Kerry’s Blog

Whole House Air Cleaners Improve Air Quality

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

So how do whole house air cleaners improve air quality through out your home?

Have you ever noticed all of the particles that are floating around in the air when you see the sun rays beaming through a window? These are many of the impurities and dust particles that are airborne throughout your home. And, this only represents one percent of the impurities that you and your family are breathing in on a daily basis. The other 99% cannot be seen and have no detectable odor.

Poor indoor air quality can lead many respiratory problems and is very harmful to people with asthmatic conditions. Headaches, nausea, and irritable eyes are also signs of poor air quality in the home.

Whole house air cleaners improve air quality by having the air that circulates through out your home pass through filters that remove the dust mites and allergens from the air. Most of these whole house air cleaners are attached to your home’s central air conditioning / heating system, even though there are some portable devices available as well.

This means that every time that you run your central air or heat, the air will first pass through the latest in state of the art filters that will remove all of the harmful contaminants from every room in your home making your indoor air   a lot healthier and safer to breathe.

Whole house air cleaners improve air quality for you and your family. It will definitely improve your quality of   life at home by making sure that you are providing the best   air within your home that you possibly can. And there is no greater comfort that knowing that you are doing what’s best for your family and helping to clean up the environment as well.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

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

Proper Insulation is a Major Factor in Controlling Energy Costs

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

You are paying just about half of your monthly utility bill to heat or cool your home. Given the tough economic times, all of us are looking for ways to cut our expenses, and significant savings may be found by better controlling your energy costs. Sealing up a home with additional home insulation is an excellent way to save money and make your home more comfortable.

It is especially critical going into the  Long Island  winter that you make sure your home has enough insulation. Insulation is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance or R-value.   An R-value indicates the insulation’s resistance to heat flow.  A higher R-value means greater insulating effectiveness.

The R-value depends on the type of insulation, and includes its material, thickness, and density.  When calculating the R-value of a multilayered installation, add the R-values of the individual layers.  Installing more insulation in your home increases the R-value and thus the resistance to heat flow.

Most local utility companies will perform free energy audits to determine if your home has the proper insulation. The attic is one of the first places to check to make sure that air is not escaping through the roof. Outside walls also need to be checked to make sure that air is not escaping to the outside.

It is also important to check around windows and outside vents which are common spots for air infiltration. Where there is a problem, small holes can be drilled in the wall and fine pieces of insulation can be blown into the gap to seal it up.

In addition to installing more home  insulation, there are other energy saving tips that can cut costs. Ask your skilled T.F. O’Brien HVAC technician about installation of a programmable thermostat  or have them perform an air infiltration inspection which will determine exactly how much cool air is coming into the home during the winter.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

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

Bigger is Not Always Better When Purchasing HVAC Equipment

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

When it is time to replace heating and air conditioning equipment, it is absolutely essential that you match the size of the unit to the needs of your home. Do not assume that just because a unit has more power it is the appropriate HVAC system for use in your house. Today’s hvac systems come in a variety of sizes for a reason, and you need to choose the one that will be the most efficient at heating and cooling your home.

The best way to determine which of the hvac systems on the market is best suited for your use is to have a home air infiltration inspection. Our skilled technicians have been trained to take the proper measurements to make sure that your system is operating as efficiently as possible when heating and cooling your home. They can also determine how remodeling projects that you have done since your current system was installed will effect how the new one operates.

An air infiltration inspection will determine how tightly your home is sealed. If there is a significant amount of outside air leaking in, the size of your HVAC system may need to be larger to insure proper heating and cooling. A typical 2 ton air conditioning unit will do a fine job cooling a 1200 square foot home but if that home is not sealed well you may need a 2.5 ton unit. Manufacturers recommend 1 ton per 600 square feet of living space but as we learned through our years of experience, one size does not fit all.

If you choose a unit that is too big for your home, you could be wasting your hard-earned energy dollars because your equipment is short-cycling. This also wears out your system’s components more quickly.   Ask us about how to get the HVAC system that is the right size for you.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

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

What Homeowners Need to Know About SEER Ratings

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

SEER is an acronym for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. In basic terms, it is a measurement of how much energy  an air conditioner, furnace or hot water heater uses during operation. The higher the SEER rating, the less electric  that is required to power the unit. The government is trying to reduce the use of electricity across the country and is offering tax rebates for the purchase of equipment with  high SEER ratings.

There is a technical formula that is used to determine the SEER rating but  all the typical homeowner really  needs to know is  the higher the rating the less you will be paying to run the equipment. Air conditioners and water heaters will eventually pay for themselves if you purchase the models with the highest SEER ratings  but be prepared to    pay a premium for the unit. The most energy efficient equipment is also generally the most expensive.

A good SEER rating for an air conditioning unit is 15 or higher, which will qualify you for a $400 rebate from utility companies in New York plus a tax rebate from the  federal government  of up to 30% of the cost of the unit. Your skilled technician here at T.F. O’Brien can help you find an Energy Star unit that will qualify for the savings.

Our technicians will also make sure that your unit lives up to its SEER rating. Too often,  poor installation will compromise the energy efficiency of the unit  and wipe out the savings you should be seeing.  We will make sure this does not happen to you.

The U.S. Department of Energy has a buyer’s guide to help you understand the SEER Ratings and the tax rebates available for purchasing energy saving equipment.   When you are shopping for any appliance be sure to look for the Energy Star label which guarantees that you are buying a product which was designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Last year alone, through the use of Energy Star products, Americans saved $17 billion dollars on their utility bills.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

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

How to Control Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

More and more people are being treated for allergy and asthma symptoms, and experts suspect that poor indoor air quality is one of the reasons. Some studies show that the average person spends as much as 90% of their time inside and that could be contributing to  health problems.

Homes today are being built tight to conserve energy. But, by sealing up the house there is very little fresh air coming in. Improving ventilation and installing air cleaners are practical ways that you can control the quality of your home’s indoor air.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been studying the problem of indoor air pollution and has issued a number of recommendations on how to keep your home safe. Running the vacuum regularly and dusting are practical ways to eliminate potential threats. Proper ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens is also recommended to vent excess moisture from showering and cooking. The EPA also advises not to permit smoking in your home and to store paints and pesticides outside of your living quarters.

Sometimes installing an exhaust fan is not sufficient to improve ventilation in the home. You may need an exchange unit which brings in clean air from the outside as it forces the stale air out. Some of these units can also retain hot or cool air and act as a dehumidifier to eliminate moisture. A T.F. O’Brien technician can determine what size unit would be appropriate for your home. This is also an excellent time to consider installing an electronic air cleaner which will  do a much better job of removing contaminants from the air than the typical furnace filter.

If you  are concerned about the indoor air quality in your home, take the EPA’s Care for Your Air Tour  which goes room by room through the typical house identifying hidden dangers. Here’s a document the EPA put out on caring for your home air.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

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

Good Ventilation Systems Provide Good Indoor Air Quality

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

There is nothing more important than the safety of your family. You would like to think that in the confines of your home, you would have nothing to fear.   However, the is a potential danger lurking right inside your house. Indoor air pollution is more of a threat to most of us than the smog of polluted cities and the only way to protect your loved ones is through proper ventilation systems.

Houses today are built “tight” to keep the air inside from leaking out. The pursuit of energy efficiency, though, has put at risk from stale air that does not circulate properly. The newer homes being built today are more susceptible to mold and mildew and dangerous gases like carbon monoxide or radon.

The telltale signs of poor ventilation are moisture that gathers on the windows, mildew  on walls  and foul odors which linger. A temporary solution can be just opening windows to air the home out.   However, this does not provide conditioned air at the proper humidity, and can actually cause additional problems for your indoor air quality.

A better solution is installation of one of a number of  good ventilation systems.   Our skilled technicians can evaluate your home and recommend which of the available state-of-the-art ventilation systems will work best in your home.  Quality ventilation systems start out at about $500  and will only cost $10-15 per month to operate.

Some of the best ventilation systems on the market today include energy saving features which can capture the warm air before it leaves your home and recycle it into the fresh air coming back in. The new models also have features which can remove moisture from the air which is perfect for New York’s humid summers.

These exchange units usually pay for themselves in a short time because your current heating and air conditioning units will be running less. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has some excellent guides for home ventilation solutions.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

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

UV Lights Help Improve Indoor Air Quality

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

If you think that your home protects you from the dangers of air pollution, think again. In fact, the air inside of your home can be up to 10 times  more polluted than outside air. But you can breathe easier—and improve your indoor air quality—by using UV lights.

UV, which stands for ultraviolet light, works by breaking the molecular bonds of micro-organisms. In simple terms, in destroys the DNA of micro-organism such as:

  • Viruses
  • Germs
  • Spores
  • Fungi
  • Mold
  • Bacteria

Destroying the DNA of these organism results in their swift death or neutralization, which effectively improves indoor air quality.

Even better, making UV lights a part of your air conditioning & heating system is simple. A UV light generating lamp is mounted inside of the duct of a forced air HVAC system. As the air passes through the UV light—which occurs 40-75 times per day—so do the micro-organism. Such repeated exposure to the ultraviolet light effectively destroys these contaminants.

Although standard air filters clean your air of some contaminants, they are ineffective at trapping micro-organism, which are so small they slip right through the filter. Yes, high efficiency filters will capture micro-organisms, but only down to a certain size. In short, you need an HVAC system that incorporates UV lights in order to kill most airborne bacteria and other contaminants.

Having a UV light system is an inexpensive, relatively maintenance-free way for you to improve your indoor air quality. So breathe easy. Ask us about our UV light air purification systems today.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

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

Carbon Monoxide Facts for Homeowners

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless,  silent killer that, unfortunately, is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. The Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that there are approximately 2,100 accidental carbon monoxide poisoning deaths—each  year—in the U.S. But many of these deaths can be prevented with the use of carbon monoxide detectors.

Carbon monoxide is produced with combustion (fuel burning). Items such as gas or oil furnaces, gas clothes dryers, gas water heaters, gas space heaters, gas refrigerators, charcoal grills, fireplaces, gas ranges, and wood burning stoves can be potential sources of deadly carbon monoxide gases.

If your gas, oil, or wood burning appliances are free of malfunctions such as air pressure leaks or airway blockages and are properly vented to the outdoors, you will likely not have a problem with carbon monoxide in your home. (Make sure that you have your fuel burning appliances checked at least once a year by a professional for defects that could lead to carbon monoxide leaks).

But even if you keep up on such maintenance, there’s always a danger that your fuel burning appliances will malfunction without your awareness and release carbon monoxide gases. This is why carbon monoxide detectors are essential to your family’s health and safety.

Carbon monoxide detectors are easy to install and they offer you superb protection against carbon monoxide poisoning. Follow these tips when installing carbon monoxide detectors:

  • Install one detector outside of each bedroom or individual sleeping area.
  • Call your local fire department and ask what number you should call if the alarm on the detector sounds. Post this number beside the telephone or other easy-to-find location.
  • Test the alarm on the detector at least once a month.
  • Change the batteries in the detector once a year. (Many people change the batteries with the time change—either in the spring or in the fall—so that they never forget).

If your carbon monoxide detectors’ alarms sound:

  • Move everyone outside—immediately.
  • Call the phone number provided by your local fire department
  • Call a certified technician to inspect all of your fuel burning appliances

So if you have any fuel burning appliances, buy one, or several, carbon monoxide detectors. It’s the only chance you have of detecting this odorless, colorless,  deadly gas.

High Efficiency Boilers Cut Energy Costs

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

Do you have a steam or hot water heating system? Do you rely on an old, inefficient boiler to heat that water that heats your home? Do you cringe every time you open your heating bill?  Did you know that high efficiency boilers cut energy costs?

It’s true. You can save a considerable amount of money on your energy bill by switching to a high efficiency boiler.

Two Types of Boilers

Boilers heat water for use in heating systems. There are two basic types of boilers:

1.  Steam boilers, which transports the steam to steam radiators

2.  Hot water boilers, which sends the water to baseboard radiators, radiant floor systems, or a coil system

Because steam boilers operate at higher temperatures than do their hot water counterparts, they are a little less efficient than hot water boilers. However, high efficiency boilers come in both steam and hot water models.

Understanding Efficiency Ratings of Boilers

The annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) tells you how efficient “high efficiency boilers” really are. The AFUE is calculated by taking the total heat output of the boiler compared to the total energy consumption of the unit. For instance, an AFUE of 90 means that 90 percent of the fuel’s energy is used to heat your home. (Only 10 percent of the fuel’s energy is wasted).

Finding the AFUE of high efficiency boilers is easy. By law, the AFUE must be displayed on all new boilers. Just keep these facts in mind:

·                 The higher the AFUE, the higher the efficiency level of the boiler.

·                 Mid-efficiency boiler will have an AFUE of 80% to 89%.

·                 High efficiency boilers will have an AFUE of 90% to 97%.

·                 The minimum allowable AFUE for a fossil-fueled boiler is 80 percent.

·                 The minimum allowable AFUE for a steam boiler is 75 percent.

If you want to save a lot of money on your energy bills this winter, without sacrificing comfort, buy a high efficiency boiler. You’ll be glad that you did.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

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

Save this Winter with a High Efficiency Furnace

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

Winter is almost here and so are your heating bills. Unfortunately, your heating bills can take quite a chunk out of your finances. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the majority of your energy bills are spent on heating your home. Given this statistic, it makes sense that you would want save money on your heating bills. But  can you?

Yes, you can—if you buy a high efficiency furnace.

Understanding the Efficiency Rating of High Efficiency Furnaces

Before you go shopping for a high efficiency furnace, you need to know the efficiency rating that all furnaces now display.

The efficiency rating of furnaces is called the AFUE which stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency. The AFUE measures how efficiently the unit uses its fuel during a typical year. It does this by calculating the total heat output of the furnace compared to the amount of energy the furnace consumed.

For instance, if you see a furnace with an AFUE of 90 percent, that means that 90 percent of the fuel’s energy becomes heat for the home and the remaining 10 percent of the energy escapes up the chimney or elsewhere. High efficiency furnaces with AFUE’s of 90 percent are highly efficient and, as such, will save you money on your heating bills.

Buying a High Efficiency Furnace

Finding a furnace’s AFUE rating is not difficult. By law, new furnaces must prominently display their AFUE. But there are a couple of facts that you should know:

  • The higher the AFUE, the more energy efficient the furnace is.
  • High efficiency furnaces (fossil-fueled) will have AFUEs of between 90 and 97 percent.
  • Mid efficiency gas furnaces will have AFUEs of between 80 and 85 percent.
  • The minimum allowable AFUE rating for a warm-air, fossil-fueled furnace today is 78.
  • Electric furnaces will have AFUEs of between 95 and 100 percent because no energy is lost up the chimney or flue. However, the skyrocketing cost of electricity may make an electric furnace a poor choice if you want to save money on your heating bills.
  • High efficiency gas furnaces are capable of using 30 percent less fuel than their older counterparts.

Buying high efficiency furnaces can save Long Island residents a lot of money on their heating bills. So, if you’re considering a replacement, consider a high efficiency furnace.   It will save you money now and into the future.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

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