Hauck Brothers

It has been quite the year so far. According to census.gov, more than 33% of Americans are working from home more frequently. While working from home, people are discovering the benefits of a upgraded HVAC system and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) products. Variable speed HVAC systems are more energy efficient, quieter, and move air at slower speeds to properly treat air through filtration, humidification, and purification.

Variable speed Bryant Evolution HVAC systems are designed to operate in two ways. The Evolution Extreme air conditioner and heat pumps models are designed to operate in stages that change to the demands of the household. They have 60 stages that the Connex Thermostat controls by changing stages to the temperature setting of the thermostat. Since HVAC systems are designed for the hottest day of the year and the coldest day of the year, it is rare for variable staged units to run in maximum capacity except for those extreme days. This allows the units to be quieter and more energy efficient.

During the fall, winter, and early spring when the furnace or air handler with electric heat are running pairing the system with a whole house humidifier will keep the humidity in the household at a comfortable level and avoid chapped lips, irritated eyes, dryness in the throat, allergies, frequent coughs, bloody noses, sinus headaches, protect wood furniture and wood floors, and help the house stay warmer without adjusting the thermostat. Adding a humidifier to a variable speed HVAC system provides the added benefit of near perfect control of adding humidity to the airflow as it goes between its 60 stages.

Adding a media filter to your HVAC system allows for the filter to last longer that the standard filter. Adding a media filter to a variable speed HVAC system allows for the air to constantly be filtered, provided higher air quality than if it was attached to a standard single stage HVAC system. A single stage HVAC system only provides 100% operation as it runs. This means it turns on and off more frequently to maintain the temperature set at the thermostat. In a variable stage HVAC system the stage only goes up as needed, this provides constant airflow throw the filter which allows the filter to be used constantly, improving air quality. One warning though, most HVAC systems with a media filter are designed to operate with a MERV 8 filter, changing to a higher MERV rating can create more static pressure which decreases airflow and potentially damaging the system. If using a high MERV filter, check with our HVAC experts to ensure your system is designed for it.

Air purification can be accomplished in several ways, all of them are designed to capture, neutralize, eliminate, and remove contaminates in the air. Viruses, bacteria, mold spores, dust, pet dander, smells, smoke, pollen, allergens, and other airborne particles can be removed from the air during air purification. Again, with variable speed HVAC equipment, the air is constantly moving and adding an air purification device allows for better treatment of the air as it goes through the ductwork. We offer Ionization products, ultraviolet (UV) lights, and electrostatic air purifiers. Talk to our HVAC expert to learn which one is best for your HVAC system.

Helpful Hauck Facts (5)

1. In 2019, 95 percent of new single-family homes started had a central AC system

2. Today’s best air conditioners use 30% to 50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid 1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model.

3. Before refrigeration air conditioning was invented, cooling was done by saving big blocks of ice. When cooling machines started to get used, they rated their capacity by the equivalent amount of ice melted in a day, which is where the term “ton” came from sizing air conditioning.

4. The “lifespan” of a central air conditioner is about 15 to 20 years.

5. An air conditioner’s filters, coils, and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently throughout its years of service. Neglecting necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases.

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Another purpose of the air filter is to keep the indoor coil, furnace/air handler, and ductwork as clean as possible.  The filter is applied to the return air before that air goes into the furnace/air handler. This stops all the contaminants that the filter removes from entering your HVAC system.  The better the filter, the cleaner the indoor coil and furnace/air handler is, that ensures your HVAC system is running as cost effectively as possible and can save up to 30% in utility costs.  The better the filter MERV, the more it keeps the indoor coil, furnace/air handler, and ductwork free from debris.

COVID-19 and other viruses.  At the time of this post, COVID-19 has not been tested with any filters.  Most viruses measure below .03 micron. This means that even the HEPA filter isn’t guaranteed to block them from the airstream.  That doesn’t mean a filter doesn’t catch some viruses, they are just not rated to do so.  The virus that causes COVID-19 is about 0.125 micron.  In fact, in a study done by NASA, HEPA filters are extremely good at remove of smaller than .3 micron.

According to the EPA, the best solution that is cost effective and works with almost any HVAC system and ductwork system is a combination of air purification and air filtration.  Adding an ionizer or a ultraviolet light to a filtration system of MERV 8 or above will treat almost all the air effectively.  Ionizers and UV lights are very effective at treating viruses, mold, bacteria, and other contaminants to affect the air quality in a given residential or commercial building. Another consideration is the HVAC equipment, having a multiple stage furnace means that it can operate in a lower fan speed or stage.  Slowing down the circulation improves the overall air quality when combined with a great Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) system by treating the air at all times.

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