Homeowners
Plain-language cost guides for homeowners: repair versus replace, running costs by state, safety, and how to read an HVAC contractor’s quote.
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HVAC Noises: Which Ones Mean Shut It Off Now
Normal systems make sound; a change in sound is the signal. Two noises warrant shutting the system down immediately, and one of them is a combustion safety concern…
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The Five Types of Air Conditioning, and How to Choose
Five forms of residential cooling, rated on two incompatible efficiency scales. Whether the house has usable ductwork is almost always the deciding factor.
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How a Heat Pump Works, and Why It Beats 100% Efficiency
A furnace cannot exceed the energy in its fuel. A heat pump routinely exceeds its electrical input because it transports heat rather than generating it. How the cycle…
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What HVAC Smells Mean, and Which One Is an Emergency
Musty is a maintenance problem, electrical burning is a service call, and rotten egg means leave the building and call the utility. Sort the smell before troubleshooting it.
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HVAC Zoning Systems: What They Fix and What They Cannot
Zoning splits one ducted system into separately controlled areas. It solves uneven temperatures, but it also raises static pressure when dampers close, so it can make marginal ductwork…
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Why an AC Freezes Up: Two Causes, and How to Tell Them Apart
Two causes only: not enough air across the coil, or not enough refrigerant in it. One is often owner-fixable and the other never is, which is why telling…
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What the AC Condenser Does, and What Actually Fails in It
The outdoor cabinet holds the compressor, condenser coil and fan. Its whole job is rejecting heat to outdoor air, which is why the most common problem is a…
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What Is Refrigerant, and Why Freon Is Not the Answer
Refrigerant is the working fluid that moves heat out of your house. Freon is a DuPont brand name applied to several chemicals, so it identifies nothing. Here is…
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Can You Still Get R-22? What Ended and What Did Not
R-22 has not been produced or imported since January 1, 2020, so what remains is reclaimed. Servicing is still legal, and the constraint is different from the R-410A…
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MERV Ratings: Why the Highest Filter Is Not the Best Filter
Filtration and airflow pull against each other. A one inch filter at a high MERV rating is where problems concentrate, because area is small and restriction is high.