Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating. Older Equipment may be rated 8 or 10 SEER. In 2006 the EPA required new production equipment to meet a 13 SEER minimum. Equipment that meets the Energy Tax Credit is usually 14, 15, or 16 SEER depending on the type of system. Each improvement in SEER rating reduces energy usage… Continue reading Question: What is a SEER?
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a fairly new issue to the Heating and Cooling Industry. Clean air in your home is not a given. Often the air in a Home can be contaminated with Dust, Pollen, Mold, Mildew, and Allergens. Often family members with sinus issues fair worse indoors than out. This could be a… Continue reading Question: What is IAQ?
Got a hail damaged roof? You may want to look at your Air Conditioner. Sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious, often overlooked; hail damage can be significant. It can reduce the efficiency of your Air Conditioning System costing you $$$$$. It can also reduce the life of your equipment, requiring early replacement. First check the top for… Continue reading Question: We had a big hail storm. Can hail damage affect my air conditioning system?
Customers on our Planned Maintenance Program find that it’s better to have us check their Systems at the start of the Cooling and the Heating season than to do nothing. We’ll check what needs to be checked, clean what needs to be cleaned, suggest what needs to be done to get you ready. Most Planned… Continue reading Question: Should I use a Professional for Preventive Maintenance?
Typical life cycle for a Heating and Cooling System is 15 to 20 years. Usually they start having parts replacement issues at around 10 years and more serious problems as they near the end of their life cycle. If you are facing an expensive repair, say a compressor replacement or a furnace heat exchanger, you… Continue reading Question: When should I plan to change out my Heating and Air Conditioning Equipment?
I drove my ’71 Chevy until 2005. When I replaced it, my gas mileage improved enough to pay for the new one in reduced fuel cost. If your Heating and Air Conditioning System is older, you can probably pay for an upgrade with reduced energy cost over the next several years. I’ve seen some old… Continue reading Question: What does the new higher efficiency equipment mean in terms of $$$$$
Significant improvements in tankless water heaters have come in the last few years. Higher efficiencies and better systems can be custom tailored to fit your needs. The benefits are obvious. The tankless only heats when there someone turns on the hot water. This reduces the cost VS. a tank type heater. This is especially true… Continue reading Question: Should I change to a Tankless Water Heater?
A dual Fuel System combines a Heat Pump with a conventional Gas/Electric System. In the Heating Mode, the heat pump will be used until the temperature outside drops below about 35ºF. Below 35º, the system will switch to gas. Comfort wise, this type of system is the best of both worlds; combining the energy efficiency… Continue reading Question: What about Dual Fuel heating systems?
Fall is in the air! The heat is gone and it really feels good to finally get some cooler temperatures. The leaves are turning and it’s cold at night. So far, daytime temperatures have not quite been cold enough to need the furnace or heat pump — but heating season is just around the corner.… Continue reading Check out the heat early!
Checking safety and operating controls on a gas furnace is important for your family’s safety. Having the heat pump checked out may save you from finding out you have a problem when you get that first heating bill. A checkup with Foothills Mechanical is cheap insurance. We will check the safety and operating controls, heat… Continue reading Question: Should I have my heating system serviced this year?
