Category: Heating

An Overview of Carrier® Cor Thermostats

Technological advances have led to a multitude of options for controlling temperatures in your home. Among the most popular innovations is the Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat, which gives you the ability to wirelessly control household temperatures with an app installed on your smartphone, tablet, laptop computer or desktop computer. The Carrier® Cor thermostat is a relatively new Wi-Fi thermostat with a well-rounded feature set. Let’s look at some of the highlights of this device. What Do Wi-Fi-Enabled Thermostats Do? A Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat has something called an IP (Internet protocol) connection, which allows it to receive commands from wireless signals that pass through your household’s Wi-Fi modem. With this type of thermostat installed in your home, you can enter temperature control commands from any location within range of your modem’s signals. The complexity of the commands you can issue depends on the make and model of thermostat you purchase. Some products give you comprehensive control over temperature-related functions. Features of the Carrier Cor Thermostat The Carrier Cor has a number of features that make it an appealing option for homeowners seeking a full selection of temperature controls. The feature list starts with the unit itself, which is built around a color touch screen and

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How ductless mini-split heat pumps work

Ductless mini-split heat pumps are one of the latest innovations of the modern revolution in home heating and cooling technology. Instead of replacing a malfunctioning heating system with a centralized unit that simultaneously services your whole house, you can independently deliver fully controllable heating to as many (or as few) rooms as you wish. Here’s a brief rundown on the way that ductless mini-split heat pumps get the job done. What Does a Heat Pump Do? First, let’s look at how a heat pump operates. A traditional furnace in a centralized system generates heat internally by doing one of two things: burning a fuel source (e.g., natural gas or propane) or activating an electric component called a heating element. A heat pump does not produce its own heat. Instead, it pulls heat from one of three sources (outdoor air, the ground or nearby water) and passes that heat on to the interior of your home. During warmer parts of the year, a heat pump can function as an air conditioner by reversing itself and pulling heated air out of your household’s interior. What Is a Ductless System? A traditional heating and cooling system with a central heat pump relies on

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Pitfalls to Avoid When Buying a New AC or Furnace

The purchase of a new air conditioner or furnace is one of the larger expenses you can expect during your home’s lifetime. If the system you buy does its job properly, you’ll receive the benefits of reliable household heating and cooling. On the other hand, if your new heating or cooling system doesn’t work reliably and efficiently, you may end up paying the price for decades to come. Here are some of the key pitfalls to avoid when purchasing a new residential furnace or AC. Buying a System That’s Too Big or Small Each residential air conditioner and furnace on the market is designed to deliver cooling or heating to a home of a certain size and layout. Unfortunately, many consumers mistakenly purchase a system that’s too large or too small for their home. Potential consequences of this mistake include early furnace or AC failure, unnecessarily steep monthly utility costs and a perpetually uncomfortable building interior. Failing to Check Your HVAC Contractor’s Background No matter where you live in the U.S., you probably have access to a number of skilled and reputable heating and cooling contractors. Unfortunately, you also likely have access to disreputable contractors who do such things as

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What Size Heat Pump Do I Need?

There are several important steps in the process of selecting the right heat pump for your home. You need to determine the best type of heat pump for your home and climate (air source, water source or ground source), decide on your desired efficiency rating, and select the installation method and features of your new heat pump. Finally, you need to size your heat pump properly to make sure that you are heating your home effectively and efficiently. Correctly sizing your heat pump is very important, and fortunately there is a standard sizing method used nationwide. This method, created by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, is known as the Manual J method for sizing heat pumps. The Manual J method considers eight variables to help you size your heat pump with confidence. The Right Size Saves Money Getting the right size heat pump really does make a significant difference to the efficacy, reliability and efficiency of your HVAC system. Heat pumps that are too small or too large for a home can have a number of negative consequences, including higher energy costs, drastic temperature differences inside, poor humidity control and frequent on-and-off cycling that strains the system. Consulting an experienced and

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Heating and Cooling Tips

Your HVAC system is responsible for cleaning, heating and cooling the air in your home. This article contains heating and cooling tips and tricks that will ensure air conditioning in your home is smooth and efficient. Ventilation Ventilation is an important part of your home and should be properly cared for. Proper ventilation will not only control humidity in your home, but also prevent growth of mold and other moisture-related problems. Make it a habit to clean the ventilation more often and also check to ensure the ductwork is properly sealed. Energy Savings HVAC systems take up a lot of the monthly energy bills, especially during extremely cold seasons. To save money on energy bills, switch to a newer and more energy efficient unit. It is also important that you adjust the thermostat settings to suit your current weather if you are to lower energy bills. Maintenance To ensure your air conditioning unit serves you for the longest period of time, it is important to perform maintenance checks every few weeks. The easiest way to maintain your unit is by cleaning and replacing the filter every two to three months. It would also be wise to have a professional inspect

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Why You Should Care About Maintaining Your Home’s HVAC

Did you know that your HVAC should be inspected about twice a year? With spring right around the corner, you’ll want your AC to be checked out so you and your family can be as comfortable as possible once the heat hits. Once the colder months of the year roll back around, it is important to make sure that your home’s heater is in proper working order. Neglecting regular maintenance for your HVAC can cause you to run into some costly problems. Be wary of these serious issues that you can run into: Bad air quality in your home It is much more likely that you will experience more sick days during the winter than you would in the summer. This is due greatly to a lowered immune system in the colder months. However, if you are breathing in dirty air due to a heater that isn’t working properly, this will not help you in your efforts to stay healthy. If you regularly maintain your heater, you will have much cleaner air to breathe in your home. Costly repairs that could have been avoided If you were to never change the oil in your car, you would eventually have to invest in a whole new

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Three things to do before you replace your furnace

If you are noticing that your furnace is not performing as well as you may want it to, it is important for you to invest in a new one as soon as possible. Purchasing a furnace replacement will ensure that you are prepared for the colder season, without having to worry about putting the task off too late. A good furnace should always be purchased with a few considerations in mind in order to make the most of furnace efficiency. To begin the purchasing process, look into your heating capacity and think about what type of furnace will best suit your needs. This involves performing a check of your house in order to take a few things into consideration, such as the size of your home, the occupants, and the placement of the windows. HVAC professionals can help make this process simpler and more effective. Investing according to fuel efficiency can be another good way to make the most of your furnace’s functions. All furnaces come with a fuel efficiency rating that you can use as a measurement system to determine which ones will be right for you. Usually, the closer that the number is to 100%, the better its

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