Why Should I Consider a Hybrid Heating and Cooling System?

The spring and fall seasons are often a good time to think about budgeting for a new home heating and cooling system, as it can bring the inadequacies of an older system into sharp focus. If you've been faced by rising home heating bills, and if your boiler cost more than you expected to service this year, then it might be time to invest in one of the newer more energy efficient systems out there. But what exactly is a hybrid system, and how could increase your home comfort? 

A Quick Explanation of How a Hybrid Heating and Cooling System Works

A hybrid system is one that uses two different types of fuel to heat your home. It commonly combines a heat pump with a gas or electric furnace. The beauty of this system is that it will use the heat pump to warm up a home until the temperature outdoors reaches a pre-set degree. Once the temperature drops below this range then the heat pump is switched off, and the hybrid heating and cooling system switches to using the gas or electric furnace. This is because although heat pumps are normally incredibly efficient at helping to give energy savings, they don't work so well if the temperature becomes extremely cold. This gives you the best of both worlds, as a dual fuel, hybrid system will reduce the amount of gas or electricity you use giving you significant savings on your energy bills. As soon as the temperature warms up a bit and exceeds the pre-set level once more then your heat pump will take over from your gas or electric furnace. You won't even realize how cold it's gotten outside as there'll be no change in your levels of home comfort. The only thing that will change is your monthly energy bills.  Subsequently, the process is reversed for cooling your home.

It's Important to Get the Right Hybrid Heating and Cooling System

It is important to get the correct hybrid heating and cooling system installed for your home and this is something that requires an experienced installer. It's necessary to calculate the size of heat pump required to comfortably heat and cool your home, eliminating any cool or warm spots, and the correct size of furnace or air conditioner. Your installer will also be able to advise you as to the correct way to set up your system, and how to choose the most economical temperature setting based on the cost of your utility providers. It is very important to get this right as otherwise you can't reap the full benefit of having a hybrid heating and cooling system.

Making your Hybrid Heating and Cooling System Even More Efficient

At this stage it may be worthwhile thinking of ways to improve the efficiency of your system even further, and one way to do this is to have a new programmable thermostat fitted. This will allow you to accurately set up your system to give the greatest energy savings while still increasing your own comfort levels. Most people find their heating bill is a major part of their monthly outgoings, so fitting a new hybrid heating and cooling system could reduce these costs by up to a third. This is a truly significant saving and is well worth considering if your system is getting old.

How Can Controlled Humidity Lead to Greater Energy Savings?

We all know too much humidity can cause mold to grow in the home, and that this can especially be a problem in bathrooms, but too little humidity can also be bad for home comfort levels, and also for energy bills. Heating and cooling the house is one of the main monthly expenses involved in running a home, and it can often be quite difficult to keep the temperature just right so it pleases all the occupants. This can be especially tricky during the winter months when a drop in the outside temperatures can lead to heartfelt requests to turn up the thermostat, but is turning up the heat really the answer? 

Humidity Levels Need to Be Balanced When You Heat Your Home

When the thermostat is kept high then the humidity levels can drop quite dramatically during the winter months but this won't necessarily lead to increased home comfort and extra warmth. Some people don't realize that the humidity in the air inside the house controls the amount of heat the property will hold. If the air is more humid it can hold more heat, and this makes humidity an extremely important factor in home comfort. If your home is especially dry during the winter months then your heat pump or boiler will need to work harder to maintain the temperature as the drier air simply cannot hold as much heat as you'd like. One solution is to simply place a lot of bowls of water around your house to try and increase humidity levels, but this really is a bit basic and should only ever be considered as a stopgap until you can get a proper system in place.

Using a Whole Home Humidifier

If your home is exceptionally dry then a whole home humidifier is definitely the best way to go. There are so many different types on the market so it's best to consult a qualified professional who will be able to tell you the size and type that is right for your home. It is easily installed by your heating and cooling technician and is designed to deliver the perfect level of humidity to increase home comfort. You'll notice you and your family feel more comfortable even though the thermostat is lower, leading to greater energy savings. Turning down your thermostat by just 1° could save you up to 4% on your heating bill.

Increased Home Humidity Can Lead to Better Health for Your Family

If your home is exceptionally dry then you and your family may have noticed a number of unpleasant symptoms. Allergies can be aggravated, you're likely to suffer from more sore throats, and may notice your skin has dry patches. Anyone with asthma is likely to notice their symptoms increase. Even worse, some viruses can thrive in low humidity so you're at increased risk of catching respiratory ailments such as colds and flu. You'll notice the difference soon after installing a whole home humidifier, as it's likely you'll enjoy a better night’s sleep and will generally feel more comfortable. It is also healthier for your home, as a lack of humidity can increase the risk of wooden floors splitting, or wooden furniture becoming damaged.

Tips for Lowering Fuel Costs in the Home in winter

It is nice to be able to stay comfortable and warm during the winter months, but rising energy
costs mean many people are more tempted to turn their thermostat down rather than up. So are
there any ways of lowering fuel costs during the winter, or is it a matter of putting on a few extra
layers and counting the days until spring arrives? Luckily there are quite a few things the average
householder can do to achieve greater energy savings, increasing home comfort. While some of
these are relatively simple, such as eliminating drafts around doors and windows, others may
require a bit more of an initial outlay, but are worth it in the long run.

Updating old Boilers and Furnaces

Heating a home tends to account for most of the winter fuel bill in the average home in the
United States, and most people tend to carry on using an old and outdated system until it breaks
down and can no longer be repaired, but this isn’t necessarily the best course of action. Choosing
a more energy efficient model could save considerable sums on energy bills. However it is
important to make sure you choose the right system and that it is correctly installed by an expert.
This will ensure you get the best performance from the new furnace, and that the equipment lasts
a long time. If you don’t want to change your current heating system then there still may be ways
you can make it more efficient.

Simple Things to Make Your Current Heating System More Efficient

One of the most important things is to make sure it is regularly maintained by booking a fall
furnace tune up in plenty of time before the colder weather really sets in. If your boiler or
furnace is relatively new then it is important to keep up with manufacturer required maintenance
schedules to ensure it is still under warranty. Other things that can really make a difference to the
efficiency of your furnace include changing filters at the recommended intervals. Clogged up
filters can impede the flow of air, affecting the efficiency of the furnace. Another easy way to
lower fuel costs is to install a programmable thermostat. This can make it simple to regulate your
homes temperature more effectively, so you don’t waste energy when you are asleep or away
from the house.

Duct Cleaning

Ducts can get dusty and dirty, so having them professionally cleaned can help your heating and
cooling system to function at its optimal level. This isn’t something that needs to be done
annually, but it is something that needs to be done by a professional firm. One advantage of
having this done is that the ducts can also be checked to make sure they don’t leak. Having leaks
or poorly sealed connections between the ducts can reduce the efficiency of a heating system by
up to 20%, leading to higher utility bills. Leaky ducts will also make it more difficult to keep the
home warm and comfortable. If you have not had your boiler serviced recently, or think it may
need overhauling then now is the time to have this essential maintenance.

Is Duct Cleaning Really Essential?

The air ducts in a home heating system are often ignored and overlooked, but in fact you're
supposed to have them cleaned every so often. But how essential is this, and how frequently
should it be done? The truth is that it is difficult to say how frequently duct cleaning should be
carried out as it does depend on factors that can vary from home to home. The air ducts do have
an important job to do, and can become dirty and dusty due to the dust particles circulating in the
home. It is something that needs cleaning on a regular basis, but there are certain circumstances
where it would be advisable to have duct cleaning carried out more often.

Circumstances Which May Warrant Duct Cleaning

One of the circumstances that can warrant duct cleaning is if you have mold inside your home. It
can be possible to actually see mold growing inside the air ducts or on other components of a
home heating system. In this case it is best to contact a company who is qualified to deal with
this type of problem. They should be able to show you where the mold is present in the system.
They'll also be able to tell you tell you whether or not it actually is mold, as certain substances
can look like mold without being the real thing. Another situation that definitely warrants having
ducts cleaned is if they have become infested with insects. You may also want to have them
cleaned out if you notice the ducts are becoming clogged with excessive amounts of dust, and
that this dust is being expelled through the registers in your home. An experienced contractor
will also to tell you why this problem has arisen in the first place, as there may be some
underlying reason for the infestation or mold that needs further attention.

What Happens during Duct Cleaning?

Duct cleaning is quite specialized, and involves the use of specific tools in order to dislodge the
debris and dirt in the ducts. The loose dirt is then removed with a high-powered vacuum cleaner.
Sometimes it may be necessary to use certain chemical agents that are designed to kill off any
contaminants within the duct system. Some of these are also designed to help control mold
growth, and can help prevent the release of any dirt from the ducts.

Deciding When It's Time for Duct Cleaning

It can be quite difficult to decide when it's necessary to call in the professionals for duct cleaning,
especially as there's no specific time period for doing so. It might be beneficial to have your
ducts cleaned if your family has begun suffering from unexplained allergies or illnesses, and if a
quick visual inspection of your ducts reveals they are looking a little dirty. An experienced
contractor will be able to tell you whether dirty air ducts are responsible for poor indoor air
quality, or if there may be some other reason for any unexplained ailments. It's extremely
important to choose someone who is properly qualified, as otherwise more dust and dirt could be
released into the air, reducing home comfort levels and possibly decreasing the efficiency of your
furnace or boiler.

Are Filter Changes Really Necessary?

Perhaps the last time you changed your filter you thought it looked rather clean, and perhaps
you're tempted to skip changing it so frequently. This might seem reasonable, as after all if your
home is nice and clean then maybe your filters don't need changing quite so often, or it could be
that your filters aren't working as well as they should. It is a pretty tempting to try to make filters
last longer than they really should, but it's worth understanding exactly what they have to do. The
heating and cooling system in a home sucks in air from the room and heats or cools it before
blowing it back into the home. The air filters are there to filter the air before it is sucked in and
passed over the heating or cooling coils. The air filter's job is to prevent these coils from
becoming clogged, as this could cause damage to the system and will make it run less effectively.
In addition air filters are there to help prevent the air ducts from becoming clogged up with dust
and dirt, and prevent dust from being circulated around the home.

The Importance of Doing Filter Changes at Regular Intervals

It has become more important to clean air filters over the past few years as manufacturers have
designed these filters to remove microscopic particles from the atmosphere including bacteria,
pollen and plants and mold spores. This means they can become dirty and clogged up even if
they still appear to be clean, as much of the dirt will be invisible to the naked eye. A cleaner air
filter will help the system run more effectively and will help deliver greater energy savings on
heating bills.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Your Air Filters

Air filters have different ratings, and the higher the rating the more likely the air filter is to trap
particles in the air. Some of them have such high ratings that they are up to 95% effective at
removing airborne particles. These filters have to work pretty hard, as a correctly functioning
heating and cooling system will circulate the air in the home once every hour. These ratings are
called MERV ratings, with the initials standing for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. The
cheaper filters tend to be flat, while more expensive filters tend to be pleated as this gives a
greater surface area. One interesting fact is that the effectiveness of the filter can actually
increase once it gets a little bit dirty as the fibers used in the filter shrink, allowing more airborne
particles to be trapped. However this isn't an excuse for not changing the filters, as this is only
effective up to a point, and a build-up of particles will inhibit the air flow through the system.

If The Filter looks too clean check it’s Fitted Properly

If your air filters have been in place for a while but still look incredibly clean then it's well worth
while checking they are fitted properly. It is all too easy to fit them upside down, or to fit them so
they are a little too loose. You may also want to call out a professional to make sure the system is
working properly.

Cleaner Air with Ultraviolet Air Cleaners

Occasionally a home’s ventilation system will not be enough to ensure that you are getting fresh and healthy air circulating throughout your living space. This happens over time as particles build up in parts of your home, which then are circulated through your ventilation ducts to the rest of your home, compromising its indoor air quality. One method of combatting this problem is to have a professional clean out your ducts on a fairly regular basis. This will get rid of the source of the problem, and should always be one of the main defenses against bacterial build up, but there is another way to combat the problem on a daily basis, so the air in your home remains clean in between the scheduled duct maintenance. This newer method comes in the form of ultraviolet air cleaners—a device that destroys the harmful particles in your air as it circulates throughout your home.

How They Work

Other more traditional air cleaning systems use filters to remove the bacteria and other harmful particles from your air as it circulates. The problem with this style is that any filter will need to be changed after a certain amount of time has passed, and if it is not changed, your indoor air quality will be lowered considerably, also potentially lowering the energy efficiency of your heating and cooling systems. The ultraviolet air cleaner does not use filters at all; rather, it harnesses the power of ultraviolet rays to destroy dangerous particles and bacteria that pass through it. In this way, ultraviolet air cleaners do not require the same amount of maintenance that ordinary filter based air cleaners do, providing home comfort via a consistently safe indoor air environment.

Ultraviolet Air Cleaner Pros and Cons

Most of the pros for ultraviolet air cleaners have already been covered. One thing to mention is that they do not require air flow to continue to be effective, unlike traditional filter based systems, which means your home’s air will still be cleaned even while your furnace or air conditioner is not running. One of the problems with ultraviolet air cleaners that may be equivalent to changing filters is the need to replace the ultraviolet bulbs, since over time they become less effective. Another aspect to consider about ultraviolet air cleaners is that they do not destroy all harmful particles that can exist in a home. Also, since they are a newer technology, the upfront costs are little high but the benefit and energy savings you get in the long term off-set that cost.

Using Ultraviolet Air Cleaners Affectively

Since there is some give and take when it comes to ultraviolet air cleaners, you may want to use them in conjunction with another air cleaning system. This will ensure that you will able to remove as many unwanted particles from the air as possible. Ultimately it depends on your living conditions and what you need to keep out of your air, especially if you have asthma or a particular allergy. If you have any questions regarding ultraviolet air cleaners and are wondering if it is a good investment for you, call one of our representatives who will be happy to discuss what is best for your personal situation.

How Could an Air Handler Help Increase Home Comfort?

An air handler is used to circulate air and is usually part of a heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system. An air handler consists of cooling elements, heating elements and a blower, as well as filter racks, sound attenuators and dampers. It's usually connected to the duct system responsible for distributing air throughout the home. An air handler might also include a humidification control system and an air filtration system. The most basic models will merely transfer heated or cooled air throughout the home, whilst more sophisticated systems will clean the air before circulating it through the home. The choice of an air handler may well depend on the size of your home, your current HVAC system, and of course your budget. It is good idea to ask a professional installer to calculate the correct size of an air handler for your home. Your air handler may be variable speed, or it can be a single speed air handler.

What is The Difference between Single Speed Air Handlers and Variable Speed Air Handlers?

A single speed air handler is really pretty basic, as the fan motor only has one speed. In contrast the variable speed air handler is able to run at a range of different speeds, and this means that the air moved through your home is precisely controlled. Variable speed air handlers also have the advantage of being more efficient, as most of the time you'll find they are running on low speed whereas single speed air handlers generally run on high all the time. You'll also find it's quite difficult to notice when the system is actually running, as the transition between low and high speeds is very gentle. Obviously if your air handler is running at a low speed, then you'll find it's much quieter. It's also more efficient if you have electronics zoning, as variable speed air handlers are much more able to handle different zones within your home. They're also more able to remove humidity from your home, so you'll find you stay more comfortable.

An Efficient Air Handler Will Keep Heating and Cooling Bills Lower

Rising energy prices are a worry for many, but you'll find that an efficient air handler, working in combination with a well-maintained HVAC unit will help lower fuel costs. You'll enjoy much better energy efficiency and greater home comfort, but of course it is vitally important to choose the right model for your home. 

How Long Will an Air Handler Last?

Generally speaking the lifespan of an air handler is around 10 to 15 years, but this does depend on whether manufacturer requires maintenance schedules have been adhered to, and if the system has been well-maintained. It also depends on whether or not it was properly installed in the first place, and the actual design of the unit. More modern air handlers will have a much better efficiency rating than older models, so if you intend to stay in your house for quite a while and have an older air handler it may be worth looking into replacing it sooner rather than later, so you can reap the benefits of increased efficiency and home comfort.