Why should I purchase a new heating or air conditioning system?

How long will my System last?

What type and size unit will our home need?

What is a BTU?

What is a SEER rating?

What does HSPF stand for?

What does AFUE stand for?

How often should filters be cleaned or replaced and what type of filter should I use?

What is Freon R-22?

What is R-410A?

What is Energy Star?

What is a heat pump?

Do I need to change my indoor coil?

What is an air handler?

How does your air conditioner work?

 

Why should I purchase a new heating or air conditioning system? Top

If your existing system is old, in need of repair or simply inefficient, purchasing a new unit can offer long-term benefits. Instead of paying for continuous maintenance and high heating and cooling monthly bills, you should invest in a new system today that will save you money for years to come. We can answer all your questions concerning replacing filters, energy efficiency ratings, repairs needed, and we can show you how to save on your utility bills, by replacing your unit with a more efficient one. Please contact us to request an appointment to have a qualified, licensed and certified technician perform a preliminary diagnostic inspection and answer all your heating and cooling questions.

How long will my System last? Top

If all recommended maintenance and service actions are taken an air conditioner can last 12 to 15 years and a gas furnace can last 20 to 25 years. At Shavitz we offer money saving value maintenance agreements to help upkeep your system for maximum heating & air conditioning reliability & efficiency. Contact us and we can further discuss the benefits of a maintenance agreement for your system today.

What type and size unit will our home need? Top

At Shavitz we will consider many factors before making a recommendation. For example, the size and age of your home, your utility costs, and other factors will affect the functionality and efficiency of the system. Shavitz will utilize the latest technology to consider all these factors while assisting you in choosing the best system for your home. Contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable technicians to give you an estimate, and assist you in your selection.

What is a BTU? Top

BTU, short for British Thermal Unit, is a basic measure of thermal (heat) energy. One BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. When speaking of cooling power, the BTU also works in reverse. The air-cooling power of an air conditioning system refers to the amount of thermal energy removed from an area. Hence a 65,000 BTU heater and a 65,000 BTU air conditioner are of roughly the same capacity and size. The higher the BTU output, the more powerful the heating or cooling system.

What is a SEER rating? Top

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, (SEER) rates air conditioning equipment. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the unit. The lower the SEER rating, the more energy is required to produce the desired effect. SEER is the ratio of the amount of BTU’s used for cooling in normal annual use to the total amount of electrical power (measured in watts) over the same period. (Annual Cooling in BTU’s/Total Watt Hours = SEER).

What does HSPF stand for? Top

The Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, or HSPF rates heat pump equipment in the heating mode. This factor rates the efficient operation of the heating portion of the heat pump. As the HSPF increases, the unit functions at a more efficient level.

What does AFUE stand for? Top

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.

How often should filters be cleaned or replaced and what type of filter should I use? Top

While some special filters can be changed less frequently, most filter manufacturers recommend that filters should be cleaned or replaced once a month.  The best recommendation, however, is to start with changing your filters once per month and inspect them.  If they are pretty clean then try going two months and so on until you find the filter frequency that is best for your home.  Make sure to always replace your filter with the same size as the original to filter ALL of the airflow.  Make sure air can’t go over the top of or behind an improperly sized filter – it will cause big problems down the road.

The best type of filter for your home is a big misconception.  Higher priced filters don’t necessarily mean better.  The expensive pleated (accordion looking) filters at the big box stores may do a fair job of filtering your air, but they also restrict your airflow by a lot.  This causes your system to work much harder and can measurably reduce the amount of airflow (and comfort) your system can deliver.  This will also increase your utility bills and reduce the expected life of your equipment.  The filter’s job is to extend the life of your furnace by keeping it clean, and an expensive (but restrictive) filter can actually do the opposite.  The best filter for the efficiency, comfort, and long term reliability of your system is a the inexpensive low resistance fiberglass filter!  If you want to improve your air quality do so with high performance filters that also have low resistance to airflow.

What is Freon R-22? Top

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. For this reason, the United States Clean Air Act has set a target date for January 1, 2012, on which HVAC manufacturers must cease the production of products that use R-22.

What is R-410A? Top

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 by the beginning of 2010.

What is Energy Star? Top

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 information about the Energy Star program, please view their website at www.energystar.gov.

What is a heat pump? Top

A heat pump is a device used for either the heating or cooling of a space by transferring hot and cold between two reservoirs. A heat pump can act like an air conditioner, transferring heat from inside to out, or like a heater as it transfers exterior heat to the interior.

Schedule an appointment today to have one of our certified and licensed technicians come to your home to give you a preliminary diagnostic of your heat pump system.

Do I need to change my indoor coil? Top

There are two main coils, the evaporator and the condenser. There is a third major air conditioning component called the compressor. The compressor, which is a pump, is responsible for keeping the refrigerant flowing through the coils. It is generally a good idea to replace the indoor coil if you are also replacing your air conditioner or heat pump. There is a correlation between the efficiency of your heating or cooling system and the performance of the indoor coil and changing out the current indoor coil for a new one may be critical to optimizing the performance, efficiency and the savings potential of your new system.

What is an air handler? Top

An air handler is the inner portion of a central air conditioning or heat pump system that is responsible for the movement of the heated or cooled air throughout the area covered with the system. An air handler in combination with a heat pump performs the task of circulating both hot and cold air through the desired area. Clean and safe air handlers in your home ensure that you and your family can have fresh and comfortable air all the year round. Contact us at Shavitz and we can have one of our knowledgeable technicians come to your home to give you a preliminary diagnostic of your systems needs.

How does your air conditioner work? Top

• Short Version – Heat is removed from the air in your home, pumped outside, and given off to the outside air.

 

• Longer Version – Warm air in your house is sucked into the return vents (the vents that are not adjustable), through the return ductwork system, and is then blown across a coil (the evaporator coil which sits on top of your furnace). The evaporator coil contains refrigerant (freon) which was pumped into your house from the outdoor air conditioning unit (the condensing unit). Like a dry sponge absorbing water, the refrigerant absorbs the heat out of the warm air. Once the heat is absorbed out of the air, the now cooled air is blown back through the supply ductwork system into your house through the supply vents (the vents that can be adjusted with the little knobs). The refrigerant, which has just absorbed the heat from your house, is then pumped to the outdoor condensing unit. The outdoor condensing unit operates in a similar fashion to the evaporator coil in your house. A fan pulls outside air across another set of coils (the condensing coils) where the air absorbs the heat out of the refrigerant. This is similar to wringing out the sponge and giving the water to the outside air. After this process, in which the refrigerant just gave the heat that was absorbed from your house to the outside air, the refrigerant is rejuvenated and is then sent back to the evaporator coil in your home to absorb more heat.

 

Another important function of your air conditioner is to dehumidify your house.

Just like your mirror is foggy when you get out of the shower, the evaporator coil also grabs the moisture out of the air. This moisture is then taken out of your house via the condensate drain (usually the PVC pipes coming out of the top of your furnace). Properly sizing your air conditioner is critical to this dehumidification function of your air conditioning. If your air conditioner is too big, it will cool your house down too rapidly and then turn off before it has gotten a chance to pull enough moisture out of your house.