HVAC FAQs

Every definition you will find of the acronym HVAC will tell you the same thing. That it means heating, ventilation plus air conditioning. For SuperTech, however, it means a little more than that. It means thermal comfort, air quality, as well as humidity control for both residential and commercial buildings through different types of heating and cooling systems, all for you and your family!

Give us a call at (443) 402-3046 and schedule a free consultation with us today!

ENERGY STAR was created by the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) as a program to help individuals and business to buy energy efficient systems. It’s super easy to understand, too! If the appliance you are thinking of buying has met the program’s standards, you will see a label on it in the shape of its blue and white logo!

Are you ready to buy your next cooling or heating system? Schedule a free consultation with us right now!

BTU is an acronym and it stands for British Thermal Unit. It’s a unit of measure for a system’s capacity of heating or cooling. Let’s put it like this:
1 BTU = the amount of heat needed to raise or lower the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit.
1 Ton cooling = 12, 000 BTUs.

Want to find out more details? SuperTech has them! Book a session right now!

S.E.E.R. is also an acronym and stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. As the name suggests, it measures how efficient an AC or a heat pump is. Here’s how you calculate that:
In an average cooling season, divide the cooling output by the total input of energy you registered in that amount of time.
Here’s the rule. If your SEER is high, the unit is efficient energy wise.

Request an estimate from SuperTech today!

Here’s what you do: disconnect every device you think could overload or trip the breaker. Since it’s classified as a mechanical device you must turn everything all the way off and the back on. This could take a few attempts before the desired result happens. However, if it doesn’t or the result is ‘sloppy’ than the problem could be more serious than previously thought. Please call a licensed electrician!

Or call SuperTech for that matter! Click right here to book a free session with us!

Absolutely! They can mean one of two things:

1. Intermittent chirping – the smoke detector might now be defective

2. Consistent chirping – you need to replace the battery because it’s low

This is one of the questions that we get the most here at SuperTech. ACs live between 10 and 15 years while gas furnaces have a life expectancy of 20 to 25 years. However, when your unit is close to the end, you will start to hear strange noises and call in for more frequent repairs. Another factor that could influence the life expectancy of your unit is the ocean. If you live close by, it will shorten its life. Therefore, if you’ve had your unit for 10 or 15 years, go for an air conditioner replacement.

SuperTech is ready to handle your AC replacement. Call now to book a session!

Unit replacement is tricky. Here are questions to ask yourself before you proceed!

1. Is the system very old? More than 10 years means that you need to go for a unit replacement. A new one will be far more efficient, saving you up to 40% when it comes to energy.
2. How efficient is the unit in your home now?
3. How efficient was the unit when you installed it? Replacing certain parts won’t make it more efficient. Go for a unit replacement if the sum you saved using an energy efficient unit accounts for buying a brand new one partially or completely.
4. What is the state of the unit now? A good working state warrants just some repairs. But if the repairs are very often, go for a unit replacement. That’s what we call the 50% rule.

The 50% rule – you’re pondering between repairing and replacing. Go for a repair if it costs you less than half of its value and if the repairs are not too often. Give your technician a call. He will tell you how efficient your unit is and determine what needs to be done.

Better yet, call SuperTech! We are one click away and our session is free!

An air conditioner installation in a house that’s never had one before will also require the following.

Insulation
Ductwork
Electrical service
Wiring
A thermostat
Flue terminations
Refrigerant piping
Condensate piping
Slabs
Flue piping
Chimney liner
Registers
Filter
Drain pans
Driers
Evaporator coils
Grills
The most important one of all is the ductwork. It consists of two parts – the supply and the return and can be made of fiberglass or metal.

The supply is attached to the outflow. The two deliver air into your house, keeping you and your family comfortable, which is our main goal here at SuperTech! The size of the supply dictates how much air will go to each zone of the house. Your dealer can help you determine what size you need.

The return duct is connected to the inlet of the unit. The two remove air from your house in order for it to be cooled or heated. They also have a filter attached to it. In case you have a furnace or an air handler as well, you need to attach the filter as close to them as you possibly can.

Better yet, why not let us handle it? Request an estimate right now!

Please schedule a session with a licensed contractor once per year! It is the only way you can ensure your system is safe and efficient all throughout the cold season. Your licensed contractor can inspect and clean, if necessary, the unit’s parts. He can also repair it if he sees fit. Only when your unit is working at an optimal level can you save money!

If you want to go for a unit maintenance session, please reach out to us as soon as possible!

Here’s a thought – if you buy a new car and it suddenly starts to make strange noises would you keep on driving it? Would you still drive it without putting air in its tires or changing its oil? Your home comfort system needs to be checked on a regular basis exactly like your car must be maintained all the time as well.

And to do that, you need a qualified technician. Please get in touch with us to schedule a free session today!

Your warranty will only cover parts of your system. For more details, it’s always a good idea to read the warranty sheet that came with the unit you purchased. If your unit is new, you might have also got a labor warranty from the dealer or an extended one.

However, if you still have questions about your warranty, please reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to answer them!

The short definition – a device with a sensitivity to temperature. It controls and regulates the temperature in a space, being in connection to any type of unit such as an AC, a furnace or both.

The thermostat can initiate or terminate the cooling or heating modes if the temperature goes beyond what is indicated on its display. It also tells the furnace or AC at what temperature to heat or cool the house when they initiate so that you are comfortable with your family when at home!

Still not sure how a thermostat works? Call us and schedule a free session, and we’ll explain!

Of course there are! Eight kinds of automatic and programmable thermostats:

1. Wireless Wi-Fi
2. Digital
3. Digital Non-Programmable
4. Digital Programmable
5. Smart
6. Manual
7. Remote Access
8. Touchscreen

Are you under the impression a thermostat is not that important? Think again! It controls half the energy that runs through your entire house! That comes to more than the lights, appliances, computers, and stereos combined!
Not sure which how to choose the best thermostat? Call us now and we’ll help out!

Are you one of those people that thinks the furnace filter is not that important? Think again! Air gets filtered in three ways:

1. Through the filter in the AC
2. Through the coils
3. Via your own lungs and your family’s lungs!

It is known that some manufacturers fit the furnaces they make with cheap filters made of fiberglass. They catch the particles that might damage the fan or the heating coil. However, if the particles buildup, they will turn the furnace less efficient. It will struggle to pull the air through the return resulting in a restricted airflow. This, in turn, can lead to overheating when it’s in heat mode or freezing when the furnace is in cooling mode.

It’s a lot safer to go for a higher quality filter. It can remove mold spores, bacteria, and pollen which would otherwise end up in your lungs. This problem will get incredibly real for you when one of the members of your family has allergies or asthma.

If you don’t know what type of filter you need, please give us a call! Our technicians will help you out!

Have you read the documentation that came with the furnace? It should tell you what size a filter you need for it! Afterward you can ask one of our technicians about the level of efficiency you should go for. For example, if the efficiency is too high, it might cause static pressure in the motor. Which can lead to it dying sooner than it should.

But you don’t have to worry about that! Just give us a call and we’ll help you pick a filter!

As a rule of thumb, you can buy any filter from any company. Still, check out the documentation you received. It has clues as to whether the filter will match or not. However, a ductless filter nowadays is an original manufacturer part (O.E.M.). Therefore, it won’t be available.

If you have more questions such as this one, we can’t wait to answer them! Call us right now!

Filter efficiency means the percentage of particles it can remove. It’s different from furnace efficiency, which speaks about fuel and measures as the AFUE. A high efficiency furnace can take a low or high efficiency filter. Still, if neither one gets cleaned regularly, the furnace will become inefficient! Luckily, you have SuperTech for that! Give us a call to book a session with us right now!

Check out the documentation you got from the manufacturer! The time period depends on a series of factors such as the type of filter you have, whether or not you own pets, if you have allergies or not, and so on.

On average, disposable fiberglass panel filters and electrostatic panel filters must be changed between one and three months. Pleated filters – between three and six months. But check all of them every three months! Don’t forget! The task is easy and the filters are cheap!

If not, they will get clogged with dirt and debris, making the furnace work harder than it should. As a consequence, it will be less efficient, possibly damaged, and you will pay more on your bills.
Better yet, call us and we will clean your filters for you!

MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value and it’s a rating system meant to compare filters, designed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Otherwise put, it will tell you how a filter performs when compared to another.

Why does it exist? You ask a good question! So we know just how many particles and pollutants can a filter capture. Let’s put it like this:

A high MERV = filter will remove a lot of dirt, debris, pet hair, pollen, etc.

But, please be aware that it will also consume more energy because the air handler in your AC or furnace will work more. Therefore, you will pay more on your electricity bill!

Does the MERV rating do anything for me? Sure! With the right match, the air in your home will be a lot purer and your AC or furnace will live a long and happy life. As will you!

Get in touch with us today to learn what kind of air filter you need!

MERV means Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It was developed by the ASHRAE or American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air conditioning Engineers to rate filters in a very simple way so that the general public can understand.

A high MERV rating means a very efficient filter. Here’s an example:

A MERV 12 filter will take out even the smallest particles in the air. Naturally, it’s better than a MERV 8 one. This is how it can benefit you, because it’s so easy to understand!

Here’s another rule of thumb – all filters that are marked MERV 8 or 11 behave the same. That’s because MERV only rates efficiency.

Added benefits include anti-bacterial treatment with carbon, Lysol or baking soda by Arm & Hammer. However, please understand that they do not belong to the MERV rating.

A tip from SuperTech – if you are troubled by asthma or allergies, go for a filter marked MERV 8 or higher!

If you’re interested in learning more tips like that, schedule a free maintenance session with us today!

The first thing you need to know is that no filter has a standard expectancy of life. It will vary based on your house, if you have any pets, if you are a smoker, the level of pollen and air pollution in the house, and so on. Still, we can, on average, say the following:

· 30 days for a fiberglass filter
· 90 days for a pleated one

Wash them every month if they are washable so that they can live an average of 5 years. The mini-pleated filter needs to be vacuumed every 60 days and it will live for 1 year. Make a note of this task in your calendar so you don’t forget!

Better yet, call us and we will do it for you so you don’t have to worry every again!

The life expectancy of your filter depends on the type you have and your environment. So, even if we cannot answer this question scientifically, you can look at some criteria that will help you:

If you have pets
The number of people in the house
Do you smoke?
Do you keep your windows open?
Are there plants or trees that produce pollen?
Is your area dry, damp or arid?
Personalized factors

If you recognize any of these factors, they are sure to clog your filter, meaning it will need cleaning more often than not. The rule is to check it every month! Hold the filter against the light. Can you see through the filter? If the answer is no, change it! A clean air filter will make sure no dust or debris is clogging your system. In return, you won’t have to pay for maintenance or repairs.
Don’t want to clean your filters? No problem! We’ll do it for you! Give us a call!

If you have a modern AC or central heating system, the filter will be next to the blower unit. You can find it at the base of the air handler unit or the furnace unit or in the return duct for cold air. The latter is in the ceiling or on the wall.

Remove the grill or cover box which was holding it in place.

Remove the dirty filter.

Put it in a bag.

How to install a new filter:

The arrow for air flow must point in the direction of the blower. Pay attention to that!
Write down the date you are installing it on.
While you are in the recommended period, take it out. Wash it.
If you live in a dry climate, the weather changes or are having construction done, the filter will need to be changed more often.
If you have questions on how to install a filter, please get in touch with us! The technicians at SuperTech are highly skilled and will make this process as easy as possible for you!

Here’s a question – how much do you care about your lungs? The filter collects all the dirt and debris in the air within your house while the HVAC unit is working. In this way, it protects the unit itself, it cleans the air but, most importantly, it keeps your lungs safe from breathing it all in!

Look at it this way – your filter is like the dryer’s lint trap, only for the HVAC unit. It gathers everything in the air, building it up in a thick layer. When it becomes full and too thick, it cannot possibly be effective anymore. As a result the unit must now work much harder to circulate the air and cool or warm the house. Therefore, it will waste energy and force you to pay higher bills.

Ready for more? If the air filter is clogged, it will also stop filtering the air. Which means you and your family will breathe in all the pollutants and germs. They can lead to asthma, allergies, stuffy noses, and sneezing.

An old and forgotten filter can actually gather so much grime it will actually stop the air from flowing altogether. This, in turn, will lead to a whole host of problems, one of the most dramatic being the motor sucking in the filter and damaging the whole system. The reparations alone could cost you thousands of dollars!

Please don’t let that happen because of an uncleaned filter! Call us today and we’ll take care of it for you!

There is no general answer for this question. Here are some factors you should take into account:

1. The type of filter you have
2. How much traffic there is in the house or office
3. Are there any pets?
4. How long do you keep your AC or heating unit operating for?

Check every filter once per month!

If you have installed remote filters in your home or office and they are in the ceiling or the walls, you need to follow the instructions you received. Please follow the manufacturer’s guide for the best results! If not, our technicians are always here to help!

If you join SuperTech’s Savings Club, one of our experienced HVAC technicians will visit you when it’s time to check your filters exactly how your manufacturer indicated. In this way, you can rest assured the filter is still safe to use, as is the whole unit. Not only that, but you can be sure the unit is still working at peak efficiency! Our technician will clean your filters, replace them or check them! So get in touch with us today!

Have you ever heard about a ‘split’ system? We bet you have! This is the most common type of air conditioner found in residential and commercial spaces. It circulates compressed gas refrigerant which cools the air inside it and repeats the process. The perfect medium for this process to take place? The outside air, of course! That’s why the unit is ‘split.’ Because one part of its components are on the outside of the building and the rest on the inside. The opposing model would be a ‘packaged’ unit.

Let’s talk about refrigerants! Their trademark is ‘Freon,’ and it was registered by the DuPont Company. Simply put, refrigerant is a substance that cools and dehumidifies the air. If you have a ‘forced’ air system, then the internal blower will move the circulated air through the ducts all the way through the rooms of your house.

As a homeowner, you’re probably already aware that your ducts can be under your ceiling, in the attic or even inside the rooms, but a little reminder won’t hurt! You also have an outside fan as part of your system which will cool and condense the refrigerant as it pulls air over the unit outside.

Book a free consultation with SuperTech right now by visiting this page!

We’ll let you in on a little secret. Given the fact that the technology is now matured enough, most air conditioners produced today are, in fact, quite high quality ones. Not to mention that many of them are produced with parts made by the same brands. Therefore, when you think about an air conditioner installation and wish to purchase one, here are some criteria to consider.

Your budget
How much noise they make
Warranty (it ranges between 1 and 10 years)
Appearance

Even so, independently of the brand you choose, the most important tool in your toolbox, pun intended, is still the contractor. Having yours and your family’s safety at heart, we advise you always to hire a licensed contractor when it comes to an air conditioner repair or installation. He is the only one who can perform the procedures correctly and safely. Not only that, but he can also save you money! It doesn’t matter if you went for the most expensive AC in the world. If you hired the world’s worst contractors, you will regret it!

SuperTech has the best licensed contractors in the area. Give us a call today to get in touch with them!

The main reason why people use ACs is to be comfortable at all times at home and at work. ACs have two functions – cooling/heating your home and managing the humidity inside. Here’s a tip from us – most modern ACs have an automatic switch. This means they can perform their heating and cooling duties on their own!

Get in touch with us to request an estimate by clicking on this link!

In fact, this is never supposed to happen. Please take a look at your service panel, namely your breaker. Can you tell which area of the house the tripped breaker feeds to? Is it warm?

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH the wires or their connections. The high voltage is extremely dangerous.

Note that the breakers should not feel warm but cold. If they are, however, warm, they could be weak, which means you need to contact an electrician right away!
If you find that the breaker is cold, go ahead and reset it. You can also replace its fuse. However, if any of this happens again soon, it is now time to talk to your AC contractor. Or to SuperTech, for that matter! We will diagnose and solve this problem in no time!

The wires might be loose, the unit could have shorted to the ground or the compressor could have failed. Please understand that neither of these problems are DIY tasks. YOU MUST CALL A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN OR CONTRACTOR!

SuperTech is only one call away in these situations! Please call or book a session right now!

Yes! There is no need to worry! But it’s still good that you asked! This is a common occurrence when a motor starts or when the compressor loads. Because of them the voltage drops for a short moment. Hence, the lights blink. However, you electrical equipment will not be affected in any way! If you have any more questions like this one, why don’t you book a free session with us?

The best person to tell you if your system is working at optimal levels or not will always be a licensed technician. Schedule regular maintenance with him so you can rest assured nothing is wrong with your unit!

Still, this can be a DIY task as well. For example:

If you notice your bills are higher than usual, you can be sure your system is inefficient. Heating costs could also be affecting by your filters not being cleaned enough or your insulation not
being of high quality.
Are some rooms in your house are warmer than others?
If you need to set the thermostat higher than ever before
When looking at the thermostat – does the house feel as warm as what is indicated on the thermostat?
If not, book a maintenance session with SuperTech right now! Click right here to contact us!

Of course! Your furnace has two levels with regards to the heating output. A high one for the coldest days of the winter season. And a low one for milder days. You also get a low setting used some 80% of the time seeing as this is what your house will demand per usual. As a consequence, a two-stage model runs longer and distributes heat more evenly.

Give us a call if you want to schedule your free consultation today!

Absolutely! Every single furnace has to receive an AFUE or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio rating. What does that mean? The percentage of heat a furnace makes compared to every dollar it eats as fuel. It will show up as a percentage. You can think of it as miles per gallon when it comes to cars, if that’s an easier parallel! As a consequence, the higher the AFUE = the lower the fuel price will be.
Here’s an example.

Let’s say the AFUE is 90%. Then 90% energy as fuel will go into your house and get turned into heat. 10% will get lost through the chimney and other such places.

The EPA states that the AFUE cannot account for any heat you lose via ducts or piping. If you put them together, they can come to some 35% of what the furnace makes it the ducts are located in the attic, the garage or any space that is not conditioned.

Every single modern manufacturer must meet the AFUE 80% if they are in the south and 90% if they are in the north. But you should know that furnaces which are 10 or 15 years old will most likely not meet these requirements. In turn they will waste energy and lose you money.

When it comes to a furnace installation or a boiler installation, you need to buy one that has the ENERGY STAR® logo. If you live in a very cold climate, you absolutely need an efficient system. A milder climate will see you paying lower costs for annual heating. As a consequence, you can’t really justify an extra investment for taking your system from 80% to 90-95%.

Still, please understand that the AFUE rating should not be the only criteria you choose your next furnace on.

If you want to know how to choose a furnace, book a free session with SuperTech right now!

A heating system replacement always comes with very clear signs. Here they are now:

· Your utility bills have spiked
· Repairs have been more frequent than normal
· The temperature in your house is not consistent
· The heating unit is more than 20 years old

You know what time it is! Call your licensed HVAC contractor! He is the only one able to perform a heating system inspection and determine what problems it has. Even if it appears fine on the surface the technician can spot problems that indicate you need to go for a heating system replacement. Are you also worried about your heating bills being too high? This is a great topic of conversation as well!

Give us a call right now and book a free session with SuperTech! Let’s see what’s wrong!

Your HVAC technician is the best person to ask for advice in such a delicate situation! Here are some criteria you need to take into account:

· The climate you live in
· Whether or not you can get the appropriate fuel (propane or gas) in your area
· Is your house fit for a switch from a heat pump to an electrical heating unit?

The best way to answer all of these questions and make sure you have purchased the appropriate heating system for your house and area is by consulting with a licensed HVAC contractor. If you call SuperTech, our Comfort Consultant is here to help you with that, after asking you a series of questions about your home or business.

In order to talk to our Comfort Consultant, please call us today to schedule a free session!

Yes, it will! Think about it this way! Just like in every other area, the technology behind it has improved a lot as well. Which means that now furnaces are much more efficient than they used to be, they provide heat more evenly, and they simply operate better on the whole.

Modern furnaces move more air over the heat exchanger than their predecessors. Therefore, they can regulate the temperature and airflow a lot better. Be that as it may, it does not mean the air it puts out is a lot hotter than with your old one. Still, better airflow always equates to a higher level of comfort!

Another change is that modern furnaces come equipped with efficient air conditioners. As a consequence, their blowers are more powerful as well so that they can accommodate the cooling mode too. Cold air is heavier, so the system is dependent on the extra boost from the blower to cool down your house and keep you comfortable!

But here’s the trick! If you have an old house, this change could lead to your hearing a series of strange sounds because the ducts were not meant for this purpose. If you’re not pleased with the sounds you can go for a system with variable speed that will switch automatically between speeds. In this way it can cater to your airflow needs as far as cooling and heating are concerned.

If this is something you would like to pursue, please give us a call right now!

We’re so glad you asked! Think of your heat pump as an AC plus heating unit that can be used the entire year. Now that’s comfort!

During the hot season, a heat pump behaves just like an AC. Heat is taken from inside the house and pumped outside. During winter, the process reverses. Most people think that in winter the air outside is too cold for that. But it’s not true. It still has an amount of heat in it which will be collected by the heat pump and pushed through the house.

Still, if the air outside is too cold to match the temperature you want on your thermostat, than an electric heater will kick in to supplement the outdoor air and still warm your house. The process is incredibly energy efficient, yielding twice or thrice as much as it uses.

However, here’s a tip from the SuperTech specialists. If you don’t generally use the heat option or you need a heat pump replacement, then the unit might cost more when bought up front. Additionally, returns are granted only when the heating mode is used. If you use the cool function or switch to electrical, you could need additional electrical requirements.

Want more tips? Schedule a free consultation with us right now!

Shall we put it simply? A large metal box. Let’s get a little more technical! Here’s what an air handler has inside.

• Blower
• Elements for heating and cooling
• Sound attenuators
• Racks or filter chambers
• Dampers

The air handler is linked to the duct ventilation system, which means it has to distribute the conditioned air all through your home or building. But it also must make it return to the AHU. Still, if your system is a ductless mini-split or a multi-split, there may be no need for ductwork. Hence the name ‘ductless’!

Schedule a free consultation with SuperTech for all your air handler needs!

Indoor Air Quality or IAQ means how the air inside and around your house relates to your health and comfort as well as that of your family. Needless to say, that air has to be pristine and healthy seeing as most our time is spent inside. Pollution inside is just as important as the pollution happening outside.

Please reach out to us as soon as possible if you have any reason to believe the air inside your home is not healthy!

Absolutely! Their similarities lie in their ability to remove every harmful element in the air. But their differences come from the fact that UV air purifiers also eliminate bacteria, germs, and mold. Filtration is responsible for the harmful particles in the air.

Reach out to us to schedule a free session!

A process in which an anti-fungus filter catches particles of smoke and mites responsible for odors and allergies, rendering the air clean and fresh.
Interested in air purification? Call now to talk to one of our licensed contractors!

EPA: Two studies on UV lamps installed on HVAC units to irradiate air-handling systems as well as their surfaces show that there were no high concentrations of ozone. Of course, it all depends on the type and brand of UV light you purchased. Ozone might not be present at all.

Still, if you have any concerns, please give us a call right now!

Think of it this way – the level of harm is the same as standing too long in the sun and its UV light.

Please do not look at or touch a bulb if it’s on! Turn off the purifiers when replacing the lamps so you don’t have to look at them!

However, note that they are usually installed in the HVAC unit where you cannot be exposed to them!

To be completely safe, give us a call and we will come and replace your UV lights!

Depending on the model, you will only have to replace it once every one or two years. Or call SuperTech to do it for you! Click right here for more info!