Air conditioning and heat
pump manufacturers continually engineer new and
innovative technologies to improve today’s HVAC
equipment. Efficient Home Solutions partners with
leaders in the HVAC Industry like Rheem, Amana, Carrier
and Payne so we can provide the latest in High
Efficiency Air-Conditioning and Heating products.
Go Green – Replace Your
Air Conditioner
There has never been a better
time to replace your air conditioning unit. With the
available Tax Incentives ending this year on December 31st
2010 and the Environmental regulations that go into
effect next year that impact the chemicals used in air
conditioning. Help the environment by replacing your air
conditioner early and help pay for it with the Tax
Credit.
Air filtration – UV Light
Treatment
If you suffer from asthma or
allergies, have a smoker in the home or have a mold
problem, you may want to consider having ultraviolet
light treatment equipment installed in your heat pump or
air conditioning system.
Air filtration –
Mechanical Air Filters
If you suffer from asthma or
allergies, have a smoker in the home or have a mold
problem, you may also want to consider mechanical air
filers.
Air filtration – EFFICIENT
HOME SOLUTIONS Clean Air Solutions
Efficient Home Solutions
offers a new patented air cleaning technology called
CleanEffects.
High Efficiency Systems
There are new technologies to
improve efficiencies. Two of technologies that help keep
energy bills down are the two-stage compressors and
variable-speed motors.
Humidifiers for Central
Air Systems
Air in your home that is too
dry can be uncomfortable to breathe, can cause static
build-up, dry itchy skin, parched throat, and can damage
wood products like flooring, pianos, picture frames and
cabinetry.
90% furnace
Providing energy-efficiency,
these units operate at over 90% efficiency, which means
that 90% of the fuel you pay for is actually converted
into heat for your home.
Variable Air Flow
Variable air volume (VAV) is
a technique for controlling the capacity of a heating,
ventilating, and/or air-conditioning (HVAC) system.
Ultra Quiet Systems
Most heating and cooling
systems manufactured today are quieter than those
produced in past years. But there are still significant
differences in sound ratings among these products.
Extended Warranties
An extended warranty,
sometimes called a service agreement, a service
contract, or a maintenance agreement, is a prolonged
warranty offered to consumers.
Thermostats
There are five basic types of
automatic and programmable thermostats.
1. Electromechanical
2. Digital
3. Hybrid
4. Occupancy
5. Light Sensing
By turning your thermostat
back 10 to 15 degrees for 8 hours, you can save 5% to
15% a year on your heating bill – a savings of as much
as 1% for each degree if the setback period is eight
hours long.
Ductless Systems (garages)
Unlike conventional air
conditioning systems that use a system of ducts to
deliver conditioned air throughout your home, ductless
systems use a wall or ceiling-mounted blower to deliver
cool air to a room.
Small Duct, High-Velocity
Air Conditioning Systems
Small duct, high velocity
(SDHV) air conditioning systems are similar to
conventional split system air conditioners that consist
of an outdoor condensing unit and an indoor coil unit.
These Systems help satisfy the needs for older homes.
Air
Filtration – UV Light Treatment
For years, UV light treatment
equipment has been used, and is sometimes mandatory, in
health care facilities, commercial buildings, hotels,
schools, daycare centers and food processing plants.
Today it is becoming even more common in the home to
sterilize and neutralize airborne bacteria, molds, dust
mites and odors.
While independent research
has not been done on the technology’s effectiveness to
reduce airborne bacteria and allergens in the home, a
2003 study published in The Lancet medical journal found
ultraviolet light purifiers used in three office
buildings reduced overall worker sickness by about 20
percent, including a 40 percent drop in breathing
problems. The ultraviolet lamps were aimed at the
cooling coils and drip pans in the ventilation systems
of the buildings. The lights were turned on for four
weeks; then turned off for 12 weeks. The cycle was
repeated three times for almost a year. The use of the
lights resulted in a 99-percent reduction of the
concentration of germs on irradiated surfaces within the
ventilation systems.
How It Works
Installed in the main supply or return duct of an
air-source heat pump or air conditioning system, UV
lights disinfect the air stream as it passes through the
HVAC system. The lights usually operate continuously 24
hours a day, but only require between 15 Watts to 85
Watts depending on the system.
UV lights do not typically
disinfect the air flowing through your ducts in just one
pass, but your home’s air re-circulates more than 50
times a day during normal operation of a heat pump or
air conditioning system, and with every pass more and
more contaminants are destroyed.
Source: Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Institute
Mechanical air filters (also
called Media Air Filters) use filter media to remove
particles from the air stream in HVAC systems. Filter
media, at the microscopic level, consists of an
interlocking network of fibers that appear quite porous.
This porosity is necessary to allow air to pass through
the unit with minimal pressure drop. The interlocking
fibers of the material form a web that captures
particles in the air stream. Mechanical air filters are
typically found next to your furnace in your home.
Source: Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Institute
Air
filtration – Clean Air
Solutions
EFFICIENT HOME SOLUTIONS
installs Clean Air Solutions that utilizes patented,
breakthrough air cleaning technology to remove up to an
astounding 99.98% of airborne allergens from the air
that passes through the filter, making it 8 times more
effective than even the best HEPA room filters and up to
100 times more effective than a standard 1″ filter. The
Clean Air Solutions product has been performance-tested
by LMS Technologies and Environmental Health and
Engineering, Inc. (EH&E), and the results verified by
professors from the Harvard School of Public Health.
LMS Technologies is a
technology consulting company that specializes in air
flow measurement, filtration testing and particle
analysis. Environmental Health & Engineering is an
environmental consulting and engineering services
company that is dedicated to ensuring safe and
productive environments, and is co-founded by Dr. John
D. Spengler, PhD of the Department of Environmental
Health at Harvard.
And new research conducted by
the Harvard School of Public Health, in collaboration
with scientists at Environmental Health and Engineering
Inc., (EH&E) shows that an Efficient Home Solutions
installed CleanEffects product removes more than 99
percent of the common flu, or influenza A virus, from
the filtered air.
Source: Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Institute
High Efficiency -Two-stage
compressor
Two-stage cooling means the air conditioner, furnace
and/or heat pump has a compressor with two levels of
operation: high for hot summer days and low for milder
days. Since the low setting is adequate to meet
household-cooling demands 80 percent of the time, a
two-stage unit runs for longer periods and produces more
even Temperatures and Humidity levels.
Longer cooling cycles also
translate to quieter, more efficient operation and
enhanced humidity control. Compared to a single-stage
unit, a two-stage air conditioner, furnace and/or heat
pump can remove twice as much moisture from the air.
This is important because when moisture levels are high,
there’s a higher potential for mold and other pollutant
problems.
High Efficiency – Variable
speed motors
The indoor air handler (fan and motor) provides the
energy to move air through the ductwork of a central air
conditioning, furnace and/or heat pump system to the
rooms of your house. Most homes today have a standard
central cooling and heating system which has a fan and
motor that runs at one speed, which means the system is
either on or off.
A variable speed motor (VSM)
uses control technology, meaning the VSM automatically
changes speed based on your home’s current heating and
cooling needs. It slowly increases up to maximum speed
instead of coming on at full capacity all at once. This
eliminates the sudden blast of hot air in the summer and
cold air in the winter you feel with a one-speed system
and results in the system running at a lower speed most
of the time. This eliminates noisy start up, while
reducing wear and tear on the fan and motor, resulting
in a substantial reduction in operating costs due to
major energy efficiency improvements and increases the
reliability and life of the system.
Source: Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Institute
Humidifiers for Central Air Systems
In the winter, it is
especially important to add moisture to the air, since
dry winter air can drive down the relative humidity
level in your home to as low as 15 percent, which is
drier than the air in most deserts. A whole house
humidifier works with your central heating and cooling
system to help keep the humidity in your home at the
proper level. It even saves money on winter heating
bills because properly humidified air feels warmer,
allowing homeowners to turn their thermostats down a few
degrees.
Be sure to keep fireplace
dampers closed when not in use. They provide an
excellent escape route for heat, as well as humidity.
Source: Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Institute
The simplest VAV system
incorporates one supply duct that, when in cooling mode,
distributes approximately 55 degree F supply air.
Because the supply air temperature, in this simplest of
VAV systems, is constant, the air flow rate must vary to
meet the rising and falling heat gains or losses within
the thermal zone served.
The air flow rate control is
provided via two techniques; for single zone systems the
blower’s flow rate is varied. For a single VAV air
handler that serves multiple thermal zones, the flow
rate to each zone must be varied as well.
A VAV terminal unit[1], often
called a VAV box, is the zone-level flow control device.
It is basically a quality, calibrated air damper with an
automatic actuator. The VAV terminal unit is connected
to either a local or a central control system.
Source: Wikipedia
Consumers can look for
sound-dampening features such as insulated compressor
compartments, discharge mufflers and innovative fan
designs that work to soften the sound of a hard-working,
high-efficiency compressor. Top-panel orifices,
compressor wrappers and indoor blowers are all designed
to further promote smooth, quiet airflow.
Source: Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Institute
The extended warranty may be
offered by the Sales Associate, the retailer or the
manufacturer. These warranties extend the period of the
manufacturer’s standard warranty and are not “double
coverage”.
A service plan is a separate
policy from the manufacturer’s warranty. While the
typical service plan does require preventative and
routine maintenance to be taken in accordance with the
manufacturer’s warranty, it does not actually require a
product to fail or malfunction under the same
conditions. Service plans are also active from the date
of purchase, unlike extended warranties, which become
active when the manufacturer’s warranty expires, meaning
products can be purchased with service plans that end
before or at the same time as the manufacturer’s
warranty.
The key distinction is that a
warranty strictly covers defects in workmanship and
materials, while service plans cover product failure in
general with a list of exclusions.
Most Manufacturer’s today
offer a 10 year parts warranty and Efficient Home
Solutions offers a 10 year labor warranty to work in
conjunction with the Manufacturer’s warranty so there
will be no out of pocket expense for the next 10 years.
Source: Wikipedia
Electromechanical (EM)
thermostats, usually the easiest devices to operate,
typically have manual controls such as movable tabs to
set a rotary timer and sliding levers for night and day
temperature settings. These thermostats work with most
conventional heating and cooling systems, except heat
pumps. EM controls have limited flexibility and can
store only the same settings for each day, although at
least one manufacturer has a model with separate
settings for each day of the week. EM thermostats are
best suited for people with regular schedules.
Digital thermostats are
identified by their LED or LCD digital readout and data
entry pads or buttons. They offer the widest range of
features and flexibility, and digital thermostats can be
used with most heating and cooling systems. They provide
precise temperature control, and they permit custom
scheduling. Programming some models can be fairly
complicated; make sure you are comfortable with the
functions and operation of the thermostat you choose.
Remember– you won’t save energy if you don’t set the
controls or you set them incorrectly.
Hybrid systems combine the technology of digital
controls with manual slides and knobs to simplify use
and maintain flexibility. Hybrid models are available
for most systems, including heat pumps.
Occupancy thermostats
maintain the setback temperature until someone presses a
button to call for heating or cooling. They do not rely
on the time of day. The ensuing preset “comfort period”
lasts from 30 minutes to 12 hours, depending on how
you’ve set the thermostat. Then, the temperature returns
to the setback level. These units offer the ultimate in
simplicity, but lack flexibility. Occupancy thermostats
are best suited for spaces that remain unoccupied for
long periods of time.
Light Sensing heat
thermostats rely on the lighting level preset by the
owner to activate heating systems. When lighting is
reduced, a photocell inside the thermostat senses
unoccupied conditions and allows space temperatures to
fall 10? below the occupied temperature setting. When
lighting levels increase to normal, temperatures
automatically adjust to comfort conditions. These units
do not require batteries or programming and reset
themselves after power failures. Light sensing
thermostats are designed primarily for stores and
offices where occupancy determines lighting
requirements, and therefore heating requirements.
Source: Federal Citizen
Information Center
Ductless systems are easy and
quick to install. They can be operational within hours.
All a contractor needs to do is set up the outdoor
condenser coil and compressor, drill a small hole for
the copper tubing, hang the indoor fan coil units,
connect the tubing and electrical power lines, install
the wall controller, and the job is done. Manufacturers
ensure that units are charged and tested at the factory
so connections can be made quickly, and condensers are
designed to be easily serviced.
System Controls
Wall-mounted thermostat or infrared remote control
systems allow the user to select the required functions
such as temperature and fan speed simply by pushing
buttons. The user can even select a delayed start and
stop time for unit operation, which makes it possible to
have a unit switched on automatically before the
homeowner arrives home from work.
Design
The indoor unit of a ductless system is lightweight and
comes in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit any design
scheme. Outdoor units are designed to be efficient and
durable, and they are smaller than conventional units,
which makes them easier to disguise behind existing
landscaping.
How it Works
To cool your home, refrigerant is pumped from the
outdoor condenser coil and compressor through the copper
tubing to the indoor unit or units. Inside, the
refrigerant is drawn across the evaporator coil and
humidity is removed and the air is cooled. A fan in the
indoor unit then pushes the cooled air into the room.
The amount of cold air entering the room can be
controlled by a thermostat or it can be regulated by an
infra-red remote controller, similar to a television
remote controller.
Source: Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Institute
Small
Duct, High-Velocity Air Conditioning Systems
A unique feature of the SDHV
systems is the air distribution system. The air
distribution system, together with the blower-coil unit,
is usually installed in attic spaces of older homes that
were not designed for forced-air circulation heating or
cooling. Thus, installation of a SDHV system helps
satisfy the air conditioning needs for older homes,
replacing less-efficient window air conditioners. The
outdoor condensing units used in SDHV systems are
identical to those used in conventional split systems.
Another advantage of using of
SDHV systems is the use of small, 2-inch insulated,
flexible tubing to supply cooled air throughout your
home. The ductwork weaves in between spaces in the
walls, ceilings, or floors similar to a central
vacuuming system. In fact, high velocity systems use
small supply vents with cover plates the size and shape
of CD-ROMs (or smaller). This makes the system popular
in older homes where conventional ductwork would require
much more demolition to the existing space.
A SDHV heat pump system is
comprised of a conventional outdoor heat pump unit and
an indoor blower-coil unit and duct system similar to
the system used for cooling, except that the blower-coil
unit is equipped with a larger coil for refrigerant
management and a back-up heat source, such as a
resistance heating element or hot water coil, is added.
Source: Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration Institute
