Central heating and air conditioning units have become extremely popular, almost to the point that people may take it for granted. 80% of new homes built in the United States are fitted with these systems.
With some simple maintenance, you can enjoy your HVAC system for many years, and can avoid costly repair costs in the future. Among the most important of these preventative steps you can do is to routinely change the air filter.
The air filter in your home’s A/C system is located at the intake points of the ventilation. There are many different types, the most common being disposable and pleated. These filters serve two main purposes. The first is to remove contaminates from the home’s air, and the second is to keep the system working smoothly.
Air Quality
As the air circulates throughout your home, the air filter will remove harmful contaminates, dust particles, pet dander, etc. from the air. In one study, air inside a home was shown to be up to 5 times more deleterious to one’s health than the air outside, when not properly filtered. This is because modern homes are built so airtight that these harmful irritants cannot escape the building.
Air filters are rated on their ability to remove these contaminants by their assigned MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value). The higher the value, the better the filter is at removing dust particles and contaminants from the air.
System Performance
The second function your air filter serves is to keep you’re A/C running smoothly. A clean air filter is vital to have your air conditioner working efficiently as possible. By trapping and removing the dust particles from the airflow, it prevents these particles from schmutzing up the other elements of the A/C system.
Dirty air filters may cause problems in several areas of the system. Ice may build up on the evaporator coils if there is not sufficient airflow. This will cause decreased performance, and may damage the coils.
Clogged air filters can also cause problems with the compressor, which is very expensive to repair. Clogged airflow causes the compressor to have to work harder, causing it to fail sooner. Also, decreased airflow due to unclean filters can cause energy costs to rise as much as 20%.
Replacement
It is recommended to inspect your home’s air filter every month. If the filter is dirty, then it should be discarded and replaced immediately. Replaceable filters are available that only need to be cleaned when they get dirty. In any case, filters should not be left more than three months without replacement or cleaning.
By: Budda Oliver
Many older homes were built pre-central heat and air. This is a luxury that many of us have to enjoy and when moving into an older we find that this luxury is also a necessity. We tend to lose tolerance for heat as we grow older and those old window air conditioning units just look tacky. However, the whole idea of having to add ducts to a home can sound difficult and expensive, but it is easier than you might think.
Central heat and air uses a primary heating appliance such as a furnace that is often located in an area such as a small closet, basement or garage. These systems deliver heat throughout the house through pumped warm air through a system of air ducts or by sending hot water or steam through pipes to room radiators. In newer homes, the system is usually built in with the home. The duct system may be set up with an air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace. There are also two types of systems including a forced air system and a gravity system. Gravity systems, however, do not provide air conditioning and can only provide heat. If your system includes an air conditioner, then the system is a forced-air system.
Air conditioners and heat pumps are forced air systems that share ductwork. The air conditioner runs on electricity and removes heat from air through refrigeration. The heat pump is capable of providing both heating and cooling. In the winter, the heat pump extracts the heat from outside air and delivers it into the home. In the summer it does the opposite. It extracts the cool air and pumps it into the home. These systems tend to be very economical and use only one duct system.
Many central air conditioners are split systems with a condenser outside and the fan and coil unit mounted in the attic. This means that the ducts will originate in the attics. The challenge here is if the home is two stories. It can be difficult to get the supply and return ducts to the first floor. The second floor will generally have ducts that run through the attic floor, while the first floor will need to have ducts run through closets. This takes up less space than some may think and the mess can be minimal. The contractor will need to cut holes in the first and second floor ceilings and some second floor closets will need to be used for running ducts.
This work will be well worth it in the long run when your home is kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter. If you have an older home, especially one with two stories, it can be difficult to spend anytime upstairs during the summer. The upstairs rooms will hold a large amount of heat and will definitely benefit from central heat and air. In the winter it is often difficult to keep first floors warm because the heat rises. Central heat will make your first floor rooms much more comfortable.
By: Christopher Brown