Your Top Heating & Cooling Questions Answered

As a homeowner, it’s your responsibility to maintain your home and all of its components to sustain the best value, comfort and security for your home. This is a lot to ask of someone who is likely a parent and a full-time employee. We certainly don’t expect you to know it all. This is why we take it upon ourselves to proactively answer the important questions that homeowners may have when it comes to the ins and outs of their home’s heating and cooling.

Common Heating & Cooling Questions

Below, we’ve taken the time to answer some of your top questions about heating and cooling your home:

Where is my air filter?

To check on your air or furnace filter, you’ll have to know where it is first. Most units will have the filter next to the unit on the return duct. For older units, the filter is often inside the furnace next to the blower. Other units have a central filter grille that will be located on a wall or ceiling in the house.

How often should I check my air filter?

We recommend that you check your air or furnace filter at least once a month. You will want to check more frequently during high use seasons. This timeline ensures that if the filter is compromised or dirty, that it can be cleaned or replaced before it can cause damage to the unit or worsen the air quality of your home. If you have a replaceable air filter and it is dirty, do not bother trying to clean it, you are better off replacing it, as it is more prone to wear and tear than a more sturdy pleated filter.

What is the ideal humidity level for my home?

The humidity level of a home is vitally important for both safety and comfort. A home that is not humid enough can be too dry for its occupants causing dry throats, noses and potentially damaging electrical equipment. Meanwhile, a home that is too humid is at risks of inviting pests and mold into their home. The ideal humidity level for a home falls within 35-50% with 40-45% being the most ideal.

How does air conditioning work?

The function of an air conditioner is not actually to pump cold air into the house, but rather to suck the heat out of the house and circulate cooler air from within the home until the home reaches the ideal temperature, humidity and air quality. The heat is pulled through the unit and out through the ventilation system, while the cooler air is pushed through the ductwork of the home. If you feel as though heat is not leaving your home quickly, check your ventilation system and if you don’t feel like cool air is flowing through your home fast enough, consider cleaning your ducts.

What size air conditioning unit do I need?

There are more factors than the size of home or business that goes into the size of unit that is required to heat or cool the space. Yes, size is one of the biggest components of this decision, but factors such as window size and quality, home orientation with regards to the sun and overall energy efficiency to the home. If a home is properly insulated and receives a bounty of free energy from the sun, it may be able to use a smaller unit. On the other hand, if a structure is poorly insulated and is shaded in the winter or baking in the sun in the summer, it will likely require a larger unit to properly heat and cool the building. Ultimately it is recommended to have an Albuquerque HVAC specialist come to your home to properly size your new HVAC unit.

What’s the difference between a variable speed furnace and a traditional furnace?

A traditional furnace will run at one speed, or 100%, at all times. This sounds ideal in that it should quickly heat up your home, however, not all temperature differences require this much energy to effectively heat your home. A variable speed furnace has the ability to first release an initial burst of heat at 65% percent capacity. Only if it is completely necessary will a variable speed furnace kick into 100% capacity. This not only saves energy (variable speed furnaces are more expensive but the energy savings can take as little as 4 years to pay off the difference), but the unit will be notably quieter. There is also an additional bonus to heating up a home more slowly, in that it allows the air in the home to be properly filtered and replaced to avoid the buildup of humidity or poor air quality.

For the answers to any of your HVAC questions or for Albuquerque heating and cooling services, contact Anderson Air Corps for an exceptional customer focused experience.