Refrigerants and Your Air Conditioning System

June 27, 2018

What you need to know about the HCFC refrigerant phase-out and servicing or purchasing a home cooling system Refrigerants make air conditioning and refrigeration possible, which contributes enormously to our quality of life. In this equipment, refrigerants are the working fluid that absorb and transfer heat from one part of the air conditioning system to another. Through the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, the United States committed to regulate and phase out ozone-depleting substances. Two of those substances – chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) – have been used as refrigerants in air conditioning systems for decades. CFCs were phased out of use more than 10 years ago. Today, the most common refrigerant used in central air conditioners and heat pumps is known as R-22, or HCFC-22. Starting in 2010, equipment manufacturers cannot make new R-22 systems with new R-22 refrigerant. After 2020, chemical manufacturers cannot produce R-22 for servicing central air conditioners and heat pump equipment. How the Phase-out Affects You It is important to keep in mind that the production — not use — of R-22 is being phased out. You are not required to stop using R-22 air conditioners nor to replace existing equipment....

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The New 2015 NAECA Regulations

June 27, 2018

The New 2015 NAECA Regulations go into effect on April 16th, 2015 – The first set of regulations—known as the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA)—were created in 1990 and later updated in 2004 to the current standards. A new update to the rules for increasing minimum energy efficiency standards was enacted in 2010 and goes into effect on April 16, 2015. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) regulates minimum energy efficiency requirements for water heaters. Most of the new NAECA compliant water heaters will be larger in physical size for the same gallon capacity as an old 2004 standard water heater. This can cause problems here in Colorado with venting issues and physical space limitations. Homeowner’s will have to deal with increased product and installation costs. In some cases, the water heater will have to be re-located to operate properly, or mitigate noise. While the operating cost of the new water heaters will be less because of their increased energy efficiency, it is likely that the maintenance costs will increase because of a more complex design, and the integration of electronics, blowers, fans, condensers, etc. In some cases, the performance of the new water heater in terms of hot...

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New HVAC Law that Effects All Homeowners

June 27, 2018

February 19, 2015 – (2021)!!! DOE Proposes 92% Efficiency Standard for Residential Furnaces Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy proposed a new 92% AFUE standard for residential gas and mobile home furnaces. These standards would effectively ban the manufacture of non-condensing furnaces starting in 2021. Any stockpiled inventory of non-condensing furnaces manufactured before the compliance date would be legal to install, but supplies would likely quickly run scarce. The standards would apply nationally and require condensing furnaces for retrofit or new construction. 04/23/2014- 80% efficiency furnaces are still allowed to be installed The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit issued an order and accepted a settlement that ended the legal challenge of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2011 rules that would have set new minimum efficiency standards for a variety of residential HVAC products, including regional standards for furnaces and central air conditioners. ACCA was one of several parties of record on this important case.By accepting the settlement, the DOE’s regional standards for non-weatherized natural gas and mobile home furnaces will be rescinded, and will be completely rewritten within two years.However, regional standards for central air conditioners will still go into effect on January 1, 2015....

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10 Tips That Could Save You From a Big Headache Later

June 27, 2018

Choosing a vendor can cause anxiety and concern, especially if it is bound to be a big purchase. Use the following tips when deciding on a vendor: 1)Check with the BBB! Of course, we would tell you to use the BBB as a resource. The reality is that we have tens of thousands of reports. Businesses that can cause problems for consumers usually do the same with their business clients. 2)Are they “players? Most industries have their own professional associations. Just like those who choose membership in the BBB, companies deeply involved in their industry and with their colleagues generally make for good business partners. 3) Are they experienced? Sad to say, but many businesses that are just starting out may become a great company someday, but do you want to be the guinea pig they test upon? We recommend that you use companies that have at least a year of relevant experience and can give you valid references. 4) Are they solvent? Getting a bank or credit reference is not as easy as it used to be. Still, when doing business with another company, getting a snapshot of their fiscal stability can be worth the time, cost and effort...

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