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The new year is usually a time to reflect on the year that has passed and make goals for the future. With the start of 2020, however, you can also reflect on the past decade — including how the time has affected your HVAC system.

Improvements to heating systems are made constantly, and as your furnace ages, it becomes less efficient. Some furnaces, while still in good working order, simply don’t measure up to systems currently on the market.

Learn more about the features of newer gas heating systems to see if your house might need an improvement to start the new decade off right.

Using Less Energy

The definition of what makes an efficient furnace has shifted as technology has improved. It used to be that a furnace with a 78% fuel efficiency was an excellent investment, even though that meant that 30% of the fuel was wasted instead of used to heat your home.

Now, furnaces are more efficient than ever, with the best models utilizing over 98.5% percent of the fuel they burn. You’ll get more heat from less fuel, which translates into significant savings over time.

Harnessing the Heat

Heat loss can occur in many areas of a furnace, resulting in lower energy efficiency. One of those areas is the heat exchanger. Older furnaces have only one heat exchanger. After burning fuel, the warmed air is pumped into your home, while the exhaust is pumped outside.

With only one heat exchanger, a lot of heat leaves the house with the exhausted fuel. In a new furnace, the still-warm exhaust can be processed again, pulling even more heat into your house before releasing the exhaust. You’re getting more from what you’re burning, which translates into getting more bang for your buck.

Working Smarter

Does your old furnace still use a pilot light to keep the heat running? The pilot light constantly burns, but it is only actually useful when the furnace switches on. The rest of the time, the constant flame wastes fuel by staying lit.

More modern furnace designs offer pilot light alternatives, including an electric igniter that helps a gas furnace burn fuel only when needed.

Spreading Heat Evenly

Does your home seem to vary in temperature throughout the day instead of staying at a constant comfort level? The varying temperature can be caused by a single-speed blower, a hallmark of older heating systems. When the furnace is on, it uses a fan to distribute heat through the ductwork.

A single-speed fan will blow the heat through the home effectively, but then it shuts off, and the air stops moving entirely until the house cools down and triggers the furnace to start burning more fuel.

Newer heating systems have a more intelligent approach. The blower can work at higher speeds but then continue to move air at a slower speed to help circulate residual heat and keep air moving through the house. Blowing the heat through the home at a reduced speed for a longer time also prevents the wear and tear of frequent stopping and starting.

The result is a more even temperature and fewer freeze-thaw cycles, which decreases the overall load on your furnace over time.

Choosing the Right Fuel

Gone are the days when you have to choose between many different heat sources and types. Each type of system has pros and cons. Modern technology takes the good things from different system types and puts them together into a hybrid system where you can enjoy all of the pros with fewer cons.

For example, a hybrid furnace can adjust which energy source it uses based on what is more efficient. A gas or heat pump hybrid might use a heat pump for temperatures that are more mild, but still chilly, but during a cold snap, the furnace can switch to using gas or propane as a fuel source for more dependable heating in cold weather.

This way, you don’t have to put up with the cons of a heat pump (less dependable in very cold weather), but you also don’t have to worry about inefficiently burning and paying for fuel when a different heat source could do the job more easily.

Entering a New Era of Furnace

Finally, just like everything else, your HVAC is going smart. Wireless connectivity and smart thermostats make it easier to control your heating system away from home.

You can reap the benefits of reduced furnace use by setting the temperature to go colder at night, checking for times when the furnace seems to be on more often (indicating the need for service or repair), and checking the state of the appliance when you are on vacation.

Communicating home heating systems will become more mainstream this decade.

For more information or to schedule a new furnace installation for your home, contact us at Derek Sawyer’s Smart Energy Heating & Air.

While many larger commercial properties and operations have implemented solar, smaller commercial properties owners may hesitate. Solar does represent an investment, and in some cases, owners of smaller commercial properties may not immediately see the benefits solar can bring them. Discover some of the many ways smaller commercial properties can benefit from solar power implementations.

1. Take Advantage of Solar Incentives

Incentives and tax credit programs change over time, but they still exist. These incentives can exist at the federal and state level. In some cases, local incentives or incentives from other organizations sometimes show up as well.
The investment tax credit (ITC), also called the federal solar tax credit, allows for a 30% tax credit off the cost of installing a solar system. This credit depreciates over time:

• In 2020, the tax credit drops to 26%.
• In 2021, the tax credit drops to 22%.
• In 2022, the tax credit drops permanently to 10%.

A 30% credit is an incredible value, especially as it’s a tax credit, rather than a deduction. Even a 10% credit can represent a very nice incentive for solar installation.
At the state level, incentives can change frequently, but typically, one or more incentives are available in the form of:

• Rebates
• Preferential financing options
• Tax exemptions
• Discounts
• Lease options
• Power purchase agreements

When considering solar, always check to see what incentives your locality has available at the time.

2. Reduce Operating Costs With Solar

Small commercial properties can come with significant operating costs. A solar system can help reduce those costs in a staggering number of ways. In some cases, a solar system really can pay for itself over time strictly based on the cost reductions you can achieve through it.

If you combine a solar system with other energy-efficiency solutions, then operating costs can fall dramatically. Still, solar alone can do much for your smaller commercial property. Even a small solar upgrade can offer large cost savings.
The operating costs associated with commercial properties of any size can vary, but many of them have to do with utilities. Just keeping the lights on, the HVAC system running, and equipment functioning can cost a great deal monthly.
Solar offers energy diversity. Depending on the solar equipment and the energy needs of your property, your solar solution can power all a facility or some of it, or you can dedicate some to a specific appliance or system. In all these scenarios, you will cut energy costs to some extent.

That drop in operating costs can encompass far more than your property’s energy costs. Solar adds sustainability to your property, which creates other advantages, such as fewer maintenance costs.
Save Even More With Net Metering

Solar can also allow you to take advantage of net metering (NEM). Many states, including California, have net metering policies in place. These policies will allow you to only pay for the net amount of electricity your property uses.
If your solar equipment produces more energy than your property uses, the excess electricity will go to the grid and you’ll receive a credit for it. When you need to use electricity from the grid, you can initially pay for it with your credit. In this way, the grid can work as an electrical storage solution for you.

In the meantime, your solar solution can continue to produce electricity. Depending on your solar setup and how much electricity your property needs, the NEM process can save you a tremendous amount of money, lowering your operating costs even further.
Solar also helps to lower operating costs by mitigating fluctuating utility costs. Whether utilities costs change seasonally, yearly, or randomly, you’ll have a source of energy the utility companies can’t touch.
If you bank enough credit, you can weather any changes a utility company makes. Even if you only use solar for a single piece of equipment, you will still save funds due to that partial bit of energy independence.

3. Use Solar for Marketing

Whether you want investors, buyers, or tenants, having a solar solution in place increases the overall appeal of a smaller property. Because it’s a smaller commercial property, a solar solution does that much more for it.
Solar creates a ton of selling points in this way. In addition, solar helps to boost the reputation of both your property and your business. Since solar represents a green and sustainable choice, it shows you care about not just your bottom line, but the local environment as well.

When you’re ready to reap the benefits that solar provide, make sure you speak with a reputable installer. Solar solutions aren’t one-size-fits-all. You will need a custom setup specifically for your smaller commercial property. To learn more or to get started with a commercial solar solution, please contact Derek Sawyers Smart Energy Heating & Air today.

When choosing a new heating and cooling system for your Central Valley home, you have plenty of factors to consider. One such factor is how large your new HVAC system needs to be for the best performance and comfort possible. The adage one size fits all may apply to some things, but your HVAC system isn’t one of them.

The best way to size up your home’s heating and cooling needs before HVAC installation is via a manual J load calculation. If you have no idea what this is or how it benefits your home, don’t worry. The following tells you everything you need to know about the process and its impact on your home comfort.

What Manual J Load Calculation Is

A Manual J load calculation is the first step towards choosing and installing your new HVAC system. Manual J, also known as a residential load calculation, is a protocol contractors use to determine a home’s precise heating and cooling requirements.

Developed by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, Manual J lets contractors accurately calculate heating and cooling needs on a room-by-room basis, as well as for the entire home. With the accurate data through Manual J load calculation, contractors can choose an HVAC system that’s right-sized for your home.

A major advantage of Manual J is that it’s far more accurate than the traditional rule of thumb once widely used by contractors. Using rule of thumb often results in an HVAC system that’s several times larger than it needs to be in terms of heating and cooling load.

How Your Home Benefits From Manual J

No two homes are built the same way. Differences in square footage, insulation usage, window types, and ventilation requirements can have a sizable impact on your heating and cooling needs. Additions, renovations, and even old age can change many of these characteristics, making an accurate assessment essential for installing the right HVAC system.

A common mistake that many contractors and homeowners make is choosing an HVAC system that’s too large or too small for your home. Many of these mistakes come from using rule of thumb to calculate heating and cooling loads. Simply replacing your existing HVAC system with one that’s roughly the same size can also lead to problems, especially if your current system wasn’t properly sized in the first place.

A Manual J load calculation gives you and your contractor a clearer picture of your home’s heating and cooling demands. When it comes to right sizing your HVAC system, following the Manual J protocol offers plenty of benefits:

• You’ll get an energy-efficient system that’s precisely tailored to your home comfort needs, eliminating the clammy, uncomfortable feeling an oversized system offers.
• You’ll get an HVAC system that costs less to purchase and install, as oversized units often add extra costs to a typical HVAC installation.
• You’ll spend less on maintenance and repairs since oversized HVAC units often suffer from short-cycling and other issues that add wear and tear on equipment.
• You’ll spend less monthly on electricity since your correctly sized HVAC unit doesn’t use more energy than it needs.

For the average modern home, having extra HVAC capacity simply means wasting energy and money. A Manual J load calculation gives you the most efficient heating and cooling solution possible.

What to Expect During a Manual J Load Calculation

A proper Manual J load calculation takes a broad range of factors into account. In addition to the square footage of each room in your home and total square footage, a typical load calculation also includes:

• The number of current occupants living in your home
• The type and number of windows your home uses, along with window coverings
• The number of exterior doors on your home and their material type
• The type, amount, and R-value of insulation in the attic and walls
• The presence of vaulted ceilings in your home
• The type of material on your roof
• The direction your home faces

Your contractor may also perform a blower door test as part of the Manual J load calculation. The blower door test pressurizes the indoor spaces in your home, revealing the amount of air infiltration that goes on in your home. Your home’s level of air infiltration can have a drastic impact on your HVAC system’s final size.

All of the above information then goes into an ACCA-approved software program. The program crunches the numbers and returns the final results of the load calculation, letting your contractor know exactly what size heating and cooling solution is ideal for your home. You may also see your contractor go through the load calculation using pen and paper, but only to verify the software’s results.

A Manual J load calculation is essential if you plan on an HVAC replacement. The experts at Derek Sawyer’s Heating & Air Conditioning can help take care of your heating and cooling needs, from installation to regularly scheduled maintenance. Call us today.

Whether you have a small greenhouse or a large indoor vegetable operation in the Modesto area, your choices of heating, cooling, and ventilation solutions can make your indoor growing space more productive. Here is what you should know.

Reduce Solar Radiation for Cooling, But Add Options

Most greenhouse vegetable plants want daytime temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If average temperatures are too high or too low, plants can stop setting fruit or bolt and begin producing seed.

In a sunny, semi-arid location like the Central Valley of California, keeping daytime temperatures down is your greatest challenge. The Modesto region is considered a Mediterranean climate according to the Köppen Climate Classification . Once the bright California sun comes streaming into a greenhouse, the internal air can rapidly rise due to the abundant solar input.

One trick to reduce temperatures in a Mediterranean-climate greenhouse is to use shade cloth. Cover part or the entire greenhouse during the most intense hours of sunlight to limit the amount of solar input.

However, some plants will suffer if they do not receive enough daytime light. When your greenhouse does not stay at optimum growing temperatures during sunny days, and reducing solar radiation does not work, talk to your HVAC professional about using additional cooling methods.

Add the Right Ventilation to Remove Hot Air

Exchanging greenhouse air for fresh outside air is a great way to cool the air temperature inside the greenhouse and reduce excess humidity. Efficient greenhouse ventilation systems often include a large air intake on one side of the greenhouse and a large air output vent or fan on the opposite side of the greenhouse.

Greenhouse ventilation is installable as a passive system of cross ventilation. Passive systems, when situated at the right levels and angles on greenhouse structures, work best in coastal areas and areas with brisk winds.

Forced-air ventilation systems usually have vented greenhouse openings and large electric fans. Fans may blow air into or out of the greenhouse to adjust the internal greenhouse temperature.

For the best results, forced-air or passive ventilation systems should be placed at greenhouse ridges, sidewalls, and gables. Experts recommend a combined cooling surface on structural vents that is no less than 15 to 30 percent of a greenhouse’s total square footage.

Your HVAC professional can assess your structures individually to determine the best placement for greenhouse forced-air ventilation systems. When combined with a high-efficiency refrigerant-based cooling system, a proper ventilation system in your greenhouse can keep your plants from overheating during a particularly hot summer season or high-heat event.

Go With Forced-Air Systems for Convenience

Forced-air ventilation systems and refrigerant-based greenhouse cooling systems are less messy than evaporative cooling systems like fog coolers or fan and pad coolers. Forced-air cooling systems also require far less maintenance than evaporative coolers.

Misting equipment on evaporative foggers need continual maintenance. Contaminated fog can spread diseases and plant pathogens throughout the greenhouse. Evaporative cooling pads need constant water. The pads need protection from direct sunlight, salt, and sand.

Multiple fans must sometimes run non-stop when using fan and pad evaporative cooling systems, so the total water and electricity usage can be significant for the fan and pad method. The fans must also be arranged in precise sequence to work with the wet pads. Zonal air conditioning and ventilation units take up less space on walls while providing effective greenhouse climate

Calculate Adequate Heating Needs

In the Central Valley, winter temperatures rarely fall below freezing. However, some plants can wither from cold temperatures that are well above freezing.

To provide year-round protection for your greenhouse plants, install a heating system of some type to augment the sunlight’s radiant warmth. Find the correct methods online to calculate how many British thermal units (BTUs) of output you need from a greenhouse heater, or ask your HVAC professional for help calculating your potential winter greenhouse heat loss.

You have many options for greenhouse heaters from wood-fired stoves to natural gas furnaces. Choose a heater or heating system that can keep your greenhouse warm even if the temperature is 15 degrees below your area’s average minimum low temperature for the year. Select a heater that uses fuel you can easily obtain and afford.

Some types of convenient greenhouse heating systems that are used in California include:

• Electric
• Natural gas
• Propane or LP
• Infrared vacuum

Your HVAC professional can help explain the various professional and commercial greenhouse heaters available. The heating pros can also safely and securely install your greenhouse heating system so it meets all codes and building requirements.

If you need a new greenhouse heater or a headhouse office air conditioning unit, contact Derek Sawyers Smart Energy Heating & Air. We source and install a variety of commercial furnaces and ventilation systems for your Central Valley, California, greenhouse and all of your commercial structures.

Business owners who are committed to reducing facility operating costs and energy use also likely help their companies become more sustainable. Your facility’s air conditioning (AC) system is an ideal place to begin lowering your energy use. Here are five strategies to keep energy costs down while keeping your commercial structure cool.

1. Boost Your AC System Efficiency

You can change the internal temperature of your commercial structure during the hottest months without investing in huge power bills for non-stop AC operation. One way to help your AC system work more efficiently is to address heat that enters your building.

If a structure’s envelope or exterior shell has cracks, gaps, rotting places, or other openings, heat enters the structure. The pressure from an AC system helps draw in the hot air wherever leaks exist in the structural envelope.

Boost your AC efficiency by sealing your building from roof to foundation. Add insulation, weatherstripping, and caulk to areas including windows, doors, attic, and exterior walls to keep cool air inside and warm air out of the building.

2. Let There Be Cooler Light

Incandescent lights only convert 10 to 15 percent of the energy they consume into producing light. Some of the wasted energy becomes excess heat in rooms heated with incandescent lights.

Use energy-efficient lighting to lower the temperature in rooms and give your AC system a break. Install timers on lights so no bulbs or fixtures are left on in rooms where they’re not necessary.

Natural sunlight can help cut lighting costs, but the sun’s rays can also heat up rooms and work against AC efficiency. Balance the need for light with the need for cool work and client spaces as you address glass and sunlight issues.

Install thermal window coverings or treatments including draperies, blinds, shades, or curtains to keep intense sunlight out of commercial spaces. Window films are another option to reduce heat transfer into rooms through glass windows.

3. Target Key Spaces on Hot Days

Avoid being wasteful with cool air in your commercial structure. You definitely want your staff and customers to be cool, and you certainly need to protect sensitive assets including computers and servers. However, you don’t necessarily need to cool every single space in your commercial structure.

Close or partially close AC vents in unused offices, meeting rooms, closets, and storage areas. Unblock vents in rooms where AC is a necessity. Install timers or have another thermostat-control system in place to turn up the AC thermostat when the commercial structure is unoccupied.

If your commercial AC system is ready for an upgrade, consider having your HVAC professionals install zonal AC systems. Zonal or split AC systems deliver custom cooled air to individual rooms or spaces.

With a zonal system, you can keep your passionate but hot kitchen staff chilled without freezing out the customers in the dining room. Your data storage room can stay safely cool while your offices remain comfortable for everyone.

4. Enhance Your Fan Game

Consider installing ceiling fans in the hottest spaces of your commercial structure. A ceiling fan allows you to increase AC thermostat settings by four degrees Fahrenheit without reducing human comfort.

Individual workstations and workers should be encouraged to use portable fans as long as the fans are safe and don’t impact other workers, services, or products. If only one worker complains about the heat, addressing the problem on an individual level saves you from having to increase AC operation across the board.

Have a policy in place to turn off fans in unoccupied rooms. Fans cool people directly via the windchill effect and won’t change the temperature in a room.

Another way to use fans to lower cooling costs is to install variable speed fans on your AC system. Modern multi-speed AC fans allow AC systems to run more efficiently.

Rooms aren’t under- or over-cooled by constantly blasting air when you have variable-speed fans to blow cooled air at moderate rates as needed. Your AC components don’t constantly cycle on and off or run for excessive periods of time when the fan blowers operate at variable speeds.

5. Maintain Your AC Equipment

The above steps won’t significantly lower your energy-cost bottom line if your AC system is neglected or in need of repair. A poorly maintained AC system must work hard to overcome neglect from clogged ducts, dust, loose wires, wobbly fans, and other issues.

Check and service your commercial AC systems at least once a year with qualified HVAC professionals. A professional HVAC service checks dozens of key areas of the system and repairs problems before they lead to AC failure.

When you change your AC filters regularly, follow the above tips, and schedule routine maintenance of your commercial AC system, you protect your assets and keep your building more comfortable. A serviced, clean, and smooth-operating AC system is a greener AC system and will work more efficiently for your business throughout the hottest seasons.

Save on AC energy costs when you schedule inspection of your commercial AC system in Stockton, Fresno, Modesto, Chico, or Sacramento by contacting Derek Sawyer’s Heating & Air Conditioning right away. We service commercial structures throughout Central California and offer emergency AC services, too.