SUBCOOLING

I really got carried away with SUPERHEAT, so I am going to be brief with SUBCOOLING.


What is meant by subcooling?

Subcooling is the condition where the liquid refrigerant is colder than the minimum temperature (saturation temperature=the point at which a liquid boils) required to keep it from boiling and, hence, change from the liquid to a gas phase.
The amount of subcooling, at a given condition, is the difference between its saturation temperature and the actual liquid refrigerant temperature.

Why is subcooling desirable?

Subcooling is desirable for several reasons:
• It increases the efficiency of the system since the amount of heat being removed per pound of refrigerant circulated is greater. In other words, you pump less refrigerant through the system to maintain the refrigerated temperature you want. This reduces the amount of time that the compressor must run to maintain the temperature. The amount of capacity boost which you get with each degree of subcooling varies with the refrigerant being used.
• Subcooling is beneficial because it prevents the liquid refrigerant from changing to a gas before it gets to the evaporator. Pressure drops in the liquid piping and vertical risers can reduce the refrigerant pressure to the point where it will boil or "flash" in the liquid line. This change of phase causes the refrigerant to absorb heat before it reaches the evaporator. Inadequate subcooling prevents the expansion valve from properly metering liquid refrigerant into the evaporator, resulting in poor system performance.

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.

SUPERHEAT CONTINUED

Air conditioning technicians must learn how to measure superheat for two big reasons:
1. To be able to prove coil performance.
2. To be sure to protect the compressor.

Here is an example of a air conditioning line that had frozen up and some explanations about it.

First, turn the thermostat from the fan in the "Auto" poisition (where it should be normally set) to the "Fan-On" position. That turns the compressor off and the indoor fan on to melt the ice off of the coil as soon as possible. Of course, the filter should be checked to make sure it is not dirty and restricting airflow and the supply vents should be check to make sure they are all open. That is about all that can be done while the coil is thawing.

As a coil freezes the airflow becomes less and less until it is a solid block of ice and the only air that flows is around the coil ends. Eventually the ice pattern will travel down the suction line and on to the compressor. As air flows around the coil ends, it will start to melt. In this case, the ice quality is aerated ice. It has a lot of air in it because of the way it was formed. It will melt fairly quickly and when air is flowing, then a good look can be taken at the coil inlet to be sure the coil is not dirty. Then the unit will be started and the coil checked for performance. In the meanwhile, a look around to see if any oil can be found on the surface of the piping, a sure sign of a leak. There was oil around the liquid line service port. Checking with an electronic leak detector proved there was R-22 refrigerant leaking. Apparently the valve stem was not tightened. Tighten the valve stem and the refrigerant is no longer leaking.

Starting the unit and looking at the gauges it appeared the suction pressure had dropped to 30 psig. This is R-22, so the refrigerant is boiling in the coil at 7°F°, the superheat is 68° (75° - 7° = 68°).

The compressor does not have cool enough return suction gas to keep it cool and the coil cannot be performing well with so little refrigerant in it. There is a fixed bore orifice on this system. What superheat should the system have?

On this system, the piping is very short. It is a split system and the suction line is only about 8 feet, so let’s say that the superheat should be 12° at the condensing unit. We are going to have to make some assumptions here. We cannot check the actual superheat at the coil, so we will assume that the tubing will gain about 2° along the way from the ambient air. The suction line is well insulated. If the suction line were longer, we would assume that it would gain more super heat due to conduction from the ambient air. You can use two rules of thumb for measuring the superheat at the condensing unit:

1. When the line set is 10 to 30 feet, we expect the superheat to be from 10° to 15° measured at the condensing unit.
2. When the line set is 30 to 50 feet, we expect the superheat to be from 15° to 18° measured at the condensing unit.

Please understand that there are some qualifications on these rules of thumb. If the unit has a charging chart furnished, you should use it. It is probably more accurate. The humidity in the conditioned space should not be excessively above or below 50 percent. Unless the unit has been off for a long time in a humid climate, you should be all right.

Most importantly, the condensing temperature or the head pressure should be close to a design day. The outside temperature on a design day is 95° and the condensing temperature should be about 30° higher than the design outdoor temperature, or 125°. The head pressure should be about 278 psig for R-22.

The reason for this is because the air conditioning system is designed by the manufacturer to have an exact operating charge in each coil. With a fixed bore metering device, to ensure the correct amount of refrigerant in the evaporator is to have the correct pressure difference across the expansion device. With a suction pressure of about 70 psig and a head pressure of about 278 psig, the correct flow will occur across the expansion device. The evaporator will have the correct charge and the condenser will have the correct level of liquid refrigerant in it.

What do you do if it is not a design temperature day?”

If it is not a design day, you can block the air to the condenser until you have the same head pressure as a design day and charge the unit until the evaporator has the correct superheat. The thermometer says that the outdoor temperature is 85° and we will want the head pressure to be about 275 psig to simulate a design day of 95°, so we will block some of the airflow to the condenser by either blocking the fan or putting some plastic around the condenser. At this time, there is not enough refrigerant in the unit to get the right head pressure. As we add refrigerant, watch the head pressure and adjust the airflow to maintain about 275 psig.

Don’t add refrigerant too fast. It is a lot easier to charge a system to the correct superheat while adding vapor than it is to get the superheat correct by removing refrigerant from the system. When it gets close, stop adding refrigerant and let the system run for a few minutes. Watch for the superheat to vary for a few minutes. With a fixed bore metering device the system will have too much refrigerant in the condenser for a few minutes, resulting in high superheat and then it will overfeed the evaporator for a few minutes. Until the system gets in balance, it will vary for a while. Sometimes referred to hunting equilibrium. Once it reaches equilibrium, the pressures will maintain a steady state.

When the system stabilized and the suction pressure was 65 psig and the line temperature was 60°. Then what was the superheat?

The line temperature is 60° and the suction pressure is 65 psig. That means the liquid in the evaporator is boiling at 38° corresponding to 65 psig. So the superheat is now 22° (60° - 38° = 22°). More vapor refrigerant must be added carefully.

After a small amount of vapor was added, and after a few minutes, new readings of 70 psig and a line temperature of 52°. What is the superheat now?

A reading of 70 psig corresponds to 41° and the line temperature is reading 52° so the superheat is 11° (52° - 41° = 11°). That seems perfect.

Let me tell you the steps that we took:
1. Fastened gauges.
2. Fastened a temperature lead to the suction line close to where we took the suction line pressure.
3. Started the unit and observed the pressures.
4. Blocked the airflow to the condenser until we got the head pressure to correspond to the design conditions of 125° condensing temperature. For R-22 that was about 275 psig.
5. Then we added refrigerant until we had the desired superheat, which was supposed to be 10° to 15°, and we got 11°.

We were able to get the charge very close to the exact charge the manufacturer wanted by:
1. Creating the correct pressure drop across the orifice metering device so the correct refrigerant charge was in the evaporator and the condenser.
2. Verifying that the evaporator charge was correct.
3. Protecting the compressor.

The next step that will be covered is subcooling.

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.

HVAC SUPERHEAT & SUBCOOLING

Superheat and subcooling are not easy topics and it will be explained in a couple of different blogs. What it is. Why it is important. How it is used. How it is monitored.

Let’s take a look at water, a substance that everyone has some familiarity with. Water is a refrigerant just like R-22 or R-410A. It just operates at different pressures and temperatures. Most people know that water boils at 212°F. What most people don’t know about water is that it boils at 212° only at standard conditions — a barometric pressure of 29.92 in. If you change the barometric pressure, you change the boiling temperature. For example, if you take a pan of water high in the mountains, the barometric pressure is less, because the column of air above it is not as high, so the water will boil at a lower temperature. Air is matter; it has weight and takes up space, the definition of matter. The weight of the air above is what creates atmospheric pressure. When the water boils up on the mountain, it boils at a lower temperature because it is at a lower pressure.

A very important point: The boiling temperature of a liquid can be controlled by controlling the pressure above the liquid. Once you understand that statement, you can better understand what the evaporator portion of the refrigeration system is all about.

Since water boils at a lower temperature up on the mountain, it is very hard to cook certain foods. Beans and potatoes don’t get up to the required temperature. Your grandmother solved this problem with a pressure cooker. By increasing the pressure in the pan with a lock-on lid, she could raise the boiling temperature by containing the steam on top. She typically raised the pressure to about 15 psig above atmospheric pressure and the beans would cook while at high altitude up on the mountain. Pressure cookers are also used at sea level to elevate the temperature and shorten the cooking time.

This boiling temperature that we are talking about is also known as saturation temperature. The saturation temperature for water at standard conditions is 212°. It is called saturation temperature because at standard conditions, 29.92 in. Hg, the water is saturated with heat; you cannot heat water above 212°. If you add more heat, the water will just boil faster.

While water is boiling, it is changing its state from a liquid to a vapor. Heat it more and you just make more vapor, or steam.

Another very important fact: The steam that is leaving the water is saturated with heat. If you add more heat to it, it will be superheat. Heat that is higher than the saturated temperature is superheat.

If you take any heat out of the steam above the water, it will condense back into water and fall back into the pan.

That is a good explanation of boiling of water and turning it to steam. How does it apply to air conditioning?

The evaporator in a refrigeration system is just like a pot of water on the stove. The only difference is the air conditioning evaporator (or refrigeration evaporator) is like the pressure cooker, except at different temperatures and pressures. The liquid refrigerant boils and changes to a vapor and the vapor is superheated to a temperature of about 10° above the boiling or saturation temperature. Actually, water can be used as a refrigerant in an air conditioning system but it is hard to work with.

The design temperature for an air conditioning system evaporator is 40°. When you reduce the pressure low enough on a container of water, it will boil at 40°. The reason water is not used as a refrigerant is because the amount of vapor generated is so large that a compressor is not feasible.

Modern refrigerants do not require large piston or chamber displacements because they do not have to boil large volumes of vapor.

Let’s get back to using water as an example for a refrigerant. If you reduce the vapor pressure above the water to .248 in. Hg of vacuum, the water will boil at 40°, the actual design temperature for an air conditioning coil. This would work, but the vacuum pump would have to be enormous. And operating a system at those low vacuums would require that it be perfectly leak-free. These design conditions prevent water from being used in the compression type of refrigeration. Water is used in another type of system, called an absorption system.

Up to now, we have only been talking about boiling or evaporating the refrigerant. After the refrigerant is boiled to a vapor, the vapor has to be removed by a pump, a vapor pump. That is what the compressor is. The vapor is removed in the suction line to the compressor. A compressor is a vapor-only pump. It takes the vapor and compresses it to a very small volume and pushes it into the condenser. When we say that a compressor is a vapor pump that is exactly what we mean. It will not tolerate liquid. If liquid gets into the cylinder of a piston compressor, it will not compress. The piston may push some liquid through the discharge valve, but the liquid will scrub the lubrication from surfaces that need to be lubricated. If the compressor cannot push the liquid through the valves, it will stall, and break the valves, shaft, piston or rod. The one thing it will not do is compress. Some compressors are more tolerant to liquid, such as the scroll or rotary compressors.

Once the vapor is removed from the evaporator, we must be sure that it is vapor, not liquid. Remember, the liquid refrigerant will have a saturation temperature corresponding to the pressure. In a typical evaporator that is made into a coil of tubing, when the liquid all boils to a vapor, the vapor temperature will be saturated with heat at the same temperature as the liquid refrigerant. In simple terms, suppose the boiling saturation temperature is 40°; the vapor rising off of the liquid will be 40°. Remember it is saturated with heat; if we remove any heat, it will turn back to a liquid. If we raise the temperature, the vapor will take on heat, called superheat. When the vapor is superheated, there is no liquid present.

There are two things that superheat tells the manufacturer, and the manufacturer expects the service personnel to understand these two things:

1. Superheat proves the efficiency of the coil. The manufacturers’ designers want the coil to be as full of liquid refrigerant as possible because it is a more efficient heat exchange.

2. The correct superheat reading assures protection of the compressor from liquid damage.

Most manufacturers use 10° (+ or - 2°) of superheat, or somewhere between 8° and 12° superheat. We have to be able to accurately take superheat readings to know how a coil is performing and that the compressor is protected. It is vital that we learn how to take superheat readings.

The most accurate way to measure superheat is to take the pressure reading and the temperature reading at the same location. You really want to know what the pressure and temperature readings are at the coil outlet (Figure 4), but you usually do not have a pressure port at the evaporator, so you may take the temperature and pressure at the suction line at the condensing unit and make some assumptions.

TO BE CONTINUED

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.

HEAT PUMPS

When you think about cooling a hot building, you probably don't think of heat pumps. In fact, the words "air conditioner" are likely the first things that come to your head unless you're tight with your pennies. Then you might go with "window fans." As it turns out, a heat pump can both heat and cool, and in some applications, it's preferred to separate heating and cooling systems.

Simply put, a heat pump is a device that uses a small amount of energy to move heat from one location to another. Not too difficult, right? Heat pumps are typically used to pull heat out of the air or ground to heat a home or office building, but they can be reversed to cool a building. In a way, if you know how an air conditioner works, then you already know a lot about how a heat pump works. This is because heat pumps and air conditioners operate in a very similar way.

One of the biggest advantages of a heat pump over a standard heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) unit is that there's no need to install separate systems to heat and cool your home. Heat pumps also work extremely efficiently, because they simply transfer heat, rather than burn fuel to create it. This makes them a little more green than a gas-burning furnace. And they don't just heat and cool buildings. If you've ever enjoyed a hot tub or heated swimming pool, then you probably have a heat pump to thank. They work best in moderate climates, so if you don't experience extreme heat and cold in your neck of the woods, then using a heat pump instead of a furnace and air conditioner could help you save a little money each month.

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.

Converting Constant to Variable Volume

Variable-Volume Conversion Can Offer Significant Energy Savings


Some interesting information from "the Air Conditioning|Heating|Refrigeration News".

Converting constant-volume package rooftop units to variable-volume operations can have a significant impact on energy consumption. Since their creation, package rooftop units (RTUs) have been designed to operate at either zero or 100 percent.

An RTU is defined as an air handler that is designed for outdoor use, typically on roofs. The science of these units has remained basically unchanged since the invention of electromechanical cooling by Willis Carrier back in 1902. Although the idea isn’t much different than having forced air blow over coils to condition the indoor air while removing humidity, the design of the air handler has changed over time. Most of the units now include steel framing, insulated panels and filters, heating/cooling elements, a mixing chamber, and a supply fan. Almost all units incorporate fresh air to combat sick building syndrome, and high carbon dioxide levels indoors. This is typically accomplished using a basic damper or an economizer controlled with air sensors.

Although the types of refrigerants have changed (a lot) since the inception of what we call air conditioning, the actual refrigeration cycle is arguably the same as it was in the beginning. Consisting of a condensing coil, metering device, evaporator coil, and compressor, the refrigeration cycle is a little more than a mechanical device of energy transfer.

The process of energy transfer is a combination of all of the components of both the air handler itself and the refrigeration cycle. This harmony of mechanically operating devices and the physics of the refrigerant is what keeps us comfortable every day. The
last part is the most important. Without that reliable level of comfort, our modern world would be thrown into disarray. Air conditioning was once considered a luxury, but the days of when we worked in hot buildings all year long are over. It is now a necessity, especially in commercial buildings without operable windows. Without it, people would be passing out daily from heat exhaustion and a lack of fresh air. It would be absolute chaos. So if the process of air conditioning is so great, and if it has remained virtually unchanged since it was first created by Carrier, than why change it at all?

One could start by making the old argument, “If it ain’t broke then don’t try to fix it.” This argument was once a crowd pleaser and an easy out for anyone who just didn’t care. It was the best way to tell others that what they have is good enough so just accept it and move on. Well, those days are gone, too. We have a great and many things to worry about now beyond what were considered problems in the days of our parents. One thing, for instance, is energy consumption or the reduction thereof.

Global warming and climate change are becoming household terms. The science of each has been proven by more than 98 percent of all who have researched the topics. Is it us causing these problems or are they natural occurrences? I could make arguments for both, but the fact is that globalization and over population is speeding up the process. So I ask you, what’s the solution? If the problem is bigger than you and I, what can we do to help? Actually, in the HVACR industry, we can do a lot. We can do more than most, actually.

Mechanical cooling units consume up to 50 percent of the total energy used by commercial buildings. More than two-thirds of these buildings are conditioned with RTUs. The vast majority of these buildings with RTUs were built more than 30 years ago during a time when the informal norm was, “hey, if we need one, let’s throw in two.” This may sound anecdotal, but studies have shown that some buildings from those days have RTUs that are nearly 75 percent oversized, and waste far more energy than I’d like to admit. People have been literally throwing money out the window for generations, and we are finally making a move to put a stop to it.

It all starts when we consider how much mechanical cooling is needed to condition a space. We can figure this out based on occupancy and temperature. When it’s determined how much cooling is needed to satisfy the space temperature during the peak occupied schedule, we can compare those values to the existing design.

One important factor that we need to remember before getting into energy reduction is how much fresh air is needed at any given time. Local codes always overrule any suggested design standards, but for argument’s sake, minimum settings of 10 percent outside air with 30 percent supply fan speed is a safe bet.

Taking into consideration the desired space temperature, occupancy levels, outside air, and static pressure minimums, we can now begin to consider the option of cycling down the RTU to save energy without sacrificing the personal climate of the occupants.

So where do we begin? How do we go about creating savings when taking all this into consideration? The most tested and proven method is to convert a constant-volume unit into a variable-volume unit. This can be done to virtually any RTU that isn’t on the verge of falling apart. By installing a variable-frequency drive (VFD) on the blower motor, you can safely slow down the fan speed. Although this sounds relatively easy to do, it isn’t. There are companies out there who have devoted countless engineering hours and research dollars to design retrofit devices that accomplish this goal, but these devices include far more than just a VFD.

Slowing down the fan is just a single variable in the equation. You also have to take into account the amount of static pressure it takes to move the air to the end of the ducts, supply/return/mixed air temperatures, and compressor staging. Some companies out there are building RTUs with compressors that can be converted to variable-speed operation. Most of the older RTUs use one or more compressor(s) and stage them accordingly. Controlling the compressor staging can be a highly difficult task, but the science is there, and it’s been heavily tested.

Converting a constant-volume RTU to variable volume can save anywhere between 20-50 percent in energy savings if done correctly. There have even been documented cases of up to 70 percent savings in some applications. The market seems to be primed and ready for these changes to take hold. The problem is most people don’t understand the benefits just yet, which means it’s up to us to raise awareness by educating our customers about the benefits of energy-saving techniques. Without this change awareness, the equipment we service will essentially be stuck in a short cycle.

Publication date: 11/4/2013

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.

Governmental Action on Refrigeration Safety, Regulations

I found this to be an interesting article from "the Air Conditioning|Heating|Refrigeration News". I hope our reader find it as interesting.

Refrigeration service technicians point out the need to keep up to date with what is happening elsewhere that could affect them. So, from time to time, we like to bring readers up to date on some news items related to refrigeration regulatory and safety issues.

Energy Reduction

First, attention needs to be paid to the changing landscape regarding refrigeration equipment energy efficiencies. The refrigeration sector continues to wend its way through new rules governing the efficiency of commercial refrigeration equipment including walk-in coolers and freezers. It is a complicated process because different regulations apply to different types of equipment and their respective sizes.

In that regard, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued final guidance concerning automatic commercial ice makers and commercial and industrial equipment test procedures.

The fact that efforts are being made in this regard pleases the advocacy group Alliance to Save Energy.

In a statement issued in early September shortly before the final guidance document was announced, the alliance said it “applauds the Department of Energy’s issuance of the Notices of Proposed Rulemaking for commercial refrigeration equipment and walk-in coolers and freezers. This latest action demonstrates the DOE is serious about helping Americans save energy and money.”

Venting Issues

While reports of refrigerant venting violations are few and far between, when they are announced, they can be whoppers. In 2004, the Dominick’s supermarket chain in the Chicago area paid an $85,000 fine for venting HCFC-22 in six of its stores.

The ante has gone up quite a bit.

In a settlement agreement announced Sept. 4, 2013 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the supermarket chain Safeway, which owns Dominick’s, has agreed to pay a $600,000 civil penalty and implement a corporate-wide plan to significantly reduce its emissions of HCFCs from refrigeration equipment at 659 of its stores nationwide. That process is estimated to cost approximately $4.1 million. The settlement involves the largest number of facilities ever under the Clean Air Act’s (CAA’s) regulations governing refrigeration equipment, the EPA said.

The settlement resolves allegations that Safeway Inc. violated the federal CAA by failing to promptly repair leaks of R-22 and failed to keep adequate records of the servicing of its refrigeration equipment.

According to the EPA, “Safeway will now implement a corporate refrigerant compliance management system to comply with stratospheric ozone regulations. In addition, Safeway will reduce its corporate-wide average leak rate from 25 percent in 2012 to 18 percent or below in 2015. The company will also reduce the aggregate refrigerant emissions at its highest-emission stores by 10 percent each year for three years.”

The EPA announcement did not specify when the violations took place.

Safeway Inc., headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif., will be closing stores in the Dominck’s chain by next year due to underperforming sales, according to reports.

Safety Issues

Issues related to proper safety procedures takes on additional importance when the refrigerant used is ammonia.

According to an announcement made on Aug. 12, 2013 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a refrigeration warehouse in Honolulu faces $251,330 in fines after federal and state investigators discovered health and safety violations.

Many of the violations were related to the fact that the facility operates on ammonia refrigeration. Others were related to issues that might be found in any facility where workers are present.

Inspections at Unicold Corp. were conducted in February by the U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA and Hawaii’s Department of Labor and Industrial Relations’ Occupational Safety and Health Division.

According to OSHA, 58 serious violations related to hazards associated with process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals in the ammonia refrigeration system; missing stair railings; unguarded floor openings on stairway platforms; deficiencies in the company’s plan for the response to workplace emergencies; and inadequate electrical equipment.

Other violations included locked and sealed exit doors, failure to keep exit routes free and unobstructed, and failure to label exit routes and post signs clearly indicating the route to the nearest exit.

Inspectors found 13 of the exit doors were locked from the outside and sealed shut, and that workers could not open or reach emergency exit doors because storage racks filled with pallets of products blocked the doors.

Publication date: 10/21/2013

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 Copper in Your Central Air Conditioning Systems Outdoor Condenser: Is It Easy Prey for Vandals?

As copper prices have risen over the past few years, copper theft has become a major problem across the nation. Thieves will target anything that has copper, but one of their easiest targets is air conditioner units. An air conditioner condenser sits outside and is easily accessible for thieves to dismantle surprisingly quickly.

The Cost of Copper Theft

Although copper thieves will only net a modest sum for the copper from an air conditioner condenser, homeowners often pay dearly for the thieves’ wrongdoing. Depending on current prices in the area, a thief will generally net about $20 from one residential air conditioner. If copper prices are high, he may get up to $75 from a large commercial one.

Homeowners, on the other hand, are often faced with significantly higher repair bills. Even if the damage is covered by homeowner’s insurance, you’ll likely still have to pay a hefty deductible.

Preventing Copper Theft

Homeowners, however, aren’t defenseless in the fight against copper thieves. Below are some steps homeowners can take to keep their homes safe and deter thieves from stealing the copper in their air conditioner condenser.

•Block the air conditioning unit from view - This is the easiest and most affordable precautionary measure, but it’s also the least effective. Bushes or a little fence can be placed around the air conditioning unit to hide it slightly, but keep in mind that in order for your condenser to run effectively, you need a clear radius immediately surrounding the unit for proper airflow.

•Install lights around the air conditioner - In addition to screening the air conditioner from view, motion lights can be installed around it. Thieves will be less likely to steal copper if they know they’re easily visible.

•Place the air conditioner in a cage - Several companies manufacture lockable air conditioner cages which surround the outdoor unit. Not only do these cages deter thieves, but they also protect units from hail, small branches and other debris.

A Homeowner’s Responsibility

Every homeowner must decide what lengths to go to to deter thieves from stripping the air conditioner condenser of copper. For more information about how you can best protect your unit, or for any other home comfort questions, contact the pros at Action Heating and Air Conditioning. We’re proud to serve homeowners throughout Northeast Florida.

A/C Duct Assessment

Seal in Your Savings with Duct System Repairs
Some information from Florida Power and Light Company

Leaky ducts can cause your electric bill to increase. When your cooling and heating duct system has leaks or holes in it, air is allowed to escape into the attic, which ends up wasting energy and costing you money. In fact, 50 percent of all homes have leaky ducts.

Duct Test

FPL representatives can visit your home and test your duct system. If repairs are needed, you might be entitled to an FPL rebate.

Schedule your home energy survey duct test online today or call 1-800-DIAL-FPL (1-800-342-5375).

Pay just $30 for the first central air conditioning system inspected and $15 for each additional air handler if your home is a single-family detached home.
You'll get a detailed repair report along with a list of Participating Independent Contractors (PICs)* who are qualified to make required repairs.

Rebates for Duct System Repair
FPL also provides incentives to help cover the cost of repairs. Receive up to $154 per central A/C system for single-family detached homes.
Receive $60 for multi-family, single-family attached homes, manufactured, and mobile homes. For these home types, there is no test fee.

What are the Qualifications?
Single-family and multi-family homes that have the duct system accessible qualify.
If a home has had a Duct test performed within the last 12 months, the home does not qualify for a new test.
If a home had an FPL WattSaver incentive redeemed within the last 12 months, the home does not qualify for a new test.
Multi-family homes with chimneys and gas appliances are NOT eligible unless there is a firewall between homes.

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.

OIL FURNACE TIPS

Operating an oil furnace does require slightly more maintenance than most other types of furnaces. There are many similarities but also additional extra steps that need to be taken to assure a long lasting and trouble free heating system. Many simple steps can be taken by the homeowner themselves to prevent premature breakdown. Always follow your users manual and do shut off any power supplies before attempting any maintenance other than filter replacement.
Regular maintenance:

All furnaces should have regular maintenance. Furnace filters should be replaced on a regular basis. Follow the guidelines by the filter manufacturer and in households with with a large number of pets, or a sandy outdoor environment, it is sometimes beneficial to replace the filter more frequently than suggested.

Older blower motors may require a yearly oiling. Newer sealed units do not. If you have a belt driven system, check the belt for wear or cracking and replace if needed. Check and clean your thermostat for accumulated dust and debris. If you have a mercury based thermostat be sure it is not out of level.

Keep you return air and registers clean and unobstructed to allow for proper air flow. Your furnace needs proper air flow to function and a build up of heat inside the system can damage it.

Specific maintenance for oil furnaces:

Keeping an oil furnace clean is a major part of the maintenance required. Oil furnaces do produce a greasy soot and this can lead to build up quickly. Clean the blower before the first start up of the heating season and again mid-way through the season. Also clean any soot from the stack control.

Oil filters should be cleaned or replaced at the beginning of the season and again about halfway through. Follow your owners manual for instructions. Most oil furnaces have a filter assembly similar to automotive oil filters and are not extremely difficult to replace.

If your furnace has an oil strainer this should also be cleaned when you replace your oil filter. Again you should follow instructions from your owners manual for your particular furnace. If your strainer shows any signs of damage it should be replaced. Debris in the oil can damage your oil pump and cause premature system failure.

Always check for any oil leaks in your tank or supply lines. Leaks will require professional repair but the earlier they are caught the better off you will be. You should also check the color of the smoke coming from your chimney. Black smoke is an indication of improper burning and will require professional adjustment.

Your oil furnace should serve you well, the most important thing is to keep it clean and free of soot build up. Cleaning and filter replacement on a regular basis will help keep your oil furnace trouble free.

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.

KANO KROIL

RESEARCH REPORT
Molecular Structure Key to Loosening Frozen Metal Parts

Kano Laboratories isolated the interdisciplinary physical, electrical, and chemical properties, which cause the common industrial problem of frozen metal parts.

Corrosion, compression, chemical reactions, thermal variations, and electrical interrelationships are the primary factors which contribute in varying degrees to frozen metal parts. For example, in some instances loosening a frozen metal part requires that the molecular bond of oxidation be broken in an often-inaccessible location that literally exists in infinitely small spaces. Based on a unique proprietary formula and manufacturing process, Kano created a molecule which had an inherent means of expedient self propulsion which would penetrate into spaces which are immeasurably small. In the lab, it was nicknamed Creeping Oil, i.e. Kreeping Oil, i.e. Kroil. To these penetrating properties were added the ability to disrupt the existing corrosive bond while remaining chemically neutral to the base metal. Since not all frozen parts are caused by corrosion, additional research has provided for the inclusion of other molecular properties assuring that the final molecular architecture would also be capable of loosening frozen metal parts when other factors such as compression were more responsible for the problem. The result of the research is Kroil, the world's largest selling penetrating oil.

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.

WINTER FUEL OUTLOOK

WASHINGTON — According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook, the EIA expects higher prices this winter for homes that heat with natural gas, propane, and electricity. Home heating oil prices are expected to be lower than last winter.

Forecast temperatures are close to last winter with the Northeast about 3 percent colder and the West 3 percent warmer.

Projected changes in residential expenditures from last winter are:

• 13 percent higher for homes that heat primarily with natural gas;

• 9 percent higher for propane;

• 2 percent higher for electricity; and

• 2 percent lower for heating oil.

Although natural gas expenditures are significantly higher than last winter, they are still lower than the average of the previous five winters (October 2007 – March 2012).

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.

CONSUMER COMFORT DEPENDS ON HUMIDITY CONTROL

Comfort, Health Big Factors in Controlling Moisture



Here is an article I thought our readers would be interested in. This article comes from "the Air Conditioning|Heating|Refrigeration News":

When it comes to IAQ, humidity plays an influential role in the health, safety, and comfort of occupants in buildings and homes. Settling this uncertainty falls solely on the shoulders of HVACR contractors, who admittedly devote a lot of their time to solving and controlling such climate conundrums.
Finding the Comfort Zone
When it comes to IAQ, humidity plays an influential role in the health, safety, and comfort of occupants in buildings and homes.“There’s a certain humidity range we humans like to live within,” said Rick Tullis, president, Capstone Mechanical, LP, Waco, Texas. “If we start getting outside those parameters, bad things start to happen with the illnesses that come upon us, impacting everything from our skin and sinuses, making us more susceptible to different viruses and bacteria. We like a certain range, ideally, and other organisms do, too.
“Some of the molds and other creatures like it when it’s really moist, and they start to do bad things to our homes, our structures, our buildings, and beyond,” he said. “With all that being said, we have to work to keep things within the right range.”
When humidity is kept to a certain level — ASHRAE recommends between 30-60 percent relative humidity for homes — air moisture-related issues are kept at bay.
“If you don’t have moisture, you don’t have mold, period,” said Larry Pearson, owner, Panoramic Building Performance Solutions, Bradenton, Fla. “When people say they have a mold problem, I tell them they have a moisture problem. A mold problem is always a moisture problem. End of story. You’ve got to control humidity if you want to control mold. If you create an environment inside of a building with acceptable humidity levels, you won’t have a mold problem unless there’s a plumbing leak or something like that.”
The moisture that is humidity presents some challenges in all applications. Tullis said his company recently had a job at a library in a special room for old, archived materials. He said, because of the condition of the materials, there was a very thin temperature and humidity range to be adhered to. He said this required some precise equipment and controls.
On the other hand, Tullis has found himself dealing with a broad range of issues involving humidity throughout his career. “We’ve had some experiences in a diaper plant,” Tullis said. “What goes into diapers? It’s little pellets that love to absorb moisture. This diaper plant had been designed by people from up north who weren’t used to the temperature and humidity challenges we have here in Texas. As a result, they had a building that had a very high relative humidity, which was causing the pellets to absorb moisture and expand in the manufacturing delivery pipes. Those pipes clogged because the pellets were absorbing the moisture and expanding. We encounter all kinds of fun scenarios like that.”
Lew Harriman, director of research, Mason-Grant Consulting, Portsmouth, N.H., said a firm grasp on humidity will provide comfort and save energy.
“Those are the two big reasons,” he said. “Lurking behind that are things like mold prevention. You really have to screw up in a major way to have mold problems in a building. More than one thing has to go wrong to have a mold problem. … If you don’t control humidity, people will use the thermostat to try to achieve comfort by forcing down the temperature set point, then lots of bad things happen. Energy gets all crazy because you’re using energy to do a job that’s difficult to do, and it also creates cold surfaces, which is when you get into the risk of mold. So if you don’t control humidity independently of the temperature set point, you will be using the temperature set point to control it. That’s where the energy and comfort problems come in, and that’s true in both light commercial and residential settings.”
Tullis agreed, stating that if the humidity varies wildly, comfort levels could be all over the board, regardless of the temperature.
On spring and fall days in Texas, where it could be 75˚F in the morning — which isn’t quite hot enough to turn on the air conditioning in Texas but the humidity is raging around 90 percent — it creates a problem for commercial buildings like schools that have to bring in a certain amount of fresh air to comply with ventilation standards.
“It definitely gets tougher when you get into many of the commercial settings because you’re dealing with so much more outside air,” Tullis said. “If you’re getting involved in auditoriums or office buildings, you have to bring in so much more outside air to meet the ventilation code that it really creates some interesting challenges on maintaining the right humidity range. Whereas in residential, you’re dealing with a fairly small people load, so there’s not as big of a need for outside air. There is some need, but it’s not nearly as much.”
In homes, controlling humidity plays a very big, albeit somewhat indirect, role in assessing IAQ, Harriman said.
“If the humidity is high, IAQ contaminants that exist in furniture and furnishings are more likely to get into the air,” he said. “The desorption rate of IAQ contaminants from those things rise as the humidity rises. Secondly, the perception of IAQ is very much related to whether it’s cool and dry, or cool and damp, or hot and damp. If you don’t control humidity, the perception, the annoyance factor of any level of IAQ contaminants goes up.”
Pearson, who joked the gates only opened to Florida once air conditioning was invented due to the subtropical climate and high humidity there, said a little bit of humidity won’t kill a building, as long as the equipment is running a few hours later to dry things out.
But it all comes down to making sure the job is done right, he added. “At the end of the day, if you keep it clean and keep it dry, you’re good to go,” Pearson said. “That’s a lot easier said than done, though. It costs a lot of money to properly design, install, and maintain HVAC systems. The other thing, too, is in Florida there are thousands and thousands of buildings that weren’t properly built. From day one, they weren’t designed or built properly to handle the conditions in Florida.”
Whether in a commercial building or inside a home, Harriman encouraged installing equipment designed to dry the ventilation air. “You have to dry the ventilation air to a 50° dew point, maybe 55°. But if you don’t dry the ventilation air all the time to that dew point, it’s going to be very tough to control the humidity in a way that doesn’t cause problems with comfort and energy, and that’s a really sad fact, but you have to do it,” he said. “People don’t want to do it because it costs money and is an extra piece of equipment, but if you do this, all your problems go away. And if you don’t do this, your problems will persist.
“There’s many ways to mitigate the problem. You can do it with controls, with the fancy furnaces and a/c systems, but you’ll always have difficulties until you dry the ventilation air, because that’s where the humidity comes from.”
Publication date: 8/12/2013

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 SEER RATINGS ARE 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.

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.

Sept. 9, 2013: Development of Natural Refrigerant Heat Pump Receives DOE Grant

Some interesting information from the Air Conditioning|Heating|Refrigeration News:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Part of a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project to reduce energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions, S-RAM Dynamics has been awarded a grant to help commercialize a new natural refrigerant heat pump.
According to the company, the heat pump will also reduce energy consumption for commercial and industrial customers by more than 50 percent when compared to other common air conditioning and heating systems. The system is being developed in coordination with Purdue University and performance testing will be done at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
“This is a big award for us. Energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions are major concerns, and the DOE recognized the potential impact of the new heat pump using our company’s proprietary compressor and expander technology,” said Lee Jestings, S-RAM president.
Assistant Secretary for Energy David Danielson announced the selection of the S-RAM technology as part of the “Next Generation Energy Efficient Buildings Technologies” program. According to Danielson, “Energy efficient technologies — from improved heating and cooling systems to better windows and lighting — provide one of the clearest and most cost-effective opportunities to save consumers money while curbing greenhouse gas emissions.”
“We are excited to be part of testing S-RAM’s technology and to assist them with commercializing this heat pump,” said Dr. Eckhard Groll, the Reilly Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. “This technology can eliminate the use of high global warming refrigerants and improve energy efficiency while providing comfortable and productive indoor environments for occupants.”
S-RAM Dynamics holds 47 patents for its variable power conversion technology. For more information, visit www.s-ram.com.
Publication date: 9/9/2013

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.

ALLERGIES

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term which refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. IAQ can be affected by gases (including carbon monoxide, radon, volatile organic compounds), particulates, microbial contaminants (mold, bacteria) or any mass or energy stressor that can induce adverse health conditions. Source control, filtration and the use of ventilation to dilute contaminants are the primary methods for improving indoor air quality in most buildings. Residential units can further improve indoor air quality by routine cleaning of carpets and area rugs. EPA has guidelines for frequency of cleaning based on traffic, number of household members, pets, children and smokers. Carpets and rugs act like an air filter and must be cleaned.

If you think that you are having issues with your indoor air quality, give us a call and let us help. We have UV-Lites, Speciality Filters, along with other products that can help with your indoor air quality.

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.

THERMAL EXPANSION VALVE

A thermal expansion valve (often abbreviated as TEV, TXV, or TX valve) is a component in refrigeration and air conditioning systems that controls the amount of refrigerant flow into the evaporator thereby controlling the superheating at the outlet of the evaporator. Thermal expansion valves are often referred to generically as "metering devices".
Flow control, or metering, of the refrigerant is accomplished by use of a temperature sensing bulb, filled with a similar gas as in the system, that causes the valve to open against the spring pressure in the valve body as the temperature on the bulb increases. As the suction line temperature decreases, so does the pressure in the bulb and therefore on the spring causing the valve to close. An air conditioning system with a TX valve is often more efficient than other designs that do not use one.
A thermal expansion valve is a key element to a heat pump; the cycle that makes air conditioning, or air cooling, possible. A basic refrigeration cycle consists of four major elements, a compressor, a condenser, a metering device and an evaporator. As a refrigerant passes through a circuit containing these four elements, air conditioning occurs. The cycle starts when refrigerant enters the compressor in a low pressure, low temperature, gaseous form. The refrigerant is compressed by the compressor to a high pressure-and-temperature gaseous state. The high pressure-and-temperature gas then enters the condenser. The condenser precipitates the high pressure-and-temperature gas to a high temperature liquid by transferring heat to a lower temperature medium, usually ambient air. The high temperature liquid then enters the expansion valve where the TX valve allows a portion of the refrigerant to enter the evaporator. In order for the higher temperature fluid to cool, the flow must be limited into the evaporator to keep the pressure low and allow expansion back into the gas phase. The TXV has sensing bulbs connected to the suction line of the refrigerant piping. The sensing bulbs give temperature readings to the TXV to adjust flow of refrigerant.

FUNCTION IN A REFRIGERATION CYCLE

Expansion valves are flow-restricting devices that cause a pressure drop of the working fluid. The valve needle remains open during steady state operation. The size of the opening or the position of the needle is related to the pressure and temperature of the evaporator. There are three main parts of the expansion valve that regulate the position of the needle. A sensor bulb, at the end of the evaporator, monitors the temperature change of the evaporator. This change in temperature creates a change in pressure on the diaphragm. For example, if the temperature in the evaporator increases, the pressure in the diaphragm increases causing the needle to lower. Lowering the needle allows more of the working fluid into the evaporator to absorb heat. The pressure at the inlet of the evaporator affects the position of the needle and prevents the working fluid from flowing back into the compressor. Since the pressure before the valve is higher than the pressure after the valve, the working fluid naturally flows into the evaporator. The pressure at the inlet of the evaporator acts on the diaphragm. There is also a spring providing a constant pressure closing the valve needle. The spring constantly restricts the amount of working fluid entering the evaporator. The pressure spring can be adjusted to increase or decrease pressure based on temperature needs. The pressure created by the spring acts on the opening of the valve. When the pressure of the sensor bulb acting on the diaphragm is greater than the combined pressure of the evaporator and spring, the valve opens to increase the flow of the working fluid. An increase of flow lowers the temperature of the evaporator and allows for more heat absorption.

TYPES OF THERMAL EXPANSION VALVED

There are two main types of expansion valves: internally or externally equalized. The difference between externally and internally equalized valves is how the evaporator pressure affects the position of the needle. In internally equalized valves, the evaporator pressure against the diaphragm is the pressure of the outlet of the expansion valve, whereas in externally equalized valves, the evaporator pressure against the diaphragm is the pressure of the outlet of the evaporator.

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.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - TRANE

A STATEMENT FROM TRANE ON THEIR 100TH BIRTHDAY:

When you have a 100-year legacy of partnership, it’s easy to predict how Trane will work with you in the future. Just as we work with you now to deliver innovative products, systems and services that meet your needs, our partnership will continue going forward to develop innovative solutions that address your growing concerns about the environment, energy efficiency and sustainability. Research in renewable energy technologies, advancements in energy management services, and best practices in energy conservation today will define the future of energy use for generations to come. At Trane, we see more than a building. We see opportunities to build life, and lead the industry for the next 100 years.

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.

Is That Normal? Sound Advice About Air Conditioner Noise

Sometimes our cars, appliances, and even air conditioners make the strangest noises, but how do you know if they’re normal or if something might be wrong? It’s not always as easy as hitting the ‘restart’ button on your computer, so it’s important to know when you should call a professional or contractor to check it out. The following are some tips about what sounds are normal and what indicates professional problem when it comes to your air conditioning unit.

Outdoor unit noise is normal upon start-up and shut down. The outdoor unit is where most of the mechanical operations in your system take place and depending on the type of equipment, it can be noisy and somewhat varied when it starts up and/or shuts down. Typically, most air conditioners make noise when they first cycle on, which can be caused by the buildup of pressure in the refrigerant lines or from bearings, fans or other moving pieces starting up. The same is true when the unit cycles off, or comes to a stop, as the pressures need to equalize. Sometimes this causes a unique noise that sounds like air escaping, a click or rattle.
◾Tip: If the start-up and shut down sounds are the same from cycle to cycle and not too loud, it’s probably normal and not worth calling a contractor.

Outdoor unit running noise after start-up can also vary among different types of equipment. Once the outdoor unit starts up, it should reach a consistent sound where you hear the fan blowing and the other mechanical parts humming along. Sometimes you might hear a cycling sound over the period of a few seconds where the unit changes the pitch of its normal running sound and might get louder or quieter in “waves.” If it gets increasingly louder as the system is running, then it might require a contractor to see whether it is out of balance or requires further inspection. If you hear a loud, intermittent mechanical “scraping” or “banging” noise, this is not normal and you should shut your system down and call a contractor to inspect it as soon as possible.
◾Tip: Significant changes in pitch or ‘banging’ noises indicate you should call a contractor.

Indoor unit sound is usually the sound of the fan moving air through your system. It is most noticeable when the system turns on and off. If you have a high efficiency system (16 SEER and over) you could hear two distinct sounds as your system moves from high to low cooling speed. The high speed sound can be noticeable, but the low might be so quiet you can barely hear it.
◾Tip: Air moving through your system should sound smooth and consistent once it is running.

In general, sound is a subjective attribute and the above descriptions are provided as a guideline for noises that could potentially signal a costly problem. In addition, we have recorded some typical compressor sounds you might hear during a normal start up, run and shut down cycle as examples

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.

Duct System Design: Get it Right From the Get-Go or Try, Try Again

The efficiency of the cooling equipment in your northeast Florida home is directly tied to your duct system design.

If the ducting isn’t properly planned, the distribution of your air affects your comfort, the quality of your indoor air and your energy costs.

New Home Duct System Design

Years ago, the ducting system was installed almost as an afterthought. Poorly distributed ducts exist in millions of older homes and are costing homeowners with needlessly higher energy bills. In recent years, however, energy-conscious architects and home builders have become aware of how important duct design is for new homes. Basic supply duct configurations get more attention in early planning stages than they did previously, maximizing the efficiency of present-day heating and cooling systems.

Problems With Poor Airflow

A poorly planned duct system design can result in airflow problems that a homeowner may never have a clue about. Depending on the age of your home, having a professional evaluation and altering your ducts could potentially result in significant savings in annual energy costs. Here’s a list of some of the common problems homeowners face:

•Too few supply or return vents in rooms
•Long runs of incorrectly sized ducts to distant rooms
•Sharp turns or junctions where airflow is slowed
•Exposed ducts that aren’t sealed inside conditioned spaces
•Bad seals at delivery and return vents

Ideally, all ducts should be contained in conditioned spaces. If this isn’t possible, they should be well insulated. Ducts should be configured so that there are easily graduated turns which don’t interfere with the velocity of the air. If the air speed slows, poor distribution throughout the home can result.

These are all problems resulting in higher costs and lower comfort.

If you’d like more information about how your silent and hidden ducts should work, contact the experts at Ation Heating and Air Conditioning. We’re happy to help educate you about the value of good duct system design, as well as answer any other home comfort questions you may have.

Website Seeks Illegal R-22 Information

A Website has been set up to allow browsers to report what they consider illegally sold HCFC-22. “If someone offers you an incredible deal on R-22, it likely is too good to be true,” is part of the statement on the home page of www.klexserve.com/catch22 for its Catch-22 Compliance Line.

The statement goes on to say, “Don’t help perpetrate a crime and put yourself in jeopardy at the same time.” Browsers are directed to a link asking for the submitter’s name, address, and phone number - although the submitter does not have to provide that info - and then asks for details about the possible illegal refrigerant.

“Buying and selling R-22 is a regulated activity,” the site said. “Only those authorized under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act can do so. Companies with authorized allowances given by the EPA want to make sure that the R-22 market is a level playing field for all participants. Buying and selling R-22 is a regulated activity, and only those authorized under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act can do so.”

The site asks for details on the refrigerant in question as well as where and when it was purchased.

At the site, Klexserve is described as “the legal process outsourcing entity of the Kochhar Group, a leading and pre-eminent Indian group specialized in providing diversified services of global and international standards to multinational corporations and their Indian subsidiaries, including several Fortune 500 companies based out of North America, Europe, Canada and Japan.” The site does not make clear whom Kochhar is outsourcing for in this case, although the refrigerant manufacturer Honeywell issued a press release on Feb. 18 saying it “has provided financial support for the Website.” Other refrigerant manufacturers are doing the same, it has been reported.

In its press release, Honeywell said, “the Website (is) aimed at curtailing unauthorized sale or purchase of R-22. The Website allows users to report suspected sale or purchase of the refrigerant, providing information so that authorities can investigate further.”

DuPont issued a statement on Feb. 19, saying, “DuPont has joined forces with other major industry manufacturers to simplify the reporting of R-22 buying and selling activity that is not in compliance with federal rules and regulations. Those who illegally transact R-22 in the U.S. are subject to seizures of the product, large fines and, as evidenced in the recent smuggling operation in Florida, prison sentences. Protect yourself by knowing your refrigerant source. Report known or suspected cases of illegal R-22 activity.”

The site also has a phone number, (866) 506-6134

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.

Efficiency of Geothermal Attracts Nonresidential Users

Geothermal Technology Offers Long-Term Cost Savings

Some interesting breaking news from The Air Conditioning|Heating|Refrigeration News.



With heating and cooling accounting for 40 to 50 percent of power consumption in nonresidential buildings, it highlights the need to increase energy efficiency in these buildings, and geothermal heating and cooling may hold the key, according to a new analysis from Frost & Sullivan.
“Geothermal heating and cooling is an excellent way to conserve energy while employing the earth as the chief energy transfer base,” said Konkana Khaund, Frost & Sullivan energy and environment industry manager. “Despite its huge initial costs, its higher energy efficiency and long-term cost savings are capturing the attention of environmentally conscious end users.”

Frost & Sullivan noted that the geothermal market is reined back by the high capital required to install the technology.

“Nonresidential users are in a better position to invest the capital and gain strong returns on investments in just a couple of years,” said Anu Cherian, senior industry analyst. “However, most end users are inclined towards ‘short termism’ and do not perceive the long-term benefits of investing in this technology.”

Apart from tight spending from end users, the highly competitive geothermal heating and cooling market is also challenged by price wars. To differentiate, Frost & Sullivan said manufacturers need to educate their potential end users about the lifecycle cost savings that can be accrued by investing in geothermal technologies. Installing such environmentally friendly products will also make building owners eligible for tax rebates and incentives.

Overall, geothermal heating and cooling technology’s benefits are expected to attract customers from across segments. Some of these benefits include long lifecycles, reliability, decrease in energy cost, the ability to comply with energy efficiency requirements, and the positive impact on the environment.

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.

Toren Partners LLC: Camera System, Extension Pole

We find it interesting to share with our readers, the new equipment that is available to our industry.

Made of stainless steel, the Swift Hitch camera extension pole enhances usage of the Swift Hitch wireless portable backup camera system. The pole extends to 5 feet, is easily attached to the base of any Swift Hitch camera, and features an adjustable camera angle. The pole allows the camera to view otherwise inaccessible areas such as crawlspaces and attics; over walls; and under staircases, foundations, and porches, while providing the user with a clear image on a hand-held monitor. It can be used in a variety of applications including HVAC inspections, electrical inspections, home inspections, plumbing, duct cleaning, and monitoring construction progress. The SH01 model camera system features a camera with a four-hour built-in rechargeable battery, while the SH02 model offers a camera with a 10-hour built-in rechargeable battery. Both cameras have a magnetic base. Each system comes with a hand-held full-color high-definition monitor.

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.

LOAD CALCULATION

A mathematical determination of how much cooling and heating (BTUs) an HVAC system must deliver for occupant safety and comfort. It is based on a variety of factors: square footage, building orientation, number of occupants, size and placement of rooms, number and size of windows and doors, amount of insulation, number of floors, and climate.

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.

Western, a Scott Fetzer Co.: Nitrogen Purging Regulators

Two HVAC nitrogen purging regulator/flowmeters are available for the HVAC market. The regulators incorporate a hybrid design and function as both a pressure regulator and flowmeter depending on the position of the control knob. The units are very intuitive to use, with preset purge and braze nitrogen flow settings, and a preset test pressure. Two models are available: 250-psi test pressure and 500-psi test pressure. Both units feature a hand-tight cylinder connection, so no wrench is needed for installation. Other features include a cylinder content gauge, ¼-inch SAE outlet, and heavy-duty brass body. The models allow HVAC technicians to install or repair HVAC systems easily and efficiently, thereby decreasing service call time, said the company.

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.

FALL MAINTENANCE

The time is coming up on us very quickly to think about having your heat pump/air conditioning maintenanced for the fall/winter. Give our office a call and have one of our specialists explain our maintenance programs.

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.

Importance of the Liquid Line Filter Dryer

Importance of the Liquid Line Filter Dryer

In refrigerant units with an expectation of system servicing, you'll find a filter dryer installed on the liquid line. As its name suggests, it serves two important functions: filtering contaminant particles out of the liquid refrigerant and removing water moisture from the system.

Contaminants can enter the refrigeration system during manufacturing and assembly, during the wear and tear of optimal use, or whenever suboptimal conditions cause damage to machine parts. The filter dryer stops all particles large enough to damage the system -- particles 20 microns or greater.

The filter dryer contains a group of molecular sieve beads that can take up a very large amount of water, effectively removing it from the system. Over time, moisture would otherwise accumulate and cause the formation of corrosive hydrochloric acid, obstructive ice crystals and system freeze-ups.

When we change out a system, we install a liquid line filter drier at the air handling unit, also. The drier is then in a less corrosive environment. When the liquid line filter drier that is installed in the condensing unit from the factory, leaks, we remove that drier (because there is one at the air handling unit that is performing its job) and we install copper in it's place. This way the copper will not rust and leak, so that our customer do not have to pay for more refrigerant.

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

XL624 SMART CONTROL by Trane®

The Trane XL624 control is an innovative product that is compatible with Trane as well as any other brand of standard central heating and air conditioning systems. It is compatible with Nexia™ Home Intelligence and includes Remote Climate Access*

XL624 Features:

4.3" black and white LCD touchscreen
Create up to four daily heating and cooling schedules
Adjust home temperature remotely*
Adjustable continuous fan control with variable-speed indoor unit
Screen lock out and guest lock out
Built-in humidity sensor
Dehumidification setting
Receive filter, maintenance and humidifier service reminder alerts via most web-enabled devices*
One button Energy Savings Mode (ESM)
Upgradable software

*Nexia Home bridge required
(Trusted Connection
Trane, together with Nexia™ Home Intelligence and Schlage®, the trusted leader in home security for more than 90 years, gives you more control of your home. This simple-to-use internet-enabled home automation system lets you remotely adjust your home’s temperature and monitor security by computer or most web-enabled cell phones.

ComfortLink™ Communicating Control
Connect your ComfortLink™ or ComfortLink™ II control to a matched Trane system for complete, seamless comfort. Every component is designed to work in harmony with the others, optimizing your energy use over time.

Home Connection Away From Home
All the control of your home is at your fingertips, from anywhere, with a web-enabled computer, tablet or smartphone. With Nexia™ Home Intelligence, you can build your own home automation system. With products like the Trane ComfortLink™ control with the Schlage® Home Keypad Deadbolt and Schlage® Home Dimmer Module, you have the ability to:

Control temperature settings and manage energy use
Allow entry to your home through the Schlage® Home Keypad even when you’re not there.
Assign up to 19 private four-digit codes for family members
Receive instant texts and email alerts when codes are used
Set recurring codes for housekeepers or frequent guests
Add, delete or change user codes remotely
Confirm the status of your wireless lock from anywhere
Program lights to turn on/off at different times of the day
Schedule your lights to turn on when lock code is entered
Monthly Subscription
Nexia™ Home Intelligence gives you the ability to remotely manage your home security, lights and climate control via any web-enabled computer, tablet and most smartphones for a monthly subscription.

Visit nexiahome.com for information on monthly subscription fees and plans. No long term contracts or cancellation fees)

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

Spectronics Corp.: Leak Detection Flashlight

I just like to keep all of our readers informed of new products that are being introduced.

Rechargeable, the OPTI-LUX™ 400 is an LED leak detection flashlight. It features a high-output, violet light LED that causes dyes to fluoresce more brilliantly and with greater contrast, said the company. It works with all popular universal/POE dyes. The leak detection flashlight’s inspection range is up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) or more. A rugged, corrosion-resistant, anodized lamp body stands up to years of heavy use, said the manufacturer. Powered by one rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the flashlight provides four hours of continuous inspection between charges. The unit has a 100,000-hour LED service life. The flashlight comes complete with a lanyard, rechargeable battery, charging cradle, ac and dc cord sets, and fluorescence-enhancing glasses.

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

Bosch Thermotechnology: Geothermal Heat Pump

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING/REFRIGERATION NEWS

Compact, the FHP LV Model is a single-stage water-source heat pump designed for use in retrofit or replacement applications. Available in ½ to 6 tons and in horizontal or vertical (upflow or downflow) configurations, the heat pump exceeds ASHRAE 90.1 efficiency standards and can be used for either water-loop or geothermal applications. Horizontal cabinets come standard with blower systems that can be easily reconfigured from end to straight discharge in a matter of minutes, said the company. The vertical cabinet’s blower assembly can be selected for top or side discharge to meet different ducting configurations. A copper coaxial heat exchanger is a standard feature. When water quality is in question, an optional corrosion-resistant cupronickel coaxial heat exchanger is available to enhance 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