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Heating &
Air FAQ's |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the most common questions
homeowners ask about heating and air conditioning systems.
- Why should I replace my existing heating or air conditioning
system?
- How expensive are air conditioning and heat pump systems?
- How do I select the right heating/cooling system?
- What is involved in replacing an old system?
- What is involved in installing a new system?
- How long can I expect a new system to last?
- What are some preventative maintenance things I should be aware
of?
- Should I change my indoor coil?
- Where do I get replacement parts?
- What is covered in my warranty?
Q: Why should I replace my
existing heating or air conditioning system?
A: You may wish to consider replacing your
air conditioning or heating system if it is old, inefficient or in need
of repair. Today's systems are as much as 60% more efficient than those
systems manufactured as little as ten years ago. In addition, if not
properly maintained, wear and tear on a system can reduce the actual or
realized efficiency of the system. If you are concerned about utility
bills or are faced with an expensive repair, you may want to consider
replacing your system rather than enduring another costly season or
paying to replace an expensive component. The utility cost savings of a
new unit may provide an attractive return on your investment. If you
plan on financing the purchase, the monthly savings on your utility bill
should be considered when determining the actual monthly cost of
replacing a system. The offsetting savings may permit you to purchase a
more efficient system.
Q: How expensive are air
conditioning and heat pump systems?
A: Many factors affect the cost of a
heating or air conditioning system, including the size of your home, the
type and condition of the ductwork installed and accessories you might
need such as a thermostat or an electronic air cleaner. We have a
complete range of systems and accessories available to meet all your
needs, including your financial ones! Your local dealer will be happy to
assist you in finding the right system to meet not only your comfort
needs but also your household budget. You can find a recommended York
dealer by going to our Dealer Locator section and typing in your zip
code.
Q: How do I select the right
heating/cooling system?
A: First, make sure the unit is properly
sized. Your York dealer will provide a load calculation for your home.
Also ask the dealer to provide an energy analysis to determine operating
cost. Next, consider any comfort issues in the home. Some products can
reduce air stratification and uneven temperatures from room to room. If
you have allergies, an indoor unit with an ECM motor will allow you to
circulate the air in your home continuously while filtering the air for
about the same cost as operating a standard light bulb. Finally, know
your budget parameters and the efficiency of the system being proposed.
Does the system offer a payback? In other words, will the monthly
savings over time offset the cost of the new unit or efficiency option
being considered?
Q: What is involved in replacing
an old system?
A: Aside from the placement of the new
equipment, your York dealer will inspect several items and make a
determination of whether or not these items need to be supplied or
replaced. Some of the items include: 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.
Q: What is involved in installing
a new system?
A: If a system is being added to the home
for the first time, most of the items noted in the previous question and
answer may be required to install the new system. Besides the equipment,
the most significant component is ductwork. The ductwork can be either
metal or fiberglass ductwork. The ductwork needs to be properly sized to
deliver the right amount of air to each room. The ductwork consists of
supply and return ductwork. The supply duct is attached to the outlet of
the furnace or air handler and delivers air to individual zones in your
home. Your York dealer will determine the size of the ductwork going
into a space by the amount of air that needs to be delivered to the
space.
Q: How long can I expect a new
system to last?
A: If you have a qualified technician
perform regular preventative maintenance and service suggested for your
unit, industry averages suggest that an air conditioner should last
12-15 years (sea coast applications may be less) and a gas furnace
should last as many as 20-25 years.
Q: What are some preventative
maintenance things I should be aware of?
A: With the proper attention, heating and
cooling systems can keep you comfortable year-round. Heat pumps and
oil-fired furnaces and boilers need a yearly professional tune-up.
Gas-fired equipment, on the other hand, burns cleaner and can be
serviced every other year. A close inspection will uncover leaks, soot,
rust, rot, corroded electrical contacts and frayed wires. In furnace
(forced-air) and boiler (hot-water) systems, the inspection should also
cover the chimney, ductwork or pipes, dampers or valves, blower or pump,
registers or radiators, the fuel line and the gas meter or oil tank — as
well as every part of the furnace or boiler itself.
Next, the system should be run through a full heating cycle to ensure
that it has plenty of combustion air and chimney draft. Finally,
cleaning the burner and heat exchanger to remove soot and other gunk
will prevent such buildup from impeding smooth operation. For the
burner, efficiency hinges on adjusting the flame to the right size and
color, adjusting the flow of gas or changing the fuel filter in an
oil-fired system. A check of the heat pump should include an inspection
of the compressor, fan, indoor and outdoor coils and refrigerant lines.
Indoor and outdoor coils should be cleaned, and the refrigerant pressure
should be checked.
Blower
Tuning up the distribution side of a forced-air system starts with the
blower. The axle should be lubricated, blades cleaned and lower motor
checked to insure the unit isn't being overloaded. The fan belt should
be adjusted so it deflects no more than an inch when pressed. Every
accessible joint in the ductwork should be sealed with mastic or
UL-approved duct tapes. Any ducts that run outside the heated space
should be insulated. On a hot-water system, the expansion tank should be
drained, the circulating pump cleaned and lubricated and air bled out of
the radiators.
Thermostat
While thermostats rarely fail outright, they can degrade over time as
mechanical parts stick or lose their calibration. Older units will send
faulty signals if they've been knocked out of level or have dirty
switches. To recalibrate an older unit, use a wrench to adjust the nut
on the back of the mercury switch until it turns the system on and,
using a room thermometer, set it to the correct temperature. Modern
electronic thermostats, sealed at the factory to keep out dust and
grime, rarely need adjusting. However, whether your thermostat is old or
young, the hole where the thermostat wire comes through the wall needs
to be caulked, or a draft could trick it into thinking the room is
warmer or colder than it really is.
Humidifier
A neglected in-duct humidifier can breed mildew and bacteria, not to
mention add too much moisture to a house. A common mistake with
humidifiers is leaving them on after the heating season ends. Don't
forget to pull the plug, shut the water valve and drain the unit. A unit
with a water reservoir should be drained and cleaned with white vinegar,
a mix of one part chlorine bleach to eight parts water or muriatic acid.
Mist-type humidifiers also require regular cleaning to remove mineral
deposits.
Filters
Most houses with forced-air furnaces have a standard furnace filter made
from loosely woven spun-glass fibers designed to keep it and its
ductwork clean. Unfortunately, they don't improve indoor air quality.
That takes a media filter, which sits in between the main return duct
and the blower cabinet. Made of a deeply pleated, paper-like material,
media filters are at least seven times better than a standard filter at
removing dust and other particles. An upgrade to a pleated media filter
will cleanse the air of everything from insecticide dust to flu viruses.
Compressed, media filters are usually no wider than six inches, but the
pleated material can cover up to 75 square feet when stretched out. This
increased area of filtration accounts for the filter's long life, which
can exceed two years. The only drawback to a media filter is its tight
weave, which can restrict a furnace's ability to blow air through the
house. To insure a steady, strong airflow through the house, choose a
filter that matches your blower's capacity.
Duct Cleaning
A maze of heating and air conditioning ducts runs inside the walls and
floors of 80 percent of American homes. As the supply ducts blow air
into the rooms, return ducts inhale airborne dust and suck it back into
the blower. Add moisture to this mixture and you've got a breeding
ground for allergy-inducing molds, mites and bacteria. Many filters
commonly used today can't keep dust and debris from streaming into the
air and over time sizable accumulations can form — think dust bunnies,
but bigger.
To find out if your ducts need cleaning, pull off some supply and return
registers and take a look. If a new furnace is being installed, you
should probably invest in a duct cleaning at the same time, because
chances are the new blower will be more powerful than the old one and
will stir up a lot of dust.
Professional duct cleaners tout such benefits as cleaner indoor air,
longer equipment life and lower energy costs. Clean HVAC systems can
also perform more efficiently, which may decrease energy costs, and last
longer, reducing the need for costly replacement or repairs. Cleaning
has little effect on air quality, primarily because most indoor dust
drifts in from the outdoors. But it does get rid of the stuff that mold
and bacteria grow on, and that means less of it gets airborne, a boon to
allergy sufferers.
Q: Should I change my indoor coil?
A: When replacing your air conditioner or
heat pump, the answer is most likely yes. The efficiency ratings that
are advertised for an air conditioner or heat pump are based on the
performance as part of a matched system. If only the outdoor portion is
changed, the efficiency and savings could be less than that of a matched
system.
Q: Where do I get replacement
parts?
A: Contact your York dealer for help
obtaining replacement parts.
Q: What is covered in my warranty?
A: All York products come with a written
limited warranty on parts. This warranty states that a replacement part
will be furnished for any part of the product that fails in normal use
and service during the applicable warranty period specified in
accordance with the warranty's terms. Your authorized York dealer can
review with you the warranty periods for the products you select. |
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