The “middleman” can also be your best advocate as you make this major purchase. Offering a wealth of experience and know-how, only a certified HVAC contractor can offer professional guidance by:

• Helping you choose the best brand and model for your home and for your family
• Correctly sizing your HVAC system, which is vital to its efficient operation
• Providing you with expert installation
• Giving you a credible warranty — and sticking around to back it up

Keep in mind also that many local HVAC professionals decline to install and guarantee equipment that did not come from their inventory. That’s because they cannot vouch for its condition and expected performance. A furnace warranty can be your best protection if something goes wrong, but it can be rendered null and void if:

• Your ductwork is not properly sized
• The correct permits are not obtained
• Local and state codes are not followed
• The equipment is not inspected and installed by a certified HVAC expert who has undergone training in the field

You may encounter other problems with an online HVAC purchase as well:

• The equipment could arrive at your home damaged, or it could be missing vital parts — and you can’t reach anyone at the online retailer to solve the problem.
• Equipment that would otherwise be eligible for federal tax credits may not arrive with the necessary documentation.

Online dealers are very good at making bold promises. Contact the Rheem Team to receive a gold standard level of service that simply cannot be found on the Internet and the peace of mind you deserve when you purchase HVAC equipment. The Rheem Team is a group of independently owned heating and cooling contractors formed in Denver in 1992. We proudly serve homeowners in Colorado and Wyoming.

Technician image via Shutterstock

• Bathrooms. Turn on the exhaust fan during and after baths and showers. Regularly scrub the tub, shower, shower curtain and faucets with bleach and water or a 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and water. Repair leaks promptly.
• Bedrooms. Wash your sheets, pillowcases and blankets at least weekly in water heated to at least 120 degrees to kill dust mites. Vacuum regularly, and don’t forget the closets, which are dust havens. Clean condensation from window frames before it has a chance to attract mold spores. Favor easy-to-clean nightstands, dressers and chairs rather than upholstered furniture, which attracts dust.
• Kitchen. Use an exhaust fan after cooking and clean countertops after every use. Wipe up moisture promptly, and throw out moldy and outdated food. Make sure your food garbage can has a lid so it deters bugs.
• Living room and family room. Dust window frames and furniture weekly. Vacuum the carpet weekly; wash area rugs in high-traffic areas once a week, too. Limit the use of a wood-burning fireplace, as the smoke can aggravate allergies. By contrast, gas fireplaces usually don’t affect allergies.
• Basement. Keep floors and carpets completely moisture-free. Use a dehumidifier to reduce dampness, and wipe it down once a week. Regularly check the foundation and stairwell for any water leaks.
• Laundry room. Ensure that your clothes dryer vents outdoors. Store clothing, holiday decorations or other household items in plastic bins.
• Air cleaning. Consider installing a mechanical air-cleaning solution, such as a whole-house air cleaner or purifier that’s connected directly to your home’s heating and cooling system. These come in a variety of models, and are designed to directly target allergens and other pollutants in your indoor air. Consult with your local HVAC professional for informed advice on what type is best for your home situation.

For other practical ideas to help you control spring allergies, contact a member of The Rheem Team. Our contractors – serving the Denver metro area and other communities in Colorado and Wyoming – are brimming with good ideas.

Clean air image via Shutterstock

Most homes are built with R-11 insulation in the walls and R-30 in the attic. However, older homes may not have this much insulation. If you have to choose, attic insulation is more important than the insulation in your walls, because heat rises. A properly insulated attic will do more to keep heat in and cold out in cold Rocky Mountain winters than heavily insulated walls can. Likewise, that attic insulation helps to ensure that the summer’s heat beating on the roof of the house stays out, so that the cool air can stay inside.

Among the reasons your attic insulation may be inadequate:

• Inadequate insulation was installed upon construction.
• Insulation was installed only between the ceiling joists, but not covering them.
• Insulation has settled over time.

In some cases, you can judge the quality of the insulation in your attic just by looking. If you see areas where the insulation is missing or the ceiling joists are visible through the insulation, you have inadequate insulation. Those visible ceiling joists only have an insulation value of around R-4, nowhere near the R-49 to R-60 that the federal government recommends for climates like ours. To have an insulation value of R-49, you would need at least 15 inches of insulation.

The results are often surprising: Many homeowners see significantly lower energy bills immediately after beefing up their attic insulation.

Your heating and cooling contractor can provide you with an accurate evaluation of your home’s insulation. If you need assistance, or have additional questions about insulating your home, be sure to contact us here at the Rheem Team. Serving customers in Colorado and Wyoming, we are always glad to help.

Insulation image via Shutterstock

Here are six easy steps to help you when selecting a solar water heater for your Colorado or Wyoming home:

• Consider the financial side. While it’s more expensive to purchase and install a solar water heater than a standard heater, the payback is often significant. On average, homeowners spend 50 percent to 80 percent less on water heating costs after selecting a solar water heater.
• Evaluate the solar resource. If you have unshaded property that faces south, you are a good candidate for solar water heating. Because solar water heaters use both direct and diffused solar radiation to heat your water, it doesn’t matter that Wyoming and most of Colorado are located outside of the Sun Belt.
• Size the system. Determine the total solar-collection surface area and storage volume you will need to supply 90 percent to 100 percent of your hot water needs in the summer. A contractor can help you make the calculations.
• Determine energy efficiency. Your solar water heater will use a small amount of electricity or gas in addition to solar energy. The greater the heater’s energy output compared with the electricity or gas input, the more efficient the water heater. Higher efficiency means lower operating costs.
• Estimate and compare operating costs. Knowing the cost to operate the solar water heater will help you determine the payback period of your investment. Work with a contractor to determine accurate operating costs.
• Learn about building codes and regulations. You may need to comply with municipal regulations or obtain a building permit to install a solar water heater on an existing building. Check your local building and zoning rules as well as any subdivision requirements before selecting a solar water heater.

For more information about your solar water heating options, contact a Rheem Team contractor in your area today.

Solar power image via Shutterstock

While it is a relatively simple part of your home’s forced-air heating and cooling system, the ductwork provides an essential service for maintaining your home comfort. Without it, there is no way of moving heated or cooled air from the air-handling unit to the various rooms of your house. Properly sealed ductwork helps ensure that your system is operating at peak efficiency.

Without properly sealed ductwork, the air you are paying to heat and cool can escape into unoccupied areas, such as your attic, basement or crawl space. Allowing this temperature-treated air to escape forces your heating and air conditioning system to work harder, at a higher overall cost, in order to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

Ducts that are not properly installed, have become damaged or have become disconnected due to settling of your home are the most common culprits. The tape that seals sections of ducts together can also dry out and fall off. Additionally, in older homes, ducts were often installed without being insulated.

A simple inspection by trained technicians can quickly and easily identify any problems with your ducts. They would look for:

• Crushed flexible ducts
• Damaged sealing tape
• Misaligned ducts, allowing air to escape into walls and floors
• Inadequately insulated ducts

Repairs to ensure properly sealed ductwork typically aren’t very expensive, but they can save a significant amount on your monthly energy bills. Here at the Rheem Team, we have a number of contractors who are available to help you. Contact us if you have any questions or need the recommendations of a reliable contractor.

Ductwork image via Shutterstock

If you’re thinking about installing a geothermal system, you might be wondering: Do I have enough room on my property for a geothermal installation? Will my landscaping interfere with the “loop field”? And is my soil conducive to the undertaking?

Most homeowners considering installing a geothermal system face a choice between two closed-loop systems: a horizontal loop or a vertical system. Each holds the promise of minimizing your reliance on fossil fuels and reducing your energy bills by between 25 percent and 50 percent.

With a closed-loop system:

• The soil is yielding enough that underground trenches of 3 to 6 feet deep can be dug.
• The two pipes are either buried at 6 feet and 4 feet deep or the pipes are buried in a 2-foot-wide trench at 5 feet deep.
• About 400 to 600 feet of looping is needed for each ton of energy required to heat or cool a home. Most midsize homes require a 3-ton unit, so between 1,200 and 1,800 feet of looping would be needed.

With a vertical loop system:

• Narrow trenches are dug from between 150 and 450 feet underground, with pipes that create a U-shape.
• The soil may be too shallow or cumbersome for trenching.
• Less disturbance is required of existing landscaping.

In addition to the size of your property and the layout and complexity of your landscaping, you also must consider the location of underground utilities or a sprinkler system. For these and other reasons, horizontal ground loops are often used for new construction unless the “Slinky method” of looping pipes is used. As the name implies, this method allows for more pipe to fit in a shorter trench. Vertical loops are most often employed for existing construction.

Geothermal installation is a complex process that requires an experienced contractor who knows his or her way around a loop field. Contact the Rheem Team to get started. Serving areas of Colorado and Wyoming, we’re happy to help.

Geothermal image via Shutterstock

In recent years, the technology used to manufacture air conditioning units has improved dramatically. These days, upgrading your air conditioner may be a good decision even just because of the potential energy savings. However, if you buy an air conditioning unit without knowing exactly what you need, you might end up spending too much money — or investing in a system that wastes money.

Your air conditioner must be sized correctly for your home. An incorrectly sized unit won’t save you money. If your A/C is too small, it will have to work constantly to cool your home, reducing the service life of the unit. If it’s too big, you’ve spent too much money on it and it will work less efficiently than it was designed to. Your heating and cooling technician should perform a careful cooling load calculation on your home to determine the size A/C you need.

Another major consideration is the unit’s efficiency rating. The higher an air conditioning unit’s SEER rating, the more efficient the A/C. SEER stands for “seasonal energy efficiency ratio.” It reflects the unit’s cooling output over the total cooling season divided by the total energy input. However, the more efficient the unit, the more it’ll probably cost up front. While there are air conditioning units on the market today that are as high as 21 SEER, they are designed for much hotter climates than most of us experience in Colorado and Wyoming.

To get started upgrading your air conditioner, contact us here at the Rheem Team. One of our contractors can help you carefully assess your home’s cooling needs and identify air conditioning systems that will meet them — without breaking the bank or wasting your money.

Hvac expert image via Shutterstock

A preventive maintenance visit from a certified professional can ensure not only that your system is fully operational, but that it will work at peak efficiency during those hot summer days.

Spring maintenance of an air conditioner should include:

• Cleaning the unit. Dirty evaporator coils force your system to work harder, wasting energy.
• Checking refrigerant levels. Improperly charged refrigerant also makes the unit work harder to maintain your home comfort, which reduces the life of the system.
• Lubricating the compressor, if necessary. Without adequate lubricant, the compressor is much more likely to fail. This is a very expensive component of your system.
• Checking the accuracy and function of your thermostat.
• Checking blowers and fans and lubricating them if necessary
• Inspecting the entire system to ensure that everything is clean, damage free and functional.

Running your A/C without preventive maintenance is like driving your car without changing the oil. The results are often the same: expensive repairs.

Taking care of your heating and cooling system is part of taking care of your home. We can help. Contact us today at the Rheem Team. We’ll help you find a certified, professional heating and cooling technician who’ll help you keep your A/C in peak shape for seasons to come. The Rheem Team serves customers in Colorado and Wyoming.

Air conditioner maintenance image via Shutterstock

High winds in Colorado and Wyoming stir up plenty of dust in the air, which can make its way into our air conditioning systems through leaks in ductwork, around air filters and even through the grilles and vents in our forced-air systems.

While your A/C system can handle a little debris without reducing its efficiency, excess dust makes your system work harder to provide the same level of cooling. Among components of your air conditioning system that suffer as a result of dusty buildup:

• The air-handling unit inside your home. While regularly changing your air filter helps greatly, sometimes dust gets past the filter, where it may end up on the evaporator coils. Dirty coils work less efficiently.
• The condenser, the unit sitting outside your house. Dust and dirt trapped there can reduce the transfer of heat from the condenser into the air outside. Again, this reduces the efficiency of the overall system.
• The electrical control box, especially the one that’s integral to the condenser unit. Left unchecked, dirt here can cause an electrical short, bringing your air conditioning to a halt. Even before a system shutdown, reduced flow of electrical current reduces system performance and efficiency.

To prevent the buildup of dust in your air conditioner, have your air conditioning system serviced and cleaned on an annual basis. Technicians can get into your system and clean the dust and dirt out of these areas, ensuring that your system is working at its best.

To get started on a regular preventive maintenance plan for your Wyoming or Colorado home, contact the professionals at the Rheem Team. We’re always glad to help.

A/C maintenance image via Shutterstock