Climate Masters Blog

How Duct Sealing Benefits Your HVAC System

October 6th, 2014

Have you noticed unusual, musty smells coming from the vents in your house? Has the strength of the airflow from the vents dropped? Are your recent utility bills higher than you expected? Does it seem like more dust than usual is clogging up the corners of rooms?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then you may have air leaks in your home’s ventilation system. To fix this problem, leave the duct tape in the drawer and call on duct sealing specialists to locate all the leaks and seal them.

Duct sealing is important for maintaining comfort and to prevent a decline in your home’s indoor air quality. It is also a service that is beneficial for your HVAC system, as we will explain below. For experienced technicians to attend to your damaged ductwork in St. Augustine, FL and the rest of St. Johns County, call Climate Masters today. We offer multiple services to take care of your ducts, including sealing, repair, replacement, and cleaning.

The ways that duct sealing is good for your HVAC system

The most important reason you need to have leaks in your ductwork sealed up is that they will cause a drop in the air pressure inside the ducts. Ventilation systems are supposed to retain an airtight seal along their length to keep air pressure from dropping; if this seal is broken, it will force the air conditioning or heating system to work harder to compensate for the loss. An overworked HVAC system will 1) cost more to run, and 2) wear down faster, resulting in an early replacement.

Because gaps in ducts will usually open on dusty areas of a home (such as spaces between walls), they often permit large amounts of contamination into the ventilation system. This dust, dirt, and other debris will not only get blown into the living spaces of a house, lowering indoor air quality, they will also end up clogging the air filter of the HVAC system and even entering the cabinet itself. A clogged air filter will severely hamper an air conditioner or heater’s performance. If this debris should enter the cabinet, it can cause damage to the components, leading to repair needs.

Call for professional duct sealers

Duct sealing requires special equipment to locate the air leaks and then seal them. Specialists in ductwork repair will use mastic sealant or metallic tapes to close up all the holes and gaps they find inside ducts to restore their integrity.

When you call Climate Masters to seal your ductwork in St. Augustine, FL, you not only receive high quality work, you may also qualify for rebates available through Florida Power & Light Company.

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Choosing the Right HVAC Contractor for New Construction Saves You Money

September 29th, 2014

A new construction project is exciting, and you want to make sure every part of your new home or commercial property is constructed with care. But when it comes to your HVAC system, choosing the right one for your home may seem like a simple process. However, new ductwork and HVAC installation both require a professional to ensure you get the most out of your new system. Not only will this keep repair costs low later on, it can also ensure that your system is more energy efficient throughout the years. To save money every month on your HVAC system with new construction in Fruit Cove, contact the design and installation experts at Climate Masters. Here’s how choosing the right HVAC contractor in your area can save you money.

First, choosing an HVAC contractor who knows all about installation as well as duct design means you won’t have to search for and pay two separate companies for their work. Some contractors specialize only in HVAC installation. But finding a contractor who specializes in both duct design and building a new HVAC system ensures that you get everything in one place and that you have a technician who knows the ins and outs of your ducts to choose the right HVAC unit for the highest efficiency.

Second, duct design is a complex process, and, if done incorrectly, you can lose a lot of energy from month to month. Duct leaks are one of the most common sources of unusually high energy costs, accounting for up to 30% less efficiency in some homes. Choosing someone who knows about duct design means your ducts will be properly sealed and inspected, optimized for your home or building, and checked for pressure losses and potential weak points.

Finally, the right HVAC contractor can help you choose the most efficient system for your new home or commercial space based on industry ratings and the layout of your ducts. Are you in the middle of new construction in Fruit Cove, or are you still trying to find an HVAC contractor before you begin?

Call Climate Masters today! We specialize in both duct design and equipment sizing to make sure you have the right design and unit.

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How Does a Heat Pump Differ from a Traditional AC?

September 22nd, 2014

When you need a new cooling system, there are a lot of factors to take into account. Of course, the initial cost is a major concern for many homeowners. However, the cost of operation, efficiency, and any additional features may be of equal concern. While you can purchase extremely efficient traditional central air conditioners, one type of system that may actually give you a little more bang for your buck is a heat pump. While the name sounds as though it is a heating system, a heat pump is actually a very efficient heating and cooling system.

Essentially, there are very few differences between a traditional AC and a heat pump. Heat pumps take advantage of the same refrigeration cycle, in which refrigerant, a chemical blend that easily converts from a liquid to a gas and vice versa, moves through the indoor and outdoor unit. As it changes from a gas to a liquid at the outdoor condenser unit, it releases heat into the air. As it changes from liquid to gas indoors, it absorbs heat from your home. A fan then blows cool air through the ductwork. This process continues until the home is cooled to the proper temperature.

In fact, heat pumps have all of the components of a traditional air conditioner but with one addition, the reversal valve. With most air conditioners, the refrigerant can only move in one direction. However, the reversing valve of a heat pump activates when you switch your thermostat to “heat” mode, allowing the flow of refrigerant to change direction. Now, instead of absorbing heat from the inside to move outdoors, it pulls heat from the outside to warm indoor air. In some climates, an additional heating source is needed to supplement the heat pump if there is not enough heat in the outside air. But this is unnecessary in Ponte Vedra.

Heat pumps have cooling efficiencies that are comparable to other air conditioners, and are very efficient for heating. This is because it takes less energy to move heat from place to place than to generate heat.

When you decide it’s time for heat pump installation in Ponte Vedra, call the professional technicians at Climate Masters today.

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Signs You Need a Whole-Home Dehumidifier

September 15th, 2014

Part of the comfort you feel from an air conditioning system involves moisture control. This is because your air conditioner removes humidity as it removes heat. When there is too much humidity in the air, your AC may not be able to successfully remove enough of moisture to make things feel comfortable. But humidity does more than just make the air feel uncomfortable: it can damage your belongings and cause health issues. The installation of a whole-home dehumidifier in St. Augustine can remove the excess moisture in the air while your AC cycles, reducing the effects of high humidity. Professional installation of a whole-home dehumidifier from Climate Masters can re-balance the moisture level in your home.

Signs of Excess Humidity

There are a few telltale signs that there may be too much humidity in your home:

  • Condensation on the inside of your windows – water beads or fog on the inside of your windows indicates there is too much moisture in the air. If left unattended, this moisture may eventually rot the wood casings around the windows; mold can also develop.
  • Mold spots – mold thrives in moist environments; this can include walls and ceilings, particularly in bathrooms and basement spaces.
  • Musty odor – mold has a distinctive, musty odor. If you smell it, you most likely have mold somewhere, even if you can’t see it.

How a Dehumidifier Works

A whole-home dehumidifier removes the excess moisture from the air before it can get into in your system. How does it work? The dehumidifier fan draws warm, humid air over a cold coil, which condenses the moisture into liquid; the water is removed via a drain pipe. The now-dry air then passes over a warm coil and is added back into your system. A whole-home dehumidifier can be seamlessly added to your air conditioning system, and works as part of the system so there’s no extra managing it on your part.

Excess humidity can cause damage to your home and health problems for you and your family.

If you see the signs of excess humidity, it may be time to consider the installation of a whole-home dehumidifier in St. Augustine. Call Climate Masters today.

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Why Work with a Professional HVAC Contractor for Your New Construction

September 8th, 2014

There are few projects more exciting, or more intimidating, than new construction of a home or a commercial building. You have to consider numerous factors during all stages of the construction, and even thinking about them can make you feel overwhelmed. However, if you work with the best contractors, you’ll remove a great deal of the stress from your shoulder—and you will also end up with the final product that you first envisioned.

One aspect of a new home or commercial building that’s vital of its success is the HVAC system. You want to make sure that you stay comfortable inside your new building, especially during hot Florida weather.

For new construction HVAC design in Saint Johns, FL that will deliver you the results you want, call Climate Masters today.

Why it’s important to work with professional HVAC contractors

Putting in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system for a new home or commercial building is about more than simply installing a heater and AC and hooking it up to ducts. The HVAC system is a major energy system that can lose or gain energy if it is installed haphazardly or sloppily. When you hire professionals, they will provide your new project with a complete heat load calculation that follows the specifications of the ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors Association of America). This calculation determines the amount of heating a cooling load the building needs for comfort without creating an energy drain. Far more factors than just size go into this calculation: professionals use specialized software to determine locations where a building gains and loses heat, and just how much. Only highly trained specialists can do this task correctly to ensure that you have the correct HVAC system installed.

Another task where having HVAC professionals is invaluable for new construction is for ductwork design. Basic non-customized ductwork is often inefficient, and only through custom designs that will fit with your plans for your new building will you have a ventilation system that works ideally and unobtrusively.

Finally, using professional HVAC contractors will give you time and peace of mind, two priceless commodities when it comes to constructing a new home or commercial building. When you have contractors you can trust, you’ll already be halfway to the finish line.

If you are ready for installation of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system for your new building, call Climate Masters. Our specialists in new construction HVAC design for Saint Johns, FL will be glad to help you realize the final building with the comfort system that it needs.

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The Fashion of Wearing White and Labor Day

September 1st, 2014

You may have heard about the fashion faux pas of wearing white after Labor Day. In the present, this tradition is usually treated as old fashioned and a joke. Few people will criticize you for wearing white articles of clothing after the first Monday in September, or even take notice of it except to wonder why it was ever a major concern at all.

Where did this tradition of white clothing going out of fashion after Labor Day come from, and why did it fade away like colorful fabric washed in a hot load in the washing machine?

In general, white makes sense for the heat of summer. Light-colored clothing reflects away the radiant heat of the sun, instead of absorbing it the way dark colors do, so for thousands of years of human history people have preferred to wear white clothing during the hotter months.

However, the idea of white as strictly fashionable during the summer season only emerged in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—the time when the very concept of “fashion” began to spread across the Western Hemisphere.

It was only the highest level of post-Civil War society in the U.S. that strict and often bizarre rules for fashion controlled whether someone was in with the “in” crowd. Compared to our ideas of what’s fashionable today, the Czars of Style in the 1880s were true despots. Things as trivial as sleeve length could determine whether a woman in high society—no matter her level of wealth—was fashionable or a pariah.

Wearing white during the only summer, when it was common for weddings and outdoor parties, was only of these restrictive society rules. When the U.S. government made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894, the Fashion Czars gained a definite cut-off point for when wearing white was no longer “acceptable” in the upper echelons of wealthy society.

For many decades, this rule only applied to a small number of millionaire socialites in a few big cities, but in the 1950s it reached general fashion magazines that were read around the country and started to affect more people.

But time eventually broke apart this odd rule, and during the 1970s fashion became more individual. Some fashion legends, like Coco Chanel, also purposely rejected the restriction and wore white throughout the year. Today, the “no white after Labor Day rule” is little more than an amusing gag to tease friends, and almost nobody takes it seriously.

Whatever you choose to wear after Labor Day (and if it’s white, we won’t tease!), everyone here at Climate Masters hopes you have a happy end of the summer and great plans for the fall!

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Why You Should Schedule Commercial HVAC Maintenance Today

August 27th, 2014

Running a business involves balancing numerous tasks on a daily basis. As you try to see to all the important considerations necessary to keep a company operating, you probably won’t have the HVAC system that keeps the workplace comfortable foremost in your mind. After all, the heating and cooling have probably operated adequately for some time, and there’s no reason to think that they might stop any time in the near future. It’s easy to put off consideration for their maintenance until a more convenient time.

However, it’s not difficult to schedule commercial HVAC maintenance in Palm Coast, FL and have it done without causing interference with your other business concerns.

You only have to call Climate Masters, and our commercial HVAC specialists will take over from there. We can deliver the maintenance your need to protect your workplace environment.

Why it’s important to schedule maintenance

You do need regular commercial HVAC maintenance… no matter how well the system seems to be working. Without regular inspections and tune-ups, your air conditioning and heating could start to cost your more to run than they should. Worse, you risk major repair needs that will drastically lower workplace comfort or even threaten to cause the HVAC system to break down entirely—and that’s something you cannot allow to occur while trying to run your business.

Maintenance is sometimes referred to as “preventive maintenance,” and that word preventive is an encapsulation of why it’s crucial to schedule maintenance on an annual basis for a commercial cooling and heating system. The short amount of time that a maintenance technician needs to give an HVAC system an inspection to search for possible malfunctions and unnecessary wear and tear on components will help head off a possible expensive repair in the future. The sooner a technician catches a fault, the less likely that the HVAC system will suddenly shut down on one of the coldest or hottest days of the year, which will create an uncomfortable and eventually unprofitable work environment.

You also need maintenance to tune-up and clean your commercial HVAC system so that it doesn’t waste energy. The power needed to heat and cool even a small workspace is larger than that needed for a home, so if the HVAC system starts to work inefficiently because of dirt-covered motors, clogged filters, leaks in the ventilation shafts, or low refrigerant, the spike in utility bills can be high. Maintenance will help make sure that you don’t pay more than you have to in order to keep your business comfortable.

At Climate Masters, we only employ the best-trained technicians for commercial HVAC maintenance in Palm Coast, FL. They will treat your business with respect and see that your heating and cooling system remain in the best shape possible.

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Can Ductless Systems Provide Cooling and Heating?

August 20th, 2014

Ductless air conditioners provide efficient cooling for the entire home. While many homeowners without ductwork may choose to install small window air conditioners, these are rarely able to cool an entire room effectively, may be very inefficient, and are often noisy. But installing ductwork may be difficult for those with older homes or new room additions.

A ductless air conditioner may be the perfect cooling alternative for many homes. Central air conditioners remove heat from the air at the indoor evaporator unit and supply air through the ducts. Ductless cooling systems, on the other hand, consist of multiple indoor air handlers which cool and distribute the air from a single unit. The systems are mounted high on the wall or suspended from the ceiling in multiple zones for even cooling throughout the home.

While it may seem strange to install a new air conditioning system near the end of summer, most ductless systems provide both heating and cooling. This is because most ductless systems are also heat pumps. While other central air conditioning systems only allow refrigerant to flow in one direction, absorbing heat from the home and releasing it outdoors, ductless heat pumps allow refrigerant to absorb outside heat and release it inside.

Other Advantages of Ductless Cooling

Ductless systems are beneficial for other reasons as well. Here are some of the ways you can save money and feel more comfortable with a ductless system.

  • Zone Control: Most homes require multiple indoor air handlers to cool the entire home. A single outdoor unit can generally accommodate up to four of these handlers. But this is beneficial to any homeowner who’s tired of hearing family members argue about the temperature. Because each air handler can be controlled individually with a separate thermostat or a master thermostat, you can set the temperature in one room or zone independently of others.
  • Energy Savings: Ductless systems also save money. Central air conditioning systems may use more energy than is necessary due to leaks that commonly form in the ductwork. You can also shut off the air conditioning in unoccupied rooms to avoid cooling unused spaces.

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of ductless cooling and heating in Ponte Vedra, call Climate Masters today!

 

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How Electronic Air Purifiers Clean Your Air

August 13th, 2014

Part of your overall comfort has to do with the air you breathe. Is it clean? Is it good for your health? If you are concerned about your indoor air quality in Ponte Vedra Beach, or have worries about excessive allergens, you may want to consider adding an electronic air purifier to your air conditioning system. Room air purifiers can help with air quality issues, but, if you want a whole-home effect, Climate Masters has air purifier upgrades that can help you achieve both better air quality and comfort.

Types of Electronic Purifiers

There are two types of electronic air purifiers:

  1. Electronic precipitators
  2. Ion generators

Electronic Precipitators

Electronic precipitators clean the air by capturing airborne particles via electrostatic attraction. Using a small amount of electricity, electronic precipitators draw air through an ion section where particles are electrically charged. Oppositely-charged metal collection plates attract these charged particles and capture them. Plates need to be cleaned approximately every 3 months to remain effective.

Ion Generators

Ion generators have a similar process, but do not draw air through an ion section, nor do they have collection plates. Instead, ions are dispersed into the air where they charge particles; these particles then land on surfaces in your home, such as walls, tables and counters and are cleaned with regular house cleaning.

Benefits of Electronic Air Purifiers

  • Clean the air by capturing pollutants
  • Help with respiratory issues such as asthma and COPD
  • Help eliminate harmful chemicals
  • Help reduce allergens

Is an Electronic Air Purifier for You?

The best way to determine if an electronic air purifier is for you is to work with a trained professional. Climate Masters has been helping customers with indoor air quality for over 20 years and we can assist you with your indoor air quality needs in Ponte Vedra Beach. Call us today and schedule an appointment with one of our installation experts.

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What Do the Coils in an Air Conditioning System Do?

August 5th, 2014

Your air conditioner has 3 key parts: the condenser, the compressor and the evaporator. Inside the condenser and the evaporator units are coils that are important to the heat release/cooling process of your air conditioning system in St. Augustine. Both sets of coils work similarly, but each has a specific job of its own, as we’ll explain below.

What Is a Coil?

The coils in your air conditioner are copper tubing surrounded by aluminum fins. The tubing is small and narrow, and the metal fins around them act as a radiator. The job of the coils is to help with heat transfer.

How Do the Coils Work?

The purpose of both sets of coils is to assist with heat transfer, but each does it a little differently:

  • Condenser coils – the condenser coils are part of your condenser in your outdoor unit. The refrigerant flows into the coils from the compressor, where it changes states from a cool, low pressure gas to a hot, high pressure gas. As the refrigerant makes its way through the condenser coils, it loses heat. The condenser fan helps with this process by sucking the heat of the refrigerant away from the coils and blowing it into the outside air. By the time the refrigerant reaches the evaporator valve, which connects to the evaporator unit and coils, the gas has cooled but is still warm, and the pressure has dropped.
  • Evaporator coils – as the refrigerant passes through the evaporator valve, it loses more pressure and heat, and as a result, changes states once again. When it flows into the evaporator coils, it is a cool liquid. Warm air from your home is blown over the chilled coils; the refrigerant absorbs the heat, changes states, and moves into the compressor as a cool gas. The refrigeration cycle begins again.

Common Problems That Affect Coils

The most common problem to affect coils is low refrigerant. When the refrigerant level is low, the entire heat release/cooling process becomes imbalanced. Coils that are warm get too hot, and coils that are cool get too cold. Many times, this situation can result in ice formation.

A second common problem is dirt and dust accumulation on the coils. When dirt and dust accumulate on your coils over a long period of time, they can form a layer that acts as insulation; this can negatively affect how the coils release heat.

The best way to keep your coils is good shape is to schedule bi-annual maintenance. Coils are thoroughly cleaned during maintenance appointments, and refrigerant levels are checked for leaks.

Have questions about your air conditioning system in St. Augustine? Call the team of trained and certified cooling experts at Climate Masters today!

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