Home Heating Oil Roller Coaster - Now What Do You Do?
Below is a reprint of an article from “The NEWS”. The weekly publication for HVAC contractors. I decided to reprint it because it does a great job of explaining the recent turbulence of the Heating Fuel Oil market as it relates to end users.
The bottom line though, is that of all the home heating fuels available (Gas, both Natural and LP, Electricity, and Fuel Oil), Fuel Oil is by far the most volatile recently and without a doubt, the most difficult in relation to making a change when the cost becomes unbearable for the budget.
Is there a solution? One possible answer, especially if the homeowner’s current equipment is getting age on it, is to change over to a more efficient Duel-Fuel or Hybrid home comfort system. The Duel-Fuel or Hybrid system incorporates the use of a high efficiency Gas Furnace and a high efficiency Heat Pump in combination. The Heat Pump starts as the primary source of heat, and operates the most efficient until outdoor temps drop into the upper 20s or low 30s. At this point, the Thermostat senses the outdoor temperature and creates a call for heat from the Gas Furnace. The two work in combination to maximize the utility costs.
As the article below explains the roller coaster effect that heating fuel oil has had on those that utilize this source of fuel, brings to mind a recent statement that I heard on the news. In comparison, the recent drop in gasoline prices has given to a concern that consumers and the government will become complacent about the need to seek new and more efficient sources of energy for our future. Read more
Hybrid Heating Systems
Hybrid Heating Systems are a Growing Trend
The use of “Hybrid” Heating Systems is becoming a very common practice. With fuel prices acting like a ride at the county fair, (out of control and unpredictable) the installations of Hybrid, or Duel-Fuel Home Comfort Systems has increased dramatically. These Duel Fuel application allow you, the homeowner to have more control over your heating expenses by only using the most economical fuel choice when needed.
Home Comfort for the Energy-Conscious
For colder climates, a hybrid heating system, including a gas furnace, heat pump and coil, offers the flexibility of dual fuel sources to establish and maintain a comfortable indoor environment with optimal energy efficiency.
What is Hybrid Heating?
Hybrid heating systems consist of an electric heat pump and a gas furnace that alternately work to maintain desired indoor temperature and humidity levels year-round. When moderate heating is required, the system selects the heat pump as the most energy-efficient source of heat. On colder days, the system automatically switches to the gas furnace for more economical heating efficiency. During warm weather, the heat pump reverses its cycle and functions as a central air conditioner. Read more
Buying Your Next Furnace Direct - Some Tips
Why should I choose one furnace over another?
When shopping for a new furnace, you may find yourself in a position where you are faced with the question “Is there a reason to pay $100 more for a furnace of the same size.” Sure there is.
Just because two Gas Furnaces are both 90%+, 75,000 BTU and each has a 3 ton blower, the idea of comparing them on cost alone is a fools game. Besides, if you are In the process of shopping for and purchasing your own replacement furnace, and you are concentrating on a few dollars price difference between furnaces, you are missing the big picture, or as I like to say, “Swallowing Elephants and Choking on Ants”.
Let me explain. Before going into the physical differences that should be considered when purchasing, that may lead to paying a little more to get the best value, let’s first talk about the bigger picture of purchasing direct. The fact that you have taken a very personal role in controlling your project cost by buying direct, means that you have been doing your homework and know that you can save up to and in some cases over 50% by taking this approach. This savings will come from employing the contractor of your choice and you will not be paying the sometimes huge profits that are charged for theses installations.
Don’t get so caught up in saving money that you overlook the fact that you not only have the opportunity to save big money during your installation process, but you also have the opportunity to own a higher quality product with the savings that you are realizing.
So let’s get to some of the quality differences that should be considered. Read more
Your Furnace - Waiting Can Be Expensive
Below is a reprint of an article published over on the AskBoyd Site. AskBoyd is the advocate for and the protector of the homeowner who is facing the replacement or repair of their home heating and cooling system and is trying to stretch every dollar. Be sure and check out AskBoyd.com to learn all you can about the pitfalls of dealing with some HVAC contractors and get tips on making your money go much further with your home heating and air issues.
The below article explains how not being proactive in taking care of your home heating problems can be very expensive. Always great information from AskBoyd.com Read more
Heat Pumps are “Hot”
According to newly released industry stats, the AHRI (Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) is reporting large increases of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for July 2008. The sales of these units are up 6.2% from the same period a year ago.
In the height of the cooling season, heat-pump shipments rallied posting a 17.3 percent increase totaling 198,686 units for the month of July.
Despite the fluctuations in the residential and commercial markets, homeowners are still looking to save energy and money, according to a report written by Kermit Baker, Ph.D., chief economist for the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
“Households are looking for new technologies, while interest in alternative energy generation techniques and energy management systems is growing, Read more
Home Air Direct “Live Help” Got a question? Just Ask!
Home Air Direct’s “Live Help” feature is a great way to get immediate answers to your questions. During regular business hours and often times beyond, Home Air Direct monitors and offers live online help. This is not a canned FAQ, or an off-site operator with scripts. This is on-site Home Air Direct professionals answering your questions.
Here is a sample of an actual “Live Help” conversations.
Home Air Direct : Hello this is Jay. How May I help You?
Karen : Question
does this come with instructions Blue Tube UV Light, 15″ w/ Odor Sanitizing TechnologyHome Air Direct: Yes. AS a matter of fact, I installed one three weeks ago in my home and i was stunned at how easy it was. It took me longer to find my drill then it did to do the project. If you give me your email address I will send you the instructions right now.
Karen : karenXXXXXX@XXXXX.com
Home Air Direct: Thanks. Give me a few minutes to dig them up and I will email them to you, but rest assured that this is a very easy do it yourself project. Also, I have had a fit with allergies this summer and it really has made a difference
Home Air Direct: Any other questions?
Karen : I was quoted $1400 today by a local HVAC shop to install the same unit you sell for $197. Is that possible?
Home Air Direct: It is not uncommon for some contractors to charge 3-4 times their cost on some installations.
Karen : thank you for your help.
Home Air Direct: Thank you Good bye
Karen : bye
Heating Oil vs Natural Gas – My Eyes Are Opened
Yesterday I received a call from a customer in Rhode Island inquiring about a large Commercial Natural Gas Heating Unit for his Auto Shop. We discussed his options and it turned out that he wanted to replace his current “Fuel Oil” or “Heating Oil” furnace because of rising oil cost. Being from the Midwest, I have dabbled in Oil Furnaces over the years, but since that population is low in this area of the country, I did not have a true idea of the operating cost of a Heating Oil Furnace.
This customer made the decision to replace his current unit with natural gas, and here is why. In 2000, the average price for a gallon for fuel oil was $1.60, and compared to natural Gas, was the more economical of the two. By 2007, the cost was up to $2.85 per gallon. At this level, natural gas, even with its own increases over time was now the most cost effective fuel, from a cost of fuel only perspective. It was still a coin toss as to whether or not the replacement of equipment could be justified just for the fuel savings. Although, there are many other considerations that we are not going into here that would help make the decision to switch, including but not limited to Maintance, Fuel Oil Furnaces need to be maintained, and often the repairs are quite costly, and the cleanliness and safety of the fuel is another consideration.
Fast forward to yesterday’s conversation. I was told that current “summer lock” pricing for Heating Oil was around $4.85 HOLY COW! Read more
Heat Pumps And Natural Gas Price Predictions
According to a report from Washington, the average price of regular gasoline is expected to remain greater than $4 per gallon until the fourth quarter of 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information administration. With oil prices staying high, it is now projected that the average price for regular-grade gasoline will stay above $4 per gallon for the rest of the year. This is an increase of more than a dollar per gallon above last year’s price. That trend is expected to continue in 2009, with an average price of $4.06 per gallon.
While the nation is currently focused on the high price of gasoline, by this winter the focus may well change to electricity and heating fuels. The EIA notes that the sustained high prices for petroleum are pushing up the spot price of natural gas. The spot price is projected to average $11.86 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) in 2008 and $11.62 per Mcf in 2009, a 65 percent increase over the 2007 average. The trend is already apparent in the electricity market, where prices are projected to increase 5.2 percent in 2008 and 9.8 percent in 2009.
What can you do? Read more
Air Conditioning System Replacement – Efficiency
Upgrading Efficiency:
In the last article we discovered how the age of your home cooling system can be a determining factor in the decision to replace your current Air Conditioner. Now let’s see how the upgrade of efficiency plays into the equation of a new Cooling system replacement.
Efficiency is the leading reason that most families replace their existing Air Conditioning systems. Let’s face it, if something didn’t improve, be it money savings on utility bills or comfort, no one would change out their working units. Cost savings are a serious trigger for homeowners these days and a new Air Conditioning System can prove to be an investment that pays off in a big way. Read more
Split Air Conditioner Replacement – The Age Consideration
Age of Existing System:
One of the basic factors to consider when deciding to replace your old air conditioning system is that of age. The old adage, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is not always the best, and in the case of older cooling systems that attitude can be costly. Let’s say your old cooling system, be it Air Conditioning or Heat
Pump, is a 13 year old 8 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, the standard by which cooling systems are rated) system. Just because it is still running does not necessarily make it a good thing.
How can that be? Well, first off, let’s explore the efficiency. Today’s minimum standard is 13 SEER. Each numeric rise in SEER rating is equal to about an 8% increase in efficiency. So, replacing your 8 SEER system with a minimum 13 SEER will reward you with nearly a 40% increase inefficiency. Read more