A heat pump is used in many different types of furnaces and heaters to pump or blow heat into the home through the vents. When the heat pump goes bad or stops working, the heat cannot be pumped into the home. Heat pumps can be repaired by a professional or a homeowner, as long as they have the appropriate parts. Before calling a professional for repairs, many homeowners wonder: How much should I pay for a new heat pump? This can depend on several different factors.

Condenser Fan Motor

Condenser fan motors come in three types, one-speed, three-speed, and five-speed. If you have a condenser fan motor that has only one speed and is not reversible, you could save up to $100 on your heat pump. Motors with three or five speeds that are reversible are more expensive.

Heat Pump Size

The size of your heat pump can determine how much you pay for a new one. Large heat pumps will, of course, be more expensive than smaller ones. Heat pump sizes are measured by ton, and most furnaces and heaters require a specific size. Some brands may be cheaper than others, so to get the best deal, compare prices by size and brand.

SEER and HSPF Rating

If you are asking yourself “How much should I pay for a new heat pump?” you need to consider one of the most important factors: the SEER and HSPF ratings. These are energy measurements which determine how much heat is used in the winter months and how much energy is used during the warmer seasons.

These ratings can affect the price of a heat pump by as much as $200. Although you may pay a little more for a better rating, it could save you money over time if the heating pump uses less energy to operate during the appropriate seasons.

If you are still wondering “How much should I pay for a new heat pump?” consider the factors above. Choose which ones are the most important to you and which ones you are willing to pay more money for. Heat pumps are not cheap, but they are necessary if you want your home to stay a comfortable temperature all year long.

Need Help?

If you are experiencing problems with your home’s heating and cooling system, it is important to let a qualified technician take a look at it. Finding one used to be a hassle, until TalkLocal came along. We make this search process fast, easy, and free. Try out our service for yourself and see.

Whether it’s going to be a man cave, craft room, movie theater, play room, or any other of the limitless possibilities for remodeling a basement, you want your finished basement to feel comfortable year round. Installing an HVAC, or a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning unit, is one of the ideas for remodeling a basement becoming more and more popular because of the benefits it offers.

Some fun facts about ideas for remodeling a basement that include an HVAC unit:

– HVAC systems traditionally combine a furnace or another type of air conditioning unit with a duct or pipe system for distributing the output. This is all controlled by a thermostat, which allows consumers to set the temperature at which they want the room.

– There are some rules and regulations to follow when installing an HVAC unit in your basement. There is an organization called the ACCA (The Air Conditioning Contractors of America) that sets these rules and regulations to insure that everything is done properly and safely. Don’t worry, though — The ACCA publishes manuals to help you figure out what size HVAC unit you need and what regulations you need to follow.

– There are four typical types of HVAC units: split systems, hybrid heat split systems, duct-free split systems and packaged systems.

          > Split system: Is the most popular type of HVAC unit. With this, the machinery is both inside and outside of your home.

          > Hybrid heat split system: Tends to be more energy efficient than its split system counterpart. It includes a heat pump, allowing for electric heat in addition to gas heat.

          > Duct-free split system: If you can’t use a conventional duct system, you’re going to be looking for one of these. This is perfect for places where a duct system is not installed.

          > Packaged system: Best for places without the space for another type of HVAC system.

Getting Help With HVAC Systems

Picking the HVAC unit for your home and basement is essential to living comfortably all year. When dealing with heating and cooling, it is important to utilize the services of only qualified professionals. If you don’t know where to start when it comes to finding one in your area, turn to TalkLocal. We will track them down for you in lightning-fast time.

When the warm weather months come along and you want to beat the heat, your air conditioner can be your best friend. If working properly, an air conditioner can keep your house at a comfortable temperature, assuming it has enough power. In order to keep your air conditioner functioning properly, you have to maintain it. That means changing the air filter. When the air filter is dirty, the air conditioner cannot operate at its full power and could even cost more to run. So, how often should an AC filter be cleaned? That depends on the type of filter and air conditioner you have.

HEPA Filters

HEPA filters can become blocked very easily, and when this happens, they do not allow clean and cool air to leave the air conditioner. If your air conditioner has a HEPA air filter, you should check it every month. If you notice your filter is dirty and clogged, it’s time to change it. HEPA filters are the best, which means they collect the most dust and dirt and need to be cleaned the most often.

Electrostatic Filters

Electrostatic filters are the popular choice for many people because they are affordable and work well. You should check your filter every three months to see if it needs to be changed. Most electrostatic filters will need to be changed every three to six months, depending on how dusty or dirty your home is.

Electronic Filters

Many air conditioners have electronic filters in them. Electronic filters will rarely get clogged to the point that they will prevent the cool air from escaping. They can, however, get so clogged that they cannot filter out any more dirt or dust and blow it back into your home instead. Electronic filters should be cleaned every six months, or more often if your home is extremely dusty.

No matter what type of air conditioner you have, it is important to keep your filters clean. When filters are unable to work properly, they can allow dirt and dust to spread through your home. This can cause allergies and illnesses.

Is Your AC Not Working?

Hopefully this answered: How often should an AC filter be cleaned? Make sure to change your filter to keep your air conditioner working like new. If you encounter any problems with your air conditioning system, TalkLocal can help you find someone who can address your issues immediately. Log on to our website and give our free service a try. You will be glad you did.

Gas and electricity are not the only forms of fuel that we can use to heat our homes and offices. Geothermal heating is a relatively new breakthrough in heating and cooling. Because gas and electricity are used to heat and cool most homes, at this point, you are probably still thinking: How does geothermal heating work?

How Geothermal Heating Works

– The earth essentially acts like a giant solar panel. When the sun beats down on it, the earth actually absorbs and stores upwards of 60 percent of the energy. This is held just below the earth’s crust. Geothermal heating simply taps into this little-known supply of heat.

– A geothermal heating system is comprised of a series of pumps and pipes that extract the heat from underneath the earth’s crust and transfer it into your home.

– The pipes that go into the ground are filled with a solution very similar to water. The water solution absorbs the heat from inside the earth and brings it up to a heat exchanger pump. The heat exchanger extracts the heat from the solution and pumps it through additional mechanisms and into the home.

– The solution is, in turn, cooled off, so that it travels back down into the pipes and into the earth where it can absorb more heat. The process continues from there to keep a steady flow of natural heat flowing into your home.

– This same geothermal energy technology can also be used to cool off a home. In that situation, the cool air is pumped out of the home and into the ground.

– Additionally, geothermal technology can also be used to efficiently heat water in your home.

Heat Your Home With Geothermal Energy

It is hard enough for most people to answer: How does geothermal heating work? The process of setting up a geothermal heating system is even more complex and requires the help of a certified professional. Use TalkLocal to locate such a professional simply by logging on and filling out a little bit of information. We’ll connect you with the right professionals in your area for free!

Have you seen some of the stuff that gets trapped in an air conditioner filter? If not, it may be because you haven’t cleaned yours in a while. Changing the AC filter two to three times per year is the best way to ensure optimal performance from the unit, and minimize particles in the air you breathe. Check out these pro tips on how to clean an AC filter.

Begin by assembling the following items:

– White vinegar or strained cider vinegar

– Permanent magic marker

– A strong vacuum (hand-vac is okay)

– A whole sheet pan with raised sides (or similar)

– A soft bristle scrub brush or roll of strong paper towels

– One bath towel

How To Clean An AC Filter

1. Turn off the unit and unplug it. Next, find and remove the filter cover. This may require a screwdriver, although some covers have slide or push tabs. Before removing the filter itself, use your magic marker to mark which side is the front and which goes on the left. This will make reinserting it much less frustrating. Once it’s clearly labeled, remove the filter. It should just slide or pull out. If it doesn’t, wiggle it slowly until it comes loose.

2. Once the filter is out, use the vacuum hose or hand-vac to suck as much dirt out of the filter as you can. When you’ve gotten as much dust and dirt off the filter as possible, it’s time to sanitize. This can be the tricky part.

3. Place the filter in the sheet pan or any container that is large enough for it to lie flat and has sides at least a half-inch taller than the filter itself. Pour in a solution of half-distilled or filtered water, and half white vinegar or strained cider vinegar. If you clean your filters often, you should only need to soak them for an hour or so. If they’ve not been cleaned in more than six months, you’ll want to soak them for at least three hours. The filter should be submerged, with no part of it exposed to the air.

4. When the soaking is done, it’s scrubbing time. Use the brush or paper towels to remove any additional debris from both sides of the filter. Once that’s done, take the filter outside and give it a vigorous shake. Place it on a towel in the sun and let it dry completely.  When it’s fully dry, replace the filter using the handy guides you drew earlier.

Contact Heating And Cooling Professionals

Even if you do not know how to clean an AC filter, there are professionals who do. You can connect with them quickly and easily via TalkLocal. Our concierge service is fast and free and will take the heartache out of finding local professionals in your area.

One of the best ways to save money is actually to be green.  Many homeowners use quite a bit of energy when heating and cooling their homes, ultimately realizing such inefficiencies in their monthly energy bills.  As such, picking and investing in ventilation systems designed for efficient heating and cooling can save you both time and money.  Read on for tips on how to choose the right ventilation system for your home.

Size Does Matter

One of the most important factors to consider is the size of the ventilation system.  Most ventilation systems serve three major purposes: cooling, heating, and dehumidification.  When cooling, air conditioning systems will usually stop cooling after reaching a certain temperature threshold.  However, if the ventilation system is too large, the air conditioner will stop cooling before all of the humidity is removed, causing the air to feel heavy and clammy, ultimately wasting energy and money.  Make sure that whoever is installing your ventilation system is using an approved computer program designed to calculate the proper sizing of your unit.

Location

Choosing the correct location of the ventilation is also incredibly important to having an efficient heating and cooling system.  Your ventilation system should ideally be located inside the home and in air-conditioned space, since its primary job is to circulate and condition the air in your home.  If your air handler is located outside or in the garage, it not only will have to work harder to condition the air to the proper temperature, but also may be exposed to dirt and other air pollutants, leading to poorer air quality.

Windows and Weatherproofing

While you definitely want to consider the efficiency of your HVAC system, you must also think about your home as well.  Make sure that your windows are high-quality, multi-paned windows that have proper weather stripping.  Your front door, garage doors, and any other entrances to your home should also have the proper insulation and caulking so that you have a tight building envelope.  This will ensure that your home will remain as efficient as possible and save you money!

Talk To A Professional

There are many other factors that you may want to consider, such as the maintenance of your HVAC system and home insulation.  You should talk with a HVAC specialist if you’re considering replacing or installing a new HVAC system.  TalkLocal can connect you with a highly-rated HVAC specialist in your area in just minutes!

The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) is the heart of your heating and cooling system and requires regular maintenance. One of the main problems that you will notice with HVAC systems is the presence of water or moisture. This is always a problem sign and never is it normal to find water leaking in your HVAC system. If your HVAC is dripping water inside, here are some possible causes and how you can fix them.

Condensation

The dripping water might simply be a matter of condensation. If this is the case, you will often be in for a very quick and easy fix. The evaporator coil and suction line can often sweat as the HVAC system operates. These wires are covered with insulation. However, if a chunk of insulation is missing or was worn, the condensation can leak through.

Also, make sure the evaporator coil is completely clean. If there is dirt or debris on it, condensation might fall to the ground instead of reaching the drain.

Severe Issues

If an HVAC is dripping water inside, it can be a surefire sign of a serious problem that only a professional can address. These issues require extensive knowledge of HVAC systems in addition to the tools and parts necessary to complete the job. The nature of these issues can include, but is not limited to:

          – Some of the system’s pump tubing has been clogged

          – The HVAC system is not operating correctly and allowing the indoor coil to freeze

          – A pipe or pipe fitting is cracked or damaged

          – There is a blockage in the drain, trap or condensate pan

          – You have a faulty compensate pump

Trace The Source

Even though you might not be an HVAC professional, you can usually get a general idea about what the problem may be simply by tracing the source of the water. Just follow the water and inspect the unit thoroughly to discover why your HVAC is dripping water inside. You can always relay this information to the professionals to give them a better idea of what the problem could be.

Don’t Put Off Calling For Help

HVAC systems are crucial in keeping the temperature of your home comfortable and regulated. When you need to get a hold of someone fast, TalkLocal is a worthy ally. We can get you talking with a local professional in a matter of minutes.

Changing the air filter in your home air conditioning system is a simple and inexpensive task that you can do to help maintain your cooling system. Particles such as dirt, dust, hair, and fumes can be harmful for your health, making changing the air filter that much more important. Though changing the air filter is a fairly simple task, there are areas where people may get tripped up on.

Which Way to Put Air Filter In Air Conditioner?

It is important to know how often to replace air filters and how to install them. Understanding which way to put an air filter in an air conditioner can be tricky if you haven’t done it before. In general, most air filters have one side with a metal screen, which is supposed to be facing the unit. Most manufacturers also put an arrow on one of the sides of the filters to assist you with this.  An easy way to check is to check the previous air filter that you are replacing and see which direction the arrow is.

When Should I Replace An Air Filter?

Filters come in different degrees of efficiencies, ranging from standard to highly efficient. The highly efficient filters can trap even tiny particles such as pollen, mold, dust, and other irritants. The only disadvantage is that these also need to be replaced more frequently – as often as once every 30 days. Less efficient filters can still grab a hold of dirt and other medium-sized particles, and these typically should be replaced every 60-90 days.

If you would like to have professional help installing an air filter, consider using TalkLocal to find a heating and air conditioning company for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, HVAC companies in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location, and availability, and up to three companies will call YOU directly, saving you the time and stress of finding one yourself.

Geothermal heating is a type of energy that is used to cut energy costs. This type of heating basically uses the heat that is stored beneath the crust of the earth as a renewable resource.

There is an enormous amount of potential in this type of power. Current research is being conducted to learn more about how we can harness and use this power to our advantage.

The benefits of using geothermal heat are practically endless. The following is a just a few of the perks that you can take advantage of by using this type of heat for your home.

– Cut energy bills: You can cut your energy bills by as much as 80% using geothermal heating methods. Who does not want to save 80 percent on their heating bill?

– Higher efficiency: Geothermal-powered furnaces are 48% more efficient than gas furnaces. Not only can you save money, you can help the environment and heat your home more efficiently.

– New and existing homes: The benefits of using geothermal heat include being able to use this heating option in both new and existing homes.

– Cheap products, but relatively expensive installation: Geothermal heating can help you save money in the long run and the cost of materials is very cheap. The main disadvantage of geothermal heating is the fact that it is quite expensive to install.

Geothermal heating can allow you to dramatically reduce the size of your carbon footprint. The benefits of using geothermal heat are centered on saving you money and saving the environment simultaneously.

Get A Geothermal Heating System Professionally Installed

You can rely on TalkLocal to connect you with businesses that specialize in geothermal heating and cooling. These professionals are not a dime a dozen, but we will sift through companies that don’t offer this service, and help you find the right people for the job.