Do you love DIY? There are a lot of wonderful ways that you can make simple yet effective improvements to your house that can improve resale value and make your home an overall more comfortable place to be. However, many homeowners set themselves up for failure right from the beginning. If you want to get started on the right foot, make sure that you aren’t ruining your home improvement projects from the very early stages.

5 Ways to Completely Ruin Your Home Improvement Projects

Below are just a few ways that some homeowners sabotage their own home improvement projects before they even had a chance to get started:

Have an HVAC problem that is outside of your skill set? Contact the experts at Woodacre Fuel & HVAC for a diagnostic and repair.

5 Ways to Completely Ruin Your Home Improvement Projects
jbenbrook

Your home should be the one place where you can retreat after a long day of work or other routine tasks. However, it’s hard to create a relaxing oasis if your home environment is anything but comfortable. HVAC plays a big role in keeping your home comfortable, and our HVAC experts know just what it takes to help Wellesley Hills homeowners create the perfect home environment. Check out some of our favorite home comfort resources from Woodacre Fuel & HVAC’s blog archives. You may just learn something that will help you get more comfortable.

Improving Indoor Air Quality for Ultimate Home Comfort

Indoor air quality is a vital part of home comfort. If you and your family can not breathe clean and healthy air while you’re at home, it will be impossible to get comfortable. Use the information from the articles below to create a healthy home environment for you and your family:

• 4 Indoor Air Quality Facts to Keep Your Home Air Healthy and Clean – It’s important to understand the impacts of indoor air quality on your health and wellbeing. This infographic offers four indoor air quality statistics that may surprise you. Feel free to share this with anyone you know who suffers from asthma, allergies, or any other respiratory problems.
• What Can UV Lights Do for Your Air Quality – Again, home comfort often comes back down to whether or not the air in your home is safe and healthy for your family to breathe. UV lights are a type of HVAC equipment that can help you improve the quality of your indoor air. To learn more about these lights and whether they may be right for your home, read this article for more information.

The Right HVAC Equipment for Your Wellesley Hills Home

Another important part of maintaining comfort in your home or office throughout the year is making sure that you have purchased and properly installed the right HVAC equipment to meet your comfort needs. Here are just a few articles discussing how to choose the right equipment for your Wellesley Hills home:

• What Size Heat Pump Do I Need? – The size of your heat pump can impact the efficiency and overall performance of your entire HVAC system over the long haul. Check out this article for more information about choosing the right size heat pump for your home. Need help choosing the right size heat pump? Contact us today, and our experienced HVAC team would be happy to help you find the right size for your home needs: (781) 235-6898.
• Is a Ductless Split System Right for Me? – Do you know what a ductless split system is and how it can benefit your home comfort? In this blog post, we go into a bit more detail about how this HVAC equipment works and whether or not it might be right for your home. This is a must-read for anyone who has been considering a ductless split system.

Are you looking for more informative articles on HVAC and home comfort? Be sure to stop by our blog each month for new and original content that’s perfect for homeowners in Wellesley Hills, Needham, Natick, and the surrounding areas. Also, stay up-to-date with the latest from Woodacre by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

The Ultimate List of Home Comfort Resources from Woodacre
jbenbrook

Most people rely on a heating system to keep their home toasty during the wintertime. Unfortunately, heating systems don’t last forever, and sometimes they even fail when you least expect it. Here are 4 signs that your heater may be failing this winter:

1.Your heater is old.

Furnaces have a lifespan of about 15 to 20 years. If your furnace is getting up there in age, then it may be time to replace it. Furnaces tend to require the most amount of repairs during the final two to three years of their lives. So, if you’ve been calling your HVAC repair person a lot over the past couple of years, you may want to see if a system replacement would end up benefiting you (and your wallet!) in the long run.

If you’ve had your furnace for less than 15 years, be sure to have maintenance performed on your system as recommended, or at least once per year. Having routine maintenance performed on newer units can help extend the life of your heating system by ensuring that your unit is running properly. Also, HVAC technicians are trained to catch any small issues before they turn into larger complications.

2. Your furnace is creating cold air.

If your heating system is producing cold air rather than warm air, it may be a sign that your heater is failing. There are several causes as to why your furnace may be acting more like an AC unit. It could be that the furnace’s blower motor is malfunctioning, which means that your furnace unit simply doesn’t have enough momentum from its motor to reach all the vents in your home. This could account for “cold spots”.

Occasionally, a furnace may not produce any warm air at all, and this is more likely caused by a faulty pilot light or heat exchanger. Whatever may be the cause of your heater producing cooler air, you’ll want to get the expert advice of an HVAC technician. An HVAC pro can help you determine whether or not you’ll need a repair or a system replacement.

3. You are experiencing increased energy bills.

Sometimes an increase in your heating bills can be a telltale sign that your heater is failing. Furnaces are designed to keep your home at a constant temperature (that you set on your thermostat). So, if your furnace is struggling to keep your home at a steady temperature, it may be working harder than it should be. If you’re noticing that your energy bills are higher than they were in previous years, you may want to give an HVAC professional a call. They’ll be able to assess whether or not your furnace simply needs a tune-up, or something more significant, to get your home’s heating system back in working order.

4. Your heater has started to make strange noises.

It’s no secret that most furnaces and heating units are a bit noisy, but if you notice any strange or unfamiliar sounds coming from your system, call in a pro. Odd noises can indicate that something has gone awry with your system: perhaps a part has loosened or failed. It’s best to play it safe and call in a professional so that you’ll get expert advice on whether or not that peculiar noise is something you should be concerned about.

Are you experiencing any of these signs of heater failure? If so, contact us today to get your heating system back up and running in time for the holidays.

4 Signs That Your Heater Might be Failing this Winter
jbenbrook

Now that fall is in full swing, it’s the perfect time to enjoy the cooler weather and spend some time experiencing fun fall activities with your family. Chances are that your HVAC system is the last thing on your mind during this beautiful time of the year, especially because many homeowners may find themselves using their system less and less when the weather is more moderate.

However, fall is an important time for HVAC. Not only is it the ideal time for some much needed TLC for your heating and cooling system, but it is also a great time for fall savings. Below, we’ll talk a little bit more about the fall savings you can enjoy at Woodacre Fuel & HVAC before winter arrives.

Daily Deals for Woodacre Customers

Did you know that Woodacre has a daily deals program that allows homeowners to take advantage of serious savings throughout the week? Right now, we are offering the following daily deals and discounts to help you save money on your everyday home comfort needs:

Monday – Homeowners can breathe easy with 15% off of case pricing for special filtration media every Monday. Not sure which filter is right for you? We will help you find the right equipment for your indoor air quality needs.

Tuesday – On Tuesdays you can become a new PRICE CAP customer with no cap fee for the first year!

If you’ve got a sun room that is always too hot or too cold to use, Tuesday is also the day to get a split ductless air conditioning or heat pump installed while taking advantage of a $75 Woodacre rebate. (Ask us about other rebates available!)

Wednesday – Have you been putting off that AC repair? Well, wait no longer because air conditioning repairs are 15% off on Wednesdays. Even if you won’t be using your air conditioner this winter, it’s still important to make sure it can survive this winter.

If you’re buying a new home or have been thinking about upgrading your system, you can take advantage of our FREE estimates on Wednesdays. With this deal, you can schedule an appointment with an HVAC expert to give you a free estimate on upgrading your system or adding cooling or a split-ductless system to an area of your home that is currently not heated or cooled.

Thursday – Fall is the ideal time to test your heater and make sure that it is running smoothly for the upcoming winter weather. On Thursdays, you can take advantage of 10% off heating or cooling maintenance services. Plus, we will also provide a free 1” pleated filter replacement.

Friday – Take advantage of special rebates on brand new HVAC equipment and systems when you upgrade your existing central air conditioning system (condenser and air handler). We are currently offering an additional $100 Woodacre rebate for a limited time.

These daily deals are subject to change and do change regularly, so you want to check our Specials page periodically for more information. If you have a question or you’re ready to take advantage of these fall savings, call us now to schedule an appointment.

Fall HVAC Savings at Woodacre Fuel & HVAC
jbenbrook

As with all electrical devices, air conditioning units can only withstand a certain level of heat before suffering damage. In air conditioners, the most common problem this causes is blown fuses.

Understanding Why Fuses Blow

A fuse protects the electrical appliance on its circuit. If the device attempts to draw an amount of amps which is higher than it can handle safely, the fuse will blow and the amps will not reach the device.

On hot days, air conditioners work extra hard to attempt to compensate for the high temperature. This can lead to them attempting to draw a high amperage and blowing their fuse.

Checking for Blown Fuses

When a fuse blows from the air conditioner, it shuts down. A slight humming may come from the outside equipment, but it will do nothing else. Ensuring the problem is a blown fuse is most easily done with a voltmeter. To check for a blown fuse with a voltmeter:

1. Find the disconnect. This is usually a grey box mounted on an exterior wall of a home near the outdoor A/C unit.
2. Open the outer and inner disconnect coverings. This will expose the wiring of the disconnect. Remember that live electricity is running through this and be very cautious.
3. Zero-out the voltmeter. Ensure the voltmeter is functioning and reading zero volts (or infinity, depending upon the model).
4. Test the incoming voltage. There will be two sets of wires in the disconnect panel. One should be labeled “line” and the other “load.” The line wires carry incoming power and the load wires send it out. First, connect the voltmeters leads to the lugs connecting the two line wires. The voltmeter should read roughly 220-240 volts. This means power is coming as far as the fuses. If the voltmeter reads nothing on this side, the problem is not with the fuses.
5. Test the outgoing voltage. After testing the incoming wires, connect the voltmeter’s leads to the load wire’s lugs. If you have a zero volt reading, then you know you have a blown fuse. Otherwise, the problem is elsewhere.

How to Safely Replace Fuses

Fuses may be in the same area as the wiring or may be located in the “T” handle of the disconnect. Either way, pulling the handle is necessary to stop electricity from running through the fuses while replacing them. That only affects the load side, however. To stop electricity coming in the load side, someone must throw the circuit breaker connected to the A/C unit.

Removing the fuses once all the power is off can be done with bare hands or a pair of insulated pliers. New fuses (of the proper amperage) can just as easily be popped back in where the old ones were removed.

Blown fuses can be a hassle in hot summers, but they are easy to detect and fix. The fuses themselves can be removed and replaced with great ease, restoring the unit to working order. If you need assistance diagnosing or repairing a blown fuse, call Woodacre today.

A Guide to Finding and Replacing Blown Fuses
agreenwood

Summer is winding down, and soon people across the country will begin cranking up the heat. Every year around this time, people ask: How can I save on heating costs?

How to Save on Heating Costs

Here are a few simple but effective methods you may want to consider:

1) Plug holes in exterior walls:
Often times, pipe and cables entering your home will leave gaps around them that have been improperly filled. These gaps will allow air to flow in and out of the house, raising your heating costs. This can be fixed by filling in these gaps expanding foam.

2) Get a new thermostat:
A good way to save on heating costs during the colder months is by upgrading to a programmable thermostat. These thermostats can be set to lower the temperature when nobody is home, and to begin raising it before anyone gets home. This way, your home is always warm when you’re there, but you aren’t wasting money by running the heater when you’re gone. This strategy can also be utilized when you’re asleep.

3) Utilize Mother Nature:
Most people don’t think of this, but a good option for saving on heating costs is to utilize the sun’s heat. If you keep your windows open and allow sunlight to come into your house, you can run your heater less often and still keep your home warm.
4) Get new windows:
If you live in an older home with outdated windows, it is highly likely that a lot of heat is escaping through them. By upgrading to more energy-efficient windows, you will be able to keep heat trapped inside your house and save a lot of money on heating costs.
5) Get glass doors for your fireplace:
If your home has a chimney, a lot of heat is probably escaping your home through it. In order to rectify this and save a lot of money, install fitted glass doors in front of your fireplace and keep them closed whenever the fireplace is not in use.
6) Bundle up:
This suggestion is simple, yet effective. During the colder months, instead of running your heater all day, you can simply bundle up in warm winter clothes. When you’re lounging around the house, cover up with warm blankets! In order to make this easier for you and everyone in your home, keep blankets and coats stashed around the house so there is always one close by!
7) Don’t heat unused rooms:
If there are rooms in your home nobody ever uses, you can save a bunch on heating costs by sealing off the vents in those rooms and increasing energy efficiency throughout the rest of the house.
8) Invest in better insulation:
If you’re worried about heat escaping your home, you can buy inexpensive insulation from any local hardware store and cover up any areas you’re worried heat may be escaping from.
9) Buy a humidifier:
Have you ever been to the Deep South in the summer time? If you have, then you understand this suggestion. Humid air traps more heat, and increasing the humidity in your home will make your home feel a lot warmer for a much lower price!
For more information on energy-saving HVAC options, contact us today.

Don’t Go Broke Like Last Year: Save on Heating Costs the Easy Way
jbenbrook

Commercial HVAC systems have to be sized appropriately to ensure a comfortable environment. An HVAC unit that is too small can make it difficult to achieve optimal comfort levels within the building, and this also causes your HVAC unit to work harder than it should. Whereas a unit that is too large can cause your system to turn on and off many times throughout the course of the day as it achieves optimal temperature rather quickly. In both of these situations, you can cause unnecessary wear and tear to your HVAC system’s parts and waste energy, which impacts your electricity bills.

Installing an appropriately sized HVAC unit is the key to achieving comfortable temperatures in the building while keeping your HVAC system running smoothly and working efficiently. Our simple guide to sizing your commercial HVAC system will give you a little more information on the factors you should consider when choosing a new HVAC System.

Guide to Sizing Your Commercial HVAC System

If the size of a single unit is above 5 tons, then it can be classified under commercial HVAC unit. Commercial HVAC units are bigger in size and can have higher efficiency. There are different types of commercial units available such as variable refrigerant flow systems, packaged rooftop systems, central systems with air handlers etc. Proper zoning and zoning controls are required which would help in the correct sizing of the system.

How to Size Commercial HVAC System

Commercial HVAC system sizing depends basically on the loads generated in the building. The loads can be broadly divided into external loads and internal loads. External loads are from the weather conditions. The building is exposed to outside conditions which bring heat directly into the interiors. Internal loads are made up of heat from lighting, people, equipment, fresh air and infiltration loads. Both the internal and external loads should be accounted for while sizing the HVAC system.

There are many calculators and types of software available in the market to size air conditioners. These will incorporate all the heat loads and can give precise values. There are many basic rules and generic calculations also available. These calculations can very well estimate the heat loads and help you arrive at an accurate number.

Calculating Heat Loads

While doing the heat load calculations, you might want to keep the following references handy:
1) Manual J/ Manual N
2) Psychometric chart
3) Duct sizing chart
4) Comfort chart from ASHRAE

Here is the procedure for calculating heat loads:

1) Use the psychometric chart to check the comfort conditions
2) Use Manual J/Manual N to calculate the heat gains in all zones
3) Calculate the amount of supply air into the room which includes fresh air and recirculated air which will give you the cooling load value. The data required to arrive is air flow of 5 liters/person, indoor and outdoor design air conditions and room slope values.
4) Finally calculate the duct sizing using duct charts, resistance values and maximum air draft at the design conditions.

These are the most comprehensive steps to get accurate system sizing for your commercial building. However, it may be easier to work with an experienced HVAC technician to determine the adequate size for your commercial HVAC system. Not only does this save you time, but it can also help you reduce any errors in calculation.

Accurate sizing can help in selecting the right systems, provide comfort conditions and bring down the utility bills. Looking at the benefits of system sizing, it is always good to put in extra effort than being sorry later. If you need help finding the right size commercial HVAC system for you, give us a call today.

Sizing Your Commercial HVAC Unit: A Simple Guide
jbenbrook

If you are considering becoming a technician in the HVAC industry, you are no doubt concerned with whether or not it is an occupation worth seeking. As with many other occupations you might pursue, this position may have you wondering: Will I find work? Will I make good money? Will my opportunity for career advancement be limited? Will I enjoy doing this? These are important questions. In an effort to dispel any worries you might have about pursuing a rewarding career in HVAC service, we would like to tackle five myths about being an HVAC tech.

5 HVAC Tech Myths Busted

Here are 5 common myths about being an HVAC technician that we’d like to bust for those who are interested in pursuing the profession:

1) HVAC techs don’t make much money.

There is potential to make very good money in the HVAC industy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, HVAC technicians bring home a median income of $46,640. As you become more experienced and proficient in your trade, you can expect a salary approaching $70,000.

2) You’ll have a hard time finding employment.

Heating and cooling needs are not going away. In fact, there will only be more need in the future. In 2012, there were more than a quarter million HVAC technicians addressing our heating and cooling needs. That number needs to grow. In fact, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2022, the need for quality HVAC techs will grow 21 percent.

3) Becoming an HVAC tech will limit your career advancement.

About 16% of technicians go on to own their own service business, and there is room for that to grow. The highly specialized knowledge you acquire as an HVAC tech can serve as a solid foundation for running your own business. There is also the possibility of exposure to many other interesting career paths, including working with educational facilities, hospitals, even the aerospace sector.

4) Only men are HVAC technicians.

Not true. Many hardworking women actively pursue careers in HVAC service. It is just as rewarding for them as for men. In fact, maybe more so! Not only are more women working in the industry, but they’ve experienced a slightly higher pay increase than their counterparts from 2003-2007.

5) HVAC techs are not skilled workers.

Though you will grow to have greater proficiency throughout the lifetime of this rewarding career, it all starts with acquiring the basic fundamental skills. In addition to being mechanically competent, you will need specialized, accredited training, with programs taking less than two years. HVAC techs must go through a certification process. Some states require that you also pass a state level exam, so it is a good idea to investigate your state’s requirements ahead of time.

These represent a few of the major myths that people encounter as they begin to consider a career in the HVAC industry. Many HVAC companies are currently seeking qualified technicians to further teach the trade and keep up with demand. Your job will never be outsourced to a foreign land. New technology along with increasing environmental considerations are increasing the demand for knowledgeable technicians. There are numerous opportunities for advancement. There is a wide variety of work and areas of specialty. And there is the satisfaction of helping people, providing them a cool, comfortable environment in which to work and live!

We might be biased, but we think that the HVAC industry is the best to work in. If you have any other questions about the field, feel free to contact us. We’d love to share our positive experience with you.

Five Myths About Being an HVAC Tech: Revealing the Truth
jbenbrook

Let’s face it, it can be costly to run your home HVAC system. A typical home will have 40% or more of it’s energy consumption directly attributable to heating and cooling costs. But you shouldn’t have to choose between saving money or being comfortable. And now you don’t have to!

Multizone HVAC Systems

The trouble with a central air system is that in many ways it’s like using a cannon to kill a mosquito. It is a huge piece of machinery that sucks up a lot of power. It’s certainly more than capable of cooling or heating an entire house quickly, and relatively efficiently, but it leaves a lot to be desired in several areas.

The air in your home won’t all cool or warm at the same rate. Areas of the home that get more direct sunlight will heat faster than those which receive more shade. Traditionally however, if you wanted to cool those rooms which heated in the sun, you would have to run the system and cool the entire house. A centrally-located thermostat doesn’t help the efficiency any, either. And to top it off there are temperature losses incurred within the ductwork itself.

The HVAC system that can alleviate these issues isn’t a new one. Everyone has seen the ac unit hanging out of an apartment window downtown. That ac unit is properly known as a ductless heat pump. By using multiple ductless heat pumps and thermostats within a home, you can more effectively, and cheaply, manage the air within the home.

After all, why heat or cool the entire house when you just need one room cooled?

A ductless, multizone, HVAC system properly setup and used can reap huge energy savings. It will also allow for higher individual control of the temperatures within a home, which is great because not everyone likes the same temperature. Gone are the days of yelling at the kids for messing with the thermostat.

If a ductless system has you intrigued and you would like to discuss your options, give us a call at Woodacre Fuel & HVAC to discuss your multizone options, today!

Multizone HVAC Systems and Saving Money
HVAC Specialist

Variables in Furnace Installation Costs

If your furnace is between 15-20 years old it’s getting close to the time that it needs to be replaced and you will want to seriously consider having that done instead of waiting for it to simply stop functioning. The first and one of the largest variables in costs that you will encounter when shopping for a new furnace is what type of furnace you would be installing.

There are several types of furnace, electric, gas, oil, and heat pump, and all have their advantages and disadvantages. Costs between the units can vary a little but all will generally fall within the same price range. 2,000-5,000 dollars per unit is pretty common. For a model with a high efficiency rating you should expect about a 1,000-2,000 dollar premium on top of the base price.

The area that you can rack up a lot costs in is whether or not you can use the existing ductwork that you have. The costs for replacing ductwork with new, compatible ductwork, can run anywhere from 11,000-20,000 dollars! Clearly, if you can use existing ductwork, do so. Keep in mind that you might not be able to if your home was constructed during the heyday of asbestos use.

Installation of a new furnace will take between one and two days, depending on what needs to be done, which will affect the labor costs. When getting a quote on everything, be sure to ask about building permits and any disposal fees. Many jurisdictions will require you to have a building permit in order to install a new furnace. You also don’t want to be left with a yard full of debris left over from the installation.

A few ways to save money is by looking for any discounts your state or county offers on units with certain efficiency ratings, choosing a less expensive brand, and by utilizing existing ductwork if possible.

Follow the Woodacre Fuel & HVAC blog for all your HVAC information needs.

Cost Considerations for Furnace Installations
HVAC Specialist