In a settlement filed late Friday afternoon, January 11, the Department of Energy (DOE) has agreed to withdraw the pending minimum energy conservation standards that include regional standards for residential non-weatherized and mobile home gas furnaces. The term “non-weatherized furnace” is used to define furnaces that are designed to be placed indoors.

According to the terms of the settlement, portions of the June 27, 2011 Direct Final Rule setting the minimum AFUE standards for residential non-weatherized and mobile home gas furnaces at 90% in the Northern region and 80% in the Southeastern and Southwestern regions is vacated, along with the pending May 1, 2013 compliance date.

Pending the Court’s acceptance of this settlement, non-condensing furnaces remain legal to install in all states until further notice.

What this means to you is that if you currently have a 80% furnace you will still be allowed to replace it with another 80% model even after May, 2013.

If you have any questions about this, please call Ramon at 913.829.1505.

Source: https://www.acca.org/archives/industry-resources/government-affairs/hot-air/8224

The Department of Energy released a report that many people will find interesting. It found that while older heating and cooling systems can lead to bloated energy bills, it may not be the only reason why you’re paying more than necessary. Instead, there’s a part of your home that you may have never considered when talking about energy efficiency.

This report found that as much as 25-40% of the heating or cooling energy produced by furnaces, air conditioners, or heat pumps in this country is wasted! The reason improperly sealed air ducts! Whether you have flexible ductwork or metal ductwork, both can have issues which waste perfectly good conditioned air.

That’s not the only problem with leaky ducts…Faulty ducts also deposit dirty unconditioned air from garages and crawlspaces into your living areas, like bedrooms and family rooms. Ever wonder why you’re constantly dusting? That may be the culprit!

Also, when cool, air conditioned air escapes your ducts, it will often pass through warm walls. The end result is moisture trapped behind those walls. It’s not unusual for that moisture to turn into mold. As you well know, mold hidden in a home is a health issue, especially for allergy and asthma sufferers.

Last, leaky air ducts make your HVAC unit work much harder. The additional work places considerably more stress on your equipment; it must constantly run to get your home to your desired temperature. An overworked heating/cooling system is far more likely to breakdown prematurely and need repair.

To discover if your home has leaky duct issues…give One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning a call at 913.829.1505. One of our highly trained technicians will perform a complimentary air analysis of your home.

According to the EPA and other indoor environmental experts, the relative humidity inside your home should fall somewhere between 30 and 50 percent, depending on the temperature outside.  More specifically, when the outside temperature is 20 degrees or above, the recommended relative humidity for inside is 35 to 40 percent.

Why are proper levels of humidity so important to your skin (the body’s largest organ) and general good health?

Low humidity causes dry skin, dry hair, itching and chapping.  When skin becomes dry and irritated, eczema can flare.  Mucous membranes in your nose and throat dry out, increasing discomfort and susceptibility to colds and respiratory illness.  With low humidity levels, body moisture evaporates so quickly that you fell chilled even at higher thermostat settings.  Dry skin can look tight, dull and flaky.

Adding a humidifier to you home can remedy these problems and help skin look younger and healthier.

Results:

Sue D- One Hour Parking

Sara G – how many One Hour technicians does it take to install a lightbulb..er.. a heating system?

Kenneth K – I said I needed ‘someone’ to help at Kim Kardasian’s winter system check but this is ridiculous! – Winner!  Congratulations Kenneth!

Donnie H – Our parking lot is being redone . So we had to park somewhere.

Lisa H – Practical Story Problems for 4th grade Math: If it takes one technician from OHH&AC one hour to fix a broken A/C, how quickly can they fix it if they call in 5 of their buddies? And most importantly, will they finish in time for the Chiefs game kickoff?

Mary F - My wife made pie! Come on over for a slice!  Said one OHH&AC employee to another, Word travels fast! Must be Some PIE!

Gayle A – One Hour will fix the problem no matter how big!

Don W – Those people better be REALLY comfortable AND SOON!

Richard D – Game time! Football and friends

Anne O – The word is out in our neighborhood about One Hour’s fast and reliable service!

Michael D – Sorry about this but we are only allowed to work 1 hour per truck at a time and this job is going to take at least 6 hours.

Meghan C – Excellent customer service– one benefit of keeping your french maid costume on a little after Halloween.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The frequency of filter changes is driven by how much your heating and air conditioning system operates, which is also driven by your individual climate.

Start by checking the system’s filters at least once a month. Hold the used filter up to the light and compare it to a clean “spare.” When light is obscured by captured dust and dirt particles, the old filter should be changed. Keep a record for one year and then replace the filter on that basis. At a minimum, it is always a good idea to change filters at the start of the heating and cooling seasons and then in between according to your need. Also, it is a good idea to have your heating and air system checked at the beginning of heating and cooling season to insure proper operation.

Why should I replace my working furnace or air conditioner?

Although your present furnace or air conditioner may be working, if it is more than 12 years old you should consider replacing it with a new high efficiency system. A new heating and air conditioning system could save up to 50 percent on energy costs, and save you money in the long run on heating repairs.  While these products save you money on your utility bills, they also offer a better degree of comfort within your home.

Why can’t you add coolant to my system without checking for a leak or repairing an exiting leak?

Since July 1, 1992 it is illegal to release refrigerants into the atmosphere, either intentional or accidental, because they can cause severe damage to the ozone layer. When refrigerants such as Chlorofluorocarbon’s (CFCs) are removed, they should be recycled to clean out any contaminants and returned to a usable condition.

How does the Clean Air Act impact heating and cooling systems?

The portion of the Clean Air Act that applies to the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry encourages the development of ozone-friendly substitutes for chemicals that contain ozone destroying chlorine, which are called hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). The chemical refrigerant of choice for more than four decades, referred to as R-22, is in the HCFC category. R-22 is widely used in heat pumps and AC condensing units to heat and cool homes. Today, a refrigerant called R-410A is used because of its ozone-friendly properties.

A little about what our clients say about us:

“They are very professional. I believe they are a company of integrity and honesty. They really put effort into keeping your home clean. They are fast and they are always very punctual.”
- Bill C., Olathe, KS

“Everyone we have interacted with have been professional and courteous. Excellent service – we would recommend One Hour to anyone! Thank you!”
-Todd K., Olathe, KS

“They have done annual check-ups for me. They put the original HVAC unit in the house. They are a good group. It is family owned and they are good people.”
- Mary F., Overland Park, KS

“All your staff was very friendly and took the time to explain everything and answered all questions. I will for sure recommend you to others.”
-Steve & Brandi C., Garnder, KS

“Matt was very professional, showed us things we needed to know about the system, stayed long enough to ensure the system was working correctly and answered all of our questions about preventive maintenance and upkeep of the system.”
- Kelli C., Overland Park, KS

“They were very good, very quick, extremely helpful and friendly. They have someone on-call all the time, as I understand it. We called at night when we smelled gas, and they were very helpful getting our needs met immediately. Excellent work!”
-Carolyn M., Olathe, KS

“Evaluated home for new furnace and central air. Very thorough in their assessment of our needs. Offered us several options and didn’t try to oversell us. Came out to do the work. They were prompt and left the house clean and tidy.”
-Malinda S., Olathe, KS

“Daniel & Mike did a wonderful job. They were very courteous and patient with my questions.”
-Terri F., Olathe, KS

“We are on their monthly service plan. It is very reasonable in price. Service techs are prompt, polite, knowledgeable. We continue to be impressed with this service.”
-Jon M., Olathe, KS

“We will definitely recommend the company to anyone we know in need. So polite from sales to installation.”
-Mike K., Olathe, KS

“Great job by the techs. All had excellent attention to detail. Ramon has such dedicated and well trained workers.”
-Patrick D., Lenexa, KS

“This company does HVAC maintenance for me on a semiannual basis. They are always on time and the work is always done in a professional manner. The price is always right also.”
- Derald S., Olathe, KS

“No improvement necessary! I give this company A+: your services & equipment are exceptional.”
-Jeffrey F., Olathe, KS

Cities serviced by Olathe Heating and Cooling: Olathe, Lenexa, Gardner, DeSoto, Eudora, Overland Park, Leawood, Shawnee, Mission, Merriam, Roeland Park, Stanley, Prairie Villiage, Stillwell, Mission Woods.