FAQs

Did you know that lack of maintenance can and does void a warranty?  Did you know that a plugged filter can stop your furnace? 

These are just two reasons to have Turnbull Heating & Air give your heating system a thorough 13-point check up yearly! 

Fans draw air in through grilles called returns and force air through ducts and into the conditioned space through supply registers.

 

Ducts that are improperly constructed, sealed, or installed can leak excessive amounts of air, provide poor air distribution, and can also "pipe" noise around the building.

Additionally, ducts can become dirty if put into service before building construction is complete; there's a lot of dust and dirt around most construction sites.

What's more, ducts in older buildings can become dirty after years in service, especially if filters are not changed on a regular service basis.

Ducts play a key role in energy usage from both how much friction the fan "sees" as it moves air throughout the duct system to how well they distribute heating and cooling to keep occupants comfortable.

The three key elements that drive a building's overall energy use are:

• The HVAC system - typically THE most important for commercial buildings,
• The building's overall thermal envelope; and
• Large loads, computers, and lights in commercial buildings and industrial processes in industrial-type buildings.

System sizing: Most of the intersection between HVAC systems and energy use occurs in the design stage. If the system is improperly designed, this can lead to inefficiencies, which drive energy costs higher than they have to be - some, but not all of these design problems, can be addressed after the fact.

Building envelope leakage: Often, HVAC energy "waste" is actually driven by a thermally-inefficient building that is necessary to maintain reasonable comfort. Many commercial buildings in the U.S. are old. As of 1999, there were more than 900,000 commercial buildings that were built in 1945 or before!

In such cases, it's not duct leakage that's the problem - it's building envelope leakage! Hot air flows in during summers; cold air in winters. Result: You pay more to create indoor conditions that are comfortable.

Older equipment: On the subject of older buildings, it is worthwhile to determine the age of your HVAC system. There have been numerous technological advances and federally-mandated energy efficiency increases for HVAC equipment. Even if your equipment was "state-of-the-art" at the time of installation - you might be suffering from technological disadvantages.

Older HVAC systems might provide heating and cooling, keep humidity reasonable, and move air around. Everyone inside the building might be comfortable most of the time! But you may be paying a lot more than you need to - every month - to do it!

Waste heat: Additionally, activities and equipment within your building introduce heat into the conditioned environment. Do you have a lot of operating equipment inside your walls? It's likely that, no matter what it is - from a computer or photocopier to something more "industrial" - it is venting a certain amount of waste heat.

Even an office building lighting system generates heat! In summer conditions, that heat adds to the building's cooling load.

Controls: Even with a state-of-the-art building envelope, a minimum of indoor waste heat, and recently updated HVAC equipment, you could be losing money due to system operational inefficiencies. HVAC Expertise contractors understand all the elements of a superior HVAC system and how to most effectively control the system.

Maintenance: Appropriately planned maintenance is the least-cost insurance a building owner can purchase. Regularly changed filters keep airflow at optimal levels, while protecting the duct and occupants from easily-caught dust and particles. Regular check ups of refrigerant levels, belt drive, etc. assure lowest operating cost and help to protect against expensive catastrophic failure of equipment and building HVAC system downtime.

My thermostat isn't holding the temperature I set it at, what should I do?

Thermostats are very sophisticated these days, especially for those that have the newer digital, set-back type.  If you see a "LO" or "LO BATT" on your readout, your batteries either ran out or are about to run out.  This warning may appear 1-2 months prior to your battery actually quitting.

Our recommendation is that you always have a couple batteries on hand just for this reason.  To change your batteries yourself, pull the top of the rectangular thermostat off the housing.  Replace the batteries being careful to put the two new ones in and disposing of the two old ones!  There is usually a re-set button on the panel; make sure you push the reset button or the new batteries will not be activated.

A good rule of thumb is to replace your thermostat batteries yearly at the same time you replace your smoke alarm batteries (Halloween as recommended by Fire Departments around the USA)!  That way you will always be sure they are in working condition for the severe weather.

Of course, we will always come to your home to assist you should you have a problem replacing the batteries or are unsure if that is the actual problem.  Simply call our offices at 585-343-2005 or 800-330-2005!

 

Turnbull Heating & Air strives to make sure our customers receive the full benefit of their extended warranties.  Unfortunately, sometimes our hands are tied and the customer ends up paying a portion of their warranty calls.  This is usually the diagnose call that no extended warranty plan covers either partially or in full. 

In the current economy, warranty companies have put strict rules and limitations on what they will and they will not pay.  If you receive a billing from us, please be assured we have made an effort to collect this money and the application for payment has been disallowed.

We will gladly provide you with a copy of the terms and conditions of your warranty and contact information should you feel you have not received the full benefit of that warranty.  These situations arise seldomly and when they do, we try our very best to go to bat for you, our valued customer.