What Is Geothermal and Is It Right for My Home?

May 9th, 2014

If you’ve already started doing a bit of research online about new HVAC systems for your home or commercial space, then you may have come across the term “geothermal.” As the term suggests, geothermal heating and cooling is a way of making your home more comfortable by means of the thermal energy stored underground. This system type is known for its excellent energy efficiency as well as for its year-round versatility.

When it comes to geothermal installation and service, you can count on Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. Give us a call today to set up an initial consultation. 

Despite its moniker, geothermal energy does not emit from the Earth’s core, so you don’t have to worry about magma. Rather, geothermal energy is latent energy that has been stored by the sun’s rays. When you get down to a certain level, the temperature of the earth is consistently moderate throughout the year, whether it’s July or January. Geothermal HVAC systems seek to draw upon that energy. They use underground piping that circulates a water or anti-freeze mixture to dissipate thermal energy into the ground during the summer, and to draw that thermal energy from the ground during the winter. The system connects to a fairly conventional heat pump setup, including the use of ductwork throughout the home.

But it’s important to make sure that your property can handle a geothermal system in the first place. Obviously, such a system requires a certain amount of space for the installation of underground piping. There are also other options for the installation of piping, including using small bodies of water on the property, such as ponds, to facilitate the heating and cooling process. Most importantly, it’s a good idea to discuss the details of your home and HVAC needs with a professional so that we can find a solution that’s right for you.

Geothermal systems function much like conventional heat pumps, but often at a fraction of the energy consumption. Whereas conventional air conditioners have to contend with high outdoor temperatures during the summer, a geothermal system only has to contend with a relatively moderate ground temperature.

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The Importance of New Construction HVAC

May 2nd, 2014

Most people rely on experts for the construction of a new home. Even if you specialize in one particular trade, be it plumbing, carpentry, roofing or concrete, you’re going to need to hire a team of specialists to ensure the job is done in a timely and correct manner. One major aspect of any new home construction project is the HVAC system. How will you keep cool during the summer? How will you stay warm during the winter? If you haven’t begun considering that, it’s never too early or too late. New construction HVAC services involve more than just the installation.

You might be able to get away without a whole house air conditioner in some areas of our country, but not here. You want to have a reliable, efficient and powerful cooling system available at the flick of a switch. There are a number of different air conditioners to select from, but first things first: you need to know how much cooling you need. That’s where a heat load calculation comes into play. A professional HVAC technician can perform a series of measurements in order to figure out just how much cooling your new home will need based on various factors, including square footage and the amount of windows and doors.

You also need to make certain that your new air conditioner is designed with the ductwork in mind. After all, the system power and the ducts also have to match, as an overly large system or improperly sized ductwork can cause serious performance and efficiency problems. A trained technician will be able to come up with a system design that ensures your AC works well for years to come. All of this is required of heating systems, too.

Deciding on a system for your new home or commercial space can be difficult, but we can make it easy on you.

There are numerous factors to consider, including the size of your space, your heating and cooling preferences, as well as your budget. Call Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. today. 

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How to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

April 25th, 2014

What’s ailing your home’s indoor air? Is it mold, mildew or bacteria? Do you feel that the air is excessively wet or dry? Is it hard to breathe? Are your allergies out of control? There are plenty of substances that can be detrimental to your indoor air quality in Navarre, but, fortunately, there are an equally effective number of solutions available to the homeowner to combat such problems, including air filtration systems, air purifiers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers and energy recovery ventilators.

Considering how much time we spend indoors, it’s important to make certain that you breathe clean air when you’re at home or at work. Taking control of your indoor air quality often requires much more than cracking a window. Moreover, opening up the windows during the summer or winter can significantly raise your heating and cooling costs. It’s important to find indoor air quality solutions that directly address the problems you are out to remediate. Let’s take a look at some popular indoor air quality products.

Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality

  • Air Purifiers and Air Filtration Systems. Whether you opt for a HEPA filter to remove particles from your indoor air, or you have an electronic air purifier installed within your HVAC system, make sure that it is completed by a professional. There are numerous different types of air purifiers and air filtration systems, including UV air purifiers that are directed towards microbiological contaminants such as mold, mildew and bacteria.
  • Dehumidifier. In order to make a dent in the stifling summer humidity, you may want to consider a whole house dehumidifier. These devices integrate directly into your heating and cooling system to affect your entire indoor air, and not just a single room. There are also humidifiers available if your air is excessively dry.
  • Energy Recovery Ventilator. One of the major problems of the modern, energy-efficient home is that natural ventilation is no longer available in quite the same way. If you want to avoid the rise in energy costs that will accompany any opening of the windows or doors, then you may want to consider an energy recovery ventilator. This device provides a way for you to exhaust stale air and preconditioning incoming air.

Let the friendly staff at Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. help you achieve excellent indoor air quality in your home or work space. Call us today.

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How Air Conditioning Works

April 18th, 2014

Life here in Florida would be uncomfortable without a whole house air conditioning system, but though we use them every day, the way an air conditioner works remains a mystery to many. For most, it’s just the production of cold air. While this is not untrue, there’s a lot more to air conditioning than meets the eye. All air conditioners as well as refrigeration equipment rely on a similar process known as the refrigerant cycle. Knowing a bit more about how your air conditioning system works is a great way to be able to recognize problems as soon as they arise.

If you have any further questions about cooling issues at your home, or you’re interested in having a new air conditioner installed, then we can help. Call Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. today. 

The basic components of an air conditioning system span the mechanical, the chemical and the electrical. The lifeblood of the refrigerant cycle is the refrigerant, which circulates through various coils as well as the compressor in order to bring cooling into the home. How does it work? Let’s take a closer look.

Refrigerant circulates through a cycle of different system components: compressor, condenser coil, expansion valve, and evaporator coil. This is a simplification, of course, but it will give you a sense of the most important aspects of the cycle. Because the cycle is continuous, we’ll have to start somewhere. When refrigerant enters your compressor, which is located in the outdoor unit along with the condenser, it is in a low pressure, gaseous state. The compressor does just what it sounds like it should do: it compresses the refrigerant into a high pressure, high temperature gas. It then circulates through the condenser coil, where a fan will blow through, thus causing the refrigerant to condense into a liquid.

However, it’s not quite ready to be used as cooling, though it is now cooler than the outside air. An expansion valve reduces the temperature of the refrigerant further by depressurization. At this point, it is ready to be circulated through the indoor evaporator coil inside the air handler. As your warm indoor air is extracted from your living space, it is sent through the coils. This thermal exchange results in evaporated refrigerant continuing on for another round in the cycle.

That’s it in a nutshell, though the actual cycle is much more complicated. If you should have any further questions, by all means, give us a call.

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Common Air Conditioning Repairs in Florida

April 12th, 2014

Considering how much use and abuse our air conditioners endure on a daily basis, it’s hardly surprising to learn that they will require air conditioning repair at some point. Let’s not mince words. Your AC will break down eventually. The trick is to be prepared for problems when they happen, and to avoid them wherever possible. Professional installation is critical in this respect, as is a program of routine maintenance carried out by a trained technician. However, no matter what type of air conditioner you have and how well it is maintained, there will come a time when it needs to be fixed or replaced.

Catching the signs of potential air conditioning repair in Navarre early on is the best way to avoid further damage. While any diagnosis must be completed in person by a qualified technician, there are some signs to look out for.  Here is a handful so that you can keep a watchful eye on your HVAC system.

  • Weird sounds. Does your AC sound monstrous when it kicks on? Does your cooling seem to create a lot of hissing and whistling noises? Don’t settle for such distractions. If your air conditioner makes any noise out of the ordinary, then it should be cause for concern. While it’s true that it may be a quirk in your system and relative benign, it could also indicate that you’re losing cool air through a tear in the ducts that’s driving up your energy bills, or that one of your fan blades is damaged.
  • High energy consumption. Keep your eyes glued to that energy bill every month, especially during the most expensive time of the year. Does it seem unusually high? If you notice an abrupt rise in your energy bill without a corresponding increase in cooling usage or the rate at which you purchase electricity, then it could mean you have a problem with your AC, including low levels of refrigerant.
  • Uneven or inadequate cooling. Don’t settle for anything less than your comfort. If you find that your cooling system fails to meet your needs, then don’t hesitate to give us a call.

The experts at Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. offer excellent air conditioning repair services in Navarre and beyond. Call us anytime, day or night. 

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Choosing a Commercial Air Conditioning System

April 4th, 2014

Any business that has to contend with the Florida heat is bound to think a lot about their commercial air conditioning system. Whether you run a retail store, grocery store, or simply manage a number of commercial properties in a large office building, you’re going to need an excellent commercial AC in Navarre that can provide sufficient comfort and convenience for your clients, customers, employees and/or tenants. Frankly, you need an expert. The choice is always yours to make, but in order to make an informed decision, it’s best to do so in consultation with a professionally trained and experienced HVAC technician who can run you through your options from the start. Not every system may be ideal for the layout and size of your commercial space, and you always have to consider budget.

There are a number of commercial air conditioning options on the market today and finding the right one for your needs is something that we can do, no problem.

AC Options to Consider

  • Central air unit. Whether it’s located on the rooftop as a packaged unit or as a split system, a central air unit is the most common type of cooling system in this area. It’s widely recognized as a powerful system that produces excellent results. It requires ductwork, so you’ll want to make sure that you have the space for those, and you may also want to think about a dehumidifier and UV air purifier to ensure that high humidity conditions don’t get in the way of your comfort.
  • Heat pump. If you want to take care of your commercial air conditioning and heating in Navarre with one system, then you may want to consider a heat pump. These systems are not much different than central air units, except for the fact that they also heat your commercial space during the winter months. Because of our moderate winters, a heat pump is an energy efficient way to keep everyone happy throughout the year.
  • Ductless mini splits. If you want to avoid the use of ductwork altogether, whether for reasons of space, energy efficiency or indoor air quality, then we offer ductless mini splits which can be installed throughout your commercial space to keep your customers and employees comfortable year-round.

Hiring a professional is as much about selecting an appropriate system as it is about ensuring that it is installed correctly. Call Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. 

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Check Out Our Blog for the Latest in HVAC Technology

March 23rd, 2014

Be sure to bookmark the Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. blog for updates on the latest advances in HVAC technology.

We’ll feature money saving promotions here as well.

Call Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. for all your air conditioning, heating, indoor air quality, new construction HVAC, and commercial service needs.

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Welcome to Our New Website

March 23rd, 2014

iMarket Solutions has launched Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. a new custom website. To learn more about how iMarket Solutions can expand your presence on the web visit: www.imarketsolutions.com

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