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At John C. Flood we often get asked what certain HVAC industry terms mean, so below we offer some common questions along with answers to help you better understand HVAC terms.

What size air conditioner do I need for my house?

Sizing a residential heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) unit depends on such variables as square footage of your home, geographic location, orientation to the sun, construction details, insulation values, window area and type, etc. Under sizing a system may lead to warmer or cooler temperatures than desired by some occupants. Over sizing the system may lead to humidity or moisture control problems in the space.

What is a BTU?

BTU stands for the British Thermal Unit (Btu). It’s a unit of heat energy within the inch-pound unit system, which is common today in the United States. The Btu is defined as the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit from 58.5 to 59.5.

A Btu is commonly used to indicate the heating and cooling capacity of a system, heat losses, and heat gains. To give an example of system capacity, a 10,000 Btu window air conditioner is capable of removing 10,000 Btus of heat per hour. To give an example in terms of heat gains, the typical heat gain added to a room by a person at rest is about 230 Btu per hour.

What is a Ton?

A ton is the unit of measurement for air-conditioning system capacity. One ton of air conditioning removes 12,000 Btus of heat energy per hour from a home. Central air conditioners are sized in tons. Residential units usually range from 1 to 5 tons.

What does EER mean? Should I spend more money for a higher EER unit?

EER stands for energy efficiency ratio. The higher the EER rating, the more energy efficient the equipment is. This can result in lower energy costs. If you go to the US Dept of Energy’s Web site you can calculate the potential energy cost savings of a more efficient unit. The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI.org) posts a Certified Ratings directory, which lists EER ratings of various air- conditioning equipment.

What does SEER mean? Should I spend more money for a higher SEER unit?

SEER stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio. The higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient the equipment is. A higher SEER can result in lower energy costs. Again, if you visit the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Web site you can calculate potential energy cost savings of a more efficient unit. Once more the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI.org) posts a Certified Ratings directory, which lists SEER ratings of various air-conditioning equipment.

What does HSPF mean?

HSPF stands for heating system performance factor. The higher the HSPF rating, the more energy efficient the equipment is. A higher HSPF can result in lower energy costs. The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI.org) posts a certified ratings directory, which lists HSPF ratings of various air-conditioning equipment.

What does AFUE mean?

AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency. The higher the AFUE rating, the more energy efficient the equipment is. A higher AFUE can result in lower energy costs. The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association at www.gamanet.org, publishes a directory of certified AFUE ratings.

Hope this helps.

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The energy providers these days have caused a lot of people to spend much money for their energy consumption at home. The downside is that you can never stop them whenever they want to demand for an increase of their services because they have full autonomy in the decisions that they make. Nevertheless, there is always a way out to every problem. The renewable Homemade Wind Generators energy resources are available as an alternative to the energy sources that we get from the commercialized companies.

Certainly, the serious concern on people’s energy need has been resolved these days with the aid of the alternative energy sources. They are usually derived from the energy of the sun, wind, hydropower etc. The advantage of these energy sources is that they are environmentally friendly and more importantly they protect the health of every person. They are safe because they do not release carbon-based warming and other dangerous substances into the atmosphere. Thus, they do not contribute to the problem on global warming.

It is not advisable to take the energy consumption at home from the companies that provide such services. They are not helping the consumers and not saving the Earth in general for what they do. Their main ohomemade wind generatorand that’s all. The solution to this is to create your own homemade wind generator in order to save some money. This move is even more practical and convenient to the majority of the people living today.

You don’t have to worry in regards to how long the supply of these alternative energy sources could last bewind powerfact is that the power they give is for a lifetime. With the aid of the wind power generators you will have a complete independence from using the traditional fossil fuels. Apart from that, you will also get to reduce your carbon footprint. You need a DC motor, a blade, a hub and a tower to get started in making your own wind generator. For technical assistance you should ask for help from anyone who has the expertise in such field.

From the professionals’ point of view, the height of the tower must be reasonable taller in order to produce more power and energy. The perfect spot for the tower will be a good-sized open space, having a reasonably steady wind-flow and tower height freedom. You may research over the Internet on the effective tips on how to make your own wind generator. Other resources are available from books that feature about the alternative energy sources.

There is definitely a solution to every issue. The residential power generation is a great alternative for the power system that everybody got used to. The installation of this alternative energy source can be done by anybody who has the desire to save money and the environment. There are various guides made by the trusted professionals that you can use in the process of making one for your home energy consumption.

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“Energy efficiency isn’t just low hanging fruit, it’s fruit lying on the ground.” – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, June 26, 2009

In December 2007, then-President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act into law. Among other things, this law opened the door for energy-efficient light bulbs to gain market share in the U.S. However, several commonly used lamp types were exempted under the Act. On June 26 of this year, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced a new set of efficiency standards for General Service Fluorescent Lamps (GSFLs) and Incandescent Reflector Lamps (IRLs). The rules will go into effect in the second half of 2012.

Since these two lamp categories represent 45% of total lighting electricity consumption in the U.S., new energy-efficient light bulb rules are significant. Vast amounts of electricity, and the harmful emissions attributable to its production, will be saved over the decades ahead. This represents good news for the American wallet and the environment we all share. Green light bulbs are here to stay.

Green Light Bulbs for Downlight Fixtures

The rest of this article will focus on the opportunities to save energy with state-of-the-art incandescent reflector bulbs, even before the new efficiency standards go into effect.

The current minimum efficacy (in lumens per watt) standard for PAR20 and PAR30, 120 volt, 75 watt IRLs (established in 1975) is 12.5. The new rules that take effect in 2012 are applicable to the same lamps and increase the minimum efficacy to 16.0 and 18.9 lumens per watt, respectively. This increase in the standard represents a 28% and 51% increase in efficiency, respectively.

Eco-friendly light bulbs, which meet the newly announced 2012 standards, are already on the market (though they’re not easy to find). The savvy reader will suspect that a Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) can easily surpass the new efficacy rules for IRLs. And they’d be correct…CFLs typically produce 40 or more lumens per watt, making them much more energy efficient than the more popular halogen variety. But there’s a catch: the light cast by CFLs and some other green light bulbs, while satisfactory in the home or office, is inferior to halogen light in terms of its ability to crisply render colors and fine details.

A Small Business Case Study: The Merits of Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

A small, green, retail business owner wants to reduce electricity costs and carbon emissions without sacrificing the light quality needed to properly showcase merchandise. In terms of switching to the right energy-efficient light bulbs, what can the owner do now?

Facts:

Single location, green home-goods retailer in central New Hampshire occupying 300 square feet of space 36 recessed cans, mounted on 4 tracks, are used to light the store Fixtures accommodate 3.75″ wide reflector-type bulbs (PAR30, R30 etc.) 28 cans contain green light bulbs (R30 CFLs) using 15 watts each for general lighting 8 cans, mounted in a track which lights an alcove occupied by a paint-chip display for eco-friendly paints, contain PAR30 long neck halogen lamps of 75 watts each (note that these 8 lamps consume 59% of lighting electricity in the store).

Challenge: The owner wants to improve the energy efficiency of the alcove lamps without sacrificing the crisp, flattering light of the halogen lamps currently in use.

Recommendation: Replace 75 watt PAR30 long neck bulbs with 48 watt GE Long Life HIR(TM) PLUS PAR30 long neck lamps. These energy-efficient light bulbs yield output of 850 lumens, 90 lumens less than the existing lamp. The owner found this reduction to be acceptable after testing the new lamps for several days.

The new bulb produces 17.7 lumens per watt, making it 42% more energy-efficient than the old lamp. Furthermore, it is 5% more energy-efficient than Secretary Chu’s just-announced standards for a 48 watt, 120 volt, PAR30 (16.8 lumens per watt).

Finally, these lamps have a 40% longer life expectancy than the old, a redeeming merit due to the typical higher price tags of energy-efficient light bulbs. This advantage will reduce replacement costs and boost overall savings.

Savings Forecast Using Green Light Bulbs

New Hampshire is a high cost electricity state with a commercial rate of 15.6 cents per kilowatt hour as of March 2009 (citation: US Energy Information Administration). The store owner estimates 2,000 hours of annual use for these new energy-efficient light bulbs. At a retail price of $15.38 per lamp, she expects to virtually break even after one year. And over two years, during which time she would have had to replace the original 75 watt bulbs, she expects to save $155, or 30%, using green light bulbs to light her alcove with the eight fixture track.

The newly announced efficiency standards for GSFLs and IRLs are welcome news for those concerned with reducing harmful gas emissions stemming from electricity generation. And according to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, these green light bulbs will save U.S. consumers $1 to $4 billion per year starting in 2012.

Manufacturers of energy-efficient light bulbs and their forward-looking distributors are ahead of the curve however. It is therefore possible for home and business owners with downlight fixtures to immediately start phasing in green light bulbs, without sacrificing the great light quality they enjoy from IRLs.

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Wind power has been used for electricity generation in homes for many years in remote areas. With today’s relentless increase in energy prices more and more folk who live in urban areas are looking at wind power as a way of reducing their power bills. It’s been calculated that wind power use in the USA has risen by an estimated 26% percent each year over the last 5 years.

Why should you consider wind power in your home.

#1 Wind power provides energy at a cheaper rate than the average electricity  retail price   

#2 It consumes no fossil fuels (wind power produces no carbon dioxide emissions or waste products)

#3 It’s pollution free (Wind power does not emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere)

#4 It’s clean (virtually no environmental problems)

#5 It’s inexhaustible, (the winds have and always will be with us)

#6 It’s eco-friendly (wind power doesn’t contribute to global warming or climate change).   

7# It’s stable (wind power costs don’t fluctuate with the price of fuel).  

#8 It’s efficient (small wind turbines are suitable for many homes).

#9 It’s the worlds fastest growing energy source (an estimated30% growth per year).

One last thing, and a word of warning, yes wind power is suitable for many homes, but before you start rushing off and constructing your own wind turbine you have got to take into account possible noise, visual impact, and other conservation issues. Also you may have to apply for planning permission from your local authorities before you add wind power to your home.

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Is wind powered electricity a good alternative energy solution or should we focus completely on solar powered electricity? With multiple crises on our hands (financial, environmental and a fuel shortage) people all over the world are looking for alternatives. And although a lot of the people with actual power are not yet convinced that this is the best time to go green, the common people understand it and they are searching for energy alternatives. But what alternatives are the best, solar or wind powered electricity?

Reasons to start looking for alternatives:

Lower or eliminate power bills
Be self sufficient
Get of the grid
Better world for our children
Better for our health in general
Fossil fuels like oil should be used as material to create for example plastic and not for energy usage.

Wind powered electricity is not a new alternative

The power of wind has been used for centuries, in earlier days windmills where usually used to grind grain but also as lumber mill and for other purposes. Modern windmills are primarily used for wind generated electricity, even in Holland a country that is known for its windmills time has progressed.

There are two types of wind powered electricity, the first is produced by the power companies in large windmill parks and the second are residential wind turbines like the Skystream 3.7. Wind is in both cases an ideal alternative, the amount of wind produced by the spinner blades is enormous. The whole wind powered electricity process is simple and natural and requires even less resources than solar power panels.

wind powered electricity is very good for the planet

This non polluting renewable energy source is an excellent alternative for fossil fuels and there is no reason why this should not be one of the biggest alternatives we can use. The only problem with wind powered electricity is that it is hard to store. You just can’t put it in a jar and open it when you need it. But batteries are improving rapidly the last few years and will become better and cheaper quickly. This means that it will be easier to store this kind of free energy.

Wind powered electricity can be used all over the planet

Another great advantage of wind powered electricity over solar electricity is that it is available in all corners of the world. And every country is able to supply to there people. Large scale wind powered electricity is also a great job creator because it also creates jobs in counties that do not have coals, oil or gas.

Get off the grid

If you are able to use your own residential wind turbine you have a great advantage, it will reduce or eliminate your power bills and you actually do something to create a better healthier world. Wind powered electricity is at least as good as solar power and it depends on the location and personal circumstances what kind of system you choose. There are excellent residential wind turbines like the Skystream 3.7 and that are not difficult to install and that are a perfect solution for many homes that are not urban located.

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In the past few years much has been made of building wind generators at home. Their was a time when the only wind turbine kits on the market were grossly overpriced which led the average home owner with the decision pay the high price to experiment with alternative energy or to try building one on their own. If you search the internet you will find people that have used a wide range of methods to build a do it yourself wind generator at there home. Brake drums ,washing machine motors, computer tape drive, ceiling fan motors have all been scavenged in the name of wind power. Some being more useful than others.

A few years ago now some enterprising folks put together a booklet describing in general terms how a home made wind generator could be built out of a Ametek 38 servo motor. Interestingly enough that particular motor was not a good wind generator motor at all, but the e books for all estimations had to have been a best seller. The price of components to build wind turbines at home went through the roof. Even today tape drive motors that were not worth twenty dollars three yeas ago are now selling at over two hundred and fifty dollars . The ametek 99 motors has been denoted the most sought after and rarest of finds and now sells for around five hundred dollars. The whole thing has spun out of control. The initial purpose was to save money, that is how the do it yourself wind mill was born. My observation is currently consumers are more willing to spend five hundred dollars on a tape drive motor that was worth twenty dollars three years ago that they are to spend a similar amount on a reputable all inclusive wind turbine kit.

Many of these consumers are sorely disappointed when the discover the brushes on the 20 year old tape drive motor are not made anymore and once they are wore out is worthless. I am not necessarily a proponent of wind turbine kits and paying manufactures prices, I just believe it is unfortunate when I see home owners throwing away money going about wind energy in a way that is not likely to meet there needs. There are other choices now for the home owner inclined toward the do it yourself type of wind generator. Hurricane Wind power has released a series of wind turbine generators that will out perform any of the generators currently sold that cost less and are maintenance free . When building a wind generator it is very important to get the motor to charge with as few RPM as possible. This is the essence of building a good wind turbine as the lower RPM equate to lower wind speed it take to charge batteries . These generators not only produce 12 volts with 40 rpm, they have a dual stator that has a non iron core to decrease magnetic drag and ensure the lowest startup speed on the market. Basically no brushes, super low RPM, and less torque to start up patented technology made in the USA.

A few months ago I was down on the idea of home made wind turbines. I however see promise again as the technology now available to the home builder allow construction of long lasting turbines that are cost effective. While the supply of DC motors that can be used as wind generators has dwindled and the price on the remaining rare items has skyrocketed it is now again possible to make a make this project worthwhile. The Hurricane PMA can produce as much as 200 volts at direct drive speeds with no gearing needed. It is now a fact that not only is it rewarding and a good family project but the home made wind generator will simply out perform the kit from the manufacturers such as Southwest. So yes it is again a good idea to build a home wind generator as long as you stay away from overpriced obsolete generator heads.

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Residential solar energy systems and wind power generators are becoming more popular. More and more people are finding the benefits of generating there own electricity to power there home. There are some situations where you may need both a residential solar energy system and wind power generators. Here we will take a look.

With Solar energy, it can work out good to have in your home, but only if you get a moderate amount of sunlight. This is a similar problem to wind power. Wind power generators are only effective, with a moderate amount of wind.

If you have a lot of sunlight, then a residential solar energy system will be of great benefit, and you will not need to look for alternative sources of energy. Likewise a lot of wind could mean that sticking with a wind power generator may be your best option.

If you find you live in the west of the US, you may have great sunshine, and a residential solar energy system maybe all you need, but what about if you are stuck in a part of the world where blistering sunshine is not a common thing?

In the UK for example, there are summer months with days that are very sunny. Residential solar energy systems are similar to a thermometer. As sunlight is more, and hotter, it means you get more power, less sunlight means less power.

In either case, a deficit will mean you just don’t have power. An option that many homes that switch to wind or solar power decide on is to have a connection to the electric company. This makes a great option, as you can get to have constant electric, and any excess, you maybe able to sell back to the electric company.

If you are in an area that isn’t very sunny or very overcast with clouds, then you may need a wind power generator that can supplement when there is no sun, but a lot of wind. This poses a few extra problems or benefits, however you see it.

Investing in a residential solar energy system is going to be a costly affair. Though the energy you get will be for many years, even decades, it still could mean that you still have to pay for electric, especially if you don’t have the sunshine.

The problem with investing in residential solar energy systems and a wind generator is that you likely have to invest twice the amount of money. This can mean a longer time to make a return on investment.

It is always advisable to seek advice from the company you plan to buy the energy system from, as they can give you an indication of whether you need a residential solar energy system, wind power generator or both.

The benefit with both is that with the excess energy you can, in most cases, sell it back to the electric company. It can be a great feeling, having the electric company send you a paycheck a few times in the year.

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Wind generator genning. There wasnt really any reason to be upset. I’m just a cry baby.

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