When it comes to air conditioning, it will seem that a larger unit would provide better cooling in your home. However, a Greensboro air conditioner that is too large for your home will waste energy, and potentially cause high humidity problems, such as mold buildup and even condensation on your walls and windows. At Berico Fuels, we will only consider the air conditioning systems that are the right size for your square footage when we do a new AC installation at your home or business. Keep a normal humidity level in your home and receive the highest energy savings with a new high-efficiency air conditioner that is sized just right for your home. Why does a larger AC unit cause higher humidity levels?

Air Conditioners That Are Too Large Do Not Dehumidify Effectively

When an air conditioner turns on, it needs to run at least 15-20 minutes to kick into the dehumidification of your indoor air. Larger systems will shut off faster than properly sized air conditioners, leaving most of the humidity still in the air. Your house will feel much cooler, however if it’s a humid, summer day and the AC does not run for a long time, you will be left with greater humidity levels in your home. At Berico Fuels, we will evaluate your home’s insulation, layout, and cooling space before recommending replacement systems. It is important to size the system accurately to provide optimal cooling and humidity control in your home, as well as utility bill savings. If you have an oversized air conditioner condenser unit, not enough air will move across the cooling coil to effectively remove humidity since the large system cools the rooms so quickly. If the air conditioning system could run longer, it would remove more moisture from the air.

Factors to Consider Prior to Replacing a Greensboro Air Conditioner

Size matters with Greensboro air conditioner replacements. However, there are other factors that need to be reviewed and evaluated to determine the best fit for your specific cooling area:

1 – Is there direct sunlight on your home or building? This makes a large difference when comparing systems, since the constant sunshine on your house through windows will warm up your home more than a house in the shade.

2 – Is your business or home drafty or well insulated? With a lot of drafts, indoor temperatures are affected more by the outside air.

3 – How many people live in the home or work in the office building? Heat sources, such as people, will vary the amount of cooling that is needed to reach the optimal temperature.

4 – Are the ceilings low or high, and are there ceiling fans in place? This will determine the size of the blower that is needed to provide the greatest amount of airflow to your home or business.

Save Money and Energy with the Right Sized Air Conditioner

Berico Fuels researches all of the factors that contribute to finding the replacement air conditioner that will fit your home’s needs for optimal cooling and humidity control, prior to making recommendations. We know that HVAC systems need to be accurately sized to reduce heating and cooling repairs, as well as to provide better cost savings. It is important to go with a reputable HVAC company when you need to have a new AC system installed. Contact the expert team at Berico Fuels for all of your heating and cooling service needs:336-273-8663

(Source: Common HVAC Noises and What They Mean, hvac.com, Nov. 6, 2014)

Air Conditioning Repairs in Eden: Spring is the Ideal Time

Spring is almost here, and most people will be busy clearing out closets, scrubbing walls and washing windows. However, if you just clean the parts of your house that you can see, you may be doing only half the job. Preventative maintenance on your cooling system should be a part of your regular spring-cleaning activities. Air conditioning repair and maintenance check-ups will help your entire house be clean and dust free. The technicians at Berico Heating & Air get busy once summer hits, so spring is the ideal time for air-conditioning repairs in Eden.

Why Schedule an Air Conditioner Check Up

According to the Department of Energy,

“Annual maintenance can help improve your comfort and the efficiency of your air conditioner while prolonging the life of your unit.”

It is especially important to schedule this maintenance check up in the springtime because the severe weather of the winter months can have a negative impact on your cooling system. The number one cause of air conditioning system failures, as reported by HVAC professionals, is the lack of routine maintenance. Another reason to schedule annual air conditioner maintenance and repair in Eden is cost savings.

According to Energy Star, a division of the EPA,

“The percentage of the average household’s energy use that goes to space cooling is only 6%, yet this can increase during the warm months.”

Small problems can be detected and fixed before they become bigger, more expensive problems by scheduling regular check-ups. Fixing a small refrigerant leak shouldn’t cost much, however, purchasing a new compressor when low refrigerant levels damage your current one can cost thousands of dollars. The other way an annual spring check up saves money is by making certain that your cooling system is working at peak efficiency. When your air conditioner is running well, it uses less energy to cool your house. Lower energy use means increased savings for you on your monthly energy bill.

Typical Maintenance Checks to Ensure Optimum System Performance

• Thermostat settings should be examined to ensure the cooling system keeps you comfortable when you’re home and saves energy while you are away.

• Defective electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components. Electrical connections should be inspected and tightened, and voltage and current on motors measured.

• Lubricate all moving parts. Parts that are not lubricated properly can cause friction in motors resulting in increased electricity consumption.

• One way an air conditioner cools your home is by decreasing the amount of moisture in the air or humidity. If the condensate drain is clogged in your cooling system, this can not only cause water damage but also affect humidity levels in your home.

• All system controls should be checked to assure the system starts, operates, and shuts off correctly.

• Evaporator and condenser coils remove heat and humidity from the air using a refrigerant. These should be checked and cleaned. Energy Star, a division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reports that dirt and neglect are the top causes of cooling system inefficiency and failure. Dirty coils prohibit the system’s capacity to cool your home. It can also cause the cooling system to run for an extended amount of time, inflating costs and reducing the life of the system.

• Blower and fan motors should be tested and inspected for greater comfort levels. Airflow difficulties can lessen your system’s efficiency by up to 15 percent as stated by the Department of Energy.

Do it Yourself Cost-Saving Tips

• Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your air conditioner. A clogged air filter will restrict airflow and can cause refrigerant lines to freeze resulting in possible breakdowns and serious damage to other system components. According to the Department of Energy, this can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5-15 percent.

• If you have a window air conditioner, inspect the window seals to keep cool air from escaping. According to Energy Star, homeowners typically save up to hundreds of dollars a year in cooling costs by air sealing their homes.

• Consider installing a programmable thermostat. This could help you save up to 10 percent on heating and cooling costs a year.

No matter what kind of cooling system you have in your house, you can save money and increase comfort by properly maintaining your equipment. Routine maintenance check ups lower energy bills, increase comfort in the home and extend the useful life of your equipment. Now is the time to schedule your air conditioner check up in Eden, Greensboro and Burlington, NC. Berico Heating & Air want to make your home comfortable and your life easier. Contact us today.

SOURCES: Energy Saver (www.energy.gov/energysaver), the Energy Department’s Building Technologies Office; A Guide to Energy-Efficient Heating and Cooling

Are you hearing a constant rattling sound in your home? Does the sound seem to be in your walls or coming from your furnace or air conditioner? At Berico Fuels, we have some solutions for the sounds that you are experiencing. As a knowledgeable Greensboro HVAC company, we know how to locate and fix these types of problems quickly. Typical sounds are hisses, clanking or rattling noises. When a rattling sound is heard, there are two possibilities for where the sound is originating from, as explained by www.hvac.com:

“If it originates from the outdoor unit, chances are you have some kind of debris in the system, such as a twig. Turn your system off and cut the power to the unit, then remove the debris. If you see visible damage to the condenser coils, compressor, or fan, call your HVAC technician.

If the rattling seems to be internal, from a furnace or other internal component, turn the system off and call your HVAC technician since removing the obstacle isn’t as simple.”

So, it is best to determine if the sound is in the outdoor unit or inside of your home. With a comprehensive Greensboro furnace tune-up, we can identify potential problems and keep your system clean and efficient, avoiding future repairs. A trained technician from Berico Fuels will perform a complete system evaluation and provide a tune up for better performance. If you hear a hissing sound within your walls or around the air filter, we can help you quickly fix this problem:

“If the noise is coming from the walls, there’s a good chance your ducts are leaking.

However, if the hissing is light, it could originate from your air vents. Typically when you hear this noise it is because your filter is not “set” right or you have the wrong size filter which is creating the gap in the seal. This is a simple fix that starts with ensuring the filter is the right size and is placed correctly, leaving no room for gaps.”

The air filter size or adjustment is a do-it-yourself repair that is not costly or time consuming. However, if the hissing sound is inside of your walls, it may indicate that a major duct leak is present, requiring a more thorough repair by a certified technician. Call Berico Fuels if you suspect that you have a major air duct leak, and we will provide a thorough repair and restore restore energy efficiency in your home. The other sound that may occur is a clanking sound, which usually originates from faulty or loose parts in your HVAC system:

“It could be loose parts, such as the blower motor fan, loose blades, or loose pipes that are rubbing together. Clanking noises are a bit more serious because loose parts, if not addressed, can cause costly damage to your system. Your best bet is to turn the system off and call your technician.”

Have your furnace and air conditioner regularly maintained by a reputable Greensboro HVAC company to keep your system running at optimal capacity. Minimize repair costs and save money on your energy bills with regular HVAC maintenance from Berico Fuels. For excellent service and quality, contact us at 336-313-0466.

(Source: Common HVAC Noises and What They Mean, hvac.com, Nov. 6, 2014)

Mold is a health problem, especially for people who are sensitive to it. Sneezing, watery eyes and even wheezing and shortness of breath can occur for people who are allergic to mold. Inside of your home, your bathroom showers need to be properly ventilated, along with the kitchen area to prevent the growth of mold. Damp, humid areas are usual locations for mold growth, and a controlled humidity level in your home can help to prevent mold from growing. At Alamance Oil, Berico Heating and Cooling and Carolina Fuels, we have a variety of ways that you can lower your exposure to mold and prevent the growth of it, including Heating and Cooling maintenance to keep your system clean, free of leaks and working properly. According to facilitiesnet.com, there are four elements relating to your HVAC system that can contribute to mold growth:

“Mold requires four ingredients for growth: organic nutrients, moisture, a surface to grow on and darkness. Most HVAC systems have many areas where all four ingredients occur in abundance. If all four ingredients are present in sufficient quantities, mold will thrive. Take away or limit at least one, and mold will not be a problem.”

An heating and cooling system must be installed correctly and maintained regularly to provide the best resistance to mold growth. At Berico Fuels, our certified technicians take the time to correctly position the HVAC system and all of the parts to ensure the healthiest indoor air quality for your home. Here are few steps that are recommended to further prevent mold growth in your home or business:

“Although there are many steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of mold growing in HVAC systems, the four most effective design measures are sloping the drain pan under cooling coils, installing cleanable surfaces within air handlers and ductwork, providing accessibility to critical areas of the system and installing ultraviolet light fixtures in the supply air.”

Condensate drain pans are important

Your HVAC condensate drain pan actually plays a major role in the ability to fight mold growth. It needs to be sloped so that the condensation from the HVAC system can be carried away from the system, not creating collective pools of standing water. In Greensboro, furnace and air conditioning maintenance programs ensure that your system will be inspected regularly so that condensation from the coils of your heating and cooling system are not being trapped, leading to excess moisture and the presence of mold.

Components need to be easily accessible

To properly clean and inspect HVAC systems, all of the parts need to be located in an easily accessible location. At Berico Fuels, Alamance Oil and Carolina Fuels, we install HVAC systems in locations that will be easy for technicians to service your system and provide comprehensive cleaning and repairs. Removable panels and hinged doors also increase accessibility of HVAC systems, allowing service technicians to thoroughly clean and inspect all areas of the heating and cooling system during maintenance visits.

Call Berico Fuels at 336-273-8663 for all of your Greensboro HVAC maintenance needs. We provide expert installation and repair services to help you keep mold out of your home or business. Breathe healthier this year.

(Source: HVAC Systems: Design for Prevention of Mold Growth, facilitiesnet.com)

Commercial buildings need to be equipped and ready to assist with firefighting efforts, should that be necessary one day. Fire dangers are present in commercial buildings, from equipment failures to human errors, and the quicker the firefighters can get in and do their job, the better the outcome. There are certain aspects to the air handlers, heating and cooling unit location and presence of exhaust fans that will either help or hinder the firefighting team’s efforts in putting out a fire in a commercial building. At Berico Fuels, we install Greensboro commercial HVAC systems so they are in a helpful location with tools and configurations that will assist firefighters if needed.

Air Handlers Play an Important Role in Firefighting

An article in www.firehouse.com focuses on commercial systems, and how firefighters use them to assist in firefighting efforts. Air handlers play a major role if the unit size is greater than 2,000 CFM and contains duct smoke detectors:

“The size of a unit is typically referred to in cubic feet per minute (CFM) and the amount of air the unit can move is measured in this way. So, a 30,000 CFM can move 30,000 cubic feet of air per minute. In units above 2,000 CFM, the unit will be provided with duct smoke detectors. Duct smoke detectors are special detectors that are located with the duct and generally span the entire width of the duct. These are tied into the fire alarm system and will activate the alarm just like any other detector. Units over 2,000 CFM are required to be shut down when the fire alarm is activated. It is important to remember that these are current code requirements and there are many buildings that do not have these features.”

When a fire alarm occurs inside of a commercial building, the ability to shut down the air handler instantly to prevent further spread of heat and smoke-filled air is beneficial to firefighters. Controlling unwanted ventilation of the fire is critical to keep it under control. At Berico Fuels, we make sure that our Greensboro commercial ac and heating components are installed properly to the current code requirements, and that they work safely and efficiently to provide comfortable airflow throughout the building.

Structure and Age are Considerations for HVAC Location

It is also essential to have the right-sized unit in the right location, depending on the age and structure of the commercial building:

“If no regard has been given to the structure of the building when the unit was installed, there are even greater chances that any substantial increase in heat may lead to failure of the roof structure and the unit falling on firefighters working in the building. Some units are powered natural gas or propane, and these hazards should not be treated any differently than we do every other time.”

At Berico Fuels, we consider the age of the structure and the roof when determining the best system for the building, along with the unit location. Through careful planning, analysis, and ductwork optimization, we provide a safe and comprehensive air conditioning and furnace installation for your commercial building.

Exhaust Fans Aid in Ventilation

The presence of exhaust fans is helpful to remove harmful gases and cool buildings quickly. According to firehouse.com:

“Exhaust fans can be very helpful in our ventilation practices. When used properly they can remove the hot gases of combustion from the spaces we are working in. If we are to use the buildings exhaust fans to assist us in this process we need to know where they are located and how they operate.”

Your commercial HVAC system needs to be working efficiently and according to building codes to ensure safety and long-lasting comfort. At Berico Fuels, we maintain, repair, and install these systems with expert knowledge and careful consideration for finding the best sized system in the right location for your Greensboro, Eden and Burlington business needs. Call us at 336-273-8663 today.