Dirty Ducts and Dirty Deeds
8/13/10 Hurray! For the first time I have ever seen it, some light has been shed on Air Duct Cleaning by the media. Claudia Buck, of the Sacramento Bee, has hit the nail on the head in a recent article about getting burned on air duct cleaning. Now I’m not saying that Air Duct cleaning companies are bad people, I just dont think it solves a lot of problems. The process is very similar to how, we at Peoples Choice, clean dryer vent systems. Basically, a sort of snake-with-a-brush on the end is whirled through the air duct system, with a vacuum attached, loosening dust particles, then sucking them up. On grossly dirty systems it will do a pretty good job, but getting near 100% clean will not happen. First of all, your system must be secure and strong enough for the process itself.
We occasionally get calls from people requesting that their furnace/AC air ducts be cleaned. I might preface this by saying that we DO do dryer vent cleaning, using the Duct Weasel System-a totally different issue. At any rate, the question I ask first is “Why do you want to do it?” Some of the common answers are:
1) Because the ducting is old and I don’t know what’s accumulated in it
2) Because we are having allergy or health symptoms that we are trying to solve
3) Because we are afraid of the germs that might be lurking in the ducts
4) Becase my house is overly dusty
Now, let me address each of these reasons, one by one.
1) Old Ducts-If the air ducting in your house is that old, cleaning may be a waste of money. If the ducting is old, it is also (most likely) poorly insulated or uninsulated; leaky at the joints; possibly not sound enough to stand the process of duct cleaning. You would be better advised to put that cleaning money (typically $600 to $1200) towards installing new, well insulated, and properly sealed ductwork (typical 3 bedroom house $2500 to $4000). Yes, it is expensive, but the option of throwing away $600 to $1200 ain’t so cool either.
2) Health Reasons: This may be one of the few reasons to try duct cleaning as at least a partial solution. But it is still a NO in my opinion if you have old ducting, or ducting in poor condition. Part of the equation will be how much money can you afford to risk at trying different approaches. If you air ducting is less than ten years old, it might be worth trying, other wise, re-duct. A couple of other things enter the picture in regards to health issues. How about filtration on your heating/AC system? Do you frequently change your filter (if you have allergy problems monthly changing your filter could help)? On the subject of filtration, I must offer this caution: If you go buy one of those fancy pants extra fine super duper filters, be aware that you could be drastically changing the air pressure in your furnace/AC, which could lead to functional problems in the system. . .just a note. Beyond frequent filter changes (use the least expensive pleated filter for both performance and pressure) you could go to the extreme of filtration, which is a HEPA filtration system. This would be an add-on to your heating/AC equipment, and typically requires you to run your furnace blower 100% of the time (Cost $1800 to $3000, plus the extra monthly expense of running the blower).
So, bottom line with the health reason is . . .maybe, maybe not.
3) Germs-Frankly if you are worried about germs in the ductwork and YOU think cleaning will help. . .go for it! Even if it doesn’t kill all the germs it may provide you with peace of mind, which is priceless!
4) Dusty house-If you have an overly dusty house, cleaning the ducts will not solve the problem. Yes, you may have dust in your ductwork (no, you DO have dust in your ductwork-everyone does), but the ductwork is not necessarily the SOURCE of the dust. Look at these things to cut down the dust: 1) Seal/caulk your windows and doors (and install new windows for better seal and huge energy/sound benefits) 2) Have a “Blower Door Test” done by a reputable company. Basically this process will test the entire envelope of your house for air leaks, and identify where you can repair or improve things, including leaks in you ductwork. 3) One source of dust that is many times overlooked is when outside air and dust come in at the base of your floor, between the 2×4 at the base of an exterior wall, and the slab or subfloor of the house. Can ductwork cause dust? Well yes it could. If you have poorly sealed ductwork (usually at ruptures or connectors) when the forced air passes this location, it literally sucks dust through the crack and into the air ducts that is then blown throughout the house. What can you do? If this is your problem, in most cases it would be wise to have new ducting installed. Requirements for sealing ductwork have changed drastically over the last ten years, so you would end up with a much better system, both dust-wise and energy-wise.
In the end, my recommendation with regards to Air Duct cleaning is much the same as for whether or not to buy extended warranties (check out my previous blog on extended warranty): If it will give you peace of mind, go for it, but for my money. . .no thank you.
This has been another mind bending moment with Rich Johnson of Peoples Choice. Adios!
What is a Ductless Split AC or Heating System??
7/19/10 Have you heard the term Ductless AC system??? A blog reader asked that I address these systems that are fairly new in residential settings. Ductless Split systems became prominent in office situations due to no space for air ductwork, or wanting a small specific area to have control over the room temperature. First, a reminder of how a “normal” split system AC works: you have an outdoor condenser connected to your furnace by refrigerant tubing. At you furnace is the AC coil. The furnace provides the blower to circulate air (warm or cold) throughout your house. So, from an AC perspective, the only purpose of the furnace is to provide a blower, and the ductwork to circulate the air. The ductless split system basically eliminates the furnace and ductwork. How does it do this??? In each area that you want AC (or heat, but I dont want to confuse things so I’ll stick with just AC for now) a mini coil with a built-in blower is mounted on the wall. This indoor unit takes the place of the furnace mounted coil and ductwork. Pretty niffty!
These ductless split systems are very energy efficient, and they allow you to regulate the temperature in up to four separate areas, with just one outdoor condenser, and four indoor units.
Benefits: lower operating costs; can be used where ductwork is not possible (or too expensive); tightly controlled temperature areas
Downside: The indoor units, mounted on the wall, are not necessarily pretty to look at (about 10″ high and 36 or so inches wide, hugn high on the wall. Although less expensive than running new ducts AND AC, the equipment is generally a little more expensive than the standard split AC system.
I know there are other pros and cons, this is all my little brain could come up with at the moment. They are a great problem solver for many applications. I just want you to be aware of your choices, if and when you need AC.
Now, finally, the part about heating. When purchased in the “Heat Pump” version, the ductless split systems will provide both heat and cooling. The way they do it, in very basic terms, is by reversing the Air Conditioning, when heat is needed. The only caution here is that it costs the same to heat as it does to cool. In very moderate climates this may be ok, but in cold climates, the heat will be expensive to use.
Toodle Loo Rich Johnson
Maytag Dishwasher Recall We Fix
6/4/10 By now, unless you are totally disconnected from the world, you have heard that Maytag has a recall on 1.7 million dishwashers that were sold between February 2006, and April, 2010. this includes dishwashers branded under Maytag, Jenn-Air, Magic Chef, and Crosley. Now don’t go get in a big panic. Yes there were about a dozen fires reported, but odds are pretty low that this will happen with you. None-the-less, you do need to take action. You can call us to do the free repair, which involves changing the heating element. Maytag is also offering the option of a discount on a new dishwasher of $150 to $250 depending on which model you buy.
Maytag is a Whirlpool company. My experience with them, as a warranty servicer for them, they do a good job of getting on top of this. Prior to the public recall notice, we were pre-shipped a number of the repair kits to help with the initial appointments for repairs.
Like I said, don’t panic, but call or email us, or contact Maytag at 800-544-5513. You can also start at the website for this problem which is: www.repair.maytag.com
Here to help. Rich Johnson
Install Carbon Monoxide Detector $29
2/17/10 Right now we are having a blowout special! For just $29, we will install a carbon monoxide detector in your home or office anywhere from Santa Maria to Paso Robles, basically the entire Central Coast. We want to make sure you stay safe, even if you dont want to (or can’t afford to replace your furnace). This is basically the cost of the detector. We want to introduce our great service to you, and heck, maybe someone needs some additional appliance, heating, or AC repair, which of course would be additional. No pressure, though, if all you want is the CO detector, great, give us a call. Call 543-3334, and Peoples Choice is at your door! Rich Johnson
Tags: Carbon Monoxide, Central Coast, furnace, Heater, safe
WINNER OF NEW FREE FURNACE!
2/16/10 First, thanks to all of you who submitted nominees to win our furnace contest. We even had a few stray entries from as far from the Central Coast as Canada! It was amazing how many people could use some help, and I wish we could do more. I have not received permission to publish the winner’s name, but I can tell you she is a great grandmother who still works part time to support herself, her granddaughter, and 3 great grandchildren. She lives in San Luis Obispo. We have not yet made the installation arrangements, but soon she will be sporting a brand new high efficiency furnace, which will probably help her out with the utility bills. I will fill in more details as I can. Stay tuned! Rich Johnson
Tags: central coast heating, free furnace, winner
Holidays and Carbon Monoxide
11/15/09
Hi!
I apologize for not posting for so long. What the heck happened!!! It just shows how quickly time flies (at least in my life). Fortunately, my son-in-law ( and web guru), Frank, busted my chops about my lack of blogginess!?**?!
The fall/winter holidays on the Central Coast also coincide with cold temperatures (and starting to use your furnace). From San Luis Obispo to Pismo, to Paso Robles, one of the dangers of a damaged furnace is Carbon Monoxide poisoning. This is not the only source of Carbon Monoxide.
This can occur for a couple of reasons. In wall heaters, it can develop over time in a poorly installed or corroded flue vent pipe. It can also develop from a control valve that has a malfunctioning pressure regulator. In forced air furnaces, this can occur when you get a crack in your “heat exchanger” or “fire box”. The heat exchanger is meant to keep the combustion air (air used to make the burner flame) from the recirculating air (the air that circulates thru the furnace and into your home). With a crack in the heat exchanger, the air that circualtes through the home (recirculating air) may get mixed with combustion air and carbon monoxide. In the cases mentioned here, the heater may still be operating with no noticeable problems.
A lesser known source of Carbon Monoxide poisoning is your oven. Most ovens routinely put out some Carbon Monoxide. This source has been more critical in newer houses that are well sealed for energy savings. Typically, there is plenty of oxygen in the house to prevent nominal amounts of Carbon Monoxide from being a problem. A source of fresh air (and fresh oxygen) can prevent the Carbon Monoxide from being as dangerous. In most cases, your oven is not on for extended periods of time, and thus, will not deplete the available oxygen. This may not be the case during the holidays when you may be cooking continuously. Fortunately, if you are doing a lot of cooking, you probably have people opening and closing outside doors, which helps in replacing depleted oxygen. Another thing to remember is to turn on your cooking exhaust fan while the oven is on.
So, how do you deal with Carbon Monoxide (The Silent Killer) in your home?
1. Install a Carbon Monoxide detector. Make sure you follow the location instructions. Carbon Monoxide is lighter than air, so you should locate it 4 feet or higher on the wall. Also, not too close to the kitchen, so you don’t get false alarms.
2. During marathon cooking sessions, like holidays, crack open a window or door open to replenish the oxygen in the house, and turn on your cooking exhaust fan.
3. Although I am not a proponent of annual furnace inspections, I do recommend that every 3 to five years you have it done by a professional. The gas company will do a safety inspection at no charge, and I highly recommend that you take advantage of this BEFORE the winter comes. The gas company is swamped as the cold weather begins, and your inspection of a working heater in winter, could delay service to someone who is in greater need. So, be kind to your neighbor and inspect in the summer.
4. If you have a furnace that is over 20 years old, no matter what condition it’s in, this is a great time to replace it. With the Federal Energy Tax Credit of up to $1500, you can get a high efficiency furnace for about the same price as a standard efficiency furnace.
Please feel free to email me at pchvac@msn.com if you have any questions regarding Carbon Monoxide, or furnaces and appliances. Happy Holidays.
Rich Johnson
P.S.
I’ll try to be a good boy and keep up with my (supposed) weekly posts.
Green Furnace Giveaway Coming Soon!
8/21/09 In July, I mentioned the furnace giveaway promotion we were planning with KVEC radio. This evolved and morphed from the original idea of simply putting out our name (Peoples Choice) on a regular basis. At first we were going to require that the entries be from customers who have done service with us. Then we thought, let’s broaden the possible winners and open it up to anyone on the Central Coast with heating in their home.
We feared with that approach, that we would end up giving a free furnace either to someone who wasn’t really in need of one, or someone who may not fully appreciate the gift.
I think we finally hit on the right plan. Nothing is more satisfying than doing a good deed for someone. It just plain makes your insides fizzle! So, we asked, why not ask the public (through KVEC radio) to help us find the person who will just LOVE to get a brand new high efficiency furnace installed for FREE!, and may not have the resources to do it.
In my next posting I have to share with you the grueling, funny, exasperating process of putting together the jingle for our little promotion. Have a great weekend and stay warm or cold. Rich Johnson, Peoples Choice Heating, Air, Appliance Repairs
Extended Warranties on Appliances Heating and Air Conditioning
8/2/09 From Paso Robles to Santa Maria; San Luis Obispo and the entire Central Coast, people frequently ask “Should I buy an extended Warranty?” I will try to tell you in my rambling way, what your options are, and when you should choose which option. I will start with explaining what appears to be the fact that more things break sooner than they used to.
Annecdotally (not sure if I spelled that correctly), more new appliances, heating systems, and air conditioning systems, have problems “out of the box”, or within the first five years of use. It is easy to simply blame the manufacturer for their cheapening of standards, or poor quality control. This may be true, but it may be our (the consumers) fault.
The manufacturing companies are given huge tax incentives to constantly upgrade their energy efficiency. This causes constant re-engineering, and field rework engineering to correct design problems that could possibly be avoided if the manufacturer could do longer testing before introducing a new product or feature. Keep in mind, that all the while, we consumers are demanding MORE features WITHOUT any increase in prices. On top of that, each manufacturer must hurry to keep up the the other competitors in their field.
If you look back ten years, or even fifteen years, the price of appliances, heating and air conditioning equipment has not risen significantly on base models.
So, what does all this mean in terms of buying extended warranties. First, repairs are going to tend to be more expensive, due to the cost and complexity of electronics. Any repairs to replace electronic control boards will run from $200 to $700 across the entire line of appliances, heating and air conditioning. This is a big hit for a repair, but the statistical odds of it happening to you are pretty low (about 6 out of 100 in the first five years).
Most statistics (including Consumer Reports) indicate that ECONOMICALLY, extended warranties are not a wise decision. That said, if you are one of the 6 of 100 with a repair you feel lucky if you bought an extended warranty. I think a smarter way to look at extended warranties is “Can I afford a possibly expensive repair?”. If you can take a $200 to $700 repair without too much financial worry, don’t buy the extended warranty (My only exception to this would be if not having an extended warranty would cause you to stress about not having coverage). You pocket the Extended Warranty money, and odds are you will be bucks ahead. If you are living on a tight budget, and a hit of $200 to $700 would be tough to take, it may be smart for you to consider buying the extended warranty as a financial safeguard.
And finally, if you do decide to buy an extended warranty, here are a few tips. Only buy it through the manufacturer. There are many companies that sell extended warranties. Selling dealers will naturally use the ones that give them the best commision, and have the lowest consumer price. This is definitely a case where “you get what you pay for”. Second, most everything comes with at least a one year warranty from the manufacturer.
I will digress here slightly. You know that little card you get that requests all your information to register your purchase? You know, the one that most of us toss into the circular file? Well, it is IMPORTANT for you to fill it in and send it in (or go online) to register your purchase. It will negate your having to prove a purchase date in the future, should you have a warranty issue. It also records the Model and Serial number, which could get worn off, and is sometimes critical in the repair process.
Now, back on track. If you have properly registered your purchase, in almost all cases, the manufacturer will notify you when you are about to go out of warranty. At the same time, they will typically offer you an extended warranty, which is either run by them, or affiliated with the manufacturer. If you wait until this time to purhase your extended warranty, you now have a year of experience with what you bought. Did it perform? Does it have any quirks that make you think trouble is in the future? In online reviews, have others had problems with this unit? Have you already had any in-warranty repairs that could recurr? At this point you are much more informed about the probability that you would actually USE the extended warranty.
I hope I have not entirely mudded up this explanation of extended warranties. If you have additional questions, please feel free to email me at peopleschoiceservices.com, or call me at 805-543-3334. Rich Johnson
GO GREEN with a FREE Energy Saving Furnace
7-17-09 I’m really excited about our new radio promotion! It will start up very soon. Keeping in mind the slow economy and some people who might be without heat due to circumstances, we are going to find the most deserving person, and install a new High Efficiency Furnace in their home. This lets us give back to our community, and at the same time, save energy and future utility bills for the deserving person.
Even though business overall is down from last year, we are thankful that we are able to keep going, and are trying to grow out of the dulldroms. To show our thanks, we came up with this promotion, and of course, it won’t hurt if it let’s other people know about Peoples Choice. We think, the best Heating, AC, and Appliance Repair company on the Central Coast, from Paso Robles to Santa Maria. Have a great weekend! Rich Johnson
Add Air Conditioning $2800 to $5000 in Paso Robles, Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, Nipomo, Santa Maria
7/5/09 Especially during the hot spells, we get calls asking about adding Air Conditioning to an existing central heat system (the type most houses have).
But before I get into that, I want to wish my granddaughter, Kiana, and very Happy Birthday! She lives in Grover Beach, and was born on the 4th of July. At six years old, she stills thinks all the fireworks are for her!
Now, let me explain the basics of Air Conditioning. Air Conditioning does not add cool air to your house. It actually REMOVES hot air from your house. There are two main components to the AC system. One is the Condenser, which is located outside, usually beside the house, but sometimes on the roof. This part of the AC system takes the heat from the house and dumps it outside. If you put your hand over the fan of the Condenser, the air you feel is very warm. The second part of the AC system is the Evaporator (or Coil). This second component is attached to your furnace in a metal case. The two components are connected to each other by copper tubing that carries AC gas. The blower in your furnace sucks in the warm air from the house. That warm air is then absorbed by the evaporator/coil and sent to the outdoor condenser thru the Copper tubing, where the warm air is dumped into the outside air. Then the process continues until enough warm air is dumped outside to make the house cool.
The process of adding Air Conditioning is to install an outdoor Condenser, connected to your electric panel with 240 Volts, on a separate circuit. Next is installing a coil or evaporator at the furnace. The difficulty (and related expense) here is dependent on the physical location and space available on one end of the furnace. The third step is installing the refrigerant tubing (for AC gas) from the Evaporator/coil, to the outdoor Condenser. The ease of routing of this tubing is critical to both the function and the cost of adding Air Conditioning.
If you have any questions about adding Air Conditioning, including the newest “Ductless Split Systems”, please email me at pchvac@msn.com, or call me at 805-543-3337. I am Rich Johnson, one of the owners of Peoples Choice Heating and Air, Inc.