Duct Install and Repair Services

It is hard to believe, but for many years the industry standard method of connecting ducts was to use duct tape!  We all know how long tape lasts.  Look at some of your old documents and you will see that the tape has lost its stickiness, it is brittle and faded. The same is true with the tape on your ducts.  If your duct system has never been pressure tested, call us. Our technicians carry a piece of equipment called a “duct blaster” that is used to pressure test and identify just how leaky your duct system is.  For some older duct system, we may find that it is better to consider replacing the entire duct system with  new ducts that are clean, insulated, tightly sealed, and designed to deliver optimal airflow to your home.

Duct leakage can create serious health hazard risks by altering critical pressure balances in homes. These imbalances can literally bring deadly carbon monoxide containing flue gasses into your home.  Leaks on the return air side of your furnace duct system can also create health hazards by drawing toxic chemicals, mold, allergens, humidity, dust,  crawlspace pesticides and other contaminants into your home. Upgrading  your duct system is frequently the first step to a healthier and energy efficient home.

And speaking of duct design, our technicians and installers are actually trained to use the Air Conditioning Contractors of American Manual-D standard to design, layout, and size your duct system deliver hot or cool air EXACTLY where it is needed to be delivered.

We install, repair, insulate, seal, fix, and design duct systems that will perform for you. Depending on your project, we can engineer ducts systems  that use sheet metal, wire flex, or alumaflex for your home.

To have ducts installed or repaired in your SB Californian home visit Sandium.Com

Air Conditioning Filter: Essential Part of Heating and Air Conditioning

The air conditioning filter is one of the most important air conditioning parts in the air conditioning system. Without it, your air conditioning system would be dirty and the air you breathe would be filled with pollutants. All air conditioning parts, from the ductwork to the air conditioning refrigerant, need the air conditioning filter to be clean and replaced to ensure you're getting the very best in central air conditioning.

If an air conditioning filter is left dirty, over time, it can lead to higher energy costs and short
equipment life due to all the air conditioning parts relying on each other. One can not work without the other. Overall, your heating and cooling will not be as effective and you will need to invest in more air conditioning repair and air conditioning maintenance.

An air conditioning filter should be changed every month or every two months for home air conditioning systems and every couple of weeks for certain commercial or industrial air conditioning since it's running almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Doing this as a routine in your monthly chores and not waiting until you see dust matted on the air conditioning filter will ensure you and your family the very best health as well as a smooth running air conditioning system . Dust particles can not always be seen so even if you see a little dust on the air filter , clean it as you normally would.

Since there are a variety of air conditioning filters , how quickly one gets blocked versus another depends on the brand - most air conditioning filters are sized 1 ½ to 2 square feet for each ton of capacity for a home or commercial property.

You can judge a filter's ability to clean by using MERV ratings - Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value - which is a rating of how efficient an air conditioning filter is from 1-12. The higher the rating, the more effective it is at removing particles such as animal dander, pollen, dust, mold and other allergens, and the better the protection for your air conditioning equipment . Most air conditioning filters screen out particles measuring from 3 to 10 microns in size.

The common types of air conditioning filters are:

Conventional fiberglass disposable filters (1" and 2"): These are common in most homes and small industrial air conditioners and commercial air conditioning systems. Since they are disposable and have an adhesive coating that traps the dust, you should not clean the filters . This may damage the filter's ability to remove particles by damaging the adhesive coating and/or the underlying mesh work. They are both not as effective as other types of filters even though they are lower in cost.

Pleated fiberglass disposable filters (1" and 2"): The 1" are generally used in many residential and commercial settings and are made of materials that can vary in the effectiveness. Usually, they are more densely woven to increase the efficiency of removing dirt. These have a larger surface area to lead to increased trapping of particles as compared to conventional filters. They must be specified for your air conditioning system or this can lead to increased demand on your air conditioning components. Thereby, a mismatch can be counterproductive on the health of the air conditioning system and possibly lead to higher air conditioning maintenance and service cost. You should check with the air conditioning manufacturer as to the appropriate type of pleated filter for your system. A filter spray can also be applied after the cleaning and drying of the air conditioning air filter .

Electrostatic filters: Different in design and performance, since there are so many varieties, it is rather difficult to determine which is the most efficient. They are commonly advertised as allergy-free air conditioning filters. These filters also come in the 1" and 2" sizes. Air that moves through the filter creates a static charge that collects any dust in the filter. They may require more cleaning and more blower power.

Electronic filters : Connected to an electrical power source and usually wall mounted, electronic filters come with a pre-filter that can collect larger particles and only need to be cleaned every six months.

Carbon filters : These filters contain carbon that can control any odor problems you might have within the air conditioning system . They can also be useful in homes with pets.
Air Conditioning Filter Installation

When placing the appropriate air conditioning filter in to the system, the filter should be placed in the correct direction as indicated by the arrow located on the side or face of the filter. Air should flow in the proper direction which is in the same direction as the arrows. This allows the filter to work appropriately, as the air exits the filter in the most reinforced part of the filter.

The air conditioning filter should fit tightly. A perfect seal is necessary to prevent unfiltered air from entering and damaging your air conditioning system. Without a perfect seal and appropriate sizing, the filter is useless. Additionally, the non-conventional filters may have a higher efficiency and may not fit your system. This should be checked with an air conditioning company, contractor, or air conditioning supply company.

By Sanjeev Shroff

Recommended Levels of Insulation

Insulation level are specified by R-Value. R-Value is a measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat traveling through it. The higher the R-Value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost-effective for different climates and locations in the home.

Wall Insulation: Whenever exterior siding is removed on an

Uninsulated wood-frame wall:

• Drill holes in the sheathing and blow insulation into the empty wall cavity before installing the new siding, and
• Zones 3–4: Add R5 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding
• Zones 5–8: Add R5 to R6 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding.

Insulated wood-frame wall:

• For Zones 4 to 8: Add R5 insulative sheathing before installing the new siding.

Visit Sandium.Com for more information on proper insulation on your home.

Original article from Energy Star

HVAC Zoning Gives Your Total Control of the Temperature in Your Home

Most Bay area homeowners spend a lot more time in particular parts of their homes than they do in others. So it does not make much sense to heat and cool just about every a part of your house in the very same way. A Heating and air conditioning zoning method is the perfect answer to this problem.

What exactly is HVAC zoning?

A zoning system for the air conditioner, furnace or heat pump enables you to have precise control over the temperature in different regions of your house. You'll be able to divide your property into various zones and set each and every zone to a designated temperature in accordance with how your family makes use of that a part of your home.Similar to the way  a programmable thermostat adjusts temperatures in line with when you are at house or sleeping, a zoning program can focus your conditioned air on the rooms which you use the most.

How does HVAC zoning operate?

Every single zone that you just designate in your residence receives a damper either inside the air duct that leads to the zone or near the air register in the zone. The damper opens and closes in accordance with whether or not the zone calls for conditioned air. When the damper is open, air is permitted in to heat or cool the zone. When the damper is closed, the zone receives no conditioned air.Each zone receives its own thermostat which you can set to your liking. When a thermostat detects that a zone desires to be heated or cooled, it sends a signal to a central control panel that asks for the HVAC unit to send conditioned air. Its damper is then opened to permit the air into the zone.Once each zone inside your property has reached its desired temperature, your HVAC unit shuts off and stops sending conditioned air.

What are the key advantages of HVAC zoning?

HVAC zoning comes with a few terrific benefits. For one, it permits you to have maximum control over the comfort levels inside your household.You will feel significantly much less hot and cold spots using a zoning system mainly because your HVAC unit is able to give a lot more consideration to each and every separate part of your house.

HVAC zoning also saves power due to the fact your heating and cooling units only work as tough as they must in an effort to satisfy each and every zone. That signifies they will not have to waste power on conditioning rooms that you simply do not devote quite a bit of time in.

If you have any questions about HVAC Zoning or if you would like a zoning system installed in your home please visit Sandium.Com

Carrier Air Conditioning- Is It Right For You?

Air conditioners are a must for anyone living in a warm climate. As soon as the temperatures start rising, the air conditioning better be in condition or else tempers may flair. To be prepared for the warm seasons, make sure you have your air conditioning checked by a profession and make sure you have a good air conditioning unit. Sadly, these units do not last forever and will need replacement. When it comes to replacement, you may wonder which brand is best to purchase and who to select for installation.

There are several brands on the market--Carrier, Lennox, Trane, etc. Each have their good and bad selling points, as any product has. When selecting an air conditioner, it's important to read reviews and see what others are saying.

Let's say you select Carrier as the unit you want to purchase. Begin reading reviews about Carrier and see how well the unit works, especially the model you are considering, and research what people say about the product. You will find useful information all around you if you search.

Carrier units work great for some people and don't get the job done for others. Observe what the person is writing about and look for specifics. Note when a person is speaking about their desires and needs and when they are being more objective and talking about the unit. Some may complain that a Carrier unit is too cold, but you may enjoy that part of the unit. So, observe what is being said and make sure it's not a personal complaint, but a true complaint about the system.

As many have reported, the main problem with any unit, whether it's Carrier or not, is that bad installation will make a good unit become a horrible unit. It depends on who installs the unit and how good of a job they perform. So, it is equally important to search and read reviews of installation companies and make sure that your Carrier unit is installed properly. You can purchase the best unit on the market and have it installed incorrect, and be out of luck. It all depends on the installation.

It's time to begin your search. Ask your friends and family members what units they have at their house or apartment and start from there. Or select a brand like Carrier and begin searching through their models and begin reading reviews to see if they are a quality brand.

By Thom Michaels