Name: Bounds Heating & Air
Address: 25645 West, Newberry Road, Newberry, FL, 32669
Telephone: 352-472-2761

7 Common HVAC Terms That Every Homeowner Should Know

Does it feel like you’re reading a different language whenever you try to read anything about your home’s heating and cooling system? We understand. At one point, all of those terms were new to us too. For this reason, we want to provide you with a glossary, of sorts, that explains some essential terms that every homeowner should know about their heating and cooling system.

Ready to learn how to speak “HVAC?” Let’s get started.

1. HVAC

Let’s start with the term HVAC. HVAC is an acronym for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. People often will refer to an entire heating and cooling system (the heater, air conditioner, and ductwork) as an HVAC system for short.

2. AFUE

AFUE (Average Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is a term for the measurement of a gas or oil furnace’s efficiency. AFUE is a number. That number is the percentage of the amount of fuel energy used to heat your home.

For instance, if a furnace’s AFUE is 80, then 80% of the fuel it uses will be used for heating your home, while 20% of the fuel will go to waste (80% + 20% = 100%). An energy-efficient furnace will have a really high AFUE, meaning that almost 100% of the fuel it uses will be used to heat your home, and only a small percentage of the fuel will go to waste.

3. SEER

SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is the rating that describes how efficient an air conditioner or heat pump is. The SEER is calculated by dividing the unit’s total cooling power by the total energy used to power it over one year. This equation takes into account temperature differences throughout the year. Taking those differences into account is important because your AC works much harder during July than January.

4. HSPF

HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) is similar to SEER and AFUE, only it applies to heat pumps when they’re heating a home. To calculate a heat pump’s HSPF, you divide the unit’s total heating power by the total energy used to power it over one year. In this way, HSPF takes seasonal temperature differences into account.

5. Condenser

Your air conditioning system has two major components: the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit is called the condenser, that metal box that sits outside with a fan inside of it. Whether you own a heat pump, a ductless mini-split, or a traditional AC and furnace, the air conditioner has a condenser located outdoors, typically in the yard, on the roof, or on a balcony.

The condenser contains a coil with refrigerant that has just absorbed heat from your indoor air. The condenser’s main role is to release all that heat outdoors. For this reason, the condenser needs adequate room for ventilation on all sides and especially on top, where its fan is blowing out the most warm air.

6. Evaporator Coil

Air conditioners and heat pumps have two coils: one is in the condenser, mentioned above, and the other is the evaporator coil. The evaporator coil is located indoors.

Just like the condenser coil, the evaporator coil contains refrigerant. Hot indoor air from your home blows over this coil, and the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air. The “warmed up” refrigerant moves along a line from the evaporator coil out to the outdoor condenser coil, where it can release that heat outside.

7. Heat Exchanger

Heat exchangers are a crucial component in gas or oil furnaces. Here’s why:

While burning fuel, a furnace creates toxic flue gases and combustion products, such as carbon monoxide. These things are hazardous to breathe, so you don’t want them mixing with your “breathing air.”
The heat exchanger is a thin, metal shield that acts as a barrier between your breathing air and the hot air that gets exposed to flue gases and toxic byproducts that result from your furnace burning fuel.
Because the heat exchanger is made of metal, it transfers the heat from the “unhealthy” air to your indoor air, while keeping out all the harmful things you shouldn’t breathe.
Consequently, your indoor air gets heated safely, and the flue gases and pollutants on the other side of the heat exchanger get vented outside your home where they can dissipate.

Over time, condensation can cause the heat exchanger to rust. This can lead to cracks as the metal expands and contracts from warming up and cooling down. A cracked heat exchanger needs to be taken seriously, as any breaks in the barrier can allow harmful gases and particles to mix with your indoor air.

At Bounds Heating & Air, we’re committed to providing you with top-quality HVAC repairs, maintenance, and installations. Give us a call at (352) 472-2761 or contact us online today!

Bounds Heating & Air Opening New Location In Gainesville!

One of the strongest signs of a stable and thriving business is consistent growth, and we have been privileged to see that here at Bounds Heating & Air. Over our years in business, our customers have come to depend on us for high-quality air conditioning and heating repairs, new installation services, and anything else in between that your home’s HVAC system might need. We have always sought to go above and beyond for our customers and treat them with genuine respect and world-class customer care. And we’re pleased to see that these efforts have been rewarded over the years with a business that has grown to become one of the most recognized leaders in our community.

In fact, this growth has been so prominent that we are pleased to announce that we have opened our second location! We are now pleased to have a facility located in the city of Gainesville, allowing customers there and in the surrounding areas to receive our same great service and reliability even faster! Thanks to a fleet of trucks and staff of experienced crew members now based out of this new location, customers will see even quicker response times and enhanced support for their HVAC needs.

This new location is not replacing our old office—we are still operating at full capacity from our original location in Newberry. That means you can still expect the same great service and friendly technicians you always have. However, we’re pleased to have the ability to serve an even wider range of customers across a greater service area thanks to this new location!

Whether you are in Newberry, Gainesville, or any of the communities that surrounding either of our offices, give the team at Bounds Heating & Air a call at (352) 472-2761 today and schedule a service if your air conditioner or heater needs a professional service.

My AC Is Running: Why Is My House Still Hot and Humid?

When your air conditioner is working correctly, it both cools and removes moisture from your indoor air. However, there are multiple factors that can cause your air conditioner to fail at its “dehumidifying duties.”

If your home feels muggy even while the air conditioner is running, one of the reasons below could be why.

1. The thermostat is on the wrong setting.

Before calling your trusted HVAC contractor, check your thermostat settings. Make sure your system is set to “AUTO,” and no “ON.” When the setting is “ON,” your system’s fan is going to run continuously, even if the air conditioner isn’t actively cooling and dehumidifying the air. Basically, the system is just circulating air throughout your home. When the setting is “AUTO,” your system will cool and dehumidify air whenever the fan is running.

2. Dust and dirt are disrupting your air conditioner.

Your system’s air filter can only do so much. If enough time goes by without preventative maintenance, dust and dirt will accumulate on both your indoor and outdoor air conditioner coils. Dust on the outdoor coils inhibits your air conditioner’s ability to disperse heat into the outdoors, which, in turn, interferes with the refrigerant cycle as a whole. A disrupted refrigerant cycle makes it harder for your air conditioner to dehumidify air and perform efficiently.

3. Your indoor AC unit’s evaporator coil is frozen.

Your air conditioner’s indoor unit contains the evaporator coil. The evaporator coil removes heat and humidity from your indoor air. If something is blocking airflow through your system (like a dust-clogged air filter), or if there’s not enough refrigerant flowing through the evaporator coil, a layer of ice or frost can form over the coil. When this happens, the coil can no longer extract heat or humidity from your home’s air.

4. Your current system isn’t the right size for your home.

It’s essential that your air conditioning system not be too big or too small for your home. If the system is too big, it’s only going to run for extremely short cycles, which can result in uneven temperatures throughout your home. If the system is too small, it’s going to struggle to cool and dehumidify your home no matter how much it runs.

5. Your current system is getting close to retirement.

Has the air in your home gotten muggier in recent years? According to the National Association of Home Builders, air conditioners last 10 to 15 years, so if your AC system is over 10 years old, then you can bet the humidity problem is an aging air conditioner. When shopping for a replacement, make sure you involve a licensed HVAC professional that can help you choose an appropriately-sized system for your home so that you can avoid problems like the one mentioned above in #4.

6. Your ductwork has leaks.

Ductwork typically “lives” in humid, unconditioned areas, like attics and crawl spaces. As it ages, it can form rips and gaps that allow moisture to mix with your conditioned air. You can also have this problem in relatively new ductwork that wasn’t connected or sealed properly.

7. It’s just really, really humid out.

Right before stormy weather, the air outdoors becomes excessively humid, and even a decent air conditioner in good condition might not be able to keep up. You can help your AC out by keeping all of the windows closed and running your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans when either of those rooms is in use for cooking, showering, or bathing.

If the humidity is so high in your home that it’s creating problems, like mold growth or physical discomfort, you can also install a whole-home dehumidifier. These devices regulate your home’s indoor humidity and keep it at your desired level.

The last thing anyone wants in their Florida home is more humidity. If your air conditioner is giving you problems, don’t hesitate to contact Bounds Heating & Airfor service in Gainesville, Newberry, and beyond: (352) 472-2761.

Heater Behavior: What’s Normal and What’s Not

Have you ever looked at or listened to your heater and wondered, “Should it be acting like this?” The good news is that you don’t have to be a heating and cooling expert to learn some essentials about heater behavior. Below, we’re going to look at some of the top inquiries we get from homeowners about their heating systems, and we’ll tell you what’s normal and when you should contact a technician.

The heater is taking a while to “warm up.”

If your heater turns on after being shut off for a long time, it might take a few minutes for the air coming out of your vents to warm up. Even if your heater working just fine, the air still has to travel through cold ductwork before it gets to each room, and it can lose heat along the way.

If the air never warms up at all, make sure your thermostat is set to AUTO (not ON), and check to see if your system needs a new air filter. You’d be amazed how often one of these steps solves the issue! If neither of these troubleshooting tricks works, it’s time to call a technician.

The heater makes a boom or banging noise whenever it starts up.

Right away, any HVAC expert will tell you that this a problem, and they’re right. You’re hearing this noise because your furnace has an issue with delayed ignition.

Here is what happens:

Your thermostat signals your furnace to start a heating cycle.
Your furnace “feeds” a gas and oxygen mixture to the burners so that they’ll ignite–but something is preventing that ignition from happening.
Consequently, the gas mixture starts to build up.
Finally, when the gas mixture ignites, it makes a small explosion inside your furnace’s combustion chamber–boom!

Over time, these mini-explosions can damage your furnace, and any excess gas can be dangerous because of how volatile it is. In some cases, this problem can be solved by cleaning the burners. However, there could also be an issue with the ratio of gas and oxygen in the gas mixture. It’s best to involve a technician to get to the root cause of the problem.

The heater is giving off a strange smell.

If you smell something burning when you first turn your heater on for the season, don’t be alarmed. This is most likely just dust burning off in the equipment. If this smell doesn’t go away, then you should shut your system off and call a technician.

Your heater should never give off odors that smell like any of the following:

Burning rubber
Burning oil
Melting plastic
Overheated metal
Garbage or something rotten
Mold or mildew
Natural gas, sulfur, or rotten eggs

Bad smells can signal anything from a mechanical problem to a gas leak to a dead animal trapped in your ductwork. These scenarios are best handled by a professional.

The heater is making a loud humming noise while it runs.

While no heater runs completely silently, the unit shouldn’t start making a humming or buzzing noise out of the blue. Humming can indicate the need to replace a part, such as a failing capacitor or blower motor, but typically, these types of noises mean that the equipment just needs a little maintenance. As the system goes through wear and tear, parts can loosen, and the blower motor can lose lubrication. Technicians can easily take care of issues like loose parts or lack of lubrication during a maintenance appointment.

The furnace flame has some yellow and orange in it.

Your furnace flame should be bright blue, but it is also okay if the very tip is yellow. If you’re seeing streaks of yellow, orange, red, or green in the flame, then you know there’s a problem.

Why does the color of the flame matter? There are two significant reasons:

If the flame isn’t pure blue, then your furnace isn’t burning as hotly or efficiently as it should be. This means that your furnace is costing you more money to use than necessary.
Yellow and orange flames also mean that the fuel isn’t burning as “cleanly” and that more pollutants (including carbon monoxide) are being released during the combustion process).

Dirty burners are the most common culprit behind yellow and orange furnace flames. If cleaning the burners doesn’t solve the problem, or if you don’t know how to clean them correctly, an HVAC technician can perform this task for you. There could also be too little oxygen in the gas and oxygen mixture that’s fed to the burners. You will definitely need a technician’s help to handle this issue safely.

At Bounds Heating & Air, we pride ourselves on top quality heater repairs and unmatched customer care. To schedule heating service in Gainesville, call (352) 472-2761 or send us a message online.

Is It Okay To Switch Back and Forth Between My AC and Heater?

Compared to many other parts of the country, our fall weather in Florida can be a mixed bag. On the same autumn day, you might be sweating at lunchtime and then by nightfall wrapping yourself up in a blanket burrito-style for warmth. With these fluctuating temperatures, keeping your home comfortable seems to require switching back and forth between using your air conditioner and your heater–but is doing this bad for your HVAC system?

Have no fear: it’s perfectly fine to switch back and forth between your AC and heater, even on the same day. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to make this switch. Below are some things to consider.

SWITCHING BETWEEN YOUR AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATER

While you want to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, it’s essential that you don’t do anything that will drastically increase your energy bill or put your HVAC system through unnecessary wear and tear.

Set the Thermostat to “Auto”

First, make sure your HVAC system’s thermostat is set to “auto” so that it will automatically shut off when your home has reached the thermostat’s designated temperature. If the thermostat is set to “on,” the unit will just keep running. To increase your energy savings, the Department of Energy recommends the following temperature settings:

For winter: 68°F while you’re awake and lower while you’re asleep or away from home.
For summer: 78°F when you are at home and higher while you’re away.

Let the System Complete Its Current Cycle

Second, if you want to switch from your cooling system to your heating system (or the opposite), never do it while the unit is running. Wait until the cycle finishes. Then switch the thermostat to “off.” Wait for at least five minutes before turning your other system on.

Warm or Cool Your Home Gradually

The more of a temperature fluctuation your system needs to overcome, the more energy it’s going to use. This is why it’s best to keep your home temperature as consistent as possible, though it’s not always easy. When switching from heating to cooling or vice versa, start by adjusting your thermostat by only a few degrees. Allowing your home to warm up or cool down gradually puts a lot less strain on your HVAC system.

Whether you need an AC repair or heater repair, our Gainesville technicians at Bounds Heating & Air are ready to help! Give us a call today at (352) 472-2761 or contact us online.

5 Reasons Why Your Cooling Costs Are Through the Roof

Along with stifling heat and humidity, high energy bills are another thing most homeowners dread each summer. While it’s not unusual for your cooling costs to rise along with outdoor temperatures, if those cooling costs have been increasing year over year, it’s safe to say that there’s probably an issue. Frequently, this issue is an air conditioning system that’s losing efficiency.

When your AC loses efficiency, it costs you more money to operate it, and it suffers wear-and-tear faster than it should. Below, we explain some of the most common ways AC systems lose efficiency and what you can do about these problems.

HOW DO AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS LOSE EFFICIENCY?

1. Dirty Air Filters

Dirty air filters are one of the leading causes behind air conditioner and heater issues. When you don’t clean or replace your air filter frequently enough, it develops a blanket of dust that restricts airflow. If there’s not enough air passing through, the equipment will have numerous efficiency and performance problems. Your system might even fail if the lack of airflow becomes severe enough.

The first step you can take towards a more efficient AC system is to change the air filter at least once every 90 days (for most systems). If you own pets, smoke indoors, or have recently done activities that have generated a lot of dust, you’ll most likely need to change the air filter more frequently than that (ex. every 30 to 60 days).

2. Dust Buildup

Even though your system has an air filter, dust will still find its way into the components and decrease their efficiency. For instance, dust buildup on your air conditioner’s coils can end up being a costly problem. Your air conditioner has two coils: the evaporator coil in the indoor unit and the condenser coil in the outdoor unit. Dust buildup:

limits the evaporator coil’s ability to absorb heat from your home’s air
limits the condenser coil’s ability to release that heat outside

The easiest way to prevent dust buildup is to schedule preventative maintenance for your AC system yearly in the spring. During the appointment, your technician will clean and tighten up your system and inspect it for any parts that might be at risk of failing.

3. Leaky Ductwork

Your AC system may be operating just fine, but if the cold air “delivery system” (aka. the ductwork) is full of leaks, it will create a lot of energy loss. Leaks can form in your air ducts’ joints over time if the connections aren’t correctly sealed. Other typical areas for leaks are where the ducts connect to the AC equipment and the air registers in your walls. Rodents can also chew through flexible metal ductwork with their sturdy incisors.

Two clues that you have leaky ductwork are high energy bills and weak airflow coming out of your vents. If this matches your situation, contact an HVAC technician to inspect your ductwork for energy losses. If they discover leaks, they can seal your air ducts with professional equipment.

4. Closed or Blocked Air Vents

Even though this may sound like a no-brainer, check your home to make sure that all of your vents are exposed and in the open position. We’ve found that in some homes, forgotten air vents have been blocked by rugs and furniture.

Also, make sure you never close your air vents at the register. Many people will do this to redirect air to another area of their home. However, without a zoning system, your air conditioner will keep trying to blow cold air to that same room regardless. This can create an air pressure imbalance in your system, forcing open weak points in your ductwork and making leaks.

5. An Aging System

On average, air conditioners last about 15 to 20 years, although they can last longer with routine maintenance. If your air conditioner is well past the 12-year mark, it’s performance may be declining due to old age. According to the Department of Energy, if your AC is just 10 years old, you can save 20 to 40 percent of your cooling costs by replacing it with a newer, more energy-efficient model.

OTHER SOURCES OF ENERGY LOSS IN HOMES

Does it take a long time to cool your home? It might not be your air conditioning system that’s the problem. Your home might be gaining heat and losing conditioned air due to issues like air leaks, inadequate insulation, or even uncovered, sun-facing windows. You might even have an incorrectly calibrated thermostat on your hands. To discover where you’re losing the most energy in your home, the Department of Energy recommends professional home energy audits.

Whether your Gainesville home needs AC maintenance, a repair, or a thorough energy audit, our team at Bounds Heating & Air has the training and expertise to provide you with quality service. Contact us today at (352) 472-2761 or use our online form.

Split System Heat Pump: How Does It Work?

Split-system heat pumps are HVAC systems that incorporate both heating and air conditioning systems in one unit. It’s the ideal solution for homes with existing single ductwork and registers. Your HVAC repair expert, Bounds Heating and Air takes a closer look at how split system heat pumps work.

Air Conditioning Systems

Before we talk about split system heat pumps, we must first take a look at how air conditioning systems work. Air conditioners have two distinct sections: the condenser and the evaporator. While window-mounted units have both in a single enclosure, split units have separate enclosures for each section: the evaporator is installed indoors, while the condenser is installed outdoors.

The condenser unit houses the compressor, which compresses the refrigerant until it condenses into its fluid form. As the pressure is released, the refrigerant releases a tremendous amount of heat, which is radiated through the condenser coils. By the time it reaches the evaporator unit, the refrigerant becomes cold and is passed through coils. Room air is then blown through these coils, resulting in cold air. As the refrigerant becomes warm, it is fed to the condenser, repeating the cycle. With regular HVAC maintenance from providers like Bounds Heating and Air, the refrigerant can go through thousands of cycles without needing a refill.

Split System Heat Pump

The only major difference between split system heat pumps and typical air conditioner units is in the compressor unit. It has an additional component that lets the user reverse the direction of the compressor, so instead of radiating the heat at the compressor coil, it is instead pumped into the ductwork. Heat is distributed through the same registers used for air conditioning.

Split-system heat pumps eliminate the need to use fuel-based heating systems. This is ideal if you currently do not use furnaces and similar heaters for space heating, or if you are looking into replacing your old, broken furnace. Note that split system heat pumps do not function as water heaters. However, there are several energy-efficient tankless water heaters available which let you have on-demand hot water at any time.

To learn more about our heating and air conditioning repair, maintenance, and installation services, call Bounds Heating and Air today at 352-472-2761. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule a free estimate. We serve Gainesville, FL, and surrounding areas in Florida.

A Brief History of Thermostats

A key component of HVAC maintenance is the thermostat. It controls how much the temperature of each home should be. Essential to keeping you cool (or warm), thermostats are often overlooked. To honor this revolutionary tool, we take a careful look at its history.

Invention: 1830

Back when people had to rely on their senses, regulating temperature was troublesome. Many had to rely on fireplaces and furnaces to warm themselves up. The problem was that it required a lot of physical effort, not to mention resources like firewood and coal.

Things changed in 1830 when a Scottish chemist named Andrew Ure patented the thermostat. He was made of bi-metallic materials and would bend according to the temperature. While it was a remarkable invention, it was considered hardly useful. This resulted in a long wait before it could become important to HVAC repair.

Rise to Popularity: 1883

The thermostat’s popularity rose once the American inventor Warren Johnson stepped in. Unhappy with the cold, he invented an electric thermostat. While it couldn’t directly change the temperature, it was used to signal janitors. This way, he could ask them to adjust the furnace without leaving the room.

Innovation: 1885

Two years later, a Swiss inventor named Albert Butz radically changed the use of thermostats. Ure’s could only detect temperature changes, while Johnson’s could only use it as a signal. Butz went a step further, by letting him adjust it on command.

His device was connected to a pulley system, which allowed one to open and close the furnace door. It was a rudimentary design, the first-ever operational thermostat. Since then, many homes have enjoyed a more advanced form.

At Bounds Heating & Air, we can help you monitor and regulate your own thermostats. We provide professional air conditioning repair and install different products for your HVAC system. This includes heaters, humidifiers, and cooling systems.

Call us at 352-472-2761 or fill out our contact form to request a free quote. We serve many areas in Florida, including Alachua, FL.

How to Pick the Right AC Unit for Your Home

this post, our air conditioning repair experts at Bounds Heating & Air discuss how to pick the right air conditioning unit for your home.

Central Air Conditioning

These are the most commonly installed types of air conditioning systems due to their simple and straightforward operation. This air conditioner simply takes cool air and circulates it through a system of supply ducts and in return, registers throughout your home. One of the best features of this unit is that it naturally dehumidifies incoming air in your home.

Packaged Central Air Conditioning

As its name suggests, all of the components of this air conditioning unit are installed in one packaged unit. These systems come with electric heating coils or a built-in natural gas furnace, which means you don’t need to install a separate furnace inside. Since all of its major components are together, HVAC repair is straightforward and easy to perform. We recommend hiring a professional like us to do it for you.

Ductless Split Air Conditioning

The ductless “mini” split air conditioning system is the best option if you don’t want to worry about ductwork. This unit has an air conditioning or heat pump installed outside that connects the units in the home to handle the cooling, eliminating the need for ducts. This unit is more efficient as it gives homeowners more control over how you want your home cooled. It’s also more energy-efficient because the cool air is not lost traveling through air ducts. On top of that, your rooms will cool faster.

As one of the top HVAC maintenance experts in Florida, Bounds Heating & Air can help you choose the right air conditioning unit for your home. Call us today at 352-472-2761 to learn more about our services. We are air conditioning repair experts in Gainesville, FL, and other parts of Florida.

Category: AC & Heating