January Articles

February 2007 Articles

These are condensed versions of the Radio Program

Ask Mike 2/07/07

We love winter! We have more heat pump questions!

Is it normal for my heat pump to freeze up during the winter? It’s normal for the outdoor coil to frost over in certain weather conditions. It is certainly NOT normal for the entire unit to be encased in ice. That would be an indication of a real problem and you’d need to call us right away. Moisture builds up around the coils as you remove heat from the outside air, and it’s natural for some frost to happen. Each heat pump has a “defrost” mode just like modern freezers. Too much ice/frost will prevent the normal transfer of heat and make the unit run inefficiently. Here is another common problem with heat pumps. Why does my heat pump blow cold air?

This question usually comes up for two reasons:

1. The heat pump is really blowing cool air, and

2. The homeowner THINKS it is blowing cold air.

If the unit really is blowing cold air, then you should call us right away. We find that usually it is #2. People THINK it’s blowing cold air. It happens often with first time heat pump owners. They may be used to gas-fired heat that comes from the registers at 130 degrees or more. On a really cold day, without the back-up heat going, the air from a heat pump could be about 85. That can feel cool to skin that is 98.6 degrees. The heat pump is warming the house slowly and steadily (and WAAAY more efficiently than gas heat) and will just run longer.

Plus, the registers (vents) in central heating ARE NOT supposed to have the occupants in the air stream. Heat pumps are a very efficient way to heat and cool your home. For more information on all the heat pumps we offer, call us at 635-3452. Please visit us online at www.qualityservbiceinc.com. Change your filters!

Ask Mike 2/21/07

Your ductwork may be a bigger deal that you think.

For example, were you aware that MANY homes are losing as much as 40-50 percent of their heating and cooling dollars through duct leaks? It is a good idea to be familiar with your duct system, because leaks WILL cost you money! If you have supply leaks you are putting paid-for conditioned air into the attic or up under the house. If you have return leaks, you are continuously sucking warm or cold unconditioned air into your equipment to be warmed or cooled with your inside air.

Either way, you are wasting money. Duct repair can be one of the most effective things a homeowner can have done to improve the efficiency of their home comfort system. Unfortunately, many duct systems operating today were not properly installed. Even if they were, not so long ago, a lot of installers still actually used “duct tape” to seal connections. Duct tape, over time, comes loose and does not effectively seal the connections. Often, they appear to be firmly attached, but they re not.

The adhesive has dried up and become ineffective leaving the gray outer surface of the tape in place-looking the same. At Quality Service, we use “mastic” which is a painted-on adhesive that hardens and completely air seals the connections. If you think you may have duct issues, please call us and arrange a professional inspection. If we find issues we’ll be happy to give you an estimate on what needs to be done.

You may be surprised at how little you can spend on your ductwork in order to save a lot. Change your filters and visit our website at www.qualityserviceinc.com.

We’ll be back next week.