THE NEW WAY TO RUN YOUR HOME

Some interesting news from TRANE for the "Gadget Person" in your home.

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

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

Linear LLC: HVAC Commercial Unit Copper Theft Security Device

Here is some good information for our commercial accounts:

A copper theft security solution, the Copper Cop is designed to protect commercial HVAC units from being stripped of copper piping and hardware. Designed for easy installation to the exterior of a commercial HVAC unit, the device includes a unique wire harness and patent-pending spring-loaded clips enclosed in a durable, bright yellow casing that provides “Protected by Copper Cop” signage to deter would-be thieves. When the cover is tampered with, the device, connected to a local siren, transmits an alarm and alerts the proper authorities. Integrating with existing alarm panels is accomplished with the manufacturer’s wireless transmitter/receiver pair (DXS-31/DXS-702).

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

RE-CHARGING YOUR HVAC SYSTEM

Just wanted to share some information with my readers about re-charging their HVAC system. The EPA frowns very heavily about re-charging the system and not performing a leak search to inform you where your system is leaking refrigerant. We get many calls in the office and the question is: "Can you come put freon in my unit?" My answer is: "Yes, we can perform a leak search, inform you where the leak is, ask you if you want the repair, and continue on from there." The next question is: "Why can't you just put freon in?" My answer is: "Because it is my obligation to inform you where the leak is and give you your options." The next question is: "Well, can't you just put a pound or two in and let it go?" My answer is: "No, your HVAC equipment is not like pulling up to the gas pump and putting a few gallons in to get you to the next stop; it won't work correctly without the proper amount of refrigerant in it."

So before you call your HVAC provider and ask for a pound or two of refrigerant, remember that it doesn't work that way.


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

REFRIGERANT LEAK DETECTOR

Have you ever wondered how your service technician knows when your HVAC system has a leak in it. Well, the picture above shows you the type of equipment we use to detect a leak and the information below will help you understand.

Refrigerant leak detector Model 316-3 is a hand-held detector that delivers optimal sensitivity to all refrigerants, detecting leaks as small as 0.15 oz/year. The detector is resistant to contaminants such as dust, dirt, and oil, according to the manufacturer. The product features a heated diode sensor, easy one-button operation, LEDs which illuminate progressively to show leak size, and an audible alarm. The high/low sensitivity adjustment feature allows a user to decrease sensitivity to pinpoint leak sources. The 316-3 also features an automatic background adjustment, or zeroing, to compensate for refrigerant buildup.

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

CONDENSATE DRAIN CLEANER

Once again, I think it is important for the customers to know what tools we sometimes use. Below is information on the tool we sometimes use to clear a customer's condensate line.

Lightweight, yet powerful, the Drain Gun tool is designed for blowing out condensate lines. One shot from the tool can dislodge even the most stubborn clogs, and at 0.4 pounds it is a breeze to carry up a ladder or into a tight crawlspace. The rugged drain cleaning tool uses the 16-gram oil-free CO2 cartridges and is constructed of machined aluminum and brass with a cartridge holder that is almost indestructible, the company said. The spring-loaded seal prevents the cartridges from leaking when loading into the gun. The hose has a standard ¼-inch flare fitting which allows for the addition of extension hoses or other of the manufacturer’s accessories. The hose can be removed and the Drain Gun can be used to inflate bicycle or motorcycle tires.

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

PRESSURE SWITCHES

I feel that it is important for the homeowner to know the different parts that are in their HVAC equipment. As the saying goes, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Word".

The H Series pressure switches can be utilized in HVAC, appliance, medical, automotive, pump, and water-system applications. The series includes pressure switches ideal for ultra-low operating pressure ranges down to 0.04 inch/H2O (0.25 psi). The differential switches allow for high operating pressures up to 5,000 psi. Vacuum switches are designed to stand up to extended-duty applications. Built with rugged construction for long-lasting operation, the units are field adjustable, allowing fine-tuning to meet application requirements. The switches are offered in an array of pressure ranges, electrical connections, and port configurations. UL approval and factory calibration are available on most models.

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 CURTAIN

An addition to the In-Ceiling Mount (ICM) Series, Model ICB is an in-ceiling flush-mount air curtain rated for doorways with up to 16-foot-high ceilings in hotels, hospitals, office buildings, schools, and other commercial facilities. For supplemental heating, the ICM Series offers electric, steam, and hot-water options, and the series comes standard with the Intelliswitch™ advanced and easy-to-install digital-control package. The company’s proprietary heater placement design minimizes turbulence and disruption of the Pro-V nozzles’ long-reaching laminar airstream. The external service panel requires no ceiling panel removal and allows easy accessibility for component replacement or microprocessor control programming. The ICB, available in 3-12 foot lengths, features a high-style, low-profile faceplate available in white polyester-coated aluminum or stainless steel. Powder-coat aluminum, custom-colored faceplates are available.

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