Orlando, Tampa, & Jacksonville Air Conditioning Educational Center

Sounds interesting….but what does it mean?  Did you know that if you can reduce the humidity levels in your home to 50% or below during our humid summers in Florida you can be comfortable at a temperature setting of anywhere from 1-3 degrees higher than you currently maintain. So, you are using less air conditioning and experiencing more comfort….and saving money, too!

To get to this new lower humidity level, you must have a variable speed air handler and a thermostat that allows you to select the humidity you wish to maintain.  Once you have these features in your cooling equipment, you can dial down to a humidity level of 50% or possibly lower and be comfortable….at higher temperatures….and save money.

Combined with the new higher efficiency condensing units, the variable speed air handlers and humidity control thermostats can significantly lower your energy usage and save you money on your air conditioning bills long term.  Many of these systems even qualify for a $1,500 Tax Credit that was part of this year’s Economic Stimulus Package.    

Call Air Flow Designs today in Central Florida at 321-397-2110 or 1-800-AIR-FLO1 to arrange a free estimate on replacing your existing older system.   We also have special pricing in effect for our Duct Cleaning Service and many Indoor Air Quality options for your systems as well.   Call Today.  In Tampa call 813-961-7887 for the mid Gulf Coast area and in Jacksonville, call 904-398-0831 for Northeast Florida.

People often ask themselves when is the best time to make a major investment and they often get conflicting information and have difficulty making an informed decision.

We’re going to simplify it for people considering whether or not they should buy a new energy efficient heating and cooling system, especially for those that have heat pumps.  That covers in excess of 85% of the people in Central and North Florida.  NOW is the BEST TIME to buy a new Energy Efficient AC / Heat Pump System for a number of very good reasons. Let us detail them for you:

As part of the Economic Stimulus Package just passed by Congress and signed into being by President Obama, homeowners that buy new heat pump systems may qualify for a TAX CREDIT of $1,500.00 on their 2009 taxes.  The new system must meet the following criteria:

15 SEER
12.5 EER
8.5 HSPF

These are all Energy Efficiency measurements for both heating and cooling and are at the higher end of the spectrum.  However if you buy a system meeting these requirements, you may qualify for up to a $1,500 TAX CREDIT.  Not a Tax Deduction…. but a TAX CREDIT! If you were going to receive a Refund of $500.00 on your 2009 taxes, now you will receive a Refund of $2,000!  If you owed $500, now you will receive a $1000 Refund!

Most Air Conditioning Manufacturers are also offering rebates to spur their business during this pleasant time of the year, weather wise.  As Carrier’s Largest Factory Authorized Dealer in Florida, we are offering, with Carrier, Instant Rebates of up to $1,300.00 on their best system, the Infinity System.  This is different from most other manufacturers’ rebates in that it is “Instant” and is taken off the amount of the sale at time of purchase.  Most others make you wait for a check form the manufacturer.

Also, we are currently offering 12 Months Same as Cash Financing through Citi-financial with approved credit.  This means  you make minimum payments for 11 months and, if you pay the system off before 360 days expire, you pay absolutely no interest whatsoever on your purchase.  This allows you to leave the bulk of your money in the bank earning interest and still pay no interest on this major purchase.

Also most electrical utility companies are also offering rebates on higher efficiency equipment which may either be a deduction at time of purchase or be handled as a credit to your utility account.

So why buy NOW?
TAX CREDITS UP TO $1,500!
INSTANT Carrier/Air Flow Designs Rebates of up to $1,300!!
12 MONTHS SAME AS CASH FINANCING!!!
UTILITY REBATES!!!!

All of these reasons don’t even address the skyrocketing cost of electrical utilities currently.  Many Florida utility companies have raised their rates 10-15% this year alone.  This higher efficiency equipment will help you combat these increases and help keep your overall electrical expense in check.

Call Air Flow Designs today in Central Florida at 321-397-2110 or   1-800-AIR-FLO1 to arrange a free estimate on replacing your existing older system.   We also have special pricing in effect for our Duct Cleaning Service and many Indoor Air Quality options for your systems as well.   Call Today.  In Tampa call 813-961-7887 for the mid Gulf Coast area and in Jacksonville, call 904-398-0831 for Northeast Florida.

After all, NOW is the BEST TIME to Purchase that new system you’ve been thinking about!

With the recent succession of “Cold Snaps” we experienced in Florida in January, many homeowners have found that their electric and gas utility bills have gone crazy!!  We have some explanations…. and some suggestions on how to maintain your cool (or heat) going forward.

Many consumers are unaware of utility rate increases that hit as of 01/01/09 from just about all electrical utility companies servicing Florida..  These rate increases appear to range from 10% on the low end to nearly 25% on the high end.  That means your bill that, last year, was around $225.00 is now going to be over $280.00 if all other things remain constant for homeowners serviced by one of the utilities at the high end of the rate increase.   One thing that’s certain too is that in January not all things were constant compared to previous years.  For the first time in 20 years we had three consecutive nights below freezing in Central Florida.   

With the recent cold snaps, your systems has had to work much harder to maintain a “comfortable” temperature in our home.  Think of it this way….in the summer time if it’s 93 degrees outside and you like to maintain an indoor temperature of 78 degrees, you are asking your system to work hard enough to cover that 15 degree differential.  However, during our recent cold snap, if it is 29 degrees outside around dawn and you are trying to maintain an indoor  temperature of 70 degrees when you get up, your system has to overcome a temperature differential of over 40 degrees.  Your AC or heat pump system has to work nearly 3 times as hard and long to keep you comfortable.  This doesn’t even factor in additional pool pump run times when they kick in automatically in the middle of the night to keep the pipes from freezing or the hot water heater working harder to overcome the cold pipes in your home.  Thus, many Florida residents have had a real eye-opening experience bill when their January utility bill arrived…….bills in some cases more than $100-200.00 more than last year’s bills for the same time frame.  It was kind of like the Perfect Storm, with a significant rate increase and much greater demand during the Cold Snap, only for electric bills.

So…. how do you deal with this and how do you cope?  While it’s unlikely that we’ll have another cold snap of that magnitude over the balance of this winter, the rate increases are not likely to go away.  The single largest user of electricity in your home is normally the heating and air conditioning system.  This normally uses about 50% of the electricity consumed in your home.   Be sure to maintain your current system annually and replace or clean your filters regularly (every 30 -90 days depending on the type of filter) so the system can operate at its peak efficiency.   During heating periods, try setting your thermostat as low as you can comfortably stand it.  Most utilities recommend 68 degrees as a thermostat setting when heat is required.   You may also want to consider upgrading your thermostat to a programmable one which allows you to program different temperatures during the course of the day and night.  These can be real energy savers, especially if everyone is away from home during the day, working or attending school.

At some point in time, you may need to seriously consider replacing your system if is a 10 SEER or lower system.  An AC system’s efficiency is measured in SEER points and 10 SEER was the standard for many years.  Now the minimum efficiency that can be manufactured in the U.S. is 13 SEER and some systems can get into 17-19 SEER range.  You may decide that you’d rather be paying for a new system that is saving you electricity usage and providing improved levels of comfort vs. continuing to pay the utility company exorbitant bills.  With new improved systems that have more sophisticated thermostats, you can control not only temperature but also humidity.  With lower humidity, you can be comfortable at temperatures 2-3 degrees warmer, thus saving even more electricity.   

Call Air Flow Designs today in Central Florida at 321-397-2110 or 1-800-AIR-FLO1 to arrange a Tune-Up for your existing system or to arrange a free estimate on replacing your system.  We are offering special financing packages and have systems at promotional pricing currently that will definitely reduce your energy usage.  We also have special pricing in effect for our Duct Cleaning Service and many Indoor Air Quality options for your systems as well.   Call Today.  In Tampa call 813-961-7887 for the mid Gulf Coast area and in Jacksonville, call 904-398-0831 for Northeast Florida.

An Air Conditioning Service Contract to provide annual maintenance (rune-up)  and cover the cost of parts and labor for any required repairs can be your best investments for your family’s comfort and for saving money as you keep your system running at peak efficiency.  Air Flow Designs offers a complete Service and Insurance plan to cover your entire system.  It includes an annual 18 point tune-up and, should a breakdown occur, it also includes all parts and labor to get your system back up and running so you are not faced with any unexpected repair bills.  Today’s systems are more sophisticated and complex and often a repair can run into hundreds of dollars with an average running in excess of $250.00.  This repair would be FREE if you are covered by the Air Flow Designs Protection Plan. 

What sets the Air Flow Designs Protection Plan apart from most other companies’ plans…..The fact that your repairs are covered as long as you have your contract and parts are available.  Most other plans offer tune-ups and only a 10-15% discount on repairs.  So you get a tune-up and a 10% discount on repairs which average around $250.00?   You’re still facing a $225.00 repair bill in addition to your “Service Contract” expense with other companies’ programs. Air Flow Designs Protection Plan is monitored and audited by the State of Florida’s Department of Insurance and it is a true insurance policy which protects you from these types of unexpected repair expenses.  All of our Protection Plan Holders also get Priority Service which can mean the difference between getting service today and having to wait another day or two in peak service periods.

So, as you can see, all service contracts are NOT created equal.  Call Air Flow Designs at 407-397-2110 in Orlando or 1-800-AIR-FLO1 (1-800-247-3561) in Tampa and Jacksonville areas to schedule your tune-up and put your system under contract.  Start having the peace of mind when you know that you won’t have any unexpected repairs bills put a big dent in your monthly budget.  Save on your energy costs as well with your system working at peak efficiency after one of our technicians does our complete tune-up on your system as well.  Call today before the summer heat hits and starts saving today as well. 

Cleaning your Orlando home’s heating and cooling system can do a lot more than improve the quality of the air in hour home.  It can also make a significant difference in your monthly utility expense.

Dust and debris that accumulates in your system reduces the ability of a heating and cooling system to provide the proper level of heating and cooling.  Consider that dirty systems, especially dirty coil either indoor or outdoor use up to 30% more energy to heat and cool the home.  

Also dirty filters block airflow through the system, increasing the load on your system, driving up your energy bill and shortening the life of your equipment.  Contaminants that don’t get caught by either the filter or coils are then blown through the rest of the system.  These contaminants then build up in the ductwork over time so the system must work harder and longer to achieve the desired comfort level, using more energy and costing the homeowner more money monthly.

Changing the filter and having regular routine maintenance done at least once a year certainly helps but, on systems three years old or older, you should consider having your entire duct system cleaned.  To keep mold and mildew from accumulating and growing on your indoor coil and drain pan, you may also want to consider a UV Light which prevents these allergens from forming.  Call Air Flow Designs, Central LLC at 321-397-2110 to discuss the benefits of Duct Cleaning and UV Lights in the Orlando area, and arrange for a FREE Orlando Indoor Air Quality Evaluation.     

Imagine driving your car 8 hours a day at 55 miles an hour for 365 days a year….how many miles would you travel?  Just a shade over 160,000 Miles…in just one year!  Would you expect to go that many miles without any of the following:

• About 50 Oil Changes
• 2-3 Changes of your Spark Plugs / Tune-ups
• 3-4 New Air Filter
• 1-2 Sets of New Tires
• 1-2 New Sets of Wiper Blades here in Sunny/Rainy Florida
• Having the brakes checked and probably worked on

How much would all this annual “Routine Maintenance” Cost?

• 50 Oil Changes About $1,000.00
• 2 Tune-ups About $300.00
• 3 Air Filters  About  $45.00
• 1 Set of New tires About  $400.00
• 1 Set of New Wipers About  $20.00
• 1 Brake Job  About  $200.00

That’s just for driving your car for one year ….like running your Orlando Air Conditioning and Heating system for one year for approximately 8 hours a day at the speed at which it is designed to run efficiently.  Is it any wonder, when you don’t have your Tampa AC  tuned-up…when you don’t change the filters…..when you don’t have a professional technician check the electrical connections  and amperage draws…and any number of other things performed during a professional tune-up and preventative maintenance that you may have significant repairs bills heading your way.  Something as simple as a dirty filter can cause your indoor coil to freeze up and shut your whole system down.  Standard filters should be changed or cleaned monthly.  Some of the one inch pleated filters can go a long as 3 months and the 4-5 inch pleated media filters are usually good for 4-6 months….unless you have a pets that shed significantly–then they need to be changed more frequently.

Changing filters is about the only routine maintenance that air conditioning professionals recommend for homeowners to do personally.  Leave the rest to the professional technicians and have it done regularly – once or twice a year – and extend the life of your heating and Orlando air conditioning system and allow it to operate at its peak efficiency saving you money and down time.

Call Air Flow Designs today to arrange your professional Tune-up.  We are offering a Promotional Special on our Preventative Maintenance and Tune-up currently at just $79.95, regularly $95.00.  Be sure to ask the technician about the Air Flow Designs Protection Plan which can eliminate any additional repairs and tune-up costs.  Visit our Website at www.airflowdesigns.com and look in the Service Contracts tab under the Products Section to see what all our tune-up and Protection Plan includes.   Our Protection Plan is one of the few in Florida licensed by the State Insurance Commissioner’s Office.  In Central Florida call 321-397-2110.  In Metro Tampa, call 813-961-7887 and in Metro Jacksonville, call 904-398-0831.  Call TODAY and start saving!

The crisp smells of Autumn, the sudden nip in the air, the bright foliage starting to drop and covering your yard…..all these are clear reminders to tune up your heating system if you live in Atlanta or further North.  Not so much so in Orlando, Tampa and even Jacksonville, our most northern metropolitan area in this paradise otherwise known as Florida.

That does not mean you shouldn’t have your unit tuned-up here just like your family members do up North.  Actually, it may even be more important here in Central and North Florida since most of our air conditioning and heating systems in these markets are Heat Pumps and the entire system runs year round.  Up North, the gas and oil furnaces and boilers only run in the winter.  To heat and cool our homes here in Central and North Florida the outdoor units run year round in conjunction with the electric air handler or furnace.  Our fall tune-up includes calibrating your thermostat for accuracy, cleaning your outdoor coil of debris that’s blown into it, checking and adjusting the refrigerant charge, re-securing all electrical connections and 14 more steps to assure you that your unit is heading into winter operating at peak efficiency.   With Progress Energy and Florida Power and Light having just had rate increases approved by the PSC, having your unit operate at peak efficiency is even more important than ever before.

After this energy saving tune-up is performed, be sure to ask the Air Flow Designs technician about our Protection Plan.  It covers all parts and labor annually for any repairs required and also provides you with priority service should you have a breakdown.  Call Air Flow Designs at 321-397-2110 in Orlando, 813-961-7887 in Tampa and 904-398-0831 in Jacksonville to arrange your Tune-Up and your Protection Plan.

Inefficient AC’s  = Big Time  Power Users!

Efficient AC’s = Big Time Power Savers!

The majority of the utility companies that serve Florida have announced that they will ask for either a significant rate increase or a fuel surcharge increase in 2009.  Progress Energy, Central Florida’s largest electrical utility, on August 29, 2008 announced that they would ask for a 31% rate hike in January, 2009.  That would raise the average 1000 KW-hour user’s bill from $111 to $145 a month if approved by the PSC.  Progress Energy has committed to build two new Nuclear Power Plants over the next 10 years and expects to request a rate increase each year to help fund these new additions to their capacity. These rate increases are expected to range from $4 to nearly $29 annually.  Overall, Progress Energy’s rate could more than double in the next decade as stated in the Orlando Sentinel on 08/30/08.  When the new nuclear plants do go on line, their customers could see savings in excess of $1.0 Billion a year, according to Jeff Lyash, their President and CEO.  

Tampa Electric, a subsidiary of TECO, has announced that their 2008 fuel expenses will be under-recovered by approximately $209 Million which will be recovered by an additional fuel surcharge in 2009.  Florida Power and Light has already announced that the January 2009 bill on a 1000KW-hour user will be approximately 7% higher than the December 2008 bill.  Orlando Utility Commission has announced a hike from $98 to $104 for 1000 KW-hours and expects additional increases for next year.   Jacksonville Electric Authority has announced a $15.00 fuel surcharge per 1000KW-hours for July –September of this year after which it will drop to $10.14 per 1000 KW Hours till year end.  This is on top of a 4 year base rate increase that was passed last year.

What does all this mean…..something you probably already know….THAT YOU’LL BE PAYING MORE FOR YOUR ELECTRICITY GOING FORWARD!!  This leaves two questions still to be answered:  How can you manage your personal utility expense with rates continuing to escalate and where do you get your best “Bang for the Buck” on investing in your home and controlling your own budget?

Air Conditioning and Heat Pump units are the largest users of your electric power certainly during the summer and can be as well during cold snaps in the winter here in Florida.  Carrier Corporation indicates that, nationally, 46% of your total utility expense is related to heating and cooling your home and it can certainly top 50% in Florida during the summer months.   Most of the heating / cooling systems that are 8 years old and older were, at best, 10 SEER when installed.  Today’s equipment ranges from 13 SEER all the way up to some which can hit 18-20 SEER in certain sizes and matches.   SEER is Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating and the higher the better, much like Miles per Gallon.  A 13 SEER system should use approximately 30% less energy than a similarly sized 10 SEER system to cool your home.  A system in the 15 SEER range could save you approximately 40% on your energy usage for heating and cooling your home or around 18% total (40% x 46% =18%) if all other factors remain the same.  You can also certainly offset some, if not all the utility rate increases, with a new higher efficiency system.   At the top end of today’s systems are two speed outdoor units which operate on low speed more than 70% of the time. 

These systems can provide you improved humidity control and tremendous energy savings as well.  With rated SEER’s of between 15-20 and effective SEER’s of nearly 2 points higher on average, your energy usage saving are dramatic.
         
Call Air Flow Design’s today at 321-397-2110 in Orlando, 813-961-7887 in Tampa or 904-398-0831 in Jacksonville to have one of our Comfort Specialists come out and discuss your air conditioning and heating needs and he energy savings story of today’s units.  They can show you the potential costs vs savings of a new system.  We offer financing that fits most homeowners’ budgets and typically offer six months same as cash financing for those that qualify.   Call Today!

How does one “Hurricane Proof” their Air Conditioning or Heat Pump Comfort System? If the outdoor unit has been installed in the last several years, it has been a code requirement for it to be physically secured to the concrete pad following the manufacturer’s specifications. These manufacturers’ specs, when followed properly, are engineer certified to provide wind based security up to 150 MPH winds and certainly should keep your outdoor unit anchored. If your unit is older than this and is not secured to your pad, you may want to have a licensed air conditioning contracting firm anchor it for you. .

However, the bigger issue with hurricanes, relative to your AC or Heat Pump System, is really the embedded lightening and electrical surges during these types of storms. When the storm is approaching, it’s a good idea to turn the thermostat down several degrees to “pre-cool” the home below your normal comfort level. As the electrical aspect of the storm gets close, it is then a good practice to turn the AC system off to avoid the surges taking out your compressor or other critical components. The toughest times on AC systems are when they start-up and shut-down and it is much worse when the power level is fluctuating as it is during electrical storms.

Once the second half of the hurricane has passed and the electrical fluctuations of the storm are no longer present, it is safe to turn your thermostat back on, assuming you have power. With the typically high temperatures and humidity during this time of the year, it is important to get your power back up and your AC System running as quickly as possible to avoid any potential mold issues in your home as well. If your electrical power is off for an extended period of time, you may need to have a mold remediation firm come in and check your home and you may want to investigate duct cleaning and possibly adding UV lights to your AC system.
Be sure to contact an Air Flow Designs team member for more information. We are currently serving the Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville communities.

Orlando: 321.397.2110. Tampa : 813.961.7887. Jacksonville: 904.398.0831.

For climates with moderate heating and cooling needs, heat pumps offer an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners. Like your refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a cool space into a warm, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house; during the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors. Because they move heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can provide up to 4 times the amount of energy they consume.

The most common type of heat pump is the air-source heat pump, which transfers heat between your house and the outside air. If you heat with electricity, a heat pump can trim the amount of electricity you use for heating by as much as 30%–40%. High-efficiency heat pumps also dehumidify better than standard central air conditioners, resulting in less energy usage and more cooling comfort in summer months. However, the efficiency of most air-source heat pumps as a heat source drops dramatically at low temperatures, generally making them unsuitable for cold climates, although there are systems that can overcome that problem.

For homes without ducts, air-source heat pumps are also available in a ductless version called a mini-split heat pump. In addition, a special type of air-source heat pump called a “reverse cycle chiller” generates hot and cold water rather than air, allowing it to be used with radiant floor heating systems in heating mode.

Reprinted from:  U.S. Dept. of Energy-Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Be sure to call Air Flow Designs at 321-397-2110 to arrange an appointment to speak with one of our Comfort Specialists as to the options available for your home. We offer a complete line of Heat Hump systems, air conditioning systems and mini-split ductless systems in both straight cool and heat pump versions.