The Clean Air Act Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Portland’

Benefits of High Efficiency, Small Ductwork HVAC Systems

Monday, October 29th, 2012

High efficiency small ductwork systems, also called high velocity mini duct systems, are a relatively new technology in the heating and air conditioning. While the general concept is the same as traditional forced air system, the small systems provide some attractive benefits to homeowners. Below we explore some of the benefits to the high velocity mini duct systems and how you can take advantage of them in your home in Portland.

What is a High Efficiency Small Ductwork HVAC System

The mini duct systems work in almost the same way that traditional forced air system do. They use a central air handler to pump air through a series of ducts that terminate into a register in each room. However, the biggest difference is that they’re smaller. With a smaller duct, the high velocity systems gain several advantages which we explore below.

Greater Efficiency

There are several benefits to the smaller size of the duct and the high velocity of the air traveling through it.

  • Reduced Surface Area – With about 65% less surface area that traditional ductwork, there is less room for heat to leave the air. The greatly increases the efficiency of the mini duct system.
  • Unique Construction – Because of the way that the small ducts are built, they are almost air tight. This means that while the air is traveling through the duct, less of it is escaping. You get more of the air that you paid to heat or cool delivered to each of your rooms.
  • Air speed – The air moves through the smaller ducts much quicker than in traditional box ductwork. Less time spent in the duct means that there is less time for the air to lose its heat energy.

Reduced Space Requirements

Another obvious benefit is that high velocity mini duct systems require less space. Mini duct systems can fit into walls where traditional ducting could never fit. Mini systems are perfect for retrofitting older homes that lack the attic space for ductwork. Mini duct systems use about 1/3 of the amount of space as traditional ducting.

If you have any questions about high velocity mini duct systems and if they’re the right choice for your home in Portland, give the experts at Clean Air Act a call today.

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Benefits of a High Velocity Heating System

Monday, October 22nd, 2012

If you are considering a high velocity heating system for your home or business, call the Portland heating experts at The Clean Air Act. We can go over the benefits and your options no matter what your heating needs are. For upgrades, we can also send a technician to your home or office to determine which type of heating system is right for you. Here’s how it works and the basic benefits you’ll get.

High velocity systems are also called small duct velocity. They are an energy-efficient air delivery system to meet all your HVAC needs, including heating, air conditioning, ventilation, air filtration, and moisture control. This improves indoor air quality and provides heating and cooling in one efficient system. Similar to installing ductless split systems, there’s very little disruption during the installation process. In other words, you don’t have to tear out all your walls due to the use of a flex duct system used to deliver the air throughout your home or office building.

The other main components can fit into closets, mechanical rooms, attics, crawlspaces, and most other tight-fit spaces. This makes high velocity systems ideal for retrofits, but they are also a good option for new construction projects. These systems are quiet and provide ample heat for your space even on the coldest days of the year. You can also add a whole-home dehumidifier or humidifier for better indoor air quality.

Another benefit is that high velocity systems evenly distribute the air to every room in your house evenly. However, if you are upgrading, you will need to make sure your air handler is upgraded to ensure that it is compatible with the new high velocity system. While there are many heating replacement options, you may find that a high velocity system is the most cost-effective upgrade for your needs, but it’s always good to speak with a professional contractor first.

Don’t hesitate to call the Portland heating, air conditioning, and indoor air quality experts at The Clean Air Act for all your questions about high velocity heating systems. Call today to get started!

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How do I choose the right air cleaner for my home?

Monday, October 15th, 2012

At Clean Air Act, we provide a multitude of air purification systems to help improve indoor air quality in your Oregon City home. The standard filters that are installed in your heating and cooling system may not be enough if you suffer from allergies or other respiratory issues. If you aren’t sure which type of air cleaner will meet your indoor air quality needs, just give us a call to set up a consultation. Here’s some information to get you started.

Air cleaners are installed to work with your central heating and air conditioning system. Many homeowners choose either an electronic or mechanical air cleaner, since they each target different contaminants. Chronic allergy suffers choose mechanical air filters since they are more cost-effective and target the more common indoor allergens, such as pet dander, pollen, and mold spores.  Electronic air cleaners are more expensive but target smaller particles, so it is important to know what type of irritants you wish to eliminate.

Some people choose to install both types of air cleaners, in addition to a UV germicidal light to help kill bacteria and viruses. The type of air filtration system you choose really depends on your specific needs and your budget.   If you are unable to eliminate the source of the problem (people with pets, for instance), then you may one to consider one of these different combinations of air cleaners.

Keep in mind that air cleaners cannot eliminate radon or get rid of mold in the home. Mold remediation and radon mitigation should be handled by a professional. We also offer radon testing and remediation for homeowners throughout the area.

Call Clean Air Act, the Oregon City indoor air quality experts if you have questions about improving the air quality inside your home

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Top 5 Reasons to Install an Indoor Air Quality System

Monday, October 8th, 2012

We spend a lot of our time indoors—whether it’s sleeping and eating or just relaxing with our friends and family. In Portland, we tend to have pretty clean air. But what you may not realize is that your indoor air is often more polluted than the air outside. In fact, poor indoor air quality is the fourth largest environmental threat to our country, according to the EPA. Here are a few reason why you should invest in an indoor air quality system:

Allergy relief

For any of your family members who suffer from allergies, having an indoor air quality system can trap pollen and pet dander that would otherwise irritate them. Indoor air cleaners like media filters, electronic and HEPA filters are specifically designed to capture exactly those kinds of contaminants. Installing an air cleaner in your air handler may reduce the effect that pollen and pet dander have on your family.

Reduces amount of dust and contaminants in the air

Dust can also be a respiratory irritant and can accumulate on your furniture. Media filters installed in your heating and air conditioning system can trap dust and remove it from your indoor air leaving your house cleaner. Electronic air cleaners ionize the air to filter out smaller particles like smoke and exhaust fumes.

Removes bacteria and viruses

Electronic and HEPA filters can also capture microscopic bacteria and viruses before you can even breathe them in. This can reduce the number of illnesses that occur in your home. Additionally, an ultra-violet germicidal light can further increase the purity of your home’s air by killing germs inside your ductwork before they can recirculate into your home.

Allows fresh air inside

Part of a good air purity system is to make sure it is properly ventilated. By increasing the “tightness” of your home—how much air your home lets in—you can control exactly where the air in your home comes from. By properly ventilating your house, you can continually cycle in fresh air from outside.

Keeps humidity constant

A house that has too much or too little humidity can cause you a lot of problems. With too much humidity, your house can become a breeding ground for mold. It can also make it difficult to breath in your house. But too little humidity can cause your nasal passages, skin and even your furniture to dry out and crack. With a humidity control system from Clean Air Act, you can kep your humidity at the perfect level—around 30-50%.

For more information on how an indoor air quality system can benefit your Portland home, contact the professionals at Clean Air Act today!

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Proper Ventilation for Improved Indoor Air Quality

Monday, October 1st, 2012

When you think about your Portland home’s furnace, you’re probably not thinking about indoor air quality. But the truth is that there are several ways in which your furnace can impact the quality of the air in your home. When you have a furnace in your home, it’s important to understand the relationship between these heating systems and your home’s indoor air quality.

Proper Ventilation for Byproducts of Combustion

Especially if you have a gas furnace, you need to be aware of the gasses that are produced by the combustion of natural gas to generate heat. The two that are the most relevant to indoor air quality are carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. In a furnace that’s working properly and is well maintained, these gasses will be kept from the living spaces of your home and vented outside where they can disperse and are not harmful.

Air Filters

In addition to venting fumes outside, your furnace also should have air filters that can remove all types of indoor air contaminants that may be found in your indoor air. These air filters are a great way to keep the quality of your indoor air high, but they also need to be changed out or cleaned on a regular basis to ensure they’re working properly and that you’re getting all of the benefit you should from them.

If you have a particularly severe indoor air quality problem, or if anyone in your home has asthma or allergies, you may want to invest in an upgrade to the stock filters that come with your furnace. Opting for a higher quality filter can dramatically improve the quality of your indoor air.

For more information about how to improve the air quality in your Portland home, give The Clean Air Act, Inc. a call today!

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What’s the difference between mechanical and electronic air cleaners?

Monday, September 24th, 2012

There are a number of air cleaners on the market, each of them offering a number of specific features and benefits designed to match the types or air pollutants and allergens your Portland home has. However, a common question we get is about the difference between mechanical and electronic air cleaners.

Mechanical Air Cleaners

Mechanical air cleaners are also called filters and are generally some form of physical device installed in the air flow system for your HVAC device or air handler. The air flows through the filter and particles are removed because they are smaller than air particles. Mechanical filters come in different MERV ratings, and some are rated as HEPA filtration devices, removing up to 99.9% of contaminants 0.3 microns or larger. These devices are highly effective for almost all forms of allergens and contaminants in the Portland area.

Electronic Air Cleaners

An electronic air cleaner uses a different process, actively removing particles by ionizing the air and pulling the particles out of it. The difference is that such a process only works on smaller particles like gas or smoke and fumes. So, an electronic air cleaner removes the stuff that a mechanical filter never could, and is generally only necessary if your home suffers from such contaminants.

When the time comes to have a new air cleaning system installed in your home, the first thing you should do is determine what you need to have removed. Most people will benefit from a mechanical filter upgrade, but if exhaust is a problem due to proximity to a major road or if someone in your home smokes, an electronic filter can go one step further and remove a lot of additional particles.

There are also air purification systems that combine both technologies to create a fully-featured air cleaning system. You can check if this type of system is compatible with your air handler and then have one sized for your needs.

To determine what to do about the indoor air quality in your Portland home, contact The Clean Air Act, Inc. today!

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HVAC Repairs That Will Save You Money

Monday, September 17th, 2012

Your air conditioning and heating system operate frequently throughout the year – so much so that regular maintenance and repairs are a basic necessity if you want to ensure absolute comfort for your family year round. There are certain routine repairs or maintenance tasks that can actually save you money though, even if they are not immediately necessary for the proper operation of your HVAC system. Here are a few such repairs and the benefits you will gain.

Clean Your Ductwork

Ductwork cleaning in Portland is an important component of annual HVAC maintenance. We recommend having this done at least once a year to remove the natural buildup of debris and dust in your ductwork that will reduce energy efficiency of your system by as much as 30%.

Clean and Replace Filters

Filters are designed to block debris and dust, among other things, from entering the air flow of your Portland home or from blocking the moving parts in your home’s HVAC system. However, those same filters, when they become clogged, are an equal impediment for your HVAC system. The blocked air flow can not only reduce efficiency but also increase the risk you’ll need repairs.

Calibrate Your Thermostats

Improperly calibrated thermostats can lead to improper cooling and heating in your Portland home, resulting in higher bills or a lack of proper comfort control. These are easy to fix but calibration needs to be done regularly, especially if you have mechanical thermostats. You might also consider an upgrade to a programmable digital thermostat.

Clean the Coils

Dirty coils can be a major impediment to heating and cooling efficiency, as the transfer of heat is blocked by a layer of dust or dirt. Regular HVAC maintenance should include full cleaning of your evaporator coils, as well as your heat exchanger and fan blower motors.

When done regularly the four maintenance tasks above will greatly reduce the cost of operating your HVAC system and save you quite a bit of money over time. Call us today! Portland air conditioning and heating customers can rely on The Clean Air Act, Inc. for quality service.

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When to Replace Parts of Your Geothermal System

Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

A geothermal system isn’t much different from other Portland heating and air conditioning systems in that it will require regular preventive maintenance visits, may need repairs on occasion, and eventually certain components will need to be replaced. But when will those replacements be needed and how will they compare to the frequency of part replacement on systems such as those for a furnace or air conditioner?

 The Condenser

A geothermal system may draw heat from a unique source, but the technology used to extract that heat and distribute it throughout your home is largely the same as in a traditional heat pump or air conditioner. So, you will have a condenser unit outside your home, coils inside your home and an air handler to distribute the air that is heated or cooled.

Each of these components needs to be properly maintained over a period of time to keep it from breaking down but there will be times when certain things need to be replaced. For reference, the average condenser unit has a limited warranty of up to 10 years. The system will likely last beyond that if well maintained, but it will probably need replacement sometime between 10 and 15 years of age.

Your indoor coils will likely last longer, though if they are not cleaned properly or if your system runs a lot, they may need replacement between 15 and 20 years. The air handler is different because different models are rated for different lengths of time, but it should be inspected and checked as often as your condenser and replaced when it gets old.

 Other Components

For the most part, the piping installed under your property to gather geothermal energy is likely going to last for many years – between 20 and 30 in most cases. However, there are situations in which piping may need to be replaced. Root growth from a nearby tree, damage from a natural disaster or improper installation of the system can all lead to early replacement.

Whatever your Portland geothermal component replacement needs, make sure you take action as soon as you suspect a problem to minimize the potential cost of such replacements. Call The Clean Air Act, Inc today for service!

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How Do I Know if I Have a Radon Problem?

Monday, August 27th, 2012

Radon is a gas that is invisible, odorless, and radioactive.  Thus it is important to know if you have a radon problem.  The experts at Clean Air Act Inc. in Portland can help you understand exactly what radon is and how to determine if you have a radon problem.

While naturally occurring, radon usually comes from the breakdown of uranium which happens in soil.  It is also frequently found in areas where granite is present in the soil.  It can be transferred into a building through foundation cracks or even via the water supply.  Once it enters a building it gets trapped and can cause health problems as it is continually breathed in and out.

Some of the main symptoms of radon exposure include repeated respiratory infections, chest pain along with shortness of breath, and a sever cough.  Ultimately radon exposure leads to lung cancer because it is breathed in.  While there are some symptoms associated with radon exposure, it can be hard to truly know whether or not these symptoms are in fact a result of radon exposure, or if they are due to some other environmental problem.

Radon in and of itself is impossible to detect without the proper testing equipment.  The only proof positive way to know if you have a radon problem is to have your building professionally tested for radon.  During the radon testing process, if radon is found, the source of the radon will be identified so that it can be addressed during the radon mitigation process.

There are some home-methods of testing for radon which includes a charcoal canister, an ion detector, and an alpha track detector.  However, these must still be sealed up and sent to a lab for analysis.  Additionally, use of these is not considered completely accurate and it is best to work with a professional when radon testing is concerned so that a complete and thorough analysis can be made.

We are specialists in understanding radon and dealing with it properly, so call Clean Air Act Inc. if you need radon testing and mitigation in the Portland area!

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Duct Size and Central Air Conditioning

Monday, August 13th, 2012

Having proper duct size is vital to having a Portland air conditioning system that functions appropriately.  If the air ducts are too small not enough cooled air will reach the intended rooms, if the ducts are too large the air will not have enough force to make its way from the AC to the room vents.  As such there are some AC industry standards for duct sizing which should be followed by any Portland air conditioning professional.

Air Duct Sizing for Central AC Systems

While there are many misused rules of thumb in the AC industry, there are also some newer standards which have been put into place such as “Manual D” methods of design that have already begun to improve performance of AC systems in homes and offices.

There is a difference between what is needed for an AC system supply ducts and return ducts.  Supply ducts tend to need smaller ducts while return ducts will often need to be larger.

Proper air duct sizing greatly depends on the square footage of the building being cooled, the air conditioner capacity or BTUs, how many ducts will be utilized, where they are positioned, and how many vents there are.  Additionally, the entire system will need to be properly balanced so that the AC works efficiently.

Duct sizing is based on the air volume that will be produced and the velocity at which it will be flowing through the ducts.  Determining the proper combination of these factors with the AC that will be used is essential to having a duct system that works efficiently.  A good rule of thumb for proper air flow is to have anywhere from 600 to 900 feet per minute of air flow flowing through the ducts.  To reach this, the cubic feet per minute will be determined, which will then be compared with a standard friction rate of 0.1 inches of water per 100 feet.  This calculation will result in an appropriate duct size for either rectangular or round ducts based on the size of the building and how powerful the AC is.

Air ducts should be properly sized prior to being installed.   Call The Clean Air Act, Inc. today to learn more about AC installation!

 

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