Here are five tasks homeowners can do to keep a heat pump running efficiently:

1. Inspect and change filters once a month. Your heat pump depends on continuous airflow to run efficiently. If the air filter gets clogged, it will cause the system to work harder, driving up energy costs. It will also increase system wear and tear, which shortens a heat pump's life span.
2. Clean the supply and return registers regularly. Dust in the fins can block airflow in and out of the house, which has the same effect as clogged filters.
3. Make sure nothing is blocking the registers. Relocating a chair or table over a register can block air flowing in and out of a room. This can make the room uncomfortable and reduce the system efficiency.
4. Clean the outdoor unit as needed. Dirt and dust can accumulate on the coils and fan. Turn off the power to the unit. Clean the coils and fan. Take the time to remove any plant growth around the unit. This keeps air flowing and makes the unit run more efficiently.
5. Have a HVAC professional perform an annual inspection and tuneup. The technician will inspect the system for any blockages, verify airflow and refrigerant levels, check for leaks, lubricate motors and verify thermostat efficiency. All of this keeps the system running efficiently. The inspection may turn up a minor problem before it becomes major.

By maintaining a heat pump, homeowners will prolong the life span of the equipment and keep repair costs to a minimum. If you need a heat pump inspection or repair, contact JonLe Heating & Cooling. We proudly serve our neighbors in the greater Cincinnati area.

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If dry air is a problem in your home, as it is for many homeowners here in the Greater Cincinnati area each winter, chances are that portable units don't help much. At most, these high-maintenance units provide temporary one-area relief, obliging you to buy and care for several expensive, energy-guzzling portable devices.

A better, more cost-effective, long-term solution that enhances comfort is to install whole-house humidification to boost indoor air quality. Compare the following facts when choosing a humidification strategy for your home.

Portable unit disadvantages

Tabletop portable or single-room models:

• Only have an effect on the air in a small area.
• Require that you buy separate devices for each room.
• Must be cleaned and maintained frequently. Otherwise, they can present a danger to your health when biological contaminants and mold grow in standing water.
• Are noisy and have an unattractive design that invades your home's living area.
• Use (and waste) more energy than a single, whole-house solution.

Whole-house solution advantages

These systems offer many advantages. They:

• Treat every room of your home as needed.
• Require little cleaning and maintenance; simply replace air filters every six months to two years, depending on the model and how often the system operates.
• Don't use mold-inducing standing water, and no buckets need to be kept clean or emptied out.
• Are located conveniently out of sight, away from living spaces, incorporated directly into your home's heating and cooling system.
• Work automatically when necessary.
• Operate silently.
• Provide maximum energy efficiency.

If you have questions about whole-house humidification in your home or would like more information about your options, talk to the experts at JonLe Heating & Cooling. We're happy to provide professional advice as well as installation services, repairs and maintenance for all of your home comfort needs.  

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• Turn the system on and place your hand next to a register. The air will feel cold at first, as the cold air in the ductwork blows out. It takes a few seconds for that air to be pushed out by the warm air coming into the ducts. 
• If the air is only cold in one room or area of your home, you may have a ductwork leak or obstruction that may require professional attention. 
• The thermostat is set to "on." If you let your fan run continually, the air coming from the ducts will feel cool when the heating equipment isn't actively running. Unless you use a central air filtration system for your home, you may want to set the fan to "auto." 
• Look inside the furnace and locate the pilot light if your system is older. The pilot may have gone out, which keeps gas from entering the system. One of the most important safety features on gas furnaces is the thermocouple, which automatically turns off the gas supply if the pilot light goes off. Try to relight the pilot and keep the flame going long enough for the thermocouple to warm. This part is normally close to the pilot. Keep an eye on it for a minute or so to make sure the pilot stays lit. If it won't continue to burn or does so with a yellow flame, it's time to call for immediate service.
• Check the flame sensor in the furnace. It may be dirty and require professional cleaning. If this sensor gets dirty, it'll light and then quickly extinguish itself as a safety precaution.

The pros at JonLe Heating & Cooling can help you solve these and any other problems associated with your furnace. We've proudly provided HVAC services for Cincinnati homeowners for more than 50 years. 

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1. Change Your Filters - The mild summer has been good to the plants, trees, and flowers. An easy growing season means plenty of allergens to be shed before winter. Replace your air filter! The filter on your HVAC system is essential to clean airborne particles and allergens. We can’t say it enough. At JonLe, we’re so passionate about changing your air filters, we’ll even remind you when to change your filter.

2. Test Your Safety Devices - Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide monitors, the weather radio, these devices help you stay safe in the event of an emergency. Test and replace the batteries if needed. Keep an extra set of batteries near the safety devices in your home. It helps in the middle of the night when that smoke detector is beeping furiously at you from somewhere… around… here…

3. Schedule a Seasonal Efficiency Evaluation - Getting regular, seasonal maintenance done on your HVAC system can mean the difference between cosying up on the couch for movie night and huddling together to share body heat in the dead of winter. JonLe offers Energy Savings Plans that include regularly scheduled maintenance and gives you a 10-20% discount on repairs during the coverage period.

4. Have Your Ductwork Cleaned - Cleaning ductwork regularly can help your heating and cooling system run more efficiently and dramatically improve the air quality in your Cincinnati home. Regular cleaning makes your home a haven from the allergens that plague Cincinnati autumns.

5. Check For Air Leaks - Examine basement exhaust holes, windows, doors, and attic or crawl spaces for leaks. A few small leaks can be the difference between starting up the furnace in September or making it through to November!

6. Insulate - Insulation in the attic, crawl spaces, and around the water heater and hot water lines will save you money on your fall and winter heating bill. You may also be able to claim a home energy credit on your taxes for the extra insulation.

Spending the fall and winter Indoors is no fun, but you can make it more comfortable with some regular maintenance on your heating and cooling system. For more information, or to schedule a seasonal heating and cooling maintenance appointment, contact JonLe Heating and Cooling today.

Here are a few ways to keep pollen out of your home to improve indoor air quality:

• Take your shoes and outerwear off as soon as you enter the home. Pollen will cling to your clothing, which you then bring inside each time you enter your home. Keep those items in the entryway until you need them next.
• After doing yardwork, get rid of the pollen-laden items quickly. Take off your shoes in the entryway and walk straight to the laundry room or bedroom and change clothing. A shower will remove any pollen clinging to your skin and hair.
• Brush your pets and wipe their paws when they come inside. This will help keep the pollen levels down and won't spread it through the house as animals walk around.
• Don't empty the vacuum inside the house, especially if you have a bagless model. Take it outside and empty it into a bag that immediately goes into the trash. This will prevent the pollen the vacuum picked up from escaping back into the house.
• Keep your windows and doors closed. Fresh air seems like a great idea, except that it brings the pollen in with it. Keep your air conditioner or heating running and make sure you have a high efficiency air filter in place.
• Take the time to clean the front and back porches regularly. Pollen will accumulate there, making it easy to track into the house. A regular sweeping and dusting will keep pollen outside instead of it coming inside.

If you need expert HVAC help for your Cincinnati home, contact us at JonLe Heating & Cooling. We're the indoor air quality experts for the greater Cincinnati area.

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The centerpiece of an energy audit is the blower door, a device that fits in an exterior door frame and has a large fan. Once the auditors have readied your home by closing all the windows, closing fireplace dampers, covering the fire box and turning off the heating system, they'll turn the fan on. The blower door contains air pressure gauges that tell the contractor how fast the air pressure drops in your home. The fan exhausts to the outdoors and in an airtight home, the pressure drops quickly.

If your home has a lot of air infiltration, the pressure takes longer to drop since the fan pulls more air in to compensate for falling air pressure. The auditing team will use smoke pencils or thermographic devices to identify the sources of the leaks. Once you know the extent of the leakage and where they are, you can use caulk and weatherstripping to seal them.

A contractor who uses thermographic tools can identify where your home has inadequate insulation, another factor that influences how much your HVAC system in Cincinnati has to run. Thermographic devices show temperature differences using color. Warmer areas show as yellow to red, while cooler areas show up as blue or green. 

An HVAC contractor who performs the energy audit can also inspect the heating and cooling system's ductwork for air leakage rates and inadequate insulation. Insulated ductwork retains the thermal properties of the conditioned air and will cut heating and cooling costs. Leaking ducts can drive up conditioning costs substantially, as well as downgrading indoor air quality. 

If your HVAC system in Cincinnati seems to run more than it should, contact JonLe Heating & Cooling for professional assistance. We've provided homeowners with top-notch services for more than 50 years. 

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Here are several tips to help you find the right HVAC technician for the job:

1. Don't be shy - If anyone you know has used a good contractor recently, don't be afraid to ask for their contact information.
2. Call references - Ask for a list of references and contact each one. Ask about the company's professionalism, quality of work, time completion and more.
3. Check for licensing, bonding and insurance - Each contractor must follow minimum requirements for licensing, bonding and insurance. A contractor should be more than willing to provide documentation to show that they're in line with these requirements. 
4. Use online resources - Look at popular review sites to assess what former clients are saying about their experiences. 
5. Look for NATE certification - If a company doesn't use technicians who are certified by North American Technician Excellence, or NATE, it's best to look elsewhere.
6. Ask about discounts - If you want to save a little money, check the contractor's website for special discounts or contact them directly.
7. Expect a home evaluation - Once you hire an HVAC contractor, he or she should want to evaluate your home's current energy efficiency and analyze it for any future alterations.
8. Ask about Energy Star - When installing new heating or cooling equipment, only equipment adorned with the Energy Star label should be considered. A good contractor won't suggest anything less.
9. Get everything in writing - Get every detail of the work to be done on a project in writing before it begins. This will avoid problems that might pop up once everything is in motion.

For more advice on finding an HVAC contractor in Cincinnati or other home comfort questions, get in touch with JonLe Heating & Cooling. We've been serving the greater Cincinnati area since 1959.

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• Have your heating and cooling system serviced each year. Cincinnati heating and cooling service professionals clean and adjust all the parts, bringing the system back to its factory settings as much as possible. Your technician can tell you when it's time to consider replacing it based on its condition and your energy bills. As these systems age, they tend to use more energy, costing you more each cooling season.
• Ask a Cincinnati heating and cooling expert to inspect the ductwork for leakage. Air leaks create uncomfortable rooms and degrade indoor air quality, along with increasing energy consumption in proportion to the amount of air leakage. 
• Inspect the air filter monthly yourself, particularly when your equipment is running often. A filter that's covered in dust lowers its performance because the dust blocks some of the airflow and can cover the parts, slowing the cooling process. 
• Make it a habit to turn up the temperature when you're not home. You'll save substantial energy by keeping your home at 85 degrees when you're not there. If you're away routinely, consider a programmable thermostat to remember for you. 
• Check the amount of insulation in the attic. The DOE recommends from 16 to 20 inches in the attic for homes in Cincinnati to reduce heating and cooling usage. 
• Deal with the windows by closing the drapes or installing solar window films. The films block heat transmission year-round without obstructing your view. 
• Caulk cracks around window frames and apply fresh weatherstripping around exterior doors if you see light coming through. 
• Turn the water heater's temperature down to 120 degrees. It's an easy way to cut energy usage and lower scalding possibilities. 

To learn more about energy efficiency and your HVAC equipment in Cincinnati, contact JonLe Heating & Cooling. We've provided heating and cooling services in the area for more than 50 years. 

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• Equipment age - The typical life span for an A/C is between 15 and 20 years. As it ages, its efficiency and reliability gradually decline. If your equipment is in that range, replacing it could let you avoid the headaches of a sudden failure and the cost of future repairs.
• Ductwork - A leaky ductwork system could be costing you between 10 and 30 percent of the cooling system output. Sealing and insulating the ducts could make A/C repair a viable option, and addressing the problem is vital even if you decide on replacement.
• Insulation - If your home is lacking sufficient insulation, replacing the aging air conditioner with the most efficient equipment on the market may not make a significant improvement in comfort or energy consumption. By increasing the insulation level, you will likely find that you can cool your home effectively with smaller, less expensive equipment.

If you decide to replace the A/C, consider these factors as well:

• SEER rating - The seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of a new air conditioner affects how much you'll spend on cooling over the life of the equipment. Today's models range between the minimum standard 13 SEER and 24 SEER. Units with higher SEER ratings are more energy efficient, but they also cost more. An HVAC professional can help you weigh the upfront costs versus the lifetime energy savings to choose the most efficient and affordable model.
• Correct sizing - If your new equipment is too small, it won't keep you comfortable. Oversized air conditioners cycle on and off frequently, which makes it difficult to dehumidify a space properly. Air conditioner sizing shouldn't be done using a rule of thumb. A detailed load calculation is essential.

If you're debating replacement or air conditioning repair in your Cincinnati area home and you need expert advice, contact us today at JonLe Heating & Cooling.

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How Is the SEER Determined?

Each model of a central air conditioner has to be laboratory tested to arrive at its SEER rating. Engineers place the outdoor condenser in an environment thermally controlled to 82 degrees. They measure the amount of energy the system uses to cool a space to 80 degrees with a humidity level of 50 percent.

They run the system long enough to estimate its performance over the course of a cooling season. SEER ratings range from 13 and go into the 20s. Each increase in its raising uses 10 percent less energy to run under test conditions. 

Maintaining Efficiency

Since the SEER rating is determined under controlled conditions, it may or may not live up to its rating for a central air conditioner in Cincinnati. Influencing factors include how well it was initially sized and installed, and how well it's maintained over the system's lifetime.

• An oversized air conditioner won't be as efficient because it'll run in short cycles that use more electricity.
• If the refrigerant level wasn't installed according to the manufacturer's specifications, it won't perform as efficiently as its SEER rating promises. 
• If the air filter isn't changed and the equipment doesn't receive routine maintenance, its efficiency will drop. 

Another factor is the blower motor that distributes the cooled air for both your air conditioner and furnace. The motors have to match for the unit to live up to its SEER rating. The DOE recommends replacing both the cooling and heating system together, especially if the furnace is 15 years or older. 

The pros at JonLe Heating & Cooling can give you more information about an efficient air conditioner in Cincinnati. We've provided HVAC services throughout the area for more than 50 years. 

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Nothing Is Wrong

The simplest explanation is that your heat pump is actually performing perfectly normal. The problem is you’re used to how a furnace works. It runs for a relatively brief period, expelling 130- to 140-degree air from supply registers.

By contrast, heat pumps run for longer periods and introduce warm, not hot, air into your home. For example, on a 40-degree day without supplemental heat running, the air exiting the registers might be 95 degrees. On a 25-degree day, the output might drop to 88 degrees.

When moving at a high velocity, 90-degree air feels quite cool. However, because it’s warmer than room temperature, the heat pump is still helping to warm your home. It simply takes a little longer, or the backup heat comes on when there’s not enough heat in the outdoor air for the heat pump to extract and pump into your home.

The Problem Is Easy to Fix

The next possibility is that a common, easy-to-fix problem is causing the heating and air issue in your Cincinnati home. These include the following:

• The outdoor unit has iced up and the defrost cycle is working to thaw it.
• Snow has drifted against the outdoor unit, restricting airflow.
• The thermostat is set below 65 degrees.
• Cold return temperatures, possibly caused by a return trunk becoming disconnected from the air handler, are overworking the heat pump.

The Problem Requires Professional Service

If you eliminate all the above problems as possibilities, you could have something more serious on your hands, such as:

• The refrigerant charge is low.
• The equipment needs to be cleaned and serviced.
• The reversing or compressor valve has gone bad.
• The compressor isn't running.
• The unit is running in air conditioning mode.
• Ice has formed on the outdoor unit due to a malfunction.

For more help deciphering the heating and air problem in your Cincinnati home, please contact JonLe Heating & Cooling.

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Keeping your Cincinnati area home sealed against air leaks is just as important during cooling season when you run the furnace in winter. The expensive air conditioning Cincinnati residents enjoy will drift right out through the tiny cracks and holes throughout a home lacking weatherstripping.

What Is Weatherstripping?

If you look around the windows and doors of your home, you should see flexible metal, foam, felt or vinyl that expands to fill the gap between window and casing or door and door frame. That material is weatherstripping. It does for movable openings in your home what caulk does for immobile openings, such as pipes and cables running through walls and roof. 

Why Weatherstripping Matters

When paying for air conditioning, Cincinnati homeowners don't want their money wasted. Even tiny air leaks around an unsealed door will invite summer’s hot air inside and allow cool air to escape. No central air conditioner will operate with maximum efficiency if it has to constantly fight warm air sneaking in and cool air leaking outside. Conserve natural resources, lower your electrical bill and keep your Cincinnati area home cool and comfortable by applying inexpensive weatherstripping.

How Is Weatherstripping Applied?

While weatherstripping can be mixed around any application, some materials are better suited for certain spots. Metal door sweeps with nylon-brush bottoms can be attached to entry doors. Heavy-duty, professionally applied interlocking metal channels around doorways are so sturdy they seldom need replacement. Adhesive-backed vinyl is easily applied by a homeowner but will need replacing in a few years. Some weatherstripping can be stapled in place, and many types come with pressure-sensitive adhesive backing.

Apply weatherstripping when the daytime air temperatures have held steady for several days to avoid issues with contraction and expansion. Start at the back of your Cincinnati area home and work your way around to the more visible side, so your technique improves as you work.

For more help sealing in the air conditioning Cincinnati homeowners enjoy, contact us at JonLe Heating & Cooling.

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Are you tired of sneezing the day away in your home? Maybe you're allergic to a beloved pet you don't want to part with, or perhaps there's just too much dust floating around. The great news about indoor allergens is that they can be filtered out by a system installed by an HVAC Cincinnati professional. Read on to learn how your HVAC system can work to improve indoor air quality.

Asthma Triggers

Did you know that poor indoor air quality can actually cause asthma to develop in children? This frightening fact is the perfect reason to invest in an HVAC system that's efficient at filtering the air in your home. Keeping your system clean should be a priority when the health of your family is at stake.

Getting Rid of Pet Dander

As much as 30 percent of the population in the U.S. suffers from pet allergies. Many people who suffer from allergies still want to own pets, so how can they enjoy adding a furry family member to their home without suffering on a daily basis? Indoor air quality control is the solution.

HVAC systems that include HEPA filters are ideal for filtering pet dander out of the air. These cleaners produce the best results when they're used for at least four hours each day. A professional specializing in HVAC Cincinnati can help you with the installation process. However, it's important for you to be proactive about removing dander from carpets and furniture as well.

Filtering Dust and Pollutants

Indoor air pollution can come from the cleaning products you use, appliances, building materials and even outdoor sources like pesticides. Pollutants that get trapped in your home will just keep circulating in the air without a high-quality air filter. Your HVAC system gives you the perfect opportunity to improve your indoor air quality to protect the health of your and your family.

If you're ready to breathe easier in your home, contact the experts at JonLe Heating & Cooling. We're proud to serve homeowners throughout the greater Cincinnati area. 

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With the help of a reliable air purifier, you can restore your home’s indoor air quality and breathe a little easier. An air purifier works by capturing airborne particles as air flows through the device, cycling clean air into the space it’s filtering. In addition to trapping most forms of household dust and airborne debris, these remarkable devices are capable of capturing and destroying up to 99.9 percent of common fungi spores, bacteria and viruses, including human and avian influenza.

There are many types of air purification devices on the market and each has its own way of trapping and destroying airborne allergens and irritants:

• Many air purifiers rely on ionization to electrically charge and trap airborne particles, as well as destroy viruses and bacteria.
• Some air purifiers use high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. A true HEPA filter can capture up to 99.97 percent of particles as small as 0.3 microns.
• Other purifiers generate ozone gas to control airborne pollutants. This method may not be the best when it comes to improving indoor air quality, as ozone gas is a lung irritant.
• Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) air purifiers rely on ultraviolet radiation to neutralize airborne viruses and bacteria.
• Gas-phase air purifiers utilize a sorbent such as activated carbon to capture gaseous pollutants from your home’s indoor air.

You can always depend on JonLe Heating & Cooling for your home comfort needs in the greater Cincinnati area. Contact us if you’re ready to make your home comfortable through improved indoor air quality.

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• Attic - Attic insulation holds back the heat from your roof so it can be ventilated through the attic vents, reducing the load on the air conditioner. If the insulation in your attic doesn't cover the ceiling joists, you'll need to add more. Attics in Ohio homes should be insulated to between R-38 and R-49, assuming there's already 3 or 4 inches of fiberglass batt insulation. That's around 16 inches of batt insulation total.
• Ducts - Air conditioning your Cincinnati home is a lot easier when the cool air from your air conditioner doesn't heat up before it reaches your rooms. To keep the air in the ductwork cool, insulate ducts that run through unconditioned spaces with duct wrap. Before adding insulation, seal any air leaks in the ducts with mastic or metal tape.
• Exterior walls - Just like the attic, the walls of your home should be sufficiently insulated to keep out the summertime heat. Loose-fill insulation is ideal for existing exterior walls because installation requires only a small hole rather than opening up the wall.

Your Insulation Options

Two types of insulation are favored for adding insulation to an existing home.

• Batts - These are long strips of fiberglass, cellulose, rock wool or cotton. Fiberglass and cellulose batts can be used in the attic, walls and floor. Cotton and rock wool batts are used most often for insulating walls. While batts are easy to install yourself, they leave small crevices unfilled.
• Loose-fill - This insulation consists of small pieces of fiberglass, cellulose or rock wool. It fills small crevices effectively, but you'll need a blower machine to distribute it evenly.

To get more pro tips on reducing the cost of air conditioning your Cincinnati home, talk with us at JonLe Heating & Cooling. We're happy to help with all of your home comfort needs!

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Proper Sizing

A central air conditioner Cincinnati homeowners often mistakenly buy is one too large for the home. Result? High humidity; bigger is not better. Too small a unit will work constantly without reaching desired indoor temperature (a range of 76 to 78 degrees conserves the most energy). 

While your HVAC contractor may be limited in choices for locating the new unit, do not assume the old one is ideally placed. Be open to having the replacement air conditioner’s outdoor portion located in a shadier spot than the previous installation. 

High Efficiency

Replacing a unit only 10 years old may save you substantial charges on your power bills and leave your family feeling cooler and more comfortable than the earlier model. This is because of advances in technology; modern central air conditioners can lower your cooling costs by up to 40 percent. 

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is a handy yardstick for finding the perfect air conditioner Cincinnati homeowners require. SEER measures how much energy a unit will need all season. SEER of 13 or greater is required for  federal Energy Star certification; higher is better. 

Useful Add-Ons

While investigating the benefits of a modern central air conditioner, don’t overlook small features on the unit and improvements elsewhere that will lower your energy costs still further:

• Variable-speed air handler
• Fan-only mode to save money overnight by recirculating already-cooled air
• Programmable thermostat for zone cooling
• A fan switch with automatic delay to turn of the fan a short time after the compressor stops
• Ductwork cleaning to provide dust-free air circulating through the new unit
• A filter-check light so you remember to periodically check the air filter

For more good tips on selecting the best central air conditioner Cincinnati homes need, contact us at JonLe Heating & Cooling. 

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How Ceiling Fans Help Air Conditioning 

A ceiling fan circulates the air in a room, creating a breeze that helps the moisture on your skin evaporate faster. This wind chill effect makes you feel cooler even though the temperature inside your home doesn't change at all. It also allows you to increase the temperature on your air conditioner's thermostat, which leads to a drop in energy consumption. A typical central A/C uses 3,500 watts of energy and the average room unit uses 900 watts. A ceiling fan requires drastically less energy, especially an energy efficient model at 100 watts.

Since people typically use ceiling fans to cool their environment, when a fan is installed it will typically be set up to circulate air in a forward, or counter-clockwise, direction. But a ceiling fan can also be used to make your home feel warmer in the winter. By changing the switch on the fan's base, the direction the fan spins is reversed, moving clockwise instead, and heated air is circulated down from the ceiling without creating a draft.

Benefits of Using a Ceiling Fan

• Your home will feel refreshing without having to turn on the A/C as often.
• Using air conditioning less means energy costs will go down significantly.
• The life of your A/C will be extended.
• Your home's carbon footprint will be reduced as a result of your lowered energy demands.

For more tips on using ceiling fans and air conditioning to keep home your comfortable, please contact us at JonLe Heating & Cooling. We proudly serve the greater Cincinnati area.

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A GHP works like other heat pumps, but it uses an underground loop field that serves as the source for heat in the winter and a depository for heat in the summer. The loops connect to the indoor heat pump, which houses an evaporator coil and a blower motor that distributes the conditioned air through the ductwork. 

Besides lowering conditioning costs, these types of HVAC systems in Cincinnati offer these benefits:

• Durability - The loop field typically carries a warranty of 50 years. The indoor components can last 25 years or more with routine maintenance. Since there's no exposure to the weather, the parts last longer. 
• Quiet - These systems don't use an outdoor condenser, making your home quieter. The indoor fan also runs quietly.
• Water heating - A GHP equipped with a desuperheater can heat water in the summer and do so partially in the winter. This reduces energy costs, as water heating is the second largest energy expense in the average household after cooling and heating. 
• Investment payback - Unlike other HVAC systems, a GHP will pay for itself in energy savings fairly quickly. 
• Flexible installation - Even homes with small yards can use a GHP by using a vertical loop field instead of a horizontal one. 

For more information about this type of HVAC system for Cincinnati, contact JonLe Heating & Cooling. We've provided HVAC services for homeowners in greater Cincinnati since 1959. 

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How They Work

Static electricity comes from electrons leaping from surface to surface, leaving one spot positively charged (with not enough electrons) and another negatively charged (with too many electrons). Using this natural phenomenon, electrostatic air filters combine plastic fibers in alternating layers that build up static charges, attracting particles from your home’s air. 

Particulates

Any air conditioner Cincinnati homeowners depend on in turn depends on an air handler for a steady stream of return air pulled from your home. That air is full of tiny bits of matter called particulates. Some bits are heavy, settling on your floor to be vacuumed up. Others, such as dust mites, are lightweight enough to be carried in the air into return air vents. 

The returned house air, pulled by the air handler, flows through an electrostatic air filter on its way to the air conditioner. The outer poly/nylon layer of the filter may be negatively charged and will "grab" positively charged pollutants. The next layer may be positively charged and will attract negatively charged bits of matter. 

Advantages and Drawbacks

While the upfront cost may be several times the cost of a standard disposable filter, an electrostatic air filter for your central air conditioner is inexpensive over its life. You simply wash it gently once a month to keep it working. Other advantages include:

• Less expensive than high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters
• Prevent particulates from collecting on air handler
• Air handler operates efficiently and with less electricity
• Reduces allergens 
• Replace over years, not months

Electrostatic air filters can only work when air is flowing through them. They don't remove gases or odors from your home’s air, and they generally don't filter as well as HEPA filters. 

For more advice on electrostatic air filters for the air conditioner Cincinnati homeowners enjoy all summer long, contact us at JonLe Heating & Cooling. 

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Here are five simple ways you can get more performance from your heat pump.

1. Change or clean the heat pump's air filter regularly. Air filters capture debris and dust from the air as it's drawn into the air handler. When the filter gets clogged, the air can't flow properly. That makes the system work harder, which leads to higher energy bills and eventually system damage.
2. Keep the air free flowing inside. The heat pump's air handler pushes the conditioned air to the home's rooms via ductwork and out of the registers. Blocked registers can cause backflow that increases pressure on the air handler's blower. That can cause it work harder and less efficiently.
3. Keep the outdoor unit free of weeds and debris. The outdoor unit needs unobstructed airflow to dispel heat from the house during summer and to gain heat from the outside during the winter. The unit must be free of any obstacles to perform at its most efficient.
4. Install and use a programmable thermostat. If you were to raise the thermostat up five degrees on a cold winter's morning, the heat pump would automatically kick on the emergency heating elements to handle the big jump. That is extremely inefficient. A programmable thermostat will gradually bring the temperature up to your wakeup temperature, minimizing this inefficiency.
5. Use emergency heating only when necessary. One time to use it is after a winter's electrical outage. Use it to heat up the house for an hour. That will get the house warmer and get the refrigerant heated up in the process. Then switch to the regular mode.

By installing a heat pump, Cincinnati homeowners can see lower energy bills. For more information on heat pumps, contact JonLe Heating & Cooling. We've proudly served the greater Cincinnati area for over half a century.

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