Orlando, Tampa, & Jacksonville Air Conditioning Educational Center

As record sub-freezing temperatures have hit Florida this week from Jacksonville to Tampa, many homeowners have turned their thermostats up substantially to stay warm inside their homes.  This may well work from a comfort point of view…..until the Discomfort of the Utility Bill arrives and all of last summer’s utility bill records are broken.  This makes sense when you consider the following: When it’s 93 degrees outside in the summer and you want it to be 78 degrees inside, you are only asking your system to adjust the temperature by 15 degrees.  But when it’s 35 degrees outside and you want it to be 72 degrees inside, you are asking your system to overcome a 37 degree difference, more than twice as much as the summer differential.  Obviously your system is going to run longer and harder to accomplish this.

It is generally recommended that you try to keep your thermostat at 78 degrees during the summer and 68 degrees during the winter for both comfort and efficiency.  For each degree you lower it below 78 degrees in the summer and each degree you raise it above 68 degrees in the winter, you are impacting your heating and cooling use by between     5-7%.   So, if you must have it 74 degrees when it is 35 degrees outside, you are going to pay between 30-40% more in heating costs more for that comfort than if you were able to be comfortable at 68 degrees.  Does that extra sweater or extra pair of sock look good, now???  Try to layer clothes to stay warmer both outside and inside…and turn that thermostat down to 68!  Also, make sure, if it’s going to be a reasonably warm day, to open your blinds and drapes to capture the radiant heat but then close them at night to keep that heat trapped inside your home.  Little things like this, and making sure you have a clean filter in your AC/Heating system, can make big differences in your overall utility bill.

If your system requires service or is beginning to show its age, be sure to call Air Flow Designs today to have a qualified Technician or Comfort Advisor come to you home and discuss what can be done to save you energy $’s in both the short and long term.  Call 321-397-2117 in Central Florida or call 904-398-0831 in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.  For our Tampa Bay location, call 813-961-7887 or call 1-800-AIR-FLO1 for any of our areas served. Or you can visit us on the web at www.airflowdesigns.com.     Be sure to ask about our Current Specials and about the federal government’s tax credit of up to $1,500.00.  Call TODAY to start saving!! Why continue to pay your utility company more than you have to….and many of them will even help you invest in your new system with rebates as well!!!

Most major heating and air conditioning manufacturers run air conditioning and heating rebate centered promotional sales in the Spring and the Fall.  While it’s hard to believe here in Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville, the Fall Rebate Programs are about to end in the middle of November, just 10 days away.

Act now to take advantage of the best opportunities in years to have a new high efficiency system installed in your home and take advantage of the following incentives:

1.    Factory / Manufacturer Rebates up to $1,300.00
2.    Federal Tax Credits up to $1,500.00 for qualifying equipment
3.    Your choice of Special Financing Plans with either 6 months No Payments Same as Cash or 12 Months Same as Cash (Payments Required)
4.    Utility Company Rebates, on qualifying equipment, which further reduce your overall investment.
5.    Overall energy usage savings on the part of your utility bill relative to heating and cooling your home ranging from 20-50%.
6.    Fewer repair costs for next 8-10 years with newer equipment that typically has longer warranties than older equipment.
7.    Higher Quality Installations when the AC companies aren’t slammed with business like July
8.    Indoor air quality options available today that weren’t available just a few years ago to improve the quality of the air your family breathes
9.    With variable speed air handlers and furnaces, you can run your fan 24/7 — 365 days a year for less than $25.00….for the whole year.  Improved circulation and filter your air 24/7.
10.    Now is the time to ACT!! Buy before the factory rebates go away.

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 and to discuss all these money saving opportunities above.  We also have special pricing in effect for our Duct Cleaning Service and many Indoor Air Quality options for your systems as well.  In Tampa for your air conditioning replacement and service needs, call 813-961-7887 for the mid Gulf Coast area and in Jacksonville, call 904-398-0831 for Northeast Florida for AC and heat pump sales and service.   CALL TODAY and START SAVING…and stop paying the utilities companies so much more than you need to!

You wouldn’t think about driving your car 50,000 miles without changing the oil, checking the tires and possibly having it tuned-up, would you…..but that’s exactly what many people do with their air conditioning systems.  As we come out of our peak summer demand months, now is the perfect time to make sure your central AC or Heat Pump system is in top operating order whether you live in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville or parts in between.  Your system has “Logged a lot of Miles” this summer and with those miles come vibration,  which can loosen connections, dust build-up on blower wheels slowing its operation and yard debris from lawn mowers piling up in and around your outdoor units….which can all affect efficiency.  With the Air Flow Designs Energy Savings Tune-Up, we check all these and do another 15 processes to assure that your system is working at its peak efficiency.

Call Air Flow Designs today in Central Florida at 321-397-2110 or 1-800-AIR-FLO1 to schedule your Tune-up and also to find out about the new energy efficient systems we are now offering.  With $1,500 in Tax Credits and Manufacturer Rebates up to $1,300, there has never been a better time to look at replacing your system.  We also have special pricing in effect for our Duct Cleaning Service and many other Indoor Air Quality options for your systems as well.  In Tampa for your air conditioning replacement and tune-up needs, call and in 813-961-7887 for the mid Gulf Coast area Jacksonville, call 904-398-0831 for Northeast Florida for AC and heat pump sales and service. CALL TODAY and START SAVING!

Also, for the first time ever in Florida, Carrier Corporation has extended their Spring Cool Cash Promotion, which has always previously ended in June, into the end of August.  So now, even in the peak of the HOT Summer, you can get INSTANT Rebates from Carrier Factory Authorized Dealers of up to $1,3000.00.    These new AC and Heat pump systems can save you from 30-50% in your energy usage relative to cooling your home.  Just remember though, that if the total utility rate goes up 15% and you are going to save about 30% on your energy usage relative to cooling, the good news is that your power bill won’t be going up….but the bad news too is that it won’t be going down much either.  You are going to about break even but end up saving approximately  15% over what you would have spent with the old AC unit in Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando.

Also, on the higher efficiency units, as part of the economic stimulus package, you can claim a TAX CREDIT of 30% on the purchase of specific high efficiency units, up to a maximum of $1,500.00.  With a Tax Credit, if you owe a total of say $4,500 in taxes, now you only owe $3,000.  This is another key reason why now is the best time in years to buy a new efficient AC or heat pump system for your home.  There are strict guidelines that must be met.  Make sure you ask your representative from Air Flow Designs to discuss them with you.

Also, Air Flow Designs is currently offering, through their partnership with Carrier Corporation as their largest Factory Authorized Dealer in the state of Florida, a special financing offer of 6 Months Same as Cash.  This simply means making minimum monthly payments for 5 months and then paying the unit off before 180 days has gone by and incurring no interest on the transaction whatsoever.

So, let’s recap quickly how to save Energy & Money in Tampa, Jacksonville and Orlando:

1. Utility Companies  Rebates
2. Energy usage savings of 15-50% relative to your cooling usage.
3. Carrier INSTANT Cool Cash Rebates of up to !,300.00 extended into summer fro first time ever
4. Tax Credits of 30% up to a maximum of $1,500.00 on specified equipment
5. Special Financing from Air Flow Designs and Carrier with no interest if paid off in 180 days. 

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 and to discuss all these money saving opportunities above.  We also have special pricing in effect for our Duct Cleaning Service and many Indoor Air Quality options for your systems as well.  In Tampa for your air conditioning replacement and service needs,  call 813-961-7887 for the mid Gulf Coast area and in Jacksonville, call 904-398-0831 for Northeast Florida for AC and heat pump sales and service.         CALL TODAY and START SAVING!

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!