It's that time again!! Have your system maintained for the winter. Finally, the weather is getting a littler cooler and you should remember to call to have your system checked for the winter months.
Monday, October 22, 2012
WINTER MAINTENANCE REMINDER
It's that time again!! Have your system maintained for the winter. Finally, the weather is getting a littler cooler and you should remember to call to have your system checked for the winter months.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Change Your UV Bulb
Why change my UV lamps when they still light up?
Ultraviolet lamps are comprised of two electrode filaments (the spring looking wire at each end), a glass and quartz combination vacuum tube, several inert gases and approximately 3 mg of mercury (Hg).
These specialty lamps are designed to provide light energy in the germicidal spectrum of 254 nm (nanometer = one billionth of a meter). As they operate, they slowly loose their germicidal effectiveness, about 15% per year. If the UV system is installed for the sole purpose of protecting HVAC equipment such as coils and blowers—surfaces that stay consistently in the range of the UV lamps, then the UV lamps will be effective for about 18,000 hours or two years.
If the primary operation of the UV system is to aid in the reduction of indoor air contamination, then the recommended lamp replacement interval should be one year. This will ensure needed higher energy levels are maintained to aid in the reduction of moving (airborne) microorganisms circulating through the HVAC system.
UV lamps should then be exchanged after a maximum two year installation period for several reasons, including:
The disinfection effectiveness will be significantly compromised and the system will not be able to generate UV-C light as specified. Note that even though a visible blue glow can seen though the system viewport, the glow is not UV light (which is invisible) but actually a by-product of the operation.
If you decide to change your UV Bulb yourself, remember to:
Always protect eyes from ultraviolet light.
NEVER look at UV lamps in operation.
Unplug or disconnect power before re-lamping or servicing.
Severe eye damage or temporary blinding may occur.
Why change my UV lamps when they still light up?
Ultraviolet lamps are comprised of two electrode filaments (the spring looking wire at each end), a glass and quartz combination vacuum tube, several inert gases and approximately 3 mg of mercury (Hg).
These specialty lamps are designed to provide light energy in the germicidal spectrum of 254 nm (nanometer = one billionth of a meter). As they operate, they slowly loose their germicidal effectiveness, about 15% per year. If the UV system is installed for the sole purpose of protecting HVAC equipment such as coils and blowers—surfaces that stay consistently in the range of the UV lamps, then the UV lamps will be effective for about 18,000 hours or two years.
If the primary operation of the UV system is to aid in the reduction of indoor air contamination, then the recommended lamp replacement interval should be one year. This will ensure needed higher energy levels are maintained to aid in the reduction of moving (airborne) microorganisms circulating through the HVAC system.
UV lamps should then be exchanged after a maximum two year installation period for several reasons, including:
The disinfection effectiveness will be significantly compromised and the system will not be able to generate UV-C light as specified. Note that even though a visible blue glow can seen though the system viewport, the glow is not UV light (which is invisible) but actually a by-product of the operation.
If you decide to change your UV Bulb yourself, remember to:
Always protect eyes from ultraviolet light.
NEVER look at UV lamps in operation.
Unplug or disconnect power before re-lamping or servicing.
Severe eye damage or temporary blinding may occur.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
FALL/WINTER MAINTENANCE
It just doesn't seem like fall or winter in Florida yet, but the cooler weather will be upon us before we know it. Once again, just like spring/summer, it is time to have your heat pump, air conditioner, or furnace serviced for the winter. Give us a call and let us tell you about our fall/winter maintenance programs.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
HEAT STRIPS
The emergency back up heat strip in your heat pump system comes on in the colder weather when the heat pump cannot keep up with the setting of your temperature on the thermostat, when your heat pump goes into the defrost mode, when you set your temperature 5+ degrees higher than your room temperature, or when you set your thermostat to the emergency heat strip mode. The first time you use your heat strips after the summer months, you will probably smell something odd. Throughout the summer months, dust, hair, lint, etc., can collect on your heat strips and the first time you use them, it will burn it off and you will smell it. Remember, with the cooler weather coming up, give us a call and have your system serviced and checked out for the cooler weather.
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