Get your HVAC system ready for winter

As the season turns, chilly mornings and mild days might have you reaching for the thermostat to take the edge off. You count on your HVAC system to heat and cool your home on demand, but if you find that some rooms aren’t comfortable, you might consider taking a closer look at your furnace and air conditioning systems to make sure they are running efficiently. You could do a few things listed in our previous blog post to eliminate simple issues.

Heating and cooling your home is responsible for much of your energy bill, and energy use contributes to your carbon footprint. RC Mechanical owner Sal Contreras can recommend cost effective, energy efficient HVAC upgrades that will make your home more comfortable while reducing your carbon footprint.

How’s the Temperature?

Your HVAC system needs to be able to keep up with the demands of making your home comfortable year round. If the dining room is warm but the temperature in the bedroom causes you to grab a sweater, your system might not be the right size for your home. RC Mechanical HVAC professionals can perform a home energy audit to see whether your HVAC system might be insufficient for the space.

If some rooms are cold while some are hot, you might have leaks in the HVAC system ductwork. More complicated to trace depending on the size of your home and the design of installation, RC Mechanical specializes in ductwork repair and replacement and can recommend the best solution for your situation.

Choosing A Heating Replacement

If your HVAC professional recommends upgrading your furnace, consider switching to something more energy efficient. Choose a furnace with high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER). Appliances with the ENERGY STAR label meet strict requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Many furnaces run on fossil fuels such as natural gas. Going electric, especially if you have solar power, is a great option and moves you towards a zero carbon footprint.

Check Your Thermostats

Make sure the temperature settings aren’t overheating your home when you’re away. Try adjusting your thermostat just 2 degrees from what makes you comfortable. Another way to reduce your carbon footprint is to upgrade to a smart thermostat. Both programmable and WiFi controlled thermostats allow you to control the temperature of your home remotely, and a smart thermostat has the added benefit of analyzing your energy consumption and offers tips to help you be energy savvy.

The Difference of a Ductless System

A compact ductless split heating and cooling system uses one or more independently mounted units that distribute hot or cold air in “zones,” targeting specific rooms rather than the whole house. Ductless systems are more energy efficient, saving money and helping reduce your total carbon output.

Learn more by contacting RC Mechanical, Redwood City’s best HVAC contractor. Call us today and we will diagnose your home’s indoor air quality and provide intelligent guidance to make your home comfortable and eco-friendly. (650) 575-3915.

AC/Furnace blows harder in some rooms

The air is supposed to flow through the ducts in a balanced way. This means that the pressure with which the air is forced into room should be the same.

If you have some rooms experiencing forceful air pressures and others not as much, you have what we in the industry call “An airflow problem”.

You will experience one of the following situations if you have an airflow problem:

You hear whistling sounds
Find that some areas of a room are drafty
Have no air coming out of some registers or the airflow is weak
You find the doors sometimes slamming by themselves
There are spaces/rooms in your home that is hot or cold

Most airflow problems start as a simple issue and if left unattended, can morph into a problem that may make it necessary to replace the whole unit. ???

Airflow issue in its beginning stages is fairly easy and inexpensive to fix. So heed your airflows!

Here are some reasons for airflow issues and how to fix them:

Damper is in closed position. Damper is used to balance the flow of air in the system. Damper controls the flow of air inside the duct work. If you aren’t getting air into the room, the damper could be closed, or there’s a crushed pipe or the pipe is too small for the size of the room. Call your HVAC to take care of this.
Obstructed vents or registers. This happens when there are physical objects in front of the vent or register and obstructing the air from flowing into the room. The solution is simple: Clear all items from near the vent or the register. This would enable to air to move freely.
Dirty filters. A standard filter is there to protect the equipment and not you. If you move into the higher-end filters, they will help you with the air quality inside the house. The filter’s job is to rid the air of dust and allergens and allow the air to be cleaned before it is blown into the house. This not only allows you to breathe clean air, it also keeps dust and debris from your heating/AC which helps your equipment to keep going for a long time. When this filter gets dirty or clogged, it not only takes more energy to push air through it, it also impedes the airflow. This also makes the system work harder which lowers its lifespan. A simple way to fix this issue is to replace your filter as recommended by the furnace manufacturer. During fire or allergy season, change it more frequently since the filters will be filtering a lot of gunk from the air. https://www.filtrete.com/3M/en_US/filtrete/program/change-reminder-programs/
Leaky ducts. Ducts are the way the warm or cool air is distributed throughout the house. If there is a leak in the duct, then some air is escaping out of the duct leading to reduced pressure. This is not ideal because now the dust and other grime from the attic can enter the duct and be blown into the living area. You need a professional to run an inspection of your duct system.
Fan not working. The HVAC system has fans that blow the air through the ducts and into your home. If those fans aren’t working, you can notice airflow problems. This could be a matter of simply cleaning the fans.

Unless it is the case of an obstructed vent or register, we highly recommend that you call your HVAC professional to diagnose and recommend solutions. Airflow issues tackled at the start of an issue are less expensive to fix than when they have grown into bigger problems.

We’d be happy to help you with any airflow issues. Call us at (650) 575-3915.

Keep your home temperature comfortable

Does it ever feel that certain parts of the house are very comfortable and others are not. They could either be too hot or too cold.

This could happen even if the furnace is working well. The main culprit is the duct design.

When the furnace is actively blowing warm air into the home, they tend to pool in certain areas. Warm air rises. So the upstairs would be much warmer than the downstairs.

Even though the same type of pooling of warm and cold air happens in the summer as well, the comfort level will be better downstairs in the summer. This is because we are looking to keep ourselves cool.

If this sort of pooling occurs, then run your fan. The main job of the fan is to push the air into the room. The duct work should be designed to deliver the correct amount of warm/cool air to a specific room.

If you have a 2-story house with only a furnace, and the upstairs is warmer than needed, then most likely you have a air flow balance issue. This is corrected by adjusting the amount of air that goes into each area.

If you have a 2-story house with one furnace with AC, if you have issues of comfort, that can be achieved by automatic zoning. This is by having 2 thermostats (noe upstairs and one downstairs) and redirecting air as needed. Call your HVAC guy to achieve this.

Imagine you are filling your bathtub with warm/hot water to take a bath. The water just under the spout will be much warmer than the side of the bathtub farthest away. Before getting into the bathtub, we mix up the water or wait until the water is evenly warm everywhere.

This is exactly what we are trying to do with the fan. The fan circulates the air from all parts of the house and keeps the whole house at an even temperature.

During the fire season, you can keep your inside air clean by running the fan. This filters the air of impurities. Remember to change the filter often when the air is declared unsafe for outside activities. Check your filter more often and replace if needed.

There is another advantage to using the fan. Since the air goes through the duct is blown into the home, the air has to pass through the filters. This makes the air cleaner. So if you suffer from allergies, then running the fan is a great way to filter out the allergens in the air by running the fan.

Simple ways to prevent home fire

Here are a few simple ways to prevent a fire from starting in your home.

Kitchen

Leaving pots and pans unattended is one of the main causes of kitchen fires. If you have to step away from the kitchen, use a timer to remind you that there’s something on the burner. Better yet, try to avoid circumstances where you would have to leave the kitchen when a burner is on. Cooking something at a certain time is not worth burning the house down!

Clean your oven and stove regularly. Food scraps can easily catch fire.

Keep a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it.

Furnace & Other heating sources

If you use space heaters in your home, make sure that there is at least three feet of clearance around each one. Keep them away from furniture, bedsheets, draperies, rugs, etc.

Get your furnace and the heating system checked and serviced by an HVAC professional before the start of the winter season. With our Annual Maintenance Plan, you can keep your furnace humming happily throughout the winter months.

Chimneys

Dirty chimneys pose a fire hazard. If necessary, get your chimney cleaned and repaired by a professional before the start of the winter months.

Do not burn anything other than seasoned wood in your fireplace. Better yet, replace your old-fashioned fireplace with a gas-powered one. These are less polluting and can be used even on spare-the-air days, as well as being much less likely to start a house fire.

Get your house’s gas pipes checked for leaks. If you smell gas, leave the house immediately and call PG&E.

Smoking

Aside from being bad for your health, smoking can also cause house fires. Burning cigarette butts can easily come in contact with flammable materials, such as couches and curtains.

Do not throw away still burning butts into dry leaves outside. This is a bad habit that can easily start a fire.

Candles

Candles give the home a cozy feel and a nice scent, but they are a fire hazard. Keep lit candles at least five feet away from anything flammable.

Wirings and outlets

If there are any frayed electrical cords in your house, replace them immediately. They are a serious fire hazard.

Electrical cords should not be covered by rugs or anything else to that effect. You then wouldn’t know if the cord underneath had frayed.

Surges in your electricity supply can also cause fires. It is easy to assume that all power strips contain surge protectors, but not all of them do. Use surge protectors to protect your valuable electronic devices, such as computers and televisions, and to prevent potentially fire-causing sparks.

Signs your HVAC is broken

Homeowners in Redwood City, like those everywhere, expect to feel comfortable and secure in our homes. Our homes keep us safe from the outside elements and dangers, like pollutants, inclement weather, etc. However, a faulty HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system is the biggest cause of poor indoor air quality. If furnaces and air conditioners are not installed and maintained properly, they can not only decrease the comfort levels of our homes, but they can also be harmful to our health. HVAC issues can be surprisingly tricky to detect unless you know what to look for.

Here are a few warning signs:

Dusty house

Ever notice that the dust level in your house has increased over time? If there is always a film of dust on the furniture or shelves and you seem to be always cleaning, then your HVAC system might be blowing dust into your house. You should check your furnace and a/c filters and make sure that they are replaced frequently.

Lingering Smell

If the smell of the chicken dinner 3 nights ago is still lingering in your house, then maybe there is a problem with air movement. Lingering smell is a sign to call to your HVAC technician.

Sense of non-well-being

Just because you can’t smell anything off, doesn’t mean that there is no problem with the air quality. In fact, many noxious gases don’t have any smell or color.

Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas that can be a by-product of the HVAC system. When that gas leaks into the house, it can pose a danger to children and adults, especially seniors.

Having a carbon monoxide detector is an important measure in ensuring the well-being of your family and home.

Frequent sickness

Do you feel that members of your family living in the house suffer from flu-like symptoms and have a general sense of not being well? If more than one family members suffers an inordinate amount from that, then it is a good time to call your HVAC technician to make sure that the air is clean.

Asthma & allergies

Do you or the people in your house suffer from sneezing and coughing in the house? A certain amount of sneezing and coughing especially during the allergy season can be normal. If you feel that the inside of your house isn’t giving you a respite from sneezing and other allergy symptoms, then the air may have allergens that haven’t been cleaned out by the furnace and a/c filters.

High humidity

If you have high humidity in the house, it could be an indicator of poor air quality. Homes with high humidity eventually get a buildup of mold and/or mildew.

High humidity can be caused by improper circulation of air which is one of the main functions of an HVAC system. One of the primary jobs of the HVAC system is to circulate air through the system. A malfunctioning HVAC increases the humidity in the air and creates a conducive environment for mold and mildew.

Bad sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is important for your health. If you feel you are not sleeping well and can’t understand why, then you may need to get your HVAC inspected. It is very possible that your good night’s sleep is being hampered by foul air (or however a bad HVAC affects sleeping). What you can’t see might still hurt you!

If you feel that you’d like us to evaluate your HVAC to see if it is functioning properly, give us a call at Redwood City’s best HVAC contractor. RC Mechanical is an owner-operated Redwood City business and has provided expert furnace and air conditioning repair and installation to the Bay Area with integrity for over 20 years. Call us today at (650) 575-3915. Homeowners in Redwood City and throughout the Bay Area count on us for all their heating and air conditioning needs.

Choosing the right furnace/air-conditioning filter

Air filters are an important, but often overlooked, part of the HVAC system. The primary purpose of a furnace or a/c filter is to trap and remove dust, dirt, hair, fur, fibers, bacteria, pollen, mold, etc. from the air in your house, and to protect the HVAC system. Without a filter, these impurities will compromise the efficiency and longevity of your heating and air conditioning equipment.

Furnace and A/C filters vary considerably in quality. The MERV rating is used to measure the ability of the filter to remove pollutants from the air. The higher the MERV rating, the better job the filter does in cleaning the air. Furnace and air conditioning filters are available at various price levels. It is usually true that the higher the cost of a filter, the better for your indoor air quality and your HVAC system.

Let’s now look at the different levels of filters in terms of price and their effectiveness.

$1.50 filter (MERV 1-4)

This essentially protects your small child or animal from being sucked into the furnace! Jokes aside, there isn’t much else that this furnace and air conditioning filter does.

These are usually flat filters with less surface area with which to clean the air. They also need to be changed more frequently than higher-quality filters.

$3 filter (MERV 5-8)

HVAC filters at this level provide basic filtration for your heating or air conditioning system. They can trap dander, pet hair, and mold to help keep the air free of these highly allergenic particles.

$15 – $20 filter (MERV 9-12)

At this MERV rating, filters are able to trap dust particles and are perfect for homes where there are people with allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions.

Such filters are generally pleated. Pleats give more surface area for the air to move through and get cleaned.

These are the best filters for your money. They keep the air clean, protect the HVAC system, and don’t need system modifications for their installation.

$45 filter

At this price range, you can get electrostatic filters. These furnace and air conditioner filters use static electricity to clean the air.

An electrostatic filter is made of multiple layers of mesh or vented metal. These are washable filters. In essence, you don’t have to replace them at all. Simply wash them clean and reuse. The downside to such a filter is that it restricts the flow of air.

These aren’t the best filters for homes because they can damage your equipment. The price of this filter is high because you don’t have to replace filters.

Such a filter is best for a home where the only concern is to protect the HVAC equipment and nothing else.

IQ Air filter (MERV 16)

This is the Rolls Royce of filters!

These are outstanding filters. If you want the air inside your home to be as clean as possible, this is the filter you want for your furnace and air conditioner.

Before we install the filter, we use a particle scanner to measure the quality of the air. After installation, we test the air again. The change is generally dramatic!

When we installed the IQ filter in the home of one of our Redwood City clients, they said that they could actually “taste the clean air”!

For these filters to be efficient, the furnace or air conditioning fan has to run continuously. The IQ filter will last 3 years or 18 months with a fan running continuously.

They cost between $350 and $400 for a set of 4 filters and cost between $2600-$3200 to install. We said it was the Rolls Royce of filters, didn’t we?

Have questions about filters, furnaces, ducts or air conditioners? Call Redwood City’s best HVAC contractor. RC Mechanical is an owner-operated Redwood City business and has provided expert furnace and air conditioning repair and installation to the Bay Area with integrity for over 20 years. Call us today at (650) 575-3915. Homeowners in Redwood City and throughout the Bay Area count on us for all their heating and air conditioning needs.

Should I repair or replace my HVAC system?

An HVAC system includes a furnace and/or air conditioner and the duct system to carry the air around the house.

In general, the lifespan of an HVAC system is between 15 and 20 years.

The lifespan of a furnace or air conditioer depends on how often the HVAC system was used, the quality of the mechanical components (furnace and AC), the quality of the furnace or a/c/ installation and the maintenance of the whole system over the years.

Here are a few considerations before you decide to replace your furnace or air conditioner.

Age of the system

HVAC systems last for up to 15 years. If the heating or cooling system stops working or the repair is going to cost a lot of money, then it is time to replace the furnace or air conditioning unit.

Safety

Old furnaces can get cracks in their heat exchangers. This enables carbon monoxide, a deadly gas that is colorless and odorless, to leak into the house. It is important to have a carbon monoxide detector to tell if your furnace has a leak.

Older HVAC systems could have compromised electrical issues. If fuses short or connections get weak, at the minimum your heating or cooling system will come to a halt. It can also cause fire.

Such safety issues are best mitigated by replacing the whole furnace or air conditioner.

Breakdown

An HVAC system that is over 12 years old will need to be replaced if there is a major breakdown. The cost of repairing a furnace or air conditioner can approach the cost of replacing it.

If the HVAC system is a fairly new one, but one of the major components needs to be repaired, then you will have to determine if the cost of fixing it approaches replacing the whole system. If yes, then you are better off getting a whole new HVAC system.

Degrading comfort level

There are 2 primary reasons for why your HVAC system is not keeping your home comfortable for you.

The first reason is that you have a wrong size of HVAC system installed in your home.

If the HVAC system is big for the home, the system is able to get your house to a comfortable temperature fast. This makes for a heating or cooling system that is turning on and off frequently leading to a stress on the system. If an AC doesn’t run for a certain length of time, it doesn’t dehumidify properly which is one of its core purposes. This also wastes energy and money.

If there is a leak in the ductwork of the furnace or air conditioner, you might sense a smell that is either putrid or not familiar. Leaky furnace or air conditioning ducts might also cause a decreased level of comfort in your home.

Increase in utility bills

An air conditioning or heating system that is steadily increasing your utility bills is indicating to you that it needs to be replaced.

An increase in bills means that the HVAC system is working harder and or longer to keep you comfortable in your home.

At RC Mechanical, Redwood City’s best HVAC contractor, our expertise is in designing an HVAC system for you that is best for your home and that lasts for over a decade. Call us if you are having issues with your furnace or air conditioner and believe that it may need to be repaired or serviced. RC Mechanical is a local owner-operated Redwood City business and has provided expert furnace and air conditioning repair and installation to the Bay Area with integrity for over 20 years. Call us today at (650) 575-3915. Homeowners in Redwood City and throughout the Bay Area count on RC Mechanical for all their heating and air conditioning needs.

Why is my furnace leaking water?

Your furnace heats your house using either gas or electricity. It doesn’t use water at all. So, if your furnace starts leaking water, the natural questions are, “Where is the water coming from?” and “Why is my furnace leaking water?”.

There are a few reasons why your furnace could be leaking water.

Leaky condensation

Condensation is a problem generally with energy-efficient furnaces. Older furnaces do not produce condensation. Thus the older furnaces don’t have the leaky water problem.

Energy-efficient furnaces have 2 heat exchangers. These heat exchangers keep the warm gases inside the furnace for a while. This in turn makes the furnace gases cool and condense. There are flue pipes in the furnace whose job is to route this water away from the furnace.

When a furnace’s flue pipe is a wrong size, is improperly installed, or is clogged, water can pool around the furnace. If there is a break in the furnace flue pipe, the water escapes.

Clogged drain

Your furnace shares the internal drain system with the air conditioner. If there is a clog somewhere in the furnace flue pipe, the water could be getting redirected into the furnace. This could make the furnace leak water.

Leaky humidifier or air conditioner

The job of the humidifier is to keep the humidity inside the house at a comfortable level. If the humidifier has a leak or is clogged, the water could drain into the furnace and spring a leak. This could lead you to believe that the furnace is leaking when in fact, it is the humidifier.

The only way to fix this problem is to call a reliable Bay Area HVAC contractor. If you’re located in Redwood City or nearby, call Sal at RC Mechanical at (650) 575-3915.

A malfunctioning furnace heat exchanger is another reason that your furnace could be leaking water. This is a complicated heating system issue and you should call your local Redwood City HVAC technician to deal with the problem.

RC Mechanical, Redwood City’s best HVAC contractor, is a trusted local company that will quickly diagnose and resolve your furnace and air conditioning issues. RC Mechanical is a local owner-operated Redwood City business and has provided expert furnace and air conditioning repair and installation to the Bay Area with integrity for over 20 years. Homeowners in Redwood City and throughout the Bay Area count on us for all their heating and air conditioning needs. Call us today at (650) 575-3915.

5 furnace checks to do before the winter

When the furnace doesn’t turn on on that first cool fall day, you may worry what it might cost, and how long you will have to live without a furnace.

There are a few things you can do to take care of small HVAC heating system issues. This blog post will show you how to diagnose and fix the most common simple issues with your furnace.

1. Check your thermostat

Some programmable thermostats can be complicated to program. Here are the most common things to check in a thermostat:

- First make sure that your thermostat is turned on for furnace. Thermostat should be set to “Heat”. Without this setting, the furnace won’t start.
- The temperature setting on the furnace’s thermostat should be higher than the temperature inside the house. E.g., if your room temperature is 65 degrees and your thermostat is set to 60 degrees, the furnace won’t kick in. The furnace setting should be at least 5 degrees over the room temperature for the furnace to start
- Check the time on the thermostat. If it isn’t displaying the correct time, fix it.
- Make sure that the furnace’s thermostat wires are not cut, frayed, loose, or otherwise compromised all the way to the furnace.
- Set or turn the furnace fan to “On” or “Auto”.

While you are checking the furnace, don’t forget to replace the battery. Without this, your thermostat settings will be lost if the power goes out even for a second.

2. Switches

Make sure the furnace’s power switch is turned on. Without this, your furnace can’t get the electricity and won’t start.

3. Breakers

First, turn off the furnace switch in the electrical panel. Now check the fuse in the power switch. If the fuse is blown, replace it.

If you don’t know how to replace it, it is time to call your furnace repair technician for inspection and repair.

4. Pilot light/electronic ignition

If you have a gas furnace, then check its pilot light. If it is not on, then depending on how handy you are, you may either call your furnace technician to light it or light it yourself.

If you have an igniter instead of a pilot light, make sure that you hear a clicking sound when the furnace is supposed to turn on. If not, you have a problem with the igniter. Call RC Mechanical, Redwood City’s best HVAC contractor, to quickly diagnose and resolve your furnace, thermostat, and air conditioning issues.

5. Change furnace filters

A clogged furnace filter can turn the furnace off. Dust and dirt don’t allow the air to move freely. This could make the furnace’s heat exchanger overheat and shut off.

Still stumped?

At the end of checking all these checks, if your furnace still doesn’t turn on, then call your local Redwood City HVAC technician for an inspection and possible repair.

Should I get a gas or an electric furnace?

Every day there are more and more furnace options available to consumers in Redwood City and throughout the Bay Area. These delivery varied levels of comfort, price and fuel.

Furnaces run primarily on either gas or electricity. There are pros and cons to both kinds of heating system.

Installation

The first furnace installation question you need to answer is whether you should get a gas or an electric furnace. If your home doesn’t have a gas connection, then you may want to consider an electric furnace. Getting a new gas line into your home can be expensive.

Safety

As part of the heating process, gas furnaces release carbon monoxide and other toxic gases. The State of California requires that homes with gas furnaces have a carbon monoxide detector. The gas furnace installation needs a ventilation system to safely direct these gases outside. Consequently, installation of a gas furnace can be more expensive than an electric furnace.

If you have a gas furnace, make sure that you have an automatic gas shutoff that will turn off the gas during an earthquake. Your HVAC contractor can do this for you.

Cost

The average cost of a gas furnace is around $1200 plus $2400 for installation.

Electric furnaces are slightly cheaper. The average cost of an electric furnace is around $670 plus an average installation charge of $2000. With an electric furnace (heat pump), you also get an AC.

Gas furnaces are generally more efficient and cost significantly less to heat the home than electric furnaces.

In remote areas that are not served by a local gas company (such as PG&E), it is common to use propane to make the home comfortable. It would be best for such homes to convert to a heat pump powered by propane. With the heat pump, you can both cool and heat your home.

So the question for you is: Do you want to spend up-front on your heating system and pay less over the years in ongoing furnace costs, or spend less on your furnace in the beginning and spread it out over the coming years?

Maintenance

Both types of furnaces need to be maintained professionally to make sure that they are safe, efficient and are working as intended. Gas furnaces require regular maintenance to ensure that the ventilation system is working well. Both types of heating system require replacement of their filters at regular intervals.

Lifespan

Gas furnaces last about 20 years on heat exchangers and electric furnaces can last almost 15 years. Electric furnaces have a lower lifespan because they work as both AC and furnace and get used all year round.

We will help you pick your furnace!

If you are in the market for a new furnace, Redwood City’s best HVAC contractor will help you evaluate the best furnace for your needs and home. We perform maintenance, repairs, and installations of new heating and air conditioning systems. Homeowners in Redwood City and throughout the Bay Area count on us for all their heating and air conditioning needs. Call us today at (650) 575-3915.