A new refrigerant has emerged in the air conditioning industry that might affect you as a consumer. R410A is the refrigerant that’s replacing R22. That might seem like mumbo-jumbo to you, so Certified Comfort has broken down what it means and how it will affect consumers.

According to Comfort Incorporated, R410A refrigerant was invented in 1991 as an alternative to R22 refrigerant. In the United States, all newly-manufactured air conditioners use R410A refrigerant. R410A refrigerant works at a higher pressure than R22 refrigerant, so new air conditioner parts had to be developed in order to use the new refrigerant. As a result, R410A cannot be used in units that currently use R22 refrigerant. In order to use R410A refrigerant, you must install a new unit.

This chart illustrates how R22 will be phased out over the next few years.

So what do you as a consumer do? First, it’s important to educate yourself on the type of unit you currently have, how much of your energy bill results from keeping your house cool, and if it’s beneficial for you to install a new unit. Keep in mind that R22 refrigerant is less environmentally friendly than its counterpart, one of the main reasons for R22’s phase out. R410A also operates more efficiently than R22.

The best advice we can give consumers is to contact Certified Comfort with questions. We can evaluate your situation, help you understand the logistics, and decide a suitable solution for you.

Some people think if they’re changing their filters on a regular basis, they’re properly maintaining their HVAC unit. But maintenance is much more than a filter change, and here’s why:

• Maintenance prevents breakdowns
  Every year customers spend millions of dollars on unnecessary repairs from breakdowns that could have been prevented. AC systems are one of the major investments we make in our homes… but they are also the most neglected. Like a car or truck, an AC system needs preventative maintenance to ensure good performance.
• Maintenance keeps energy costs down
  A dirty evaporator cooling coil, outdoor condenser coil, or blower fan wheel could increase electrical usage by 50% or more.
• Maintenance prevents system failures
  Up to 80% of all air conditioning compressor failures could be eliminated if the problem that lead to the failure were corrected in a timely manner.

Certified Comfort offers different maintenance plans to customers that can help ensure your system is running as it should year round. Call our office to learn more and schedule a maintenance call today.

If you’ve recently added some living space to your home by either remodeling or adding on, you’ll probably want to condition the air in order to use the space during the winter and summer. A ductless mini split heat pump is one of the easiest ways to add heat and cooling to a new space in your home, since these systems don’t use any air ducts to deliver air.

Although the technology has been used abroad for years, it’s relatively new to the U.S. These systems are just like heat pumps, but instead of requiring a central air handler, the systems use separate units that blow directly into particular rooms or zones.

The major advantages of ductless mini splits include:

1. Ease of installation. Unlike standard heat pumps, these systems require just a conduit to provide the power, refrigerant and drain lines to feed up to four indoor air handlers. The installer drills a three-inch hole through the exterior wall to run the conduit. The smaller systems can run off 120 volts, simplifying the wiring.
2. Energy efficiency. Because no ducts are involved, no losses occur moving the air. Ducts can leak and lose heat or cold as the air travels through uninsulated ducts or spaces. Some mini split compressors can handle four separate air handlers for different spaces within your home, and each has a separate thermostat. When you’re not using a space, you can turn the handler off or set the temperature higher or lower, saving energy. Some of the mini split systems also use energy-efficient components, including variable-speed motors that use considerably less electricity to blow conditioned air than a single-speed motor.
3. Design flexibility. The air handlers can sit on the floor or hang from ceilings and walls. Since most systems have remote controls, it’s easy to change the settings with the touch of a button from a distance.

Our complete AC inspection and tune-up will clean outdoor condenser coils and check condensate lines and overall system operation. Take full advantage of the performance your AC system can offer by having Certified Comfort perform our spring AC inspection and precision tune-up for our internet-only special of $59. Say internet when you schedule your AC tune-up.

Give us a call 502-244-4328 or see details here.

When the time comes to service, repair or install HVAC equipment in your home, you will be faced with the task of hiring an HVAC-system contractor. As in any industry, you’ll likely have many to choose from, with varying degrees of skill and experience. Here are some tips to help make your choice an easy one:

Ask questions – How long have they been in the industry and the number of satisfied customers are two things you should inquire about before hiring an HVAC-system contractor. An established, experienced contractor has seen and done it all, and will have the references to back it up. Of course, a reference is only good if you follow through; be prepared, with a list of questions to ask each.

Perform a license check – In Louisville, Kentucky, you can easily see if a potential hire is currently licensed, by performing a search at the website of the Kentucky Registrar of Contractors.

Inquire about guarantees – Find out sooner rather than later,what kind of guarantee the contractor places on his work. A business that takes pride in its work and cares about customer satisfaction will provide you a written guarantee to prove it.

Ask about permits – A reputable HVAC-system contractor will not only know which jobs require a permit, but will be responsible for obtaining them as well. Permits protect both parties, by ensuring that the work done is up to code standards.

Get it in writing – Once they have performed a thorough evaluation of your home, or existing equipment, your contractor should be willing to give you a detailed, written estimate of the work to be done.

If you are looking to hire an HVAC-system contractor that meets all of these requirements, please give us a call at 502-244-4328.

Frost on your heat pump is okay.

A heat pump is nothing but an air conditioner with an extra couple of components – a reversing valve and a defrost control board. The typical air conditioner rejects heat into the outside air and extracts heat (cools the air) from inside your home. While it’s removing heat from your home, it is also removing moisture because the coil temperature is less than dew point of your home. The same thing is happening in the winter except it is extracting heat from the outdoor air. The surface temperature of your outdoor coil is cold enough that frost forms on the coil.

Have you ever heard the loud ‘swoosh’ from your heat pump? That’s the sound of the reversing valve being energized for a defrost cycle. The outdoor coil is warmed and the frost melts from the coil. This happens every 30-120 minutes depending on your particular brand of heat pump. It’s always best to have the defrost cycle set to the longest interval possible. Some areas of the country have so much moisture in the air that they must defrost every thirty minutes. At my home in near Louisville, my heat pump is set to defrost every 120 minutes. I took this picture today. The heat pump was running and maintaining a nice 70°F with no auxiliary heat.

If the frost continues to build and you notice the AUX heat is energized continuously on your thermostat, then it’s best to call for service. No need for a surprise $400 utility bill!

What’s wrong with a crack? In the modern furnace, the primary risks is a fire. Over time the crack will open and allow flames to hit the cabinet. The secondary risk is carbon monoxide poisoning. This scenario is less likely due to the pressure switches that monitor the negative pressure inside the heat exchanger. You’re more likely to get air from the blower inside the heat exchanger rather than flue gases escaping.

How do you prevent this type of failure? It all goes back to proper air flow. Your ducts should provide design air flow per the manufacturer’s recommendations. This is achieved buy using ACCA Manual D to design the duct. Often, we find that the duct system needs to be modified to achieve desired air flow. Second, you must change your air filter regularly. Although some filters state ‘Three Months”, it’s important to check them monthly. You may find that your system draws more dust and hair than the filter can handle in three months. Finally, regular furnace maintenance by a professional service company keeps your system operating properly. You should have your HVAC system serviced twice a year — once for heating and the other time for air conditioning.

Give us a call today for all of your heating and air conditioning needs in Louisville — 244-4328.

If the humidity is set too high, you’ll cause sweating on the windows. This is especially true in older homes with windows that aren’t thermally efficient. Sweating windows will cause the wood sills to rot. The same will happen around doors. Plus, a setting too high is an energy and water waste.

Low humidity levels can lead to a long list of issues. Your nasal passages and throat will become irritated. Low humidity levels also have negative consequences for your home. Low humidity levels causes the structure to contract. Doors don’t shut quite right. Windows will leak more. Low humidity levels also promote the spread of germs. Recent studies have found that low humidity levels increase the longevity of flu virus in the air (ABC News).

So, where do you set it? Humans are most comfortable with humidity levels between 35% and 50% in the winter. This amount of moisture in the air will keep your nasal passages moist as well as our skin. It also keeps static discharge from occurring when you walk across the carpet and enough moisture in your furniture and structure to protect them.

Don’t have a humidifier? Give us a call at 244-4328. We’ll be more than happy to provide a proposal for a new humidifier.

Are you a Scrooge and want to keep it 40°F in the house? Well, there is a limit. When a furnace is operating, all of the combustion gases are just that – gases. We don’t want any of them to condense into a liquid while in the primary heat exchanger or vent. So, manufacturers recommend keeping the temperature above 60°F.

What happens if the gases condense in your furnace or vent? When they condense, they form acids. These acids will eat the metal in the vent and heat exchanger. This drastically shortens the life of your system.

So, what’s the answer? Set your thermostat as low as you can bear but keep it above 60°F in the winter.

Dirty filters and neglected equipment leads to early failures. All furnace manufacturers recommend an annual tuneup and inspection. Even Energy Star recommends it! We’re scheduling furnace and heat pump tuneups now. If you schedule before October 31, you’ll save $24!

Call 502-244-4328 today to schedule your professional furnace tuneup.