Furnaces
Boilers
Central Air Conditioning
Splits
Gas Fireplaces & Inserts
Gas Log Sets
Pellet Stoves & Inserts
Water Heaters
Accessories
Furnaces create heat by burning fuel (gas, oil, or
propane). When the fuel burns, it generates hot gasses which travel through
curved metal tubing called a heat exchanger. As air passes
over the heat exchanger, it absorbs heat from the hot metal surface. The
heated air is then circulated through ducts to warm your home or place of
business. Meanwhile, the gasses that are created by the burning fuel are
released outside through a vent pipe.
Standard furnaces range anywhere from eighty to
ninety five percent efficient. An upgrade to any furnace is the two-stage
option. Two stage furnaces have the ability to act like two furnaces in one.
Once the thermostat calls for heat the furnace will kick on at a lower heat
rate for a set period of time, if the furnace does not meet the demand for
heat within that time, it will automatically kick into high fire until the
heat demand is meet. This helps on mild days when heat is needed but not a
large amount saving you money. Also available is the ability to have a
variable speed furnace. These furnaces use a dc voltage blower motor which
uses much less electric to run. A dc voltage motor can be compared to
running a seventy-five watt light bulb, they are capable of running
twenty-fours hours a day, allowing you to filter your air non stop.
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Air conditioning is the
conditioning of air within a
defined space. Conditioning usually involves heating or cooling, humidifying
or dehumidifying, and filtering or cleaning air. If you have a central air
conditioner, your system cools and dehumidifies the defined space. Heating
is accomplished by a separate unit, such as a furnace.
How Air Conditioners Cool The Air
Central air conditioners are made up of: an outdoor
unit (the condensing unit) and an indoor unit (air
handler). The function of an air conditioner is to
transport heat from one station to another. The vehicle your system uses to
carry the heat is called a refrigerant.
The compressor in your outdoor unit changes the
refrigerant into a high temperature, high pressure gas. As that gas flows
through the outdoor coil, it loses heat and condenses into a high
temperature, high pressure liquid. This liquid refrigerant travels through
copper tubing into the evaporator coil. There the refrigerant expands.
Its sudden expansion turns the refrigerant into a low temperature, low
pressure gas. This gas then absorbs heat from the air circulating in the
duct work. The cooled air is then distributed back through the defined
space. Meanwhile, the heat absorbed by the refrigerant is carried back
outside through copper tubing and released into the outside air.
Dirty coils and improper refrigerant levels can
cause your system to cool less efficiently than it should. An inefficient
system means higher energy bills. It also forces your compressor to work
harder than is necessary and can actually shorten the life span of your
unit. An annual air conditioning inspection by an experienced technician
includes an inspection of the coils and the checking of your
refrigerant charge, to insure that your system is running efficiently.
How Your Air Conditioner Dehumidifies The Air
As the warm air circulating through your ducts
passes over the evaporator coil, it is quickly cooled and can no longer hold
as much moisture as it did at a higher temperature. The excess moisture
condenses on the outside of the coils and is carried away through a drain.
Occasionally, the drain lines may become clogged
and your system will not drain properly. This can result in a drain pan
overflow, leading to water leaks in your ceiling or walls. An annual air
conditioning inspection by an experienced technician should include an
inspection of your drain lines...
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Split systems are ideal for homes with boilers as they require no
ductwork. As with a conventional central air systems, splits use a indoor
coil & and outside condenser to operate. However unlike the convential
system that uses the furnaces blower and ductwork, the coil of a split
systems is located in one room and the air is distributed from the indoor
coil unit.
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Zero Clearance/Insert or Freestanding Stove???
When considering the purchase of a gas fireplace
for your home, it is important to first understand the difference between
each type of unit.
Zero Clearance fireplaces are designed to be put
against an exterior wall where nothing currently existing and build a mantel
around. Click here for examples.
Fireplace inserts are designed to go into existing
wood burning fireplaces. These inserts sit into the opening of the existing
fireplace and use a decorative surround to cover the gap between the edge of
the insert and the beginning of the existing opening. They use the chimney
as a chase to enclose two flexible liners, one for exhaust flue gases and
one for the combustion air. Click here for examples.
Freestanding stoves are just what they sound like,
a freestanding unit that can go on any exterior wall and do not require and
construction of a mantel or surround. Click here for examples.
Affordable offers three different lines of gas
fireplaces to handle each customers needs. One of the advantages to having a
fireplace is the ability of the unit to run without power (excluding blower)
which makes them not only a esthetic focal point of any room, but also a
great secondary heat source. Each brand is remote or thermostat capable,
making it easy to turn on or off with the push of a button or the ability of
having the room maintain a comfortable heat level.
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Gas log sets offer an economical alternative to a
gas fireplace insert. Designed to
put into your existing masonry fireplace log sets are a designed more for
esthetics then for a heat source. Available in many different log types and
sizes they are a easy way to dress up any fireplace. Affordable is proud to
offer Peterson Logs which use a sand pan burner making them extremely
realistic. Click here for examples.
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We offer Enviro pellet stoves and inserts. Enviro utilizes a top feed
augers system, which allows a break in the fuel source and the flame making
it the safest stove on the market. Along with being the safest, the stoves
and inserts are clean burning, quiet and economical.
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There are two main types of water heaters. A standard vent water heater,
which vents directly into an existing chimney or a power vent water heater,
which vents through pvc out the side of the home. Both are available in 30;
40 or 50 gallon tanks.
Also becoming more popular are tank less on demand water heater, which
give you instant hot water without the need of a storage tank constantly
heating the water.
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Ask our sales rep for a information on the many accessories available to
add-on onto your new purchase or enhance your existing equipment. We offer a
wide variety of humidifiers; germicidal lights; media filters; thermostats
and much more.
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