Advantages of Geothermal Heating in Your Home

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Geothermal heating utilizes the natural heat in the ground to warm your home in the winter. It comprises an indoor pump, a compressor, and a fan, as well as looped piping that's buried in your yard. The geothermal pipes contain a fluid that absorbs heat from the ground and transfers it to the geothermal pump, which sends the heat as warm air throughout your home.

Here are some exceptional benefits a geothermal system offers your Broken Arrow home.

Promotes Health and Safety

Geothermal heating uses renewable energy from below the Earth's surface rather than flammable fossil fuels, making it safer and more environmentally friendly than other heating systems. It doesn't produce carbon monoxide. It also doesn't recycle air, which reduces the threats to your home's air quality. As a result, a geothermal system is more beneficial to your family's health.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling

In addition to providing heating in the winter, a geothermal system can provide cooling in the summer. In the summer, a geothermal system absorbs heat from your home and transfers it to the underground piping loops, where the Earth absorbs it.

Hot Water Supply

A geothermal system can produce the hot water you need for your bathroom and kitchen. What's more, it heats water more efficiently than standard water heaters.

Efficiency

A geothermal system uses significantly less energy to draw heat from the ground than gas furnaces, achieving between 400% and 600% efficiency. It also performs the work of an air conditioner and a water heater. Consequently, it can lower your overall energy consumption by as much as 70%.

Works Silently

Once installed, a geothermal system operates quietly.

Long-Lasting

A geothermal system isn't installed directly outside. As a result, its components aren't subject to deterioration from exterior elements like rain, snow, ice, and varying temperatures. The indoor parts have a life span of several decades. The rest of the geothermal system can last as long as 80 to 100 years and usually comes with an especially long warranty.

Although geothermal heating has high initial costs, it will likely end up paying for itself and providing valuable benefits for many generations to come. Contact us at Air Assurance if you need information on geothermal systems or other heating and cooling products and services in the Broken Arrow area.

Gain Heater Knowledge: Learn How Your Heater Actually Works

Having some heater knowledge is useful for a couple of reasons. Knowing how heating systems work can help you select a new one for your Broken Arrow home if needed. Being familiar with how heaters work can also help you notice when something is wrong with your heating system so you can have it repaired right away.

Forced-Air Furnace

Forced-air furnaces use gas, oil, propane, or electricity to generate heat. These heating systems take in air, then heat it up and send it through ductwork and vents to warm homes. A blower motor pushes the heated air into the ducts, where it flows to different areas of your home. Colder air in your home is pulled into the furnace through return ducts, and the heating cycle begins again when your heating system is on.

Heat Pump

Heat pumps exchange heat rather than produce it from gas, electricity, oil, or propane. Heat pumps take heat from the air outside or from the ground and use it to heat a home's interior. Air-source heat pumps pull heat from above ground, while geothermal heat pumps pull heat from underground. This provides one energy-efficient way to heat homes in winter. These heating systems can also cool homes by moving hot indoor air outside in summer.

Radiant Heat

Radiant heat produces heat through coils or pipes that are placed in floors, ceilings, or walls. These coils or pipes use either electricity or heated water to keep rooms or areas in homes warm. The heat from these pipes and coils flows into the room rather than coming through vents.

If you’re interested in heater knowledge so you can choose a new heating system, our experts can help. Contact Air Assurance for more heater knowledge about our HVAC services in the Broken Arrow area. We can assist you with choosing the most efficient heating system for your home.

What Are All the Types of Home Heating You Can Get?

Homeowners in Broken Arrow are lucky because there are plenty of types of home heating systems that are efficient and convenient here. Fuel-burning furnaces, radiant-heating systems, and heat pumps are all types of home heating that work effectively in this climate. 

Forced-Air Furnaces

These systems are by far the most common of all the types of home heating in the United States. They are cost-efficient, relatively easy to install, and they can be highly energy efficient. They produce heat using a fuel, and they blow warmed air through ductwork that's distributed throughout the home. 

Fuel options include natural gas, propane, fuel oil, or electric. Natural gas is the most common and least expensive to operate given the widespread availability of natural gas. 

Oil furnaces produce the most heat per unit of energy consumed. Electric furnaces, while easy to install and operate, cost the most to run. In this region, it makes sense to choose a natural gas furnace if this fuel is available on your lot. 

Radiant Heating

Instead of blowing heated air throughout ductwork like furnaces and heat pumps do, radiant systems use pipes or coils that use electricity or circulate heated liquids in coils in radiators or coils placed on the walls, the ceiling, or under the floors. The heat gradually radiates into the room. This kind of heating is comfortable and quiet. It doesn't contribute to household dust or aggravate airborne allergies. 

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps function like forced-air furnaces but exchange heat instead of creating it with a combustible fuel. Technically, they are the most energy-efficient types of home heating, especially if they're geothermal heat pumps (GHPs). 

GHPs and above-ground air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) work like refrigerators. In the summer, they absorb the heat in your home and move it outside. In the winter, the appliance removes the heat in the outdoor air and brings it inside. 

A GHP has such great efficiency because it uses an underground loop field where temperatures are always stable. ASHPs complete the heat exchange in above-ground air that can be either hot or cold. 

Contact Air Assurance for help choosing the best types of home-heating systems. Our pros can give you professional advice and insight. We provide HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners. 

Know These Top Heater Brands as Cooler Weather Approaches

Trying to choose from the top heater brands can lead you down the rabbit hole of "we agree to disagree" kind of discussions. On one hand, you have homeowners with brand loyalty and even loyalty for fuel type. On the other hand, many homeowners that use a furnace for home heating don't know what AFUE means, let alone have a desire to skim through page after page of furnace makes and models.

And that's entirely okay. What matters the most when weighing top heater brands is complete satisfaction regarding home comfort, energy efficiency, and a manageable initial and lifetime cost.

Lennox Heaters

Founded by Dave Lennox in 1895 with an idea for a coal-fired furnace, the name Lennox for HVAC manufacturing has become synonymous with products of the highest quality, performance, and energy efficiency when it comes to heater brands. With those criteria in mind, Lennox tops the list of the best brands for residential HVAC furnaces.

Lennox SLP99V Gas Furnace

This is the Rolls Royce of gas furnaces. The Lennox SLP99V has bragging rights as the quietest and most energy-efficient residential gas furnace money can buy (as of testing in March 2020). It boasts an astounding 99% fuel efficiency (AFUE).

Lennox SLP98V Gas Furnace

Tied for first place with the Lennox SLP99V, with nearly identical specs for efficiency and quiet operation, is the SLP98V variable-capacity gas furnace. This furnace delivers practically the same performance as the SLP99V for lower initial costs.

Lennox High-Efficiency Furnace at Mid-Efficiency Price

The Lennox EL296V gas furnace easily joins the list of top heater models with features like a variable-speed blower and two-stage heating. Offered at a substantially lower price than the SLP99V, it boasts 96 AFUE, has a lifetime heat-exchanger warranty, and averages 4.5 out of 5 stars from nearly 1,000 customer reviews.

Lennox Elite Series ELO183 Oil Furnace

This top heater model is a shout-out to the loyal oil-furnace customers who are out there. The ELO183 is a mid-efficiency oil furnace delivering 83 AFUE, a modest initial cost, and quiet and efficient home heating.

To help decide the best heater brands for your Broken Arrow home, contact Air Assurance today!

How Much Electricity Does a Space Heater Use?

For persons looking for an option to heat small spaces in their house, the question is often: How much electricity does a space heater use? Electric space heaters can be an efficient option if utilized within the limits of the unit and with appropriate attention to safety. 

Crunching the Numbers

The monthly costs of operating a space heater are also an issue, depending on how many hours the unit will be utilized per day. How much electricity does a space heater use, then? Fortunately the answer can be calculated with a simple formula, plus one bit of information typically available from your electricity bill. 

• The heater’s wattage rating. This figure represents the amount of electricity expressed in watts that the heater uses per hour. It’s usually shown on a label or is available from the unit’s owner’s manual. A typical residential space heater is rated for 1,500 watts (or 1.5 kilowatts per hour), so we’ll use that figure for our example.

• The local cost of electricity. Your monthly electric bill will show how much the utility charges per kilowatt of electricity. In this part of Oklahoma, residential electricity costs an average of about 9 cents per kilowatt per hour.

• To answer “how much electricity does a space heater use?”, we’ll also need to decide on an average amount of time the heater runs per day. Six hours is a good average during cold weather, so we’ll plug that into the calculation.

So How Much Electricity Does a Space Heater Use?

1,500 watts (space heater rating) x 6 (average daily hours) = 9,000 watts or 9 kilowatts of electricity daily.

9 kilowatts x 9 cents per kilowatt = 81 cents per day.

On a monthly basis, the cost of running a typical household space heater six hours per day is, therefore, $24.30.

For more answers to heating questions like how much electricity does a space heater use?, contact the professionals at Air Assurance.

What Are the Pros and Cons of an Electric Fireplace?

Is an electric fireplace a worthwhile home addition? Just more than 40% of recent new houses come with a fireplace, and a substantially higher percentage of homes built in the decades since the 1970s incorporate at least one fireplace.

Though not all standard fireplaces get the regular use they once did, many people still miss the appearance and comfort of a warming fire inside the house. An electric fireplace may provide a simpler, less labor-intensive alternative to the real thing. Here are some pros and cons of having an electric fireplace in your home. 

Pros

• Convenience. No need to obtain and/or store firewood and lug it into the house to build a fire. An electric fire starts with the flip of a switch, eliminating the sometimes difficult process of lighting a real fire. After enjoying the fire, just turn it off. No cleanup and disposal of ashes.

• Safety. Because there’s no combustion nor flames, certain safety issues are eliminated, such as possible carbon monoxide gas, chimney fires, and sparks or embers from the fireplace triggering an indoor fire.

• Less heat loss; higher efficiency. A wood fireplace loses substantial heat up the chimney. An electric unit, conversely, requires no venting or chimney, so all generated heat goes into warming the room. While the process of burning wood is considered an inefficient method for home heating by the Environmental Protection Agency, electricity produces heat with a 99% efficiency rating.

Cons

• Less ambiance. Few persons would claim that electric fireplaces produce the same classic, charming indoor atmosphere on a winter evening as a crackling, natural wood fire.

• Modest heating performance. While electric fireplaces are efficient in terms of energy consumption, perceptible heat these units produce is about the same as a standard electric space heater.

• No boost to the home's value. While a wood fireplace may increase home value up to 8%, most realtors agree that an electric fireplace adds no value to the home.

• Higher electrical demands. Household circuits must be adequate to handle the fireplace’s considerable electrical load.

For more pros and cons of having an electric fireplace, contact the pros at Air Assurance.

How Much Heat Is Too Much Heat in the Winter?

During those cold winter months, there's nothing better than feeling your heating system turn on to keep you warm and cozy. But what if it produces too much heat? Is that a cause for concern? Let's explore this notion of your house getting too hot in the winter.

The Problem with Too Much Heat in the Winter

It seems silly to consider excessive heat on a cold winter morning or night as a bad thing. However, a house that's overheating when the HVAC system is on is no joke. It will feel uncomfortably hot, and the feeling of sweating every time will make your home feel stuffy. A furnace that's overheating your home also wastes a lot of energy and wears down sooner than it should.

The Causes of Too Much Heat

Several factors can contribute to an overheated home in the winter. For instance, duct blockage and poor fan speed can make hot air linger in your heating system. Therefore, troubleshooting the problem may start with changing the filter in your system — or rather, not doing so if you haven't changed it recently. Alternatively, you may need to open your ducts if you've closed more than 20% of them.

There are several other causes of too much heat that require professional assistance. These include:

• A nonstop system. A furnace that constantly runs without shutting off like it's supposed to will supply too much heat to the rooms in your home. The unit running nonstop may be due to a broken limit switch, a malfunctioning primary control, broken thermostat wiring, or stuck control buttons.

• A faulty thermostat. If the temperature sensor of your thermostat is broken or miscalibrated, then it will have problems reading your home's temperature. It may not detect heat, or it may read your home as being cooler than it actually is, making your heater turn your house into an oven.

Besides causing discomfort, too much heat affects your heating system's components and causes your energy bills to skyrocket. An HVAC professional will help you find the specific reason behind the overheating issue. For more information on fixing the issue of too much heat in the winter, contact Air Assurance. We're Broken Arrow's trusted source for quality HVAC installation and repair.

What Are the Best and Safest Brands of Space and Mini Heaters?

A portable space heater can help you offset a drafty room's chill or give your heating system a small boost. You have many types and styles of portable space and mini heaters to choose from. Getting one that's high quality and powerful yet safe can be daunting. Let's help you narrow down your choices by telling you the highest-rated space and mini heaters on the market.

Vornado VH200

Vornado manufactures high-quality space heaters, and the VH200 bears testament to that. It warms an entire room fast and comfortably. What's more, it heats rooms more evenly than many other models. It operates quietly, emitting only a soft whir as it runs.

It features a tip-over switch and overheating protection. The plastic exterior remains relatively cool as it heats your room.

The VH200 isn't ugly, but it isn't the most attractive space heater either. Whatever it lacks in looks it makes up for in power and performance.

Dyson Hot+Cool Jet Focus AM09 Fan Heater

The sleek Dyson heater lets you warm the whole room or use it as a personal heater if you choose between dispersed and focused airflow. You can use the unit as a cooling fan in the summer.

Its surface remains cool even after running continuously for an hour, thanks to some thoughtful engineering. It automatically shuts off when tipped over.

You'll have to use the remote control to access some features. The disadvantage with this remote is that you have to aim it at the machine's base, where the power button is located.

Lasko FH500 Tower Fan and Heater

This Lasko heater sends a vertical column of heated air evenly throughout your room. It comes with several thoughtful features, such as an easily navigable control panel and an auto eco feature for improved efficiency.

It features an overheat protection and tip-over safety switch. You can use the Lasko as a fan for cooling. However, you may find it difficult to clean the fan blades due to the tower design.

Whatever the heater brand you choose to purchase when choosing between space and mini heaters, make sure you read the manual to learn the necessary safety measures you need to take. For more information on space and mini heaters, contact Air Assurance. We offer superior heating and cooling products to homeowners in the Broken Arrow area.

What Are the Top 3 Heater Brands You Should Consider to Keep Warm This Winter?

A furnace is great for keeping your house warm in the winter, but what about just one room? For that, you'll need a space heater. For small jobs, it's more efficient than central heating, and it saves energy. Which heater brands will work best, though? There are a lot to choose from. Here's a guide to the top three heater brands on the market.

Factors to Consider in Comparing Heater Brands

The first thing to look at is size. How big of a room do you need to heat, and how big of a heater will do it efficiently? Next, consider power. Electric heaters are cheaper to buy, but they use more energy. A gas or propane-powered heater, on the other hand, is more expensive, but it will save you money and energy in the long run.

Finally, you should think about safety when comparing heater brands. A poor safety rating could end up being a fire hazard. Find a heater that's been certified by the Underwriters Laboratories or a similar organization. Consider a model that's cool to the touch to prevent accidental burning. For gas-powered heaters, get one with carbon monoxide safeguardsas well, including proper ventilation and an automatic turn-off feature when there's not enough oxygen present.

Choosing the Top Heater Brands

1. Dr. Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater. This energy-efficient heater comes with a built-in thermostat so that you can adjust your heating level. It also has a dual heating system to allow you to heat the entire room evenly.

2. Cadet Com-Pak Twin. Installed directly into the wall and with its own vent covering, the Com-Pak distributes air just like your HVAC system to heat rooms up to 600 square feet. It's also energy-efficient and UL safety rated.

3. Lasko 5160 Ceramic Tower Heater. Portable and easy to store, this electric heater is remotely controlled for easy use, and it oscillates to create even heat distribution. It also comes with automatic safeguards against overheating, and it can cover an area of up to 300 square feet.

For more help choosing the best heater brands for your home, contact us at Air Assurance. We keep Broken Arrow comfortable all year.