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Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

Yes, the State of Texas requires that all HVAC contractors be licensed and all technicians be registered with the State.

The State also requires that licensed contractors be insured to protect both the consumer and the contractor.

When purchasing ANY cooling and heating equipment, ALWAYS ask about its efficiency ratings.

These ratings tell you how efficiently the unit uses fuel (electricity, gas, or oil) and in turn can cost or save you a lot of money in the long run.

The most frequently used ratings are:

SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio): This tells you the amount of cooling your system will deliver per dollar spent on electricity and can range from 14 to 25.

The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the system will be and the less it will cost to operate in the long run.

AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency Ratio): This measures the percent of heat produced by a furnace for every dollar of fuel consumed.

The higher the rating, the lower the fuel costs. All furnaces produced today have a minimum of 85% and go up to a 95% high-efficiency unit.

Keep in mind that furnaces that are 10-15 years old may fall below this minimum and may be costing you a significant amount of money to operate.

ENERGY STAR: An Environmental Protection Agency designation attached to HVAC products that meet or exceed guidelines established by the government for high-efficiency performance.

The size of a heating and cooling system is based on the amount of square feet it can cool or heat and are sized by tonnage.

One (1) ton equals 12,000 BTU/H (British Thermal Units per Hour). Residential systems range from 1 to 5 tons.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no rule of thumb for sizing a system to a home.

Things like the size of the house, climate, the number and type of windows installed, insulation, and even the number of people living in the house are some of the many factors used in determining what tonnage system should be installed.

Always keep in mind that when it comes to HVAC systems, bigger is not always better.

If your system is too large, it will deliver less comfort, cost more to operate, and will be less efficient.

Simply put, R-410A is environmentally friendly compared to R-22.

Due to its effect on the ozone layer, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is phasing out R-22 refrigerant and it is being replaced by an environmentally friendly refrigerant, R-410A.

The EPA has drastically reduced the production of R-22, causing the cost to skyrocket, and intend to entirely ban production of R-22 by 2015.

This, however, does not mean that you need to rush out and buy a new system that uses R-410A refrigerant.

You can continue using your R-22 system, but make sure to properly maintain your system as it minimizes the risk of mechanical breakdowns or refrigerant leaks.

Though, if your system is over 10 years old or repair costs are outweighing replacement costs, you may want to consider replacing it now rather than later. Why, you ask? Since R-410A has a much smaller carbon footprint, it does not harm the ozone layer like R-22 does. Even with your system being only 10 years old, you may save a significant amount of money on your energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient system.

There are advantages to both settings, so it is really your personal preference.

When setting the thermostat to "Auto," the fan will operate only when the temperature requires it. This is the most commonly used and most efficient setting.

However, when the thermostat is set to "On," the fan will continuously operate causing better filtration and the constantly circulating air results in an even temperature throughout your home.

Temperature settings depend on the time of year, the ever changing humidity levels, and of course, your personal preference. In the summer, the average temperature setting is 74°-78° and 68°-72° in the winter months.

Try and avoid the possibilities of drastic temperature changes when you leave your house. Do not set your temperature more than 5° warmer or cooler than your desired temperature.

This will ensure that your system will not have to work as hard to achieve the desired temperature setting.

Most air-conditioning systems today are designed to achieve an optimal temperature differential of 20°.

This is to say that in a perfect world, on a warm, dry day, if the temperature of the air going into the return air is 80°, after running for at least 15 minutes, the exiting supply air should be about 60°.

We hope to always see a 15°-20° temperature differential since things such as the outdoor temperature and humidity levels play a major role in affecting your system's temperature differential.

No. Every system is designed to cool a certain number of square feet.

By closing registers and doors in certain rooms, you disrupt and decrease the systems' airflow and efficiency. Therefore, your system will have to work harder to cool less space, making it cycle more and become less efficient.

Yes, depending on the size of the plant and how close it is to the unit. Small shrubs and plants should be planted no closer than 18 inches to the unit.

Do not plant any large trees, bushes, or plants of any kind that will obstruct the air flow to the unit.

Plants that frequently shed leaves or flowers should be avoided as well as the loose leaves and flowers may be sucked up into the unit's coils restricting air flow.

(The same holds true for pet hair!) Air flow obstruction or restriction will cause excessive heat load on the system resulting in a premature failure or diminished system capacity.

The most important part of HVAC maintenance is ensuring air flow.

The key to ensuring your system is working properly and efficiently is keeping your system free of dust, dirt and debris.

You should change your filters regularly; keep outdoor units clear of debris, clutter and weeds; use caution with weed trimmers around your outdoor unit to prevent damaging control wiring; keep pets away from the outdoor unit as well since pet urine, pet hair, and chewed wires can cause expensive damage.

We also recommend having your HVAC system professionally maintained twice a year; your air-conditioning system in the spring, and heating system in the fall.

This not only ensures maximum efficiency, it enables us to foresee any possible problems that may occur in the near future and possibly fix them before they become more expensive repairs.