Living area

Check the return and supply grilles in your home to make sure they’re tightly attached to the wall, floor or ceiling. These vents are common sources of air leaks. Move rugs, furniture or heavy drapes away from the vents — they can impede airflow, which forces your heating and cooling equipment to work harder than it should have to.

Kitchen and bathrooms

Install energy-efficient exhaust fans in areas prone to humidity-producing activities — and make sure the humid air is vented outside, not into your attic, where it can build up and lead to mold or other problems.

Guest rooms or closed-off floors

If you have rooms you do not use regularly, close the air vents in that room and close the door to avoid heating or cooling that room. If parts of your home have different heating and cooling needs, consider installing a zone-control HVAC system — it could lead to significant energy savings.

Attic

Look for gaps in attic insulation, including on the attic hatch, and beef it up where necessary. In addition, seal up air leaks in your attic, including near the hatch, chimney, plumbing stack and other spots where the attic floor is penetrated.

Windows and doors throughout your home

Walk through the rooms of your house and check doors and windows for air leaks. Use caulking or weather stripping to seal the leaks. Install door sweeps under doors that lead to the attached garage or to an enclosed porch. Sweeps go a long way toward preventing energy waste by blocking airflow.

For more information on boosting your home’s energy savings, contact the professional technicians at Finch Air Conditioning and Heating. We have been serving the Houston area since 1988.

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.

Insulation image via Shutterstock

Understanding how your system works is the first step to increasing energy efficiency. There are three basic components you can optimize for increased energy savings:

• Furnace. This is the heart of your home HVAC system. A high-efficiency furnace can help you cut a significant percentage from your monthly heating bills. The best way to maintain good energy efficiency is with annual heating system tune-ups. Even if you didn’t have any furnace problems the year before, you should schedule annual maintenance. Your technician will replace any worn parts, clean interior surfaces, check airflow and make any necessary adjustments to improve efficiency. Regular air filter changes during the heating season will also help keep your furnace operating efficiently.
• Ducts. Heated air from your furnace is pushed into the ductwork by the blower fan, circulated throughout your home and drawn through air return ducts back to the furnace to start the cycle again. Even the most highly tuned furnace will lose efficiency if your ductwork in inefficient. Sealing leaks and repairing disconnected joints in your ductwork will prevent heated air from escaping through holes; insulating ductwork will keep heat from radiating into the unconditioned spaces in your home.
• Thermostat. Your thermostat controls the furnace by telling it when the air in the room drops below a certain temperature. The best way to improve efficiency is by optimizing the settings on a programmable thermostat. Lowering the temperature in rooms or zones when they are unoccupied or when occupants are sleeping can help reduce fuel or electricity consumption and keep utility costs down.

Finch Air Conditioning and Heating can help you optimize all three components of your home HVAC system. We can provide professional installation and maintenance for your furnace and thermostat, and expert advice on how to program your thermostat for optimal energy efficiency and home comfort. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Serving the Houston area, we’re always happy to help.

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

Energy efficiency image via Shutterstock

Location Matters

The accuracy of your programmable thermostat depends on its position in your house. The installation instructions of the manufacturer should provide some guidance in terms of thermostat placement, but as a general rule, your thermostat should be placed:

• In a convenient spot: Make sure your thermostat is easily accessible for programming by locating it in a central location.
• Away from windows: Even the most efficient windows allow a certain amount of heat transfer, which can affect thermostat accuracy. During the day, sunlight can also give the false impression of warmth.
• Outside of drafty areas: Placing your thermostat in a drafty area, such as near a frequently used exterior door, will lead to false readings and household discomfort.

What Are The Benefits?

With a properly located programmable thermostat, you’ll enjoy greater control over household temperatures and energy consumption. In addition, you’ll have greater flexibility in terms of how your thermostat is programmed:

• Use energy-saving settings: Backing off the thermostat by 5 to 15 degrees can make a significant difference in your energy bills. The key is to do so in eight-hour blocks. Use energy-saving settings while you’re out of the home or asleep, without sacrificing comfort when in the home and awake.
• Program your entire week: Depending on the model you choose, you can program for a five-day work week with a two-day weekend, or use specific daily settings.
• Take advantage of additional features: Vacation settings offer an ideal means of overriding normal settings while the family is away for extended periods.

If you need help with the proper placement and installation of a programmable thermostat, contact the experts at Finch Air Conditioning & Heating today. Serving the Houston area, we’re always happy to help.

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

Programmable thermostat image via Shutterstock

• Every degree you increase the thermostat represents up to 5 percent fuel consumption. Instead of wearing shorts and T-shirts in your house during the winter, set the thermostat a few degrees lower and add layers of clothing to maintain comfort levels. Set the temperature to 68 degrees or less, and 55 degrees when you are away from home.
• A lower in-house temperature will only help lower fuel consumption if the heat being delivered isn’t leaking through ductwork, or impeded by a clogged filtration system. Change or clean the furnace filter once a month to avoid reduced airflow. Have your furnace serviced once a year. A comprehensive service visit will cover such important items as air leaks, carbon monoxide leaks, parts and motor repair and maintenance, air filtration systems and complete diagnostics and testing to ensure your furnace is running efficiently.
• Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees, and make sure your pipes are insulated between the water heater and the points of use.
• Make sure that the expensive warm air isn’t leaking through windows, doors and walls. Weatherize your home with weather stripping and caulk, and have ductwork inspected. A professional energy audit can help determine where air is leaking in your home.
• If you are in the market for new gas appliances, be sure to consider Energy Star-labeled appliances, which use significantly less fuel than other models over the life of the appliance.

For more energy saving ideas, contact the experts at Finch Air Conditioning and Heating. We have provided the Houston area with professional service and advice since 1988.

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.

Smart solutions image via Shutterstock

The Finch A/C Tune-up Program

One way to avoid those sudden emergencies is to implement a preventive maintenance plan for your home comfort system. This will ensure the longevity of your heating and cooling equipment and give your family peace of mind. The Finch A/C Tune-up Program does exactly that by keeping your heating and cooling equipment at peak performance year-round. We suggest having your heating and cooling system serviced twice per year (during the spring and fall). With the Finch A/C Tuneup Program, these are just some of the many services that you will receive:

Spring service A/C tune-up

• Check: Electrical connections, condenser fan motor, all contactor points, condenser coil, indoor airflow supply registers and return grille, evaporator coil, ductwork, thermostat accuracy, complete diagnostic sequence and refrigerant pressure.
• Clean: Condenser coil (outside unit), evaporator coil and around ductwork in the attic.
• Inform: Keep you informed of system integrity, any needed repairs and/or suggested upgrades.

Fall service heating tune-up

• Check: Vent system for obstructions and carbon monoxide leaks, check for gas leaks, electrical system and check temperature rise across the heat exchanger.
• Inspect: Gas valve, ignition assembly, air filtration system and gas burner system.
• Test: Perform carbon monoxide leak test of the heat exchanger/combustion chamber and perform a complete diagnostic sequence.

As a homeowner, you want outstanding service from a company that you can trust. Our technicians are factory-trained, NATE-certified and receive ongoing training. You will be informed and kept up to speed on the condition and performance of your home-comfort system by a professional. Call Finch Air Conditioning and Heating for all of your residential HVAC needs.

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.

Maintenance agreement image via Shutterstock

The ventilator also pulls in some of the moisture from the outside air and mixes it with the air leaving the house, which keeps the humidity level inside your home even.

Energy recovery ventilators are ideal for Texas climates, where summers are long and hot. The ability to mix previously heated or cooled air with outdoor air can recover up to 80 percent of the energy used to cool or heat the initial batch of air. An energy recovery ventilator provides many benefits to Houston homeowners, including:

• Even humidity levels throughout the year
• Lower energy use, which can extend unit life
• Reduced energy bills due to reduced energy use
• Reduced freeze risks throughout the winter

Installing an energy recovery ventilator system is somewhat complicated. A supply and return vent is necessary in most rooms of the house. The initial cost of installing the unit can also be costly. However, the energy savings that you will see as a result will likely negate the initial cost in just a few years.

Since Houston air can be quite humid, it may be necessary to turn off the system in extremely humid weather to prevent the air inside your home from becoming too humid. Most systems have an easy on-off switch.

For more information about energy recovery ventilation systems, such as costs, installation or additional benefits, contact us at Finch Air Conditioning and Heatings. We provide the Houston area with year-round expert HVAC service and advice.

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

Heating and cooling image via Shutterstock

Roof leaks

A leaky roof is a job for a professional. Left unchecked, this problem can grow exponentially over time and cost you a great deal in terms of repair. Signs of a leaky roof include the presence of mold and wood rot, and you may even find patches of soaked insulation. Roof leaks should be fixed first, before replacing insulation or repairing water damage.

Why call a pro?

Preventing such problems involves a delicate balance of air sealing, insulation and ventilation. Why? Because no matter how well you seal your attic, some degree of heat and moisture will find a way to enter. The thermal resistance of adequate insulation reduces the transfer of heat from within your living space, but it cannot stop it entirely. Therefore, proper ventilation is needed to provide this heat and moisture a means of escape.

An experienced HVAC technician can ensure that:

• Roof leaks are properly sealed and damage is repaired
• All air leaks between the home and attic are sealed
• All exhaust fans are properly vented outside of the home (and not into the attic)
• Insulation levels are adequate for the Houston area

If you’re experiencing air leak problems in your home, let our trained technicians provide a professional assessment. Contact us at Finch Air Conditioning and Heating 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.

Sealing air leaks image via Shutterstock

Installed in your heating and cooling system, UV (ultraviolet) lights work to clear your household air of harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and mold spores. Here’s how it works:

• As air circulates through the system, it is exposed to UV light.
• This light breaks down the DNA of microorganisms, penetrating their cell walls and destroying their reproductive capabilities.
• Since the life span of these microorganisms is relatively short, the lack of reproductive capabilities dooms their continued existence, quickly reducing their numbers in your home.

To get the best results from a UV light system, it is imperative that the lights be of sufficient strength, and the exposure to microorganisms be of sufficient duration. To help with the latter, UV lights can be used in conjunction with mechanical filtration; the filters slow airflow, which in turn exposes the microorganisms to longer blasts of UV light.

Many UV light systems not only use mechanical filtration, but also UV-activated catalysts. These catalysts enable the system to rid indoor air of chemical contaminants and odors, while the UV light reduces microorganisms, and the filter catches particulates. Thus, a comprehensive strategy for enhanced indoor air quality is born.

If cold and flu season has you worried this year, consider the benefits of installing UV lights in your HVAC system. For an expert consultation, contact Finch Air Conditioning and Heating,  Houston’s choice for HVAC service, installation and repair since 1988.

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.

UV light image via Shutterstock

A heat pump thermostat is specifically designed to monitor performance of heat-pump systems so you can adjust for comfort without sacrificing efficiency.

Heat-pump systems
Rather than generate heat themselves, heat pumps transfer heat from one location to another. Air-source heat pumps transfer air between the inside and outside of your house. When it’s in cooling mode, the heat pump pulls heat from your home and ejects it outside; when it is in heating mode, it uses heat from the outside air to heat your home.

When the pump is in cooling mode, it works a lot like an air conditioner so you don’t lose efficiency when you’re using a heat pump for cooling. However, a heat pump takes a lot more to recover from a setback in temperature when in heating mode. This means that the heat pump has to work much harder to bring the temperature inside back up after setting the temperature back — which results in little or no overall energy savings.

Heat pump thermostats
Thermostats specifically designed for heat pumps monitor the system’s performance and automatically adjust to bring the temperature to where you want it, without making the system run inefficiently. You still want to maintain a constant temperature if you go with a manual heat-pump thermostat, but adaptive recovery programmable heat pump thermostats gradually adjust the temperature so that your system reaches your comfortable setting at the time you want without sacrificing efficiency.

Adaptive recovery thermostats also monitor both the air temperature and the wall temperature, which allows them to adjust the temperature more accurately according to the way humans feel differences in temperature.

If you want more information about heat pump thermostats or heat pump systems in general, contact the professionals at Finch Air Conditioning and Heating. We’re happy to provide expert HVAC advice and service to our customers in the Houston 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.

Thermometer image via Shutterstock

With that in mind, here are three tips to help route contaminated air out of your attached garage, and boost the indoor air quality of your home:

Construction

The issue of indoor air quality should be considered during the construction of an attached garage. Areas of interest include:

• Adjacent walls and ceilings: For best results, these areas should be airtight before adding insulation and drywall.
• Junctions: All junctions should be sealed tightly to prevent air leakage.
• HVAC: When possible, avoid installing heating and cooling systems directly in the garage.

Air sealing in existing garages

Even if your garage was tightly sealed during construction, air leaks can develop with the passage of time. Start by sealing off easily accessible trouble spots, such as where ducts, plumbing, wiring and other items pass between the home and garage. These areas can often be addressed using caulk, weather stripping, or spray foam.

If you suspect leakage in less accessible areas, such as behind the adjoining walls of the house and garage, consult a professional. With specialized tools and methods, a trained technician can track down air leaks, and recommend the best ways to address the issue.

Exhaust fans

Another way to prevent the passage of air from the garage to the home is to install one or more exhaust fans in the garage. Not only will these fans pull contaminated air out of the garage and exhaust it safely outside, but it will cause a pressure shift, drawing air from within the home into the garage, instead of the other way around.

For more on how you can boost indoor air quality both in your home and your attached garage, speak to one of our trained technicians. Contact Finch Air Conditioning and Heating – serving Houston area homeowners since 1988.

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.

Attached garage image via Shutterstock