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The Tech Behind Electric HVAC Most People Miss: A Quick Primer Many people assume electrifying HVAC is a simple on/off swap. In reality, modern electric systems are built on a stack of variable-speed electronics and software that decide how your space feels, what your utility bill looks like, the indoor air quality you breathe, and how long the equipment lasts. Successful electrification depends a ...

Quick answer: Is the AC making your vents stink, or is something else to blame? Vent odors are common, and they do not always mean the air conditioner is broken. In our 30 plus years working on HVAC systems, we treat vent smells as indoor air quality warnings. The first step is to identify the smell and its pattern before deciding on a simple fix or an emergency. Ask what it smells like, then note ...

HEPA vs MERV Filters: What's the Difference and Why It Matters for Your HVAC HEPA and MERV describe two different ways of measuring filtration. MERV is a 1 to 16 scale used for HVAC filters in ducts and air handlers. The higher the MERV, the better the filter is at catching smaller particles. HEPA is a separate standard that exceeds MERV 16 performance, designed for extremely high single pass effi ...

Why Your Roof Is One of the Biggest Drivers of Home Energy Use Your roof is the biggest solar collector on the house, the hat that sets how hot or cool the attic runs. Materials behave differently in the sun. High reflectance cool roofs and some metal panels bounce solar radiation away, which lowers attic temperature and trims air conditioner run time in warm seasons. Darker, higher mass options a ...

Why Two-Stage Furnaces Matter for Comfort and Efficiency Two-stage furnaces heat at two output levels: a lower comfort stage for everyday demand and a high stage that steps in during very cold weather. In our experience, they spend most of their time in the lower stage, delivering gentler, longer heating cycles instead of the stop and go bursts common with single-stage units. That steadier approac ...

Why Is Air Conditioning So Expensive to Operate in Florida? Quick Summary Air conditioning is unusually costly to run in Florida because a hot, humid climate and a long cooling season keep systems on for many hours a day. Homes must remove heat and a large amount of moisture at the same time, so equipment is handling both sensible and latent loads, which drives energy use up. In our field work acr ...

What to Do When a Furnace Shows a Limit Switch Error Code Seeing a furnace limit switch error code is a safety alert. The limit switch is a temperature guardian, like a circuit breaker for heat, that opens when the furnace cabinet runs too hot. Most of the time heat buildup traces to airflow problems or a malfunctioning part. We see this triggered most by clogged filters, blocked return or supply ...

Don't Be Fooled: The AC Size Myth That Will Burn You This April As April heat ramps up, the push to get ready for summer begins, and the advice to go bigger with your air conditioner gets loud. That shortcut sounds safe, but it is an expensive myth. In our 30+ years on the HVAC front lines, we have seen oversized units short-cycle, fail to move air through the house, and miss the mark on humidity ...

Stay Cool and Comfy: The Rising Popularity of Mini Split AC Systems Mini split, often called ductless, AC systems have moved from niche choice to neighborhood standard. In our 30 plus years working with HVAC equipment, the draw is simple: quiet operation and room by room control without tearing up walls for ductwork. Think of them like a dimmer for comfort rather than a single on off switch, you s ...

What is an HVAC system? A simple definition HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. An HVAC system provides indoor thermal comfort and acceptable air quality by integrating heating, cooling, and ventilation to manage temperature, humidity, airflow, and air cleanliness. With 30 plus years around installed systems, we think of it like a home's climate manager, quietly coordinatin ...

The Heat Transfer Mystery: Why Some Rooms Stay Cold in Winter Keeping a steady, comfortable temperature through a house in winter can feel impossible when one bedroom or a corner office stays chilly. The culprit is usually uneven heat transfer and airflow, not a failing furnace. Warm air behaves like water in a shallow stream, it follows the easiest path, bypassing rooms with poor returns, leaky d ...

Variable-Speed Furnaces: A Quick Overview A variable-speed furnace is the label for a furnace that can vary its indoor blower speed instead of running at one fixed pace. Think of it like a dimmer switch for airflow, ramping up and down to match what the home needs. The quick payoff is comfort: quieter starts, steadier room temperatures, and smoother air mixing from room to room. You also tend to g ...