Q.How much will a new furnace and air conditioner cost?
A. The price of a new furnace or air conditioner can vary based on several conditions in your home and your comfort concerns. Comfort Zone's sales staff can customize a system based on your needs and concerns and can provide you with options and a firm quoted price.
Q.What is the difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner?
A. Both a heat pump and an air conditioner provide cooling for your home; however a heat pump will also provide heat for your home in the winter.
Q.What can I do to reduce my heating and cooling costs?
A. Managing your monthly utility heating and cooling costs can sometimes be as simple as changing your air filters on a regular basis and providing regular maintenance to your heating and cooling system. Quality high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment will also provide utility savings.
Q.What is indoor air quality?
A. Sometimes the indoor air pollution in your home can be more hazardous than the air in the outdoors. Household dust has been shown to be a major source of exposure to allergens, such as fungi, dust mite debris, pet dander, chemical contaminants as well as others. Improving the air quality in your home can lead to reduced exposure to such allergens as well as allergy symptoms, asthma attacks and common flu virus.
Q.Why does my A/C smell the first day I turn it on in the spring?
A. During the winter the evaporator coil is inactive so some dirt accumulates on it. When the cooling is turned on for the first time and condensation starts to run down the coil a musty smell will occur until the dust and dirt has been rinsed off through normal operation. To prevent this the system probably needs a better filtering system.
Q.How do I run out of Freon?
A. You should never have to add refrigerant (freon) to you're A/C system. The refrigerant runs through copper lines all soldered together. If the system does become low or run completely out this means you have a leak in your system. A special leak detector is used to locate the leak. Usually the leak can be repaired by soldering it closed but sometimes it requires replacement of the part that has the leak.
Q.Why are different rooms warmer or cooler in my house?
A. This condition is usually caused by a poor ductwork design, ductwork that is in poor condition, or someone has added excessive heat producing appliances to a room. Also the A/C system could be in need of a tune up by a professional service technician.
Q.Why do my lights flicker when my system comes on?
A. The A/C unit pulls the most power during start up and this can cause the lights to flicker. It should only be for a split second, if the lights are dimming or you notice the condition is getting worse there may be an electrical problem with the unit.
Q.Why the air in my house is humid?
A. The A/C system controls the humidity in the house. If the A/C system has not been properly maintained or is in need of repair the humidity in the home can be at an uncomfortable level. Also if the system is too big it will cool the home down too quickly and turn off not allowing the unit to run long enough to remove the humidity.
Q.Why does my A/C unit ice over?
A. There are three reasons why the A/C unit will ice over. There is a restriction in the refrigerant line, the system is low on refrigerant or lack of air across the evaporator coil. The lack of air across the evaporator coil is caused by a dirty filter, a filter that is too restrictive, a dirty coil, a dirty blower wheel, incorrect blower motor or wheel, the inside unit is not matched properly to the outside unit, ductwork is not sized properly, too many supply registers are closed, the return are inlet is too small or restricted or the ductwork is restricted inside by a damper or ducting material that has come apart.
Q.Why does it seem like the temp on my thermostat isn't consistent?
A. Some thermostats can loose their calibration which can cause a big swing in the temperature reading. The thermostat is improperly located in the house. If air from a supply outlet is blowing on the thermostat this will cause the temperature on the thermostat to drop quickly giving a false reading of the actual room temperature.
Q.Why does my A/C stem overflow?
A. The drain line or drain pan gets clogged up. This is caused by dirt that has accumulated on the evaporator coil and has washed down into the drain pan and drain line. Also if water is sitting in the pan or drain line and does not drain out completely it can cause algae to grow causing the system to overflow. If the system pulls air through the evaporator coil the drain line must have a P-Trap installed in it, this prevents the blower from pulling air up through the drain line causing a negative pressure on the line which will allow the condensation to drain.
Q.Do UV lights work? What is a UV light?
A. UV lights work to purify the air in the home and help fight mold growth. When placed right before the evaporator coil it will change the molecular structure of the dirt and dust causing the coil to stay clean. A UV light is an air purifying system that greatly improves indoor air quality.
Q.What is an electronic aircleaner?
A. As air passes through the filter it causes an electrostatic charge causing dirt and dust to cling to it.
Q.How do the current tax credits work on the purchase of a new furnace and air conditioner?
A. The recently passed Federal stimulus package provides for incentives for increasing the energy efficiency and performance of America's homes and commercial buildings. The law makes important changes to existing tax incentives for homeowners who make qualified improvements to their heating and cooling, water heating equipment, and other energy related improvements to their primary residences. As always, taxpayers are encouraged to consult with a tax professional.
