Energy costs are increasing. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce how much energy we use.

Take your air conditioner for example. It your air conditioning system is only 10 years old, a new energy-efficient unit can cut up to 40 percent off your operating costs. Replacing an older unit gets even better savings in electricity. If electrical costs rise 10 percent in the next year or so, a newer model still beats any increase in utility bills.

Keeping an older air conditioning system becomes a gamble. As years go by, parts wear and a major breakdown becomes more of a certainty. Keeping the same unit also means paying the higher costs for electricity. With newer, more energy-efficient models, we know that the unit is warranted and has a much longer life. And, we’re beating those higher charges for power.

Energy costs will rise. We can keep them from hurting us as badly at the pump with more fuel-efficient vehicles. We can keep our home comfort costs from hurting us with more energy-efficient air conditioning.

Our influence over the rising costs around us is limited. But our personal preferences of the products we use gives us a choice of how deeply those costs will affect us.

At Oren Atchley Air Conditioning and Heating, we want to partner with you to help beat those rising costs. We have information, products and services to help our neighbors in Fort Smith and the River Valley fight the rising costs of home comfort. Contact us for detailed information about how today’s more cost-efficient air conditioners can save you money now and for years to come. We’re 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 high-efficiency air conditioning and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

We walk into a room, touch a switch and the light comes on. We do it without thinking — until the bulb dies, and there’s no light. Unfortunately, we do the same with our heating and air. When the light goes out, it’s a simple matter to change the bulb. When the A/C goes out on a sweltering August afternoon, it’s a different matter.

Taking our heating and air conditioning for granted can be a big gamble. Air conditioners and furnaces should receive service checks twice a year, once before the cooling season and once as the heating season begins. We don’t go without service for our cars, and we shouldn’t go without it for our home comfort systems.

A few of the checks your NATE-certified technician should make while servicing your A/C:

• Electrical components. Air conditioners have connections and components that can fail or come loose.
• Lubrication. Those moving parts can lock up and break down.
• The coils. Over the course of a year, condenser and evaporator coils can be coated with dirt and grit. Cleaning them increases the effectiveness of your A/C and can help extend its life span.
• Refrigerant. The refrigerant is at the heart of the cooling process. Proper levels help it run efficiently and keep the unit from overworking.

Furnaces need annual checks as well. Your technician should check your furnace’s:

• Lubrication. Fan parts should be lubricated and any belts checked.
• Burners. They can corrode, become blocked and eventually quit.
• Your flue. Damped air controls can become off-balance or stuck, causing the flue to draw improperly. A flue can also become corroded, causing carbon monoxide leaks.
• Your oil filters. Oil furnaces have to filter out impurities. A clogged filter can stop the flow of oil, leading to a shutdown.

Getting annual service calls before each season begins is one key to maintaining your HVAC equipment’s effectiveness and efficiency — and to extending its long life. The technicians at Oren Atchley Air Conditioning & Heating can set up automatic service calls to make sure you’re ready for every season. Contact us for an appointment, and we’ll take care of the rest.

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

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

There are a number of pollutants that hide inside a home and cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks. Smoke from wood and tobacco products leaves odors. Wet or damp carpeting grows mold spores. Household cleaning products release harmful chemicals into the air. Gas stoves that are not properly adjusted can emit carbon monoxide. All of these pollutants can remain inside your home for a long time.

How do you know if your indoor air quality is harming your health? Are your eyes, nose or throat irritated? Are you suffering from headaches, dizziness or fatigue? Do your symptoms disappear when you leave your home but reappear when you return? If so, there may be pollutants harboring inside your home.

An old HVAC system might be adding to the problem by failing to properly filter your air or evenly distribute conditioned air.

If you suspect that your home may contain a harmful level of pollutants, call a HVAC professional and have your indoor air quality evaluated. In addition to testing for pollutants, a HVAC professional can suggest various ways in which you can improve your indoor air quality.

In most cases, indoor air quality can be improved by simply making a few changes. Methods to reduce indoor air pollution include:

• Eliminate the source of the pollution or reduce harmful emissions from the polluter. This may be as simple as adjusting gas stoves or sealing asbestos-containing materials.
• Improve your home’s ventilation system by increasing the amount of outdoor air that comes into the home or by installing exhaust fans to remove odors.
• Install air cleaners to remove particle pollutants such as dust and smoke.

If you have questions about improving your home’s indoor air quality or would like more information, please contact us at Oren Atchley Air Conditioning & Heating. We are always happy to answer your questions and provide you with quality service.

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

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

If you’re considering upgrading your heating and air system, remember that its performance doesn’t end at the source. Well-maintained ductwork is key to delivering conditioned air from your A/C and furnace throughout your home. That’s why an experienced comfort consultant should check your existing ductwork before that upgrade.
Many older Fort Smith-area homes have ducting that is incompatible with today’s energy-efficient equipment. A consultation can help you make an informed decision about the equipment that is best for your home.

A consultant also can help pinpoint any current problems in your ductwork. A few of the situations he or she should look out for:

• Leaking ducts. If your ducts are adequate for a new system, they still need to be inspected for leaks. Highly efficient heating and cooling equipment will not work properly and may cause backdrafting if the ductwork is not sealed.
• Size. Ducts that are not properly sized can’t deliver forced air properly. Many homes often have ducts that are too small for newer equipment.
• Registers. Delivery and return air registers may be inadequate for new systems. Your system needs a good balance of incoming and outgoing air for to work most efficiently. Updating grilles and registers can significantly improve airflow.
• Design. Poorly designed ducting will reduce the efficiency of newer heating and air equipment. Long runs, twisting and curving sections and poor branching will reduce the effectiveness of new equipment.
• Blower. Poor airflow can cause equipment problems. An undersized blower can cause air conditioning coils to frost over and freeze. The air blower should be properly matched to the equipment and the ductwork.

Few homes will have all these problems, and some may have none. But getting a contractor to evaluate the ducting is a first step to ensuring the long life and optimum performance of a new heating or air conditioning system.

If you plan to upgrade your equipment, please contact our staff at Oren Atchley Air Conditioning & Heating. Our comfort consultants can evaluate your ducts and determine how well they will work with the type of equipment you’ll be using. Your questions are always welcome at Oren Atchley.

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

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

A new season slowly comes in and brings us a reminder to change our home air filters. After a pretty intense winter here in Arkansas, your system’s filters are ready for a change. Fresh air filters installed can be ready to eliminate the spring pollen and other allergens that creep into our homes as grass, trees and flowers begin blooming.

Regardless of what type filter you have, changing the filter at the end of each season is generally a good rule of thumb. Whether you use an electrostatic, a pleated or HEPA filter, manufacturers have instructions for when those filters should be changed. If the filter maker suggests changing it every month, that is what you should do. Filters are tested for effectiveness and airflow under conditions similar to home use. The filter manufacturer knows the filter’s effectiveness and limits so it is always best to follow their directions.

A clogged air filter can still catch dust and other contaminants, but once they get too saturated, the airflow is reduced and your heating and air system has to work harder to move the air.

Different heating and air systems perform better with certain filters. Keep yours clean and fresh to optimize the indoor air quality and help your system run at peak efficiency.

Whether you have questions about the best air filters for your home, you want to change types or any other concern, contact us at Oren Atchley Air Conditioning and Heating. We’re always glad to answer questions that help keep your home comfort the best it can be.

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

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

Choosing the air filter best suited for your home’s heating and air conditioning system depends on several factors, including the types of particulates you want to remove and the requirements of your system. Regardless of your goal, filters should be checked monthly and changed when they’re dirty. Clean filters reduce dust and other particles in the air you breathe — and help keep your equipment running efficiently.

The most commonly used standard in comparing air filter types is the MERV rating, which ranges from 1 to 20. Residential heating and cooling systems usually use filters in the 5 to 16 range, with those with lower ratings normally reserved for window air conditioners and those with higher ratings for commercial applications or homes in which occupants have respiratory problems. Bear in mind that filters with higher MERV ratings can remove more particles but also are more restrictive to airflow.

Air filters normally suitable for home use are available in two basic types:

• Flat panel: These filters are made of natural or synthetic fibers. They’re available as throwaway filters or as frames filled with replaceable or washable media. Flat panel filters can include a permanent electrostatic charge to increase efficiency.
• Pleated: These filters are pleated, accordion-style, to provide an expanded surface for trapping particles.

Household system filters available at local home repair stores can be grouped into three categories of MERV ratings:

• Filters with a MERV rating of 9 to 12 typically remove 40 percent to 75 percent of finer particles.
• Filters with a MERV rating of 5 to 8 removes up to 35 percent of finer particles.
• These filters have a MERV rating of 1 to 4. They trap less than 20 percent of finer particles. Basic filters are usually used on window air conditioners to protect the unit from dust buildup.

MERV ratings higher than 12 can improve the air quality in a home, but they may restrict airflow enough to potentially damage your system.  Duct modifications may be required to allow adequate air flow.  Consult an HVAC professional before using air filters in this higher range.

The skilled professionals at Oren Atchley Air Conditioning & Heating are available to help. Please contact us anytime.

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

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

Air conditioners across the River Valley get a workout in the summer. An energy evaluation of your home can determine if your A/C is getting maximum results for its efforts — and if you’re getting the full bang for your bucks. An improperly maintained system could be beefing up your utility bill even as it fails to perform its best.

A number of signs may indicate a problem. If dust builds up quickly in your home, your air ducts or other A/C equipment might need to be cleaned. If some rooms get too cold when the A/C is running and other rooms never cool down, that might be worth investigating, too. Or maybe your utility bills are consistently higher than you think they should be. An energy evaluation can identify the source of your system’s problem and offer solutions.

Our skilled service technicians have put together a complete Comfort and Energy Audit for River Valley homes to ensure HVAC systems are running at peak performance.

The energy evaluation begins with an interview in which our analyst asks family members about your home’s comfort. Do any rooms feel overly humid? Is there a room that’s often too warm? Then we’ll inspect your HVAC equipment and your home’s insulation, perform a negative pressure test on the house to pinpoint air leaks, and evaluate your home’s airflow. If you’re thinking about a new system, we’ll perform a “load calculation” to determine the equipment size your home would need.

Then we’ll recommend a plan to address any concerns. Some possible fixes are simple, such as applying weather stripping or caulk. Others may involve adding energy-efficient equipment.

The experts at Oren Atchley Air Conditioning & Heating are always happy to help. If you think your home might benefit from an energy evaluation — or if you just want to ask a question — please contact us anytime.

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

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

Having your home properly insulated and sealed can considerably reduce your heating and cooling bills. It’s a cost-effective way to save energy — and less complicated than the industry jargon might make it sound.

Insulation is simply material that prevents the heat of the Fort Smith summer from entering your home (and, during the winter, holds in the heat produced by your furnace). There are a number of types of insulating materials, and HVAC vocabulary can get a little confusing. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most important insulation terms:

• R-value: A measure of how well a material insulates. It is represented as a number, such as “R25″ or “R40″. The higher the number, the more effective the insulation. This map shows recommended R-values for each part of the country; Fort Smith is in zone 3 on the map.
• Batts: Pre-cut blankets of insulation.  Fiberglass batts have an insulating value of approximately R3.0 per inch.
• Loose-fill: Loose fibers (along the lines of dryer lint) that can be blown into spaces, such as inside walls or the floor of your attic. Loose-fill can be made of many different types of insulation, from fiberglass, to rockwool, to cellulose.
• Fiberglass: Fiberglass insulation is still the most common, used in batts, and in loose-fill.  Fiberglass batts have an R-value of approximately 3.0 per inch.  Loose-fill fiberglass has an R-value of approximately 2.8 per inch.
• Cellulose: Blow-in insulation, cellulose is a type of insulation made from recycled newspapers.  Loose fill cellulose used in attics has an insulating value of approximately R3.7 per inch.
• Spray foam: A spray-on insulating foam.  There are several types of foam insulation, ranging in R-value of 3.7 to 6.0 per inch.

Questions? Contact us anytime at Oren Atchley Air Conditioning & Heating. We’re always glad to help.

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

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

Each week, 3.5 million Americans experience electrical blackouts, according to the Electric Power Research Institute. A standby generator can keep your household running in an emergency.

Home generators have been around for a long time, but they were mostly portable gasoline-driven systems that had to be manually started and refueled every few hours. Modern standby generators are automatic, quiet and nearly maintenance-free. They run on natural gas or propane and are directly connected to your home’s fuel line, so they never have to be refueled. They start automatically as soon as an electrical blackout occurs and shut off once power is restored.

Standby generators come in three categories:

• “Whole house” generators: These machines, the most expensive, can power every appliance and system in your home.
• “Essential circuit” generators are wired to power only the circuits you deem most important. They let you keep power running to your vital appliances or systems, such as your freezer and refrigerator.
• “Smart circuit” generators power only a certain number of circuits. However, they can rotate among circuits as needed. For instance, when your air conditioner or refrigerator compressor cycles off, that energy can be diverted to other systems.

At Oren Atchley Heating & Air Conditioning, we can evaluate your Fort Smith-area home to help you determine what size and type of standby generator might work best. Contact us anytime with any questions. We would be 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 generators and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.

A new duct work system should be properly designed to maximize your home’s comfort and work as efficiently as possible. Otherwise, you could end up needlessly paying high utility bills.

Careful duct work design is essential.  The indoor blower that moves conditioned air through the duct system is designed to move a certain amount of air through a certain sized duct system.  Most duct systems in our area are undersized.  Why?  Because it’s cheaper to do it that way and the new construction market is focused on obtaining low bids.

So what happens when the duct system is too small?  The a/c system is unable to push enough air through the duct system, resulting in decreased efficiency, decreased comfort, and increased likelihood of breakdowns.  Thousands of hours of engineering is put into the design of indoor blowers, but it can all be wasted if the well-designed blower is attached to a poorly designed duct system.

A good contractor will understand the importance of duct work planning and design to ensure the longevity of your heating and cooling system and to minimize energy waste.

Please feel free to consult the experts at Oren Atchley Air Conditioning & Heating anytime with questions about duct work — or any other aspect of your heating and cooling system. We’re always glad to help our Fort Smith-area neighbors.

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

Oren Atchley Company services the greater Fort Smith area of Arkansas.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.