Design

Your duct system must be designed to fit within the space available. It must also be able to supply sufficient amounts of conditioned air to all parts of your home. “Radial” and “trunk and branch” designs are among the most common. Too many “Y” branches or damaged ducts can cause poor performance. Design factors are easier to address during new construction, but even in older homes, ductwork can be rearranged for better efficiency.

Sealing

The entire ductwork system must be thoroughly sealed to prevent air leaks and energy loss. Ductwork sections should fit tightly together with adjoining sections, particularly at elbows and joints. Seal all connections with mastic, a specialized sealant for use on ducts. Taping does not last and is no longer an approved method.

Insulating

Ducts should be well insulated since energy can be lost through the relatively thin metal of the ductwork itself. Affix rigid fiber board insulation to external surfaces of the ductwork to prevent this energy loss.

Sizing

Ducts must be correctly sized to be effective and prevent energy loss. They must be big enough to carry and distribute enough heated or cooled air to the farthest points of the duct network. If your ducts are too small, they will restrict airflow within the system.

Placement

Place ducts in conditioned and insulated areas of the home where possible. Running ductwork through garages, crawl spaces, or unfinished basements or attics increases the possibility of energy loss.

For 40 years, Acosta Heating & Cooling has been providing professional heating and air conditioning services to customers in Charlotte and surrounding areas. Contact us today for more information ductwork sealing, insulation and design, and for additional information on reducing energy loss throughout the system.

A factor that contributes to uneven heating is the single thermostat. Most homes have just one thermostat, located generally on the first floor in a central area, and that lone thermostat “reads” the temperature in its immediate vicinity, and then adjusts the heat as necessary. This type of system is extremely limiting, particularly for homes with multiple levels, or homes that have rooms that call for more or less conditioned air than other spaces. For instance, if your home has a large room with high ceilings and huge window expanses, it will require more heat to create a comfortable space.

Zoning systems help to solve these comfort problems. Here’s how they work:

• First, the home is divided up into zones, depending on heating needs, or how you use the spaces.
• Next, the contractor will install motorized dampers in the ductwork system in the main conduit that leads to each zone.
• Finally, a thermostat will be installed in each zone.

Once the system is in place, you will be able to set a specific temperature in each zone, and once that space has reached the desired level, the dampers to that zone will close. In that way, your furnace system doesn’t send heat to a space that doesn’t need it, or to a space that’s not in use.

Energy savings and improved comfort is possible with a zoning system. For HVAC help in the Greater Charlotte area, contact Acosta Heating & Cooling – a local family-owned company since 1972.

You can keep your family safe from this unseen danger by installing reliable carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home. If the gas is detected, the device sounds a loud alarm, giving your family time to escape and get to safety. Carbon monoxide detectors are not a substitute for smoke alarms, but they work well in combination with these devices.

You should install CO2 detectors on the wall or ceiling outside within 10 feet of each bedroom in your home. If only one detector is being installed, it should be placed just outside the main sleeping area. CO2 detectors must be placed where they can easily waken sleeping occupants; carbon monoxide deaths commonly occur when people are exposed to the gas in their sleep.

If you have an attached garage, install an additional detector near or over this area.

It is best not to place CO2 detectors within 15 feet of cooking or heating equipment. These appliances may generate small amounts of carbon monoxide, which can trigger false readings. You should also avoid areas where there is a lot of moisture and humidity.

Test the detector regularly and make sure the batteries are charged and the detector still works.

For 40 years, Acosta Heating & Cooling has been providing professional heating and cooling services to Charlotte-area customers. Contact us today for more information on the proper placement of carbon monoxide detectors in your home, and learn how we are working to keep your family safe by offering Free Carbon Monoxide Detectors with every new system installation.

Because a heat pump is a multi-purpose home HVAC system, you’ll need to check out two efficiency ratings: Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) for heating, and Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) for cooling. You can maximize your investment by selecting a high-efficiency system with ratings above HSPF 8 and SEER 14. Keep in mind that systems with higher ratings will provide better monthly energy savings, but they will cost more to purchase initially.

The features included in a heat pump determine its overall efficiency. Advanced features that enhance comfort and savings include:

• Improved refrigerant delivery with a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV), which will meter precise amounts of refrigerant according to the climate’s demands.
• Variable-speed components, like a motor or air handler, which allows the heat pump to use energy wisely and increase home comfort.
• Upgraded design for coils, which generally allow for an overall increase in the surface space of the coil so that it can take on more refrigerant.

While it’s important to consider the efficiency of a heat pump, you should keep the following points in mind:

• Demand defrost capabilities are critical in the winter, which should ideally decrease the process of defrosting to minimize electricity consumption.
• Noise levels are also a factor. Make sure the system meets minimum guidelines, generally below 7.6 bels.
• The position of the unit will also affect noise and efficiency. Make sure it’s located away from windows, and protected from winds.
• The installer should evaluate the position of the indoor coil, as it should generally be positioned upstream of the furnace to maximize efficiency.

Get the most out of your investment, by evaluating heat pumps with effective efficiency ratings and advanced features that will match your home’s needs. In the Greater Charlotte area, contact Acosta Heating & Cooling for all your home cooling and heating needs.

Here’s how it works:

On the homepage, you will need to enter information about your home, including its square footage, annual energy use, and fuel sources, along with your zip code and number of home occupants.

Once you enter that information, the program will formulate your score, and you can set a goal to reduce energy use by a specific percentage. In order to find out just how you can improve results, you’ll need to input the type of home systems (furnace, heat pump, central A/C, etc.) you use for the program to fine-tune the results.

Suggestions for improvement will include low-cost ideas, and projects that require a more significant investment, including:

• Sealing air leaks and ductwork. These two factors can decrease the efficiency of a home by up to 30 percent, because leaks in the home’s exterior and the ducts allow conditioned air to escape through them.
• Upgrading insulation throughout the home. The attic is usually a good location to begin with, as homes tend to lose the most energy through this space. Insulation is designed to prevent the movement of heat, so upgrading your home’s insulation to maximum efficiency levels will keep conditioned air inside your house.
• Using a programmable thermostat. This allows you to program regular temperature setbacks to help avoid wasting energy by unnecessarily heating and cooling spaces when they are not in use.
• Installing Energy Star-qualified HVAC systems. Though a larger investment initially, it’s an investment that will maximize energy savings and comfort over the long term.

The Energy Star Yardstick program includes detailed information and guides to go about upgrading your home’s efficiency. You can solicit the help of an HVAC professional to confirm the program’s results, or to conduct an independent energy evaluation of your home.
In the Greater Charlotte area, contact the area’s leading HVAC contractor, Acosta Heating & Cooling – a local family-owned company since 1972.

The ductwork in your home is prone to losing energy. Because it is comprised of a series of connected pipes, these connections can and will loosen over time. In fact, ductwork can lose up to 30 percent of conditioned air that travels through it, and is known as one of the most common contributors to energy losses, so taking action here can translate into significant savings.

The ducts in most homes should have dampers that you can manually adjust. Optimizing the position of the dampers will allow more or less air into your home. If you have rooms that are overly hot or cold, you can avoid energy losses by adjusting the dampers to provide precise amounts of heated air into each space.

The state of your return grilles is just as important as supply ducts. In fact, they are critical to creating an exact amount of return airflow back into the furnace to keep it running efficiently. In general, homes tend to have insufficient returns, so have a professional assess your home’s returns and make necessary adjustments.

Once your ducts are sealed, dampers adjusted, and cold-air returns upgraded, it’s time to work some magic with the thermostat. Setting the temperature low enough while maintaining comfort is a delicate balance, but you can expect, as a rule of thumb, a savings of one percent on energy bills if you turn down the thermostat by just one degree. Higher setbacks, obviously, get higher savings.

Level the playing field for heating efficiency by sealing ducts, using dampers, ensuring airflow return. Then, let your thermostat do the work! In the Greater Charlotte area, contact Acosta Heating & Cooling for help with all of your home needs.

Here’s a list of some basic preparations homeowners should make for potential power outages:

• Keep at least one flashlight on hand, or ideally one for every family member, along with replacement batteries.
• Get a battery-operated radio so you can keep up with reports on weather, road conditions, and so forth. This should also have replacement batteries.
• Have a backup heating source in the form of a fireplace or wood-burning stove to provide warmth, and be sure keep wood in stock.
• Tightly seal your home. This step should be done regardless of whether or not a power outage occurs, but if you are without power, the last thing you want to happen when you’re trying to stay warm is to have air leaks in your home. So take the time to seal leaks with caulk.
• Insulate the water pipes in your home. You can use specially designed insulation for pipes, but if there’s an imminent storm ahead and you haven’t performed this action, you can do a quick insulating job by wrapping pipes with newspaper, sealed with plastic to keep moisture at bay.
• Locate your home’s water supply shut-off valve so you can turn that supply off during a storm.
• Keep reserve water on hand. If you don’t keep a supply of gallon water jugs already filled, a good alternative is to fill a clean bathtub with water, and fill any and all containers you can find with water. Remember that you’ll need some extra water for flushing the toilet.

Is your power outage toolbox filled with the appropriate materials? Take a few minutes and prep your home. For help with all of your home heating and cooling needs, contact the experts at Acosta Heating & Cooling, serving the Greater Charlotte Area since 1972.

Relative humidity, in the simplest of terms, means the amount of moisture that the air can hold at a given time, compared to complete saturation. So, if the relative humidity is 50 percent, the air is capable of holding 50 percent moisture when compared to saturated air at 100 percent.

Being able to control humidity is particularly helpful during the winter season. When air becomes cooler, it also becomes drier, and cool air is less able to hold or retain moisture. That’s why hot summer temperatures generally mean more humid temperatures. So, as the air gets colder, most Charlotte homeowners are looking for a respite from dry air, and for good reason.

Dry air can irritate nasal passages and allergies, because our bodies need moisture for healthy functioning systems. Wood materials in your home also need moisture, but not too much. Again, a balance is ideal here, as dry air can warp and damage wood, while too much moisture can also damage wood, causing it to expand. Continually expanding and contracting over the seasons can wreak havoc on your wood products.

To ward off dry air and the problems it causes, implement the use of a whole-house humidification system. Working in tandem with your heating system as it produces conditioned air, the humidifier will emit moisture into that heated air, which is then distributed throughout your home. Plus, a whole-house humidifier can be programmed to maintain healthy levels of humidity between 35 and 55 percent.

The experts at Acosta Heating & Cooling, serving the Greater Charlotte area since 1972, are happy to help you solve your home comfort problems. Just give us a call today!

No-cost tips:

• Lower the temperature in your home. Doing so by just a few degrees can result in significant savings. Optimal time periods to dial back the thermostat are when you’re sleeping or away from home.
• Run exhaust fans while you shower or use the kitchen. But don’t run them too long, or they’ll consume extra energy.
• Lower the water heater’s temperature setting. Manufacturers generally preset systems to run at 140 degrees, but adjusting the unit’s setting to 120 degrees will still get you comfortably warmed hot water and save energy.
• Use energy from the sun to your advantage by opening the curtains on windows that face the south throughout daytime hours. Close them when the sun goes down to keep heated air inside the home.
• Don’t block heating registers, as this will reduce the total amount of heat that your home receives.

Tips that are low in cost:

• Use caulk to seal leaks that occur around windows, doors, electrical outlets and plumbing pipes. You can even take advantage of tax credits that apply toward air-sealing materials.
• Have your home’s insulation assessed. Upgrading old or worn insulation can improve energy savings in your home dramatically.
• Leaky ducts can lead to a lot of wasted energy. To ensure that your ductwork system distributes air through a sealed environment, assess your ducts and seal leaks with mastic, a special putty substance designed to adhere to ducts.
• Increase the insulation around your water heater to reduce standby losses.

You can ward off high heating costs this winter by implementing a combination of the above energy-saving tips, and reduce the amount of energy your home systems consume. For more energy-saving ideas, or to ask our efficiency experts a question, contact Acosta Heating & Cooling today! A local, family-owned company, we’ve been serving the Greater Charlotte area since 1972.

Every home can count on having a few problem areas where losing is heat is common. Fortunately, most of these issues can be easily fixed once you know where to look. Here are few simple ways to reduce household energy loss:

• Apply do-it-yourself sealing wrap around windows and put air stoppers in front of doorways.
• Change incandescent light bulbs out with energy-efficient light bulbs.
• Do you have a fireplace? Make sure the damper is closed so warm air isn’t flowing out of the flue.
• Turn lights off in rooms when you leave, and don’t leave electronic devices like TV’s and radios running if no one is in the room.
• If you forget to turn off your outside lights during the day, consider installing a timer or sensor.
• Once you’ve completed these basic things around your home, consider calling a professional technician for an energy audit and more advice on how to increase energy savings in your home.

Making an initial assessment of your energy use is only the first step. Making sure your HVAC system is properly maintained, insulation is appropriately installed, and installing energy saving appliances are wonderful long-term applications that will keep the energy savings coming. For more in-depth information on how you can make your home more energy efficient, contact Acosta Heating & Cooling. We have been proudly serving the Charlotte area since 1972 and are happy to answer questions and offer expert advice.