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Improving the Energy Efficiency of Your Home

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Air Conditioner Troubleshooting, Blog, Featured.

Have you received record-high utility bills? Are you setting new records for energy costs every month? Are you looking for ways to reduce your utility costs? Take a look at the appliances and equipment in your home and get an understanding of how much each of them contributes to your overall utility costs.

Heating and Cooling Systems

In almost all homes, heating and cooling systems are the biggest users of electrical power. The motor that powers the fan that moves warm and cool air through your ducts and all through your home works day and night year-round. In warm months, the motor in the outside unit of your air conditioner also runs day and night.

By some estimates, nearly half of your home’s electrical usage goes to power your heating and cooling systems. Being the biggest user of electrical power, your heating and cooling system offers the biggest opportunity for significant savings. Newer systems are significantly more energy efficient than older systems. If you have a system that is more than 10 years old and is requiring annual repairs, it may be time to consider a replacement.

If your heating and cooling system is not keeping your home temperatures at a comfortable level, it is undersized or in need of repair. A heating and cooling system that is properly tuned will operate more efficiently. Supplemental heating and cooling appliances are often expensive to operate and a sign that your central system is not performing as it should.

Water Heaters

While much less expensive to operate than a heating and cooling system, a water heater is still a major contributor to your utility costs. Like other equipment, newer models are more energy efficient. If your water heater needs to be replaced, energy savings will help offset the cost. However, the energy savings with a new water heater is not enough to rush the purchase before a replacement is truly needed. Turning down the temperature of the hot water is a money-saving move. Dishwashers have their own means to heat water, washing machines can do their job with cold water, and most people mix hot and cold water for bathing and showering.

When a replacement truly is needed, look into a tankless water heater. With a traditional tank system, hot water is ready for you on demand overnight, during work hours, or while you are on vacation and it is not needed. Tankless water heaters produce hot water as you need it and only when you need it.

Refrigerators

Energy-efficient modern refrigerators use less energy than older refrigerators. Replacing an older refrigerator with a new energy-efficient one is probably not going to have a quick payback. A better option is to adjust the temperature. Increasing the freezer and refrigerator temperature by a couple of degrees will save you money on your utility bill.

Washers & Dryers

As with any appliance, newer models are more energy efficient. Washing in cold water is always a good option. Washing and drying fewer but larger loads is another choice that can save substantial money over time.

Lighting

Make a trip around your home and count the number of light bulbs you have. Count the bulbs in your refrigerator, oven, microwave, porch and patio lights, closet lights—count them all. Most homeowners would be surprised at the number of bulbs they find. Collectively, those bulbs may be using up to 10% of your total electrical energy bill. Replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs will reduce energy consumption by more than half.

Smaller Appliances and Electronics

The average home has a large assortment of mostly smaller devices that collectively account for a significant portion of electrical energy usage. These may include toasters and other countertop cooking appliances, entertainment centers, televisions and cable boxes, gaming consoles, fans, computers, electric ovens, phone chargers, and much more.

While some of these devices require significant electrical energy to operate, most of them do not operate continuously, so total electrical usage is small. Computers should be set to go into sleep mode when not in use.

If you are using fans or small heaters to keep your home comfortable, there are more efficient options. Talk to the technicians at Semper Fi Heating & Cooling to learn more about what you can do to lower your utility bills.

child laying down in bed with their feet over the bed

Tired of Waking Up Tired?

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Air Conditioning Replacement, Blog, Featured.

Do you have trouble going to sleep and staying asleep? Do you feel tired when you wake up in the morning? Is poor sleep affecting your health? Your heating and cooling system could be preventing you from sleeping well.

Too Hot or Too Cold

Room temperature is a major factor in getting a good night’s sleep. A cooler room improves sleep quality and helps prevent waking up during the night. Your body temperature decreases at night, your metabolism slows, and you spend less energy while sleeping. A heating and cooling system that cannot adjust to the desired overnight temperature makes it difficult to get good and restful sleep.

Programmable or smart thermostats that automatically adjust to the desired nighttime temperature are a big help. We all remember nights when we are already in bed and do not want to get up to change the thermostat. Even with a proper thermostat setting, your system is not always able to get your bedroom to the desired temperature. Your HVAC system may need a tune-up, repair, or replacement to fix the problem.

An HVAC system that cannot deliver the proper temperature to your home is more than an inconvenience; it is a threat to the health of your family. Not enough sleep can influence your health, mood, and energy. Contact the technicians at Semper Fi Heating & Cooling if your HVAC system is not delivering the day or night room temperatures that you need.

Indoor Air Quality

Research has found that indoor air quality is as much as five times more polluted than outside air. Air filters are the No. 1 tool in the effort to keep home air clean. Use high-quality air filters and replace them often. You might want to also invest in an air purification system. Pollutants can be removed from the indoor air that you breathe. With cleaner air to breathe, you should feel better, be healthier, and be able to get a better night’s sleep.

System Noise

Your heating and cooling system will cycle off and on several times overnight. Loud noises from your system every time it starts and stops are likely to wake you up repeatedly. The good sleep that you need for good health is restful and uninterrupted sleep. Talk to the technicians at Semper Fi to find ways to reduce the noise level from your HVAC system.

Humidity Level

Humidity control is one of the often overlooked but important jobs of a heating and cooling system. Extreme dry air can cause dry skin, nosebleeds, and sore throats. Too much humidity allows germs to grow and cause respiratory problems. When you and your family are suffering from humidity-related illnesses, you will not be sleeping well.

Good sleep matters. A properly operating heating and cooling system will help you sleep better and wake up rested and full of energy. A properly tuned and properly operating system will help you sleep better. Get in touch with Semper Fi Heating & Cooling to get your HVAC system operating properly so you can get the sleep you need to wake up fresh and full of energy.

Energy or power savings concept with a home thermostat and sky

Pricing Outlook for Heating & Cooling Systems for 2022

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Blog, Featured, Reduce Utility Bills.

A replacement heating and cooling system has always been one of the more expensive items to purchase for home upkeep. Recommendations for the frequency of replacing your heating and cooling system range from 10 years to as much as 20 years. Systems that have been well maintained through routine preventive maintenance may even last a few years longer.

As multiple efficiency improvements have occurred over the past 20 years, the inefficiencies of an older system have made newer systems even more attractive. Not only are newer systems more efficient, but there is good reason to expect that with proper maintenance they will continue to operate efficiently for longer lifespans.

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers and their employers turned to remote working. Initially just to survive, some later made remote work a permanent solution. During 2020 and 2021, many remote workers chose to make their home more comfortable by replacing their heating and cooling systems. The upturn in demand coupled with materials shortages and logistics disruptions resulted in spotty shortages of replacement HVAC systems and parts.

As early as late fall 2020, price increases for heating and cooling systems and the components to service and repair them led to price increases for consumers. Prices continued to rise throughout 2021 and are continuing to increase in 2022 as the shortages of raw materials, parts, and new systems continue. Higher transportation costs and ongoing logistics disruptions are adding to the price increases.

Additional price increases in 2022 are expected by most industry insiders. Many of the major system manufacturers have already announced mid-year price increases ranging up to 20% with no assurance that there will not be additional price increases before the year’s end.

For instance, one major equipment manufacturer announced a 7% increase in June 2021, a 9% increase in April 2022 and a 12% increase for July 2022. Together, they compound to an increase of more than 30%.

Over the past several years, small price increases for HVAC equipment have come to be expected as new models became more advanced, longer lasting and efficient. The post-pandemic increases, however, have been larger and more frequent. The repeated significant increases add up to an overall surge in HVAC equipment prices.

Since the start of the pandemic, commodity raw material prices like copper and steel have increased in the 20% range, and transportation costs have increased by up to 40%. A heating and air conditioning system consists of dozens of additional components, all of which have experienced inflationary increases:

  • Wrap insulation +15%
  • PVC fittings +15%
  • Filters +10%
  • Parts and accessories +19%
  • Pipe fittings +15%
  • Coils +5%

The outlook is for continued price increases through the end of 2022. If you need to purchase a replacement unit, expect to pay more. If you need repair parts for your existing system, you should also expect to pay more. The good news is that these newer, higher-priced systems are generally more efficient and will have a longer lifespan than new systems did 15 to 20 years ago.

Programmable & Smart Thermostats

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Blog, Featured, Reduce Utility Bills.

Spend a Little – Save a Lot

The concept behind all programmable and smart thermostats is that there are days and partial days when your home does not need to be heated or cooled to the level that you feel is most comfortable. Any properly sized, properly installed, and well-maintained heating and cooling system can keep your home at the preferred temperature all day and all night, at a cost. The cost is higher utility bills.

Does the temperature need to stay the same overnight? Many people turn the heat down overnight. What about when your home is empty when you are away at work or on vacation? Are you heating and cooling more than necessary just so your home will be at your preferred temperature when you return? Do you manually adjust your thermostat multiple times every day? Do you ever forget to make some of your daily adjustments? A programmed thermostat does not forget.

The savings you can expect from a programmable or smart thermostat will vary greatly depending on what you program into the thermostat. In any case, you should expect the cost of the new thermostat to be recovered somewhere between 6 and 24 months. After that, the savings goes on for years.

You can also add to your utility cost savings by setting it for higher and lower temperatures in the summer and winter. ENERGY STAR estimates that for every 1 degree of thermostat change, your energy cost will decrease by 1%.

Programmable & Reliable

Typically, a programmable thermostat can be set to adjust the temperature at different levels for weekly intervals. You might program it for a daily schedule something like this:

  1. 6:15 AM, 15 minutes before your normal wake-up time. Raise the temperature to 70 degrees.
  2. 8:15 AM, last family member leaves for work or school. Lower temperature to 62 degrees.
  3. 4:00 PM, 15 minutes before first family member returns from work or school. Increase temperature to 70 degrees.
  4. 10:30 PM, bedtime. Lower temperature to 66 degrees.

For weekend days, you would program in a different schedule. You could achieve the same energy reduction if you manually adjusted the temperature four times every day. For most families, a programmable thermostat is more reliable than counting on someone to adjust the thermostat four times every day.

Smart & Smarter

Smart can do everything that a programmable thermostat can do, and a whole lot more. A Wi-Fi-enabled smart thermostat can be reset or adjusted from anywhere using a mobile device or computer. If you are working late, just tell the app on your phone to warm up the house later. If your smart device is linked to Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant or another smart home service, you can just ask for a little more heat or cooling when you feel it is needed.

A smart thermostat equipped with geofencing can learn to adjust the temperature when a connected smart phone leaves the house or moves from room to room within the house. A smart thermostat that utilizes machine learning can observe your comings and goings over time and create a heating and cooling schedule that reflects your personal lifestyle.

All HVAC systems eventually need to be replaced. Your central heating and cooling system may last for 10 years, 20 years, or more. A well maintained system will have a longer lifespan. Among the most important reasons to install a smart thermostat with learning is that your system can alert you when maintenance or safety repairs are needed. A smart thermostat saves you money every day it operates. It saves you even more when your system continues to operate efficiently for years before needing to be replaced.

lowering utility bills

Seven Ways to Lower Your Utility Costs

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Blog, Featured, Reduce Utility Bills.

In the Valley of the Sun, the average 2,000-square-foot home spends about $160 per month for electrical power, or $1,920 per year. In summer, the cost of electrical usage goes up dramatically with some larger homes paying $500-$600 and more per month. During winter months, the cost of electricity for heating drops significantly unless the home is using electrical power for heating.

Larger homes with multiple heating and cooling systems pay substantially more to stay comfortable year-round. Homes with heating and cooling systems that are more than 10 years old also pay more. Homes with a heat pump heating and cooling system will experience much less variation.

Here are seven steps that a homeowner can take to reduce the cost of electrical usage:

  1. Replace HVAC System – If your system is more than 10 years old, if it has been requiring repairs over the past few years, if your summer electrical bills have been going up, or if it is not doing a good job keeping your home comfortable, it may be time for a replacement. Look for a new system with 90% or higher efficiency.
  2. Keep System in Good Repair – No matter how old your system is, it needs regular service. Semper Fi Heating & Cooling offers a 29-point tune-up for only $17.75. You don’t drive your car for years without service. Your heating and cooling system needs occasional service too. Your system will operate better and more efficiently. It will have a longer peak operating life if it is properly tuned up.
  3. Home Insulation – The amount and quality of insulation in your home makes a big difference in the energy required for heating and cooling. The effectiveness of your insulation goes beyond the basic R-value of the insulation material used. Talk to an insulation expert to determine if your home is properly insulated to maximize energy efficiency. Don’t forget windows and doors; they need to be adequately sealed to avoid air leaks.
  4. Smart Thermostat – Are you heating and cooling an empty house for a big part of every day? Do you remember to turn the thermostat down every night? A smart thermostat can adapt to your daily routines and reduce your energy usage when you are away. The cost of a smart thermostat is relatively low compared to the savings in electrical usage that will result.
  5. Seal Air Leaks in Ducts – It is not uncommon for as much as one-third of heated or cooled air to leak out of unsealed ducts. If your ducts haven’t been checked for several years, there is a good chance there are leaks. While you are getting the air ducts sealed, it is a good practice to get your air ducts cleaned to improve the quality of the air that you breathe.
  6. Lower Hot Water Temperature – Lowering the temperature on your hot water heater will reduce your energy usage. There are no smart thermostats for water heaters; they keep your hot water at a set temperature day and night, whether you’re home or away, on vacation or not. If the temperature is set lower, it will use less gas or electric. Like newer air conditioners, newer water heaters are also more energy efficient. If your water heater is 10-20 years old, you may find that replacing it with a newer one will have a reasonably quick payback.
  7. Appliance Replacement – Your water heater is not the only home appliance that contributes to your total utility bill. Appliances such as washers and dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers are all available in newer energy-efficient models.

Don’t want another summer of $500 electrical bills? There are ways to reduce your utility costs. Call Semper Fi Heating & Cooling to learn about your specific energy efficiency options.

heatpump

Staying Cool in Summer Heat

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Air Conditioner Troubleshooting, Air Conditioner Tune-Up, Blog, Featured.

Staying Cool in Summer Heat Improves Your Work Output and General Health

The first day of spring is just around the corner. In the Valley of the Sun that means higher temperatures are on the way. Our few months of milder temperatures are ending, and it is time to get ready for the heat. It’s time to make sure that your air conditioner is properly tuned up and ready to keep you cool through the long hot days of summer.

If your air conditioner is not keeping your home and remote workspace comfortable, your body and mind are likely not performing at peak output.

Peak Personal Performance

If you’re working from a home office, you are aware that your endurance and productivity is greater if the room temperature is in your comfort zone. A comfortable temperature not only supports good health, it makes you more efficient. A properly functioning air conditioner will keep your home comfortable, help your mind to think better and more clearly, and make your body function longer without fatigue. Whether it is remote working or doing daily home chores, you are more productive when you do your work without breaking a sweat.

There is widespread agreement among experts that a comfortable environment is important for healthy sleep. Our bodies cool down at night, and if it is too hot, we have trouble sleeping. After a night of poor sleep, we wake up tired and groggy. We move slower and have a stronger reaction to stressful situations. The ideal sleep temperature is considered to be around 65 degrees. For half of the year, the average night-time temperature in central Arizona is above 65 degrees and in the heat of summer it can easily be 15 to 25 degrees above the ideal sleep temperature.

The importance of your air conditioner to your overall health is not limited to the hot days of summer. Poor sleep conditions are bad for your health whenever they occur.

Timely Upkeep is Needed

Air conditioners are complex mechanical systems with many moving parts that need regular service to keep them in top operating condition and prevent future breakdowns. An air conditioning system that is kept in top condition will operate more efficiently, saving on utility costs. While all air conditioners have a limited lifespan, regular service will lengthen the life of a system and delay the need for replacement.

Much like the human body, an air conditioner that is not working properly should get quick attention. Small, easy-to-fix mechanical problems tend to grow into expensive breakdowns if not repaired quickly. The best way to extend the life and operating efficiency of an air conditioner is to get it serviced at least once a year. Don’t let a broken air conditioner just limp along in the early months of spring. When it gets even hotter and you really need it to work properly, the damage may be greater, the repair costs may be higher, and the availability of available HVAC technicians may be scarce.

Early spring is a good time to schedule an air conditioner tune-up. Contact Semper Fi Heating & Cooling for an air conditioner tune-up to improve your health and that of your air conditioning system.

Ventilation: All About the V in HVAC

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Air Conditioner Troubleshooting, Blog, Featured, Uncategorized.

You’ve seen the acronym HVAC, pronounced H-Vac, and you know it somehow relates to the heating and cooling system in your home. The H is for Heating and the AC is for Air Conditioning. Right in the middle is V for Ventilation. Your central ventilation system consists of ductwork that runs to the far corners of your home and the blower fans and motors that circulate warm or cool air.

Your heater and your air conditioner take a rest for part of the year, but your ventilation systems seldom gets a day off. Ventilation is the unsung and underappreciated hero of your HVAC system. Furnaces heat, air conditioners cool, and ventilation systems collect and deliver warm or cool air to keep your home comfortable year-round.

Your ventilation system doesn’t need much attention, but occasionally air ducts need to be cleaned. You have filters that need to be changed frequently to remove pollutants that are circulating in the air you breathe. But over time, dirt builds up inside the ducts and needs to be removed. The before and after pictures say it all.

Where does all of this dirt come from? If dust collects on your furniture, it circulates through your ventilation system. The dust that your home vacuum collects is dust that has made its way through your ductwork. Pet dander, smoking, water damage, remodeling construction, dirty shoes and dirty clothes all contribute to dirty ducts.

If you change your filters regularly, you can ignore your ducts and the rest of your ventilation system for a few years, but dirt will accumulate inside your ducts and the air you breathe will become unhealthy. Eliminating the dust, dirt, mold and other pollutants from your ductwork will improve indoor air quality, keep your home cleaner, and make your entire HVAC system more efficient. Your home air quality will substantially improve with professional duct cleaning.

Semper Fi Heating & Cooling has the experience and equipment to clean your ductwork and improve the quality of the home air that you breathe. Duct cleaning is a job for trained professionals. An inadequate vacuum system can release more contaminants than if you had left the ducts alone. Don’t expect immediate changes in your personal health, but do expect your home to be cleaner. A proper duct cleaning job will significantly reduce the dirt and contaminants in your home air.

What you should expect from the duct cleaning process:

  • Before you start vacuuming, your system should be checked for asbestos-containing materials. Asbestos requires specialized procedures and should not be disturbed or removed except by specially trained and equipped contractors.
  • Only equipment that exhausts particles outside the home or through HEPA filters should be used.
  • The inside of ducts should be carefully brushed in conjunction with vacuuming.

There are steps you can take to reduce future buildup of dirt in your ductwork:

  • Use high-efficiency furnace filters and change them frequently. If filters get clogged, change them even more frequently.
  • When your unit is serviced, make sure that the cooling coils and drain pan are also cleaned.
  • Remove dirt and dust from your home regularly, and use high-efficiency filters in your vacuum.

Duct cleaning will improve your indoor air quality, but cleaning is not the only issue related to ducts. By most estimates, as much as 30% of the air that goes into your ducts leaks out before being delivered to wherever the ducts lead. While getting your ducts cleaned, consider taking the next step and get them professionally sealed. You can look for leaks and slap a piece of duct tape over the gap, but that is not professionally sealing your ducts. You won’t eliminate the majority of leaks unless you have the right equipment to find the leaks and the right materials to seal them up.

Call the professional technicians at Semper Fi to learn more about duct cleaning, and check the website for special pricing.

Good Air Flow for a Healthy and Clean Home

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Air Conditioner Troubleshooting, Blog, Featured, Uncategorized.

Adequate and clean air flow is critical for the proper operation of your heating and air conditioning system. Without good air flow, your equipment will wear out quicker and your utility bills will be higher. The health of your family is at risk and the overall comfort of your home is reduced.

Clean Your Air Filter Regularly

The first step in keeping home air clean is to replace your air filter frequently. The general guideline is to replace the filter at least every three months. You may find that even more frequent replacement is needed; no two homes are the same. If your home air smells musty, change the filter. If your furniture gets dusty quickly after cleaning, it is probably time to change the filter. If your furnace is running more often and longer than you think it should, it might be an indication that filters need to be changed.

Filters should be replaced with the change of seasons. Switching from heating to air conditioning or from air conditioning to heating is a good time to change filters. For central Arizona, Semper Fi recommends a non-pleated, fiberglass filter. Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) is the measurement system for a filter’s effectiveness in reducing airborne particles and contaminants. The higher the number from 1-20, the more effective the filter. However, the higher the number, the more the filter will restrict air flow. To determine the right MERV for your HVAC system, you should find the recommended maximum for your system and use a filter that is just below the maximum.

Fortify Your Air Filter With a REME HALO Systems

Air filters are important, but filters alone cannot remove mold, pollen spores, bacteria, mildew and odors. Semper Fi Heating & Cooling recommends installing the REME HALO, which uses reflective electromagnetic energy to produce hydrogen peroxide plasma that passes through your air handler and circulates through your whole house. Hydrogen peroxide occurs naturally. It is part of the process of purifying the clean, outdoor air that we breathe. The hydrogen peroxide produced by REME HALO continues to eliminate pollutants on surfaces in your home, even when the blower on your HVAC system is not running.

A REME HALO system partners with your filtration system to capture the pollutants that are circulating in your home air. It also kills and eliminates the pollutants before they circulate. It works with your filtration system by causing particle pollutants to solidify and stick together, making them larger and easier for your filter to catch. That is another reason to change your filter often.

Mold, pollen spores, bacteria, odors, and other dangerous pollutants can also be removed with UV-C light installed in your duct system. Ultraviolet light in wavelengths between 200 and 300 nanometers are proven to destroy harmful microorganisms by altering their DNA and removing their ability to replicate.

REME HALO and UV-C lighting are both proven to be effective and can be installed quickly by the professionals at Semper Fi. They come with a five-year warranty. It is recommended that the hydrogen peroxide-producing cell be replaced every two years. Call the professional HVAC technicians at Semper Fi today to learn more about how clean air flow along with air purification can reduce the pollutants in the air that is circulating in your home. Purified air circulation will help keep your family healthy and safe.

Get Ready for 15 SEER

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Air Conditioner Troubleshooting, Blog, Featured.

Throughout 2022 you should expect to hear the term 15 SEER or 14 SEER more and more. What is it all about? SEER is short for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The calculation involves measuring the cooling output of an air conditioner and dividing that by the watt-hours of energy it uses over a cooling season.

Fifteen SEER simply means that cooling produced by an air conditioner or heat pump must be 15 times the watt-hours required to produce that cooling. The conversation about 15 SEER is heating up because the new regulation states that by January 1, 2023, any new air conditioning system sold in the southeast or southwest must have a minimum energy efficiency ratio of 15 SEER per watt-hour. Air conditioning systems sold in northern states must have a minimum of 14 SEER.

The minimum SEER until now has been 13. Most modern air conditioners have a SEER in the 13 to 21 range. Older systems, many of which are the systems which will wear out and need to be replaced soon, are rated at around 8 or 9. Upgrading from 8 SEER to 15 SEER will result in a major reduction in future electricity usage.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sets energy efficiency regulations based on recommendations from the Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC). This new standard follows standards set in 2011 and 2006. In less than 20 years, the SEER standards will have been raised by more than 50%.

Automotive MPG standards are a good analogy for SEER standards. If your vehicle has a higher MPG rating, you are able to drive longer distances for every gallon of fuel you purchase. With the SEER qualifying standard, you are able to enjoy more cooling units for every watt-hour of electrical energy that you purchase. Also like MPG, the SEER number represents the best case over an entire cooling season. Homeowners consume fewer watt-hours when the outside temperature is 60 degrees than when it is 100 degrees. Vehicles get higher MPG with city driving than with highway driving.

There is regional variation on the SEER efficiency level. Southeastern and southwestern states require 15 SEER; all other states require 14 SEER. Heat pump efficiency is 15 SEER in all states. The southeastern and southwestern states and territories include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
These new 15 SEER standards were first published in 2015, giving equipment manufacturers time to design and set up manufacturing processes for the implementation of 15 SEER. What this means for the homeowner in need of purchasing a replacement air conditioning system is that equipment prices will increase, but the new systems will be more energy-efficient, resulting in lower utility costs over the life of the new system.

Estimates are that over the life of equipment that meets the 15 SEER standard, homeowners will realize $38 billion in electricity cost savings.

If your system is in need of replacement, call the professional technicians at Semper Fi. We can help you understand your options and set you up with a replacement system that reduces the amount of electricity you pay for in the summer.

Having Furnace Issues?

Written by Semper Fi on . Posted in Air Conditioner Troubleshooting, Air Conditioner Tune-Up, Blog, Featured, Uncategorized.

Furnace Repair and Maintenance

With proper furnace maintenance and occasional tune-ups, furnaces usually have a long and dependable life. And while things can go wrong, most can be fixed.

By the time a furnace needs to be replaced, high-efficiency improvements have been made in newer systems, and reduced utility costs will at least partially offset the cost of a new furnace. There are several signs that a furnace needs repair.

Pilot Light Issues

The pilot light should burn with a blue flame. If the flame is yellow or orange, there may be a carbon monoxide problem. Turn off your furnace and call a service technician. Carbon monoxide in your home can cause serious health issues, so don’t delay in getting the problem repaired. If the pilot light flame is burning blue but flickering, that could be a different problem. Most likely, the gas supply line is partially clogged and needs to be cleaned.

Heat Exchanger Problems

The heat exchanger is the part of a furnace that separates the air that a furnace circulates throughout a home from the hazardous gases in the air that have been heated in the combustion assembly. The air you breathe moves through tubes that pass through the combustion chamber. The harmful gases get exhausted from the chimney or vent, and the clean, heated air circulates around the home.

The most common problem with the heat exchanger is that after repeated expanding and contracting from heating and cooling, metal fatigue causes cracks or holes in the tubes. That allows the dangerous gases to mix with the warm air that circulates in the home. A service technician can check your furnace for a cracked heat exchanger.

Thermostat Problems

If the thermostat display is blank, check the batteries. If replacing batteries does not solve the problem, check the breaker box. If the breaker is not thrown, it may be time for a thermostat replacement. If the furnace is running continuously and not shutting off, try setting it to auto and then try it at different temperature settings. If it still runs continuously, the thermostat may need to be replaced.

Limit Switch

The limit switch senses the temperature of the furnace and turns the furnace off and on during the normal heating cycle. It is usually very dependable, but occasionally it fails and will prevent the furnace and blower to turn off or on. The limit switch also has a high temperature limit that will shut off the heating burners and leave the blower working so that the heat exchanger does not overheat. Replacing the limit switch is a relatively inexpensive operation.

Cacophony of Rackets

Different noises indicate different types of problems with your furnace, and most of them need attention. A squealing noise is likely to be caused by a fan belt problem. There is an electric motor in a furnace that uses a fan belt to turn a fan that blows warm air through ductwork and into your home. If the belt is worn and damaged, it may slip and make a squealing noise. Turn off your furnace and have the belt replaced. A scraping sound is probably the result of worn bearings somewhere in the power assembly. Turn off your furnace and get the problem fixed to avoid additional damage.

Do you hear bangs and clangs in your ductwork when your furnace starts up and the warm air starts blowing? That is the result of cold ductwork expanding from the heat, not an operational problem that will cause damage. You may want to make sure the ducts and joints are adequately attached and secured.

Little or No Warm Air

If the amount of warm air is reduced, check to see if the air filter is dirty or clogged. Change the filter often. If clean air cannot get in the cold air vents and through the filter, warm air will not come out. If the full heating flame is burning and no warm air is moving through the ducts, there is a circulation fan problem. The cause is most likely a worn-out or broken fan belt. The motor and fan itself have other moving parts that can fail.

Some furnace problems are more urgent than others. Some problems are dangerous to the health of homeowners, and others need attention to avoid additional harm. All furnace problems need attention to keep your home comfortable and safe.

Call the professional service technicians at Semper Fi if you have furnace problems!

Click here or call (480) 616-3636