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What Is A Heat Pump? Everything You Need To Know

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How Do Heat Pumps Work?

Before you understand how a heat pump works you must understand how an air conditioner works.  A heat pump works just like an air conditioner except it also runs in the opposite direction in order to create heat as well.  In heat pump mode we are taking heat out of the air outside moving it inside.

With an air conditioning system, you have the unit outside and a unit inside (usually the furnace down in your basement). The furnace contains the blower which is our means of moving air.  You also have a cooling coil located on top of your furnace.  Inside of the air conditioner unit outside is a compressor we’ll think of it as a pump that pumps refrigerant between the indoor and outdoor units.  Above the outside compressor is a fan.

In the spring and summer when your thermostat says “hey it is getting a little warm in here.” It sends two signals out. It sends one downstairs to the basement and it turns on the blower. The blower now comes on and it starts pulling all the air out of the house via your return air grills. (You see the return air grills usually high on the wall toward an interior wall.) It starts pulling all the air out of the house and it takes it down to the furnace and it then accelerates it and pushes it through that cooling coil.

The cooling coil is hooked up to the unit outside via the refrigerant lines.  That the second signal the thermostat sends out is a signal to the unit outside in the yard. This turns on the compressor and it starts starts pumping refrigerant through the coil inside and circulates to the coil outside and back again. It just got this creates this loop of refrigerant going from inside the house to outside the house.

What we’re doing is were actually absorbing the heat out of the house and into the refrigerant. It is being circulated then outside to the coil where we’re circulating it through that coil and we’re releasing the heat outside in the yard.  (If you’ve ever placed your hand above the fan on your outdoor unit you feel hot air.  That is actually the hot air that was taken out of your house!)

On the inside portion of your cooling system, we’re taking the warm moist air out of the house. Then we’re blowing it through that cooling coil and chilling it making it cooler. Then that cool air gets blown back inside the house.

That’s how an air conditioner works.

A heat pump does that very same thing.  Normally you wouldn’t know the difference between an air conditioner or a heat pump.  They look exactly the same but unlike your air conditioner, it also starts up in the wintertime. In the winter time we need heat in the house. When you need heat, the thermostat sends out those same two signals.  It turns on the blower downstairs and we start gathering all the air up and blowing it through that coil downstairs.

The thermostat also starts up the unit outside and gets the fan going and everything. However, the heat pump is literally running backwards than how an air conditioner works.  The refrigerant flow is the opposite of what it is in the air conditioning mode.

In heat pump mode we are taking heat out of the air outside moving it inside.

Then we release the heat from the outside air into your home inside.  It is just the opposite of what the air conditioner does.

If it is already cold outside, how are you taking heat out of the air outside and moving it inside in order to heat your home?

Ah you are paying attention.  Though it is 32 degrees outside It is outside feels cold to us. There is still usable heat in the air. Absolute zero is way way way below zero. So, on a 30-35 degree day, there’s plenty of heat that we can absorb out of the air outside and release it inside the home.

Pros and Cons of a Heat Pump

Heat pumps do a great job heating your home, however let’s say the temperature overnight gets down to zero.  As it gets colder outside, there is less heat available outside. When it is colder outside, the air we are blowing inside will not feel as warm.

At 30-35 degrees there is plenty of heat available outside to heat a typical home.  As it gets colder and colder and colder outside at some point the heat pump is going to be running all the time trying to keep up with the demands of what you need inside. Eventually it will need supplemental help.  Supplemental help could mean a gas furnace or electric heat strip heat because it is just too cold outside.

The Economics of the Cost of Heating Your Home

For years here in Johnson County,  Kansas City Power and Light would have a heat pump rate. There was a dramatic cut in the rate for electricity. In the winter months you would get a drastic cut off your utility rate. And so it was economically advantageous to operate that heat pump instead of burning natural gas. If you think back 10 years ago, natural gas prices were unstable. They would spike up one year, were would see a fifty to a hundred percent increase in gas prices from one year to the next, so it made it very advantageous to use the electric source to heat your home.  When you’re using that heat pump you’re using electricity.

Right now we are in 2019. Kansas City Power and Light has taken away those incentives as far as electric rates. (I have a heat pump sitting out in the yard, but I do not use it.) I also have a high efficiency gas furnace and with the price of natural gas and the efficiency of my appliances, I’m better off just using natural gas to heat my home instead of electricity. Without that break in the electrical rate, there is no economic advantage in using the heat pump and personally I find the warmer air from the gas furnace more comfortable.

Now, some climates are perfect for heat pumps no matter the utility rates.  There are places in the south were they don’t have weather that goes much below 40 degrees so only having a heat pump is a perfect solution to heating the home.

Also, as far as efficiency goes, with the all electric heat pump, you can think of it as always twice as efficient as that furnace. The furnace air feels warmer, however the heat pump is running twice as efficiently. It will deliver twice as much heat per dollar as the furnace does.

So it just depends on what your options are on weighing the pros and cons of using a heat pump.

How Do You Know if You Have a Heat Pump?

The dead giveaway is on your thermostat. You’ve got a few more switches on your thermostat if you have a heat pump.

With a regular air conditioner thermostat, there are heat | cool | off positions for your system.  There may also be a blower switch which either says automatic or on.  A heat pump thermostat has few more switches on it.  If you have a heat pump you’ll see a term like emergency heat on the thermostat and you’ll have a heat | cool | off switch just like an air conditioner. The emergency heat is a setting that you can manually turn off the heat pump, and turn on the gas furnace or whatever you use for supplemental heat.

If something malfunctions a with the heating option on the heat pump, you can go to manually go to the emergency heat setting turn off the unit outside and still have a source for heat in that house.

What Is That Loud Noise Coming From My Heat Pump?

There are a few common noises that you may have with a heat pump.

Often you may hear a loud shaking from the outdoor unit.  That is most often the heat pump going through a defrost mode.  Depending on the weather conditions, there will be times when the heat pump has frost form on the unit outside.  It is working normally but when the temperature drops outside the heat pump will ask itself every 90 minutes if there is frost on the outdoor unit.   It has little sensors so it will know if there is frost or not.  If frost is detected it goes through a defrost cycle.  That sounds like a “whoosh”.  What happens is in order to get rid of the frost the heat pump will reverse the direction of the refrigerant and run backwards.  The unit is trying to use the hot gas of the refrigerant to defrost the unit outside.

If you’re fortunate enough to see this defrost mode, it is quite a show.  Since it melts the frost off it turns to steam and so it literally looks like their outdoor unit is getting ready to explode.

Seriously, we have gotten terrified calls from homeowners witnessing the defrost mode thinking that something was blowing up outside.

Pro Tip For Being Kind To Your Heat Pump

If you are running your heat pump during winter storms, it is common to hear a rattling noise outside. Ice can form on the fan blades and possibly even get out of balance because there are ice formations on it.

Ice storms is another can be a problematic time for a heat pump. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to just go ahead and turn it off and run the furnace instead.

Should I Get An Attic Fan? HVAC Expert Advice

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Ah the attic fan.  Personally I have lovely memories of going to sleep on cool summer nights listening to the attic fan and feeling all that fresh air blowing across my face.  I loved it.  To this day I am much more comfortable sleeping in a room that has air circulating than not.  However, as a child I was blissfully unaware of possible problems that could arise from running an attic fan.  This article gives you all the information you may not have about attic fans before you make the decision to use or install an attic fan in your home. 

How An Attic Fan Works

Attic fans (also called whole house fans) are specifically designed to cool your home using the outside air. The fan is attached to the floor of the attic, usually above a main hallway or living space.  When you turn on the fan and open the windows in the house, outside air is drawn in through the windows and up through the attic where the hot inside air is vented out of the home.

Attic fans work best at night when the outside temperature cools and that air is drawn into your warm home to cool it off.

Negative Pressure

Think of an attic fan as a huge 30″-36″ fan that puts a negative pressure on your house.  People love attic fans primarily for two reasons:

1. They think of it as free cooling for their home
2. Bringing fresh air into the house feels nice

The Disadvantages For an Attic Fan Begin With The Two Advantages

1. It is not really free cooling.  An attic fan uses 700 to 1000 watts of electricity. That is like using 10 or more 65 watt light bulbs.  So think of it this way: when you turn on your attic fan before you go to bed it is like going around the house and turning on 10 light bulbs before going to bed.  Its is not going to be terribly expensive, but it is certainly not free.

2. When we are bringing in outdoor air, the temperature feels cooler at the time, however it is heavily laden with moisture.  Everything in your home acts like a sponge.  Your mattresses, drapes ,carpets, everything is soaking up that moisture.  At night the air feels nice however in the morning your air conditioner will need to work overtime and spend a good part of the day getting things dried out.  NOTE: If you live in a drier climate or there is low humidity, this would not be as much of a problem as in high humidity areas.

Bringing in Outside Air Also Means Bringing In Allergens

When you pull the outside air into your house you are also inviting in all the allergens from the air.  Ragweed, cottonwood seeds all come streaming in and anyone who is sensitive to allergens will feel the difference immediately.  If you have air cleaners, you don’t want to pull in all the pollen, ragweed, cottonwood seeds, etc.  After you get used to really clean air you wouldn’t think of turning on an attic fan and letting in all those irritants.

Consequences of Negative Pressure

Here’s something most people don’t think about when running their attic fan: the consequence of putting negative pressure on your house.  The negative pressure produced by the attic fan is relieved by any opening from the inside of your house to the outside, such as opening windows.

Windows are not the only openings in your home.

You also need to think about the openings from dryer vents, sewer vents, and almost most importantly: your chimney and furnace flue vents.

Presumably you are not using your furnace when you are using your attic fan, but you are certainly using your hot water heater.  Your hot water heater is hooked to a pipe from inside the furnace room all the way up to the roof outside.  The attic fan is creating a massive down draft from the flue and if your water heater turns on and starts burning natural gas, it is not being vented properly out your flue.  Ramon Blachly from One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning says, “We are so sensitive about building codes and safety, yet we throw that all out vent your water heater into your house.”

Alternatives

If you love your attic fan primarily because, like me, you enjoy lots of air circulation in your home, Ramon recommends including a variable drive motor on your furnace coupled with a high efficiency air cleaner.  It creates circulation in your home where the air never feels stale and also cleans allergens and irritants from your indoor air making everything more comfortable.

Why Does My Air Conditioner Leak Water?

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Many people ask: Why is my air conditioner leaking water or icing up?  If you see water leaking from your indoor coil or ice on your air conditioner it is having a problem.  The main causes for this are: restricted airflow due to a blocked filter or ice forming, and an incorrect refrigerant charge that can cause ice to form and blow the air to your blower.

The Magic of Refrigeration

When the air conditioner is working normally, it is taking all the hot air from the inside of your home and blowing it across the cold coil that is located near the blower of your hvac system. Included in that hot air from your house is all the moisture and dirt that was in that air as well.  When the air conditioner is working correctly that evaporator coil will condense that moisture and send it to the floor drain while the dry, cool air is sent back into your home making everything feel more comfortable.  The dust and dirt from the air will be blocked by the furnace filter.

Your Air Conditioner Functions as a Giant De-Humidifier

When we take the moisture out of the air it feels more pleasant and your home will feel less muggy.  Almost even more important than the temperature, a lack of humidity in the air makes your whole home more comfortable.

As that moisture is taken out of the air and blown across the cold coil, moisture can freeze to the coil turning it into a block of ice.  If a block of ice forms on your evaporator coil, that will eventually restrict the airflow to the blower causing the entire system to malfunction.

Why Would The Coil Freeze?

An improper refrigerant charge.  If you have an improper refrigerant charge it can cause the evaporator coil to become TOO COLD that will then cause the moisture taken out of the air to freeze to the coil instead of draining to the drain pan.  This then causes a block to the airflow causing the system to shut down.

You will know this is happening if you hear the air conditioner running however you do not feel any airflow from the registers.  That means there is a block in airflow.  It is best to turn off the unit to melt the ice so your service technician can figure out what caused the initial problem.  You can think of the block of ice as a symptom of a different problem that needs to be solved.

Refrigerant Leaks Cause Improper Refrigerant Charge

If your air conditioner was working fine last summer and this summer your refrigerant charge is off, that means there may be a leak somewhere.  Your hvac system should be a closed system where the refrigerant doesn’t go back, stale or run out.  If your system is low on refrigerant there is a leak. Oftentimes people want to fix the problem by recharging their air conditioner with more refrigerant.  However that is not a fix.  If you have an unrepaired leak and you add more refrigerant to your system, that means refrigerant is leaking out as soon as you put it in.

Recharging the air conditioner without fixing a leak is also not the least expensive repair option.  Refrigerant has become extremely expensive depending on type.  It is best to fix the leak first and then correct the refrigerant charge.

Restricted Airflow

An air conditioner can also “ice up” due to a blocked air filter.  If an air filter is extremely dirty and plugged up, it can cause the same effect as a bad refrigerant charge to make the unit operate too cold and will form a block of ice.

Often when you see water dripping from the unit it is because the ice that had formed is thawing when the unit shuts off due to lack of airflow.

Until you thaw out and observe it operating, you won’t know why it is malfunctioning.

Keeping Water Where It Is Not Supposed To Be Can Be A Challenge

Water can cause many problems with your air conditioner.  Another important issue is to make sure you are properly getting the water from your air conditioner to the drain in your basement.  There is a drain pan that is paired with your cooling coil. It is important to keep that drain pan clean and unrestricted.  If there is a clog in the drain pan or the hose from the unit to the pan that can also cause a water problem.

One thing to keep in mind is that your coil is in a cool, wet, dark place.  It is very easy for the water draining from the evaporator coil to turn into very slimy stuff.  You may have heard of “pan treatments” during your routine maintenance visits.  A “pan treatment” will treat the water that sits in the drain pan that will help the drain line, hoses and pan cleared from plugs.  The drain pan has an algaecide to combat the algae and will allow the water to drain properly.

A De-Humidifier Will Help With Unwanted Water On The Ductwork

When the air conditioner is running, the ductwork is cold and dark surrounded by warmer air.  When the moisture from your home comes into contact with the cold ductwork, that can cause moisture to form on the outside of the ductwork.  This problem can be solved with a whole home dehumidifier.  A whole home dehumidifier can be attached to the ductwork or directly to areas that have the biggest moisture problems.

Moisture in a home knows no boundaries.  If storage room is humid it’s getting into the rest of the house.  If you dry out humid spots, it helps the whole house.

Dehumidifiers also give your air conditioner a break from bearing the sole responsibility of removing humidity from your home.  With a dehumidifier you do not need to run the air conditioner as much to maintain a comfortable temperature.  You can also keep your house a few degrees warmer and not run ac as much with a dehumidifier since a dehumidifier makes the air feel cooler.  Since the dehumidifier runs independently from the air conditioner, on days where it is not hot, but humid, the home can be kept comfortable and yet not use the air conditioner at all.

How To Protect Your Air Conditioner From Power Outages

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Nobody wants to replace their air conditioner before they absolutely must.

Power outages, even for a few seconds can sometimes destroy your air conditioner or severely damage it.  By installing a surge protector, upgraded contactor, and a hard start kit, your air conditioner will be protected from lightning strikes and power outages that wreck havoc on your most expensive appliance: your air conditioner.

We can get some wicked storms in the Midwest.

In 2011 our office building was struck by lightning and caught fire.  We experienced a total loss of our office and had to rebuild.  While nothing could have stopped the fire from happening, we did become aware of how often lightning and simple power outages can severely damage your furnace and air conditioner.  After our experience and realizing that many of our customers would have problems with their air conditioners after power outages, we put together a simple package of products that will protect your hvac system in case of lightning strikes or power outages.

There are three things we recommend to protect your air conditioner:

1. Surge Protector

Be honest.  Do you have a surge protector to protect your $300 television, but not to protect your $8,000 air conditioner?  We see it all the time.  Here’s what happens: it is the middle of summer with about 1000% humidity so your air conditioner is working overtime.  Your lights go off for a brief moment then come back on.  All clear?  No.  If the power outage happens while your air conditioner was running the power outage forced the hard-working air conditioner to stop suddenly then immediately turn itself back on.

2. Hard Start Kit

Starting up is hard to do.

The compressor is the heart of the air conditioner.  When it tries to start, it uses a lot of amps which is very hard on the components used to start the system. The more difficult it is for a compressor to start, the more wear and tear is happening to your air conditioner.  If a compressor fails to start altogether, no air conditioning for you.  A Hard Start Kit is a type of capacitor that gives your air conditioner extra help when it is struggling to turn on.  This is a component that does not come standard on most air conditioners so we recommend adding one to your system.

3. Upgraded Contactor

The contactor is a switch for the air conditioner that turns the system on.  Most standard contactors are not capable of monitoring the amount of power going into the air conditioner.  Your cooling system needs sufficient power to turn on and if it tries to turn on without sufficient power, this can hurt the system.  A better, upgraded contactor will automatically stop the air conditioner from trying to come on if there is not enough power to do it harmlessly.

As we said before, the hardest task you ask your air conditioner to do is to start.  The easier you make the starting process with a hard start kit, and ensure it does it with enough power by using an upgraded capacitor, your air conditioner will last longer and run better.

 

 

 

 

 

Why does my furnace turn on, but not heat?

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Why does my furnace turn on, but then not heat? There could be a variety of possible problems.  Most furnaces will default to just running the blower if it senses a malfunction.  Furnaces have an array of sensors that will detect overheating and automatically shut off the heating element if it senses a possible safety problem.  This is why you will experience your furnace “running” but not heating.

This is one of the most common questions we hear.  Although it is a common problem, there could be many possible reasons why your furnace would turn on, but not heat.  Ramon Blachly, an industry expert for more than 35 years, discusses in the video below how and why this may be happening to you.

Gas pressure: a possible, but very rare problem

On extremely bitter cold days, during a time of day where most people would be home, gas pressure could suffer.  Lower gas pressure could cause your furnace to lock itself out and stop heating.  If you turn everything off, then ask your thermostat to call for heat again and it comes on, this may have been the problem.

Check your filter

High efficiency air filters do a great job at collecting dirt that would otherwise be sent into your furnace and out into your home’s air.  However, if they get too dirty, they could cause a malfunction with your furnace.  If your furnace stops working, it may be due to overheating caused by your dirty furnace filter.  If you find that your filter is packed with dirt, that may have been the problem.  We recommend you change your filter every month if you use a disposable filter.

It is probably not the pilot light

While a pilot light going out used to be a very common reason for your furnace to run, but not heat, it is not a typical problem anymore.  If you have a furnace that was installed in the last 15 to 20 years, chances are your furnace does not ignite with the use of a pilot light at all.  Instead most furnaces today use electronic starters that eliminate the need for a standard pilot light.

It is possible your thermostat got reset

We’re not going to point any fingers, but it is possible your thermostat got reset without you being aware that it happened.  If you wake up and it is cold in your house, it could be that your thermostat was accidentally put in a mode where it is not calling for heat when it usually does.  Try resetting your thermostat and see if that was the problem.

Listen for the sequence of operation

If you suspect your furnace is not operating properly, you can listen to the following sequence of operation to determine which component of your furnace is malfunctioning. Note: This is how most furnaces function. Yours could be different.

1. Your thermostat will call for heat

2. Your inducer fan should come on.  The inducer fan is tied to your venting components.  If the inducer fan doesn’t come on there could be a variety of venting issues.  Maybe there is a bird nest somewhere or an ice block somewhere…it would take some detective work to figure this out.

3. After about 20-30 seconds  your ignitor will light.  You’ll see a glow like a lightbulb.

4. Then the gas will come on.  You’ll see burners light and then the ignitor will go out.  The furnace will warm up for about 30 seconds.

5. Then the main blower will come on.

6.  At the end of the heating cycle, the opposite will happen.

If you listen for all of the above you can loosely diagnose what the problem is.  Does the inducer fan come on, but the ignitor doesn’t light?  Bingo we’ve narrowed it down.

Is this a serious problem?

Sometimes a freak problem will happen and your furnace will function properly after resetting the thermostat.  However, most often, if your furnace malfunctions once, it will probably do it again.  Furnaces are made to detect safety issues before they become dangerous and shut off the furnace. It may be safer and more convenient to have a professional come out and fix the problem before it happens again.

How to help your furnace help you in the winter months

Your furnace is already working extremely hard to maintain a comfortable temperature while the temperatures outside feel arctic.  There are a few things you can do to be more friendly to your furnace while it is working overtime.

  1. Don’t let your house cool off while you are not there or at night. 
    Many of us economically-minded folks try to have our furnace run as little as possible so our utility bills will be lower.  Oftentimes while we are not at home we will let our house get colder and then heat it up more when we get home.  Ordinarily that is not a bad idea. However when it is frigid outside, it is best to just leave your thermostat at a comfortable temperature even when you are not there.  Your furnace will struggle to make up the difference in temperature and may it be impossible to recover the temperature in the amount of time you expect.
  2. Open cabinet doors to let the heat in.
     This will warm up your plumbing and make your house a more comfortable and consistent temperature.
  3. Keep your furnace clean and serviced
    It is remarkable how few of our customers will have a breakdown after they have their furnace maintained.  The best way to ensure your furnace will be running smoothly is to clean and check all those components in your furnace that could cause it to malfunction.  While you can certainly change your filter we recommend leaving the cleaning of the inside components of the furnace to a trained professional.

Watch the video below from Ramon with even more information.

Stop Suffering: How a Humidifier Solves More than Dry Skin

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humidifier-dry-skinWinter in the Kansas City area can be brutal on your skin.  You are probably just used to always being a little itchy, a little uncomfortable, and constantly applying chapstick or lotion.  Under normal conditions, skin’s outer layer has a water content of 10 to 30 percent. Water content in the skin comes from sweat, the underlying layers of skin and the atmosphere. Skin’s natural oils act as moisturizers, allowing it to seal in water. Dry skin occurs when its outer layer loses water faster than it can be replaced, and the outer layer’s water content falls below 10 percent.

Many things can cause dry skin: harsh soaps, frequent bathing, sun exposure and low humidity levels.  The prolonged use of indoor heat accelerates water loss from skin cells and the outer layer of skin tends to reflect the level of humidity around it.  Those nice healthy skin cells you have in the summertime can shrivel causing rough, scaly and itchy skin. In its most severe cases, skin’s lack of moisture can lead to cracks or bleeding.  How can a humidifier solve more than just dry skin in winter?

It’s all about humidity

So here’s the secret: make the air in your home feel like summer.  It is all about humidity.  Ever notice when you travel to warm, humid climates you never need lotion?  A room heated by a furnace can have as little as 10 percent moisture, but a humidifier keeps moisture circulating, which can help skin retain its natural moisture.  Let’s make your home a little tropical haven in the winter.

The best way to improve the humidity in your entire house, so you have prolonged exposure to humid air, is to professionally install a whole home humidifier and set it to around 60%.  Whole-home humidifiers connect permanently to your water supply, so they don’t have be filled with water every day or two as with tank-style humidifiers.

optimum-humidifierIsn’t that expensive?  Not if you consider the alternative.  A whole home humidifier can run between $450-$850 installed.  For about $1-$2 per day you can feel more comfortable, run your furnace less and improve your overall health. (See below).

Why Not Just Use a Cheap Humidifier For Each Room?

There are many reasons why a whole home humidifier is superior to a small humidifier you can buy at any local store.

  1. Individual, small humidifiers can make you sick: If you don’t replace the water in your humidifier daily so bacteria and mold don’t grow, you can get very ill. Then, you’ll have a much bigger problem than just dry skin or a stuffy nose.  Whole Home Humidifiers use a fresh stream of water from your home’s plumbing system so there is not old, moldy, standing water that is then sent into your air.  Gross.
  2. While the portability of individual humidifiers is nice, it is much more effective to use a whole home humidifier that sends equal amounts of humidity to each room at the same time.  This save you a ton of time from needing to move units, cleaning them regularly and also it provides the whole house with equal levels of comfort.
  3. Too much humidity can be as much of a problem as too little humidity. Mold growth in your home may contribute to health issues, as well as cause potential damage to your home.  Unlike individual portable humidifiers, a whole home humidifier constantly monitors humidity levels and then sends the perfect amount of moisture into the air throughout your entire home.
    (Quick tip: If you see moisture collecting on the inside of your windows, drops of water running down the kitchen tile, or mold growing anywhere in the house, you know you have too much moisture.  We recommend every home use a humidistat to monitor the levels of humidity.)

  4.  Maintenance of a whole home humidifier is easy and infrequent in comparison to a portable humidifier.  Whole home humidifiers require cleaning and maintenance once or twice a year while portable room humidifiers require constant maintenance and are often messy and ineffective.  If you have an individual, portable humidifier for a single room, it is recommended you change the water daily, clean it weekly, and use only distilled water.  Who has time for all that?

Even More Reasons to Install a Whole Home Humidifier

1. Preventing influenza-  Some researchers believe humidifiers might reduce the risk of catching the flu. After adding the influenza virus to the air with a simulated cough, researchers found that humidity levels above 40 percent rapidly deactivated virus particles, making them much less likely to be infectious.  The reason we get more colds in the winter season is due more to the dry air indoors, where airborne viruses live and circulate, than the cold weather itself.

2. Helps plants and floors-  Any houseplants (cactus not included) may become more healthy looking, and wood floors or furniture may last longer. The slats of a wood floor can separate and leave gaps that fill with dust, which keep them from closing back.  Humidity can also help to prevent wallpaper from cracking and static electricity from building up.

3. Speaking of static- Static electricity is exponentially higher in dry winter months. This is annoying when dealing with your laundry or frizzy hair. More importantly, built up static can damage sensitive electronics; even create sparks which could potentially be dangerous. Properly humidified air has the ability to limit, and most often prevent problems that come from static.

4.  Save your electricity-  In the cold winter months, you probably spend more on heating than you would like.  Humid air can also feel warmer than dry air, which could help you save money on utility bills when it is cold outside.

Don’t just take our word for it

The National Institutes of Health recommends the use of humidifiers to help relieve congestion from the common cold, flu, and sinus infections. And humidifiers can also help alleviate the symptoms of dry eyes, eczema, itchy skin, dry nasal passages, cracked lips, and nose bleeds due to dry air, allergies, or asthma.

Here’s an opinion from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Humidifiers are commonly used in homes to relieve the physical discomforts of dry nose, throat, lips, and skin. The moisture they add to dry air also helps alleviate common nuisances brought on by winter heating, such as static electricity, splitting woodwork and cracks in paint and furniture.

A quote from Miguel Wolbert, MD, a board-certified allergist in Midland, TX – Having a humidifier can do wonders for your nose, sinuses, and airways — if it’s used properly, humidifiers can help prevent nasal irritation and nosebleeds, and keep your airways from becoming inflamed. And that’s a good thing, because once the nasal passages are more lubricated, then it becomes easier to blow out the irritants, pathogens, and of course allergens that accumulate in them.

Need more information?  We understand.

You want to spend your hard-earned money wisely.  Give us a call and you can speak with one of our expert technicians who install these humidifiers every day.  They have the experience to answer any questions you might have.

Also, if you make the excellent decision to install a home humidifier and for whatever reason you would like your money back, we have a no-hassle guarantee.

Call 913-829-1505 before 5pm to speak with our experts.

humidifier-coupon
Now through February 22nd, take 20% off our regular price on any whole home humidifier installation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/

https://www.gaiam.com/

New Benefit to Club Members: Club Member Concierge

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brittney-concierge

You may have already met Brittney as she has been answering our phones and delivering gifts to our installation customers for a number of years.  We have created a new role that Brittney will be entering into as our Club Member Concierge!

brittney-club-conciergeShe is now your designated contact person for anything related to your Club Membership.  She’ll schedule your maintenance appointments on a day that is convenient to you and make sure your Club Membership is meeting all of your home comfort needs.  Also a new perk of being a Club Member…if you have a friend, neighbor or family member who needs help with their air conditioner or furnace, and we have never been to their home before, you can tell them to call us and drop your name.  We will then waive the diagnostic charge and do an evaluation at no charge since they are a friend of yours.

Brittney is a wonderful advocate for our Club Members and loves getting to know each and every person she speaks to on the phone and wants to impress your socks off with amazing service!  We hope you enjoy this new benefit to your Club Membership!

Can Improving Your Indoor Air Quality Improve Your Babies’ Intelligence? Study links Indoor Air Quality and Intelligence

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Can Improving Your Indoor Air Quality Improve Your Babies’ Intelligence? Study links Indoor Air Quality and Intelligence

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. Understanding and controlling common pollutants indoors can help reduce your risk of indoor health concerns. (epa.gov)

In a study by the US Environmental Protection Agency titled “Monitoring and reducing exposure of infants to pollutants in house dust,” it was concluded that early contact with pollutants among the very young is associated with higher rates of chronic illness such as asthma, loss of intelligence, ADHD, and cancer in children and adults.

Since babies ingest more dust, they are up to ten times more vulnerable to indoor air pollution exposures commonly found in households such as  pesticides, PAHs, Gram-negative bacteria, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, phthalates, phenols, and other EDCs, mutagens, and carcinogens.  Reducing infant exposures, at this critical time in their development, may reduce lifetime health costs, improve early learning, and increase adult productivity.

One recommendation to reduce infant exposure to duct and other pollutants, was to use a HEPA air filter in your home.  Other recommendations included included using a vacuum cleaner with dirt finders and HEPA filtration, replace sheets with allergy control bedding covers, and use high-quality door mats.

The PureSept® Bypass HEPA Air Cleaner sold and installed by One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning is a true bypass High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter just like those used in hospitals, clean rooms and microchip manufacturing plants. The PureSept HEPA filtration system uses a unique combination of three filters to purify and scrub the air in your home. It works with any home HVAC system and provides the optimum air purification solution for those who suffer from allergies or asthma, while controlling smoke, pollen, dust, and other particulates.

If you are interested in HEPA Air Cleaners, or other Indoor Air Quality solutions, and would like to speak with an indoor air quality professional, please call 913-829-1505.

Ask the Expert: Humid House Problem

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Ask the Expert: Humid House Problem

Question: My house feels very humid and the drain line is dry. Is it likely clogged? The unit about 3 years old.

Answer: This has been an extremely humid summer and your situation is not unique. While a clogged drain may increase humidity levels in your home, it certainly wouldn’t be the #1 culprit.  Since you said it appears that your drain is clear, this probably isn’t the issue anyway.  Humidity enters the home whenever doors are opened, or wherever the smallest crack or crevice can be found. No opening is too small!

Many times we will find gaps underneath decks, around siding, windows….etc, where hot, sticky air is infiltrating your home. As far as removing humidity that is already in the home, depending on your system’s set-up, running your air conditioner in low speed to help dehumidify may or may not be an option.  Whole home dehumidifiers are our most popular product this time of year.  They are typically ducted into your system and can provide the most effective results.  We can send out a tech at no charge to speak to you more in detail about dehumidifying your home. Just give us a call anytime at 913-ONE-HOUR if you would like to schedule an appointment.

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