Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning’

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Cincinnati AC Installation Guide

Monday, May 7th, 2012

If you are going to buy a brand new air conditioning system to keep your home cool this summer, there are a lot of different things you should keep in mind. Beyond getting a unit that will fit your budget, you call need to think about how well it will operate after is it installed. Here are a few things that you should consider when buying a new air conditioner in Cincinnati:

  • Controls: Air conditioners built day come with multiple speeds, which gives you unprecedented control of both air flow and energy consumption. You can buy an AC that doesn’t need to run at 100 % capacity all the time, instead you can get one that adjusts its cooling to match your needs at any given moment. You can also get zone control, which allows you to cool different zones of your home to different temperatures.
  •  SEER: SEER stands for Season Energy Efficient Ratio and it is a measure of your air conditioner’s energy efficiency. It is a ratio of the energy needed to produce a certain amount of cooling, and the higher the number, the more energy efficient your AC. There is a wide variety of SEER ratings in the air conditioners you can buy today, some with ratings of over 20! An energy efficient AC will make a big difference in your monthly energy bills.
  • Sound Dampening: In addition to getting an energy efficient air conditioner, you should also think about one that will be an unobtrusive as possible. You can get models with sound dampening features such as vibration isolation and insulation. While most modern air conditioners are not very noisy to begin with, units built with these new features give you great cooling at even lower sound levels.
  • Dehumidification: All AC systems provide some level of dehumidification, which is an important part of keeping your home comfortable during the summer. But some ACs have advanced controls that allow you more precisely control humidity levels.

A quality central air conditioning system is a great investment for many homeowners. The right system will keep you comfortable for years to come, so it is important to figure out which featrues are important to you before you make your purchase. For more information about Cincinnati air conditioning installation, give RineAir Heating and Air Conditioning a call today!

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Cincinnati AC Guide: Keep Your Home Cool and Save Energy

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

As the season of hot days and long evenings draws near, it is normal for questions to arise on how to keep your home cool and save energy. There are some things which are easy to do and can help keep any house cool without overuse of your Cincinnati air conditioner.

Easy Fixes Which Cool the House from the Heat of the Sun

  • Provide effective shade for east and west facing windows, including planting shade trees around the exterior of the house
  • Delay heat-generating activities until evening
  • Keep the house closed tight during the day so that unwanted heat and humidity do not enter the home
  • Ventilate at night with open windows and fans
  • Use ceiling fans or room fans to increase comfort levels with higher air conditioning thermostat settings
  • Seal and insulate all air conditioning ducts, and seal leaky windows with caulk or weather stripping
  • Install window shades, blinds, awnings, sunscreens, or apply low-e films to windows to block most solar rays which cause heat gain
  • Close south and west-facing curtains during the day on windows which get direct sunlight, and invest in reflective solar curtains
  • Upgrade the insulation in the attic
  • Service your Cincinnati air conditioning unit annually, and place it in the shade with proper air flow to ensure it runs efficiently
  • Install a house fan to cool the entire home at once as well as cool the attic above

Eliminate Internal Heat Sources

  • Lessen stove and oven use during hot days and enjoy a backyard barbeque or cookout, keeping the heat out of the kitchen and in the great outdoors.  When cooking inside do so in the evening and employ use of the microwave, toaster-oven or counter-top grill which produces far less heat than the stove or oven.
  • Switch to newer, compact fluorescent lights which use less energy and produce far less heat than incandescent lights
  • Pass on the hot-drying cycle of the dishwasher and let dishes air dry, or dry them by hand
  • Line-dry clothes rather than using the dryer, or use the lowest heat setting on the dryer
  • Take shorter showers that are cooler, and turn on exhaust fans and open windows to properly ventilate the area, allowing excess heat to escape
  • Turn computers and other electronics off when not in use, and use electronic devices such as TV’s less often throughout the day

Combining the various home fixes while eliminating internal heat sources can turn out to be the best ways to keep your home cool and save energy during hot summer months.  Just try some and see how that energy bill decreases!

If you have any questions about how to keep your home cool this year, give RineAir Heating & Air Conditioning a call!

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Southwest Ohio Senior Olympics

Friday, April 20th, 2012

This weekend is the volley ball portion of the Ohio Senior Olympics. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission has hosted the Southwest Ohio Senior Olympics since 1992. Events run from March 31st through May 19th. The women’s volley ball game will be Saturday April 21st at the College Hill Recreation Center. The men’s game will be the following day, April 22nd. Senior Olympics is a “fun and challenging program…open to athletes ages 50 and older. Events include golf, swimming, tennis, track & field, and many more”.

Are you a Senior looking for heat or AC service in the Cincinnati area? At RineAir Heating and Air Conditioning discounts are available for senior citizens and veterans. Please call for details.

At RineAir we are commited to building lasting relationships with our customers and within the community. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission is an award winning organization that provides programs and activities for seniors, youths, and persons with disabilities, as well as hosting special community events.

Cincinnati | Senior Olympics | RineAir Heating and Air Conditioning

 

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Free AC Tune-Up

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Regularly scheduled Air Conditioning tune-ups are the best way to improve the efficiency of your Air Conditioning system, keeps operation costs down, and extend the life of the machine. The wear and tear of running all summer long year after year can run down even the best AC system. This drop in performance is often so gradual that you don’t notice it, however. But when your unit is brought back up to top condition, you’ll surely notice the difference immediately. Checking your AC system each spring can help avoid costly emergency repair during the peak of summer.

Call RineAir Heating & Air Conditioning today to schedule your FREE AC Tune-Up!

 

RineAir Heating and Air Conditioning services the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region and is veteran-owned and operated by the Rineair family. We are dedicated to building lasting relationships with our customers by delivering value through quality work and dependable service at affordable prices.

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Your Cincinnati AC and Your Energy Recovery Ventilator

Monday, April 9th, 2012

As a homeowner with an air conditioning system, you know that it costs plenty to keep your home cool and comfortable in the summer. It is an expense you are willing to pay for the comfort and overall health of your family, but if you are like most homeowners, you would do anything to lower your monthly electric bills where possible.

One way to make your Cincinnati air conditioning system a little more efficient is to install an energy recovery ventilator. Read on to learn what energy recovery ventilator is and how it works alongside your AC system to reduce energy loss and improve indoor comfort control.

Cincinnati HVAC - Energy Recovery VentilatorWhat is an energy recovery ventilator?

An energy recovery ventilator transfers heat and water vapor from the outside (incoming) air and the outgoing air that is circulated by your HVAC system. This allows you to get fresh air into your home without wasting energy.

You also might have heard of a heat recovery ventilator, which is a similar device. The main difference is that an energy recovery ventilator transfers both heat and moisture, whereas a heat recovery ventilator only transfers heat.

What does an energy recovery ventilator Do?

What does that transfer mean for your Cincinnati air conditioning system? Well, in the hot summer months, your air conditioner pulls in warm air from the outside, cools it and then blasts it into your home, while exhausting warm air to the outside.

What an energy recovery ventilator does is make that process a little easier for the air conditioner to handle by transferring heat from the warm air coming in to the exhaust air that the AC is blowing out of the house. The incoming air therefore has to be cooled less, which means your AC doesn’t have to work as hard, which means less electricity is used.

Many users of energy recovery ventilator systems report that the moisture exchange also makes the air in their homes feel “fresher,” rather than the stale feel that air conditioning can sometimes produce.

So, if you would like to increase efficiency and reduce the cost of running your AC system, consider an energy recovery ventilator as one possible solution. If you have any questions about how to improve your home’s indoor air quality, give RineAir Heating & Air Conditioning a call!

Photo by SDTeamCanada: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdteamcanada/6023947808/

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Different Types of Refrigerants Used in HVAC: A Guide From Covington

Friday, September 9th, 2011

We have all heard the phrases in Covington like “save the planet” or “save the ozone layer.” Up until the 1960s there wasn’t a lot of attention paid to the disintegrating protective ozone layer around the Earth’s surface. Since then, ozone-depleting CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) have been seen as the ozone-depleting culprit and new laws regulating the use of CFCs have had a direct impact on heating and cooling (HVAC) systems.

The “lifeblood” of any air conditioning and heat pump system is its refrigerants – a chemical used in the refrigeration cycle. For several decades, the “refrigerant of choice” in HVAC systems has been HCFC-22, also known as R-22. The problem is, HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons) are harmful to the ozone layer because they contain ozone-destroying chlorine.

Because of this, the use of R-22 is being slowly phased out from usage in HVAC systems. The Clean Air Act of 1970 has provisions in it to phase out HCFC refrigerants. As a result, chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce, and companies will no longer be able to import, R-22 for use in new air conditioning equipment (effective this year),  but they can continue production and import of R-22 until 2020 for use in servicing existing equipment. So, R-22 should continue to be available for all systems that require R-22 for servicing for many years to come.

But the “new kid on the block” replacing R-22 has been getting up a head of steam for several years now. Among the new alternative refrigerants recommended by the U.S. EPA is R-410A, a blend of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that does not contribute to depletion of the ozone layer, but, like R-22, contributes to global warming. R-410A is manufactured and sold under various trade names, including GENETRON AZ-20®, SUVA 410A®, Forane® 410A, and Puron®.

There are several other substitute refrigerants going by the names of R-407C, HFC-134A, and R-422C. A complete list can be found at www.epa.gov.

According to the U.S. EPA, homeowners with existing units using R-22 can continue to use R-22 since there is “no requirement to change or convert R-22 units for use with a non-ozone-depleting substitute refrigerant.” And it is important to note that R-407C is allowed for retrofits but R-410A is not, due to its higher working pressures. Substitute refrigerants would not work well with existing components unless a retrofit was made or in the case of using R-410A, a complete system changeout.

One of the leading causes for air conditioner and heat pump failure are lower levels of refrigerant. If you are working on your own equipment, it is important to note that replacing refrigerants like R-22 and R-410A should only be done by certified HVAC professionals. You must show EPA certification to purchase these refrigerants.

If you are interested in “saving the planet” you might do well to give the boot to your HCFC-consuming appliance.

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2011 AC Federal Tax Credits: A Guide From Batavia

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

You’ve probably heard many arguments for why you should purchase an energy efficient air conditioner in Batavia. They may cost a bit more up front, but they’ll save you money in the long run by cutting down on your monthly energy bills. They’re also better for the environment because their lower energy usage means less fossil fuels are burned to keep them running.

But there’s another reason energy efficient AC units are better buys than your standard alternative. There are Federal tax credits available to consumers who purchase them. This tax credit can more than make up for the higher purchase price of the units, allowing you to enjoy your monthly savings much sooner and know you’re doing your part to protect the environment.

How to Qualify

In order to qualify for 2011 air conditioning Federal tax credit, you need to purchase an appropriate energy efficient AC system. Your HVAC contractor or salesperson can tell you which models and units qualify for this program. Just make sure you save all documentation and proof of purchase in case you need them to validate your claim.

The AC units that qualify you for this tax credit include those with a SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) of 16 or greater and an EER (energy efficiency ratio) of at least 13. These two numbers are the best and clearest indicators of the overall energy efficiency of the product and can easily be found on the packaging for any air conditioning unit. While a 16 SEER is very good, it is not the highest rating currently available, either, so you won’t be forced to buy the most expensive model available to get your credit.

Credit Details

The tax credit is good for up to 10% of the purchase price of the unit up to $300. Keep in mind, though, that you can only claim up to $500 lifetime towards this program. So if you’ve previously claimed $250, you can only claim an additional $250 for 2011. That’s still a significant savings, though, and well worth looking into if you’re in the market for a new AC unit or system.

So if you’ve been thinking about upgrading your AC system, but haven’t quiet gotten around to, now may be the time to take advantage of this great tax credit opportunity before it’s too late.

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Why the SEER Is Important When Choosing an Air Conditioner? A Question From Newtown

Monday, August 29th, 2011

There are many things to take into account when you are trying to pick out a new air conditioning system in Newtown. You want one that will be powerful enough to cool the required space but not so big that it turns your home into a walk in freezer. With so many models and types on the market, it can be difficult to figure out what details you need to pay attention to and what you can ignore.

The seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER) that each air conditioner comes with is not something you should ever disregard, however. This number is a reflection of the overall energy efficiency of the unit and it can have a huge impact on the amount you pay to keep running your air conditioner every month. The higher the SEER of a product, the more energy efficient it is and the lower your monthly bills will be.

Of course, air conditioners with a higher SEER also generally come with a higher price tag, so you will have to weigh the amount of your potential savings against the difference in price of units with different SEERs.

To calculate this, you will need to know exactly how much more energy efficient one model is compared to the others. For instance, when you know that an air conditioner with a SEER of 11 is 7% more efficient than one with a SEER of 10, you are in a better position to evaluate the potential savings.

You will still need to translate this into dollars, of course, because the amount you save with a 7% boost in efficiency will depend largely on how much you typically pay already. If you are only paying around $320 a year with a SEER 10 air conditioner, upgrading to a SEER 11 will only save you about $30. However, if your annual cooling bills are closer to $1000, you will easily save close to $150 with this small upgrade.

SEER numbers go much higher than 10 and 11 too. In fact, the highest you will probably get is a 19.5 SEER, but that will more than cut your cooling bills in half if you are starting with a SEER 10. Still, the actual amount that you will save depends on how much you were paying to begin with, but if your cooling bills are already very high, it may be worth it to invest in an expensive but very high efficiency system. If you need more information on energy efficient air conditioners, contact your local contractor.

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Air Conditioners and Energy Use by Percentage: Some Pointers From Amelia

Friday, August 26th, 2011

It’s no secret that air conditioners use up a lot of electricity in your Amelia home and can add substantially to your energy bills during those warm summer months. But did you know that they actually account for an estimated 11% of the total energy used in all buildings in the US each year? This is a staggering figure and makes it easy to see why it’s best to invest in the most energy efficient system possible.

Keeping Your Consumption Down

There are plenty of reasons to try and keep your energy consumption down. You want to save on your energy bills, and the less energy you use, the better it is for the environment. The best and most straightforward way to go about this is to purchase only highly energy efficient appliances and equipment, and that includes air conditioners.

Because air conditioner usage accounts for such a substantial part of the total energy used in this country, putting more energy efficiency models into use is the best way to cut that usage down.

Supplementary Cooling

However, there are other ways to reduce the workload of your air conditioner. For instance, you can use a ceiling fan to maintain good air circulation and keep your home cool. Using a ceiling fan with an air conditioner, even on the hottest days of the year, allows you to turn up your thermostat a bit to conserve energy while still enjoying a comfortable indoor environment. And because ceiling fans use so little energy to operate, you’ll come out ahead on your energy bill.

Passive Cooling

There are also several passive cooling methods you can employ to keep the temperature in your home down. Blocking out sunlight is the most important of these, so keep your blinds closed on any windows that receive direct sunlight, particularly in the early afternoon. Alternately, you can have awnings put up, which allow you to block the direct sun while still keeping the blinds open.

Shade is another effective passive cooling device. Planting trees around your home to block out the sun at the hottest times of day is a totally energy-free way of keeping your home cool and reducing the workload on your air conditioning system. The less your air conditioner has to work, the less energy it consumes and the lower your energy bills will be.

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How Does Central AC Work? A Question From Kenwood

Friday, August 19th, 2011

We pretty much just take the fact of central air conditioning for granted these days in Kenwood. It is present almost everywhere and it is hard to imagine getting through a long hot summer without it. But if you are like most people, you probably do not actually know how central air conditioning works. While you can certainly take advantage of it without understanding it, the basic concept is pretty simple.

Basically, central air conditioning systems are composed of an outdoor unit that typically houses the compressor and condenser and an indoor unit that manages the flow of air throughout your house or other building. This indoor unit is typically either an air handler or a furnace, and it directs the flow of air through a series of ducts that feed into the various rooms of the house.

The cool air originates in the outdoor unit and is blown into the house, gradually absorbing heat as it goes, and that air is then returned to the outdoor unit to be re-cooled. What actually happens in the outdoor unit involves the cycle of a type of refrigerant from a gas to a liquid and back. In the condenser area of the outdoor unit, the pressure on the refrigerant is lessened and it is able to absorb heat from the air returning from the house.

This gas, while warmer than the liquid refrigerant, is still quite cold and acts to cool the air being passed back into the house. As that refrigerant moves along to the compressor area, the gas is converted to a liquid and is forced to release the heat it had been holding. In that way, the air conditioner is able to remove heat from the inside of your house and release it outside.

Your air conditioning system is also generally hooked up to a thermostat, which is what controls when the unit switches on and off. You can set the thermostat at the temperature you would like to maintain inside your house and the thermostat will signal the air conditioner to switch on when the indoor temperature rises above that level. And once the indoor temperature is again below the preset level on the thermostat, the air conditioner will switch off again.

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