but are also known as “furnace killers”.  Because the filters do such a good job filtering the air, they also restrict the airflow.  Restricting the airflow will cause the furnace’s operating temperature to increase.  In addition, the furnace’s circulating fan has to work harder, causing more electricity to be used.  This can also shorten the life of the furnace fan. 

An airflow restriction can be even more costly during air conditioning season.  The outdoor compressor relies on the furnace blower to adequately blow air over the evaporator coil.  Restricted airflow can lead to air conditioner compressor damage. 

The best way to clean your air, without worrying about an airflow restriction, is to have either a 4″ air cleaner installed, or a bypass HEPA cleaner. 

I prefer to install a 4″ media air cleaner that accepts filters that are readily available at any local hardware store.  Many major HVAC manufacturers attempt to lock in a customers’ repeat business, by offering an air cleaner that only accepts brand specific filters.  When the customer needs a new filter, they need to contact a dealer or order the special filters online.  I would much rather my customers have no trouble obtaining replacement filters for their furnace. 

The other option is a bypass HEPA cleaner, which mounts to the ductwork and is a supplement to a 1″ or 4″ air filter system.  Replacement filters for bypass HEPA air cleaners are not yet available at local hardware stores, and are only available through dealers or online.  However, serious allergy sufferers can certainly benefit from the power of a whole house HEPA air cleaner. 

Another way to ensure good indoor air quality is to have an air exchanger installed in your home.  An air exchanger provides a continuous supply of outdoor air to your home, while at the same time expelling stale air.  Today’s air exchangers can be equipped with a HEPA filter, ensuring that no allergens are introduced into you airstream.  A popular air exchanger is the Venmar HEPA 4100. 

For more information about keeping your indoor air clean, feel free to contact me at 651-775-1312 or by e-mail at josh@summitheating.com