Their efficiency can be improved upon by using a heat pump thermostat with programmable options — and avoiding using a programmable thermostat designed for use with traditional furnaces and air conditioners.

In general, programmable thermostats let you create a program to set back the temperature at night or when everyone’s out of the house, according to your family’s schedule. You also can program them to return your home to your ideal comfort levels by the time everyone wakes up in the morning or arrives home in the evening. This significantly reduces your household’s energy use without sacrificing home comfort.

The problem with using traditional programmable thermostats in combination with heat pumps is that heat pumps take longer to recover from setback temperatures. That prompts the pumps’ backup heating or cooling source to kick in to reach your desired temperature in time. And, in many cases, that secondary source is so expensive to run it negates any savings gained by setting back the temperature.

However, digital thermostats designed specifically for use with heat pumps can automatically adjust your heating and cooling levels — without tapping the secondary source. This process, known as adaptive intelligent recovery, switches on the heat pump to heat or cool your home by the time you’ll be awake or home. Heat pump thermostats tell heat pumps to run constantly until the desired temperature is reached. This avoids using costly secondary heating and cooling sources while giving you the temperature control you need.

Contact the Home Comfort Experts to learn more about heat pump thermostats and how to use yours to get the best performance from your heat pump system. Our home-comfort advisers can help you sort through the options for keeping your family comfortable and your utility bills manageable.

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

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Carbon monoxide, solvent fumes, pesticide residue and other poisons can seep into your home through holes, cracks or openings in the wall. And pressure differences between the garage and the interior of your home can pull these harmful gases and fumes into your home.

Here are three ways to cut down on the level of pollutants in your attached garage and keep those substances out of your home:

• Install a garage ventilation system. These systems consist of one or more fans, similar to those found in bathrooms, and are designed to vent indoor air to the outdoors. Starting and running your car generates carbon monoxide and other harmful contaminants, so run these fans frequently, especially after starting or parking your car in the garage. These fans can also reduce pressure differences between the garage and interior of your house.
• Limit how much you start or run fuel-operated machinery inside. You have to start your car in the garage, but reduce the time the vehicle sits inside idling. Take lawn mowers, chain saws, trimmers and other combustion-fueled equipment outside to start them.
• Don’t store hazardous substances in your garage. If you have to keep them inside, make sure paint, insecticides, rodent killers, fertilizers, solvents, weed killers, fuels or other harmful substances stored in your garage are in tightly sealed containers. If you can, remove these items completely and, when you need more, buy only what you will use at one time.

Home Comfort Experts proudly serves homeowners in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan. Contact us today for more information on how to improve your home’s indoor air quality.

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

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Single-speed blower motors function at full power or not at all, switching off and on to regulate your indoor temperatures. In contrast, variable speed models operate at a range of levels, depending on your household’s heating needs at the moment (in the summer, they work to cool your home, too). For example, they often start at about two-thirds speed; if heating is still needed after 10 minutes, they increase to full speed. If less air circulation is needed later, they drop to a lower speed.

Among the benefits of variable speed furnace blower motors:

• Less energy consumption. They can use up to 60 percent less energy than standard single-speed blowers, especially during high-demand periods. If you run this type of motor on continuous fan mode for improved air circulation and filtration, it uses less energy than a 100-watt lightbulb.
• Savings on utility bills. Besides decreasing your household’s environmental impact, using less energy also means lower power costs.
• Improved indoor air quality. Variable speed blowers keep indoor temperatures at a more consistent, comfortable level. Running the blower at continuous fan mode keeps air circulating through the filtration system, trapping more airborne contaminants.
• More reliable performance. Because variable speed motors operate at a range of levels as needed, they cause less overall wear on the motor and fan, which reduces breakdowns and the need for repairs.
• Quieter operation. Variable speed blower motors are significantly quieter than their single-speed counterparts.

Home Comfort Experts is a family-owned heating and air conditioning business serving customers in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan, including South Bend, Mishawaka and Fort Wayne. Contact us today for answers to your questions about variable-speed furnace blower motors. We’re always happy to help.

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

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• Size your new furnace correctly. Your furnace should be sized for the space it will heat — big enough to do the job properly, but no bigger. If your furnace is too small, it will work much harder to heat your home, and is likely to break down prematurely. If your furnace is too big, it can waste energy and money. Your HVAC contractor should do a load calculation on your home. This tells you how much heating you actually need and what size furnace will meet that need.
• Choose a high-efficiency furnace. High-efficiency furnaces are, over time, very cost-effective. They can be more expensive to purchase, but the savings they offer on monthly utility bills can quickly offset that investment. To find a high-efficiency model, check its AFUE rating. AFUE stands for “annual fuel utilization efficiency” and indicates the unit’s overall efficiency. Higher AFUE numbers mean higher efficiency. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates, for example, that replacing an AFUE 80 furnace with an AFUE 95 unit can help you save as much as 20 percent on annual fuel costs.
• Choose money-saving accessories. Install a programmable thermostat that gives you considerable control over your new furnace. Create a heating and cooling schedule that aligns with your family’s schedule, running the furnace at lower levels when everyone’s at work or school or sleeping. Higher-efficiency air filters also may pay off by protecting your equipment from potentially harmful debris. Check your filters’ MERV and other ratings to determine how well they work to trap contaminants.

Contact the Home Comfort Experts today for information on furnace upgrades and for help finding a model that will meet your home comfort needs. We proudly serve Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan.

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

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However, there is a proven ally you can recruit to improve your indoor air quality and keep your family healthy. The unassuming, unexpected air quality hero? UV light.

UV (ultraviolet) light performs one simple but vital function when it comes to cleaning the air: it kills germs. The UV rays emitted by indoor ultraviolet systems are deadly to single-celled organisms, such as bacteria and mold. These UV rays are even commonly referred to as “germicidal lights” because of their germ-killing capabilities. They have a proven track record, and have been used in hospitals and other medical facilities for decades to both clean the air and disinfect instruments. The same technology is now being used in homes.

UV lights are most effective at improving indoor air quality when they are installed within the home’s central HVAC system. Though the UV rays are contained within the small space of an air duct, the HVAC system circulates all of the home’s air through that small space on a daily basis. And since the dark, moist inside of an air conditioning system is one of the places mold can gain a foothold, having a UV light source nearby can help keep your A/C coil clean and cut down on the number of mold spores in the air. Having the right air filter is also helpful, as it can stall the movement of microorganisms just long enough to increase the dosage of UV rays they receive.

To learn more about UV light options for your home, as well as other tools and tips for improving your indoor air quality, contact us at Home Comfort Experts. We serve homeowners throughout Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan, and would be happy to answer your questions or offer expert advice.

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

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Use the settings for savings

Use your programmable thermostat’s “set-points” to run your heating or cooling system at a reduced level when no one is home or when everyone is asleep.

For example, the programmable thermostat can be set to start your furnace to warm the house before your family begins its morning routine, so you wake up to a cozy home, and then return to a cooler level for an eight-hour stretch after everyone leaves. In the evening, the thermostat can have the furnace warm up the house before everyone returns from work or school. The temperature is again reduced after everyone has bedded down. In the morning, the cycle starts again.

Using set-point cycles keeps your home comfortable while saving energy. Set-points can be adjusted or overridden as needed to accommodate your family’s schedule.

Avoid incorrect readings

Install your programmable thermostat in a location where it can give accurate readings of room temperature. False, “ghost” readings can occur if the thermostat is placed in areas where it can be directly warmed or cooled. If the thermostat is warmed by exposure to direct sunlight, for example, the temperature reading will not accurately reflect the room’s actual temperature. The thermostat may then tell your heating or cooling equipment to cycle on when it’s not needed or leave it off when it is.

Keep programmable thermostats out of drafts and direct sunlight and away from doorways, skylights, windows and other sources of extra heat or coldness.

Home Comfort Experts is a family-owned heating and air conditioning business serving customers in Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan. Contact us today for information on programmable thermostats or for help finding and installing a model that will work best for your home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers 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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While all water heaters come with a certain amount of insulation built into the tank itself, most can benefit from the addition of a water heater blanket or other form of external insulation. Insulation prevents much of the heat loss that occurs naturally when water sits in the tank for an extended period of time. When stored water begins to cool, the heater automatically fires up to maintain the proper temperature. A water heater with extra insulation is able to retain heat for longer periods, which reduces the amount of energy the unit uses overall.

What kind of savings can you expect? By some estimates, adding insulation to your water heater can reduce heat loss by 25 to 45 percent. That translates into a 4 to 9 percent reduction in what it costs you to heat the water in your home. Since most water heater blankets or kits cost between $10 and $20, your insulation project could pay for itself in less than a year.

As with any home repair project, there are certain safety guidelines that need to be followed.

• Know what kind of water heater you have. Electric and natural-gas water heaters are insulated differently.
• Check the water heater owner’s manual for specific instructions on how to insulate your particular water heater model. Follow manufacturer recommendations.
• Avoid insulating over the thermostat controls or near the drain line. If you have a natural gas water heater, keep the area around the flue and the burner air intake clear.
• Although it’s perfectly acceptable to insulate the bottom of electric water heaters, doing so on a natural gas heater is dangerous. Follow the installation instructions carefully to avoid creating a safety hazard.

For more energy-saving heating, cooling and plumbing solutions in Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan, contact the friendly pros at Home Comfort Experts.

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

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Humidifiers provide welcome relief from dry air, regardless of how cool the air and how low the humidity. You might be tempted to purchase a portable humidifier to add moisture back into the air in your home, but it will be limited in the scope to which it can provide relief, because portable units:

• Can humidify only a limited amount of square footage
• Have to move with you as you move through the home to get continuing relief
• Require daily maintenance. To keep it clean, you’ll have to wipe down the surfaces regularly. In addition, you’ll have to manually fill the water tank.
• Use more energy than a whole-house system, when you combine several portable devices to try to provide whole-house relief

Whole house humidifiers are a good alternative to the limitations of portable devices, and they offer several unique advantages, including the following factors:

• Whole-house systems install alongside your heating equipment, so as your heating system produces warm air, the humidifier releases moisture and because the HVAC system is designed to deliver air throughout your entire home, you end up with a home that’s completely and comfortably humidified.
• The system will get its water supply from a permanent connection with your home’s water supply, so you never have to refill a whole-house system.
• Maintenance is minimal, requiring just an annual visit from your HVAC contractor, and can be performed at the same time as regular maintenance for your HVAC equipment.

For help in selecting a system, or just to explore your options, contact Home Comfort Experts today. Serving Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan with our 100 percent satisfaction guarantee, we’re always happy to help.

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

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While it’s certainly an option to turn up the heat throughout the entire home, that approach may come back to haunt you when your utility bill arrives.

Zoning systems are designed to address just this sort of dilemma. Rather than heating the house based off of a single thermostat, zoning systems use multiple thermostats placed throughout the home to help control temperatures. These thermostats are connected to a central control panel that operates the dampers in the home’s heating system. The dampers are systematically opened or closed depending on which section of the house requires more heat, thereby giving homeowners the ability to customize temperatures throughout the home.

In addition to the added comfort that zoning systems provide, they can also lower home energy costs. When used in conjunction with programmable thermostats, some estimates indicate that zoning systems can reduce heating and cooling costs by as much as 30 percent. How? By separating a home into distinct heating zones, these systems allow homeowners to heat only the rooms that are in use at any given time. That kind of customized approach to heating a home saves money because you aren’t paying for what you don’t ultimately use.

If your home has hot or cold spots that you’d like to address, or if you’re interested in increasing your home’s energy efficiency, a zoning system may be just the solution you’ve been looking for.

At Home Comfort Experts, we’re committed to helping our customers stay comfortable by using the most energy efficient systems on the market. Let us show you how to get the most from your heating or cooling system. Contact us today to learn more. Serving the Greater South Bend area, we’re always happy to help.

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

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In fact, by some estimates, indoor air can have more than 60 times the level of pollutants than you would find outdoors.

How is that possible? As homes become more energy efficient, there’s less exchange between indoor and outdoor air. Today, our homes can be so airtight that many pollutants become trapped inside where they circulate continually through our heating and cooling systems. Under those circumstances, dust, dirt, pet dander and even mold and bacteria are hard to eliminate without some intervention. These contaminants linger indoors indefinitely, aggravating breathing problems and posing a risk to even healthy individuals.

At Home Comfort Experts, we’re committed to the comfort and safety of all our customers. That’s why we offer HEPA AIRE duct cleaning as a part of our indoor air quality services. Using the most technologically advanced equipment on the market today, our HEPA AIRE duct cleaning service will eliminate virtually all of the contaminants found in your home’s HVAC system ductwork. Our system is so efficient that it can even remove particles that are 300 times smaller than a human hair.

While improved air quality is the primary benefit to HEPA AIRE duct cleaning, there are others as well. When dust and dirt collect in a heating and cooling system, it can put undue strain on the system itself. This often forces the system to run for longer periods of time, which results in higher utility costs and increases wear and tear on the equipment. Along with regular maintenance, duct cleaning protects your home’s HVAC equipment by keeping it running efficiently.

Contact the friendly pros at Home Comfort Experts today, and discover for yourself why we were awarded a 2011 Readers’ Choice award by the South Bend Tribune.

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

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