| Solving air flow problems in your home | | | | GE ECM motor is installed. The ECM motor also |
| Basic things that the homeowner can check to | | | | allows homeowners to qualify for a $50.00 EPACT |
| help air flow: | | | | tax credit that you can receive when you do |
| First and foremost, check your furnace filter to | | | | your taxes, so even the Federal government |
| see if it is dirty and if so, remove the dirty filter | | | | wants you to go for it! |
| and install a new furnace filter. Plugged furnace | | | | - For some reason your home does not have |
| filters restrict air flow by creating a pressure drop. | | | | enough return air openings to even allow enough |
| Next, walk around your house to see if any cold | | | | air to enter the duct system at all! We need to |
| air returns have anything such as couches, rugs | | | | build additional return air openings into your |
| or cabinets obstructing the vent. If anything is | | | | ductwork so that we can get additional CFM into |
| obstructing the vent, then remove these | | | | the HVAC system so that your AC indoor |
| obstructions so that the cold air return, which is | | | | evaporator coil can stop freezing. Good golly, |
| an air intake, can draw in enough air. Last, but not | | | | you're paying more money on cooling not to |
| least, walk around your home to check to see if | | | | mention the fact that your AC doesn't even keep |
| all supply registers (heat vents that blows out air) | | | | your house cold enough! Let's fix that and add |
| are open. All supply registers should be open. A | | | | some new return air openings so that you can |
| popular homeowner misnomar, is that by shutting | | | | save some money on your utility bill and actually |
| off certain vents throughout the house will cause | | | | cool down this summer too! |
| other vents to blow harder. This simply is not | | | | - Let's go ahead and rip out the 4" diameter |
| true, because CFM (a measurement of air flow, | | | | supply runs and install 6" diameter runs so that |
| cubic feet per minute) is determined by the pipes | | | | we can circulate more air into that sun room! |
| diameter and only so much CFM can ever blow | | | | - You know, your ducts amazingly enough are |
| out due to the size of the round, regardless if | | | | sized correctly, but all of the air is escaping into |
| other registers are shut off or not. Shutting down | | | | unfinished portions of the house because the |
| too many supply registers usually causes more | | | | construction of the ductwork is very loose. Let's |
| harm than good by creating pressurization | | | | go ahead and seal up every trunk line connection, |
| problems with the overall duct system, that in an | | | | brace, joyce and end cap with mastic duct |
| extreme case can actually cause your furnace to | | | | sealant. By sealing up every duct connection on |
| short cycle on a high limit and hence increases the | | | | the entire system we'll see if we can blow those |
| cost on your utility bill while working key HVAC | | | | curtains side ways afterall! No, just kidding, but |
| components and parts to reduce their life | | | | the air will come out a touch harder, though as a |
| expectancy. Never buy and install heat vent filters | | | | result in sealing up the ductwork better and you |
| either, because these filters really cause | | | | will see a significant reduction in your utility bill |
| pressurization problems too. If there is too much | | | | because the system will only cycle half as often |
| dust blowing out of the vents, then the best thing | | | | now. |
| that you may consider is to have the HVAC | | | | - You know, for some reason all of your |
| system cleaned out thoroughly with the power | | | | ductwork is sized correctly, but the return leg |
| vacuum/air sweep method in air duct cleaning by | | | | that is attached to your furnace is severly |
| an ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of | | | | undersized and is acting like a choke point. Lets rip |
| America) member company. An average price for | | | | this leg out and install a bigger one with a greater |
| a 1 furnace home would cost between | | | | dimension! |
| $400.00-$700.00 to do the job correctly, | | | | - You know, your homebuilder really got cheap |
| depending on where you live in the country and | | | | and should have installed 2 seperate systems |
| depending on the service providers cost to | | | | considering that your home is 3600 Sq/ft. Two |
| operate. | | | | smaller systems will actually cost you less on the |
| Some solutions that an HVAC company or | | | | utility bill to operate and will provide greater |
| contractor may suggest: | | | | comfort. Save up some money and lets build that |
| Very often in older homes, air ducts are sized | | | | second system in the attic! |
| incorrectly due to building departments in the past | | | | - You know, the most cost effective thing that I |
| not emphasizing the importance of properly sized | | | | can think of that will improve your indoor comfort |
| air duct construction and the by the fact that the | | | | tremendously is to simply just zone your current |
| builder wanted to save a buck to construct his | | | | system so that 3 different thermostats will |
| own ductwork rather than paying a heating and | | | | control 3 different temperatures in your home. |
| cooling professional to install the ductwork | | | | Aprilaire and Honeywell make great zoning |
| properly. In recent years, many building | | | | systems and we usually can get this system |
| departments throughout the United States really | | | | installed from $3800.00-$6,000.00 depending on |
| have zeroed in on enforcing proper duct design, | | | | how fancy of a system you want to have |
| so in most newer homes indoor thermal comfort | | | | installed! |
| has improved drastically. Some of the things that | | | | You see some of these bandaide jobs will cost |
| your licensed HVAC company or contractor may | | | | just a few hundred dollars, while some solutions |
| suggest to you to drastically help your older | | | | may cost a few thousand dollars, but in the end |
| homes air flow is as follows: | | | | after the corrections are made, your utility bill will |
| - Let me tear out all of your ducts and start | | | | probably reduce a bunch and you'll finally have |
| over! (That would be sweet, however in many | | | | true indoor comfort that you didn't have before. |
| instances that is just not practical due to cost, | | | | Many HVAC companies and or contractors will |
| time and a big mess!) | | | | give you more than one option to consider as well |
| - I can bandaide your homes HVAC system by | | | | so that no matter what you decide on some sort |
| replacing your old inefficient furnace with a Rheem | | | | of indoor air comfort solution will be achieved to |
| 80% AFUE 2 stage variable speed furnace | | | | atleast improve the comfort situation. The best |
| equipped with the GE ECM motor. Visit to learn | | | | thing that you can do as a homeowner is to |
| more about the GE ECM motor. The GE ECM | | | | select an ACCA member heating and air |
| motor operates 30-40% more efficiently than a | | | | conditioning company or contractor to ensure that |
| standard conventional multi-speed motor and | | | | your comfort specialist has all of the latest and |
| sustains constant CFM even if your ductwork is | | | | greatest training, tools and professional assistance |
| undersized and restrictive. What this means is that | | | | to best serve you as a customer. In the long |
| vents that seem to never blow air with your | | | | term you won't regret it because you will save |
| inefficient old furnace will all of a sudden blow air | | | | some money on the utility bill and you will be |
| after the new Rheem furnace equipped with the | | | | much more comfortable in your home as a result. |