Category: News

The Impact of Proper Maintenance on Your Furnace and Air Conditioner | Alternative HVAC Solutions

Proper Maintenance of Your Heat-Pump or Furnace and Air Conditioner

Posted on | by ixup784-4hmr

Maintaining your Heat-Pump or furnace and air conditioner is crucial for ensuring optimal performance, energy efficiency, and longevity of these essential home appliances. Neglecting regular maintenance can lead to costly repairs, reduced efficiency, and even premature replacement. Here’s why proper maintenance matters and how an Extended Service Agreement (ESA) can benefit you with Alternative HVAC Solutions.

Benefits of Regular Maintenance:

  1. Improved Efficiency: Regular servicing keeps your HVAC systems running efficiently. Clean filters, calibrated thermostats, and lubricated parts ensure that your furnace and air conditioner don’t have to work harder than necessary, saving energy and reducing utility bills. If you have a Heat-Pump, you only have to maintain one system cutting your maintenance costs virtually in half.
  2. Extended Lifespan: Like any mechanical system, HVAC units last longer when they are well-maintained. Routine inspections catch minor issues before they escalate into major problems that could potentially shorten the lifespan of your equipment.
  3. Enhanced Indoor Air Quality: Clean filters and ducts help to improve indoor air quality by reducing the circulation of dust, pollen, and other allergens. This is particularly beneficial for households with allergies or respiratory issues.
  4. Fewer Repairs: Regular maintenance can prevent many common HVAC problems, such as clogged filters, worn-out belts, or faulty electrical connections. This reduces the likelihood of breakdowns and the need for expensive repairs.
  5. Maintained Warranty Validity: Many HVAC manufacturers require proof of annual maintenance to keep their warranties valid. Neglecting maintenance could void your warranty, leaving you liable for the full cost of repairs or replacement.

Extended Service Agreement with Alternative HVAC Solutions:

An Extended Service Agreement (ESA) with Alternative HVAC Solutions provides additional peace of mind and financial security by offering:

  • Priority Service: ESA holders receive priority scheduling for service calls, especially during peak seasons when HVAC companies are busiest.
  • Scheduled Maintenance: An ESA typically includes annual maintenance visits, ensuring that your HVAC systems are inspected, cleaned, and tuned regularly.
  • Transferable Coverage: In some cases, an ESA can be transferred to a new homeowner if you sell your property, adding value to your home sale.

Investing in regular maintenance for your Heat-Pump or furnace and air conditioner not only saves you money in the long run but also ensures your home remains comfortable throughout the year.

With an Extended Service Agreement from Alternative HVAC Solutions, you can enjoy added benefits and peace of mind, knowing that your HVAC systems are in good hands. Don’t wait until your HVAC system breaks down—take proactive steps today to maintain and protect your investment in home comfort and efficiency.

Call the team at Alternative HVAC Solutions TODAY at 650-322-4328 for more information!

Mitsubishi Intelli-heat | Dual fuel heating and cooling

Dual Fuel Heating and Cooling

Posted on | by ixup784-4hmr

A dual-fuel or hybrid system is the combination of an electric heat pump and a natural gas furnace. This system uses the heat pump’s outdoor condensing unit to heat your home using only electricity. The gas furnace comes into play when temperatures are below 35 degrees.

When using an electric Heat Pump as your primary fuel source, adding a gas furnace, as a secondary source can supplement your heating system when the temperature is colder than optimal for a Heat Pump. The fuel-efficient gas furnace can be used when it is coldest (usually below 35F). It will heat your home more efficiently and will have more capacity to bring your home to a comfortable temperature in less time. Once your home is at a more comfortable temperature, you can then switch over to your electric heat pump system and, if paired with a solar system, can utilize the energy efficiency of these combined systems.

By switching to the high-efficiency natural gas or propane furnace during colder periods, the combined system (Heat Pump, Furnace & Solar) is more energy-efficient, provides greater comfort, and has a smaller carbon footprint.

When it’s warm outside, your heat pump will reverse direction and act like an air conditioner removing warm air from your home.

Hybrid heating systems provide homeowners with an energy choice. As energy prices fluctuate, or, if the homeowner prefers the warmer air delivery of the furnace, the transition point between the two systems can be adjusted upward or downward. Hybrid systems also provide a redundant heating system should a problem arise with either one.

Systems and Controls

Some systems you might consider are the Mitsubishi Temperature Control, Trane Comfort Control Model 950, Carrier, Bryant Heat Pump and furnace Evolution system with the Evolution Connex thermostat. All of these are compatible with the NEST thermostat. We can help you select the hybrid system and controls that will best suit your needs.

Properly sized HVAC | San Mateo HVAC

Properly Sized HVAC

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Builders who adopt a whole-home approach to building design consider the home as a single system consisting of interdependent parts. Framing, walls, insulation, windows, doors, lighting, HVAC and other components of the built environment are evaluated for how they perform in relation to each other, to the local climate and expected occupant behavior.

Lower Loads

Previously, some builders may have selected oversized HVAC systems in the hopes of guaranteeing comfort and limiting callbacks, but this approach is costly and inefficient, particularly in homes with tight thermal envelopes. An oversized system is likely to waste energy and cause temperature swings along with ineffective moisture removal by short cycling: constantly turning on and off. HVAC systems specified for high-performance homes must be able to accommodate low loads. In high-performance homes, the interdependent parts work together to produce personalized comfort, healthy spaces, and energy efficiency. The foundation of energy efficiency is a tight thermal envelope designed to reduce cooling and heating loads.

Load and Lifestyle

Room-by-room load calculations (ACCA Manual J®) and the process of identifying the right system size (ACCA Manual S®) are both based upon ASHRAE design temperatures which account for the coolest and hottest days of the year. For most of the year, temperatures will not reach either extreme. Also, loads will change over the course of a day, varying based on how occupants use a space. The homeowner’s bedroom and home office will have radically different conditioning needs than a 50-person dance studio built in a basement, for example. High-performance HVAC systems with variable capacities, such as Zoned Comfort Solutions®, are able to limit energy consumption to the amount needed to cool and heat rooms to their set point and immediately vary capacity as loads change. Coupled with zoning, this level of precision means builders can reduce the risk of callbacks by specifying systems that align with room-by-room load calculations and keep occupants comfortable whether they are in the kitchen or a bonus room turned yoga studio.

Trane's Best Heat Pump | Alternative HVAC Solutions

Trane’s Best Heat Pump

Posted on | by ixup784-4hmr

If you’re looking for a new heat pump, the first thing you need to do is identify what features matter to you most. Do you want the best value? Do you want the most energy-efficient? Or maybe a bit of both? In order to make your choice a little easier, we’ve identified the heat pump that performs the best in three important categories: energy efficiency, quiet operation, and value. We’ll explain what those categories mean and explain how our best heat pumps perform so you can make the best decision for you and your family.

Heat pump features you need to know

The technical terms and features of heat pumps can feel like a foreign language. Even if you begin to understand them, how do you know what features are right for your home? Honestly, your best resource for a thorough understanding of the latest equipment and what your home needs is your local HVAC specialist. However, there are a few basics you should know.

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