Frequently Asked Questions
ENERGY STAR is a program that was created by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help businesses and individuals make energy efficient purchases. This program places the ENERGY STAR label, a small blue and white logo, on items that meet superior energy efficiency standards. This label provides an easy way for consumers to identify quality, high efficiency products. For more information about the Energy Star program, please view their web site at www.energystar.gov
Why should I purchase a new heating or air conditioning system?
We realize that purchasing a heating or air conditioning system is no small matter. However, if your existing system is old, in need of repair or simply inefficient, purchasing a new unit, one which can be as much as 60% more efficient than a system purchased just 10 years ago, can turn into a long term benefit. Rather than continuing to pay for ongoing maintenance and costly monthly bills, invest in a new system today that will save you money for years to come.
How can I find the system that is right for me?
There are many heating and air conditioning systems to choose from today. By contacting B.C. Building Services, Inc., you have access to a vast degree of heating and air conditioning knowledge and experience to help you decide on the system that best fits your specific needs. The size and age of your home, as well as the number of rooms, climate, local and regional utility costs, degree days and utility incentive rebate programs are all factors that will affect the functionality and, therefore, selection of your system. Utilizing the latest technology, we consider all these factors and, most importantly, your input while assisting you in choosing the best system for your home.
Consumers seeking to replace an existing system often choose a new unit with equal or higher efficiency ratings as compared to their previous systems. Replacing a unit that is greater than 10 to 15 years old may reduce natural gas or electricity costs from 30 to 50%.
How do I determine the size, or capacity of my HVAC system?
Factors affecting the size of your new system include the climate in your region, humidity levels, the number of windows in your dwelling, total square footage of your home, the direction your home faces, the number of heat producing appliances in your home, the type of insulation you have and the number of people that live in your residence. B.C. Building Services, Inc. can perform the proper calculations to determine the right size heating or cooling unit for your home and lifestyle.
What goes into installing a new system?
If you install a new system, most of the items from the "What happens when I replace my old system?" (see below) will need to be installed as well. Beyond equipment, the most important component installed with a new system is the duct work.
Duct work is composed of two parts, supply and return. Supply duct is attached to the outflow of the new system, delivering air to each zone in a home. The amount of air reaching each zone is determined by the size of supply duct work connecting it to your system. B.C. Building Services, Inc. will help you determine the size of all the supply duct work in your home. The second part of the duct work, the return duct, attaches to the inlet of the new system and draws air out of the spaces to be heated or cooled. Attached to the return duct is the filter. The filter should be placed as near to the furnace or air handler as possible. Duct work can be either fiberglass or metal and must be properly sized in order to evenly distribute the proper amount of air to each room.
What happens when I replace my old system?
To install the most efficient HVAC system in your household, a detailed inspection should first be performed by B.C. Building Services, Inc. The inspection by B.C. Building Services, Inc. will include your home's duct work, insulation, refrigerant piping, electrical service, wiring, thermostat, condensate piping, flue piping, flue terminations, slabs, registers, grills, drain pans and evaporator coil.
Maintenance and service play a key role in the life cycle of a heating or air conditioning system. If all recommended maintenance and service actions are taken, it is believed that an air conditioner should last 12-15 years and a gas furnace should last from 20 to 25 years. B.C. Building Services, Inc. offers maintenance contracts to prolong the life of your equipment.
Do I need to change my indoor coil?
It is generally a good idea to replace the indoor coil if you are also replacing your air conditioner or heat pump. There is a correlation between the efficiency of your heating or cooling system and the performance of the indoor coil. So when you change the outdoor side of the system, you should also change the interior side of the system in order to maximize the efficiency and savings potential of the total system.
Where can I locate my air handler or furnace system?
The system can actually be located in several different places. A system with up-flow application might be located in the basement, while a system with a horizontal application may be found in your attic or crawlspace. A self-contained, or single package unit, could be located outside on a slab. Your garage is also a common location for your heating equipment.
What can I do before calling someone to service my system?
Professional service calls can be costly, but there are some things you can do before hiring a professional to inspect your system:
- Make sure your circuit breakers are in the ON position
- Make sure your filters are clean
- Open supply and return vents and make sure they are unobstructed.
- Check the settings on your thermostat
- Call B.C. Building Services, Inc.
AFUE is the abbreviation for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio. AFUE is used to rate furnace efficiencies by dividing the ratio of heat output by heat input. This measurement describes how well fuel, gas or oil is consumed to produce heat by a furnace. As the AFUE rate increases, the efficiency of your furnace also increases, lowering your fuel costs. Furnaces manufactured in the United States are required to have at least an 80% AFUE.
R-22 is the common name for hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). R-22 has been used as a refrigerant by HVAC manufacturers for over 40 years, but studies in the past decade have shown that HCFC contain chlorine, an ozone-depleting agent. For this reason, the United States Clean Air Act has set a target date for January 1, 2010, on which HVAC manufacturers must cease the production of products that use R-22.
R-410A is the common name for an emerging hydro-fluorocarbon (HFC) that is being used as a refrigerant in the HVAC industry. R-410A is more environmentally friendly than R-22 and is being seen as the most likely replacement for R-22 by HVAC manufacturers. At the beginning of 2010, the use of alternate refrigerant will be required in HVAC manufacturing.
What can be done about my allergies?
B.C. Building Services, Inc. offers many accessories to help alleviate these problems. Click here to see accessories.
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