Learn how a ductless heat pump can provide more comfortable conditions and greater energy savings for your Hartford County home.

A ductless heat pump is a dual heating and cooling system that functions without the use of ducts.

Ductless systems have outside condensing units, just like central air conditioning.  But instead of pumping air into an air handler and then through forced air ducts, ductless units pump refrigerant directly to one or more wall-mounted air handlers.

Ductless mini-split systems combine the flexibility of room air conditioners with the whole house cooling of central systems. Although some systems provide heating and cooling, ductless mini-split heat pumps are usually installed primarily for cooling.

A single outdoor ductless air heat pump can serve the home comfort needs of up to four rooms.

Throughout Connecticut and the Greater Hartford area, many families live in bi- or tri-level homes.  Often times, it’s far more practical and affordable to have central air conditioning in the main living level; and yet it can prove to be highly difficult to have that same system provide cooling or heating elsewhere in your home.  Let’s say, for example, that you have a family room, office, extra bedroom, and/or a bathroom on a separate level not easily reached by central air conditioning.  That’s a perfect application for ductless air.

Other ideal applications include a finished attic, add-on sunroom, or any other area of your home that central air can’t effectively or affordably cover.

More Features of Ductless Air Heat Pumps

• Quiet operation since, by definition, there are no noisy ducts distributing the air.
• Installation costs are typically lower than central air conditioning in homes with no ductwork.
• Ease of maintenance.
• Remote control operation.
• Multiple aesthetic and practical installation options, as the indoor air handlers can be mounted on walls, ceilings, the floor…even inside a closet.

At Air Temp Mechanical, we are home comfort experts that specialize in ductless heat pump system design, installation, and ongoing maintenance.

For a free in-home proposal and quote, contact Air Temp Mechanical today.

Phone: (860) 256-6550
Click here to schedule service or ask questions now

www.ctairtemp.com

Heating systems get tired, too…even during mild winters like this one.  That’s why manufacturers of all makes and models recommend an annual system tune-up and inspection to help keep yours in top working order.

With annual preventative maintenance, your system will run better, last longer, help lower your energy bills, and reduce the likelihood of major repairs.

In a word, annual maintenance results in add “reliability.”

At Air Temp Mechanical, our professional heating system tune-up and inspection includes these important steps for your Hartford County home:

• Start up the system and check all working components
• Check furnace filter
• Check ignition and firing
• Check safety controls
• Lubricate all necessary parts
• Check heat coils
• Check operating pressures
• Check and test safety switches

There are many more steps in the process, each one carried out with exacting precision.  And remember:  we install, maintain, and repair all furnace, boiler, and ductless heat pump system makes and models.

Preventing Gas & Carbon Monoxide Leaks

If you have a gas or oil furnace, it is even more critical to have it checked every year by a certified professional. A common problem is a crack in the heat exchanger that allows carbon monoxide into your home. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), each year almost 500 Americans die from carbon monoxide poisoning, more than 20,000 people visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 people require hospitalization.

Natural gas leaks also can cause serious harm to you and your home.  Gas leaks can cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea.  At the extreme, it can cause an explosion.At

Air Temp Mechanical, safety is paramount…which is why our heating system inspections include testing for gas and CO leaks while also looking for problems in the making.

Click here  for our $99 tune-up and inspection coupon, and contact us for service today.

Phone: (860) 256-6550

Click here to schedule service or ask questions now

Should your next home heating unit be larger or smaller than the one you have now, or perhaps even the same size? To know for sure, you need a licensed and experienced HVAC contractor to undertake a thorough equipment sizing analysis.

The purpose of equipment sizing is to help you obtain the best in operating efficiency, 24-hour comfort, along with the lowest possible maintenance and operating costs over the life of the system. 

It’s a detailed process, one that’s often either ignored or under-employed.

The most common sizing mistake is in oversizing. This not only makes the new system more expensive to install, but forces it to operate inefficiently, break down more often, and cost more to operate. Oversized heating equipment also often creates uncomfortable and large temperature swings in the house.

Equipment undersizing is no less of a problem as it causes your new system to run longer to properly heat or cool your home….which ultimately means larger energy bills and a shorter system lifespan.

Why Most Older Systems are Oversized

Before the era of tightly constructed homes, it was not uncommon to install furnaces and air conditioners that had two to four times the necessary capacity.  Over the years, most home owners have added more efficient windows, caulking, weather-stripping, and insulation to their homes.  Which means that we’re now in an era where less is usually more…as in, a smaller system can now do a better and more affordable job than the “dinosaur” systems of old.

Key Sizing Factors

Key factors for correctly sizing a heating and cooling system include the following:

• The local climate
• Size, shape, and orientation of the house
• Insulation levels
• Window area, location, and type
• Air infiltration rates
• The number and ages of occupants
• Occupant comfort preferences
• The types and efficiencies of lights and major home appliances (which give off heat).

Other steps include:

• Measuring walls, ceilings, floor space, and windows to determine room volumes and

the condition of your home’s insulation and building materials.

• Measuring air leakage.
• Assessing the placement of return registers.
• The size and condition of your ducts.

By now, you get the idea.  You simply cannoy get top value from your investment in a new home heating or cooling system without professional equipment sizing…a service readily available from the HVAC professionals at Air Temp Mechanical.

To learn more about our capabilities and how we can help improve your family’s year-round indoor comfort, contact us today.

Phone: (860) 256-6550

Click here to schedule service or ask questions now

www.ctairtemp.com

How Does a HEPA Air Purifier Work?

HEPA air purifiers are one of the most efficient and advanced methods of removing particles and pollutants from indoor air. Air quality inside a typical home can be diminished due to dust, pollen, pet dander, mold, and many other substances too small to see that float suspended in the air and can cause adverse reactions in sensitive individuals. Young children, older adults, and those who suffer from asthma, allergies, or other respiratory problems are especially vulnerable to the bad effects of these contaminants and can often benefit from cleaner, more wholesome air inside their homes.

What is HEPA technology?

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, a technology first developed in the 1940s and used during the Manhattan Project to control the dispersion of radioactive particles within the complex.

How do HEPA filters work?

Most HEPA filters are composed of thin, densely-packed glass fibers arranged in a special way so that air molecules can pass through, but larger pollutant molecules are trapped within the fiberglass mat.  Because of the unique design of the fiberglass mat, HEPA filters can trap up to 99.97% of airborne particles measuring 0.3 microns or larger; this can make a significant difference in the quality of indoor air by eliminating many of the particles and pollutants that can trigger asthma or allergy attacks in susceptible individuals.

Is a HEPA air purifier right for my family?

HEPA air purifiers are used by hospitals and health care facilities to help prevent the spread of infection and to provide the cleanest, purest air available for their patients.  By removing harmful pollutants and particles from the air, it may be possible to reduce the incidence of allergy and asthma attacks and to make sensitive individuals more comfortable in the home environment. If you have pets, a HEPA air purifier can reduce the amount of pet dander and floating hair in the air, making your home a healthier and more pleasant place to live; HEPA filters can sometimes even reduce the characteristic pet odor associated with your four-footed friends.

How can I protect my family with HEPA technology?

The air quality experts at Air Temp install only the highest quality air purification units from respected and reputable manufacturers.  HEPA filters are just one of the means we rid your home of harmful pollutants.  Click here  to learn more.

Call today for a free in-home consultation.

Phone: (860) 256-6550

Click here to schedule Service or Ask Questions Now

www.ctairtemp.com

Carbon monoxide is and natural gas are just that…natural chemical compounds that are all around us, including in our homes. And yet, these two particular compounds bear very close attention and monitoring.

Gas Leaks

Leaking gas can lead to asphyxiation (the inability to breathe leading to suffocation) and dangerous explosions. Luckily, commercial gasses, like the kind you use to heat your home and water, have a strong odor added to them for early and clear detection. If you smell a gas leak in your home, you need to act quickly.

• The most important thing to do for a gas leak is to get fresh air and get out. If the smell is strong and you are having a hard time breathing, leave your home as quickly as possible. If you live in an apartment building or near other homes, alert your neighbors so they can leave too. Then call 911 (or your local emergency number) and your gas company immediately to report the leak.
• Whatever you do, don’t do anything to trigger an explosion. Put out all open flames like matches, lighters, candles, or cigarettes that could set the gas on fire. Even an electrical current could start an explosion, so avoid turning any appliances on or off, including lights.
• If you cannot get out of your home, open doors and windows to air out the room. If you know where the leak is coming from and can shut off the gas supply, do so at once. Contact your local gas company immediately and let them know about the leak.
• Don’t go back inside until the fire department and the gas company give you the “all clear.” If you or any member of your family can’t smell or have difficulty breathing, contact both your physician and local gas company for assistance.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of death by poison in the United States, killing almost 4,000 people a year. It is one of the most dangerous poisons because often people don’t know it’s there until it’s too late.

Carbon monoxide comes from your furnace, boiler, hot water heater, oven, woodstove, fireplace or anything that burns fuel.

The best way to protect yourself and your family from carbon monoxide poisoning is to buy a hard-wired, low level carbon monoxide detector for your home. Air Temp offers and installs these because they are far more effective than those you can purchase from a home center or hardware store. The latter often don’t sound the alarm until damage has already occurred.

Here are some simple steps to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning in your home:

• Make sure your fireplace, chimney, furnace and gas water heater are inspected and cleaned yearly.
• Don’t block heating vents and external vents.
• Never use your oven or stovetop to heat your home.
• Never use gas fireplaces or space heaters as main heating sources (these are not meant to replace furnaces or central heating)
• Turn of ovens, space heaters, and other heating appliances before going to bed or leaving your home.
• Never use grills inside the home a closed space.
• Never keep a car running inside an enclosed space like a garage or shed.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can feel much like the flu. Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include: headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, weakness, vision or hearing impairment, and drowsiness. If you notice these symptoms and suspect that carbon monoxide is the cause, you should get fresh air immediately and seek medical help.

Another effective and immediate way to protect your home and family from CO and natural gas leaks is to schedule our home heating system tune-up and inspection service today. During the process, we’ll look for and take corrective action should we spot signs of even potential leaks. Click here for more information on what our service includes.

As always, we look forward to our next opportunity to serve you.

Phone: (860) 256-6550

Click here to schedule Service or Ask Questions Now

You can have the best home heating system in the world, but there are still more things you can do, very affordably, to cut your energy costs even more.

1. Add another Layer of Attic Insulation

Since the majority of homes built before 1980 are under-insulated, heat escapes through the ceiling, past the roof and into the atmosphere because of a lack of insulation in the attic. According to the Department of Energy, one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to cut heating and cooling costs – and make a home more comfortable – is to add more insulation in the attic. As a general rule, if you have less than 11 to 12 inches of attic insulation, you probably need more…especially in colder climates like here in Central Connecticut.

2. Turn on the Humidifier

If your furnace doesn’t have a built-in humidifier, use a portable unit in frequently occupied areas such as the bedroom and living room. The additional moisture will increase the “heat index” inside your home, making 68° F feel more like 76° F. The relative humidity in the home should be between 20 to 40 percent. To help avoid condensation on windows, lower the percentage as the outside temperature gets colder.

3. Warm Yourself before Heating the Entire House

Put on a sweater before turning the thermostat dial. Each degree you raise the thermostat on your heating system increases your fuel bill by 3 percent.

4. Install a Programmable Thermostat

Why heat the house when nobody is home? A programmable thermostat can automatically lower and raise your home’s air temperature when you are at work or sleeping. By simply turning your thermostat back from 72° F down to 65° F for eight hours a day, you can save as much as 10 percent on your annual heating and cooling costs.

5. Let the Sun Shine in & Replace the Windows

Open the window shades on the south and west side of your house during the day to maximize the warmth of the sun, and close them at night. If you, like half of American homeowners, have single-pane windows, consider replacing them with thermally efficient windows that use a special low emissivity (Low-E) coating on the glass that reflects heat back into the room during the winter months. Act soon to get a tax credit too!

Looking for ways to enjoy greater indoor comfort this winter at a lower total cost?  Then contact the professionals at Air Temp Mechanical today.  We have the answers you can live with…comfortably AND affordably.

Phone: (860) 256-6550

Click here to schedule Service or Ask Questions Now

The industrial revolution brought with it many benefits especially in terms of mass production and mechanization. But along with came air pollution.  Both outside and inside your home.  Today, as people across the country look to live greener and healthier lives, more and more attention is being focused on indoor living environments than ever.

While sealing the doors and windows will keep the polluted air on the outside it is not all that healthy an alternative because all the moisture in the air is also trapped in the space. This could make the environment irritable and lead to health problems as well. In order to keep the polluted air out and a healthy environment inside you can make use of dehumidifiers.

What is a Dehumidifier?

A dehumidifier can be a standalone unit that serves one area of your home at a time.  You can also purchase a central air conditioning with a built-in humidifier/dehumidifier or have one added into your existing system for whole-house relief.

Do You Need a Dehumidifier?

There’s a very good chance the answer is “yes.”  The first consideration is greater indoor comfort as no one really liked that sticky feeling that excess humidity brings with it.

Keeping the humidity in check will also control the other things that like humid areas – like mold, for example. Mold and mildew just love places with high moisture content, and you’re bound to find them growing on organic surfaces in humid areas. When you zap the humidity out of the air, you’re not just depriving mold and mildew of the water they need. You also disable them from releasing their spores, which can cause severe allergies.

Mold and mildew are likely to be your biggest problem when you live in a very humid environment. They cause more than their fair share of problems: their spores can trigger sever allergy and asthma conditions, they can damage or ruin the surfaces they latch on to, and they’re not very attractive.

Dehumidify These Spaces

Unless you’re getting a whole house dehumidifier, you’ll have to prioritize which rooms and spaces should get dehumidified in your home.

The first and most logical candidate is your basement or cellar. It has the combination of dark and damp that mold and mildew just love, so zapping out the humidity there is a big priority. Other places where you work with water, such as a laundry room, will also benefit a lot from having a dehumidifier installed.

Beside basement dehumidifiers , it’s also a good idea to install one in spaces where your family spend the most time.  There’s an obvious comfort benefit, and then there’s the health benefit of not having mold and mildew there to trigger allergic reactions. In the same vein, other ‘family rooms’ like your den or recreation room should also be candidates for dehumidification.

A Helping Hand from Air Temp Mechanical

As indoor air and home comfort specialist, we’re here to customize livable solutions…for one family at a time.  For answers to your questions about dehumidification or any other indoor comfort matter, we invite you to contact us today, or any time at all.

Phone: (860) 256-6550

Click here to schedule Service or Ask Questions Now

Winter is just around the corner so please don’t wait to the last minute to have your heating system maintained.

Air Temp provides quality Heating System maintenance programs in Connecticut. If you want to make sure your Heating system is ready for the winter then give us a call at 860-953-8888 to schedule our winter service partner plan. We serve all of Connecticut and provide heating and air conditioning service, maintenance and replacements.

Thanks,

Jeff Leone

President  of Air Temp

Now, Air Temp Defines and Explains SEER Ratings…in Plain English.

Guess who had the first central AC system in the country? It was the New York Stock Exchange, and they got theirs way back in 1902. The main users of AC in early applications were factories and print shops… and then movie theatres got into the act through the 30’s, using it as a selling point. Go to the movies and cool off!

For the rest of us, AC became widespread in the 50’s, both in cars and homes. Its widespread use changed the world, ushering in new construction possibilities, and a huge migration into the south. Think of Vegas with no AC… it wouldn’t exist!

Anyway, got Air Conditioning in your house? Here’s a number you need to be familiar with. It is called the SEER number. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, and it denotes how much or little electricity your air conditioning unit uses to keep you cool and comfortable.

Way back when… back in the days when electricity was so cheap we barely paid attention, air conditioning units were real hogs, with SEER numbers of 9 or less. In 1987, the minimum SEER number was upped to 10. And in early 2006, the minimum required by law was upped to 13.  Lucky for all of us, most central AC manufacturers produce unit well in excess of that number.

So, what does all this mean to you?  Sooner or later, your AC unit will need to be replaced. When it does, you have a once in a blue moon chance to make serious inroads into your monthly energy expense.  In fact, for every increase in SEER number, your energy efficiency will increase, on average, between 5-9%. Here’s the explanation on those numbers.

Some of today’s better models offer SEER ratings up to an astounding 23!  So, hypothetically, if you were to upgrade from a 9 SEER unit to one with a 23 rating, you’d save 70%+ on one of your biggest energy “consumers.” 

The new super-efficient systems use compressors that have been transformed from energy chow hounds to energy skin flints.  Sure, the higher the SEER rating the more the unit is likely to cost, but once you calculate the energy savings, it’s a good bet you’re going to want more vs. less energy savings…month after month, year after year.

If you’re ready to start shopping for a new unit now, contact Air Temp for honest advice, great service, plus exceptional home comfort knowledge and experience.

Phone: (860) 256-6550

Click here to schedule Service or Ask Questions Now

What you need to know about Indoor Air Pollution, and what you can do to control it.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the air inside U.S. homes may be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and in some cases as much as 100 times more polluted. What’s surprising is that newer homes actually can test higher for poor indoor air quality.  In a rush to conserve energy in the ’70s, builders, architects, and designers started to build tighter homes with better windows and doors, thicker insulation, and took extra steps to seal out any potential drafts.

Well, the energy savings were pretty impressive, but at the expense of trapping Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) inside our homes. These fumes can stem from building products, furniture, animal dander, as well as indoor mildew and mold.

While it sounds funny, a drafty home is usually a healthier home. Other issues compounding matters is that more Americans than ever before suffer from severe allergies/asthma:  an estimated 57 million according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

And while an air filtration system from Air Temp Mechanical can make life much more pleasant and a lot healthier indoors, there are things you can do to help minimize the problems associated with indoor air pollution.

1. Keep your home as clean as possible.  Staying ahead of dust and dust mites can dramatically improve air quality.  Dusting window treatments, around window and door trim and out-of-reach areas helps even more.  But not just any vacuum cleaner will do.  Those that use a HEPA type filter prevent the dust from spewing back into your living space.  Also consider a bag-less vacuum to avoid the plume of dust that happens whenever you change a bag.



2. If you have a forced air heating system, have the air ducts cleaned and sealed internally.  Even newer homes can have more dust and construction debris inside the ducts than homes at least 10 years old.  By sealing the leaks, dust and dirt that can be sucked through the return line is reduced.
3.  Purchase better filters for your air handler and furnace.  Many of us have spun glass filters that cost about $1.  While these protect the blower motor they do virtually nothing to improve indoor air quality.  Upgrade to a pleated filter that captures smaller particles…some so small the naked eye cannot see.
4. Consider a whole-house air filtration system.Air Temp, we have several effective indoor air quality solutions, and the right one for your home.  To learn more, visit the Indoor Air Quality page on our web site.  Or, contact us today for an in-home assessment and proposal.  It’s free, and there’s no obligation.

Phone: (860) 256-6550

Click here to schedule Service or Ask Questions Now