Tag: ventilation systems

What is a Heat Recovery Ventilator?

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

Heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) are among the most energy-efficient ventilation systems available. They pull fresh air inside, filtering it while expelling stale air. They also essentially “recapture” the energy of the outgoing, stale air and “give” it to the incoming air. Typical heat recovery ventilators can recycle about 85 percent of this warm or cool energy, taking strain off your HVAC system. There are a plenty of HRV models that attach to pre-existing ductwork.

Heat recovery ventilators accomplish the heat exchange inside the heat exchanger core, where the currents of incoming fresh air and outgoing stale air both pass. This is where the energy is collected and saved. The two different air flows, however, do not cross.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American Lung Association recommend HRVs as some of the best ventilation systems on the market to improve indoor air quality and health. If you achieve energy savings with a tightly sealed home, your indoor air is probably not well circulated, leading to indoor pollution.

Heat recovery ventilators reduce indoor pollution from common factors including:

  • Off-gassing and fumes from building materials and carpets.
  • Fumes from household cleaners.
  • Excess humidity.
  • Mold, allergens, dust, and airborne bacteria and viruses.
  • Carbon dioxide exhaled by residents (each person exhales about 1 kg per day).

Fresh, filtered air can lead to vast improvements for many individuals plagued by recurring issues such as respiratory problems, headaches, allergies, lethargy and more.

Pre-installed ventilation systems in houses such as bathroom fans and stovetop fans can only go so far. These expel some heat, humidity and fumes, but also pull in pollutants from outside, dust particles from the attic, humidity, and radon, the second cause of lung cancer in the US after cigarettes. Opening windows won’t filter the  air or maintain your indoor temperature, but will strain your HVAC system

In the ongoing quest for energy efficiency, heat recovery ventilators are good investments, and can extend the life span of your HVAC system. If you’re thinking about improving your indoor air quality and want expert advice, feel free to call the professionals at  T. F. O’Brien. We’re happy to help.

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

Choosing a Programmable Thermostat

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

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.

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.

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 put together an excellent guide for home ventilation solutions.   To get it,  click here.

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.