R-410A Chlorine-Free Refrigerant

1½- to 5-Ton Cooling Capacity

Outstanding Warranty Protection

The Amana^® brand ASX13 Air conditioner uses the chlorine free refrigerant R-410A. The compressor and functional parts in your new 13 SEER air conditioning system are covered by a 10-Year Parts Limited Warranty. For a full description of this product warranty, please click on the consumer brochure or product warranty links above.

Product Features

• R-410A chlorine-free refrigerant
• Energy-efficiency scroll compressor
• Copeland® ComfortAlert diagnostic
• Factory-installed filter drier
• High-density foam compressor sound blanket
• Amana brand sound control top for quiet operation
• Long-lasting Amana brand quality and durability
• AHRI certified; ETL listed

The owner of this central air conditioning system will appreciate the energy saving and money saving comfort that this product delivers. Further, the unit features an attractive louvered metal coil guard that protects the coil from damage plus a powder-paint finish that provides premium durability and improved UV protection.

* Complete warranty details available from your local dealer or by clicking on the Product Warranty link above. To receive the 10-Year Parts Limited Warranty, online registration must be completed within 60 days of installation. Online registration is not required in California or Quebec.

Additional Information

Before purchasing this appliance, read important information about its estimated annual energy consumption, yearly operating cost, or energy efficiency rating that is available from your retailer.

Mechanic’s Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC has done it again!  As of today, Mechanic’s Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC has achieved over 3,800 happy and satisfied customer postings as shown on their website.

See for yourself:

http://www.airconditioningatlanta.com/Mechanic’s Atlanta HVAC Happy Customers Index.htm

The fact that Mechanic’s Heating & Air Conditioning has 3,800 happy customer postings proves the statement, “The Most trusted name in Air Conditioning, Heating and Home Comfort.”

I am sure 4,000 happy customer postings will be here soon.

You can reach Monty G. White, Jr. via email at News@MechanicsResponds.com.

PNNL estimates potential HVAC energy savings for U.S. commercial buildings

PNNL researchers found commercial buildings could substantially cut their power bills if they retrofitted their packaged rooftop heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units, such as those shown here in the Seattle area.

RICHLAND, Wash. – U.S. commercial building owners could save an average of 38 percent on their heating and cooling bills if they installed a handful of energy efficiency controls that make their heating, ventilation and air conditioning, also known as HVAC, systems more energy efficient, according to a recent report from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.  The estimated savings were based on computer modeling and simulation of building energy usage. The controls that could provide these savings are not widely available commercially, but the report’s authors hope their analysis will encourage manufacturers to expand their production.

A Pacific Northwest National Laboratory study found that U.S. commercial building owners could save between 28 and 67 percent on their heating and cooling bills if they added four efficiency controls to their packaged rooftop heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, also known as HVACs. Estimated savings varied according to local climate and energy costs.

“Investing in an American economy that is built to last includes taking advantage of all of America’s energy resources while working to improve efficiency,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “By making heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in buildings more energy efficient, American businesses can save a significant amount of money by saving energy.”

Completed for the Department of Energy, the report examines options for improving the efficiency of commercial rooftop systems called packaged HVACs, which combine compressors, fans and heat exchangers into one unit. Packaged HVACs regulate temperatures inside more than 60 percent of the commercial building floor space in the United States, where commercial buildings consume as much energy as about 90 million typical American homes each year. And about 35 percent of that is used by HVAC systems, which are often poorly maintained or ignored, causing them to run inefficiently.

“The potential savings from adding advanced controls to existing packaged air conditioners with gas furnaces is enormous,” said PNNL engineer Srinivas Katipamula, who led the study. “The estimated savings depend on local climate and energy prices and range from a whopping 67 percent cost savings in San Francisco to a still-substantial 28 percent in Seattle.”

For the report, Katipamula and his PNNL colleagues considered implementing four different control methods to existing rooftop packaged HVACs:

• Air-side economizers use cool outside air to chill the building instead of creating cool air with the HVAC compressor. Some building codes already require cooling systems to include these, unlike the three other controls examined by the PNNL team.
• Supply fan speed controls slow or speed up the ventilation fan that circulates the building’s air based on whether or not a desired temperature or amount of fresh air has been reached instead of continually running the fan at full speed.
• Cooling capacity controls run the HVAC compressor at different speeds based on need.
• Demand-controlled ventilation slows or speeds up fans and air intake based on carbon dioxide levels inside the building instead of running ventilation fans at a constant rate.

The study team tracked the effects of using these methods with a building energy simulation software called EnergyPlus. The software created computer simulations that took into account 15 climate zones in 16 major U.S. cities.

They studied four types of commercial buildings: small offices of 5,500 square feet, stand-alone retail buildings of 25,000 square feet, strip malls of 22,500 feet and supermarkets of 45,000 square feet. More than 1,400 different simulations estimated the potential savings in electricity used to power fans and cooling compressors, as well as the gas used to produce heat. Energy savings were then translated into dollars and cents.

Different climates, different controls

In general, the researchers found that installing a multi-speed fan control had the greatest impact on energy savings in hot cities such as Miami. And demand-controlled ventilation created the best possible energy savings in colder cities such as Chicago, Duluth and Seattle.

The team reasoned that because ventilation fans generate some heat when they move, slowing fans with multi-speed fan control in hot climates could reduce the amount of chilling needed. And in colder climates, they suspected that demand-controlled ventilation prevents unnecessarily sending warm air outside, which then prompts HVAC system to create more warm air to maintain desired temperatures inside.

Big savings

When the research team added up all the numbers, they found the best possible percentage cost savings was 67 percent, which could occur when all four controls are added to a rooftop packaged HVAC at a small office building in San Francisco. And the minimum percentage cost savings was 28 percent and could come from adding all four controls to a supermarket in Seattle. The table below shows the team’s calculations on each building types’ average cost savings.

Their research also showed that Fairbanks, Alaska, could be home to the maximum annual dollar savings for all four building types. Fairbanks could experience savings as high as $52,217 per year at a supermarket and as low as $923 at a small office. The team reasoned that Fairbanks’ dollar-saving advantage was due to its cold climate, which benefits more from the decreased ventilation that occurs with demand-controlled ventilation, as well as the city’s relatively high energy costs. The table below shows the average dollar savings that each building type could experience by installing all four controls.

But savings weren’t limited to cash and energy use. The team also found that a substantial amount of carbon emissions could be avoided if HVAC energy efficiency is increased. As many as sixteen 200-MW coal power plants — which generate enough energy to power 3,000 to 4,000 American homes — could sit idle if just half of the nation’s packaged rooftop HVAC units on commercial buildings were retrofitted with controls, the simulations revealed.

Return on investment

Three companies currently manufacturer HVAC controllers, but only one company offers a product with all the control options that resemble the team’s simulations, Katipamula said. To help the manufactures better understand their market, the report also examines potential prices for the controllers and how long it would take for building owners to recoup that cost.

Based on the estimated dollar savings, the team predicted a building owner could recoup his or her investment in a few years. For example, they looked at adding supply fan speed control and demand-controlled ventilation to a supermarket. If that store spends $7,523 to equip its HVAC system, it would see a return in three years, while it would take the same supermarket five years to see a return if the controls had a higher price tag of $12,539.

“Our report makes a convincing case for manufacturers to produce more advanced HVAC controllers and for building owners to adopt these energy-saving methods,” Katipamula said.

Next, the team will test the estimated savings in the field. They’re installing controllers into HVAC systems used on two rooftop units at an office building on PNNL’s own campus in Richland, Wash. They’re also planning to install several controllers in various commercial buildings across the United States. Once installed, the controllers will allow the researchers to measure real energy and costs savings.

The PNNL team will also expand its simulations to include more variables, such as looking at heat pumps to calculate potential energy savings. Heat pumps are more common in mild climates than the gas furnaces simulated for this report.

This research was funded by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Image Credits:  Some rights reserved by PNNL – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Source: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/19Pfo)

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Progressive hosted the monthly meeting of NARI Los Angeles recently at the Progressive Learning Center in Chatsworth. Aryn Siebers of CSI: Construction Services & Inspections spoke of the benefits of whole house performance to the NARI members gathered.

One of the guiding principles of whole house performance is the first step of reducing excess energy usage before determining how much energy needs to be produced for the house. This in keeping with the California PUC’s goal of all new homes producing as much energy as they use for a zero energy environment. The PUC hopes to accomplish this goal by 2020 with advanced insulation systems being the number one component.

Seibers also noted that every contractor needs to be involved in the process of educating consumers to the need for reducing excess energy use through whole house performance. Educated homeowners become wise purchasers of remodeling services.

Steve Anderson, President of Progressive, pointed to the great changes that are taking place in the building and remodeling industry, mostly mandated by state building code. Being required to do things differently doesn’t mean that either the contractor or homeowner thinks about why we are doing it differently. It is the responsibility of those who know to educate those who do not know.

Even though consumers tend to be price driven, when they see the connection of whole house performance to significant factors like health concerns or energy efficiency, they are usually willing to consider the story behind the connection. For example, it is helpful to know that the medical field actually prescribes home upgrades as a means of combating poor air quality in the home.

A growing group of respiratory therapists understand that poor indoor air quality contributes to asthma, allergies and other respiratory issues. Some homes have indoor air quality that is from three to five times worse than outside air. Those homes are like thermos containers holding in the worst elements to create a very low quality of living-space air, which can aggravate health problems.

The concepts of energy efficiency from whole house performance are new. Many are still trying to grasp the whole. That makes education the most important job. One of the compelling truisms that Anderson shares is, “People don’t know what they don’t know.” That means that those who have some knowledge about whole house performance need to take the time to train others, from partner contractors to residential homeowners, to see a different perspective.

Contractors and Partners interested in using the Progressive Learning Center for continuing education may call Progressive at 818.709.0988. Convenient location, parking and accessibility make the center an excellent resource for educational or organizational training.

About NARI
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry is the voice of the Professional Remodeling Industry and the only nonprofit trade association specifically dedicated to the professional remodeling industry. NARI has 58 chapters nationwide and has enjoyed a sizeable growth period during the past decade. In 2000, NARI moved its national headquarters from Alexandria, Virginia, to Des Plaines, Illinois, and as the Voice of the Remodeling IndustryTM, continues to prosper.

About CSI:Construction Services & Inspections
Construction Services & Inspections (CSI) is a creative group of professionals dedicated to striking a sensible balance between economic and environmental payback that justifies energy retrofitting and green building solutions in the rapidly growing building performance industry.

About Progressive Insulation & Windows
Progressive Insulation & Windows is an Energy Upgrade California Participating Contractor and services Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura & Riverside Counties. Taking the lead in whole house performance and energy efficiency, Progressive has provided best in class service to hundreds of satisfied customers for the past 34 years. Check our reviews on Angie’s List. For more information on home performance visit http://www.ProgressiveIW.com or call 800-500-6200.

Choosing the best air filter for your home from FiltersFast.com protects your family from pollen and pet dander that can trigger intense symptoms for allergy sufferers.

Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) April 17, 2012

If you are purchasing your air filters from your local home improvement store, you could be making your allergies worse! Experts contend that we are experiencing one of the most dangerous allergy seasons in decades for those who suffer from allergies and asthma. Choosing the best air filter for your home protects your family from pollen and pet dander that can trigger intense symptoms for allergy sufferers. The fiberglass air filters sold in home improvement stores are usually rated at a less than 7 MERV rating. MERV is a rating used in the air filtration industry to measure the ability of an air filter to reduce small particles like dust, pollen and dander in the air. MERV is an acronym that stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. The higher the rating, the smaller the particles the filter removes from your indoor air.

“Many people suffer from allergies and do not realize that they can take control of their indoor air quality by using a high efficiency air filter. MERV 13 air filters are the highest recommended air filtration level for most residential applications. It is especially important that allergy sufferers have at least a MERV 8 filter. In fact, at FiltersFast.com, we don’t even sell filters with less than a MERV 8 rating!” says Cartier King, Filtersfast.com Air Filtration Specialist certified by the National Air Filtration Association.

According to experts at Filtersfast.com, the industry leader on air filtration issues, there are different levels of measurement for an air filter’s ability to remove particles of various sizes.
1. MERV 1 to 7 Filters. These filters provide minimal filtration. They are typically disposable fiberglass or synthetic panel filters within a cardboard frame and have to be replaced quite frequently.
2. MERV 8 Filters. This range of air filters will reduce pollen, pet dander, dust and other contaminants, as small as 3.0 microns. These air filters are good for capturing dust and mold spores.
3. MERV 11 Filters. Constructed with deep pleated, boxed media or bag filters, these are some of the most efficient air filters used in homes and commercial buildings. They increase efficiency and reduce allergens.
4. MERV 13 to 16 Air Filters. With the ability to trap up to 98% of airborne contaminants such as bacteria, tobacco smoke, cooking oil and droplet nuclei, these air furnace filters will capture allergens as small as 0.3 microns that trigger allergic reactions.

For the best performance of your furnace unit, air filters should be changed every 3 to 6 months depending on indoor air quality and usage.Get more advice for choosing the best air filter for your home during this allergy season at http://www.filtersfast.com.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebfiltersfast/042012/prweb9407550.htm

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.

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.

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.