Heat pumps are a great choice in Florida for year-round residential comfort. One of the reasons they are excellent for our climate is that heat pumps conserve energy when in heating mode while still delivering the right level of warmth for the mild winters. Heat pumps often experience efficiency issues in colder parts of the country, but for Florida they are ideal and can keep a house warm through even our chilliest days.
Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Fort Walton Beach’
Are Heat Pumps as Effective at Cooling as a Standard Air Conditioner?
Monday, April 13th, 2015Heat Pump Components: The Reversing Valve
Wednesday, March 18th, 2015How do heat pumps manage to provide both air conditioning during the long Florida summer weather and effective heating during the mild winters? A large part of the explanation involves going into the basics of refrigeration and how a standalone air conditioner works. However, the shorter answer is that a component called the reversing valve is what makes a heat pump able to operate as both a heater and an air conditioner.
Because of how critical this component is for the operation of a heat pump, if it malfunctions, a heat pump will end up trapped in one mode or the other. Should you find that your heat pump will not change from heating to cooling mode, or vice versa, then call up Kool Breeze and talk to our repair technicians. They have extensive experience fixing heat pumps in Fort Walton Beach, FL and the surrounding areas, and they will deliver the work necessary to restore your home’s heat pump to full operation once more.
What the reversing valve does
The reversing valve is a valve attached to the refrigerant line that leaves the compressor in the outdoor unit of a heat pump. Inside the valve is a slider; depending on its position, the slide will route the refrigerant leaving the compressor down one set of lines or the other.
When the heat pump is in cooling mode, the position of the reversing valve sends the hot refrigerant from the compressor to the outdoor coils, where it releases heat, cooling the refrigerant. It then travels to the indoor coils, where it absorbs heat and lowers the indoor air temperature.
When the heat pump switches to heating mode, the slider in the reversing valve moves position so that the hot refrigerant leaving the compressor travels first to the indoor coils. It releases its heat, warming the indoor air, then moves to the outdoor coil and absorbs heat before returning to the compressor.
Like any mechanical device, the reversing valve can break down and become stuck in one position. Repairing the problem usually requires replacing the valve entirely, and this is a job you must leave to professionals.
The next time that your heat pump malfunctions and you cannot get it to do both parts of its job, give Kool Breeze a call. We provide comprehensive services for heat pumps in Fort Walton Beach, FL and are ready around the clock whenever you need service.
Is It Too Late to Schedule Heating Maintenance?
Wednesday, February 25th, 2015Heating systems, no matter what type, should have a yearly maintenance inspection and tune-up in order to ensure that they will work at their most energy efficient and to reduce the effects of wear and tear from age that can lead to unnecessary repairs or an early replacement. The best time of the year to schedule maintenance for a heater is during the fall, a period when conditions are still warm and the heater is rarely necessary, but close enough to the seasonal change that you can feel confident that the system will go into the colder weather in the ideal condition.
To arrange for heating maintenance in Fort Walton Beach, FL that will see that your heater works at peak efficiency and with as few issues as possible, call Kool Breeze and ask about our regular maintenance program.
Because of Florida’s warm climate through much of the year, heating maintenance is something that is easy to let slip past. If you neglected to schedule heating maintenance for last fall, you might wonder if it is too late to schedule it now or if you should just wait until next fall to have the work done.
The answer to this is that it’s never too late for annual heating maintenance; it is far worse for your heating system to miss a yearly inspection and tune-up than for it to have it a few months late. Heating systems will lose efficiency each year they go without regular maintenance, with an average drop of 5%. Worse, you risk the system experiencing a large malfunction that could lead to a complete breakdown—or even the need to replace the entire system. Although Florida experiences short and mild winters, we still can have unexpectedly cold days strike through the spring, and you don’t want to get caught unprepared with a heating system that will stop working the next time you try to turn it on.
When you sign up for annual maintenance for your heater with Kool Breeze, you’ll receive other benefits as well. Our maintenance program includes a yearly tune-up for your air conditioner in the spring (very important to make it through the hot Florida summers) as well as a 10% discount on non-warranty parts and priority service that lets you skip to the front of the line whenever you call for repair work. Contact us today to find out more about our program for heating maintenance in Fort Walton Beach, FL.
A Few of the Advantages of Ductless Heating
Friday, January 30th, 2015Ductless heaters have often been used in areas where any kind of centralized heating is either too expensive or not physically viable. They are favored by apartments and other smaller living areas because they do not rely on ducts, making them only able to heat the rooms in which they are installed. This may seem like a disadvantage when compared to the reach of central forced air systems. However, there are a number of reasons to prefer ductless heating, even in a larger living space. Let’s take a look at a few of the advantages of ductless heating.
Energy Efficiency
Centralized forced air heating systems are actually incredibly inefficient when it comes to transporting heat across the house. Ducts are extremely fragile systems, prone to leaks of all kinds from various causes. This causes a staggering amount of heat to be lost every time the heater turns on. The US Department of Energy has estimated that as much as 30% of a forced air system’s heat is lost to duct leaks every time it’s turned on.
Ductless heating systems don’t have to worry about any of this, because they deliver heat directly into the room. They are also not combustion based systems, which means they don’t have to burn any sort of fuel to create heat. Instead, they siphon thermal energy from the air outside and bring it into the room. This makes ductless heating systems quite a bit cheaper to operate than a lot of other systems.
Versatility
Centralized heating is also not very sensitive to the individual needs of a home’s occupants. Most of the time, a central heating system has two states: on and off. It does not account for varying temperature levels in various rooms, only for the immediate area around the thermostat. This “one size fits all” solution can lead to hot and cold spots throughout the house, as well as wasting energy on rooms that don’t need heating.
Ductless heating systems avoid this problem by only having one room to worry about. If you have a ductless heating system installed in each room, you have the option to not only set a different temperature for each but to only heat the rooms that are occupied at the moment. This saves you quite a bit of money.
If you’d like to know more, call Kool Breeze. We offer professional heating services in the Fort Walton Beach area.
Heat Pumps vs. Furnaces: The Pros and Cons
Wednesday, January 7th, 2015Heat pumps are quickly rising in prominence across the country, though they haven’t quite caught up to furnaces in terms of sheer numbers. With so many homeowners becoming aware of heat pumps for the first time, however, there are a lot of questions regarding which system would work best in which environment. Here, we’re going to try to answer some of those questions. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of both heat pumps and furnaces.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are a unique type of home heating system, in that they don’t rely on combustion to produce heat. Instead of burning fuel, heat pumps move heat from one place to the other. This is accomplished through the heat pump’s main components: the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.
When the heat is turned on, the outdoor unit evaporates refrigerant in a coil located inside its casing. The gaseous refrigerant draws thermal energy out of the surrounding air before carrying it down the refrigerant line to the indoor unit. The indoor unit then condenses the gas back into a liquid, releasing the thermal energy so that it can be used to heat the home.
Heat pumps are remarkably energy efficient, as they do not burn fuel to heat a home. They rely only on electricity and ambient thermal energy to operate. If you want to save money on heating bills, a heat pump is a good choice.
Unfortunately, the heat pump’s reliance on thermal energy in the air can also be problematic. In climates that frequently reach freezing temperatures, there often isn’t enough thermal energy for the heat pump to effectively heat the home.
Furnaces
Furnaces are combustion-based systems. That is, they burn some type of fuel in order to produce heat for distribution. They are widely popular across the country, mostly because they are relatively cheap and easy to repair or replace. Natural gas, which is the most popular furnace fuel type, produces a high amount of heat compared to the amount burned. This makes furnaces quite effective in heating a home.
Furnaces are not the most cost-efficient heating systems, however. The average furnace loses a lot of heat to things like duct leaks, and even natural gas furnaces cannot compete with things like heat pumps when it comes to energy efficient heating.
If you’d like to know more, call Kool Breeze. We offer professionally install furnaces in the Fort Walton Beach area.
Benefits from Regular Heating Maintenance
Wednesday, November 19th, 2014Most homeowners ignore heating maintenance until something goes very wrong with their system. This is understandable, considering the perceived cost-benefit analysis. When you schedule heating maintenance without any particular problem, you’re paying money without any visible gain. The problem with that reasoning is that it doesn’t take into account the many benefits of regular heating maintenance. Let’s examine the real reasons you want to schedule regular maintenance for your heating system.
Wear and Tear
As your heater gets older, wear and tear from normal use will begin to degrade the various parts in the heater. This is not something that can be avoided, really. It’s simply a side effect of regular use. The problem you’ll begin to experience is that as this wear and tear progresses, there will be a slow decline in the ability of the various parts in your heater to function as well as they once did. We’re not talking about parts actually breaking, though that will happen if left untreated. This is simply the degradation of efficiency that comes with parts aging and being used regularly.
What does this mean for you? For starters, your heating bill is probably going to go up over time as your heater ages. You may notice it right away, you may not. Either way, as the parts in your heater decline, the heater will be forced to work harder to produce the same heat output. That means you’re burning more fuel for greater total cost.
The second consequence of letting this wear and tear go untreated is eventual breakdown. The parts will eventually reach a point where they wear down enough to break completely. This is where most homeowners notice a problem and call a technician. The issue is that by the time a part wears enough to actually break, it tends to be a lot more expensive to fix.
Regular heating maintenance monitors and fixes these issues before they progress far enough to cause problems. If you schedule heating maintenance even once a year, it is often enough to identify and repair or replace any part that is threatening to cause issues later on. You’ll save money on heating, and on repairs, and have much more peace of mind.
If you haven’t scheduled heating maintenance in a while, call Kool Breeze. We provide professional heating services in the Fort Walton Beach area.
What Kind of Home Heating Is Best for Fort Walton Beach?
Wednesday, October 29th, 2014Even in Florida’s warm environment, winter can bring about some pretty cold days. As fall comes to a close, a lot of homeowners are thinking about upgrading their heating systems to make the following months more comfortable. So, what kind of home heating system is best for a discerning Floridian? Check out some of our recommendations below.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are an excellent choice for areas like Fort Walton, with higher average winter temperatures than most other areas of the country. A heat pump is primarily comprised of two units, one indoor and one outdoor. The outdoor unit works by absorbing thermal energy from the air around it. It then sends that thermal energy inside to be distributed by the indoor unit. This is why it is called a heat pump, because it pumps heat from one place to another instead of generating it. This makes the heat pump very energy efficient, resulting in a decrease in the cost of heating for the homeowner. It doesn’t work as well in very cold environments, because there is less thermal energy in the air for it to siphon. This should not be a problem in Florida’s warmer climate, though.
Radiant Heating
Radiant heating systems are boiler-based, and use a series of pipes to distribute heat throughout the house. These pipes are commonly installed between the floor and subfloor of the rooms that are to be heated. The boiler then heats water and distributes it throughout the house. As the water runs through the pipes, heat radiates up through the floor and into the room. Water is a much better conductor of heat than air is, making radiant heating more efficient at delivering heat than forced air systems. By not utilizing ductwork, radiant heating also avoids the 20-30% heat loss to duct leaks that forced air systems experience. Radiant heating does require a bit more of an investment than other systems, but it is one of the best options available when it comes to efficient heating.
If you are interested in upgrading to a new heating system in Fort Walton Beach, give Kool Breeze a call to set up a service appointment today.
The Advantages of an Electric Furnace
Wednesday, October 15th, 2014Homeowners have many choices when it comes to heating their homes, but sometimes geography or other circumstances can limit your heating system choices. When it comes to heating with a furnace, the most commonly-used fuel is natural gas, but there are certain areas that do not have access to a natural gas line. As such, you may want to consider the installation of an electric furnace. An electric furnace can provide quality heating for your home in Fort Walton Beach, FL and with today’s models, you can also achieve excellent energy efficiency. But no matter what your heating needs may be, Kool Breeze certified technicians are ready and available to help.
How Do Electric Furnaces Work?
Electric furnaces are quite simple. The heating element consists of tightly-wound coils that, when electrified, get red-hot. A large fan at the bottom of the cabinet draws air into the cabinet and over the coils. This newly-warmed air is then blown into your home via ductwork.
Some Advantages of Electric Furnaces
Here are some advantages of electric furnaces:
- Long lifespan – the average electric furnace has a lifespan of 20 to 30 years; a gas furnace has a typical lifespan of 15 to 20 years. This can give you some extra time before needing replacement.
- Better humidity balance – certain electric furnace models have a combustion style that doesn’t dry the air as much as a gas furnace can so your indoor moisture levels can stay even and more comfortable.
- Very energy efficient – electric furnaces can be up to 100% efficient because they do not use fossil fuels.
- Safety – while no heating system is without potential safety hazards, you won’t have to worry about harmful fumes like carbon monoxide with an electric furnace.
- Clean – because there is no combustion with an electric furnace, there is no soot or ash to worry about, which makes annual maintenance easier.
Not every area has easy access to fossil fuels, but just about every area does have access to electricity. If you think an electric furnace is a good fit for your home and needs, call Kool Breeze today and schedule an appointment for your heating in Fort Walton Beach, FL.
Why Sizing Is Crucial for Commercial AC Installation
Wednesday, September 24th, 2014Your business space needs to be comfortable for your employees and customers; otherwise, your business could suffer. Having a properly-sized air conditioner means the difference between having the comfort you need and not having it. A lot of factors go into correctly sizing an air conditioner for a space, much more than just square footage. Kool Breeze has offered comprehensive commercial air conditioning services in Fort Walton Beach since 1986, and we can help you choose and install an air conditioner that will keep your employees and customers comfortable for years to come.
Why Size Matters
There are only two ways to go when an air conditioner is the wrong size: too big or too small. Different problems arise in each scenario, but both scenarios have one commonality: they will leave you feeling uncomfortable.
Too Small
When your air conditioning system is too small, it won’t be able to cool your business space as needed. It will try, though, and you’ll see the evidence of this in the form of high energy bills and possible repairs. Why? A system that is too small will run continuously as it tries to achieve your set temperature. Continuous cycling can also lead to overheating, malfunction, premature aging and possible breakdown, which can cost you in repairs. All in all, it’s not a good thing for you, your business or your system.
Too Big
Yes, you can have an air conditioner that is too big, and it will cause you problems. The main issues caused by installing an air conditioner that is too big for your space are:
- Loss of moisture control
- Short-cycling
The reason you can lose moisture control with a system that is too big is because it cools your space too quickly – it doesn’t give the air conditioner time to properly dehumidify the air. This can leave your indoor air feeling cold and clammy. A second problem that can develop with a system that is too big is short-cycling. Short-cycling refers to an air conditioning system that cycles on and off too frequently. When your space cools too quickly, it also regains heat quickly. As such, your AC will cycle on and off constantly, which can lead to mechanical problems and serious wear and tear.
Working with a professional who can correctly calculate the cooling load for your business space is the first step toward installing a commercial air conditioning system in Fort Walton Beach that will properly fit your business space. Call Kool Breeze today and schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.
How Do Technicians Know What Kind of AC to Install?
Wednesday, August 27th, 2014If you’ve tried browsing the internet for a new air conditioner recently, you may have noticed the vast array of options available. Central air conditioners come in all different sizes with varying efficiency ratings, and there are many different types of systems available as well, including heat pumps and ductless mini splits. Because you may be unfamiliar with all of these systems, you should choose your air conditioner with the help of a technician. However, when you need air conditioning installation, you want to ensure you get the system that is right for your home, is installed properly, and won’t cost too much money to run and maintain. So how does a technician know what kind of AC to install in your home?
The simple answer is that a technician has years of experience selecting and installing air conditioners. But none of the work can be done without your help. First, the technician must know what kind of unit is already installed in your home. If your current air conditioner is ductless, your best bet will probably be to replace it with the same type of system. Similarly, it would be unnecessary to replace a central air conditioner that uses your homes ducts with a ductless mini split.
Additionally, your technician will ask you questions about your budgetary preferences as well as how much energy you’d like to cut back on every month. If you’ve had a standard central air conditioner in the past, you may choose to replace it with a heat pump, which provides both cooling and heating. If you want to save money every month, you may choose a system with a high SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio).
Finally, a technician must size your home for air conditioning installation. Choosing the proper size involves many factors, including taking measurements of rooms and making additional calculations based on the number of people in the home and other considerations such as the number and placement of windows.
When you want a professional who knows how to ask the right questions, call Kool Breeze today for air conditioning installation in Fort Walton Beach.