What to Do If Your AC Stops WorkingYour A/C is an important component of your Long Island home, keeping you cool in the summer months. When your air conditioner malfunctions, your first reaction may be to call for service. And while you may need to, there are some things you can check yourself first. Continue reading “Your Malfunctioning Air Conditioner: Easy Troubleshooting Tips”
Reduce Heating and Cooling Bills with a Sealed HomeWhile some air leaks are noticeable enough to create an uncomfortable draft, your home probably has air leaks in hidden places you don’t even know about. To create a tight seal in the home’s outer envelope and improve energy efficiency, you need to find and fix leaks where they are most prominent: in the walls, the attic floor, and the basement ceiling. Continue reading “Those Pesky Air Leaks In Your Long Island Home: Find Them, And Fix Them”
Are You Getting Higher Energy Bills? Learn Why It Might Be HappeningIf your home comfort is not up to par, it will generally result in an unpleasant living environment that leaves you feeling stressed and uncomfortable. When decreased home comfort combines with high energy bills, look to the following three possible problem areas in your home. Then, take action to remedy the problem. Continue reading “Diminished Home Comfort And High Energy Costs? 3 Possible Problems”
Reduce the Dry Air in Your Home More Effectively
Excessively dry indoor air is uncomfortable and even unhealthy. It can also cause damage to wood furniture and musical instruments. The solution is a whole house humidifier that can keep the air at an ideal relative humidity. Continue reading “How Whole House Humidifiers Differ From Portable Models”
Ductwork is a Key Component of a Comfortable Long Island HomeThe ductwork of your HVAC system is the pathway through which heated or cooled air travels to reach all points around your home. Ducts that leak reduce the overall efficiency of your HVAC systems and significantly impact home comfort. But sealing leaky ducts can create optimal performance conditions. Continue reading “Sealing Leaky Ducts Can Significantly Improve HVAC Efficiency”
Flow of Warm Air is Dependent on Clean and Clear DuctworkIf you notice changes in the temperature in your home, such as a cooler than usual temperature in the wintertime, you might be experiencing the ill effects of neglected ducts. You might be surprised to find how far a little duct maintenance goes toward improving your home comfort. Continue reading “How Efficiently Your Furnace Allows Warm Air To Circulate Through Your Home Depends On Your Duct Maintenance”
There are Simple Things You Can Do to Reduce Indoor PollutantsMany of the contaminants that pass through your household air can end up settling in the various components of your HVAC system, such as your ductwork. With proper duct maintenance, however, you can reduce the presence of these contaminants in your home. With that in mind, here are five easy steps to help keep your ducts free of contamination: Continue reading “Maintain Your Ducts And Keep Them Free Of Contaminants In Five Easy Steps”
Leaks 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:
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!
New York weather is extreme. The winters can be frigid. The summers can bring unexpected heat waves. Because New Yorkers face a wide range of temperatures, our homes must be ready for anything. One important aspect to a comfortable, energy-efficient home is having a good attic ventilation system in place. Continue reading “Attic Ventilation Increases Efficiency And Comfort”
Forced-air heating and cooling systems are useless without ductwork. After all, ducts distribute the heated and cooled air throughout your home. However, if your ducts are improperly sealed you could be losing much of that air through gaps and cracks. And that means your family is living in rooms that aren’t as comfortable as they could be. Continue reading “Duct Sealing Goes A Long Way”
