For the past 40 years R-22 has been the refrigerant of choice for most residential H.V.A.C. equipment. R-22 is a chlorine based HCFC. An HCFC molecule is made of chlorine, fluorine, carbon and hydrogen atoms. It has been tested and is believed that because of how R-22 is produced, that it plays a part in ozone depletion. The theory is that when the molecules that are contained in R-22 refrigerant are released into the atmosphere they are eventually broken down into their individual atoms and the chlorine atoms then react with the ozone and cause ozone destruction to happen faster than ozone creation. How are you and your family affected by ozone depletion? The stratospheric ozone protects us, our animals and our plans from dangerous ultraviolet rays and as the ozone depletes it loses its ability to protect us from the dangerous ultraviolet rays thus causing increased possibilities of things like skin cancers and cataracts.

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of substances that are believed to play a part in ozone depletion. At the first signing of the treaty in 1987 it was decided that R-22 refrigerant would be one of the substances to eventually be phased out of production. Twenty years later R-22 is, in fact, being phased out of production and as of January 1, 2010 all new residential H.V.A.C. equipment manufactured in the United States will no longer use R-22. Understand that this is NEW manufactured equipment. R-22 will still be available to the consumer and equipment that already uses R-22 can still be serviced and if necessary recharged with R-22 up until January 1, 2020. ALL new production of R-22 refrigerant will be stopped as of January 1, 2020.

Replacing the R-22 is the new R-410A refrigerant. Starting January 1, 2010 all H.V.A.C. equipment manufactured in the U.S. will use R-410A. EarthPure        (R-410A) as it is also called is a HFC (non chlorine based) refrigerant with zero ozone depletion potential. Besides being ozone friendly R-410A refrigerant also captures heat and releases it better than R-22, which means that an air conditioer that uses R-410A requires less refrigerant that the same size system that uses R-22. The not so good news is that R-410A can not be used in systems that were built to use R-22 and if your system is older, it most likely uses R-22 refrigerant.

So the question is what to do if you have an R-22 system that has a coil that need to be replaced. Do you replace just the coil and continue using the R-22 or do you think about replacing the entire system? The answer depends on a few things. One thing to consider is how old your system is. If the system is still under warranty then it might be a good idea to go ahead and replace the part, but if the system is out of warranty you will want to consider replacing the entire unit and not just the part. The life span of a system is anywhere for 10-20 years and so if you have an older system you will most likely be better off replacing the system with one that uses the R-410A. Remember the R-22 will only be manufactured in the U.S. for another 10 years and many R-22 manufacturers are aleady closing their doors and so eventually their will be a cap on the amount of R-22 that is available which will create a price increase for all R-22 refrigerant. Every major air conditioner manufacturer in the U.S. has chosen    R-410A  to replace R-22. The choice for the environment and the choice of U.S. air conditioner manufacturers is R-410A refrigerant.

 Geothermal heat pumps help electric utilities see significant reductions in their demand loads and by reducing the demand in turn reduces the need for new power plants which then reduces the need for natural resources like coal and gas. Geothermal heat pumps also reduce the possibility of acid rain, air pollution and global warming- problems caused in part by the burning of fossil fuels. A 2,500 square-foot home with a geothermal system installed saves the electric company from having to burn more than nine additional tons of coal a year when comparing it to a conventional system.

It has been estimated ny the U.S. General Accounting office that if geothermal systems were installed by more of the population then they could save several billion dollars annually in energy costs and also reduce pollution. Something to think about is that for every 100,000 residential geothermal systems installed, more than 37.5 trillion BTU’s of energy used for space conditioning and water heating would be saved. This translates to an emissions reduction of close to 2.18 million metric tons of carbon equivalents and a cost savings to consumers of about $750 million over the 20-year life of the equipment. Geothermal heat pumps also reduce the need for foreign oil. For every 100,000 homes with a geothermal system there would be a reduction in the need for oil by 2.15 million barrels annually.

Geothermal systems are beneficial for the earth, the economy as well as your own home!

Simply put if you don’t test, you won’t know and not knowing can put you and your family at risk for Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Carbon Monoxide is a deadly, colorless, odorless and poisonous gas. It is produced when various fuels, like coal and natural gas, are not completely burned. There are ways to prevent Carbon Monoxide from poisoning your home. The first and most important is to be certain your Carbon Monoxide detectors are working properly and the second is to make sure that all appliances are installed and operating according to the manufacturer’s instructions and third is to have all of your gas appliances serviced and checked each year. An important note is that in North America with many of the CO alarms on the market, when you push the “test button” you are only testing the batteries and for a working noise maker. It is important to be certain that the alarm sensor is not dead and is properly calibrated.

When you have your furnace serviced in the fall be sure to ask your H.V.A.C. company to check the furnace and other gas appliances to make sure they are not producing any dangerous levels of CO.  Many companies also sell and install CO detectors.  There are many detectors on the market but we use and recommend CO-Experts Low Level CO “Health” Monitor. This monitor detects the CO at much lower levels than the standard monitor. Below are two quotes taken from the packaging on a standard ul/csa listed Co alarm.

•  "Pregnant women, infants, children, senior citizens, persons with heart or respiratory problems and smokers may experience symptoms at lower levels of exposure than noted.  Individuals with medical problems may consider using warning devices which provide audible and visual signals for carbon monoxide concentrations under 30 ppm."

• "WARNING:  This product is intended for us in ordinary indoor locations for family living units.  It is not designed to measure compliance with Occupational safety and Health Administration (OSHA) commercial or industrial standards."

 What this is saying is that many alarms do not read levels under 30ppm nor are they intended to detect low level, long term carbon monoxide exposure which can be a risk to anyone but especially to anyone with any underlying health problems, children, pregnant women and the elderly. The CO- Experts Low Level CO “Health” Monitor detects the Carbon Monoxide at levels as low as 10ppm. It comes down to the basic question of “What kind of detection do you want in your home and for your family?” The CO Experts Low Level CO Health Monitor is one of the best ways to ensure that you are in control and not low level exposure!

For more information on CO Experts please visit their website at www.coexperts.com

In residential central heating and cooling systems, the conditioned (heated or cooled) air is delivered to each room of the home through a "supply" duct system, the first half of the duct system. These ducts are used as pathways to deliver air to each room in the home and the "return" duct system or second half of the duct system, returns air to the heating and cooling system. The condition of both duct systems is vital to the overall efficiency of the heating and cooling system and the comfort levels in each room of the entire home. 

Energy loss is not the only concern, duct systems can also affect the indoor air quality of a home. If the return duct system is leaky, it could be drawing stale or polluted air into the duct system and distributing it throughout the home. This air could come from an attic, combustion air from the gas furnace, stove, water heater, or the outside. If the supply duct system is leaky, the home can become depressurized and air from outside may be drawn into the home through infiltration. Either situation may contribute to breathing problems such as allergies and asthma.

Now that you know that duct systems can affect both energy usage and indoor air quality, how do you know if your duct system is in good condition? The most reliable and cost-effective way to determine this is to have a "duct test" using the proper test equipment. Duct testing is the process of using calibrated mechanical equipment to measure the amount of airflow that is lost through the duct system when it is pressurized to its normal operating pressure. While some joints or seams may have only small leaks, other sections may be completely disconnected.

Duct testing can indicate the relative leakiness of the ducts and help determine if the duct system should be sealed, repaired, or renovated. Duct testing is strongly recommended when a new heating and air conditioning unit is being installed. If the existing duct is leaky and inefficient before the new unit is installed, it will still be leaky and inefficient after the new unit is installed unless the ducts are sealed. It does not make sense to install a new energy efficient heating and air conditioning unit unless the duct system is also energy efficient and provides the correct amount of heated or cooled air to each room.

1. Operating Cost – While the initial cost of installing a geothermal system can be expensive the return on investment is well worth it. It is estimated that a geothermal system can pay for itself within 5-7 years.  “A geothermal heating system operates more efficiently than a conventional system because they can deliver an astounding four units of energy for every one unit of electrical energy used. That translates into an efficiency rating of 400%, compared to the most efficient gas furnace, which rates only 94%.”  Many homeowners have seen as much as a 70% savings in energy costs after they install a geothermal system.  Not only could you save on your energy bill you would also be eligible for a 30% federal tax credit. Homeowners who install a geothermal system in 2009 - 2016 will receive a federal tax credit of 30% of the total investment. For example if the cost to install the system is $10,000 then a tax credit will be issued for $3,000.00. So not only are you saving money on operating costs you are also receiving money back from the government! Can’t get much better than that!

2.Environmentally Friendly – According to the Department of Energy, geothermal systems are the most environmentally friendly way to heat and cool your home. A geothermal system emits no carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide or other greenhouse gasses that are known to pollute the air. A geothermal system also completely eliminates the heating system as a potential source of carbon monoxide in your home. With the addition of high efficiency air cleaners, you will have a high level of indoor air quality. A geothermal system is environmentally friendly as well as a safe and healthy alternative to conventional heating and cooling systems.

Geothermal technology uses the earth’s renewable energy, located below the earth’s surface to heat and cool your home. A few hundred feet below your home the earth’s temperature remains a constant 45 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  Wells are drilled around your home at a depth of 250-300 feet. Pipe is then dropped into the holes which creates a loop.  Fluid is circulated through the pipes. The fluid, which consists of water and non-toxic antifreeze, absorbs the heat from the earth and carries it through the pipe, to a heat pump located in the house. The heat pump circulates the warm air/cool air into the home. In the summer the process is reversed. The heat is transferred from the air in the house by the heat pump. Then heat is the then transferred back to the earth via the water-antifreeze fluid that is running through the pipes.  Geothermal heating and cooling is the most efficient and environmentally responsible way to heat and cool your home!

The Geothermal installation process is more complex than conventional H.V.A.C. installation, but well worth the time. The first thing that must be decided is how many tons of air conditioning your home requires. Once that number is calculated the engineer will determine how many geothermal wells will be drilled. The drilling equipment is then brought in and the wells are drilled. Horizontal, vertical and pond loops are the three most used in the United States. In Texas it is recommended, because of the temperature and rocky soil conditions, that vertical loops are used. The drilling of the each loop takes on average anywhere from 4-8 hours. Once the drilling is complete, pipe is dropped down into the holes and is looped back to the surface.  Next the headering process begins. This is where the loops are connected to the equipment. Once the header is attached to the equipment and pumps it is then purged in order to remove all of the air from the system. When all air has been removed the equipment is ready to be started.