FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Click on any of these commonly asked questions to find out more information about your heating and cooling systems.
-
What kind of system is right for me?
-
What factors affect my choice?
-
What maintenance can I do myself?
-
What routine maintenance do I need help with?
-
Spring Maintenance
-
Fall Maintenance
-
Can I troubleshoot before calling Meyer & Depew?
-
Should I repair or replace old equipment?
What kind of system is right for me?
The system that is right for you will depend on a number of factors: your budget, your comfort expectations, physical factors such as what type of system currently exists in your home, the unique features of your home, and more.
Types of systems
For the basics of heating or cooling temperature control, you typically will have four system options. Below is a list of those options followed by the approximate percentage of U.S. homes using that particular system.
- Gas Furnace/Air Conditioner (60% of homes)
- Heat Pump (25% of homes)
- Small Packaged System (5% of homes)
- Boiler
Key Accessories
Additional comfort comes from having clean, fresh air as well as proper humidity levels inside. These products will fine-tune your system to help improve your overall comfort and the efficiency of your indoor comfort system.
- Air Cleaners
- Ventilators
- Humidifier
System Control
Most people are familiar with the basic thermostat. But, system control is more than picking a temperature and walking away. It includes being able to program a comfort schedule for different times of day, setting humidity levels, and even setting different temperatures for different areas of the home. Here's how:
- Humidifiers
- Thermostat Control
- Zoning System
What factors affect my choice?
Some of your home comfort decisions will be made for you based on some of the physical considerations involved.
Your home
Everybody's home is different. Some are big, some are small. Older homes are not as tightly sealed as new ones, which means efficiency is reduced. The number and size of windows, what direction the home is facing, number of mature trees in the yard and many more factors can affect your comfort, and may play a part in deciding what type of system is best for you. Your local heating and cooling contractor should have the expertise to assess any unusual circumstances surrounding the specific needs of your home.
Your existing system
If you are replacing an existing system, there are physical and financial reasons to stay with the same type of system. For example, if you currently have a boiler, it will be very expensive and physically challenging to install the ductwork you need for a forced-air furnace or heat pump.
If you want a new type of system because you were dissatisfied with your comfort, remember that a new system will bring newer comfort technology and energy efficiency. Also, your comfort problem could be related to other issues, such as improper ductwork, system balance, cleanliness or freshness of air, humidity control and system control.
Your geographical region
Although there are exceptions to every rule, geography can play a role in what type of system will work best in your home. Here's the general idea:
Colder regions - Furnace or Boiler/Air Conditioner combo
Warmer regions - Heat Pump or Air Conditioner w/ supplemental heat
Regions with land or space issues - Small Packaged Rooftop systems
Energy sources available
Some systems simply won't work if the proper energy source isn't available or too expensive to consider. The three most likely energy sources for your comfort system are electricity, gas or oil.
Electricity
If you have no gas or oil service, you will need to go with an all-electric system, which means a heat pump or air conditioner. You may be able to have a gas line installed at your home, but that could be an additional cost. In some areas, electrical rates are so low that an all-electric system can still be the best option even if gas or oil are available.Gas
If natural gas is available, furnaces and boilers become options for you. You may still opt to have an all-electric system if that suits your home or your personal preference.Oil
If natural gas is available, furnaces and boilers become options for you. You may still opt to have an all-electric system if that suits your home or your personal preference.
What maintenance can I do myself?
With the proper maintenance and care, your equipment will operate economically and dependably. There are a few simple, routine maintenance operations you can do to help ensure the best performance and comfort from your system.
Safety First
Before you perform any kind of maintenance, consider these important safety precautions.Disconnect all electrical power to the unit before removing access panels to perform maintenance. Please note that there may be more than one power connection switch.
Be very careful when you handle parts or reach any units.
What routine maintenance do I need help with?
Think about how you take care of your car. Sure, most people can handle the little stuff - checking and topping off fluids, keeping tires inflated to the correct pressure, changing the wiper blades. But, to keep your car operating at its best, you need an occasional tune-up from a trained professional.
Your heating and cooling system is no different. To get the most performance and longest life from your system, it's a good idea to have professional routine checks in the spring and in the fall.
Spring maintenance
In the spring, we will typically check a heat pump or air conditioner for all or some of the following:
- operating pressures
- refrigerant charge
- filter condition
- compressor
- fan motor
- capacitors
- belts
- crankcase heaters
- coils cleaning
- lubrication of moving parts
Fall maintenance
In the fall, your furnace will be serviced in the following areas:
- burner and pilot assemblies
- cracks in the heat exchanger
- check the pilot thermocouple
- examine the filter and check vent piping
- test the electronic ignition
- test the fan
- test the limit switch
- burner adjustments
- measure manifold gas pressure
- measure temperature rise
- carbon monoxide test
- set the heat anticipator
- check and adjust belt tension
- examine the draft diverter
- lubricate the fan motor
Can I troubleshoot before calling Meyer & Depew?
The answer is, "Yes." Here are some simple procedures you can perform before going to the expense of a service call:
Check disconnect switches (indoor and outdoor if you have a split system). Make sure that circuit breakers are ON or that fuses have not blown.
Check for sufficient airflow. Make sure air filters are clean and that supply-air and return-air grilles are open and unobstructed.
Check the settings on your thermostat. If you want cooling, make sure the temperature control selector is set below room temperature and the SYSTEM switch is on the COOL or AUTO position. If you want heat, make sure the temperature control selector is set above room temperature and the SYSTEM switch is at HEAT or AUTO. The FAN switch should be set at ON for continuous blower operation or AUTO if you want the blower to function only while the unit is operating.
In addition to the routine maintenance you perform, your home comfort system should be inspected at least once a year by our properly trained service technicians. Meyer & Depew will make sure your system operates safely and gives you the best performance at the lowest cost. You may also want to ask us about an economical service contract that covers seasonal inspections for a flat fee.
Should I repair or replace old equipment?
There are three main factors to consider before making a decision:
Life Expectancy of Current System
When you're frustrated with an equipment break-down, it can be tempting to find the least expensive "quick fix" to get on with your life in relative comfort. That "quick fix" may be the least expensive now, but it may not give you the most value - or cost you the least - in the long run.
Paying for repairs to an old or inefficient system often simply prolongs the inevitable. An older system that breaks down once is likely to break down again ... and again. That means more emergency service calls or, worse yet, the risk of damage to your home or to other components of your heating and cooling system.
Operating Cost
There's also an ongoing cost factor to consider. Restoring your old system will only bring it back to its current level of energy efficiency. After you've recovered from the repair bills and the frustration of system breakdowns, you still may not save on your energy bills.
Even six-year-old heat pumps and air conditioners are considered grossly inefficient by today's energy efficiency standards. So are most furnaces built before 1980. So you could save up to 60% on your energy bills with new high-efficiency equipment. That's why installing a new heating and cooling system can actually pay for itself in energy savings within a relatively short time.
Looking at the Big Picture
When one component of your system breaks down unexpectedly, it's easy to just focus on repairing or replacing that component. But each part of your system works with the others to boost efficiency and reliability, so it helps to keep the big picture in mind.
Replacing your old furnace with a new higher-efficiency model but leaving your old mechanical thermostat in place, for example, won't allow you to enjoy all the efficiency advantages the furnace has to offer. Likewise, if you install a new furnace but don't get a humidifier, the air may seem cooler, forcing you to operate your new system at a higher temperature to be comfortable. Plus, you can often save on installation costs if you have several components of your system (for example, a furnace and an air conditioner) replaced at the same time.
Back
