By John Corcoran Blog • Success Stories 0 Comments

Hot Upstairs – Freezing Downstairs – and Annoyed?

So were they...until they called us!

Here’s something you may not know: the ideal temperature deviation from your home’s thermostat to other areas throughout is three degrees.

That’s not what the eight-member Cannon Family in Roselle was experiencing! They found us through IMS, a trade publication and had us over to discuss comfort issues with their home’s HVAC delivery. We found that the uniform temperature they hoped to achieve in warm months (for example, opting for 78 degrees throughout) measured closer to 90 degrees in second floor bedrooms and 66 in the newly added basement sleeping rooms. That led to sheet covered but still sweating sleepers upstairs with multi blanketed, freezing family down under.

After testing the ductwork to see what air temperatures the system was delivering, we looked at other challenges the home’s air conditioning was facing (i.e. windows, insulation, etc.). That information, along with a measured floor plan was fed into a computer model to perform a load calculation. Because the results show the exact amount of air needed to turn uncomfortable rooms into livable, this analysis was essential for developing a proper battle plan. The solution was presented and these problems were corrected:

(1) Ductwork which was not only undersized, but installed on exterior, uninsulated walls.

We were able to add a large supplemental trunk line up through aligning closets and walls into the attic – sealing all joints and connections up there as well insulating with a greater than recommended duct wrap. (We used R-8).  From that location, we were able to break off the line and add supplies, sized by the computer model, into each bedroom. As the supplies were ceiling mounted and seamlessly integrated, there would be no need to patch or repaint.

(2) Bring on even more air.

In a second upper bedroom we added a large supplemental return duct which we branched from an adjacent room.  This allowed more air to be brought into the furnace.  In 90% of these cases we see there is a high static attributed to the return side.  Reducing this static pressure enables your equipment, including the ductwork, to work at its best.  Kind of like reducing blood pressure – or stress.

(3) Comforting those in the basement bedrooms.

We installed the proper adjustable dampers to help reduce the cold airflow in those rooms.

And the end result?  Rooms which were now within two degrees of the thermostat setting.  Follow up conversation with our customer was positive!  They were pleased with the process: from John’s recommendations and detailed reports, to quick scheduling, to our friendly, polite crew who communicated well and was able to finish the job earlier than anticipated, to our retesting showing that the system was now up to speed.  Although Mrs. Cannon says she feels the best referrals are word of mouth – and she’ll be happy to pass our name along - she was preparing to review us online before we beat her to it with our quality assurance phone call.  The homeowners mentioned they recently had some driveway work done, and said their experience with Corcoran Heating and Air Conditioning was “night and day” when compared to the other contractor.

We’re glad to hear it – and pledge to Keep Up the Good Work. - If you are ready to get this same level of performance and engineering for you home and want to learn more click the link below!

By John Corcoran Blog • Technical Articles 0 Comments

Reducing “stress” on your HVAC equipment this spring.

With spring finally starting to approach it is a wonder just how hot it may get this summer. Will we have a overly hot summer, or more milder temps? Hard to say, but after this last winter my money is on the long hot summer.

With April being a month dedicated to stress awareness I thought what better way than to look at something you may not expect would suffer from stress. Your indoor comfort is directly affected by the stress your HVAC equipment and ductwork will be up against this spring and summer. To help reduce the stress on not only your equipment but on your sanity and pocket book here are some steps to take.

Change or clean your filter.

One of the simplest and cheapest ways to help directly reduce the stress your equipment will be facing. These long cold winters keep our houses closed up and furnaces running constantly. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to get your filters checked, changed, or cleaned.

Beware of overly price filters that promise high capture rates without doing your research. If you have a 1” filter we recommend the fiberglass disposable and addressing allergy concerns with RGF lights. For 5” filters you should stick with Honeywell or Air Bare filters. And for most electronic models they require a thorough cleaning every 1-3 months depending on your space. Some of the newer models require cleaning and replaceable filters that need to be changed regularly.

Uncover your units

OK, first off it is rare that we would ever tell you to cover your units. Certain locations and commercial locations, but typically outdoor units are built to be outdoors. The problem with covering them is that they make a great home for a local family of mice or rodents. Rodents who like to snack on the insulation of wiring inside the condensing units.

Unblock your vents

Thankfully it is time for spring cleaning which means decluttering and cleaning things out. We recommend by starting with things that have piled over supply and return vents. The easier the air can move through a system the less stress on the unit, and the overall happier with your equipment you will be. The necessary stress has many monetary issues as well. If you do want to close vents in rooms you do not use, check to see if there is a damper in the ductwork as opposed to just closing the grill. Switching the dampers in the majority of cases better diverts airflow at the source.

Once it gets a bit warmer, clean the coils

Taking a hose to your outdoor units at home or at work is a bring stress reliever for your equipment. The outdoor coils are vital for the transfer of heat from inside to outside. Which is what makes air conditioning a reality. These outdoor coils have many small groves air must travel through. Grooves perfectly sized to get packed with derbies, pollens, and vegetation. The more build up on the equipment the worse off the system will be.

Now these are all things you can do yourself, and we do recommend it. We also recommend that you get things looked at professionally once a year. During a professional inspection and efficiency adjustment we can ensure the equipment is on the right track for the upcoming season. As well as point out ways that you can improve on comfort and system performance. We are excited to show those savvy clients interested how to get the most out of their systems this summer.  Just give us a call!

By John Corcoran Blog • Technical Articles 0 Comments

Technical Corner: Why De-Humidify?

Many clients ask this question during the oft en rainy late spring and early summer. They want to know not only if they should be running de-humidifiers, but what are the risks if they do not and which systems and settings are the best. Good questions, so why not delve into the matter right now so that everyone can benefit from our suggestions?

Fact is: our area is wet. Most home-owners who have basements and crawlspaces have either experienced flooding, know some-one who has, or are worried about it. No, this article is not about flooding but mentioning it is an important reminder of how much water our homes and other buildings are up against. Where there is water, heat, and stagnant air – there is higher humidity. Structures with sump pumps, floor drains, flooding potential and hosts of other water sources such as washing machines and lower level bathrooms face high humidity levels and the potential of related issues.

Our recommendations: The easiest solution is to run a small portable plug in model in an area of multiple mechanical or water sources. Based on the model, you can set the desired humidity point and fan speed. may be a little greedy, but I have a lot of ground water, and am happy with the results thus far).  If the unit can be put in an area near a ground drain – all the better as most come with (garden) hose adaption options which can be run to it along the floor. If not, other units are available with water capture containers which stop the de-humidifier from running when the water reaches a certain level and will restart aft er being emptied. When shopping for one of these portables, know your basement’s square footage and look for a unit with adequate coverage. Also look for one which not only handles the basement square footage, but performs with low electrical usage.

For more extreme humidity issues there are whole house de-humidifier options. The same companies that bring you humidifiers will most likely have a full line of ductable de-humidifiers. These units interlock with your current air handling equipment and are ducted to condition specific areas of concern. We can get into more details on these if your situation requires.

O.K. How long should we run de-humidifiers and what if we don’t? The answers are easy: all rainy season, and all summer long. If not, that musty odor caused by high humidity hangs around, as does an ideal environment for mold to grow. It’s frightening to know that it only takes as little as forty-eight hours, some water, and a food source to cultivate breeding ground for a great crop of this not only pesky and odorous, but potentially health risky crop of troublesome mold.

If you have other questions we haven’t covered or concerns about your specific situation, feel free to give us a call. Or – ask our technician when he is out doing your annual maintenance.

Also make sure to Google your de-humidifier model number along with the word “recall” to ensure your model has not been recalled. There are a large number of portable units that have been recalled due to potential fire risks.

By John Corcoran Success Stories 0 Comments

Helping to Save a Marriage!?!

The most rewarding part of what we do everyday is talking to our clients after we have made a significant impact in there home. We learn even more about how bad it really was before they have experienced our solutions. Had we never met Marty I know he would have given up his crusade for comfort, because he told me so.

His story is one I am proud to share, because people like Marty just assume they are stuck being uncomfortable. Marty came to us looking for a way to keep his master bedroom comfortable on his newly custom built home. His wife and him where ready to move out of their gorgeous master suite, because they could not sleep comfortably next to one another. Their master suite just like the rest of their home was absolutely gorgeous.

Marty had us out and explained to us his frustration and his journey up to that point. He told us he had called out a different contract each year for the past 4 years he had lived in his home. Each contractor would look at his equipment and say everything was working the way it was designed. He knew he wasn’t crazy and that there was actually something else that had to be going on here. We reassured him he was not crazy and that by the time we were done with our evaluation he would have a solution.

We spent roughly two hours measuring his house, ductwork, and all other factors that effect his house. The one thing the other contractors had missed is that the home as well as the equipment make up a system. Without examining the entire house, you are only exposed to the tip of the ice-berg. The solution was easy, and he did not need to make any equipment changes or upgrades. Our load calculation and duct analysis showed us his furnace was starving for air, and his bedroom did not have enough vents to properly condition the space.

After talking with Marty some more, his only concern was that our solution finally put an end to his suffering. We reassured him we had the right prescription to solve his problem, and since we guarantee our duct renovations 100% satisfaction or your money-back, he said it was a no brainer. Sure Marty could have called up some other contractors and had them try our solution, but he had been down that road each year. We put his mind to ease that his was all it would take and got to work the next day.

His thank you video says it the best, but I can assure you that Marty and his wife are now finally comfortable in their master suite. Now I won’t take credit for saving his marriage or anything, but I know we re-moved a major pain allowing them to sleep comfortable through the night.