Roznovak's Services Blog

What Every Homeowner Should Know About Getting a New AC

September 19th, 2014

Getting a new air conditioner can be exciting, especially if you’ve been dealing with problems from an old, outdated one. But before you jump in with both feet and purchase your next system, there are a few important points to keep in mind. The very first point is to work with a trained professional, like the ones at Roznovak’s Services. We specialize in air conditioning service in Austin, TX, and we’ve got the expertise and knowledge to make sure you purchase an AC system that fits your needs and your home. Thinking of a new installation? Take your first step and call us today.

Things to Know Before You Purchase a New Air Conditioner

Here are a few things to keep in mind before purchasing and installing a new air conditioner:

Review the Types of Air Conditioners Available

There are a lot of choices when it comes to residential whole-home air conditioners. Knowing what the types are and having a basic understanding of how they operate can help you determine what type will best fit your needs and your home:

  • Traditional split system
  • Ductless air conditioning
  • Geothermal
  • Heat pumps

Don’t Install a System on Your Own

DIY projects are very popular, but the plain truth is that not all home-based projects are good choices to do yourself, and installing a whole-home air conditioner is never a good choice. Why? First, you’ll need expert knowledge of how air conditioning and electrical systems work. Second, if you have a ducted system, you’ll need extensive knowledge of how duct systems work. Then there’s accounting for potential mistakes, how much time it will take you and how safe you can be installing the system on your own. In the end, it’s best to leave an air conditioning installation to trained experts.

Size Matters

Ensuring you properly size an air conditioner for your home takes far more into account than just the square footage of your property. In fact, the best way to determine that you install an AC that provides the right amount of cooling is to have a trained specialist calculate the cooling load of your home. This calculation takes into consideration things like:

  • Your home’s orientation
  • Types and number of windows & doors
  • Level of insulation
  • Your floor plan
  • Number of rooms
  • Number of occupants
  • Daytime heat gain

All these factors contribute to your cooling load, and when they are overlooked, can result in the installation of an air conditioner that doesn’t meet your needs.

If you are getting ready to install a new AC, call the company you can trust with all your air conditioning services in Austin, TX: Roznovak’s Services.

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How Can Thermostats Help With Energy Efficiency?

September 12th, 2014

When we think of saving energy with our household systems, many times it can entail a big change – a new air conditioning system, a new furnace, new windows, etc. But there is a way to become much more energy efficient without having to overhaul your entire system: update your thermostat.

Your thermostat controls the cycling of your air conditioner, and there is a lot of power in that. Being able to precisely to control how you cool (and heat) at all times of the day is a key factor in saving energy. This is why Roznovak’s Services offers thermostat installation and replacement as one of its many air conditioning services in Austin, TX.

Types of Thermostats Available

There are three types of thermostats Roznovak’s Services carries, and each offers important energy-saving benefits:

  • Digital
  • Wireless
  • Smart

Digital Thermostats

Digital Thermostats offer three important features that you won’t get with slide or dial thermostats: precision, easy-to-use buttons and an easily readable face. The precision digital thermostats offer allow you to set an exact temperature, which can help you save energy.

Wireless Thermostats

Wireless thermostats do not need to be hardwired into your heating system. They can be placed anywhere and usually come with a remote control for convenience. But the most important energy-saving aspect of wireless thermostats is that they are programmable: they can be programmed in 7 day increments that can be looped or changed as needed. Programming allows you to set temperatures that can accommodate for times of low-to no occupancy, weekends and vacations; the result less energy usage.

Smart Thermostats

Smart thermostats offer you precision, programmability, energy usage reports and remote access from virtually anywhere. By downloading a simple app to your smart device(s), you can track, monitor, program and change your energy usage from anywhere that you can access the internet.

Upgrading your thermostat can help you to be more energy efficient, save money and improve your comfort level, all at the same time. Thermostat installation is just one of the many air conditioning services we offer in Austin, TX. Interested in upgrading your thermostat? Call Roznovak’s Services today.

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Does a Heat Pump Really Cool and Heat?

September 5th, 2014

Heat pumps are very versatile devices because, yes, they can both heat and cool. The reason they can do this is because they have a component called a reversing valve that allows them to switch modes between heating and cooling. Heat pumps are complex, so if you are in need of air conditioning services in Austin, TX, call the professionals you can count on: Roznovak Services, Inc.

What Is a Reversing Valve?

A reversing valve is the component in a heat pump that changes the direction of the refrigerant flow. Every reversing valve operates in two states: relaxed or energized. Depending on the valve’s manufacturing, the state dictates what happens. For instance, one manufacturer may designate that relaxed provides cooling, while another designates that energized provides cooling. Whatever the designation of one state, the other state is always the opposite.

How Do Heat Pumps Work?

Heat pumps work by transferring heat from one place to another; they use refrigerant to facilitate the transfer. In cooling mode, a heat pump works just like an air conditioner: it removes the heat and humidity from the indoors and transfers it outdoors. During winter, the heat pump absorbs heat from the surrounding area and transfers it into your home. Heat pumps use no fossil fuels and very little electricity, which make them very energy efficient.

What Are the Benefits of a Heat Pump?

We already touched on a couple of benefits of heat pumps – that they both heat and cool, and they are very energy efficient – but there are a few more benefits worth noting:

  • Long lifespan – heat pumps have an average lifespan of 20-25 years, which is almost twice that of an air conditioning system.
  • Balance humidity levels well – heat pumps keep healthy humidity levels year-round, including during winter, during which many people experience dryness because of combustible types of heat.
  • Very green – a heat pump doesn’t use fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases, so they are very environmentally-friendly devices.

If you are looking for a 2-in-1 type of device for your home that is also efficient and environmentally friendly, you may want to consider the installation of a heat pump. Roznovak Services, Inc. has offered air conditioning service for customers in Austin, TX since 1979, and we can help you with all your AC needs.

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The Very First Labor Day Celebration

August 29th, 2014

Labor Day as a federal holiday, held on the first Monday of September, has been with us now for 120 years. President Grover Cleveland signed the law that made Labor Day a national holiday in 1894. Ever since then, the three-day weekend has provided people in the U.S. with the opportunity for vacations, time with their families, shopping trips, and a general celebration of the conclusion of summer and the beginning of fall.

However, there were twelve years of Labor Day observations in the U.S. before it became an official holiday. The first Labor Day celebration took place in 1882 in New York City on September 5. According to the accounts from the time, it had a rough start and almost didn’t happen.

The main event planned for that first Labor Day was a parade along Broadway that was to start at City Hall. However, the parade ran into a bit of a snag early on. The marchers started to line up for the procession around 9 a.m., with a police escort to make sure the event went peacefully. However, the problem of the day wasn’t rowdy members of the parade—it was that nobody had remembered to bring a band!

With people ready to march, but no music to march to, it started to look like no parade would happen at all, and the first Labor Day would have ended up a failure. But just in time, Matthew Maguire of the Central Labor Union—one of the two men who first proposed the celebration—ran across the City Hall lawn to the Grand Marshal of the parade, William McCabe, to inform him that 200 men from the Jeweler’s Union of Newark were crossing the ferry to Manhattan… and they had a band!

At 10 a.m., only an hour late, the band from Newark walked down Broadway playing a number from a popular Gilbert and Sullivan opera. They passed McCabe and the other 700 marchers, who then fell in line behind them. Soon, the spectators joined in, and an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 people marched through Lower Manhattan.

According to the New York Times, “The windows and roofs and even the lamp posts and awning frames were occupied by persons anxious to get a good view of the first parade in New York of workingmen of all trades united in one organization.”

The parade concluded two hours later when the marchers reached Reservoir Park. But the party was only getting started. Until 9 p.m., some 25,000 people celebrated with picnics and speeches and beer kegs. It was an enormous success, and all thanks to the speedy arrival of jewelers carrying band instruments.

If those musicians from Newark hadn’t shown up, perhaps we wouldn’t have the holiday opportunity that we now have every year. However you celebrate your Labor Day, our family at Roznovak wishes your family a happy end of summer.

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Common Air Conditioning Repairs at the End of Summer

August 22nd, 2014

At the end of summer, you may be surprised if your air conditioner suddenly needs repair. However, your air conditioner runs for long periods of time all summer long, so a lot of air conditioners may run into trouble towards the end. Though you may be unsure whether your air conditioning repair need can wait until the next cooling season, it’s important to get problems fixed as soon as possible. Your air conditioner works hard to compensate when one component of your system is not working properly, and if you wait too long, other components may begin to fail, leading to the need for new air conditioning installation. If you encounter any repair needs, such as the common ones included in this guide, be sure to call for AC repair as soon as possible.

  • Frozen Evaporator Coil: Even in the heat of summer, your air conditioner can freeze up. The inside portion of your AC contains the evaporator coil, which allows refrigerant to evaporate and absorb heat from the air in your home. But if a problem causes reduced airflow to this coil, it may become too cold, causing an icy buildup to form on the outside of the coil.
  • Low Refrigerant: Another problem air conditioners may run into is low refrigerant. Refrigerant cycles through your home to absorb and release heat, but it should never dissipate. Refrigerant may be low if your technician measured it out incorrectly during installation. However, at the end of summer, low refrigerant may indicate a serious leak.
  • Damaged Compressor: The compressor is one of the most important components of your air conditioner. Refrigerant leaves the compressor as a high-pressure gas so that it can move through the rest of the system. Compressor damage may lead to the need for major repairs or even new air conditioning installation. Anytime you notice signs of problems, you should call for repairs right away. These signs include limited cooling and loud noises from the outdoor unit of your AC.

If you run into any of these repair needs, or if you decide you need a new air conditioning installation in Round Rock, TX, don’t wait until the end of summer to call the technicians at Roznovak.

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Why Consider Geothermal Cooling?

August 15th, 2014

Effective geothermal cooling was once only available to a few homes, but advances in technology have made it a possibility for numerous homeowners today. The advantages that a geothermal heat pump can offer should place them near the top of anyone’s list for a new home comfort system.

If you think that geothermal heating and cooling is out of your reach, you might be surprised at what you find out when you contact one of the Austin, TX air conditioner, heater, and heat pump experts at Roznovak. We provide extensive services for geothermal systems and have worked in home comfort services since 1979. You can trust to our expertise when you think it’s time to investigate the possibilities for cooling down your home through geothermal energy.

Why Geothermal Heat Pumps Are a Good Idea

  • Reliability: Geothermal systems operate on the basic principle that the temperature of the Earth remains stable 10 feet below the frost line. Regardless of the weather conditions above ground, the temperature at this depth hovers around 55°F. Unlike air-source heat pumps, which can lose efficiency due to extreme temperatures outside, a geothermal heat pump always has access to a sufficient amount of heat for both cooling and heating purposes. You won’t have to worry about a geothermal system struggling during a heat wave or a cold snap.
  • Energy efficiency: Studies conducted by the U.S. EPA have found that, thanks to the steady temperature of the Earth, geothermal heating and cooling systems work 4–6 times more energy-efficiently than standard heat pumps. Although geothermal systems cost more to install, they will rapidly return that extra cost with their energy savings. The EPA estimates that most geothermal systems will payback their initial installation price tag in 5–10 years.
  • Longevity: Few comfort systems will last as long as a geothermal heat pump. The indoor elements (the standard heat pump components) will endure for more than 20 years. The ground loops (the most expensive and difficult component to install) can last for more than 50 years! This means you will have many years to enjoy the energy savings after the payback period.
  • Heating and cooling: Since geothermal systems are heat pumps, they offer a two-in-one comfort solution for a house. You have an effective (and safe) heating system during the winter, and an air conditioning system during the summer that can match the cooling power of any comparably-sized standard AC.

Call To Find Out More

Geothermal heat pumps will not work for every home and property: space limitations and soil conditions can make them impractical in certain situations. It’s easy to find out if your home is ready for geothermal installation, however: contact Roznovak, and we will send out a geothermal specialist to survey your land and find out that best way to give you the power of a heater and an air conditioner in Austin, TX through the natural energy of the Earth.

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Your Air Conditioning Installation Options in Austin, TX

August 8th, 2014

Has the time come to upgrade your AC? Are you having difficult figuring out what type of air conditioner would work best in your Austin, TX home? Would you like a blend of power and efficiency? When considering your air conditioning installation options for your home or workspace, it’s important that you hire a professional to assist you from the get-go. One of the most important steps in any AC installation is the system selection. Basically, you need to make certain that the BTU output of your cooling system matches your living space so that your system can operate the way it is intended. Additionally, you need to consider your budget and cooling preferences.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular cooling options available: central air units, heat pumps and ductless air conditioners.

  • Central air units. It’s not without good reasons that central air units remain the most popular type of cooling system in the country. They are highly powerful, cost-effective and their efficiency continues to increase as the technology develops. The central air split is so-called because it has an indoor and outdoor unit as well as ductwork installed throughout your living space. Whether you’re looking for a powerhouse or you’re on a strict budget, a central air unit may be right for your home.
  • Heat pumps. You might be hard-pressed to differentiate a heat pump from a central air unit on looks alone. They have an indoor and outdoor unit, and they utilize the same refrigerant cycle that most cooling systems do. The one major difference between heat pumps and central air units is that the former can heat as well as cool your home. If energy efficiency is important to you, a heat pump makes for a great option.
  • Ductless air conditioning. As its name suggests, a ductless air conditioning system, also known as a ductless mini split, does not require ductwork in order to function. Instead of a centralized indoor air handler connected to a network of ducts, it uses multiple indoor air handlers installed within the living space itself. These blowers deliver cooling (as well as heating) to the various areas of your home.

Let us help you make a great decision when it comes to your AC installation. Call Roznovak’s Services today to schedule professional air conditioning installation in Austin, TX.

 

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Why Professional Air Conditioning Services are Necessary

July 31st, 2014

If you own a whole-house HVAC system, it’s important that your air conditioning services be taken care of by a trained professional. There’s simply no way around it. If you want your air conditioner to be installed correctly, to be repaired properly and to be maintained carefully, then make sure you opt for a skilled and certified technician. If you attempt to take care of the equipment installation or repair yourself, then you risk the integrity of your system, and if you risk hiring an amateur, then you may be wasting your hard-earned dollar.

Here’s Why Professional Air Conditioning Services Are Necessary

  • Money. If you’re like most folks, you work hard for your money. No matter what line of business you’re in, it’s important that you spend it wisely. One of the primary reasons for hiring a professional to take care of your air conditioner is that it’s worth every penny. Whether you need an immediate repair of your air conditioner to ensure that your cooling resumes as soon as possible or you’re investing in a new air conditioner, hiring a skilled contractor is money well spent. It ensures that the service will be done properly so that you don’t have to worry about paying twice for the same job.
  • Time. We’re fairly sure that you don’t like to waste time. Hiring a pro to take care of your air conditioning service is important because it can actually save you time. You don’t have to worry about taking the time out of your busy schedule to attempt a repair that you’re uncertain of, and you can also make certain that the job is completed in an efficient manner.
  • A job well done. When you hire a contractor to complete a project, you want to make certain that it’s completed. That means that there is no second visit and there is no aspect of the job that is left incomplete. Make sure you hire a pro.

For comprehensive air conditioning services in the greater Austin, TX area, you can count on the professional technicians at Roznovak’s Services.

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Why Choose an Air Purifier for Your Home

July 21st, 2014

If you have airborne contaminants such as dust or dander flowing throughout your home, then you may want to take a stand. Poor indoor air quality is a prevalent issue throughout the country, and ensuring that your home has clean air is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, modern homes are built with energy efficiency rather than natural ventilation in mind. While this keeps your energy bills low, it often leads to indoor air quality problems as your indoor air continues to circulate and recirculate. If you own a forced-air distribution system such as a furnace or central air unit, there are several upgrades that you can take advantage of in order to improve your indoor air. The air purifier is one of the most effective.

A whole house air purifier is quite different than the type of portable air units that you find in hardware stores. You don’t have to move it around the house in order to clean your indoor air evenly and you don’t have to worry about turning it on and off. Whole house air purifiers are relatively compact and they are integrated directly within your ductwork system. Unlike a conventional air filter, they do not trap particles on a medium such as fiberglass, but rather use a specialized ionization system.

As your indoor air passes through the air purifier, noxious particles such as dander, dust and other contaminants are given an electric charge. This causes them to be attracted to material with an opposite charge, which is why they collect on a plate or cell within the device, or glom together into larger particles that fall to the ground, ready to be vacuumed up. The process is relatively simple, and it has numerous benefits.

The chief benefit of any air cleaner is cleaner air, but the air purifier ensures that the cleaning process is done so without blocking your air. HEPA filters are highly effective but they can result in increased energy bills as they reduce the amount of air that can travel through the device at any one time. These systems also require very little to no maintenance.

If an air purifier sounds right by you, then make sure you give the experts at Roznovak’s Services a call today. We can answer any further questions that you might have and get you started on the path to cleaner air with an air purifier in Austin, TX.

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The Importance of Insulation

July 18th, 2014

The modern home is built with energy efficiency in mind. Over the years, architects and builders have sought to ensure that your home is a place where heating and cooling can take place efficiently, that hot air stays outside during the summer and that hot air stays inside during the winter months. As you can well imagine, ventilation problems can arise, although there are many ways to prevent such problems with an indoor air quality product. But all of these considerations are primarily due to a single product, insulation. While it comes in various shapes, sizes and colors, your insulation is the key to energy efficiency in the home.

Without insulation, your indoor living space is subject to the whims of nature. On a particularly scorching day, the thermal energy will radiate through the roof and into all the nooks of your house; on a particularly cold day, your heater will simply be unable to keep up with the energy loss as your heat goes right through the walls, windows, doors and roof. Not only would a lack of insulation dramatically affect your comfort, but it would also lead to exorbitant energy bills. One of the ways that whole house HVAC systems are able to be relatively affordable is due to insulation technology.

It’s imperative that your insulation be professionally installed or replaced as the case may be. If you live in an older home, then you may want to consider upgrading your old insulation. Depending on what type it is, how it was installed originally, as well as its location, you may stand to benefit greatly from the improved efficiency. If you are building a new home, make sure you hire a trusted contractor to take care of your insulation needs before they close the walls up, although blown-in insulation is also an option for retrofitting purposes.

Today’s lesson: don’t underestimate the importance of your insulation. Poor quality or poorly installed insulation can cause even high-end air conditioners and heating systems to produce lackluster results, lead to intimidating utility bills, and generally provide discomfort throughout the home. If you have any further questions about our insulation services in Austin, TX, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Roznovak’s Services.

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