Category: hvac repair and installation

Why Regular Furnace Maintenance is Essential for Comfort and Efficiency

With the approach of Fall and crisp temperatures, we will depend on our furnace for comfort and health for the next few months. However, ignoring regular HVAC maintenance can be a mistake. Without maintenance, you can expect:

Neglecting Furnace Maintenance Will Make Your Furnace Work Harder

• Failing to change the air filter, a simple maintenance task, will create stress throughout the furnace components. The filter collects airborne particles with each cycle until they eventually clog the filter. This will restrict airflow through the filter and cause the blower motor to strain to continue moving air. Without air movement, the whole furnace works hard to keep the home warm.
• Time and use cause wear and tear on electrical switches, capacitors, and motors. This wear needs to be addressed.
• Expect the heating cycles to be longer, trying to make the home warm. Expect heating cycles to be more frequent than expected.
• Natural gas furnaces bring flammable/explosive gas into a home and burn it to produce heat. Maintenance tasks remove the rust and soot that can develop and inhibit combustion. Rust can also weaken the heat exchanger, releasing carbon monoxide into the home.

Problems Migrate and Spread

• If the air filter restricts air and the blower motor struggles to push heat throughout the home, the strain moves into the heating element or burner assembly, and to electrical parts up and down the system controls. These factors make diagnosing problems difficult and time-consuming.
• Since the whole system must work harder, it takes more energy to warm the home, and more energy means it costs more to do the same task.
• All of this stress also shortens the useful life of the furnace and air conditioner, requiring replacement of the system earlier than necessary.

From Comfort to Discomfort

• Poor maintenance affects indoor air quality. A dirty filter and dirty vents allow plenty of airborne contaminants to continue to circulate. A new quality filter will remove allergens and pathogens from the indoor air.
• When the system struggles to push warm air into the home it affects the comfort factor; it just “feels” colder in the home. This may show up when rooms that are normally warm are colder than expected.
• The ultimate discomfort happens when the furnace breaks down in the middle of a cold winter night.

Heating and Air Conditioning to Cost More

• A poorly maintained furnace is not energy efficient. Ignoring maintenance can increase the energy bills from 10% to 50% each month.
• Lack of maintenance leads to more frequent repairs; the cost of repairs exceeds the cost of regular maintenance visits. Totaling the accumulated repair bills brings the fact to light.
• Poor maintenance shortens the useful life of HVAC systems, reducing the value received from the equipment. Replacing the system early costs many times more than the cost of regular maintenance.

Furnace Maintenance is Key to Efficiency, Comfort, and Longevity. Let Mullinix AC Help!

Routine furnace maintenance is key to your furnace’s optimal performance, comfort, and energy efficiency. Skipping furnace maintenance can cause the furnace to work harder, leading to an increase in your utility bills, more frequent HVAC repairs, and a shortened HVAC system lifespan.

Additionally, poor maintenance can impact indoor air quality and comfort, potentially causing breakdowns during the coldest months. For more information about R.M. Mullinix and our furnace maintenance services, schedule an appointment or visit our AC maintenance information page.

 

 

4 Key Signs It’s Time for a Furnace Replacement

The Farmer’s Almanac says the weatherlore phrase, “March comes in like a lion, out like a lamb,” is a very old folklore from Western Europe. While this may be an apt description of spring, the typical Texas winter is more like a lamb than a lion. That being said, winter nights are still cool, and the occasional winter blast reminds us that we still live in North America. The next few months require a furnace to keep us cozy and comfortable.

If your furnace has been struggling to keep you cozy and comfortable of late, it may cause you to question whether it needs repairs or should be replaced. Should you hang onto the HVAC system as long as it functions or plan steps to replace the system before winter arrives? Here are 4 indicators that a furnace replacement needs to be considered sooner than later.

Serious Smells

• Gas companies know that natural gas is odorless and colorless. They add a chemical, mercaptan, that smells like rotten eggs, to alert consumers of leaking gas. If you smell sulfur, evacuate the home immediately and wait until outside before calling the gas company. If rust has compromised the burner assembly, this needs to be repaired immediately.
• The exhaust from the combustion of natural gas results in water vapor, carbon dioxide, and small amounts of carbon monoxide. All these gases are odorless. If you have a natural gas furnace, your home should also have a carbon monoxide detector. You might be unable to smell the exhaust, but the CO detector will sniff it out and sound the warning. Evacuate the home immediately and turn the furnace OFF. Call your HVAC professional before restarting the furnace.
• Brief or lingering smells of hot or burning plastic indicate overheated electronics: the overheated components can start a fire. Turn the furnace off and call your HVAC professional before restarting the furnace.

All these problems require immediate repairs before continuing to use the furnace. These Furnace Replacement indicators, added to those listed below, can help a homeowner determine the extent of problems and repair costs.

Furnace Age

Central heat and air conditioning have been available for 80+ years, and sufficient research and experience advises that quality heating systems last about 20 years. That means:

• A homeowner may choose to keep an old system in place until it fails, requiring an emergency replacement. The planned delay may seem prudent, but an emergency replacement can be quite expensive and extremely inconvenient. The supply chain may determine which replacement units are available for installation in short order.
• A homeowner may choose to plan to replace the furnace system at a designated time. This grants a consumer to do research, shop for the right system and price, schedule the installation by a chosen professional, and replace the system before a catastrophic failure happens.

How old is your system? If you are not certain, find the serial/model number plate for the furnace and research the manufacturer’s date on the brand website. This will help you determine which course of action you will take and if it is time for a furnace replacement.

Collect Expenses

An old furnace may become too expensive to continue to maintain. Remember to add all the bills together to determine the true cost of operation versus a furnace replacement.

• Determine whether utility costs are rising from an inefficient furnace. Collect utility bills for the last few years and compare the number of kilowatt hours of electricity or cubic meters of natural gas from one year to the next.
• Collect the repair bills for the last 5 years. All repairs might be relatively inexpensive, but the total of the repair bills might be larger than expected.
• Often, a final repair or replacement of a major component becomes expensive enough to warrant replacing the furnace instead.

Poor Performance

An aging system may have a hard time keeping up with the call for heat. You might experience:

• Frequent heating cycles with short or no rest breaks.
• Cold spots, often at the end of duct runs.
• Poor indoor air quality and large quantities of dust on surfaces.

Keep Your Home and Family Comfortable with a Furnace Replacement

For more information about R.M. Mullinix and our furnace replacement services, schedule an appointment or visit our furnace replacement and installation information page.

Fall AC Maintenance Tips for College Station Homeowners

Everything changes in the Fall. The leaves change. The holidays approach rapidly. And the temperature drops.

These changes require switching the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system from COOL to HEAT and homeowners should make a few preparations to ensure the system is equipped for the winter weather to come.

Cleaning Tasks

Clean the condenser unit. Before the temperature drops too low, use a garden hose and clean the grass clippings and dust from the outdoor condenser coils. The condenser appears solid, but it is actually a network of tubes, with very thin fins. The network is designed to dissipate heat, but the gunk that collects on it hinders the transfer of heat. Cleaning the coils enhances the HVAC function for air conditioning and, for heat pumps, it also enhances the heating function.

Clean vents and registers. Warm (and cool) air is distributed throughout the home via ducts and the supply openings into the home space are called vents and the air returning to the HVAC system is called registered. Make sure that the openings remain uncovered and dust-free.

Change the air filter. Dust, pollen, dander, and other airborne particles collect on the air filter with every cycle. When sufficient dust accumulates on the filter, it clogs and restricts airflow. Make sure to change the filter at least every three months.

AC Maintenance CheckPoints

Change the thermostat batteries. The thermostat is the ON/OFF switch for the entire system, and it is powered by simple AA or AAA batteries. Should these batteries fail during a cold, winter night, the system shuts down. Change the batteries annually to make sure this does not happen.

Check ductwork. Most ducts are enclosed in the walls, in crawl spaces, or in the attic. Do an annual inspection of any portion of the ductwork that is visible, looking for gaps or leaks. Leaks seriously affect the efficiency of both heating and cooling functions.

Discover insulation gaps. The building envelope provides a moisture and thermal barrier above, around, and under the entire house. Use additional insulation, caulk, and weatherstripping to plug the gaps. The plugs will enhance the efficiency of the HVAC system.

Check the heat.

Get Professional Help

Schedule a preventative maintenance inspection. The HVAC system is a mechanical system that needs regular maintenance by a professional technician. Manufacturers and the US Department of Energy recommend annual maintenance. AC Maintenance tasks include checking electrical components, refrigerant pressure, motor function, natural gas combustion, and the exhaust pathway. Homeowners cannot care for this complex system without proper tools and training.

Examine the ducts. Dust will also collect inside both the supply and return ductwork; while it remains in the ducts, it can recirculate with every heating and cooling cycle. Ducts should be cleaned every 3 to 5 years. How long has it been since yours were cleaned?

Consider an energy audit. An energy audit uses specially designed instruments, utility bills, and an examination of the building envelope to determine the source of energy loss and inefficiency. A completed audit comes with recommendations for repairs and changes that will reduce energy costs and improve comfort year-round.

Keep Your Home and Family Comfortable with Routine AC Maintenance

For more information about R.M. Mullinix and our furnace maintenance services, schedule an appointment or visit our AC maintenance information page.

 

Furnace Maintenance: Ways to Keep Your Home Comfortable

There is an enjoyable period in the Fall, a break between the long cooling season and the rather short heating season. Often, the pollen count and humidity are rather low and the temps are mild, so opening windows seems like an excellent idea. The outside can truly become an extension of the inside of your home.

This is also an excellent time to schedule a preventative maintenance check on the furnace before cold weather arrives. HVAC professionals frequently send out reminder calls to homeowners to maintain residential HVAC systems during the Spring and Fall, between the cooling and heating seasons for strategic reasons.

The extreme temperatures of the Summer heat and Winter cold create stress on HVAC systems, resulting in numerous repair calls. Spring and Fall give adequate time to maintain these crucial building systems and prepare them for the active heating or cooling season.

Furnace Maintenance Can Improve Indoor Air Quality

The V in HVAC stands for ventilation, a function not to be ignored. A very powerful blower motor simultaneously pushes and pulls air throughout the home and cleans it in the process. The air is filtered as it passes through the system; even the most basic filter removes over 85% of airborne particles. Some homeowners install ultraviolet lights inside the ductwork to neutralize organic contaminants—pollen, mold spores, bacteria, and viruses. Preventative maintenance includes changing the filter, checking UV lights, and offering advice on air quality issues.

Furnace maintenance will also include a thorough cleaning of the evaporator chamber. During the cooling season, this area is responsible for removing humidity from the air, so it is generally wet and can collect dust and debris. While it remains dry during the heating season, preventative maintenance will clean debris, rust, and any algae that might be growing in the cool, moist, dark space. Removing these contaminants will improve air quality during both the cooling and heating seasons.

Regular Furnace Maintenance Increases the System’s Lifespan

Maintenance cannot guarantee that an HVAC will not break or fail, but it is the best possible measure to avoid potential problems. Most HVAC problems begin with minor stresses and weaknesses; the key to avoiding major problems is to find these stresses early and replace or repair the problem part. Preventative maintenance checks on electrical, mechanical, and refrigerant components, identifying potential problems, and repairing them early.

Ignoring maintenance can lead to unexpected breakdowns at an inconvenient time, usually during an extremely cold snap.

Routine Furnace Maintenance Increase Energy Efficiency

A new HVAC system uses the latest technology to provide comfort and comfort, heating and cooling the air while freshening and cleaning it. All these functions are completed with the utmost efficiency with state-of-the-art technology. However, as the years pass, this efficiency fades, as electrical and mechanical parts age and experience wear. Without maintenance, components will work harder to complete the same tasks, which require more energy. At a certain stage, unmaintained HVAC systems will impact utility bills enough to be noticeable.

Regular maintenance catches some of these wear-caused inefficiencies and is identified during the preventative maintenance inspection. The homeowner is informed of the problem and will receive a recommendation for repair or replacement.

Eventually, the wear and inefficiency will combine to result in the news that the HVAC system needs to be replaced. Preventative furnace maintenance can prolong replacement, but not prevent it. Eventually, a major component will need to be replaced and the cost of replacement will approach a systemic replacement. However, regular preventative maintenance will keep the homeowner informed of the system’s status. Hopefully, this will give the homeowner a couple of years to prepare budget adjustments to fund the replacement.

Keep Your Home and Family Comfortable with Routine Furnace Maintenance

For more information about R.M. Mullinix and our furnace maintenance services, schedule an appointment or visit our furnace maintenance information page.

 

AC Maintenance College Station: The Importance of Your HVAC Filter

The first suggestion on HVAC blogs is to change the air filter regularly. The first task during an AC Maintenance College Station visit is to check and replace the air filter. The US Department of Energy recommends changing the air filter for energy efficiency. ¹

The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends changing the air filter to improve indoor air quality.² If changing the air filter is so important, perhaps it is best to know more about HVAC air filters.

Is a Filter Necessary?

Both outdoor and indoor air contains many unseen airborne particles, including pollen, mold spores, dust, bacteria, and viruses. Since homes are sealed to outdoor temperatures, the concentration of these particles is much higher indoors, often 3 to 5 times higher than outdoor air. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) includes a highly effective air filter to clean these particles from the home.

How Filters Work

Most air filters are made of fibrous material with overlapping layers; openings between the fibers allow air to flow through the filter, but the particles are captured in the fiber layers. The size of the opening determines how much air is allowed to pass and the size of the particles that will be captured.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers test and rate HVAC air filters, using the Minimum Efficiency Rating Value (MERV). MERV ratings range from 1 to 20. The efficiency is determined by the percentage of particles of a certain size being captured by the filter.

It might seem appropriate to buy the filter with the highest MERV rating, but residential HVAC systems are not equipped to draw air through filters with extremely small openings. Filters with ratings 14 through 20 are considered high-efficiency particulate air filters, used for clean rooms, laboratory, and hospital settings. The HVAC systems that can use these filters have enhanced blower motors to compensate for the small openings. Filters with ratings between 8 to 13 are more appropriate for residential systems.

What Typically Goes Wrong?

Air filters are very efficient at removing airborne particles, so efficient that the particles eventually clog the filter.

A clogged filter restricts airflow and causes several problems at once:

• The air passing through the filter enters the evaporator chamber, where it is cooled and dehumidified. These functions are hampered by a clogged filter.
• The blower motor must work much harder to force the clogged filter. The stress this causes can cascade to other components. This stress weakens the entire system.
• Clogged filters interrupt the function of the system—heating, cooling, dehumidification, and ventilation. Everyone in the home will notice the loss of performance of the HVAC system.

Finding a Solution

Since filters are so efficient, they need to be changed regularly; the guideline for typical homes is every three months.

• Since this task cannot be ignored, schedule calendar prompts to remind you each quarter.
• Locate the filter, often found near the base of the indoor cabinet. Remove the filter, replace it with a new filter, and dispose of the old one. (Notice the collection of particles on the filter.)

Each home and family is unique. The environs of some homes contain excessive concentrations of airborne particles, such as near a major highway or dusty road. Some family members have health concerns that require enhanced indoor air quality, such as severe allergies, asthma, or other breathing illnesses. In these situations, changing the air filter more often might be advantageous.

Finding the Appropriate Filters

• Consult with your HVAC professional to determine the best MERV rating for your system; this can vary with brand, size, and blower motor specifications.
• Find a supplier for your specific filter and acquire an adequate supply.

AC Maintenance College Station – Call RM Mullinix

For more information about R.M. Mullinix and our AC Maintenance College Station services, schedule an appointment or visit our AC maintenance information page.

¹ https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/maintaining-your-air-conditioner#:~:text=Clean%20or%20replace%20your%20air,bearing%20pets%20in%20the%20house

²  https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/improving-your-indoor-environment

 

Ductless AC Systems Installation Guide

Some residential applications just don’t fit the normal central air conditioning system applications or home additions that will not connect well to an existing system. Ductless AC Systems College Station are a great option and here is why:

• Older homes without central air conditioning that have been making do with room window units.
• Room additions or garage remodels that make an existing system undersized.
• Trouble spots at the end of long duct runs that are always uncomfortable.

A mini-split ductless air conditioning system might be a perfect solution for problem spaces.

Compare Central Air to Ductless AC Systems

Central air conditioners are the primary residential air conditioner application across the nation. They consist of:

• An outdoor condenser unit connected to the indoor cabinet by tubes containing refrigerant.
• Ductwork running from the indoor cabinet to each room in the home.
• Return air ducts that bring the warm air back to the central cabinet.

This system removes heat (cooling the indoor space), cleans and moves the air, and removes humidity.

Ductless AC Systems are relatively new to the US housing market. Ductless AC Systems consist of:

• An outdoor condenser unit connected directly to rooms and spaces being cooled by tubes containing refrigerant.
• Small, room-sized air handlers, and no ducts.

This system also removes heat, cleans and moves the air, and removes humidity.

The two major differences are the mini-split system has no central cabinet and no duct system. If central air conditioning was installed in a home from the beginning, replacing the air conditioner and furnace with new versions would make economic sense in most situations.

But if a home started without a central air system, the mini-split ductless system saves the expense of making room for a central cabinet and demolition to install ductwork behind finished walls. A problem hotspot or remodel might be inaccessible to an existing central air system. Mini-split systems might be a good alternative.

Here is what a mini-split installation might look like in your home.

Locating the Condenser Unit for Ductless AC Systems

The outdoor portion of the air conditioner is called a condenser unit. A major function is the cooling of refrigerant after it picks up heat from inside the home, so it needs to have adequate air movement on all sides.

• The condenser may be installed on a concrete pad, elevated to a shelf on the side of the home, or as a rooftop unit. In any of these applications, 2 to 3 feet of space needs to surround the unit.
• The condenser should not be placed in direct sunlight if possible, since this reduces air conditioner efficiency.
• The installation should be central to the area being served, keeping the refrigerant tubes under 150 feet if possible. Beyond this distance, refrigerant efficiency is lost.

Locating the Air Handler Units for Ductless AC Systems

• The air handler must be installed on an exterior wall, as close to the condenser unit as possible. An opening is made in the wall for refrigerant tubes and drain lines (carrying the humidity removed from the air outside).
• The air handler can be placed at any height, from floor to ceiling, but placement at about 5 to 6 feet from the floor is advantageous. The blower can more easily distribute the fresh, cool air throughout the room from this height. The air handler will also need to be accessible for maintenance and air filter replacement.
• Some wall features may hamper adequate performance, such as large windows or heat-producing appliances—hot lights or large television screens. Install the air handler as far away from these features as possible.
• Each air handler will have a separate thermostat, which must be placed out of direct sunlight on an interior wall. This, too, must be placed away from heat-producing appliances.

Mini-split ductless air conditioning systems need the same regular professional maintenance and air filter changes as central air conditioning systems.

Ductless AC Systems College Station – Call RM Mullinix

For more information about R.M. Mullinix and our Ductless AC Systems College Station services, schedule an appointment or visit our Ductless AC Systems College Station information page.