Improper cooling

A lack of cooled air is often the result of:

• A dirty filter. You can check this component before calling a pro, and replace the filter if it looks dirty.
• Insufficient airflow may also be the result of a dirty filter. If replacing the filter doesn’t help, the technician will check the motors and external static levels.
• Ducts that leak. The air temperature differentials in the return and supply ducts must meet manufacturer’s specifications.

The system won’t cycle on

If the geothermal system doesn’t run, causes may include:

• A drop in refrigerant. The technician will measure the charge, and add more if necessary; if the level is low, he’ll look for leaks.
• A failing reversing valve. After testing its operation, the technician may replace it.
• Thermostat malfunction. Recalibration can resolve the problem.

Humidity problems

If the geothermal system doesn’t properly dehumidify the home in cooling mode, the technician will check:

• The size. If the heat pump is too large for the home’s load, the unit will cycle on and off frequently. To properly dehumidify the home, the system should run longer cycles.
• Airflow volume. Improper airflow leads to poor dehumidification, too. Adjusting the airflow volume at the air handler or the speed of the motor can resolve this issue.

Compressor issues

If the compressor runs, but the evaporator doesn’t, the technician should check:

• The thermostat wiring, ensuring the wires aren’t frayed or damaged, and check the test mode.
• The fan motor, ensuring the voltage is correct and the capacitor is operational.

When your geothermal heat pump acts up, address the problem quickly. Leaving problems unchecked may lead to more significant and costly repairs. Detmer & Sons is happy to help homeowners in the Dayton area with geothermal installations, maintenance and repairs. Call us today to schedule service.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about geothermal heat pumps and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Professional tasks include:

• Giving the entire system a once-over, checking for components that are succumbing to wear and tear.
• Replacing worn components.
• Cleaning all components in the system, removing dirt from areas such as the coils, motors, fan blades, compressor and so forth.
• Checking the ductwork, the component that delivers conditioned air to your living spaces. Air leaks and poor insulation lead to lost energy and higher energy costs.
• Testing the defrost sensor, ensuring the system accurately senses the presence of ice, and will remove it promptly and efficiently.
• Checking the refrigerant levels by measuring the charge. The technician can safely add refrigerant if existing levels don’t meet manufacturers specifications. If the level is low, he’ll look for leaks.
• Cleaning the condensate drain and the lines, making sure that water is safely drained out of the system, and into the home’s main plumbing lines.
• Testing the airflow through the air handler, making adjustments as necessary.
• Tightening electrical connections, and lubricating motors and bearings as needed.
• Testing the thermostat, calibrating it if indoor temperature readings are not accurate. Moving the thermostat may resolve problems, if it’s influenced by the sun or drafts.
• Inspecting the system’s controls, ensuring that the heating mode won’t run when the cooling mode is operational.

Don’t neglect to perform these DIY heat pump maintenance tasks:

• Checking the air filter. Every month, pull the filter out, and hold it up to a light. If the surface appears dirty and you can’t see the light shining through, install a new one.
• Keeping a 2-foot perimeter around the condenser clear of leaves, grass and other yard debris, in order to maintain proper airflow. Hose down the condenser periodically to remove dirt and debris that collects on components, hindering heat exchange.

The benefits of scheduling professional heat pump maintenance and performing DIY tasks are proven. Contact Detmer & Sons today to schedule an appointment to start cutting energy costs, preserving the heat pump’s life span, and decreasing the likelihood of a costly repair. We’ve served homeowners in the Greater Dayton area since 1978.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about heat pump maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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IAQ & HVAC efficiency

Just as airborne contaminants settle and collect on furnishings and other surfaces in your home, these contaminants stick to and settle on duct walls and heating and cooling components. Debris accumulation increases energy bills and decreases home comfort by obstructing free airflow through the ducts and hindering heat exchange of the furnace, heat pump and/or air-conditioning system.

Even as airflow streams through the ducts, debris and harmful contaminants adhere to surfaces with the aid of moisture, and the dust and debris settle once airflow has stopped. One look at dust buildup inside supply outlets and on return grilles demonstrates the tenacity of airborne contaminants.

Duct cleaning

Duct inspection and cleaning should be performed by a reputable company that employs technicians certified by NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association). NADCA-certified technicians have the experience and training to successfully conduct a thorough duct inspection – and duct cleaning, if needed, using specialized equipment and HVAC-industry best practices and guidelines.

The last thing you want to do is invite an unqualified individual or company into your home to clean the ductwork. If ducts are not cleaned correctly, IAQ and system components may well be worse off than before. Your HVAC professional should isolate the ductwork to prevent contamination into the living spaces, and only use equipment specifically designed for duct cleaning.

Also, heating and cooling components, such as the blower compartment, cooling coils and drainage components, should be thoroughly cleaned and treated to prevent mold and bacterial accumulation.

If you have questions about duct cleaning, or if you would like to schedule an inspection with a NADCA-certified professional for your Dayton area home, please contact us at Detmer & Sons, Inc.today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about duct cleaning and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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As your skin will probably attest, ultraviolet rays can be quite powerful. If you’re exposed for too long or too often, they can be painful and cause long-term health issues. However, we have products like sunscreen that protect us. Micro-organisms such as mold spores, bacteria and viruses don’t have that kind of protection. When they’re exposed, the UV lights break down the bonds that hold them together, neutralizing and killing them.

If your home has poor air quality, you’re doing your household a disservice. Occupants suffering from allergies, asthma or other respiratory issues are especially vulnerable if exposed to “bad air” for too long.

UV lights are installed either induct or at the evaporator coil of your HVAC system. Whenever the central A/C, heat pump or furnace kicks on, indoor air circulates through the system. As air passes through the ductwork, the UV lights neutralize most of the micro-organisms carried in the air. It’s important to remember, however, that UV light systems don’t remove non-organic particles from your indoor air. They must work in tandem with an effective filtration or air-cleaning system for comprehensive indoor air purification.

For further assistance with UV lights, or other home comfort questions, please contact the experts at Detmer and Sons, Inc. We have been serving the HVAC needs of Dayton, Springfield and the surrounding area since 1978.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about UV lights and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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• Lengthen the time – Try to keep the temperature at the energy-saving points for at least eight hours. This will maximize your savings. Most homeowners set these lengthy energy-saving periods for when they’re at work, asleep or away from the house on weekends.
• Add more units – If you have multiple heating and cooling zones in your home, purchase a programmable thermostat for each zone to maximize your energy savings.
• Avoid extremes – When you come in hot and sweaty after a day of work, it might be tempting to crank the AC down to 40 degrees to cool the house off faster, but this won’t help. It will take the same amount of time to reach a comfortable 70 degrees even if the thermostat is set lower, and you won’t put so much strain on  your system.
• Be conservative with the “hold” feature – Use the “hold” or override setting as little as possible, since frequently overriding your energy-saving settings will defeat the purpose of your programmable thermostat.

If you have more questions about ways to optimize the use of your programmable thermostat, Detmer and Sons, Inc. is ready to help. As a family-owned and operated business, we understand that you need to make your home as energy efficient as possible to maximize every dollar you spend. We can help you make energy-saving choices for your home’s heating and cooling systems. Call us today for all of your HVAC needs in the Dayton area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about programmable thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Going by the size of your existing equipment can be misleading, especially if you have improved the energy efficiency of your home. HVAC contractors use a protocol called Manual J that calculates the cooling load of your home, in other words how much cooling is needed to reach a comfortable temperature. Mainly dictated by the size of your home, the cooling load is also affected by a variety of other factors including insulation levels, window quality, air infiltration rates, preferred temperatures and outdoor landscaping.

When you’re sizing an A/C replacement, it’s important to avoid selecting an oversized unit, which cuts down on energy efficiency and increases the wear and tear on your equipment. Air conditioners that are too large turn on and off frequently, and the electrical load at start-up is highest. These short cycles provide uneven cooling, and don’t remove as much humidity, leaving you less comfortable. On the other hand, if you purchase an A/C that’s too small, it will struggle to keep up on the hottest days.

Energy efficiency

The minimum energy efficiency for a central air conditioner stands at 13 SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio). If you’re replacing a system that’s 10 years or older, you can save 30 percent on your energy bills just by choosing a model with today’s minimum SEER rating. You can save even more by purchasing a high-efficiency A/C replacement, which starts at SEER 16.

When you’re making an A/C replacement, choosing a system that has features tailored for our humid summers will increase your comfort and lower your energy bills. These features include:

• Variable-speed blower. Equipped with electronically commutated motors (ECMs), variable speed blowers use far less electricity than a single-speed motor. They run more slowly and continuously, offering better humidity control and air filtration.
• Dual-speed compressor. This type runs at a lower speed when temperatures are moderate, saving energy throughout the cooling season.
• Filter check light. This indicator light alerts you when it’s time to change the air filter, critical for the efficiency and durability of your system.

If you’d like more information about an A/C replacement, please contact us at Detmer and Sons, Inc. We’ve provided superior HVAC services to the Dayton area since 1978.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about A/C replacements and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Identify airborne contaminants

IAQ testing is an effective tool to clean up the air in your home. Many harmful contaminants and gases are undetectable by sight and scent, such as carbon monoxide and radon. IAQ testing identifies the contaminants in your home to target for removal. Airborne contaminants fall into three classes:

• Microorganisms – mold spores, viruses, bacteria and dust mites
• Particulate matter – pollen, carpet fibers, pet dander and insecticide dust
• Gases and odors – auto emissions, radon, cooking odors and tobacco smoke

Whole-house air cleaners

Whole-house air cleaners are installed inside the ductwork near the heating and cooling equipment. These whole-house systems target one or more classes of contaminants:

• UV (ultraviolet) light systems target microorganisms by destroying the molecular bond of their cells. Once destroyed or neutralized, the furnace air filter removes these contaminants from circulation.
• Electronic air cleaners give an electrical charge to microorganisms and particulate matter. Collector plates with opposite charges attract these contaminants and remove them from circulation.
• Gas-phase filters typically target one or two gases or odors with a carbon sorbent.
• HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters remove 100 percent of microorganisms and particulates from the air down to 0.3 microns in size. When installed in your heating and cooling system, HEPA filters require equipment evaluation by your HVAC pro to ensure the pressure drop across the blower/air handler isn’t too great. These filters are also available in stand-alone systems.

Maintaining good IAQ

In addition to contaminant removal, it’s important to tackle the sources of contaminants, such as excessive moisture in the home that promotes the proliferation of mold, bacteria and dust mites, or chemicals and emissions infiltrating from an attached garage. Sealing, ventilation and humidification management help maintain optimal IAQ.

For more information about whole-house air cleaners, IAQ testing, ventilation and other HVAC issues, please contact us at Detmer & Sons, Inc. We’ve proudly provided Dayton area homeowners with quality service and installation since 1978 from our family-owned company.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about whole-house air cleaners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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What NATE certification means to the industry

When an HVAC company sends its technicians out into the world to perform a variety of services for its customers, the company’s reputation is in the hands of those technicians. For that reason, NATE certification is essential. Certification by this non-profit organization, which stands for North American Technician Excellence, is highly sought by heating and cooling professionals.

To obtain the NATE seal of excellence, technicians are put through a series of training and evaluation sessions to ensure their expertise. If an HVAC company does not employ NATE-certified technicians, it’s best to look elsewhere for your repair or servicing needs.

What NATE certification means to your home

There are a number of categories that each NATE-certified technician can choose to specialize in, which means that no matter what the job is, the technician will possess the required expertise.

A technician who has been NATE certified has been trained to take care of whatever issues you need to deal with, and will do so in a courteous, timely manner. Plus, a NATE re-evaluation is done every five years in order for the technician to retain his or her certification. Because of this, you can be sure that the person installing, evaluating or repairing your HVAC equipment is current with any changes in the industry.

For more expert advice about NATE certification, or for questions relating to home comfort, please contact us at Detmer and Sons, Inc. We proudly serve the HVAC needs of Dayton and the Miami Valley.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about NATE certification and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Which system works best likely will depend on the geology and hydrology of the site. Closed loop systems circulate a water/antifreeze mixture that carries the heat energy to and from the home for heating and cooling, respectively. The loop field either removes/replaces thermal energy from underground or in a nearby body of water.

Open loop systems only use water as the thermal medium, which can be an underground well or a body of water. They circulate the water through the system and discharge it either in a recharge well or on the surface. This type of installation is less common, since most homes do not have adequate underground or onsite water resources.

The three kinds of closed loop systems include a horizontal, vertical or aquatic installation. Horizontal systems work well for yards with enough space to place the loop field in the shallow underground. Vertical installations – drilled hundreds of feet underground – are the most expensive, but are a good solution for yards that are small or when you don’t want your landscaping disturbed.

An aquatic loop field is the least expensive installation for geothermal heating and cooling systems because the loop field doesn’t need to be buried. The loop field can rest at the bottom of a water source, as long as it’s at least eight feet deep to avoid freezing.

Regardless of the kind of installation you choose, you can take advantage of a federal tax credit that covers 30 percent of the cost of a qualifying geothermal system and its installation. The credit is good through the end of 2016, and there’s no upward limit on the amount.

If you would like more information about geothermal heating and cooling, please contact us at Detmer and Sons. We’ve provided quality HVAC services for the Dayton area since 1978.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about geothermal heating and cooling and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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Tasks for you

Most of the homeowner’s responsibilities are simple but they can make a big difference in the efficiency of your heat pump system and may prevent large repair bills.

• Check the air filters monthly. These are the first line of defense against loss of efficiency and damage to your unit. Make sure they fit properly and are clean. Generally speaking, if they look dirty, they are dirty.
• Make sure ice is not building up on your outside components. A small amount of frost is normal but a large buildup will prevent the unit from working properly and lead to damage. It likely is signaling another serious problem.
• Ensure that all visible parts are kept free of debris.

Tasks for the tech

Have an HVAC technician visit your home at least once a year to give your system a complete check-up. He or she will have the tools and know-how to accomplish the following tasks:

• Check the status of your duct system. The tech will verify that the correct amount of air is flowing through the ducts and make any necessary repairs.
• Check, clean and lubricate belts and motors.
• Make sure all electrical components are clean and working properly.
• Verify the accuracy of your thermostat.
• Replace any worn or damaged parts.
• Check refrigerant level and charge if necessary. If the level is low, he will look for possible leaks.
• Check and clean the indoor and outdoor coils.

With you keeping an eye on your heat pump and regular checkups by a professional, your heat pump should serve you well for many years. If you live in the Dayton area and have any questions about heat pump maintenance or any other heating or cooling topic, please contact us. Detmer and Sons, Inc. has locations in both Dayton and Springfield, so we are always close by and ready to help with your HVAC issues.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about heat pump maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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