How to Maximize your Heat Pump Performance

Though it’s only fall, Old Man Winter is already kicking things into high gear. Is your heat pump up for the challenge? Heat pumps operate differently in the cooler months than they do in warmer ones. Just a few simple precautions can help you ensure efficiency and comfort over the cold weather season.

Why Does My Heat Pump Work Different in the Winter?

Unlike other heating units, heat pumps don’t generate heat, they move it from one place to another. In the summer that means from the inside, out. In the winter, it is moved from the outside, in. Though they do lose a bit of operational efficiency when temperatures dip below freezing, they can still manage to pull heat from the air in the winter. But with a few simple tips, you can makes your heat pump’s job easier, helping it eke out just a bit more performance.

Ways To Boost Performance

Make the most of your energy dollars, ensuring comfort and the longevity of your system with these tips:

• Regularly Change Home Air Filters
  Changing air filters every 1-3 months helps your system move air more easily, safeguarding its lifespan. It also ensures better indoor air quality.
• Check Your Temperature
  Turn  your system down whenever is unoccupied, keeping temperatures to 65-75 F for optimal operation.
• Smarten Up Your Thermostat
  A smart thermostat can help you boost comfort and save energy. Rather than cranking up the thermostat (which won’t heat your home any faster – but will send your energy costs skyrocketing), rely on a smart thermostat to slowly turn the heat up a few minutes before you’ll need it instead. Program it in advance or adjusting it via mobile device on-the-fly, such as before returning from shopping/work. Just be sure to ask your HVAC pro about heat pump compatible models.
• Keep Things Clear
  Clear leaves and debris from the area surrounding your outside unit, as blocked airflow sabotages airflow and efficiency. NEVER COVER YOUR SYSTEM. Your heat pump does not need winter shelter. Covering it can lead to mold growth and pest infestation. Leave ice alone as well. Your heat pump can handle this in ‘defrost mode.’
• Understand ‘Defrost Mode’ is Normal
  Defrosting is a normal part of winter operation for heat pump systems. However, this cycle is short. If it seems to be lasting overly long, contact your HVAC pro.
• Try to Avoid ‘Emergency Heat’
  ‘Emergency’ mode should be reserved for actual emergencies, such as when your system isn’t operating properly. Emergency heat is generated electrically, rapidly driving up energy bills.
• Consider Dual-Fuel Models
  Heat pump aging? Dual-fuel heat pumps, paired with a gas furnace, may offer more efficient operation in sub-zero temperatures.
• Don’t Skimp on Annual Maintenance
  Regular heat pump cleaning and maintenance in the spring and fall ensure your system is up to par before weather extremes set-in, helping you prevent the need for emergency service.

The best heating companies don’t just fix it when it’s broken, they help you keep things running like an efficient, well-oiled machine. Maximize your heat pump performance with the help of the experts at H&H Heating & Air Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/how-to-maximize-your-heat-pump-performance/

Not sure how to Replace the Air Filter? Here’s some Help!

Changing your air filter is part of routine heating and air conditioning service, however learning how to perform this easy and inexpensive maintenance task yourself can save you a pretty penny in electricity as well as prevent emergency repairs.

Why Replace your Air Filter?

Air conditioning companies see a lot of issues that stem from neglected air filter maintenance. Air filters keep the air in your home clean and safeguard system components from the wear-and-tear dust and debris buildup can cause, ensuring longer equipment life. Clean air filters also keep things moving freely. Instead of a system struggling to move air through a dirty filter, regularly changing air filters ensures efficient operation, directly resulting in lower energy costs. On a larger scale, this lowers your carbon footprint and protects the environment.

Where To Find Your HVAC System Air Filter

Air filters on heating and air conditioning units can usually be found right next to the system’s air handler – the somewhat noisy piece of equipment used to circulate conditioned air around your home. The air handler is often found in/near closets, as well as in basement, attic, or utility areas. It should be easy to spot the slot where the filter is inserted, which is typically behind a large grate. Some filters may be located within air vents inside the home. Though this is less common, it is possible, and in this case you may require the help of a pro to locate your filter.

Tips For Changing Home Air Filters

• Turn off the System
  To keep unfiltered air from passing through the system and ductwork, as well as prevent possible electric shock, turn off the system before replacing your air filter.
• Take Out the Old Filter
  Carefully and slowly remove the old filter, paying attention to the direction/orientation of the filter in the slot. (Have a large garbage bag at-the-ready, but don’t toss yet…)
• Determine Filter Size & Type
  Most filters are disposable, requiring replacement every 1-3 months. However, some are permanent, with cleaning instructions located on the unit. Note disposable filter size and type, which should be printed on the edge of the filter. Keep a spare (or more) on hand to lessen the hassle of future replacements.
• Pick Up a Suitable Replacement
  Snap a photo of filter specs or jot down the size. If you can’t read/find it, the service manual for your HVAC system should indicate the proper air filter type and style. The wrong size reduces effectiveness. Pick up a suitable replacement at your local home improvement chain, including a spare (or two) for future filter changes.
• Insert the New/Clean Filter
  Write the date of the change on the filter so you know when to replace it in the future. Check the arrows on the air filter, ensuring they point the correct way when inserting to safeguard proper airflow. (Be sure permanent filters are fully dry before reinsertion.)

Not sure where your air filter is hiding? If your filter is flying under-the-radar, contact the Villanova HVAC specialists at H&H Heating & Air Conditioning today. From newbies to new homeowners and systems, our friendly pros have you covered.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/not-sure-how-to-replace-the-air-filter-heres-some-help/

Do Air Purifiers work for Allergies?

If you’re one of the 50-million people across the U.S. suffering from allergies, you may have come across numerous suggestions for enlisting the help of an air purifier while asking Google or Alexa for help. Do air purifiers really work for allergies? Grab a chair and a tissue while the knowledgeable pros at H&H explain how an air purifier can help you find relief…

Do Air Purifiers Really Work for Allergies?

Yes. But not all air purifiers. Only air purification systems utilizing true HEPA filter technology (NOT those labeled ‘HEPA-style’ or ‘HEPA-type’) can help you find allergy relief. True HEPA filters with a MERV rating of 17-19 range are the only kind of filters that can remove 99.97% of allergen particles 0.3 microns in size (7-times smaller than a human hair). HEPA filters remove contaminants 3 ways, absorbing them by impact, sifting them out as they drift in the airstream, and trapping them by diffusion as particles crash into each other and are pushed into the filter.

How To Improve Indoor Air Quality With An Air Purifier

Allergens that are blown or carried into your home on clothing and shoes eventually buildup on surfaces like carpet, upholstery, bedding, draperies, and more. When you disturb these areas, they are redistributed through the air, irritating your sinus passages and making you feel worse. Adding a whole house air purifier or UV air purifier to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system can trap these airborne particles, preventing them from going back into the air where they will be inhaled by you, aggravating allergy symptoms.

What Type Of Allergens Can True HEPA Filters Remove?

The sixth leading cause of chronic illness, allergy symptoms can result from numerous irritants commonly found within the average home. Working with heating and cooling units, a whole house air purification system with a HEPA filter can help reduce allergy symptoms by removing common allergens from the air throughout your home, including….

• Pollen
• Dust
• Dust mites
• Pet dander
• Insect and pest debris
• Airborne bacteria
• Mold
• Mildew
• Secondhand smoke
• Chemicals
• And other microscopic allergens

Wouldn’t A Portable Model Be Cheaper & Easier?

Adding an air purifier to your HVAC system and popping in a high-efficiency HEPA filter can help clean the air throughout your home, rather cleaning only a single room as with a stand-alone unit. Portable units can’t purify air through walls. You would have to add an air purifier to every room in your home to get the same benefit as whole house filtration. Start doing the math, and you’ll quickly discover a whole house air purifier costs far less than a mass of smaller, low quality, portable units, many of which are purchased in sizes too small to offer adequate filtering capacity per square foot.

Looking for an HVAC installation service that can help you fight your seasonal allergy woes? Kick allergies to the curb once and for all with the help of H&H Heating & Air Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/do-air-purifiers-work-for-allergies/

How can you Improve Indoor Air Quality

Today, most of us understand how essential good air quality is to health, particularly indoors, where we spend most of our time. However, we often fail to realized just how polluted our indoor air may be – according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2-to-5 times more polluted than the air outdoors. With most Americans spending 90% of their time inside homes and offices, becoming aware of simple things that can be done to improve indoor air quality is essential.

Under the Weather? It Could Be Poor Indoor Air Quality

Those regularly confined to buildings with poor indoor air quality suffer from frequent illnesses, allergies, and worsened asthma symptoms. Chronic congestion, sneezing, runny nose, coughing, eye irritation, and headaches are common in locations with poor indoor air quality. If you suffer these symptoms constantly, it would be wise to consult an indoor air quality service for help identifying hidden or overlooked air quality problems in your home or office. Long-term exposure to poor indoor air quality has been linked to serious diseases, including heart diseases, respiratory diseases, and cancer. Even if you don’t notice such health symptoms, it is wise to try and improve the air quality in your home of office.

Simple, Affordable Ways To Improve Indoor Air Quality

• Regularly change home air filters.
  Dirty air filters can harbor a host of contaminants that can be distributed through your ductwork, system components, and ultimately your home or office. Dust and debris blockages also sabotage performance, forcing your system to work harder. Inexpensive and easy, simply regularly changing your air filter every 1-3 months is an essential step toward cleaner, fresher indoor air.
• Integrate HEPA-rated air filters.
  An air purification system can be easily added to your home heating and air conditioning, alongside UV light air purifiers, for far less than the cost of the purchase of multiple portable units, offering a more thorough cleaning of the air throughout your home or office. Avoid bargain doppelgangers marked ‘HEPA-like’ or ‘HEPA-style’, identifying true HEPA filters with a MERV rating of 10+ to ensure the removal of smaller particles of pollutants from indoor air. Be sure to install it with the help of a trained technician, as the tighter construction of these filters can cause system damage if necessary HVAC component adjustments are not made.
• Add a Whole House Humidifier
  Studies have shown a direct correlation between higher humidity levels and a decreased likelihood of flu. Whole house humidifiers, in conjunction with other indoor air quality components like HEPA filters and UV light air purification, keep mucous membranes moist, preventing cracking and helping hairs within sinuses dispel foreign pathogens.
• Check Ductwork Regularly
  In addition to annually servicing heating and cooling units, ductwork should also be regularly inspected to ensure leaks or poor ductwork connections, pest debris, mold, and pollutant buildup from attic/crawlspaces aren’t dirtying your ducts and negatively impacting air quality.

What’s the source of that tickle? Ensure a healthier winter season. Identify air quality issues in your home or office with the help of H&H Heating & Air Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/how-can-you-improve-indoor-air-quality/

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/