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More than 20,000 Americans visit the emergency room for carbon monoxide poisoning each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carbon monoxide is so dangerous because it can quickly starve your body of oxygen, all the while being completely colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
Thankfully, carbon monoxide poisoning is completely preventable when you install a smoke and carbon monoxide detector and hire a heating and cooling contractor to perform furnace repairs and maintenance.
HOW HVAC CONTRACTORS DETECT CARBON MONOXIDE LEAKS
While it’s normal for small levels of carbon monoxide to exit the furnace exhaust, there shouldn’t be any traces of the gas leaking into your home. Thankfully, a furnace maintenance contractor will be able to detect carbon monoxide leaks during your furnace service.
HOW CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS WORK
Carbon monoxide alarms are designed to go off once they detect a certain level of carbon monoxide in the air. Depending on the type of carbon monoxide detector you install, the alarm may be triggered by different mechanisms, such as changes in electrical currents, lowered electrical resistance, or color-changing gel. Once a carbon monoxide alarm has gone off, you won’t be able to reset it until the carbon monoxide has dissipated.
WHAT CAUSES CARBON MONOXIDE LEAKS
Carbon monoxide can leak from household appliances when fuels like oil, natural gas, and propane aren’t burned completely. For example, a gas furnace could leak carbon monoxide if it doesn’t receive regular maintenance. As an extra layer of protection, a furnace repair company may recommend installing carbon monoxide detectors for each floor of your home or commercial building so leaks are detected as soon as possible. The sooner carbon monoxide leaks are detected, the less risk there is for people getting hurt.
CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING SYMPTOMS
Call 911 and seek medical treatment immediately if you suspect a carbon monoxide leak in your home or commercial building. The signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are likely to show up first in children, the elderly, and pets.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
Dizziness or weakness
Dull headache
Indigestion
Flu-like symptoms
Nausea
Vomiting
Confusion
Blurred vision
Loss of consciousness
If you notice your symptoms lessening when you spend time outside the home, this could be a sign that there’s a carbon monoxide leak. Since the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning mimic those of the flu, it can be difficult to recognize when there’s a leak without a carbon monoxide leak alarm.
WHAT TO DO DURING A CARBON MONOXIDE LEAK
If the carbon monoxide detector goes off, you’ll need to get all people and pets outside. If you are able, open windows as you escape the building. Do not stop to pack belongings and do not go back in the house or commercial building for any reason. Each inhalation of carbon monoxide causes more permanent damage to your body.
Once you are safely outside, call 911. The local fire department will inspect the building and make necessary repairs so the building is safe. In the meantime, you and anyone else exposed to the carbon monoxide will need to go to the nearest emergency room. Carbon monoxide detector systems save lives, which is why we recommend smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for every household. We also recommend you schedule preventative furnace maintenance so leaks are caught as soon as possible.
The Lansing furnace repair contractors at A-1 Mechanical are dedicated to helping customers prevent carbon monoxide leaks in their homes and commercial buildings. If you are interested in furnace repair services, give us a call at (517) 272-8629.
Even when you’re reaching for your winter coat, a heat pump will be able to extract heat from outdoor air to keep your home comfortable. Heat pumps work by moving heat energy from outdoor air into your home (or vice versa). To help you choose the best HVAC system for your home, our heating and cooling system contractors at A-1 Mechanical compiled a list of frequently asked questions we get from customers about air-source heat pumps.
Keep reading to learn how heat pumps help reduce energy bills so you save money in the long run. For more information, call your local HVAC contractor.
HOW DO AIR-SOURCE HEAT PUMPS WORK?
Heat pumps use differences in air temperature to heat and cool your home. Even the coldest winter air has heat energy. A heat pump uses a refrigeration system (similar to an air conditioner) containing a compressor and two coils. During the winter, liquid refrigerant in the outside coils extracts heat from the air and evaporates into a gas. From there, the heat energy is send to the indoor coils where it is used to heat your home. As the refrigerant cools, it turns back into a liquid. The refrigerant flows in the opposite direction in the summer to keep your home cool.
WHAT IS A DUCTLESS HEAT PUMP?
Mini split heat pumps can be installed anywhere in your home to create temperature zones. Like the name suggests, ductless heat pumps don’t need ducts to work, which makes them perfect for home additions out of range of your original heating and cooling system. A mini split system is also great if you and your family don’t always agree on thermostat controls. Ductless heating and cooling means you won’t have to shiver in your turtleneck and sweater while your kids complain how hot it is.
HOW DO HEAT PUMPS REDUCE ENERGY BILLS?
A heat pump system reduces the strain on your furnace and air conditioning unit while keeping your home at a comfortable temperature. By only using your furnace and air conditioner for supplemental heating and cooling, you’ll save money on repairs.
Unlike other home heating systems that convert fuel into energy, a heat pump simply moves heat from one place to another. Since heat pumps use less energy to heat and cool your home, you’ll start saving money on utility bills. According to ConsumerReports.org, air-source heat pumps can reduce your winter energy bills by about 50% if you’re currently using a baseboard heater or electric furnace.
DO HEAT PUMPS DE-HUMIDIFY YOUR HOME?
Yes. In fact, air-source heat pumps remove humidity better than central air conditioners. Part of what can make summers so miserable is the humidity that comes with high temperatures. Thankfully, a heat pump system is able to remove humidity so you can stay comfortable on even the muggiest days.
Our Lansing HVAC contractors at A-1 Mechanical offer a range of heating and cooling services so your home stays comfortable year-round. To learn if a heat pump system are right for your house or to learn how to use and maintain your heat pump contact our team.
As the leaves change colors and temperatures drop, you’ll need tips for running your furnace efficiently. Because your furnace hasn’t run all summer, your first step is to schedule maintenance with one of our HVAC contractor technicians.
We can help you maintain a high efficiency furnace so you can save money in the long run on energy bills and avoid expensive heating repairs this winter.
Continue reading for our tips for running your furnace efficiently. We’ll give you practical to-dos to get the most comfort from your heating system, use the least amount of energy, and keep your furnace running as long as possible.
Our HVAC contractor techs recommend furnace maintenance as early as possible so you can avoid being without heat in the middle of January. During inspection, we’ll also make sure your furnace runs safely and efficiently.
Furnace Efficiency Tips (Plus Bonus Tips to Lower Heating Bills)
Unblock air vents and registers
Change furnace filters
Program thermostat for winter; upgrade if necessary
Schedule furnace or heat pump maintenance
Remove airflow obstructions from furnace or condenser
Use sun during the day; thermal curtains at night
Set ceiling fans to clockwise during winter
Use the oven for cooking, if feasible – not for heating!
Seal drafts around doors, garage doors and windows
Rethink hard surfaces
Monitor humidity levels; consider a whole house humidifier
Unblock Air Vents and Registers
If you have rearranged furniture since the last time you ran your furnace, you’ll want to make sure there’s nothing blocking the registers, radiators, or baseboard heaters. It’s not uncommon for furniture, toys, or even heavy curtains, to block air vents.
If a room feels colder than the rest of your house, you’ll want to first make sure that nothing is blocking the air vents. Resist the temptation to close off rooms or vents. This is a myth that it saves “heating load” or money on heating bills. What this actually does is disrupt the pressure balance in your home.
Your furnace works harder trying to balance the air pressure. Working harder means more stress on your furnace, more energy consumption, higher utility bills, and an increased risk of repairs or worse, a furnace breakdown and replacement.
Be sure to dust regularly and occasionally, remove the vent and give a quick vacuum using a brush attachment.
Check and Change Furnace Filters
Your furnace filter traps allergens floating in the air like dust, dirt, pollen, and pet hair. However, you’ll need to make sure you change dirty furnace filters every three to 12 months so your furnace continues to run efficiently.
Manufacturer’s recommendations vary, based on the type of HVAC equipment, the filter model, and the household environment.
A dirty filter causes your forced air furnace to run inefficiently. This is because your furnace has to work harder to produce the same amount of heat. Unfortunately, this can cause the house furnace to prematurely break down or drive up your energy bills in the meantime.
For example, a clogged filter may cause the blower motor to overheat and trip safety sensors to shut down the furnace. Clogged filters might push the components to the point that the heat exchanger develops cracks early.
A cracked heat exchanger allows toxic carbon monoxide to escape and put your family at risk. Overall, check your filter monthly and change when it’s dirty, usually every three months. Households with smokers, pets, or members with respiratory illnesses often find monthly is best.
Program Thermostat for Winter
The best way to save money this year is to program your thermostat for cold weather. This means setting your programmable thermostat for as low a temperature as is comfortable. The lower the temperature on your thermostat, the less energy your furnace uses to heat your home.
We recommend lowering the temperature when everyone is out of the house. You may also want to lower the temperature in your home if you plan on going away on a winter vacation. Remember to keep the temperature above 55 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the pipes from freezing.
If you still have a manual or dial thermostat, you have a lot to gain from an upgrade. A programmable, WiFi or “smart” thermostat allows you to dramatically increase your energy efficiency.
Program settings to coincide with household routines, like an empty house during school or work hours on weekdays. Program a different setting for weekends when everyone’s home. The more advanced, the more you can do with it. Adjust WiFi thermostats, for example, using an app on your smartphone.
Change the temperature from work so it’s toasty when you get home if the temperature suddenly drops. In bed upstairs and it feels stuffy? Change the temperature on your smartphone or tablet without leaving your room.
“Smart” thermostats “learn” household routines after a couple of weeks of manual programming. These modern tools bring more customization to your comfort and save energy without the “one size fits all” approach of older manual thermostats.
Interested? Click here to learn more about thermostats. We’re happy to visit and recommend the best pairing for your furnace. We’ll install it and teach you how to use it so you get the most value from it.
Schedule Furnace Maintenance
We always recommend customers schedule their furnace tune ups in the fall so any repairs are complete before the first snow. Our HVAC contractor technicians are able to change dirty filters and do any necessary furnace repairs. The cost of furnace maintenance is less than what you would pay for premature furnace replacement in the middle of winter.
If you use a heat pump, be sure to schedule a tune up for heating season and again in the spring for cooling season. Because heat pumps both heat and cool, they need two seasonal maintenance visits.
Remove Airflow Obstructions from Furnace
Most of us house our HVAC equipment like furnaces and air conditioning air handlers in basements or even garages. We also use these areas for storage. Be sure to keep a three to five-foot area around your furnace clear for good airflow. It’s also a safety issue because you’re burning gas.
Same goes for the outdoor AC compressor unit. It’s less relevant if you use a furnace during the winter, but if you use a heat pump, keep the same buffer zone. Regardless, whether you use a heat pump or an AC, the outdoor unit needs good airflow too.
Keep shrubs, trees, and vegetation two to three feet away. Don’t try to camouflage it with a fence or plants. If you need a fence to protect it from dogs marking it, for example, use a wrought-iron or wide-spindle style.
Use the Sun’s Warmth
Our grandparents used what’s now known as “passive solar.” Planting deciduous trees on the south and east sides of the house shade it during hot summer days. When the trees lose their leaves, they let the sun’s warmth through to warm the house in the winter.
Evergreens, on the other hand, planted strategically, provide a wind break. In winter, keep sunny windows bringing in the warmth. As the sun sets, close the blinds or insulated curtains to “trap” the heat indoors.
Set Ceiling Fans to Clockwise
If you have ceiling fans, switch the blades’ rotation to clockwise for winter. This will draw cool air up and push the accumulated warm air down the walls to where you are. This keeps the rising warm air from hanging out around the ceiling while you shiver below.
Use the Oven for Baking
In the summer, we encourage folks to use the microwave or a toaster oven, to reduce the heat-producing elements in the house. In winter, bake all you like. It’s great crock-pot weather, of course, but when you use your oven it shares the heat with the immediate area. Roast a chicken instead of buying a rotisserie chicken at the deli. Try new cookie recipes and share your creations.
Never use an oven to heat your home by leaving the door open. Never.
Seal Drafts
Are you losing energy from your windows, doors, and garage doors? Seal them where you can to avoid losing heat (and money).
Graphic courtesy of EERE
Rethink Hard Surfaces
Tiled and marble floors may be pretty and easy to wipe up spills, but they’re also cold. Put down more area rugs this winter. They’ll feel great, look cozy, and insulate against drafts.
Monitor Humidity Levels
The more moisture in the air, the warmer we feel, because perspiration has a harder time evaporating. This is why, in the summer, why it feels hotter when the humidity is high. In the winter, we experience the opposite problem.
A lack of moisture in the air accompanies cooler air. It also brings increased static electricity, dry nasal passages, and more sinus infections and nose bleeds. It’s also bad for wooden furniture, instruments, and floors.
Consider a whole house humidifier. They help control the amount of moisture in the air so you’re more comfortable and you can turn down the furnace because the air feels warmer.
For more energy efficiency tips, enjoy the video. Just ignore the part about closing off rooms!
For More Tips for Running Your Furnace Efficiently, Turn to A-1 Mechanical for Help
Our Grand Rapids and Lansing HVAC contractor technicians are dedicated to making sure your furnace works this winter with a range of heating and cooling services. If you wish to schedule a furnace inspection, tune up, or ask questions about your home heating system, call A-1 Mechanical at (517) 348-0302.
In Lansing, Michigan, many homeowners wonder why “my house is hot upstairs and cold downstairs.” The house is never the perfect temperature in every room. The simplest answer takes you back to elementary science class: heat rises.
In this blog, we’ll review some possible solutions to this uneven temperature problem, including some DIY tasks and some professional ones.
An ideal solution likely combines several of these items, so start with what you are able to do on your own. Then, have a professional come in when further improvements are necessary.
A list of potential solutions include some DIY tactics and some which require a professional:
DIY Steps:
Check ductwork for leaks
Adjust dampers
Improve insulation
Use an HVAC Contractor:
System zoning
Install ceiling fans or ductless AC units
Overall HVAC system upgrades
Let’s review them in more detail…
DIY – Check Ductwork for Leaks
Ductwork runs in your walls and attic or below floors to carry heated or cooled air to your living space. If you often ask yourself why my house is hot upstairs and cold downstairs, your ducts may be to blame.
Leaky ducts lose heated or cooled air in the unconditioned areas of your home before it reaches your living space. This is a waste of money. You’ve paid to heat and condition the air, but it escapes before it reaches your whole house.
To check your ducts, turn on your air conditioner and go into the ducts’ location. Move your insulation away from your ductwork and find the joints. Run your hand along the joints to feel for air leaks. If you feel air, secure your joints and then seal them with foil-faced tape. HVAC professional also perform these tasks for you if you prefer.
DIY – Adjust Dampers
Dampers are plates located inside your ducts and control the airflow into each room. There are four easy steps to adjust your home’s dampers. Be careful, however, not to completely shut up rooms. This causes an imbalance of pressure throughout the home.
Pressure imbalances force your HVAC equipment to work harder, which causes excess wear and tear, as well as higher energy bills. Try the following steps to resolve the damper issue. If you’re unsure, book an appointment with a pro.
Open all vents or registers in your house. Find the AC duct trunks from your furnace and open all the damper levers. These are located on the side of the duct and should point the way the air flows.
In rooms sufficiently cooled, close the balancing dampers. Simply turn the dampers so they are perpendicular to the airflow.
Wait a few days to test the temperature in each room.
Return to the furnace ducts and adjust any air conditioner dampers in uncomfortable rooms. Repeat as needed.
DIY – Improve Insulation
Insulation improvements are popular DIY projects. The results provide a more comfortable home and lower energy bills. The Department of Energy (DOE) encourages all homeowners to add insulation and make their home more efficient, regardless of age.
If you ask yourself why is my house is hot upstairs and cold downstairs, inspect your attic’s insulation. Add insulation around ducts in the attic and interior walls to improve comfort.
HVAC Professional – Zoning Systems
Zone your HVAC system with dampers in your ductwork to control the flow of air in different parts of the home. This creates temperature zones in your home. For example, zone your upstairs to receive more cool air than your downstairs to even out the temperature in your home.
Technicians create zones with a traditional system or the addition of ductless AC units. Ductless units are also available as mini-split heat pumps to both heat and cool your home. Keep this in mind if you have rooms which never seem to get warm enough in the winter.
HVAC Professional – Install Ceiling Fans or Ductless AC Units
Ceiling fans are a relatively inexpensive addition and help circulate and redistribute air, which makes you feel more comfortable.
Ductless AC units run independently from your home’s central air and heat. They either supplement a current system or work in homes without existing ductwork. They create zoned cooling and keep areas of your home cooler when your current system cannot keep up.
Your local HVAC professional installs these units with minimal disruption in your home. These modern cooling marvels are quiet, energy efficient and effective.
HVAC Professional – Overall HVAC System Upgrades
When all else fails, consider an overall HVAC system upgrade. When you replace an older, less efficient with a new, energy efficient model not only improves your home’s comfort level, but also saves you money in energy bills.
Sometimes uneven temperatures are due to an incorrectly-sized HVAC unit. Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces. A qualified HVAC professional can take measurements and provide a recommendation for you.
When It’s Hot Upstairs and Cold Downstairs Call A-1 Mechanical to Help
This summer when you ask why my house is hot upstairs and cold downstairs, call A-1 Mechanical to help! We have served customers in the Lansing area since 1983 and put their comfort and satisfaction first.
Call us today and see what makes A-1 Mechanical the quality leader in Lansing! Our team of qualified professionals travels throughout the Lansing area, including Haslett, Dimondale, Eaton Rapids, Charlotte, Bath Township and East Lansing.
Our team also serves the Grand Rapids area including Kentwood, Plainfield, Wyoming, Cutlerville, Jenison, Hudsonville, Byron Center and Comstock Park.
