A - When your equipment breaks-down, it can be tempting to find the quickest and least expensive "quick fix" to get back to your normal lifestyle and or business in comfort. That "quick fix" may seem to be the best decision right now, but it may not give you the most value - or cost you less - in the long run.

Paying for repairs to an old or inefficient system often simply prolongs the inevitable. Too often it is temporary. Much like a patch on a tire that is worn out and ready to pop. An older system that breaks down once is likely to break down again... and again. That means more money you pay for emergency service calls. Even worse is the risk of damage to your home or to other components of your heating and cooling system. You ask how could that damage my home? Well 1 scenario is the old evaporator coil has a metal condensation drain pan and it has been getting more rusted each year and maybe leaking water with out your knowledge. Suddenly you discover water damage on one or more of the following; carpet, hardwood floors, ceilings, construction and cabinets Etc?

There's also an ongoing costs to consider. Restoring your old system will only bring it back to its current level of energy efficiency. After you've recovered from the repair bills and the aggravation of system breakdowns, you still won?t save a penny on your energy bills.

Even air conditioners and heat pumps approaching 10 years are considered grossly inefficient by today's energy efficiency standards. So are most furnaces built before 1980. So you could save on your energy bills with new high-efficiency equipment. That's why installing a new heating and cooling system can actually pay for itself in energy savings within a relatively short time.

Q - Does High Efficiency mean it works better?

A - No it cost less money to operate. A furnace's efficiency rating, or AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency), tells you how efficiently the furnace uses fuel. In general, the higher the efficiency, the less fuel the furnace will use to heat your home.

In 1992, the government established a minimum AFUE rating for furnaces installed in new homes at 78%. In contrast, many furnaces manufactured before 1992 had AFUE ratings as low as 60%. Mid-efficiency furnaces, also known as non-condensing or induced draft furnaces, offer efficiencies from 78% to about 80%. High-efficiency furnaces or condensing or sealed combustion furnaces, offer AFUE ratings from 80% to about 96%.

Cooling efficiency for air conditioners and heat pumps is indicated by a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which tells you how efficiently the unit uses electricity. Heat pumps also have heating efficiency ratings, indicated as an HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor). In general, the higher the SEER or HSPF rating, the less electricity the unit will use to cool (or heat) your home. Air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured today have SEER ratings that range from 10.0 to about 17. In 1992, the government established minimum efficiency standards for units installed in new homes at 10.0 SEER and 6.8 HSPF. Most air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured before 1992 had SEER ratings below 7.0 and HSPF ratings below 5.0.

Higher efficiency equipment initially cost more money. If you live in a warm and/or humid climate, you will probably see the higher cost of a high-efficiency air conditioner or heat pump paid back (through lower utility bills) in a few short years.

A - Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The less difference betweenthe indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your electricity usage will be.

Set your thermostat as low as comfortably possible in the winter. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your fuel usage will be.

Don't set your thermostat at a colder temperature setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and will result in excessive electricity usage.

Once you have set the thermostat do not keep changing the settings. This could short cycle the system and cause expensive repairs.

Q - How often should my air filters be replaced?

A - Air filter manufactures recommend changing them every month. However it depends on the environmental conditions and the amount of run time. Under normal conditions usually the filters will need to be replaced about every 4 to 12 weeks. Change them at least 4 times a year every 3 months. Never wait until the filter is loaded with dirt. Changing the air filters is the least expensive thing you can do and is the best insurance you can get. Since dirt damages the equipment and is bad for your family's health.

Q - How can we improve our indoor air quality?

A - One way to clean indoor air and keep the indoor air quality at a high level is with an air cleaner. An air cleaner can remove dust, smoke and other particles that settle in your house and will aggravate allergies, asthma and damage your furnishings. If you remove these pollutants, you also remove major cause of dirt in your home. Even though all comfort systems have an air filter, this only protects your equipment from dust and large particles. It is not designed to clean indoor air.

Air cleaners are designed to take harmful particles out of the air and improve indoor air quality and come in a variety of types and styles.

Media Filters remove many airborne pollutants, including dust and pollen. Media filters are effective in removing these larger particles, but they must be replaced periodically.

Electronic Air Cleaners, on the other hand, remove smaller and many more airborne particles than media filters. Electronic air cleaners can even remove mold spores and most smoke. These air cleaners do not have to be replaced; they can simply be cleaned and returned to the filter case.

Hepa Filters, are a true 99.97 HEPA filter will only allow 3 out of 10,000 0.3 Micron particles to pass through it, while as many as 8,000 will pass through a typical high efficiency or electronic air cleaner.

Ultraviolet Air Treatment Systems, are designed to kill a high percentage of certain germs, bacteria, mold spores. Tests show some models kill up to 87% of airborne bacteria