• Inspect the filter: The filter keeps dirt, dust, pollen and other pollutants from entering your unit. A dirty filter will slow the airflow, and the system will work harder to supply air to the unit. Contaminants in the air will enter the system and may aggravate health issues, such as allergies or asthma. Clean or replace a dirty filter.

• Examine ducts: Leaky ducts waste valuable energy, which can spike your utility bills. Conditioned air escapes through cracks and loose connections. If you suspect leakage in your ducts, contact a certified technician to inspect them and repair or replace the damaged ductwork.

• Check the condenser: Debris near the condenser blocks the release of heat from the unit. Clear the area close to the condenser of leaves, grass clippings, twigs and dirt. Clean the dust and spider webs off the coils to improve the transfer of heat. Also, remove dirt from the fins and straighten any crooked fins that restrict the airflow.

• Inspect the insulation:  The insulated coolant line begins outside at the condenser and continues to the unit inside the home.  Changes in weather will cause the insulation to become brittle and crack, decreasing the protection of the coolant line. Look for worn insulation and replace it.

These tips will improve your air conditioner’s performance, but for a more comprehensive inspection of your cooling equipment, contact a specialized technician. Professional technicians examine, clean and repair components such as evaporator coils, condensate drains, electrical parts, belts and refrigerant leaks.

For more information about preventive maintenance for your air conditioner, contact the friendly staff at New River Heating & Air. We serve the New River Valley and surrounding areas.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!

Sizing

Correctly sizing your unit is crucial to its performance. A unit that’s too large will cycle on and off too frequently. Frequent cycling will hinder the unit’s ability to remove humidity from the air, lowering your comfort level. Meanwhile, a unit that’s too small won’t be able to do the job, also lowering your comfort level. When you work with a trained and certified technician, he will go over the key elements of your home, using a tool called Manual J. This will yield a correctly sized unit. Your technician will take into account:

• The cubic feet you want to condition.
• Your windows, their efficiency and orientation to the sun.
• Insulation levels in the home.
• Number and type of heat-producing appliances.
• Temperature preferences.
• Landscaping.
• Lifestyle.
• The number of people living in your home.

Installation

Central air conditioners require professional installation, in part because it involves working with electrical wiring and refrigerant, which is a regulated substance. In addition, an HVAC-system expert also knows how to assess your home’s ductwork so that your new system works efficiently. If your ductwork isn’t sufficient, your technician can recommend changes to increase the overall cooling in your home.

Maintenance

Your new system will have a warranty, which will probably require routine maintenance. But your licensed and certified technician can do so much more in the maintenance area than make sure your warranty requirements are met. Because you’ve been working with the same company, your technician will be familiar with the system and your specific situation. This means that he can give your system the custom service that will keep your unit running well for a long time.

New River Heating & Air has been serving residents of the New River Valley since 1986. We can help you choose the best A/C upgrade for this summer’s cooling season. Contact us to learn more.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about A/C upgrades and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!

Geothermal heat pumps

• Horizontal closed-loop system: This is the most cost-effective option for homes and should be chosen whenever possible. Sufficient land is required, however, so it is chosen most often above other installation options in new construction projects.
• Vertical closed-loop system: This is a great alternative in existing homes and areas where the soil is too shallow for trenching. Installation of vertical closed-loop systems also minimizes landscape disturbance.
• Pond/lake closed-loop system: If there is water on your property, you can use it to decrease the cost of geothermal installation by using it as a source of heat.
• Open-loop system: This system also requires there to be surface or ground water on your property. The water is used as the heat exchange fluid that circulates through the system and returns to the ground through a well. Ground water can be used as well, as long as the quality is high enough.
• Hybrid system: Hybrid installation options involve combining geothermal resources with outdoor air. This is the most effective option when cooling needs are much larger than heating needs, which isn’t the case for most southwest Virginia homes. That means other installation options will be worth more of your consideration.

For more information about choosing between these geothermal installation options for your property, please contact us at New River Heating & Air. We have served New River Valley residents since 1986.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about geothermal installation options and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!

During an air-conditioning service check, your technician will tend to all the parts, making sure they are clean and in good repair. Two important steps in this check involve the indoor and outdoor coils and the electrical components. Your qualified technician will:

• Remove dust from the indoor and outdoor coils. Even as little as 0.001 inch of dust on your HVAC equipment can require 5 percent more electricity to run.
• Clean the electrical components, both inside and out. Good contacts are necessary for energy efficiency.

The technician will also check the refrigerant level, calibrate the thermostat and adjust blower settings so that you have optimal airflow.

In addition, there are several things that you can do to keep your equipment free of dust and dirt. These maintenance tasks don’t require a high level of expertise but can go a long way toward ensuring system efficiency and longevity.

• Change or clean the air filter. Air entering the blower contains particulate matter that can damage your equipment and lower efficiency. When dust builds on the evaporator coil in your system, your cooling is reduced. And when the refrigerant isn’t warmed sufficiently by the air, it doesn’t expand into a gas. It goes back to the compressor as a liquid. Over time, the compressor can fail, requiring a costly repair or replacement.
• Keep vegetation away from the outdoor compressor. The compressor needs space all around it.

New River Heating & Air provides HVAC-system services to keep your equipment running as it should. Contact us to learn more about what you can do and what we can do to make sure your cooling system is ready for the season to come.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about HVAC service and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!

Your HVAC-system configuration
Purchase the thermostat that reflects your heating and cooling setup:

• A zoned system: A home with a zoning system may require a thermostat for each area. The individual areas will probably be programmed differently. This is especially true for two-story homes with an upstairs that tends to be warmer than the downstairs.
• Single-stage or multi-stage: Check with your HVAC-system contractor to determine which is appropriate for your setup.
• Direct-current unit. An older home may still use a 240- or a 110-volt direct power source to run a thermostat.

Your weekly routine
Your family’s schedule will come into play when you’re choosing a programmable thermostat. Options include:

• A 7-day program: This will allow you to set a separate heating or cooling schedule for each day of the week.
• A 5-plus-2-day program: This gives you the flexibility to select one schedule Monday through Friday and another on the weekends.
• A 5-plus-1-plus-1 program: This is ideal for a set routine Monday through Friday but different schedules on both Saturday and Sunday. For example, if you’re home most of the time on Saturday, but you attend a worship service for a good part of Sunday, you can set one schedule for Saturday and another one for Sunday, when you’re gone for several hours.

Your wish list
Some to choose from include:

• Battery backup.
• Lighted display.
• Touch-screen panel.
• Remote-control programming: This allows you to program your thermostat in comfort from any location in your home.
• Vacation setting: Set your thermostat for the time you’ll be on vacation, and program it to return to the original settings shortly before you return. .

For more help with choosing a programmable thermostat, call the experts at New River Heating & Air. For more than a quarter of a century, we have been proud to serve the New River Valley.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about programmable thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Thermostat image via Shutterstock

• Regular maintenance extends the life of your equipment. Regular servicing, which includes checking, adjusting, lubricating and cleaning your system, means less wear and tear. This will lengthen the life of your system.
• A maintenance plan can save you money. Your savings will be twofold. Your utility bills will go down. And our Peak Performance Maintenance Agreement Program will allow you to save with our limited five-year warranty on parts and labor.
• A well-maintained system runs more efficiently. Dirty and worn parts cause your system to work harder and not deliver as it should. An HVAC maintenance plan keeps things running smoothly and efficiently.
• Your family will be comfortable year round. A poorly maintained HVAC system may not have the ability to keep you warm in the winter or cool in the summer. Tuning up your equipment will keep your home at the right temperature, no matter what the season is.
• An HVAC maintenance plan can pay for itself. Reduced energy bills, increased longevity and fewer calls for repairs are just three ways that your plan can pay for itself.
• A breakdown is less likely. By catching issues while they are small, regular maintenance can save you the inconvenience and expense of a big repair down the road.

For more information or a quote on an HVAC maintenance plan, give New River Heating & Air a call. We have been looking after the residents of southwest Virginia since 1986, and our reputation for quality service and customer satisfaction is hard earned and well deserved.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about HVAC maintenance plans and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Insulation and R-values

Some water heaters are more efficient than others, and heaters made in the past 10 years tend to waste far less energy than older models. You can find out how well insulated a water heater is by looking up its R-value. Water heaters should be insulated with an R-value of at least R-24, and this information should be contained in your water heater’s user’s manual.

A quick test

If you don’t have your manual, there’s still an easy way to determine if you can benefit from insulation. Just feel your water heater’s storage tank with your hand. If it’s warm to the touch, heat is escaping, and money is being wasted.

Water heater insulation

Insulation blankets or jackets for water heaters are widely available, easy to install and, perhaps best of all, inexpensive. It rarely costs more than $30 to insulate a water heater, and many homeowners make back the initial investment in a year or less. You can quickly install insulation yourself with no tools other than a cutting knife and tape.

Installation considerations

Water heater insulation kits are available, but if you buy an insulation blanket by itself you will probably have to trim it to size. Insulation is easiest to install on electric water heaters. Gas and oil models are a bit trickier, so follow instructions carefully or have a professional do the job. Make sure you leave the thermostat panel uncovered, cut holes for all the fixtures, and don’t obstruct airflow to the burner. Once you insulate your water heater, you shouldn’t set the thermostat higher than 130 degrees.

If you’d like to find out more about water heater insulation, contact New River Heating and Air. We’ve been providing expert HVAC service in southwest Virginia since 1986.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Energy Efficiency image via Shutterstock

Flow rate and temperature rise

Tankless water heaters operate differently from storage water heaters. Tank systems heat and deliver hot water on demand when you need it. To do this efficiently, your system must be sized to take into account:

• Flow rate: This is the gallons per minute supplied by your water heater to meet the demands of your household.
• Temperature rise: This is the difference between incoming water and the output temperature you need. For example, if your incoming water is 65 degrees, and the output water you want is 120 degrees, you have a temperature rise of 55 degrees.

For tankless water heaters, flow rate and temperature rise are interrelated. A tankless unit supplies a predetermined number of gallons per minute at the temperature you want. Typically, a tankless water heater can deliver 3 gallons of water at the desired temperature per minute.

Sizing your tankless system

To size your tankless system, you’ll need to determine how much water flow you need at the various locations in your home at any given time. Do members of your family tend to shower at the same time that you’re washing clothes or dishes? This will affect how much water flow you need and ultimately the number of tankless units that you need. In addition, if you have a large home, and your heated water must travel a distance to reach a location such as a bathroom, you may need a supplemental tankless unit closer to that bathroom.

To make sure that you have a tankless system that does the best job of meeting your needs, work closely with an experienced contractor. At New River Heating & Air in southwest Virginia, we have the expertise to help you with the design and installation of a tankless system. We can help you with your other home-comfort needs, as well. Give us a call. We’re happy to help.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about tankless water heaters and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

• Change Filters Routinely: Make it a habit to check the filter once a month. If the filter looks dirty and clogged with debris, clean it or replace it with a new one, depending on the type of filter you have. Filters can last up to three months if they appear relatively clean. A clean filter is much more capable of capturing pollutants and allowing air to flow freely through your system.
• Seal Ductwork: Tend to the ductwork you can easily access. Then call in a pro to seal hard-to-reach ductwork in your attic, garage or crawlspace. These areas are filled with pollutants such as insulation particles, dust, fumes and chemicals. Gaps in the ducts allow these to enter the air that circulates in your home. Sealing them keeps the air in your living space cleaner. Sealed ductwork also helps conserve energy by preventing heated and cooled air from escaping into unoccupied areas.
• Schedule annual maintenance: Plan to have a technician visit your home every six months to give your cooling equipment a tune-up in the spring and to maintain your heating equipment in the fall. Maintenance keeps your equipment running safely and efficiently. Your technician will go over all the parts in your system, making sure they are clean and in working order. If he spots a potential problem, he’ll take care of it.

Follow all three tips to keep your indoor air as free of indoor pollutants as possible. To learn more or to speak with a knowledgeable HVAC representative, contact New River Heating & Air in southwest Virginia. We serve New River Valley residents.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about HVAC-system tips and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Allergens image via Shutterstock 

Choosing the right thermostat
Your weekly routine should be foremost in your mind when you select a programmable thermostat. Quite a few models are available, and they can be broken into three basic categories.

• 5+2-day models: These are the least flexible type of programmable thermostat, but they are also the easiest to program. They offer one schedule for weekdays and another for the weekend, making them a perfect option if you and your family have regular work and school schedules during the week and tend to spend your weekends at home.
• 5-1-1 models: A bit more flexible, these programmable thermostats offer one schedule for weekdays, another for Saturdays and yet another for Sundays. This might be a good option if you have a weekday schedule that doesn’t change very much, but your weekend activities tend to vary.
• 7-day models: These programmable thermostats offer the greatest flexibility. With separate settings for each day of the week, these thermostats are the best option if your schedule tends to be different from one day to the next.

Programming your thermostat
Use your thermostat’s settings to maximize savings.

• Keeping your family’s daily and weekly routine in mind, you can program your thermostat to automatically heat or cool your home when you’re there and to raise or lower the temperature when you plan to be gone or you’re sleeping.
• For example, on a winter day, you could have your thermostat set at 68 degrees in you’re home in the morning and evening and a few degrees cooler while you’re gone or you’re asleep.

If you would like to learn more about programmable thermostats, contact New River Heating & Air. We’ve been serving residents of the New River Valley area and southwest Virginia since 1986.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about programmable thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

New River Heating and Air services the New River Valley area in Virginia. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!