Showing posts with label Fans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fans. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Simple Ways to Reduce Heating Duct Noise
3:47 PM | Posted by
Horizon Services, Inc. - Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning
Put an End to that Rattle and Hum!You love your home’s central heating and air conditioning, but you hate all the noise it makes. Rattling, blowing, ticking, creaking, and a host of other noises coming from your ductwork can turn a fantastic convenience into a real nuisance in the time it takes to crank up the thermostat. Here are a few tips that can help turn down the volume on a noisy HVAC (Heating ,Ventilation and Air Conditionin) system.
Check Internal and External Components:
One of the biggest contributing factors to a noisy heating system is a faulty relationship between the unit’s indoor and outdoor components. If internal and external parts are linked in such a way that they vibrate against each other, this will send plenty of sound through your home’s ductwork. Because ducts connect every room in your house when you have a central HVAC system, you may find it hard to escape all the noise. If you hear whining, buzzing, howling, or vibrations, have a professional check your HVAC system to ensure indoor ducts are independently connected to outdoor components.
How's Your Insulation?
Insulating your ductwork can also really cut down on unwanted noise. Sounds that come through ducts are generally caused by your heating system’s air handler. This metal box has a motor that can make parts vibrate as the system works. Adding a layer of insulation to the air handler can dampen the noise caused by these vibrations, sending less reverberation through the ducts. Insulation can also eliminate noises on the outside of your house, making you instantly more popular with the neighbors.
Acoustic Insulation:
Another way to insulate is with materials that absorb sound. This helps deaden noises, making them quieter and less intense until they eventually disappear at the farthest point from your system. Acoustic insulation can be added along ductwork, in the same way you might insulate plumbing pipes.
How's Your Fan?
Cleaning your home’s HVAC system fan is crucial to the quiet, efficient operation of your unit. The fan draws in dirt and dust, which can collect on the blades and interfere with its operation. Built-up debris can cause rattling and vibrations that will travel through the ducts and vents. If your fan is the wrong size for your system, it can also create noise as it struggles to keep up with demand. Keeping the fan clean and ensuring you have the right size fan for your unit will cut down on noise significantly.
Cleaning and Maintenance:
Regular duct and heat system cleaning and upkeep ensures your entire heating system is performing at its best. Professional maintenance keeps parts in good working condition and helps make sure that system components are installed correctly. A certified technician will tighten loose connections, fix gaps, clean parts, and add insulation to any system mechanisms that could be causing unusual noise. You should try to have a professional tune up and your HVAC system at least twice a year. The easiest way to remember is to schedule maintenance in the spring and in the fall, just before the peak cooling and heating seasons.
Related Information from Horizon Services...
Monday, November 15, 2010
Going Green is Simple with Ventilation and Fans
11:21 AM | Posted by
Horizon Services, Inc. - Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning
Improved Air Flow Saves Energy, Saves Money, Improves ComfortEnvironmentally responsible home improvements not only save the planet and leave more cash in your wallet, but they can also help improve the health of your home. If you’re overwhelmed by green home improvement options, keep it simple by installing or upgrading your home ventilation system and fans.
Proper ventilation is one of the best ways to improve your home’s indoor air quality. This can make a big difference if anyone in your family suffers from allergies, asthma, or other breathing conditions. Plus...vents and fans keep air circulating through your home so that warm and cold air are more evenly distributed; your heating and air conditioning systems don't have to work as hard or as often.
Green Fan Options
Install a Ceiling Fan: Ceiling fans are one of the easiest, most affordable options if you’re looking to improve your home’s energy efficiency. They move warm air throughout your house during the winter and take some of the work load off your air conditioner in the summer.
Install a Whole House Fan: Whole house fans are another affordable option. These powerful fans are installed near the attic, and cool your home by moving hot air up and out through the attic. Cooler air is drawn in through open windows. In warm climates, whole house fans can effectively supplement air conditioning; in cooler climates they can eliminate the need for an air conditioner altogether.
Green Ventilation
Install a Kitchen Hood Vented to the Outdoors: A kitchen range hood helps remove cooking odors, exhaust, and excess moisture from your home. While some range hoods vent to the attic, a hood that vents to the outdoors is better for your home’s structural integrity and indoor air quality.
Install a Bathroom Fan Vented to the Outdoors: Bathrooms are obviously the number one source of harmful mold and airborne bacteria that can infect the air you breathe. A bathroom exhaust fan, vented to the outdoors, will remove moisture from your home, cutting down on mold and mildew growth.
Install a Clothes Dryer Vent: Clothes dryers release tons of moisture into the air as they dry your clothes. This air circulates around your home, carrying chemicals from laundry detergents, toxins from synthetic fabrics, and deadly carbon monoxide. A properly vented dryer releases air outdoors, removing these harmful and potentially dangerous airborne pollutants from your home. To compliment a vented dryer, you may also want to consider installing an exhaust fan in your laundry or utility room.
Natural, Energy-Efficient Ventilation is Healthy Ventilation!
Anytime you can infuse your home with fresh outdoor air you are helping to improve the quality of the air you breathe. Here are more green ways to improve the health of air inside your home:
Install Windows and Skylights: Even more effective than fans are operable windows and skylights. Improve your home’s ventilation by simply opening a window. When you open windows on both sides of your home you can create a cross breeze that allows air to flow through your home more easily.
Design Green: If possible, consider the direction of wind against your home and the local weather conditions when designing the structure or replacing windows and doors. Aligning windows and doors to prevailing breezes lets you make the most of natural ventilation.
Related Information from Horizon Services...
- Horizon Heating and Air Conditioning Installation & Replacement
- Horizon Heating Services
- Horizon Air Conditioning Services
- 101 Ways to Save Energy and Money in Your Home
- Green Your Home...Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
- Air Conditioning Alternatives
- Cutting Edge Solutions For Energy Efficiency
- Indoor Air Quality - A Major Problem for Homeowners
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The Horizon Comfort Zone is the ultimate destination for plumbing, heating and air conditioning information! Discover a wealth of plumbing, HVAC and home comfort tips and news that you can use...plus great ideas for making your home more energy efficient and saving money!