Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc Blog : Posts Tagged ‘HVAC’

Why Is My Air Quality Low?

Monday, May 21st, 2018

air-quality-dandelionWhen the summer heat is high, you expect your AC to keep you cool. You expect your heater to keep you warm and cozy during the cold winter season. And … well, that’s it, right? As far as comfort goes?

If you believe that, then you are doing yourself and your comfort a serious disservice. While maintaining comfortable temperatures in your home is certainly vital, maintaining high indoor air quality is equally so. We’re here to help you do that.

One question that homeowners sometimes ask us is why their indoor air quality is low to begin with. The truth is that this is a very loaded question. There are a lot of different reasons why indoor air quality may suffer. Some are within our control, while others are environmental issues we really cannot change. In either case, the best thing to do is to use the right systems and services to boost your indoor air quality. That is why you should turn to us for IAQ and HVAC services in Alexandria.

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Am I a Good Candidate for Ductless Air Conditioning?

Monday, April 16th, 2018

ductless-blowerIt’s that time of year when we start to see summer on the horizon—even if a stubborn cold stretch is making it seem more like a mirage than an actuality. Regardless, many homeowners in the area are ready to leave the chill behind, dreaming of the days to come when the only chill will be that coming from their own air conditioning systems—a chill that they themselves control!

If you think this may be the year to replace your air conditioner, or if you need a new AC installed for a brand new property, we strongly recommend you consider the use of a ductless air conditioning system in Great Falls, VA. There are a lot of benefits you can enjoy when you’ve got a ductless mini split on your side.

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3 Benefits of the Ductless Mini Split

Monday, January 29th, 2018

ductless-blowerIf you’ve been following our blog, then you’ve probably noticed that we talk about a lot of different HVAC systems. Why? Because there are so many to cover! If variety is the spice of life, then the HVAC industry is quite spicy indeed. Of course, there is a fine line between having plenty of options to choose from, and having an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. That is why we want to help homeowners better understand the many different heaters and ACs available.

One option worth considering is the ductless mini split—and you’ll note that we didn’t say “heating” or “air conditioning” option specifically. More on that below. While there is no single HVAC system that will perfectly suit every homeowner’s preferences or the demands of every home, the ductless mini split is certainly an option that many find most appealing. Read on, and remember to schedule your HVAC services in Arlington with the pros on our staff.

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Take Advantage of the Heat Pump’s Efficiency

Monday, January 15th, 2018

temperature-just-rightWhen you live in the Washington, DC area, you are going to have to contend with very cold winter weather. There is no way that you are going to be able to live comfortably in your home throughout the winter season if you do not have a great heater installed in your residence. Of course, you don’t just want an effective performance from your home heating system. You also want the most efficient performance possible from your heater.

If you are thinking about replacing a heater, or if you need a new one installed in your brand new home, then consider using a heat pump in Washington, DC. The heat pump works in a unique way, and it offers outstanding energy efficiency as a result. Read on to learn more about how heat pumps work and the benefits that they offer. Just remember that no HVAC system will truly excel in its operation if it is not expertly installed and serviced by skilled, trained professionals. 

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Choosing Your HVAC Company

Monday, January 1st, 2018

excellent-customer-serviceWhether you are heating your home during the coldest night of the winter season, or you want to cool your house down on a blisteringly hot summer day, you need to know that your HVAC systems are going to be there for you when you need them the most. That means that you need to work with an HVAC company that you know you can trust to use the best equipment available and to do the job right the first time, every time, no matter what that job may be.

We have a few tips for you today to help you choose your HVAC company in Washington, DC. Sure, we could just tell you to call our number to schedule service—after all, we certainly meet all of this important criteria. Instead, though, we encourage you to do your own research using the tips below. Why? Because we’re fairly confident that doing so will just reinforce that we’re the pros that you want handling all of your HVAC services!

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Washington DC Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor’s Guide: Basic HVAC Terminology

Monday, May 7th, 2012

Ever try to look up basic information about your Washington DC heating and air conditioning systems? There are dozens of terms that might as well be Greek for all you know – a mishmash of words and phrases talking about energy efficiency and air flow ratios. To make your next upgrade a little easier and give you a baseline with which to work, here are a few of the most common HVAC terms you’ll hear in the industry:

  • AFUE – Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency – This is a simple measurement of how much fuel a furnace converts into actual heat in your home. So, if a furnace converts 92% of the fuel it consumes into heat, it has an AFUE rating of 92.
  • Watts – A single watt is a measurement of electricity. Commonly, your electricity use is assured in kilowatts or kilowatt hours (kWh).
  • BTU – British Thermal Unit – A BTU is a common measurement of how much energy is produced or consumed by an appliance. When referring to an air conditioner, one “ton” refers to 12,000 BTUs.
  • SEER/EER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio refers to how many BTUs can be produced with a single Watt of electricity per hour. So, an air conditioner with an SEER of 14 can produce 14 BTUs of cooling per watt consumed each hour.
  • HSPF – Heating Seasonal Performance Factor – Refers to the efficiency of the heating elements in your heat pump.
  • COP – Coefficient of Performance – A measurement of how effective your heat pump is at heating a space compared to standard electrical resistance heat. The lower the temperature gets outside, the lower the COP will be. Equipment is usually measured for COP at 47 and 17 degrees to give an idea of seasonal performance of a new heat pump.
  • Refrigerant – Refrigerant is any gas that is used to draw heat from the air in a particular environment through an air conditioner or heat pump. It has a much lower boiling point than water, allowing it to cool despite the temperature outside. Currently, most equipment uses R-22 refrigerant while the new standard will be R-410A (Puron), legally required in all cooling units by 2020.
  • CFM – Cubic Feet per Minute – Used to measure the volume of air passed through an air handler by an air conditioner or furnace.

There are a number of complicated details to keep track of when choosing a new air conditioner or furnace. To ensure you get the very best out of your Washington DC heating and cooling system, read up on these details in advance – you’ll feel a heck of a lot smarter when you call. For any HVAC service you need in the Washington DC area, give Polar Bear Air Conditioning a call!

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