There are a lot of different options for both heating and air conditioning systems available on the market today. If you’re looking for a new one, you have a lot of research to do. Chances are, you can find several systems that will do well enough for your home’s needs. If you want to find the best one you can, though, you’re going to need to carefully consider the pros and cons of each option. Let’s take a look at ductless mini splits, and what one could do for your home this season.
Should I Install a Ductless System?
March 19th, 2018Don’t Go Broke Dealing With Furnace Breakdowns Before March Madness
March 15th, 2018Are you gearing up for March Madness by inviting family and friends over for a party? Before you start making a guest list and menu, ask yourself if your HVAC system is ready for houseguests and the fluctuating March temperatures. Dealing with furnace breakdowns at the last minute can be expensive and stressful. Here are some tips to get your heating and cooling system ready before you plan your celebration.
Tip #1: Schedule Preventative Maintenance
The most important tip to keep your system healthy and prevent furnace breakdowns is to schedule preventative maintenance. Douglas Cooling & Heating offers affordable maintenance plans conveniently with your busy schedule. Regular maintenance keeps your system clean, catches malfunctions early and extends the life of your equipment. Ensuring your system is kept healthy increases energy efficiency and saves you money on your monthly energy bill.
Tips #2: Change the Filter
One of the easiest ways you can prevent furnace breakdowns is by changing your furnace filter on a regular basis. The filter is responsible for catching any dust, dirt or debris in your air before it is circulated throughout your home. When the filter is dirty or clogged, it can’t properly filter the air and the dirt and dust reduce the airflow in your system. Restricted airflow forces your system to work harder and puts unnecessary stress on your HVAC system, creating higher energy bills.
Tip #3: Clean the Outdoor Unit
Most people forget about their outdoor unit, which can lead to malfunctions in the spring. Inspect the area around the outdoor unit for debris, such as leaves, twigs and branches. Check the exterior for damage from hail and winter storms. Debris on your unit and around it can interfere with the airflow and cause the unit to overheat. If you notice a layer of dust and dirt on the top of the coils, gently hose them off with water. If you notice a rodent or pest seeking shelter inside the outdoor unit, call Douglas Cooling & Heating to have the unit inspected. A pest infestation can lead to chewed wiring and damaged components. An HVAC repair is your safest bet to avoid HVAC failure this spring.
Tip #4: Schedule Ductwork Inspection
Before you get your March Madness party started, schedule an inspection of your ductwork. Our HVAC technicians will clean your ducts, vents and registers. If there are any air leaks found during the inspection, we will properly seal them to promote energy savings this spring and promote healthy airflow throughout your ductwork. Clean ducts free of leaks help your thermostat achieve accurate readings, also helping prevent furnace breakdowns.
Tip #5: Check Thermostat Settings
Thermostat settings can either make or break your HVAC system’s performance. When the thermostat settings are too high or low for the season, it puts extra stress on your unit. A furnace constantly kicking on when the outside weather is warm wastes energy and adds wear and tear to the components. A system always in use eventually experiences furnace breakdowns, which become costly to fix every time.
Tip #6: Upgrading to a Smart Thermostat
If you have an old thermostat now is time to upgrade to a smart, programmable thermostat for your March Madness party. Smart thermostats increase energy savings by boosting your HVAC system’s efficiency. You have more control over your temperature settings due to Wi-Fi capabilities between the smart thermostat and your smartphone, tablet or other Wi-Fi devices, as well as the thermostat’s learning capabilities for ideal comfort control. Energy reports are sent via email to share your heating and cooling system’s energy usage and suggest where savings can be achieved with your HVAC system. Smart thermostats even provide reminders to schedule maintenance and change filters. Alerts are sent when there is a problem with your unit so an HVAC repair can be scheduled quickly.
For more information about upgrading to a smart thermostat, call Douglas Cooling & Heating to speak with one of our NATE-certified technicians. We will suggest the best thermostat for your HVAC system and your home.
Save your money for snacks and prevent furnace breakdowns during your March Madness party by scheduling maintenance with Douglas Cooling & Heating. Our NATE-certified technicians are experienced and will deliver exceptional service every time. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating today!
Did Your Heat Pump Make it Through the Cold of Winter?
March 14th, 2018Winter has been especially hard for some families in Alabama, which can affect their heating and cooling system heading into spring and summer. A furnace gets a break during late spring, summer and early fall and an air conditioner gets to relax during late fall, winter and early spring. A heat pump, on the other hand, operates year-round to provide ideal temperatures without taking a break.
The best way to ensure your heat pump is ready for the shift to spring is with heat pump maintenance performed by our NATE-certified technicians at Douglas Cooling & Heating. By scheduling maintenance with Douglas Cooling & Heating, you will experience several perks during the spring, summer and fall seasons.
Fewer HVAC Repairs
A heat pump irregularly cleaned or inspected will experience minor and major issues during the year. Heat pump maintenance catches these problems early and repairs them cheaper than if the problem continues, becoming expensive to repair in the future. The best defense against heat pump malfunctions and breakdowns is with regularly scheduled maintenance. You will save money down the road and reduce your stress from unexpected heat pumps failures.
Increased Energy Efficiency
Heat pump maintenance prevents a buildup of dust, dirt and other debris throughout your system, which affects its performance. When dust and other debris accumulate throughout your system, the airflow becomes restricted, forcing your system to work harder than necessary to supply controlled temperatures in your home. A heat pump constantly cycling on and off wastes energy, resulting in decreased efficiency. Your heat pump will provide ideal temperatures evenly throughout your home with regularly scheduled heat pump maintenance.
Reduced Energy Bills
Your heating and cooling system is responsible for almost half the energy use in your home. Heat pump maintenance allows your unit to operate less often and reduces the amount of stress put on its components. By reducing how often your heat pump cycles on and off, less energy is used during the day and creates a more efficient system. Less energy consumed by your heat pump produces lower monthly energy bills.
Longer Life of Your Heat Pump
A heat pump maintained on a regular basis can last an average of 14 years. When a heat pump is neglected, its lifespan is greatly reduced and needs expensive HVAC repairs to keep it operational. Problems are caught early with proper maintenance, which reduces the wear and tear on your unit and its components. Heat pump maintenance is important, especially when you aren’t ready to fork out extra money on a new heat pump. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule your heat pump maintenance with one of our experience NATE-certified technicians before temperatures start to rise.
What Happens During Heat Pump Maintenance?
During heat pump maintenance a variety of tasks are performed by our HVAC technicians. We will test all the electrical components in your system and the control board. Electrical malfunctions are common when a unit has been used excessively during the winter. If the filter hasn’t been replaced recently, we will check the current filter and replace or clean it depending on the type used in your heat pump. Inspection of the components during the maintenance call is vital so our technicians can identify signs of stress and repair or replace any damaged parts. We will also make sure the belts are in good condition and lubricate the motors. Other tasks performed during heat pump maintenance include:
- Inspecting the refrigerant levels and checking for leaks
- Measuring the airflow of the unit
- Cleaning the outdoor and indoor unit thoroughly
- Inspecting the ducts for leaks and repairing them if found
- Checking the thermostat settings
- Ensuring all connections are tight and
- Inspecting the indoor coil and blower motor.
With winter coming to a close, your heat pump needs to be inspected, cleaned and prepped for the upcoming spring and summer weather. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule heat pump maintenance with one of our NATE-certified technicians. With proper care, you can prevent costly repairs in the future on your heat pump.
HVAC Q&A: Importance of Quality and Proper Sizing of Ductwork
March 12th, 2018Many homeowners don’t think about their ductwork because it’s out of sight, and therefore, out of mind. However, your ductwork plays a pivotal role in the heating and cooling needs of your home. One size does not fit all when it comes to your HVAC ductwork and the size of your heating and cooling system determines the size ductwork you need. If you suspect the quality and size of your HVAC ductwork is a problem, call Douglas Cooling & Heating today. We offer preventative maintenance plans, HVAC repairs, emergency service and installation for all your heating and cooling needs.
The Importance of HVAC Ductwork Sizing
Proper sizing of your HVAC ductwork is imperative to the efficiency of your system and your energy bill. Higher energy bills are common when the ductwork is too small or large. Another common issue from ductwork sized incorrectly is more wear and tear on a heating and cooling system, resulting in your unit failing earlier than it should and forcing you to install a replacement unit before you are financially ready. Other common problems of incorrectly sized HVAC ductwork include:
- Forces your HVAC system to work harder
- Creates hot and cold spots throughout your home
- Decreases the rate of airflow
- Contributes to uneven heating and cooling between floors
- Furnaces have to work in overdrive to breathe
- Causes the motor to wear out faster and
- Increases the chance of a breakdown.
Types of HVAC Ductwork Materials
The material used for your ductwork is another element impacting your home’s heating and cooling system. Before you install new ductwork, discuss your ductwork options with our Douglas Cooling & Heating technician to ensure you get the best material for your new ductwork. The different materials all come with their own pros and cons and not every material works well for every situation. The different HVAC ductwork options include:
- Flexible ducts, also known as flex ductwork, are made from reinforced plastic. They are tube-shaped with a wire coil inside the bendable plastic. Homes with tight spaces are ideal for flex ductwork. They are cheaper and easier to install and require proper support to prevent snagging and snaking.
- Sheet metal ducts are made of galvanized steel and aluminum, with aluminum being the lighter and easier material to install of the two. They are less likely to have mold or mold growth occur in them due to their non-porous surface.
- Fiberboard ducts are the quietest and most efficient material for ductwork. They are made from fiberglass strands crushed and joined with a resin. The resin is then covered with a sheet of foil laminate to protect against moisture.
The Importance of HVAC Ductwork Quality
The quality of your HVAC ductwork is just as important as the sizing. Healthy ductwork ensures even temperatures, reduces the wear and tear on your HVAC system, and increases energy savings. Ductwork with long runs between the heating and cooling system and a desired location causes uneven temperatures in different areas of a home. Sharp bends in ductwork prevent airflow from circulating effectively and decreases the amount of cool or warm air delivered to a space.
If ductworks aren’t properly sealed or supported it will lead to air leaks within the ducts. Valuable warm or cool air will be lost through the air leaks, resulting in wasted energy and higher energy costs. Another issue of poor quality ductwork is the lack of returns installed in your home. Returns help balance the air pressure and air movement within a room. When there aren’t enough air returns, the room temperature and comfort within a room is compromised.
If you are noticing increased energy bills and more repairs on your heating and cooling system, regardless of continued maintenance, your HVAC ductwork might be the problem. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule an HVAC repair to diagnose the problem. Our NATE-certified technicians will inspect your ductwork and determine if there is an issue with the size of your ducts or if the quality of the installation is at fault.
Signs It’s Time for a New Furnace
March 5th, 2018We’re getting close to the end of winter, which means it’s time to evaluate your heating system to see if it merits keeping for another season. It may seem an odd time to decide whether or not your furnace is ready for next winter. Consider, though, that if you’re not going to keep it for another season it’s a good idea to replace it now. That way you don’t have to worry about replacing it the week before you need to use it. The following are some of the most common indications that your furnace is nearing the end of its life, and should be replaced before next season starts.
Opt In: Zoning Versus SMART Vents
February 20th, 2018In today’s homes, smart heating and cooling products are all the rage! They offer many benefits, such as easy installation, increased energy efficiency, and seamless integration. However, the question is whether smart vents or a whole-home zoning system is best for your home comfort and ventilation needs. Discover the purpose of both options, their benefits, and which is right for your home.
What Is Whole-Home Zoning
A whole-home zoning system works with your HVAC system to allow independent control of temperatures throughout your home. It sends conditioned air to each area of your home while avoiding buildup in your system. Your home is divided into zones with thermostats communicating directly with a central control panel. Programmable thermostats are the best thermostat for optimized zoning temperature control in your home, allowing more flexibility and customization to meet the demands of your family’s lifestyle.
Benefits of Whole-Home Zoning
Whole-home zoning temperature control offers several benefits, such as:
- Increased airflow management throughout your home, whether it’s heated or cooled air. Airflow is managed within numerous zones in your home. Dampers are utilized to direct the flow of air to each zone based on the thermostat in that zone’s orders. The other zones that don’t need extra airflow won’t be affected by the new air supplied by your system.
- Customized comfort with enhanced zoning temperature control for each room in your home. Each zone is designed based on the number of occupants, pets, and appliances in the area. The ceiling height is also taken into account for increased customization in each zone.
- Increased energy savings go hand-in-hand with a whole-home zoning system. It allows your heating and cooling system to operate less often while still providing consistent temperatures throughout each zone in your home. Energy isn’t wasted by your system continually cycling to provide heating and cooling to every room in your house.
What Are Smart Vents
Smart vents are used as a simple and effective way for homeowners to reduce heating and cooling in areas of their home that aren’t in use. This type of zoning ventilation utilizes a smart thermostat to decide which rooms need more air than others. Smart vents still offer zoning temperature control, but there are vent sensors that communicate with other sensors in an area to redirect the airflow if necessary rather than a control panel, dampers, and thermostats.
Benefits of Smart Ventilation In Your Home
Smart vents offer several benefits, including:
- Wireless system control that allows the system components to communicate
- Advanced algorithms offer extended battery life up to 2 years
- Through the use of a louver system, the airflow is controlled quietly
- Zoning temperature control and pressure drops are monitored through embedded sensors to protect the system
- Sleek, modern design to match the décor in any home
- Increased energy savings
- Easy installation with reduced initial cost
Why Zoning Temperature Control Is Important
According to the United States Department of Energy, 50% of a home’s energy bill is spent on heating and cooling costs and up to 90% of all single-family homes only use one HVAC zone. This allows, on average, 2 to 4 rooms in a home receiving insufficient air to either decrease or increase the temperature. Contact Douglas Cooling & Heating to learn more about zoning ventilation and smart vents. We will help you decide which is best for your home and our NATE-certified technicians will install your new ventilation and zoning temperature control system quickly.
Invest in a zoning temperature control system for your home and boost your HVAC system’s performance and efficiency. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating today and schedule maintenance, service, and installation by our NATE-certified technicians for all your heating and cooling needs!
Is it a Bad Thing if My Heat Pump is Covered in Ice?
February 19th, 2018There are some symptoms that, when you notice them, should instantly that your system needs to be repaired. Some, however, are a bit trickier to diagnose at first glance. Heat pump ice, for example, could be nothing to worry about. Or, it could mean that your system is in dire need of repairs. If you see ice on the outdoor portion of your heat pump, and you’re not sure what to do about it, read on for more information.
Do You Know Where Your Furnace Filter Is?
February 15th, 2018Filters for gas furnaces and other HVAC equipment are vital for your system to operate efficiently during the winter. You should take the time to discover the furnace filter location and what types of furnace filters are required for your gas furnace or heating system. Knowing the filter types and their location will help you make informed buying decisions in the future and stay on top of changing them.
Find Your Furnace Filter Location
In general, the filter for a furnace is located inside the blower compartment but every location can vary. Below are the typical places for furnace filter location based on the installation of a unit:
- Horizontal Furnace: Check to see if your furnace has a slide-in furnace rack, built into the furnace where the filter is housed.
- Upflow Furnace: With air moving upwards, the filter will be located in the blower compartment next to the cold air return. Remove both the top and bottom door to access the furnace filter location.
- Downflow Furnace: The air is moving downwards, which means the filter will be located in the upper blower compartment. If you have a V-shaped filter system, you will need two filters for your system. Both filters are up in the plenum in a V-shape.
Types of Furnace Filters
There are several different filters used for furnaces, such as:
- HEPA filters
- Pleated filters
- Electrostatic filters
- Polyester filters
- Fiberglass/Synthetic filters
Signs Your Furnace Filter Needs Changing:
Your gas furnace or other HVAC system exhibits signs that indicate it’s time to change your filter. Below are signs:
- If you notice your filter is gray
- Dirt or dust is visible around the unit
- Gas furnace is cycling longer than normal
- Extremely dusty home
The most prominent sign your filter needs replaced is if it’s been awhile since you remember changing it! Schedule preventive maintenance seasonally with Douglas Cooling & Heating, and we will replace your filter before it affects the performance of your system.
Why Change Your Furnace Filter?
- Enhanced comfort: Filters are responsible for removing contaminants from your air supply and keeping the airflow smooth. A clogged filter restricts the airflow and prevents air, warm or cool, from moving throughout your home effectively.
- Improved performance: A clean filter allows air to move easily through your system, without forcing your unit to work overtime. Clean filters also reduce the buildup of dust and debris inside your HVAC unit, which compromises its performance. When a filter becomes clogged or dirty, and the airflow is restricted, your system has to work harder to control the temperature in your home, resulting in breakdowns.
- Healthier indoor air quality: Your indoor air will become polluted and cause health issues for your family when the filter isn’t changed regularly. The filter is responsible for removing airborne contaminants from your indoor air before circulating the air throughout your home. You will suffer from viruses, bacteria, mold, pollen, dust, and other debris when your filter is dirty.
- Increased energy efficiency: A heating system can only function efficiently when it’s not over-stressed. A clogged or dirty filter forces your system to work harder, which results in higher energy use. A clean air filter requires your system to use less energy and increases the energy efficiency of your entire system.
How Often Do I Need to Change My Furnace Filter?
Depending on the types of furnace filters installed in a unit, the recommendation of how often to change them varies.
- Standard efficiency filters: If you have a low MERV rating on your filter, you need to change it more frequently than high-efficiency filters, about once a month.
- Check the packaging: The packaging your filter comes in should have a recommendation from the manufacturer for when to replace your filter.
- System use: The filter should be changed before and after you use your system. Before winter, schedule maintenance on your furnace to have the filter replaced and following winter, change the filter once more.
- Higher pollutants: If you have pets or someone smokes inside your home, your indoor air quality is reduced more than homes without pets or smokers. Pet dander, pet hair, and smoke contaminate your filter and air quickly. Consider changing your filter more often to keep your indoor air quality healthy longer.
Locate your furnace filter and know which filter is best for your home. Contact Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule maintenance and have our NATE-certified technicians replace your filter before it compromises the performance and efficiency of your unit or your indoor air quality.
What Every Business Owner Needs to Know About Commercial HVAC Maintenance
February 13th, 2018Just like residential homes, businesses have heating and cooling systems that need to be maintained to keep them operating at their highest efficiency and to lengthen their lifespan. Even though both residential and commercial systems are similar, they have significant differences that business owners should understand. When scheduling commercial HVAC maintenance on your system, contact a licensed and experienced central heating and air contractor that specializes in commercial equipment. Our NATE-certified technicians at Douglas Cooling & Heating are qualified and knowledgeable to handle any commercial HVAC repair or maintenance you need!
What Makes Commercial HVAC Systems Different?
Even though commercial and residential HVAC systems are similar when it comes to heating and cooling methods, as a business owner you need to understand what makes your commercial unit different so you won’t experience costly breakdowns when you least expect them. The significant differences between commercial and residential systems are:
- Different locations for commercial systems
The size of commercial heating and cooling systems require unique placement compared to the typical location of residential units. Residential equipment is installed behind or next to a home, but commercial HVAC systems need more space due to the large size of the unit. Installation of a commercial system is on the roof of your building where ample space is available. Placing your commercial system on the roof also protects it against vandalism and offers easy access for commercial HVAC repairs and maintenance without disrupting daily business operations.
- Ventilation for commercial systems
Extra ventilation for residential homes is achieved through the use of windows, but commercial units don’t always have windows available for extra ventilation. Instead, commercial equipment utilizes other types of components for more complex ventilation to provide consistent temperatures throughout your building and increase indoor air quality for your employees and customers.
- Commercial systems are packaged
With a residential system, the equipment is often split with the blower, evaporator, and condensate drain housed indoors and the compressor, condenser, and condenser fan housed outside. Commercial HVAC units are packaged with everything in one single cabinet. The only part of the commercial system housed indoors are the zone dampers and ducts. Only an experienced central heating and air contractor should perform commercial HVAC repairs considering the system is more complicated with all the major components grouped in one place.
- Commercial drainage systems
The drainage system for residential equipment is much smaller than the drainage system of a commercial system. There are multiple pipes and pans utilized to ensure complete evaporation and reduce the possibility of overflow from your commercial system.
- Commercial systems are more powerful
A residential system only has to provide enough cooling and heating to a small number of people living in a home. Commercial equipment is much larger and more powerful to provide sufficient climate control to a higher number of employees and customers during peak operating hours, and sometimes are used to facilitate production. Installation of a correctly sized unit for your business should be done by a commercial central heating and air contractor that understands the power you need to create a comfortable indoor environment.
- Commercial units are more complex
An HVAC system for a residence is simple with the outdoor unit and indoor unit working together. When one fails, generally both are replaced to create a matched syste,. A commercial system is more flexible and sophisticated compared to a residential unit. An HVAC system for a business is more adaptable to the building’s structure, the number of occupants, and how often the building is in use. Commercial HVAC repairs are performed on components independently in a commercial system, which offers easy replacement for damaged parts without replacing the entire unit.
Why Commercial HVAC Maintenance Is Important
Commercial buildings spend a significant amount of energy with their HVAC systems, and routine maintenance keeps your equipment operating at its highest efficiency. Just like with residential systems, commercial units will perform longer with fewer breakdowns when they are serviced on a regular basis. Replacing a commercial system is far more expensive than a residential unit, which is why maintenance should be high on your priority list for your business. Douglas Cooling & Heating offers commercial HVAC maintenance plans to keep your equipment operating efficiently for a long time.
Douglas Cooling & Heating has experienced and skilled commercial central heating and air contractors that will keep your system performing efficiently year-round! Contact us today to schedule your commercial HVAC maintenance with our NATE-certified technicians.
Finishing Your Basement? What You Need to Know About Basement HVAC
February 8th, 2018UPDATED July 2019 – Finishing your basement adds value to your home, offers additional square footage to enjoy and offers refuge for severe weather but have you considered your basement HVAC?
Before you can finish your basement and choose decor, consider what it needs to maintain comfortable temperatures. Do you already have basement HVAC ducting installed or will you need to decide where and how to install more?
If your HVAC system impacts your remodeling, discuss your plans with a professional HVAC contractor. Contact Douglas Cooling & Heating to have our NATE-certified technicians inspect your current system. We offer affordable suggestions so heating and cooling your finished basement goes smoothly.
In this blog, we’ll cover what you need to know about remodeling and basement HVAC.
Keep Your Basement HVAC System Hidden but Safe
Many homes have air handlers, furnaces, water heaters, water softeners and other mechanical equipment housed in the basement. While planning how you will finish your basement, consider how to enclose your HVAC system and mechanicals. This keeps the focus on the entertainment areas. Incorporating a utility room, for example, conceals the equipment but allows access via a door for maintenance and repairs.
Many homeowners find they like having some unfinished space too, for seasonal decor and other storage. Just be sure to allow for adequate space around your mechanicals. They need proper airflow.
In addition, gas furnaces need to meet gas code requirements for ventilation. The National Fuel Gas Code specifies the number of cubic feet required to vent your furnace based on the BTU output. Your design must allow proper room around the heating unit for safety.
Know Your HVAC Codes and Permit Considerations
Building codes vary depending on different factors. If you don’t have windows in your basement or you don’t have enough for proper ventilation, installation of a mechanical ventilation system might be required to create a healthy and safe environment.
Most unfinished basements don’t have ductwork present for heating and cooling. We recommend you determine what and how much new basement HVAC ducting you need. Put it on paper.
If you need to obtain a building permit, it usually requires you to provide a visible plan. Include in your plan the location of your current system, the supply and return ducts, plus additional basement HVAC ducting you plan to install. Contact your local municipality to find out if you need a building permit.
If you choose a professional HVAC contractor like Douglas Cooling & Heating, our team designs the system and helps with any plans for permits.
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Determine the Size of Basement HVAC System You Need
This is important. It’s critical to plan the appropriate size and design of the ductwork to match the capacity of your HVAC system. If the addition of your basement HVAC is more than your heating and cooling system can handle, it creates new problems.
We see this in cases in older homes and buildings, especially, which have had additions over the years.
If your system is over or undersized for the heating and cooling needs of the building, you’ll have uneven temperatures. It also strains your system to keep up and sets you up for more repairs and even early replacements.
Avoid that when you use a qualified and skilled heating and cooling technician to determine the correct size HVAC system needed. If you add supplemental heating and cooling equipment, size only the new finished space for the add-on basement HVAC. Lean on our NATE-certified team for success.
Additions Versus Upgrades
You have two options if your current HVAC system doesn’t meet the capacity needed for heating and cooling your finished basement:
- Upgrade your existing HVAC system to a larger capacity unit
- Add a second HVAC system to provide the necessary heating and air to your finished basement
The best option depends on your situation and personal preferences. If your HVAC system is fairly new, an upgrade might not be the most cost-effective choice.
However, if your system is old and requires more frequent repairs, upgrading to a higher capacity HVAC unit might be the perfect choice for your home and basement. This might be the perfect excuse to upgrade your system’s efficiency too!
Technology and energy efficiency in heating and air continues to evolve. Previously, an 80 percent efficiency furnace was standard. Now, you can get a gas furnace that uses 98 cents of every dollar spent to heat your home.
Air conditioners and heat pumps are also more energy-efficient. At Douglas Cooling & Heating, we offer Bryant central air models like the popular Evolution ® 189BNV. It’s quiet and thanks to its variable-speed compressor, it offers an ENERGY STAR-qualifying SEER up to 19.
If you prefer a heat pump, we recommend the Bryant Evolution ® 288BNV or 280A. Both use variable-speeds for greater comfort and efficiency. They offer top-of-the-line SEER and HSPF ratings. The 288BNV was named to the list of Most Efficient of ENERGY STAR 2019 while the 280A is specifically known for excellent dehumidification.
New Kid on the Block: Ductless Heating and Cooling
What to do when basement HVAC ducting isn’t available, complex or when a system’s capacity can’t meet the needs of the additional square footage? Try a ductless system. Ductless, used for decades in Europe and Asia, continues to win fans in the U.S.
The heat pump condenser installs outside while the indoor air handler installs on a wall or ceiling. This allows you to comfortably heat and cool your newly-finished basement without ductwork.
The indoor units offer flexibility for installation, and they can be set up on a zoned system for increased efficiency. Depending on the model, you can connect up to six indoor units to a single outdoor AC compressor.
At Douglas Cooling & Heating, we install Bryant ductless heat pumps with cooling efficiencies up to 30.5 SEER and heating ratings up to 10.3 HSPF.
Basement HVAC Design and Installation Experts: Douglas Cooling & Heating in Birmingham, AL
Make the best choices when it comes to heating your finished basement! Contact Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule a free estimate for a new unit or to schedule service. Questions about whether your current system is sized correctly? We’re happy to help. Our HVAC technicians are NATE-certified and the best in the industry.
After basement HVAC installation, make routine maintenance easy with a service plan membership. We offer three different plans to fit any budget. So call Douglas Cooling & Heating today and schedule an HVAC maintenance visit for your heating and cooling system.
Our team serves homeowners throughout the Birmingham, Alabama area, including Vestavia Hills, Pelham, Mountain Brook, Homewood and Hoover. You’ll also find us in Bessemer, Calera, Chelsea and Helena, Alabama.