Heat Pump Efficiency Ratings – What They Mean to You
Falling leaves and chilly winds are indicative of the changing seasons, which may bring to mind the occasional cold snap that requires a competent heat pump. If your home’s equipped with an old, energy-draining heat pump currently, now might be the time to consider an upgrade, before the federal tax credits expire at the end of 2013. And if you’re shopping for a new heat pump, you’ll want to understand what those heat pump efficiency ratings are really telling you.
What Do Heat Pump Efficiency Ratings Really Mean?
Annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) is the industry term used for heat pump efficiency ratings. The ratings were designed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to give consumers the opportunity to compare different models. (These ratings must now be clearly displayed on new appliances.) The labeling makes it easy to know how adept a heat pump will be at creating heat to warm your home versus how much energy it will need to create the heat.
The AFUE rating reflects a percentage. For example, if a heat pump has an AFUE rating of 75, it means that 75 percent of the fuel’s energy is turned into heat to make your home nice and toasty, while the remaining 25 percent goes to waste through various escape routes.
Though the efficiency rating is useful in your attempt to make an energy efficient heat pump purchase, it doesn’t reveal how much heat may be lost by other means, such as through inefficient ductwork. If you have ducts in unconditioned or partially conditioned areas of your home, like your garage, up to 35 percent of the energy output of the furnace may be wasted.
If you’re in the market for a new heat pump or have questions about efficiency ratings, contact the pros at Cox Heating & Air Conditioning. We’re proud to serve homeowners throughout Palm Harbor and surrounding areas.
How Long Will My Heat Pump Last?
How long will my heat pump last? It’s a common question from homeowners, particularly if the performance of your heat pump last winter wasn’t so hot. Here’s a guide to see if your heat pump is showing signs of its age or if it just needs a little TLC.
How Long Will My Furnace Last?
The life span of a heat pump depends on the care and maintenance it receives, as well as the amount of wear and tear over the years. Salt and moisture in the Clearwater air also plays a part when it comes to corrosion and the quality of the heat pump itself. Generally, heat pumps last about 10 to 15 years. New high-efficiency heat pump may last longer, delivering about the same energy savings of 30 to 40 percent over its life span.
Heat Pump Troubles?
Heat pump troubles become more common toward the end of the heat pump’s life. Even a dirty filter causes more issues than you may realize.
There are several furnace issues that can arise. Components lose efficiency when dirt and grime accumulate.
The best way to troubleshoot heat pump issues is to have it professionally cleaned and inspected. Your HVAC technician can perform a number of checks, balances and inspections, as well as a thorough cleaning.
Sizing Up New Heat Pump Options
There are many benefits of installing a high-efficiency heat pump, such as performance, energy savings and financial incentives like rebates and tax credits to ease the initial investment. To leverage the best installation and performance, work closely with you technician. Ask for a home energy audit to see where you can perform efficiency upgrades, like air sealing and insulating, to maximize comfort and savings.
If you’re wondering, “how long will my heat pump last,” contact the HVAC experts at Cox Air Conditioning & Heating. We proudly serve the heating and cooling needs of homeowners throughout Clearwater and surrounding areas.
Why It’s Important to Avoid Ductwork Obstructions
When a doctor diagnoses clogged arteries, patients know their circulatory system is no longer working efficiently, and changes have to be made. The same is true for your HVAC system’s ductwork. Ducts are the arteries and veins of your forced-air system. Any obstructions will dramatically compromise the system’s efficiency.
When’s the last time you had a duct exam? If you can’t remember, you may want to schedule a duct inspection before you begin relying on your heating system to keep you warm this winter. Here are some of the common problems associated with various ductwork obstructions.
Filter issues
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Dirty filters are the most common source of HVAC airflow obstructions. Make sure you change your air filters regularly, as per the manufacturer’s instructions. This will increase energy efficiency as well as your indoor air quality. A less common filter-related obstruction is when the filter is sucked into the ductwork. This can become a fire hazard if the filter is drawn into the blower assembly fan.
Compromised ducts
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If your ductwork is older, or hasn’t been inspected in the last year or so, you may have duct leaks, insulation obstructions, or disconnections that are negatively affecting your system’s airflow. Leaky duct connections waste significant energy. Insulation can often detach from the lining of the ducts, or fall through leaky connections, causing obstructions. Flex ductwork has to be inspected for dents and collapsed sections that will prevent air from circulating effectively.
Zone dampers
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A zone system is a wonderful way to keep a tighter reign on whole-house comfort. However, the various dampers that control the flow of air can become stuck. If they are stuck in the closed position, they become ductwork obstructions. If they are stuck in the open position, it will compromise the heating and cooling in other areas of the house.
Dirty return air inlets
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The grilles in the return air inlets need to be inspected and cleaned routinely to avoid the accumulation of sediment and debris that can obstruct airflow.
Protect your Tampa-area home from ductwork obstructions by scheduling a duct inspection with Cox Air Conditioning and Heating. We’re the HVAC experts.
Our Brief Guide to Buying a Boiler
When shopping for a boiler you’ll want to understand the differences between boilers and furnaces. Both are responsible for keeping your home warm during cold weather, but they accomplish this through different means. Furnaces warm the home with heated air that is distributed through ductwork, but boilers work by heating steam or water that is distributed to radiators or other systems that utilize its radiant heat to warm your home.
Furnaces and boilers are similar in the method in which they create heat to warm air and water respectively, so they have similar energy efficiency concerns. Both are available in models that use gas- or oil-fueled combustion to create heat or as models that generate it with electrical heating elements. They also have similar lifespans and can be expected to last 15 to 30 years.
Efficiency is an important consideration when buying a boiler because it has a major effect on how much you will have to spend on energy bills. The electrical models are the most energy efficient, but electrical rates in most areas are much higher than those for oil or natural gas, so they are generally the most expensive option. The gas- and oil-fueled models are less efficient because they create gases that need to be exhausted, so some of the heat necessarily escapes with them.
Efficiency is measured by the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating. Older boilers were less than 70 percent efficient, but new high-efficiency models have new features that have enabled them to achieve efficiencies in excess of 98 percent. Some of these features include electric ignition instead of a standing pilot light and a second heat exchanger that extracts latent heat from the exhaust gases through condensation.
Even if your boiler is energy efficient, it’s still possible your home won’t be efficiently heated if it’s not properly insulated and sealed against air leaks. These issues should be dealt with before getting a new boiler because this may allow you to purchase a smaller unit, which is cheaper.
For help buying a boiler in Tampa, Clearwater or surrounding areas, contact us at Cox Air Conditioning & Heating.
When shopping for a boiler you’ll want to understand the differences between boilers and furnaces. Both are responsible for keeping your home warm during cold weather, but they accomplish this through different means. Furnaces warm the home with heated air that is distributed through ductwork, but boilers work by heating steam or water that is distributed to radiators or other systems that utilize its radiant heat to warm your home.
Furnaces and boilers are similar in the method in which they create heat to warm air and water respectively, so they have similar energy efficiency concerns. Both are available in models that use gas- or oil-fueled combustion to create heat or as models that generate it with electrical heating elements. They also have similar lifespans and can be expected to last 15 to 30 years.
Efficiency is an important consideration when buying a boiler because it has a major effect on how much you will have to spend on energy bills. The electrical models are the most energy efficient, but electrical rates in most areas are much higher than those for oil or natural gas, so they are generally the most expensive option. The gas- and oil-fueled models are less efficient because they create gases that need to be exhausted, so some of the heat necessarily escapes with them.
Efficiency is measured by the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating. Older boilers were less than 70 percent efficient, but new high-efficiency models have new features that have enabled them to achieve efficiencies in excess of 98 percent. Some of these features include electric ignition instead of a standing pilot light and a second heat exchanger that extracts latent heat from the exhaust gases through condensation.
Even if your boiler is energy efficient, it’s still possible your home won’t be efficiently heated if it’s not properly insulated and sealed against air leaks. These issues should be dealt with before getting a new boiler because this may allow you to purchase a smaller unit, which is cheaper.
For help buying a boiler in Tampa, Clearwater or surrounding areas, contact us at Cox Air Conditioning & Heating.
What’s the Difference Between a Single-Stage and a Two-Stage Furnace?
The difference between a single-stage furnace and a two-stage furnace is that a single stage can only operate at one speed—it’s either off or on—but a two-stage furnace has two speeds it can operate at. There are numerous benefits that can result from this difference in how a two-stage furnace works.
Most of the benefits you can reap from a two-stage furnace are due to the differences in how it maintains your home at the temperature the thermostat is set at. The only way one-stage furnaces can keep your home at the set temperature is by turning off when the home starts to get too hot and on when it starts to get too cold. This means some amount of temperature swing will occur while it operates. Frequent switching on and off also is less energy efficient and harder on components so they experience increased wear.
On the other hand, the high and low mode that is available with two-stage furnaces gives more options for keeping your home at the set temperature. In mild weather, it may only be necessary for the low mode to operate, so it will be able to run for a longer time before the home starts to surpass the set temperature and it must turn off. As it gets colder out, the low mode may be able to run constantly with the furnace occasionally switching to high mode when necessary to keep the home warm enough. In both cases your home will experience fewer temperature swings and the furnace will be more energy efficient.
To deal with the different amounts of heating that can be provided, two-stage furnaces are paired with variable speed air handlers that can vary the airflow rate. These offer a number of benefits themselves. They are similarly more energy efficient, and they also can help your home’s air quality because there is more often air flowing through the air filter.
If you want more information about a single-stage furnace and a two-stage furnace, contact us at Cox Air Conditioning and Heating. We have been serving Tampa, Palm Harbor, Trinity and nearby areas for more than 50 years.
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