Heating Equipment Company FAQs

Several. Included in these should be:

• What is my budget allowance? New systems will run into the thousands of dollars.
• What are my expectations about efficiency? Noise? Warranty? Comfort? Air filtration?
• What brand of equipment am I looking for? Is there a difference?
• What equipment options are available for my area? Did the contractor make me aware of these?
• What incentives, if any, are available? If possible, will the heating contractor help me obtain them?
• How did the heating contractor conclude what equipment I need?
• Do I know exactly what equipment I'm paying for ahead of time?
• What reputation does the heating contractor have with ACCA, BBB, and local entities?
• Does the heating contractor have multiple references including businesses and past customers?
• Is the heating contractor willing to stand behind their products? Do they have any installation warranty?

Yes. See the following site for informative videos and other questions for contemplation: http://www.acca.org/homes/.

Bottom line: At the end of the day, do I feel content with the decision I'm going to make?

First, prior to replacing any of your equipment, get a second opinion from a reputable company. The reason? The cost of equipment replacement can stretch from several hundred to several thousand dollars. As long as parts are available, then equipment can be repaired. Generally speaking, equipment failure is more a matter of maintenance than the need for replacement. So, with a little TLC, your equipment may last for years to come. Hence, why Heating Equipment Company looks more towards repairing equipment than replacing it. However, if it's still a consideration, then the following website (ACCA-Air-Conditioning Contractors of America) has multiple questions and videos to assist in choosing a heating contractor: http://www.acca.org/homes/.

Bottom line: Will your decision leave you feeling content?

Yes. In a residential application, Intermountain Gas Co offers a $200 rebate for a first time installation of a high efficiency (90% or greater) furnace. This rebate does not apply to gas to gas change-outs or if the furnace is used as a back-up heat source (i.e. dual-fuel systems). Please see the following website for details and conditions: http://www.intgas.com/infocenter/rebate.html

Yes. In a residential application, Idaho Power offers various rebates depending on system (Air Source Heat Pump, Water Source Heat Pump, or Evaporative Cooler). Strict conditions need to be met (see the following website for details and conditions: http://www.idahopower.com/EnergyEfficiency/Residential/Programs/HeatingCooling/availIncentives.cfm)

Yes. In a commercial application, Idaho Power offers various incentives depending on application (see the following website for details and conditions: http://www.idahopower.com/pdfs/EnergyEfficiency/EasyUpgrades/worksheet_HVAC.pdf)

No. That particular program offer has ended.

No. That particular program offer has ended. However, see the next question.

Yes. Geothermal, solar and others qualify for 30% with no cap through 2016. (see the following website for further information: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index#c3). NOTE: Heating Equipment Company recommends talking to a tax expert or CPA regarding these tax incentives.

Yes. Lennox Industries offers rebates on a variety of equipment during promotional periods.

It may be possible if the equipment purchase is a medical necessity (i.e. an air cleaner may be considered a medical necessity for someone with respiratory illness).

Yes (see the following website for further information: http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?re=1&ee=1&spv=0&st=0&srp=1&state=ID)

No. Those particular incentives are no longer available.

When installed correctly (per manufacturer's instructions and local code requirements) and inspected by the local jurisdiction, then a gas furnace installation should be safe. The highest efficiency we can offer at this time is 98.2%. Less than 3 cents of every dollar spent going out the exhaust! This is a significant savings when compared to the 20 cents of every dollar loss in an 80% efficiency model, the industry minimum.

Bottom line: Will your decision leave you feeling content?

If a gas odor is noted inside the home, the following steps are recommended: NOTE: All phone calls should be made from outside the home. Do not use the phone inside the home or turn any power or light switches off or on during this time. Then contact 1) the local Fire department (911). 2) Intermountain Gas Company (Phone: 1-(877)-777-7442) or the local gas supplier. 3) a local heating contractor.

Contact one of the 3 agencies listed above. A service call may reveal a furnace problem needing correction. The single biggest concern is possible carbon monoxide exposure. Fire departments, gas suppliers, and heating contractors should all be able to use testing instruments to verify this problem. Provide an opening (crack open a window or door) to provide fresh air inside the home while waiting for this testing to be done.

All fossil fuel-type furnaces (i.e. gas, oil, coal) produce the warmest air coming out of the registers. Fossil fuel furnaces are more comfortable than heat pumps.

Code requirements for furnace installations are a protection for homeowners. In this particular case, the concern is that propane gas (because propane is heavier than air) may accumulate in the basement and lead to a dangerous situation. Please discuss any installation questions with your local heating contractor or local building authority.

This is something that is constantly changing. Propane and Oil fuel pricing are not regulated by the government so they fluctuate by market supply and demands. Electricity and Natural Gas are regulated by the Public Utility Commission, so those prices are more stable. A dual-fuel system (i.e. natural gas and a heat pump, oil and a heat pump, propane and a heat pump) is recommended so you are not dependent upon one fuel source establishing your cost of operation.

A heat pump is the least comfortable due to the tepid temperature of the air. The temperature of the air changes about 20 degrees coming out of the registers. If you have your thermostat set at 73 F, in the winter the air coming out of the registers will be about 93 F. Since your body temperature is about 98 F, this air will feel cool. A home heated with a heat pump will often need a humidifier to feel warm in the winter.

Lennox offers a wide range of 80% and 90% Natural Gas furnaces, as well as electric and oil furnaces. There are several models available in each type.

There are several different factors: required BTUs, blower size, blower type, CFMs produced, external static pressure, location/application, efficiencies, and cost.

There are several: type of igniter, furnace construction, type of blower, single or 2-stage gas valve, efficiency, warranty, and application.

All Lennox gas furnaces can be converted to LP.

Yes, there are certain locations that furnaces cannot be installed (please check with manufacturer's installation instructions, your heating contractor, and local building codes). Typical furnace locations include garages, attics, crawl spaces, and indoor closet spaces.

External static pressure relates directly to how much air (CFMs) a furnace can deliver, given the location altitude and air restrictions placed on it (i.e. filter, ducting, and refrigeration coil). External static pressure should be a consideration that your heating contractor should be aware of when discussing new or replacement equipment.

A piece of equipment that contains a refrigeration coil and fan blower. It is the electric furnace without the elements; the elements are added to the coil blower to make it an electric furnace. The blower must be able to move air through the coil in enough volume for proper operation, so Lennox puts them together at the factory.

Bottom line: Will your decision leave you feeling content?

The efficiency of the blower motors and coils. There are two types of blower motors used: ECM and PSC. (The ECM motors consume 1/3 the power of the PSC motors). The coils in the better models are more efficient.

The blower motor will self adjust the amount of air going through the ducting (to compensate for a filter getting dirty, registers being closed, etc.). This constant air flow maintains system efficiency and comfort.

See answer under Lennox Coil Blower FAQs.

Bottom line: Will your decision leave you feeling content?

Yes. All of the electrical power goes to power the blower, the electrical components, and electric elements (if included). For this reason, they're virtually 100% efficient.

If the application is for air-conditioning only, then there is no benefit to utilizing a heat pump or installing heating elements. If the coil blower is going to be utilized for both heating and air-conditioning, then heating elements are necessary and an optional heat pump should strongly be considered for the financial benefit.

Yes. Optional heat strips range from 5kW to 30kW. However, there are limitations to individual coil blowers on the kW capacity it can handle.

If natural gas, propane, and oil are unavailable or undesirable, then an electric furnace (coil blower) and heat pump option may be one of the wisest choices available.

The equipment that air flows through which either extracts the heat out of the air or puts heat into the air.

Coils are designed for air to flow through them in an upward, downward, or sideways application. The up-flow coil would sit on top of the furnace, the down-flow coil under the furnace, and the horizontal flow coil beside the furnace. All refrigeration coils have a drain built into the coil base which water must drain out of during the cooling season. Coils are also made according to the freon pressures that will flow through them, the R410-A freon has a much higher pressure than R22.

The coil being matched to the outdoor equipment is what determines how efficient the systems potential efficiency is. The coil also has a large impact on the air flow through the ducting. Both of these items must be considered when selecting a coil.

It's possible, but not likely. With the industry switching to the R410-A freon, the pressures would rupture a coil that was designed for R22 freon. Also, old coils were designed to work with the less efficient outdoor units that were made years ago, so it would be like putting a governor on an engine. An old coil will not let the new outdoor equipment reach the potential efficiency or capacity it is designed to achieve.

This is a Thermal Expansion Valve. This is a metering device that adjusts freon flow rates through the coil. There is a simpler metering devise, but the TXV is more accurate and is often required to achieve the highest efficiency ratings.

Yes, it's important. Most refrigeration coils have 2 drain outlets. If the primary drain gets plugged, the condensate still needs to have a path out of the coil other than to spill into the ducting (This will rust out your ducting and possible mould or mildew issues. Worse yet is the risk of structural damage (i.e. ceiling being damaged if the coil is in the attic without an auxiliary drain and drain pan). Code requires either the secondary drain be taken to "a conspicuous location" or an overflow switch be installed.

Possibly. It's important to verify that the water damage is not coming from something else. Other causes for water stains on the platform are a leaking water pipe, roof damage, condensate from a 90% furnace, the refrigeration lines not being insulated, or a leaking pressure relief valve on the water heater.

The type of freon, single or two stage compressor, hail guards, self protection for high or low freon, self-diagnostics, a compressor heater and noise production.

It is a patent-pending fan design (in cooperation with an insulated compressor) which greatly limits noise production.

R22 equipment is being phased out of production after 2010. Some limited inventory may be available in select warehouses. R22 freon will be obsolete after 2015. Because R410A is the current industry standard, it would be wise to consider R410A freon systems.

This is the efficiency rating. It is like saying the miles per gallon a car is getting. The higher the number the more efficient the system is.

This comes from when people bought ice from the ice man and put it into an ice box. When air conditioning was invented it was compared to the cooling capacity of a ton of ice, so that generation would relate to how much work the equipment could do.

Air-conditioning works by transferring warm air from inside the home to the outside via several components: 1) freon (the transfer medium). 2) refrigeration lines (freon movement). 3) indoor refrigeration coil (allowing change of freon from liquid to gas because of temperature difference across the coil with assistance from indoor fan blower). 4) AC condenser (condenses the gas vapor back to liquid).

An air-conditioner allows freon to move in only 1 direction. Hence, the air-conditioning cycle mentioned above. A heat pump, via a reversing-valve, allows freon to move in 1 of 2 directions. This freon movement allows for air-conditioning or heating of the home.

A new condenser has a listed efficiency rating on it (i.e. Up to 13.50 SEER). However, this efficiency rating is based on a proper match-up between the indoor refrigeration coil and the outdoor condenser (the furnace blower can also affect this rating). It's important to know that the SEER rating is NOT based on the condenser alone. This means you could be getting higher or lower efficiencies than listed on the equipment. The manufacturer or independent agencies (ARI/AHRI) are good sources of information about your prospective efficiencies (see http://www.ahrinet.org/).

Yes. Condenser failure can occur if this problem is not corrected. Common reasons include: dirty filter(s), inadequate freon charge, condenser fin debris, dirty indoor refrigeration coil, or indoor blower fan problem.

Yes. Please see installation instructions and/or talk to your local HVAC contractor.

Next to or within sight of the condenser (see installation instructions, discuss with your local heating contractor, and talk with the local electrical inspecting authority). It should not be located behind the equipment.

Yes. Lint material can (and does) cling to the outside fins of the condenser. This will cause the equipment to lose efficiency and possibly fail.

Documented annual service is a requirement for most major brands of HVAC equipment. Without documentation, the HVAC manufacturer can limit or negate any associated equipment warranty. Also, annual service helps keep equipment in peak performance which assists in energy consumption.

Type of freon, single or 2 stage compressor, hail guards, self diagnostics, self protection against high or low freon pressure, sound levels and compressor heaters.

It is a patent pending fan design (in cooperation with an insulated compressor) that greatly limits noise production.

Yes, you may still find some R22 equipment available, but the industry is switching to R410A freon.

The most important is the HSPF (heating season performance factor). This refers to the seasonal efficiency during the heating season, which is when the economics of a heat pump have the most benefits. The SEER (seasonal energy efficiency rating) refers to the efficiency during the cooling season. The EER (energy efficiency rating) is the efficiency at a given set of values, not considering the season. This is given because not all areas of the country have the same seasons.

Lennox is offering a solar powered heat pump system starting 2010.

Although heat pumps can serve as an air conditioner, the cost savings come when utilizing it for heat. This is due to the heat pump's ability to transfer heat from outside the home to the inside. Because of this, a heat pump can assist in energy costs.

Just as heat is transferred from inside the home to the outside during the air conditioning cycle (due to the change in freon states), so the reverse is true. However, it's important to understand that the heat produced feels 'cool' to some individuals accustomed to a warmer type of heat (fossil fuels). This is in spite of the fact that the desired set temperature is satisfied. Why is this? Because the heat produced is close to 'normal' body temperature (98.6 degrees) and, when coupled with the air circulation, feels like air-conditioning.

Equipment varies and so does the operating range. However, 40 degrees is a general standard where some heat pumps begin to lose efficiency. Most will continue to work down to 17 degrees, with some equipment going below that. When the thermostat (via outdoor temperature sensor) senses the outdoor temperature is too cold for the heat pump to be used as the primary heat source, it automatically switches to a secondary heating source (gas, propane, oil or electric).

Yes. A heat pump will frost during its normal operation. However, this frost (or ice) should also melt off when the heat pump goes through a self-initiated defrost cycle.

Yes, this is normal. During the normal defrost cycle, frost and/or ice will melt and flow away from the unit. Without being raised up, the condensate could potentially freeze and start to build up.

Requirements may vary between the manufacturer's recommendations, independent testing agencies (ARI/AHRI), and local/State authorities. However, it is true that an outdoor temperature sensor will enhance the effectiveness of the equipment (see question 3 above).

A mini-ductless system is a split AC or HP system, and is comprised of 4 elements: an indoor coil blower, an outdoor condenser/heat pump, a refrigeration line set, and thermostat. There are multiple benefits to these types of systems: rebates/incentives, exceptional efficiency, easy installation, and an attractive appearance. NOTE: The thermostats with these systems are generally remote-controlled, with an option of a hard-wired thermostat.

They are good for specific area conditioning (bonus rooms, etc), zoning, and adding additional cooling/heating capacity without major changes to the current system. They are very efficient and quiet.

Click on the Fujitsu, Mitsubishi, and Daikin manufacturer tabs in the Our Products page. This is a link to the home pages of their respective websites. They are all aesthetically pleasing.

Yes. See the FAQ tab and look under Incentives and Rebates.

MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) is a rating system on how well a filter performs in removing contaminants from the air. MERV ratings extend from 1 (bad) to 16 (best). Therefore, the higher MERV rating a filter has, the better it removes contaminants.

Look on the filter. All good filters show air-flow direction and give a MERV rating. If your filter does not have this, then check the packaging.

Yes. In the testing process, filters are tested in 3 separate categories: 0.30-1.00 microns, 1.00-3.00 microns, and 3.00-10.00 microns. Therefore, a MERV 8 filter may be 70% efficient @ 3.00-10.00 microns but negligible @ 0.30-1.00 microns range. It is very important to understand this because the smaller particles (0.30-1.00 microns) are ones not obviously seen and the ones most responsible for making us ill.

• 0.3-1.00 microns=bacteria, fungi, tobacco smoke. 
• 1.0-3.00 microns=pet hair, human hair.
• 3.00-10.00 microns=hair, pollens, spores.

Yes. The filter is 1 of several furnace components (refrigeration coil and ducting are other major components) that affect air-flow. Air-flow resistance varies greatly due to air volume being moved, size of filter, and filter construction.

Yes. By filtering out particulates, lint and dust build-up on the heat exchanger and refrigeration coil is kept at a minimum. This enhances air-flow and reduces the likelihood of heat-exchanger related fire.

Please reference Manufacturer's information for details regarding filter efficiency. Some EACs have been associated with ozone production. Lennox Industries does not manufacture EACs.

Lennox Industries offers several choices: Healthy Climate media filter housing, PureAir Air Purification Unit, and HEPA filtration systems. The Healthy Climate media filter housing accommodates MERV 10, 13, and 16 filters. MERV 16 filters are the current pinnacle of efficiency. The PureAir Air Purification Unit incorporates a MERV 16 filter, UV lights, and metal catalyst. The HEPA system is a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration system incorporates 3 components: pre-filter, HEPA filter, and charcoal filter. This system filters some 99.97% of 0.3 micron size particulates and can be used in conjunction with the home's existing filtration system, a Healthy Climate media filter housing, or PureAir Air Purification system.

Obviously, the replacement filter(s) is going to be more expensive than a 'standard' 1" or 2" filter. However, they often last longer. When considered in the light of the increased health benefits, fewer coil cleanings, and a cleaner house, the benefits make a quality filtration system worth investing in.

What you are describing sounds like VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from the off-gassing of the paint. A Lennox PureAir Air Purification system or HEPA filtration system will likely assist you greatly.

Yes. It must be replaced with a programmable thermostat per code requirements.

Contact your local HVAC dealer, local Fire department, or Environmental Protective Agency for disposal information.

Yes. There are numerous thermostats available. Most use a bi-metal mechanism instead of mercury and can be obtained at most do-it-yourself stores.

The manufacturer's instructions, installing company, thermostat dealer, or the Internet are all good references.

Yes. There are several brands that are made with a large display.

• Stages of heat/cooling. Some have only 1 stage, while others have 2 or more stages. Display. Standard or large. 
• Program. (7 day, 5/2 day, 5/1/1 day). 
• Advanced features. Filter change notice, current time, outdoor temperature, day of week, humidifier control, dehumidifier control, lock-out screen, blower off time delay relay, and air circulation mode are some examples. 
• Brands. There are multiple brands available. Some examples are Honeywell, Lennox, and White Rodgers.
• Wireless and wired.