Information on Heat Pumps in Alpharetta
If you are in the market for a new way to heat and cool your home, a heating option such as an Alpharetta heat pump may be the answer to your problem. Don’t let the name fool you, this heating method can not only heat your home it can cool it as well. The idea behind the system is fairly simple. The unit removes heat from the outside air or the ground and transfers it into the house. To cool a Alpharetta home, the unit is equipped with a reversing valve which literally reverses the system’s operation to now pull heat from the home and release it outside.
These types of home cooling and heating systems are best for moderate climates, where temperatures do not drop to dramatic lows in the winter or rise to scorching temperatures in the summer. There are several different types of these heating units. The first is the air-source type. This type of unit transfers heat between your home and the outside air. Another type is the geo-thermal type. This type of pump transfers heat between your home and either the ground outside or a near by water source. The ground transferring type is called a ground-source and the water type is called a water-source heat pump. A third type of heating pump is the absorption type. This type transfers heat between your home and a heated source such as water, that is infused with ammonia to increase the heating capacity. Trane heat pumps are from a reliable manufacturer, and there are a number of other brands as well.
Installing a heat pump can save consumers money on their heating and cooling bills. A heat pump will operate at a much lower cost than backup heating sources or air conditioners will. By saving the higher cost systems for extreme weather, consumers can see a significant cost savings of around 30 to 40%.
Purchasing an Alpharetta heat pump is a wise decision for many home owners. Make sure to have it installed by a professional Alpharetta HVAC contractor, who can evaluate your home and help you choose the right type of heating method for your family.
Things You Can Do Before Calling Your Atlanta AC Repair Company
Even if it’s summer, there is no need to panic every time your air conditioner breaks down, nor do you need to call an AC repair company right away. You can read the following tips on how to revive your Atlanta AC when it suddenly stops working.
The first thing you should do is to clean the filters. One of the primary reasons for Atlanta air conditioner breakdowns is clogged filters. It is quite common for AC units to stop giving off cool air for the simple reason that the filter is dirty and hasn’t been cleaned for some time. You may actually want to unclog filters by yourself or have your office utility man do the work in order to save repair fees, especially for industrial sized units. Regular monthly cleaning is an easy step that can actually avoid the hassle of removing your AC from its place and having it installed again once repaired, aside from saving you and your company hundreds of dollars.
You might also want to check the compressor before going to any Atlanta AC repair shop. Along with the filters, the compressor also needs to be checked first. Remember that once your compressor fails, the whole AC system also fails. Check out the compressor for any signs of wear and tear, such as frost build-up and irregular noise coming from it. However, if you are getting clear signs of damage, this would actually entail serious help and making a call to your local AC repair shop is just necessary.
Also, check the controller as there can be some sort of mishandling it; troubleshooting should start with the controllers. It is important to take note that some systems have different settings for heating and cooling and you might want to correct any wrong setting first before actually having it done by an Atlanta AC repair shop.
Using a Humidifier For Greater Comfort in Your Atlanta Home
If you suffer from dry skin, itchy eyes or throat, or cracked lips a humidifier may provide relief. This is particularly true in the winter when humidity levels are generally lower.
Humidity is a term to describe the water level in the air and is expressed as a percentage. The higher the water level in the air the higher the humidity percentage. Generally, the humidity level should be around 50% although anything between 40% and 60% is acceptable. You can measure your home’s humidity level by purchasing an inexpensive device called a hygrometer. By taking readings during various times during the day you can get a very good idea of which rooms need humidification.
There are two common types of room humidifiers that can be purchased – cool air and warm air. Either type work well and it is really personal preference on which type you purchase. Warm air humidifiers boil the water within them and emit it as steam. These units are quiet as there are no moving parts but there is a burn risk associated with them. Also, overuse can cause over-humidification and a “muggy” feeling. Cool air humidifiers generally wick the water up a filter and close to a fan where the water is evaporated into the air. A second cool air method is achieved with a spinning disk that causes the water to mist into the air. A third, less common, humidifier is ultrasonic. It causes the water to mist by blasting it with high pitched sound. The sound is generally not audible to human ears.
If you find that your whole house is in need of humidification than the units described might not be the best route. Instead, a whole house unit attached to your central air could work better. The advantages are that the unit is connected to the home’s water supply eliminating the need to refill the unit as you do with room humidifiers. Also, the unit is out of sight and not cluttering up your rooms as single room units do.
The decision to go with a whole house or single room units is really a matter of preference because either way your humidity levels are optimized. The best thing to do is by a room unit and test it out as well as setting an appointment with a whole house installer to learn more about costs and benefits. Either way your home will feel much more comfortable!
Common AC Repair Problems for Your Atlanta Home
There are many common AC repair problems, ones that can be fixed on your own, but there are also air conditioning repair that should only be performed by an Atlanta AC professional. Most of the problems you may have with your AC can be avoided simply by using common sense and doing routine maintenance that is recommended in your owner’s manual, like changing the filters, and keeping any duct openings free of dust and debris.
Faulty wiring is one of the most common Atlanta AC repair problems, and could be directly related to any electrical problems that are happening. This can include the unit not functioning properly, low power, and even the breakers tripping. In this case, you should check the connections, and if they are all attached properly, then you should call a service person to do a more thorough inspection. Electricity is very dangerous, and you should never try to fix this on your own.
Another common AC repair problem is that your unit isn’t cooling properly. This can be caused by a number of different factors. Your air conditioning repair problem could be caused by a low refrigerant level. Your unit should not run out of coolant for a long time, but sometimes a leak can occur. You should make sure this is not the case before you try to have it recharged. If it is something simple, like the connections have come loose, you may be able to tighten the fittings on your own. If the leak is coming from the coolant tank itself, then should have someone else take care of it properly. There things to consider as well, such as a defective clutch or a faulty compressor unit.
The outside fan not working properly is also a common AC repair problem. This fan is a key component to transferring the heat from your home to the outside, and without it working properly, you will have more air conditioner repair problems, because the compressor may over heat, tripping the breaker, or even cause internal damage to the compression unit itself.
When dealing with these problems, is you can’t figure it out on your own, it is a good idea to bring in a specialist to diagnose the problem to ensure that it is fixed properly. An Atlanta AC professional has the tools and expertise to fix any problem they do find right the first time. If you find that these problems are occurring even though your unit is new, then it may be covered by the product’s warranty, and you may not even have any out of pocket expenses. When hiring a professional, make sure that they are NATE-certified.
You can find an abundance of repair companies online. Your warranty information may also have some contact information as well. Make sure that anyone you hire to help you has a license, is insured, and has experience in the type of air conditioning unit you own. Get estimates of the repair costs if your warranty doesn’t cover it, or has expired.
It’s Getting Hot. Get Your Alpharetta Air Conditioning Fixed Today
We at Self Heating & Cooling understand the urgency of having your Alpharetta air conditioning system break down. We respond to all emergency service request promptly. Which, means we will have an Alpharetta air conditioning specialist at your home or office for repair service within two hours or less (most cases). Self Heating & Cooling also offers emergency same day or next day installations on new air conditioning in the entire metro Atlanta Area.
Installing a new, energy efficient central air conditioning unit is an excellent decision for any metro Atlanta home owner who wants to add value to a home and improve the comfort of living. This upgrade can make a big difference in how your home feels in the summer.
If you are looking for a professional Atlanta air conditioning contractor, please call us today at 770-732-9358 or complete our online service request.
Deciding on a Heat Pump Versus Air Conditioner
Choosing the best air conditioning appliance for your home is one of the biggest decisions you may face regarding home appliances. Nearly every Atlanta home owner would rather have an energy efficient dish washer, clothes washer, and dryer. But what about when deciding between a heat pump versus air conditioner? The high price of home energy usage and increased environmental concerns are resulting in home owners searching for the most efficient yet affordable appliance.
The name “heat pump” is somewhat misleading to most consumers, since it actually provides both heating and cooling in homes. When heating a home, a heat-pump collects warmth from the ground, air, and water in order to transfer this heat to the building. While an Atlanta heat pump is in cooling mode, it simply removes hot air from inside of a home and sends it back outdoors. Essentially, a heat pump does the same thing all year round, but it simply transfers the heat in a different direction depending on the season. Air conditioners and heat-pumps in cooling mode are both given a seasonal energy efficiency rating (also known as SEER), which allows customers to know how much energy each appliance will use. According to the seasonal energy efficiency rating, a high number means lower energy consumption.
In hot climates a high seasonal energy efficiency rating is necessary in order to efficiently reduce the temperature inside of a home. In addition to being given a SEER rating, heat pumps are also given an energy consumption rating on the heating seasonal performance factor (also known as HSPF) scale. The heating seasonal performance factor indicates how much power is used by a heat-pump while it is in heating mode. Heat pumps have coils outside, which in turn collect ice during winter. Burners are then used by the heat pumps to melt ice and push warm air into your home. This means that in cold climates, heat pumps can use more energy to heat a home.
On the other hand, air conditioning systems cool indoor air by evaporating a refrigerant, such as Freon. Coils are inside of the home for cold air, and outside of the home for hot air. Air conditioning units contain compressors which transform Freon from its original state into a hot gas. This gas travels through air conditioning coils, loses heat and turns from a gas into a liquid. Once liquefied, it passes through a valve and evaporates into cold gas. When this gas enters the coils indoors, the coils absorb indoor heat. The result is a cooled indoor air. Home air conditioners use the SEER efficiency rating as well, so customers can be aware of their energy consumption. Large commercial air conditioning units often use the energy efficiency ratio (or EER) to measure efficiency. A higher EER indicates a more efficient appliance.
Air conditioners are a bit less energy efficient when cooling down a building than heat-pumps are. However, heat-pumps are only energy efficient above 40 degrees. If the temperature is lower, a furnace is usually required for heating purposes. The most efficient appliance ultimately depends on which climate you live in.
Enhancing the Indoor Air Quality of Your Atlanta Home
You must have heard of sick buildings, sick offices and homes. And when you personally start experiencing perpetual sinusitis, tearing eyes, and endless allergies, you begin to wonder if you need to improve your indoor air quality, IAQ that is. And getting an air cleaner purifier is an essential part of the solution.
3 main factors contribute most in enhancing the IAQ of the Atlanta home or office, namely by source control, boosting your interior ventilation as well as using an indoor air purifier.
Source control literally means trying to identify the where the bad air comes from within your Atlanta home or office. For example, office equipment like the photocopier, fax machine, personal computers and home appliances like gas stoves are all culprits of emitting pollutants. These are easy adjustments like changing to an alternative appliance or enclosing your office copiers in an enclosed room which will greatly help improve the air quality eventually.
Circulating indoor air with outdoor air is also important as research has shown that often enough, outdoor air is cleaner than indoor air by 2 to 5 times. While is might be a more difficult task to open all your doors and windows at the office, you can do so very easily at home. And do it twice a day an hour at a time. This will help you ventilate the used air with outdoor air which often contains more nutrients. And if your home also includes an art or pottery studio where you paint your art pieces, it is advisable to air your work room more often. You should do the same if you have a crowded garage.
Finally, getting an indoor air purifier is the critical maintenance part of this chain process. Effective air purification systems are capable of removing particles from 10 to 0.001 microns depending in the type of air filtration systems adopted. Particles like dust, virus, bacteria, gas, smoke and odor are amongst the main pollutants removed but you will need to do some research to find out which is most suitable one for you. One thing for sure, steer clear away from ozone ionic cleaners as they tend to emit ozone, a toxic gas to the human body.
Roswell Air Conditioning Tune Up Time
Its hot! And now that summer is here it may be beneficial to get an Air Conditioning tune up for your home. As a home owner you should be aware of what is involved in an air conditioning tuneup. If you read any home maintenance articles this spring, most will encourage an A/C tuneup; some will even claim 25% savings. Predicting savings without knowing what type of tuneup received is a little silly. Encouraging a tune up without explaining the difference between an average tuneup and a high quality tuneup is a shame and expensive.
At Self Heating & Cooling our technicians will walk you through our in home tune up to ensure that your air conditioning is working correctly and up to the best efficiency for your home.
Calll 770-732-9358 today for all your air conditioning needs.
Smyrna Air Conditioning Solutions
When you purchase an air conditioning system for your metro Atlanta home, make sure that the air conditioning contractor provides you with the best air conditioning services. When you fall ill, you take some medicines on your own, however if condition deteriorates, you seek the advice of your doctor. The same holds true for all your electronic and mechanical appliances including your air conditioning units.
Even if you have a thorough knowledge and understanding of electronics, at times it becomes important for you to look for professional advice. The company from where you are buying a air condensing unit should have experts to solve in case of an operational problem. Expertise is a must because experienced and skilled professionals provide cost-effective and prompt solutions to all your problems. An efficient team of experts help you understand the nature of the problem which saves you from additional stress. The price charged by an established company is mostly at par with the rates of the market with regards to installation and maintenance costs.
At Self Heating & Cooling, we believe in bringing the Atlanta homeowner the best possible service we can. Our Atlanta HAVC technicians are on-call 24 hours a day. Because of the huge fleet of fully equipped service vehicles and the state of the art communications capabilities, the response time by Self Heating & Cooling technicians is among the fastest in the industry. But it is not only technology that keeps Self Heating & Cooling responsive; it is also the service-oriented state of mind.
If you are looking for a professional Atlanta HVAC contractor, please call us today at 770-732-9358 or complete our online service request.
A New Furnace Can Save You Money
All Atlanta furnaces need to be maintained at some level in order for them to operate at their maximum efficiency. Whether you own an oil furnace or a gas furnace, many of the maintenance basics are the same.
Efficiency starts with how the furnace is built. A furnace built to be highly efficient in the first place is clearly ideal. Old furnaces can actually cost you more in the long run than new furnaces. They require more fuel and produce less heat which costs you more on a monthly basis than operating a new furnace would cost. A new furnace will not need to work as hard and therefore will cost less to run. Old furnaces can even be dangerous if they were not maintained properly over the years. If a furnace is exceptionally dirty or parts are faulty a fire or explosion can actually start in your Atlanta home.
When shopping for new oil furnaces or gas furnaces the way to tell how efficient they are is to look for their AFUE rating. AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency and it is a measurement of how energy efficient the furnace is. The higher the AFUE percentage the more efficient the furnace will be.
Since the cost of fuels are always on the rise, it is important to look at your Atlanta furnace and figure out how best to save money in it’s operation. If buying a new furnace is feasible that is often the best solution. If it is not an option, make sure that all parts of your gas or oil furnace are working properly and that the filters are changed or replaced regularly.