HVAC

Increase customer satisfaction with efficient, right-sized propane HVAC systems

Navigating the world of HVAC systems can be daunting for homeowners. It’s a big reason why homeowners tasked with selecting the right HVAC system — either in a new build or as a replacement to an existing system — will often turn to the pros for guidance.

Customers often prioritize quality and price, but there’s another component that’s equally important: size. Selecting and installing a right-sized HVAC system is key to keeping customers comfortable and satisfied year-round.

Installing incorrectly-sized systems can underperform, waste energy, and increase utility costs for homeowners. More specifically, a system that’s too small might not be able to regulate the temperature of the home. An oversized unit, on the other hand, will not work as efficiently, may wear out faster, and could have dehumidification problems.

Most importantly for professionals, is that a well-performing HVAC system can ensure a lifetime customer, so knowing what to recommend when homeowners come calling can have lasting benefits for the business.

It’s all in the details

Determining heating and cooling loads plays an essential role in sizing HVAC systems like A/Cs, heat pumps, and furnaces. Many existing homes have over-sized heating oil or propane furnaces, resulting in heating systems that blast warm air, almost too quickly, when the thermostat calls for heat. Furnaces that are properly sized for the home’s heating load, on the other hand, offer greater comfort — often with a smaller, less expensive unit. HVAC contractors can use a load calculator, which considers the home’s climate region, square footage, insulation grade, sun exposure, and more.

Every home is different, which is why it’s important that heating and cooling systems are designed for the correct load. Did you know that the same house, rotated just 90 degrees, could vary in cooling load by 25 percent or more? These calculations take time and require attention to detail, but will greatly impact a home’s performance, a customer’s satisfaction, and potentially your business’ reputation.

Understand and evaluate load size

A home’s heating and cooling loads drive how much an HVAC system needs to operate to keep a home — and your customers — comfortable year-round. It’s important for HVAC contractors to understand the three different types of loads, the amount of heating or cooling a home needs, and how they relate to a unit’s capacity to provide the best HVAC experience for their customers.

Heating load and capacity can often be easily confused. Heating load refers to the amount of heating or cooling a building needs, while heating capacity is the amount of heating or cooling an HVAC appliance can provide. HVAC professionals base the size of the systems they install on their capacity to satisfy three different kinds of loads — design load, extreme load, and part load.

Design load

The design load includes the layout of a home, its overall energy efficiency, its insulation levels, and its orientation to the sun. Homes with adequate insulation, thermal windows, and little air infiltration have lower design loads. Conditioning loads will differ between single- and two-story homes. If HVAC professionals size a home’s heating and cooling equipment to meet design loads exactly, they may unintentionally specify and install wrong-size equipment.

Extreme load          

The extreme load occurs when experiencing the hottest and coldest temperatures in any given location. This load, unlike the design load, carries little weight when HVAC professionals calculate the appropriate HVAC equipment size. Plus, extreme weather conditions rarely last long enough to significantly impact a home’s overall performance and comfort.

Part load

Partial loads are the most common. During much of the day and throughout the year, heating and cooling loads fall between the design load and the extreme load. Properly-sized equipment may cycle on and off, which can impair comfort, energy efficiency, and humidity control. Fortunately, modern HVAC systems often come with variable-speed and level components that allow the equipment to adapt its running speed or level to current conditions.

Consider the energy source

Once an HVAC professional has determined the correct load and unit capacity, they can select which energy source will power the system. Propane has become an increasingly popular choice among homeowners across the U.S. because it delivers energy savings, reduced emissions, and comfort — all at an affordable cost. In fact, in some regions, high-efficiency furnaces are the most commonly installed system for new homes. In regions where an air-source heat pump is specified, pair it with a propane auxiliary unit instead of electric coils and the unit still provides comfort when outside temperatures fall below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

High-efficiency propane furnaces offer best-in-class efficiency with ratings from 90 to 98 percent and the versatility to provide space heating to both small floor plans and large custom homes — making them a valuable addition to any project.

To learn more about propane HVAC systems, visit Propane.com/Furnaces-Boilers.

Bryan Cordill is the director of residential and commercial business development at the Propane Education & Research Council. He can be reached at bryan.cordill@propane.com.

Like all businesses today, the HVAC industry is growing and changing rapidly. New technologies and enhancements in comfort, efficiency and design are happening every day. Marley Engineered Products, a leading manufacturer of specified floor-to-ceiling heating and ventilation solutions, believes that knowledge is power. That is why Marley is introducing Marley e-Heat University, a free collection of online webinar trainings designed by its product and industry experts.

“In today’s ever-changing marketplace, it is essential that contractors, technicians and reps stay current on new HVAC trends, product features and applications in order to remain competitive and to share information with project leaders,” said Andrew Martin, Product Manager with Marley Engineered Products. “Our online collection of educational webinars is designed to provide a comprehensive and wide array of electric comfort heating knowledge and solutions.”

E-Heat University course modules cover electric heat technology, product solutions and controls for residential, commercial and institutional applications. Industry personnel are encouraged to visit e-Heat University to view course offerings and register for webinar courses. Visitors can select specific modules of interest and are then directed to a registration page.

The following courses are available:

• Module 1: e-Heat University Webinar Series: Welcome to Marley (August 21, 2020)
• Module 2: e-Heat University Webinar Series: Advantages of Electric Heat (September 4, 2020)
• Module 3: e-Heat University Webinar Series: Electric Heat Technology (September 18, 2020)
• Module 4: e-Heat University Webinar Series: Electric Heat Applications (October 2, 2020)
• Module 5: e-Heat University Webinar Series: Baseboards (October 16, 2020)
• Module 6: e-Heat University Webinar Series: Unit Heaters (October 30, 2020)
• Module 7: e-Heat University Webinar Series: Portable and Specialty Heaters (November 13, 2020)
• Module 8: e-Heat University Webinar Series: Controls (December 4, 2020)

To learn more about the E-Heat University, visit Marley Engineered Products or locate the nearest Marley Engineered Products sales rep at Marley Where To Buy.

Belimo is proud to be one of the 18 major donors to the ASHRAE Global Headquarters Renovation Project. Belimo donated some of its most technologically advanced HVAC field devices, including more than 100 valves. Products were chosen for their high performance and BACnet communication for their data sharing capabilities and seamless controller integration.

• Belimo Energy Valves IoT pressure independent valve utilizes advanced cloud-based analytics to leverage system data to provide energy savings and the most efficient system operation.
• Belimo Clear Edge™, an analytic data device that automatically discovers, captures, and analyzes system data from multiple Energy Valves in the building via BACnet.
• Pressure Independent Valves to maximize available energy savings of variable flow pumping systems and address unique control challenges.

• 6-way Pressure Independent Valves have the functionality of up to four 2-way control valves and two balancing valves saving material and installation time.
• Belimo’s 100th million actuator assembled on the advanced Butterfly Valve which consumes up to 80% less power than conventional designs and equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) and BACnet communications capabilities
• Globe Valves with a soft seat design to provide ANSI Class VI leakage rating and improved rangeability of 100:1 offers greater flow control.

Belimo’s innovative solutions provide comfort, energy efficiency, safety, ease of installation, and less maintenance for buildings and long-term reliability.

“Belimo is excited to be supporting ASHRAE’s Global Headquarters Renovation Project and is pleased to see a wide variety of our products helping the project meet its goal of net-zero energy,” states James Furlong, President Belimo Americas.

The renovation project is expected to be completed by late summer with a move in October 2020.

Two historic companies are joining forces to serve San Antonio 

San Antonio, Texas — Two of San Antonio’s oldest home services companies— Shafer Services Plus and Steve’s Plumbing—are joining forces to become one of the area’s largest and most experienced plumbing and HVAC businesses. The catalyst for this partnership is the upcoming retirement of Steve’s Plumbing founder, Robi Jalnos, who has served San Antonio for more than 40 years. Robi started Steve’s Plumbing out of his mother’s garage in 1978, naming the business after his father, Stephan Jalnos, a Holocaust survivor and plumber who passed away when Robi was a young man.

Robi and Eileen Jalnos

Since then, Steve’s Plumbing has grown to become one of San Antonio’s premier plumbing contractors currently serving some 4,500 customers throughout the area. Robi has become a plumbing leader, not just locally but regionally, serving on the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners where he was of Chairman of the Examination, Medical Gas, Water Supply Protection Specialists, and Personnel Committees for seven years. Robi also serves as an expert witness on plumbing-related matters across the country. He’s considered a national plumbing expert in all aspects of plumbing installation and products, holding a Green Plumbers Certification and is an expert in solar water heating.

“For decades, our teams have had a mutual respect for one another’s history, skills, and dedication to putting customers first—so you can imagine our delight in uniting to become San Antonio’s preferred option in plumbing and HVAC services,” said Chase Anderson, President and CEO of Shafer Services Plus.

Shafer Services Plus is San Antonio’s oldest plumbing company. They added HVAC services to their offerings upon the invention of air conditioning in the early 1900s. Since then, the Shafer team has built much of San Antonio’s residential and commercial infrastructure including installing the first commercial air conditioning in a high-rise office building in the United States at San Antonio’s own Milam Building in the heart of downtown. Today, Shafer serves more than 6,000 residential and commercial customers, and is consistently rated among San Antonio’s best plumbing and HVAC contractors.

Chase Anderson (l) and Jimmy Shafer

In searching for a compatible plumbing partner, Robi Jalnos selected Shafer Services Plus because of the organization’s knowledgeable team and commitment to putting customers first. Robi will be working with the united Steve’s Plumbing and Shafer Services Plus teams for the next three years to assist in the transition.

“It has been my honor to serve San Antonio for the past 40 years,” said Robi Jalnos, founder of Steve’s Plumbing. “This has been more than a job for me. It’s my life’s work. That’s why I wanted to partner with the Shafer Services Plus team to ensure that my employees and customers will continue to be cared for like family for generations to come.”

Both Shafer Services Plus and Steve’s Plumbing attribute their longevity to top-quality workmanship and a customer-focused business model. Through their union, they will operate under five core values: treat people like family; do the right thing, even when no one is watching; be easy to do business with; exceed expectations; and provide mutual respect for all.

“The Shafer and Steve’s Plumbing teams are not satisfied with marginal service,” added Chase Anderson. “We are committed to bringing value and world class service to everything we do because it is an honor to be invited to work in someone’s home, an honor that we will continue to earn for generations to come.”