Just like you need to take your car in to the shop for routine tune-ups, such as oil changes or looking at possible concerns, your home comfort system should get the same kind of attention. Scheduled maintenance by a trained technician provides numerous benefits to your HVAC equipment, which can help your systems perform efficiently and prevent costly breakdowns.
The cost varies depending on the equipment size and different features, so we recommend contacting 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. at 949-204-0859 to receive a quote.
With two-stage heating, furnaces may work on two different levels: high and low. Since you can heat your home on the low setting a lot of the time, a two-stage furnace can work longer and more efficiently. Two-stage heating also works more quietly than traditional furnaces and can provide more even heat distribution and fewer temperature swings.
1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. offers a selection of different brands and models that have advanced technology to assist with heating and cooling your home more efficiently. Technology in the newer HVAC systems gives more precision when it comes to meeting your home comfort needs. If you want more information, please reach out to our experts at 949-204-0859.
Depending on how old your previous furnace was, you could experience a number of differences. Furnaces today are created to provide more even and efficient heating than ever before. Modern furnaces also better regulate temperature and air flow, moving more air over the heat exchanger than older furnaces.
Additionally, new furnaces are created to integrate with other high-efficiency HVAC products, such as air conditioners. The air conditioner blowers offer your heating system an extra boost so it can deliver cool air around your home efficiently. Special features like variable speed motors will also help lessen noise associated with operating your equipment and easily meet your family's airflow needs.
The Department of Energy recently raised the minimum efficiency levels for air conditioners, heat pumps and packaged units made after Jan. 1, 2015, since heating and cooling contributes significantly to a homes total energy usage. The requirements vary by region, so call 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. for the efficiency standards for Lake Forest.
There are many ways to decrease your energy costs and one of the best ways is to make sure you have an energy-efficient HVAC system. 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. offers many highly efficient products that will help reduce the amount of energy you are using and save you money. In addition to shopping for products that have the Energy Star® certification, high SEER ratings for air conditioners or AFUE ratings for furnaces, here are some other steps to consider:
- Remember to arrange routine maintenance and have an experienced technician take a look at your system to make sure its running efficiently.
- If you have clear areas of your home that you need to heat or cool, you may want to consider a zoning system. This allows you to target that area and eliminates wasted energy on heating or cooling areas that aren't used.
- Programmable or smart thermostats make it simpler to maintain your home comfort while not consuming energy to heat or cool your space if you aren't home. It is an easy way to lower energy costs and once you set it, you can walk away and be confident its going to take care of your indoor comfort.
1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. has been supporting the Lake Forest community for many years and has been providing trustworthy and dependable service. Our service and the products we carry are of the highest quality and you won't be disappointed in the results. Our experienced team is here to help you get your ideal home comfort.
There are four things to assess when enhancing your indoor air quality:
- The indoor air quality in your house starts to suffer when the air begins filling up with air pollutants. The biggest concern is removing these pollutants. Some to-dos to include on your weekly checklist is vacuuming, washing your linens and making sure any cleaning products are stored properly.
- Especially in newer homes, the insulation is installed so well that it might be difficult for these pollutants to leave the home. While it helps to keep your home warm or cool, depending on the season, its valuable to get some fresh air inside.
- Make sure that you have good ventilation and perform routine maintenance on your system. And while that's helpful, you can also take your IAQ even further by using air filters, germicidal lights and purification systems to get rid of particles while eliminating chemical vapors.
- Smart or programmable thermostats can help control humidity levels as well as the temperature. This can help stop germs and other particles from collecting while sustaining your home comfort.
Each house brings a unique situation, which is why we advise that you contact our team at 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. to find out which solution will be best for your space. Our experts will conduct an evaluation of your current system and determine what your ideal home comfort looks like. That will help us decide which products will be most effective.
You might be surprised to know that air conditioners don't technically make your home cooler; they actually remove the hot air and move it outside. This hot air moves across a refrigerant coil on the indoor unit and then is sent to the outdoor unit where it is released. Your air conditioner transfers as much hot air outside as is necessary to reach the temperature you have set on your thermostat.
Minimum energy efficiency standards vary by region. Additionally, air conditioners, heat pumps and packaged units made after Jan. 1, 2015, have higher minimum efficiency levels than HVAC products manufactured prior to that date. The team at 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. can help you determine the minimum requirements for Lake Forest, let you know if your current systems meets those requirements or help you find a replacement air conditioner that does.
Your systems service panel will have a white label on it, with your systems model and serial numbers at the top. M/N is the model number and S/N is the serial number.
Since equipment size needs are different for every home, the best way to figure out the right size equipment for your home is to have a technician from 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. come out to perform load calculation tests. The tests take measurements such as square footage, insulation value and amount, and more into account to determine your homes unique HVAC equipment needs.
Yes debris can limit your systems ability to function effectively. Its not uncommon for heat pumps to have frost or ice on them in the colder months, but many include defrost controls so they can work efficiently regardless of the weather conditions.
When a cooling systems has two-stage cooling, it means that there are two levels of operation. This allows the system to work most effectively since there is one level for milder weather and another for harsher weather that demands the system work harder. Two-stage cooling also enables more even temperatures so you don't experience extreme differences in temperature. Aside from better efficiency, other benefits of two-stage cooling include quieter operation and enhanced humidity control.
When your cooling unit freezes up, there are a variety of reasons why it could be doing so. The most typical reasons include: dirty filters, low refrigerant, a dirty evaporative coil and a faulty blower motor or relay.
A dirty filter is something you can fix as a homeowner, but the others need to be fixed by a professional like those at 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.. Contact them at 949-204-0859 with any further questions you may have.
1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. carries a number of great thermostat options for your HVAC systems. The best thermostat for you will depend on a couple variables, such as whether you want one that's programmable or not. No matter what kind of thermostat you'd like or if you're looking for something that can fit with a home automation system call 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. to hear about which thermostats you can choose from. Our team will help you find one that fits with your system, your family's needs and your budget.
A heat pump covers both your homes heating and cooling needs, offering you one HVAC system that can be used in all four seasons. During the warmer months, heat pumps act like an air conditioner, capturing the hot air from inside your home and transferring it outside; in the cooler months, this process is reversed. Heat pumps can be very energy efficient and may produce two to three times more heat than the energy used.
At 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., we do recommend replacing both your indoor and outdoor units at the same time because:
- Outdoor systems are now built to work with their matching indoor system for the most efficiency. When you replace one system but not the other, you may not see the same energy efficiency levels as if you had replaced them together.
- Thanks to technological improvements, newer systems mean improved efficiency. This is true for heating and cooling products as well. While the advancements focus on greater heating and cooling efficiency, they also include benefits such as better air handling, filtering and noise reduction.
- If your heating and cooling systems are 10+ years old, they need to be replaced. Older models have outdated technology that is likely adding to your energy costs due to poor efficiency. So by replacing your indoor system at the same time as your outdoor equipment, both your systems will provide better energy efficiency that helps you decrease your energy bills and keep your home more comfortable.
Your home energy system might have a communication module that delivers performance stats to an online site or portal. You can visit this to review your system's status, the amount of energy being produced and the positive effect you are having on the environment. You can also take a look at your owner's manual for recommendations on monitoring performance.
Rain will clean the modules naturally in most areas; however, if you live in a dusty area, you might see improved performance after periodically spraying the modules with water. Please note that high-pressure hoses and detergents should never be used to clean solar modules, as they can damage the product.
1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. can help recommend the right thermostat for you based on your home and current heating and cooling equipment. We have a selection of programmable and nonprogrammable thermostats, which can help improve the efficiency of your homes furnace and/or air conditioner. Browse our thermostats or give us a call at 949-204-0859 for more information.
A large portion of your monthly energy costs can be attributed to your heating and cooling system. It makes sense, because our home comfort is an important aspect of our day-to-day lives. Fortunately, there are high-efficiency solutions from 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. that can keep you comfortable while also decreasing energy costs. When it's time for you to look for a new HVAC system, there are a couple things to consider. You'll want to find air conditioners with high SEER ratings and furnaces with high AFUE ratings. These ratings measure efficiency, so the larger the number the better off you'll be when it comes to saving on energy costs. You can also review these tips:
- Keep your system operating to its best ability by booking routine maintenance. It helps sustain efficiency and make sure everything is working properly.
- Consider a zoning system if you only have specific rooms that need to be heated or cooled. There is no need to use energy altering the temperature in a room that is never, or rarely used.
- The U.S. Department of Energy states that programmable thermostats can save up to 35 percent on heating costs and 25 percent on cooling costs. There are a lot of programmable and smart thermostat products that are easy to use and vary in the type of features-so you can find an option that you are comfortable with.
A zoning system lets you parcel your residence and heat or air condition each part differently. While these systems work well for houses that have parts that are seldom occupied, they could also be helpful in situations where you and your family cant agree on the temperature in certain areas of your residence. There are a collection of additional pluses of zoning systems, including efficiency and comfort. Browse our selection of zoning systems or give 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. a ring to see how a zoning system could fit in your home.