Frequently Asked Questions.

E-Mail any question you'd like answered to bdelp@rollanet.org

General.

• How often should I change the filters in my furnace or air conditioner? We recommend checking them once a month. Replace them at least every two months.
• How often should the motors in my system be oiled?Most motors should be oiled annually with 20-30 drops of high quality petroleum base oil for each bearing. Do NOT use 3 in One oil because it is vegetable base and will eventually gum up and destroy the motor.

Heat Pump.

• Do heat pumps work well in this area? Yes, heat pumps are energy efficient down to approx. 0 degrees F. The limiting factor is the boiling point of Freon 22 which is 20 below zero F. All heat pumps lose capacity as the outdoor temp decreases, but the amount of energy they consume also decreases. This is why heat pumps have to have a backup source of heat for during extreme cold temperatures.

Air Conditioning.

• Should I cover my outside unit in the winter? No. If you enclose the condenser with a waterproof wrap, small amounts of moisture could condense either inside the fan motor or cause damage to the contactor. You could cover the top so leaves can't get inside the unit.
• How often should the Freon be checked in my system?Freon is not used up or consumed in the refrigeration process. The typical central air conditioner has between two to three hundred feet of copper tubing. Freon can leak out from improper joints in this tubing. Under Ideal conditions your system should never have to be recharged.
• My air conditioner is freezing up. What could be wrong?Two possibilities. 1. Slightly low on Freon charge. This will cause the pressure/coil temperature to be too low,freezing the water that condenses out of the air. 2.Low air flow. This could mean dirty air filters or improper return air duct size, or a belt that is slipping on a belt drive blower.

Furnaces.

• Should I buy a super-high efficiency gas furnace?Probably not! The least efficient gas furnace that you can buy is 80%. The best gas furnaces run at about 92% efficiency. You need to figure the difference in cost between the 80 and 90% furnaces which is substantial, and compare that figure against how much gas you consume in an average year. The bottom line is that the payback for the difference in cost between the super-high and high efficient can be more than 12 years, if nothing ever goes wrong. One service call would blow your whole savings for the entire year!The 90%+ furnaces have a more complex control circuit with much more to go wrong.