GENERAL HVAC FAQs

Your HVAC systems should be serviced before the start of each heating and cooling season. So, your air conditioner should have regular maintenance performed at the end of winter or beginning of spring, while your heat pump or furnace should have its regular maintenance performed at the end of summer or beginning of fall.

Your air filters should be replaced every one to three months depending on usage. This is vitally important to the performance of your HVAC systems and your indoor air quality.

The short answer? So important! Your indoor air quality can be as much as 100 times worse than the outdoor air. That means pollutants, allergens, dust, and mildew can be circulating in your home affecting your family’s health and wellbeing. Improving and maintaining your indoor air quality is vitally important to your home and family.

Did you know that when the summer heat beats down on your roof the attic can reach up to 150 degrees? Having attic ventilation can help control moisture, keep cooling costs down, and prevent the accumulation of mold and mildew.

Installing a programmable thermostat in your home helps you take control of how much energy you use for heating and cooling. If used effectively, a programmable thermostat can help you improve energy efficiency and save money on your utility bills.

A ductless mini-split system is an alternative to traditional heating and cooling like central air. Ductless HVAC works similarly to central heating and cooling, except that it doesn’t require ductwork. Your mini-split system will have an indoor and outdoor unit, but it will only require a small hole to be cut through the exterior wall—just big enough for a tube of refrigerant to pass through. Inside your home, the air will be conditioned and returned into the room by the same unit.

Many people use ductless mini-split systems for cooling, but we usually recommend installing heat pump systems, so they can be used for both heating and cooling. This can help improve your overall energy-efficiency! A ductless heat pump is an efficient zonal heating and cooling system that doesn’t require ducts. It comprises just an outdoor compressor unit and one or more indoor air handling units, linked by a refrigerant line.

Zoned HVAC allows for better comfort control, decreased energy bills, and higher energy efficiency (energy waste is reduced because your HVAC equipment won’t have to work as hard to regulate the temperature throughout the house).

Common settings is 85 degrees in the summer if you have air conditioning and 60 in the winter if you will be gone for a couple of days. These settings will keep most plants alive and will keep pipes from freezing and bursting in the winter.

They are not noisy if you install new components in your system. Old units were not built with the quality materials that are used today. Some manufacturers install sound insulators on the compressor as well as a weather guard top that not only reduces noise but increases the life of the unit by not letting debris get into the system.

A programmable thermostat is programmed for when you leave your house and then return home. The thermostat turns off the furnace during the hours you are not home so that energy is not used to keep the house warm while you are at work. The thermostat will then turn back on 30 minutes before you come home so your house is at the perfect temperature when you are home. These thermostats save up to 15% on your energy bills during the winter and 10% in the summer.

There are many financing options available including seasonal manufacturer offers. Check the specials section for the latest offers.

YES! If a bid comes in 5-10% lower than other companies it is because they may well be using inferior products, do not do a quality installation or are leaving something out of their bid. Many companies will not pay for permits or schedule the inspector to come to your house. JefCo Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, your local Trane Comfort Specialists do all the work for you, you just need to relax and enjoy the comfort and energy efficiency of your new system.

Check filters every two months and replace as needed.

No it is not. Bigger is not always better in the HVAC industry. A larger air conditioner uses more electricity and costs more to purchase, install and upkeep. A properly sized unit will provide the most efficient energy use and most comfort in your home. When buying a home comfort system, selecting the right size is crucial. For instance, an air conditioner that is too large will cool your home quickly but you still may not feel comfortable. It will satisfy the thermostat before it can remove sufficient moisture from the air. However, a system that is too small just cannot get the job done. JefCo Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, a Trane Comfort Specialist can help determine what size is right for you.

The right size system is paramount in your home. Too large and your system will short cycle and not control humidity correctly. Too small and it will run continuously. A Trane Comfort Specialist will always execute a computerized load calculation. Please contact a Trane dealer for your free analysis today. We will be happy to configure just the right system for your needs.

Continuing your service agreement, will ensure:

• Lower Utility Bills
• Extended Equipment Life
• Fewer Repairs
• Improved Capacity
• Priority Customer Status
• Inflation Protection
• 24 Hour Emergency Service
• Never an Overtime Charge

AIR CONDITIONING FAQs

When your AC freezes up, either inside or at the outdoor unit, you have a problem. When your AC is frozen, you could subject your system to serious damage if it isn’t addressed promptly.

Many homeowners have a difficult time deciding whether to keep pouring money into their aging air conditioning system for costly repairs or to upgrade to a new, more efficient AC.

First things first, you shouldn’t attempt to fix your noisy air conditioner on your own! Unless you have professional knowledge of HVAC electrical system layouts and the proper meters to test all the working components of your AC, you are putting yourself and your air conditioner at a significant risk for harm.

A dual zone air conditioning system is a network of thermostats and duct dampers that regulates the amount of cooled air each zone (one or more rooms) receives throughout the day. Zoning technology allows homeowners to cool only the occupied areas of living space at any given time or to set different temperatures in different areas of the home.

Saving money on your monthly electric bills in the summer is important—so what is the best thermostat setting during the hottest season of the year? We recommend keeping your thermostat set to 72 degrees (at the lowest) with the fan set to AUTO rather than ON.

Money is always a big concern for homeowners all over the country—but how can you lower your electric bill this summer without sacrificing comfort? There are a few things you can do to lower your energy usage, from raising the temperature to closing the curtains.

HCFC-22, commonly called R-22, has been a common refrigerant used in residential heat pumps and air conditioners for more than 40 years. But releases of R-22, such as those from leaks, contribute to ozone depletion, and the making of R-22 results in a byproduct that contributes to global warming. This refrigerant is now being phased out by the EPA. By January 2020, chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce R-22.

Zoned HVAC allows for better comfort control, decreased energy bills, and higher energy efficiency (energy waste is reduced because your HVAC equipment won’t have to work as hard to regulate the temperature throughout the house).

HEATING FAQs

There are a number of factors that contribute to needing a furnace replacement. How old is your furnace? If it’s over 10 – 15 years old, it’s likely time for a furnace replacement—simply because this will improve your energy efficiency. Other factors include: how well it’s heating your home, how often it requires repairs, how much it costs to heat your home, etc.

Yes! Not only does a furnace cleaning improve the performance and efficiency of your system, most manufacturer warranties require annual service to maintain the warranty.

With home heating fuel prices on the rise, many homeowners are concerned about their growing utility bills! Find out what you can do to lower your costs!

Since boilers have very few moving parts, they tend to be incredibly durable and reliable throughout the course of their life. However, even the most dependable appliances will reach the end of their life eventually.

Gas boilers can be more affordable to operate, but there are also differences in utility line requirements and fuel storage (natural gas has no onsite storage needs).

We have a few tips on what you should do when the heat goes out, including layering your clothes, calling the power company, and more.

Also called radiant heating, a hydronic system circulates hot water or another heated liquid through plastic piping installed beneath the floors, in baseboards, or through radiators. Hydronic heating allows you to precisely control the temperature in specific zones throughout your home.

HEAT PUMP FAQs

A heat pump works by transferring heat energy from one source to another. In the winter when your heat pump is acting as a heating system, it extracts heat energy from the outside air (even in near-freezing temperatures), and transfers it into the air in your home. When summertime rolls around, it’s as easy as flipping a switch to change your heat pump to cool mode.

Heat pumps are one of the most energy efficient HVAC systems available on the market because they don’t burn fuel to provide heat. In addition to their high efficiency, they can operate as both a heating and cooling system, thus reducing the number of systems that require maintenance, repairs, and replacements.