Choosing the Correct HVAC System for your Residential Needs

Today’s residential HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems use different methods and techniques for heating or cooling your home or business. Certain systems such as air conditioning absorb heat from within the home using a refrigerant gas and then transfer it outdoors. Other systems, such as furnaces, typically use electricity or natural gas to create their own heat for warming up your home’s interior. When you shop for the best residential systems, it is very important to consider the company you are doing business with and the service they provide after the installation as well.

Natural Gas Systems
Natural gas HVAC systems are very common in our Valley when natural gas is available, and In those cases where natural gas is not available, propane is used instead. A gas furnace is the best option when we live in climates like ours when it can get too cold for a heat pump to warm your home. Today, many homeowners are choosing to add zoning in their homes to distribute the heating and cooling more evenly, for better comfort. If you are building a home, make sure your contractor shares this option with you. A huge “pet peeve” of mine, here in the Valley, is that when a contractor is building a “spec home” to sell, traditionally they will always want to keep their costs down and have a very inexpensive heating system installed. Be aware of this if you are looking at such a home to buy. Just like with your car, there are lots of options.

Using Water or Electricity
A heating system that has become very popular is “In-Flooring Heating,” where electric heating coils or water heated tubing are installed before your finished floor is installed. If you are an allergy sufferer, this is a very good solution for you to heat your home, as this style of heating does not blow air around your home and collect dust in the ductwork… It is extremely important that these are installed properly; you can only imagine the mess if a leak occurs, and it may not keep up with your needs if too few coils are placed in the floor.

Occasionally we will be replacing old boilers with a much more efficient model. These are more popular in commercial applications today. The simple version of how these work is that a boiler is like a pan on a burner on your stove with water in it. It is designed to heat the water, which them in turn gets hot enough to create steam. Very popular back in the day before the traditional furnaces were available.Another very common application in areas where no gas is available are electrical wall heaters. We have these throughout our cabin and even installed on in our home’s kitchen in an area by a corner window, Just helps take the chill off. By far, these systems are the most energy-efficient as they do not create heat. instead, they circulate heat or cooling from either the air or ground. The biggest advantage of a system like this, besides being efficient, is that to heat or cool your home all happens with just one unit. They work best in moderate climates like ours can be in the valley; however, especially for the winter, you will want to have some sort of backup heat source during extreme weather In the past five or so years, a unit called a “Mini -Split” is very popular for places like our cabin where we only had electrical heat without duct work. We installed one of these units mainly for cooling in the summer.

A Heat Pump
By far, these systems are the most energy-efficient as they do not create heat. Instead, they circulate heat or cooling from either the air or ground. The biggest advantage of a system like this, besides being efficient, is that to heat or cool your home all happens with just one unit. They work best in moderate climates like ours can be in the valley; however, especially for the winter, you will want to have some sort of backup heat source during extreme weather conditions.

In the past five or so years, a unit called a “Mini -Split” is very popular for places like our cabin where we only had electrical heat without duct work. We installed one of these units mainly for cooling in the summer.

Properly-Sized Systems
HVAC systems are designed and developed to accommodate various sizes of home or buildings. If you install an HVAC system that is too large for your home, it will start and stop continually. In the long run, this will result in costly utility bills. On the other hand, if you install a system that is too small for your home or office, it will run continually. This will cost you a lot more due to additional maintenance fees and inflated utility bills, another very good reason to be doing business with a company that provides the proper training to determine the right system and application for your home or It is important to remember that regardless of the system or technology that you select for cooling and heating your home, all of them will work more cost-effectively and efficiently by performing regular preventive maintenance. Now is the time of year to have any maintenance done on your heating and cooling system BEFORE the “real” summer is here.

As always, your comfort is our Central Concern. Call Central for all your heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical and drain cleaning needs at 756-6656.

Gardening Tip:
I am a bit gun shy to really plant any of my main annuals yet, so pansies are great at this time of year to have some spring flowers.

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