UV Lights: Germ-Fighting Technology Makes The Transition From Hospital To Home

Hospitals around the world have been utilizing the power of UV lights for decades to inhibit the spread of harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and mold. Advances in technology have made UV lights a good fit for residential use as well, much to the benefit of homeowners — particularly homeowners in warm, humid Northeast Florida, where microorganisms thrive.

As the name implies, UV lights emit ultraviolet rays. Given sufficient intensity, UV rays will destroy the genetic code — DNA or RNA — of tiny organisms. This results in either death or sterilization of the microorganism, resulting in a considerable reduction of its presence in your home.

The sun also emits ultraviolet rays, which is why sunlight is effective at killing bacteria. Overexposure to UV rays from the sun can result in sunburn and eye irritation, but in household appliances UV lights are enclosed and have a small, focused range, posing no threat to people or pets.

UV lights are a powerful tool for managing your indoor air quality but aren’t meant to replace particulate-trapping air filters, though many units include a traditional filter in addition to the UV light. UV lights are designed to complement your air-cleaning efforts by addressing the bioaerosol category of pollutants.

Another benefit of UV light systems is odor reduction. Many bacteria, molds and other organisms create unpleasant, lingering odors that will be eliminated as the source is neutralized.

Residential UV lights are available in room units or whole-home systems. Whole-home systems are more efficient and effective and can be easily incorporated into existing HVAC systems. In cases of severe allergies or asthma, however, room units may still prove beneficial, especially in bedrooms.

Selecting the ideal whole-house unit for your home depends on a number of factors, including the size of your home and what systems are already in place. A knowledgeable technician can explain the options available for your unique home in more detail.

Do you still have questions, or would you like to learn more about UV lights and indoor air quality? Contact Action Air to speak with one of our trained technicians.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

Geothermal Heat Pump System Benefits For Florida Homeowners

Since their first use in the 1940s, geothermal heat pump systems have been used successfully in a variety of climates. However, heat pumps — used to both cool and heat homes — are more efficient than average in warmer climates like Florida’s. Many advances have been made since their first use; the EPA now rates geothermal heat pumps as one of the most energy-efficient technologies available.

The beauty and efficiency of a heat pump lies in its simplicity. Unlike traditional heating and cooling systems, which burn fuel to warm or cool your air, a heat pump transfers heat between your home and the earth below ground — where the temperature stays remarkably consistent no matter the weather conditions above ground. A small amount of electricity is used to move and distribute air as needed in your home.

Particularly considering the extensive use of air conditioning during the hot Florida summers, geothermal heat pump systems offer many advantages. Geothermal heat pump systems are:

■Highly efficient. Because a heat pump gets warm or cool air from the earth, not from burning a fuel, they use far less energy than even the highest-rated furnace to produce the same level of comfort or better.

■Durable. The above-ground portion of a heat pump system typically lasts 15 or more years. The underground portion can be expected to last at least 50 years. Traditional furnaces average 10 years.

■Low maintenance. Heat pumps have considerably fewer moving parts than traditional systems, resulting in fewer breakdowns and repairs.

■Clean. Heat pumps create no carbon monoxide or other pollutants.

■Quiet. A heat pump system does not need an outdoor condensing unit like a conventional air conditioner. No more annoying hum!

■Cost-effective. They significantly reduce utility bills. Also, many geothermal systems qualify for federal tax credits.

Please feel free to contact the professionals at Action Heating and Air Conditioning for more information about geothermal heat pump systems. We are always happy to answer questions.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

UV Light Systems Work Wonders In Florida’s Balmy Weather

Lots of things grow well here in the warm, humid air of Florida. We supply the world with oranges and other citrus fruits. Vegetables, too, thrive in this moist and hot climate. Unfortunately, some less desirable organisms grow and multiply here as well. Mold, bacteria and viruses enjoy our beautiful climate just as we do.

One of the places microorganisms like to live is inside our homes. We bring outside contaminants into our homes on our clothes and bodies every day. Once inside, the contaminants have the opportunity to grow and multiply. Meanwhile, we live sealed inside our homes, breathing the air that’s cycled though our cooling systems. As that air circulates, plenty of those unwanted germs and fungal spores also circulate.

An easy way to mitigate the threat posed by these microorganisms: the use of ultraviolet light. A UV light air-cleaning system, tucked away in your heating and air system, works 24 hours a day. We can’t always avoid bacteria and viruses, but we can take control of them in our own homes.

How do they work? UV light air cleaners — also called “germicidal lights” — can be installed as part of your existing HVAC equipment. As air laden with spores, bacteria and viruses passes through the UV light, the light actually changes the microorganisms’ cell structure, making them unable to reproduce and grow. Eventually, they die.

If you would like to know more facts about how these simple light systems can clean the air in your home, contact the indoor-air experts at Action Air. We can explain how ultraviolet light can reduce your exposure to microorganisms that can infiltrate your home.

No-Brainer Advice: Keep Those Air Filters Changed

An air conditioning system is only as good as its air filter. Dirty air filters partially block the air flowing through your HVAC system. With less air flowing through, your system has to work harder to cool your home. You’ll see the waste of energy show up on your utility bills. Dirty filters can also contribute to malfunctioning equipment.

Your air filter should be changed at least once every three months. If you’re using your air system frequently, however, the filter might need to be changed as frequently as monthly. If it looks dirty, change it.
Putting in a new air filter is an easy do-it-yourself project, but it can be a hassle if you are unprepared. Some tips:

■Get the correct size. Air filters come in a variety of dimensions. Your system requires an exact fit. Look at your old filter or check your owner’s manual.

■Buy a bundle of air filters. You’ll be changing your air filter more than once. Buy a bunch to save trips to the store later.

■Write in on the calendar. Changing an air filter is a simple job, but only if you remember to do it. Especially during the hottest months, when you use your A/C most, write monthly reminders on your calender.


Changing your air filter is one of the easiest ways to help keep your home energy efficient.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

Planning A Remodel Or New Construction? Bring In The HVAC Experts Early

When building a new home or doing a comprehensive remodel of your existing home, you should keep in mind from the start that your house is a functional, engineered system, not just a collection of rooms that need to look nice on the inside. It’s why you should take care when choosing a heating and air conditioning contractor, and make sure to involve the company early in the process.

Otherwise, you may find that you’ll have to stop work and reconfigure your plans or have to spend time, effort, energy and a whole lot of extra money to fix what your HVAC expert could have caught early on.
However, all experts aren’t cut from the same cloth. Here are a few tips you should consider when choosing a heating and air conditioning contractor before you start your work:

■Ask your neighbors and friends. Good word-of-mouth referrals from people you trust will tell you a lot about the companies you are looking at. Once you start narrowing your options down, don’t hesitate to call the companies’ references.

■Be ready for the companies to do home evaluations and look to see how comprehensive the evaluations are when comparing their written estimates.

■Once you do select a contractor, make sure they are involved as early in the construction process as possible. Also, get a signed proposal. It will detail the scope and the costs of the work before it begins.
Choosing a heating and air conditioning contractor when you remodel or build a new house doesn’t have to be a hassle. Don’t hesitate to read up on what work you might need and how it will be done, and keep asking questions.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

Got a Pool? Heat it the Smart Way

Pool owners know how expensive it can be to keep their pool water at a comfortable temperature. The good news is, there’s a smart, efficient way to do it that won’t force you to shorten your swimming season, or tax your energy budget. Most homeowners who have heat pumps use them to economically heat and cool their homes. But a heat pump can also heat water by using heat from the air around the unit and transferring it to the water in your pool.

Heat pump water heaters use electricity to move heat from one place to another instead of generating heat directly. They operate by recovering heat from the atmosphere instead of using fuel to create it. Therefore, they can be 2-3 times more energy efficient than conventional electric resistance water heaters. And, there’s no need to store fossil fuels on your property.

Since it holds substantial amounts of heat, sun-warmed air is the energy source used for this type of water heater. The pool heat pump recycles heat energy that already exists in the air around us. Transferring heat is much less expensive than burning a fuel for heat.

Here’s how it works:

1.A large quantity of warm air is drawn across the air coil by a high-efficiency motor and fan blade.

2.Cold liquid R-410A refrigerant inside the air coil absorbs heat from warm air and changes to a warm gas.

3.Warm gas is compressed by a new high efficiency scroll compressor. The R-410A is now a hot gas.

4.Hot gas moves through the outer casing of the water coil, releasing heat to the cooler pool & spa water passing through the inner casing of the water coil.

5.The R-410A condenses back to a liquid, then the process repeats itself over and over until your pool or spa is up to your desired temperature.

These units are quiet and energy-efficient, and better yet, they don’t require vents, flues, or expensive piping, allowing for installation almost anywhere. We believe that this type of heat pump is the most economical way to heat your pool in Southwest Florida, so check out your options.

If you want to learn more about how to efficiently heat your pool water, contact us. We’ll provide you with a free, no obligation analysis that includes sizing, operational cost and an objective comparison to fossil fuel and solar. We can also calculate your return on investment. So, if you have a pool, heat it the smart way! We can show you how.

Get to Know your Air Conditioner

It’s air conditioning season, and by now you’ve probably had your checkup done, you’ve got your A/C unit cranked up, and it’s keeping you cool and dry during these hot, humid summer days. You’re probably not thinking much about how it works, what the parts do, and how they work together to keep you comfortable. Of course, here at Action Air, we think you should know as much as possible about your HVAC system so that you can keep it operating smoothly and efficiently. So in the next couple of posts I’d like to go over the basics of air conditioning and heat pump cooling.


Most people think that air conditioners lower the temperature in their homes simply by pumping cool air in. What’s really happening is that the warm air from your house is being circulated through the air handler and cycled back in as cooler air. This cycle continues until your thermostat reaches the desired temperature.

Air conditioners work in the same way as refrigerators. Of course, instead of cooling just a small space, an air conditioning system cools a whole house; but the principle is the same. Air conditioners use chemicals, or refrigerants, that convert from a gas to a liquid and back again. This chemical is used to transfer heat from the air inside of a home to the outside air.

The unit has three main parts– a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator. The compressor and condenser are usually on the portion of the air conditioner that is located outside the home. The evaporator is located on the inside the house, often as part of your heating unit.

The evaporative cycle is the action that produces cool air in your home:

1.The compressor compresses cool refrigerant gas, causing it to become hot, high-pressure gas.

2.This hot gas runs through a set of coils so it can dissipate its heat, and it condenses into a liquid.

3.The refrigerant liquid runs through an expansion valve, and in the process it evaporates to become cold, low-pressure gas.

4.This cold gas runs through a set of coils that allow the gas to absorb heat and cool down the air inside the building.

In order to circulate the cool air throughout your home and remove hot air, a fan on the evaporator blows air inside the house across the evaporator fins. The return grille and ductwork take the hot air through the ducts and into the evaporator. The hot air is actually used to expand the gas in the evaporator. As the heat is removed from the air, the air and coil are cooled. It is then blown into the house through supply ducts.

This continues over and over until the room reaches the temperature you set your thermostat to. When that happens, the thermostat senses that the temperature has reached the right setting and turns off the air conditioner. As the room warms up, the thermostat turns the air conditioner back on until the room reaches the desired temperature.

This is the basic process by which air conditioners work.

Next time, we’ll talk about how a heat pump cools your home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

Maintaining your Air Handler

We’ve discussed the air handler and its function as part of your HVAC system. Now, let’s talk about some aspects of maintenance for this important system component. Professional service is highly recommended, as this is a pretty technical piece of equipment. We can come out as part of scheduled maintenance visits to check your air handler.

Spring maintenance checks can help you avoid costly A/C repairs when the heat of summer arrives. Air handling units have high voltage running into them and there is a shock hazard. So, remember that only an HVAC professional should work on the air handler unit.

Inside the unit are the evaporator, metering device (on most units), the blower motor, and some electro-mechanical controls for HVAC control. The metering device and the electro-mechanical controls should be checked by an HVAC professional to ensure that they are clean and functioning properly.

A big problem people encounter with the evaporator coils is blocked coils. Usually, this means that the coils are plugged with dust, dirt, and other debris. For the evaporator to work properly and efficiently, the coils must be clean and have a measured amount of air flow.

This is one reason that a good filter is necessary, in order to filter all the particles from the air before it reaches the coils. If the air is not filtered, then there will be a build-up over time of dust and debris that get sucked into the return. This build-up clogs the evaporator coil and can actually cause the coil to ice up. The air handling unit becomes less and less efficient and will eventually fail to cool or heat the home. Air handling units need basic preventive maintenance to prevent premature breakdowns and to keep them operating at peak efficiency.

Cleaning the coils is also an important part of air handler maintenance. Coils operate below the dew point when the air conditioner or heat pump cooling cycle is on. This will make the evaporator coil wet, so when the dust makes contact with the coil it will often stick to it. Over time this will cause a build up and eventually the HVAC system will stop cooling. With improper flow across the evaporator coils there is no heat exchange process. The coils will freeze and ice will form on them. Another cause of ice forming on the evaporator coil is a low refrigerant charge. If the evaporator coils are clean and they are icing up, you need to call an HVAC professional to check the refrigerant charge.

Typically the only required HVAC maintenance on the blower is oiling the air handler blower motor if it has oil ports, or checking the belt if you have a belt driven motor. Not all blower motors have oil ports. These blower motors use sealed bearings and never require oil. The air handler blower motors that do have oil ports usually have little plastic dust caps that can be removed so that oil can be applied.

Clean coils, a working motor, proper filters and refrigerant levels and good air flow are essential elements for the efficient operation of your air handler. If you suspect that your air handler isn’t doing its job, let us know. With regular maintenance, you can get the best performance out of this critical piece of HVAC equipment.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

What is an Air Handler?

Your heating and cooling system is made up of many parts, all working together to keep you comfortable all year round. I’d like to talk about some of the components of your HVAC system—what they are and how they work. After all, the more you know about your system equipment, the better.


Let’s start with the air handler. An air handler is usually located in the garage, a closet, or in the attic (unless you have a package unit then the air handler is incorporated in the system). It is essential to any HVAC forced air system. All A/C units need a way to move the air, and the air handler serves this function. It houses the evaporator coils, the blower motor, and some HVAC controls. It can be an up flow, down flow, or horizontal flow AHU (air handling unit).

Knowing this information can help you find the filter if you have never changed the filter in this air handling unit. Some air handling units have the filter inside. If there is no filter in the return register or grill then the filter is either in the return duct or in the unit itself. Filtering the air is not only important for the indoor air quality in your home but it is essential for the proper operation of the air handling unit itself.

The evaporator coil carries refrigerant inside it. This coil and refrigerant, through the heat exchange process, absorbs heat from the air passing through the coils inside the air handler. The heat causes the refrigerant inside the evaporator coils to boil and change state. The refrigerant, where it enters the coil, is mostly a liquid. By the time it reaches the end of the coils it should have absorbed enough heat to change it from a liquid to a vapor. On the outside of the unit there are two copper lines. The large line is the suction line. This line carries the vapor (refrigerant) back to the compressor in the condensing unit. The small line is called a liquid line. This line carries liquid (refrigerant) from the condensing unit coils to the evaporator. When the unit is running the liquid line should be hot and suction line should be cold (unless it is a heat pump in the heating mode). The temperatures of these lines will vary depending on how hot the house is inside and the ambient temperature outside the home.

The blower is comprised of different components in most units. It has an electric motor, a blower wheel, and a cage typically referred to as a squirrel cage. Some air handling units have belt driven motors and most have capacitors for the air handler electric motor.

Your air handler is a vital piece of HVAC equipment. Next time, we’ll talk about how to maintain your air handler to keep it and your system operating efficiently.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

Are Your Air Conditioning Ducts Costing You Money?

As a Florida homeowner, you know how much you rely on your A/C unit and heat pump. You need them to keep you comfortable all year long, even in extreme heat or cold. But, is your forced-air system working too hard for your comfort? One way to tell is to inspect your ductwork. Leaky air ducts could be causing a lot of issues in your home, and worse yet, they could be costing you money. Ductwork that’s improperly sealed or torn allows about 20% of the air going through it to escape. As a result, your system has to work harder and use more fuel to keep you comfortable. Which leads to- you guessed it- higher energy bills. It also shortens the life span of your heating and cooling equipment.

There are several clues that indicate improperly sealed ducts:

■Energy bills that seem too high

■Areas that are hard to heat or cool

■Stuffy or dusty rooms

■Tangled or kinked ducts

■Uninsulated ducts in the garage or attic


Do any of these issues sound familiar? If so, you need to check your ducts and make sure they’re performing well. We do a lot of ductwork inspection and repair, and we know how important it is that they’re in good shape. So, make sure maintenance includes the following steps:

1. Do a thorough inspection of all ducts. Don’t forget ductwork in the attic and garage.

2. Use mastic, metal tape or an approved sealant to seal up any leaks or poor connections. Duct tape is not recommended as it’s not durable for this application.
3. Seal ductwork to all registers and air returns.

4. Insulate around ducts in the garage and attic with R-6 insulation.

Keeping your home comfortable requires ducts that are clean, free from obstructions and sealed properly. Taking these steps will improve your home’s energy efficiency, keep indoor air clean and save you up to 20% off your energy bill. It doesn’t take much time or effort to keep your ducts in good working order and the payoff could be big, so do yourself and your system a favor– keep your ducts happy with regular inspections.


Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

Air Conditioning Maintenance- Don’t Neglect It!

This is a topic we can’t talk about enough. Here at Action Air, we believe that regular maintenance is one of the most important factors in your home comfort. All of the other measures you take to reduce energy use and increase comfort won’t be effective if your AC is not working properly. Maintenance ensures that your cooling system keeps you comfortable, works at peak efficiency, lasts longer and costs you less money in repairs.
So, let’s go over some of the basics of AC maintenance for Florida homeowners:

Filters

One of the most important maintenance task that will ensure the efficiency of your air conditioner is to routinely replace or clean its filters. Clogged, dirty filters block normal air flow and reduce a system’s efficiency significantly. With normal air flow obstructed, air that bypasses the filter may carry dirt directly into the evaporator coil and impair the coil’s heat-absorbing capacity. Keeping the filter clean can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5%–15%.

For central air conditioners, filters are generally located somewhere along the return duct’s length. Common filter locations are in walls, ceilings, air handler, or in the air conditioner itself.

Some types of filters are reusable; others must be replaced. They’re available in a variety of types and efficiencies. We can tell you which kinds of filters are right for your system, and clean or replace your air conditioning system’s filter or filters during regularly scheduled maintenance visits. You can do the job every month or two during the cooling season, as well. Filters may need more frequent attention if the air conditioner is in constant use, is subjected to dusty conditions, or you have fur-bearing pets in the house.

Coils

The air conditioner’s evaporator coil and condenser coil collect dirt over their months and years of service. A clean filter prevents the evaporator coil from soiling quickly. In time, however, the evaporator coil will still collect dirt. This dirt reduces air flow and insulates the coil, reducing its ability to absorb heat. To avoid this problem, check your evaporator coil every year and clean it as necessary.

Outdoor condenser coils can also become very dirty if the outdoor environment is dusty or if there is foliage nearby. You can easily see the condenser coil and notice if dirt is collecting on its fins.

You should minimize dirt and debris near the condenser unit. Your dryer vents, falling leaves, and lawn mower are all potential sources of dirt and debris. Cleaning the area around the coil, removing any debris, and trimming foliage back at least 18 inches to 2 feet to allow for adequate air flow around the condenser.

Fins

The aluminum fins on evaporator and condenser coils are easily bent and can block air flow through the coil. Air conditioning wholesalers sell a tool called a “fin comb” that will comb these fins back into nearly original condition. We can also take care of this during preventative maintenance.

Condensate drains

Clogged drain channels prevent your cooling unit from reducing humidity, and the resulting excess moisture may discolor walls or carpet. Routine cleaning with a shop vac and approved drain cleaning additive is very worthwhile.

Regular AC maintenance is worth the extra few minutes it takes each month to make sure these important components are working properly. Another smart idea? Sign up for a maintenance contract. Our highly-trained technicians can be your AC system’s best friend!

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

What Makes HEPA Air Filters Different?

The average Northeast Florida home’s indoor air quality is 10 times more polluted than the outdoor air, which is consistent with national trends in indoor pollution. Indoor air can become “bottled up,” especially in homes that are sealed tightly to maximize energy efficiency, as it isn’t exchanged as often. These are a few reasons why indoor air filters are so important to your health and the integrity of your equipment. Different filtration methods are available. HEPA air filters are one of the most popular options, because of their ability to capture more than 99.95 percent of particles.
HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance. HEPA filters are generally capable of capturing particles as small as 0.3 microns, which is smaller than the human eye can see. Originally developed for military and biomechanical use, they are currently some of the most efficient residential air filters on the market. HEPA filters can remove:

■Dust

■Dust mites

■Pollen

■Mold spores

■Various allergens

■Pet dander

HEPA filter fibers are usually made of fiberglass and are arranged haphazardly, very close to one another to create a dense “mat.” The material has many more pleats per inch than in standard filters. Another way they differ from standard air filters in that they do not merely function like a “sieve,” but rely on air movement to trap particles in three different ways:

■Interception, in which particles become stuck to fibers

■Impaction, in which particles get stuck in the weave

■Diffusion, where the most minuscule particles collide with gas molecules, slowing down their process and making them more likely to be trapped by interception or impaction.

HEPA filters are not the only option out there. Some homeowners find that HEPA filters can make their systems work too hard pull air through the filter, so check with the technician the next time you’re due for preventive maintenance to find out the right filter for your system.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

Repair or Replace Dilemma? Facts about Your A/C’s Lifespan

Do you have a room or addition to your Northeast Florida home that never gets as cool as it should? Do you have a huge, window air conditioner that is noisy and blocks the view? Is the upstairs of your home difficult to cool? An answer to all those problems can come from installing ductless mini-split air conditioning.

Ductless mini splits have been gaining in popularity. They have been in use for years in Japan, where land and outside space is limited for large heat pumps or central-air units. Mini splits are compact, efficient and do not use ducts to deliver cool air.
Ductless mini splits consist of two components: an inside air-handling unit and a compact outdoor compressor and condenser. The interior part is generally mounted on a wall where it will generate the best cooling. The outside section can be placed up to 50 feet away from the inside section. The two components are connected by a simple 3-inch opening through the wall.

The ductless mini-split air conditioning system is sized for the area to be cooled. Smaller spaces will require fewer BTU’s than larger areas. Sizing the unit assures the best efficiency by not using more power than is needed.

They offer great flexibility in adapting to different room and home situations. Some systems are capable of using only one outside component to handle up to four inside units which can be run independently with their own thermostat. Other options include units which can be ceiling or wall-mounted, and floor models are also available.

If you would like an different option to the noise of a window unit or you have rooms that are never cool enough, contact us at Action Air. We can give you all the details on this great cooling system.

Trying to Get Air to a New Space? Ductless Options Can Help

Additions to your home can be difficult to heat and cool. Spaces with hydronic systems, radiant panels, or a bonus room over a garage, can also prove tricky. Ductless heating and cooling is a good option to get airflow to spaces like this. Maybe your existing system does not accommodate certain rooms or additions, or maybe it’s just not possible to install ducts where you need them. In these circumstances, ductless heating and cooling is versatile and practical.
Ductless heating and cooling systems are called mini-splits. Their biggest advantage is their small size, which allows them to heat or cool specific zones. You can purchase a single unit, or a model that has as many as four units that allows you to heat or cool four different zones. Each zone has its own thermostat, so you can adjust each as needed or keep them off if no one is using the space. This makes for great savings because you aren’t using energy you don’t need.

Mini-splits are easy to install. They consist of two units, an indoor air-handler and an outdoor compressor/condenser. The two are linked by a conduit through the wall, which in some models can be up to 50 feet long, giving you a great deal of space to place your units where you need them.

Another advantage of ductless heating and cooling systems is that they can be installed any place a small, 3-inch hole can be made in the wall. They can even be hung in the corner near the ceiling. Most models run very quietly, and many even operate by remote and filter the air as they heat or cool it.

Most mini-split systems are either a heat pump or an air conditioner model. Heat pumps are a good choice for climates that experience both warm and cool weather, since they have the ability to pump heat both into and out of a small space. Mini-split air conditioners work well for consistently warmer temperatures like ours.

Call Action Air to discuss which ductless option is right for you! We’re happy to help!

Programmable Thermostat Features You’ll Like (Hint: They Go Way Beyond Temperature Settings)

Programmable thermostats offer many features that go beyond temperature control to offer convenience, comfort and more. One impressive feature is energy savings. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using the right thermostat and programming it correctly could save you up to $180 a year!

Various models offer different features which complement weekly schedules. There are three common models:

■7 day models are the most flexible, allowing you to program different settings for morning, afternoon, evening and night for each day of the week.

■5+ 2 day models are a good choice for people keeping one schedule Monday-Friday, and another on Saturday and Sunday.

■5-1-1 day models have three programmable “slots,” one for the work week, a second for Saturdays, and a third for Sundays.

Remote access allows for zone temperature control. Sensors are placed in individual rooms or zones throughout the house, and connected to the main unit. If you want your bedroom warm in the morning, you can set the temperature to rise when you wake up in that specific location. You can also keep children’s rooms from becoming too cold without giving the children access to the controls. Some remote access models even allow you to adjust settings by phone or internet before you get home.

Programmable thermostats make keeping comfortable convenient. Action Air will be glad to help you decide which features suit your lifestyle to offer the maximum control, versatility and energy savings!


Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

Federal Tax Credits Still On For Energy Efficient Systems

Lots of homeowners took advantage of the generous federal tax credits offered for heating and air conditioning systems in 2010. Those credits have been reduced, but you can still see some tax benefit if you are considering an upgrade in your heating and cooling systems. Now is the time to think about installing new air conditioning or an air-source heat pump.

Here’s what you need to know about the federal tax credits for these types of equipment:

■The credit is good for 10 percent of the cost up to $500, or a specified amount between $50 and $300. Action Air can help you determine which models qualify.

■The equipment must be purchased and installed before the end of 2011.

■The tax credit can only be claimed for your principal residence and the equipment must be installed in an existing home.

■Second homes, rental properties, and new construction are not eligible.

Air source heat pumps are an energy-efficient home comfort solution that provides both heating and cooling.They work by moving heat, rather than generating heat, so they consume much less energy than a furnace or conventional air conditioner. The professionals at Action Air have years of experience installing air source heat pumps in northeast Florida, so we know which models work best for different situations.

If you are looking to install a new central air conditioning system, we can help you with that, too. There are countless numbers of models available, but not all of them are eligible for federal tax credits. The best way to determine the right unit for your home is to work with a professional to make sure the equipment you purchase is not too large or too small for your home comfort needs. Contact us at Action Air to learn more about which energy-efficient air conditioners are available.

Schedule time with us now, before your home gets hot and uncomfortable, and you will not miss out on this year’s federal tax credits.

The Value of Quality Installation & Maintenance

These days the internet has become a very valuable tool for price comparing when considering purchases, especially major purchases. Everyone uses it. However, if you are considering a new heating and cooling system you need to consider more than just what the best price is and who carries the top brand. The largest factors when buying a heating and cooling system are the installation and maintenance.

Industry research shows that 90% of the value you receive is tied directly to installation and maintenance. The evaluation, installation and maintenance of your system have a greater impact on your wallet and overall comfort than the equipment itself! It is important to make sure it is installed properly, by a reputable company, and maintained to keep it working properly long after you buy it.

A properly installed heating and cooling system starts with a qualified technician performing a load calculation on your home prior to system selection. This calculation is necessary to insure that you get the correct size system to meet the needs of your home. A unit that is too big (oversized) may have a higher upfront cost, raise your utility costs, remove less humidity and fail more quickly. A unit that is too small will have to work harder to heat and cool your home and will most likely fail prematurely as well. A load calculation takes into consideration factors such as, the square footage of usable space in your home, the number of windows, types of windows, insulation amounts, the direction your home is facing and along with many other factors.

Another major factor in insuring that your system in installed correctly is to hire a reputable, trained technician. A professional service technician will know that your ducts need to be checked before installing a new HVAC system. If the ducts are too small they will cause your HVAC system to use more energy and will deliver less comfort. Too small of ducts will lead to early equipment failure as well. A trained technician will also know to measure and document your airflow, to measure refrigerant charge, to ensure that your unit is safe electrically, to test the firing rate on a new furnace or boiler and to test your thermostat to ensure it is compatible with the new equipment.

By choosing a reputable HVAC company for installation they should be able to provide you with a copy of the installation checklist with a record of all measurements taken during installation, as well as provide a copy of the owner’s manual, manufacturer’s warranty and their warranty. Along with this you should get a list of recommended maintenance requirements. Maintenance is key to keeping your system working at peak performance. Many people don’t think that they need to maintain newly installed equipment. Not only is this necessary to keep your warranty in effect (most equipment manufacturers will state in the terms of their warranty that an annual maintenance must be performed by a qualified technician), but also to assure that your new equipment is operating safely and at its peak efficiency.

There is nothing better for your heating and/or air conditioning system than annual maintenance. Annual maintenance allows your system to continue to work at peak efficiency year in and year out. A system that is maintained annually experiences considerably fewer breakdowns and costly repairs along with using less energy. You’ll enjoy the peace of mind in knowing that your system is saving you money on your utility bills every time it comes on. In some instances, the energy savings are enough to pay the cost of the planned annual maintenance service.

So, when you’re in the market for a major purchase like a new heating & cooling system to maximize your home comfort do your research and pick a reputable, experienced HVAC company. Leave the internet to products that do not rely on the value of installation and maintenance!

Warranties vs. Maintenance

In the HVAC (heating, cooling & ventilation) industry, we often hear the comments, ”We don’t need planned maintenance, we’re still under warranty.” Nothing could be further from the truth!

Manufacturers, to help compensate for problems caused by manufacturing defects, provide warranties on new equipment. If a piece of equipment fails during the warranty period and if the manufacturer accepts that the failure was not caused by outside influence (through improper use or lack of routine maintenance procedures), then they will generally provide a replacement part, free of charge. Equipment manufacturers don’t typically cover labor and the necessary materials needed to replace a failed/ broken part, however, at Action Air, we cover parts and labor for the first year on all repairs made and all systems we install.

In some cases, if a manufacturer determines that a lack of routine maintenance has contributed to the failure of equipment then the warranty coverage can be revoked leaving the homeowner to accept the full cost of repair.

Planned Maintenance inspections are important to not only keep your warranty valid, but also to keep your heating & cooling system working efficiently and safely. Most of us think that after we’ve bought our heating and cooling system, we’re done. We put out the money to pay for this expensive equipment (the most expensive equipment in most homes!) and we expect it to work, without any more effort.

I doubt that any of us would think the same of our cars. We know that our cars require regular maintenance if we want them to keep performing day after day. If you were to stop all maintenance on your car it would eventually seize up and quit working. The same applies to your heating and cooling system, which without regular maintenance will eventually breakdown or fail in approximately 2-3 years. After spending a bunch of money on a HVAC system no one wants to turn around and have to shell out this same money 2-3 years down the road. Your heating and cooling equipment, like your car requires regular maintenance.

Looking back at our records, we were able to determine that 50% of our repair calls could have been avoided by regular maintenance. By having a yearly tune-up on your system, you can avoid much more expensive repairs.

During a typical tune-up, your technician will have a long list of checks that they perform on your heating & cooling system. These checks enable the technician to catch things like a loose electrical connection or parts with visible wear. These problems caught at the time of a tune-up can easily be fixed and will help avoid costly repairs later.

Lack of maintenance will lead to dirt and dust build-up in your system as well. According to Energy Star, a division of the EPA, “Dirt and neglect are the #1 causes of heating and cooling system failure.” This build-up will cause your system to run harder and longer and greatly decreases its efficiency. As your system works harder to beat the heat or cold, your monthly utility bills will increase.

Lack of maintenance on your heating & cooling system can also lead to safety issues. During a tune-up all of the electrical connections are examined, and the unit disconnect switch along with all of the safety devices are checked. If you do not have your system checked out annually you could be running a serious safety risk and not even be aware of it.

As with our cars, we realize that if we don’t do regular maintenance, like oil changes and tune-ups, we will void our warranties. If something major goes wrong with our car we won’t be able to go into the dealership and have it fixed under warranty. Well, the same goes for your heating and cooling system. Most appliances have a 5-10 year warranty, and if you don’t maintain the equipment and something goes wrong, you’re out of luck and the warranty will be void. You’ll end up spending a large amount of money to fix it or even replace equipment that would have been covered under warranty, had you kept up with maintenance.

A lack of maintenance leads to repairs and early equipment failure, inefficiency, higher utility bills and an overall decrease in the system’s ability to keep your home comfortable, not to mention, invalidating your warranty and creating an unsafe environment in your home. When you look at all of this, the cost of a yearly tune-up is cheap in comparison!

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

Why You Shouldn’t “Super” Size Your New Heating & Cooling

Don’t pay too much for Your Heating & Cooling System

If you are in the market to replace older, inefficient heating and cooling system with new energy efficient ones, an understanding of the critical importance of sizing the system correctly is needed. The correct size of heating and cooling equipment in your home will improve your comfort while reducing costs, maintenance and energy usage.

To give you some history, homes were not as tightly constructed in the past as they are today and it was not uncommon to install furnaces and air conditioners that were two to four times the necessary capacity. Now most people have added new windows, caulking, weather-stripping, and insulation to their homes. Making improvements such as these to reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer allows you to install a much smaller system while still being comfortable and saving on your monthly utility bills.

The most common mistake made in new heating and cooling systems is oversizing. This will make the new system not only more expensive to buy and install, but also forces it to operate inefficiently. An oversized system will also breakdown more often and cost more to operate. Oversized heating equipment creates uncomfortable and large temperature swings. Oversized air conditioners (and heat pumps) do not run long enough to dehumidify the air, which results in the air feeling “clammy” and the potential for unhealthy mold growth in your home.

Oversized equipment experiences frequent starts and stops (known as “short cycling”) will accelerate the wear and tear on the equipment, which can lead to premature failure. Oversized equipment also uses more fan power for the blower, which often leads to duct leakage due to higher operating duct pressures.

On the other side, undersized equipment, with airflow that is too low, can reduce the efficiency of the air distribution and accelerate wear on the system components, leading to earlier failure. Basically, your system will be working longer and harder to keep up with your comfort demands. Your system will have to run constantly and will wear itself out at a quicker rate.

A home “load calculation” is critical when homeowners are looking for a new heating and cooling system. This is basically a list of factors that determine what size system you need. A good contractor/technician will look at things such as, wall measurements, floor space, windows, R-value of home’s insulation, overall square footage of livable space, etc. A close estimate of a building’s air leakage is also necessary. This estimate should also include an inspection of the size, condition of seals on joints and insulation and location of distribution ducts in a forced air system.

Beware of a contractor/technician who only checks the “nameplate” (the label listing BTU’s) of the existing unit and tries to sell you one just like it or even worse, one that’s larger. This is not the correct way to size equipment and is not in your best interest. Another method includes using simple “rule of thumb”. They may base the size of your home on similar homes like it, using a chart that takes into account a variety of factors. This method can be used for a first estimate, but should not be used to size the actual system. You should include a requirement to produce a written sizing calculation when negotiating with your heating and cooling contractor/technician.

So remember when you are looking to buy a new heating and/or cooling system correctly sizing of your system will directly affect the comfort level in your home, as well as the long-term life of the system and overall cost to you. Pick the right size and skip the super-size!

Sources: http://www.energy.gov/ http://www.energystar.gov/ http://www.hgtvpro.com/ http://www.energysavers.gov/

Times Have Changed – What You Might Be Missing!

If you have an older heating and cooling system, you need to be aware of all of the changes that have occurred over the last 20 years. We have seen a true revolution in heating and cooling equipment. Today’s technology is over two times as efficient (SEER), has advanced humidity control along with sophisticated temperature controls, provides built-in air purification options and has the ability to program and monitor your system from a remote location. If you haven’t kept up, here’s what you’re missing …

1.SEER
In the 1990s the DOE (Department of Energy) mandated a minimum SEER rate of 10 for all new air conditioners sold in the United States. Since January 23, 2006, all air conditioners manufactured in the United States now must have a Seer of 13 or higher.

If you have a 10 SEER air conditioning system from 20 years ago, you can upgrade to a 16 SEER and experience a 50% savings in your monthly cooling costs. That’s a huge savings! The efficiencies of heating and cooling equipment have greatly increased and with these energy savings, if you are considering replacement of old equipment, you will experience a much quicker payback on your equipment.

2.Heat or Humidity?
What makes you feel hot – is it the heat or the humidity? I remember last summer sitting by the pool with friends and one of them said, “You know it wouldn’t be so bad out here if it weren’t so humid.” Heat and humidity are a very uncomfortable combination, however, it’s humidity that most affects your body’s ability to cool itself. Your body is cooled when you sweat and the sweat evaporates off of your body. When the concentration of water vapor in the air, or humidity, is high it affects the potential for evaporative cooling. Basically, there is too much moisture in the air and the sweat on your body can’t evaporate.

Twenty years ago if you wanted to add or take away humidity from your home you could have purchased a room humidifier/dehumidifier and it would have done an adequate job for a small area. Current heating and cooling systems have integrated humidifier and dehumidifier options. You can now control the humidity in your whole home and by controlling humidity levels you can greatly increase the comfort of your home. In the summer, by decreasing the level of humidity in your home, you will even be able to turn down the air conditioning, as it will feel cooler in your home. Turning down the air conditioning means lower utility bills for you!

3.Digital Thermostats
Today's electronic models are a vast departure from earlier mechanical styles, which basically allowed you to set and adjust temperatures manually. Digital thermostats offer more accuracy than ever before - perfect temperature control within 1º F. The new digital thermostats have microprocessors that allow you to program your home temperatures to suit your lifestyle, so you can keep things comfortable while you're home and automatically set back temperatures to save energy when you're away or sleeping.

Did you know that properly using a digital programmable thermostat in your home is one of the easiest ways you can save energy, money, and help fight global warming? (http://www.energystar.gov) A programmable thermostat helps make it easy for you to save by regulating your home's temperature in both summer and winter - when you are asleep or away. The settings that come with programmable thermostats are intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort. Depending on your family's schedule, you can see significant savings by sticking with those settings or adjust them as appropriate for your family.

Unlike the older, mechanical thermostats, a digital room thermostat also offers users a large LCD screen for easy reading. This is especially beneficial for older people or those with poor eyesight, as the older mechanical thermostats of the past are very difficult to read.

4.Remote Access
Remote Access is a major innovation in heating and cooling. We have nothing to compare it to 20 years ago. Systems with this feature allow homeowners to monitor the components and get system status feedback. It can also halt the system when a major problem is detected.

Another benefit of Remote Access is the ability for homeowners to adjust temperatures when they are away from home. This is a great feature for those individuals that travel a lot for work or for those on vacation. Remote Access gives homeowners peace of mind, knowing that when you are away from home everything is functioning, as it should. This feature saves homeowners money, by adjusting temperatures while away and resuming them to a comfortable level prior to returning home. So that you’re not heating or cooling your home when you are not there.

5.Built-in air purification
Twenty years ago air quality was not recognized as an important issue like it is today. The products on the market were for single room air purifiers. Today indoor air quality has become a major issue in our lives. According to the EPA (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/insidest.html), “In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.”

The HVAC (heating, cooling and ventilation) industry has responded to these concerns and many products available on the market today help with poor air quality problems. You can add whole home air purifiers and air cleaners to your heating and cooling system. So now instead of merely cleaning the air in one room, your HVAC system is providing clean air to your entire home.

The heating and cooling industry has come a long way in 20 years. The innovations that have occurred during this time are allowing homeowners to conserve energy, lower utility costs, and increase overall comfort and convenience. If you are still living in the dark ages with a 15-20 year old heating and cooling system now is a great time to upgrade and reap the many benefits!

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

Three HVAC Terms Every Florida Homeowner Should Know

When it comes to HVAC know-how, there are a lot of terms and information out there. That’s why technicians receive years of training! For the average Florida homeowner, it’s not possible or practical to retain all this knowledge. There are, however, some terms consumers can greatly benefit from understanding. Action Air has three HVAC terms that can help every Florida homeowner get the best equipment, the best service, and the best savings: SEER, MERV and NATE.

SEER

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It measures the efficiency of air conditioners based on how much energy they consume and how much cool air they produce. Units with a high SEER get more “miles per gallon” than units with a low SEER. A low SEER would be around the number 8 or 12. High efficiency units can get up to 19.5 SEER or even higher, meaning that the air conditioner uses very little electricity to produce a high quantity of cooled air.

MERV

MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. This measures the effectiveness of air filters. The higher the rating, the more airborne particles they trap. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends using a filter with a MERV 13, reported to trap irritants and allergens that travel through the air in our homes.

However, don’t run out for a high MERV filter without matching it to your system. Higher MERVs are more restrictive, which could lead to inhibited airflow in your system and, possibly, a system malfunctions. Check with the technician who provides your routing A/C maintenance for the best filter possible for your system.

NATE

NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence. NATE is a national non-profit organization that tests and certifies technicians in areas of the HVAC industry. Some areas of testing include air conditioning, heat pumps, air distribution. The work of NATE certified technicians is up to national standards and ensures you won’t play a guessing game with your contractor. NATE certified technicians deliver quality installation and expert service.

Knowing these three simple terms can help save you money by allowing you to make an educated choice when deciding on the right equipment and the right contractor. Call Action Air for further HVAC information. We’ll be happy to answer your questions!


Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

The Heat Is Coming: Air Conditioning Maintenance Tips

Proper air conditioning maintenance can not only help keep you cool in the hot Norteast Florida summers, it can also save you money. Cooling equipment that is regularly maintained is less likely to break down and it runs more efficiently, keeping your monthly utility bills low.
The key to staying cool all summer long is servicing your equipment before the summer heat hits. That way, you won’t have interruptions in service and you can avoid costly repairs. Annual pre-season air conditioner maintenance should include the following activities:

■Adjust thermostat settings – as the the seasons change, your indoor air temperature preferences will change too.

■Inspect and clean the condensate drain – a blockage here can increase indoor humidity levels, or worse, cause water damage.

■Clean evaporator and condensing coils – dirty coils reduce energy efficiency and make your equipment work harder, shortening its life span.

■Check the refrigerant level - improper levels decrease energy efficiency. If necessary, make adjustments according to manufacturer specifications.

■Clean the blower – restricted air flow will cause unnecessary decreases in efficiency and will negatively impact your home comfort.
On a monthly basis, check air filters and change them, if necessary. In addition to build-up of dust and other particles, a dirty air filter will restrict air flow and potentially damage your heating and cooling equipment.

The best way to be sure your regular air conditioning maintenance is done properly is to have your equipment semi-annually serviced by a professional. In addition to the peace of mind this provides, you can enjoy the other benefits of an annual maintenance contract, such as discounts on parts and labor, priority scheduling, and transferrable agreements.

Action Air provides both semi-annual air conditioning maintenance agreements and single service calls, but regardless of which option you choose, now is the time schedule routine maintenance. The hot summers in Northeast Florida keep us busy with emergency calls. You don’t want to find yourself waiting in the heat for a repair that could have been prevented with some simple pre-season maintenance procedures.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

Keep Air Conditioning Coils Clean And Running Efficiently

The vents and switches on air conditioning systems are the items we see the most, but homeowners should never underestimate the importance of the coils. Keeping them clean can be one of the best ways to maximize the efficiency of your system. Regardless of the type of unit your home has, regular service and necessary upgrades not only increase comfort levels, but also will markedly reduce your energy bill.
Here are some ways to ensure that your A/C system stays healthy and operational :

■Dust and dirt will build up on coils over time and can cause problems if left unattended. So it’s crucial to regularly have both an indoor and outdoor coil cleaning professionally done. This insures that your A/C unit continues to operate at peak efficiency.
■Additionally, air filters should be replaced or cleaned at least twice a year. If you’re a cat or dog owner, you may need to do this more frequently.
If you fail to keep the coils clean and dust and dirt do build up, the heat transfer in the condenser coil can become so blocked that it does not cool enough to convert the hot gas back to liquid form. When this occurs, the A/C unit continues to run,, but does not cool. Then it becomes a domino effect of sorts – the compressor will overheat and eventually die. So keeping the coils clean and properly functioning is a key component in making sure your air conditioner is doing its job to the best of its ability. Here at Action Air, we can help by providing a professional, thorough coil cleaning.

By keeping up with preventive maintenance on your system, you can trust that our skilled technicians can remedy any potential hazards before permanent damage occurs. At Action Air, we take pride in providing Northeast Florida with the highest caliber of dependable professional service. Please call us with questions about A/C coils or any other home comfort need.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

Why are SEER Ratings Important?

You may have heard about SEER ratings. Today, we’ll go over what these ratings mean and why they matter. SEER is all about efficiency, so anyone installing a new A/C system or replacing an old one should know what their new unit’s SEER rating is. It affects your energy costs in the long term, as well as the performance of your cooling system. In a hot, humid climate like ours, this is especially relevant. Air conditioners here have to work hard to keep homeowners comfortable, so energy efficiency is pretty important.

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The U.S. Department of Energy established this designation to educate consumers about the energy efficiency of air conditioning units. SEER is the ratio between the cooling of the unit over one season and the total energy it consumes during that same period. So, the figure measures the overall efficiency of the unit over an entire cooling season.

The higher the SEER rating, the higher the efficiency of the unit. For you, a higher SEER means lower energy costs each month. So, although these high SEER systems cost more up front to buy, they usually pay for themselves in energy savings within a few years.

This chart shows how much you can save if you upgrade to a high efficiency A/C system. For example, your cost to operate the A/C would drop from $100 to $39 if you went from an 8 SEER system to an 18 SEER system. That adds up to a 40% reduction in energy costs. Other variables affect your total savings, such as lifestyle, maintenance and how you operate your system, so be sure to contact us if you’re thinking of installing a new A/C system. Only a professional can tell you which one is right for your home based on all the factors involved.

In January of 2006, Federal minimum efficiency standards for air conditioning units changed. Now, all new A/C units must be at least 13 SEER, and if you’re purchasing an Energy Star unit, you’ll get an even higher rating. The minimum SEER for these models is 14. If you have an existing low-SEER unit, you may continue to use it until it needs to be replaced. However, when the time comes to get a new system, only 13 SEER or higher models will be available to you.

So, know your SEER rating! It will make a big difference in your monthly energy bills and could save you hundreds of dollars over the life of the unit.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

A Look At The Essential Benefits Of Annual Maintenance

Proper care and attention to heating and cooling systems within your home is essential for your comfort. Preventive maintenance is important not only for the life of the equipment itself, but also for saving energy. This ultimately translates into money saved.
There are other benefits to preventive maintenance, including extending the life and performance of the equipment. You, the homeowner, will save energy, time and money. It’s a win-win situation.

What kinds of things should you look at when doing preventive maintenance?

Filters
You’ll want to include the filters on your heating and cooling equipment in any preventive maintenance. These should generally be checked every three months or so and changed when dirty. Filters help protect the inner workings of equipment, and, without them, dirt can get into the system and clog coils.


Duct Cleaning

Cleaning out dirt and debris from air ducts can also be helpful. This prevents dust from working its way through your house, but will also protect your heating and cooling equipment. There is some debate over whether duct cleaning is truly necessary, but, as recommended by the EPA, if ducts visibly contain mold, excessive dust or vermin activity, it is highly recommend that they be cleaned. In the case of fiberglass or flexible ductwork, replacing it may be your better option.

Sealing

One of the most effective things that can be done to improve energy efficiency and comfort is to seal the home. This means looking at the outer “envelope” of the home: the doors, windows, ceilings and floors.

Caulk, foam spray or weather stripping can be used around windows and doors. Adding insulation to the attic is one of the most effective ways to seal a home. Finally, an average of 20 percent of air that moves through the ducts is typically lost to leaks. Sealing ducts can greatly improve the operating efficiency of heating and cooling systems.

Preventive maintenance, looking at filters, ducts and sealing, is a must for every homeowner annually.
Of course, the benefit of priority emergency service speaks for itself. Ask anyone who has lost A/C on a sweltering Northeast Florida day! Contact us about the benefits of a maintenance service agreement for your home. We can help you get better performance for fewer energy dollars, and enjoy ideal home comfort year-round.

Discounts, Emergency Service Another Bonus of Maintenance Service Agreements

If you’re like most homeowners, you’re looking for ways to cut costs and eliminate expenses. Keeping a home running smoothly is not cheap, and especially in this economy, you don’t want to throw money away. Some expenses, however, are worth the monetary investment. At Action Air, we strongly believe that a maintenance service agreement is one of those expenses.
A service agreement for your heating and cooling systems offers many benefits, including emergency service and discounts on parts and labor. Of course, the biggest benefit is regularly scheduled preventative maintenance for your system components. We encourage our customers to sign up for annual maintenance because we feel that it’s one of the most important things they can do to ensure efficient home comfort over time.

The fact is, the cost of annual maintenance is often offset or even exceeded by the savings to homeowners in the form of reduced energy costs, discounts, fewer breakdowns and longer equipment life. With these incentives, the cost of a service agreement can be met or even exceeded by savings!

A maintenance service agreement provides:

■15 percent discount on parts and labor
■Priority service
■Transferable to new owners
■24-hour emergency service
■Improved system efficiency
■Extended equipment life

Discounts alone can help pay for the cost of a maintenance service agreement over time, adding to the benefit of having one in place. And, when you have your HVAC system professionally maintained, you’ll get the longest life and most efficient operation out of your heating and cooling equipment. This equals big savings on your energy bill and helps you avoid costly repairs and system failure– another cost savings over time.

Of course, the benefit of priority emergency service speaks for itself. Ask anyone who has lost A/C on a sweltering Northeast Florida day! Contact us about the benefits of a maintenance service agreement for your home. We can help you get better performance for fewer energy dollars, and enjoy ideal home comfort year-round.

7 Warning Signs: When To Call For Air Conditioning Service

On a hot day, homeowners rely on the cool air from their air conditioning system for relief from the heat. But what happens when you turn on your air conditioning system and discover it’s broken? An air conditioning system that isn’t working properly can be irritating, and unfortunately your home can become unbearably hot.
It’s also important to understand that problems with your air conditioning system can be more than just annoying, they can be costly. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling costs are the largest home energy expense, with the heating and cooling system contributing about 56% of a home’s energy use. Considering this report, it’s easy to see why early preventative maintenance and air conditioning service is a must.

Because your comfort and your pocketbook are affected by an air conditioning system in need of repair, it is important to seek professional air conditioning service when you notice any one of these seven signs.

■A reduction in cooling performance
■The air conditioner runs almost continuously, even when cooling needs are low
■Unusual or excessive noises coming from either the indoor or outdoor cooling unit
■Your air conditioning unit turns on and off frequently, or the electrical circuit breaker and fuses continually short out
■The amount of air flow coming from your air conditioning vents is decreasing
■There is water leaking from your air conditioner or ice is forming on the unit
■You air conditioner is leaking refrigerant
Small problems with your air conditioning unit are easy to ignore, but ignoring these warning signs is the last thing you should do. When you encounter any of the problems listed, it’s time to in call professional air conditioning service.

Our certified techs will inspect and repair your air conditioning, and make any recommendations for its service, And, don’t forget to sign up for yearly preventative maintenance. It’s the best way to ensure that your A/C is always there for you when you need it.


Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website.

How your Heat Pump Cools your Home

Heat pumps provide both heating and cooling, and offer an energy-efficient alternative to air conditioning units. Here in Northeast Florida, we primarily use our heat pumps during the hot summer months to provide cool, dry conditions inside our homes. Let’s go over how heat pumps work as air conditioners.
Like your refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a cool space into a warm place. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house; during the cooling season, a heat pump moves heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors.

Your heat pump goes through the same evaporative cycle that a traditional central air conditioning system or refrigerator does. In fact, you can think of your refrigerator as a heat pump that is always in cooling mode. When in the cooling mode, your heat pump simply reverses from the heating cycle to transfer heat from the cooler air in your home to the hot outdoors. Here are the steps in the process:

1. The compressor pumps out high-pressure, hot refrigerant vapor.

2. The vapor leaves the compressor and passes through the reversing valve.

3. It flows through the outdoor vapor line to the finned outdoor coil. Air from the outdoor fan removes heat from the refrigerant vapor. When enough heat is removed, the vapor condenses into a high-pressure liquid. The liquid temperature is slightly warmer than ambient air temperature.

4. This warm, high-pressure liquid leaves the outdoor coil, and flows through the copper refrigerant liquid line.

5. At the end of the liquid line, the refrigerant passes through a metering device, reducing its pressure and temperature.

6. As the liquid, under reduced pressure, enters the indoor coil surface, it expands and absorbs heat from the indoor air passing over the finned surface. Heat from the indoor air causes the low-pressure liquid to evaporate and cools the indoor air. The refrigerant is now a cool vapor.

7. The refrigerant vapor travels through the insulated vapor line to the reversing valve. The reversing valve directs the refrigerant into the accumulator.

8. The accumulator controls liquid refrigerant and refrigerant oil flow back to the compressor.

9. Refrigerant vapor flows through the suction line to the compressor. The cycle then repeats.

Cool air is circulated through vents and ductwork, the same as with a central air conditioning system. The difference between a heat pump and an A/C system lies mainly in the consumption of energy and efficiency of operation. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if you heat with electricity, a heat pump can reduce the amount of electricity you use by as much as 30%–40%.

Here in Florida, we rely on our heat pumps to keep us cool and provide heat in the winter. Fortunately, these systems are quiet, efficient, and low-maintenance units that provide reliable and economical cooling when the temperatures start to soar. Ask us about how you can get the best performance from your heat pump, and maximize your comfort and energy savings this summer.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

How Efficient Is A Heat Pump?

Heat pumps are making a comeback—and they are not only for heating anymore. For homeowners here in Northeast Florida that means using these pumps to cool their homes more efficiently and cost-effectively. Here at Action, we believe that a properly installed and maintained heat pump is an asset to your home, whether it is used to warm or cool your home.

Often located in the backyard, heat pumps transfer heat from a cool temperature source to one with a warmer temperature. Unlike a typical air conditioning system, heat pumps also provide heat. Studies show that today’s heat pumps are nearly twice as efficient as those manufactured 30 years ago. This increased efficiency is the result of scientific and technical improvements, including:

■More exact mastery of the refrigerant run out to the indoor coil;
■More effective variable speed blowers;
■Enhanced spiral and dual-speed compressor designs and electric motors; and
■Rigid copper tubing.

A heat pump’s effectiveness depends—in large part—on the type of pump you are using. Air-source heat pumps can put out up to three times the amount of “heat” energy than the “electrical” energy it uses. Even though these heat pumps work in most climates, they do not perform optimally in sub-zero conditions for any length of time. Here in hot, humid Northeast Florida, they are an ideal solution.

Heat pumps featuring a variable-speed blower are known to use less power and offer a more comfortable environment. They also are not as noisy and distribute heat more consistently with little temperature variation.

To maximize efficiency, homeowners should learn how to regulate the pump’s thermostat. Excessively high temperatures reduce the benefits and lower temperatures may put stress on the equipment.


Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

How Bad Is The Air In Your Home?

Indoor air quality is not something most people worry about on a daily basis. However, there can be serious consequences to poor indoor air quality. Dirty air often contains toxins and mold spores that can lead to allergy symptoms and even illness in some cases. We highly recommend taking certain steps to maintaining quality indoor air.

One of the easiest ways to keep your indoor air quality high is to replace the filter on your home heating or cooling system frequently. If you have not changed the filter in the last six months, chances are the air in your home is becoming laden with dust and mold spores. We recommend having the filter replaced at least twice per year. If you have pets, you may need to change the filter even more frequently as dander and hair build up in the system.

Another way that homeowners can keep their air clean is by cleaning the evaporator coils of interior and exterior systems. This is a job that may require some professional assistance and should be done every 2 to 3 years. Also, watch for any ice buildup on the coils. This is a sign of serious malfunction and you should contact a professional immediately if you spot this.

Another common cause of low indoor air quality is an obstructed condenser. The condenser pulls air in around it to allow for heat transfer, and if objects are blocking it, air flow may be restricted. Keep any vegetation away from the condenser to avoid obstruction.

A lack of regular maintenance of your air conditioning and heating systems can easily lead to dirty air. If you haven’t performed these tasks in awhile, be sure to get started as soon as possible. For more information, go to HERE.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information about Indoor Air Quality and other HVAC topics,click here to visit our website

Losing Energy Because Of Leaky Ducts?

You may have the most energy efficient heating and cooling equipment available, but you will still waste money if that heated or cooled air is leaking out of the duct system before it reaches the rooms in your house. Your home may also be less comfortable, with some rooms never becoming cooled or heated to the desired temperature.
Proper duct sealing and insulating can help reduce the loss of cooled air and energy through leaks, rips, tears, and holes. Don’t forget to look for kinks in the ductwork, as well. Check the attic and garage first, as these places are easiest to access. If duct sealing in those areas doesn’t fix the problem, it may be time to check crawl spaces and walls. Often overlooked are the spots where the ducts connect to the vent; connections can become loose here and cooled air will be lost.

Anyone who lives in southwest Florida knows how important it is to keep the house cool in summer. If you do not have proper duct sealing, rooms can become too hot or too cold, causing you to be uncomfortable in your own home. You may already be losing up to 20 percent of the air that passes through the ducts. Those dollars add up fast, especially when you have to run your system more frequently to reach the desired room temperature. There’s no reason to spend valuable money to heat your attic or crawl spaces. Make sure your air conditioning system is as efficient as possible by checking your ducts today.

If you’re not sure what to look for when checking your duct sealing, call us and we’ll look at all the seams and connections in the ducts. Blockages and leaks may not be easy to spot with an untrained eye, but that’s why we’re here to help!

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,click here to visit our

Programmable Thermostats Are One of Your Best Energy Saving Investments

Programmable thermostats can significantly save energy and affect heating and cooling costs. Throughout the year, it’s possible to save roughly 10 percent on your energy costs vs. a manual-setting model.

Options
The most basic models come with four pre-programmed settings. Here’s one example of a possible setting for temperatures in the winter:

Time Temperature

6:30 AM 75

8:00 AM 70

5:00 PM 75

10:30 PM 70

When setting a schedule for the thermostat, consider what time your family wakes up, goes to school or work, participates in activities and goes to bed. The thermostat can be changed at any time using the manual override to adjust the cooling or heat if schedules deviate from the original settings.

Installation
It’s important to remember that the location of programmable thermostats will affect performance. It should not be in direct sunlight (from a window or skylight), in the line of drafts or near doorways.

Features
Some of the more elaborate models have some really useful features, such a voice and phone activation, vacation settings, and a notice when the filter needs changed. There are also a few options for setting programmable thermostats.

1. Set each day differently.

2. Set the weekdays the same and the weekends differently.

3. Set the weekdays the same and both weekend days differently.

There are lots of choices available for the technically savvy. If you’re not a tech whiz, a heating and cooling professional can walk you through the process. Once the settings are established, you won’t have to tinker much with the thermostat. While these features are enticing, the bottom line is that a programmable thermostat will save money on heating and cooling costs. And that’s one of the best energy saving options to invest in today.


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,click here to visit our we