Tag: energy savings

Faced with Repair or Replace Decision? Some Tips!

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

Is Your Furnace Not Doing the Job Any More? Things to Think About:

Homeowners often face the decision of whether to repair or replace their furnace. Before making this important decision, answer the following questions:

  • Is your system in overall good condition? If so, it might be more cost- effective to repair it.
  • How long are you planning to live in your home? If you are moving within a couple of years, evaluate whether a new system will increase the value of your home. If the cost outweighs the investment value, consider repair. If you are planning on living in your home for many more years, consider the benefits of a more energy efficient system.
  • Have you addressed insulation and duct work? Proper insulation and seals can save up to 20 percent on your energy costs.
  • Are you using a programmable thermostat? A programmable thermostat can save up to 30 percent in energy costs.
  • Have you performed the Home Energy Yardstick? Use this tool to score your home’s energy efficiency.

Consider repairing if:

  • Your system is less than 15 years old.
  • The repair is under $500.
  • The overall condition of your system is good.
  • Your energy bills are reasonable and not concerning.
  • Your Home Energy Yardstick score is 5 or above.

Consider replacing if:

  • Your system is over 15 years old.
  • Your system needs frequent repairs.
  • Your Home Energy Yardstick score is less than 5. If the energy savings of a more efficient unit will cover all or part of your investment, consider replacing it.
  • Your utilities costs are constantly rising.
  • You are concerned about air quality. Consider replacement with an energy-efficient system that can reduce the potential for air contaminants like mold, bacteria, and dust.

A general rule of thumb that can be helpful in deciding whether to repair or replace your furnace is to add up your energy costs for the past winter and multiply by 20 percent. Divide that number into the cost of buying and installing. This is an estimate of how many years it will take to recoup your investment.

Of course, you can also count on T.F. O’Brien for expert advice on repairing vs. replacing your furnace. We can walk you through the options and help you make an educated decision. Call us if we can help.

Choosing a Programmable Thermostat

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

Save Energy and Maintain Comfort With Programmable Thermostats

Programmable thermostats may be  the most intelligent household devices you can purchase for your home.  They pay dividends the first day you use them and features on newer devices go far beyond just temperature settings. Prices vary, but the choice to switch to programmable is not difficult once you know about the features and energy savings possible with these units.

So, what does a programmable thermostat do?

A programmable thermostat raises and lowers the temperature in your home all based on your energy requirements. For example, in the winter, we recommend you set your programmable thermostat on the low side after midnight because you’re in bed anyway.

Thermostats use different rules on different days so that the temperatures fit your daily activities. Here are three common programs:

7-day: You program each separate day of the week.
5+2 day: This has a Monday through Friday program , plus a weekend program.
5+1+1-day: Monday through Friday, plus separate Saturday and Sunday programs.

Lots of features are available in newer models, such as controls for humidifiers, dehumidifiers, ventilation systems, and the ability to set the thermostat remotely. You can get reminders for filter changes, your UV filters and just about any issue connected to your heating, cooling and humidification systems.

Carrier®’s Infinity Control programmable thermostat, which we consider our best thermostat, can adjust temperatures in up to eight different zones.  That makes it easy to save money by cutting back on heating and air conditioning in sections of your home that aren’t used as much or seem to naturally be warmer or cooler on their own. Bonus rooms built above a garage to serve as an office, but are hard to heat and cool, are perfect for this precise programming.

Of course, you want to choose a programmable thermostat that fits your system. The professionals at  T.F. O’Brien are happy to discuss the options and offer expert advice. Call us if we can help.

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 to Look for in a Preventive Maintenance Agreement

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

Regular HVAC Maintenance Will Save You Money on Repairs and Energy

Many homeowners fail to purchase a preventive maintenance agreement on their heating and cooling system because of cost issues.  The truth is, not purchasing an annual maintenance agreement can end up costing you even more in the long run.

A system that is well maintained on a timely basis ensures that your unit is running at peak performance – which means energy savings, and a lower utility bill for the homeowner.  Breakdowns and even small repairs can add up to a substantial amount of money. Because you never know when something unexpected may happen, these things can disrupt your life as well.  Imagine a major breakdown in the middle of winter on Long Island.  Through annual maintenance, the chances of something like this occurring are greatly reduced.

What should you look for in a preventive maintenance agreement?

  • Check to make sure that the various elements of your system get a “tune-up”.  This may include adjusting bypass dampers, operating pressures and thermostat calibration.
  • Flues, heat exchangers, evaporator coils, fan blades, start and run capacitors and delays and combustion air should be checked on each inspection.
  • Other components need regular cleaning, such as the combustion chamber, burners, condenser coils, evaporator drains and filters.
  • Amperage draw, gas input, voltage variances and temperature differences should be measured to ensure that all are working properly.

The benefits of an annual maintenance agreement are many.  A heat and air system is a big investment, one that you want to last for many years.  Having a preventive maintenance agreement to keep your unit in good working order means that you will save money, improve the efficiency of your system, save on repairs that are needed, and be able to depend on having heat and air when you need it most.

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.

A Professional Evaluation Can Be Your First Step to Energy Savings

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

We all want to save money on our utility bills. It can be a shock to see the total on your bill in the sweltering summer season or the freezing winter. For New Yorkers, temperature extremes are a fact of life – but high energy bills do not have to be.

In order to keep more of your hard-earned money, you need to make sure your home is energy efficient. It can be very complicated to locate all the areas of your home that need an energy tune-up, then decide the best way to fix them. The good news is that you don’t have to take care of this on your own. Just call your local home energy expert for an energy savings consultation and home evaluation.

Your Home Energy Audit

Using specialized equipment, a certified professional will walk through your home and also inspect the inner workings of your heating, cooling and ventilation systems. HVAC inspectors are trained to spot areas in your home that are not properly insulated and locate any wasteful or potentially dangerous leaks in your system. They can also alert you to small problems before they turn into big repair bills.

In just a few minutes, you will have the results of your energy audit – a concise list of issues that are standing between you and big energy savings. After assessing your home’s energy needs, the inspector will recommend simple, straightforward solutions to improve your home’s energy efficiency. At this point, you will have an estimate of the amount you could save on your monthly 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.

Benefits of a Whole-House Humidifier

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

Dry Air Can Have an Affect on Your Home and Family

We all know that dry air can be uncomfortable.  Your skin gets dry and itchy, your lips get chapped, static electricity makes your clothes and hair do funny things; and even breathing doesn’t always feel great.  But did you know that low humidity levels can also have several other negative effects?

A whole-house humidifier has many benefits, and they are not just limited to increasing your home comfort:

  • Improve indoor air quality: Proper moisture levels reduce bacteria, viruses, and other irritants and help lower the risk of respiratory infections.
  • Protect your home furnishings: Dry air can be damaging to wood floors, furniture, trim, and musical instruments.  Dry air also tends to be dustier, causing you to clean and vacuum more frequently.
  • Save energy: Dry air feels colder, which will make you turn up the heat in winter, using more energy and costing you money.  The proper humidity level will make you feel warmer and help keep utility bills down.

It is clear that proper humidity levels are important for home comfort, air quality, and energy savings, but why should you consider a whole-house humidifier?

  • Every room will have the same humidity level.
  • You don’t have to maintain several portable humidifiers throughout the house.
  • They do not use a reservoir, so there is no stagnant water available for mold and mildew to grow.
  • They use less energy than portable units, especially in the case of  flow-through humidification systems.
  • The don’t take up valuable space in our home; you don’t even see them!

There are several models and types of whole-house humidification systems available.  The model that is right for your home will depend on your existing heating and air conditioning system, the size of your home, and other factors.  We have a long history of helping our Long Island customers find the best home comfort solutions for their needs,  call us today to learn more about what a whole-house humidifier can do for you.

Tankless Water Heater Facts for Homeowners

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

With an increasing interest in energy  efficient appliances for the home, tankless water heaters are often viewed as an attractive, cost-saving option. While conventional water heaters utilize storage tanks  to hold  the heated water for use, energy loss can occur when these units are operating in standby mode.   Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, heat the water only as it is needed. This saves money by eliminating the potential for energy loss and the associated costs. In fact, ENERGY STAR® estimates that a typical family can save $100 or more per year with an ENERGY STAR qualified tankless water heater.

So, just how do tankless water heaters work? When the hot water tap is engaged, cold water flows into a heat exchanger located inside the tankless unit. If the unit is electric, an electric element heats the water. If it is a gas-fueled unit, a gas burner  provides the energy to heat  the water. It is because of this method that  tankless water heaters are able to  provide an almost continual supply of hot water.

Tankless  water heaters typically  provide hot water at a rate of 2 to 5 gallons (7.6 to 15.2 liters) per minute. Therefore, it is important to first consider how hot water will be utilized before purchasing a tankless unit for your home or business. For example, point-of-use units, or even smaller tankless water heaters, may not be able to keep up with the demand of multiple appliances running at once. For this reason, you may wish to consider installing separate tankless water heaters, or even a whole-house unit to ensure the highest efficiency.

Tankless water heaters  can cost more than conventional storage water heaters. You may find, however,  that any initial cost increase is generally off-set by the energy savings tankless units can provide.

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.

Heat Pump Essentials for Homeowners

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

If you’re a Long Island homeowner using a heat pump to heat and cool your home, you may already know that this equipment offers energy-efficient comfort.   We’d like to go over some heat pump essentials for anyone who’d like more information about this type of HVAC system, or just wants to better understand how their system works.

A heat pump is an efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioning systems.   It’s a reliable way to keep your home comfortable, and it offers significant energy savings for homeowners.   As many of our customers know, heat pumps are an ideal solution because they work well in almost any climate (often as part of a hybrid system for cold climates like ours) and cost a lot less to run than conventional fuel-burning systems.

More good news for your energy budget–a heat pump uses 30-40% less electricity than other types of heating and cooling!

So how does it work?   A heat pump uses a refrigerant to draw heat from outside air and compress it, making it even hotter.   Coils then send the heated air to the blower to be distributed through your home’s ductwork.

This cycle is repeated over and over as the refrigerant cools down and goes back to get more outside air.   The system runs efficiently on electricity so no fossil fuels are burned.   In our opinion, this combination of energy cost savings and fuel conservation is one of the biggest advantages of heat pumps.

A hybrid heat pump allows you to use a fossil-fuel burning furnace as a backup heat source, when outside temperatures go below 30 degrees.   One consideration here is your home’s electrical capacity.

When it comes to heat pumps, there are a few things you should know about how to buy and operate your system for maximum energy efficiency.   Ask us about ratings for energy efficiency, sizing your unit and other factors that will determine which system is right for your home.

Heat pumps offer big energy savings both now and later on down the line.   Get the most comfort at the least cost by choosing the one that’s best for your home, and operate it properly to ensure long life and even better savings.   Contact us for more information about heat pumps, and how to maximize your energy savings and home comfort with this energy-efficient heating system.

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.