Climate Masters Blog

How Heat Pumps Can Save You Money

February 5th, 2014

A heat pump seems like an almost miraculous machine: a single unit that takes the principles of an air conditioner and uses it to provide heating as well. But in theory a heat pump is quite simple: if you’ve ever walked behind the outdoor unit of an air conditioner when it was working, you’ve noticed warm air blowing from its fans. That’s the action of the AC removing heat from indoors and placing it outdoors. So what would happen if you swapped the indoor and outdoor unit? Presto! Heat pumped into your home. A heat pump is essentially an air conditioner that can switch the direction it moves heat.

But there’s another important advantage to a heat pump aside from its dual function: a heat pump can save you money on heating during the winter. We’ll explain how this works. If you’re interested in heat pump installation, or if you have need for repairs or maintenance on your home heating in St. Augustine, FL, call the skilled technicians at Climate Masters today.

The Secret of a Heat Pump’s Efficient Operation

Okay, it’s not really a “secret.” It’s simply the difference between heat creation and heat exchange. Most heating systems create heat: they burn a fuel source to raise the temperature of air (a furnace) or water (a boiler). This uses a large amount of fuel. In the case of an electric furnace or boiler, it requires an enormous amount of electric current running through the heating elements in order to raise the temperature of the air or water.

It’s different with heat pumps. They also run on electricity, but they do not use this electricity to heat up the air the fans send through their vents. Instead of creating heat, heat pumps move heat around: from the outside to the inside in heating mode, and from the inside to the outside in cooling mode. This process is called heat exchange. The heat pump only needs electricity to run its mechanical parts.

How much of a difference does this make? The U.S. EPA conducted a study to see the difference in heating bills when families switched from a furnace to a heat pump. On average, families paid 30% less per year with a heat pump.

There Has to Be a Downside, Right?

Yes, heat pumps do have one negative… but fortunately, it isn’t one that matters much in Florida. During sub-freezing temperatures, heat pumps can have trouble extracting sufficient heat from outside. Don’t expect this to be a problem in our climate.

Please keep in mind that no matter what advantages a heat pump has, it isn’t necessarily the best choice for your home’s heating in St. Augustine. This is why you’ll need the assistance of experienced professionals, like those at Climate Masters, to find the ideal option for providing you effective and economical heating.

For questions and heating service needs regarding heat pumps in St. Augustine, give us a call today and speak with one of our HVAC specialists!

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Advantages of Installing a Pool Heater

January 31st, 2014

Even with our beautiful year-round weather in Florida, heating your home’s pool is an essential part of enjoying it. Our winters and falls are mild compared to much of the rest of the country, but if you want to get the most from having your own outdoor pool, you’ll need a proper heater to keep the water inviting all through the year. Even during the summer, you won’t have the sun shining down all the time on your pool to warm it up.

Pool heaters are tricky to install, however. It’s not just the actual installation that is difficult, it’s picking the right size of heater to install. Make sure you have a dependable contractor handling your pool heater installation in St. Augustine, FL. Trust to the experience of Climate Masters for all your pool heater needs.

Why You Should Install a Pool Heater

  • Year-round fun: With a properly sized pool heater, you can keep the pool temperature approximately 10° above what it would normally be without a heater—and this can make all the difference when it comes to whether you want to dive right in or just sit on the edge with your legs dangling in. You can even enjoy your pool through the winter.
  • Enjoy the summer evenings: No matter how warm the nights can be during a Florida summer, without the sun a pool will rapidly become colder and less inviting to swim in. A heater lets your pool become the focus of evening activities as well as day time ones.
  • A better return on your investment: Whether you have a heater installed in your pool or not, you’ll still need to spend money on it each month. If you have less chance to swim and enjoy the pool, you’ll get less value from the pool. Adding a heater will end up as a minimal investment because it will let you enjoy the pool much more during the year. If you schedule regular maintenance on your pool heater, its additional costs should stay low, adding to the value you get from your pool. Have your heater properly installed, maintained, and repaired.

Aside from hiring a professional to install your pool heater in St. Augustine, FL, you should have the installation company also handle heating maintenance and repairs. Keeping your pool heater well-maintained is crucial to keeping it working efficiently for you so you really are getting the best return on your investment.

Climate Masters has served St. Johns County since 1988, and we offer comprehensive and quality work on pool heaters for all different sizes of pools. Contact us today to get started on getting the most out of your pool.

For professional heating services in St. Augustine, give us a call and schedule your next appointment with one of our trained HVAC specialists!

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3 Reasons to Call Duct Cleaning Professionals

January 28th, 2014

Most homes have ductwork installed for their HVAC system. Even if you use a boiler to heat your home, you probably have a central air conditioner for warm weather that requires ductwork. Because ducts remain mostly hidden from sight, it’s easy to forget that they require regular professional cleaning to keep them free from the dust and other contaminants that can start to develop inside.

Here are 3 good reasons that you should call duct cleaning professionals. And you do need professionals, since accessing your ducts and providing the right level of cleaning and vacuuming power isn’t something you can achieve on your own. Call Climate Masters for any ductwork services in St. Augustine, FL that you need.

1. Increased heating/cooling efficiency and reduced power bills

When ducts begin to develop a layer of dirt and other debris along their inner lining, it increases the airflow resistance. Ductwork designers try to create ducts that have the least amount of friction possible against the flow of air, but dirty ducts interfere with this. As airflow drops, you’ll not only receive less effective heating and cooling, your HVAC system will need to work harder—and that means higher monthly power bills.

2. Increased indoor air quality

The U.S. EPA has identified low air quality as a major health concern in the U.S. On average, you probably spend 85% of your time indoors, and more than half of that time will be inside your home. To keep the air quality of your house at its best, you need to have clean ducts that won’t blow out dust, dirt, dander, pollen, hair, or other pollutants that can cut into air quality.

3. A cleaner home

All that dust sent out from the vents of your HVAC system will do more than lower your air quality. It will also make your house dustier and dirtier in general. If you discover that no matter how much you sweep, clean, and dust, the dust comes back right away, then you probably have a dirty ductwork system.

At Climate Masters, our professionals in service on ductwork in St. Augustine, FL care about your indoor air quality, and we care about the efficiency of your heating system.

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Which Heating Systems Typically Need to be Repaired Most?

January 20th, 2014

When you are in the market for a new heater, one concern you probably have is system durability. You don’t want to pick a heater that will need repairs routinely; any good heater should only require repairs on rare occasions. So which of the various options on the market is the least reliable, the one most prone to breakdowns?

There’s an easy answer to that, which we will share with you. It’s powerful information, something essential for all homeowners to know so they can avoid this kind of heater at all costs. The staff at Climate Masters feels, however, that we can safely push you away from this system that needs too many heating repairs in St. Augustine, FL without frightening you too much.

So here it is. The heating system that needs to be repaired the most is…

A heating system that doesn’t receive regular maintenance

No, there isn’t an answer like “an electric furnace” or “a ground-source heat pump.” Although some systems have more mechanical parts than others, which puts them at a higher risk of breaking down, proper maintenance levels the field for all heaters. Perhaps the question is better phrased, “Which heating system requires the most stringent maintenance?”

However, all­ heaters should receive annual maintenance. Gas furnaces are perhaps the heaters that benefit the most from these inspections, because it helps avoid possible health hazards. But you shouldn’t develop the habit that you can go slack on maintenance for other types of system. Treat them all the same: schedule maintenance once a year.

Maintenance will prevent repair needs long before they begin, and the tune-up will make sure the heater isn’t running inefficiently and putting stress on the components that might lead to malfunctions. There is no better way to reduce calls for repair technicians than a yearly check-up and tune-up for your system.

On top of the reduction in repairs, regular maintenance will also keep your heater from draining excess power to run. You’ll save money on repairs and your heating bills.

Climate Masters has an excellent maintenance program that delivers you two visits per year: one for your heater and one for your air conditioner. Signing up for the program also provides a 10% discount on parts and labor for most necessary repairs. Talk to us today about our maintenance agreement so regardless of what heater you have, it will be the one that needs the least amount of heating repair in St. Augustine, FL.

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This Is How Your Ducts Are Cleaned

January 12th, 2014

Duct cleaning service in St. Augustine, FL is an important part of the regular maintenance on your home. Cleaning the ductwork helps improve your indoor air quality, keeps debris from entering your HVAC system, and reduces the resistance to airflow so you get efficient heating and cooling all year.

Duct cleaning requires the work of trained specialists. It is difficult for a non-professional to access the ducts to properly clean them, and the tools involved are too expensive and complex for amateur use. You can’t just use a commercial spray cleaner and dust mop for this job—and you shouldn’t try to climb into your ducts, no matter how often you’ve seen it done in movies and TV shows!

Professionals are only a phone call away: Climate Masters offers complete duct cleaning services, as well as duct sealing, repair, and replacement.

How professionals perform duct cleaning

Duct cleaning varies depending on what sort of contaminants need removal. At the basic level—clearing out dust and dirt—ductwork involves the use of special high-powered vacuums. The vacuums have long hoses that can snake up into the vents along your ducts. They place whole sections of the ductwork under negative pressure. What this does is dislodge ground-in dirt that would otherwise be too difficult for the air suction in the vacuum to remove. Once the dirt has been loosened, the vacuum can draw up the debris.

To get at contaminants that are even tougher to remove, duct cleaning specialists make use of powerful rotary brushes on long hoses. These brushes loosen dirt without causing damage to the walls of the ducts.

Another useful tool for cleansings ducts are non-toxic sanitizers and deodorizers. These cleaners can eliminate a number of bacterial pollutants inside your ducts without leaving behind a dangerous residue that will waft out of the vents afterwards. This step will help make your ducts almost as fresh as when they were new.

For serious cases of microbiological growth, such as mold (a common problem in Florida’s humidity), duct cleaners can install UV germicidal lights, which destroy the cellular structure of biological contaminants and help prevent their return.

Schedule your duct cleaning today

How often should you have professional duct cleaning? Although ducts will begin to gather dust at different rates, we suggest you schedule cleaning at least annually. If you have noticed signs that the ducts are seriously dirty (dust spreading throughout the house, a spike in energy bills due to the HVAC system, an increase in allergic symptoms) you should have the ducts cleaned as soon as possible.

Let Climate Masters take care of your duct cleaning in St. Augustine, FL. Our range of indoor air quality services will make sure your ductwork receives the treatment it needs.

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New Year’s Traditions Explained

December 31st, 2013

2014 is almost upon us, and with the coming of the New Year, we thought we’d take a brief look at some of the more popular traditions associated with this holiday. It’s been around for at least 4,000 years: as long as we’ve figured out how long it takes for the seasons to come and go. Here’s a quick discussion about some of our more modern traditions and where they started:

  • Auld Lang Syne. The famous song began in Scotland, where it was published by Robert Burns in 1796.  He claims he initially heard it sung by an elderly resident of his hometown, which suggests it has traditional folk origins even before that. It became even more popular when big band leader, Guy Lombardo, started playing it every New Year’s Eve, starting in 1929 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.
  • The Dropping of the Ball in Times Square. The tradition of dropping the ball in Times Square started in 1907. It was made out of iron and wood with light bulbs located on the surface, and the ball originally “dropped” over the offices of the New York Times at One Times Square. Dick Clark famously broadcast the event every year from 1972, until his death in 2012.
  • The Rose Parade. The Tournament of Roses Parade has been held in Pasadena every year since 1890; taking advantage of California’s warm weather to present a parade of floats, bands and horses. A football game was eventually added to the festivities in 1902, when Michigan dominated Stanford’s team by a score of 49-0
  • Baby New Year. The use of a baby to signify the New Year dates back to Ancient Greece, where it symbolized the rebirth of Dionysus (the god of wine and parties). Early Christians initially resisted the pagan elements of the story, but soon came to adopt it since it matched the traditional Christmas symbol of baby Jesus in the manger. Today, people of all faiths and traditions refer to the New Year as a baby, representing new beginnings.

Whatever traditions you choose to celebrate, we here at Climate Masters wish you the very safest and happiest of New Years. May 2014 bring you nothing but the best!

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Wishing You a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!

December 25th, 2013

It’s the holiday season once again, and everyone at Climate Masters wishes the very best for you, your family, and your friends. We hope that whatever brings you joy fills these last days of the year.

We’d like to thank all of our customers for giving us the opportunity to provide you with services that improve your lives and help you better enjoy this time with your loved ones. You are the reason that we exist as a company, and that’s something we always keep that in mind. We are eager to work with you in the coming year.

Here’s something to remember for the season: many companies in our industry are very busy on service calls during December—it’s one of the most crowded times of the year. If you need service, make sure you schedule it as soon as possible so you can continue to enjoy the pleasures of this time of year.

Lastly, we at Climate Masters want to conclude with a thought from the late Earl Nightingale to help remind us all that we do not need to wait for a holiday to have a reason to enjoy or celebrate ourselves, our lives or our family:

“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”

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Why Is My Furnace Breaking Down All the Time?

December 20th, 2013

Furnaces are among the most durable of heating systems. With the proper care, most furnaces can last beyond their manufacturer’s expected lifespan. But what if your furnace begins breaking down frequently? Obviously, this isn’t something that should happen, and when it does start to occur, it requires professional assistance.

Climate Masters can bring you the expert, trained help you need for furnace repair in St. Augustine. All it takes is a phone call, any time of the day or night. We can offer you some help right now with a list of reasons your furnace might start breaking down repeatedly. Even if your furnace is currently working fine, you should look over this list to find ways to avoid troubles in the future.

4 reasons your furnace is breaking down constantly

  1. You’re overworking it: Don’t keep pushing your thermostat up the highest it can go; this will not make your furnace heat up your home faster, it will only make it stay on longer, and that will lead to excess wear and tear that will foster breakdowns. Find a comfortable lower temperature and stick with it.
  2. Repair needs are going without attention: A furnace can sometimes maintain its target temperature even with malfunctions occurring—but the longer a repair issue goes without getting fixed, the more likely the problem will burgeon into a complete shutdown. Make sure that you schedule professional repairs as soon as you detect anything unusual, such as sounds or a drop in airflow.
  3. The system is too old: No matter how well a furnace is cared for, it will eventually reach a point where it is too old to operate correctly, and it will start breaking down even with regular repairs. If your furnace is more than a few years past its expected lifespan, any breakdown should signal to you that the time has arrived for a new installment.
  4. It needs regular maintenance: This is the most common reason for breakdowns. Furnaces need to have annual maintenance check-ups and tune-ups from licensed professionals in order for them to function at their best and not start prematurely aging and developing malfunctions. Make sure you are enrolled in a preventive maintenance program that delivers a check-up once a year.

Keep your furnace in good shape

Although there is not much you can do about an ancient furnace aside from replacing it, the other reasons for a furnace breaking down are preventable. When you need furnace repair in St. Augustine, FL, or want to enroll in a quality maintenance program, contact Climate Masters. We’ve served St. John’s county since 1988.

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Why Does a Heat Pump Need Refrigerant?

December 15th, 2013

Living in St. Augustine means long, humid summers and mild but occasionally stormy winters. In this climate, a heat pump offers many advantages as a solution to your year-round comfort requirements: it provides effective air conditioning during the hot weather, and energy-efficient heat for the shorter cold weather season.

If you know something about how a heat pump operates, then you’ll know that it uses a chemical compound known as refrigerant. We’ll explain in this post why a heat pump needs something called “refrigerant” even when it is in heating mode.

If you are thinking of having a heat pump installed, or if you need heat pump maintenance and repairs in St. Augustine, FL, contact Climate Masters for quality service today.

Refrigerant and your heat pump

Refrigerant is a generic term for the mixture of chemicals that allows for the heat pump to move heat from one location to another, which is called heat exchange. In the earliest days of air conditioners, refrigerant was often a toxic or combustible chemical like ammonia or methyl chloride. Modern heat pumps and ACs use safer compounds (known as “blends”); the most common blend in use today is R401A, which has no ozone depletion issues.

Refrigerant changes easily between being a liquid and a gas, which is why it is useful for heat exchange in a heat pump. As the refrigerant flows through a heat pump, moving from the outdoor to the indoor coils, it absorbs and releases heat as it switches from a liquid to a gas. During heating mode for a heat pump, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the outdoors (evaporation) and then releases it indoors (condensation). A compressor serves as the “motor” for the refrigerant, compressing it into a high temperature gas at the beginning of the heat exchange cycle.

Refrigerant remains at a fixed level inside a heat pump. The process of evaporation and condensation does not use it up. However, leaks can develop in the compressor or along the refrigerant line, causing the level of refrigerant (its “charge”) to drop. This will adversely affect the heating and cooling capability of the heat pump. It requires a professional to seal the leak and recharge the refrigerant.

If you have trouble with a heat pump that is either struggling with heating or cooling, than a refrigerant leak may be the issue. Call on repair experts like Climate Masters to handle it. We can attend to any troubles that might pop up in your heat pump in St. Augustine, FL, anyS time of the day or night.

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What Causes Duct Problems?

December 6th, 2013

Your ductwork, although hidden from your sight over most of its length, is a crucial part of the comfort you receive from your HVAC system. Unless you have a ductless system in your home, your air conditioner requires ducts to work, and most likely your heater does as well. If you want to get the most comfort from your AC and heater, you need to have ducts free from serious problems.

When you need duct repairs or cleaning, contact Climate Masters, where we offer comprehensive duct cleaning services.

We will help you keep good care of your ductwork in St. Augustine, FL.

Common causes of ductwork problems:

  • Corrosion: Corrosion occurs because of metal comes into contact with air and water. Unfortunately, the wet Florida climate means that moisture can enter ductwork and start the spread of corrosion. The biggest threat from corrosion is that it eats away and the metal of the ducts and causes it to begin to flake apart, leading to breaks. Breaks will cause an increase in dust, as well as a drop in air pressure that will have a large negative impact on your heater and air conditioner.
  • Microbacteria: Another common problem in Florida’s climate is moisture that leads to the growth of molds, fungus, and other bacteria on the inside of ductwork. These biological pollutants can weaken the ducts, and also pose a threat to your indoor air quality. You will need professionals to use mold remediation techniques, such as UV germicidal lights, to eliminate such infestations.
  • Other construction work/amateur repairs: Ducts often receive damage during construction work unrelated to the ductwork. Remodeling and whole-house rewiring are just two home improvement projects that can accidentally lead to your ducts developing breaks. In a similar way, if you rely on amateur repairs for your ductwork, or you attempt the repairs yourself, you can end up with ducts that are misaligned or poorly connected.

Call ductwork professionals

Your ducts are both difficult to access and arduous to clean and repair. It requires trained duct specialists to handle the task of sealing cracks (no, duct tape won’t do the job) and getting out deeply ingrained dirt, corrosion, and bacterial pollutants.

If you think you have problems with your ducts, get on the phone right away and contact Climate Masters. We will inspect your ductwork and zero in on what issues need to be addressed. Whether you need replacement duct installation, UV germicidal lights, or just a cleaning, Climate Masters can give your ductwork in St. Augustine the care it needs. Make sure to ask us about the FPL (Florida Power & Lighting Company) rebate that you may qualify for.

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