Just like you need to take your car in to the shop for regular tune-ups, such as oil changes or inspecting probable issues, your home comfort system should receive the same kind of attention. Routine maintenance by a skilled technician provides a variety of benefits to your HVAC equipment, which can help your systems perform efficiently and prevent costly breakdowns.
The cost varies depending on the equipment size and different features, so we recommend contacting H&C Heating and Cooling at 301-960-3247 to receive a quote.
With two-stage heating, furnaces may operate on two different levels: high and low. Since you can heat your home on the low setting a majority of the time, a two-stage furnace can work longer and more efficiently. Two-stage heating also runs more quietly than traditional furnaces and can give you more even heat distribution and fewer temperature swings.
H&C Heating and Cooling offers a selection of different brands and models that have advanced technology to assist with heating and cooling your home more efficiently. Technology in the newer HVAC systems offers more precision when it comes to meeting your home comfort needs. If you would like more information, please contact our experts at 301-960-3247.
Depending on how old your previous furnace was, you could experience a number of differences. Furnaces today are designed to give more even and efficient heating than ever before. Modern furnaces also better regulate temperature and air flow, moving more air over the heat exchanger than older furnaces.
Additionally, new furnaces are crafted to operate with other high-efficiency HVAC products, such as air conditioners. The air conditioner blowers offer your heating system an extra bump so it can deliver cool air around your home efficiently. Special features like variable speed motors will also help reduce noise associated with operating your equipment and easily meet your family's airflow needs.
The Department of Energy recently increased the minimum efficiency levels for air conditioners, heat pumps and packaged units created after Jan. 1, 2015, since heating and cooling contributes significantly to a homes total energy usage. The requirements vary by region, so call H&C Heating and Cooling for the efficiency standards for Laurel.
There are several ways to decrease your energy costs and one of the best ways is to make sure you have an energy-efficient HVAC system. H&C Heating and Cooling has many highly efficient products that will help decrease the amount of energy you are using and save you money. In addition to searching for products that have the Energy Star® certification, high SEER ratings for air conditioners or AFUE ratings for furnaces, here are some other things to consider:
- Remember to schedule regular maintenance and have an experienced technician take a look at your system to confirm its running efficiently.
- If you have certain areas of your home that you need to heat or cool, you might consider a zoning system. This allows you to target that area and eliminates wasted energy on heating or cooling areas that aren't used.
- Programmable or smart thermostats make it simpler to maintain your home comfort while not using energy to heat or cool your space if you aren't home. It is an easy way to decrease energy costs and once you set it, you can walk away and know its going to take care of your indoor comfort.
H&C Heating and Cooling has been supporting the Laurel community for many years and has been providing trustworthy and dependable service. Our service and the products we carry are of the highest quality and you won't be disappointed in the results. Our experienced team is here to help you achieve your ideal home comfort.
There are four things to assess when improving your indoor air quality:
- The indoor air quality in your space starts to suffer when the air begins filling up with air pollutants. The biggest concern is removing these pollutants. Some to-dos to add to your weekly checklist is vacuuming, washing your linens and making sure any cleaning products are stored properly.
- Especially in newer homes, the insulation is installed so well that it might be challenging for these pollutants to leave the home. While it helps to keep your home warm or cool, depending on the season, its beneficial to get some fresh air inside.
- Make sure that you have good ventilation and perform routine maintenance on your system. And while that's very beneficial, you can also take your IAQ even further by using air filters, germicidal lights and purification systems to get rid of particles while eliminating chemical vapors.
- Smart or programmable thermostats can assist in controlling humidity levels as well as the temperature. This can help avert germs and other particles from collecting while maintaining your home comfort.
Each house brings a unique situation, which is why we suggest that you contact our pros at H&C Heating and Cooling to find out which solution will be best for your space. Our experienced technicians will conduct an evaluation of your current system and determine what your ideal home comfort looks like. That will help us determine which products will be most effective.
It may come as a surprise that air conditioners don't technically make your home cooler; they actually remove the hot air and transfer it outside. This hot air is pushed across a refrigerant coil on the indoor unit and then is sent to the outdoor unit where it is released. Your air conditioner pushes as much hot air outside as is necessary to reach the temperature you have set on your thermostat.
Minimum energy efficiency standards can vary by geographic location. Additionally, air conditioners, heat pumps and packaged units made after Jan. 1, 2015, have higher minimum efficiency levels than equipment manufactured prior to that date. The team at H&C Heating and Cooling can help you find out the minimum requirements for Laurel, let you know if your current products meets those requirements or help you find a replacement air conditioner that does.
Your systems service panel has a white label on it, with your systems model and serial numbers at the top. M/N signifies the systems model number and S/N is the serial number.
Since equipment size needs vary by home, the best way to find out the proper size equipment for your home is to have a technician from H&C Heating and Cooling come out to perform load calculation tests. The tests take factors such as square footage, insulation value and amount, and more into account to determine your homes unique HVAC equipment needs.
Yes debris can inhibit your systems ability to function effectively. Its normal for heat pumps to have frost or ice on them in the colder months, but many include defrost controls so they can work efficiently regardless of the weather conditions.
When an air conditioner uses two-stage cooling, it means that there are two levels of operation. This lets the system work more efficiently since there is one level for milder weather and another for harsher weather that demands the system work harder. Two-stage cooling also enables more even temperatures so you don't experience extreme differences in temperature. Aside from better efficiency, other benefits of two-stage cooling include quieter operation and improved humidity control.
When your cooling unit freezes up, there are a couple of reasons why it could be doing so. The most frequent reasons include: dirty filters, low refrigerant, a dirty evaporative coil and a faulty blower motor or relay.
A dirty filter is something you can take care of as a homeowner, but the others need to be fixed by a professional like those at H&C Heating and Cooling. Contact them at 301-960-3247 with any further questions you may have.
H&C Heating and Cooling has a number of great thermostat options for your HVAC systems. The best thermostat for you will depend on variables such as whether you want one that's programmable or not. No matter what kind of thermostat you'd like or if you're in the market for something that can fit with a home automation system call H&C Heating and Cooling to hear about which thermostats you can choose from. Our team will help you find one that fits with your system, your family's needs and your budget.
A heat pump can tackle both your homes heating and cooling needs, offering you one HVAC system that can be used year-round. In the warmer months, heat pumps act like an air conditioner, capturing the hot air from inside your home and directing it outside; in the cooler months, this process is reversed. Heat pumps can be very energy efficient and may produce two to three times more heat than the energy needed for the process.
At H&C Heating and Cooling, we do recommend replacing both your indoor and outdoor units at the same time because:
- Nowadays, outdoor systems are built to work with their matching indoor system for the most efficiency. When you replace one system but not the other, you may not see the same savings on your energy bills as if you had replaced them together.
- Thanks to technological innovation, newer systems mean improved efficiency. This is true for HVAC products as well. While the advancements focus on greater heating and cooling efficiency, they also include benefits such as better air handling, filtering and noise reduction.
- If your heating and cooling systems are more than 10 years old, they need to be replaced. Older models have outdated technology that is likely costing you money due to poor efficiency. So by replacing your indoor system at the same time as your outdoor equipment, both your systems will provide better energy efficiency that helps you lower your energy bills and keep your home more comfortable.
Your home energy system may have a communication module that directs performance stats to an online site or portal. You can visit this to monitor your system's status, the amount of energy being produced and the positive influence you are having on the environment. You can also take a look at your owner's manual for tips on monitoring performance.
Rain will clean the modules automatically in most areas; however, if you live in a dusty area, you could see improved performance after periodically spraying the modules with water. Please note that high-pressure hoses and detergents should never be used to clean solar modules, as they can ruin the product.
H&C Heating and Cooling can help recommend the right thermostat for you based on your home and current heating and cooling equipment. We offer a variety of programmable and nonprogrammable thermostats, which can help improve the efficiency of your homes furnace and/or air conditioner. Take a look at our thermostats or give us a call at 301-960-3247 for more information.
A significant portion of your monthly energy bills can be attributed to your heating and cooling system. It makes sense, because our home comfort is an important aspect of our day-to-day lives. Luckily, there are high-efficiency solutions from H&C Heating and Cooling that can keep you comfortable while also lowering energy costs. When it's time for you to look for a new HVAC system, there are a couple things to consider. You'll want to look for air conditioners with high SEER ratings and furnaces with high AFUE ratings. These ratings measure efficiency, so the larger the number the better off you'll be when it comes to saving on energy costs. You can also review these tips:
- Keep your system operating to its best ability by booking routine maintenance. It helps maintain efficiency and make sure everything is working properly.
- Consider a zoning system if you only have targeted rooms that need to be heated or cooled. There is no need to consume energy adjusting the temperature in a room that is never, or rarely used.
- The U.S. Department of Energy indicates that programmable thermostats can save up to 35 percent on heating costs and 25 percent on cooling costs. There are a lot of programmable and smart thermostat options that are easy to use and vary in the number of features-so you can find an solution that you are comfortable with.
A zoning system allows you to section your residence and heat or cool each space differently. While these systems work well for homes that have rooms that are rarely used, they may also be beneficial in situations where you and your family cant agree on the temperature in various parts of your residence. There are a collection of additional bonuses of zoning systems, including efficiency and comfort. Browse our selection of zoning systems or give H&C Heating and Cooling a call to see how a zoning system could work for your home.