Question 1

Top tip for improving and maintaining your air conditioning system

Accepted Answer

One of the easiest ways to keep your home comfortable this summer is to make sure your air filter is clean.  A clean air filter creates less resistance for air, allowing it to flow more freely through your air conditioning system.  This will make your home more comfortable, while also helping you spend less on energy because the equipment doesn’t have to work as hard.

Question 2

Don't forget to fill the gap

Accepted Answer

Weather stripping, insulating and caulking aren’t just about keeping the cold out during winter.  They can also work hard to keep the cold in during the summer.  Any air leak is a chance for your comfortable environment to escape, raising your temperature, your humidity and your energy costs.

Question 3

Sunglasses for your house: Tinting Windows With a Solar-Reflective Film

Accepted Answer

If you have windows that receive direct sunlight, consider having them tinted with a solar-reflective film.  Curtains and blinds can go a long way towards keeping the light out, but solar film will help reflect heat as well.  Which can reduce the load placed upon your air conditioner.

Use cooler bulbsTinting, curtains and blinds can keep out the heat, but they can also keep out the light.  And it doesn’t make sense to shut out the sunlight if you’re just going to warm your home up with bright, hot incandescent light bulbs.  Switching to cooler CFL or LED light bulbs won’t just save you energy, it can also lower the amount of heat in your home.

Question 4

Insulate yourself from the heat

Accepted Answer

Attic insulation isn’t just about keeping the cold out during winter.  Proper insulation also helps keep the heat from your roof and attic from entering your home and ruining your cool comfort.  Insulation is a smart decision in any season, really, though you’ll most appreciate the extra comfort and energy savings during extreme heat or cold.

Question 5

Why bother with a programmable thermostat?

Accepted Answer

A programmable thermostat can help you use less energy by running your air- conditioning system less often when you’re not home.  But if the changes in your schedule are too drastic – for example, letting the temperature in your home go up by 25 degrees when you’re gone—your system will have to work harder to restore comfort when you return.  Work with  Nev's Heating & Cooling to find a schedule that’s energy-efficient, without huge daily temperature swings.

Question 6

Replacing your A/C? Consider a home comfort system

Accepted Answer

After a long, distinguished career, your air conditioner is ready to retire.

You’ve shared a lot of summers together, but the inefficiency, high temperatures and uncomfortable indoor humidity have made it time to say goodbye. Don’t think of it as a hassle, think of it as an opportunity.

Question 7

Should you replace the entire system, or just one part?"

Accepted Answer

Anytime you need to repair or replace a part of your home’s heating and air-conditioning system, ask yourself a few questions. Are you spending a lot on repairs on a regular basis? Is your system more than just a few years old? How high are your energy bills? A new system may be a smart decision for many reasons.

Question 8

Does old automatically mean inefficient?

Accepted Answer

With the continuing advancement of home comfort technology, equipment is becoming more energy efficient. A new system may offer you substantial energy savings even if your current system is only a few years old.

Question 9

Balancing your HVAC system for peak performance

Accepted Answer

By replacing your entire system, rather than just a single component, you get equipment that’s been designed to work together. Because of this compatibility, you’ll enjoy greater energy efficiency and optimized comfort.

It’s just like replacing a flat tire on your car. Using one tire of a different size would reduce the performance of the entire vehicle.

Question 10

Know the parts of a home comfort system

Accepted Answer

When you understand how a home comfort system works, it’s easy to understand why a matched system can offer greater energy savings and comfort.
 
The furnace or air handler.  The furnace or air handler is the center of the system, almost always found indoors. It circulates heated or cooled air all year long.

The air conditioner or heat pump.  Found outdoors, the air conditioner or heat pump connects to the furnace or air handler to cool air in the summer and, in the case of a heat pump, warm air in the winter.

The thermostat.  The brains of the entire operation, the thermostat coordinates heating and cooling based on the temperature you set indoors. Programmable thermostats allow your system to heat or cool on a schedule, saving energy when you’re not home.

Indoor air quality.  For even healthier, more comfortable air, an effective air cleaning system is a must.

Question 11

5 easy ways to keep your furnace happy

Accepted Answer

Spring isn’t here just yet, which means your furnace is working hard to keep your home warm. Soon, though, temperatures will start to rise. But that doesn’t mean your furnace gets the summer off.

Your furnace works every day of the year. During winter, it warms and circulates the air. During summer, it still has the important task of circulating cooled air. Help keep it running at its peak with these helpful tips.

Regular Filter Changes
 
Have you every tried drinking a milkshake through a straw? It’s not so easy, is it?   That’s the same effect a clogged air filter can have on your home heating and air-conditioning system. And the harder your furnace has to work to pull the air through, the more it will cost you in energy. And lost comfort.

If your furnace uses disposable filters, a good rule of thumb is to change them every 1-3 months unless you have an annual filter. Homes in dusty or dry climates should change their filters more frequently to preserve furnace performance and air quality.

Regular system checkups by a professional.If you don’t perform regular maintenance on your car, eventually it will break down. Your furnace is the same way. A regular inspection by Nev's Heating & Cooling will make sure your furnace runs at its best. This has several benefits:

It costs less energy to heat and cool your home
Small problems are detected early before they turn into big problems
Your home stays more comfortable
Keep your intake pipe clear 
 
Modern condensing furnaces operate with higher energy efficiency, generating more heat with less fuel. However, in order to do so, they require an external intake pipe for their air supply. If this pipe becomes clogged or blocked, that will not only affect your furnace’s efficiency, it can also cause a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide.

If you have a high-efficiency furnace, look for the intake and exhaust pipes on the exterior of your home. Make sure they’re free of ice, snow, and other obstructions like bird nests or insects. If you cannot easily check the status of your pipe, Nev's Heating & Cooling to do it for you.

Use a programmable thermostat
 
Programmable thermostats help you keep a tighter hold on your energy savings by matching the heating and cooling output of your system to the demands of your home. In other words, when nobody is at home during the day, the system will run less often because there’s nobody there to appreciate the comfort.

Reduce use even when you’re home. 
 
Programmable thermostats can be used to save energy and make your furnace work less hard even when the home is occupied. When outside air is very cold, your furnace has to work harder to keep inside air warm. By lowering your thermostat’s set temperature at night, you can reduce the load on your furnace. And since everyone’s asleep, the temperature difference won’t be felt as much.

Smarter thermostats make sense 
 
Many intelligent programmable thermostats can further reduce the load on your furnace by ramping the temperature up gradually over time, instead of forcing the furnace to do all of its work at once.

Learn more about keeping your furnace healthy from Nev's Heating & Cooling.

Question 12

Equipment Warranty

Accepted Answer

Equipment requires regular scheduled maintenance to hold your parts and labour warranties. Check your manuals for warranty requirements.

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Tips and Tricks for Your Heating and Cooling System