Avoiding HVAC Building Permits Costly for Consumers Property owners who change out their warm-air heating, ventilating or air-conditioning (HVAC) system need to make sure that their state-licensed contractor takes out a building permit from their local building department to avoid fines and additional repairs. Building permits generate routine inspections to help assure that the system was installed properly, is functioning efficiently, meets Home Energy Rating System (HERS) testing and verification requirements, and complies with the State Building Energy Efficiency Standards. During Contractors State License Board (CSLB) undercover sting operations at residential properties over the past three years, investigators have found a growing trend of licensed contractors who are violating state law by telling consumers that building permits are not required to install HVAC systems. "Up to 40 percent of the contractors who were invited to give project bids at sting locations told investigators that a building permit isn’t necessary, which simply is not true," said CSLB Enforcement Chief Dave Fogt.

"Even worse, a homeowner’s insurance policy could be cancelled if their insurance company finds that work has been done on the property without a permit." Just as with all home repair, improvement or construction projects, homeowners need to ask about state and local requirements. Penalties for not obtaining an HVAC building permit vary from city to city. "We want to make sure that consumers are aware of their project responsibilities and know the right questions to ask their contractor so they aren’t stuck with fines and an inefficient HVAC system," said CSLB Registrar Steve Sands. "We’re proud of the fact that CSLB receives relatively few complaints against its 300,000 licenses each year," said Sands, "but this illegal trend of skirting building permits needs to be corrected. HVAC contractors will continue to be sting and sweep operation targets." California’s 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards indicate that HVAC ducts should leak less than 15 percent but, according to California Energy Commission statistics, the average duct system leaks about 30 percent, wasting energy and increasing utility bills.

When HVAC contractors (known as C-20 Specialty contractors) "pull" the local building department permit, the system can be inspected by the department or a third-party field verifier, referred to as a HERS rater, to ensure that ducts have been properly sealed. If an HVAC system fails inspection, it has to be repaired by the contractor at no additional cost to the consumer. "Contractors must comply with all applicable California building standards, including using certified HERS raters to test and verify that HVAC installations meet energy efficiency standards," said Energy Commissioner Karen Douglas. dual ac heater units"For the best energy efficiency and cost-savings, consumers will want to team up with their state-licensed HVAC contractors to make sure all permits and energy regulations are followed."are portable ac units safe

CSLB urges consumers to follow these tips before hiring anyone to work on their home or property: The Contractors State License Board operates under the umbrella of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. More information and publications about hiring contractors are available on the CSLB website or by calling 800-321-CSLB (2752). You can also sign up for CSLB email alerts. cost of new ac unit in houstonCSLB licenses and regulates California's more than 300,000 California contractors in 43 different categories, and is regarded as one of the leading consumer protection agencies in the United States. In fiscal year 2010-11, CSLB helped recover nearly $45 million in ordered restitution for consumers. Releases 2010 and EarlierAs energy costs rise, it is important to find different solutions that help conserve energy and keep your heating and cooling expenses to a minimum. Because heaters and air conditioners are the largest energy consumers in

homes today, one way to start reducing the use of energy is to install electronic air duct dampers. duct dampers allow you to shut off airflow to unoccupied or unused rooms, which limit the flow of heated or cooled air to the areas that really need it. The airflow changes the temperature in the occupied areas faster than conventional air ducts, providing shorter run times for your heating and/or cooling system, allowing you to use less energy and save money. By adding one or more dampers you can create zones throughout your home that can Look at your furnace and the ductwork to determine the best locations to install one or more air duct dampers. The diagram below can give you an idea of where you need to install the dampers. If you are replacing manual dampers with electric ones, you will need the proper electric source in the home. wiring between the damper and zone controller, damper and power supply, or zone controller and power supply, simply run 2-conductor wire between them.

18-gauge or 22-gauge wire is recommended. After you determine the location of the duct where you wish to install the damper, measure the diameter of the duct. You will need the same size damper to fit For this guide, we're using a 6-inch damper from Suncourt. Additional sizes are alsoWe recommend using the following items for this installation: 18-gauge or 22-gauge wire Follow the steps below to install the damper: Step 1 - Measure and mark the length of the duct that you will need to cut out with a marker. Step 2 - Remove the section of the duct and use a tin snip to cut away the part of the duct you will be installing the damper with. Step 3 - Re-attach the section of the duct you removed from the last step. Step 4 - Install the damper in between the two sections of the duct. Step 5 - Install the included junction box over the electrical wires on the damper. Step 6 - To wire the electrical wires to a power source, follow the manufacturer’s wiring

You will need the proper electric source nearby. Be sure that you ground your connections. Step 7 - Secure the damper with the supplied sheet metal screws on each end of the unit and seal the seams with a good quality aluminum duct tape.- Now you can start to conserve energy and save money. Consider adding single or multi-zone HVAC controllers to take full advantage of the air duct damper. Enjoy having complete electronic control of which rooms your HVAC system heats or cools by using dampers in conjunction with one of the following RCS HVAC air duct zone controllers and a multi-zone thermostat: Multi-Zone Control with Insteon This electronic damper also offers the flexibility of being controlled from your Insteon network by connecting a plug-in 24V AC power supply to the damper and plugging it into an On/Off Module. connection has been made the damper can then be operated from any Insteon controller, such as a Keypad Switch, On/Off Switch, Mini Remote or remotely via the Hub;