R22 vs R410, The Big Scare.

We have all heard or read the latest news about the phase out of R-22 refrigerant. Our government has made the decision for our own good to phase out the use of R-22 freon or (CFC Production). This decision was made back in 1987, called the The Montreal Protocal. If you look a little deeper you will find an assortment of articles about the whole phase out.

Below I have posted a few articles about the phase out and what it means to the consumer.

So many companies and contractors have started the scare tractics and have done very well to scare the bajesus out of the public. The primary concerns from my customers are whats going to happen when all the R-22 freon is gone or when the phase out is at 100%?  How do we fix our air conditioners when they break down, or what if all we need is a re charge of freon to get it going again?

These concerns go unanswered for so many, because the articles they find online are all about up selling the new freon and the new air condition systems. The HVAC industry wants everyone to move on and replace the old units with the new freon and get everything up to date. This of course is great for the industry selling the new air conditioners and  as for all the HVAC contractors, they get to tell you your equipment is obsolete and a thing of the past, in fact some tell you it cannot be repaired and you MUST replace the system if you want air conditioning. This of course is a load of crap, and the motivation for the service techs are getting additional commissions on every sale they bring in. ( This is a whole other article of course).

Well, the day has come and gone and with all the fears of not being able to service the older air condition systems and or not being able to get parts for them has all turned out to be a bunch of bunk.

The R-22 ac units are still being fixed and in fact the are still being purchased new and installed every single day. The way the law was written, is, that air condition systems could not be manufactured with

it being precharged with R-22 refrigerant. So the manufactures are selling them empty and the installing contractor charges the unit with R-22 freon at the time of installation.

So many companies have used this scare tactic to increase their profit margins and continue to tell customers they have to replace the complete system because its the law or maybe they tell you the parts are not available anymore or some type of BS story.

I have been selling the new style units (R-410) for the past three years,I have done this however with complete honesty, I have explained to my customers the benefits of a new high efficiency unit vs their older system. The older system is not less efficient because of the refrigerant in the the system (R22) both refrigerants offer  high efficient units and both will lower the monthly bills compared to a 15 year old system.

Im going to supply you with info I’ve gotten from the EPA and other sources online.

Background: Ban on Production and Imports of Ozone-Depleting Refrigerants a.k.a. Montreal Protocol

In 1987 the Montreal Protocol, an international environmental agreement, established requirements that began the worldwide phaseout of ozone-depleting CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). These requirements were later modified, leading to the phaseout in 1996 of CFC production in all developed nations. In 1992 the Montreal Protocol was amended to establish a schedule for the phaseout of HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons). HCFCs are less damaging to the ozone layer than CFCs, but still contain ozone-destroying chlorine. The Montreal Protocol as amended is carried out in the U.S. through Title VI of the Clean Air Act, which is implemented by EPA.

HCFC-22 (also known as R-22) has been the refrigerant of choice for residential heat pump and air-conditioning systems for more than four decades. Unfortunately for the environment, releases of R-22, such as those from leaks, contribute to ozone depletion. In addition, R-22 is a greenhouse gas and the manufacture of R-22 results in a by-product (HFC-23) that contributes significantly to global warming. As the manufacture of R-22 is phased out over the coming years as part of the agreement to end production of HCFCs, manufacturers of residential air conditioning systems are offering equipment that uses ozone-friendly refrigerants. Many homeowners may be misinformed about how much longer R-22 will be available to service their central A/C systems and heat pumps. This fact sheet provides information about the transition away from R-22, the future availability of R-22, and the new refrigerants that are replacing R-22. This document also assists consumers in deciding what to consider when purchasing a new A/C system or heat pump, or when having an existing system repaired.

Phaseout Schedule for HCFCs Including R-22

Under the terms of the Montreal Protocol, the U.S. agreed to meet certain obligations by specific dates that will affect the residential heat pump and air-conditioning industry:

January 1, 2004:

The Montreal Protocol required the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 35% below the U.S. baseline cap. As of January 1, 2003, EPA banned production and import of HCFC-141b, the most ozone-destructive HCFC. This action allowed the United States to meet its obligations under the Montreal Protocol. EPA was able to issue 100% of company baseline allowances for production and import of HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b.

January 1, 2010:

The Montreal Protocol requires the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 75% below the U.S. baseline. Allowance holders may only produce or import HCFC-22 to service existing equipment. Virgin R-22 may not be used in new equipment. As a result, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system manufacturers may not produce new air conditioners and heat pumps containing R-22.

January 1, 2015:

The Montreal Protocol requires the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 90% below the U.S. baseline.

January 1, 2020:

The Montreal Protocol requires the U.S. to reduce its consumption of HCFCs by 99.5% below the U.S. baseline. Refrigerant that has been recovered and recycled/reclaimed will be allowed beyond 2020 to service existing systems, but chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce R-22 to service existing air conditioners and heat pumps.

For more information about this phaseout, see fact sheets about the HCFC Phaseout Schedule and Frequently Asked Questions on the HCFC Phaseout.

What Does the HCFC-22 Phaseout Mean for Consumers?
Availability of R-22

The Clean Air Act does not allow any refrigerant to be vented into the atmosphere during installation, service, or retirement of equipment. Therefore, R-22 must be recovered and recycled (for reuse in the same system), reclaimed (reprocessed to the same purity standard as new R-22), or destroyed. After 2020, the servicing of R-22-based systems will rely solely on recycled or reclaimed refrigerants. It is expected that reclamation and recycling will ensure that existing supplies of R-22 will last longer and be available to service a greater number of systems. As noted above, chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce, and companies will no longer be able to import, R-22 for use in new A/C equipment after 2010,  but they can continue production and import of R-22 until 2020 for use in servicing existing equipment. Given this schedule, which was established in 1993, the transition away from R-22 to the use of ozone-friendly refrigerants should be smooth. For the next 10 years or more, R-22 should continue to be available for all systems that require R-22 for servicing.

Alternatives to R-22 in Residential Air Conditioning

As R-22 is gradually phased out, non-ozone-depleting alternative refrigerants are being introduced. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA reviews alternatives to ozone-depleting substances to evaluate their effects on human health and the environment. EPA has reviewed several alternatives to R-22 for household and light commercial air conditioning and has compiled a list of substitutes that EPA has determined are acceptable. One of these substitutes is R-410A, a blend of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that does not contribute to depletion of the ozone layer, but, like R-22, contributes to global warming. R-410A is manufactured and sold under various trade names, including GENETRON AZ-20®, SUVA 410A®, Forane® 410A, and Puron®. An additional refrigerant on the list of acceptable substitutes for R-22 in residential air conditioners and other products is R-407C. Residential air conditioners and heat pumps using R-407C are not available in the U.S., but are commonly found in Europe. EPA will continue to review new non-ozone-depleting refrigerants as they are developed.

Servicing existing units

Existing units using R-22 can continue to be serviced with R-22. There is no EPA requirement to change or convert R-22 units for use with a non-ozone-depleting substitute refrigerant. Such changes, called “retrofits,” are allowed if the alternative has been found acceptable for that type of use.  R-407C is allowed for retrofits but R-410A is not allowed in retrofits due to its higher working pressures. In addition, the new substitute refrigerants would not work well without making some changes to system components. As a result, service technicians who repair leaks to the system will most often continue to charge R-22 into the system as part of that repair.

Installing new units

The transition away from ozone-depleting R-22 to systems that rely on replacement refrigerants like R-410A has required redesign of heat pump and air conditioning systems. New systems incorporate compressors and other components specifically designed for use with specific replacement refrigerants. For instance, if a new outdoor unit (typically called a “condensing unit,” containing the condenser and compressor) is installed, it is likely that a new indoor unit (typically called an “evaporator”) will also be required. With these significant product and production process changes, testing and training must also change. Consumers should be aware that dealers of systems that use substitute refrigerants should be schooled in installation and service techniques required for use of that substitute refrigerant.

A Common Sense Approach To Servicing Your System

Along with prohibiting the production of ozone-depleting refrigerants, the Clean Air Act also mandates the use of common sense in handling refrigerants. By containing and using refrigerants responsibly — that is, by recovering, recycling, and reclaiming, and by reducing leaks — their ozone depletion and global warming consequences are reduced. The Clean Air Act outlines specific refrigerant containment and management practices for HVAC manufacturers, distributors, dealers and technicians. Properly installed home comfort systems rarely develop major refrigerant leaks, and with proper servicing, a system using R-22, R-410A, or another refrigerant will reduce its impact on the environment. While EPA does not mandate repairing or replacing small systems because of leaks, system leaks can not only harm the environment, but also result in increased operation and maintenance costs.

One important thing a homeowner can do for the environment, regardless of the refrigerant used, is to select a reputable dealer that employs service technicians who are EPA-certified to handle refrigerants. Technicians often call this certification “Section 608 certification,” referring to the part of the Clean Air Act that requires minimizing releases of ozone-depleting chemicals from HVAC equipment.

$500 – 2011 HVAC Energy Tax Credit

Although not as aggressive as the past two years of energy tax credits, the new round of tax credits are here for 2011.

When an aging or unreliable comfort system is due for repair, it often leaves the homeowner with a major dilemma. Repair or replace? In many cases, there are valid reasons to do either. Today, Uncle Sam is offering up to 500 reasons for replacing your older heating and cooling equipment with new, selected, high-efficiency Bryant comfort systems: income tax credits.

Starting on January 1, 2011 and through December 31, 2011, an eligible homeowner can claim 10% of the costs, capped at $500, for the installation of qualified energy efficient improvements, subject to certain limits.

Under the new law, for HVAC, the maximum a homeowner could claim is $300 for a qualified central air conditioner and heat pump, and $150 for a qualified furnace or hot water boiler, and $50 for any advanced main air circulating fan.

Beyond the change to the tax credit values, the new law will increase the qualifying standards for natural gas hot water boilers, propane hot water boilers, oil furnaces, and oil hot water boilers to 95% AFUE. The qualifying standards for natural gas furnaces and propane furnace remain at 95% AFUE.

The qualifying standard for central air conditioners and heat pumps, which were modified by the Stimulus bill in 2009, are not changed. Therefore, a central air conditioner must meet or exceed 16 SEER and 13 EER; and an air source heat pump must meet or exceed 15 SEER and 12.5 EER and 8.5 HSPF, in order to qualify for the tax credit.

Finally, the new law reinstates the lifetime credit caps, which disqualify any homeowner who has claimed more than $500 in 25c tax credits since January 1, 2005, from any further credits.

Qualifying HVAC Equipment Tax Break Down:

• Central Air Conditioners: 16 SEER and 13 EER = $300 credit
• Heat Pumps: 15 SEER and 12.5 EER = $300 credit
• Natural Gas Furnaces: 95% AFUE = $150 credit
• Advanced Main Air Circulating Fan: ECM Blower = $50 credit

Utility Furnace Rebate Program

Saving money on new energy-efficient equipment has never been easier!  Rebates are available for equipment installations on or after January 1, 2011.

Your HVAC contractor will be submitting your rebate request through our new online application system.

Take advantage of DTE Energy rebates by following these simple steps:

1. Confirm your eligibility – All MichCon residential gas customers are eligible for a 95% AFUE furnace rebate and programmable thermostat rebate.
2. Choose a participating contractor – Here is a list of participating HVAC contractors*. These contractors have been trained to submit the online application for you. If your contractor is not listed, they can receive training and user name and password by e-mailing Scott Hanna.
3. Select your new equipment – Your contractor will help you determine which HVAC equipment qualifies for rebates and properly size the equipment for maximum efficiency.
4. Install the equipment – Have your contractor install the equipment in your home.
5. Sign the rebate application – Simply provide the contractor with your MichCon account number and sign the terms and conditions form that your contractor will provide.  Your contractor will submit the completed application online on your behalf.  If you wish to receive updates about your rebate during processing, please give your e-mail address to the contractor so they can enter it on the online application form.  All applications must be received within 30 days of installation.
6. Receive your rebate check – DTE Energy will process your completed application, and you will receive your rebate check within six to eight weeks.

Federal Tax Credit Available Ends 12/31/11

Take advantage of Federal Tax Credits available on 95% AUFE natural gas forced air furnaces up to 10% of installed cost up to $150. For more information, visit energystar.gov.

Home Furnace Thermostat

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The furnace thermostat is the nerve center of your home heating system. It’s the main control point that determines when and how much heat will be produced by the furnace. But for all its mystery, the thermostat is actually a very simple device. In fact it’s simply a temperature sensitive switch.

There are two main categories of thermostats depending on the type of heating system, low voltage and line voltage.

This article covers the low voltage thermostat often made by Honeywell, White-Rodgers, Lux, Robertshaw and others. It runs off of a transformer reducing the incoming line voltage from 120 volts down to between 12 and 24 volts, depending on your furnace.

Within this low voltage thermostat category, there are four major types. They include:

Mercury Contact (older style)

Mechanical Contact

Digital

Electronic Programmable

Another type of thermostat, the line voltage thermostat, is typically hooked up to a 120 volt or 240 volt electric resistance heating system. This thermostats work similar to a light switch dimmer, varying the amount of electricity to the resistance heater. Line voltage thermostats are not the subject of this article.

Please note that some older thermostats use mercury and they should not be put in the trash. You should take them to your local heating dealer to be disposed of properly.

The mercury bimetallic thermostat is a good example with which to start in describing how an analog thermostat works.

There are three major elements to a non-digital or analog thermostat:

Bimetallic Strip or Coil

Contact

Heat Anticipator

Bimetallic Strip / Coil
In order for a non-digital thermostat to work, something has to move as temperature increases or decreases. That’s the job of the bimetallic strip. “Bimetallic” is just a fancy name for two pieces of metal joined together. But the trick in making it work is that the two metals expand at different rates at a given temperature (known as coefficient of expansion). So as one side expands more than the other side, the metal curves one way or the other. You then couple this little bit of physics knowledge with the exact rates of expansion for the two metals and you have a precise instrument that will move a specific amount at a given temperature.

Contact
The contact is another key part of the thermostat necessary for it to work. Think of the contact like a switch for your lights. As the bimetallic strip moves, it either opens or closes the contact. In the case of a mercury thermostat like the Honeywell T87 shown above, the mercury serves as a sealed switch. The mercury is placed inside a sealed glass vial called an “ampoule.”

The ampoule is attached to a coiled bimetallic strip and as the coil moves, it tips the vial of mercury until the mercury moves and the switch contact is opened or closed.

Heat Anticipator
The heat anticipator is an electrical resistance wire mounted on a center disc connected to the bimetallic strip and is adjustable to allow fine tuning of when the thermostat turns the furnace burner on and off.

Modes / Programming
The mechanical contact thermostat has modes for heating and cooling and fan positions for on/off and automatic. The thermostat is not programmable.

Another older version of the mechanical contact thermostat uses a straight blade bimetallic strip and not a coiled strip. They are a bit less accurate but work under the same principle as Mechanical Thermostats

Mechanical Contact Thermostat

The mechanical contact thermostat can also use a simple mechanical contact instead of a mercury contact switch. As shown in the photo using a White-Rodgers mechanical thermostat, the bimetallic coil is used to move and open or close simple mechanical contact points attached to a lever arm. It also uses a heat anticipator.

Digital Thermostat

The Digital Thermostat is an electronic version of the simple mechanical thermostat. It has electronic controls versus a bimetallic coil to sense temperature changes and is much more accurate. These thermostats usually have large, easy to read displays and easily replace the older mechanical thermostat you have in your home.

Modes / Programming
The digital thermostat has modes for heating and cooling and fan positions for on/off and automatic. The simple digital thermostat is not programmable.

Electronic Programmable Thermostat

The Electronic Programmable Thermostat take the digital thermostat and gives it a “brain.” It has user controls that allow you to set the days of the week, time, temperature, override, temporary temperature hold and other custom programming. The electronic programmable thermostat can save energy too by allowing you to set back your heat at night or when you are away. These thermostats allow the weekday, Saturday or Sunday settings to be different and even tell you when you need to change your furnace filter!

Modes / Programming
The electronic programmable thermostat has modes for heating and cooling and fan positions for on/off and automatic. It is fully programmable with features for multi day settings, multi period per day settings, hold, override, furnace filter change and other features as may be provided by the manufacturer and model selected.

Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?

Adams video picks-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omygm7z9fZU

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First and for most I want to suggest that if or when you hire a company to clean the ductwork, make sure duct cleaning is all they do…Do not consider a company that performs furnace repair and installations. You want to avoid any chance of  the company having an underline motive to find a major issue or problem with your furnace or HVAC system. A company that does duct cleaning only, will likely do the best job. Make sure they are a member of the BBB. Check with your state to insure they have the proper license.

Knowledge about air duct cleaning is in its early stages, so a blanket recommendation cannot be offered as to whether you should have your air ducts in your home cleaned. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urges you to read this document in it entirety as it provides important information on the subject.

Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of dirty air ducts. This is because much of the dirt in air ducts adheres to duct surfaces and does not necessarily enter the living space. It is important to keep in mind that dirty air ducts are only one of many possible sources of particles that are present in homes. Pollutants that enter the home both from outdoors and indoor activities such as cooking, cleaning, smoking, or just moving around can cause greater exposure to contaminants than dirty air ducts. Moreover, there is no evidence that a light amount of household dust or other particulate mater in air ducts poses any risk to your health.

You should consider having the air ducts in your home cleaned if:

• There is substantial visible mold growth inside hard surface (e.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system. There are several important points to understand concerning mold detection in heating and cooling systems:

• • Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be accessible for a visible inspection, so ask the service provider to show you any mold they say exists.
  • You should be aware that although a substance may look like mold, a positive determination of whether it is mold or not can be made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for final confirmation. For about $50, some microbiology laboratories can tell you whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of sticky household tape is mold or simply a substance that resembles it.
  • If you have insulated air ducts and the insulation gets wet or moldy it cannot be effectively cleaned and should be removed and replaced.
  • If the conditions causing the mold growth in the first place are not corrected, mold growth will recur.

• Ducts are infested with vermin, e.g. (rodents or insects); or
• Ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris and/or particles are actually released into the home from your supply registers.
• If you have just done any major remodel work or have had a fire.

If any of the conditions identified above exists, it usually suggests one or more underlying causes. Prior to any cleaning, retrofitting, or replacing of your ducts, the cause or causes must be corrected or else the problem will likely recur.

Some research suggests that cleaning heating and cooling system components (e.g., cooling coils, fans and heat exchangers) may improve the efficiency of your system, resulting in a longer operating life, as well as some energy and maintenance cost savings. However, little evidence exists that cleaning only the ducts will improve the efficiency of the system.

You may consider having your air ducts cleaned simply because it seems logical that air ducts will get dirty over time and should be occasionally cleaned. Provided that the cleaning is done properly, no evidence suggests that such cleaning would be detrimental. EPA does not recommend that the air ducts be cleaned routinely, but only as needed. EPA does, however, recommend that if you have a fuel burning furnace, stove or fireplace, they be inspected for proper functioning and serviced before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.

If you do decide to have your air ducts cleaned, take the same consumer precautions you normally would in assessing the service provider’s competence and reliability.

Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to apply chemical biocide to the inside of your ducts as a means to kill bacteria (germs) and fungi (mold) and prevent future biological growth. They may also propose the application of a “sealant” to prevent dust and dirt particles from being released into the air or to seal air leaks. You should fully understand the pros and cons of permitting application of chemical biocides or sealants. While the targeted use of chemical biocides and sealants may be appropriate under specific circumstances, research has not demonstrated their effectiveness in duct cleaning or their potential adverse health effects. No chemical biocides are currently registered by EPA for use in internally-insulated air duct systems.

Whether or not you decide to have the air ducts in your home cleaned, preventing water and dirt from entering the system is the most effective way to prevent contamination.

Consumer Checklist

• Learn as much as possible about air duct cleaning before you decide to have your ducts cleaned by reading this guidance and contacting the sources of information provided.
• Consider other possible sources of indoor air pollution first if you suspect an indoor air quality problem exists in your home.
• Have your air ducts cleaned if they are visibly contaminated with substantial mold growth, pests or vermin, or are clogged with substantial deposits of dust or debris.
• Ask the service provider to show you any mold or other biological contamination they say exists. Get laboratory confirmation of mold growth or decide to rely on your own judgment and common sense in evaluating apparent mold growth.
• Get estimates from at least three service providers.
• Check references.
• Ask the service provider whether he/she holds any relevant state licenses. As of 1996, the following states require air duct cleaners to hold special licenses: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Texas. Other states may also require licenses.
• Insist that the service provider give you knowledgeable and complete answers to your questions.
• Find out whether your ducts are made of sheet metal, flex duct, or constructed of fiber glass duct board or lined with fiber glass since the methods of cleaning vary depending on duct type. Remember, a combination of these elements may be present.
• Permit the application of biocides in your ducts only if necessary to control mold growth and only after assuring yourself that the product will be applied strictly according to label directions. As a precaution, you and your pets should leave the premises during application.
• Do not permit the use of sealants except under unusual circumstances where other alternatives are not feasible.
• Make sure the service provider follows the National Air Duct Cleaning Association’s (NADCA) standards and, if the ducts are constructed of flex duct, duct board, or lined with fiber glass, the guidelines of the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA).
• Commit to a preventive maintenance program of yearly inspections of your heating and cooling system, regular filter changes, and steps to prevent moisture contamination.

What is Air Duct Cleaning?

Most people are now aware that indoor air pollution is an issue of growing concern and increased visibility. Many companies are marketing products and services intended to improve the quality of your indoor air. You have probably seen an advertisement, received a coupon in the mail, or been approached directly by a company offering to clean your air ducts as a means of improving your home’s indoor air quality. These services typically — but not always — range in cost from $450 to $1,000 per heating and cooling system, depending on the services offered, the size of the system to be cleaned, system accessibility, climatic region, and level of contamination.

If you decide to have your heating and cooling system cleaned, it important to make sure the service provider agrees to clean all components of the system and is qualified to do so.

Duct cleaning generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers heating and cooling coils, condensate drain pans (drip pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing.

If not properly installed, maintained, and operated, these components may become contaminated with particles of dust, pollen or other debris. If moisture is present, the potential for microbiological growth (e.g., mold) is increased and spores from such growth may be released into the home’s living space. Some of these contaminants may cause allergic reactions or other symptoms in people if they are exposed to them. If you decide to have your heating and cooling system cleaned, it is important to make sure the service provider agrees to clean all components of the system and is qualified to do so. Failure to clean a component of a contaminated system can result in re-contamination of the entire system, thus negating any potential benefits. Methods of duct cleaning vary, although standards have been established by industry associations concerned with air duct cleaning. Typically, a service provider will use specialized tools to dislodge dirt and other debris in ducts, then vacuum them out with a high-powered vacuum cleaner.

In addition, the service provider may propose applying chemical biocides, designed to kill microbiological contaminants, to the inside of the duct work and to other system components. Some service providers may also suggest applying chemical treatments (sealants or other encapsulates) to encapsulate or cover the inside surfaces of the air ducts and equipment housings because they believe it will control mold growth or prevent the release of dirt particles or fibers from ducts. These practices have yet to be fully researched and you should be fully informed before deciding to permit the use of biocides or chemical treatments in your air ducts. They should only be applied, if at all, after the system has been properly cleaned of all visible dust or debris.

Note: Use of sealants to encapsulate the inside surfaces of ducts is a different practice than sealing duct air leaks. Sealing duct air leaks can help save energy on heating and cooling bills. For more information, see EPA’s www.energystar.gov/ducts

Deciding Whether or Not to Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned

Knowledge about the potential benefits and possible problems of air duct cleaning is limited. Since conditions in every home are different, it is impossible to generalize about whether or not air duct cleaning in your home would be beneficial.

If no one in your household suffers from allergies or unexplained symptoms or illnesses and if, after a visual inspection of the inside of the ducts, you see no indication that your air ducts are contaminated with large deposits of dust or mold (no musty odor or visible mold growth), having your air ducts cleaned is probably unnecessary. It is normal for the return registers to get dusty as dust-laden air is pulled through the grate. This does not indicate that your air ducts are contaminated with heavy deposits of dust or debris; the registers can be easily vacuumed or removed and cleaned.

On the other hand, if family members are experiencing unusual or unexplained symptoms or illnesses that you think might be related to your home environment, you should discuss the situation with your doctor. EPA has published Indoor Air Quality: An Introduction for Health Professionals and The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality for guidance on identifying possible indoor air quality problems and ways to prevent or fix them.

You may consider having your air ducts cleaned simply because it seems logical that air ducts will get dirty over time and should occasionally be cleaned. While the debate about the value of periodic duct cleaning continues, no evidence suggests that such cleaning would be detrimental, provided that it is done properly.

On the other hand, if a service provider fails to follow proper duct cleaning procedures, duct cleaning can cause indoor air problems. For example, an inadequate vacuum collection system can release more dust, dirt, and other contaminants than if you had left the ducts alone. A careless or inadequately trained service provider can damage your ducts or heating and cooling system, possibly increasing your heating and air conditioning costs or forcing you to undertake difficult and costly repairs or replacements.

Suggestions for Choosing a Duct Cleaning Service Provider

To find companies that provide duct cleaning services, check your Yellow Pages under “duct cleaning” or contact the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) at the address and phone number in the information section located at the end of this guidance. Do not assume that all duct cleaning service providers are equally knowledgeable and responsible. Talk to at least three different service providers and get written estimates before deciding whether to have your ducts cleaned. When the service providers come to your home, ask them to show you the contamination that would justify having your ducts cleaned.

What to Expect From an Air Duct Cleaning Service Provider

If you choose to have your ducts cleaned, the service provider should:

How to Determine if the Duct Cleaner Did A Thorough Job

A thorough visual inspection is the best way to verify the cleanliness of your heating and cooling system. Some service providers use remote photography to document conditions inside ducts. All portions of the system should be visibly clean; you should not be able to detect any debris with the naked eye. Show the Post-Cleaning Consumer Checklist to the service provider before the work begins. After completing the job, ask the service provider to show you each component of your system to verify that the job was performed satisfactorily.

If you answer “No” to any of the questions on the checklist, this may indicate a problem with the job. Ask your service provider to correct any deficiencies until you can answer “yes” to all the questions on the checklist.

How to Prevent Duct Contamination

Whether or not you decide to have the air ducts in your home cleaned, committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination.

To prevent dirt from entering the system:

Whether of not you decide to have the air ducts in your home cleaned, committing to a good preventive maintenance program is essential to minimize duct contamination.

To prevent ducts from becoming wet:

Moisture should not be present in ducts. Controlling moisture is the most effective way to prevent biological growth in air ducts.

Moisture can enter the duct system through leaks or if the system has been improperly installed or serviced. Research suggests that condensation (which occurs when a surface temperature is lower than the dew point temperature of the surrounding air) on or near cooling coils of air conditioning units is a major factor in moisture contamination of the system. The presence of condensation or high relative humidity is an important indicator of the potential for mold growth on any type of duct. Controlling moisture can often be difficult, but here are some steps you can take:

Unresolved Issues of Duct Cleaning

Does duct cleaning prevent health problems?

The bottom line is: no one knows. There are examples of ducts that have become badly contaminated with a variety of materials that may pose risks to your health. The duct system can serve as a means to distribute these contaminants throughout a home. In these cases, duct cleaning may make sense. However, a light amount of household dust in your air ducts is normal. Duct cleaning is not considered to be a necessary part of yearly maintenance of your heating and cooling system, which consists of regular cleaning of drain pans and heating and cooling coils, regular filter changes and yearly inspections of heating equipment. Research continues in an effort to evaluate the potential benefits of air duct cleaning.

In the meantime…

Are duct materials other than bare sheet metal ducts more likely to be contaminated with mold and other biological contaminants?

You may be familiar with air ducts that are constructed of sheet metal. However, many modern residential air duct systems are constructed of fiber glass duct board or sheet metal ducts that are lined on the inside with fiber glass duct liner. Since the early 1970′s, a significant increase in the use of flexible duct, which generally is internally lined with plastic or some other type of material, has occurred. The use of insulated duct material has increased due to improved temperature control, energy conservation, and reduced condensation. Internal insulation provides better acoustical (noise) control. Flexible duct is very low cost. These products are engineered specifically for use in ducts or as ducts themselves, and are tested in accordance with standards established by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Many insulated duct systems have operated for years without supporting significant mold growth. Keeping them reasonably clean and dry is generally adequate. However, there is substantial debate about whether porous insulation materials (e.g., fiber glass) are more prone to microbial contamination than bare sheet metal ducts. If enough dirt and moisture are permitted to enter the duct system, there may be no significant difference in the rate or extent of microbial growth in internally lined or bare sheet metal ducts. However, treatment of mold contamination on bare sheet metal is much easier. Cleaning and treatment with an EPA-registered biocide are possible. Once fiberglass duct liner is contaminated with mold, cleaning is not sufficient to prevent re-growth and there are no EPA-registered biocides for the treatment of porous duct materials. EPA, NADCA, and NAIMA all recommend the replacement of wet or moldy fiber glass duct material.

In the meantime…

Experts do agree that moisture should not be present in ducts and if moisture and dirt are present, the potential exists for biological contaminants to grow and be distributed throughout the home. Controlling moisture is the most effective way to prevent biological growth in all types of air ducts.

Should chemical biocides be applied to the inside of air ducts?

No products are currently registered by EPA as biocides for use on fiberglass duct board or fiberglass lined ducts so it is important to determine if sections of your system contain these materials before permitting the application of any biocide.

Air duct cleaning service providers may tell you that they need to apply a chemical biocide to the inside of your ducts to kill bacteria (germs), and fungi (mold) and prevent future biological growth. Some duct cleaning service providers may propose to introduce ozone to kill biological contaminants. Ozone is a highly reactive gas that is regulated in the outside air as a lung irritant. However, there remains considerable controversy over the necessity and wisdom of introducing chemical biocides or ozone into the duct work.

Among the possible problems with biocide and ozone application in air ducts:

• Little research has been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of most biocides and ozone when used inside ducts. Simply spraying or otherwise introducing these materials into the operating duct system may cause much of the material to be transported through the system and released into other areas of your home.
• Some people may react negatively to the biocide or ozone, causing adverse health reactions.

Chemical biocides are regulated by EPA under Federal pesticide law. A product must be registered by EPA for a specific use before it can be legally used for that purpose. The specific use(s) must appear on the pesticide (e.g., biocide) label, along with other important information. It is a violation of federal law to use a pesticide product in any manner inconsistent with the label directions.

A small number of products are currently registered by EPA specifically for use on the inside of bare sheet metal air ducts. A number of products are also registered for use as sanitizers on hard surfaces, which could include the interior of bare sheet metal ducts. While many such products may be used legally inside of unlined ducts if all label directions are followed, some of the directions on the label may be inappropriate for use in ducts. For example, if the directions indicate “rinse with water”, the added moisture could stimulate mold growth.

All of the products discussed above are registered solely for the purpose of sanitizing the smooth surfaces of unlined (bare) sheet metal ducts. No products are currently registered as biocides for use on fiber glass duct board or fiber glass lined ducts, so it is important to determine if sections of your system contain these materials before permitting the application of any biocide.

In the meantime…

Before allowing a service provider to use a chemical biocide in your duct work, the service provider should:

If you decide to permit the use of a biocide, the service provider should:

While some low toxicity products may be legally applied while occupants of the home are present, you may wish to consider leaving the premises while the biocide is being applied as an added precaution.

Do sealants prevent the release of dust and dirt particles into the air?

Manufacturers of products marketed to coat and encapsulate duct surfaces claim that these sealants prevent dust and dirt particles inside air ducts from being released into the air. As with biocides, a sealant is often applied by spraying it into the operating duct system. Laboratory tests indicate that materials introduced in this manner tend not to completely coat the duct surface. Application of sealants may also affect the acoustical (noise) and fire retarding characteristics of fiber glass lined or constructed ducts and may invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty.

Questions about the safety, effectiveness and overall desirability of sealants remain. For example, little is known about the potential toxicity of these products under typical use conditions or in the event they catch fire.

In addition, sealants have yet to be evaluated for their resistance to deterioration over time which could add particles to the duct air.

In the meantime…

Most organizations concerned with duct cleaning, including EPA, NADCA, NAIMA, and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) do not currently recommend the routine use of sealants to encapsulate contaminants in any type of duct. Instances when the use of sealants to encapsulate the duct surfaces may be appropriate include the repair of damaged fiber glass insulation or when combating fire damage within ducts. Sealants should never be used on wet duct liner, to cover actively growing mold, or to cover debris in the ducts, and should only be applied after cleaning according to NADCA or other appropriate guidelines or standards.

To Learn More About Indoor Air Quality

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
Indoor Environments Division (6609J)  www.epa.gov/iaq
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460

The following useful EPA publications are available on this web site, some can be order from NSCEP. (see also: www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/)

• The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality EPA Publication Number: 402-K-93-007, April 1995

• Indoor Air Pollution: An Introduction for Health Professionals EPA Publication Number: 402-R-94-007, 1994
• Residential Air Cleaners: A Summary of Available Information EPA Publication Number: 402-F-09-002, Revised August 2009
• Ozone Generators That are Sold as Air Cleaners (only available via the web site)

To Learn More About Air Duct Cleaning

National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA)
1518 K Street, NW Suite 503
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 737-2926
E-mail: info@nadca.com
Web site: www.nadca.com

Find a NADCA duct cleaner near you

North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA)
44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 310
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 684-0084
E-mail: www.naima.org/
Web site: NAIMA Member Company Listing www.naima.org/pages/about/members/members.html

“Cleaning Fibrous Glass Insulated Air Duct Systems; Recommended Practice”, see www.naima.org/pages/resources/library/order/AH122.HTML NAIMA Pub. No. AH122, 40 pages (Cost is $7.50 for a printed version, no free copies available.)

Other Useful Resources

For a free list of state and local consumer protection agencies and Better Business Bureaus:

The Federal Citizen Information Center
(a service of the U.S. General Services Administration)
Consumer Action Web site – www.consumeraction.gov/

Order a copy of the free Consumer Action Handbook online at www.consumeraction.gov/caw_orderhandbook.shtml

For more information on biocides:

Antimicrobial Information Hotline
Phone: (703) 308-0127 / Fax: (703) 308-6467
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST
E-mail: Info_Antimicrobial@epa.gov
Web site: www.epa.gov/oppad001/

The Antimicrobials Information Hotline provides answers to questions concerning current antimicrobial issues (disinfectants, fungicides, others) regulated by the pesticide law, rules and regulations. These cover interpretation laws, rules, and regulations, and registration and re-registration of antimicrobial chemicals and products. The Hotline also provide information health & safety issues on registered antimicrobial products, product label and the proper and safe use of these antimicrobial products.

Consumer Checklist

Understanding Your Furnace Air Filter

Adams video pick-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5bII3ZW3Jk&feature=related

When you have a central furnace and air conditioning system, air quality often becomes an issue. These types of systems use duct work to transport air throughout your home. As one vent delivers the heated or cooled air to the room, another vent is drawing air into the duct work to be sent back to the furnace or air conditioner. The air in your home will cycle through the system at least 45 times or as much as 140 times a day, depending on how much you run your HVAC systems. Dust, dander, pollen, mold spores, and many other microscopic particles are being cycled along with the hot or cold air. This constant recycling of polluted air is often what leads to poor indoor air quality.

Your furnace and air conditioner should have an air filter as your homes first line of defense against these nasty particles. But, finding the right air filter for your home can become very frustrating once you find out how many choices you have. The four main types of air filters that are on the market for residential HVAC systems include:

1. Media air filters
2. Pleated air filters
3. Electrostatic air filters
4. HEPA air filters

But what makes one filter better than another? When you are filter shopping there are a few things you should be looking for:

1. Efficiency when removing particles from the air- The higher the efficiency rating the better your air quality will be.
2. Air flow restriction caused by the filter- The restriction of air flow causes the furnace and air conditioner to work less efficiently, and it can even choke the system causing a breakdown.
3. Lifespan of the filter- The longer the lifespan, the less you have to change the filter.

Media air filters-

This type of filter uses pre-cut pads that fit into aluminum filter frames. The frame should last the life of the furnace and the pad can be easily removed and replaced whenever it gets dirty. Media filters are efficient because they can hold a very large amount of particles before they need to be changed. As the air passes through the filter, the particles that are not caught in the first layer of media have a good chance of being picked up by the proceeding layers of media. These filters can last around 3 months, but should be checked every 30 days just in case you have a particularly dusty month and need to replace it sooner. This type of filter should not restrict air flow in the system if it is replaced regularly.

Pleated air filters-

This type of filter is probably what you have in your furnace right now because it is one of the most popular filters in the residential market. Pleated air filters only have one layer of material, but it is pleated in order to increase its holding capacity. This type of filter is relatively efficient at removing particles from the air, but the efficiency really depends on the quality of the filter. Since there is only one layer of material, any particle that gets through is able to continue to circulate through the home. Some pleated filters are made out of materials that can capture a larger amount of particles. But the more efficient the filter is, the more it restricts air flow. Another problem with these filters is that they do not have a very long lifespan. Pleated filters should be changed monthly, or they will become clogged and restrict airflow into the furnace and air conditioner.

Electrostatic air filters-

This type of filter uses static electricity to remove dust and particles from the air. There are two types. The first is a non-electric electrostatic air filter. This filter is reusable over and over. All you have to do is wash it every two to three months. The other type is an electric electrostatic air filter. This type of filter plugs into a 110volt outlet, and you replace the pad inside it every one to two months. Both types of electrostatic filters are very efficient. The electric version is more efficient than the non- electric version however it does cost a great deal more. Both types can be found with efficiencies over 90% particle removal down to 1 micron. The truly great thing about this type of filter is that you do not have to sacrifice efficiency in order to maintain air flow. This type of filter will allow your HVAC systems to run as efficiently as possible.

HEPA air filters-

High Efficiency Particulate Air filters are the most efficient air filters when it comes to removing particles from the air and improving indoor air quality.  They are 99.97% efficient at removing all particles down to 3 microns. This grade of efficiency is used in hospitals to help create a sterile environment. They have the design of a pleated filter, but there are more pleats in a HEPA filter which allow you to change it less often. The HEPA filter is also made out of a different material than the pleated filters, and it is this material that allows these filters to capture so many particles. There is a downside though. These filters do restrict air flow more than electrostatic or media filters.

How do I know what works best for me?

In order to determine which filter is best for you, you need to look at the needs of your family. If you have family members who suffer from allergies or asthma, you may want to consider a more efficient filter. If your home already has an air cleaner installed, you may be OK just purchasing a pleated or media filter because your indoor air quality is already under control.

If you live in a home with chronic odor problems like those caused by pets, smoke, cooking, and garbage, you may want to pair your air filter with an activated carbon filter. This type of filter does not remove particles efficiently like the other air filters. When paired with a media filter or electrostatic air filter, you can remove both smells and harmful particles. It is not recommended that these filters be paired with pleated or HEPA filters because they will only further restrict the air flow into your systems.

Hopefully from this information you will able to find a filter that works best for your home and being to improve your indoor air quality.

Going Tank-less with Your Hot Water Heat

Adams video pick-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlkJtya-iV0&feature=related

Tank-less hot water heaters seem to be the new craze in the world of plumbing and HVAC. Their claim to fame is their ability to heat water instantly and efficiently. Sounds good right? It does, but there are several points to consider before converting to a tank-less unit in your home.

How Tank-less Units Solve the Problems with Old Hot Water Tanks

Traditional hot water heaters use a large tank to store the water they heat before sending it to the different parts of a home. Whether the unit is gas or electric, the water is warmed by heating elements and then held inside a tank until it is needed. The problems associated with this type of unit are:

1. Heat loss
2. Space consumption
3. Time needed to refill and reheat

Heat loss occurs when the water is left standing in the tank for long periods of time. Hot water tanks are internally insulated, but depending on how much water is in use, your hot water tank could be wasting energy trying to keep the water in the tank at the set temperature.

Hot water tanks also take up a lot of space. If you live in a home with limited room, a 40 gallon hot water tank will occupy a good chunk of the little storage space that you may have.

The biggest problem that homeowners have with hot water tanks is the amount of time it takes for the unit to refill with hot water. If you have several people living in your home (or if you take really long showers), chances are you have had the unpleasant experience of running out of hot water. As cold water enters at the bottom of the tank to be heated, you remove the hot water from the top. Once the hot water is gone, a typical hot water tank can take about 45 minutes to refill with hot water!

Tank-less hot water heaters seem to provide a solution to each of these problems. This type of unit heats the water using either an electric element (electric powered) or a gas burner (gas powered). These heating devices are run at a much higher temperatures than those in a tank unit. This enables the unit to heat the water instantly, therefore eliminating the need for a tank. If we eliminate the tank, we eliminate heat loss, space consumption, and refill time. These units do not store the hot water, they are typically small enough to be mounted on a wall, and they do not have a tank to refill because the water is heated the moment it enters the home and sent directly through the pipes.

What to Expect From a Tank-less Unit

Consumers often make certain assumptions about this type of water heating method. Since it is often referred to as “on demand” or “instant” heat. Homeowners typically expect there to be hot water readily available the minute they turn on the faucet. This is not necessarily the case. With any plumbing system, there will always be water in the pipes. That water will become cold rather quickly and must be drained from the system before new hot water can flow. This causes what plumbers refer to as a “cold water sandwich” between the old and new hot water. This is often brief and should be the only time when you receive unwanted cold water with this type of system.

Yet, many people who have these units still complain about inconsistency in the water temperature. This should not be a problem if the unit is properly sized for the home. To prevent this type of problem, you need to make a few checks before purchasing a tank-less unit.

Gas or Electric?

First, you need to determine whether you require a gas powered unit or an electric unit. Electric units are good for heating only small areas of a home. Some people will put each appliance, like the shower, washing machine, kitchen sink, ect, on a separate unit. The benefit with this is that your home will heat water up to 50% more efficiently than if you had a hot water tank. But, the installation of several units is often too costly to make this option practical for many people.

However, if you are looking to heat the water for your entire home with only one unit, you are better off going with a gas powered system. Gas powered systems can typically produce higher flow rates of hot water than an electric system. This higher flow rate will allow you to run multiple appliances at once. For example, someone can take a shower while someone else is doing laundry without sacrificing hot water in either area.

In addition, climate has an effect of the efficiency of your tank-less hot water heater. This is because the water for your home comes from underground: The warmer the climate, the warmer the ground water. If the water coming into the home is warm, the water heater will use less energy to get it to the desired temperature. Therefore, if you live in a colder climate, like Detroit, you should probably invest in a gas powered unit to get enough hot water. But in warmer climates like Florida, a moderately sized home can probably run an electric unit without any problem.

Placement of Unit

The location of the tank-less unit is also something to consider. You will need to avoid long runs of piping between the unit and a faucet. The further away a water outlet is from the water source the longer it will take to get hot water to the outlet. It is important to note that this is something any hot water system has to deal with, but the difference is a tank-less system will never run out of hot water.

The system also has to be properly vented. A gas powered water heater must be vented directly to the outdoors, because it needs a good source of oxygen to create combustion. Also, tank-less systems create more combustion by-products because they run at higher temperatures. So, take into account the placement of other venting systems so that the dangerous combustion by-products, like carbon monoxide, are not pulled back into the home.

Benefits of Efficiency

Tank-less hot water heaters are more efficient than the traditional tank storage units. Depending on the amount of water you use, the efficiency may vary from home to home. If your home uses only about 40 gallons of water daily, your tank-less unit will be 24-34% more efficient than a hot water tank. If your home uses more water, 87-90 gallons a day, your unit will only be about 8-14% more efficient than a hot water tank. Either way, you will save money on your energy bills in the long run with the installation of a tank-less hot water heating system.

Finally if tank-less hot water heat sounds like something you want in your home, you need to make sure you hire a reliable and experience contractor. Many contractors will shy away from this type of unit because it is new to them. If you choose the wrong contractor, there is a good chance that you will have problems with your system. You need someone who can properly assess the hot water needs of your home, and install a tank-less system that is able to meet those needs. If successful, you will be able to enjoy the convenience of endless hot water in your home.

Consumer Tax Incentives

Home Heating & Cooling Equipment

What are the incentives for home heating & cooling equipment?
Purchasers of highly efficient heating, cooling, and water heating equipment can take tax credits of 30% of installed cost for purchasing qualifying equipment, as detailed below. These credits are available for systems placed in service from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2010. There is a $1,500 cap on the credit per home, including the amount received for insulation, windows, air and duct sealing.

What types of equipment qualify?

• High-efficiency gas, oil, and propane furnaces and boilers
• High-efficiency central air conditioning units, including air-source heat pumps

• NEW – Ground-source or geothermal heat pumps
• NEW – Biomass Stoves

• High-efficiency fans for heating and cooling systems
• High-efficiency water heaters, including heat pump water heaters

What are the efficiency requirements to qualify for the credits?

Manufacturers and retailers should be able to help you tell whether a specific product qualifies.

The qualification specifications are:

• Furnaces and Boilers: Natural gas & propane furnaces must meet an Annual Fuel Use Efficiency (AFUE) 95 or higher, oil furnaces and gas, oil and propane boilers must meet an AFUE of 90 or better.
• Central Air Conditioning Units: Central air conditioning units and air-source heat pumps must meet the highest tier standards set by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) as of Janurary 1, 2009, which in most cases requires a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 16. SEER measures performance throughout the cooling season.
• Biomass Stoves: Stoves must have a thermal efficiency of 75% as measured using a lower heating value, and be used to heat a dwelling unit or heat water for use in the same. The law defines biomass fuel as anything from agricultural crops, trees, wood wastes & residues to pellets, plants, grasses and fibers.

• • While the new tax credit takes effect immediately, the Internal Revenue Service has not issued the guidelines for determining which stoves meet the efficiency requirements to qualify for the credit or how a manufacturer will qualify their products. These guidelines are expected by the later part of May 2009, however the credit applies to all qualifying stoves sold in 2009. Once the IRS guidelines are issued, wood and pellet stove manufacturers will test their stoves and will notify their retailers regarding which models qualify.

• Fans for heating and cooling systems: fan uses no more than 2% of total heating system energy use, as defined by DOE test procedure. For more information, see the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute web site . It is still unclear how the 2009 Stimulus legislation has impacted this incentive – it seems reasonable to assume that the cost basis will be the reasonable cost of the fan, not the entire furnace. IRS has yet to issue specific guidance on this issue.

Water Heaters:

• • Gas or propane water heaters—Energy Factor of at least 0.82, or a thermal efficiency of at least 90%.
  • Heat pump water heaters—Energy Factor of at least 2.0

Where must the equipment be used?

Under guidance issued by the IRS, equipment is eligible if installed in a home occupied by a taxpayer as their principal residence at the time the equipment is installed. This implies that equipment in new homes is generally not eligible since in new homes equipment is generally installed prior to occupancy. However, efficient equipment in new homes can help that home qualify for the new home tax credit.

What do I need to do to qualify for the incentives?

Under the IRS rules, manufacturers need to certify that specific measures are eligible. Homeowners should obtain a copy of this certification when buying these products from the manufacturer, contractor or retailer. Certifications need not be submitted to the IRS, but should be kept on file in case the IRS has questions. Homeowners should also make notes on when each eligible measure is installed- only measures “placed in service” in 2009 or 2010 are eligible.

Where can I find out more about qualifying products?

• Furnaces and Boilers: Information on qualifying equipment can be found at:

• • Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)
  • Energy Star (furnaces)
  • Energy Star (boilers)
  • U.S. Department of Energy Energy Savers
  • American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

• Central Air Conditioning Units and Heat Pumps: Information on qualifying equipment can be found at the Consortium for Energy Efficiency web site. ACEEE and DOE also have general information.

• • Consortium for Energy Efficiency
  • American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
  • U.S. Department of Energy (heat pumps)
  • U.S. Department of Energy (cooling systems)

Biomass Stoves

• • Pellet Fuels Institute

Fans for Heating and Cooling Systems:

• • Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)

• Water Heaters: Information on which equipment meets the required Energy Factor levels can be found in a directory published by AHRI. More general information can be found on the ACEEE and DOE websites:

• • Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)
  • American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
  • U.S. Department of Energy

How to file a tax credit

Certain products that promote energy efficiency are eligible for tax credits from the federal government. You can claim the tax credit when filing your income tax return. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar amount that you receive from the government. This is different from a tax deduction, which reduces your tax liability by the amount to be deducted. The February 2009 stimulus bill provides increased tax credits for energy-efficient products, including furnaces, windows, heaters, solar panels and wind energy systems.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 1
   Shop around and confirm eligibility. If you have not purchased your furnace yet, shop around to make sure that what you plan on buying is not just Energy-Star labeled, but also meets the specific energy-efficiency criteria to qualify for the tax credit. See the first link in Resources for these government-required specifications. If you have already purchased your furnace and it does not meet the requirements, you will not qualify for a tax credit.
2. 2
   Keep good records. You will need your purchase receipt, as well as a manufacturer’s certification statement, to claim a tax credit when you file your income tax return. Make sure to get the certification statement when you buy your furnace.
3. 3
   Familiarize yourself with the rules for claiming a tax credit for a furnace purchase. Based on the new stimulus bill that was signed into law by President Obama in February 2009, you can claim a tax credit of 30 percent of the purchase price of your eligible energy-efficient product up to a maximum of $1,500 until 2010 (2016 for some products; some products have no upper limit). If your furnace was installed in 2008, you are not eligible for a tax credit; however, furnaces installed in 2009 are once again eligible if they meet the efficiency criteria. Furnaces installed in 2006 and 2007 are eligible, and if you did not claim a tax credit, you can file an amendment to your tax return for the applicable year. See the second link in Resources for all energy-efficiency tax credits available.
4. 4
   When filing your taxes, you will need IRS form 5695. You can easily find this form online. Make sure you use the most up-to-date version. See the link in Resources for the current version. Fill it out properly by following the instructions.
5. 5
   Use tax-filing software at tax time. The best way to claim your tax credit is to use tax-filing software. You just need to answer the appropriate questions, and the software will automatically prepare the appropriate IRS forms. Also, bear in mind that tax-filing software is updated periodically to be in line with up-to-date government regulations.

Carbon Monoxide in Your Home

Adams video pick-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lchtRTDsHSM

Carbon monoxide could be leaking in your home right now, and unless you have a detector installed, you wouldn’t even know that it was happening until you were poisoned. Yet, every day you run your furnace, boiler, or hot water tank, risking a carbon monoxide leak. To prevent something like this from happening to your family, you need to be aware of what causes this type of leak, and what you can do to protect yourself.

Furnace and Boiler Heat Exchangers

Gas fired furnaces and boilers use a heat exchanger to heat the air or water that is used to heat your home. In a furnace or boiler, combustion is created when the gas mixes with air and ignites the burners inside the unit. The burners then transfer the heat to the heat exchanger. Every heat exchanger has two sides. One side is in contact with the harmful combustion gases, and the other side is in contact with the air or water that is going to be circulated through the home. This way the combustion gases like carbon monoxide is never in contact with the air that we breathe. We are protected by the barrier created by the heat exchanger. In a furnace, there will be a draft inducer motor that will direct the toxic gases outdoors.

If there is a problem with the heat exchanger or the venting system, you could have carbon monoxide building up in the air inside your home. If a heat exchanger becomes old or rusted, it is common to find cracks in it. If the heat exchanger has a crack, the combustion gases will be allowed to seep through the barrier and into the air in the home.

The venting system in your home could also be the source of your carbon monoxide problem. Your home will either use the chimney or a direct vent to filter the bad gases outdoors. One of the biggest problems found is inadequate drafting. This is caused by the vent being too large or too small for the size of your furnace or boiler. If this happens, carbon monoxide could begin to build up inside the unit and will eventually leak out into the home.

What You Should Do

The first thing you need to do is install carbon monoxide detectors. Combustion produces many gases but carbon monoxide is the most dangerous, but is easy to detect if your home has carbon monoxide detectors. These should be placed near the furnace or boiler. You should also consider installing them near the bedrooms in your home. Most carbon monoxide poisonings happen during the night while everyone is asleep, so it is best to protect your family members where they sleep.

You should have your furnace or boiler cleaned and checked yearly, and the heat exchanger examined for leaks. You will need a certified technician for this job. Only a well trained serviceman will know how to properly clean your furnace or boiler and how to inspect a heat exchanger effectively for flaws.

Finally, you need to have the ventilation system checked. Chimneys are known to crumble or become clogged with debris over time, and this needs to be cleaned out and repaired as soon as possible. The sooner you catch a problem with the ventilation, the sooner your family will be safe to breathe the air in your home once more.

If the Alarm Goes Off

If the carbon monoxide alarm goes off there are a few things you need to do:

1. Evacuate the home
2. Call the fire department
3. Open any windows or doors that are easily accessible
4. If anyone is experiencing nausea, vomiting, fatigue, or headaches they should be looked at by a doctor as soon as possible
5. Do not reenter the home until you are given permission to do so by the fire-fighter or a professional service technician

Even if the responder doesn’t detect CO in your home, you need to still proceed with caution. Shut down any appliances that run on gas and have them serviced as soon as possible.

A guide to choosing furnace size, efficiency, and features

Replacing or improving a furnace may not pay off as handsomely as it did during the energy crisis of the late 1970s. But it may deliver steady, modest savings. And efficient heating isn’t only about money. Because today’s furnaces burn less fuel to generate heat, they are less polluting than their predecessors. Some models with modulating heat output can produce heat more continuously than older furnaces, increasing comfort.

Heat pumps that wring heat from the ground or from outdoor air (and reverse the process in summer, to act as an air conditioner) are the preferred way to heat in the South and Southwest, and oil furnaces have a niche in older homes, mostly in the Northeast. But the majority of new central-heating systems use a gas furnace, the focus of this report.

THE BASIC CHOICES

How do most people go about buying a furnace? First, they contact contractors. To prepare this report, we did, too. More than 500 specialists in residential heating and air conditioning told us about their experiences in installing and maintaining heating equipment.

The major manufacturers of gas furnaces are American Standard (Trane), United Technology (Carrier, Bryant, Heil, Tempstar, and Comfortmaker brands) and Goodman (Janitrol and Amana). Other brands include Rheem (Ruud), and Lennox (Armstrong). All offer furnaces in a range of capacities and efficiencies, and we think manufacturers generally deliver on those specifications. Each brand offers a generally similar array of key features.

The degree of similarity between manufacturers’ offerings is one reason this report does not include Ratings of furnaces by brand. The most important steps in selecting a furnace, we think, are to ensure that the unit’s specifications fit your needs, that it is bought from a contractor who installs it well, and that it’s adequately maintained. Our survey results help confirm that view: When we asked about the most common reasons for service calls for furnaces, about twice as many contractors we surveyed cited human error—inadequate maintenance, for example, or improper installation—as cited defective equipment.

HOW LARGE A FURNACE?

When it comes to furnaces, size counts—a lot. A furnace that’s too small won’t keep the house comfortable during extreme cold. Partly to avoid that possibility, most installed furnaces are too large for the home they’re installed in. Cost is only one of the problems with such a unit. Compared with a correctly sized furnace, a furnace that’s too large will cycle on and off more frequently. That puts more wear on its components, wastes energy, and may cause the temperature to vary uncomfortably. Also, upgrading to a larger furnace may require the installation of bigger ducts to accommodate the increased airflow. Without proper duct sizing, the airflow can be noisy.

To be sure of correct sizing, choose a contractor who agrees to take the time to calculate heating needs using an industry-standard calculation.

Attic Insulation

Adams video pick-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK4Z8Tf-y3Y&feature=related

If you look at a weather map you will notice it’s not just Detroit, but the entire Northeast portion of the country that is being hit by harsh winter weather so far this year. Many homeowners in different regions are trying to find ways to combat the cold. Here, we are taking a look at the ways attic insulation can help your home this winter!

Attic Insulation

Properly installing, attic insulation can help reduce your energy bills. Attics are often one of the easiest places in a house to insulate, especially if your just looking to add insulation.  The United States Department of Energy recommends insulation levels of an R Value of R-49 to R-60.  That means that your attic should have between 18” to 21” of loose-fill insulation present.  This is a general rule of thumb though, not all insulation is made equal, so check the tags before purchasing or make sure your contractor is installing to spec.

Attic Insulation Techniques

Loose-fill insulation is typically installed in an attic. Although installation costs may vary, loose-fill insulation is usually less expensive to install than batt insulation.  When installed properly, loose-fill insulation also provides better coverage.

One item that is very important is to make sure insulation doesn’t block soffit vents.  This can cause problems with proper attic ventilation which can cause other issues.  Additionally, it is important to make sure that rafter vents or baffles are also properly installed so that air intake from the soffit vents can come in to the attic space for ventilation and then exhaust out through the roof ventilation system.

Cost Savings

Adding insulation to your attic space to the government recommended levels can earn you a tax credit up to 30% of the material cost or $1,500.00.  Additionally, adding insulation can save money – you up to 30% on your utility bills, contribute to the lifespan of your heating and cooling equipment and extend the life expectancy of your roofing materials.

This simple and affordable investment will bring substantial return on investment year after year after year.

High Efficiency is all the talk

Efficiency is in demand today. Whatever you do, you are expected to be highly efficient in it. Well, this is true with our home appliances as well. With the bills reaching the sky, the environmental issues and global warming, manufacturers are asked to make appliances that will not only serve their purpose well but will also be environment friendly and will be using the ever depleting resources, efficiently. Whether you buy a fridge or a television set or a furnace, efficiency is what you should be looking for. Let us look into the various aspects of the high efficiency furnace like venting, cost, installation, etc., in detail.

First, though, what is a high efficiency furnace? A high efficiency furnace is a furnace that is capable of converting almost 97 percent of the fuel into energy, wasting only the remaining 3 percent. This is a very good percentage of fuel being converted into energy considering the fact that the earlier furnaces had the capacity of converting only 60 percent of the fuel into energy, which means that 40 percent was wasted. This figure changed, with people manufacturing furnaces that used 80 percent of the fuel. However, there are several high efficiency gas furnaces and ultra efficiency furnaces that are available now. As they are very efficient in terms of fuel utilization, there will be plenty of benefits in replacing your old furnace with these new efficient ones. The below mentioned paragraphs will cover all the different aspects in detail.

High Efficiency Furnace Cost

There is a huge amount of cost involved in replacing your old furnace with a new efficient one. Approximately, the overall new furnace cost should be somewhere around $5500. However, the good news is that there will be probable savings of up to 35 percent per year in your bills. Replacing the old one will benefit the environment and your pocket, in the long run. The contractors will be able to give you the right estimate.

High Efficiency Furnace Reviews

As you know furnaces are huge and last up to 20 years at least. They are installed in all sorts of houses, big or small, in city or in the rural areas, etc. The gas furnaces are installed in different areas of the houses as well. All these particulars make it very difficult for reviewers to write about the furnace reviews based on the brands. Instead these reviews are written based on the relationship between the contractor of the furnace and the buyers. There are several online reviews that can be read and understood to know which are the best furnaces and what are their running costs per year. There are several magazines and guides too that contain the names of good brands and the contractors that provide the best quality service. These reviews, however, can quickly become outdated once some manufacturer introduces a new furnace.

High Efficiency Furnace Venting

In order to know about the high efficiency furnace venting, you will need to know how these furnace work. These furnaces use condensing process. This furnace has two heat exchangers that draw heat from the combustion gases. This makes the moisture in the gas to condense and at the same time, release heat that can be reused. The exhaust gases all cool down due to this procedure. They are then exhausted out through a sidewall that has a plastic pipe. This means, that there is no need for chimneys. This is how the high efficiency furnace exhaust works.

High Efficiency Furnace Installation

It is better to let the installation work be handled by the experts, who are the contractors, in this case. They are the certified installers. There are several considerations that will have to be seen to while installing a high efficiency furnace. Moreover, the furnaces are large and they need a lot of duct work which is better done by the expert. As the venting and exhaust work is also done in a different way, it is better to have this furnace be installed by the contractor. Based on your house and the furnace specifications, the installation will take place.

Best High Efficiency Furnace

As mentioned above, there cannot be a single best brand or manufacturer. However, there are several other considerations that make a furnace better than the others. The first thing to look for in a good furnace will be the Energy Star label. This label states the efficiency rating. The best furnace will have the efficiency rating of more than 90 percent. The next consideration is the price. It is better to get quotations from more than two contractors so that you can compare the prices, services offered and the warranty periods. This will make the decision easy to make. In order to have the best high efficiency furnace, you can get an electrostatic filter added to the furnace. This filter reduces dust and other harmful particles and improves the overall furnace efficiency. However, you will need to pay a little extra for this electrostatic filter installation.

As you can see from the above, a high efficiency furnace is a good option considering the global warming, environmental issues and the emission of greenhouse gases at an alarming rate. This will also be an energy saving device, meaning you will be able to save a lot on your bills too.

The Right Repairman for the job

It’s cold outside and your heat cuts off! It’s a problem most of use will probably encounter at some point in time. Don’t get burned when it comes to having a furnace doctor make a house call to your home. Your local Better Business Bureau has some tips to assist you in avoiding being ripped off or overspending when it comes to furnace repair and maintenance.

Check Before You Call

Before you call a repairman, there are a few things to look at that you may be able to fix yourself before spending money on a service call.

First off, be sure that your pilot light is on; if it’s gone off for some reason, you’ll have instructions likely pasted on the side of your furnace for lighting the pilot light (most furnaces are auto ignition). Be sure, too, that your thermostat is clean, has fresh batteries if digital and is reading the temperature correctly, as a faulty thermostat could fool you into thinking there’s something wrong with the furnace. Also make sure that your furnace’s air filters don’t need to be changed. Sometimes the fix is as simple as buying and inserting a new air filter. Check your owner’s manual for details on other routine maintenance you may be able to perform yourself.

Call a Professional

Once you’ve checked all that basic stuff, don’t attempt to do anything further on your own. You’re likely to further damage your furnace trying to fix it yourself, which will end up costing you more in the end. You could also potentially injure yourself very seriously, as furnaces run on very flammable elements.

Contact the Better Business Bureau to check out a business before you invite them to your home. Look for a BBB Accredited Business on our online directory. BBB Accredited Businesses must meet and abide by the Better Business Bureau’s standards and agree to participate in the BBB’s dispute resolution program if a problem arises with a customer. AAC Services is an Accredited Business with an A+ rating.

Any reputable heating and cooling contractor will be licensed by the State of Michigan and carry identification with them when making a house call. Never allow anyone making a service call to your home inside without providing the proper credentials.

Make sure that you understand if your furnace’s warranty mandates specific requirements for selecting a contractor who conducts repairs to ensure that who you select does not void your warranty or charge you for service that should otherwise be covered by another company.

Beware High Pressure Sales Pitches

Keep in mind that while most furnace companies are reputable, competent, and fair; others may tell you that your furnace needs to be repaired or replaced when it really does not. Some may use high pressure tactics, such as telling you that your system is leaking dangerous gases that could explode or poison those inside the home.

Don’t be scared into buying a new furnace or authorizing unneeded expensive repairs to your existing heating system. If you have questions about the safety of your home, call your local utility and ask them to inspect the situation. DTE/MichCon customers should call 800-947-5000. Consumers Energy customers should call 800-477-5050. If you believe you may be in physical danger do to a furnace malfunction or gas leak, leave your home until the situation is fully checked out.

If you are told that your furnace needs to be replaced because it is too small, think back to the last time it failed to properly heat your house. When purchasing a furnace, you should base its size on the demands of your household and the square footage of your home. Don’t waste money on a furnace that is more powerful, and more expensive, than you actually need. Research the size and efficiency of the equipment and ask the contractor to explain specifically why they are recommending a particular sized furnace.

Also be wary of offers for “free” furnace inspections. Often times these will lead to recommendations of other work that needs to be done, sometimes necessary and sometimes not.

The most important first step when it comes to furnace repairs is not to panic. Be sure to check the warranty on your system to see whether any repairs or replacements are covered. Remember that many heating systems come with long-term warranties. Check your warranty to review what it covers, for how long, and who will honor it.

Get Multiple Estimates

Always try and get at least two estimates before you authorize work to be done to your heating system or purchase a new furnace. All bids should be in writing and should provide a full description of the services to be provided and the materials to be used. If a new furnace is being installed, the estimate should include a full description of additional work required for the installation of ducts, registers, electrical wiring, and the repair of adjacent surfaces. Compare more than costs, also evaluate the quality of the equipment and the value of any warranties offered. Note that not every warranty is the same so it is important to understand the terms and conditions when doing your pricing comparisons.

Remember to also check out the businesses with the Better Business Bureau and compare the customer service histories and ratings listed in their BBB Reliability Reports.

Get It In Writing

Always get a contract before authorizing work on your furnace. Read the contract thoroughly and understand it before signing it. The contractor you choose should provide at least one call back service free of charge after repairs or installation to check the work. Make sure that this is written into the Agreement. Also make sure any warranties on the work are referred to in the contract. You may also want to see if you can purchase a service contract that will provide you with an annual furnace inspection and additional future maintenance.

The best way to avoid disputes over what is or isn’t expected from a home improvement job is to write out the details in a contract. Remember the more thorough the contract is, the better protected you are in the case a complaint or a dispute arises with the furnace doctor you have selected.

From Consumers reports 2006:

What’s the best way to ensure that the central air-conditioning system you choose is
installed properly, and will provide the most efficient and reliable cooling for your home?
The pointers below can help you to find the right hardware and the right technician to
install your system, whether you’re replacing an older air conditioner or installing one for
the first time. The information comes from our experts.

And while there’s no one money-saving strategy that will work for everyone all the time,
there are simple steps that you can take, as we show in Keeping costs down. In some
cases, you may be able to cut back on air-conditioner use considerably without
seriously inconveniencing your family.

Design

In a “split system,” the typical design, refrigerant circulates between an indoor coil and a
matching outdoor condenser with compressor. The refrigerant cools the air,
dehumidifying it in the process; a blower circulates air through ducts throughout the
house. A variation is the “heat pump,” a type of system that functions as heater and
cooler. When used as an air conditioner, a heat pump discharges heat from the house
either into the air or deep into the ground. In the winter, a heat pump extracts heat from
the ground or the air to warm the house.

Efficiency

This describes how much cooling the unit delivers for each watt of electricity. Efficiency
is expressed as the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, or SEER. At present, a SEER of
10 denotes a low-efficiency unit; medium efficiency is 11 to 14; high efficiency is above
14. New federal regulations that took effect in 2006 set the minimum SEER for a central
air conditioner at 13.

Size

A synonym for the air conditioner’s cooling capacity, size is measured in British thermal
units per hour (Btu/hr.) or in “tons.” One ton of cooling equals 12,000 Btu/hr.

Get the right contractor

Finding a trustworthy contractor to install and service an air-conditioning system matters
the most. Here’s how to choose:

Ask around

Seek referrals from neighbors, family, or business associates. It’s wise to get price
quotes from at least three contractors.

Check the background

Contractors who bid on your installation should show you proof of bonding and
insurance, plus any required contractor’s licenses. Check with your local Better
Business Bureau and consumer affairs office for complaint records. It’s a plus if
technicians are certified by a trade organization, such as North American Technician
Excellence or HVAC Excellence, to service residential heating and cooling equipment.
These and other similar programs assess the technician’s knowledge of specific types
of equipment and its proper service methods. We believe that a contractor who has
made the effort to get certified and has practiced this trade and learned from several
years of service and installation experience, will be a better service provider.

Get specifics

Contractors who bid on your job should calculate required cooling capacity by using a
recognized method like the Air Conditioning Contractors of America’s Residential Load
Calculation Manual, also called Manual J. An additional reference for assessing
ductwork needs is Manual D. The calculations produce a detailed room-by-room
analysis of cooling needs. Ask for a printout of all calculations and assumptions,
including ductwork design. Be leery of a contractor who bases estimates merely on
house size or vague rules of thumb.

Expect maintenance

A service plan that combines regular inspections with discounts on repairs and a labor
warranty is worth negotiating into the overall price. Prices for such service vary widely.
At a minimum, regular inspections should include these steps:

• Check for and repair refrigerant leaks.
• Detect and correct duct leaks.
• Inspect and tighten the electrical connections, checking for damage.
• Clean the coils, drain pan, and drainage system.
• Vacuum the blower compartment.
• Replace filter monthly or as recommended by the manufacturer.

Choose the right unit

If you’re replacing an old central-air system, you can expect to pay around $3,000 for
the equipment. If you need ductwork installed because you’re starting completely from
scratch or are upgrading a forced-air heating system, expect to pay $6,000 or more.
Improving the system’s air-filtration capabilities is also easiest to do as part of a general
upgrade.

Brand plays some role in the selection.

Here are other factors that may affect reliability:

• Matching new equipment with old. If you replace only the condenser, you have a “field-matched” system that can be less efficient than advertised and that may require more repairs because of undetected incompatibilities between the two.
• Damper-zoned cooling. A large or multistory house is often divided into several heating and cooling zones to improve temperature control. However, this type of system is complex and has many more moving parts and controls and so may require more repairs.

What is Zoning and Zone Control?

Zoning and Zone Control of Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems are two ways of saying individual temperature control from one central HVAC System. Typically with almost all forced air systems there is only one thermostat to control the heating and cooling. Once that thermostat calls there is virtually no way to control the temperature in each room of the house except manually closing off the outlets in each room. This manual method is time consuming and can cause harm to the HVAC Unit as closing off too many outlets can reduce the airflow in the HVAC severely shortening the life of the furnace, air conditioner or heat pump.

True zoning is a professionally installed zone control system consisting of a damper and thermostat for each room or zone of the house and wired into a central control panel that sequences each thermostat’s call with the zone dampers in the ducts and the HVAC Unit. In some instances a by-pass damper or duct maybe required to relieve excess air when smaller zone(s) are the only ones calling.

Zoning can simply be related to having a light switch in every room of the house. You wouldn’t install just one light switch to turn on and off all of the lights in the house….Would you? The same is true for heating and cooling. One thermostat turning on the heating or cooling for the entire house, when you only need a little in one room or zone is extremely wasteful. Also, why heat or cool rooms that may already be comfortable and air is needed in other portions of the house.

WHY DO YOU NEED ZONING?

If you are only living in or occupying one room or zone of your house, why heat or cool the entire house? Why you need Zoning is for the many benefits zoning provides.

ENHANCED COMFORT – One thermostat centrally located in a hallway, dining room or even the living room cannot properly control the temperature in any other area than the area nearest the thermostat. If you have a multi-level home it is very hard to control the temperature on the second floor when the thermostat is on the first floor.

There are many factors that affect the indoor temperature in your home. Outdoor conditions such as solar gain, wind chill, shading; building design such as large glass areas, cathedral ceilings, multi- levels, below grade rooms, sprawling ranch designs; and internal factors such as fireplaces, heat from lights, cooking, appliances, etc., all affect the temperature throughout the home.

Take for example the kitchen, the most widely variable temperature room in the house. In winter with cooking not much heating is needed, however in the summertime a lot of cooling is needed. Also rooms with fireplaces, and if there thermostat is located here, while a fire is burning the rest of the home can be very cold.

Zoning solves these problems by allowing de-centralized control and allowing each zones thermostat to make the demand instead of what’s good for one has to be good for everyone.

Zoning improves the overall comfort by allowing the zone thermostats to react to changes in temperature in each zone. This prevents over heating or cooling some rooms while others rooms are under heaed or cooled. Zoning provides perfect comfort, where and when you want.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY – A zoning system delivers increased energy efficiency on any HVAC System. Zoning allows you to set back thermostats in zones not being used and prevents zones from be over heated or cooled while other zones are not yet comfortable.

However now add zoning and think of how often that zone is being used and how much energy can be saved by turning off the heating and cooling to those zone when they are not being used. Or how much energy you’re wasting because they are too hot or cold while others are yet to be comfortable. Zoning savings have been achieved by many users of zoning systems. Actual results by homeowners have reported as much as 20% to 30% savings. These results in tests can be greater when combined with automatic setback thermostats achieving multiple setbacks per day.

Savings of zoning systems over single zone thermostat systems are well documented and even show a reduction in the number of cycles of the furnace and air conditioner. Reducing the cycles of any piece of equipment can extend its service life.

Zoning is not a new concept. Other forms of zoning have been used with hydronic heating systems for over 50 years, using zone valves or circulating pumps as their form of damper. In large commercial HVAC systems VAV (Variable Air Volume) systems are a more sophisticated form of zoning. Both hydronic and VAV zoning have proven similar 20% to 30% savings over single zone systems.

CONVENIENCE – A zoning system allows you to set the temperature in the room or zone you’re in and not have to go to another area of the home to change the temperature. If you’re in the bedroom at night ready to go to bed, you can adjust the temperature you want right there without having to go to the living room or some other area. You can then rest assured that you are only conditioning your bedroom zone and not all other areas of the home. You also don’t have to guess at what temperature it has to be in the living room in order for you to be comfortable in the bedroom or go around closing off outlets to make sure more air gets pumped into the bedroom.

HOW DOES ZONING WORK?

Zoning is a simple product and concept. As you have no doubt realized by now that zoning provides the ability to only condition those rooms that need heating or cooling and does not allow conditioned air into those zones not requiring it.

Zoning does this through a series of components. The first being motorized dampers that open and close based on the demands of the zone thermostats. These dampers insert into the ducts or can be installed at the air outlet for each room or zone. Multiple dampers can be controlled together for a single zone if multiple ducts serve a single room or zone. manufactures a series of damper controls to control every type of duct and outlet.

The next key components are the zone thermostats.  Systems use any standard heating and cooling thermostat. In existing homes the existing thermostat can used as a zone thermostat. Zoning Systems are compatible with all standard 4 wire and heat pump thermostats. As each zone is divided, each zone uses a thermostat to control the heating, cooling and fan operation for its individual zone.

The zone thermostats and dampers are wired into a central control panel. This panel requires a separate 24 Volt transformer to power the panel, dampers and thermostats. The panel then also connects to the thermostat connections on the HVAC Unit. Instead of using one central thermostat, the MasterZone control panel allows the unit to be controlled by multiple thermostats.

As each thermostat calls, be it for heating or cooling, the panel takes the first call from any zone. If it is heating it will keep open the damper to the calling zone, close the dampers to satisfied zones not calling for heating, activates the furnace or heat pump and begin supplying air only to that zone. If during this call other zones call for heating those zone dampers would open and heated air would be supplied to those zones as well. Once all heating calls are satisfied the panel will shut off the furnace or heat pump. The panel will enter a purge mode to direct the excess heated air to the last zone(s) calling. Once this purge mode is over the panel will see what other calls exist. During that time other heating or cooling calls can be made and the panel with then enter the next calls, operate the appropriate equipment and cycle the dampers open to only those zones calling and close the dampers to the zones that are satisfied.

In some instances a separate by-pass damper is installed to relieve any excess air from zones that are open and maybe too small to handle the full capacity of the blower. This air is typically by-pass into the return air duct or into a common area such as a hallway. When air is by-passed into the return air duct capacity controls for both the heating and cooling are also used to prevent overheating or overcooling in the unit.

HOW DO I ZONE A SYSTEM?

When zoning any system one must look at a practical cost effective number of zones for the home or office building. Most homes are typically two to four zones. Offices can almost be any number of zones depending upon the size of the building.

Most commonly a home is at least 2 zones, those being the living room, kitchen on one zone and the bedrooms, bathrooms on the second zone. Many other ways of zoning are by levels here each floor is a zone, or by occupancy and use or by exposures. As the home gets larger the need for zoning increases and typically many newer homes may have a zone for the formal living room and dining room, a second for the back kitchen and family room, and a third for the upstairs bedrooms. Possible others would be to split the master and guest bedroom and the kid’s bedrooms. Another maybe even still be the basement recreation room. The possibilities are many and it all comes down to the comfort level and convenience one want to achieve, keeping in mind the cost associated with adding each zone. Any homeowner looking for a new home or looking to upgrade the existing HVAC should at minimum consider at least two zones between the living zone and bedroom zones.

Zoning any system requires a little thought and sometimes imagination and creativity. Every new home has the ability to be zoned, since zoning can be designed into the construction. Existing homes adding zoning can take some creativity and imagination in order to adjust to the existing ductwork. Depending upon the duct layout in-line dampers may not be able to be used and motorized registers or diffusers can be used to control the outlets. However one must always consider the cost of going with several motorized registers or diffusers versus the possibility of modifying the ductwork in order to use one in-line damper. Wring is the other obstacle, especially in retrofit systems. However with the coming of wireless thermostats this makes installing zoning that much easier.

ZONING SYSTEM DESIGN

Zoning any forced air system is easy once you know a few of the basic rules. The main consideration is to maintain a constant amount of air flow (CFM) through the HVAC Unit. This needs to occur when only one zone is open and if the zones are of varying size, when the smallest zone is open. The other consideration is not to oversize a duct system too much in order to maintain adequate velocity and airflow when all zones are open and may be calling for conditioning on those design temperature days.

The design of the duct system for today’s zoning is an important factor to a comfortable and efficient zoning system. The number of zones, along with their size, often determine the best type of design.

There are scenarios for zoning. The first, which is typically on new installations of where the duct work can be designed for zoning would be to oversize the ducts for each zone in order to get more air to the zone when it may be the only one calling. The scenario for all others would be to use a by-pass damper to relieve the excess air pressure in the duct system when a minority number of zones are calling.

In new installations where ducts are being added it is recommended to size each zone duct the same and to size the duct for approximately 2/3 of the total HVAC System CFM. This is practical on systems with 2 or 3 zones and when all zones are approximately equal in size. This is NOT practical in an installation where 80% of conditioned area is one zone and 20% is the other zone. The reason for each zone duct being the same size is that any zone could be the only zone calling and therefore that zone must handle the CFM of the HVAC Unit. When the duct is sized for 2/3 of the total CFM the smaller size does restrict the airflow and forces the air at a higher pressure and velocity, however it does not increase the air typically over that static pressure rating of the blower motor, usually 0.5”W.C. This also keeps the air velocity from being noticeably noisy. Below is a quick guide to determine the minimum equivalent size of a zone duct for each size HVAC Unit.

System CFM       800 CFM          1,000 CFM      1,200 CFM       1,400 CFM        1,600 CFM          2,000 CFM

Zone Duct           12”x8”/12”Ø    14”x8”/12”Ø    16”x8”/14”Ø    18”x8”/14”Ø     20”x8”/16” Ø     22”x8”/18”Ø

Branch Ducts      5-6” Rounds     5-6” Rounds    6-6” Rounds     5-7” Rounds      5-7” Rounds       5-8” Rounds

Systems over 5 Tons typically are commercial and would use a by- pass damper to relieve the excess air pressure when the majority of zones shut down. In retrofit and systems with 4 zones or more, over sizing the ducts is not practical. In these instances a by-pass damper is used to relieve the excess air back into the return air duct or dump the air into a central area of the building, such as a hallway, where often there is a common return. In this instance try to locate the by-pass air as far away from the return air intake as possible. The key to a good zoning system is to deliver the conditioned air to the calling zone as fast and quietly as possible in order to satisfy the demand. Whatever air cannot be directed into the zone must then by by-passed. This develops the formula for calculating the size of the by-pass damper.

Total CFM – Smallest Zone CFM = By-Pass CFM Once the amount of by-pass air is known it is just common sense to size a duct adequately to handle the amount of air. A choice of both round and rectangular/square by-pass damper sizes are available.

IMPORTANT:

When by-passing air into the return air duct it is imperative that capacity controls such as the AFC or Leaving Air TM Sensor be used in order to protect the HVAC equipment from freezing, overheating or pressure limits on the compressor.

MINIMUM POSITION DAMPER

Another form of by-pass is using minimum position dampers, such as the ZD and RDS dampers. Setting the larger zone dampers to a minimum position can also be a method of relieving excess air pressure. This should be used when only small amounts of air need to be by-passed as the minimum position air in some cases can cause a zone to overshoot its comfort zone. Caution must be exercised when using minimum position dampers for by-pass.

ZONING EFFICIENCY and Downsizing

The standard way of not living in your whole house all of the time and mostly occupying one zone of the home at a time proves the need for zoning. Zoning makes the use of the heating and cooling more effective by only conditioning those zones being occupied or that may need it. Therefore typically the majority of the time, even on a two zone system only one zone is typically calling.

When this occurs the furnace and air conditioner is oversized in BTU capacity when supplying only a single zone. Due to this many HVAC Installers will downsize the heating and/or cooling units based upon the use of zoning. On a two zone system this many not be recommended, however when using 3 or more zones it is practical to downsize to the next lower capacity unit.

An HVAC Unit should be sized to heat and cool the home at design temperatures (the hottest days in summer and the coldest days in winter). Realistically how often do design conditions occur. Of course this depends upon where you live. In the milder climates downsizing is much more of a possibility than in the severe heating climates of Northern states or the southern cooling climates.

HVAC installers have been quite successful in going to the next smaller size unit when using zoning. In many cases heating and cooling units are often oversized, especially on older homes. Doing a heat loss and heat gain calculation is very important in determining the size of the heating and cooling unit. Once the loads are determined for the overall structure, the affect that zoning will have on the overall load can be determined. Seldom used zones such as basements or extra bedroom loads can be looked at as not always needing conditioning at the same time as more often used zones. In instances where 3 or more zones are used may be advantageous to downsize to the next smaller size of heating and cooling unit.

NOTE: There are times during extended periods at design temperatures where will take longer for the zones to satisfy as the heating or cooling. It is important to note that some zones would have to be adjusted in order to direct more BTUs to the more important zones.

Down sizing while also increasing efficiency is often the best way to go. When considering the alternative of using 2 separate lower efficiency units in order to zone vs. one high efficiency unit with zone damper system, the cost difference is negligible if not sometimes less. Applying higher efficiency and zoning to cooling can also increase the effectiveness of the cooling. Here again if utility rebates are offered for the higher efficiency this can further offset the added cost of zoning and possibly add other comfort options.

Typically the more zones you have the wider the diversity in the use of the zones. This factor can help in downsizing the unit. Take for example an exercise room that may only be used a hour or two a day. The family recreation room that is only used for a few hours in the evening and not when all are sleeping in the bedrooms or eating in the kitchen dining room zones.

Zoning and high efficiency equipment can increase the overall energy performance of your home and keep rising energy costs down to manageable level.

Barometric Bypass Damper

A question that comes up frequently when quoting zone control systems is, why and when do I need a bypass damper?  As the individual zone dampers close, the system static pressure will tend to rise.  In order to maintain constant airflow through the HVAC system, a barometric damper can be used to bypass some of the discharge air back to the system.  The bypass damper should be installed in such a way as to connect the supply air duct to the return duct.  Damper adjustment is done by moving the weight up and down the arm.  It should be set to bypass just enough air to maintain a quiet, draft free system.  Barometric bypass dampers can be used on systems with static pressure ratings up to 0.75”W.C.  Bypass dampers are sized based on the cooling tonnage.

Condensing Unit Damper Size
2.5 tons or less 8” bypass
3 tons 10” bypass
4 tons 12” bypass
5 tons 12” bypass
7.5 tons 14” bypass
10 tons 14” bypass

For systems larger than 10 tons, subtract the CFM of the smallest zone from the total system CFM, then size the bypass damper to handle 100% of this difference at 2,500FPM.