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

What is the Difference Between an HRV and an ERV?

Having a better understanding of the inner workings of your HVAC system will enable you to take better care of it. As HRV and ERV systems are the chief cooling methods employed by HVAC systems, you’ll need to know the differences between the two.

HRVs transfer heat, while ERVs transfer heat and humidity. They reclaim energy wasted in an exhaust air stream and reduce the cost of ventilation. These products have been performance evaluated for airflow and heat or energy transfer. Bounds Heating & Air, your trusted air conditioning repair contractor, explains further:

Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)

HRVs are most often used in colder climates during the winter. They keep the home supplied with a steady flow of fresh outdoor air while expelling warm, stale air from the home. Its heat recovery core warms the incoming fresh, cold air before distributing it within the home. This results in a constant supply of fresh air with greater home comfort and no unpleasant drafts.

Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)

An HVAC repair professional can also install an ERV that coordinates with your existing unit, allowing you to enjoy fresh air without putting an extra load on your HVAC system. It works by pulling fresh air into your home while expelling indoor air from the structure. This exchange of air would usually affect indoor temperatures, but an ERV conditions the incoming air before it joins your airstream. It heats or cools the air as needed for minimal impact on the comfort of your home.

Additionally, dehumidification features ensure that incoming air doesn’t bring in excessive amounts of moisture. An ERV is usually the better option if you have air conditioning and live in a humid climate. Before installing either one, make sure to check for air quality issues in your home.

Call today to ask your HVAC maintenance expert, Bounds Heating & Air, about both options. We’ll help check both your indoor air quality and your home’s energy performance, then install the right system to provide your home with a fresh supply of air. Call us at 352-472-2761 for a FREE estimate! We serve Newberry, FL, and surrounding communities in Florida.

How to Improve Air Quality to Prevent Asthma and Allergies

Indoor air quality has a huge impact on the health and wellness of the people living inside your home. Unhealthy indoor air is full of pollutants, microbes, and pathogens that can aggravate various respiratory conditions like asthma and allergies.

One effective solution to alleviating such problems is to install a proper HVAC system in the house. However, regular HVAC maintenance is also required to prevent allergens from accumulating and spreading once again. Here are other things you can do to help your HVAC system alleviate asthma and allergy symptom:

Clean Air Intake Vents

Microbes and other air pollutants can enter your house through your air conditioning system. Your AC will suck in dirty air from the outdoors if the system is surrounded by organic materials, dust, and dirty objects. Cleaning the area surrounding your AC condenser will be a great help in preventing this problem.

Replace Filters

HVAC systems improve air quality by filtering the air. With pollutants, particulates, and other allergens trapped, they can’t be inhaled, limiting the likelihood of asthma and allergies being triggered. To keep air quality up, a regular maintenance schedule has to be in place, ensuring filters are routinely replaced. Regular maintenance is also a great way to keep HVAC repair expenses down.

Let Water Pans Drain

Mold grows when the environment is moist, which is common in air conditioning systems. Your AC system makes use of moisture to provide cold air, but as water accumulates in drain pans, it can lead to rapid mold growth. You can get rid of the excess water by placing drain pans at a slight slope.

Bounds Heating & Air is your leading choice for quality services, including air conditioning repair, heating maintenance, and indoor air quality solutions. To learn more about what we can do for you, simply give us a call at (352) 278-9123 or fill out our online contact form. We serve Newberry, FL, and surrounding communities in Florida.

How to Prevent Mold Growth in Your Home

Mold’s microscopic spores can get into your Gainesville, Florida, home through your HVAC system, gaps in your insulation, doors, and windows. It’s impossible to keep all mold spores out, and mold can grow almost anywhere. Some molds cause flu-like symptoms and aggravate allergies and asthma. You can prevent mold growth and improve your indoor air quality by controlling the humidity in your home, adding ventilation, and using a UV lamp to kill mold spores.

Controlling Humidity

Mold can’t grow without moisture, so controlling humidity can prevent it from forming in your home. Signs of high humidity include condensation on walls, windows, or pipes. You can use a dehumidifier to get rid of condensation. Whole-home models connect directly to your ductwork and dehumidify your entire home. Portable dehumidifiers are less expensive, but they only work in smaller areas. Make sure your gutters direct water at least 10 feet away from your home to prevent water damage and mold near your foundation.

Ventilation

Ventilation removes stale air and mold spores and brings fresh air into your home. Energy recovery ventilators or ERVs use a filter to remove any contaminants so they can introduce fresh air. These ERVs also have a heat exchanger that works like a heat pump, using energy from the outgoing stale air to condition the incoming fresh air. This is more efficient than using your heater or air conditioner. You should also use a vent or exhaust fan when you cook, shower, or do laundry.

Adding a UV Lamp

A UV lamp also called a UV air purifier, kills mold, bacteria, viruses, and dust mites by damaging their genetic structure. Coil sterilization lights attach to the inside of your HVAC system’s air handler with a strong magnet to stop mold growth that results from condensation on the coil. You can also install an air sterilization UV lamp in your ductwork that only turns on when you use your HVAC system. That way, it will use less energy.

Bounds Heating & Air can help you prevent mold and improve your indoor air quality. We install, maintain, and repair equipment for all your HVAC needs. Call us anytime at 352-472-2761.

Attic Ventilation, Insulation Combine to Improve Home Comfort

Your family will be healthier and more comfortable, and your home will be less expensive to cool and heat if you have adequate attic ventilation and insulation. Proper attic insulation will keep your home cooler on hot summer days and warmer on cold winter nights by inhibiting heat transfer between your attic and the living spaces below it. Effective ventilation, meanwhile, accomplishes two main things: it keeps your attic from overheating on hot days and it reduces the humidity in your attic that could lead to mold growth and structural damage. Although it is not an issue here in Central Florida, a well-ventilated attic also inhibits ice dam buildups on roofs in cold climates.

Steps for Proper Attic Insulation and Ventilation

Here are a few things to consider as you plan for providing adequate attic ventilation and insulation for your home:

First, seal air leaks. Be sure that leaks between your living spaces and attic are sealed to prevent airflow between them. Seal openings where ducts, electrical wiring, plumbing stacks or chimneys penetrate the ceiling. Add weatherstripping to seal the hatch into your attic.
Install or upgrade insulation. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends attic insulation values up to R-60 for homes in our climate. You can install fiberglass batts or blown-in cellulose insulation to bring your attic up to the level of insulation you want. Be sure to use unfaced batts if you are adding fiberglass rolls over existing insulation. While you’re working in the attic, consider stapling or spraying on a radiant barrier beneath your roof decking to reflect the summer heat.
Keep ventilation in mind. Do not block soffit vents with insulation. Staple insulation baffles to your roof decking between rafters to keep an airway open between the soffit vents and the ridge or gable vents. Do not cover recessed lighting fixtures with insulation in order to avoid fire danger. If you are blowing in insulation, install barriers along the wall top plate to keep insulation out of the soffits.

Call us at Bounds Heating & Air for tips on keeping your Gainesville area home comfortable and inexpensive to cool and heat all year long.

Category: Ventilation

Controlling Humidity

Ventilation

Adding a UV Lamp

<img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-1747 alignright" src="https://megaphonedemo.com/bounds/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Attic-Ventilation-Insulation-Combine-to-Improve-Home-Comfort.png" alt="" width="300" height="202" />Steps for Proper Attic Insulation and Ventilation

Steps for Proper Attic Insulation and Ventilation