Author: tfobrien

Landscaping Significantly Affects Energy Savings: Don’t Let Planting Season Pass You By

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Landscaping Significantly Affects Energy SavingsLet Nature Help Cool and Protect Your Home

When combined with preventive maintenance, landscaping around your home to work with the climate on Long Island can generate significant energy savings. You might think landscaping for energy savings could take decades to return your investment, but the  U.S. Department of Energy actually predicts that the typical homeowner will begin to see savings in less than eight years. The sooner you plant, the sooner you’ll save! Continue reading “Landscaping Significantly Affects Energy Savings: Don’t Let Planting Season Pass You By” →

Cooling Concepts You Should Know When Upgrading Air-Conditioning Systems

Posted on by tfobrien

Are your cooling bills telling you that this is the last summer for your air conditioner? Or perhaps you haven’t been as cool and comfortable as you would like to be. As summer is winding down, it’s a good idea to start doing research on high-efficiency air conditioners so you are ready to upgrade before  the next Long Island heat wave. Continue reading “Cooling Concepts You Should Know When Upgrading Air-Conditioning Systems” →

The Cooling Season In Long Island May Be Near The End, But Preventive Maintenance Should Not Be Ignored

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How to Wrap Up Your Long Summer of Running Your AC

Sadly for some, summer must come to an end, but maintaining your heating and cooling system is a year-round commitment. Even as summer is winding down, it is important to continue regular preventive maintenance activities to protect your home comfort system and ensure that your equipment will operate as efficiently as possible. Continue reading “The Cooling Season In Long Island May Be Near The End, But Preventive Maintenance Should Not Be Ignored” →

Taking A Vacation? Use A Programmable Thermostat To Monitor Your Home’s Temperature

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Taking A Vacation? Use A Programmable Thermostat To Monitor Your Home's TemperatureCustomize Your Energy Usage Based on Your Time at Home

 

Before you leave for an extended trip, make sure your Long Island home isn’t using an unnecessary amount of energy by running the air-conditioning  system the whole time you’re away. The best way to do this is to use a programmable thermostat to regulate the temperature when you’re not home. Continue reading “Taking A Vacation? Use A Programmable Thermostat To Monitor Your Home’s Temperature” →

Are My Heating And Cooling Needs Established By Degree Days? Find Out How To Assess Efficiency

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Are My Heating And Cooling Needs Established By Degree Days? Find Out How To Assess EfficiencyHome Energy Performance: Measuring Your Energy Needs

 

As weather fluctuates from day to day, it has a significant affect on how much energy your home consumes. Your electricity meter readings can help you understand the amount of energy you’re using, but can’t give you a good idea of your home’s performance  because they don’t account for the changing weather. Learning to calculate heating and cooling degree days can make up for this. Continue reading “Are My Heating And Cooling Needs Established By Degree Days? Find Out How To Assess Efficiency” →

Get It Down On Paper, And Use HVAC Service Quotes To Your Advantage

Posted on by tfobrien

Planning Your Next HVAC Project Requires Comparison Shopping

When you need work done on your heating and cooling system, it is wise to shop around for excellent workmanship and equipment at a fair price. It’s also smart to use written quotes — contractors’ proposals describing the work they’d do and at what price — to help you compare companies. Continue reading “Get It Down On Paper, And Use HVAC Service Quotes To Your Advantage” →

Awards, Certifications And Associations Set T.F. O’Brien Apart From Other HVAC Companies

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Awards, Certifications And Associations Set T.F. O'Brien Apart From Other HVAC CompaniesWe are Long Island’s HVAC Experts

Preventive HVAC maintenance is crucial to keeping your heating and cooling equipment functioning efficiently, but it only works if your technician is a reliable expert who is committed to outstanding service. Starting with installation, poor workmanship and substandard parts can create new problems or fail to resolve old ones. Expert attention, on the other hand, can extend the life span of your equipment. Continue reading “Awards, Certifications And Associations Set T.F. O’Brien Apart From Other HVAC Companies” →

Summer’s End Is Around The Corner: Use These Operational Tips To Augment Your Air-Conditioning System

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Things You Can Do to Keep Your AC Operating Into the Fall

This summer’s heat and humidity are demanding long, hard hours from your air conditioning system.  The end  may be in sight, but your air-conditioning system still has to make it all the way to  the finish line. T. F. O’Brien has a few operational tips you can use to make sure your air conditioning system continues keeping you comfortable and saving you money for the rest of the season. Continue reading “Summer’s End Is Around The Corner: Use These Operational Tips To Augment Your Air-Conditioning System” →

Feeling Cooped Up? Here’s How To Help Your Indoor Air Circulation

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Improve the Flow of Air in Your Long Island Home

Ventilation systems can refresh and clean your indoor air, and also  improve air circulation. Even if you spend 90 percent of your time indoors (like the average U.S. citizen), a ventilation system can help you feel comfortable and breathe easy.

Unfortunately, the indoor air quality in the typical Long Island home is considered poor by the EPA’s standards. Many more contaminants than you might realize can become trapped indoors, especially in homes that don’t have adequate circulation. A few examples include:

  • Dust
  • Dust mites
  • Pollen and allergens
  • Mold and spores
  • Viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms
  • Radon, the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US after tobacco smoke (according to the American Lung Association)
  • Chemical fumes from cleaners, air fresheners, paints, varnishes, adhesives and more
  • Off-gassing from pressed wood, carpets and construction materials

Even the carbon dioxide exhaled by residents can accumulate to unhealthy levels.

Fortunately, Long Island homeowners have a variety of tools at their disposal to improve indoor air circulation. Balanced ventilation systems, such as energy recovery ventilators, keep air circulation up by expelling stale air and drawing in fresh air. They also remove contaminants and humidity  from the incoming air stream. Some ventilation units are complicated systems with their own ducts, but others can be installed conveniently with your pre-existing ducts.

Air filters are a key element when it comes to keeping your air clean and your system efficient. A HEPA filter is designed with more surface area than a standard filter, and can trap 99.97 percent of the most minuscule particles, 1/300th the diameter of a hair. But before you rush to install a HEPA filter, give us a call. The highest efficiency filters aren’t ideal for every system. If it’s too restrictive, it can actually decrease air circulation.

Air circulation and quality can also be compromised if your ventilation system is not well maintained. Preventive maintenance  keeps your system clean and efficient, and facilitates smooth airflow through all components, including your ductwork. Call  T. F. O’Brien for more information, or to schedule your preventive maintenance today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).   For more information about indoor air circulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!

Have Your Ductwork Design And Installation Inspected For Better Efficiency

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Have Your Ductwork Design And Installation Inspected For Better EfficiencyLeaks and Gaps in Your Home’s Ductwork Will Waste Precious Energy

 

Problems in the ductwork design and installation in Long Island homes are one of the leading reasons they lose heat. Whether you are getting a new air system or you are not completely satisfied with your current system’s efficiency, getting your ductwork inspected can help you save money on energy bills.

Your ductwork is responsible for distributing conditioned air throughout your home. Up to 15 percent of air that you have already paid to condition can be lost before it ever reaches its destination.

Ductwork design and installation usually includes ductwork that is concealed within walls or floors, but they can also be installed in dropped ceilings or in room corners where they are hidden. It is inevitable that some air will escape; however, by avoiding installation in areas that do not need to be cooled, like the attic or basement, unnecessary air losses are prevented.

Duct supply configurations work to push conditioned air through your home and revolve around two different premises: trunk and branch or radial. Either type works well to supply air within a conditioned space, and their designs are intended to distribute a balanced supply of air throughout the home and increase efficiency.

There are two common duct return configurations that get efficient results:

  1. A return duct is installed within each room that directs air back to the heating and cooling systems.
  2. A central return grille on each floor of a home returns air.

Without a balanced air flow through supply and return ducts, your heating and cooling systems have to work harder and longer to comfortably condition the home.

An inspection by an HVAC professional will spot any problems and provide you with solutions to keep your air system efficient.   These may be as simple as keeping ducts closed in unused rooms or could entail insulating your ducts in the winter so your warm air doesn’t get cold.

If you have any other questions about the ductwork design and installation in your Long Island home, contact T.F. O’Brien Heating and Cooling today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).   For more information about ductwork and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!