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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION
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In making this decision, evaluate life expectancy of your unit, operating cost, and the overall situation.
Life Expectancy- If you are frustrated with an equipment breakdown, it can be tempting to find the cheapest fix to get on with your life in comfort. That cheap fix may be the least expensive now but may not give you the most value or be cost effective in the future. Paying for repairs to an old or inefficient system often prolongs the inevitable. An older system that breaks down once is likely to break down and be down often. This means more emergency service calls or worse, the risk of damage to your home or to other components of your system.
Operating Cost- Cost factors must also be carefully considered. Restoring your old system will only bring it back to its current level of energy efficiency. After you have recovered from the repair bills and system breakdowns, you still will not save on your energy bills. Even six year old heat pumps and air conditioners are considered inefficient standards. So are most furnaces built before 1980. So you could save up to 60% on your energy bills with new high efficiency equipment. Installing a new heating and cooling system can actually pay for itself in energy savings within a relatively short time.
Overall Situation- When one component of your system breaks down unexpectedly, it is easier to focus on repairing or replacing that component. But each part of your system works with the others to boost efficiency and reliability so it helps to keep the big picture in mind. Replacing your old furnace with a new higher efficiency model but leaving your old home comfort thermostat in place for example, will not allow you to enjoy all the efficiency advantages the furnace has to offer. Likewise, if you install a new furnace but do not accompany it with a humidifier, the air may seem cooler, forcing you to operate your new system at a higher temperature to be comfortable. You can often save on installation costs if you have several components of your system replaced at the same time.
Heating and cooling systems work hard to perform their functions for your household. The constant stopping, starting, and continual operation can wear down a machine quickly and unexpectedly if proper care and maintenance is delayed.
However, by performing preventive maintenance or servicing your system regularly, you can maximize the life of your heating or cooling unit and guard against many unexpected failures. Preventive maintenance inspections performed on a regular basis often uncover leaks, rust, rot, soot, frayed wires, and corroded electrical contacts.
At least once a year, heat pumps and air conditioners require a professional tune-up. Inspections on boiler and furnace systems should include duct work, pipes, dampers, valves, the chimney, registers, radiators, pumps, blowers, fuel lines, the gas meter, oil tank, and every part of the actual furnace and boiler. Meanwhile, heat pump and air conditioning unit inspections should also include inspections of the fan, compressor, indoor coils, outdoor coils, and refrigerant lines.
Standard filters work to keep your system and its duct work clean, but they don't improve indoor air quality. To do that, you need a media filter. The media filter rests between the main return duct and the blower cabinet, and it improves dust and particle removal much better than that of a standard filter.
However, upgrading to a pleated media filter removes everything from insecticide dust to airborne viruses from the filtered air. A media filter can have a life exceeding two months, and its only drawback is that its tight fiber weave can cause your furnace to have to work harder to blow air through the house. Always choose a filter that matches your blower's capacity.
Significant advances in air filters have become available over the past decade but some amount of dust still finds its way past heating and colling filters into your home. As dust accumulates throughout your home, it creates the perfect environment for the growth of mold, mites and harmful bacteria. To check your ducts for dust buildup, pull off several supplies and return registers and see how much dust has accumulated in the system.
If you choose to clean your system, your best option is to contact a professional duct cleaner. Although duct cleaning has little effect on the actual air quality, it will eliminate a house-wide breeding ground for harmful bacteria and mold in addition to helping your heating and cooling system operate more efficiently. If you are installing a new system, you should consider cleaning the ducts at the same time. New systems are often more powerful than old systems and can stir up dust that is sitting in existing duct work.
Try the following tips to ensure the highest efficiency of your system.
- Keep your thermostat at a constant temperature. The recommended temperature is 68 degrees.
- Check your condensing unit regularly for any grass clippings or leaves stuck to the coil. If you find the coil is dirty:
a) disconnect the power at the circuit breaker
b) spray water from a garden hose through the coil until the water passing through it is clear
c) turn the power back on
d) have the unit serviced every spring by a licensed service company
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Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Always receive a quote and compare it among other dealers.