Can Zoning Systems be Retrofitted?

According to a study, around 75% of homeowners are dissatisfied with their comfort levels at home. Those same people also happen to have zone control systems only 30% of the time. Installing the zoning system in a fresh home is one thing, but probably the largest market in the heating/cooling industry is retrofitting zoning systems to make them better. America has close 130 million existing homes and contractors will grab this opportunity to increase their business.  Homeowners are always looking for ways to stay comfortable indoors as they spend more time at home. They are also looking for solutions to decrease energy bills and optimize heating and cooling with the right equipment.

You, as a homeowner, may have noticed that there are a lot of times that certain rooms in the house are colder or warmer than they are. This is because heat rises during summer and the rooms on the first or second floors are very hot. In direct contrast, the basement is very cold as warm air does not find its way down to heat that area of your house properly in winter. Rooms that have direct access to sunlight are very difficult to cool down and those with vaulted ceilings don’t retain heat very well. There is only one surefire way to even out the temperature in your room regardless of the weather outdoors. That is system zoning.

Why Switch to System Zoning?

The whole operation process of system zoning is quite simple. There are multiple thermostats wired to a central control panel, which in turn operates dampers within the ductwork of the heating/cooling unit. For each specific zoning area, the thermostat read the temperature constantly and according to its settings, it opens or closes the dampers within the ductwork. System zoning is really helpful for homes with improper and inconsistent heating and cooling temperatures. It is also good for heating and cooling individual rooms based on the programmed temperature setting.

If used properly, system zoning can save you a lot of money on electricity bills which approximately adds up to around 30% every year. According to the Department of Energy in the United States, 40% of a home’s utility costs accounts for heating and cooling alone. System zoning helps you save energy by running temperature controlled air for only specific rooms in the house.

Is Cost of Switching a Problem?

There are many homeowners who are unwilling or hesitant to make the transition from traditional heating/cooling methods to system zoning and programmable thermostats simply because of the cost. This definitely may not be a do-it-yourself project but the Department of Energy has funded the development of a damper system that can be retrofitted into an existing zoning system. Existing ductwork does not need to be supported or altered as there are no heavy motors involved.

The flex dampers work with most brands of zone-control systems and come with air control inserts with an air pumping system and an electronic controller. Designed in square duct or circular models, the dampers fill the air to block or constrict the airflow within the duct.  They are resistant to aging, moisture, heat, ozone and airborne chemicals. Even if they are punctured, which is highly unlikely, the punctured holes will not affect the performance of the system.

The dampers can be installed in flexible or steel ducts and also serviced easily by gaining access through a register.

To install a retrofitted zone-control system, here are some of the items needed in your shopping list:-

·         Flex dampers

·         Thermostats for each room/zone

·         Zone control panel

·         Transformer

·         Solenoid pump and panel

·         Plenum tubing

·         Control limit switch

You will also need to determine the number of zones your home needs, since this will affect the way you set up your zoning system that for retrofitting. While retrofitting the zoning system is more challenging than installing it the first time, you’ll find that doing so would be a lot more worth it than looking at your energy bills summing up because of the traditional heating system.

Your Home Has No Insulation? What Are Your Heating/Cooling Options?

Insulation is a very important factor in improving building energy efficiency. HVAC or otherwise known as heating, ventilation and cooling accounts for a lot of expenses associated with energy consumption in a building. The economic impact and comfort levels of your indoor space can have a dramatic effect with proper insulation. If your home has no insulation there is no need to panic. Mechanical heating and cooling devices should never be used for homes with improper insulation. You can opt for passive heating and cooling methods to reduce energy consumption and maintain comfort indoors.

It is easy to address your home’s lack of insulation by following these simple steps below. It will be easy on your wallet and also improve your home’s health, energy efficiency and comfort in no time at all.

1. Get an energy audit done

Spending $95 on an energy audit is good investment as it will help you choose appropriate upgrades for your home. You will get a customized report of your home’s energy performance in just two to four hours of thorough assessment. By using specialized equipment like infrared cameras, the energy auditor will be able to pinpoint areas that need insulation like gaps in floors, walls, ceilings. He will also suggest ways to uncover the source of drafts by depressurizing the whole house. A series of tests will also be undertaken to assess indoor air quality, moisture damage risks and combustion safety.

2. Pair air sealing and insulation

You need to opt for air sealing in your home as insulating alone will not eliminate drafts, increase energy efficiency and increase indoor comfort. To illustrate further, pairing air sealing and insulation will give you the option of a hard shell rain jacket and your favorite fleece jacket all at once for optimum comfort. If you don’t have a rain jacket, then cold air can move through the fleece and leave you uncomfortably cold. Only if there is a rain jacket over the fleece then it will act as a barrier, thus keeping you nice and warm.

3. Consider inspecting the attic, crawl space and envelope

Before starting on air sealing and insulation for your home, you and your contractor can consider inspecting the attic, crawl space and vertical envelope to check if it needs proper insulation. Spray foam which is used for loose insulation is preferred if you are considering the attic for conditioned storage. For the basement and crawl space, you need to air seal first and then use batt insulation to the appropriate level. The vertical envelope includes areas around the doors, windows and walls. You need to first upgrade your wall insulation before investing in new windows.

4. Filter good air in and bad air out

Good ventilation indoors is extremely important before air sealing and insulating your home. Areas like the kitchen and bathroom should have a fan to remove indoor moisture and eliminate humidity. You may also need whole house ventilation if you live in areas that experience a lot of heat and humidity.

Ø  Keep the heat out during summer and in during winter

The sun’s heat can be used optimally to warm your indoors during the cold months. Open windows to let natural daylight in. During the warmer months, you can close the windows by installing drapes and blinds to keep the rays out and the cooler air in.

Why Heating and Cooling Play a Big Role in Your Energy Cost?

When it comes to heating and cooling our homes and commercial buildings, the simple choices we make everyday can go a long way in helping us protect the environment around the year by cutting costs and managing energy usage efficiently. According to studies, energy is mostly consumed by heating and cooling. In a typical American home, around 56% of energy is used for heating and cooling, which makes it the largest expense. That is why good energy saving habits will help you save precious fossil fuels for the next generation and a good deal of money. To illustrate better, many of us leave the hot water running while shaving. A lot of energy and resources get wasted because you have used a lot of hot water just to rinse out the razor several times. Always make smart decisions when using your air conditioning/heating systems and your home’s other appliances as they contribute to the positive or negative effect in energy bills and your comfort. Increase the working efficiency of your heating and cooling systems by taking these necessary steps.

Run household appliances at off-peak hours

There are special timings during the day when electricity rates are at the lowest. So you can take advantage of that to use household appliances like your clothes washer, dryer and dish washer. This could be at off-peak hours like early in the morning, late evenings or during weekends for lower energy prices. You can also try washing clothes in cold water and air drying them to save on energy costs.

Tune up your HVAC equipment regularly

If you own a car, you will definitely consider tuning it up with regular maintenance and repairs to keep it in top working condition. In the same way, you HVAC equipment needs regular service checks and maintenance to improve its working efficiency and comfort. It can also prevent unwanted costs and future problems. Get in touch with a qualified contractor to undertake annual pre-season service checks to keep your heating and cooling systems at its peak performance levels. Contractors usually get busy during summer and winter, so it’s best to get your systems checked during spring for the hot months and during fall for the cold months. 

Seal your ducts

Forced heating and cooling systems usually have conditioned air flowing to and from your home’s ducts. Improperly sealed ducts are energy wasters as a lot of air is not used for heating and cooling each room in the house properly. Insulating and sealing ducts can improve your home’s energy efficiency by 20% and sometimes even more.  Focus on areas that need more sealing like your crawlspaces, attic, garage and basement. You can wrap them in insulation after sealing them to prevent them from getting too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. 

Reduce energy usage with a programmable thermostat

You can automate your heating and cooling functions with a programmable thermostat. This helps you save big in energy especially when no one is at home during the day or while everyone is asleep.  

Use household appliances properly

Use appliances like the dishwasher and the clothes washer when you have a full load. A half empty washer uses the same amount of energy as a full one. A fridge works more efficiently if it’s not too full. The reverse applies to the freezer as it works best when it two-thirds full. Apply these simple concepts to everyday living that will help you save in the long run. 

Install Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs

Instead of using traditional lighting fixtures to light up your indoor spaces, replace them with CFL bulbs as they use 75% less power and lasts for upto 10 times longer than normal bulbs. 

Consider caulking and weather stripping

One important thing that delivers a great return during winter and summer is taking time to plug up air leaks around doors and windows. You can look for cracks and apply caulk on immovable building components to prevent air leakage. Weatherstrip is also another method to create a tight seal around movable building components such as doors and operable windows. 

Invest on Energy Star appliances

Fight climate and save energy by investing in energy star products. Switching to it is not only easy on your pocketbook but is also good for the environment. According to research, if one in ten homes used energy star products, then the impact could be compared to planting around 1.7 million acres of trees. Energy Star products use very less energy compared to traditional products. They may cost more but they help you save upto $80 on energy bills every year.

Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality in summer

Air pollution is not just something that effects the atmosphere outside which is basically smog, dust or haze hanging in the air. The truth is that most pollutants are found inside homes and commercial buildings, which quite shockingly can be 10 times more polluted than the air found outside. Indoor air can be polluted due to volatile chemicals, dust, lead, radon, allergens, formaldehyde, etc. These pollutants make their way indoors through shoes, pets, or exist on the surface of carpets, furniture and paint on the walls. A major allergen is found on these items called dust mites which are microscopic in size and contain mold and dander. 

Indoor pollutants will affect people with respiratory problems, seniors and children especially those who are sensitive to these conditions. Other health problems may surface later after repeated exposure to harmful allergens. The need to improve indoor air quality has become important over recent years because we all spend more time indoors. Modern homes are built airtight and that’s the main reason that these pollutants don’t escape from inside. 

During the summer months, you can try boosting the quality of air indoors by minimizing the use of harsh cleaners and air fresheners. These chemicals can linger in the air for long periods of time and can become the major source of air pollution indoors. 

You can follow these simple tips to improve indoor air quality during summer to ensure a safe and healthy living environment for you and your family members.

• Clean it up – Allergens and chemicals can linger in the air for years, thereby increasing the amount of dust and lead content indoors. You can use a vacuum cleaner with strong suction power, rotating brushes and quality filter to ensure that the dirt and dust does not get blown back out in the exhaust. You need to vacuum high traffic areas like carpets, walls and upholstered furniture where dust can easily accumulate. It’s important to wash the air filter also regularly.
• Keep dust outside – Shoes can bring in all the dirt, dust and pollutants from outside into your home. Place mats at the entrance to your home so that some amount of the pollutants get trapped on the mat and not on the floors of your home.
• Mop it up – Mopping the floors of your home cleans up the leftover dust that vacuuming leaves behind. New micro fiber mops with plain, clean water can effectively clean the surface area without the use of harsh cleaners and detergents.
• Avoid the use of harsh chemicals and cleaners – Household items like lemon juice, baking soda and vinegar can clean and disinfect as effectively as conventional cleaners. These items will not put harsh chemicals in the air.
• Change AC filters regularly – Proper maintenance of your AC systems can help with improving indoor air quality. It’s very important to clean air filters regularly and replace them with new ones every two or three months.
• Avoid the use of synthetic fragrances and air fresheners – A combination of various chemicals are used for air fresheners and fragrances which can irritate people’s nasal passage and lungs. You can use natural sources like fresh flowers, essential oils to add a pleasant fragrance indoors.
• Install plants – A natural way to filter toxins and purify the air is by keeping plants around the house. To get the best results, try incorporating at least fifteen to eighteen plants into a standard home of 1800 square footage.
• Test for radon – You could have a radon problem if you have a new or old home. This odorless, colorless gas raises the potential for developing lung cancer. If someone in your home smokes, then your indoors has high radon levels. Second hand cigarette smoke or passive smoking is worse as it induces health problems like heart attacks, lung cancer, breathing problems, etc. Cigarette smoke contains over 4000 chemicals so whoever smokes indoors in doing harm to themselves and to others around them. Either it’s best to kick the habit or smoke outside.

Maintain healthy levels of humidity – Mold and dust mites love moisture and thrive in very humid conditions. It’s important to maintain around 30%-50% of humidity indoors to keep allergens under control. A dehumidifier will help in reducing moisture and control allergens during the summer months. Other ways to dehumidify would be to use exhaust fans in kitchens/bathrooms, fix leaky plumbing, vent the clothes dryer to the outside, stop over watering the house plants and empty drip pans in your window AC.

Service your Air Conditioner, before summer shoots up your bills

The air conditioner is always the hardest working appliance during the summer months. For day-to-day comfort, we always rely on our cooling system be it at home or at the office. For that same reason, it’s imperative to get it serviced before it starts getting warm and humid. You can hire an air conditioning contractor to inspect your HVAC unit and service it regularly for optimum comfort every day. Since it’s a tough piece of equipment, it is engineered to withstand wear and tear but it often leads to instances where you have to maintain it. Like a car, an AC system requires regular tune-ups to run properly and efficiently.

An air conditioner unit loses about 5% of its original efficiency levels during each year of operation without regular and proper maintenance. This actually means that you may have purchased a unit with 12 SEER rating, but without servicing it regularly, it may be functioning only like a unit with 9 SEER rating. Regular servicing will make a system maintain up to 95% of its efficiency and you can also recover most of the lost efficiency if you maintain it religiously. The cost of an annual tune-up can be quickly recovered in the savings on your electricity bills and repair costs. An efficient AC system will also do a good job of dehumidifying your home or office. 

There are a few important reasons to regularly service your air conditioning unit to maintain its efficiency and working life:-

• Greater cooling comfort – Improve your AC’s overall operation by hiring a contractor to do regular service checks. A dormant air conditioner will lose the ability to produce cool air. So for comfortable indoors all summer long, have problems fixed quickly by an HVAC expert.
• Lower cooling costs – Energy costs can sky rocket during the summer months because of using the air conditioner every day. However regular maintenance can reduce energy consumption considerably. Working and cooling efficiency will increase and future problems can also be averted by servicing an AC unit.
• Minimize chance of breakdowns – Inspecting the system for problems regularly and servicing it can reduce the risk of it breaking down. It will enable the HVAC components to last longer and operate properly.
• Avoid costly repairs – Small problems in your AC unit could lead to huge repairs later on. A technician can identify issues in your system beforehand and rectify them before it becomes a major problem. That is why regular servicing is important which will save you a significant amount of energy and money in the long run. It has been estimated that more than half of all air conditioner repair calls arise due to insufficient maintenance on the part of the owner.
• Keep warranties – When having regular maintenance done, it’s mandatory to preserve warranties that come with the AC system. Future problems may not be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, if you allow important service checks to fall by the wayside.
• Check utility bills – You will no longer dread the hot, summer months if you schedule routine maintenance checks. It will help in maintaining the SEER of your HVAC unit, which will result in high efficiency operation and low energy bills.

To sum it up, a complicated equipment like the air conditioner, even if the most reliable will need regular service and maintenance. This way it will benefit in various ways and recover lost efficiency. The unit will also operate efficiently, have a longer life span, increase comfort, avoid break downs and save energy.

Alternative Cooling Methods for Homes

For most homeowners, switching on the air conditioner means watching their energy bills skyrocket during summer and cringe at the thought of adding to their share of carbon footprints. According to the Energy Department in the US, air conditioners uses up to one sixth of the electricity during really hot summer days, which consumes over 43% of the power load. Cooling systems emit over half a billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, which adds to global warming. These poisonous gases also add up to 24% of sulfur dioxide, a chief ingredient found in acid rain. 

There are so many passive cooling techniques that could cut down on your home’s cooling costs every year without investing in expensive appliances or specialized installations. To keep the indoors cool and comfortable is the absolute aim for everyone at home. If you would like to cut back on your air conditioner usage, save money on energy bills and decrease your carbon footprint, then try out these tips to cool your home with less impact to the environment.

• Install ceiling fans so that cool air can circulate to every area of your home. Using a ceiling fan can cool the indoors by up to 5 degrees.
• Check for drafts in windows, doors and crawl spaces so that cool air is not lost outdoors. To help you seal the conditioned air, you can try caulking, weather stripping and insulating to all areas with slight openings.
• Install solar attic fans to decrease hot air trapped in the attic, making the home easier to cool. This will help in decreasing your energy bill by up to 10%.
• Install curtains or drapes to keep out harsh sunlight and reduce the temperature as well. If you feel the room is too dark, then you can open windows in the rooms you use for good air circulation.
• Reduce sources of humidity indoors. This results in less condensation on your air conditioner coils, thereby lowering hidden sources of heat and saving electricity. You can use exhaust fans in the bathroom/kitchen, cover pots while cooking and vent the clothes dryer to the outside.
• Reduce heat sources like electric bulbs, televisions, kitchen appliances and electric appliances. Don’t place these appliances near the cooling system as they give off heat and make the unit work extra hard to cool the indoors.
• Find alternative cooking methods like microwaving, barbequing or pressure cooking so that there is very less heat given off while cooking. The microwave generates no heat with very less energy consumption, the barbeque keeps the heat outside and the pressure cooker reduces the cooking time by half.
• Plant more trees in your garden or yard at strategic spots to keep the heat out and provide shade. Crawling vines planted on the sides of your home will help in insulation.
• Install solar screens for the windows as they keep the heat out during the hot months and can be removed in the cold months.
• Paint light colors for your home’s walls and the roof which deflects rather than absorb the heat.
• Turn off boilers and geysers in your home to stop the hot water flow as most homes don't have insulated water lines. This way you can avoid paying for air conditioning to remove the heat as a result of the hot water circulating within the walls of your home.
• Seal ducts in attics and crawl spaces using the appropriate materials by a qualified technician.

Shut off gas supply to heaters and fireplaces as the pilot light generates heat. Dampers also need to be shut so that the loss of cool air is minimized.

Should You Replace Your HVAC Blower Motor for Higher RPMs?

During the cold season, every home’s furnace takes a lot of beating and abuse as components like the blower motor is always in constant operation while warming the indoors. This is when the blower motor can become worn down internally due to age, operation and lack of lubrication, which in turn causes a major decline in hot air movement in the home’s ductwork. A practical solution to an inefficient blower motor is obviously replacement. 

Before replacing a HVAC blower motor, you need to make sure that the circuit breaker at the electrical panel which supplies power for the furnace to work needs to be shut off. The motor is normally connected to the home's main electrical supply and touching the components of the furnace with the electricity on can cause electrocution. To determine if the circuit wire is live or off, you can use a non-contact circuit tester directly on the blower motor's wiring. Then the tester should be pressed against the wires to make sure that there is no danger of electrocution in case any work is undertaken on the motor. The motor resembles a small barrel with three wires extending from its housing and is usually lodged behind the furnace's protective outer cover. Before cutting or removing the wires, you should make a note of the motor's wire color connections to the furnace. It’s also important to note that every manufacturer will have a different strategy for wire connection, so it’s imperative that you go through the furnace system’s manual before undertaking any work. 

The blower motor is fastened inside the assembly, so once the motor's wheel is located within the blower, the set screw can be removed and the motor pulled away from the blower assembly. This is the major component that must be replaced. The new motor should be installed in the reverse process before removal of the old part. The most important thing is that the new blower motor should be compatible with the blower assembly in specifications and values related to voltage, speed, horsepower, rotation direction and motor diameter of the old motor in order to function effectively. There are many who question if they can use blower motors with higher RPMs in their furnace to make it work better and more efficiently. However, most modern HVAC systems are properly designed to match the airflow through the heating coils for the expected temperature drop. Changing the CFM without knowing the design point of the coil may prove to be a really bad idea as it can negatively impact the unit's performance. Most technicians say that once you start messing with the CFM of a furnace system then it’s most likely to drop its moisture control capacity, increase noise and power consumption or even cause worse problems for the system’s working condition. 

Some of the main disadvantages of replacing a blower motor with higher RPM are as follows:-

• The functioning of the system will get too noisy
• The blower wheel is likely to self destruct
• Turning the existing wheel of the system with a higher RPM will require more horsepower. It can also draw higher amps or burn itself up.
• A HVAC blower motor should always operate in a specific CFM range that is designed based on its capacity. More airflow cannot be necessarily better, and may get worse.

Many homeowners feel that increasing the RPM of the motor will increase airflow throughout the house thereby providing a warm environment in less time. However the truth is that replacing an existing blower motor with that of a higher RPM is no big deal as the issue with more air flow can simply be addressed by added insulation and adjusting the dampers of the closer rooms.