Why should I purchase a new heating or air conditioning system?Efficiency and cost savings
- At Vredevoogd Heating & Cooling we realize that purchasing a heating or air conditioning system is no small matter. However, if your existing system is old, in need of repair or simply inefficient, purchasing a new unit, one which can be as much as 60% more efficient than a system purchased just 10 years ago, can offer long-term benefits.
- Rather than continuing to pay for ongoing maintenance and costly monthly bills, investing in a new system today will save you money for years to come.(Provided it's Done Right™)
How can I find the system that's right for me?Get the facts from an expert
- There are many heating and air conditioning systems to choose from today. We can draw on a vast degree of heating and air conditioning knowledge and experience of serving over 22,387 West Michigan homes to help you decide on the system that best fits your specific needs. The size and age of your home, as well as the number of rooms, climate, local and regional utility costs, and utility incentive/rebate programs are all factors that will affect the functionality and, therefore, selection of your system. By utilizing the latest technology and taking into consideration all these factors, we can effectively help you choose the best system for your home.
- Homeowners like you, doing some investigation of replacing your existing system, usually end up choosing a new unit with equal or higher efficiency ratings compared to their previous system. Replacing a unit that is 10- to 15-years-old may reduce natural gas or electricity costs by 30 to 50%.
How do I determine the size, or capacity, of my HVAC system?
- Factors affecting the size of your new system include the climate in your region, humidity levels, the number of windows in your dwelling, total square footage of your home, the direction your home faces, the number of heat-producing appliances in your home, the type of insulation you have and the number of people that live in your residence.
- We perform the proper calculations using the industry standard software program to determine the appropriate heating or cooling unit for your home and lifestyle.
What goes into installing a new system?It's all about the ductwork.
- Putting a new system in a home that has not had central air and heat before will require the installation of ductwork, insulation, refrigerant piping, electrical service, wiring, thermostat, condensate piping, flue piping, flue terminations, chimney liner, slabs, filter, driers, registers, grills, drain pans and evaporator coil. Beyond equipment, the most important component installed with a new system, however, is the ductwork.
- Ductwork is composed of two parts, supply and return. Supply duct is attached to the outflow of the new system, delivering air to each zone in a home. The amount of air reaching each zone is determined by the size of supply ductwork connecting it to your system.
- The second part of the ductwork, the return duct, attaches to the inlet of the new system and draws air out of the spaces to be heated or cooled. Attached to the return duct is the filter. The filter should be placed as near to the furnace or air handler as possible. Ductwork can be either fiberglass or metal and must be properly sized in order to evenly distribute the proper amount of air to each room.
What happens when I replace my old system? Start with a detailed inspection
- To install the most efficient HVAC system in your household, a detailed inspection should first be performed by your installation contractor. We call it Planned Right™!
- The inspection by your contractor should include, as a minimum, the inspection of your home's ductwork, insulation, refrigerant piping, electrical service, wiring, thermostat, condensate piping, flue piping, flue terminations, chimney liner, slabs, filter, driers, registers, grills, drain pans and evaporator coil.
How long will my system last?Proper maintenance is key
Do I need to change my indoor coil?
- It is generally a good idea to replace the indoor coil if you are also replacing your air conditioner or heat pump. There is a correlation between the efficiency of your heating or cooling system and the performance of the indoor coil and changing out the current indoor coil for a new one may be critical to optimizing the performance, the efficiency and the savings potential of your new system.
Where can I locate my air handler or furnace system?You may have options based on your home's design
- The system can actually be located in several different places. A system with up-flow application might be located in the basement, while a system with a horizontal application may be found in your attic. A self-contained, or single package unit, could be located outside on a slab or on the roof. Your garage could house an up-flow, down-flow or horizontal application system.
What is a heat pump? Air movement from point A to point B
- A heat pump is a device used for either the heating or cooling of a space by transferring hot and cold between two reservoirs.
- A heat pump can act like an air conditioner, transferring heat from inside to out, or like a heater as it transfers exterior heat to the interior. A winter day with a temperature of 32° Fahrenheit still produces enough heat to warm a space when the air is transferred by heat pump.
- This system is typically an all electric system.
What can I do to control the humidity levels in my home?It's all about variability
- Humidity levels can be reduced by using a variable-speed furnace or air handler as part of your HVAC system. Variable speed units run longer, at lower speeds, allowing air to constantly circulate against the cooling coil and remove more moisture.
- Variable-speed motors also use less electricity than regular motors, reducing your energy costs.
What can I do before calling someone to service my system?HVAC systems are fairly complex and should be serviced by a qualified professional. However, if your HVAC system seems to be malfunctioning, you can try a few basic steps, which may correct your problem, prior to giving us a call. If you do not feel comfortable performing any of these tasks, however, do not hesitate to give
us a call 24/7.
- The first place to look is the thermostat. It may sound simple, but check to see that it is turned on. All modern thermostats have an on off switch, but they are not clearly labeled with an “on” position. The “on” position is labeled “HEAT” or “COOL.” Obviously you want to make sure the switch is in the “heat” position. If you have a programmable thermostat be sure you bypass the program by adjusting the temperature number and pressing the “hold” button. If the heater still does not come on you’ll want to check to see if your thermostat has a replaceable battery and check it.
- If your heater still does not fire up, look for an on/off switch at the furnace itself. It looks just like a light switch and is often attached to the unit itself, or very nearby. Make sure the switch is on. If you have central air-conditioning as part of your system and it worked properly over the summer, then more than likely your switch is already on.
- If your switch is ON and the furnace has still yet to run, check the breakers in your electric panel. The breaker could have tripped and the solution to the problem could be as easy as flipping the switch.
- If all switches are on, the problem could be with the cover on the front of the furnace. The cover often has a trip switch which shuts off the system when it is opened. If the cover is not properly closed, the switch can prevent the furnace from running.
- If the furnace comes on and you don’t feel any hot air it could be that the furnace is not getting any fuel, or the pilot light is not lit. Check the fuel line and be sure that the valve is turned on. You can tell if the fuel valve is on if the handle runs parallel with the fuel line. If the handle is perpendicular to the line it is in the off position. If at this point you don’t feel any heat you may want to be sure you have paid the gas bill, or have oil in your tank
- Make sure your filters are clean.
- Open supply and return vents and make sure they are unobstructed.
What is AFUE?
- AFUE is the abbreviation for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio. AFUE is used to rate furnace efficiencies by dividing the ratio of heat output by heat input. This measurement describes how well fuel, gas or oil is consumed to produce heat by a furnace. As the AFUE rate increases, the efficiency of your furnace also increases, lowering your fuel costs. Furnaces manufactured in the United States are required to have at least an 80% AFUE.
What is HSPF?
- HSPF is the abbreviation for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, which is a rating of the efficiency level of the heating operation of a heat pump. The higher the HSPF, the more efficient the heating performance of a heat pump. New units in the United States have HSPF ratings from 7.0 to 9.4.
What is R-22?
- R-22 is the common name for hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). R-22 has been used as a refrigerant by HVAC manufacturers for over 40 years, but studies in the past decade have shown that HCFCs contain chlorine, an ozone-depleting agent. For this reason, the United States Clean Air Act has set a target date for January 1, 2010, on which HVAC manufacturers must cease the production of products that use R-22.
What is R-410A?
- R-410A is the common name for an emerging hydro-fluorocarbon (HFC) that is being used as a refrigerant in the HVAC industry. R-410A is more environmentally friendly than R-22 and is being seen as the most likely replacement for R-22 by HVAC manufacturers. At the beginning of 2010, the use of alternate refrigerant will be required in HVAC manufacturing.
What is ENERGY STAR?
- ENERGY STAR is a program that was created by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help businesses and individuals make energy efficient purchases.
- This program places the ENERGY STAR label, a small blue and white logo, on items that meet superior energy efficiency standards. This label provides an easy way for consumers to identify quality, high efficiency products.
