| Serving South Central Michigan | ||
| (Albion, Battle Creek, Coldwater, Hillsdale, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marshall, Springport, and others) |
| Frequently Asked Questions |
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How much will it cost to repair my air conditioner / furnace? | |
| The service call is $70, which includes the first 30 minutes of work, plus the cost of parts. If more time is needed to diagnose a problem, or if the problem is found to be a major part (such as a heat exchanger, blower motor, motherboard, gas valve or other major component) additional charges will be incurred. An estimate will be given for any additional parts and/or labor needed. |
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How do you measure energy use? | |
| Energy use is measured in BTU's, which stands for British Thermal Unit. Because a BTU is so small it's usually measured in thousands or millions of BTU's. For example, your air conditioner might be rated at 12,000 BTU, 24,000 BTU, or higher. | ||
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How do air conditioners work? | |
There are four base parts to an air conditioning system. From the condensing coils the refrigerant moves through a metering device (expansion valve) and is allowed to expand into a gas as it enters the evaporator coils (when a liquid expands it absorbs heat into the expanding gas just as our bodies are cooled as perspiration and moisture on our skin evaporates). As the gas continues to expand in the evaporator coils it absorbs heat and condenses the moisture out of the atmosphere. After leaving the evaporator coils the refrigerant is pumped through the cycle again. |
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How is an air conditioner's effeciency rated? | |
Air conditioners have a SEER rating, which is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating. The higher the SEER number the less energy the air conditioner uses (you want an air conditioner with the highest SEER rating possible). For example, a 13 SEER system produces 3.43 units of cooling energy (work energy) for every unit of electrical power (kilowatt). This 13 SEER rated air conditioner is 30% more efficient than a 9 SEER air conditioner. This 30% savings in power can easily pay for the entire system over it's expected lifespan. Air conditioners are rated in tons of cooling, and 1 ton is equal to 12,000 BTU's of cooling. |
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How does a furnace work? | |
The furnace is the most important component of a central heating system. It houses all the working parts. When you replace the furnace, you replace the vital operating parts of your heating system. A furnace is part of a forced-air system. Warm air is forced, or blown, through a system of air ducts to each of the rooms in the office. Office air drawn into the furnace passes through a filter, where dust and other small particles are trapped. A blower unit blows the filtered air through the furnace, and the air absorbs heat. Gas Heat. If it is a gas furnace, the heat is supplied by the burning of natural gas. A mixture of gas and air flows into the burner and is ignited by the pilot (on older units), or a hot surface igniter or a spark igniter (on newer units). Combustion occurs, and warm air from the burner flame rises to fill a chamber known as the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger becomes hot. Office air passing around the heat exchanger absorbs that warmth, continues into the air ducts and the heat is distributed through the business. The by-products of combustion pass upward through a venting system and escape through a vent in the roof. Electric Heat. If the furnace is electric, heat is generated by an electric heating element. Electric current traveling through the element creates heat. By the heat transfer processes called conduction and convection, heat is transferred into the air stream and flows through the air ducts into the rooms of the business. The Thermostat. This measures room temperature and turns the central heating system off or on as the temperature rises or falls to designated levels. |
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