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Water Source Heat Pumps 101

November 7, 2017

What is a water source heat pump? While referred to as heat pump, the water source system provides both heat and air conditioning to a home, with both enclosed in the same casing. Driving its refrigerant cycle (reversible from heat to air as needed) are a tube-in-tube heat exchange mechanism, a heat / cool coil, a compressor, a fan, and reversing controls and valve. How does a water source heat pump differ from a standard system? In choosing a heat pump system for your home, you have two options: air-to-air, or geothermal. Air-to-air – The standard heat pump option, this process transfers heat between your house and the outside air. Geothermal – A heating unit that gathers heat for the home from either the ground (ground source) or a nearby body of water (water source.) Why Geothermal? Despite the higher heat pump installation cost, the advantages to choosing a ground source or water source heat pump, over an air-to-air system are numerous: Ongoing costs are lower because ground or water temperatures remain relatively constant. Energy use is reduced by as much as 60 percent, over air-to-air heat-pump options Humidity is considerably reduced Less complicated, smaller units, water source and ground source...

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Tips for First Time Home Buyers in Solon OH

October 13, 2017

Home buying in Solon, OH can be overwhelming. There are so many things to compare. First-time home buyers lists of preferences usually include preferred location, house size, and quality of the room decor. Don’t ignore the details of a home. You can quickly change bad paint colors and old carpet, but not an HVAC system. Here are a few tips for first-time home buyers. Age Matters A house can receive a surface upgrade at any time. Construction built in 1970 likely included interior design elements like gold shag carpet and paisley printed wallpaper. Looking at that same house today, with new carpet and wall colors, upgraded light fixtures and beautiful granite countertops it’s easy to assume the house is in excellent condition. With all those surface upgrades it’s possible the house still has the original plumbing, electrical system, and HVAC unit. When considering a home purchase, focus on high-dollar issues before making a decision. Get an Inspection It might be tempting to skip a home inspection, but it’s a necessary step when buying a home in Solon, OH. According to Realtor.org “The home’s vents, flues, and chimneys should be inspected. The inspector should be able to tell you the water heater’s...

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Upgrading Your Basement in Solon

September 22, 2017

Your basement is probably one of the most overlooked areas of your home. Many people forget they have one other than using it for storage or safety. Even though your basement may be unused the majority of the time, it can still have a huge impact on your energy bill. According to the US Department of Energy, your basement uses as much as a quarter of your energy budget each month. For most families, this means they are spending hundreds of dollars a year on a space that is mainly unused. In order to make your basement more energy efficient to save you money, follow these five easy steps: Upgrade your appliances. A good place to start is with your furnace. If you have an older furnace, you are throwing money away every month. Contact KW Lang for heater installation Ohio residents trust. If you have any refrigerators or freezers in your basement, consider upgrading them to Energy Star rated efficient models. Making these few appliance changes can save you hundreds of dollars every year. Insulate your basement. At this point, you need to decide if it going to be an indoor space or an outdoor space. If you want to...

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Common HVAC Issues

August 16, 2017

Your HVAC system is a complex arrangement of heating, cooling, and ventilation components that work together to make your home comfortable. If one of the components of the system breaks, it can make your equipment function less efficiently or not at all. Keeping your system in good working order helps your family feel more comfortable while also decreasing energy costs. Even if your HVAC system breaks, many common problems are easy to troubleshoot on your own. A few common HVAC problems are: A dirty filter. Your filters need to be changed monthly but many homeowners lose track of time and forget. A dirty filter can clog and cause your HVAC unit to quit working properly. This increases strain on your equipment and can cause it to break down. If you notice your air conditioner is not working correctly and you cannot remember when you last changed your filters, a clean filter is a good place to start to see if you can get it up and running properly. A breaker is tripped. If your air conditioner is completely unresponsive, the culprit may be a tripped breaker. Go to your breaker box and flip the switch connected to your HVAC unit...

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Keeping Cool This Summer

July 17, 2017

It was a tough winter here in Northeast Ohio, and heating homes and businesses was no small task. Let’s forget about keeping warm for a little while and let’s think about keeping cool and saving money. The best way to save money on your summer cooling bill is to adjust the thermostat according to your schedule. Keep the temperature between 70 and 75 degrees when you’re home, but crank it up to 80 degrees when you aren’t. You may want to pair higher AC temperatures with using your ceiling fans which use much less energy. The harder your air conditioner works, the more money it will cost to run. If you can, move room units to the north side of the house where it isn’t as hot. Units in the shade use 10 percent less energy than those in the sun. If you have a heat pump that can’t be relocated, consider planting some trees or shrubs nearby but don’t plant them too closely. Vegetation that is too close will also cause your system to work harder. If your cooling system is older than 10 years old, it may be time to consider some new equipment. The experienced technicians at KW Lang...

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Why Do AC Units Freeze Up?

June 21, 2017

We’ve dealt with a lot of HVAC situations here at . Unfortunately, one of the most common concerns (and one that can be especially frustrating) that people in ask about is, “Why do A/C units freeze up?” The simple answer is, there are many reasons why this happens. An HVAC unit needs proper airflow to keep the cold coil warm. Warm air is needed for the coil to stay cold, keeping the temperature above freezing. Without a steady supply of warm air, coils will freeze before condensed water can be drained away. Since closed air registers and dirty air filters can block the flow of air, we recommend checking your HVAC air filter to make sure registers are both open and clear. A freeze up can also occur because of low levels of refrigerant, which makes coils too cold. A malfunctioning fan can also be at fault, since it can prevent air from moving the way it should. Drainage issues and a broken thermostat can also be the culprit when you’re looking for answers to freezing issues. An A/C unit condenses water vapor into liquid, which drains outside. If the coils are frozen, ice will block the drain hole. While...

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Importance of AC Maintenance

May 10, 2017

9 out of 10 cooling system failures are caused by dirt and dust. A light layer of dust on cooling coils can reduce your energy efficiency by 20%. This can be easily prevented with regular AC maintenance. Protect Your Investment The installation of your air conditioning and heating system is an investment, therefore you should do everything possible to minimize equipment breakdown. Planned maintenance not only assists in preventing unit breakdown to business-critical environments but also helps to improve energy efficiency. You will be rewarded with lower running costs, potentially a much longer lifespan for your unit, plus fewer carbon emissions. Two Maintenance Visits Annually AC unit, heat pump, and furnace equipment is not inexpensive and we always recommend that, following installation, that you enter into a maintenance agreement with your installer. This normally involves two annual visits to your cooling and heating equipment by trained, certified technicians. A cooling system routinely maintained, provides a much higher performance and is much more energy efficient. Inspections During each technician visit, all functions of the systems are inspected, filters cleaned, operating pressures and controls checked and calibrated. Leak checks are carried out at least once per year and records are kept to...

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5 Tips to Keep Your AC Running Efficiently

April 14, 2017

There’s nothing like a temperate home. Your whole body feels better and you’re able to get more done without the worry of shivering or sweating through daily tasks. Families can have close time together and bond more instead of going wild from uneven temperatures. This peace of mind can only be achieved through an AC unit that is working properly. wants you to have this perfect kind of home for an affordable price and a great value. But to make sure that your air conditioning unit stays with you for the long run, you’ll need to make sure to perform certain AC maintenance tasks. Here are 5 tips for keeping your AC unit running as smoothly as possible. Our first tip is to make sure to replace your air filters when they become too dirty. Pollutants like dust, pollen, and other debris make their way into your filters which will lead to unclean air in your home. At , we are skilled at air filter installation and AC repair. Another great tip to consider is cleaning the coils in your AC unit. Dirty coils will block your AC unit’s ability to retain heat and disrupt the air conditioning unit’s air...

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World Series Weather And Cleveland Ohio Heating Repair

November 30, 2016

While the 2016 World Series is now history, there were some tense moments in the days leading up to the games. These worries were not due to which team might win or lose, but whether or not the weather would play a spoiler role in the game scheduling. The games are required to last for nine innings, but according to an MLB rule enacted following the 2008 Series, it may take as long as three days to play the innings.

Important Things To Know About The Long Winter Forecast For Northern Ohio

October 21, 2016

If you currently reside within the state of Ohio, than you are probably more than aware of the dire weather predictions. Residents of this region can look forward to significantly colder temperatures, more storm events and storms of greater severity. Following are several important things that you should know about the long winter forecast for Northern Ohio along with a few tips for keeping your home and your family both comfortable and safe.