Just installed a new Furnace? This is how you can extend its life

Looking to extend the life of your family’s newest addition? One of the most costly energy appliances in your home, your new furnace it critical to your family’s health, safety, and savings goals. If you’ve recently installed a new furnace in your home, you want to make it last. Learn how to avoid the cost and hassle of an untimely replacement.

Your New Furnace will Need the Occasional TLC

Just as your automobile needs regular oil changes and wiper blades, your new furnace has a few basic maintenance needs as well. These include:

• Annual Preventative Maintenance
  Regular preventative maintenance, scheduled in the fall before your new furnace undergoes the stress of operating under temperatures extremes, is necessary once a year. During this routine service, heat repair companies will inspect  the furnace’s blower motor fan to ensuring smooth operation and proper airflow. Your system will also be inspected to avoid issues such as weak capacitors, loose electrical connections, and thermostat calibrations, addressing issues before the need for emergency service occurs. In combustion-style systems, technicians will also check heat exchangers and combustion levels and other issues that could potentially expose your family to deadly gas leaks and carbon monoxide.
• Regular Air Filter Replacements
  Home air filters are one of the most common reasons for emergency HVAC service calls. Clogged, disgusting air filters restrict airflow and force your furnace to work harder to move conditioned air, taking a toll on the lifespan of the system. Check your filter monthly, changing it every 3-months, minimally. Pets or kids? Home under construction? Expect more frequent changes.
• Sealed, Insulated Ducts
  Are you paying to heat your basement or attic? If at the time your ductwork is inspected leaks are detected, they must be addressed. Leaky ducts can negatively impact furnace efficiency by 20% or more, forcing your system to work harder to keep your home warm as heated air escapes into uninsulated spaces. Ensure all ductwork is properly connected, sealed, and insulated to protect your furnace investment.

These tasks not only safeguard the lifespan of your new furnace, but ensures more efficient operation, lowering energy bills.

The Ductwork Connected To Your Furnace Can Affect Furnace Lifespan

Heating units connected to dirty, obstructed ductwork and vents must struggle to move air throughout your home. In this event, while your furnace is being serviced, your technician may suggest a duct cleaning. You can prevent the need for ductwork cleaning with the regular replacement of your furnace air filter. This will prevent the accumulation of dust and debris in your ducts, as well as keep furnace system components clean. This will not only safeguard the efficiency and lifespan of your system, but improve indoor air quality in your home as well.

Safeguard your furnace with the help of an experienced heating service and maintenance company you can trust, keeping your new furnace with your home and family for many years to come. Contact H&H Heating & Cooling and learn more about how our Comfort Club Agreements can help you safeguard your new furnace today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/just-installed-a-new-furnace-this-is-how-you-can-extend-its-life/

Have Pets? Here's What to Consider while Setting your Thermostat

People love pampering pets, from Pugs to Persians. If you’re among the many, you’ve likely wondered a time or two about your breed’s heritage, and the best home temperature setting to keep you pooch or puss in prime condition. A number of factors affect your pet’s ideal home temperature. Luckily, it’s possible to ensure your pet’s comfort alongside your own while keeping your energy costs under control with a little help from your friendly local air conditioning contractors.

Factors to Consider for Perfecting Pet Comfort

• How Big is Your Breed?
  With a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio, small pets have more skin through which to lose body heat compared to larger animals. So there’s more than one reason for all those teeny-tiny teacup doggie sweaters. Small breeds get cold faster. If you own one, it wouldn’t hurt to have a trusted HVAC emergency repair service on speed dial.
• Does Your Pet Have Any Extra ‘Insulation’?
  Body fat does indeed play an insulating role, giving heavier pets added protection against the cold. (However this added weight isn’t healthy, so keeping your pet fit is advisable to counting on him packing away the pounds for winter warmth.)
• Old Relic or Young Whippersnapper?
  As with humans, the very young, elderly, and sick are more sensitive to temperatures. Thus, young puppies and kittens, as well as aged pets, require warmer heating and cooling systemtemperature settings, as do pets with chronic joint conditions.
• The Hairy Factor
  Pets with thicker, longer fur are generally more cold tolerant than those with thinner, shorter fur. On the flipside, they also overheat more easily (faster than humans). Short-haired or hairless varieties showcase the opposite tendencies, better handling warm temperatures and more easily becoming chilled.

Translating Facts Into The Perfect Temperature Setting

Obviously, based on the above, there is no one-size-fits-all thermostat setting to meet the needs of every type of pet in every season. However, armed with the above information, you should be able to determine a good range.

• Summer
  In the summer, staying within a range of 75- 78°F should help you meet the comfort needs of your pet. Keeping in mind the above information, if you own a large long-haired breed such as a Husky, Samoyed, or portly Persian or Siberian feline, closer to 75°F may be preferable. Elderly hairless or short-haired breed? Perhaps closer to 78°F. Going away for a spell? Don’t set your thermostat any warmer than 80-82°F to ensure pet safety and comfort. And be sure to include plenty of water and a place to cool off, such as a tiled or basement floor.
• Winter
  In the summer, staying within the range of 69-72°F is best. As above, furrier, more rotund pets prefer cooler temperatures at the lower end of this range, warmer for youngsters and short-haired breeds. Going away? Keep settings above 60°F for safety and warmth, providing warm bedding and sunlight.

Ensure a home that is consistently comfortable for your pet, avoiding system down-time and emergency service with regular professional heating and air conditioning service and maintenance. Keep your system running efficiently with the help of H&H Heating & Cooling today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/have-pets-heres-what-to-consider-while-setting-your-thermostat/

Whole House Humidifier vs Portable units

Trying to decide if you’re better off with a furnace mounted humidifier or a smaller, portable humidifying unit? Now is the time to make a humidifier addition – before severely dry air takes its toll on your health and home.

Why is Dry Air a Big Deal?

People often overlook signs of low humidity an indoor air quality service can quickly identify. Key signs include the dry, chapped skin of occupants, and complaints of respiratory irritation, allergies, and asthma flare-ups. In the home, overly-dry air can also be observed in split, cracked hard wood floors, furniture, and structural components of the home, common in buildings with humidity levels below the optimal range of 30-50%.

Differences Between Whole House Humidifiers & Portable Humidifiers

• Performance
  Adding a whole house humidifier to existing heating units, whether furnace, boiler, or heat pump, controls humidity levels in every room and floor of your home. Portable models only control humidity in a small space, making multiple units necessary for optimal humidity throughout your home.
• Upkeep
  Whole house humidifiers connect directly to your home’s water supply, using your furnace’s existing blower system and fan to distribute moisture through the air. Maintenance is minimal, including the changing of humidifier pads annually and a thorough cleaning with diluted vinegar at the end of the heating season to loosen mineral deposits from water before they become difficult to remove. Portable humidifiers require daily maintenance. Depending on the unit and space you’re humidifying, you may need to refill the water reservoir daily with distilled or demineralized water. Most importantly, you must clean the system every 3 days to avoid creating a bacteria and fungi playground. Failure to do so leads to biological contaminants in neglected reservoirs being spread through indoor air.
• Noise
  Whole home units are very quiet, emitting minimal noise near your furnace. A single portable system can be as loud as a window air conditioner.
• Looks
  Installed in the ductwork near your furnace, whole home systems are out of sight. On rolling casters, portable units take up floor space center stage.
• Operational Costs
  Knowledgeable heating services know whole house humidifiers cost just pennies per year to operate, requiring very little resources (fuel/electricity, water) compared to portable units, which consume a great deal, especially if you’re running multiple units.
• Installation Costs
  Better portable humidifiers cost more than whole house units. However, whole house units require professional installation due to necessary ductwork alterations, which makes them more expensive than smaller, lower quality portable units. Need more than one portable? You’ll pay less investing in a whole house system.

What’s Best For Your Home?

In most situations, a whole house humidifier is the best choice for controlling humidity in your home in the dry, cooler months of fall, winter, and spring. Cost-effective, easy to maintain, quieter, and out-of-sight, they’re tough to beat unless you’re on an extremely limited budget or only need to manage a single room.

Considering the addition of a humidifier in your Villanova home? Or a furnace mount humidifier installation in Chaddsford? Contact H&H Heating & Cooling for a complimentary quote or to learn more about adding a humidifying unit to your HVAC system today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/whole-house-humidifier-vs-portable-units/

What is a Good Temperature to Set your Thermostat?

When selecting the right temperature setting for heating and AC units, finding the right balance between comfort and energy savings may seem tricky. However, making smart choices can save you a pretty penny, as heating and cooling account for up to half of the average home’s utility costs. Read on to discover the ideal temperature zone for your home and how to circumvent issues that can affect comfort from season to season.

Seasonal Temperature Setting Tips

As a general rule, setting your thermostat to 78°F in the summer and 68°F in the winter is best for energy savings. However, these settings may not be ideal in every situation. The following challenges may affect your ideal temperature setting:

• Humidity Issues
  In the winter, when air is naturally dry and moisture evaporates from the skin more quickly, people are naturally colder. The opposite is true in the summer, with stickiness and high-humidity taking a toll on comfort levels and tempting you to ‘crank it up.’
• Occupancy 
  While the settings above may be perfectly comfy while you’re home, if your family is gone for 8+ hours you’re wasting a lot of energy heating/cooling an empty house. In this case, a smart programmable thermostat can pay for itself pretty quickly.
• Age & Health
  The very young, elderly, and individuals in poor health generally require warmer temperatures. If this includes your home’s inhabitants, it pays to have a trusted, 24/7 HVAC repair service in your phone’s contact list to ensure rapid attention should your system experience issues in temperature extremes.
• Home Specifications
  Air conditioning companies with knowledge and expertise can simply look at your home and tell you what your comfort issues are. South-facing areas are warmer, north-facing colder, effecting comfort levels and temperature settings depending on what these areas of your home are used for.

There’s More Than One Way To Keep Your Home Comfortable For Less $$

Keeping your home comfortable can be accomplished in many more ways than simply bumping the thermostat up and down. There are many easy and energy efficient ways to stay comfy:

• Smart Thermostats
  When it comes to finding the perfect thermostat setting for comfort and efficiency, the best heating and air conditioning companies know it’s best to pair your system with a smart thermostat. Today’s smart ‘learning’ thermostat models do all the work for you, learning your schedule and preferences to adjust temperatures as-needed for comfort and energy savings.
• Zoned Heating/Cooling
  Zoning your home into sections can allow you to adjust for problem areas (and family members) without effecting temperatures elsewhere, providing consistency from room-to-room and helping to compensate for issues caused by sun exposure, heat gain/loss, and more.
• Humidity Control
  Adding a whole home humidifier to your HVAC system in the winter can help you feel more comfortable at lower temperatures. In the summer, adding exhaust fans in high-moisture areas (bath/kitchen/laundry) can help keep humidity under control.

Struggling to maintain a comfortable home? The heating and air conditioning experts at H&H Heating & Cooling have you covered, keeping you comfy and protecting your bottom line. Contact us for personalized tips to aid in home comfort and energy savings today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/what-is-a-good-temperature-to-set-your-thermostat/

5 Things to Know when you are Buying a New Furnace

Summer might seem like a silly time to think about buying a new furnace, but considering an upcoming furnace investment when your air conditioner is blasting is actually a smart move. By not leaving this decision until the fall, you’ll have lots of time to research possible options – and schedule an installation for a time when you won’t be relying on your furnace to keep your family warm on a cold fall or winter’s night.

What 5 Things Should You Know Before Making a Furnace Investment?

1. Which Fuel Type Would You Prefer to Power Your Furnace?
   • Electric Furnace
     Electric furnaces boast a lower initial purchase price and high efficiency (95%+). This can be misleading, however, as the cost of coal-generated power in much of the country can be quite high compared to other options. Consider electric if you don’t have access to natural gas, otherwise a heat pump heating unit for the house may make more sense.
   • Natural Gas Furnace
     Natural gas makes sense for areas with long winters where natural gas is available. Though more up-front than electric models, the affordability of natural gas makes gas-powered furnaces a popular option. With efficiency ratings of up to 98% and low-cost fuel, gas furnaces are much more economical to operate over the long-run. They also pair easily with air conditioners/heat pumps, allowing for efficient year-round heating and cooling.
   • Oil or Propane Furnace
     Oil and propane furnaces are becoming increasingly less common as the cost of these fuels continue to rise. Homeowners (and HOAs) also tend to prefer the look of systems that don’t require massive, unsightly storage tanks on-premises. If you don’t have access to natural gas on your street, however, this may offer a more affordable heating option than electric.
2. Installation Cost
   Changing your fuel type? This may present added installation work and cost, such as an upgraded electrical service, added gas lines and venting. Be sure to factor this into your choice.
3. Efficiency
   The more efficient heating units are, the less they cost to operate over the long-haul in utility costs. Today’s moderately efficient furnaces offer 80-85% efficient fuel-to-heat conversion. Higher-end models offer as much as 95-98% efficiency, with more advanced features and a higher up-front cost. The goal is to balance up-front furnace and installation cost with operating expenses over the life of the furnace. The pros at H&H can help you ensure a winning balance between the two.
4. Sizing
   Trustworthy heating companies know: Optimal furnace sizing depends on many factors, including climate zone, heat loss and airflow in your home.
5. Timing
   Though summer may seem like an odd time to upgrade your furnace, it’s a wise choice. No one wants to end up bundling up in a cold snap while waiting for the emergency furnace repair company alongside hundreds of other homeowners.

Ensure a summer furnace upgrade that doesn’t leave you sizzling mad. Find the right furnace for your home and budget with the help of H & H Heating & Air Conditioning. Contact us and schedule a free, trustworthy estimate or learn more about our special offers today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/5-things-to-know-when-you-are-buying-a-new-furnace/

Tips to Prevent Dust Buildup in your Ducts

Dust buildup on the walls and ceilings, and air vents in your home a frequent issue? This could be indicative of a larger problem. More than unsightly, dust buildup in these areas points to dirty duct work, neglected maintenance, and poor indoor air quality. Luckily, addressing and correcting the problem doesn’t require a complete system re-do.

How Can You Prevent Dust Buildup in Your Ducts?

• Put regular air filter replacement on your ‘to-do’ list.
  Dirt and dust buildup on your filter can easily lead to build-up within the confines of your ducts – and its distribution throughout your home. Home air filters require frequent replacement – every 3-months, at a minimum. Children or pets? Swap it monthly. This not only keeps ducts and indoor air clean, but safeguards system efficiency and lifespan.
• Consider how to improve indoor air quality.
  Contact an indoor air quality service to learn more about ways to improve the air quality in your home. The health of a building’s occupants is often reflected in air quality. Discuss HVAC system additions such as:
  • A UV air purifier.
    Adding a UV air purifier to your HVAC system is a great way to eliminate bacteria and other microorganisms from the air in your home.
  • Specialty air filters.
    Upgrading to a HEPA filter with a MERV rating of 10 or higher can remove many more airborne pollutant than standard replacement filters, reducing up to 97% of particulate contaminants in your home such as dust, dander, pollen, dust mite debris, and more. Just be sure to talk to your HVAC pro pre-swap-out. Tightly-woven HEPA additions require airflow adjustments to prevent system damage.
• Schedule professional maintenance.
  A professional air conditioning tune-up, once in the spring and again in the fall before seasonal temperature extremes put your system under stress, can identify issues that can affect indoor air quality and system performance, such as…
  • Dirty duct work.
    Dirty duct work can worsen health issues and allergies. Dust and dirt buildup on duct surfaces indicates the need for duct cleaning. Hidden out of sight, only a pro can identify this issue without potentially damaging HVAC components and rectify the situation with proper tools and safe cleaning solutions.
  • Mold growth.
    Mold buildup in ducts indicates your system needs rapid attention.
  • Pest infestation.
    Pest droppings and debris pose a huge health risk for home occupants.
  • Duct leaks.
    Regularly change your air filter and still experience excess dust? This is a sign of leaky ducts, which can seriously impact air quality and system efficiency. Are you paying to air condition your attic or crawlspace?

H&H Tip For Tackling Vent, Wall & Ceiling Dust

Once the sources of duct work dust have been addressed, don’t forget this friendly tip for quickly tackling dusty registers, walls, and ceilings: Dryer sheets. A quick rub-down with dryer sheets not only helps remove dust, but their anti-static nature aids in dust buildup prevention.

Toss the feather duster (and the tissues). Tackle dust and dirt at the source with the help of the air conditioning service and maintenance experts at H&H Heating & Air Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/tips-to-prevent-dust-buildup-in-your-ducts/

Setting your Water Heater Temperature: Things to Consider

Think finding the right setting for your hot water heater is a cut-and-dry decision, centered mainly on a compromise between efficiency and water temperature comfort levels? There are a number of factors that must be taken into consideration before determining the best temperature setting for your water heater.

Water Heater Temperature – Factors to Consider:

• Energy Savings
  Though the standard temperature setting for most water heaters is 140-degrees F, the Department of Energy (DOE) recommends a setting of 120-degrees F for energy savings. Thinking of going lower? Unless you’re headed out of town, stay the course at 120-degrees – or you may risk complications of bacterial growth (see below).
• Bacterial Growth & Resident Health
  Though the 120-degree temperature setting recommended by your local water heater maintenance company for energy savings is safe for most people, bacterial growth at this setting may pose a health issue for individuals with suppressed immune systems who may be best keeping water heater settings at the higher 140-degree mark.
• Competition for a Hot Shower
  Full house? When back-to-back showers occur, that 20-degree temperature difference can make a huge difference in hot water levels. If you frequently experience high-traffic bathing times, stay-the-course at 140-degrees.
• Young Children in the Home
  On the flipside, homes with young children (and the elderly) may prefer a setting of 120-degrees to prevent the possibility of scalding at the tap.
• Dishwasher Performance
  Older dishwasher? Models without a booster heater may not clean dishes optimally with a temperature setting of less than 140-degrees.

How To Adjust Your Water Heater Temperature Setting

Always check your water heater manual for safety recommendations and precautions prior to changing settings. On gas water heaters, simply find the knob on the valve and set the temperature. Electric water heaters are slightly trickier: First, turn off power – this is essential. Then remove the thermostat cover and insulation. Some models have two: An upper and lower thermostat. Using a flathead screwdriver, adjust the temperature, setting the top thermostat slightly higher than the bottom.

Tips For Boosting Performance & Efficiency:

• Insulate Tank-Style Heaters 
  This is an inexpensive and easy way to prevent standby heat loss.
• Keep it Clean
  Preserving water heater efficiency with hard water can be especially challenging as mineral buildup within the tank impacts performance and lifespan, and buildup increases with temperature. Dial-down the temperature and flush your tank frequently, scheduling professional maintenance for long-ignored systems.
• Lower Your Flow
  Replacing older showerheads and faucets with low-flow options that reduce hot water use.
• Replace Antiquated Systems
  If your water heater is ancient or you’re frequently suffering the effects of cold showers and water heater repair, chances are your water heater is the opposite of efficient. One of the top three consumers of energy in the home, a new water heater installation could ensure a more comfortable start to your day and save you a pretty penny in electricity, especially with the improved efficiency of today’s hybrid and tankless water heating options.

Looking for more ways to maximize the performance, efficiency, and safety of your water heater? Schedule a water heater maintenance service or replacement quote with the local air conditioning contractors at H & H Heating & Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/setting-your-water-heater-temperature-things-to-consider/