At Gillette, we realize that purchasing a heating or air conditioning system is no small matter. However, if your existing system is old, in need of repair or simply inefficient, purchasing a new unit, one which can be as much as 60% more efficient than a system purchased just 10 years ago, can turn into a long term benefit. Rather than continuing to pay for ongoing maintenance and costly monthly bills, invest in a new system today that will save you money for years to come.

There are many heating and air conditioning systems to choose from today. By using Gillette Air Conditioning Co., Inc. for your consumer direct central air replacements you have access to a vast degree of heating and air conditioning knowledge and experience to help you decide on the system that best fits your specific needs. The size and age of your home, as well as the number of rooms, climate, local and regional utility costs, degree days and utility incentive rebate programs are all factors that will affect the functionality and, therefore, selection of your system. Manufacturers are utilizing the latest technology; consider these factors and, most importantly, your input while assisting you in choosing the best system for your home.

Consumers seeking to replace an existing system often choose a new unit with equal or higher efficiency ratings as compared to their previous system. Replacing a unit that is greater than 10 to 15 years old may reduce natural gas or electricity costs from 30 to 50%. Contact Gillette Air Conditioning Co., Inc. will help you to define your initial cost, warranty protection, service options, maintenance options and operating cost. Once you have chosen a system it is important to remember that proper installation is a major factor in maximizing its operating efficiency and your comfort level.

Factors affecting the size of your new system include the climate in your region, humidity levels, the number of windows in your dwelling, total square footage of your home, the direction your home faces, the number of heat producing appliances in your home, the type of insulation you have and the number of people that live in your residence. Unless you have simply just been uncomfortable over the years then you may go up a half of a ton from what you currently have while replacing however, many times, the system that is currently installed is the proper size, it is just old and inefficient. It simply needs to be replaced with the same size. Bigger is not better with central air conditioning and heating.

Beyond equipment, the most important component installed with a new system is the ductwork.  Ductwork is composed of two parts, supply and return. Supply duct is attached to the outflow of the new system, delivering air to each zone in a home. The amount of air reaching each zone is determined by the size of supply ductwork connecting it to your system. Gillette will help you determine the size of all the supply ductwork in your home. The second part of the ductwork, the return duct, attaches to the inlet of the new system and draws air out of the spaces to be heated or cooled. Attached to the return duct is the filter. The filter should be placed as near to the furnace or air handler as possible. Ductwork can be either fiberglass or metal and must be properly sized in order to evenly distribute the proper amount of air to each room.

To install the most efficient HVAC system in your household, Gillette offers detailed inspection. Gillette will include, as a minimum, the inspection of your home's ductwork, insulation, refrigerant piping, electrical service, wiring, thermostat, condensate piping, flue piping, flue terminations, chimney liner, slabs, filter, driers, registers, grills, drain pans and evaporator coil.

Maintenance and service play a key role in the lifecycle of a heating or air conditioning system. If all recommended maintenance and service actions are taken, it is believed that an air conditioner should last 12-15 years and a gas furnace should last from 20 to 25 years.

It is generally a good idea to replace the indoor coil if you are also replacing your air conditioner or heat pump. There is a correlation between the efficiency of your heating or cooling system and the performance of the indoor coil. So when you change the outdoor side of the system, you should also change the interior side of the system as well in order to maximize the efficiency and savings potential of the total system.

The system can actually be located in several different places. A system with up-flow application might be located in the closet, while a system with a horizontal application may be found in your attic. A self-contained, or single package unit could be located outside on a slab or on the roof. Your garage could house an up-flow, down-flow or horizontal application system.

Operating a variable speed air handling system in your home can reduce humidity levels. Variable speed units run longer, at lower speeds, allowing air to constantly circulate against the cooling coil and remove more moisture. Variable speed motors also use less electricity than regular motors, reducing your energy costs.

Gillette Air Conditioning Co., Inc. suggests the following:

• Disconnect your indoor and outdoor switches.
• Make sure your circuit breakers are in the ON position.
• Make sure your filters are clean.
• Open supply and return vents and make sure they are unobstructed.
• Double check both indoor and outdoor disconnect switches.
• Check the settings on your thermostat.
• Make sure the system switch is on the appropriate COOL or HEAT setting.
• Have the FAN switch on for a continuous vent.

Here are several tips to help you keep your system running at its most efficient level:

• Keep your thermostat at a constant temperature; the recommended temperature is 78 degrees, even when no one is home.
• Change your filters every month.
• Check the outside condensing unit regularly
• Look for any grass clippings or leaves stuck to the coil.
• If it is dirty – disconnect the power at the circuit breaker FIRST!
• Use a shop-vac with a brush attachment to vacuum off the debris.
• Run water from a garden hose through the coil until the water passing through it is clear.
• Turn the power back on.

If you are unable to do some of these things then it would be advised to call Gillette Air Conditioning Co., Inc., your trusted local service company. Gillette has serviced many friends and neighbors, providing referrals and the quality service team to fit your needs.  Call Gillette Air Conditioning Co., Inc. at 210-735-9235 today!

Utilizing Your Ceiling Fans for Year Round Savings

We all know that using ceiling fans in the summer time helps circulate stagnant air, making us feel cooler and more comfortable.

Did you know your ceiling fans could be useful energy-savers in the wintertime as well? During the colder months, when running in a clockwise rotation, ceiling fans effectively move the heated air trapped near the ceiling down into the living areas.

To make your fans work most efficiently this winter, locate the slide switch near the fan motor that allows you to change the direction your ceiling fans rotate and set it to move the blades in a clockwise direction set on a low speed. When the weather warms up again, switch to a counter-clockwise spin.

With continuously rising costs to heat and cool our homes, it pays to use every tool available to reduce our energy consumption.

As HVAC service professionals we take the lead in educating consumers about potential carbon monoxide poisoning. Many government, non-profit, and consumer minded groups do their part to raise awareness.

As a rule, every combustion appliance should be maintained and inspected semi-annually.  A CO detector should be placed on each floor of the residence that is occupied. A good CO detector or alarm should be able to alert at low levels. It should have a display that reads out the level of CO in PPM. Low-level CO poisoning is a common occurrence that rarely gets reported to health workers. Having a detector that can alert homeowners before CO gets to dangerous levels is important.