HVAC FAQs

Short answer: Checking the filter monthly can save you hundreds on your electric bill. Normal 1-inch filters need to be replaced or checked monthly. If it looks clean, you can go another month. A good reminder is to check your filter every time you get your electric bill and change it if needed.

Long answer: Manufacturers love to claim 90-day-life filters, but this is false. In Central Texas, we have lots of dust and run our systems much longer in the summer. I suggest pulling the filter and putting in a new one. If the filter is clean, set it aside and swap it next month. That way, if there is a small water leak, odd debris build-up, or a funky smell, you can catch it sooner. 4-inch media filters must be checked every 6 months and changed at least once a year.

Short answer: Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) is how efficient the filter is. The higher the number is, the tighter the filter and the smaller particles it will catch. ASHARE (big wig engineers) say 6 and above is good.

Long answer: Unfortunately, many systems using a 1-inch filter are not designed to run higher Merv rating filters. The tightness of the filter will cause the system to be restricted, just like having a dirty filter, causing premature parts failure and costly electric bills. If indoor air quality is a concern, use a separate air cleaner. The HVAC system is not designed to be an air cleaner. We recommend Merv 8 filters in normal 1-inch filter housings and Merv 11 to 13 in media filters (unless the system is designed to run a higher-rated filter).

5 to 9: dust, fibers, mold spores, dust mites, and animal dander

9 to 12: pet hair and dander, finer dust, and dust mites

12 to 15: Household dust and pollen, pet dander, outdoor pollution, mold spores, most tobacco smoke, bacteria, and virus carriers (but not viruses )

Several things can be done to your HVAC system to improve your IAQ, from adding 4-inch media filters to adding air scrubbers like REME HALOS and others. These products all help your system clean the air you breathe. This helps with seasonal allergies and common colds and viruses. People spend most of their time at home, either sleeping or just being at home. Investing in better air to breathe is always a good option!

Short answer: Most likely NO, if it is appropriately sized.

Long answer:  Your unit is sized to your home through a heat load calculation considering multiple factors. The direction of your home geographically, size, type of doors and windows, and R/U values of all insulation. Ductwork size is crucial to airflow and system design. You cannot get 4 tons of air through 3 tons of ductwork. Going larger than what is designed will cause lots of issues, like humidity, mildew/mold, premature parts failures, and hot and cold rooms (uneven cooling/heating) from shortened run cycles. Today’s units are designed to run 90% of the time to keep the air crisp and comfortable.

Generally, HVAC systems have 10-15 years of life with proper maintenance and servicing. Most units come with a 10-year parts warranty to ensure the unit is living for at least 10 years. But with an evolving industry, waiting 10 years can be a long time for a new system. You could save lots of money and be more comfortable by switching to a new high-efficiency unit with the latest technology.

Short answer: If you can find a unit designed to fit, YES.

Long answer: With today’s federal requirements, most likely NO. Matched systems work more efficiently. If a system is not matched and installed per manufacturer instructions, the system will not work as designed. This will hurt the efficiency of the system by causing the unit to be below the government minimum of 14.3 SEER2. This can cause a variety of issues with the system. We try to stay away from doing mixed-matched systems. It gives our customers the best they can get and a unit we can stand by.

The SEER rating is much like the SEER2 rating. It means Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating. This is kind of like the fuel economy of your car. Theoretically, a 12 SEER unit will still cool your home like a 16 SEER but will be less efficient. SEER2 is still a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, but it has been revised. This rating became the new standard in 2023. Essentially, this means a 15.5 SEER system is roughly a 14.3 SEER2.

We recommend servicing the heater and the air conditioning once a year, equaling a bi-yearly service. This will cut down on breakdowns and costly repairs and keep your unit running as efficiently as possible with peace of mind knowing everything is running smoothly. Putting off seasonal maintenance will only cost you more in the long run with costly repairs, higher electric bills, and premature breakdowns.

A standard heat pump unit pulls heat out of the air by pumping fluid through coils, giving that heat off outside. A heat pump can reverse its flow. On A/C mode, cold air blows off inside coils and hot air blows off outside coils. On heat mode, cold air blows off coils outside and warm air blows off coils inside.

This type of HVAC system heats and cools your home. It works like a normal air conditioner in the summer, absorbing the heat inside your home and blowing it off outside. In the winter, it does the opposite by reversing the refrigerant flow, absorbing the heat outside, and blowing it off inside the home. Heat pumps can be used in all-electric systems and in dual-fuel systems (gas furnaces). These systems are more efficient than using straight electricity, and many cities require systems to be changed out to install a heat pump.

On the downside, heat pumps do not work well under freezing outdoor ambient temperatures, sleet, and freezing rain. They require you to have an emergency heat or aux heat function. Luckily, this is only relevant for a few weeks of the year in Texas.

Straight strip heat (resistance heat) would cost a 1,500-sq-ft home about $300-$350 on average in electric bills in winter. The heat pump would be the same as summer, around $150-$200.

Dual-fuel systems use a heat pump condenser with a gas or oil-burning furnace. This gives you the best of both worlds: efficiency and lower carbon footprint with the heat pump and the on-demand gas furnace heating when needed. Have LP (propane)? You can escape the high cost of winter fuel using your heat pump instead.

If you know where and which line to treat, YES! We recommend doing this every 6 months on newer homes and to have the lines evaluated on older homes (20+ yrs).

If you don’t know exactly, NO! We can show you how and where with a service check. Not knowing where can cause products to flood back into heaters, coils, and pans. Corrosive additives are dangerous to our air as well as the unit.

Short answer: Yearly condenser washes (outside). Change your filters regularly.

Long answer: Filter fit, placement, and size are essential for IAQ and unit cleanliness. So, your inside blower and coil should stay clean with proper maintenance. But pets, kids, and lifestyle do add a lot to this equation. The outside unit has no air filter (please don’t try to put one in it), so its coils need washing every year. NO chemicals! Only if they have caked-on debris should these be used.

Simple answers could be installing a fan timer to stir up stale air between floors. Nest thermostats and sensors can also help. More complex problems could be rodents damaging the ductwork, improperly installed ductwork, or non-balanced air flow per room (in older homes especially).

This credit is for replacement systems that qualify by efficiency and meet their requirements. This is a beneficial incentive for replacing heat pumps or installing a dual fuel system with up to $2,000 in tax credits up for grabs!