Recently, I had the chance to meet with a long-time veteran of the home heating, A/C and plumbing business in a large western U.S. city.  He said something I knew a little about, but had never heard stated so directly.  He said:

Heating, A/C and plumbing are some of the main vocational training programs that are taught in prisons. That’s one of the reasons our company does background checks and drug addiction screening on all our employees…”

After a prisoner has served his or her sentence, having a productive job can help keep them from returning to prison. This, of course, is a good thing for a civilized society.  At the same time, home or building owners need to know that a technician who will be working in or own their property is both competent in HVAC and trustworthy.

Screening and background checks on employees could prevent a person with violence, molestation, or similar baggage in their past or present (particular offenses with a high rate of recidivism) from getting a job at your local heating and air conditioning company.

What you can do to find quality heating and A/C service companies

So, in addition to the quick tips you will see on the pages of our website, before you have a contractor repair or replace your heating and AC equipment, ask if and how they screen their employees for undesirable history.

Background checks, like other overhead costs of technical training and certification, bonding, and insurance, can translate into higher bids or costs than companies who do not cover these benefits or protection for their customers. Of course, cost can naturally be divided into initial cost and longer term or unforseen costs. Generally, service companies with good infrastructure have better procedures.  This usually means they are less likely to make mistakes. And if they do make an error or if a defect in equipment presents itself, they have the resources to make things right.

A couple of days ago, while searching on Google for new developments in Heating and Air Conditioning, I found two new things: First, a new way to read news articles, called FastFlip. I thought our readers might find it and the second subject, Nanotech Aerogel Insulation, of interest as it realates to HVAC.  Before going further, I’ll add that, after blogging about difficulties with high energy bills, defective drywall, and other challenges homeowners are facing currently, it is fun to write about a topic that could be a breakthrough in energy conservation.  We all could use a break and enjoy more indoor comfort and lower bills, right?

First, a useful new search tool, Google FastFlip

Google Labs has a search product in beta called FastFlip. The URL is http://fastflip.googlelabs.com/ .  It’s simple to use and appears to be built to deliver relevant information from trusted sources in a format that is easy to read.  All you have to do is enter the topic on which you want to read the news. The search results page loads with thumbnail views of recent online publications that, to us, appear to have been vetted for quality journalism.  I like FastFlip a lot and hope it becomes a full-fledged service like Google News or Google Images. Now on the heating and AC related topic I found.

SuperInsulating Aerogels in Home Insulation

In the article from Popular Science (link below) there is a brief history of aerogel technology.  It was discovered about 70 years ago, but due to high cost and other limiting factors, aerogels were mostly used by NASA in aerospace, or in deep sea pipelines and other extreme environments or applications. Rather than try to cover the whole topic in one blog, I’ll give a brief overview and provide links to the articles themselves.  On these websites, there are several brief video clips showing the amazing insulation properties of aerogel.  If aerogels work as indicated, they could be a game changer in energy conservation for homes and buildings. The article in Popular Science online has a link that leads to an article in Ceramic Tech Today (link also available below) that shows aerogel being used in a building application. This article has comparative charts on insulating properties of aerogel and more conventional types of building insulation, and lists companies that are making aerogel products that related to home energy conservation,  heating and air conditioning.

Links related to this topic:

Popular Science Magazine Online

Ceramics.org

Aerogel.com_Space

Cabot Corporation_nanogel

Thermablok_Aerogel

Today, I had the opportunity and pleasure to interview Mr. Tom Tebbe, National Programs Director with HVACExcellence.org. Tom has a history and depth of knowledge of the HVAC industry that are truly remarkable. As two southerners from neighboring states, we had a lively discussion by telephone. Below are my notes from the interview.

Question: What is your “elevator statement”, mission, or goals for HVAC excellence?
Tom: My personal view is that we are committed to excellence in education and training. We want to create a more qualified and competent workforce for the HVAC industry.  To accomplish this, we take a progressive approach to all levels that affect the outcome: HVAC Program  accreditation, Credentialing of instructors, student outcome assessments, and certifying field technicians.  In other words, training only the technicians is not nearly enough.

Question: How does your mission benefit home and building owners?
Tom: It helps the owner of a home or building considerably, because the HVAC technician on their site will provide a higher quality installation of new AC and heating equipment or repair service. Work from properly trained and qualified technicians delivers more comfort and lower utility costs, and fewer repair bills for the owner.  Today, this is even more important than in the past, because modern AC and heating equipment must be sized correctly, installed to manufacturer’s specifications, and then maintained regularly to achieve optimum comfort, performance, energy efficiency, and life.

Question: I recall that you taught HVAC-Refrigeration at the college level. Can you tell us a bit about that?
Tom: I was involved in teaching and administration at the private and college level.  My goal was to provide students a solid foundation in the fundamentals of HVAC theory and electrical knowledge. Other areas we emphasized were communication skills and customer relations.  To be effective in the field, technicians not only have to be technically competent in HVAC equipment–they also need to explain their work in a way that is comfortable and effective to the owner.

Question: From your perspective, what is the most useful fact a home or building owner should know about air conditioning and heating?
Tom: There are many things I could say. However one single bit of advice does stand out: Know the reputation of the contractor.  They should be selling themselves – their reputation and integrity of the installation, maintenance, and repair services – not just the equipment. Any contractor can sell equipment, but the best ones sell quality of installation.

Question: On the HVACExcellence website, I see some green initiatives. Can you tell us about those?
Tom: We have two initiatives that have been running for several years, and they will be featured at the upcoming conference in March.  The first one is the Green Awareness Certification Program for Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Plumbing.  Like the technical skills that comprise HVAC, this knowledge overlaps to contractors in these industries.  The second existing program is the Combustion Analysis program for heating systems. We also have a new Energy Auditing Pilot Program, a Level 2 program, that we created for the U.S. Government. This pilot program will be introduced at the conference and be rolled out later this year.

Question: I read that you have an event coming up in the spring. Can you tell us about that?
Tom: Sure. This is our National HVACR Educators and Trainers Conference. It’s being held March 14-16 in Las Vegas. The Green Mechanical Council will be part of the conference too. There will be a keynote speaker and 40 breakout sessions covering a variety of topics, including both existing and emerging technologies and legislative topics. The theme is Green is the New Gold, and some have described it as a “train-the-trainer boot camp”.

Links to topics covered in this interview

HVACexcellence

National HVACR Educators and Trainers Conference

Comparing Equipment Features
Attempting to compare heating and AC brands, or shopping for features get the most attention from buyers. We wrote about this in last month’s blog and in other place.  We provide a free grid to compare new equipment cost at a glance. From your research or bids, you can fill in the blanks on this printable chart to cut through the “noise” and understand the equipment efficiency and other objective features. However, this equipment must be installed as a system in the structural environment of your home or building, which has variables. So, on to our main topic.

Preparing for What ELSE Might be Necessary to get a New HVAC System Installed
In situations where the new heating and cooling equipment is going into an existing structure (as contrasted with new construction) there are some major potential “gotchas” to prepare for.  I’ve experienced this personally, so hopefully you can benefit from my lessons, some of which were costly. Two good examples of this are electrical wiring and ductwork. They both have the potential to be significant “add ons” to the scope of the work in the project.

Electrical Wiring
If you are having central heating and AC installed into an existing structure for the first time, be sure to get info about wiring conditions.  This would be especially true for a older home or building with original wiring.  Essentially, you want to make sure that the wiring, connections, and circuit breakers, etc. can safely and efficiently handle the new load. If they cannot, you will experience circuit breakers tripping or perhaps much worse.  Because inadequate wiring will increase the cost of a job or might slow down the decision to buy a new system,  some equipment installers might be tempted to not bring it up at all. Or, they might focus the discussion on the new equipment first, get that signed, then bring up the wiring issue and cost.  This is also true for an older structure that already has central heat and air, but needs them replaced.

Ductwork
If your home or building already has ductwork, there are several parallels with electrical wiring to consider:

- The existing ductwork might be usable, OR it may need to replaced due to its structure, design or condition.

- Most potential issues can be seen ahead of time, but some could be discovered during installation of the new system.

- Project add-ons can be  awkward to negotiate or expensive to buy, because work has already begun.

The solution: Focus First on Getting High Quality Advice and Labor on the Installation
We rarely miss an opportunity to highlight the variable that matters most in heating and AC: the quality of the installation.  If you choose a dealer whose sales reps and technicians are trained, experienced and  ethical, dealing effectively with existing wiring or ductwork should be automatic. That way, you can be sure to get the right equipment for your situation and needs AND deal with potential variables in the original project scope.

If you and your contractor handle it well, getting a new system installed will be the start of a long-term relationship that includes preventative maintenance. There are also manufacturer and possibly installer warranties to consider, and those will be the topic of our next blog post.

If you find this useful, please share your thoughts and experiences with other reads. If not, let us know how we can improve.

This blog describes how to cut through the “clutter and noise”, and buy a new furnace and AC system wisely.   I first learned this way of thinking while working my way through college in a bicycle shop, and there are some useful, current parallels to the way HVAC equipment and systems are sold.

More Brands Than Factories
Working in the bike shop, I learned that there are a lot more bicycle brands than there are bicycle factories.  Same (or very similar) bicycles…different label, marketing and prices.  Bicycles have a frame onto which major and minor components, made by other manufacturers around the world, are added.  These are combined in a box at the bike frame factory, sold through distributors, and must be assembled by a trained mechanic at a shop to be warranted.

With air conditioners and furnaces, the frame is a box, usually made sheet metal. With a few exceptions, the main components, such as compressors, condensers, fans, coils, heat exchangers, come from factories around the world. As in the bicycle brand example, there are fewer AC and heating component factories than there are brands.  Parts do come in differing grades of quality and efficiency, and the cost (and sometimes the complexity) usually goes higher with the efficiency rating.

There are some generalities about HVAC equipment brands that may be worth knowing. However, before thinking about brand there are two more important aspects a buyer needs to focus on:

Needs Local Professional Assembly or Installation
For safety and efficiency, we mechanics often had to true the bike wheels, and adjust the gears & brakes.  Then we adjusted parts to the needs of the rider, and added accessories based on the conditions the rider would encounter.  If we goofed up, the bike would not ride efficiently or the rider could crash and get hurt.

With AC and heating equipment, the installation is a critical factor. Some types of mistakes are very difficult to correct.  First, the local company that installs your equipment should have helped you choose the size and efficiency specifications appropriate for your climate, envelope (the part of your house or building that interacts with the outside air), and budget. Next, the installers have to be skilled in plumbing, electrical, refrigeration and more to connect the wiring, piping and refrigerant to make the equipment run safely and efficiently. Also, if your existing ductwork is used, they must make sure it is in good condition and sealed.  Should the wrong size or type of equipment get installed into your home or building, it will be a major hassle making things right.

Assure Quality of Installation First, Then Compare Features For Cost
In summary, here are the action points to make a wise heating and AC system purchase. Each one has links for more details if you need them:

1- Choose a local service company with trained and experienced installers and technicians.  Go to this page to get more info on how to make a good choice.

2- Verify that you are getting the correct type and size of equipment for your climate, structure, and circumstances. More info here

3- Use our free cost comparison grid to compare the most important features.

4- After you have done this, you can see how brand fits into the picture.

If you find this useful, please comment so others can learn. If not, send a suggested topic and we’ll consider it.

In this post, we will follow up on our last blog entry about defective drywall in U.S. homes and reports of damage to inside components of AC and heating systems.

In case this topic is new for you, here’s a brief summary: Some types of drywall (aka sheetrock, gypsum wallboard, etc.) are being reported to emit hydrogen sulfide, which combines with moisture inside homes and building and damages copper in air-conditioning and heating  equipment, systems and wiring.  There have been complaints of other types of effects (to electronic equipment; and from humans) but our focus in on HVAC systems. This is a developing story that first aired earlier this year.  If estimates of the number of affected homes and the cost per home to fix the problem is accurate, we are puzzled as to why this is not getting more national mainstream media attention.

The plot seems to be thickening, because earlier reports mostly focused on drywall imported from China. However, now some recent reports are stating that sulphur gasses are being emitted from drywall from sources other than China.  While the reason(s) that the drywall is producing hydrogen sulphide is still being studied and debated, the effects to A-coils and other inside AC and heating equipment look like a big deal to us.  As is typically the case, determining who will eventually pay for the damage will probably drag on and on.  In the mean time, some unlucky homeowners are in a real fix.  Some say they can’t live in the house any longer, but and can’t sell it or rent it either.

Below , we are including links to the Consumer Products Safety Commission  CPSC, and also a report from the CBS news website on November 23.

Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC Drywall Information Center Report

On the CPSC website, the agency states that it has received more than 2,000 reports from residents in 32 U.S. states and territories. Those complaints include health symptoms or the corrosion of certain metal components in homes, and are related to the presence of certain drywall produced in China.

CBS News Online Defective Drywall Story - November 23, 2009

This article and video clip from CBS News tell a similar story, and it involves laboratory testing for sulphur gases and countries of origin other than China.

In our opinion, it’s too early to know the scope of the potential damage.  If you would like to keep up with the story, you can bookmark us and can check back here.  Or if you want to receive alerts directly, check out Google Alerts and enter one of these terms: “drywall” or “defective drywall”, “drywall news”.  Then you’ll receive emails directly.

If your home’s AC and heating system has been affected, please share your experiences so others can learn.

We are following a developing story that could have a major impact on owners of homes or buildings and their HVAC systems.  We’ll post a summary of major points (as they could affect AC and heating equipment) from news sites we have read. We also included links for those who what to read more, and will post more info as new reports come in.  Based on the potential magnitude of this story, and the fact that it surfaced much earlier this year, we find it odd that there have not been more stories in the national media on it.

Essential Points From Complaints and Reports

1. Some types of drywall (also called sheetrock, wall board, gypsum board, etc.) imported from China and used in the U.S. during the recent real estate building boom are reported to be emitting gas or vapors that corrode metals in air conditioning, wiring, plumbing and more.
2. Some report that the corrosion is enough to cause the A coils and other indoor components of HVAC systems to stop working.
3. In addition to corrosion of metals, there are rotten egg smells and health complaints or concerns being associated with gases emitted from the drywall.
4. There seems to be a connection in humidity and the frequency of complaints. It looks like humid air or moisture increases the reports of corrosion, perhaps by allowing the vapors to collect as an acid.
5. Reports of the years the drywall was imported and used the U.S. varies. The earliest year we’ve read is 2001, but most reports say the shortage of U.S.  drywall and imports were higher starting in 2006.
6. Estimates of the extent in the number homes and costs potentially involved vary wildly, but even the lowest estimates we have read are huge.
7. There is already litigation in progress, and a number of agencies are studying the topic to verify the reports and determine the extent.

Recent Links to Complaints on Defective Chinese Drywall

Manufacturing.Net Oct 15, 2009

National Public Radio  Oct 27, 2009

News Release on PR Web from Chinese Drywall Center Oct. 27, 2009

Wall Street Journal Blog Oct. 27, 2009

Our blog today is to remind our readers that fall is an ideal time of year to get your home or office furnace checked for safety and efficiency.  If you are on an annual preventative maintenance program with a local HVAC company, this should happen as one of your two annual system checkups. There is normally one visit in the spring for A/C and a second one in the fall before you need to start using your home heating for the season.

If the heat/fuel source for your heating system involves combustion, such as natural gas, the safety check for carbon monoxide is especially important.  The reason is simple: if the heat exchanger or other part(s) of the unit is not working as it should, toxic carbon monoxide (CO) gas can be accidentally introduced into your indoor environment.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and dangerous gas. You can read more about it on our website here

Don’t Skimp When Safety is Involved

We have heard lately that, due to the strain on household budgets, some homeowners are delaying not only the buying of new equipment, but even maintenance! Some are only requesting HVAC service when their heating or cooling stops working.  Bluntly put, carbon monoxide can be a serious threat, and it is not something to put off. Further, it should only be done only by a professional who is licensed, trained, and experienced in work with combustion heating systems.

If you have not had your home heating system checked yet this year, we urge you to do it today.

Maintenance will help prevent carbon monoxide from being produced.  You can also ask about a carbon monoxide alarm to alert you if something changes and carbon monoxide does get produced.  In addition to being safer, maintenance saves money on your monthly bill. Don’t wait! After you take care of this, please send us your experiences to us, so others can benefit from what you learned.

In many parts of the country, fall is the time of year when ragweed and other pollen-producing plants go into high gear.  Individuals who suffer from allergies often benefit from better filtration of their indoor air.  In addition to filtering out plant pollen for allergy relief, the right system will also remove second hand smoke, odors, pet dander, dust and many other irritants.  Early fall, when the heat of summer subsides, also happens to be one of the two slower periods each year for most local AC and heating companies.  The convergence of these facts makes a good topic for our post today.

In contrast with portable or room air filters, a whole house air filtration system covers all rooms of your home and are integrated within your HVAC system.

Within your AC and heating system, the air filter element serves two main purposes:

1- Protect your AC and heating equipment from contamination and becoming clogged inside the system.  The air filter element must allow the air to flow through the equipment at the rate specified for that system. Of course, if the filter is not changed on schedule the clog will occur at the filter element itself.

2- Remove airborne particles, odors and other contaminates from the indoor breathing environment of your home or office.

There are many choices of whole house air filters available.  Just as in water filters, the overall objective is to remove the maximum amount and type of contaminates while avoiding undesirable growth of molds, etc. on the filter media.  Maintenance requirements, initial + operating costs, and other factors figure must also be included in this equation. For a more detailed description, go to our air filter page.

During autumn, your local AC and heating service companies are less busy.

For the homeowner, this means that now is a good time for you to call them for maintenance, repairs, or to get a quote on an air filter system.  They will be under less pressure (which is usually the case when it first gets hot or cold outside), plus many service companies offer off-season discounts, rebates, and other ways to save.

If you are about to get a new ac and heating system or make changes to your air handler or ductwork, you will want to consider the air filter options at the same time.  It costs less to add a whole house filter at these times, rather than as a stand-alone project later.  As is the case in the rest of air conditioning and heating, the quality of the installation often makes a bigger difference than the brand of equipment.  Of course, there are differences in air filter equipment.  However, you need to first screen for quality work from the company who will install and maintain it for you, because that is the most important variable. While on site, your local HVAC contractor can also help you select the equipment that will work best to meet your indoor air quality goals in the physical situation within your home or building.

If you have questions or comments on this topic, please send them to us so others can help you or benefit from your experience.  We look forward to hearing from you.

When  comparing bids and price quotes for a new AC and heating system, an essential component often gets glossed over: the ductwork.  Because of rebates and tax credits, a lot of attention is placed on SEER, EER, energy efficiency ratings and other new equipment features. However, unless the ductwork is professionally sized, configured, and sealed with the newly installed equipment, even the most advanced new HVAC system will not cool or heat your home at optimum efficiency.

Ductwork may be difficult or inconvenient to get to
Another reason ductwork can get less attention than it deserves: it may be difficult to get to.  Ducts in two story houses can be encased between the floors.  More often, it is in the unconditioned attic where it is blazing hot and surrounded by itchy insulation and desiccated mouse droppings.  Of course, in a pier and beam house with vents in the floor, the ductwork can be located in the crawl space under the house with spiders, snakes and other biting/stinging varmints.

Ductwork is a variable
The vast majority of local heating and air conditioning companies strive to deliver quality work and above board cost proposals.  However, for the rare contractor that is more focused on winning the signed proposal than delivering quality, the existing ductwork represents one of the least tangible areas.  To them, it could represent a variable where advantage or shortcuts might be taken.  Any proposal for a new system should address the ductwork. This includes whether ductwork will be definitely replaced, if there are any variables or contingencies (if mold is found when removing old equipment, for example), and specific  costs for each scenario.

The whole house approach to HVAC
In summary, central heating and A/C equipment relies on the ductwork to deliver the conditioned air and not waste it. Be sure to take the whole system  — the air ducts, the ductwork and the envelope (the places where your house meets and interacts with the outside environment) –into account when you plan and budget improvements to your HVAC system.