How Does Air Balancing Work?
The basic purpose of air balancing is to measure how well your HVAC system performs its duties, and while there are multiple ways to carry out air balancing, today we will focus on just two of them: Certified Air Balance, and Comfort Balance.
Let’s take a look at Comfort Balance first. As the name would suggest, with Comfort Balance we take a look at the level of comfort the conditioning brings to a room. How strong is the airflow? Do registers need to be added or removed, or simply adjusted? The circulation of the air will ultimately decide whether there is a problem with your unit or if all is working as it should.
Next, we have Certified Air Balance. Unlike Comfort Balance, this form of inspection will take a closer look at the unit itself, and will often be performed with newly purchased or built homes, or with other large-scale projects. Throughout the inspection process, the system’s capacity will be tested to ensure that all parts are compatible, and the overall performance is optimized for the building’s layout.
Certified Air Balance inspection goes something like this:
- The HVAC Contractors in Philadelphia will research local regulations and AHRAE standards, and ask about your needs. Based on these details, they will then utilize their experience and training to draw up a detailed plan of the air conditioning system, including ducting, registers, requirements for the ventilation, exhaust vents, air flow, and the overall performance of the unit.
- Blade dampers will be fastened to each duct branch, and behind the intake and exhaust openings.
- An air balance technician will be brought in to replace filters and open up each damper before a reading is performed on all openings on the roof and inside.
- With everything now optimized, all devices and dampers can be locked in order to fix the settings.
It should be noted that, even once locked, the occupants of the building can mess with the settings, should they neglect to replace dirty filters, drastically change the indoor layout, or otherwise mess with the factors which were considered during the optimization process. Questions and concerns in regards to your air conditioner, or air balancing specifically, can be directed at AC professionals in your area. If given the opportunity, they can come in and thoroughly inspect your unit to ensure everything is working as it should.
It is important to have the right professionals do the required services because they are licensed, insured and bonded. Apart from having years of experience, the HVAC contractors have the skill and knowledge to handle varied size units. If you have questions or queries, give Affordable Fixes LLC a call today.
How Can HVAC Duct Sealing Save You Money?
If you have been dealing with high energy bills, you may want to consider duct sealing. It’s a simple adjustment to make for the specialist who cleans your air ducts, or really just any AC service provider, and it can save you a lot of money in the long run, among other considerable benefits.
How Duct Sealing Can Increase Your Safety
With so many appliances in our homes that produce combustible gases, there is an ongoing risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and other threats that many of us live with. One single leak is enough to cause back drafting which describes the situation in which gases are pushed into your home instead of outside. When ducts are sealed, they are made to lead gases outside and away from anyone who could be endangered by them, including you, your family, and your pets.
How Duct Sealing Makes Your Home More Efficient
When ducts have leaks, the rest of the unit will require more energy to continue to function as needed. As a result, your bills will increase and your systems will be working overtime. Duct sealing has been documented to increase efficiency by a maximum of twenty percent, while also decreasing the risk of your home contracting mildew or mold.
How Sealing Ducts Will Improve Air Quality
When a duct is leaking, it allows for pollen, pesticides, car exhaust, and other harmful particles to freely enter your home, and as a result, your lungs as you breathe. By sealing air ducts, you will keep these harmful particles out of your home, where they belong. However, it is equally important to keep the ducting clean with regular maintenance. You might want to call in the experts to look at the various aspects of the ducts, if there is any infiltration of odors and smells inside the house.
How Sealing Ducts Increases Your Home’s Comfort
Leaking ducts will cause cool spots and hot spots all over your home, since optimal air circulation is impossible, when the system isn’t working as it should. Sealed ducts will allow for an even distribution of air and keep your home at an even temperature of your choosing.
How Duct Sealing Can Help Protect the Environment
Since sealed ducts are more energy efficient, they will require less fuel to work at optimal capacity. As a result, your home will cause less pollution, and thus decrease your influence on matters such as acid rain and global warming. Sealing your ducts is another step toward minimizing your carbon footprint. Call in a HVAC professional in Philadelphia PA today to check your air ducts for leaks so you can reap the benefits.
What To Do When Your Heat Pump Refuses To Work?
When your heat pump suddenly stops working, the best thing to do is, of course, to call a repair service. Specifically, a heating repair service, so they can send someone to come in and take a look at the heating system in question.
After all, a heating pump is complex in nature and an untrained person will not be able to spot the source of the problem. Once the contractor has arrived, you will be asked a series of detailed questions so be prepared to take some time out of your day to assist the contractor in their repair services. These are the most commonly documented heat pump malfunctions:
Outdoor Compressor And Fan Have Stopped Working
When the outdoor unit stops working, it is often due to a tripped breaker circuit, problems with the wiring, a blown-out fuse, a bad transformer, or an overloaded compressor. When this happens, you should pray that all you need is a furnace tune up, because the worst-case scenario would be the need for a whole new heat pump.
Humming Heat Pump That Won’t Start
The majority of the time, this is caused by a malfunctioning part, i.e. a bad start capacitor, compressor bearings, or compressor motor. Sometimes the cause will also be electrical problems. Regardless, you will likely need to replace the heat pump, unless the problem is electrical in nature, in which case the contractor may have a chance of saving it.
Outdoor Compressor Won’t Work
So, the compressor doesn’t work but the fan does. This is often due to improper phasing, poor voltage, a grounded compressor motor, or because of a bad capacitor. When it comes to such problems, it will be up to your contractor to determine whether your system needs replacing or if a repair job is sufficient.
Outdoor Pump Or Fan Aren’t Working
When there is an issue with the pump or fan relay, an issue with the timer, or a fault in the motor, then there is no getting around replacing the pump. However, if the issue is electrical, a straight up rewiring may get the job done.
However, don’t try to do it all on your own but call in the AC Repair experts in Philadelphia. They understand all aspects of the pumps and HVAC units and will be able to do what is necessary which will make sure that your unit is working again.
Indoor Fan Has Stopped Working
When there is a malfunction with the motor or transformers, you will not get around purchasing a replacement. However, if the problem is a blown fuse, bad circuit, or an issue electrical in nature, you will be fine with getting a repair job done.