What You Need To Know About Heat Pumps
What You Need To Know About Heat Pumps.
A heat pump is used to distribute heat from one place to the other using a compressor and a refrigerant. In most cases, the heat is extracted from outdoors and pumped indoors. Using a heat pump guarantees less use of electricity so it’s considered energy efficient.
Why Should You Install A Heat Pump
- Reduced Running Costs – Heat pumps have reduced running costs compared to installing a combustion-based system. Therefore, you can count on improved energy efficiency and enormous long-term savings on energy.
- Reduced Maintenance Costs – Compared to combustion heating systems, heat pumps require less maintenance. Actually, you can do it just one a year for the best services. You can do the maintenance on your own or hire a professional for the best results.
- Improved Safety – One of the main reasons why heat pumps have replaced combustion-based systems is because they offer improved safety. You can enjoy the warm air in your home without any worries of fire risks.
- Reduced Carbon Emissions – If you are looking for an eco-friendly heating option, heat pumps are the best choice. They have reduced carbon emissions and an efficient conversion rate of energy to heat.
- Cooling Provisions – During the hot summer months, heat pumps can easily reverse the process. Therefore, they function the same way as an air conditioning unit. Once you switch the air-air heat pumps during the hot months, you can enjoy the best cooling effect effortlessly.
- Long Lifespan – Heat pumps can last as long as 50 years but have an average lifespan of about 14 to 15 years. They are very reliable and can provide a steady source of heat in your home compared to other heating options.
Are There Any Disadvantages Of Installing Heat Pumps?
As much as there are many benefits of installing heat pumps as mentioned above, there are some disadvantages as well. Here is what you need to know.
- High Upfront Costs – The installation costs of heat pumps can be quite high. However, there is a huge benefit in the long-term because you can enjoy reduced utility bills and reduced carbon emissions.
- Difficult To Install – Before they are installed, you need to research the heat movement patterns, the heating and cooling requirements for your household and local geology. Therefore, it’s not ideal to turn it into A DIY project if you don’t have such expertise. On that note, you need to hire the best professionals for an efficient installation process.
- Planning Permissions – Before heat pumps are installed in your home or office, you need to apply for some permits, depending on your state. Therefore, you need to do your research and find out whether or not you need this permit to avoid any violations.
- Cold Weather Inefficiency – During the cold weather, heat pumps often break down and experience full inefficiency. However, you can surpass this inefficiency by upgrading the model to a newer and more efficient one for the best results.
- Hire Experienced HVAC Technicians – To install with factory requirements and done correctly hiring your local licensed Hvac technicians would be the best
In conclusion, heat pumps are very useful in any home or office. Weigh the pros and cons to make the right installation decision effortlessly. Here is a video to show you how to maintain high efficiency heat output and give maintenance and long service life with your furnace.
My furnace is blowing cold air
My furnace is blowing cold air
Here in the Colorado Springs area, we often receive frantic calls from homeowners whose heating system has gone on the blink, and a typical call goes somewhat like this
Please help me! My furnace is blowing cold air. And is not keeping my house warm!
How To Find The Best HVAC Technicians
How To Find The Best HVAC Technicians
Is your HVAC system acting up? Well, if it’s a small issue you can do a DIY repair job. However, it’s always a good idea to hire the best HVAC technicians for the job. Use these tips on how to find the best HVAC technicians for the best results.
1. Recommendations
Do you know any family members, friends or neighbors who have recently used the services of an HVAC technician? If so, start by asking for recommendations. Before you hire the technician for your HVAC needs, you need to find out more about them and the services offered. Find out more about their pricing rates, professionalism and quality of work from the people you trust.
2. General Search
Of course, once you have received the recommendations, you need to do your own research. Look up all the recommended HVAC technicians in our list and check whether they offer services in your town. Check their website to see whether the information you were given matches the company information. Keep in mind that a contractor might have gone out of business or changed their rates since someone last hired them. On the other hand, they could have hired new people or downsized so you need to be vigilant.
3. Customer Reviews And Testimonials
Here, you will understand whether or not you will receive the same service from the HVAC technician. You will come across the good, the bad and ugly reviews from previous customers and how they felt about working with the HVAC technicians. Remember, reviews are quite different from testimonials. That’s because the latter share the best feedback about the company from clients. Don’t forget to check third-party reviews on social media or Google to see what the other clients have to say about the company.
4. Check For Licensing
Most HVAC technicians often display their licenses on your websites, business cards and on their service trucks. You need to verify that you are working with licensed HVC technicians. Take the time to contact the local licensing board to confirm the state of the license and whether or not they have had any disciplinary issues.
5. Check Their Experience
Certainly, you don’t want to hire a newly opened HVAC company to handle you repair or maintenance needs. Of course, it doesn’t mean that the new businesses aren’t trustworthy. However, HVAC technicians who have been in business for more than a decade have the best expertise to handle your issues without fail.
Here, you need to do the first contact or initial consultation. Visit the company in person or contact them on the phone. You can get into details about your repair or maintenance needs and ask for a quote. Legitimate companies will offer a free quote to help you decide. Take this time to compare and contrast any quotes to determine the best HVAC company for your needs. Make sure the quotes are properly written with a detailed structure of the services and the cost. Find the one with affordable services with a high quality guarantee.
what is the best furnace?
When faced with the need to replace their home’s furnace most consumers will ask me “what is the best furnace”? And I really don’t have a stand pat answer in regards to what is the best furnace…
How much does a new furnace cost?
The most asked question from a homeowner when faced with replacing an existing furnace is, “How much does a new furnace cost?” Whether your home’s furnace is just old and inefficient, or broken down beyond repair, eventually it will need to be replaced.
What’s the ballpark cost of a new furnace?
Honestly, it varies house-to-house. For the most accurate quote in the Colorado Springs area, give us a call. We’ll give you several options to fit your budget and your home.
Most furnaces last about 20 years. Well maintained furnaces will usually last years longer. And furnaces that have been neglected over time will fail prematurely.
Cost will vary depending on several factors. This includes the brand and type of the new furnace being installed, local permit fees, difficulty of the installation itself, and most importantly the selection of the installing heating contractor. How much does a new furnace cost the homeowner should also factor in long term costs, after the installation, to include operating costs, maintenance and repair costs. The true cost of a new furnace is not what you pay on the day of installation. It is the total cost in the long term of maintaining the new furnace and consideration of utility and repair costs over 15-20 years of use.
If you spend $2,200 to have a new furnace installed, yet accumulate $1,000 in repair costs over a 15 year period then your cost has now reached $3,200, not counting maintenance service and utility usage. Most new furnace manufacturers now offer a ten year parts warranty with the option to purchase extended labor coverage for 5 or 10 years. These extended labor warranties range from $99 to $400 depending on the brand. They are well worth the investment as modern furnaces are more prone to breakdowns simply because of their complexity and the number of parts they contain compared to furnaces of yester year.
High efficiency furnaces (those rated at or above 90% AFUE) will cost more initially to install, and although they cost less to operate, they are more prone to breaking down and need more regular service to keep running smoothly. They typically will not last as long either (12-15 years in most cases). This is mainly due to the effects of condensation issues and problems with the secondary heat exchanger which standard 80% efficient models do not encounter. In the long term, high efficiency models will end up costing you more money, even after factoring utility savings.
Most all new furnace models are available in single, dual or multi-stage heating BTU output, with or without high efficiency variable speed blowers and other bells and whistles. So how much does a new furnace cost? Depending on the model selected, a high efficiency furnace will range anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 installed. An 80% efficient model will fall in the $2,200 to $3,000 range in most areas of the country.
What’s the cost of a new furnace in Colorado Springs?
In the Colorado Springs area, the average cost from Basset Heating & Air Conditioning to install a new 80% efficient furnace with a standard blower motor is about $2,500. For one with a variable speed blower it’ll cost about $3,000.
Basset Heating & AC offers a 10 year parts warranty with an extended labor warranty option on all of their furnaces. They will also register the warranty for the homeowner and provide you with a copy of the warranty registration. The average cost to install a 90% efficient model is about $3,000 with a standard blower motor and around $3,500 with a variable speed model. To answer the question of how much does a new furnace cost? One must consider more than just the initial price.
Regardless of the brand and model you ultimately choose, the most important choice when installing a new furnace is the heating contractor that will do the work. Will they be there if a problem arises? Will they honor the warranty? Can you get service if the new furnace stops working at 1:00am on a Sunday morning? In the long term, paying too low of a price at the time of installation is an indicator of what kind of service to expect down the road if the new furnace suddenly develops problems. Many companies low ball bids to get the job, then aren’t around or will not respond after hours if a problem occurs.
indoor air quality solutions
There are many products available for indoor air quality solutions. Contaminants in the air can cause you to suffer from sick building syndrome and adverse health issues. Today we will look at some of the products that can help with indoor air quality solutions.
choosing a new furnace for your home
When choosing a new furnace for your home it is important to consider several factors before deciding which furnace best fits your needs. Many homeowners will consider only one factor: price. Although the cost of installing a new furnace and managing your budget are certainly important considerations, it shouldn’t be the only one.
Time for a new water heater?
Is is time for a new water heater?
Homeowners will often wonder when it is time for a new water heater. The simple answer is to replace it if it starts leaking. But there are other signs that may indicate that the time is right to replace your existing water heater. Now we’re talking about the most common type of water heaters here…the standard tank water heater found in the majority of homes. Tankless water heaters will be addressed in another article.
Whole House Humidifiers
Whole house humidifiers from Aprilaire provides solutions to dryness, static electricity and more. Is your Colorado Springs area home suffering from dry indoor air, static electricity or poor indoor air quality? Do you or your family suffer from dry noses, scratchy throats or itchy skin? Are your hardwood floors cracking?