Author Archives: matthew.tyner

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the most common method of heating residences and commercial buildings throughout the nation is with a forced air furnace. With an astounding level of practicality and functionality, forced air furnaces are efficient, easy to install and offer several other benefits. Whether you’re in the market for a new forced air furnace or simply looking for more information about the unit, check out the following information to see how they work.

How Forced Air Furnaces Work

The forced air furnace pulls colder air through the ductwork running throughout your home into the furnace where it’s heated. Once the furnace heats the cool air, the heated air is then sent back through different ductwork and pushed out through heat registers to warm your home.

Basic Parts of a Forced Air Furnace

• The thermostat communicates with the furnace, telling it when to turn on and off. When temperatures drop below the thermostat setting, the furnace will turn on. When the temperature reaches the desired setting, the thermostat will turn the furnace burners off.
• The oil or gas burner is the source of heat for the system, which communicates with the thermostat.
• The heat exchanger is a metal box that houses the combustion of gases from the burning oil or gas. The exhaust exits through a vent in the heat exchanger and is sent outside.
• The blower, which is located between the furnace itself and the cold air return, pulls the cool air from your home and sends it into the furnace through the cold air return. The cool air will circulate around the heat exchanger until it’s warmed. It’s then sent to the air plenum located on the output side of the furnace.
• In your home, there are both return ducts and supply ducts. The return registers accept cool air in your home through the cool air ducts. The warm air is then blown through the warm air ducts into your rooms once it’s been heated and sent to the air plenum.
• Your forced air furnace also has a blower, which is controlled by the fan limit switch.

Benefits of Forced Air Furnaces

• Compatible – The biggest advantage of a using forced air furnaces is the sharing of ductwork and vents with air conditioning units.
• Cost – With few component parts, the cost of forced air heating systems is fairly low compared to other systems, such as radiant heating. The low cost feature makes this type of heating solution the prime choice for builders wanting to keep the cost of materials low and for the cost-conscious homeowner.
• Energy efficient – Although radiant heating systems generally offer a higher energy efficient rating than forced air furnaces, a forced air heating system can provide a high energy efficiency rating. Your furnace’s energy efficiency is measured by the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE), which represents the amount of fuel your furnace uses and wastes during the year to heat your home. The higher your AFUE, the more efficient your furnace. Older furnaces can have an AFUE as low as 65, which means that only 65 percent of the fuel is converted into usable heat. Today’s furnaces can have an AFUE rating up to 98, which means significant savings on your heating bill. Keep in mind the AFUE rating will decrease over time, especially if it’s not well maintained.
• Better with programmable thermostat – Programmable thermostats work at a higher efficiency with forced air heating systems than they do with radiant systems. While the pipes of a radiant heating system take a much longer time to heat up and need more time to match the requests of the thermostat, forced air furnaces respond to programming or temperature requests and changes almost immediately. As a result, forced air furnaces waste much less energy than radiant heating systems.

If you have additional questions regarding a forced air furnace or for other home comfort concerns, contact the professionals at Keith Air Conditioning. Our team of experienced professionals have been serving the Baldwin-Mobile area for over 50 years.

If you’re planning to replace your existing HVAC system, doing so with high efficiency HVAC equipment will increase your comfort without raising energy bills. Heating and cooling equipment that offers high efficiency is labeled with the Energy Star or Most Efficient label, and these systems have met strict criteria to earn this designation.

Since conditioning your home uses about half the energy you use each year, opting for systems that lower your consumption translates to lower utility bills. Although such equipment costs more than the systems that meet the minimum standards for efficiency, the payback when replacing is faster.

Furnaces

A combustion furnace’s heating performance is reflected in its annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating, which expresses how much of the fuel it consumes is actually used for home heating. The minimum stands at 78, which translates to a system that wastes 22 percent of the fuel it uses. To be considered high efficiency, the furnace must have an AFUE of 90, wasting just 10 percent of the fuel it uses.

The most efficient furnace on the market—a condensing furnace—uses close to 99 percent of the fuel it consumes. This kind of furnace incorporates a second heat exchanger to remove the heat from the water vapor burned gas creates. Instead of going up the flue or chimney, it’s used for heating your home.

Other high efficiency HVAC equipment that’s suitable for heating your home in our climate include air handlers that contain variable speed motors, which use much less electricity than a single-speed motor does. You’ll benefit winter and summer because these systems offer more comfort and improved indoor air quality. The motor runs more slowly and quietly.

Heat Pumps

This is often the high efficiency HVAC equipment of choice for our region since winters are mild. The minimum efficiency for cooling stands at a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of 13 and a heating season performance factor (HSPF) of 7.7 for heating. To qualify for high efficiency status, the SEER must be 14.5 and the HSPF must be 8.2 or more.

Air Conditioning Systems

Central air conditioners must meet the same SEER requirements that a heat pump does.

Installation Matters

While installing high-efficiency equipment is fundamental to achieving comfort and energy savings, how it’s installed makes a difference in its performance. Your HVAC contractor should cover these areas during the selection and installation process:

• Correct sizing – Avoid hiring an HVAC contractor who simply looks at the size of your existing equipment and goes by that. Sizing the system should be done with software tools called Manuals J and D. These take into account the conditioning load of your home and the ductwork and its configuration. A system that’s too large runs in short cycles more often during the day and drives up energy bills while increasing wear on the parts. One that’s too small won’t keep your home as comfortable when it’s exceptionally hot or cold.
• Energy efficiency upgrades – Improving attic insulation, increasing window energy efficiency and sealing air leaks will improve the system’s performance.
• Placement – The outdoor condensers for air conditioners and heat pumps should be placed in your yard where sunshine is limited to reduce cooling costs. The condenser has to get rid of the heat from your home, and shielding it from sunshine helps the hot refrigerant cool down.
• Ductwork – The contractor needs to conduct a thorough evaluation of your ducts to verify that they’re an adequate size for the new equipment and have few, if any, leaks. Leaking ducts will reduce the performance of high efficiency HVAC equipment substantially. The air will enter places in your home where it’s not needed, driving your conditioning costs up. Depending on the size of the leak or breach, the wasted energy could be substantial.
• Refrigerant levels – Heat pumps and air conditioners use refrigerant as the conditioning mechanism. Improper amounts reduce the efficiency of either system, and if the level is too low, could even cause your system to stop working.
• Maintenance – Keeping the air filter clean for the air handler and the outdoor condenser clean and free from nearby vegetation improves operating efficiency, as does annual professional maintenance.

To learn more about high efficiency HVAC equipment in the Mobile and Baldwin County area, contact Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. today.

One of the more recent improvements in heating systems for our region is a two-stage furnace. They make more sense in an area like ours over a single-stage heating system, which runs at top speed only. In our climate, a system that can run at a lower speed in a mild winter climate can lead to reduced utility costs.

How Two-Stage Heating Works

The gas valve adjusts itself in a two-stage heating system so that the heating cycle starts on low. If the sensor inside the system finds that your home doesn’t need much heating, the system will continue to run on low. However, during extremely cold weather, it might ramp up to the higher setting, opening the gas valve and running the air handler’s fan at the highest speed.

Advantages of a Two-Stage Furnace

• Reduced short cycling – When your furnace short cycles, it turns on and off more frequently, driving up energy bills and increasing wear on all the parts, which can potentially cause premature part failure.
• Increased comfort – Because the two-stage furnace runs at a slower speed, it heats the air more evenly and heating the air in each room thoroughly. A single-stage heating system that runs continually on high can leave rooms further from the air handler cooler. A two-stage heating system also runs more quietly since the fan isn’t running as fast.
• Better indoor air quality – The longer running speed traps more airborne particulates, improving the quality of your indoor air. If someone in your home has allergies or asthma, switching to a two-stage system could lessen their symptoms.
• Better heating efficiency – Combustion heating systems have an efficiency rating known as the annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE. It indicates how efficiently the system uses fuel. While a two-stage system may have the same AFUE as a single-speed system, it’ll be more energy efficient because it doesn’t use as much fuel or electricity to run in the slower heating mode.

For more information on a two-stage furnace versus single-stage heating, contact Keith Air Conditioning. We proudly serve homeowners in and around Mobile and Baldwin counties.

If you’ve been using a portable heater to warm a space in your home that’s not served by your heating system, like a garage, you might want to look into ductless heating instead. Over the long run, using a ductless mini split for your heating needs can save you money and keep you safer.

A ductless mini split is a heat pump that uses no ductwork to deliver conditioned air. Like a heat pump, it’s an energy-efficient appliance, unlike many portable heaters. Heat pumps work by moving heat from one place to another. In the summer, they take it out of your home, and in winter, they extract it from the outdoor air.

Heat pumps have two primary components: an indoor air handler that vents directly into the space and an outdoor condenser. A flexible conduit that carries the refrigerant, drainpipe and power connects the two. This requires just a 3-inch hole through an exterior wall to connect the air handler and condenser.

If you’re using an electric portable heater, you’ll save substantial energy dollars by switching to a mini split system. Mini splits have the same energy efficiency requirements that heat pumps do, indicated by their coefficient of performance (COP), which can range from 2 to 4 or even higher. The COP indicates how much heat the heat pump creates from one unit of energy. A unit with a COP of 4 creates four times the heat from one unit of energy. Portable electric heaters, on the other hand, create just one unit of energy from each unit they use.

The ductless heating system also offers advantages over portable heaters that use combustion fuel, like kerosene or propane. Some of these heaters burn nearly all the fuel they use, which increases their efficiency, but they’re not as safe as a ductless system. Although these systems have sensors that measure the room’s oxygen content, there’s always the risk of the sensor malfunctioning.

To learn more about using ductless heating versus a portable heater, contact the experts at Keith Air Conditioning. We serve homeowners in the Mobile and Baldwin County.

It’s been a couple of years since it snowed in Mobile, but that doesn’t mean you don’t still need your furnace. Over the course of the season, it can get quite a workout as you try to keep warm. And then your wallet gets the same workout when you have to pay your heating bills. As winter approaches, it’s important to make sure you have a furnace that can heat your home as efficiently as possible and not cost you a bundle. To ensure that, you need to check the furnace’s AFUE rating.

AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency. It’s the measurement of how much of your furnace’s fuel is used to produce heat over the course of the year, on average, and how much is wasted. The higher the number, the more efficient the furnace. So for instance, if your furnace can convert 80 percent of its fuel into usable heat, with only 20 percent given off as exhaust, then it has an AFUE rating of 80.

Furnaces of 20 years ago or more could have AFUE ratings as low as 65 percent, so if you have an older furnace, it’s probably costing you quite a bit in utilities. Not to mention the fact that a unit’s AFUE rating decreases as it gets older, especially if it’s not well maintained. Modern furnaces, on the other hand, can have AFUE ratings of up to 98 percent, with a minimum rating of 80 to 81 percent for gas furnaces and 78 to 83 percent for oil furnaces.

Buying a new furnace may seem like a significant expense, but it can also be a good investment for your home. Particularly if your furnace is 15 years old or more, needs frequent maintenance and repairs, or just keeps driving your heating bills higher every year, a new, high-efficiency furnace with a good annual fuel utilization efficiency rating can keep you warm and comfortable all winter, while saving you a significant amount of money and hassle.

For more help with AFUE ratings in the Mobile area, or any other home comfort needs, contact Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. today.

Now’s the best time to upgrade your home’s heating and cooling system if you want to take advantage of the available federal tax credits for energy efficiency upgrades. In order to claim these credits on your 2014 federal tax return, you must purchase and have your new system in service by December 31, 2013. If you wait too long, you may miss out on savings of up to $500 if eligible.

What’s Covered Under the Tax Credit Program?

You can receive a tax credit for replacing any of the following:

Central air conditioners

– $300 credit

• Split system upgrades must have a minimum seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of 16 and a minimum energy efficiency ratio (EER) or 13
• Package system upgrades must rate 14 SEER or higher and have at least a 12 EER

Furnaces or boilers

– $150 credit

• Qualifying furnaces can be fueled by either natural gas, oil or propane and must have a minimum annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 95.

Air source heat pump

– $300 credit

• Split system upgrades must rate 15 SEER or higher and have at least a 12.5 EER and heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) of 8.5.
• Package system upgrades must rate 14 SEER or higher and have at least a 12 EER and 8 HSPF

Carrier Systems Eligible for Tax Credits

You can’t go wrong when choosing a high efficiency air conditioning system, such as one of the split system units from Carrier’s Infinity Series. These units offer some of the highest SEER ratings available in the industry, with a range of ratings from 16 to 21.

The Infinity and Performance Series of gas furnaces offer energy-efficient split system models with AFUE ratings of 96 and above. You’ll immediately enjoy savings on heating bills once you have one of these systems installed.

For more information on making the most out of your tax credits for energy efficiency, contact the heating experts at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. We’re proud to provide HVAC services to homeowners throughout Baldwin County.

If you’re retrofitting your garage into usable living space, or searching for a practical way to protect stored household items from the Mobile heat and humidity, discover how ductless systems air condition a garage and offer a sensible energy-efficient solution.

Ductless Systems Air Condition a Garage and More

Ductless mini split air conditioners are compact workhorses that easily outperform wall A/C units for efficiency and cooling capacity without the security risk and eyesore for accommodating a large hole, nor the expense and extra workload placed on a central system for extending ducts.

Ductless systems air condition a garage and/or a converted bedroom above the garage easily, and you can also enjoy a zoning system for personalized temperature settings in each area. For instance, if you don’t need cooling in the retrofitted rooms overnight or at other times, simply turn off the ductless unit to save energy while the central system cools other spaces in the home.

There are three primary components to ductless cooling systems, and this is how they work:

• Outside unit: The compressor/condenser components are housed at the outside unit. The outside unit is compact and versatile, providing multiple installation options for best aesthetics and convenience. Scroll compressors provide efficient and powerful cooling no matter how hot and humid it may get.
• Conduit: A small hole in the outer wall of the home is all that’s needed to extend a thin conduit to each indoor air handler. The conduit houses the high-efficiency refrigerant, power source and condensate drainage line. It may extend well over 100 feet, depending on the chosen model, to accommodate practically any installation.
• Air handler: The air handlers offer multiple installation options. You may choose to mount the sleek air handler high on a wall, flush in a drop ceiling or from the ceiling. Floor mounting at the baseboard is another option for discreet installation.

Ductless systems air condition a garage, retrofitted rooms and room additions for a convenient and energy-efficient cooling solution. For more information about choosing ductless systems for your home improvement project, contact Keith Air Conditioning. We’ve provided exceptional HVAC solutions for Mobile area homeowners since 1964.

Ever since Willis Carrier invented modern air conditioning more than a century ago, Carrier contractors and Carrier HVAC systems, trusted for performance, innovation, quality and service, have made homes, businesses and buildings throughout the world very cool places indeed. It’s no wonder that Carrier is a trusted name in HVAC, but allow us to share more reasons why.

Carrier HVAC Systems, Trusted Industry Leader

Carrier has spearheaded advances in HVAC technology worldwide for decades. Many of the industries which powered the economy in the past and today were made possible with the invention of indoor environmental control and advanced technologies of which Carrier is the cornerstone.

Moreover, the reasons that continue to make Carrier a trusted HVAC name are the core values which transcend a century past, today and tomorrow, and define and guide Carrier’s vision.

• Performance: Carrier engineering strives for innovative growth and advanced HVAC systems technologies which customers can depend on for continued HVAC solutions.
• Responsibility: Carrier leads by example, maintaining the highest of ethical standards and providing a quality workplace for its valued employees. Carrier exemplifies corporate responsibility by supporting and being involved in communities across the country. Carrier designs and engages “green” technologies for environmental responsibility, which is everyone’s future.
• Innovation: Carrier practically invented innovation in HVAC, and it devotes substantial resources for continued research and development.
• Customer care: No one tops Carrier Authorized Dealers for customer service. As a Carrier Authorized Dealer, we value our customers and communities with which we do business, and we are devoted to exceeding customer expectations for 100 percent satisfaction.
• Employee development: Carrier fosters a culture of respect, positive work environment and a commitment to excellence. Our employees are well trained, diverse and here when you need assistance.
• Quality: The sum of Carrier’s core values is quality; quality in HVAC service, repair and installation, in company and community development, the environment and, of course, innovation.

That’s why Carrier contractors and Carrier HVAC systems, trusted yesterday, today and tomorrow, are your best HVAC solutions for upgrades and new installations. Contact your Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer today by calling us at Keith Air Conditioning.

Air conditioners and humidity control are important to a healthy and enjoyable climate in your home. Air conditioners mainly reduce the air temperature in summer and also help reduce humidity. With high humidity, your air conditioner may not remove enough moisture to makes things comfortable in your home. This can leave you feeling too warm in summer (humid and sticky) or too cool in winter (moist and clammy). Too much moisture can also result in growth of mildew, bacteria and mold.

Humidity is the percentage of moisture that can be held in the air at a certain temperature. The average year-round humidity in the Mobile area is over 60 percent, and up to 90 percent in summer. If the moisture in your air is not from a leak and your air conditioner cannot remove enough moisture to maintain comfort, you may need to consider adding a dehumidifier to your home.

Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air by taking in air from the house and cooling it quickly causing moisture to condense, and then pushing the dehumidified air back into the home. Water removed from the air is either collected in the unit or drained away by tubing. You may want to consider adding a dehumidifier to your air conditioning system. Good air conditioners and dehumidifiers can work together to make your home comfortable and for more efficient operation and cost savings in the long run.

Two types of dehumidifiers are whole-house and portable units. The difference between the two is capacity. A whole-house dehumidifier has a larger capacity and can remove moisture from your entire home in less time. Portable dehumidifiers have a smaller capacity to remove moisture and are more suitable for small areas or single rooms. Consumer Reports’ dehumidifier buyer’s guide can help you decide which type would better serve your needs. If you decide to purchase a dehumidifier, you may also be eligible for a tax credit.

Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. is a third-generation family owned business serving the Mobile community since 1964. Contact us for more expert advice and information about our services and ways to get more for your energy dollar.

The journey through the system of your air conditioner’s parts might compare to the adventure in the 1966 movie, “Fantastic Voyage.” Come along with the experts at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. and see how your system works.

Three main stops await: the compressor, condenser and evaporator. A
visual diagram maps it out. The vehicle is a chemical fluid easily converted
between a gas and a liquid. Your air conditioner’s parts transform the fluid
between these two states, absorbing heat from the inside of your home and taking
it outside, keeping you cool in the process.

The journey is circular, and perhaps the best place to begin is…

• The compressor: The working fluid leaves the house in a gaseous state, traveling
  to the outdoor unit where the first stop is the compressor. The gas is squeezed
  together tightly, getting hotter than the air outside, too hot to become a
  liquid just yet. That’s next.

• The condenser: To become a liquid, some of the heat needs to be removed. The
  condenser uses the air outside for cooling, while keeping the pressure high. A
  coiling pattern gives time for the transformation to happen. The liquid, still
  very warm, is sent back into the house, where the cooling magic happens.

• The evaporator: The liquid passes through a tiny nozzle controlling the
  process. Once inside, another set of coils allows space for the liquid to expand into a gas, but the molecules need heat to accomplish this and snap up all they can. The
  heat is taken from the air inside, which your duct system has directed over the
  coils. The air leaves the heat and goes on, cooled and fanned back into the
  house.

This voyage between compression and expansion, harnessing the forces of
energy to keep you cool, is the goal of your air conditioner’s parts.

For more information on air conditioning or any other HVAC topics, contact us at Keith Air Conditioning. We’re proud to have served the Mobile and greater Baldwin County area since 1964.