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Author: Experts Heating & Cooling
REBATES INCREASED
We want to help you save money! Both Clark Public Utilities and Energy Trust of Oregon have upped the rebates! If you have been thinking about upgrading of are in need of some new equipment now is the time! Rebates are ranging from $200-$2000!
Check out our rebates page to see if you qualify!
Call for a free in home estimate and ask what incentives you qualify for (360)335-1699
Wood Stove Replacement Program
We are proudly partnered and accepting rebate vouchers from the Southwest Clean Air Agency for the wood stove replacement program.
The Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA), in conjunction with the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE), is offering financial incentives in amounts ranging from $350 to $6000 for homeowners within the Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) of Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Ridgefield, Battle Ground, Yacolt, Chehalis and Centralia who wish to replace or remove an old wood stove or wood-burning fireplace insert which is installed in the home and does not meet the current emission limits set by the State of Washington (Washington Administrative Code, Chapter 173-433-100).
The program is composed of two (2) options:
Simply visit swcleanair.org to learn more about this wood stove replacement or removal rebate program to see if you qualify.
The program is active at this time and will expire on June 30, 2021, or when grant funding is exhausted, whichever occurs first.
Information provided by Experts Heating and Cooling, Inc. and swcleanair.org
Going Ductless PUD Rebates
Why Install a Ductless Heat Pump?
- Save energy and money while heating your home during the winter months.
- Make your home more comfortable.
- Systems come standard with air conditioning—no more window units!
Learn more about the ductless heat pumps by visiting Going Ductless
Current Clark Public Utilities rebates and information
Ductless Heat Pump Rebates
Effective January 1, 2020
- $800 rebate for the installation of a single or multi-head system (9.0 or greater HSPF)
- $100 rebate for ductless heat pump replacement (11.0 or greater HSPF)
To Qualify for Your Rebate: You must be the homeowner and your home must have cable ceiling heat, baseboard heat, an electric furnace or wall heaters permanently installed.
Current Skamania PUD rebates and information
Ductless Heat Pump Rebates
- Existing Site Built or Manufactured Homes Ductless Heat Pump (one per residence) $800 Existing zonal heat (baseboard, ceiling cable, wall, electric hydronic)
- Existing Site Built or Manufactured Homes Ductless Heat Pump (one per residence) $1,000 Existing forced air electric
HOMEOWNER ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible for incentive payment, the home must have permanently installed electric resistance heat as the primary heating system. Qualifying applications are Single Family & Manufactured Homes with zonal electric heat, Single Family and Manufactured Homes with electric forced air furnaces. A qualifying home cannot be a new construction site built home. A qualifying existing site built or existing manufactured home cannot have an existing Air Source Heat Pump, Geothermal Heat Pump, existing Ductless Heat Pump or Natural Gas Furnace to qualify for the rebate.
SYSTEM ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible for incentive payment, ductless heat pumps installed must be: a split system heat pump employing an inverter-driven, variable speed compressor, a variable speed outdoor fan, and a multi-speed or variable speed indoor blower. The system must meet a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) requirement of 9.0 for single head systems and 8.2 for multi-head systems. Additionally, indoor units using any type of field installed duct system are NOT eligible.
Contact Experts Heating and Cooling, Inc today to schedule a free estimate, and ask us if you qualify for ductless rebates (360)335-1699
Information provided by:
Clark Public Utilities, Skamania County Pud, and Goingductless.com
How often should I schedule a maintenance?
This weather has us thinking about fall, while we have a few weeks of summer left it is time to think about scheduling your fall maintenance. A frequent question that I hear is how often should I schedule a maintenance? Well, to answer that question there is a few things to think about. Do you have an indoor and outdoor unit? For example, Heat pump and air handler? AC and Furnace? Or do you only have a Furnace? We like to recommend that you maintain your heating equipment going into the fall to prepare for the cooler nights and that gives you time to make any repairs needed before the harsher winter weather arrives. Then in the spring time comes and it starts to warm up, that’s when we recommend doing a maintenance on the the cooling system. Maybe you don’t want to schedule two appointments a year, that’s ok, we also do full maintenance’s where we maintain both indoor and outdoor units at the same time annually. Call us and we can set you up with a reoccurring appointment to keep your system in tip top shape.
Fall Maintenance
It’s the time of year again when the leaves start changing color and we see the words pumpkin spice everywhere we turn. Here’s some things to ponder while transitioning your home into the cooler weather.
What you should do regularly to ensure that your system is performing at peak operating levels.
- Filter- Whether it’s winter, spring, summer or fall- regular filter changes are the best way to keep your equipment running properly and keep your air as clean as possible. At the very least, you should change your filter once before the cooling season (Spring) and the heating season (Fall).
- Leaves- If you have a heat pump or air conditioner, make sure to keep leaves and other debris away from the outdoor component to maintain proper airflow. Improper airflow can result in decreased performance and can cause the system to have potential breakdowns.
- Thermostat- Fall can be a roller coaster of a season. To decrease utility bills you should stick to your programmed comfort schedule, or in the case that you do not have a programmable thermostat you should set the temperature and forget about it. Constantly fidgeting with the thermostat can result in a higher utility bill.
- Cleaning indoors- Fall is another allergy season. It can be tempting to open all the windows and let in some cooler air. Clean indoors to make sure dust and allergens from outdoors aren’t settling on your surfaces and lowering indoor air quality.
- Maintenance- Make sure to schedule an annual or semi-annual maintenance with Experts Heating and Cooling, Inc. This is the best way to ensure proper performance levels throughout winter.
Here are things Experts will do during a Fall furnace preventative maintenance appointment.
- Clean- We will clean the burner, heat exchanger, and any other component if necessary.
- Inspect- We will make sure the venting system is working properly.
- Check- Our guys will look over the whole furnace to make sure there aren’t any problems, aren’t any rusty spots or leaks, and make sure the electric system is in tip-top shape.
Something to remember, HVAC systems (gas furnaces particularly) require the skills of a professional for proper maintenance, installation and repairs.
Now let’s cozy up to fall with our brisk mornings, yummy smelling candles and pumpkin spice lattes.
To schedule your Fall maintenance, Call Experts 360-335-1699
Home-Buying HVAC
If you are looking at homes to purchase it’s important to check out the homes heating and cooling system. If the system is having problems, it may lead to expensive repairs or replacements that you’re not prepared for once you sign the contract. Here are 5 HVAC tasks to add to your home shopping check list:
- How old is the furnace? Don’t be afraid to ask how old the equipment is. You can even check the label on the furnace, air conditioner and heat pump. That label will show you the serial number and date of manufacture. HVAC systems average lifespan is about 15 years depending on how well its maintained.
- What is the Maintenance history? Ask the current owner if they have the maintenance and service records. You want to know if the equipment was regularly maintained, if it has had any repairs and what they were.
- Does the HVAC system have any energy upgrades? Energy upgrades like added insulation and ductwork sealing can make a big difference in the heating and cooling costs of a home.
- Ask for the Energy Bill. Look to see how much it will cost to heat and cool the home so you can budget that during home ownership. Higher that normal bills could mean a poorly sealed house or issues with the heating and cooling equipment.
- Ask Experts to get involved! If you have made an offer on a home, it’s a good idea to have a HVAC technician inspect the house in addition to the standard home inspector. We can thoroughly inspect the equipment before you officially sign the closing documents. Large problems, like a furnace replacement, can be negotiated for the seller to complete in order to close. It could also lower the asking price of the home.
Heating and Cooling are the two main things that keep you comfortable in your home year round. Make sure to get to know the homes HVAC system before you commit to buying, surprise repairs can be frustrating and costly. If you are buying a home make sure to call Experts to come do a thorough inspection of the homes equipment.
Indoor Air Quality
Love is in the air, and so is everything else.
Indoor air quality is not something we think about on a daily bases, but it should be something we are aware of. Today’s homes are better insulated, tightly sealed and use less energy. Unfortunately, this also seals in humidity, dust and other indoor pollutants. In many cases, the quality of air inside a home can be worse than it is outdoors. Not only can dirty air make you less comfortable, it can pose serious problems for family members who suffer from asthma and allergies.
AccuClean™ Whole-Home Air Filtration System Highlights
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
- Removes up to 99.98 percent of allergens from the filtered air
- Catches particles down to .1 micron in size
- Eight times more effective than the best HEPA room appliance
- 100 times more effective than a standard one-inch throwaway filter or ionic-type room appliance
- Delivers cleaner air and more of it
- Reusable filter can be cleaned by vacuuming
Click here to view the product brochure
Information and photo from American Standard Heating and Air Conditioning.
How ductless systems work
Ductless systems, also known as ductless heat pumps or ductless mini-splits, are highly efficient easily installed primary heating and cooling systems for electrically heated homes. They’re safe, durable and quiet, and they heat rooms evenly at a fraction of the cost of baseboard, wall and ceiling heat or electric furnaces.
Ductless systems utilize heat pump technology to distribute warm or cool air more quietly and efficiently than traditional electric heaters. With three main components (outdoor unit, indoor wall-mounted unit, remote control), ductless heat pumps are easily installed by a professional in less than a day and can reduce your electric heating costs by 25% -50% while keeping you comfortable all year long.
Ductless heating and cooling systems are reversible, two-way heat pump that simply take heat energy from on place and move it to another by compressing and expanding refrigerant. There are three main components:
1. Outdoor unit: connects to the indoor unit by a small bundle of cables, including a refrigerant line. The unit is placed outside of the home on ground level.
2. Indoor unit: mounted on a centrally located wall. One indoor head is enough to heat and cool an average-sized Northwest home.
3. Remote control: allows occupants to adjust the settings for maximum efficiency, comfort and control.
Installation is quick and easy. There is no need for expensive, invasive and often leaky duct work: A small 3-inch hold hidden behind the indoor unit is all that’s needed to connect it to the outdoor unit. Ductless systems do best when they are installed in a central location in your home. They work with your existing heating system to ensure that bedrooms and bathrooms are the perfect temperature.
Other types of heat pump include ducted heat pumps, ducted mini-splits and central air handler mini-splits. Talk to your electric utility or contractor to learn more about which type of heat pump would be best for your home.
Information provided by http://www.goingductless.com
Current Clark Public Ductless Rebates
Ductless Heat Pump Rebates:
- $750 rebate for the installation of a single head system (9.0 or greater HSPF)
- $1,000 rebate for the installation of a multi-head system (8.2 or greater HSPF)
- $100 rebate for ductless heat pump replacement (11.0 or greater HSPF)
To Qualify for Your Rebate:
- You must be the homeowner.
- Your home must have cable ceiling heat, baseboard heat, an electric furnace or wall heaters permanently installed.
- Must be installed by an approved contractor
- You must be approved by the program for the rebate.
Information provided by www.clarkpublicutilities.com
Is maintenance important?
Before & After Maintenance
The answer is yes! Many people make an investment into their heating and cooling system, but fail to maintain proper upkeep. A heating and cooling system is similar to a car- it needs care and maintenance to work properly. A properly working system will keep your home cozy and cool for years to come, which is why annual maintenance is so important.
Some benefits from proper maintenance would be:
- Lower Utility Bills- Properly running system can mean less money spent on electricity.
- Healthy Air- Clean filters and coils mean better breathing for the whole family.
- Efficiency- Research shows that dirty or unmaintained units need to work 20% harder to produce the same amount of cooling or heating as a well-maintained system.
- Life of the System- The better a person maintains their heating and cooling system, the longer the system can function.
Is it time to schedule your annual maintenance?
Schedule online or call Experts at 360-335-1699