Articles from October 2010

Source: http://www.starqualityair.com
Date: September 9, 2010
According to Energy Star, the average household spends about $2,000 annually on utility bills.  Almost half of this amount comes from heating and cooling your home.  Installing a programmable thermostat is an inexpensive and simple way to save money on your heating and cooling expense.  On average a properly installed programmable thermostat can save you $180 per year.

The key to a programmable thermostat is to maintain specific temperature settings according to your family’s schedule that allow for savings without sacrificing comfort.  A heating and cooling specialist can help you establish a program that automatically reduces heating and cooling in your home when you are not at home and do not need as much heating or cooling.  Example schedules include:

7 day – provides a schedule that is similar every day of the week

5+2 day – provides a setting for weekdays and another for weekends

5-1-1 day – one schedule for weekdays, and one for Saturdays and Sundays

These automatic settings not only help eliminate unneccessary heating and cooling, but are also very convenient.  Imagine your home’s temperature automatically adjusting to your liking before you go to bed at night and then again before you return home from school or work.  When you are away, the temperature will adjust to reduce the amount of heating or cooling to save energy.  A couple of things to remember:

1. Properly setting your thermostat is the key to energy savings – programmable thermostats have many complex settings and features, maximize its potential by allowing  a professional to set your thermostat properly.
2. Make sure your thermostat is installed properly by a professional to ensure accurate settings and saving potential – when installing a programmable thermostat, there are proper guidelines to consider for safety and proper operation.  It is best to contact an HVAC professional to install your thermostat.
3. Choose the right thermostat for you and your family – there are many types of programmable thermostats, talk to your Mechanics heating and cooling professional at 770-425-0000 for advice on which model is for you.

Source: http://www.starqualityair.com
Date: October 1, 2010

You want your home to be safe, secure, and comfortable. You want it to be warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and to not cost you a fortune in the process. But what if the very system that brings you this security is also a breeding ground for serious health issues?

Don’t pack up just yet. There could be a low cost, easy solution. “The more your ‘sealed’ home is for energy efficiency, the more germs, pollutants, and allergens it’s keeping in,” says Noah of Star Quality Air Conditioning. “In order to maintain humidity and temperature levels, the same air is continuously recycled throughout a home. This increases comfort, but it can also increase health risks. Breathing certain mold spores can cause illness – or even death – and they can develop inside the dark and damp environments of your duct system.”

In fact, indoor air can be up to 70 times more polluted than the air outside your home. So what can you do? Star Quality Air Conditioning recommends these measures for maintaining a healthy home:

• Have ventilation systems cleaned annually to help eliminate dirt and mold growth. A qualified technician should check to be sure that all return air is run through the filter system.
• Verify that the filter system meets size requirements for peak operation.
• Ask about purification devices that can eliminate condensed moisture from the air conditioning systems. Technology has yielded many inexpensive, easy solutions.

Noah told us “You don’t have to choose comfort or health. You can have both for your family. It’s simply a matter of taking minor precautions. ”These precautions are part of Star Quality Air Conditioning’s effort to educate the public. Star Quality Air Conditioning wants to show homeowners certain energy and health saving techniques that can save hundreds of dollars in needless expenditures each season.

You can get a free indoor energy survey and more tips on maintaining a healthy home by calling Mechanics Heating and Air Conditioning at 770-425-0000. “What better way to celebrate being a heating and cooling professional than to offer real benefits to our customers and community? That’s what being in service is all about,” says Noah.

Source: http://www.starqualityair.com
Date: October 13, 2010

The air filter in your home’s air conditioning system is extremely important but is often neglected.  In order to ensure proper filtration you need to think about 3 things: correct filter size, MERV ratings, and your individual needs.  For example, do you have pets? or allergies? Would you prefer disposables or a permanent filter? There are many types of air filters available but once you decided what fits your family the most, it’s really simple.

The first step is to make sure that you know the correct filter size for your system.  Using a filter that is too small or too big will not filter properly.  Air pressure inside the system presses the air filter against the frame of the filter slot which acts as a seal so that air will not leak around the edges.  All you have to do is make sure that the filter size fits into the slot and is large enough to touch all four sides of the frame.

You can usually find the nominal filter size printed on the filter itself.  It is important to remember that the nominal filter size is not the same as the actual filter size.  The nominal dimensions are usually slightly larger than the actual filter dimensions.

The next step is understand how filters are rated.  The MERV (Minimum Efficiency Rating Value) developed by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) is an industry standard rating system that allows you to compare filters made by different manufacturers. The rating scale values range from 1 (lowest efficiency) to 20 (highest efficiency) and represents how well the air filter collects and holds particles of a specified size range.

Finally, when choosing the proper air filter for your home you must decide if you prefer a throwaway filter, a washable/reusable filter, or an electronic air cleaner.  Disposable air filters are generally inexpensive and need to be replaced every month to three months depending on the filter and the environment in the home.

Washable filters are a little more costly upfront but they can be reused for a number of years before replacing.  These filters are designed to be cleaned/washed every month to three months.

Electronic air filters are permanent fixtures in the heating and cooling system and require an electrical connection.  They are more expensive than any other type of air filter but are very effective at removing particles from the air. Electronic air cleaners polarize the air particles and collect them on a disposable low-static polarized media pad.  To ensure long-term effectiveness, you must be regularly clean the unit and replace the filter pads.