The new contractor had said that an air conditioning tune-up would no longer be enough to keep the heat pump running, but I had stubbornly overlooked what he said. He must have been new to the HVAC business because, in my opinion, he had no idea that some equipment had more years to them than it appeared. I called a different cooling expert to prove my point and insisted that he carry out duct sealing and check the temperature control system. Looking back, I cannot believe that I was that ignorant to think that those two services were all that it would take to improve my indoor air quality simply because I had read a five-line article on an HVAC duct. The tech did as I had instructed, but he also told me that it was not enough to keep the equipment running for long. The long and short of it was that I needed to purchase new air conditioning equipment if I cared for my indoor comfort. I started by doing extensive research to have my facts straight. The next thing I did was talk to the new cooling specialist so that he could explain further what I needed to do and the type of system that was best suited for my home. I decided that a mini-split air conditioner would be best. With it and a smart thermostat, I would be able to have a zone control system that would be very energy efficient. I also apologized for being stubborn earlier when he told me maintenance would not be enough. I learned a life lesson: I would never let my own opinions crowd my judgment.
Betting a new air conditioning system and winning!
As the game got intense, my boss bet to give me a new air conditioning unit if he lost
Since we had a great and profitable year as an HVAC business, the boss decided to take us to an out-of-town retreat and wind down. The retreat was for three days and two nights at a five-star resort near the ocean. On the first day, we got there and every one of us was exhausted. Fortunately, the indoor air quality in our rooms was impeccable. The resort management did understand how to keep the system cleaning and cooling the air. Since we were super tired on the first day, many of us had an early night while some of us gathered downstairs for a game of poker. No matter which corner of the resort we were at, the temperature seemed to be the same. I later understood that they had a zone control system that evened out the temperature all through the resort. The poker game got more competitive and more serious. We started betting on large items such as heat pumps, temperature controls, and mini-split air conditioners. Now and then, a waiter would come and ask if we needed anything. I also saw a cooling specialist hard at work duct sealing while another was cleaning the HVAC ducts. I knew he was a cooling expert from the badge hanging around his neck. As the game got intense, my boss bet to give me a new air conditioning unit if he lost. Guess what? He lost! This unit came as a gift from the universe as I had started saving up for a new one plus a thermostat after my previous one crashed right before the annual air conditioner tune-up was done. Being just a new contractor, my salary was not that much.
How to prolong the lifespan of your new air conditioning system
When I first moved out of my parents’ house, I experienced a feeling of freedom and release.
Though I was moving out and thought I knew how to live alone, I still missed the guidance of my parents and their provision.
Having to pay the bill and buy the necessities made me rethink moving. It was there that I developed a habit of hoarding. One of the most important and expensive appliances in my house was the new air conditioning system. My parents had a heat pump that had served us for so many years and because of hoarding, I wanted to know how I could prolong the life of the new mini-split air conditioning. I asked my parents and dad said it was because they purchased a quality unit which is why it lasted that long. This was a reasonable answer but I felt like I needed more clarification. Hence, I visited the HVAC business in a quest to find either a new contractor or an experienced cooling expert for further advice. The cooling specialist was clear when he emphasized the requirement to regularly do a quality air conditioner tune-up. This process allows the professional to clean the unit including the HVAC ducts and the filters. They also reinforce any loose duct sealing in a bid to improve the indoor air quality. When the air in circulation is free from pollutants, it means the unit and the thermostat do not strain thus functioning for a long time. The professional gave a tip that I had never thought of before: when you find your system is straining to cool or heat the entire house, then you can have a professional split the house into zones and connect them via a zone control system with central temperature control.
How to maintain outstanding indoor air quality this spring
I just gave birth to my firstborn, my boy, Saul, like three months ago.
- Just like every other new parent, we had tried to get everything ready for him before his arrival.
Since I knew the due date would fall in spring, I had a request that needed to be granted before Saul got here. We discussed with my husband and agreed that we needed to always maintain great indoor air quality for our newborn and us. Breathing fresh air keeps you healthy and reduces any respiratory inflammation. To achieve this, we needed a system that would also cool us down. We previously had a heat pump and wanted to change to a new air condition unit. The point was to have a system that cleans and cools down the air. The cooling specialist recommended the mini split air conditioner. Though pricier than traditional systems, this AC unit is efficient and also conserves energy. Installation was only the first step, to maintain the high quality of air, the cooling expert advised that we keep the HVAC ducts clean. This not only promotes airflow and proper function of the unit but also increases the quality of air. Professionals can clean the vents while executing a quality air conditioner tune-up on the regular. Duct sealing is also a way of maintaining the quality of air. When the ducts are leaking they can release carbon monoxide which is a poisonous gas. Even when installing a zone control system, it is important to also keep checking the thermostats. We managed to have the house ready for saul. We even had a programmable temperature control so we could set our desired temperature. We kept visiting the HVAC business for clarifications, we kept finding a new contractor who was very well informed.
I almost got gas poisoning due to a lack of duct sealing
It had been such a long week and all I wanted was to sleep in during the weekend so I could rejuvenate my physical and mental strength. I got home, made some delicious tacos, took a shower, had dinner, and settled down on the sofa to watch an episode of my favorite TV series. It was not unusual to drift off to sleep before the first ten minutes. I was out for close to an hour and when I awoke, I felt something was not right. I tried to get up but my head felt heavy and my legs could not carry my weight. On seeing this, I tried to calm myself and called an ambulance. I was in the hospital for three days. The doctors said it was carbon monoxide poisoning. It turns out that the HVAC ducts were leaking and I had not gotten round to scheduling the cooling expert for duct sealing. During typical operation, the HVAC system releases combustion gasses like carbon monoxide through its ventilation systems. The leaking vents caused back-drafting, which is where these gasses are pulled back into the house instead of being expelled outdoors. I have a heat pump and recently got a new air conditioning system, the mini-split air conditioner. To integrate these two systems in different parts of the house, I also have a zone control system that evens out the temperatures. The cooling specialist did a comprehensive air conditioner tune-up to find out whether there were any additional issues. They also check the thermostats and temperature controls in the different rooms. I also found out from the new contractor that to increase the indoor air quality, you need to regularly service the system. Many HVAC businesses usually provide a complete maintenance program.
Why is a mini-split air conditioner a better AC system
Last spring I was in search of a good AC system and I am glad I found it.
I had the heat pump for a very long time and it was working well for me until it was not.
About three months before I replaced it, this unit started acting up. It would break down often and especially when there is a holiday and all the HVAC businesses are closed. I would have cooling experts at my house after every two weeks to repair the system. When I tallied the total amount used for repairs, I knew it was time to look for a new air conditioning system. The company I visited had this kind and a well knowledgeable cooling specialist in the reception area. He took me through the available systems and after I heard all the good things he said about the mini-split air conditioner, I went with it. The professional said that the new system came with complete ductwork of HVAC ducts meandering the house. When duct sealing is done perfectly, the cool air remains within the house which causes the unit to be not strained or overworked. This in turn conserves energy and you end up saving a lot on the energy bill. Though it is pricier than traditional HVAC systems, this system can cool or heat particular places like the garage or sunroom and can be controlled using any temperature control, however, I would opt for the programmable thermostat. The unit increased the indoor air quality on top of cooling me down. The professionals insisted that I keep a regular schedule of air conditioning tune-up. I later installed a zone control system as I had to split the house into zones. A new contractor from the local company helped install and figure out how to operate the system.
Ductless heat pump is quite remarkable
I wasn’t so sure when my wife suggested that we get some residential HVAC.
For some reason, it made me wonder if she wasn’t aware of what we were doing here.
Actually, that should be what I was doing here. My wife and I were recently married after 3 years of dating. But I’ve been living off the grid for more than 20 years. This is my idea of happiness and it’s so wonderful to have finally found someone who can share in all of it. So I was more than a little bit taken aback when there was mention of better quality heating and air. For sure, we have the heating covered. The cabin I built has a very serious wood stove that provides all the heating we’d ever need. Now sometimes, it would be nice to have another heating method for the times when we’re away and the fire is out. It’d be nice to come home to some HVAC heating until I could get the wood stove up and running. And she made a great point about the air conditioning in the summer as well. For sure, there are like 8 weeks where just the fans aren’t quite cutting it when it comes to cooling. So we went to see the HVAC professionals to see what they had to say. They suggested the ductless heat pump right away. The ductless heat pump was perfect for our situation and our needs. I have to say that my wife was right on the money when it came to having some residential HVAC out here in the boonies.
Now this is the sort of HVAC heating need I can live with
I remember the older my dad got, the less likely he was to arm wrestle me.
That’s sort of a weird thing to remember I guess.
But that was the first time that I can remember thinking that my dad was getting older. It happens to all of us and I simply wasn’t able to deal with living through another winter that required a gas furnace. It just all got to be a bit too much for me. And I’m not even all that old either. So when the company I work for opened a new office with zone controlled HVAC in the south, I threw my hat in the ring. Sure enough, I got the job. The zone controlled HVAC of the office was everything it was cracked up to be and more. I love the air conditioning comfort of the office. The heat and humidity down here really does require great commercial HVAC for a building like ours. And I have a great heat pump at home that gives me the residential HVAC that I need as well. For sure, the focus of the HVAC is on the cooling side. But man, do I ever love the fact that I have one HVAC unit to take care of both my heating and cooling needs. It’s such a wonderful thing to be able to simply flip the thermostat over to heating come about December. And even then, the HVAC heating needs are just minimal. The heat pump comes on from time to time to knock the chill out of the house and that’s about it. That’s the sort of HVAC heating needs that suit me.
Caught the HVAC heating bandit
When we walked into this house, my wife and I just fell completely in love with the place.
It was just everything we had ever wanted in a home.
Since we were both city dwellers all of our life living with radiant heating we couldn’t quite control, just the idea of owning a home was amazing. But then, we walked into this house and were just overwhelmed by just how much it fit us. My wife and I moved here when she took a job promotion that required us moving from the city for the first time in our lives. There was a lot to get accustomed to with the move. So having the right home was such a benefit as we settled in to our new lives. Plus, there was a new gas furnace as well as central air conditioning unit as well. The house was an older house and the gas furnace was essential to providing the heating that we had to have. Yet, as much as we loved our home, the winter was not super cozy as well as costly when it came to HVAC heating. This went on for the first couple of winters. But I finally decided to talk to the HVAC professionals about what I could do to reduce the cost of heating. We had already been super disciplined when it came to the thermostat. So the HVAC professional helped me understand that drafts and gaps were the big bandit when it came HVAC heating. I did just as the HVAC professionals suggested and sealed up all those gaps and finally caught that heating bandit.
Big savings was the result of winter prep
I don’t often get a pat on the back from my wife for doing stuff around the house. And that seems about right. Far too often, I’m hanging out watching TV in the air conditioning instead of helping out. That’s one reason. The other reason is that I just don’t happen to be all that handy around the house. My dad was the sort who would work on just about anything other than the HVAC equipment in his house. But those abilities just didn’t transfer over to me. So when my wife and I tallied up the total HVAC heating costs last month, she really was so proud of me. And I have to say, that I was pretty surprised that my efforts at winter prep resulted in such significant HVAC heating savings. Our heating costs have gone up just about every year since we owned this house. When we bought the place, it came with a new gas furnace that was just about as efficient as they come. I made sure that the new gas furnace always got the heating maintenance from the HVAC professional each fall. But that was the extent of my winter preparations when it came to the house. This fall, I challenged myself to change that. I followed the list from the HVAC company website and just went one by one until I got the house all sealed up tight. And now, not only did I save a bunch of money, my wife thinks I did a great job and that might feel even better than saving all the money.
Make sure you know who is working on the HVAC
I’m all for getting out in the world and doing your own thing.
In fact, I did just that when it comes to how I make my living.
When I left the quality heating and air of my parent’s house for college, I did so with a purpose. My passion was landscaping and I wanted to do landscaping design for a living. And I wanted to do it for myself. The idea of working from someone day in and day out inside the zone controlled HVAC of an office was not my idea of happiness. Instead of all that air conditioning, I wanted to spend a lot of my life outside. So I studied and then apprenticed with a mentor for several years as well. But the idea was always about me going out on my own and doing my own thing. That’s exactly what I did. And while I do have a small office with quality heating and air, I’m in love with being outside to make my living. However, I am also a very qualified professionals. I have all sorts of certifications and licensures that prove I know what I’m doing. I find that this is very important when hiring any sort of service. Even the HVAC professionals I have working at my home are certified and licensed. I have a neighbor who deals with a sort of handyman who says he was once a certified HVAC technician. Yet, he doesn’t guarantee his work as my neighbor found out the hard way. It’s just always best to stick with certified professionals like the HVAC professionals from your local HVAC company.
HVAC chores are essential for all homeowners
I do my best to take care of my house.
When you drive around my neighborhood, it’s pretty clear who is taking care of their homes and who isn’t.
I like to stay in the category that is taking care of a home. Sure, it takes getting up off the couch or out of the air conditioning a bit in order to look after a home. But that really shouldn’t be such a problem for a homeowner. We all enjoy time spent inside the HVAC cooling and in the recliner. But there are things that just have to be done on a consistent basis to have the sort of place that holds onto property value. Yet, it’s also about taking care of the stuff that takes care of you. Just as we spend money and time taking care of our cars, the stuff in our house needs that as well. A big concern for all homeowners is taking care of the HVAC equipment. The HVAC unit is simply essential to the home and family. Without the quality heating and air from our HVAC equipment, we’d be in a bad way. I know that I’m not prepared to go through winter not sure if the HVAC heating will be up to par. So I makes sure that my HVAC chores get done. I make sure that I’m changing the air filter each month to ensure that the HVAC equipment gets the air flow it needs to operate properly. And I also see to it that the HVAC equipment gets serviced by an HVAC professionals in both the fall and the summer.