As you can imagine, we have heard and answered a lot of questions over the past 35 years. For you convenience, we provide some of questions and answers below: Q: How much does an air conditioning system cost? A: There are many factors that come into play when determining the cost of your central air conditioning system. When it comes to an air conditioning system, aside from choice of the unit, model and size, and important factor is to have it installed properly in order for it to work as it should. Contact us today and get a FREE estimate. Q: Can I get a quote over the phone? Q: What does SEER stand for? Q: Is it OK to “mix and match” air conditioning components of different efficiencies? A: It’s never a good idea to mix and match air conditioning components of different SEERs. You might save money initially by replacing your outdoor unit with a unit that has SEER of 13 (now required) or higher, and hooking it up to your 10-or-12 SEER indoor unit.

However, it just doesn’t make sense in the long run. You’re just not going to get your money’s worth in terms of comfort and efficiency. You’re better off paying a little extra up front and save a lot more over time. At Broward, we have the expertise to help you choose the right efficiency system for your home. For a no-obligation evaluation and FREE estimate, contact us today. Q: My home has a furnace but no air conditioning. Can I add central air? A: Yes, we can mount a cooling coil on top of the furnace and install a condensing unit outside. Q: Do I really need a tune-up for my air conditioning system? A: An air conditioning tune-up and inspection will help catch service problems before they get you hot under the collar. Many breakdowns occur on the hottest day of the year — because that’s when your air conditioning system is under the most stress. And because a tune-up ensures that your system will run at peak efficiency, it will lower your electric bills.

A system that’s running efficiently can save you as much as 10% on your cooling costs. Q: What is a heat pump? A: A heat pump is essentially an air conditioner that can also run in reverse. Both rely on the fact that a liquid absorbs heat as it is vaporized into a gas and that a gas releases heat as it condenses into a liquid. When in heating mode, a substance called a refrigerant will be compressed by the main component in a heat pump, the compressor. As it is compressed, it will release heat as it is condensed from a gas to a liquid.The heated liquid will then be sent through a coil inside your home, where it will gradually cool down as it releases its heat into the ductwork or hot water pipes of your home’s heating system.  The liquid will then be sent through an expansion valve, where is will be reduced in pressure as it enters a wider pipe. The liquid will then enter the outdoor coil, where it will absorb heat as it boils into a gas. When in cooling mode in the summer, the cycle is reversed so that heat is transferred from the indoors to the outdoors.

Q: How often should I change the air filter in my system? Q: Can I cover my outdoor heat pump? Q: What should I do if my heating system doesn’t work? A: Before you contact us, go through the troubleshooting steps below to make sure a service call is really needed: Q: How does a furnace work?ac unit thermostat wiring Q: How does a furnace differ from a boiler?air handling unit calculation download Q: What is a cracked heat exchanger?plug in car ac unit A: The heat exchanger is the main component of your furnace. If the heat exchanger has a crack or a rust hole, combustion fumes (including carbon monoxide) can contaminate the air in your home. This is a potentially deadly situation and should be addressed IMMEDIATELY.

A cracked heat exchanger usually requires replacing the entire furnace. If you suspect that you might have a cracked heat exchanger, or a carbon monoxide problem caused by your furnace, turn the system off immediately. Then contact us right away for service. Q: I hear a lot of talk about high-efficiency heating systems. How do you determine a heating system’s efficiency? Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE): All heating equipment manufactured after 1980 is required to have a label indicating its AFUE. The AFUE ratio is a measurement of a heating system’s seasonal efficiency, taking into account how well the system performs over an entire season of starts and stops. Modern heating systems can range in efficiency from 81% to 95%. If your system’s AFUE is lower than this range, talk to us about your replacement options. Combustion efficiency: When we tune up your heating system, we do a combustion efficiency test that tells us how well your burner is converting oil into heat.

If your combustion efficiency is below 78, you may want to evaluate your upgrade options, which could include an oil burner retrofit. A new burner will burn the fuel/air mixture in a cleaner, more controlled manner, resulting in lower heating costs and less air pollution coming out of your chimney. Q: On mild winter days my furnace runs in short blasts and my home alternates from being too hot to being too cold. How can I fix this? A: Installing a new furnace with a variable speed motor is a good solution. These “smart” motors automatically adjust the volume and speed of air based on your home’s temperature requirements. There will be fewer on/off cycles, smaller temperature swings, consistent, even heat and lower fuel bills. Q: What can I do to maintain my water heater? A: You’ll get longer life from your water heater and prevent breakdowns if you follow the following guideline: every three months, drain a gallon of water from the tank. Do it every month if you have hard water.

This reduces the amount of sediment collecting in the bottom of the tank, which can make the burner or heating coils work harder. Q: What is a tankless water heater? How much do they cost? Can I save money? A: As its name implies, a tankless water heater doesn’t look like a traditional water heater because it doesn’t have a tank. That is because tankless water heaters supply hot water ‘on demand” — when you need it–which means there’s no need to keep 40 or 50 gallons of water hot all of the time. this reduces energy costs vs. a gas-fueled heater, and eve more vs. an electric water heater.Other advantages f a tankless water heater includes fresher, cleaner hot water (no storage); longer water heater life; and space savings (a tankless water heater is much smaller and it hangs on a wall). But the benefit you’ll notice most is an unlimited supply of precisely heated water on demand. Tankless water heater cost more initially, but because they outlive tank water heaters, and they require less fuel, the offer better long-term value than conventional water heaters.

Contact us for more details. Q: What types of pollutants are involved? Q: What is meant by indoor air quality? A: Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the impact, good or bad, of the contents of the air inside a structure on its occupants. Good IAQ is the quality of air which has no unwanted gases or particles in it at concentrations which will adversely affect someone. Poor IAQ occurs when gases or particles are present at an excessive concentration so as to affect the satisfaction or health of occupants. It is important to note that the concentration of the contaminant or contaminants is crucial. Potentially infectious, toxic, allergenic or irritating substances are always present in the air. There is nearly always a threshold level below which no effect occurs. REPLACE OR REPAIR Q: How do I know if it is more cost-efficient to repair my old system or replace it? Here are some rules of thumb to help you decide whether to replace or repair your system: Replace your system if: