Costruzione muro semplificato

Struttura

La struttura è utilizzata per utilità di servizio di casa, fornire supporto per le porzioni superiore dell’edificio e come mezzo di attacco per isolamento o materiali di finitura. Sono costruiti in due divisioni principali, pareti interne e pareti esterne.

Struttura della parete interna è costruito in due categorie principali, carico e non carico cuscinetto. Anche se non comuni, molti proprietari di abitazione optare per isolare il sistema muro per ridurre la trasmissione del suono e perdita nelle stanze inutilizzate di calore più basso.

Pareti portanti interne sono costruiti principalmente 2 “x 4″ o 2 “x 6″ quotato legname, con un due piastre superiore, e un piatto fondo, inchiodato ai membri verticali chiamati “borchie” spaziate 16 “a parte. Essi si trovano sopra recanti travi, colonne o dei basamenti, in grado di supportare i carichi che saranno posto su di loro. Più spesso, muri portanti sono installati perpendicolare a e come supporto per il piano superiore travetti, travetti soffitto o tetto incorniciato assemblee. Aperture nelle pareti portanti sono installate con intestazioni o piccole travi, supportati su borchie più brevi, che abbracciano richiesto di altezza e larghezza dell’apertura nel muro. Bracing spesso croce è necessaria per evitare deformazioni parallela da forze esterne e detiene la piazza dell’edificio.

Pareti portanti interni di carico non sono installati in luoghi dove i componenti strutturali superiori non riposare o richiedono un supporto. Sono costruiti generalmente dal singole piastre superiore e inferiore, con studwork, spesso su 24 “centri, inchiodato a loro. Posizioni viene utilizzato questo tipo di muro tra pareti parallele a travetti e negli edifici con di chiara spanning capriata o fabbricati/incorniciato travetto lavoro. Aperture in queste mura generalmente non richiedono l’uso di intestazioni strutturali o supporti, ma spesso bisogno controventatura diagonale per impedire il movimento laterale.

Pareti esterne sempre forniscono supporto per la struttura superiore, tra cui il pavimento e tetto di assembly. Essi sono sempre portante, che richiedono supporti diagonali o taglio pannelli e abbastanza spazio per l’isolamento. Nel nord dell’Ontario, queste mura sono costruite generalmente da 2 “x 6″ materiale, ma spesso il doppio muro sistemi per isolamento aggiunto sono costruiti. Nelle assemblee muro, porte e finestre vengono installati per fornire accesso all’edificio, così come permettendo di luce naturale o di ventilazione dell’ambiente indoor. Sono costruiti da un quadro di borchie, solitamente 16 “a parte, inchiodato a una doppia piastra superiore e piastra di fondo unico. All’interno della cavità, isolamento e linee di utilità è posto.

La superficie interna è trattata con barriera vapore e finire, con la superficie esterna, avendo un’aria installato barriera e finitura esterna o “schierandosi”. Aperture sono incorniciate con travi o architravi, supportati su più brevi borchie, chiamato “Jack” e inchiodato alle piastre superiore ed inferiore. Sebbene ci siano molte configurazioni, costruttori di utilizzano, per il supporto di diagonale, più spesso è installato come shear pannelli, che sono fogli di compensato o aspenite, inchiodato all’esterno del quadro pareti. Altri metodi di supporto diagonale includono il vento di metallo o di legno che è un membro nella posizione diagonalmente dal piatto fondo, attraverso le viti prigioniere, per la piastra superiore di rinforzo.

Finitura

Ci sono due aree principali sulle pareti, sul quale verrà applicata una finitura, che comprendono l’interno esposti in superficie e la superficie esterna esposta. I materiali di finitura forniscono una superficie estetica, proteggono le linee di utilità e riducono la trasmissione del suono e calore.

Superfici esposte interior

Rivestimenti applicati ai muri interni sono molto la considerazione più importante ai proprietari di case. Questa è la superficie che lo faranno vedere ogni giorno e deve essere visivamente accattivante, eppure, durevole e richiedono poca manutenzione. Discuteremo della moltitudine di finiture, incorniciatura, gesso e legno ad incastro.
Pannelli sottili fogli di prodotti in legno, in genere 4′ x 8′ in dimensioni e sono dotate di una varietà di finitura texture, colori e modelli. È prodotto per l’uso in generale luoghi, ma alcuni tipi possono essere installati in zone umide, come box doccia e lavanderie. È facilmente mettere su, non richiedere alcun lavoro di finitura diverso assetto e calafataggio, quando richiesto. Vantaggi di questo tipo di finitura è che può essere installato rapidamente e non richiede manutenzione o manutenzione. Uno svantaggio è che le finiture sono in genere disponibili solo per alcuni anni, riparazione futuro, tende a richiedere la sostituzione completa il pannello danneggiato e tutti i pannelli adiacenti, per garantire un match.

Gesso (spesso chiamato con il nome commerciale “a secco”) è probabilmente la più popolarmente installata finitura interni. Cartongesso fornisce una liscia, finitura di superficie piana, che è durevole, possono essere alterati da pittura oltre a modificare il suo aspetto, facilmente riparato e richiede poca manutenzione. È relativamente poco costoso installare, ma tendono ad essere un po’ disordinato. Questo è dovuto alla necessità di cappotti ripetitive di un intonaco basato composti, è necessario compilare in tutte le articolazioni e penetrazioni situati tra i singoli fogli, che devono essere levigato. È un buon suono e la barriera di calore, in quanto la sua superficie liscia e di colore chiaro facilmente riflette entrambe le onde sonore e irradia calore, nella stanza.

Interlocking finiture lignee, sono trattamenti superficiali molto naturali. Essi sono semplicemente strisce di legno, progettato per interblocco con a vicenda. Questo tipo di finitura, possono essere prodotte da rovere, betulla, acero, cedro o più comunemente, pino. Installatori normalmente utilizzare piccoli chiodi per fissare le stecche individuali, ma spesso optino per le sezioni in luogo di colla. Questo tipo di finitura richiede lavoro trim per nascondere i bordi esposti. Interlocking legno, è più costosi da installare, sia a causa di costi dei materiali e più elevato tempo di lavoro. Richiede occasionale sigillatura con shellacs, sigillanti, oli o macchie di mantenere, e il lavoro di riparazione è piuttosto difficile. Finiture di questo tipo, sono installati più spesso in aree che richiedono meno rumore, come tane, salotti o librerie.

Superfici esposte esterni

Rivestimenti applicati alle superfici del muro esterno esposte sono una considerazione importante ai proprietari di case. Questa è la superficie, che i vicini di casa e del passante vedrà, ogni giorno, e deve essere visivamente accattivante, eppure, durevole e richiedono poca manutenzione. Discuteremo della moltitudine di finiture, incorniciatura, rivestimenti in vinile o in alluminio, mattoni e legno ad incastro.

Pannelli sono fogli sottili di prodotti in legno, in genere 4′ x 8′ in termini di dimensioni e viene fornito con una varietà di finitura tessuti, colori e modelli. È prodotto per l’uso in luoghi esterni. È facilmente installato, non richiedere alcun lavoro di finitura diverso assetto e calafataggio. Vantaggi di questo tipo di finitura sono che possono essere installati rapidamente e richiede poca manutenzione o manutenzione. Uno svantaggio è che le finiture sono in genere disponibili solo per alcuni anni, futuri riparazione tende a richiedere la sostituzione completa il pannello danneggiato e tutti i pannelli adiacenti, per garantire un match.

Rivestimenti in vinile o in alluminio sono di gran lunga il più popolare tipo di raccordo, installati nelle case moderne. È un prodotto fabbricato da estrusione o premendo poli vinyl attraverso uno stampo o da stampaggio in forma di fogli di alluminio. Si tratta in un’ampia varietà di colori e texture, così come varia in larghezza.È fissato all’edificio con piccoli e grandi teste, chiodi, che sono di sinistra allentato per consentire l’espansione termica. Questo è un durevole, tipo di manutenzione gratuita di finitura, con una durata di vita molto lungo. Causa di questo e il fatto che è uno dei binari di raccordo più conveniente per installare, tende ad essere il binario di raccordo di scelta per i costruttori. L’unico svantaggio di questo tipo di raccordo è che essi danno facilmente, e le riparazioni sono difficili, nella migliore delle ipotesi, di rendere.

Il più durevole e finitura costoso, esterno, è il binario di raccordo di mattone popolare. Mattoni sono fatti da argilla o cemento modellati o estrusi per formare piccole 4 “x 3-1/2″ x 8 “mattoni (in genere). Essi sono disponibili in una varietà di colori e una varietà di texture. Altri tipi di mattoni schierandosi possono includere la roccia o pietra, tagliati per adattarsi. Mattone è installato con la posa le unità in un letto di Malta di 1/2 “, chiamato un giunto e collegato alle pareti con legami di mattoni. Mortaio può essere colorato accento o abbinare la muratura. Mattone schierandosi è un molto resistente e finire senza manutenzione, che richiede nessuna manutenzione o manutenzione, dando una sensazione molto solida o stoica a casa. È abbastanza costoso da installare, ma rimane ancora una scelta popolare per edifici moderni.

Interlocking finiture lignee, sono trattamenti superficiali molto naturali. Essi sono semplici strisce di legno, progettato per interblocco con a vicenda. Questo tipo di finitura può essere prodotto da Pino, o più comunemente, cedro. Installatori utilizzare zincato a piccoli chiodi per fissare le stecche individuale. Interlocking legno richiede lavoro trim per nascondere eventuali bordi esposti e calafataggio per sigillare le penetrazioni esterni. È una finitura moderatamente costosa da installare, sia a causa di costi dei materiali sia più elevato tempo di manodopera. Richiede occasionale sigillatura con shellacs, sigillanti, oli o macchie di mantenere, e il lavoro di riparazione è piuttosto difficile. Finiture di questo tipo, sono installati più spesso in Agriturismo o fabbricato rurale posizioni a causa del suo aspetto naturale.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com – DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

HVAC instalaciones eléctricas residenciales simplificadas

Nos hemos convertido en dependen de la electricidad como parte de nuestra vida cotidiana. Alimenta a todos nuestros dispositivos de entretenimiento, sistemas de soporte, dispositivos y HVAC (calefacción, ventilación y aire acondicionado). Es tan común, que, naturalmente, suponemos que se instala en cada hogar en los Estados Unidos. La electricidad es probablemente la utilidad más utilizada, sin embargo, a menudo, se presta poca atención a su instalación segura y disposiciones de la potencia total. Afortunadamente, utilidades de hidromasaje requieren inspecciones intensas de las conexiones y la calidad del trabajo en el servicio, en bruto y terminar eléctricas etapas de todas las instalaciones, controladas por códigos de Gobierno. Desglosado, hay dos divisiones principales a los servicios eléctricos. Las conexiones de servicio y los sistemas de distribución de energía.

Todas las conexiones de servicio requieren una línea eléctrica para ejecutarse, subterráneos o aérea, a un metro luego en un principal se apaga y cuadro del panel. El contador mostrará cuánto poder se utiliza y se utiliza para la facturación de los clientes. Cerrar el principal compromiso son obligatorio y permitir la desactivación total de todo el sistema eléctrico dentro del edificio. El cuadro de grupo, proporciona espacio para la distribución de poder de fuentes independientes, mientras que evitar la posibilidad de una sobrecarga de cables, que fácilmente pueden calentarse y provocar un incendio. La mayoría de las conexiones de servicio son 100 o 200 amp, normalmente de 200 cuando se utiliza la calefacción eléctrica. Empresas de servicios públicos a menudo proporcionará la conexión de polos de hidromasaje existentes, el mástil generales o Polo de utilidad cuando se ejecutan las líneas de metro. El servicio se suministra con un alambre de tierra, que se basa en la tierra por una varilla de cualquiera o placa de toma de tierra, una línea neutral y dos líneas de alimentación. Este tipo de cable es capaz de abastecer de 120 voltios para las conexiones de alimentación única o 240 voltios para dos conexiones de alimentación de alambre.

El sistema de distribución de energía es una red de cables que conectan a cada mecánica operado eléctricamente, salidas y fuente de luz en el hogar. Los cables generalmente se ejecutan dentro de las Asambleas de pared, techo y piso, en zonas donde no va estar expuestos a daños o vista. Estos cables todos tienen una conexión de tierra, una línea neutral y uno o dos cables para conexiones de 120 ó 240 voltios de alimentación. Todos los productos de utilidad y equipos están conectados a un sistema común de tierra para evitar el riesgo de descarga. La casa toda está conectada a cables de suministro de alimentación de 120 voltios con la excepción de electrodomésticos tales como estufas o secadoras y mecánica de utilidad como hornos o bombas bien, que se ejecutan en 240 voltios.

The true value of a new home starts to show itself in reduced operating, insurance and maintenance costs; as well as holding a higher HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) value. Due to the significance of the savings, this means you have more disposable income to pay off mortgages much more quickly, build a larger home, or simply live a higher quality lifestyle. In short, you start receiving dividends the moment you move in.

Initial added cost: To sum it up, the initial added cost to build a new home is about 10% more, however, this number has been reduced significantly in the last years, due to rising prices of lumber and building products associated with conventional construction. There are construction savings as well. For instance you do save on HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) installation costs (lowered energy requirements) and construction loan costs (shorter building time line).

Insurance: New buildings are highly resistant to fire, flood, earthquakes and wind. Many insurance companies have started to offer discounts for types of construction which rate as non-combustible construction or disaster resistant in these areas. Often the savings are in excess of 30% of your overall insurance bill.

Energy efficiency: With an almost airtight building envelope and consistent HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) values, a new home can consume up to 80% less energy for heating and 70% less energy for cooling. This means furnaces will only need to supply about 1/3 to 1/4 the heating and cooling output, when compared to conventional framing.

Longevity: Maintenance is not really an issue on new homes. However, most conventionally framed homes require about $1,500.00 per year for maintenance after the first five years. After ten years, this number increases to about $3,000.00, with the homeowner investing the purchase price of the home in repairs and upkeep after about 25 years.

Higher Appraised value: Appraisers understand that quality makes a difference, and will appraise you home for more, when compared to standard code construction. This means that your total home will be worth, on average, 20% more than what you paid for it. That 20% equity can be used to borrow against at a later date, or some banks allow borrowers to utilize this difference as their 20% down payment. So it really does not matter if you have a down payment or not, as it's built into the value of the home. That's like a free $20,000.00 for every $100,000.00 you spend.

Higher resale value: New homes retain a much higher resale value. Many people believe this is due to the simplicity of the components and the HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) costs. The fact is that concrete has been around for thousands of years, and many buildings still stand which were built by the ancient Romans. How often have you bought a home for its "appraised value". Now you can resell, and gain the difference from the appraised value and the construction value, as the purchaser buys based on the appraised value.

So in short, you pay less, and get more.

In today's ever-growing marketplace, there is continuous development of new HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) technologies to increase the quality of life for us. Sadly enough, the base necessity of shelter, which is the largest single investment that most of us will make in our lifetime, is still built and based on existing technology which is thousands of years old. With the current need for energy efficient, healthy and comfortable indoor living environments, environmental and safety concerns, we need to rethink our approach to shelter. To boot, modern buildings have life spans which equate to less than the life span of an individual.

Our quality of living has improved with respect to convenience. With passing generations, respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis have become much more prevalent. Even the weather has become more severe as hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes occur with a much higher frequency than in the past. Humanity is seeking comfort and security in their homes.

As a result of these concerns, a drive to provide much more safe, sound and comfortable living environments has been born. Through years of research into materials and methods, old and new, the new home concept has evolved. This concept integrates the durability of concrete, proven by the ages, with the environmental considerations of a modern world. It brings with it today's comfort of a controlled HVAC indoor climate with an indoor environment that rivals that of yesteryear. It provides the strength to protect us from disaster, and can isolate us from an overpopulated society. It has the flexibility to integrate new HVAC technology, yet utilizes the skills of our ancestors to construct. Permanent, safe, comfortable, healthy, environmentally friendly, and cost efficient to build - that's the new home concept.

Homes built utilizing the new home system, are proven HVAC energy saving buildings, lowering heating and cooling costs substantially with shorter-term paybacks, a tighter building envelope, more efficient materials and a large thermal mass. In the end, this means that your furnace will only have to supply about half the heat output when compared to conventional framing. And when you include new home construction methods, energy required for space heating/cooling can save you as much as 78% on your yearly energy bills.

The Real R-values: You may have heard people talk about how the materials used in new constructions actually increase the thermal performance of the walls. As engineering studies have estimated, if you insulate a framed wall enough, you would have to fill the walls with fiberglass insulation, as well as install vapor and moisture barriers. The reason is that the framed assemblies are losing out on the savings associated with thermal mass, lower air infiltration and conducted loss through the structural members.

More efficient materials: Fiberglass insulation is a network of tangled fibers, which allows air movement through the batts, resulting in heated air being expelled through the insulation rather easily.

Add ventilation requirements, humidity and the fact that heat rises, and you get a significant amount of outward pressure on the exterior insulated layer, much like a hot air balloon. New constructions provide an air tight seal around the entire perimeter of the building, trapping your heat in. It consists of closed plastic cells that prevent air movement in or around the cellular structure. This consideration alone equates to a saving of approximately 42% of your heating/cooling requirements.

Air infiltration: According to engineering estimates, 38% of heating and cooling costs goes to correcting the temperature of air that leaks through gaps in the building envelope.

Thermal Mass: The thermal mass of concrete evens out the temperature fluctuations by absorbing and storing heat, much like a heat sink. During sunny warm winter days, or during periods when the heating system is operating, the concrete components store large quantities of heat. This heat then radiates back into the interior space at night and during periods when your heating system is not operating. This means your heating plant does not have as much demand on it. According to engineering simulations, this can enhance your savings by at least 19%, and when combined with S.M.A.R.T. heating technology that takes advantage of off-hour rates, you can effectively save over 24% on your heating bill. An added bonus is the security of knowing that if a power outage were to occur, your home would stay comfortably warm for several days.

Conclusion: Yes, the HVAC technology has improved our quality of life.

Tips For Building in Remote Locations

Material Transportation

Transporting building materials is done in many ways, all of which vary considerably in cost. They are barging, sledding, skidding, fly in and road building.

1. Barging your materials to your site, requires two major factors. One, navigable water ways and two, road access to the waterway. This tends to be one of the cheaper, more effective means of transport and allows builders to bring in heavy equipment or supplies, which can lower construction costs.

2. Skidding materials to a building site has one major requirement, this is that a logging road or open path be clear of trees and major obstructions, which would allow the builder to "drag" the supplies behind a tractor or bulldozer. In a way, this is often the choice of many, because it provides, not only material shipment to the site, but also paves the way (so to speak) for future road accesses. This method also allows the use of heavy equipment and occasionally, the import of sand and gravel for weeping or drainage systems. This method is another fairly cheap alternative, but varies depending on the distance and local terrain.

3. Sledding material to jobsite can only be done during the winter months. This of course, means that the builder must leave the material, on site, until the spring and summer months when they can return to construct the building. What sledding means is that the material is brought to the jobsite, during the winter months, by pulling large sleighs or toboggans behind snow machines or snow cats. Builders utilize existing waterways, creeks and rivers as snow covered roadways. This method takes a fair amount of accuracy in estimating the total amount of building materials required, for missed items can lead to large expenses for transportation by other means. However, this is the cheapest means of remote location building in US.

4. Fly in building is by far the most expensive means of construction. The cost of airfreight by plan is very high. Considering that your only airstrips are the natural lakes and large rivers, and that float planes are quite a bit smaller than wheeled plans, you will find building locations limited, as well as a large number of flights required to import materials. Heavy equipment is out of the question, as their size and weight pose a problem in air freighting. When utilizing this method it is important to consider the extensive use of material located at the site (i.e. Building log homes on stone foundations).

5. Road building can be, and often is, the most expensive means of building, of course this depends on the distances you have to span, terrain type and water crossings, let alone the environmental laws, local by laws. Ministry requirements, permits and other legal considerations you would have to address. The cost of a road varies but expect to pay as much as $7,000.00 per mile for just a simple, bulldozed dirt access road. The advantages are great, you get road access after construction, and the supply costs are minimal. As well, if you own property adjacent to your building site, the values of the properties increase dramatically.

Heating

Heating, much like a home, has many alternatives, all of which vary in cost and performance. The most common means of heating are wood, propane or oil. Fuel can be easily transported or obtained on or to the location, and do not necessarily require the use of electricity. An added bonus is that the heating plant can be utilized, not only to provide space heating, but to also provide cooking facilities, hot water for showers or baths, and with propane, refrigeration or lighting.

1. Wood heat still outweighs all other means of heating for cottages or resorts, located in isolated areas. Its fuel source is readily obtainable from the forests in the surrounding area, although rather labour intensive to cut and split. Most often it is installed as a central wood stove, but installations of wood furnaces with electric blower fans and ductwork has been done. Central wood stoves, although very cheap to install, tend to leave rooms located at a distance from it, at lower temperatures. Wood stoves can be used for cooking on, as well as providing hot water for showers or washing.

2. Propane, which is often the fuel of choice, has many advantages over wood. It can not only heat your building, but provide hot water, cooking, lighting and refrigeration, without the use of electricity. Its only draw back is that the tanks must be replenished from time to time, which usually means disconnecting and transporting the tanks back and forth from a supply source. It is relatively cheap, and easy to have installed. Heat can be obtained from a central furnace with electric fans and ductwork, to independent sources located in each room, generally radiant heating units. Standard gas hot water tanks, cook stoves and refrigerators can be converted to LP or propane at most natural gas appliance dealers. Balancing convenience and cost, this is often the choice for owners.

3. Oil heat has all the advantages of propane, except for providing refrigeration. I have yet to see an oil fired refrigerator (though I may be wrong). Oil still requires transportation to the location from the supply source, but can be transported in smaller, easier to manage containers. Prior to propane, oil was the choice for remote locations, but with the advent of compressed LP gas tanks, propane soon became the equivalent fuel of choice.

In closing, unless you are going to install a power plant, or bring in an electrical service, your heating options are rather limited. Although wood tends to be more popular with a "roughing it" lifestyle, the convenience of propane or oil is rapidly become the fuel of choice.

Sometimes, the concept of isolation, and living or vacationing in remote areas has its own draw, and with more and more successful fly in fishing or hunting resorts being built, this lifestyle is rapidly becoming popular with people escaping the pressures of city living. It is a relaxing opportunity for people to get away from it all, and enjoy nature at its purest. The rewards and pride of a successfully completed project provides satisfaction for years to come. Just remember to approach it with caution. Information gathering and good planning is your best defense against increased costs, frustration and disappointment.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more. Friday, April 29, 2011 Keeping You Warm In The Winter And Cool In The Summer - Part 1 System Components Typically, your heating system is comprised of the heating source section and a blower section to move air across the heating source. In furnaces or boilers there are several heating sections including burners, heat exchangers, valves, igniters and various other parts. In an electrical heating system there is a heating coil that glows and gets hot from the electricity that passes through it. A heat pump uses the outdoor air conditioning unit by reversing the cooling process and removing the heat that is outdoors and bringing it inside. There is a component in the heat pump outdoor unit called a reversing valve that makes the process happen. Critical Factors for Proper Heating Choosing the right heating source is the most critical factor, including correct sizing. Just as in cooling, doing a load calculation to determine heat loss room by room is a must. Where you live or work, plus what fuel source is available also plays a big factor in determining what you will choose. Proper installation is very critical. Depending on what system you heat with improper installation could be deadly. Gas furnaces not installed properly could cause improper venting of Carbon Monoxide into the structure which could result in injury or possibly death. Installing a Carbon Monoxide detector in your home or business is the best investment you can make. Routine maintenance is a must for your heating system. Before your heating season starts have a licensed contractor start you’re heating units to make sure they are operating properly and that all safety features are functioning. If you have a humidifier make sure they clean and check that for proper operation. TYPES OF FURNACES There are several different type furnaces and their use is typically based on application and space availability. Furnaces have a heat-producing system and air distribution system. The heating system includes burners, heat exchangers, manifold, controls, and a venting system. The air distribution side includes a motor, blower wheel and duct connection. Below are brief descriptions of different type furnaces. Upflow This furnace stands vertically and needs headroom. This furnace is usually located in a basement or attic installation. Air is discharged from the top and pulled in through the sides, rear or bottom. ” Low-boy ” This unit has a low profile and is used in horizontal applications typically in a crawl space or basement. Air discharge and intake are on the top of the unit. Downflow This furnace is sometimes called a counter-flow furnace. This furnace looks just like the upflow except the air is discharged down, opposite of the upflow. It is critical that the space that the furnace occupies is sufficient in size for proper venting and make-up air. If there is any question make your contractors prove that it is up to code. If air conditioning will be added the evaporator coil is attached to the furnace to provide cooling. Electric Air Handler This uses electrical resistance heating coils to produce heat for the space. Air handlers can be installed both vertically or horizontal based on application. The air handler has the heating coil section with controls, fan section for air distribution and a cooling coil for air conditioning. VARIABLE SPEED This term identifies the speed and working of a motor in your furnace or air handler, and in some cases the compressor. Most brands offer “variable speed” or “fixed speed” motors in their products. There are many benefits from choosing a variable speed motor from energy savings, comfort levels and most importantly noise level. A variable speed motor is extremely quiet and with its technology very rarely will it reach full speed. Fixed speed motors are set in speed and will work only in high in cooling and low or medium in heat. With variable speed the motor starts off low and will ramp up if more is needed. Another huge benefit is that with your furnace or air handler the motor continually runs at low speed which allows a constant filtering of your air eliminating unwanted particles in the air flow. SYSTEM EFFICIENCY How much it costs to operate a system is very important, especially in today’s tough economic climate. All systems will have an efficiency rating, based on how the system is designed and units matched, an S.E.E.R rating will be accomplished for cooling, and A.F.U.E ratings for furnaces. S.E.E.R stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and it is the standard for measuring the air conditioner units cooling efficiency. Similar to miles per gallon for an automobile, the higher the S.E.E.R number, the more efficient the air conditioner. A.F.U.E stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating and reflects the efficiency of a gas furnace converting fuel to energy. The higher the number the more efficient the furnace. A heating and cooling system is made up of individual parts. And even, though each component is separate, they’re designed and engineered to work together as a system. It is very important that the system you purchase has matched components to ensure the proper efficiency and performance. FILTERS The most important step in making sure your indoor air quality is good is that you filter all the air that is flowing through your duct system. This not only includes having a good filter, but just as critical, making sure that your ducts and units are sealed properly. Most new units come standard with 1″ filter, this type of filter is the least effective in removing particles from the air flow. All filters or filter systems are rated by the amount and size of the particle they stop and catch, the higher the number, the better. Listed below are some filter facts. 1 or 2″ Fiberglass filter These are the most inexpensive filters and the poorest performers. They catch only 10-15% of the largest particles in the air. Throw these away and do not let a contractor put these in your system. 1 or 2″ Pleated Paper filter These filters catch between 40-45% of the particles in the air. If you are going to the store to purchase your filters pay a few more pennies and buy these, it will increase your filtering by as much as 35%. This filter needs to be checked once a month and may go four months without changing. Media Filters These filters come in various widths depending on application and are effective from 75-85% of particle removal. Having this filter in your system will probably involve duct modification and space may be an issue. For the money this product is your best choice for a good filter system. This type filter will require that you check it every six months, and may need to be changed only on a yearly basis Electronic Filters An electronic filter is one of the most effective filtering systems in the industry. It can remove up to 98% of air flow particles and helps trap fungi, pollen, bacteria and dander. The filter is charged electrically and attracts particles to it. This filter should be checked every six months and cleaned with soap and water. If air quality is a critical issue for someone in the home or office this should be considered when choosing a filter type. Another choice would be a HEPA System where there are multiple filters in one unit. This type of system is used for clean room or extreme asthma or allergy patients. ZONING Zoning is a system that uses thermostats placed in different areas of the home or office to regulate heating and cooling for that particular area. As you probably are aware, it’s next to impossible to keep every room or office at a comfortable temperature when there is only one thermostat. Zoning allows for different comfort levels in multiple areas. Dampers are placed within the ductwork to zone off areas that are controlled by its own thermostat. Zoning is extremely helpful in two story homes, multiple office situations and large areas. It is critical that the system is sized properly before zoning is installed. Zoning will not solve the problem of oversized or undersized systems, and in some cases if a zone system is installed on an improperly sized system it will make the comfort level worse. UV LIGHT This new technology has enjoyed a lot of popularity the last few years in the Indoor Air Quality arena. The C band of the ultra-violet spectrum (UVC), produced by these lights, can kill mold spores and other airborne bacteria. The UV Light is typically placed at the furnace or air handling unit, either in the return and or supply duct. This light zaps away a high percentage of airborne particles that flow through the air stream and help eradicate mold off your cooling coil. UV technology has been used for years in food processing, water treatment, health industry and even clean room applications. HUMIDIFIERS Do you have dry, scratchy skin in the winter? Do you awake with a dry scratchy throat or nose? Is your wood home furnishings cracking and splitting in the winter? During the winter months the average homes relative humidity can average 15%. Add to it a dry heat, such as gas heat, and you need to add moisture to the air inside your home. This is easily accomplished by adding a humidifier to your system. There are several options available including a Bypass flow-through, Powered flow-through, Steam Humidifier and Drum Humidifier. They all produce moisture, but application and space will sometimes dictate which unit is required. For maximum humidity a steam humidifier will perform the best, and if your water costs are high a drum humidifier will be your best bet. The most popular is the bypass flow-through. There are several options available for measuring your humidity level including thermostats that sense humidity levels, or a separate humidistat that usually mounts next to your thermostat. HEAT PUMPS Most consumers think of heat pumps as something connected with water and a pump, and in some instances that is a correct assumption. The term heat pump simply is a type of system used to heat and cool a structure. There are three basic types of heat pumps: Air-to-Air: This process involves your outdoor unit absorbing heat from the outdoor air and then transferring it indoors to your indoor unit. In the summer this process is reversed and the heat pump removes the hot air from your home to the outdoors. Water-to-Air: This process involves removing the heat from surface or ground water and transferring it indoors similar to the air-to-air process. Ground-to-air: Similar as to the two above, this process uses loops of piping underground to absorb the earth’s heat and transfer it indoors. Heat pumps do well in moderate heating climates such as the southeast, but they can be used in colder climates if a good back-up or supplemental heat source is in place for colder or freezing temperatures. A high efficiency heat pump is a very cost effective form of heating, and usually controls humidity levels better both in winter and summer. DUAL FUEL This is a system that uses both a heat pump outdoor unit and typically a gas furnace indoors. The term dual fuel means that there are two main sources available to provide heat into the space. If installed properly the dual fuel system can automatically chose what form of fuel is required to give you maximum comfort. One big advantage of a dual fuel system is that as a consumer you can use either gas or electricity to heat your home or building depending on what utility costs are. THERMOSTATS The most comfortable investment you can make is in a thermostat. Having a thermostat with accurate temperature control will bring you energy savings and consistent comfort. There are so many different thermostats that it would take several pages to discuss, but there are a few items that you must consider when you make a purchase. Is the thermostat a digital readout, does it have setback capability, are the numbers large enough to read and is it backlit so you can see it at night or in the early morning hours. The best investment you can make is with a programmable thermostat. While you might sometimes forget to set your thermostat at your desired settings, a programmable thermostat with battery backup will more than pay for itself within the first year by maintaining settings for your comfort level throughout the day. Many misconceptions about energy savings and thermostats exist, but the truth is that the longer your home or office stay at the lowest setting for heating and the highest setting for cooling, you will save money on your utilities. Simply setting your occupied heating to 68 degrees in the winter, and having your sleeping or unoccupied temperature lower will give you considerable savings. The best strategy is to set the programmable thermostat at the best possible settings and enjoy your comfort. AIR DISTRIBUTION This term means how the air is distributed throughout your home or office, including your ductwork system and the grilles the air exits from. Designing an air distribution system is very technical, but for simplicity we will discuss basic terms and what your contractor will probably talk about. An air distribution or ductwork system is a network of square, rectangular and round ductwork. Systems are usually built and installed with sheet metal, fiberglass duct board or flexible tubing duct. One product is not better than the other, but what dictates which is used is usually local codes, application, size of ducts and duct location. The most important factor for each product is that it is sized and installed correctly, and that it is sealed properly so that no air leaks out or is sucked in from undesirable areas. All duct systems must be sized for the air flow of the unit or units installed. That means that if you upgrade your system, and it is a different size than what was in there, some type of modification needs to take place. Most airflow problems start right at your furnace or air handler where all the ducts are connected. This connection is called the supply plenum and it is critical that the plenum allows the air to move with the least amount of restriction to the rest of your ductwork network. If you are experiencing air flow issues in your home or business the starting point to see what the problem is would be your supply plenum. The air that leaves the furnace or air handler and enters into the rooms is called supply air. There is a motor (blower motor) that is attached to a blower wheel (looks like a Ferris wheel) that pushes the air into the ductwork and then into the rooms. Another common problem with air flow is that there is not enough air entering into your furnace or air handler. This air is called return air and it is pulled into your furnace or air handler through return air ductwork. A return plenum, just like the supply plenum, is attached to your unit and all of your return ducts attach to them. The problem lies in that some older units do not have enough return air coming into them, which results in low supply air. This problem can be evaluated by your contractor adding up all of your return duct sizes to determine if they are large enough for your system. Most performance problems with heating and cooling systems can be traced backed to air flow roblems. Hot and cold spots from lack of air flow, leaky ducts that cause air to be lost and dirty air to be sucked in, uninsulated ducts that are energy robbers and sometimes cause condensation to form and leak on ceilings. Make sure that your contractor does a complete evaluation of your duct system to ensure that these problems do not exist. Duct sealing, insulating and correct sizing can have a huge impact in the quality of air in your home. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS Many contractors offer programs where they will come out once, twice and sometimes three times per year and check your system. Make sure that the program includes cleaning of your indoor coil and drain pan, and that they check your ductwork for proper sealing. Changing your filter at each maintenance is a good practice to follow. A good maintenance will go a long way in helping with your indoor air quality and help extend the life of your equipment. SYSTEM SAFETY Water leak The number one service call for the air conditioning contractor is a water leak call. It is also the number one call back call. For that reason being proactive in preparing for the unwanted and unexpected water leak is a smart move. Make sure that any furnaces or air handlers that have cooling coils and are installed over ceilings be placed in an emergency or auxiliary drain pan that is piped to the outdoors, preferably to a location that can be seen to make you aware there is a problem. A float switch can also be placed into the drain pan to detect water and shut down the unit. Sometimes, in critical or sensitive locations an alarm can be placed in the pan to alert of a water leak. Smoke Of course, where there is smoke there is fire, and getting a jump on saving life and property can come in the form of a smoke detector. There are duct mounted smoke detectors that when they detect smoke shut the unit down and in some cases notify the fire department. Other systems will also initiate an exhaust fan to empty the space of the smoke. At the very least placing an external smoke detector by your furnace or air handler is a smart move. Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide is a poisonous, colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is generated by incomplete combustion from a gas appliance such as a furnace. Step one is making sure that your furnace is installed and operating properly. Placing a CO Detector by the furnace will monitor levels and sound an alarm when the levels reach an unsatisfactory level. INSTALLATION Almost every air conditioning and heating system will deliver the same cooling and heating, then why so many brands? Sounds silly but there is only a handful of companies that make all the parts that go into the units, no matter what brand. So why do some perform better than others? Pure and simple, the installation of the equipment makes all the difference. Sure there are units that are built sturdy than others, there are units with more bells and whistles, but 55 degrees is 55 degrees no matter what unit. The second most important thing for the comfort of your home or business, next to proper evaluation and sizing, is the installation. Here are a few facts about the installation of equipment. Lakeland Electric & Water Researchers found that repairing leaky duct work resulted in reducing energy use by at least 17.4%. As you can see no matter how well the equipment, or how high the SEER, if it is not installed properly then you could be wasting money on energy and investment. It is important that when you are making a decision that you review with the contractor there install process, there quality control and there follow-up procedures to see if the unit is performing to its capacity. WARRANTY This is simple, EXTENDED MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY! When purchasing a system make sure that the warranty is from the manufacturer. Ask for a copy of the warranty form, contact name and phone number of the warranty administrator and when the paperwork will be turned in to the manufacturer. Be sure to follow-up on this on your own with the contractor and manufacturer. You should receive from the contractor within six to eight weeks a warranty confirmation form from the manufacturer. Sometimes a contractor will offer there own 10 year parts and labor warranty with no guarantee from the manufacturer, be wary. Warranties vary from brand to brand, but simply asking the contractor to see the warranty info before your investment is wise. Extended warranties vary in price from brand to brand, but you should be within the $300-500 range to purchase one. DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more. 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