Find out the five main benefits zoning systems provide, and ask yourself if you deserve the optimal home comfort and energy savings that these systems afford.

• Comfort: Zoning systems allow you to prioritize which areas of your home will receive conditioned air. With motorized dampers and separate thermostats controlling each zone, zoning systems help maximize comfort.
• Energy savings: Because a zoning system allows you to set temperatures in each zone according to its heating and cooling needs, or just to your comfort levels, you can save energy by closing off unused zones. As a result, you don’t pay to heat and cool rooms that you don’t use very often.
• Design elements: A lot of newer homes, especially, have larger windows, higher ceilings, and other architectural features that impact airflow significantly. Having a zoning system installed in your home will allow you to program the zone with the high ceilings, for instance, to receive more cooled air in the summer, so you’ll be able to keep that area at a comfortable level — and you’ll enjoy being in that space more often.
• Cater to preferences: It’s likely that your family consists of people who like a home that’s toasty warm, while others prefer a cooler atmosphere. Well, zoning systems help you to manage individualized preferences, as much as possible.
• Environmentally friendly: When you can maximize the efficiency of your existing HVAC and ductwork systems with zoning equipment, you use less energy. And those actions help you to decrease the contribution of your home’s energy consumption and reduce your carbon footprint.

Want to get in on the benefits that zoning systems provide? The experts at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning are standing by, ready to answer your questions. Just call us today for a free consultation. We’ve served countless homeowners in the San Antonio area, starting in the mid-1970s, and our proven track record of excellence continues today.

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.

Zoning systems image via Shutterstock

Energy recovery ventilators

Most homes require ventilation, especially during extreme weather, because they tend to stay closed up to keep homeowners comfortable. But this action also restricts air circulation, keeping air inside and preventing fresh air from infiltrating the home.

That’s how ERVs help, providing an equal supply of fresh incoming air and polluted outgoing air. And while that air is exhausted, it takes with it the pollution — and moisture — from within your home.

Here’s how it works:

• Two supply channels allow one duct to take in fresh, outside air, while another disposes of stale, moist indoor air.
• The two streams of air pass each other, but don’t ever intermingle, so there’s no chance of pollution to taint incoming air.

But here’s the rub — while the ERV transfers these two streams of air, there’s one element that does remain: Energy. In the summer, when the ERV exhausts cool air, the energy is transferred to the supply stream. The system can reuse up to 80 percent of conditioned air to pre-cool the incoming supply — reversing the cycle in the winter, reusing heated air.

You may be wondering, Why do I need an ERV when I have a central A/C system that? Air conditioners are not designed to remove humidity. The air in your home only feels less moist because it feels cooler, and colder air naturally holds less moisture. It’s highly beneficial to have a ventilation system to manage moisture, increasing the efficiency of your A/C when it doesn’t have to overcome humidity.

Take your home’s comfort, indoor air quality and energy savings to the next level with a energy recovery ventilators. Contact us at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning for help. We have served San Antonio homeowners since the mid-1970s.

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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Here are five tips that will help you decide where to invest your money:

• Life span: If your system is at least 10 years old, replacing it is a wise move. Newer systems can reach much higher efficiencies than systems manufactured just 10 years ago, through technological advancements. And the higher monthly energy savings will help you recoup the investment more quickly.
• Efficiency: Along the same lines, if you have an older system with a low efficiency rating, such as an 80 percent annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) furnace or an A/C with a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) below 10, upgrading makes sense. Investing in the repair of an inefficient system might make it last a little bit longer, but you’ll still have high energy bills. And the money you spend on repairs could go toward the purchase of a new system.
• Maintenance: If your system has received annual preventive maintenance, then it’s probably operating at peak capacity. And, in this scenario, investing in a repair makes sense.
• Frequency: San Antonio homeowners generally don’t use their heating systems a great deal, so investing in repairs could be a wise move. However, it might be better to replace an A/C, which gets a lot of use, even if it’s not all that old.
• Duration: Replacing your system might make sense if you’re moving, as it will increase the value of your home.

If you’re thinking about whether to repair or replace an HVAC system, make the best decision possible for home comfort and energy savings by taking the above factors into account. Get expert help by contacting Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning today. We will assess your existing system and determine the best course of action. We have served the San Antonio area since the mid-1970s.

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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Temperature and time frame are the key factors to keep in mind, providing a foundation for and encouraging increased savings.

Temperature

While you need to balance comfort with energy savings, you’ll get better results the lower you can drop your home’s temperature throughout the day. According to Energy Savers, homeowners can, on average, save 1 percent on heating and cooling bills with every degree they lower the thermostat (in the winter) and raise it (in the summer).

So, you can increase energy savings by setting the thermostat as low as possible in the winter, for instance, when you’re at home, but you can also lock in savings by drastically lowering it during two key times: during the day, if you leave your home for work or school, and at night, while you’re sleeping.

Time frame

In order to ensure energy savings from setting the thermostat back (during times the when you’re sleeping or the home is unoccupied), you need to keep that temperature consistent for a long period of time. Eight hours is generally recommended to overcome the increased energy that your furnace will consume to take your home back to a comfortable temperature.

Keeping the temperature and time frame principles in mind, when choosing a programmable thermostat, you’ll notice that most models have an override setting. This mode is helpful when your schedule suddenly changes, for instance, if you arrive home early and want your home at a comfortable temperature. But use this mode as infrequently as possible, because regularly overriding the system will result in higher energy consumption — and you’ll bypass potential energy savings from regular, consistent setbacks.

Need help choosing a programmable thermostat? Want further guidance to navigate which programmable thermostat settings will result in increased energy savings? Contact San Antonio’s leading HVAC experts at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning.

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.

Programmable thermostat image via Shutterstock

Why the attic needs attention

Because hot air rises naturally, as you heat your home in the winter that heat is at risk of rising into your attic. If the insulation in your attic floor doesn’t prevent heat loss, your furnace will have to work overtime to produce enough warmth to maintain home comfort. Additionally, if the attic walls and ceiling are not well insulated, you’ll lose heat through the attic to the outside.

In the summer, insulation also impacts comfort. It’s at this time that insulation works in the reverse. Because insulation acts as a heat barrier, it helps keep cool air in and hot air out in the summer. With less-than-ideal attic insulation, the blazing summer heat can access your attic, driving it to extremely high temperatures. And that can seep into your home’s living spaces, causing your air-conditioning system to consume more energy.

What you can do about attic insulation

The best course of action when you want to upgrade insulation is to have an expert conduct an assessment. An expert technician should evaluate:

• The condition of your existing insulation. If it’s moldy or shows evidence of wear and tear, it should be replaced.
• The levels and efficiency of your insulation. For most San Antonio homes, an R-value of R-38 is required for attic spaces, and there should be up to 12 inches in insulation thickness to get the job done.
• Air leaks. Since they also contribute to an inefficient attic, the technician should seal up any exposed areas.

Need to give your attic’s insulation an overhaul? The experts at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning are ready to help. We’ve been assisting San Antonio area homeowners since the mid-1970s in all areas of home comfort and energy efficiency.

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.

Attic insulation image via Shutterstock

To choose an expert that will do high-quality work, and ensure peak efficiency and energy savings from your equipment, consider the following factors:

• Licensing and training: Always work with a contractor that holds the necessary state and local licenses. Training is important too, so ask about the contractor’s training program for service and installation.
• Certification: Not all certification programs are the same. North American Technician Excellence (NATE) is the most coveted certification available, and it’s the industry standard for expert workmanship.
• Sizing: A contractor should always evaluate your home’s heating needs by conducting a load calculation. This step will enable the contractor to match the appropriately sized system to your home.
• Safety and efficiency: Another step in the installation process should include an evaluation of your home’s ductwork and combustion safety. Ask the contractor what steps are involved in the company’s installation work.
• Employees: The highest quality contractors will conduct background checks and drug tests on their employees. Because expert heating technicians work with dangerous materials, such as natural gas, it’s important that they are clear-minded, as well as highly trained.

Along with these important factors, you should also evaluate a technician’s guarantees. A trustworthy contractor will back up the work performed, ideally with a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee. At Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning, we’re confident you’ll be happy with our work — and we stand behind every job we do with our unparalleled, comprehensive 12-point guarantees, including:

• Two-year test drive
• True pro
• Craftsmanship
• Energy savings
• Right size
• No excuses
• Property protection
• $500 no worries first-year operation
• Lifetime no overtime service charge
• 30-day low price
• No lemon
• Five-year comfort

Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning’s expert heating technicians are highly qualified and trained to help you with all of your home heating and cooling needs. For service in the San Antonio area, give us a call today.

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.

Service technician image via Shutterstock

Common contaminants that exist in homes include:

• Carbon monoxide
• Smoke from cigarettes
• Carbon dioxide
• Pet dander
• Dust mites
• Mold
• Volatile organic compounds
• Radon
• Lead

These sources of pollution can lead to health issues, including allergies, asthma and other respiratory issues, even in healthy individuals — but they are of particular concern for the young and the elderly.

There are a variety of solutions you can implement to address contaminants, such as installing an ultraviolet light system, a dehumidifier or air-purification device. However, indoor air quality testing conducted by a professional will give you specific information on factors that are unique to your home. Otherwise, you’ll spend money in the hopes that you’ve chosen the right solution, instead of investing in equipment that will give you a guaranteed return.

Indoor air quality tests exist for all of the contaminants listed above, and you can use self-testing kits. However, most at-home kits require that you conduct the test yourself and interpret the results. There’s lots of room for error here.

To ensure accurate results, it’s best to have a professional perform the test. Experts have access to specialize tools and tests, along with the necessary expertise. An expert will also be able to offer a gamut of solutions to target contaminants present in your home, and the know-how to help you develop a plan to improve your home’s air quality.

Are you wondering where your HVAC system’s air filter fits into the equation? The truth is that most residential filters — and standard HVAC filters — are not able to address most dangerous pollutants, but your HVAC contractor can help you choose a filter, along with relevant equipment, that will do a better job.

To have indoor air quality testing done in your San Antonio home, contact Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning today. We offer a free home evaluation.

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.

Allergens image via Shutterstock

The efficiency rating you want to look for when assessing a furnace system is AFUE, or annual fuel utilization efficiency. This is a basic measurement of how well a system will use fuel, natural gas or propane for instance, to produce heat for your home. High-efficiency systems start at 90 AFUE, and they will get you the best results as far as energy efficiency goes. Mid-efficiency systems start at 80 AFUE, while the minimum efficiency manufacturers must produce is set at 78 AFUE. It’s best to talk with your HVAC contractor to determine which system will best fit your home.

Many homeowners in the San Antonio area use a heat pump as their heating source. And this type of system gets good results for two reasons:

• These systems don’t generate heat from fuel (electricity); instead, they use electricity to move heat around (from the outside to the inside during winter, and vice versa during summer), which allows them to reap a four dollar return for every dollar spent.
• They also act as a heating and cooling system, which makes them a smart investment if you need to replace both. A heat pump’s efficiency rating is heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF), and high-efficiency ratings begin at 8.

To maximize home comfort and efficiency, you should also have your new system sized. You can choose a top-of-the line heating system, but if it’s not sized correctly, you won’t get a good return on your investment — as the system won’t reach peak efficiency.

If you’re facing a heating system replacement, use furnace efficiency ratings, along with heat pump ratings and sizing factors, to guide your choice. The HVAC experts at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning are happy to help. Just give us a call today. We’ve been assisting homeowners in maximizing comfort and efficiency in their San Antonio homes since the mid-1970s.

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.

Decision image via Shutterstock

A ductless mini split is very similar to a central air conditioner, as it has a condenser and indoor handler as its primary components. The difference in the two systems is that a central A/C uses ductwork to distribute cool air from a central air handler, whereas a mini split requires that you install a separate air handler in the rooms where you desire cool air.

Here’s a rundown of the benefits of using this type of system, over an A/C system.

Space requirements

The largest ductless mini-split systems can generally cool a space of up to about 1,200 square feet, making them ideal for cooling individual rooms. However, if you have an addition, for example, that allows the free flow of air (i.e., without closed doors) you can use a mini split to cool several smaller spaces.

Older homes

Ductless mini splits are a good solution when adding cooling to spaces in older homes. Most older homes have limited ceiling space, and in order to add ductwork to such a home, you need about 12 feet of ceiling height. Ductless mini splits don’t use ductwork — problem solved.

Lower costs

However, even if your home would allow for retrofitting ductwork, this is an expensive endeavor, which requires modifications to your home, an expense in itself, along with costly duct materials and installation costs.

Efficiency

Ductless mini splits are a heat-pump system, which gets efficient results — just as efficient as a central A/C system; however, because an A/C is susceptible to energy losses through ductwork leaks, longer duct runs and energy losses at registers, mini splits often reach higher efficiencies in the long run.

For help assessing your home’s requirements or to evaluate ductless mini splits, give the home-comfort experts a call at Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning. We are committed to helping San Antonio homeowners maximize home comfort and save energy.

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.

Heating and cooling image via Shutterstock

If your energy bills are out of control, you’ll want to know the best ways to address them. An energy evaluation provides whole-house solutions, and Jon Wayne’s program gets results.

When a Jon Wayne Comfort Engineer comes to your home, he’ll use specialized tools to look at every square inch of your home. These tools provide targeted insight into those places in your home that you can’t see with the naked eye, which is often where problems occur.

• Thermal imaging: This test allows us to get a bird’s-eye view of your home’s insulation. If you regularly endure hot and cold zones throughout your home, this test will reveal where insulation is lacking, which is especially helpful in accessing those hard-to-reach spaces where insulation was installed during construction.
• Flow hoods: This apparatus tests the effectiveness of your ductwork system. It is used to evaluate how much airflow is moving through your home, which is critical to ensuring that each and every room receives conditioned air.
• Blower door test: This device can assess the existence of air leaks, moisture issues, drafts and indoor air quality. It’s one of the more precise tests that can deliver highly valuable information about energy deficiencies in your home.

Once the results of your energy evaluation are in, we’ll get to work right away providing effective solutions, which may include upgrading ductwork, insulation, equipment size and air leaks.

Instead of haphazardly engaging in various energy-improvement projects around the home in the hopes that they will result in energy savings, use an expert energy evaluation to ensure that the changes you make address problematic areas, and result in lower energy bills. Contact Jon Wayne Heating & Air Conditioning today and ask about our energy evaluation. We proudly serve the San Antonio area.

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.

Energy consumption image via Shutterstock