What HVAC Trends Should You Keep an Eye on for Your Home?

Both companies and consumers have been increasingly concerned about saving both money and the environment. That has led to many changes in the HVAC industry in recent years. Here's a look at the latest HVAC trends that can greatly benefit your comfort and energy-efficiency needs.

HVAC Trends: Thermally Driven Cooling Systems

An Australian company has invented a thermally driven AC system. The system uses energy from solar panels. When solar energy runs short, the system can utilize natural gas. Thermally driven systems are highly likely to be mass-marketed as low-cost alternatives to conventional air-conditioning systems in the next couple of years.

HVAC Trends: Energy-Analysis Software

A variety of energy-analysis software has become available in the past few years and has changed how HVAC professionals approach, choose, and implement HVAC technologies. The software can help determine the most economical and efficient HVAC systems for a particular space.

HVAC Trends: Ice-Powered Air Conditioner

An ice-powered air conditioner freezes a large quantity of water overnight and makes it available for cooling the next day. When switched on, the unit can provide up to six hours of cooling. The cooling task reverts to the building's conventional AC unit when the ice melts. The ice-powered AC unit is still in the early stages of development.

HVAC Trends: Dual-Fuel Heat Pump

Dual-fuel heat pumps use a combination of electric heat pumps and gas furnaces to heat homes. The dual-fuel pump uses electricity to heat your home at temperatures above 35 degrees. At lower temperatures, it uses gas heat for better efficiency.

HVAC Trends: Geothermal Heat Pump

Geothermal HVAC products have been available since the 1940s but have been gaining popularity in the past couple of years. The technology uses energy from the earth to heat your home. In the summer, it draws warmth from your home to cool it. It's currently the most efficient HVAC solution.

HVAC Trends: Zoning

A zoned HVAC system divides your home into two or more zones and lets you heat or cool each zone separately. As a result, you avoid wasting energy in unused rooms.

The latest HVAC trends indicate that the new technologies that will be produced will keep giving homeowners more opportunities to further reduce their energy costs and environmental impact. Contact us at Air Assurance for the best HVAC products and exceptional service in the Broken Arrow area.

Are Individual Room AC Units the Best Way to Go This Summer?

If you’re curious about using an individual room AC to cool all or part of your home, you’ll find that these units offer advantages and disadvantages when it comes to comfort. While a central AC or heat pump is the ideal option, sometimes it makes sense to consider smaller options for home cooling. 

When Individual Room ACs Make Sense

• Someone may need it to be much cooler in the house than other family members. A problem sleeper, for example, is more likely to rest better when the room is cooler than what others may prefer.

• You’re adding on to your home and your current HVAC system isn’t large enough to cool the new space.

• You have a room that is consistently warmer than others. It might make financial sense to use an individual room AC. Before committing to the installation, check the room for air infiltration from the outside and adequate wall and roof insulation. You may be able to seal air leaks, shade windows, and add insulation to improve the room’s comfort level.

• You don’t want to make a large financial commitment for your comfort for the short time you have left in your present home. Room air conditioners are the least-expensive cooling solution for this climate. If you’re counting your energy dollars, avoid portable air conditioners. These units are the easiest to install but have the highest operational costs of all cooling systems.

Downsides of Individual Room ACs

• These units are noisy. Most have decibel ratings in the high 50s and low 60s. If the constant drone of the fan annoys you, consider a central system.

• Airflow from a room AC won’t be as strong or as widespread as the air distribution from a central cooling system. Your room will have hot spots and, conversely, cold spots.

• They’re not allowed. Whether wedged into a wall or a window, some homeowners’ associations won’t let you have them because of their appearance from the street.

If you’re considering using an individual room AC, contact the pros at Air Assurance. We provide trusted HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners, and we would be happy to answer your questions about individual room ACs.

How an HVAC Zone Control System Can Save You Money This Summer

Does your family fight the Thermostat Wars? One side thinks it's too hot and turns down the thermostat. The other thinks it's too cold and turns it up again. It's a long, drawn-out battle that can last all summer — and drive your energy bills up in the process. Fortunately, HVAC zone control lets everyone in the house have their ideal temperature without disturbing anyone else or wasting energy.

What Is HVAC Zone Control?

There are several reasons for Thermostat Wars. The first is biology. On average, women prefer temperatures around 77 degrees, while men prefer temperatures around 71 degrees. The other reason is physics. Heat rises, so if you have multiple stories, the top floors will be hotter than the ground level. Likewise, if one side of the house gets direct sunlight, there will be a significant temperature difference.

HVAC zone control splits the house into zones according to their individual temperature needs. Then, each zone gets its own thermostat that the occupant of that zone can set to his or her preference. If one zone is warmer, the system sends more air there. If another is cooler, air is diverted from that zone. This way, everybody's happy and comfortable.

How HVAC Zone Control Saves Money

While a regular HVAC unit blows full blast all the time, your HVAC zone control system uses a variable-speed air handlerto control the amount of air each room gets. Only giving each area what it needs ensures no air or energy is wasted.

You can also set which rooms are occupied at any given time. If the whole family is downstairs, you can turn off the upstairs zones, saving air and money. You can even program the thermostat according to your sleep schedule. The living room gets more air during the day, but at night, that zone turns off and the bedrooms get the air instead, thus saving money and bringing a peaceful end to the Thermostat Wars once and for all.

To install an HVAC zone control system in your home, contact us at Air Assurance. We provide energy-efficient home-comfort solutions to the Broken Arrow area.

The Best Ways to Improve Your Home's Value Through HVAC Upgrades

Although it’s not a showy or obvious improvement, making HVAC upgrades to your home could pay off should you want to sell your house down the road. Even though your system still functions, replacing it might be a sound investment, especially if it’s more than 10 years old or has required excessive repairs.

Homebuyers look at HVAC systems as an essential, must-have component of homes. If yours is compromised in any way, a prospective buyer may not even consider your home as a possibility. Being able to list HVAC upgrades on the features’ list can give potential buyers the incentive to prioritize your home over others they’re seeing. 

The National Association of Realtors surveys home buyers annually and has found that new HVAC upgrades have one of the highest rates of return compared to other home renovations. They report that the rate of return is 71%, which ranks above many that cost much more than a new HVAC system.

Best HVAC Upgrades

Our region requires both heating and cooling to maintain comfort. Since buyers put a high value on energy efficiency, it makes sense to make HVAC upgrades that deliver savings. The best system for your home depends on its floor plan and its heating and cooling load, which an HVAC pro can help you discover.

Besides the size of the system, you’ll also have different types of HVAC upgrades from which to choose, such as:

• Zoning systems for sprawling, ranch-style or two-story homes.

• Ductless mini-splits for homes with additions.

• High-efficiency systems that meet the Department of Energy’s Energy Star or most-efficient requirements.

Each of these types of systems might help your home qualify as energy efficient, a designation that helps homebuyers receive more favorable financing. In fact, the DOE and the U.S. Green Building Council have found that people are willing to pay more for a home with high-efficiency HVAC upgrades. As a homeowner, you may also qualify for incentives to install high-efficiency equipment. 

The pros at Air Assurance can evaluate your current home and system to see which HVAC upgrades could add value to your Broken Arrow home. Please contact us today to learn more. 

Ductless Mini Splits Offer 5 Worthwhile Benefits For Broken Arrow Area Homeowners

Ductless mini splits are the result of technological advancements in heating and cooling that allow homeowners to deliver conditioned air into nearly any space. Long used in other countries like Japan and Europe, ductless mini splits are gaining ground in the U.S. for good reason. Learn their  advantages, and then give mini splits a second look when upgrading.

• Easy installation – Ductless systems deliver conditioned air into the home with individual air handlers installed in each room, instead of relying on ducts. Therefore, mini splits can go where ductwork can’t. One outdoor condenser connects to four indoor air handlers, which can be installed high up on walls or tucked into dropped ceilings. Floor-standing models are also available.

• Efficiency – Ductless mini splits score high in efficiency, with Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) ratings that are competitive with central air conditioning. Further, mini splits often reach higher operational efficiencies, because they aren’t subject to the energy losses from ductwork.

• Two-in-one – Purchase a ductless mini split heat pump, and you’ll get a two-in-one system that provides both heating and cooling. Heat pumps source heat in the air, and then move it into the home, and they provide efficient cooling in the summer, and heating in winter when temperatures are above freezing.

• Zoning – With individual air handlers installed in the rooms, you can control the output of each one separately. As a result, ductless mini splits are a type of zoning system, allowing you to keep the heating on in one space, while turning off the heating in unused spaces.

• Comfort – Often, home design leads to differing heating and cooling loads in various rooms of the home. For optimal comfort, some rooms require more conditioned air than others, and ductless systems allow you to control how much conditioned air each room receives. This is an advantage when installed, for instance, on the second floor, where rooms require less heating and more cooling than the first floor to stay comfortable.

For more information about ductless mini splits, contact Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We've served homeowners in greater Broken Arrow for nearly 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock