3 Main Central Heating Systems

When the first central heating system was introduced it literally revolutionized home comfort levels when the first one was installed many years ago. It took having to heat different areas around the house in different ways to entire home heating now being controlled from one convenient central location. As with any good discovery, it was then improved and perfected over the years to the efficient and state of the art systems that are being installed today. Here are some of the different types of central heating systems available today.

Central Heating System Types

1. Wet Heating System

Wet heating systems have water pass through a heating source and then distribute the heat throughout a house through piping. Most typically this piping is laid under the floor of a home or apartment or the heat can be distributed through the means of radiators spread throughout the home. It produces heat through convection so the heat is distributed evenly throughout the space in a room.
This type of central heat system usually uses gas or oil as a heating source and in very rare cases, depending on the local supply, they can use wood chips or coal pellets as the heating source too.

They work by means of a boiler system or a combo-boiler system (which gives them the advantage of taking up less space and heats the water in the home too). These are very popular throughout Europe.

2. Forced Air

These are systems that heat the air that is passed through them and then that air is circulated throughout the home by means of a fan in combination with ductwork that goes to each room. This process can be done by using electricity, natural gas, oil or any other type combustible material if set up properly.

A forced air central heat system has the advantage of being able to have an air conditioning unit attached to it also as the existing ductwork provides a means to distribute the cooler air too. They remain among the most popular heating options in North America and their efficiency has improved greatly over the last decade (nowadays they are typically in the 85% - 97% efficiency range).

3. Heat Storage

This type of central heat system can be very economical if the owner of it lives in an area where electricity is cheaper at night and off peak hours. They are able to distribute heat long after the initial heating process takes place because the system uses bricks to capture the heat produced and then store it for a long time.

The system controls the heat through central wiring controls hooked to thermostats that control when and how much of the stored heat is released. They will typically have a cistern built into them which also heats the water in a home too. They distribute the heat through radiators that have the capability to supplement the stored heat with the use of instant electrical heat if necessary. These are the least popular of all the central heating system.

No matter what system a person chooses for their individual needs each type of system has its purpose and will work well for them.

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How to Buy a Furnace

Tips on How to Buy a Furnace

Many people like to relax at their favorite mall or outlet. Unfortunately, buying a new furnace is not very relaxing. So how do we make sure that we get the best value for our dollar? The following five points will help you how to buy a furnace within your budget, and have it installed before the winter hits.

MAKE YOUR OWN ASSESSMENT

Make sure to conduct your assessment before you even start to look at a furnace’s fan speed or energy rating. You’ll know then if it is ripe to purchase a new furnace. In the next few months, will you stay mostly at home? Can you just have it repaired, rather than buy a replacement? Is it possible to wait for your existing unit to break down before buying a new one? Ask yourself these questions first to determine whether this is the right time to buy a furnace. Of course, the answer will be pretty obvious if you are constructing your new home, or if your old one stops working.

KNOW THE ABBREVIATIONS

When you finally decide to buy your new unit, knowing the following HVAC abbreviations will come in handy. You’ll be able to make the best decision once you understand what the sales staff is saying such as:

• BTU – British Thermal Unit
• AFUE – Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency
• SEER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating
• HPT- Higher Price Tag

Also, don’t take a specific make or model completely out of the equation because of its HPT.

GET TO KNOW ENERGY RATINGS

One important you need to ask and before buying a new furnace is whether its energy rating commensurate the higher price tag? When you live somewhere that experiences harsh winters, the higher price tag can be compensated by the savings on your utility bill. But then, if you will not be constantly using your furnace during the cold season, it does not make sense to pay more for a furnace with a higher energy rating (90% or more).

BE FAMILIAR WITH TAX BREAKS TO MINIMIZE THE BURDEN OF THE HIGH PRICE TAG

Another important factor you need to take into consideration when buying a more efficient furnace is a tax break or incentive offered by the government when you use “green” appliances. You will surely regret missing out on that $350 kickback just because you scrimped on paying an additional $50 for a more efficient furnace.

GET YOUR HAND ON SOME COMPARISONS

Once you set out to look for your home’s next furnace is the challenge of knowing the difference between furnaces that have almost the same ratings or features. Knowing the industry’s jargons and getting comparisons from some dealers become beneficial since you’ll know what is the fair price for certain makes and models.

Although shopping for a new furnace is not as thrilling as a trip to Macy’s or Bloomingdales, if you know how, it doesn’t have to be as bad as a trip to the dentist.

https://air-conditioning-edmonton.ca/how-to-buy-a-furnace/

A Simple Checklist for Furnace Services

To ensure that your furnace runs as efficiently and safely as possible, most experts agree that you hire a professional to clean your furnace before the winter hits. Per the details of some manufacturer's warranties, a scheduled furnace tune-up is necessary to maintain coverage. During this tune-up, HVAC personnel should clean the furnace itself as well as the duct work, vents, filters, etc. While spring cleaning gets all the attention, some homeowners might be surprised to learn that winter cleaning is also one of the most important furnace services. Since you spend what seems like 95% of the winter months indoors, it's important to vacuum the home of dust and debris every cycle of the furnace. To ensure that your furnace runs as efficiently and safely as possible, most experts agree that you hire a professional to clean your furnace before the winter hits. Per the details of some manufacturer's warranties, a scheduled furnace tune-up is necessary to maintain coverage. During this tune-up, HVAC personnel should clean the furnace itself as well as the duct work, vents, filters, etc. If you want to tackle this task or just quiz the HVAC Company on the exact cleaning they've performed follow this checklist of furnace services:   Change Filter Changing the air filter on the furnace is not only a part of the pre-winter checklist, it is something that needs attention at least once, but probably twice before spring returns. Changing the filter is one of the easiest furnace services as it only takes seconds but failing to do so results in poor air flow which raises the utility bills as well as impure air that causes illnesses.   Clean Combustion Chamber To understand the combustion chamber of a furnace, think of a fireplace where air and flame mix to create soot, ash, water vapor, etc. In a furnace, this grime builds up on the walls of the combustion chamber which will eventually cause the walls to corrode. To clean out the combustion chamber take a wire brush to scrape the debris of the side walls and then follow back through with a vacuum to finish the job.   Clean Blower Clean the blower motor so that debris doesn't get into the cracks of the component and restrict movement. Moreover, a clean blower motor prevents it from blowing air containing dirt, dander, insects and anything else that can build up in an idling furnace over the summer. Located behind an access panel, you use a small vacuum to suck clean the blower.   Clean Condensate Lines When water builds up around the furnace it means that the condensation lines are likely clogged. Remove the tube and clear any blockage with a long thin object. Before reattaching the tube insert some anti-slime tablets into the opening to help prevent the blockage and future furnace services.   Clean and Lubricate all Moving Parts With the access door still open locate any additional moving parts and clean them off with either a rag or a toothbrush. After cleaned lubricate the part with a small dab of some non-detergent motor oil to keep them running smoothly through the winter.   Clean Floor Vents Toys, dirt, food, and a number of other items find their way into the floor vent openings so make sure to clean them out before starting up the furnace for the year. Subsequent to removing any potential blockages, take a vacuum and clean out as deep into the duct work as possible. Cleaning may seem like one of the most remedial furnace services, but this simple exercise can save big money and health problems down the line.

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Furnace Contractors FAQ

Furnace contractors can be pretty important when it comes to installing or replacing the HVAC system in your home. Along with the knowledge and responsibility they have comes a series of questions that need to be answered by curious consumers. Here is a list of frequently asked Furnace Contractors FAQ questions.

Question: Are there advantages to having central heating and air installed in my home?

A: Absolutely; you will get the convenience of being able to control the temperature of your house from one convenient location, you will get the health benefits associated with constant filtered air circulation and you will also get some energy savings if you raise and lower the thermostat when you are coming and going from your house. So yes, there are money-saving, convenience, health benefits and more that an owner of a central heating system gets.

Question: Does an HVAC System do a good job of getting pet dander out of the air? I am asking because I have allergies.

A: The answer to your question is yes. It’s no secret that pet dander builds up quickly in a house, especially if you have more than one furry friend. Experts have identified pet dander as one of the leading causes of allergies so I am not surprised you asked this question. Since the air from a central heating and air unit is filtered and constantly circulated it can trap a large amount of pet dander right in the filter itself. This can be taken one step further even by purchasing a HEPA type air filter for your HVAC system that filters out a large percentage of Allergens.

Question: Howe often do HVAC air filters need to be changed?

A: This is actually not as easy a question to answer as one might think. The reason for that is that different homes have different amounts of solid particles in the air that circulate through the system and they also have different types of filters on those systems. If you have low quality filters such as cheap fiberglass ones then go ahead and replace those every month. For more expensive filters like HEPA filters you should be able to clean those up pretty good with a wet/dry vac each month and then they will last you up to six months or more. The best way to answer this question I guess is to advise you to check them monthly and clean or replace them as necessary. They are too important to the overall functioning of the system and to your health to play around with.

Question: If I want to install a new HVAC system will a dealer come out to my house and inspect the site and give me an estimate for free.

A: Most HVAC dealers would have no problem coming out to your residence and taking a look at the setup at no charge to you. At the same time they can show you what they have to offer in terms of equipment and give you a ball park figure as to what the cost for installation would be. We hoped these answers helped you and a quick internet search will bring up many more Furnace Contractors FAQ questions and answers.

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Tools Professionals Use to Troubleshoot Furnace Problems

Service technicians can be your best friend when you are having problems with such things as appliances, furnaces, plumbing and other things around your home. These skilled workers are great at doing repairs quickly and efficiently in their area of expertise. Any service technician will tell you there are certain tools that they must carry on their vehicle in order to diagnose problems. It’s no different for an HVAC technician either; they too have specialty tools that help them troubleshoot furnace problems. Here are some of the most valuable diagnostic tools that HVAC technicians use.

1. Electric power meter

There is a saying among technicians in any field where they must diagnose problems on equipment that has electricity going to them to make them run; that saying is ‘where the power dies the problem lies’. This is true because the flow of electricity and the switches that make things come on and off are so important to how an appliance such as an HVAC system works. That is why every HVAC technician must carry and know how to use an electrical meter. About 80% of the time a service professional can tell where the problem is when using an electric meter to test a device that relies on electricity flow to make it work properly.

2. Gas line pressure reader

Another tool used to troubleshoot furnace problems is a gas line pressure meter. Your furnace simply will not run right if the gas pressure going to it is not sufficient enough to make a flame to produce heat. If an HVAC technician thinks the gas line may be the problem that is causing a furnace not to work, he will then use this device to check the pressure going to the burner unit. If there is not sufficient pressure the technician will know the problem is in the gas pressure line or the storage tank. If there is good pressure getting to the burner then they will take a closer look at the burner unit itself.

3. Air Conditioner Pressure Detector

Just like your gas line, the refrigerant in your air conditioner needs to be at a certain pressure in order for it to work right. Every air conditioner has specialty built connections where this testing device can be hooked up and the pressure read. If there is not enough pressure it means there is a leak or refrigerant simply needs to be added to the system.

4. Air Conditioner Leak Detection Fluid

We mentioned before that air conditioners can develop leaks. When this happens technicians apply pressure to the lines and spray the outside with a special leak detection fluid; this helps them identify exactly where the leak is and they can take steps to stop it.

Please note that in order to troubleshoot furnace problems these professionals spend many hours in training focusing on safety alone. Even if you have these devices do not attempt to use them unless you know how to do so safely. When in doubt it’s always best just to call a service professional to do the job for you.

No Obligation Estimate:

When it comes to HVAC systems, put your trust in us to deliver the best quality services along with top quality products to make your system work in an energy efficient and environmentally friendly order. Call us today at 780-800-7010 for a no obligation estimate.

 

https://air-conditioning-edmonton.ca/troubleshoot-furnace-problems/

How to Replace a Furnace

Gas and Oil furnaces are a wonderful addition to have in any home or business. They heat the rooms they go into completely, are easy to control from one central location and even help clean the air in the home or business they are working in. They also have a reputation as being very durable and needing very few repairs. With that being said, they do not last a lifetime and occasionally need to be replaced. Replacing a furnace is not as easy as one would think either and there are steps you need to take so you know how to replace a furnace properly. Here are some important things to consider when replacing your furnace.

Cost

Of course when you are shopping for a new furnace you must consider the cost. You may wish to have the fanciest furnace out there that is made but if it does not fit your budget or financing then you obviously cannot purchase that model. Try not to only emphasize cost when making a new furnace purchase.

Compatibility

Another important thing you need to know if you want to know how to replace a furnace is the compatibility of the new unit with the old one. Any new model you will purchase will have to fit in the same space as the old one. You will also need to have the new furnace use the same fuel as the old furnace; if the old one used natural gas the new one must use the same or you will have to go to the expense of adding a new fuel line.

Warranty

You don’t want to make a higher end purchase of something like a furnace and then have to worry about putting money into right away if you have a problem with it. So an important part of knowing how to replace a furnace is selecting a brand that has a warranty that will cover the product for several years.

Sophistication of the Unit

You may want to consider getting fancier controls with your new model such as being able to control the temperature in individual rooms or being able to program the furnace to come on and off several times a day.

The Company you are Purchasing From

Make sure you buy your new furnace unit from a company that has an excellent reputation in your area. You don’t want to have problems with the installation, promises that are not met or have problems with warranty service when you need it.

Speed of Installation

This could be a huge factor if your furnace stops working in the dead of winter. You will need to get it replaced as soon as possible. So if you have two units that you are looking at that you like then maybe your decision is made by the one that can be installed by the company the fastest.

Now you know how to replace a furnace; just be sure to consider all of these things before buying a replacement furnace.

No Obligation Estimate:

When it comes to HVAC systems, put your trust in us to deliver the best quality services along with top quality products to make your system work in an energy efficient and environmentally friendly order. Call us today at 780-800-7010 for a no obligation estimate.

 

https://air-conditioning-edmonton.ca/how-to-replace-a-furnace/