When it’s not kept in shape, even the best system can cost you. How much? Depending on how you heat and cool your home and the climate of the area you live in, clogged filters, dirty thermostats, sooty flues, leaky duct work and un-lubricated fan motors can reduce heating and cooling efficiency by up to 29 percent.
■ Adjusting combustion efficiency increased performance by as much as 12%
■ Changing the filters increased performance by an average of 7%
■ Cleaning coils and burners added 10% to system performance
■ Adjusting fan speed added 6% to system efficiency
As shown by a recent study conducted by the National Comfort Institute (NCI).

This is no doubt one of the more expensive investments, though it gives the laregest return, as well as greatly improving comfort, health, safety and warranty. Furnaces, Air Conditioners, and other heating and cooling equipment generally lose about one percent of efficiency per year, compounded by lost efficiency due to a lack of routine maintenance means there is great room for improvement in utility bill cost reduction.
Take for instance uprgading from a twenty year old seventy percent efficient furnace to a high efficiency gas furnace of ninety-five percent efficiency would give an average efficiency increase of fourty-five percent.
Remember the furnace has lost 1% efficiency per year, so at 20 years old it is at best a 45-55% percent efficient furnace. Upgrading to a High Efficient Furnace and/or other High Efficiency equipment like a Tankless Water Heater earns extra incentives like tax credits and rebates and manufacturer promotions, not to mention these types of equipment are much better for the environment.

Changing the filters increased performance by an average of 7%. This is average, clogged filters can cause much lower performance than this, to the point of danger and system failure. A choking furnace can overheat and suffer great harm and damage and become dangerous. Clean filters obviously return cleaner and healthier air to the occupants, as well as the heating and cooling equipment.

Inspect heating and cooling air duct vents frequently, at least everyother year, especially if you suspect un wanted animal presence around ductwork. Rogue animals frequently nest in or damage, even collapse HVAC air ducting. This among other casues to ductwork can cause numerable problems in a systems function and efficiency. Actually, heated/cooled air supplied to the living spaces must be balanced with the return air going back to the system for heating or cooling and filtering. Problems include efficiency loss from leaky ducting. Efficiency loss and equipment damage from clogged or obstructed ducting. There are signs that major problems might have happened to your ducting, but the best way to ensure best efficiency and function of your system, is visual inspection and sealing of leaks, and insulating ducting in non-heated or cooled spaces.

This could be on of the hardest things to fully complete, but then again fresh air is needed. Different States have different opinions on the neccessary amount of fresh air coming into a house every hour, and these opinions sometimes change drastically from State to State and year to year. The easiest and most obvious of draft locations to control is around the seals of Exterior Doors and Windows. Installing insluation strips around the doors is fairly easy, though bigger problems might lie beyond the molding. An easy test is to use a candle around seals, and even throughout the house to find signs of air movement and possible drafts. Fresh air must enter the house for healthy air, the solution for having plenty of fresh air without having to lose money heating or cooling it after coming in from outside is a Fresh Air Heat Exchanging Ventilator. Each manufacturer calls them something a little different, generally they are just called ventilators.

An HRV, or Heat Recovery Ventilator can save 75 percent or more of wasted energy on heating or cooling fresh air. As it pushes out stale air, it pulls in fresh air, and—with little or no mixing of the two air streams—it transfers the heat or chill from the outgoing air to the incoming supply. The fresh air arrives pre-heated or pre-cooled and, with some units, pre-humidified or dehumidified.

Utility Usage

• Heating 29%
• Cooling 17%
• Water Heating 14%

That totals 60% of total home utility usage.
Save up to half or more on your natural gas, electric and/or propane utility bills by upgrading your old heating and cooling systems. Be comfortable and safe in your home.

$1500 / %30 Federal Tax Credits on High Efficiency Installs.

When is it time to replace? (from Energystar.gov)

Certain telltale signs indicate it’s time to consider replacing heating and cooling equipment, or improving the performance of your overall system. It may be time to call a professional contractor to help you make a change if:

1. Your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old.

Consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR label. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency units can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

2. Your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old.
   

Consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified furnace, which is 15% more efficient than a conventional furnace. If you have a boiler, consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified boiler that is 5% more efficient than a new, standard model.

3. Your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up.

Your cooling or heating equipment my have become less efficient.

4. Some rooms in your home are too hot or too cold.

Improper equipment operation, duct problems or inadequate insulation could be the cause.

5. No one is home for long periods of the day and you do not have a programmable thermostat.

Install a programmable thermostat or have a good contractor install one and instruct you on its use — to start saving energy and money while they’re away or sleeping.

6. Your home has humidity problems.

Poor equipment operation, inadequate equipment, and leaky ductwork can cause the air to be too dry in the winter or too humid in the summer.

7. Your home has excessive dust.

Leaky ducts can pull particles and air from attics, crawl spaces and basements and distribute them throughout your house. Sealing your ducts may be a solution.

8. Your heating or cooling system is noisy.

You could have an undersized duct system or a problem with the indoor coil of your cooling equipment.

9. Your score on the Home Energy Yardstick is below five.

That means your energy use at home is above average and you’re probably paying more than you need to on energy bills. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=HOME_ENERGY_YARDSTICK.showGetStarted

10. Peace of Mind

Home heating and cooling is about more than just utility usage, it’s also about Comfort and Peace of Mind. Heating systems especially, can also be vary dangerous if left to their own devices without regular insepctions and maintenance.

High Levels: Can kill humans and animals in minutes.

• “ Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill you before you are aware it is in your home.” http://www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html

Medium Levels: Symptoms are similar to other ailments.

• “At moderate levels, you or your family can get severe headaches, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated, or faint.”
• “You can even die if these levels persist for a long time.” http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/coftsht.html

Low Levels: Can cause lasting effects.

• “Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and mild headaches, and may have longer term effects on your health.”
• “Since many of these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, food poisoning, or other illnesses, you may not think that CO poisoning could be the cause.” http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/coftsht.html

“The effects of CO exposure can vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health and the concentration and length of exposure.” http://www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html

Carbon Monoxide from Home Heating Equipment:

“Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. If appliances that burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of CO produced is usually not hazardous. However, if appliances are not working properly or are used incorrectly, dangerous levels of CO can result.”

Prevention is the Key to Avoiding Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• “DO have your fuel-burning appliances — including oil and gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, gas or kerosene space heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves — inspected by a trained professional at the beginning of every heating season. Make certain that the flues and chimneys are connected, in good condition, and not blocked.”
• “DO choose appliances that vent their fumes to the outside whenever possible, have them properly installed, and maintain them according to manufacturers’ instructions.”
• “DON’T use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.”
• “DON’T sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.”
• “DON’T ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them. You could lose consciousness and die if you do nothing.”  http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/coftsht.html
• “Have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.”
• “All gas appliances must be vented so that CO will not build up in your home, cabin, or camper.”
• “When purchasing gas equipment, buy only equipment carrying the seal of a national testing agency, such as the American Gas Association or Underwriters’ Laboratories.”  http://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm

Carbon Monoxide Detectors:

“Carbon Monoxide Detectors are widely available in stores and you may want to consider buying one as a back-up — BUT NOT AS A REPLACEMENT for proper use and maintenance of your fuel-burning appliances. However, it is important for you to know that the technology of CO detectors is still developing, that there are several types on the market, and that they are not generally considered to be as reliable as the smoke detectors found in homes today. Some CO detectors have been laboratory-tested, and their performance varied. Some performed well, others failed to alarm even at very high CO levels, and still others alarmed even at very low levels that don’t pose any immediate health risk. And unlike a smoke detector, where you can easily confirm the cause of the alarm, CO is invisible and odorless, so it’s harder to tell if an alarm is false or a real emergency.”

• ” Don’t let buying a CO detector lull you into a false sense of security. Preventing CO from becoming a problem in your home is better than relying on an alarm.”
• “If you shop for a CO detector, do some research on features and don’t select solely on the basis of cost. Non-governmental organizations such as Consumers Union (publisher of Consumer Reports), the American Gas Association, and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) can help you make an informed decision. Look for UL certification on any detector you purchase.”
• “Carefully follow manufacturers’ instructions for its placement, use, and maintenance.” http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/coftsht.html
• Remeber to check the expiration date on your CO detectors. Some detectors expire after only two years.
• Having multiple detectors is much safer than one. Detectors should be installed close to your furnace and water heater, and in at least one main sleeping area, and the most occupied living area to achieve the best safety.
• “CPSC recommends that every home should have at least one CO alarm that meets the requirements of the most recent Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2034 standard or International Approval Services 6-96 standard. ”  www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01069.html

If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO poisoning:

• DO GET FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY. Open doors and windows, turn off combustion appliances and leave the house.
• DO GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM and tell the physician you suspect CO poisoning. If CO poisoning has occurred, it can often be diagnosed by a blood test done soon after exposure.
• DO Be prepared to answer the following questions for the doctor: 
   

1. Do your symptoms occur only in the house? Do they disappear or decrease when you leave home and reappear when you return?
2. Is anyone else in your household complaining of similar symptoms? Did everyone’s symptoms appear about the same time?
3. Are you using any fuel-burning appliances in the home?
4. Has anyone inspected your appliances lately? Are you certain they are working properly? http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/coftsht.html

Most of this information was taken from the CDC and EPA. For more detailed information visit their websites with the links provided.

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/coftsht.html

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html

http://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01069.html

Comfort and Energy Savings Explained:

Variable speed refers to the Fan or Blowers ability to change it’s operating speed. This is achieved through the use of an ECM, DC (direct current) motor instead of the traditional one speed AC (alternating current) motor.

Benefits:

• Much Greater Electric Efficiency with DC motor
• Greater Gas Efficiency (AFUE rating)
• Much Quieter
• Balanced heat (reduces temperature swings)
• Can overcome ductwork design flaws (air flow)
• Greatly reduces system wear and tear

Variable speed motors in furnaces are used in conjunction with a mulitple output gas valve to give flexibility to combustion and output levels of the furnace. This provides more efficient, balanced heat and greatly reduced wear and tear on the heating system. This is because most of the time the furnace will run at a reduced temperature for longer periods.

Humidity and Heating in Seattle and Western Washington:

Humidty and condensation play a big role in system efficiency and equipment life span. 

Increased humidity and condensation around coastal climates equals faster corrosion from corrosive residue and powder build-up.  

Overly hot burning and/or short-cycling furnaces also equals much greater corrosion. That means reduced efficiency and equipment life.

Variable speed furnaces mainly run at lower temperatures for longer periods of time. That equates to better comfort, efficiency and equipment life.

Visit our website for more information on heating and cooling products and our HVAC services.

http://wanaturalgas.com/

When is it time to replace? (from Energystar.gov)

Certain telltale signs indicate it’s time to consider replacing heating and cooling equipment, or improving the performance of your overall system. It may be time to call a professional contractor to help you make a change if:

Your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old.
Consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR label. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency units can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

Your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old.
Consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified furnace, which is 15% more efficient than a conventional furnace. If you have a boiler, consider replacing with an ENERGY STAR qualified boiler that is 5% more efficient than a new, standard model.

Your equipment needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up.
Your cooling or heating equipment my have become less efficient.

Some rooms in your home are too hot or too cold.
Improper equipment operation, duct problems or inadequate insulation could be the cause.

No one is home for long periods of the day and you do not have a programmable thermostat.
Install a programmable thermostat or have a good contractor install one and instruct you on its use — to start saving energy and money while they’re away or sleeping.

Your home has humidity problems.
Poor equipment operation, inadequate equipment, and leaky ductwork can cause the air to be too dry in the winter or too humid in the summer.

Your home has excessive dust.
Leaky ducts can pull particles and air from attics, crawl spaces and basements and distribute them throughout your house. Sealing your ducts may be a solution.

Your heating or cooling system is noisy.
You could have an undersized duct system or a problem with the indoor coil of your cooling equipment.

Your score on the Home Energy Yardstick is below five.
That means your energy use at home is above average and you’re probably paying more than you need to on energy bills. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=HOME_ENERGY_YARDSTICK.showGetStarted

Repair Vs. Replace Chart

Other Helpful links:

NATE Annual Savings Calculator

http://www.hvacradvice.com/Tips_and_Resources/Energy_Savings_Calculator/default.aspx

HVAC Operational Costs Calculator

http://www.hvacopcost.com/

1-888-432-8464(heating) or visit our website for more information…

http://wanaturalgas.com/

Servicing the greater Seattle metro area.

Furnaces

• Repair
• Maintenance
• Installation

Heat Pumps

• Repair
• Maintenance
• Installation

Tankless Water Heaters and Tank Water Heaters

• Repair
• Maintenance
• Installation

Air Conditioners

• Repair
• Maintenance
• Installation

Gas Fireplace Inserts

• Repair
• Maintenance
• Installation

Air Cleaners

• Repair
• Maintenance
• Installation

Gas Piping

• Repair
• Installation

 Air Duct Cleaning

• Air Duct cleaning
• Air Duct repair
• Air Duct Installation

Other Products

• Humidifiers
• Fresh Air Exchangers / Ventilators
• Earthquake Valves

Our service area includes:

Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mill Creek, Everett, Marysville, Lake Stevens, Arlington, Bothell, Redmond, Snohomish, Burien, Mercer Island, Sammamish, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline, Mukilteo, Woodinville, Issaquah, Renton, Kent…

Learn More at http://wanaturalgas.com/navien-tankless

• Forced air furnace to air-source heat pump conversion
• Air source Heat pumps
• Energy Star qualified Forced-air furnaces
• Energy Star qualified Tankless Water heaters

For more information visit – http://wanaturalgas.com/pse-rebates

There are also Federal Tax credits to take advantage of for the 2010 year.

For more information on Federal Tax Credits visit – http://wanaturalgas.com/federal-tax-credits

Most people don’t realize that their furnace runs as much as 3,000 hours per year. To put that in some perspective if you were driving a car the same amount of hours at 60 miles an hour you would travel 180,000 miles in a single year. Given that information you wouldn’t go without a tune-up right? You wouldn’t and neither should your heating and cooling system. Yearly preventative maintenance can help reduce utility costs and may help prevent costly repairs in the future.

A recent study conducted by the National Comfort Institute (NCI) found that :

• Adjusting combustion efficiency increased performance by as much as 12%
• Changing the filters increased performance by an average of 7%
• Cleaning coils and burners added 10% to system performance
• Adjusting fan speed added 6% to system efficiency

All of these adjustments can generate up to a 29% increase in system performance.

Making recommended repairs during this visit can also save you money in the long run by avoiding costly emergency calls and valuable time lost from work due to additional repair visits to your home.

If you have not serviced your furnace or heat pump in a while, it’s not too late. Having your system checked and cleaned now will ensure  it runs safely and efficiently through this heating season. It may also help avoid costly repairs in the future.

Annual Fuel Utilization Energy (AFUE) Indicated as a percentage, your furnace’s AFUE tells you how much energy is being converted to heat. For example, an AFUE of 90 means that 90% of the fuel is being used to warm your home, while the other 10% escapes as exhaust with the combustion gases.

Air Change per Hour (ACH) The number of times per hour that the volume of a specific room or building is supplied or removed from that space by mechanical and natural ventilation.

Air handler, or air handling unit (AHU) Central unit consisting of a blower, heating and cooling elements, filter racks or chamber, dampers, humidifier, and other central equipment in direct contact with the airflow. This does not include the ductwork through the building.

British thermal unit (BTU) Any of several units of energy (heat) in the HVAC industry, each slightly more than 1 kJ. One BTU is the energy required to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit, but the many different types of BTU are based on different interpretations of this “definition”. In the United States the power of HVAC systems (the rate of cooling and dehumidifying or heating) is sometimes expressed in BTU/hour instead of watts.

Chiller A device that removes heat from a liquid via a vapor-compression or absorption refrigeration cycle. This cooled liquid flows through pipes in a building and passes through coils in air handlers, fan-coil units, or other systems, cooling and usually dehumidifying the air in the building. Chillers are of two types; air-cooled or water-cooled. Air-cooled chillers are usually outside and consist of condenser coils cooled by fan-driven air. Water-cooled chillers are usually inside a building, and heat from these chillers is carried by recirculating water to outdoor cooling towers.

Coil Equipment that performs heat transfer when mounted inside an Air Handling unit or ductwork. It is heated or cooled by electrical means or by circulating liquid or steam within it. Air flowing across it is heated or cooled.

Controller A device that controls the operation of part or all of a system. It may simply turn a device on and off, or it may more subtly modulate burners, compressors, pumps, valves, fans, dampers, and the like. Most controllers are automatic but have user input such as temperature set points, e.g. a thermostat. Controls may be analog, or digital, or pneumatic, or a combination of these.

Delta T delta T is a reference to a temperature difference. It is used to describe the difference in temperature of a heating or cooling fluid as it enters and as it leaves a heat transfer device. This term is used in the calculation of coil efficiency.

Fan-coil unit (FCU) A small terminal unit that is often composed of only a blower and a heating and/or cooling coil (heat exchanger), as is often used in hotels, condominiums, or apartments. One type of fan coil unit is a unit ventilator.

Condenser A component in the basic refrigeration cycle that ejects or removes heat from the system. The condenser is the hot side of an air conditioner or heat pump. Condensers are heat exchangers, and can transfer heat to air or to an intermediate fluid (such as water or an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol) to carry heat to a distant sink, such as ground (earth sink), a body of water, or air (as with cooling towers).

Constant air volume (CAV) A system designed to provide a constant air volume per unit time. This term is applied to HVAC systems that have variable supply-air temperature but constant air flow rates. Most residential forced-air systems are small CAV systems with on/off control.

Damper A plate or gate placed in a duct to control air flow by introducing a constriction in the duct.

Evaporator A component in the basic refrigeration cycle that absorbs or adds heat to the system. Evaporators can be used to absorb heat from air (by reducing temperature and by removing water) or from a liquid. The evaporator is the cold side of an air conditioner or heat pump.

Furnace A component of an HVAC system that adds heat to air or an intermediate fluid by burning fuel (natural gas, oil, propane, butane, or other flammable substances) in a heat exchanger.

Fresh air intake (FAI) An opening through which outside air is drawn into the building. This may be to replace air in the building that has been exhausted by the ventilation system, or to provide fresh air for combustion of fuel.

Grille A facing across a duct opening, usually rectangular is shape, containing multiple parallel slots through which air may be delivered or withdrawn from a ventilated space.

Heat load, heat loss, or heat gain Terms for the amount of heating (heat loss) or cooling (heat gain) needed to maintain desired temperatures and humidities in controlled air. Regardless of how well-insulated and sealed a building is, buildings gain heat from warm air or sunlight or lose heat to cold air and by radiation. Engineers use a heat load calculation to determine the HVAC needs of the space being cooled or heated.

Louvers Blades, sometimes adjustable, placed in ducts or duct entries to control the volume of air flow. The term may also refer to blades in a rectangular frame placed in doors or walls to permit the movement of air.

Makeup air unit (MAU) An air handler that conditions 100% outside air. MAUs are typically used in industrial or commercial settings, or in once- through (blower sections that only blow air one-way into the building), low flow (air handling systems that blow air at a low flow rate), or primary-secondary (air handling systems that have an air handler or rooftop unit connected to an add-on makeup unit or hood) commercial HVAC systems.

Packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) An air conditioner and heater combined into a single, electrically-powered unit, typically installed through a wall and often found in hotels.

Roof-top unit (RTU) An air-handling unit, defined as either “recirculating” or “once-through” design, made specifically for outdoor installation. They most often include, internally, their own heating and cooling devices. RTUs are very common in some regions, particularly in single-story commercial buildings.

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) The measure of the cooling efficiency of your air conditioner or heat pump. The higher the SEER number, the more efficient the system is at converting electricity into colling power.

Variable air volume (VAV) system An HVAC system that has a stable supply-air temperature, and varies the air flow rate to meet the temperature requirements. Compared to CAV systems, these systems waste less energy through unnecessarily-high fan speeds. Most new commercial buildings have VAV systems.