R-22 can potentially damage the ozone layer, and it is a greenhouse gas that has nearly 2,000 times as much impact on global warming as the same quantity of carbon dioxide. Thankfully, there are new refrigerants, such as R-410A, that can do the same cooling job without the harmful effects on the environment. Because of this, R-22 is being phased out. Air conditioners made since 2010 no longer use R-22, and strict limits have been placed on how much of the substance can be produced each year. By 2020, no R-22 will be produced.

Unfortunately for the 80 to 85 percent of homes that still have R-22 air conditioners, these cuts in production are beginning to lead to Freon shortages. Old air conditioners eventually begin to leak Freon, and must be refilled. Supply is not keeping up with demand, which leads to drastically increased Freon prices.

For example, new R-22 supplies amounted to about 100 million pounds in 2011; in 2012, production is expected to be closer to 55 million pounds. This lack of supply has caused R-22 prices to roughly triple over the course of just a few months, and the projected Freon shortages are expected to be even more severe in 2013 and beyond.

Because of limits on how much Freon can be bought at any one time, it would be wise to schedule any A/C tuneups soon, before summer demand picks up. Also, since repairs of old R-22 systems are going to be more expensive, and since they are guaranteed to be obsolete within a few years, it may make more financial (and environmental) sense to replace your old system with a high-efficiency R-410A air conditioner.

For more information about the Freon shortages and your air conditioning options, please contact us at Stewart’s 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 Freon shortages and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Here are five benefits of air conditioner maintenance that will motivate you to make sure it’s done every spring:

• You’ll save on energy bills: After a full year of operation, your A/C unit has many issues that will make it far less efficient if left unchecked. Dirty air filters alone can make your system 15 percent less efficient. Your coils, drains, ducts and vents also need to be cleared to allow for proper air flow through the entire system.
• You’ll avoid costly breakdowns: An HVAC professional will check the overall health of your equipment and watch for any signs of weakness or damage. If problems exist, it is much cheaper to take care of them in the spring than it is to call for emergency service because of a summer breakdown.
• Your A/C will last longer: When your system is clean and efficient, the equipment doesn’t have to work nearly as hard. Not only is this reflected in your energy bills, it also means your equipment, which is a sizable investment, will last longer.
• Your family’s quality of life will improve: Systems that aren’t maintained well cannot control humidity levels, remove pollutants or balance air distribution throughout your home. This means your air will not be comfortable or healthy.
• You know when it’s time to invest in an upgrade: You can save a lot of money if you have time to shop around and compare A/C units prior to making a purchase. Having a professional assess your system annually allows you to know well in advance so you can plan for the investment, instead of rushing into a decision because of equipment failure.

If you’d like to schedule your annual air conditioner maintenance, contact Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve served the Triangle area for more than 30 years with expert customer care.

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

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

• Keep moisture out: Moisture leads to mold growth, which is one of the most prominent causes of indoor allergies and asthma. Seal cracks, leaks and drips that allow water in. Installing a dehumidifier can also help keep your home at the ideal humidity level.
• Check and clean the filter often: The filter in your heating and cooling equipment traps airborne pollutants as the air circulates through the system. You can help allergy-proof your home by installing a high-efficiency filter and changing it every month to prevent it from becoming clogged.
• Keep windows closed: You should rely on your HVAC equipment for comfort during the spring and fall instead of opening windows. Outdoor allergies are triggered when you open windows, especially between the hours of 4 and 10 a.m. when pollen counts are highest. It’s worth a slightly higher energy bill to allergy-proof your home by keeping windows closed.
• Choose a natural-gas fireplace: Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves add smoke and gases to the air, which can be huge allergy agitators. Natural gas fireplaces don’t cause higher levels of indoor air pollution, so if you can’t live without an operable fireplace, natural gas should be your choice.
• Use exhaust fans: These are most often found in the kitchen and bathroom where moisture and pollution are at their highest. Help allergy-proof your Triangle-area home by using these fans to draw humidity and pollution out.

These tips to allergy-proof your Triangle-area home will soon have you breathing more comfortably all year long. For more information, please contact us at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We have served the Triangle area for more than 30 years.

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

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

• Switch your air conditioner fan mode to “auto” instead of “on.” The blower fan runs constantly when in the “on” position and can cause a rise in your home’s humidity level. Air conditioners create condensation that generally drain out of the home via condensation lines. When the blower fan is running, the condensation re-evaporates and is distributed throughout your home.
• Increase the temperature on your air conditioner thermostat and turn on ceiling fans. Ceiling fans help keep the air in your home moving, which helps reduce the chance of mold growth. Furthermore, always turn on bathroom vents when showering to ventilate the excessive humidity.
• Consider installing a whole-house dehumidifier or a whole-house ventilation system. Dehumidifiers remove the moisture in the air lowering the humidity level and reducing the possibility of mold growth. Ventilation systems help push impurities — such as mold spores — out of the air and decreases the chance of future mold problems.
• Remove mold spores from the air with an air purifier. Air purifiers are one the of most well known mold prevention tips and will provide your home with continuous protection against air contaminates such as mold spores.
• Have your HVAC system regularly maintained by a trusted and reliable company, and consider signing a service agreement. By doing so, an HVAC professional can spot mold-related issues early. Regular servicing also will prolong the life of your system, increase its energy efficiency and save you money.

For more mold-prevention tips, contact the experts at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We have been faithfully serving North Carolina’s Triangle area since 1979.

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

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

The best solution, then, is to remove the humidity from the air. And the way to do that is with a dehumidifier. Since the humidity won’t be confined to a small space like a basement, the best type of dehumidifier is a whole-house dehumidifier integrated into your HVAC system. A whole-house system pulls the air out of each room in your home, removes the excess moisture, and returns the drier air. Portable dehumidifiers are good for small spaces, but they would be noisy and bulky and would waste a lot of energy if you used them to dehumidify your whole home. A whole-house system is quiet, unobtrusive and energy efficient, and will maintain the proper humidity level throughout your home without much effort from you.

The Environmental Protection Agency says you should keep your humidity level between 30 and 50 percent. Maintaining your humidity within this range will help control the mold, mildew, bacteria and dust mite growth that high humidity can cause. These potential consequences of high humidity are far more important than mere discomfort, as they can lead to asthma and allergies. High humidity can also cause wet stains on your walls, rotted wood and other structural damage to your home.

A whole-house dehumidifier will work with your air conditioner to prevent the discomfort, health problems and home structural damage that high humidity might otherwise cause, and will prevent you from wasting energy overcooling your home to deal with the humidity.

For more advice on dehumidification or other home comfort areas, contact the experts at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving the Triangle area for more than 25 years.

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

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Savings

The savings that result from replacing your heating system at this time comes primarily from three sources:

• The current recession has forced many heating system manufacturers to reduce their prices.
• The installation cost of a furnace is lowest during the spring, when HVAC companies are not as busy.
• High-efficiency heating systems also may be eligible for tax credits.

You should also get an appraisal from a qualified HVAC contractor regarding the feasibility of replacing a poorly functioning furnace. A heating system that fails catastrophically may not require an appraisal to determine that you need to replace it.

Designs

Modern heating systems are becoming more energy efficient due to technological advances, causing the demand for high-efficiency designs to increase dramatically since 2007. Some heating systems use photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity, which greatly reduces their operating costs. Geothermal heating systems transfer heat from the earth to the house.

Efficiency

The annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of a furnace is the standard method of measuring the efficiency of a heating system. The AFUE is the percentage of the energy consumed by the furnace that is converted into heat. The heat production in the AFUE calculation does not include heat lost through the chimney, but it does include heat lost through the ductwork.

High-efficiency furnaces generally have an AFUE of at least 95 percent. They are initially more expensive, but your fuel will be lower and you will also receive tax credits. Replacing your heating system in the spring typically allows you to recoup the addition cost within a few years.

For more expert advice about installing furnaces and other issues related to home comfort, contact us at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving the Triangle area of North Carolina since 1965.

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

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Smart models are the new generation of programmable thermostats that make it easier than ever to understand your home comfort equipment. They have a variety of features that nobody would have imagined just a few years ago.

• It all starts with the Internet connection: Smart thermostats are always connected to the internet and they use it to monitor your system and communicate with you when necessary.
• Communication and operation is simple and straightforward: They even come with a smartphone application, web interface and touchscreen display that give you access to all the information you need to set your system for maximum savings.
• You get access to information you never had before: The Internet connection is also used to track peak hour rates from your energy provider. Smart programmable thermostats then adjust the settings to use less power during the times it is most expensive.
• Your air stays clean and comfortable: In addition to communicating with you, these models can “talk” to any other smart thermostats in the home and your ventilation system. They test your interior air for proper levels of humidity and balance the air in your home to keep moisture levels comfortable. They also test for toxins and use the ventilation system to remove unhealthy air.

All of the information these programmable thermostats gather is readily available to you so you can be smart about your energy usage. They do most of the work on their own but, more importantly, they give you the knowledge to understand your system and use it wisely.

For professional advice on selecting the best smart thermostat for your needs, contact Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We help Triangle area residents find the right model, install it correctly and walk you through the initial programming and features.

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.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Clicking, Ticking And Cracking

Clicking, cracking, ticking and similar noise in the ductwork can be caused by the metal of the ductwork expanding and contracting as conditioned air travels through it. Warm air makes ductwork expand, while cold air makes it contract. When there is no air flowing through the ducts, they return to their original state. As the ducts move in and out, they make contact with your house frame, rafters, floorboards or other structures. This contact produces the noise in the ductwork. A building or HVAC contractor can give the ductwork more room to move by repositioning the ducts or expanding the area where it makes contact with other material.

Rattling, Banging And Clattering

If there are loose or detached ductwork sections, they can cause noise in the ductwork related to metal hitting against metal. Rattling, banging, tapping, clattering or similar noises could be caused by a loose section of ductwork moving and making repeated contact with another metal section as air moves through the system.

It may take the services of a professional HVAC contractor to find the source of the noise in the ductwork, especially if the ductwork is difficult to reach. If you can find the loose section yourself, you can refit it within the adjoining section until the connection is tight, which should stop the noise in the ductwork. Seal the connections with the specialized sealing compound mastic or with metal tape. Avoid using standard duct tape for sealing or securing ducts; the adhesive can dry out and fail.

Since 1979, Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning has provided trusted, reliable HVAC sales and service to residential and commercial customers in the Triangle area. For more information on solutions to noise in the ductwork, please contact us.

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

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

No-Cost Ventilation Strategies

Opening your doors and windows is a free and immediate way to get fresh air flowing through your home. It will also help lower your cooling costs. When the temperature at night is pleasant, leaving the windows open and turning the air conditioning off helps cool down a warm house. Unfortunately, ventilation strategies that use doors and windows depend on the weather. When it’s raining, too cold, too hot or pollen is at its peak season, opening them will not be a viable option.

Low-Cost Ventilation Strategies

If the weather does not permit opening the windows and doors but your home feels stuffy, turning on your air conditioner can help alleviate the problem. An air conditioner will help distribute fresh air throughout your home via mechanical ventilation. Unfortunately, ventilation strategies can increase your utility bills.

Fans are one of the cheapest ventilation strategies and will get air circulating quickly. Ceiling fans work well in both the winter and summer months. They keep the air flowing while providing a cool breeze in the summer and help push heat down away from the ceiling during the winter. Another option is window fans, which pull fresh air outside into your home.

Complete Ventilation Strategies

The most extensive ventilation strategies incorporate your entire home. A whole-house ventilation system or a whole-house fan unit will help prevent stale and stuffy air despite the weather outside. These ventilation strategies are more expensive but will protect your entire home.

For more ventilation strategies, contact the experts at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide on-time service and quality workmanship to the Triangle area of North Carolina.

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

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Lowering Your Cooling Load

The term “cooling load” refers to how much energy your HVAC system uses to condition your home. The higher your load, the harder your air conditioner has to work in the summer. This can cause your energy bills to skyrocket, and it can also shorten the life span of your air conditioner and require that you have it repaired or maintained more frequently because it is working so hard.

Fortunately, your cooling load is, in some ways, under your control. Although one big factor, the size of your house, can’t usually be changed, there are several things you can do to lower your cooling load and make it easier to cool your house. For instance:

• Shut off rooms you are not using. Your air conditioner shouldn’t cool unused space.
• Consider adding extra insulation, especially in the attic, to keep cooled air from escaping and warm air from coming in.
• Insulate your ducts to avoid the escape of conditioned air as it travels through your home.
• Seal gaps and cracks that let hot air in and warm air out. To find these cracks, look especially around the windows and doors of your house and around electrical sockets and light fixtures. You can also turn off your HVAC system, close your windows and light incense to identify cracks by watching where the smoke goes.

For more tips or help lowering your cooling load, contact the friendly pros at Stewart’s 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 cooling loads and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Stewart’s Heating and Air Conditioning services the Triangle area of North Carolina. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!